REGIONAL

MORIGAON : The Assam government will undertake a massive drive to plant 1 crore saplings across the state between August 10 and 14 as part of the Independence Day celebrations, Forest Minister Jayanta Malla Baruah said on Thursday. Baruah made the announcement after participating in a plantation programme at the Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary to mark the 77th Van Mahotsav. He, along with local residents, forest officials and others, planted 77 saplings on the occasion. Addressing the gathering, the minister said the plantation campaign would be carried out under the ‘Amrit Brikshya Andolan’, with around 10 lakh students from class 9 onwards, including those pursuing higher, engineering and medical education, participating in the drive. “Each participating student will plant 10 saplings, taking the total target to 1 crore saplings across the state,” Baruah said. To ensure the survival of the saplings, each student will be assisted by a job card holder under the VB-GRAM-G scheme. “Job card holders will receive an incentive of Rs 1,500, equivalent to five days’ wages, in instalments, provided at least 50 per cent of the saplings survive. This will not only improve the survival rate of the saplings but also generate livelihood opportunities for rural workers,” he said. Students who successfully maintain the saplings by uploading geo-tagged photographs will be awarded the ‘Briksha Bandhu’ certificate in recognition of their contribution to environmental conservation, he added. Baruah also announced the launch of the ‘Phalbari’ initiative, under which 1 crore indigenous fruit saplings will be distributed across the state from April next year. The initiative aims to revive traditional fruit species such as mango, jackfruit, leteku (Burmese grape), paniyal (Indian coffee plum), kordoi (star fruit), and kaji nemu (lemon). “Nursery development for the programme will begin in October this year. Besides strengthening biodiversity, the initiative is expected to improve long-term food and nutritional security in the state,” he said. The minister further announced that every forest range in Assam will establish a ‘Janmadin Seuj Shopath’, which will be inaugurated on July 7, the concluding day of Van Mahotsav. Under the initiative, people will be encouraged to celebrate their birthdays by planting a tree and taking a pledge to protect the environment. An online portal will also be launched to facilitate advance booking of saplings. Baruah also unveiled a ‘Char-Chapori’ Greening Initiative aimed at restoring the barren char and chapori areas along the Brahmaputra. “As a pilot project, seed balls will be aerially dispersed using drones in selected char areas. Based on the outcome, the programme will be expanded across the state,” he said. The minister said the state government’s crackdown on illegal sawmills was continuing. “Between 40 and 60 illegal sawmills are being dismantled every day based on departmental action and public inputs,” he said. Baruah said all Range Officers and Divisional Forest Officers (DFOs) had been directed to ensure the complete elimination of illegal sawmills within their jurisdictions and warned that officials would be held personally accountable if such operations continued. (Source: PTI)          

GUWAHATI : Assam’s flood situation showed no signs of improvement on Wednesday, with the deluge affecting 46,000 people in six districts of the state and Dhemaji being the worst-hit, according to an official bulletin. The Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) said on Tuesday night that one woman died in floodwaters in Sissiborgaon in Dhemaji district, the first casualty in the deluge this year. Two major rivers, including the Brahmaputra, were flowing above the danger level, with damage to infrastructure reported in various parts of the state. Crop land of more than 3,809 hectares remained under floodwaters, the bulletin said. The ASDMA said 46,938 people in 10 revenue circles and 221 villages of Dhemaji, Nalbari, Dibrugarh, Chirang, Lakhimpur and Biswanath are reeling under floodwaters. Dhemaji is the worst-hit with 45,841 people affected by the deluge. More than 450 displaced people took shelter in four relief camps, while another six relief distribution centres were also operational. Over 88,000 animals have been affected, the bulletin added. (Source: PTI)  

IMPHAL : Manipur Chief Minister Y Khemchand Singh on Wednesday said his government remains firmly committed to eliminating the drug menace. Singh’s remarks came after he held a meeting with top officials of the Narcotics Control Bureau at the state secretariat here. In a post on X, Singh said, “Called on by R. Sudhakar, IPS, Deputy Director General (NER), NCB, and P K Mishra, Additional Director, NCB, at the Secretariat.” He also said, “The government remains firmly committed to eliminating the drug menace through coordinated and sustained efforts.” During the meeting, they focused on “strengthening intelligence gathering, enhancing coordination with the state and international agencies, and ensuring effective enforcement of the NDPS Act, 1985, to combat drug trafficking”, Singh said. (Source: PTI)  

GANGTOK : Sikkim on Wednesday kicked off its annual environmental festival, as officials emphasised on collective action to protect the state’s rich natural heritage and tackle the growing challenges of climate change. The fortnight-long ‘Sikkim Paryavaran Parva 2026’ was inaugurated at Chintan Bhawan here by Forest and Environment Minister Pintso Namgyal Lepcha in the presence of senior officials, students, environmentalists and representatives from various organisations. Addressing the inaugural programme, Lepcha stressed that environmental conservation must become a people’s movement, with every citizen taking responsibility for safeguarding forests, water sources and biodiversity. “Sikkim’s greatest strength is its pristine environment. Protecting it is not only the responsibility of the government, but of every individual. Through ‘Paryavaran Parva’, we aim to inspire citizens, especially the younger generation, to become champions of sustainable living and environmental stewardship,” he said. The inaugural session featured the launch of a series of awareness campaigns, exhibitions, sporting and educational activities that will be conducted across the state over the next two weeks. The Forest and Environment Department said the annual festival is aimed at fostering greater public involvement in protecting Sikkim’s ecosystem, while reinforcing the state’s commitment to sustainable development and climate resilience. (Source: PTI)                      

JORHAT : Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi on Tuesday criticised the state and Central governments for “failing” to resolve the decades-old border row with Nagaland. He questioned the Assam government whether it has conceded land to the neighbouring state even before the dispute could be settled by the Supreme Court. Speaking to reporters after visiting the inter-state border in Mariani in Jorhat district, which comes under his Lok Sabha constituency, Gogoi alleged that the boundary is being altered and encroachment is happening on Assam land. Citing his interactions with the locals, the MP said that they have claimed to be facing aggression from residents of the Nagaland side for years. “But sadly, the role of the Assam and Central governments has been very dissatisfactory,” Gogoi said. “The Nagaland administration has itself admitted that they have constructed a bridge within Assam’s territory back in 2020. Yet, about a week ago, when local residents of Assam went to clear the roads near that bridge under the Job Card scheme, they were obstructed by the Nagaland side,” he said. Demanding the Assam government to clarify its stand in this regard, the state Congress president also questioned whether the BJP-led regime has conceded territory to Nagaland already. Gogoi affirmed the Congress party’s commitment to safeguard the interests of the people and cooperation to the government to secure the state’s borders. Assam shares a 512.1-km border with Nagaland, with dispute over the boundary since the creation of the neighbouring state in 1963. The matter is now pending before the Supreme Court for a resolution. The government had said in the state Assembly that 59,490.21 hectares of land have been captured by Nagaland, the highest encroachment by any state on Assam territory. (Source: PTI)    

GUWAHATI : Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday said a young gharial has been spotted in the Kekaidong river in West Karbi Anglong, and projected it as proof of a steady revival of Assam’s natural ecosystems. The sighting comes less than two months after another Gharial, a species that was believed to have disappeared from the state, was seen in the Kaziranga National Park.   “Healthy rivers tell their own story. The sighting of a juvenile Gharial in the Kekaidong River, West Karbi Anglong, reflects the steady revival of Assam’s natural ecosystems,” Sarma said in a post on X. “It encourages us to remain steadfast in protecting the rich biodiversity that defines our state,” he added. Gharials are critically endangered, large South Asian crocodiles known for their exceptionally long, thin snout and a diet that is largely fish. (Source: PTI)    

AIZAWL : A woman from Manipur was arrested in Mizoram’s Aizawl district after heroin worth Rs 1.13 crore was seized from her possession, Assam Rifles said in a statement on Tuesday. Acting on a tip-off, a joint team of Assam Rifles and Mizoram Police launched an operation at Seling checkpost on Monday and seized 150.97 grams of heroin from a woman, a resident of Chandel district of neighbouring Manipur, it said. She was apprehended for allegedly transporting narcotic substances illegally, the statement said. One mobile phone was also seized from the accused, it said. The seized heroin and mobile phone, and the accused person have been handed over to the state police for further investigation and legal proceedings on the same day, it said. The Assam Rifles said the successful operation underscores its continued commitment and close coordination with the Mizoram Police and other law enforcement agencies in curbing narcotics trafficking in the state. The paramilitary force also reiterated its resolve to strengthen security along the India-Myanmar border and prevent the movement of illegal drugs, contributing to peace and stability in the region. (Source: PTI)  

GUWAHATI : The flood situation in Assam remained grim on Tuesday with one person killed in the deluge and more than 46,000 people affected in six districts, an official bulletin said. Two major rivers, including the Brahmaputra, were flowing above the danger level, with damage to infrastructure also caused in different parts. The Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), in its flood bulletin, said one woman died in flood waters in Sissiborgaon in Dhemaji district, the first casualty in the deluge in the state this year. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma assured of all assistance to the affected areas, with ministers touring the flood-hit districts. “We are leaving no stone unturned in our flood response. While I continue to monitor the situation closely, my Cabinet colleagues are on the ground overseeing relief efforts, protection measures & ensuring timely assistance,” Sarma said in a post on X. Water Resources Minister Susanta Borgohain and Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Keshab Mahanta visited several affected areas and interacted with the people to ensure timely relief. “As part of the Assam government’s ongoing flood response, I visited the flood-affected areas along the Chakrang River in Gohpur today, following the directions of Hon’ble Chief Minister Dr @himantabiswa Dangoriya,” Borgohain, who was accompanied by Mahanta, said in a post on the social media site. “Necessary instructions were issued to the concerned authorities to take immediate flood protection measures,” he added. The ASDMA bulletin said 46,938 people in 10 revenue circles and 221 villages of six districts of Dhemaji, Nalbari, Dibrugarh, Chirang, Lakhimpur and Biswanath are reeling under flood waters. Dhemaji is the worst-hit with 45,841 people affected by the deluge. The number of affected people was 45,500 in five districts on Monday. The Brahmaputra was flowing over the danger level at Neamatighat and the Disang at Nanglamuraghat. More than 450 displaced people were taking shelter in four relief camps, while another six relief distribution centres were also operational. Crop land of 3809.0243 hectares also remained under flood waters. More than 88,000 animals, including 50,000 big ones, have been affected by the deluge. Infrastructure, including several roads, have been damaged in the current wave of floods, as per the ASDMA bulletin. (Source: PTI)