REGIONAL

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)  

IMPHAL : Manipur DGP Rajiv Singh on Monday asked police officers and security forces to ensure effective investigation, speedy disposal of cases, sustained operations against anti-national elements and drug traffickers, and intensified efforts to seize illegal arms and ammunition. The director general of police (DGP) issued the directions during visits to Kakching and Chandel districts to review security preparedness, policing and departmental welfare, according to a police statement. At Kakching, Singh reviewed the preparedness of the district police to prevent any untoward incidents in vulnerable areas during the ongoing farming season. He interacted with officers of the district police, Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and central agencies, and stressed the need for effective investigation, speedy disposal of cases and sustained operations against anti-national elements and drug traffickers. He also called for intensified efforts to seize illegal arms and ammunition. Singh said that officers and personnel displaying exemplary professionalism would be suitably rewarded. At the headquarters of the 8th Manipur Rifles at Leikun in Chandel district, the DGP chaired a review meeting on deployment at various posts and outposts, static guards, and law and order duties. He emphasised professionalism, discipline and healthy work practices, while encouraging officers and personnel to maintain a harmonious environment within the unit. The DGP also urged officers to explore innovative ways for the optimum utilisation of the unit’s land and other resources for departmental welfare. Singh held interaction sessions with officers of the district police, representatives of civil society organisations (CSOs) and the Assam Rifles in Chandel district. During the meetings, he reviewed policing issues, emphasised professional and people-centric policing, appreciated the coordination between the district police and CSOs in maintaining peace and harmony, and underscored the importance of continued inter-agency cooperation. He also encouraged the youth of Chandel to participate in the forthcoming Manipur Police recruitment rally. (Source: PTI)    

SHILLONG : The house-to-house verification of voters under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls will commence across Meghalaya from Tuesday, officials said. Booth-level officers (BLOs) will visit households in all constituencies from June 30 to July 29 to distribute self-enumeration forms to voters whose names appeared in the 2005 electoral rolls, which the Election Commission has adopted as the baseline, they said. East Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner Abhilash Baranwal appealed to voters to participate in the exercise, asserting that the objective of the revision is “to include, not exclude”. “The message and the request to all the electors is to take this exercise very seriously,” he told reporters. The door-to-door survey will conclude on July 29, and the draft electoral roll will be published on August 5. After that, claims and objections can be filed by the voters and political parties from August 5 to September 4. The district administration has also enabled online submission of self-enumeration forms through the EC website, and set up helplines to assist voters, Baranwal said. He said eligible voters who have attained the age of 18 can apply for enrolment by submitting Form 6 during the verification process. The district has 1,021 polling stations and an equal number of BLOs deployed for the exercise, the officials said. Commenting on reported voter exclusions in some other states, the deputy commissioner said the administration is working with headmen and community representatives to build confidence among electors. (Source: PTI)              

KANGPOKPI : A Kuki-Zo organisation in Manipur’s Kangpokpi urged the central and state governments to remove all blockades, allegedly by Naga groups, along the national and state highways passing through the district. In a statement, the Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU) said that following joint deliberation with all civil society organisations (CSOs) of Kangpokpi, it unanimously resolved to “serve a 48-hour ultimatum”, effective from Sunday midnight, for removing all blockades. The development came in the wake of price rise and depleting stocks of essential commodities in the Kuki-Zo majority district, caused by the blockades on NH-2 and NH-37, sources said. CoTU said road transportation, the “lifeline of the people and backbone of economic activities”, has remained severely disrupted for over a month due to blockades and unauthorised checkpoints allegedly manned by Naga groups. “This has caused immense hardship in the transport of essential commodities, medicines, medical supplies, and the free movement of the public,” it said. CoTU and participating CSOs demanded that the Manipur government, in coordination with the Centre and security agencies, immediately remove all unauthorised checkpoints and gates along national and state highways and restore unrestricted public access within 48 hours. CoTU warned that failure to comply will compel the Kuki-Zo community to undertake “appropriate and pre-emptive democratic measures” to safeguard the interests, rights, and security of the general public. Manipur, where more than 260 people have been killed and thousands rendered homeless in ethnic conflict between Imphal Valley-based Meiteis and adjoining hills-based Kukis, is currently witnessing strife between Kukis and Nagas, both hill communities, since February this year. The latest phase of the conflict saw several killings and abductions. (Source: PTI)    

GUWAHATI : All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary (Organisation) K C Venugopal will review the party’s poor performance in the Assam Assembly elections on July 1, officials said on Sunday. A senior Assam Congress member, who requested anonymity, told PTI that Venugopal will be in the state for a two-day visit from June 30 and will deliberate on the ways to strengthen the organisation post the loss in the state. “An organisational meeting has been called on July 1 at the state headquarters Rajiv Bhawan. Venugopal will review the organisation’s performance and is likely to give us the roadmap for the future,” he added. Already, a letter has been issued by Assam Congress general secretary (Organisation) Ramanna Baruah to all the party MPs, MLAs, Political Affairs Committee (PAC) members, APCC office bearers, frontal group heads and district presidents with intimation of the meeting and asked them to attend it. Besides, all the contested candidates of the Assam Legislative Assembly Election have also been invited for the meeting to have feedback from them, the party official said. The Congress and Raijor Dal, who were part of a six-party opposition alliance, won 19 and two seats respectively in the 126-member House. Post its debacle, Assam Congress President Gaurav Gogoi had formed multiple teams to conduct a ground review of each constituency. The teams comprised MLAs, ex-MLAs and senior Congress leaders. They were asked to conduct their reviews from May 29 to June 2 and submit the reports accordingly. However, several members of the teams told PTI that Gogoi has neither invited the teams nor discussed the reports as of now. “We thought that he would call us and discuss the reports. In our reports, we highlighted the party’s shortcomings as well as how the BJP gained the upper hand due to several of their decisions,” one of the members said. With Venugopal taking stock of the party’s performance, it is expected that the constituency-wise reports will be discussed on July 1 in his presence. “He will give us guidance and ways to strengthen the party in the future. We need to rejuvenate our workers, who are highly demotivated after the assembly election,” the official said. The NDA, comprising the BJP, Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and Bodoland People’s Front (BPF), secured a sweeping mandate in the assembly polls, winning a record 102 seats. The BJP alone bagged 82, its first single-party majority in the state, while AGP and BPF won 10 seats each. The AIUDF and Trinamool Congress fought separately as single entities and have two and one MLAs respectively. (Source: PTI)  

KOHIMA  : The Nagaland government on Sunday launched a statewide health drive, aiming to administer the oral polio vaccine to over one lakh children under the age of five years, officials said. Launching the campaign at Seikhazou Urban Primary Health Centre (UPHC) in Kohima, State Immunisation Officer Imkongtemsu Longchar said “Nagaland’s last polio case was detected in 1997, while India has remained polio-free since 2014 due to such sustained drives”. It aims to vaccinate 1,43,530 children below five years of age across the northeastern state. More than 2,400 polio booths were set up in Nagaland on Sunday, Longchar said. “The oral polio vaccine is safe, free and highly effective. Timely immunisation protects children from several vaccine-preventable diseases,” he said. Following the booth campaign, health workers will conduct house-to-house visits from Monday to vaccinate children who missed the dose on Sunday, another official said. (Source: PTI)        

IMPHAL : Manipur Chief Minister Y Khemchand Singh on Saturday reaffirmed his government’s commitment to promoting sports and creating opportunities for aspiring footballers, particularly women, through sustained support for grassroots development and sporting infrastructure. He made the assurances during an interaction with nine players of the Indian Women’s Football Team from the state. The players apprised the achievements of Manipuri footballers and highlighted the need to further strengthen women’s football in the state. During the interaction, the team informed Singh that 23 players represented India, of whom nine players are from Manipur and were part of the recently held Sixth South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Women’s Championship-winning team. The delegation also informed the chief minister that all nine Manipuri players are members of the SAFF Championship-winning squad and several of them also represented the country at the AFC Women’s Asian Cup in Australia. The players appealed to Singh to extend continued support towards women’s football in the state and requested that the number of Manipuri players in the Indian national team should not decline as many talented players are compelled to seek employment outside the state. They also proposed organising annual women’s football tournaments to strengthen grassroots development, provide greater exposure to young players, and ensure a steady pipeline of talent for the national team. Singh appreciated the outstanding achievements of the players in bringing laurels to the nation and reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to promoting sports and creating greater opportunities for aspiring footballers, particularly women, through sustained support for grassroots development and sporting infrastructure. He said that the players also urged him to ensure better career advancement and promotional opportunities for sportspersons serving in various state government departments, in recognition of their contributions and achievements in sports. (Source: PTI)