REGIONAL

SHILLONG : Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Tuesday directed government departments to intensify preparedness and roll out coordinated action plans to mitigate the possible impact of an anticipated El Nino event. Chairing a meeting of the Meghalaya Climate Council at the State Guest House in Taraghar, Sangma said the state must plan proactively to limit the fallout of extreme weather conditions linked to El Nino-related climatic variations. “The state must prepare in advance rather than respond after adverse conditions emerge,” he said. The CM asked departments to translate preparedness plans into time-bound, actionable measures with clearly defined responsibilities. He stressed the need to prioritise water conservation, catchment protection, groundwater recharge and community participation, while also calling for wider dissemination of weather advisories and early-warning information. El Nino conditions are often linked to altered monsoon patterns, prolonged dry spells and below-normal rainfall. Sangma directed departments to strengthen support systems for farmers and vulnerable communities. The meeting reviewed sector-specific contingency plans covering drinking water supply, agriculture, food security and disaster management. Representatives of India Meteorological Department (IMD), Meghalaya Basin Management Agency, Public Health Engineering Department, Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Department, Food Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department, and other agencies briefed the council on vulnerability assessments and preparedness measures. (Source: PTI)  

IMPHAL : The Congress Legislature Party leader in Manipur, Keisham Meghachandra, has demanded that the state government provide a timeline for the restoration of normalcy in the northeastern state and steps being taken to ensure justice, security, and reconciliation. In a post on X, Meghachandra said that since May 3, 2023, the people of Manipur have endured prolonged hardship, displacement, uncertainty, and disruption of normal life. Manipur witnessed the killing of at least 260 people and the displacement of thousands in violence between the Meitei and Kuki communities since May 2023. The Congress leader said the nearly five-month-old BJP government should be able to present a clear and practical roadmap for restoring peace and normalcy in the state. “While the situation remains complex, people deserve clarity and concrete action. The government must explain the steps being taken to restore public confidence, ensure rehabilitation, facilitate the safe return of displaced persons, and create conditions for lasting peace,” Meghachandra said. Keisham demanded to know the roadmap for restoring peace and normalcy and the concrete measures being taken for rehabilitation and resettlement. He also asked for a timeline for the restoration of normal life and the steps being taken to ensure justice, security, and reconciliation. “Peace cannot remain an open-ended promise. There must be a transparent, time-bound, and inclusive plan that addresses the concerns of all affected communities, and the people of Manipur expect accountability, decisive action, and visible progress towards a peaceful and secure future,” the Congress leader said. (Source: PTI)  

GUWAHATI : The Assam government on Tuesday rolled out the ‘e-Zero FIR’ initiative, under which cyber fraud complaints registered through the NCRP or helpline number 1930 will be automatically converted into FIRs. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said Assam was among the first states to implement the initiative, which is aimed at ensuring jurisdiction-free and hassle-free registration of FIRs in cybercrime cases. “Furthering Adarniya Narendra Modi ji’s vision of a Cyber Secure Bharat, Assam has today officially rolled out the e-Zero FIR initiative — a system which will automatically convert cyber financial crimes lodged at NCRP or 1930 to FIRs,” he said in a social media post. He said the system would facilitate faster police action and improve the chances of recovering money lost in cyber frauds. Financial cybercrime complaints involving more than Rs 10 lakh will be automatically converted into zero FIRs, enabling prompt action by law enforcement agencies, Sarma said. “This quick rollout has been possible due to the guidance of Adarniya Amit Shah ji and the efforts of team Assam Police. Now, your hard-earned money will not go in vain with this prompt system,” he added. (Source: PTI)

GUWAHATI : Drone-powered postal services will soon be introduced in Assam, official sources said on Monday. It will help in connecting rural and remote areas with eco-friendly operations, they added. “A new era of logistics is taking flight in Assam. Drone-powered postal services will connect remote regions faster than ever, reducing delivery times from hours to minutes,” the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) said in a post on X. “With real-time tracking and eco-friendly operations,” it added. The post further said that delivery time will shrink from two hours to seven minutes, connecting the rural parts of the state. The CMO, however, did not mention when the service will be launched or who will be operating it. (Source: PTI)    

GUWAHATI : AIUDF chief Badruddin Ajmal took oath as a member of the Assam assembly on Monday, a month after other newly elected legislators were sworn in, officials said. Assembly Speaker Ranjeet Kumar Dass administered the oath to Ajmal, who was elected from the Binnakandi constituency in central Assam. The ceremony was held in the meeting room of the speaker’s office, with assembly secretary-in-charge Rajiv Bhattacharjya conducting the proceedings, according to a post on the assembly’s social page. Members of the newly elected assembly had taken oath on May 21, the first day of the session of the new government. An AIUDF leader said Ajmal was away on Haj when the other MLAs had taken oath. “He had informed the assembly secretariat that we would not be present during the oath-taking ceremony. After returning from Haj, he once again wrote, seeking a date and time to take his oath. Accordingly, it was arranged today,” the leader said. Ajmal, a former three-time MP, has returned to state politics for a second time as an MLA. He was first elected to the assembly from the South Salmara seat in 2006. The NDA, comprising the BJP, Asom Gana Parishad and Bodoland People’s Front, won 102 seats in the 126-member House in the recent assembly polls. The BJP secured 82 seats, while the AGP and BPF won 10 each. The Congress and Raijor Dal, which were part of a six-party opposition alliance, won 19 and two seats, respectively. The AIUDF and Trinamool Congress contested separately and won two and one seats, respectively. (Source: PTI)    

AGARTALA : BJP’s Northeast coordinator Sambit Patra has exhorted the party’s state leadership to hold all key organisational meetings every month to further strengthen the organisation, a party leader said on Monday. The directive came during a core committee meeting held at the party headquarters here, which was attended by Patra, Chief Minister Manik Saha, state BJP president Abhishek Debroy and other senior leaders. Talking to reporters, Debroy said the core committee emphasised the need to hold meetings of the core committee, district units and mandals every month. “The core committee also decided to constitute the state and district-level party committees at the earliest,” he said. The state and district committees could not be reconstituted for over a year due to a stalemate over the election of the state BJP president. Debroy, an MLA from Matabari Assembly constituency, was appointed state BJP president on May 28. He said there was no discussion on the electoral understanding with Tipra Motha ahead of the village committee elections. Earlier in the day, Patra met the chief minister at his official residence and discussed organisational issues related to the state, which is set to go to polls for the village committees under the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) in September. “BJP’s Northeast Coordinator Sambit Patra, along with party state president Abhishek Debroy, had a fruitful discussion on organisational issues. We exchanged views on how to further enhance the organisational strength and make it more people-centric,” Saha wrote in a Facebook post. (Source: PTI)      

GUWAHATI : European Union (EU) member-states have withdrawn their negative travel advisory for Assam, except for the three districts under the Armed Forces (Special Power) Act or AFSPA, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Saturday. EU Ambassador to India Herve Delphin informed the Assam chief secretary that the restriction has been lifted from Friday, he said. “After reviewing the situation in Assam, they have withdrawn the negative travel advisory from yesterday. All the 27 member-states of the EU have lifted the restrictions for its citizens travelling to our state, barring the three districts of Charaideo, Tinsukia and Sivasagar which are under AFSPA,” Sarma said on Facebook Live. He said that the USA and Canada are yet to lift the travel restrictions for Assam, and the state government was pursuing the matter with them. Australia and Japan had earlier withdrawn similar advisories for their citizens last year, the CM said in a post on X. “This development, following the recent visit of EU diplomats, is a strong vote of confidence in Assam and bodes well for deeper EUAssam engagement. It will further strengthen tourism, business, and people-to-people ties,” he said, expressing gratitude to Delphin for his support in taking it forward. (Source: PTI)  

GUWAHATI : A suspected transnational wildlife trafficking network has been busted by Assam Police, leading to the arrest of nine people and rescue of endangered Golden Langurs in Chirang district, an official statement said on Saturday. The arrests and rescue were made by the Special Task Force (STF) of the state police on Friday night, it said. Acting on specific information regarding illegal trafficking of Golden Langurs, STF launched the operation with the assistance of Chirang Police. “During the intervening night of 19th and 20th June, STF, Assam apprehended nine wildlife traffickers and rescued eight Golden Langurs from their possession at Bamungaon Road under Sidli Police Station in Chirang district,” the statement said. The rescued Golden Langurs are an endangered species notified under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, with an estimated black market value of around Rs 16 lakh. The STF said the animals were captured from the Ultapani area of Kokrajhar district and were being trafficked through local intermediaries in Chirang for delivery to prospective buyers. During the operation, two vehicles, 13 mobile phones and documents were seized. STF, Assam, has lodged a formal complaint before the Forest Range Officer, Runikhata Range under Chirang Wildlife Division and handed over the arrested persons, rescued Golden Langurs and seized articles to them for necessary legal action and further investigation into the organised interstate and transnational wildlife trafficking network, the statement said. (Source: PTI)