Paromita Editor

Assam's flood situation remained grim with more than 57,000 people affected across eight districts, while one person died in Sivasagar on Sunday, taking the cumulative flood-related death toll in the state this year to five.According to the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), floods have affected Dhemaji, Dibrugarh, Charaideo, Tinsukia, Lakhimpur, Sivasagar, Udalguri and Jorhat districts.A total of 22 revenue circles and 298 villages remain inundated, with 57,199 people reeling under the impact of the deluge. Nearly 3,874.84 hectares of crop area have also been submerged. Officials said the latest flood-related casualty was reported from Amguri revenue circle in Sivasagar…

In a significant political development ahead of the Assam Assembly elections, eight Muslim organisations, along with a joint platform representing around 16,000 Jonab (religious scholars), announced that they were severing ties with the Congress, describing the move as giving the party "triple talaq." The organisations also declared a political "triple talaq" to Congress MPs Rakibul Hussain and Wajed Ali Choudhury, accusing them of failing to address the concerns of the Muslim community. Speaking at a press conference, representatives of the joint platform claimed that if Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma sought their support, they could help transfer nearly two lakh…

Assam Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya attended the Jagannath Rath Yatra Mahotsav organised by Shri Shri Jagannath Cultural Trust in Dibrugarh and extended his heartfelt greetings and best wishes to the devotees on the auspicious occasion.Conveying his greetings, Governor Acharya said, “Rath Yatra is a timeless symbol of India's rich cultural heritage, spiritual values, social harmony and inclusiveness. The divine journey of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra inspires people to uphold the ideals of compassion, selfless service and dedication towards the welfare of society.”Hailing the efforts of Shri Shri Jagannath Cultural Trust, the Governor lauded the organisation for promoting…

Protests broke out in Assam's Tamulpur district on Thursday as Koch Rajbongshi organisations intensified their long-standing demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status, accusing both the Centre and the State government of failing to fulfil their promises. Members of the All Koch Rajbongshi Students' Union (AKRASU) staged demonstrations on the India-Bhutan highway, where they burned effigies of Union Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram and Assam Tribal Affairs Minister Ranoj Pegu. Protesters raised slogans demanding immediate grant of ST status to the Koch Rajbongshi community. The agitators alleged that despite repeated assurances during elections, the BJP-led governments at the Centre and in…

Assam Forest minister Jayanta Mallabaruah on Thursday conducted an extensive on-ground inspection of the Behali Reserve Forest following reports of large-scale destruction of forest land by cross state border miscreants.The minister reviewed the situation in the presence of senior forest department officials, Assam Police and civil administration, and announced a series of immediate measures to protect the reserve forest, restore the damaged areas and strengthen enforcement on the ground.The inspection was undertaken after reports of extensive forest destruction in the Behali Forest Range along the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh boundary.Satellite imagery and drone assessments comparing the condition of the forest over the…

The International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs (IWGIA), a global organisation working in support of indigenous peoples rights, today condemned the arrest of Pranab Doley, an indigenous human rights defender.In a statement, IWGIA stated that he was arrested by Assam Police, possibly as a revenge for cancellation of a $434.25 million loan of the Asian Development Bank for a solar project in Assam. Doley was arrested from Sundarpur, Guwahati on July 12 in connection with Bokakhat Police Station case number 108/2026, registered on June 29 regarding a protest against the proposed Assam Tourism Development Corporation (ATDC) Hyatt luxury hotel project at Ingle Pathar near Kaziranga National Park. He was subsequently taken to Golaghat, formally shown arrested on July 13 at 3.30 am, and remanded…

On the last leg of his two-day visit to Dibrugarh district,  Assam Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya, visited Manohari Tea Estate and interacted with tea garden workers, students of Manohari TE LP School and members of the estate community. During the interaction, Governor Acharya enquired about the various welfare measures and facilities being extended to the tea garden community, particularly in the areas of sanitation, drinking water, healthcare and education. He also sought feedback from the workers regarding the welfare initiatives undertaken for their overall development and well-being. Interacting with the students, the Governor distributed sweets among them and quizzed them about…

The Assam government on Wednesday reiterated its commitment to strengthen the Panchayati Raj system through transparent, efficient and people-centric governance.“Strengthening the Panchayati Raj system remains one of our government’s foremost priorities,” said Assam Minister of Panchayat and Rural Development Atul Bora after chairing a review meeting with senior officials of the Panchayat and Rural Development Department in Guwahati on Wednesday.Reviewing the progress of the Department's 100-day action plan, the Minister directed the officials to accelerate the implementation of key schemes, enhance public service delivery and ensure timely achievement of targets.“Necessary directions were issued to further improve efficiency and accountability. I…

Assam Minister of Food, Public Distribution and Consumer Affairs, Kaushik Rai said the ongoing ration card verification process in the State must be completed by July 31 to ensure that only eligible beneficiaries are included and that the Anna Seva Abhiyan continues to reach those genuinely in need.“Through Aadhaar-based verification and e-KYC review, the cases of beneficiaries who have obtained ration cards but have not availed free rice for six months or more must be carefully examined. This will help create opportunities for genuinely needy families to receive ration cards and benefit from the public distribution system,” the Minister stated,…