Assam - The Purbottar

05 Feb

Central Observers Briefed by ECI for Assam and Four-State Assembly Elections

Sonakshi SarkarAssam

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has organized briefing meetings for the General, Police, and Expenditure Observers designated as Central Observers for the upcoming General Elections in several states: Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal. A total of 1,444 officers has been summoned, comprising 477 General Observers, 451 Police Observers, and 516 Expenditure Observers, with the meetings scheduled over February 5 and 6, 2026, at the Indian Institute of Democracy and Electoral Management (IIIDEM) in New Delhi. Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, along with Election Commissioners Dr. Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Dr. Vivek Joshi, led the briefing sessions.…

05 Feb

UPPL Open to Alliances, Ready to Go Solo in Assam Polls

Sonakshi SarkarAssam

Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) Chief and United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL) president Pramod Boro said that his party has decided to contest all Assembly seats in the Bodoland Territorial Region in the upcoming Assam Assembly elections. He also said the party plans to contest a few constituencies outside the region, based on what he described as clear public opinion in favour of a wider electoral presence. Speaking about the party’s election plans, Boro said the decision was taken after listening to people across Bodoland. According to him, party supporters and the general public want the UPPL to take part actively…

05 Feb

Extensive SIR of Assam Voter Lists Planned Post-Polls, Says Himanta Biswa Sarma

Sonakshi SarkarAssam

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced that a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls will be conducted in the state after the upcoming Assembly elections, emphasizing that it will be executed in a “very extensive and proper manner,” surpassing the current Special Revision (SR) process. Sarma explained that while an SR is ongoing, the SIR was requested to occur sooner; however, the Election Commission opted for the SR due to the pending status of the National Register of Citizens (NRC). The final NRC, released on August 31, 2019, excluded 1,906,657 individuals and included 31,121,004 from a total of…

05 Feb

Railway Minister Tells Parliament DPR Prepared for Two New Assam Rail Lines

Sonakshi SarkarAssam

Union Minister of Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw announced the preparation of detailed project reports (DPR) for two new railway lines in Assam: The Agthori (Guwahati)–Dekargaon (Tezpur) line, spanning 129 km, and the Dekargaon (Tezpur)–Silghat line, extending 25 km. He noted that the sanctioning of these projects will require stakeholder consultations and approvals from NITI Aayog and the Ministry of Finance, thus affecting implementation timelines. Currently, Tezpur is served by the Dekargaon railway station, which offers six pairs of train services connecting to Guwahati and other regions. To enhance passenger amenities and rail infrastructure, the Ministry has initiated the Amrit Bharat Station…

05 Feb

Defamation Row: Assam Chief Minister Set to Sue Senior Congress Leaders

Sonakshi SarkarAssam

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has announced that he will commence civil and criminal defamation proceedings against senior Congress leaders Jitendra Singh Alwar, Bhupesh Baghel, Gaurav Gogoi, and Debabrata Saikia on February 9, 2026. This legal action stems from accusations that these leaders made “false, malicious and defamatory” statements about him during a recent press conference. Sarma took to social media to declare his intentions and emphasized that he will not tolerate what he referred to as “hit-and-run politics.” He challenged his critics to substantiate their claims in a court of law, asserting his resolve to confront intimidation and…

05 Feb

Fringe Area Students Explore Biodiversity at 5th Orang Nature Camp

Sonakshi SarkarAssam

A significant number of high school students from fringe areas participated in the fifth annual Orang Nature Camp, held from January 30 to February 2, 2026, at the Orang National Park and Tiger Reserve (ONP&TR). This event, organized by Aaranyak and the Orang Tiger Reserve Authority with collaboration from Wild Wings and support from the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation (DSWF), aimed to enhance awareness of nature conservation among youth. The four-day residential program allowed students to engage with conservation experts through presentations and discussions, emphasizing the need for future generations to become involved in wildlife preservation. The camp was inaugurated…

05 Feb

Assam RGU Celebrates Academic and Institutional Excellence at Chancellor’s Ceremony

Sonakshi SarkarAssam

The Assam Royal Global University (RGU) organized the “Chancellor’s Appreciation and Felicitation Ceremony” on Tuesday, celebrating outstanding achievements of students and faculty members who have brought laurels to the University through excellence in academics, research, innovation, sports and national service. Dr. A. K. Pansari, Chancellor of RGU presented the Chancellor’s Appreciation Medals to ten achiever students in the presence of Prof AK Buragohain, Vice Chancellor; Prof. Amarjyoti Choudhury, Emeritus Professor at the Dr Bhupen Hazarika Centre for Creativity, RGU; apart from others. The event also witnessed the felicitation of 23 faculty members who have secured prestigious research project grants, highlighting…

05 Feb

International Training Programme on Captive Elephant Welfare Held at Manas

Sonakshi SarkarAssam

Manas National Park and Tiger Reserve (MNP & TR) hosted an international training program from February 1-4, 2026, aimed at enhancing the management and welfare of captive Asian elephants. Collaborating with the Australian HELP Foundation, Kaziranga National Park, and the Wildlife Trust of India, the program emphasized science-based and ethical training methods. Selected mahouts learned to utilize positive reinforcement techniques, ensuring safe and calm interactions during veterinary procedures. Dr. Andrew McLean praised the mahouts’ retention of welfare principles, while Dr. C. Ramesh highlighted the park's leadership in elephant welfare. The initiative strengthens wildlife protection ties between Australia and India, adding…

04 Feb

Peerless Hospital Guwahati joins hands with Garima Saikia Garg to provide free medical care to 40 elderly mothers

Paromita EditorAssam

In a compassionate and heart-warming initiative, around 40 elderly mothers from Matri Niwas Old Age Home in Mathgharia, and the Government Old Age Home in Sonapur were provided free medical treatment at Peerless Hospital Guwahati on February 4. The hospital bore the complete costs of medical check-ups, consultations, diagnosis and medicines as part of its continued commitment to community welfare. The initiative was led by Garima Saikia Garg, who arranged for the elderly mothers to receive much-needed medical attention at the hospital. Peerless Hospital Guwahati extended full support to the initiative by arranging transportation for the mothers and providing free…

04 Feb

Himanta’s family occupies 12,000 bighas of land across Assam: Gaurav Gogoi

Paromita EditorAssam

Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi on Wednesday alleged that Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma's family has grabbed around 12,000 bighas of land across the state.Addressing a press conference here, Gogoi also claimed that Sarma has raked up his alleged Pakistan links to "cover up" the land scam."The Congress has done an investigation, and found that almost 12,000 bighas of land have been occupied by the CM and his family across Assam," he said.Gogoi claimed that the figure is not the final one as the "investigation" is still going on, and it will go up in the coming days.Asked about his…