Assam - The Purbottar

17 Nov

A rare Golden Langur is spotted by UK tourists in Assam’s Kakoijana Reserve Forest

Sonakshi SarkarAssam

A group of nine tourists from the United Kingdom experienced a rare and memorable wildlife encounter during their visit to the Kakoijana Reserve Forest in Assam’s Bongaigaon district, where they witnessed the endangered Golden Langur in its natural habitat. The sighting added a special highlight to their trip, as the species is among the most threatened primates in the world and found only in limited pockets of Assam and Bhutan. Kakoijana Reserve Forest, known globally as an important habitat of the Golden Langur, has been gaining increasing international attention for its conservation success and flourishing biodiversity. The visiting team spent…

15 Nov

Fake GST racket busted in Guwahati, two held for Rs 8.59 crore fraud

Mohini BarmanAssam

Two individuals have been arrested by the Central Goods and Service Tax (CGST) Guwahati Commissionerate for their alleged involvement in a large-scale fake invoice racket, an official statement said on November 14. The statement said the anti-evasion unit of CGST Guwahati Commissionerate had received intelligence about a group supplying fake invoices to various recipients without any actual supply of goods or services. The racket reportedly involved over 50 suspicious GST registrations, which were allegedly used to pass on fraudulent GST credit. Acting on specific information, authorities traced the location of two key members of the group. A search operation was…

15 Nov

Mamoni Raisom Goswami, a literary hero, is honored in Assam on her 83rd birthday

Sonakshi SarkarAssam

The 83rd birth anniversary of celebrated Ramayani scholar, acclaimed writer, and Jnanpith awardee Dr. Indira Goswami, popularly known as Mamoni Raisom Goswami, was observed on Friday at Kumar Bhaskar Natya Mandir in Uzan Bazar. The event, organized by the South East Asia Ramayan Research Centre—founded by Dr. Goswami herself—brought together literary enthusiasts, scholars, and cultural icons to honor her remarkable legacy. Retired Lieutenant General Rana Pratap Kalita attended as the chief guest, while former Tezpur University professor Dr. Pradip Jyoti Mahanta was the guest of honour. Several distinguished personalities from Assam’s literary and cultural circles were also present. Addressing the…

15 Nov

Assam gets Rs 219.24 crore grant from Centre for rural development

Mohini BarmanAssam

The Union Government has released the Fifteenth Finance Commission (XV FC) grants for Rural Local Bodies in Assam for the financial year 2025–26, marking a significant boost to grassroots development across the state. The latest disbursement includes the second installment of Untied Grants for 2024–25 amounting to Rs 219.24 crore. These funds will be allocated to all eligible 27 District Panchayats, 182 Block Panchayats, and 2,192 Gram Panchayats in Assam. In addition to this, the Centre has also released Rs 4.698 crore that had earlier been withheld from the first installment of Untied Grants for 2024–25. This amount has now…

14 Nov

Man found d*ad by hanging self in Assam, investigation underway

Mohini BarmanAssam

The body of a 49-year-old man from Assam was recovered from a forested area in Nohwet village under Pynursla Police Station on Wednesday, prompting police to launch an investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death.The deceased, identified as Tapan Dey, a resident of Bishnupath, Pani Tanky, Ganeshnagar, Basistha in Kamrup Metro district, was found by a group of local women who had gone to collect firewood. According to police, the body was discovered hanging from a tree on a sloped patch of jungle, approximately 100 metres from the metal road. A Tata Intra pickup truck, driven by Dey, was found…

14 Nov

“Bhupen da Uncut,” a documentary, will pay tribute to a musical great during the 56th IFFI in Goa

Sonakshi SarkarAssam

In a proud moment for Assam and admirers of India’s musical icon, the documentary Bhupen da Uncut, directed by acclaimed filmmaker Bobbeeta Sharma, has been officially invited to be screened at the 56th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa. The film will be showcased under the Special Packages section of the Indian Panorama on November 23 at 6 pm at Samrat Cinema, Panjim, celebrating the legacy of Bharat Ratna Dr Bhupen Hazarika. The documentary offers rare and intimate glimpses of Dr Hazarika, featuring vintage footage from his 1999 visit to the United Kingdom. Viewers are treated to candid…

13 Nov

Amur Falcons arrive in Umrongso; rare Ruddy Shelducks and Seagulls spotted in Dima Hasao

Banasree SarkarAssam

The much-anticipated arrival of the migratory Amur Falcons has started in the Dima Hasao district's New Tumbung area, which is located beneath Umrongso's Garampani forest range. Due to their arrival, the District Magistrate has placed limitations in the bird roosting locations under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) 2023 (previously Section 144 CrPC), which forbids any act of catching or killing the birds. Strict legal action against violators is another warning in the decree. For bird watchers and wildlife enthusiasts in the area, the first sighting of a flock of Ruddy Shelducks and Seagulls at the NEEPCO…

13 Nov

Assam adopts the Dimasa language in 278 schools, a significant step toward linguistic inclusiveness

Sonakshi SarkarAssam

In a landmark move to preserve and promote the Dimasa language, the Assam government has announced that 278 Lower Primary schools across the state will operate as Dimasa Medium schools from the 2025–26 academic session. This initiative is aimed at providing children from the Dimasa community the opportunity to learn in their mother tongue during their formative years. The official notification, issued by the Department of School Education (E.No. 632888/79), confirms that the listed schools will now adopt Dimasa as the medium of instruction at the foundational level. “In the interest of the public in general and for preserving and…

12 Nov

Assam secures rights and legacy for 4,673 tribal households by granting them forest land titles

Sonakshi SarkarAssam

In a landmark initiative to strengthen land rights for indigenous communities, the Assam government handed over forest land title deeds to 4,673 tribal families on Monday. The event, held at Pantan High School playground in Chaygaon, Kamrup district, was organized jointly by the Kamrup District Administration and the Department of Tribal Affairs (Plain). The distribution coincided with the ongoing “Jatiya Gaurav Varsh Fortnight”, celebrating tribal heritage and the 150th birth anniversary of freedom fighter Birsa Munda. Beneficiaries from the Garo, Rabha, Bodo, and Karbi communities, residing across forest ranges such as Lokhara, Bondapara, Kulshi, Loharghat, Bamunigaon, Boko, and Singra, received…

12 Nov

Assam wipes out cyber crime by 81 per cent

Mohini BarmanAssam

Assam has achieved a remarkable milestone in cyber security, witnessing an 81.2% decline in cyber crime cases over the past two years — a feat officials are hailing as a “digital reset” in the fight against online fraud and cyber offences. According to official data, cybercrime cases in Assam dropped from 4,846 in 2021 to just 909 in 2023, marking one of the steepest declines recorded by any Indian state in recent years. The figures reflect the success of a series of targeted operations and awareness campaigns led by the Assam Police Cyber Crime Wing and its district-level units. The…