Assam - The Purbottar

17 Aug

Supreme Court Lists Shyamkanu Mahanta’s Bail Plea For Oct 5 In Zubeen Garg Death Case

Preeti SinghAssam

The Supreme Court on Monday directed the Assam government to diligently proceed with the trial against Northeast Festival organiser Shyamkanu Mahanta, an accused in the Zubeen Garg death case.A Bench of Justices BV Nagarathna and R Mahadevan passed the direction while hearing a bail plea filed by Mahanta.Mahanta, who has organised the Northeast Festival since 2013, was arrested after Garg died while swimming in Singapore on September 19, 2025.Today, Assam Advocate General (AG) Devajit Saikia told the Court that the trial was proceeding on a day-to-day basis and that crucial witnesses were likely to be examined over the next few weeks.“The prosecution shall be diligent…

17 Aug

CM Himanta Biswa Sarma Releases Rs 47.93 Crore Flood Relief to 31,951 Families

Paromita EditorAssam

Assam Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday released interim flood relief of Rs 47.93 crore through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) to 31,951 flood-affected families in Sivasagar, Charaideo, Jorhat and Golaghat districts. Each eligible family received Rs 15,000 as interim assistance. The latest disbursement benefited 22,657 families in Sivasagar, 6,028 in Charaideo, 2,324 in Jorhat and 942 in Golaghat. The funds were released at a programme held at Lok Sewa Bhawan. With the latest disbursement, the Assam government has provided a total of Rs 146.26 crore in interim assistance to 96,842 flood-affected families across the four districts. Earlier, on…

17 Aug

Assam minister urges youths to choose farming over govt jobs; help agri sector prosper

Paromita EditorAssam

Assam Minister for Agriculture, Pijush Hazarika on Sunday underscored the fact that the state's agriculture sector could prosper if youths choose farming over government jobs. The Minister made the statement while addressing the 79th Foundation Day celebrations of the College of Agriculture, Assam Agricultural University (AAU), Jorhat, as the chief guest. Addressing the students, the Minister stated that it is not feasible for the government sector to provide jobs to all agriculture graduates. "Therefore, students should not rely solely on government jobs, but break away from conventional mindsets to establish themselves as successful farmers and agri-preneurs," he said. The Minister…

17 Aug

Death Threat To CM Himanta Biswa Sarma On Social Media! Accused Abdul Mutaleb Sent To 5-Day Police Custody

Preeti SinghAssam

A person arrested for allegedly issuing a death threat to Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma on social media during the live broadcast of Independence Day celebrations was sent to five days of police custody by a court on Sunday. Abdul Mutaleb, arrested by police from Bhuragaon in Morigaon district, was produced before the court on Sunday, which granted the custody. Serious allegations have been made against the detained youth of demanding Rs 1 crore to kill the Chief Minister and raising slogans in support of Pakistan. It may be mentioned that the shocking incident came to light on Saturday…

17 Aug

Assam Speeds Up Flood Relief, Restoration and Rehabilitation in Four Districts

Sonakshi SarkarAssam

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday reviewed the progress of Project Sadbhavana with senior government officials and directed departments to speed up the disposal of pending cases while ensuring that administrative decisions translate into actual relief for citizens. During the review meeting, the government decided to organise departments into 10 clusters, each to be headed by an Additional Chief Secretary. The new arrangement is aimed at strengthening monitoring and ensuring that pending files and cases are dealt with in a faster and more coordinated manner. The cluster-based system will allow senior officials to closely monitor the progress of…

14 Aug

GU Launches Research Study On Causal Factors Of July 19, 2026 Floods In Upper Assam

Preeti SinghAssam, Guwahati

Gauhati University has constituted a multidisciplinary research team to undertake a scientific study into the causal factors behind the July 19, 2026 floods and their cascading downstream impacts across parts of Upper Assam. The newly constituted research team will now focus on generating scientific evidence on the factors behind the July 19 floods and their downstream impacts. The team will be led by Prof. B.N. Goswami, Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar awardee, former Director of IITM, Pune, Professor of Excellence and ANRF PM Professor at Gauhati University, with Prof. Parag Phukon, Department of Geological Sciences and Prof. Ratul Mahanta, Department of Economics…

14 Aug

“Insult To Constitution”: Congress Protests In Guwahati Over ‘Purification’ At Kharge’s Haldwani Event

Preeti SinghAssam

The Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) staged a protest in Guwahati today against the "discriminatory and condemnable" act of the BJP, which allegedly performed a so-called "purification" with Gangajal at a rally venue in Haldwani, Uttarakhand, following a public meeting attended by All India Congress Committee (AICC) President Mallikarjun Kharge a few days ago.To express solidarity with the AICC President and demand the protection of constitutional values, a protest march (Padayatra) and Satyagraha were organised by the Guwahati City District Congress Committee from the Manabendra Sarma Complex in Dispur. The protest programme was attended by hundreds of party leaders and…

14 Aug

Rima Das’ ‘Not a Hero’ Wins Best Indie Film Award at Melbourne Festival

Paromita EditorAssam

Assam filmmaker Rima Das has added another international honour to her record, with her latest feature film Not a Hero winning the Best Indie Film Award at the 2026 Indian Film Festival of Melbourne. The award was announced during the festival, where Not a Hero also marked its Australian premiere. This is the second time Das has received the honour, after previously winning the same award in 2019 for Bulbul Can Sing. Das has maintained a strong association with the Melbourne festival, with all five of her feature films having been screened there. She also contributed as a director to…

14 Aug

Nf railway steps up security vigil ahead of i-day

Paromita EditorAssam

Ahead of the 80th Independence Day celebrations, the Railway Protection Force (RPF) of Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) has strengthened security arrangements across the zone to ensure the safety and security of passengers, trains and railway property. “Heightened vigil is being maintained at its railway stations, on-board trains and across railway premises, with RPF personnel undertaking extensive patrolling and surveillance. Additional attention is being accorded to sensitive and vulnerable locations to prevent any untoward incident and ensure a safe and secure travel environment during the Independence Day period,” NFR chief public relations officer, Kapinjal Kishore Sharma informed. As part of the…

14 Aug

Guwahati airport advances water sustainability through integrated rainwater harvesting, utilisation initiative

Paromita EditorAssam

In line with its sustainability agenda and commitment towards achieving its Water Positive objective, Lokapriya Gopinath Bardoloi International Airport (LGBI Airport) in Guwahati has strengthened its focus on rainwater harvesting and utilisation through an integrated water management approach across the airport ecosystem.Guwahati receives approximately 1,800–2,200 mm of rainfall annually, making rainwater one of the airport’s most valuable natural resources. The airport has already received approximately 1,320 mm of rainfall till 9 August 2026, presenting a significant opportunity to transform rainwater from a runoff management challenge into a sustainable source of water. As part of this initiative, LGBI Airport has two…