Assam - The Purbottar

15 Jul

At the Barbaruah Tea Estate, Nokhyotro hosts an educational awareness campaign

Banasree SarkarAssam

Nokhyotro—A Journey of Light is a new non-governmental volunteer organization that was founded in December 2024 with the goal of uplifting communities via awareness-raising and education. Members of Nokhyotro have been actively engaged in raising awareness of a range of social concerns since the organization's founding, with a particular emphasis on education, creativity, and the holistic development of children. A key member of the organization, Abhijit Chakravarty, led Nokhyotro in an educational awareness event at the Barbaruah tea estate on July 13. 18 committed interns who are now undergoing training with the NGO participated in the event, which was arranged…

15 Jul

Rare birds discovered in Kaziranga’s first grassland bird survey

Sonakshi SarkarAssam

Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve, globally celebrated for its one-horned rhinoceroses and Bengal tigers, has achieved another major milestone in biodiversity conservation. The park has released findings from its first-ever Grassland Bird Survey, revealing the presence of 43 species of grassland birds, including one critically endangered, two endangered, and six vulnerable species, as well as several birds endemic to the Brahmaputra floodplains. Conducted between March 18 and May 25, 2025, the extensive survey spanned the Eastern Assam, Biswanath, and Nagaon Wildlife Divisions, marking the first time Kaziranga has systematically assessed its grassland avifauna. This effort is being hailed by…

14 Jul

From Assam to Brazil: Vikram Bothra puts Northeast India on global stage

Sonakshi SarkarAssam

Vikram Bothra, Managing Director of a leading Indian firm and a native of Dhekiajuli in Assam made a mark on the international stage by representing India at the prestigious BRICS Summit 2025 held in Brazil. The summit saw participation from global leaders, diplomats and top business executives, including H.E. Anwar Ibrahim, Prime Minister of Malaysia as well as senior officials from Infosys Brazil, TCS Brazil and the Brazil India Chamber of Commerce. Bothra was part of the Indian delegation alongside renowned personalities like Onkar Singh Kanwar and the Indian Ambassador to Brazil, H.E. Dinesh Bhatia. In an exclusive conversation, Bothra…

12 Jul

Nagaon and Hojai mark World population day with youth-focused awareness programs

editorAssam

The districts of Nagaon and Hojai commemorated World Population Day. Mera Yuva Bharat, a youth organization under the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India, arranged a celebration in the Hojai district in cooperation with Kolong Valley Bahumukhi Unnayan Samiti and Sonali Udyog Samiti under the Udali Development Block. Additionally, events were hosted at the Moinapur Bazar Natya Chora in the Hojai district and the Sadou Asom Gramya Puthibharal Sangstha's auditorium in Nagaon. The purpose of the activities was to enable youth to make knowledgeable choices on family planning and reproductive health. In addition to a discussion session…

12 Jul

Himanta Biswa Sarma warns about too many illegal immigrants

Sonakshi SarkarAssam

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has sounded the alarm over what he described as a growing demographic shift in parts of the state, warning that Hindus have become a minority in the historic town of Goalpara. The Chief Minister made the remarks during a public address on Thursday, intensifying the debate around illegal immigration and land encroachment — issues that have long shaped the political and social discourse in Assam. Sarma, known for his assertive stance on migration-related issues, alleged that if the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) were to lose power in the state, illegal Muslim encroachers would be…

12 Jul

To safeguard children’s health, ‘Stop Diarrhoea’ campaign starts in Golaghat

Banasree SarkarAssam

The Doctors Club in Golaghat hosted the district-level inauguration of the Stop Diarrhea Campaign 2025. The promotion will run through August 25. Preventing diarrhea in children aged 0–5 is the campaign's main objective. Health professionals will raise public awareness of the symptoms and indicators of diarrhea, the value of zinc and ORS in preventing the illness, the correct handwashing techniques, how to clean water tanks, how to utilize safe drinking water, and other topics during the campaign. District Immunization Officer Dr. Kabita Uzir, Additional CM&HO Dr. Sanjib Saikia, SDM&HO (School Health) Dr. Ranjit Hazarika, and Joint Director of Health Services,…

11 Jul

Assam CM warns pvt hospitals from keeping bodies due to bill clearance

Mohini BarmanAssam

The Assam government on Thursday decided that no private hospital will be allowed to hold the body of a patient for more than two hours even if the family fails to clear the bills of treatment, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said. Addressing a press conference after a cabinet meeting here, Sarma also said that a new scheme will be rolled out in eight districts to control human-elephant conflicts. "There will be no withholding of bodies by the private hospitals. They must hand over the bodies within two hours post-death certification, irrespective of pending payment. Delay beyond this may attract…

11 Jul

To help trapped travelers, special trains run between Silchar and New Haflong

Banasree SarkarAssam

Two special trains between Silchar and New Haflong would operate for the next two days in order to alleviate the passenger load, in a swift reaction to the suggestion made to the NF Railway General Manager by Rajya Sabha MP Kanad Purkayastha. At 6 PM on Thursday, the special train was scheduled to leave Silchar and arrive in New Haflong at 10:30 PM. The train was also scheduled to depart New Haflong at 11:30 PM on Thursday and arrive in Silchar at 4 AM on Friday. Once more, the return train from New Haflong would begin at 9:30 AM on…

11 Jul

Assam govt approves new rules to help people across many areas

Sonakshi SarkarAssam

The Assam Cabinet on July 10 under the leadership of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, approved a series of far-reaching decisions across multiple sectors. These include a landmark directive to hospitals, reforms in forest conservation, education, welfare support for traditional artisans and monastic communities, and new financial aid for school students. One of the most impactful decisions was the government’s stern order to private hospitals and nursing homes across Assam: release deceased bodies within four hours, regardless of outstanding bills, or face severe consequences. Starting August 1, detaining a patient’s body over unpaid dues will invite strict penalties, including suspension…

10 Jul

Due to landslides, train services on Lumding–Badarpur hill line suspended indefinitely

Banasree SarkarAssam

Mass landslides between Dihakho and Mupa stations at km 51/1–2 have resulted in the permanent suspension of train services on the Lumding–Badarpur hill route. Because of the dire circumstances, Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) officials have decided to suspend operations on the route starting on Wednesday. When mud and boulders from a landslide obstructed the tracks between Dihakho and Mupa on July 3, services were temporarily suspended. This was the first disruption. Regular train travel is impossible in the Dima Hasao district due to recurrent landslides caused by the ongoing heavy rainfall, even though NFR quickly resumed operations within a day.…