Page 15 - Assam

'Are you waiting for muhurat to deport foreigners': SC slams Assam govt

"Are you waiting for some muhurat", the Supreme Court remarked on Tuesday as it came down heavily on the Assam government for keeping people declared as foreigners in detention centres indefinitely rather than deporting them. A bench of justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan said once the detained persons are held to be foreigners, they should be deported immediately. "You have refused to start deportation saying their addresses are not known. Why should it be our concern? You deport to their foreign country. Are you waiting for some muhurat (auspicious time)? "Once you declare a person foreigner, then you have to take the next logical step. You cannot detain them till eternity. Article 21 of the Constitution is there. There are many foreigner detention centres in Assam. How many have you deported?" the bench told the counsel appearing for the Assam government. The top court directed the Assam government to start within two weeks the deportation of 63 persons kept in detention cent

Assam CM welcomes Union Budget 2025, hails tax relief for middle class

CM Sarma expressed gratitude for the income tax exemption for individuals earning up to Rs 12 lakh annually, calling it a 'huge relief'

17-year old dies in Guwahati, first suspected case of GBS in Assam

A 17-year-old girl died at a private hospital here due to suspected Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS), the first such case in Assam in the current season, doctors of the health facility said on Saturday. However, there was no official confirmation from the hospital and the state health department. "The Class-12 girl was admitted to Pratiksha Hospital around 10 days ago and she was diagnosed with GBS," a paediatrician of the hospital told PTI on condition of anonymity. GBS is a rare condition that causes sudden numbness and muscle weakness, with symptoms including severe weakness in the limbs and loose motions. "The girl's condition worsened and was put on ventilator support. It was a very severe variety of GBS and she expired last night," the doctor said. He said it is the "first known case of GBS in Assam" this season, although it is a very common bacterial disease, affecting the nervous system. "In the last six months, no GBS case was detected. All over India, there has been a wave

Assam, Bihar households big food spenders in 2023-24, shows NSO data

Among the food items, households in these states spent the highest share on consuming 'beverages & processed food' which includes purchased food items

Dibrugarh to become Assam's second capital in 3 years: CM Himanta

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday said the district headquarters of Dibrugarh will be developed as the second capital of the state within the next three years. Unfurling the national flag here on the occasion of Republic Day, Sarma said the government will construct a permanent building of the assembly in this city on the southern bank of Brahmaputra in Upper Assam. "Today is an important day in Dibrugarh's journey to become the second capital of Assam. For the first time, state celebrations are taking place in this historical city," he said. From 2027, one session of Assam assembly will take place in Dibrugarh every year, the CM announced. "From January 25 next year, the construction work for a permanent building of the Assam assembly will begin. In the next three years, Dibrugarh will become an important city in India," he said. As part of the government's urbanisation plan, Tezpur and Silchar will also be developed along with Dibrugarh, Sarma said. "Dibrugarh

Dibrugarh to be developed as second capital of Assam, says CM Himanta

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday said the district headquarters of Dibrugarh will be developed as the second capital of the state within the next three years. Unfurling the national flag on the occasion of Republic Day, Sarma said the government will construct a permanent building of Assam assembly in this city on the southern bank of Brahmaputra in Upper Assam. "Today is an important day in Dibrugarh's journey to become the second capital of Assam. For the first time, state celebrations are taking place in this historical city," he said. From 2027, one session of Assam assembly will take place in Dibrugarh every year, the CM announced. "From January 25 next year, the construction work for a permanent building of the Assam assembly will begin. In the next three years, Dibrugarh will become an important city in India," he said. As part of the government's urbanisation plan, Tezpur and Silchar will also be developed along with Dibrugarh in the coming period, Sarma

Explosives recovered in Assam amid preparations for R-Day celebrations

A cache of explosives buried in a jungle was recovered in Assam's Sonitpur district on Saturday, even as security was tightened across the state for 76th Republic Day celebrations, police said. The explosives, including 36 grenades and three detonators, were found wrapped in a polythene bag during a search operation, they said. On 25/1/2025, based on a reliable information regarding the secret storage of illegal arms and ammunitions buried underground in the jungle area near Khwbra village, Batashipur under Dhekiajuli Police Station, a search operation was conducted, the Sonitpur Police said in a post on X. One of the grenades had damaged pin/lever. So it has been kept in a secured area under guard, it police said, adding, the bomb disposal squad of the army is being contacted to dispose the explosives. Meanwhile, security arrangements have been heightened throughout Assam to ensure peaceful and smooth Republic Day celebrations, police said. Regular search of vehicles and patrolli

SC orders Assam govt to pay Rs 70 cr to clear dues of tea corp workers

The Supreme Court on Friday asked the Assam government to pay Rs 70 crore in two equal installments of Rs 35 crore each to cash-strapped Assam Tea Corporation Ltd to clear long-pending dues of its workers. A bench comprising Justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan said, "It took some time till the state government came around. It accepted the proposal of the state government to pay the amount in two tranches and said the first installment would be paid by June 30. The second installment would be deposited with the competent authorities of the ATCL by June 30, 2026. "We make it clear that as and when the amount is deposited with the ATCL, it will disburse the same on 'pro-rata' basis," the bench said. The top court said it would decide whether the state government should be absolved of any further liability only after it deposits Rs 70 crore. On December 9, last year, the state government said Rs 70 crore will be paid by two yearly installments and sought four weeks' time to file an

Assam to revamp infra of 252 rural govt schools for over Rs 1,800 crore

Aiming to revamp the infrastructure of prominent rural schools, the Assam government is developing new buildings for 252 such state-run educational facilities at an expenditure of over Rs 1,800 crore, officials said. Director of Secondary Education, Mamata Hojai, told PTI that the 252 government vernacular schools have been selected from each of the 126 assembly constituencies as per budget announcements last year. "We are upgrading the infrastructure of these schools as part of a project under the Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF). The selection of the schools is done according to suggestions of the respective MLAs," she said. The construction work in most of the schools has begun and will be complete by next year, Hojai said. Asked about the expenditure, she said: "The construction cost for each school will be Rs 7 crore to Rs 8 crore. The total outlay is of Rs 1,827 crore." In the 2024-25 budget, Assam Finance Minister Ajanta Neog had announced an initiative to impro

FIR against Rahul Gandhi over remarks on BJP, RSS; Cong says pol stunt

A police case has been registered in Assam against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his purported recent remarks "threatening the sovereignty of the country", with the opposition party dismissing the complaint as a political stunt' on Monday. A complaint was filed at Panbazar police station here by advocate Monjit Chetia on Saturday evening against remarks made by Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, during the inauguration of the Congress' new national headquarters in New Delhi last week, police said. Cheita alleged that Gandhi, in his speech, had said that "BJP and RSS have captured every single institution, and we are now fighting the BJP, the RSS, and the Indian state itself." The advocate alleged that the Congress leader made these remarks "with deliberate design and calculated intent to undermine the sovereignty and integrity of the Indian state and to provoke rebellion against the democratically elected" government. Unable to gain public trust through democrat

Himanta pitches for investing in Assam before South Korean industrialists

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday pitched before industrialists in South Korea the locational, strategic and policy advantages of Assam, inviting them to invest here. He also emphasised the Centre's focus on the Northeast and the commitment of top business houses of the country to push for industrial growth in the region. "Advantage business ties! I began the day in Seoul by speaking to over 140 business leaders at the Advantage Assam roadshow, organised by the Indian Chamber of Commerce in South Korea," Sarma posted on X. The chief minister had reached Seoul on Sunday on a three-day trip to woo investors for the 'Advantage Assam 2.0' business summit, scheduled here on February 25 and 26. "Their enthusiasm towards being a part of #AdvantageAssam2 was phenomenal. The Korean business community was buoyed by India's position as the world's fastest growing major economy and the unique opportunities Assam can offer to them to access this market," he added. Sarma presented be

RPF held 916 people in 4 yrs to prevent illegal migration: Railway ministry

The RPF has apprehended 916 people, including 586 Bangladeshi nationals and 318 Rohingyas, since 2021, showing its commitment to safeguarding the nation, the railway ministry said on Sunday. According to the ministry, in the months of June and July last year, the Railway Protection Force (RPF) apprehended 88 Bangladeshi and Rohingya migrants in areas under the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR). "Some of these individuals confessed to entering India illegally and were intercepted while travelling by train to destinations such as Kolkata," according to a press statement issued by the ministry. "In October 2024, reports highlighted that despite increased security measures along the Bangladesh border, illegal migrants continue to infiltrate India, using Assam as a transit route and railways as their preferred mode of travel to reach other parts of the country," the statement said. The ministry said these incidents underscore the challenges faced by Indian authorities in monitoring and .

Himanta on visit to Seoul to invite investors for Advantage Assam Summit

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma embarked on a trip to South Korea and Japan on Sunday to invite prospective investors and entrepreneurs for the Advantage Assam Summit 2.0, a business conclave to be hosted by the state government here next month. He will attend roadshows presenting the summit during the visits, with such events being held in a total of eight countries. "Namaste South Korea. Look forward to having engaging discussions with industry leaders and agencies during my 3-day visit starting today to showcase Assam's potential ahead of the #AdvantageAssam2 Summit and to take forward the warm Indo-Korea ties," Sarma posted on X as he flew to Seoul. In another post, the CM said the visit to the two Asian countries will be over a period of five days. "I am shortly leaving for Seoul and Tokyo on a 5 day visit to present our vision of #AdvantageAssam2 to prospective investors, entrepreneurs and business leaders," he said in the post just after midnight on Sunday. "During

Rescue efforts continue in Assam as survival chances fade for miners

The chances of survival of the five coal miners trapped inside an abandoned quarry in Assam's Dima Hasao district continue to diminish as dewatering operations entered the eighth day on Monday, officials said. Nine workers were trapped inside the mine in Umrangshu, around 250 km from Guwahati, on January 6 with four bodies recovered so far. The mine is being dewatered using specialised pumping machines brought in by the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) and Coal India. The water level in the quarry has dropped significantly, but it remains unclear when it will be "completely cleared or when rescue and search operations inside the quarry will resume," an official at the site said. Rescue operations are being carried out jointly by the navy, army, Assam Rifles, NDRF, SDRF and the district administration since the first day. 'The chances of survival of the remaining miners appear to be waning as they remain trapped for the eighth day but the rescue operations will continue', he

News Highlights: SKM advances meeting with Punjab's protesting farmers to Jan 13

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Centre approves oil and gas exploration in Assam Wildlife Sanctuary area

The Centre's wildlife panel has approved a proposal to carry out oil and gas exploration in the eco-sensitive zone of the Hoollongapar Gibbon Wildlife Sanctuary in Assam's Jorhat district. The Standing Committee of the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL), chaired by Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav, approved the proposal by Vedanta Group's Cairn Oil & Gas during its meeting on December 21, according to the minutes of the meeting. Assam's principal chief conservator of forests (wildlife) and chief wildlife warden had recommended clearance for the project in August last year, citing "national interest". The Forest Advisory Committee of the Union Environment Ministry had also granted in-principle approval during its meeting on August 27 last year. According to the minutes of the NBWL meeting, a team comprising officials from the Union Environment Ministry, the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), and the Assam Forest Department inspected the project site, located about 13 km ..

Assam mining tragedy: Search, rescue operations in Dima Hasao enter day 7

Rescue operations are being carried out by multiple agencies, including NDRF, SDRF, army and navy personnel, with drones deployed for mapping of the area

Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi seeks SIT probe into Assam mining tragedy

Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi on Saturday said he has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeking a SIT probe into the mining tragedy in Assam, which left several labourers in a coal quarry dead. He also alleged that "illegal mining continues unchecked" due to "weak law enforcement and local complicity" in the northeastern state. Nine workers were trapped inside a coal mine in Umrangsu in Dima Hasao district on Monday after a sudden gush of water flooded the quarry. Of them, the bodies of four labourers have so far been recovered. "As of today, rescue operations have entered their sixth day, but the fate of coal miners trapped in the illegal coal mine at Dima Hasao remains uncertain. Illegal mining continues unchecked in Assam, fuelled by weak law enforcement and local complicity," said the Congress' deputy leader in the Lok Sabha. "I have written to the prime minister urging an urgent SIT probe to investigate this tragedy," he said. Gogoi urged the prime minister that the propose

Finfluencer Abhishek Kar draws flak for comments on Assam, issues apology

Abhishek Kar, a popular financial influencer, apologised after his remarks on Assam's 'tantric practices' sparked outrage, drawing action from the CM's office

10-month-old detected with HMPV, first case this season in Assam: Officials

A 10-month-old child has been detected with the human metapneumovirus (HMPV) infection, the first such case this season in Assam, officials said on Saturday. The child is undergoing treatment at Assam Medical College and Hospital (AMCH) in Dibrugarh and is "stable" now, they said. AMCH Superintendent Dr Dhrubajyoti Bhuyan said the child was admitted to the state-run hospital with cold-related symptoms four days ago. The HMPV infection was confirmed yesterday after we got test results from Lahowal-based ICMR-RMRC, the hospital superintendent said. Bhuyan said that samples are sent to the Indian Council of Medical Research for tests in influenza and flu-related cases as a routine practice. "It was a routine test during which the HMPV infection was detected. The child is stable now. It is a common virus and there is nothing to worry about," he said. ICMR- Regional Medical Research Centre, NE, Lahowal (Dibrugarh) Senior Scientist Dr Biswajit Borkakoty said, "Since 2014, we have detec