Page 4 - Assam

Kaziranga records 283 insect, spider species in first biodiversity survey

Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve, famed for its rhinos, elephants and tigers, has recorded 283 species of native insects and spiders, according to the first survey of its kind released on Saturday. Of the total, 254 species are insects and 29 are spiders, making the study a vital step towards understanding Kaziranga's often-overlooked biodiversity and its implications for combating climate change, officials said. According to the survey, there are 85 species of butterflies and moths, 40 species of ants, bees and wasps, along with 35 species of beetles. The report, titled 'Explorative Study of Insects and Spiders of the Woodland Habitat of Kaziranga National Park & Tiger Reserve', documented an impressive diversity of species in the woodland track of Panbari Reserve Forest under Eastern Assam Wildlife Division, a park official said. The survey was conducted and published by entomologists from Corbett Foundation with the support of the forest staff of Kaziranga National ...

Zubeen Garg: The legendary singer, musician who united a divided state

Fondly known as 'Zubeen da', Garg was impossible to slot and invariably treasured. Though his repertoire was fluent, reportedly encompassing 38,000 songs in 40 languages

Assam CM orders SIT to probe into singer Zubeen Garg's untimely death

Taking to his X handle, Assam's CM Himanta Biswa Sarma informed that the SIT will have full freedom to investigate the case with complete professional integrity

Assam bids farewell to Zubeen Garg; last rites held with state honours

Singer Zubeen Garg's body was cremated with full state honours in the sylvan surroundings of Kamarkuchi on the outskirts of Assam's Guwahati on Tuesday amid chanting of Vedic hymns as thousands of mourners gathered to bid farewell to the popular crooner. His sister Palme Borthakur and music composer Rahul Gautam, a protege of the singer, lit the pyre, amid gun salutes. They went around the pyre seven times as priests guided them, and all present at the site, most with moist eyes, stood up to pay their last respect to the singer who mesmerised people with his more than 38,000 songs over three decades. Zubeen's wife, Garima Saikia Garg, was sitting on the side of the platform where his last rites were performed, and was seen sobbing all through the rituals as the singer's friend and Union Minister Pabitra Margherita consoled her. Garg's 85-year-old ailing father, Mohini Mohan Borthakur, was sitting at a distance surrounded by family members. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma,

India, ADB sign $125 mn loan pact to boost urban services in Assam

The Government of India and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) on Monday signed a USD 125-million loan agreement with an aim to enhance urban livability and bolster climate resilience in six districts of Assam. The project will benefit 360,000 residents of Assam by delivering continuous metered water supply and upgrading storm water management systems, the finance ministry said in a statement. It also seeks to strengthen urban governance through institutional reforms and capacity building, it said. Key infrastructure investments include the construction of six water treatment plants with a combined capacity of 72 million litres per day and 800 km distribution pipelines in the district headquarters of Barpeta, Bongaigaon, Dhubri, Goalpara, Golaghat, and Nalbari, it said. The project will also deploy a real-time monitoring system, aiming to maintain non revenue water below 20 per cent, it said. In Guwahati, the project will enhance storm water management in the Bahini Basin with flood

Over 70% voter turnout marked in Assam's Bodoland Territorial Council polls

Around 70.96 per cent of voters exercised their franchise till 4.30 pm on Monday in the elections to the 40-member Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC), which will decide the fate of 316 candidates, officials said. The final turnout figure is awaited as people who entered polling booths before the 4 pm deadline were allowed to cast their votes, they said. There were no reports of any untoward incident from any of the five districts of Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR). BTC chief Pramod Boro exercised his franchise at Goibari in Tamulpur district, while BPF president Hagrama Mohilary cast his vote at Debargaon Higher Secondary school in Kokrajhar. Polls are being held amid tight security, though no violence took place in the run-up to the elections. The total number of voters in the five districts of Kokrajhar, Baksa, Chirang, Udalguri and Tamulpur is 26,58,153, comprising 13,23,536 males, 13,34,600 females and 17 people of other genders. There are a total of 3,359 polling stations,

Thousands gather at Guwahati airport as Zubeen Garg's body arrives home

The mortal remains of popular singer Zubeen Garg arrived at the airport here on Sunday morning as thousands of fans gathered to welcome the artiste back home one last time. His wife, Garima Saikia Garg, and senior state government officials were at the airport to receive the body. The mortal remains were taken out of the Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport through the VIP exit in a flower-bedecked ambulance. Thousands of fans were heard singing his songs and shouting 'Jai Zubeen da' as the convoy navigated through the crowd outside the airport. Wailing, 'Why Zubeen da, why did you have to leave us so soon', they were seen holding cut-outs of the singer and the traditional Assamese 'gamosa' with the words 'Z G (Zubeen Garg) Forever' woven in it. Assam Director General of Police Harmeet Singh and Guwahati Police Commissioner Parthasarathi Mahanta were seen walking in front of the ambulance to clear the way for the vehicle. The singer's favourite vehicle, an open jeep, wh

Amazon doubles same, next-day deliveries in Assam amid rising demand

E-commerce major Amazon said it has doubled its product deliveries in the same and next day categories in Assam, while also registering an increase in demand for premium products. More than 10,000 sellers from Assam have also benefited through Amazon, reaching out to customers across the country, a company official said. "Amazon India is gearing up to meet rising customer demand in Assam, especially Guwahati, bringing customers unmatched value, speed and selection," Pallavi Singh, senior manager, Amazon Prime India, said here. She said this festive season, premium products in the Amazon fashion and beauty categories are being preferred by customers in Guwahati. "Watches and luxury beauty are seeing a 30 per cent year-on-year growth, driven by demand for metal strap digital and analog watches and moisture-rich beauty products. Demand for jewellery in Assam is also on the rise, growing 20 per cent year-on-year, with traditional Assamese designs continuing to be a customer favourite,"

Ya Ali-fame Assamese singer Zubeen Garg dies in scuba diving accident

Garg was injured while scuba diving and was taken to a hospital, where he died in the intensive care unit during treatment

AM Green looking to set up more biorefineries in India: CTO S S V Ramakumar

Following the commissioning of its Rs 4,500 crore bamboo-based biorefinery in Assam, AM Green plans more projects in India to scale ethanol production for petrol blending

New projects worth ₹18,000 crore for Assam; clean energy in focus

PM lays foundation for bioethanol unit in Golaghat district

PM Narendra Modi ends NE outreach with Assam rally, targets Opposition

PM Modi visits five states in three days, calls for peace in Manipur, attacks Congress in Assam, and launches Rs 36,000 crore projects in Bihar ahead of assembly polls

PM's ₹18,530 cr push in Assam; launches bioethanol, polypropylene plants

PM Modi inaugurated India's first bamboo-based bioethanol plant and laid foundation for a polypropylene unit in Golaghat, alongside key road and health projects worth ₹18,530 crore in Assam

PM inaugurates ₹5,000 cr bamboo-based ethanol plant in Assam's Numaligarh

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday inaugurated a Rs 5,000-crore bamboo-based ethanol plant at Numaligarh in Assam's Golaghat district. The plant is a zero-waste' facility, which will utilise all parts of the bamboo plant, and is expected to give a Rs 200-crore boost to the rural economy in the state, officials said. It will source 5 lakh tonnes of green bamboo from four northeastern states, benefitting over 50,000 people directly and indirectly, they said. Earlier in the day, the PM laid the foundation stones for health and infrastructure projects worth Rs 6,300 crore at Mangaldoi in Darrang district. Modi had arrived in Assam on Saturday evening and attended Bharat Ratna awardee Bhupen Hazarika's birth centenary celebrations.

PM Modi inaugurates health, infra projects worth ₹6,300 crore in Assam

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday laid the foundation stones for health and infrastructure projects worth Rs 6,300 crore at Mangaldoi in Assam's Darrang district. He launched the construction of Darrang Medical College and Hospital, along with a nursing college and a GNM school. The combined investment in these healthcare projects is worth Rs 570 crore, officials said. The PM also laid the foundation stones for the 2.9 km-long Narengi-Kuruwa bridge with an estimated cost of Rs 1,200 crore and the 118.5 km-long Guwahati Ring Road project, connecting Kamrup and Darrang districts in Assam and Ri Bhoi in Meghalaya. The cost for the Ring Road project was estimated at Rs 4,530 crore. The PM will, later in the day, inaugurate the newly constructed over Rs 5000-crore bamboo-based ethanol plant and the Rs 7,230-crore Petro Fluidised Catalytic Cracker Unit at the Numaligarh Refinery in Golaghat district. Modi had arrived in Assam on Saturday evening and attended Bharat Ratna awardee B

PM Modi to inaugurate projects worth ₹18,530 crore in Assam today

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will unveil projects worth Rs 18,530 crore in Assam's Darrang and Golaghat districts on Sunday and will address two public rallies there. The PM will lay the foundation stones for Darrang Medical College along with a nursing college and a GNM school in Mangaldai town, and the combined investment for these healthcare projects is Rs 570 crore, officials said. The PM will also lay the foundation stone for the 2.9 km-long Narengi-Kuruwa bridge, with an estimated cost of Rs 1,200 crore and the 118.5 km-long Guwahati Ring Road project, connecting Kamrup and Darrang districts in Assam and Ri Bhoi in Meghalaya, they said. The cost for the Ring Road project was estimated at Rs 4,530 crore. The PM's programme at Mangaldai is scheduled to begin at 11.30 am, the officials said. The prime minister arrived in Guwahati on Saturday on a two-day visit to Assam and attended the birth centenary celebrations of Bharat Ratna awardee Bhupen Hazarika. Later in the day, Modi

PM Modi to visit Assam, honour Bhupen Hazarika, unveil ₹19,000 cr projects

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to arrive here on a two-day visit to Assam on Saturday to pay tribute to Bharat Ratna awardee Bhupen Hazarika and unveil projects worth over Rs 19,000 crore in the state, officials said. During his visit, the PM will also release a commemorative coin of Rs 100 to honour the legendary singer and a biography of the maestro titled 'Bharat Ratna Bhupen Hazarika', they said. The celebrations will include an 18-minute musical tribute by 1200 artistes who will render 14 evergreen songs of Hazarika in a medley. The prime minister will arrive here on Saturday at 4.20 pm and attend the meeting of Hazarika's birth centenary celebrations at 5.15 pm, the officials said. Modi will stay the night at a state guest house here. On Sunday, Modi will leave for Mangaldoi in Darrang district, where he will lay the foundation stone for Darrang Medical College along with a nursing and a GNM school, in the morning, the officials said. The combined investment for

PM to visit Assam on Sept 13-14, lay foundation for ₹18k cr worth projects

The Prime Minister will attend the programme of the birth centenary celebration of Bharat Ratna Dr Bhupen Hazarika at Veterinary College Field, Khanapara in Guwahati on September 13

PM Modi to visit Assam on Sept 13-14, inaugurate projects worth ₹18,000 cr

The Prime Minister will also attend the programme of the birth centenary celebration of Bharat Ratna Dr Bhupen Hazarika at Veterinary College Field, Khanapara in Guwahati on September 13

Assam cabinet approves SOP for expulsion of foreigners, says CM Sarma

The Assam cabinet on Tuesday approved the standard operating procedure (SOP) for removal of foreigners under the Immigrants (Expulsion from Assam) Act, 1950, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said. The district commissioner and the additional district commissioner of a co-district have been empowered by the Centre under the Act to serve a 10-day notice period to suspected foreigners to provide documents necessary to prove their citizenship, Sarma said at a media briefing here. 'If the DC or ADC is convinced that the person is a foreigner, the expulsion order will be issued on the 10th day itself,' he said. This process will bypass the Foreigners' Tribunals (FTs), and be a much faster and easier way for the Assam government to push back foreigners, he said. If, however, the official concerned cannot take a 'prima facie decision and is confused', the matter will be sent to the Foreigners' Tribunal, the CM said. The decision to issue an SOP was taken following an order passed by th