Page 7 - Northeast India

Central Assam hit by 5.0 magnitude earthquake; no casualty reported

An earthquake of 5 magnitude jolted the central part of Assam on Thursday morning, an official bulletin said. There is no immediate report of any injury to anyone or damage to any property, officials said. A National Center for Seismology report said the quake was recorded at 2:25 am in Morigaon district on the southern bank of Brahmaputra, at a depth of 16 km. The exact location of the epicentre of the earthquake is around 52 km east from Guwahati in central Assam. People in the neighbouring Kamrup Metropolitan, Nagaon, East Karbi Anglong, West Karbi Anglong, Hojai, Dima Hasao, Golaghat, Jorhat, Sivasagar, Cachar, Karimganj, Hailakandi, Dhubri, South Salmara-Mankachar and Goalpara districts also felt the jolt. Darrang, Tamulpur, Sonitpur, Kamrup, Biswanath, Udalguri, Nalbari, Bajali, Barpeta, Baksa, Chirang, Kokrajhar, Bongaigaon and Lakhimpur on the northern bank of Brahmaputra too felt the tremor. The earthquake could be felt in some areas of central-western Arunachal Pradesh,

Security forces recover 25 weapons, apprehend 8 cadres in Manipur

The operations were conducted in Kakching, Thoubal, Tengnoupal, Bishnupur, Imphal East, and Chandel districts

'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

NE states lag behind even as India improves girls' toilet facilities

This comes even as the country has increased girls' toilet coverage in rural schools from 66.4 per cent in 2018 to 72 per cent in 2024

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

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

Army, police recover ammunition from warlike stores in 4 Manipur districts

Earlier, on January 16, Assam Rifles arrested two people and recovered a massive cache of banned Yaba tablets and Brown Sugar worth approximately Rs 62 crore from them in Churachandpur district

Security personnel conduct area domination, search operations in Manipur

The team also successfully destroyed about 26 acres of illegal poppy plantation, the police said

2 injured, over 15 houses gutted in massive fire in Manipur's Moreh town

At least two persons suffered minor injuries and over 15 houses were gutted in a fire in Manipur's Moreh town along the India-Myanmar border on Sunday, a defence statement said. The fire erupted in Mission Veng locality of Moreh in Tengnoupal district, it said. "Assam Rifles and Manipur Fire Services promptly and doused a massive fire that engulfed 15-20 houses in Mission Veng locality in Tengnoupal district," it said. Two injured persons were evacuated and first-aid was administered, the statement added. An investigation is underway to ascertain the cause of the fire, officials said.

Mizoram-Myanmar border movement regulated after govt's directives: Official

Security has been beefed up along the 510-km long Mizoram-Myanmar border and movement of people living within 10 kilometres on either side of the unfenced international border has been regulated following the directive of the Centre, an official said. The official said that residents of both countries living within 10 km on either side of the border now require border pass to visit each other. The border pass valid for a stay of up to seven days is being issued to both Myanmarese and Indian citizens visiting each other countries on production of documents verifying that they live within the territorial limit of 10 km on either side of the international border, he said on Saturday. The initiative was taken by state police, Assam Rifles and health officials at some entry and exit points from December 31 based on the order and new guidelines issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), he said. Six Mizoram districts - Champhai, Siaha, Lawngtlai, Hnahthial, Saitual and Serchhip - shar

VIDEO: Fresh violence erupts in Manipur as SP office attacked in Kangpokpi

The police said that Kangpokpi Superintendent of Police Manoj Prabhakar was injured in the attack

'Won't hurt India's interests, but...': Bangladesh Army chief on Northeast

Bangladesh Army chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman characterises India-Bangladesh relations as a 'give-and-take relationship' while describing China as 'a partner in our development'

1.25 lakh hectares of rubber plantation done under project INROAD

Over 1.25 lakh hectares of rubber plantation have been completed in Northeast and West Bengal as part of a project by four leading tyre manufacturers of the country, an industry body said on Wednesday. As part of the project INROAD (Indian Natural Rubber Operations for Assisted Development), the Automotive Tyre Manufacturers' Association (ATMA) had planned to develop two lakh hectares of rubber plantation in Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura and West Bengal at a cost of Rs 1,100 crore in five years. "In the first four years of the project, an area of 1,25,272 ha has been covered under new natural rubber (NR) plantations across 94 districts in North East and parts of West Bengal," a senior official of ATMA told PTI. This represents one of the highest NR plantations ever achieved in the country in a span of four years, he added. "During the last four years of the project, a record 5.3 crore planting material has been distributed. The project has

NE states led growth in consumption expenditure during 2023-24: NSO

Data showed that average MPCE in rural Sikkim grew by 21.3 per cent to Rs 9377 during the period

Meghalaya in 2024: $100 bn economy vision, majority for NPP, killer flood

Declaration of the vision for a USD 100-billion economy by 2047, the NPP securing majority, a devastating flood wreaking havoc as well as the unearthing of a multi-crore road project scam Meghalaya remained witness to a year of myriad developments in 2024. Hoisting the tri-colour at the Polo Grounds here on the occasion of Independence Day, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma had unveiled the 'Viksit Meghalaya', the roadmap for a USD 100-billion economy by 2047. "I aspire for a 'Viksit Meghalaya' a USD 100-billion economy by 2047 when we celebrate the 75th anniversary of our statehood and the country's 100 years of independence," Sangma had said. In August this year, the National People's Party (NPP) got a shot in the arm when three out of the total four Congress MLAs joined the ruling party, increasing its strength to 31 in the 60-member assembly. The NPP secured a majority on its own in Meghalaya, which is ruled by a coalition, comprising other parties such as the UDP and BJP. Forme

Indian Army in joint operation recovers arms and ammunition in Manipur

Based on specific intelligence inputs of the presence of arms and ammunition in the general area Ngariyan Hill, Imphal East district Indian Army and Manipur Police launched joint search operations

ZPM govt enacts 46 bills as Mizoram deals with violence, refugee challenges

A series of administrative reforms, the passage of a record 46 Bills in the assembly within the first year of the ZPM dispensation and strong opposition to the central government's decision to fence the Myanmar border and scrap the free movement regime took centre stage in Mizoram in 2024. The ripple effect of the ethnic violence in neighbouring Manipur and the boundary dispute with Assam remained a matter of concern for the Christian-majority Mizoram. The northeastern state continued to bear the brunt of refugee influx from Myanmar, Bangladesh and Manipur due to crises in the neighbouring countries and the state. Soon after the Zoram People's Movement (ZPM) assumed charge in December 2023, Chief Minister Lalduhoma decided to deal with an illegal and decades-long practice of hiring proxies by government employees with an iron fist. "In June, the government identified over 3,600 employees, who hired proxies on their behalf to work at their places of posting. The government directed

MHA constitutes tribunal to review ULFA's 'unlawful association' status

The tribunal will be headed by Justice Michael Zothankhuma of the Gauhati High Court, mentioning a gazette notification issued by the MHA

Manipur security forces seize weapons cache in Imphal West districts

These operations were carried out to maintain order and prevent any escalation in the region

Tripura remained backward during Left rule, BJP brought development: Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday hit out at Left parties for turning Tripura into a "backward" state during their 35-year rule and said it could witness progress only after the BJP assumed power in 2018. Addressing a public meeting here after visiting a village where displaced Bru tribals were rehabilitated, Shah said that Tripura remained behind on all parameters of development during the communist rule but is now moving forward on the path of progress. "For 35 years, the communists ruled Tripura. The communists claimed that they worked for the welfare of the poor. The Congress also ruled Tripura for a considerable time. But the people of the state always remained poor. It was when the BJP came to power that Tripura could witness development," he said. Shah said when he visited Tripura in 2017 as BJP president and stayed for five days, only 11 people took party membership. "Gradually we started our work. We worked hard and could oust the communists from power" after toiling