August 8, 2024 6:24 PM.

 Mizoram and Assam will hold ministerial-level talks to resolve a long-standing border dispute between the two northeastern states on Friday (August 9), an official of Mizoram home department said today.

The delegations of both states would meet at the State Guest House in Aizawl at 4 pm, the official said.

The Mizoram delegation would be headed by Home Minister K Sapdanga, while the Assam team would be led by its Border Protection and Development Minister Atul Bora, who will be accompanied by home department officials from the state.

The Assam delegation will arrive in Aizawl on Friday afternoon.

Both the delegations will also jointly address a press conference at 6 pm, according to the official.

This will be the first border talks between Mizoram and Assam after the Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM) headed by Chief Minister Lalduhoma came to power in December last year.

Following the talks, Bora and his team will have a courtesy meeting with Lalduhoma before departing for Guwahati on Saturday.

Sapdanga has expressed optimism that the talks could lead to a positive resolution of the border dispute. He noted that both states have adhered to the status quo on disputed areas since border discussions began in August 2021.

Despite an agreement in February for talks between Lalduhoma and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, scheduling conflicts due to the Lok Sabha elections delayed the discussions.

The border dispute involves three Mizoram districts- Aizawl, Kolasib, and Mamit – which share a 164.6 km boundary with Assam’s Cachar, Karimganj, and Hailakandi districts.

The dispute originates from two colonial-era demarcations – the 1875 notification under the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation (BEFR) and the 1933 Survey of India map.

Mizoram claims that 509 square-miles within the inner line reserved forest, as per the 1875 notification, falls within its territory, while Assam regards the 1933 map as its constitutional boundary. Consequently, some areas within the reserved forest now fall under Assam, and parts of the 1933 demarcation are on the Mizoram side.

The conflict escalated in July 2021 when police forces from both states exchanged gunfire at the border, resulting in the deaths of six Assam policemen and a civilian, along with injuries to over 60 people.

Several rounds of talks, including three ministerial meetings since August 2021, have been held, with agreements to maintain peace along the boundary and resolve the dispute through dialogue.

In the most recent talks in Guwahati in November 2022, Mizoram was tasked with providing details on villages, areas, geo-spatial extent, and ethnicity within three months to support its claim.

Mizoram has submitted information identifying 62 villages in the disputed area as being within its territory or within the extent of the inner line reserved forest. 

August 6, 2024 8:14 AM.

In Assam, normal life was severally affected in Guwahati yesterday evening due to flash floods caused by heavy rain. Massive water logging has been reported at several areas in Guwahati. Vehicular movement was badly affected due to water logging.

People had to wait for hours to reach home due to massive traffic jam. In view of the flash floods, all educational institutes including colleges and coaching centres will remain closed today within the Guwahati Municipal Corporation area.

Accumulation of water was reported from almost all peripheral roads in the city, with people stranded in their vehicles for hours amid heavy traffic. People returning from office, school children and even ambulances were reportedly stuck till late in the evening due to inundated roads.    

In the wake of flash floods caused by torrential rainfall, , August 6. This directive, affecting both government and private schools, comes from the district commissioner’s office and is enacted under Section 30.2 of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, prioritizing public safety.

The official statement issued by the district commissioner reads, “In view of the situation arising out of the flash flood caused by heavy rains in Guwahati city that occurred on 05/08/2024, all the Educational Institutes (both Govt. and Private) are hereby declared closed on 06/08/2024 within the Guwahati Municipal Corporation area.”
    
Waterlogging was reported from Zoo Road, RG Baruah Road, GS Road, Nabin Nagar, Anil Nagar, Hatigaon, Ganeshguri, Hedayetpur, MLA quarters in Dispur, Lachit Nagar, Tarun Nagar, Jyotikuchi, Ghoramara, VIP Road, Rajgarh Road, Jorabat and Chatribari, among others.
    
Residents also complained of power cuts in many areas.
   
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The Met Department has forecast heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places over Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya and Nagaland.

RUKMINI NAGAR AREA. / BSNL OFFICE / WIRELESS.

July 29, 2024 7:42 PM.

A Special Court in Guwahati today pronounced sentences for the Assam Public Service Commission (APSC) Agriculture Development Officer (ADO) recruitment scam.

The Special Court sentenced 14 years of rigorous imprisonment and fined two lakh rupees to former APSC Chairman, Rakesh Paul and 10 years of rigorous imprisonment and fined up to two lakh rupees each for fellow APSC members Basanta Kumar Doley and Samedur Rahman.  Rakesh Paul was convicted under four different sections, according to sources.

The court also sentenced 29 other accused candidates to four years of imprisonment each, along with fines of up to 10 thousand rupees.
Rakesh Paul and the two members are already facing trial in a separate cash-for-jobs scams.

July 26, 2024 5:41 PM.

Severe heat wave conditions are likely over many parts of Assam as people grapple with severe heat conditions, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.

Guwahati recorded a maximum temperature of 37.8°C, 4.5°C above normal. This sharp temperature rise has raised concerns as the IMD has further predicted that maximum temperatures will likely exceed 35°C at several places across Assam, remaining 3°C to 4°C above normal in some plains until July 27.

Due to prevailing mainly clear to partly cloudy sky conditions during day time and high solar insolation, maximum temperatures are likely to be more than 35 degree Celsius at a few places over Assam which are above normal by 3 degrees Celsius to 4 degrees Celsius over plains of some of the districts of the state till weekend.

On Thursday, the highest maximum temperature was recorded in Lumding with 39.0 degree Celsius.

July 12, 2024 10:05 PM.

The Union Government has sanctioned several road projects for Tripura and Assam to strengthen rural connectivity and accelerate economic growth in the North-Eastern region.

The Ministry of Rural Development has sanctioned 78 roads measuring 563 kilometers and 14 bridges under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana with an estimated investment of over 378 crore rupees for Assam. The Ministry has also sanctioned 42 roads measuring 118 kilometers with an estimated investment of 114 crore rupees for Tripura.

The Ministry said these projects will improve access to essential services like healthcare, education, and markets. It will also enhance connectivity in rural areas, bridging the gap between remote villages and urban centers.

According to the Ministry, the projects will also improve the socio-economic condition of the Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups living in Tripura.

July 11, 2024 8:58 AM.

In Assam, another five people died in the last 24 hours, taking the number of flood-related deaths to 84 this season, and over 14 lakh people are reeling under the deluge across 27 districts as reported by the Disaster Reporting and Information Management System Assam.

Akashvani correspondent reports, flood situation in Assam has improved further but more than 2500 villages of 86 revenue circles are still reeling under the flood and  over 39000 hectares of crop areas have been damaged across the state.

The river Brahmaputra, Burhidihing, Disang and Kushiyara are flowing above danger level. Meanwhile, Indian Meteorological Department has warned of heavy to extremely heavy rainfall at isolated places in  Assam.

State Government has opened 209 Relief camps and 156 relief distribution centres. NDRF and SDRF teams have also been deployed for rescue and relief operations.

Nearly 1.439 million people in 27 districts have been affected by the deluge.

The flood waters submerged 2580 villages under 86 revenue circles. 157,000 people are still taking shelter in 365 relief camps and distribution centres.

The water level of the Brahmaputra River is flowing above the danger level mark at Neamatighat, Tezpur, Guwahati, and Dhubri.

As many as 159 wild animals, including nine rhinos, have died so far at Kaziranga National Park due to floods in Assam, according to the park authority on Wednesday.

The Field Director of Kaziranga National Park, Sonali Ghosh, said that so far, 159 wild animals have died in Kaziranga National Park due to flooding.

“Out of 159 wild animals, 128 hog deer, 9 rhinos, 2 swamp deer and 2 sambar died after drowning in flood waters. On the other hand, 12 hog deer, one swamp deer, rhesus macaque, and otter-pup died under care. Two hog deer died due to a vehicle hit and an otter (pup) died for other reasons,” Sonali Ghosh said.

The park authority and the forest department have also managed to rescue 133 animals during flood time and 111 animals were released after treatment.

The flood situation in the park has been marginally improving, but 62 forest camps in the park are still underwater and 4 camps have been vacated. There are 233 forest camps inside the park.

The core area of Kaziranga National Park is 430 sq km and the area of the park has increased following the addition of a few editions. Kaziranga is the home of more than 2600 one-horned rhinoceros.

July 7, 2024 10:04 PM.

In Assam, eight more people lost their lives during the last 24 hours, bringing the total number of flood-related deaths in the state to 66. The flood situation in the state has improved slightly, but nearly 22 lakh people are still reeling under the deluge across 28 districts.

Over 3400 villages in 97 revenue circles remained inundated, and over 68,000 hectares of crop areas have been damaged across the state. NDRF and SDRF teams have rescued 218 people in the last 24 hours. The rivers Brahmaputra,

Barak, and all their tributaries are flowing above the danger level. 172 roads and six bridges, apart from other infrastructure, have been damaged during the last 24 hours. Over 15 lakh animals are also affected. 53 thousand people are taking shelter in 269 relief camps, while the state government has opened 361 relief distribution centres

The deaths occurred in Cachar (1), Dhubri (2), Goalpara (1), Nalbari (2), Dhemaji (1) and Sivasagar (1) districts.

According to Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), 28 of the state’s 35 districts are still in the grip of the floods which affected 22,74,289 people in 3,446 villages.

Cropland was affected in areas of over 68,432.75 hectares. The floods damaged roads, bridges and river embankments in several districts.

The authorities has set up 269 relief camps where 53,689 of the affected people are taking shelter.

The ASDMA said 10 rivers – Brahmaputra, Burhidihing, Dikhou, Disang, Dhansiri, Kopili, Beki, Sankosh, Barak and Kushiyara – were in a spate, flowing above the danger level.

Teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been deployed in Cachar, Barpeta, Bongaigaon, Dibrugarh and Jorhat districts. Various other agencies, including the State Disaster Response Force and the police, are helping the NDRF.

The deluge inundated vast swathes of the Kaziranga National Park & Tiger Reserve. Sixty-eight of the 233 camps inside the park are still inundated. Forest personnel are staying there for patrolling and other activities.

Till Sunday, 129 animals, including six rhinos and 98 hog deer, have died. The authorities managed to rescue 96 other animals.

“We are constantly monitoring the situation. There is a possibility of animals straying out at such time,” a senior park official said.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma visited Palashbari in Kamrup district on Sunday and took stock of the situation. He also visited some relief camps and interacted with the inmates.

Sarma told the inmates that the government would take steps to repair or rebuild their houses which were either damaged or washed away by floodwaters. He said the government was working in earnest to find a long-term solution to the perennial problem of flood in the state.

July 6, 2024 9:06 PM.

In flood-hit Assam, there is no respite from incessant rains across the state. Nearly 24 lakh people are affected in the second wave of floods. Six persons lost their lives in the last 24 hours. Rescue and relief measures are being carried out by the administration.

Several ministers of the state visited flood-hit areas. Some parts of Guwahati also witnessed waterlogging. Flood water also damaged infrastructure, cropland and animals.

AIR Guwahati Correspondent said that the second wave of floods equally affected the domestic and wild animals. Flood water washed away hundreds of domestic animals and massively damaged fisheries.

Several national parks and wildlife sanctuaries are also reeling under the water. 66 anti-poaching camps inundated in one of the worst affected Kaziranga National Park. 114 wild animals reported death including six rhinos at Kaziranga. Most of the deaths caused due to drowning. On the other hand, 100 animals have been rescued from drowning by the Kaziranga Park Authority. 

Cachar, Kamrup, Dhubri, Nagaon, Goalpara, Barpeta, Dibrugarh, Bongaigaon, Lakhimpur, Jorhat, Kokrajhar, Karimganj, and Tinsukia are among the districts affected.

Taking stock of the flood situation, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, in a telephonic conversation, assured the Chief Minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma, of getting help and support from the centre. He said that the National Disaster Response Force and the State Disaster Response Force were working on a war footing to rescue and provide relief to the people.

“On account of the heavy rains, a flood-like situation has occurred in Assam. I spoke with Assam CM Himanta Biswa about the ongoing situation. The NDRF and the SDRF are working on a war footing, providing relief and rescuing the victims,” Shah wrote on his official handle.

Earlier on Friday, Assam Chief Minister Sarma visited several flood-affected areas in Dibrugah district, including urban town areas, to take stock of the damage caused by breaches in the embankments.

Expressing condolences to the bereaved families, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Saturday asked party leaders and workers to provide help in rescue and rehabilitation operations. “The flood situation in Assam is becoming increasingly dangerous. My thoughts are with our brothers and sisters reeling under the deluge. I urge the Central and State governments to compassionately and expeditiously extend all possible support to those affected,” he posted on X.

Assam’s Achilles heel stems from a complex combination and permutation of hydrological and climate factors. More than 120 river streams run through the state, with several originating from the hills and mountains of extreme rainfall hotspots in Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya. These rivers, swollen and fierce, encroach upon homes and fields, leaving a trail of despair in their wake.

As many as 12 people have lost their lives due to landslides and storms.

The Brahmaputra river is flowing above the danger mark in Nimatighat, Guwahati, Goalpara, and Dhubri, making the situation worse for the people residing nearby.

In the midst of this watery expanse, the people of Assam are caught in a harrowing race for survival. Their faces, traumatised with a mix of exhaustion and resilience, scream silent stories of struggle and endurance.

On the other hand, the floods in Kaziranga National Park have led to the deaths of 114 wild animals, while 95 were rescued until Saturday, an official was cited as saying by news agency PTI in its report.

In the flood-affected areas, the surrounding area paints a sad picture of desolation and destitution. Homes stood half submerged, their structures trembling under the weight of encroaching water.

Meanwhile, despair looms large over the streets of the hilly Jyotinagar area in Guwahati as a man continues to search for his eight-year-old son, Abhinash, for the third day in a row on Saturday.

Determined to find his son, Hiralal Sarkar has been looking for the boy ever since he fell into a stormwater drain on Thursday.

Several parts of Guwahati, including Anil Nagar, Nabin Nagar, and Rukminigaon, have continued to be inundated since heavy rainfall lashed the city on Thursday evening.

SDRF and the local Kamrup Metropolitan Administration have been working tirelessly to provide respite to the stranded people in different areas, while pumps are being deployed to clear the water. 

Representational Picture.

July 4, 2024 8:54 PM.

In Assam, there is no respite from the flood’s fury as several major rivers are flowing above the danger mark. The current wave of floods affected over 16 lakh people while road communication has been snapped at multiple locations. A report…

Rescue and relief measures have been intensified across the state as the current wave of floods severely affected life. Governor Gulab Chand Kataria, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, and Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal have visited flood-hit areas and met affected people.   All of them instructed the concerned officials to extend all possible help to flood-hit people. 

With 2,800 villages still reeling under flood water, around 3.87 lakh people have been shifted to relief camps and shelters. The weather office has predicted heavy to moderate rains in the next four to five days.

A total of eight people, including one each in Morigaon, Darrang, Golaghat, Biswanath, Tinsukia and Dibrugarh and two in Sonitpur, lost their lives due to floods yesterday. The death toll in this year’s floods has risen to 46. This apart, three persons are still missing in Sonitpur, Sivasagar and Golaghat.

According to the latest data released by the Assam State Disaster Management Authority, 2,800 villages under 105 revenue circles of 29 districts are currently submerged. A total of 16,25,089 people are affected due to floods. On the other hand, 39,451 hectares of agricultural land are submerged in floods.

Currently, 3.87 lakh flood victims have been shifted to the shelters and relief centres. Among which, 25,744 flood victims are in 181 shelter camps and 3,61,206 in 334 relief centres.

River Brahmaputra has been flowing 1.09 metres above the danger mark in Dhubri, 0.45 metres in Goalpara, 0.34 metres at Nimatighat in Jorhat, 1.13 metres in DC Court in Guwahati and 0.83 metres above the danger mark in Tezpur. Dhubri, Goalpara and Guwahati are witnessing an increase in the water level of River Brahmaputra, though Tezpur and Jorhat are likely to see a decline in water levels.

Barak river is flowing 0.87 metres and 0.54 metres above the danger mark at Barpurghat in Karimganj and Annapurnaghat in Cachar respectively and the water level of Barak is likely to rise at both places. The Katakhal river at Matijuli in Hailakandi and Dhaleshwari river at Gharmura are flowing 2.14 metres and 4.38 metres above the danger mark respectively.

The Kopili river is flowing 56.32 meters above the danger mark at Dharamtul in Morigaon. In Kampur, Nagaon too, the Kapili river is flowing at 61.91 metres, that is, 1.41 metres above the danger level (60.5 m). Similarly, at Nanglamuraghat in Sivasagar district, Dibang river is flowing 1.49 metre above the danger level (94.44 m). Dhansiri river at Numaligarh in Golaghat is flowing at 78.85 metres which is 0.43 metres above the danger mark (78.42). The water level of all these rivers is expected to rise.

On the other hand, in Sivasagar, the Dikhow river is flowing 1.73 meters above the danger level (92.4 m), that is 94.13 meters, but the water level is likely to recede. In Karimganj, the Kushiyara river is flowing at 16.13 meters, which is 1.19 meters above the danger level (14.94 meters). Similarly in Margherita of Tinsukia Burhi Dihing is flowing 1.13 meters above the danger mark (134.42 m) but the water level is likely to recede.

Arrangements has been made by the district administrations to give essential food items, drinking water and medical help to the people. A major portion of the Kaziranga National Park has been submerged and park authority intensified vigil to prevent poaching of wildlife.  So far 82 wild animals have been rescued by them. 

Rainfall to continue for next 4-5 days

According to the Guwahati based Regional Meteorological Centre’s weather forecast for the next 4 to 5 days, moderate rainfall will continue to lash most parts of Assam while a few areas will record heavy rainfall.