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PM Modi condoles death of veteran Assam journalist PG Baruah
GUWAHATI: Prafulla Govinda Baruah, a doyen of journalism in Assam, passed away on Sunday night due to age-related ailments. He was 93. Baruah is survived by his wife and two daughters. Born in Dibrugarh in upper Assam, Baruah was a Padma Shri awardee and served as the editor of The Assam Tribune , founded by his father, the late Radha Govinda Baruah. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma were among the leaders who mourned his demise. Saddened by the passing away of Shri PG Baruah ji, Editor and Managing Director of The Assam Tribune Group. He will be remembered for his contribution to the media world. He was also passionate about furthering Assams progress and popularising the states culture. My thoughts are with his family and admirers. Om Shanti, the Prime Minister posted on X. Chief Minister Sarma described Baruah as a towering figure in Assams journalistic landscape. His lifelong dedication to principled journalism and his immense contribution to literature, education and public life will always be cherished. Deepest condolences to his bereaved family, colleagues and countless admirers, Sarma wrote on X.
The issue of poor quality National Highways was raised in the Parliament, particularly the NH-37 between Jorhat and Dibrugarh in Assam damaged after heavy rainfall
IWAI signs MoUs to enhance water transport and river tourism in the North East
A second MoU with the Government of Assam focuses on developing a water metro in Guwahati, Tezpur and Dibrugarh
Inter-district movement of live pigs banned in Assam amid African Swine Fever outbreak
GUWAHATI: The Assam government has banned inter-district movement of live pigs with immediate effect, amid an alarming rise in cases of African Swine Fever (ASF) across the state, officials said. Sale of pork has also been prohibited in seven districts, which have reported high concentrations of ASF cases, an order issued by the Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Department said on Sunday. It said that ASF, with a 100 per cent mortality rate, has devastated the piggery industry in the state. ASF cases have been alarmingly rising across the state with no bound since January this year, with 297 epicentres reported, spreading to almost all districts with more concentration in seven of them, the order said. These seven districts are Dhemaji, Kamrup, Lakhimpur, Sivasagar, Darrang, Jorhat and Dibrugarh. The order said 84 epicentres were notified during the month of October alone. In view of the situation and under provisions of the Prevention and Control of Infectious and Contagious Diseases in Animals Act, 2009, the inter-district movement of live pigs in the state has been banned for the time being with immediate effect, and until further notice to prevent further spread of the disease, it added.
CHANDIGARH: The ruling Aam Aadmi Party has retained the Tarn Taran assembly seat in Punjab, with its candidate Harmeet Singh Sandhu defeating his nearest rival and Shiromani Akali Dal nominee Sukhwinder Kaur Randhawa by 12,091 votes. An independent candidate supported by the rebel Akali faction finished in third position, while the Congress and BJP trailed in the fourth and fifth positions respectively. Sandhu secured 42,649 votes against Randhawa's 30,558 after the completion of all 16 rounds of counting. Randhawa was leading in the first three rounds of counting before Sandhu took over and maintained a steady lead. The bypoll was seen as a litmus test for Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and the ruling AAP. With todays win, the party has won six of the seven bypolls held in the state since it came to power in March 2022. Tarn Taran falls within Khadoor Sahib Lok Sabha constituency which is represented by Amrit Pal Singh who has been booked under the National Security Act and is lodged at Dibrugarh Central Jail in Assam. The Akali Dal had fielded Randhawa, a retired principal having the family legacy of Dharmi Fauji, referring to those who had abandoned the defence services and fought against the Army during Operation Blue Star. Independent candidate Mandeep Singh was in the third spot with 19,620 votes. He was the joint candidate of the Amritpal Singh-led party Waris Punjab De (WPD) and Shiromani Akali Dal (Punarsurjit). Mandeep is the brother of Sandeep Singh Sunny, an accused in the murder of Shiv Sena (Taksali) leader Sudhir Suri. Sunny is currently lodged in the Sangrur jail and had hit the headlines recently for assaulting former police officers, convicted in fake encounter cases, in Patiala jail. Political observers said that the tough fight given by Randhawa testified that the rebel Akali faction has failed to loosen the SADs Panthic grip. Karanbir Singh Burj of the Congress came fourth with 15,078 votes and Harjit Singh Sandhu of the BJP was a distant fifth with 6,239 votes. While Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini along with the top brass of the party both at the state and central level campaigned for him, Sandhu failed to make an impact in the bypoll. There were celebrations at AAP offices in Tarn Taran and Chandigarh with party workers dancing to dhol beats and bursting firecrackers to celebrate the victory. Meanwhile, taking a dig at the Punjab Police, SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal wrote on X, I congratulate @DGPPunjabPolice Gaurav Yadav and his team comprising State Intelligence Chief PK Sinha, CP Amritsar Gurpreet Singh Bhullar, DIG Ferozepur range Harmanbir Singh, SSPs of Tarntaran, Amritsar (Rural), Batala and Moga districts for ensuring the victory of Punjab Police candidate Harmeet Sandhu in the Tarn Taran bye election. God save democracy! A total of 15 candidates were in the fray. The Tarn Taran seat fell vacant after the death of AAP MLA Kashmir Singh Sohal in June.
Supreme Court refuses to entertain Amritpal Singhs plea challenging his detention under NSA
Amritpal Singh, chief of the Waris Punjab De outfit, is currently lodged in jail in Assams Dibrugarh along with his nine associates under the National Security Act
In a 'heroic way' a Sepoy (Ambulance Assistant) Sunil of the 456 filed hospital saved the life of an eight month old infant in the Rajdhani Express en route to Dibrugarh.
Tea blossoms have health benefits, says Nagaland University study
GUWAHATI: Not just tea, tea blossoms that are often discarded as agricultural byproducts, also have health benefits, a multi-institute research, led by the Nagaland University, has found. The study shows that these delicate flowers are abundant in potent bioactive compounds, positioning them as a natural source for health supplements and functional beverages. While tea leaves dominate global research and consumption, blossoms remain largely overlooked. This study is the first systematic effort in Assam, one of the worlds largest tea-producing regions, to analyse the biochemical richness of tea blossoms from seven premium cultivars. Nutraceutical companies could harness tea blossom extracts to create natural energy boosters, relaxation aids, and skin-health products. Beyond consumer health, the research offers economic opportunities for smallholder tea farmers by opening new revenue streams through blossom collection and processing, the Nagaland University said in a statement. This approach, the statement added, also advances environmental sustainability, as utilising blossoms reduces agricultural waste and contributes to a circular bioeconomy. With global demand rising for plant-based, eco-friendly health products, India has the chance to position itself as a leader in functional foods and supplements derived from tea blossoms, the statement said. Dr Sagarika Das from the Centre for Biotechnology and Bioinformatics at Dibrugarh University fronted this research, collaborating with tea biochemist Monoranjan Goswami from the Tocklai Tea Research Institute in Jorhat, Assam, and Prof Tanmoy Karak from the Department of Soil Science at the School of Agricultural Sciences, Nagaland University. The study garnered contributions from institutions, including the University of California and the ICAR-Indian Agricultural Statistics Research Institute in New Delhi, showcasing an extraordinary alliance in the pursuit of scientific excellence. The findings were published in a peer-reviewed journal, Food Research Journal. Prof Jagadish K Patnaik, Vice-Chancellor of the Nagaland University, said the research highlighted the potential of innovation originating from the region to effect significant global change. By tapping into the often-overlooked benefits of tea blossoms, our dedicated scientists are pioneering advancements in health and wellness that could revolutionise dietary supplements and natural remedies, he said. The research team has plans to advance into clinical trials, explore synergies with other nutraceuticals, and scale up for industrial applications across the food, pharmaceutical, and wellness sectors. Das said, Tea blossoms are known to be abundant in health-enhancing compounds, featuring notably higher concentrations of polyphenols, catechins, terpenoids, and L-theanine, while also having lower caffeine levels compared to traditional tea leaves.
Former Union minister Rajen Gohain quits BJP, cites betrayal of Assams indigenous communities
DIBRUGARH: Former Union minister and four-time BJP MP Rajen Gohain from Assams Nagaon parliamentary constituency resigned from the party along with 17 other members on Thursday, officials said. In a letter to state BJP president Dilip Saikia, Gohain said he was resigning from the primary membership of the party and stepping down from all party responsibilities with immediate effect. Seventeen other BJP members, mostly from Upper and Central Assam, also submitted their resignations to Saikia, sources said. Speaking to PTI, Gohain said he resigned as the party had failed o fulfil the promises made to the people of Assam and betrayed the indigenous communities by allowing outsiders to settle in the state. He had represented Nagaon parliamentary constituency for four terms from 1999 to 2019 and had served as the Union minister of state for railways from 2016 to 2019.
Assam government extends AFSPA in Tinsukia, Charaideo, and Sivasagar districts for six months
The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) was extended for six more months in Tinsukia, Charaideo, and Sivasagar districts of Assam from October 1, following a state government recommendation. This extension occurred despite significant law-and-order improvements, due to sporadic ULFA incidents and NSCN activities. Meanwhile, AFSPA was removed from Dibrugarh, and the state cabinet had recommended its complete withdrawal.
Punjab MP Amritpal Singh casts vote for V-P election from Assam jail
Mr. Singh, the chief of Waris Punjab De, has been in Dibrugarh Central Jail since March 2023
Guwahati-Bound Indigo Flight Carrying Himanta Sarma Diverted To Agartala Due To Bad Weather
According to the Assam Chief Minister's Office (CMO), Sarma was flying from Dibrugarh to Guwahati in an IndiGo flight, which was diverted to Agartala.
