Army recovers IED in Assam’s Tinsukia district

Guwahati, July 9: Indian Army has averted a major tragedy by recovering a powerful Improvised Explosive Device (IED) in Assam’s Tinsukia district on Thursday.

The IED was planted by suspected militants under a bridge on the National Highway-38 at Lekhapani area in the upper Assam district.

Traffic between Tinsukia and Digboi along the national highway was halted for several hours because of the incident.

#WATCH Assam: Indian Army neutralises an improvised explosive device (IED) that was planted on National Highway-38 in Lekhapani, Tinsukia district. pic.twitter.com/ljDAav3gzm

— ANI (@ANI) July 9, 2020

A top police official of Tinsukia district said that suspected militants of banned outfit United Liberation Front of Asom – Independent (ULFA-I) had planted the Improvised Explosive Device at the area.

Later, the army bomb squad team had safely defused the Improvised Explosive Device.

River erosion becomes more dangerous in Assam, over 5 lakh families landless due to flood and soil erosion, Brahmaputra swallows 4000 sq km

Guwahati, July 9: 62-year-old Md. Abul Ali and his family are now preparing to move a safer place after he lost everything in soil erosion of the Brahmaputra river.

Abul Ali – a resident of Bhurbandha area in Assam’s Nagaon district had lost his agricultural lands, houses in river erosions.

“I have lost everything. River erosion is not a new problem, we are facing it in the past couple of years. The river swallowed everything. We are now forced to leave this place as the government has not taken any necessary measures to solve this problem. We have now no money. Now only God will help us,” Abul Ali said.

Not only, Abul Ali, there are large numbers of families in Assam who suffer displacement and hardship across the state.

Assam is facing flood and river erosion problems since last six decades and over five lakh families of the state have displaced due to flood and soil erosion by rivers.

According to the Assam government data, the mighty Brahmaputra river has wiped out nearly 4000 sq km – an area larger than Goa, which is about 7.5 per cent of the total area of Assam.

30-year-old Foridul Islam – a local youth of Bohoti NC area in Goalpara district said that more than 2000 families of the area were forced to move to other safer places after they lost their lands, houses due to flood and soil erosions by the Brahmaputra river.

Many school buildings, religious institutions, public properties were destroyed due to river erosions in the area.

“The Brahmaputra river has eroded thousands bigha of agricultural lands, school building. Over 2000 families were forced to move to other places due to flood and river erosion problems,” Foridul Islam said.

Raju Barua – leader of Assam’s farmer organization Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS) said that over five lakh families across the state have been displaced due to flood and erosion problems.

“We appeal the both centre and state government to help the people who had lost everything in flood and river erosion,” Raju Barua said.

Floods and bank erosion by rivers have become major problems faced by the state.

According to the Assam government, bank erosion by rivers are continued in many districts in the state and due to river erosion, an annual average loss of land is nearly 8000 hectares.

The width of river Brahmaputra has increased up to 15 km at some places due to bank erosion.

Assam is facing a huge economic loss every year due to flood and river erosion.

According to the Assam government data, average annual loss due to flood in Assam is to the tune of Rs 200 crore and thousands bigha of farmland eroded by the rivers each year.

Jayanta Pathak – a professor of Assam Engineering College said that Assam runs on agriculture and thousands of hectares of land are rendered uncultivable due to flood and river erosion and it impacts on the state economy.

“Since independence, we have been trying to manage the flood problems in the state. Now erosion has become even a bigger problem than the flood. Erosion is now becoming a major problem of the state and which was also taken up more or less a national disaster problem at some point of time. But we have not seen that much has been done and probably we have not able to provide as much as flood management which is required to mitigate the erosion problem,” Jayanta Patha said.

On the other hand, Dr Bibhas Sarma – who is working in the field of flood and river erosion problems of Assam in past several years said that the major portions of embankments in the state were constructed in 1960-70.

“Construction of embankment policy was taken in 1954 and we are still going with construction of embankments as a temporary measure. We need storage reservoirs at the foothills of the tributaries which are contributing maximum sediment discharge to the river. If we can’t do that solution is not possible. The government has taken a concept of dredging of the river, but the expert committee said that it is feasible and dredging of the river will not solve the problem because the sediment loads so high and within hours the dredged portion will fill up,” Dr Bibhas Sarma said.

The geographical area of Assam is 78,438 sq km, of which 56,194 sq km is covered by the Brahmaputra river valley and the Barak river valley, along with two hill districts, covered the remaining 22,244 sq km.

Nearly 3000 COVID-19 cases register in Guwahati in last five days, 12 districts of Assam ban entry of people from Guwahati and Kamrup (Metro)

Guwahati, July 9: 12 districts of Assam have banned the entry of people from Guwahati and Kamrup (Metro). Guwahati has now become a hotspot of COVID-19 in Northeast India as the capital city of Assam registered 2938 positive cases for the deadly virus in the last five days.

During the period, the state has reported 4233 COVID-19 positive cases and Guwahati alone accounted for around 70 per cent cases.

According to the Assam state Health department, 777 positive cases for COVID-19 were detected in Guwahati city on July 4 as the state witnessed highest single-day spike in the numbers of the novel Coronavirus positive cases with 1202 cases.

The city which is also known as the gateway of Northeast had registered 552 positive cases for the new virus on July 5, 598 cases on July 6, 588 cases on July 7 and 423 cases on July 8.

The state has reported 696 COVID-19 positive cases in last 24 hours and with the new cases, the state tally has now surged to 14032.

Eight persons died due to COVID-19 in the state in last 48 hours taking the state death toll to 22.

On the other hand, given the alarming situation in Assam, 12 districts of the state have issued orders and banned the entry of people from Guwahati and Kamrup (Metro) district to the respective districts.

The districts which have banned the entry of the people from Guwahati and Kamrup (Metro) district are – Nagaon, Morigaon, Tinsukia, Dibrugarh, Sonitpur, Nalbari, Bswanath, Barpeta, Dhubri, South Salmara, Darrang and Kokrajhar.

In an order issued by the Nagaon district administration stated that – “Asymptomatic people who arrive at Nagaon from Kamrup (Metro) are advised to undergo home quarantine for 14 days strictly and symptomatic people are also advised to contact 104 (Toll-free number) and nearest ASHA or any health worker immediately.”

Guwahati is currently passing through a 14-day total lockdown and curfew from June 28.

On the other hand, Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Wednesday reviewed the COVID-19 induced lockdown scenario in Kamrup (Metro) district and took stock of the various measures undertaken for reducing the spread of Coronavirus in the district and rest of the state at a meeting held at Assam Administrative Staff College.

Appreciating the efforts of the health department, Kamrup (Metro) district administration, police and other line departments in successfully implementing the lockdown in the district, the Assam Chief Minister said that due to the strict implementation of lockdown protocols rate of positivity among the tested cases has come down from 36% to 16% in Kamrup (Metro) district.

“This lockdown would go a long way in breaking the chain of spread and managing affectively the transmission of the pandemic in Guwahati and other parts of Kamrup (Metro) district,” Sonowal said.

The Assam Chief Minister directed the district administration and police to ensure the supply of essential commodities so that people in the district do not have to face hardships during the lockdown period.

He also instructed for providing the essentials to the poor and underprivileged sections of the society.

It was also decided in the meeting that the NGOs coming forward to distribute food to the poor citizens would be able to do so after obtaining necessary permissions from local police stations.

Reiterating the state government’s commitment to protect the people of the state from COVID-19, Sonowal said that all future actions would be taken while giving priority to public opinion and various sections of the society would be consulted before further initiatives.

Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal called for an evaluation of the roadside vending of vegetables and other food items as allowing such practices could contribute to the spike of COVID-19 in the district.

Sonowal asked the Chief Secretary and DGP along with health department to monitor the situation in rest of the state as well and asked the district administrations of other districts to thoroughly examine all options before going for measures like lockdown in their respective districts.

10 Guwahati cops including five officers transferred after night party on river cruise

Guwahati, July 9: At least 10 police officers posted in Guwahati including Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) were transferred after the Assam government has taken disciplinary action against them who attended in a night party on a river cruise over Brahmaputra river by violating curfew and COVID-19 lockdown norms in the capital city of Assam.

As per the direction of Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, the state Home department has imitated disciplinary action for transfer of several police officers who took part in the party on July 6.

In a press statement, the state Home department said that the department has initiated steps for transfer of one DCP, four ACPs, two OCs, two SIs and one ASI of the city police who took part in the party.

According to the reports, on July 6 night, some police personnel including five senior police officials had reportedly attended the party on a river cruise over the Brahmaputra river.

In a video and some photographs, the police personnel were seen that they had attended the party with alcoholic beverages by violating ongoing night curfew and lockdown orders.

Following the incident, Assam Chief Secretary Kumar Sanjay Krishna on July 7 had directed Guwahati city Police Commissioner Munna Prasad Gupta to conduct an enquiry and submit a report and take disciplinary proceedings against those found guilty.

Police personnel partying with alcoholic beverages in Guwahati by violating curfew and lockdown rules, Assam Chief Secretary orders probe

Guwahati, July 7: Assam Chief Secretary Kumar Sanjay Krishna on Tuesday ordered a probe after some police personnel allegedly partying in Guwahati by violating COVID-19 lockdown rules and orders.

According to the reports, some police personnel including few officers were reportedly attended a party on a ship on the Brahmaputra river on July 6 night.

In a video, the police personnel were seen by attending the party with alcoholic beverages by violating ongoing night curfew and lockdown orders.

The Assam Chief Secretary has directed Guwahati city Police Commissioner Munna Prasad Gupta to conduct the enquiry and submit a report and take disciplinary proceedings against those found guilty.

“Police officers attending a party with alcoholic beverages reportedly during curfew hours last evening (July 6 night) and lockdown reflects very poorly on the policemen and displays a total disregard to orders under Disaster Act,” the Assam Chief Secretary said in his order copy.

Guwahati city, as well as Kamrup (Metro) district, is under lockdown to curb the spread of the novel Coronavirus(COVID-19).

Police have arrested eight poachers in Assam’s Karbi Anglong district

Guwahati, July 7: Police had arrested eight poachers and recovered huge cache of arms and ammunition in Assam’s Karbi Anglong district on Tuesday.

Based on intelligence input, Karbi Anglong district police had conducted an operation in the areas under Rongmongwe police station in the hill district and arrested the poachers.

Security personnel had recovered four numbers of 12 bore rifle and large numbers of ammunition in possession from the arrested poachers.

The arrested poacher were identified as Eptarul Ishlam, Abdul Khalek, Jersong Teron, Krishna Bhumij, Amor Teron, Bijoy Teron, Uttam Singner and  Kanplong Terrang.

Assam police CPRO Rajib Saikia said that, a case (no – 04/2020) has been registered at Rongmongwe police station under section of 511/34 of IPC and 9/51 of WLP Act (1972), R/W Sec 25 (1-A) Arms Act.

On the other hand, a top police official said that the poacher gang was involved in several wild animals killing incidents.