Key demands on the cards

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday declined to accept a plea by All BTC Minority Students’ Union (ABMSU) raising concerns over the state’s “indiscriminate” move to detain and deport suspected foreigners. A Bench of the top court comprising Justices Sanjay Karol and Satish Chandra Sharma asked ABMSU to move the the Gauhati High Court. In writ petition, the organisation questioned the growing pattern of deportations by the Assam Government through informal “push back” mechanisms, without any judicial oversight or adherence to the safeguards envisaged by the Constitution.

Lakhimpur: In the early hours of Saturday, around 1 a.m., the water level of the Ranganadi River began to overflow following the release of dam water from the Panyor Hydroelectric Project by the North Eastern Electric Power Corporation (NEEPCO), located upstream at Yazali in Arunachal Pradesh. The sudden release of water, without any prior warning, submerged vast areas of Assam’s Lakhimpur district, leaving thousands of people in distress. Many residents were caught unaware in their sleep as the floodwaters entered their homes. People fled with only the clothes they were wearing, leaving behind all belongings. The floodwaters swept through 243 villages across the Ranganadi and Naoboicha...

New Delhi: The Assam Government’s recent policy for arms license for the indigenous people might lead to the spike in the fake encounter case if one goes by Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi.    Gogoi on Friday strongly slammed the criticised government's decision to grant arms licenses to civilians near border regions and demanded steps to halt the move. According to Gogoi, the policy is detrimental to Assam and its people which instead will serve the interests of the ruling party.. The people of Assam, he said, want water, employment, education and healthcare.  He further said the genuine shopkeepers and traders might face difficulties and that the guns would...

Guwahati: More than half of the areas in the city of Guwahati have come under the rain waters wreaking no less havoc since Thursday. There is no let up in the situation following incessant rainfall during the last 24 hours. Key areas in the gateway of the north eastern region such as Anil Nagar, Nabin Nagar, Beltola, Rukminigaon, Hatigaon, Wireless and B. Borooah Road have been submerged where streets----big and small have turned into flowing water channels disrupting normal lives. Hundreds of vehicles have been stranded on the road as homes, offices, shops and markets have submerged in the rain waters. Assam State Disaster Management workers have been engaged to deal with the...