Skip to content Skip to navigation

Tirtha Prasad Saikia Elected to Executive Body of IUCN India National Committee

By AT News |

Guwahati: Tirtha Prasad Saikia, Director of the North-East Affected Area Development Society (NEADS) — a local organization and an Indigenous Peoples’ Organization member of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) based in Assam — has been elected to the Executive Body of the India National Committee (INC) of IUCN, representing the North-East India region.

NEADS works at the intersection of humanitarian response, resilience building, climate action and environmental sustainability, adopting a nexus approach to address the human dimensions of environmental crises arising from both natural and human-induced disasters. The organization emphasizes community well-being through nature-based solutions and ecosystem-based adaptation, applying landscape-level strategies to address environmental and social challenges faced by vulnerable communities in Assam and the broader region.

The IUCN India National Committee functions as the national coordination platform for IUCN Member Organizations in India, fostering collaboration among government agencies, civil society groups, research institutions and community-based organizations. The Committee advances conservation, sustainable development and environmental justice in alignment with IUCN’s global mission.

Saikia’s election to the Executive Body is regarded as a recognition of his contributions to community-based conservation, climate resilience and sustainable development initiatives in Assam. Through his leadership at NEADS, he has worked to integrate environmental stewardship with humanitarian action and local livelihoods, while emphasizing indigenous knowledge, participatory governance and people-centered approaches to ecosystem protection.

In his remarks following the announcement, Tirtha Prasad Saikia said, “It is a privilege to represent the North-East region in the India National Committee of IUCN. This opportunity strengthens our collective efforts to promote community-led conservation and climate action in one of the most ecologically fragile yet culturally rich regions of the country. I look forward to collaborating with fellow members to advance a people-centered and inclusive conservation agenda.”

The wider IUCN member community has welcomed his inclusion. The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), Government of India, serves as both Chair and Member-Secretary of the INC Executive Body. Saikia will be working closely with the Ministry in advancing the Committee’s mandate.

  • 15192 reads

Add new comment

Other Contents by Author

Two Labourers Electrocuted at Guwahati Flyover Site: Zero Accountability, Safety Lapses Exposed

Another tragedy has struck Guwahati’s flyover construction drive. Two labourers lost their lives and others were grievously injured after coming into contact with an 11kV overhead power line at the under-construction GNB Road flyover. One of the victims fell from the structure after being electrocuted, while others narrowly survived. Shockingly, despite repeated accidents — 2 deaths and 5 injuries in just nine months — no investigation has been launched, and no agency has accepted responsibility. The Assam Power Distribution Company Limited (APDCL) has washed its hands off, claiming responsibility only “up to the electricity meter.” The Chief Electrical Inspector’s office says it...

Assam Erupts in Protest: AJYCP Slams Centre’s “Foreigners till 2024” Decision

The All Assam Jatiyatabadi Yuba Chatra Parishad (AJYCP) has launched a fiery protest in Guwahati, accusing the BJP-led Central government of “betraying Assam” by extending the stay of non-Muslim foreigners till December 31, 2024. According to AJYCP, this move tramples upon the Assam Accord and loads Assam with a 53-year burden of illegal migrants. Leaders warned that the Centre is turning the state into a “dumping ground” for Bangladeshis and destroying Assamese identity. “This government has insulted the memory of five martyrs of the anti-CAA movement. Instead of respecting Assam’s sacrifice, they have added ten more years to the foreigners’ burden,” thundered AJYCP president...

High Court Exposes Land Deal in Dima Hasao; AJYCP Calls Out Govt “Falsehood”

Guwahati: A storm has broken out after revelations in the Gauhati High Court that the Assam Government sold 3,000 bighas of tribal land in Dima Hasao to a private cement company at ₹2 lakh per bigha. The disclosure, made during a hearing yesterday, has drawn sharp reactions across the state. The land in question, reserved under the Sixth Schedule for tribal communities in Umrangso, was allotted to Mahabali Cement Company. Following petitions from affected parties, Justice Sanjay Kumar Medhi’s bench took a stern view, asking how such transfer of protected land could take place. The court directed the Assam Government to file an affidavit within two days, producing all related documents of...

Awareness Programme on Mental Health and Drug Abuse Held at Panbazar H.S. School, Guwahati

On 28th August 2025, Panbazar Higher Secondary School in Guwahati hosted an impactful Awareness Programme focused on mental health and drug abuse among teenage children. The event saw active participation from 60 students of Classes VI to XII, 11 school teachers, and a delegation of 15 Rotarians, demonstrating strong community collaboration. The session was led by expert resource persons Mr. Birendra Kr. Boxla and Mr. Richard Johnson Claridge from Snehalaya and Sita Centre, who addressed critical issues such as mental health challenges, peer pressure, and substance abuse dangers. They emphasized the importance of early intervention, open dialogue, and robust community support to help...

Five Years, 36,800 Crashes: Assam’s Roads Tell a Grim Story

A new report by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has laid bare a disturbing picture of road safety in Assam. In the past five years alone, the state witnessed over 36,800 accidents and the loss of more than 15,000 lives—a toll higher than in any other North-eastern state. The year-wise data shows little sign of relief. In 2019, Assam recorded 8,350 mishaps with 3,208 deaths. Though the pandemic year 2020 saw fewer vehicles on the road, it still registered 6,595 crashes and 2,629 fatalities. The following years saw the numbers climb back, and by 2023, the state reached 7,421 accidents and 3,296 deaths, marking a 10% jump in fatalities compared to 2022. Officials say...

Naga Agitation Intensifies on Assam-Nagaland Border, Farmers' Land and Livelihoods Under Threat

Sarupathar, August 31: The agitation by Naga groups along the Assam-Nagaland border has seen a sharp increase, severely disrupting the lives of local Assamese residents. The escalating unrest has been marked by repeated claims over Assam’s land by Naga factions, including demands for shares of farmers' crops and intimidation of villagers in border areas such as Uriamghat's Raja Pukhuri No. 1 village. The Naga groups assert that the land belonged to their forefathers and call for recognition of their rights, demanding contracts and taxes from Assamese farmers cultivating the disputed land. Following eviction drives by the Assam government to reclaim encroached lands, Naga activists have...

Violent Protest at Rajiv Bhawan in Guwahati as BJP Workers Target Congress Office

A fierce political confrontation unfolded at Rajiv Bhawan, the Congress headquarters in Guwahati, as a large group of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders, workers, and supporters staged a provocative protest, allegedly targeting Congress leaders and their banners with violence. The incident marks a significant escalation in political tensions between Assam’s main rival parties ahead of the 2026 elections. BJP agitators broke barricades set up by police and tore down Congress banners and posters displayed outside Rajiv Bhawan. The banners included images of key Congress figures such as state Congress president Gaurav Gogoi, opposition leader Debabrata Saikia, and Assam Pradesh Mahila...

Gauhati Medical College in Fresh Controversy Over Alleged Baby Swap Case

Guwahati: The Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) has once again landed in controversy, this time over allegations of a newborn baby being swapped. The family of Priyanka Sharma, a woman from Dhupdhara in Goalpara district, has accused hospital staff of replacing their healthy baby with another infant. According to the family, Priyanka was advised a cesarean delivery but ultimately gave birth through normal delivery. After the birth, the family claimed they saw the baby, who appeared healthy. However, soon after, neither the mother nor other relatives were allowed to see the newborn. When the family inquired, doctors assured them that the child was in good health. Shock came...

1875, Not 1933: Mizoram Reasserts Border Claim

Mizoram has reaffirmed its stand on the 1875 notification as the only legitimate boundary with Assam, rejecting the 1933 Survey of India map cited by Assam. Home Minister K. Sapdanga told the Assembly that the colonial-era demarcation, drawn after consultation with local chiefs, remains binding. Talks between the two states have stretched across decades, with the last round held in Guwahati in April. The next meeting is to take place in Aizawl, though no date has been fixed. Mizoram has set up a study team to compile archival records to back its claim. On the ground, tensions persist. In mid-August, Mizoram villagers accused Assam officials of damaging nearly 300 rubber plants in...

Assam, Arunachal Officials Meet to Strengthen Border Management

In a bid to ease tensions along the Assam–Arunachal boundary, senior officials from both states held a joint meeting at Narayanpur in Assam’s Lakhimpur district on Thursday, adopting a series of measures to improve coordination and maintain peace. The meeting was attended by officials from Assam’s Lakhimpur and Biswanath districts and Arunachal’s Papum Pare district. Both sides agreed to stop all new construction and encroachment until the final demarcation of the interstate boundary is completed. To ensure smoother communication, the states will appoint nodal officers as official points of contact, while a dedicated WhatsApp group will be created to allow quick information-sharing among...