Is India Winning the War Against Pollution? The fight for cleaner air and water intensifies as the nation grapples with the escalating impacts of climate change. From the devastating floods in Assam to the alarming rise in air pollution levels in Delhi, environmental challenges demand urgent action. This week saw crucial discussions on sustainable agriculture and renewable energy sources at the India Climate Change Conference, highlighting the government's commitment to tackling deforestation and promoting biodiversity conservation. But are these efforts enough? Experts warn of looming water scarcity and the need for stricter regulations on industrial emissions. The future of India's environment hangs in the balance, demanding collective responsibility and innovative solutions. Explore Abtak.com for in-depth analysis and the latest updates on environmental policies, climate activism, and the ongoing struggle for a sustainable India. Discover how you can contribute to a greener tomorrow.
Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday clarified that the state is expanding arms licence services, not handing out guns, amid growing concerns from experts that higher gun prevalence could increase risks of injury, death, and wildlife poaching. The clarification came amid a plan to let indigenous residents in identified "vulnerable" areas apply online via Sewa Setu. Ready for a challenge? Click here to take our quiz and show off your knowledge! Meanwhile, public-health and conservation experts caution that higher gun prevalence is associated with increased risks of injury, death, and wildlife poaching, urging strict screening and non-lethal safety measures alongside any licensing push. "Contrary to misleading reports, the Government of Assam will only provide an arms license to people who fulfill various norms. We are NOT PROVIDING arms to people. This is not permissible by law," Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma posted on X on Thursday. The CM's clarification follows the official launch of arms licence services as a citizen service, targeted at original inhabitants in sensitive pockets; officials say applications will undergo multi-layer verification and security checks. Recent coverage has emphasized that licences, not weapons, are in scope, and the policy excludes interstate border areas. Ready for a challenge? Click here to take our quiz and show off your knowledge! What the law says: India does not recognize a fundamental right to own guns; arms licensing is a statutory privilege under the Arms Act, 1959, and Arms Rules (notably updated in 2016). Courts have repeatedly held that authorities may grant or deny licences case by case; misuse attracts penalties. Globally, firearm availability correlates with higher risks of homicide, suicide, and accidental injury; the past decade saw an estimated 2.75 million firearm deaths worldwide, a major public health burden. "When more firearms enter rural landscapes, the first victims are often wild animals. Poachers can act faster, and retaliatory killings during human wildlife conflicts can rise sharply," said a senior wildlife biologist based in Assam. Evidence reviews also support stronger prohibitions tied to domestic violence risk as a harm reduction tool. These trends inform Indian debates over loosening access, even with licensing. In Assam and neighboring regions, poachers frequently rely on firearms; shooting is the most common method for killing rhinos, while elephant and other megafauna cases have exposed trafficking networks using guns and gunpowder. "One bullet can end decades of conservation work. The more guns in circulation, the harder it is to protect endangered species like the one-horned rhino," warned a retired Kaziranga forest officer. Assam's recent Operation Falcon has arrested dozens linked to rhino poaching attempts, and elsewhere, officials have seized 1,000+ country-made guns from poachers in just two years, underscoring how firearm access fuels wildlife crime. Researchers also warn that more weapons in rural frontiers can escalate retaliatory killings during human wildlife conflicts (for example, after livestock depredation), complicating conservation gains in parks like Kaziranga and Manas. "Non-lethal deterrents like solar fencing, sirens, or rapid-response teams save both people and wildlife; guns do not," added a conservation NGO worker. The Assam government's move is about licences, not distributing guns, but any increase in civilian firearms, even under screening, carries non-trivial risks to household safety and to wildlife. Experts recommend pairing stringent vetting and renewal audits with stronger domestic-violence safeguards, safe-storage rules, targeted policing of illicit arms, and scaled-up non-lethal human wildlife conflict mitigation (early-warning systems, fencing, rapid response teams).
IMPHAL, Nov 17: The NPP on Sunday withdrew support from the BJP-led Government in Manipur, even as violence continued to rock the state as offices of the Congress and the saffron party were ransacked in the hill district of Jiribam where an unidentified body was found earlier in the day, officials said. Follow the Daily Excelsior channel on WhatsApp A BJP MLA's ancestral house was vandalised in Imphal Valley while a building owned by Ashab Uddin, the Independent legislator of Jiribam, was ransacked, officials said. The incidents occurred a day after irate mobs set fire to the residences of ...Read More >
Assam's 75th Constitution Day highlighted the importance of the Indian Constitution, with CM Himanta Biswa Sarma commemorating the contributions of freedom fighters and Dr. BR Ambedkar. The event, held in Guwahati, underscored the Constitution's reflection of India's cultural heritage and its role in ensuring equality, freedom, and justice for all citizens. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma participated in the 75th Constitution Day celebrations in Guwahati, emphasizing the significance of the Indian Constitution. This annual observation, assigned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2015 ...Read More >
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday said the Karnataka government and the Centre should resolve the issue in connection with the release of financial assistance from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) to the state for drought management. The matter came up before a bench comprising justices B R Gavai and K V Viswanathan. Attorney General R Venkataramani, appearing for the Centre, requested the bench that he needed some time to file an affidavit in the matter. "You should resolve it," the bench said. During the hearing, the bench queried, how much amount has been released so far? ...Read More >
Guwahati, Jan 17 (VOICE) Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday launched a mobile application for the upcoming investor summit 'Advantage Assam' in the state. He has also reviewed the progress of preparations for this ambitious initiative of the state government. "The Advantage Assam app is available for different platforms," the Chief Minister said. He has encouraged people to install this mobile application to know more about the upcoming event. Meanwhile, minister Pijush Hazarika said that the biggest investors' and infrastructure summit of North East #AdvantageAssam2.0 is schedul ...Read More >
Guwahati, Feb. 7: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday spoke about the state undergoing a major transformation in public education with more than 500 higher and higher secondary schools being upgraded. Taking to a microblogging website, the Chief Minister shared on Friday that the schools are being upgraded at ₹7-10 crore each. The Chief Minister also laid the foundation stone of a new block for the upgradation of the Palashbari Anchalik High School into a National Model School of Excellence under the PM SHRI scheme at Agchia, Majirgaon, Palashbari. Addressing the press on Fri ...Read More >
Guwahati, June 5 (SocialNews.XYZ) Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, and Olympic medallist Lovlina Borgohain inaugurated the Lovlina Borgohain Boxing Academy in Barchandra, North Guwahati. This inauguration marks a significant milestone in Borgohain's vision to empower youth and cultivate world-class boxing talent from the grassroots level in the northeast. The academy, a first of its kind in Guwahati, aims to provide aspiring boxers with top-tier infrastructure and expert guidance to achieve their dreams. The academy is strategically located in Barchandra, North Guwahati, and boasts a ...Read More >
Guwahati, Jun 5 (PTI) The Assam Congress on Thursday demanded a CBI inquiry into alleged illegal stone mining in Karbi Anglong district in violation of a Supreme Court order. Addressing a press conference here, former Rajya Sabha member Ripun Bora also alleged that Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council Chief Executive Member Tuliram Ronghang was allowing illegal activities in the district in nexus with Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. "Large-scale illegal stone mining is taking place in the hills of Karbi Anglong in violation of the Supreme Court order. The SC had banned mining in and around K ...Read More >
Mumbai: Maharashtra will connect the Nagpur-Mumbai Samruddhi expressway corridor to the upcoming greenfield Vadhvan port, slated to be the country's biggest such facility, via the Nashik highway, the upcoming Delhi-Mumbai greenfield expressway corridor, the Mumbai-Ahmedabad highway, the under-construction bullet train corridor, and the coastal road that is planned to be extended up to the port."The Prosperity corridor will have up to 500 MW to 1,000 MW capacity solar plant along it with 200 MW starting soon, besides a huge gas pipeline that will supply PNG not only to cities but also to power ...Read More >
Bengaluru, June 5 (PTI) In a major development, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday suspended Bengaluru police commissioner B Dayananda and several other senior police officials in connection with the stampede outside the Chinnaswamy Stadium that killed 11 people. He also ordered the arrest of representatives of the RCB team, the event management firm DNA Entertainment Private Limited, and the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA), hours after an FIR was registered against them under various charges, including culpable homicide not amounting to murder. The state government ...Read More >
Guwahati: Chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced a massive healthcare infrastructure overhaul for Assam, while inaugurating the Neotia Bhagirathi Woman and Childcare Centre (NBWCC) in Guwahati here on Thursday.During the event, the Assam CM revealed plans to invest Rs 4000 crore in expanding the Gauhati Medical College & Hospital (GMCH) into a 5000-bed facility.He also praised the newly-inaugurated NBWC centre saying that he was happy that the group had invested in Assam " I am sure that the people of Assam, along with other northeastern states, will immensely benefit from this venture o ...Read More >
Assam Beef Ban: A political row has erupted over the Assam government's decision to ban the public consumption of beef in the state with the Opposition labelling it "against the right to freedom" while the ruling BJP lauding the state Cabinet's call. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had announced on Wednesday that his government has decided to ban the consumption of beef in restaurants, hotels and public places, drawing sharp reactions from the Opposition. Samajwadi Party MP Iqra Hasan ...Read More >
Guwahati, Jan 10 (PTI) The 'sardar' of workers of the coal mine in Assam's Dima Hasao district, where eight miners remained trapped, was arrested, even as a dewatering exercise continued in the quarry to facilitate the resumption of rescue operations, police said on Friday. The fate of the trapped miners appeared to be grim with personnel involved in the rescue operations racing against time to bring them out of the ill-fated quarry, while the body of one labourer, hailing from Nepal, has been recovered from there, an official said. "The 'sardar' (head) of the miners, who had fled the quarry ...Read More >
Patna (Bihar) [India], January 22 (ANI): A firing incident has been reported at former MLA from Mokama seat in Patna, Anant Singh on Wednesday evening. The police have initiated an investigation to find out the accused. As per the reports, the former MLA escaped unhurt in the incident. Also Read | 'Deeply Distressing': Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis Mourns Loss of Lives After 8 Killed, Several Injured in Jalgaon Train Tragedy. According to the police, Singh came to the Nauranga Jalalpur village when the attack occurred. Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), Rakesh Kumar said that the ...Read More >
Guwahati, May 27 (UNI) In its continued operation against the drugs, the police in Assam's Cachar district have seized heroin worth Rs. 3.5 crore during an operation and arrested one paddler. An Assam police spokesperson said this on Tuesday adding that a pistol was also recovered from the paddler. The seized drugs were recovered during an operation based on tip off given by the Assam Rifles Field Intelligence Unit, he said adding that the consignment included 648 gms of heroin. It may be mentioned here that last week, the Cachar police raided some locations near ISBT in Silchar and recover ...Read More >
Guwahati, Jun 5 (PTI) Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday said that the caste census will greatly benefit the indigenous Muslim community living in both the Brahmaputra and Barak Valley in the state. The Centre on Wednesday announced that India's 16th Census with caste enumeration will be carried out in 2027. The indigenous Muslim communities of Assam have been demanding for a long time, a caste-based census to assert their distinct socio-cultural identities, the chief minister said on the sidelines of the World Environment Day programme here. ''The proposed caste enumerati ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jun 5 (PTI) Fintech firm BimaPay Finsure on Thursday said it has entered into corporate insurance financing and aims for Rs 20 crore in premiums in 2025-26. Launching the pilot phase with insurance partners, BimaPay said the initiative will allow businesses to pay premiums in easy equated monthly instalments (EMIs) instead of bearing the burden of full upfront costs. Also Read | Who Is Pinaki Misra? From Age to Family Background and Net Worth, Here's All About BJD Leader With Whom Mahua Moitra Reportedly Married. The company aims to finance over Rs 20 crore worth of premiums by t ...Read More >
The family of a 25-year-old Air India pilot, who died by suicide at her Mumbai home, alleged that her boyfriend used to humiliate her and extort money from her. Aditya Pandit, 27, was arrested on Wednesday on charges of abetment to suicide. Srishti Tuli was found dead at her rented accommodation in Mumbai's Marol after an argument with her boyfriend over the phone. She allegedly used a data cable to hang herself. ALSO READ: 'Can't Be Divided Or Silenced': Hemant Soren's Dig At BJP Before Taking Oath As Jharkhand CM Pandit told police that he rushed to Tuli's flat, which was locked from the ...Read More >
New Delhi, Dec 5 (VOICE) The Assam government's decision to impose a complete ban on the consumption of beef in public places, including hotels and restaurants, has garnered positive reactions from other BJP leaders. In Chhattisgarh, Cabinet Minister Tankaram Verma welcomed the move, stating, "In our country, cows are revered as Gau Mata. From birth to death, their importance in our lives is unparalleled, even during final rites where cow urine is used. I wholeheartedly support this decision by the Assam government and congratulate them for taking such a step." Similarly, Uttar Pradesh's Min ...Read More >
Bhubaneswar: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has emphasized the need for a nationwide document, similar to the National Register of Citizens (NRC), to distinguish between Indian citizens and infiltrators. Speaking to reporters after offering prayers at Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri, Biswa Sarma stated that the Assam government has decided to make NRC registration mandatory for obtaining an Aadhaar card, with applicants' names not featured in the NRC being ineligible for the card. "I desire that NRC-type documents should be prepared so that we can easily differentiate who are Indian ...Read More >
Guwahati: Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday said he is optimistic that the Centre will introduce the 125th Constitution Amendment Bill in the coming budget session of Parliament. The bill aims to amend Article 280 of the Constitution enabling the Finance Commission to recommend measures needed to augment the consolidated fund of states to supplement resources of the Sixth Schedule autonomous councils, that includes the Bodoland Territorial Council. Speaking to media during an event commemorating five years of the Bodo Peace Accord of 2020 in Kokrajhar, Sarma said that the sta ...Read More >
Guwahati, Jun 5 (PTI) The Assam Congress on Thursday demanded a CBI inquiry into alleged illegal stone mining in Karbi Anglong district in violation of a Supreme Court order. Addressing a press conference here, former Rajya Sabha member Ripun Bora also alleged that Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council Chief Executive Member Tuliram Ronghang was allowing illegal activities in the district in nexus with Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. Also Read | World Environment Day 2025: Italian Deputy PM Antonio Tajani Lauds PM Narendra Modi's 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' Initiative (See Pics and Video). "Large-s ...Read More >
Haridwar: A woman politician has been arrested for allegedly letting her boyfriend and others repeatedly rape her 13-year-old daughter in Haridwar, Uttarakhand. The horrifying crime, which occurred between January and March, was exposed when the minor bravely confided in her father, prompting a police investigation that led to the arrest of the accused. The accused was arrested with her boyfriend and one more. According to police reports, the minor was gang-raped multiple times, often in the presence of her mother. The minor, who had been living with her father following her parents' separat ...Read More >
Guwahati, Dec 12: The Union Cabinet on Thursday approved the "One Nation, One Election" bill, a landmark proposal aimed at synchronising elections across the country. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, currently on a visit to Odisha, hailed the move as a significant step toward "minimising disruptions" to developmental work caused by frequent election cycles. Speaking to the press during a visit to Jagannath Temple in Puri, Sarma asserted the rationale behind the initiative, stating, "Recently, we held Lok Sabha elections, and now legislative elections are around the corner in Assam. ...Read More >
Kokrajhar (Assam), Jan 28 (VOICE) Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Tuesday that there are several reports that some sections of Bangladeshi establishment are trying to revive militancy in Assam with the help of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). He was in Bodoland (Kokrajhar) to commemorate five years of the 2020 Bodo Peace Accord. On this occasion, he said that for the last three-and-a-half years, there was not even a political agitation in Bodoland. After the accord peace is prevailing there, he added. CM Sarma said, "The situation in Bangladesh is not good. We ...Read More >
Bhubaneswar, June 5 (UNI) Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Thursday urged the people to resolve to end plastic pollution and maintain a healthy, clean environment. "Today, let us pledge to eliminate plastic pollution and create a healthier, cleaner environment for our citizens," Majhi said while addressing the state-level World Environment Day event. He noted that plastic has become an integral part of our lives, especially single-use plastics. Stressing that plastic waste must be ad ...Read More >
Viral video shows AI cameras spotting a herd of elephants. (Photo: X/susantananda3) Elephants in Odisha's forests often face the threat of train collisions on railway tracks, as highlighted by multiple reports over the years. To prevent such accidents, authorities installed four AI cameras in the Rourkela Forest Division. A post on X (formerly Twitter) by Susanta Nanda, a retired Indian Forest Service officer, stated that the use of AI cameras effectively averted another potential accident. In t ...Read More >
Punjab farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal's hunger strike enters its 17th day. His health is critical. The Supreme Court urges dialogue between the government and Dallewal. Dallewal demands MSP guarantee and other farmer-centric issues. He has written an open letter to the Prime Minister. Farmers' organizations continue their protests at the Punjab-Haryana border.The Supreme Court on Friday expressed serious concern over the deteriorating health of Punjab farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who ...Read More >
Guwahati, May 28 (SocialNews.XYZ) Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi launched a scathing attack on Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday, citing recent Enforcement Directorate (ED) raids as "evidence of illegal coal mining operations" in the state, and also issued a clarification on his 'links' in Pakistan. Speaking to the media in Delhi for the first time after becoming the Assam unit chief of Congress, Gogoi pointed to the April 24 raids conducted across Assam and Meghalaya, where the ED reportedly unearthed a coal smuggling network, seizing Rs 1.58 crore in cash, digital devices, and ...Read More >
Guwahati, May 29: A day after the Assam government announced its plan to issue arms licences to indigenous citizens in "vulnerable" areas of the state, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday issued a public clarification, stating that the policy would not apply to inter-state border regions. Responding to public queries, Sarma said the new policy is strictly limited to areas where national security concerns are pronounced, particularly along Assam's international border with Bangladesh. Addressing speculation about whether the policy would extend to inter-state borders, Sarma clarifi ...Read More >
Hyderabad: The phone tapping case in Telangana took a dramatic turn on Tuesday with the police booking former minister T. Harish Rao and others. A case against the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader and others was registered at Panjagutta Police Station in Hyderabad on a complaint by G. Chakradhar Goud, a real estate businessman. The complainant, who is also the founder of Farmers First Foundation, alleged harassment, threats, and unlawful phone surveillance. Panjagutta Police registered a case under Indian Penal Code (IPC) Section 120(B) (Criminal conspiracy), 386 (Extortion), 409 (Crimin ...Read More >