Latest news with #KAAC
The Hindu
06-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
BJP government eroding autonomy of Assam tribal councils, says Gaurav Gogoi
GUWAHATI Assam Congress president and Lok Sabha MP Gaurav Gogoi on Saturday (July 5, 2025) alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government in Assam was systematically eroding the autonomy of the tribal councils functioning under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution. He held Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma primarily responsible for 'undermining the spirit' of these autonomous councils, rather than upholding their constitutional mandate. Also Read | Indian Government has in principle agreed to strengthen Sixth Schedule Councils: Pramod Boro Mr. Gogoi said the BJP-led government was 'remotely controlling' the constitutional powers granted to the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC), which spans five districts in western and north-central Assam; the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC), covering two districts in central Assam; and the North Cachar Hills Autonomous Council (NCHAC), which administers the Dima Hasao district. 'Power was decentralised to the BTC, KAAC, and NCHAC during the 15-year tenure of former Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, as the Sixth Schedule was intended to ensure administrative and financial autonomy for these regions,' Mr. Gogoi told journalists in Diphu, the headquarters of Karbi Anglong district. 'The people of these regions should have the authority to make decisions regarding their development. Authority should not be confined to Delhi or Dispur (the State capital); it must extend to the councils,' he said. Also Read | Concern over push for Adani power project in Assam 'However, under the current regime, all decision-making powers are centralised in the hands of the Chief Minister. The councils are being remote-controlled from Dispur, with the Chief Minister making unilateral decisions, keeping the council chiefs sidelined,' he added. Mr. Gogoi further alleged that Mr. Sarma was acting like a 'real estate broker' by allocating thousands of acres of land belonging to indigenous communities to corporate houses.
Hindustan Times
25-06-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Assam-Meghalaya border tensions rise amid fresh land dispute
Tensions flared yet again along the Assam-Meghalaya border on Wednesday, after a crowd of over 400 villagers from Lapangap and nearby areas in West Jaiñtia Hills in Meghalaya, backed by student unions and pressure groups, stormed a plantation site maintained by the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) of Assam. A damaged wooden-structure in Block 1 of Assam-Meghalaya border (HT Photo) Accusing KAAC of illegally encroaching into Meghalaya territory, the protesters dismantled wooden sheds and uprooted hundreds of saplings, triggering a confrontation that escalated when Assam Police fired five rounds of tear gas. Two makeshift structures in the fields were also reportedly set on fire by Karbi locals. District SP Chemphang Syrti said, 'A crowd of around 400 entered the plantation area and uprooted the saplings. Both administrations attempted to contain and disperse the crowd. The situation is now under control.' The incident occurred in Block I, a long-contested area along the 884.9-km Assam-Meghalaya boundary. West Jaiñtia Hills deputy commissioner Abhinav Kumar Singh confirmed that the plantation was carried out by KAAC 'without any prior coordination' and despite ongoing peace efforts. 'We had advised restraint as a peace meeting was scheduled at Tahpat village in the morning. But the Assam side didn't turn up, prompting villagers to take matters into their own hands,' Singh said. 'The plantation has now been halted, and police along with three border magistrates are stationed to monitor the situation.' The protest has found strong backing from civil society and students' groups. A Khasi Students' Union (KSU) leader warned, 'This is a message. We will defend our land if the state cannot. Despite tear gas, we didn't retreat.' Neilkee Mukhim, general secretary of the Jaiñtia Students' Union (JSU), accused the Karbi side of violating a 2023 agreement to maintain the status quo. 'They resumed planting despite prior understanding. Today's action was necessary.' The protest comes just weeks after the second chief minister-level round of border talks was held in Guwahati on June 2 between Meghalaya CM Conrad K Sangma and Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma. This meeting was long delayed—originally planned following the first round of talks on May 17, 2023, where both leaders agreed to jointly visit disputed sectors including Block I and Block II. But that momentum was shattered by the Mukroh firing on November 22, 2023, in which six people were killed—one of them a forest guard—after a truck allegedly carrying illegal timber was intercepted. The killings, which took place in another part of Block I, triggered widespread outrage and unrest, putting all dialogue on hold. The border issue between Assam and Meghalaya traces back to 1972, when Meghalaya was carved out of Assam as a separate state. The border was demarcated under the Assam Reorganisation Act, 1971—a framework Meghalaya has contested ever since. Over the years, the two states have held 32 rounds of official meetings, attempting to resolve 12 areas of difference spanning over 2,700 sq km. After decades of deadlock, a breakthrough came in March 2022, when Assam and Meghalaya signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in New Delhi in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, resolving six of the 12 disputed sectors. Under this MoU, out of 36.79 sq km of contested land, Assam retained 18.46 sq km and Meghalaya received 18.33 sq km—a near-equal division hailed as a model for cooperative federalism. However, the six unresolved areas—including Block I, Block II, Langpih, Deshdoomreah, Khanduli, and Nongwah-Mawtamur—remain flashpoints, particularly due to ethnic sensitivities, historical claims, and lack of ground-level enforcement. During the second round of talks held this month, both CMs agreed to begin erecting border pillars in the six resolved sectors by August 15, 2025. Further discussions will continue through regional committees headed by cabinet ministers of both states. Crucially, both states have also agreed to bring science to the table. The North Eastern Space Applications Centre (NESAC) has been tasked with conducting a high-resolution satellite imaging survey to map forest boundaries, natural drainage lines, and settlement patterns across the disputed zones. This neutral data will serve as a scientific basis for further demarcation, help mitigate future conflicts, and feed into broader environmental and infrastructural planning. 'Once the NESAC survey is complete within three months, we'll engage technical experts like IIT Roorkee to analyse the data and suggest actionable solutions,' CM Sangma said after the meeting. 'It's not just about border lines—this is about understanding the terrain, the people, and the ecosystem.' The talks also saw a tentative agreement to jointly commission the Kulsi multi-purpose hydroelectric and irrigation project, with both states pledging to consult local communities before implementation. Sangma described the initiative as 'a symbol of Assam-Meghalaya friendship,' with potential for boosting power generation, irrigation, and tourism in both states. But as Wednesday's unrest at Lapangap proves, ground-level sentiment often moves faster than policy promises. A fresh round of peace talks between Lapangap and Tahpat village councils is now scheduled for Thursday. Whether this results in genuine de-escalation—or simply paves the way for another confrontation—will depend on how quickly the decisions made in Guwahati translate into action on the ground. Even after 32 meetings and two chief minister-level rounds of talks, the road to peace along the Assam-Meghalaya border remains perilous. Science, diplomacy, and community participation are all now in play—but as Lapangap has reminded everyone, so is defiance.
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Business Standard
04-06-2025
- Politics
- Business Standard
Despite SC ban illegal mining intensified near Kaziranga, says CEC report
The Central Empowered Committee (CEC) has told the Supreme Court that illegal mining has continued and intensified in Assam's Parkup Pahar area near the Kaziranga National Park, despite a 2019 top court order banning all mining and related activities in and around the park's eco-sensitive zone. Kaziranga, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is home to around 65 per cent of the endangered one-horned rhino population in the world. It forms part of an important wildlife corridor between the Brahmaputra floodplains and the Karbi Anglong hills. The Supreme Court, acting on earlier findings by the CEC, had prohibited all mining and related activities in this region to prevent degradation of critical wildlife habitats and forested landscapes. Based on a complaint from an anonymous government employee in Assam and field-level verification, the CEC submitted a fresh report dated May 30 to the SC, saying that mining activities in the region have "continued and intensified" despite the apex court's ban ordered on April 4, 2019. Rampant mining continues, particularly in the Parkup Pahar Range, a declared wildlife sanctuary forming the southern boundary of the Kaziranga National Park, the report said. The complaint received from the government employee in December 2024 contained Google Earth imagery from 2019 to 2023 and site-specific data. The images reportedly showed that mining, which had stopped following the SC's 2019 ban order, resumed and intensified after 2021. The CEO forwarded the complaint to the Assam forest and police departments, requesting a factual report. The principal chief conservator of forests, Assam, submitted a detailed report on February 5, outlining the actions taken, including the suspension of mining leases. The report confirmed that stone mining was occurring close to the Borjuri Waterfall and its surrounding streams, which flow towards Kaziranga. The CEC report also said the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) gave fresh permissions for dozens of mines in forest areas and in proposed eco-sensitive zones, violating the SC ban and without the required approval from the standing committee of the National Board for Wildlife and the Central government under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980. The panel said KAAC had no authority to issue such permissions. The committee recommended that all mining and related activities in the Parkup Pahar area and the forested catchments be immediately stopped and no new leases be granted. It also asked KAAC to submit a detailed watershed drainage analysis report to delineate the catchment area and the eco-sensitive streams flowing into Kaziranga. The CEC also said the Assam government may approach the Gauhati High Court to seek review of its recent orders allowing mining in some cases, as the court had not been informed about the Supreme Court's 2019 directions. It instructed the KAAC to file quarterly status reports through the chief secretary of Assam and asked the DGP and the Karbi Anglong SP to take immediate and effective steps to ensure that no illegal mining and transportation of minerals from the area is allowed.
New Indian Express
04-06-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Illegal mining near Kaziranga intensified despite SC ban: CEC report
NEW DELHI: The Central Empowered Committee (CEC) has told the Supreme Court that illegal mining has continued and intensified in Assam's Parkup Pahar area near the Kaziranga National Park, despite a 2019 top court order banning all mining and related activities in and around the park's eco-sensitive zone. Kaziranga, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is home to around 65 per cent of the endangered one-horned rhino population in the world. It forms part of an important wildlife corridor between the Brahmaputra floodplains and the Karbi Anglong hills. The Supreme Court, acting on earlier findings by the CEC, had prohibited all mining and related activities in this region to prevent degradation of critical wildlife habitats and forested landscapes. Based on a complaint from an anonymous government employee in Assam and field-level verification, the CEC submitted a fresh report dated May 30 to the SC, saying that mining activities in the region have "continued and intensified" despite the apex court's ban ordered on April 4, 2019. "Rampant mining continues, particularly in the Parkup Pahar Range, a declared wildlife sanctuary forming the southern boundary of the Kaziranga National Park," the report said. The complaint received from the government employee in December 2024 contained Google Earth imagery from 2019 to 2023 and site-specific data. The images reportedly showed that mining, which had stopped following the SC's 2019 ban order, resumed and intensified after 2021. The CEO forwarded the complaint to the Assam forest and police departments, requesting a factual report. The principal chief conservator of forests, Assam, submitted a detailed report on February 5, outlining the actions taken, including the suspension of mining leases. The report confirmed that stone mining was occurring close to the Borjuri Waterfall and its surrounding streams, which flow towards Kaziranga. The CEC report also said the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) gave fresh permissions for dozens of mines in forest areas and in proposed eco-sensitive zones, violating the SC ban and without the required approval from the standing committee of the National Board for Wildlife and the Central government under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980. The panel said KAAC had no authority to issue such permissions. The committee recommended that all mining and related activities in the Parkup Pahar area and the forested catchments be immediately stopped and no new leases be granted. It also asked KAAC to submit a detailed watershed drainage analysis report to delineate the catchment area and the eco-sensitive streams flowing into Kaziranga. The CEC also said the Assam government may approach the Gauhati High Court to seek review of its recent orders allowing mining in some cases, as the court had not been informed about the Supreme Court's 2019 directions. It instructed the KAAC to file quarterly status reports through the chief secretary of Assam and asked the DGP and the Karbi Anglong SP to take "immediate and effective steps to ensure that no illegal mining and transportation of minerals from the area is allowed".
Time of India
02-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Who is Binita Chetry? 9-year-old dance sensation who made history on ‘Britain's Got Talent'
NEW DELHI: Binita Chetry, a 9-year-old dancer from a remote village in Assam 's Karbi Anglong district, has captured hearts worldwide by finishing as the second runner-up on the globally renowned reality show Britain's Got Talent (BGT). Her incredible journey from the small village of Talbalijan near Bokajan to one of the world's biggest stages is inspiring millions. Her father, Amar Chetry, runs a small broiler chicken farm and is actively involved in local social work. "She has been learning dance since she was three years old. She participated in reality shows in Mumbai and in the South. Now she's the second runner-up in Britain's Got Talent. This is not just an achievement for our family but for the whole country," he said. "Thanks to everyone's love and support, she has reached this global stage. " Despite her rising fame, Binita remains grounded. She is currently in the fifth grade and continues to juggle her academics with dance. 'Sometimes, it's difficult, but I manage,' she said. When asked about her future, she smiled and said, 'I just want to improve my dancing and become better.' Before stepping onto the BGT stage, Binita had already made her mark in Indian dance circuits, appearing in shows like Super Dancer 4 and Dance Deewane Junior . She later went on to win Dance Icon Season 2 , a victory that paved the way for her entry into the international arena. Her intricate dance routines, featuring physically demanding elements like backflips, won repeated standing ovations from BGT judges and audiences alike. Judges Bruno Tonioli and Simon Cowell were particularly impressed, with Simon reportedly saying he had 'never seen such a performance before.' She also acknowledged the crucial support from Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Tuliram Ronghang, the Chief Executive Member of the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC), who provided Rs 5 lakh in financial aid and local MLA and Deputy Speaker of the Assam Legislative Assembly, Numal Momin. CM Sarma congratulated the 9-year-old for her historic achievement at the BGT 2025 finals. Her childhood dream, as shared during her audition, was to win the show so she could buy a "pink princess house" a dream that now feels closer to reality. Upon her return to Assam, Binita was greeted with a hero's welcome, with flowers, cheers, and admiration from well-wishers, cultural groups, and state officials. In the BGT 2025 finale held on Saturday night, Binita secured the second runner-up position. British magician Harry Moulding took the top prize, while LED dance group 'The Blackouts' finished second. With this achievement, Binita became the first Asian contestant in the show's history to reach the podium.
