1.
Airports Authority of India, in its continuous endeavour to link under-served and unserved airports through Regional Connectivity Scheme routes started regular flight services at Tezpur Airport, Salonibari in Sonitpur district. The first commercial flight of Spicejet Airlines landed on Sunday at 07:40 hrs marking the beginning of a new era at Tezpur, in Sonitpur district and adjoining area
Spicejet airlines was awarded routes under UDAN-Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik scheme of Government of India to operate flight service at Tezpur by Ministry of Civil Aviation. It operates flights on Kolkata- Tezpur route and back on daily basis as informed by the spicejet airline. The commencement of new flight at Tezpur Airport will help boost the local economy and provide better connectivity to the air travellers of the adjacent districts from Darrang, Nagaon, Lakhimpur as well as districts in the neighbouring states of Arunachal Pradesh and parts of adjoining areas.
2.
The flood situation in Assam continued to remain grim on Saturday, with nearly 4.89 lakh people across 19 districts being hit. Authorities at the Kaziranga National Park & Tiger Reserve said they have mobilized adequate measures to deal with the flood situation. They said they will introduce a time card system to restrict the speed limit of all vehicles on National Highway-37, which passes through Kaziranga National Park. With the Brahmaputra River still in spate following incessant rainfall and a few small rivers inside the park overflowing, the park authorities said they have ensured the requisite preparedness and have mobilised steps to protect the wildlife.
3.
A new study by researchers from the Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE) in Bangalore and others have provided a comprehensive list of freshwater molluscs’ species harvested in India’s northeast region as well as the traditional utilisation of each of these and their availability in various markets across the region.
The study, authored by Anushree Jadhav and colleagues, was published in the Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge journal. It’s the first ever documentation of the diversity of freshwater molluscs sold and in what quantity, their location of harvest as well as associated traditional knowledge and uses among different tribal communities of Northeast India.
A total of 23 markets in Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Manipur, Nagaland, Tripura, and West Bengal were surveyed, and it was found that none of the species sold in these markets comes under the Threatened category of the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) Red List. All the species, however, fall into either the Least Concern (LC) or Data Deficient (DD) categories. The information was gathered through market surveys and informal interactions with the vendors who sell molluscs in these markets.
Among all the surveyed states, it was found that the highest number of molluscs are sold in the markets in Mizoram (seven species), closely followed by Meghalaya (six species).
Snails are sold not only in the main markets of the region, but also along the roadside markets and small village markets during monsoon and post-monsoon seasons. Snails are either already packed in one-kilogram packets or sold loose according to the weight of one mug (~500 g). The price across all northeast Indian states is relatively the same for specific species, but it varied according to the seasons.
The researchers also noted that it is high time to start looking at the possibility of farming edible snails and treating them as mini livestock, considering the current food and nutritional insecurity. Several studies show that the protein content in snails is higher than that found in poultry. Also, looking at the present global climate change issues due to farming and consumption of beef, pork, and chicken, edible freshwater snails can act as an excellent substitute.
Snail farming can also be a mode of income generation for the indigenous people and earn a substantial amount of money by selling freshwater molluscs in local markets. Snail cuisines can also be made a “boutique cuisine” to increase the tourism potential of northeast India. Studies elsewhere have shown that snails are easy to rear with low maintenance at the commercial level with high yields on minimal input.
4.
Electric two-wheeler brand e-Sprinto has revealed its plans to expand its operations in Assam, aiming to establish a strong presence in the state. By August 2023, the company intends to open 10 showrooms across various cities in Assam.
This expansion into Assam is part of a strategic growth plan to penetrate key markets in the northeastern region, stated a release from e-Sprinto. It added that the decision to invest in Assam stems from the state’s increasing adoption of electric vehicles and its potential as a flourishing market.
The startup will enable customers in the state to participate in immersive experiences at the showrooms, and explore its available range of electric two-wheelers. The showrooms will feature the latest models, including the e-Sprinto and e-Sprinto BB low-speed EVs, as well as the high-speed Sprinto HS and Amery models.
5.
To accommodate the increased number of passengers during summer, Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) has made arrangements for a special train service between Agartala and Silchar, featuring a ‘Vistadome’ coach.
The special train will operate every Thursday and Saturday from June 29 to September 21, 2023, offering a total of 25 round trips
According to an official statement from NFR, the departure time for train no. 05695 (Agartala – Silchar) Special is scheduled for 06:00 hours from Agartala, with an expected arrival time at Silchar at 11:30 hours. In the opposite direction, train no. 05696 (Silchar– Agartala) Special will depart from Silchar at 16:35 hours and reach Agartala at 22:05 hours.
During its journey in both directions, the special train will make stops at Ambassa, Dharmanagar, New Karimganj, Badarpur, and Arunachal stations.
The train will consist of one AC chair car, four general chair cars, and one vistadome coach, providing a comfortable travel experience for passengers.
6.
A Rs 250 crore fund has been created in Assam by multiple stakeholders, including World Bank, to promote small and medium units in the agriculture sector
Venture capital fund Caspian Impact Investment Adviser said it has joined hands with the Assam Rural Infrastructure and Agricultural Services (ARIAS) Society to roll out the agribusiness investment firm.
The Hyderabad-based company said that according to the agreement, ARIAS will be the nodal agency for establishing and implementing a contributory and determinate investment trust — the Assam Agribusiness Investment Fund (AAIF).
With a corpus of Rs 250 crore, AAIF is a unique sector-specific fund, focusing on boosting agricultural productivity and employment generation in the state. It will mainly invest in small and medium enterprises in the agribusiness and allied sectors to achieve accelerated growth
7.
Several parts of Assam have been inundated by incessant rain and Lakhimpur district is again one of the most flood-affected areas. The district is in the list of most flood-prone districts of the Assam State Disaster Management Authority as well. But why is Lakhimpur so prone to flooding every year?
In June 2022, Assam and Meghalaya subdivisions recorded the highest rainfall in 121 years, with Assam alone receiving 669 millimetres of rainfall, 61 per cent more than the average rainfall of 415.2 mm for the month of June.
Floods in the state led to the death of 124 people and Lakhimpur was one of the most flood-affected districts.
The monsoon arrived late this year, on June 8 and rains started in Assam from June 10. The state received 381.6 mm of rainfall from June 1 to June 22, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). This is 30 per cent more than the normal 294 mm.
Lakhimpur district recorded 52.5 mm of rainfall on June 22, 2023 — 147 per cent more than the normal of 21.3 mm.
Lakhimpur is not the most inundated district. On June 22, Barpeta district recorded 141.2 mm of rainfall, 680 percent more than normal (18.1 mm). Nalbari and Baksa districts have been severely affected too.
Over 119,830 people are flood affected in the state, according to the situation report released by the Assam State Disaster Management on June 21. About 44,707 people in Nalbari, 26,571 in Baksa and 25,096 in Lakhimpur have been affected.
Heavy rainfall in a short period of time increases the water levels in the Brahmaputra river and its tributaries in the state. However, this is not a new thing in Assam.
All rivers in the state are responsible for floods as they receive heavy rainfall in a short period of time, according to an IMD report on 30 years (1989-2018) climate data.
Water from the neighbouring Himalayas also reaches Assam quickly. The rivers swell in a very short time and start breaking the banks. They contain a large amount of silt and debris, which quickly reach the river and increase the water levels.
It becomes almost impossible to control the mainstream and due to which the rivers bring water to the surrounding areas. Despite the situation repeating every year, deficiencies in disaster management persist.
Lakhimpur received only three days of excess rainfall in 2023 compared with normal rainfall and post-monsoon rainfall, showed IMD’s 1991-2020 climatic data.
The rainfall data recorded at North Lakhimpur station under Lakhimpur district showed there was large excess rainfall on 10 days. On June 14, 335 per cent more rainfall was recorded in a single day.
On June 21 and 22, the rainfall in North Lakhimpur station was two to three times more than normal. On the other hand, the rivers coming from Arunachal Pradesh towards Papum Pare and Lower Siang towards Likhampur have increased the flood velocity.
Arunachal Pradesh also received heavy rains last week. Dikrongriver from Papuma Pare and Subansiri river from Lower Siang have affected Lakhimpur floods.
8.
Panbazar area in the city, which is one of the busiest areas, is a roosting site for Indian flying fox (Pteropus giganteus Brunn., 1782), the largest fruit bat species in Assam.
For the past 15 years, the Panbazar roosting site has been permanently dwelling in the Panbazar area of Guwahati. As of November 20, 2022, population of the site has gone up to 1,527 from the previous 1,063, which was recorded on January 3, 2017.
A study conducted by Azad Ali, Associate Professor and Former Head of Biodiversity and Ecological Research Centre (BERC), Department of Zoology, B. N. College, Dhubri on the “Conservation Status and Ecotourism Potentiality of Indian Flying Fox Colony at Panbazar Roosting Site of Guwahati” says the huge colony of Indian flying foxes of Guwahati at Panbazar area could be a good ecotourism spot since it is easily accessible and most importantly it is permanent in nature.
The Panbazar Indian flying fox roosting site was originally located at the Kacharighat and Judge’s field area of Guwahati in Assam, which is also the gateway of Northeast India. The average monthly population of the original site was recorded at 574.28 bats during the period 2000-2003. However, in the later part of 2007, the entire colony was shifted to plantations of the hillock like area of the water reservoir (Panitanki) of Panbazar bus stoppage on the Mahatma Gandhi Road (MG Road) of Guwahati.
For the last 15 years (2007-2022), Indian flying foxes were seen permanently using the Panbazar habitat for roosting purposes. The population of the newly shifted Panbazar roosting site was recorded at 1,063 on January 3, 2017 and the population has gone almost double in ten years from the first shifting. It signifies that the new habitat has worked in favor of the Indian flying fox colony
The study says the high altitude nature of the site gives them an extra height for flying freely in the atmosphere, which is very important for safe foraging as well as obstacle free emerging and return at dusk and dawn respectively. At the same time, the presence of a series of plant species in a linear stretch provided a continuous aerial canopy for large scale roosting.
the creation of ‘City Bat Park’ with proper guidelines can be an ecotourism hotspot of the city with this live and economically important wildlife species to earn revenue from the Assam government under the tourism sector. The roosting site can also be traced easily as it is just adjacent to the newly opened “Mahabahu Brahmaputra River Heritage Centre (MBRHC)”, which is situated at the southern bank of River Brahmaputra of Assam valley.
9.
: Assam down town University (AdtU) on Thursday won the coveted Education Eminence Award 2023, presented by News18, in the category for the “most eminent campus placement among private universities”, an official release stated.
The Education Eminence Award 2023 is an initiative to recognise educational institutions that make important contributions to society and to honour the significant role that educational institutions play in influencing the future generation, the release said.
10.
The Tea Board has initiated a study to determine the price sharing formula in the plantation districts of the country for which it has engaged a consultant
The study will be conducted in all the tea-growing districts of the country except the Gudalur-Pandalur region of Tamil Nadu and the Wayanad district in Kerala. According to the official, Tea Board has given a timeline of six months to the consultant to finish the study.
The consultant, BDO India LLP, will carry out field visits to gather data relevant to the study from farmers (small tea growers) and factories-bought leaf factories (BLFs).
The team of the consultant firm will physically visit the states of Assam, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Tripura where the concentration of STGs is high. For other tea-growing states like Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Uttarakhand, Bihar, Odisha, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Sikkim, the study will be carried out virtually
the proposed price-sharing formula will determine the price that the BLFs will pay for buying green leaf from the small tea growers. This will help the STGs in getting fair and remunerative prices for green leaf. This method of price determination for green leaf produced by the STGs already exists in Sri Lanka
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