Photo Courtesy: India Today Group
Guwahati: Assam kicked off a massive reforestation project in the Behali Wildlife Sanctuary. Workers are planting 1.25 lakh native saplings across 50 hectares of recovered land. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma confirmed the news on Sunday, August 9.
The state aims to turn previously encroached territory back into a dense, functioning forest. Behali serves as the newest wildlife sanctuary in the state. Sarma stated the project will help increase green cover, noting that the initiative "would transform land that was previously encroached into a thriving forest."
This drive supports habitat restoration. It also bolsters wider state efforts to expand forests. Officials expect these native species to stabilize the sanctuary's ecology for years to come.
Updated at 9th August 2026 at 10:04pm
While the state pushes greening efforts, a second wave of flooding has battered the Bokakhat sub-division. The Dhansiri River surged, forcing families out of their homes and into relief camps. Cabinet Minister Atul Bora toured the hit zones, including Kuruwabahi, Chinakan, and Nagenapar, to check on displaced residents and livestock.
The government kicked off a damage survey across four Upper Assam districts on Sunday. Officials are currently tallying losses to houses, property, and agricultural land, with a specific focus on damaged sali paddy crops. Following complaints from locals, the administration also scrambled to fix drinking water shortages in the Kuruwabahi area.
Updated at 10th August 2026 at 1:47am
Beyond Bokakhat, humanitarian aid reached the Sivasagar and Charaideo districts on Sunday. Members of the Arunachal Pradesh Bhikkhu Sangha distributed rice, blankets, pillows, and cash to over 300 victims at Sonari Cholapathar, Disangpani, and Demow. Ratndeepa Bhikkhu, the group's general secretary, pressed the Chief Minister to step up relief and prioritize rebuilding efforts for displaced families.
The Chief Minister confirmed that government officials have launched a doorstep assessment of flood damage across all affected districts. This survey covers household-level losses to livestock, homes, and property and will run through August 31. Sarma stated, No family will be left behind in getting their due rehabilitation benefits.
Meanwhile, Kamrup Police raided an alleged illegal slaughterhouse in Bezera Simelibari on Sunday. Officers recovered 108 cattle and apprehended one suspect, while two others escaped. Sarma warned that the state will not allow illegal slaughter and promised strict follow-up action against those involved.
Updated at 10th August 2026 at 5:49pm
Border tensions hit a boiling point after 18 people were wounded in a firefight at Mingmang Basti. Unidentified gunmen from the Arunachal Pradesh side opened fire during a land dispute, sending four victims to the Assam Medical College and Hospital in critical condition. The flare-up followed a separate incident where a Mising youth took a bullet to the leg near Kangku Circle. Chief Minister Sarma confirmed that top officials from both states are scrambling to defuse the situation. He vowed that Assam will not surrender its territory and has sent reinforcements to hold the line.
Amid the border unrest, the state restarted its pulse and sugar subsidy program on August 10. The scheme, which sells essentials at Rs 100, will reach 70 lakh residents after a three-month freeze caused by budget delays. The program kicked off in Raha, though salt remains off the list for now due to technical snags. Sarma expects the salt distribution to resume in the coming days.
Updated at 10th August 2026 at 9:51pm
Government health initiatives hit a milestone this week as officials facilitated specialized treatment for over 14,000 children battling congenital heart disease. Chief Minister Sarma confirmed another 14 kids are now heading to Mumbai and Bengaluru for fully funded surgeries. The state aims to cover the cost for families who cannot afford private care, with Sarma stating, "Every child deserves a fighting chance, not a bill their family can't afford."
Gauhati University stepped up to aid flood victims, handing over a 25 lakh rupee donation to the Chief Minister Relief Fund. The money came from one day of wages donated by university staff. Beyond the cash injection, the school distributed 5,000 educational kits to students in the flood zones. Teams from the university are also rushing to rescue ancient 18th-century Vaishnavite manuscripts from floodwaters and fungal decay in local satras.
Updated at 11th August 2026 at 9:47am
Sarma pledged an extra 100 crore rupees on Monday to bankroll the fourth phase of the Guwahati Science City project in Sonapur. The cash covers a digital panorama, a convention centre, parking, and a musical fountain. Crews have until March 2027 to wrap up the work. The government is also looking into running dedicated ASTC buses from Guwahati to get visitors to the site more easily.
While in Sonapur, the Chief Minister checked on the Zubeen Khetra memorial site dedicated to singer Zubeen Garg. He ordered officials to finish the boundary wall immediately so they can break ground on an open air theatre and landscaping work.
Updated at 11th August 2026 at 1:50pm
The 100 crore rupee injection covers the fourth phase of the Sonapur project, which sat in limbo due to funding gaps. The site stretches across more than 150 bighas of land and is being built through a partnership between the Ministry of Culture and the state Department of Science and Technology. Several cabinet ministers, including Keshab Mahanta, Pijush Hazarika, and Kaushik Rai, joined the Chief Minister on the ground to inspect the work.
Sarma also walked the grounds of the Zubeen Khetra memorial at Komarkuchi. He pulled up Public Works Department officials and the lead architect, ordering them to finish the perimeter wall immediately so crews can start clearing space for the open air theatre and site improvements.
Updated at 11th August 2026 at 5:49pm
New details from the Mingmang Badati shooting clarify that 11 Assam residents were injured, not 18 as initially reported. Victims claim uniformed men initiated the attack during a land confrontation. While eight were initially treated at Gogamukh Rural Hospital, seven were later moved to the Dhemaji Civil Hospital before being referred to the Assam Medical College and Hospital for specialized care.
Police have identified some of the wounded as Durgeshwar Patir, Rohit Doley, Nagaraj Doley, Bigneshwar Patir, Pame Pegu, Sanjay Tayung, Utpal Doley, and Jan Doley. The Takam Mising Porin Kebang student group responded to the violence by declaring a road and economic blockade against Arunachal Pradesh starting August 12. They are demanding the immediate arrest of the shooters and an investigation into allegations that Arunachal Pradesh police officers participated in the encroachment.
Updated at 11th August 2026 at 9:52pm
Assam police are vetting claims from injured villagers who allege that men in uniform, including potential Arunachal Pradesh police officers, instigated the Mingmang Badati firefight. While the investigation remains in its early stages, authorities have deployed heavy security to the district to prevent further clashes.
The Takam Mising Porin Kebang student group is digging in for a long fight. Their scheduled road and economic blockade kicks off at 5 am on August 12. The group maintains the protest is a demand for accountability and justice, not an attack on ordinary civilians, and they plan to keep the borders shut until the shooters are in handcuffs.
Updated at 12th August 2026 at 1:48pm
Tensions surged on August 12 as student and youth organizations launched an indefinite blockade of two critical road links between Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. Protesters set fire to tyres and halted all commercial and passenger traffic at Jagun on the Jagun-Namchik and Jagun-Joyrampur routes.
The agitation, led by the Tiwa Matak Peoples Council, Matak Mahila Karmachari, Gorkha Students Union, and Chhatra Mukti Sangram Samiti, specifically targets the Mingmang Badati shooting. The groups demand that Arunachal Pradesh authorities hand over the identified suspects to Assam Police for prosecution.
Updated at 12th August 2026 at 2:16pm
A fresh confrontation flared Tuesday near the Ayang River bridge after an armed man from the Arunachal side entered Ming Mang and threatened villagers. Locals scuffled with the man and forced him to retreat. In a separate incident earlier that day, residents detained two people from Arunachal Pradesh at the Ming Mang market and handed them over to Gogamukh Police. Residents staged a demonstration at Bogee Pung demanding arrests, dispersing only after police promised action within 48 hours.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma noted that the violence hit one of 52 remaining disputed villages along the state boundary. He has moved to reconstitute regional committees to push negotiations forward and intends to press Arunachal CM Pema Khandu for a formal inquiry into the shooting. Sarma cautioned against the economic blockade, pointing out that the Mising and Adi communities share the same lineage and urging them to talk through their grievances rather than cut off supply lines.
Assam Education Minister Ranoj Pegu confirmed that Pema Khandu pledged an impartial investigation into the incident and promised that anyone found guilty will face the law. Protesters meanwhile have expanded their footprint, setting up blockades at the Hollongi, Banderdewa, and Gumto entry gates. The TMPK reports that a 12 hour bandh observed Wednesday brought normal life in Dhemaji to a standstill as groups demand the suspects be handed over to Assam authorities for prosecution.
Updated at 12th August 2026 at 5:49pm
New details show the August 9 shooting occurred at Mingmang Badati under the Gogamukh Revenue Circle. While earlier reports focused on the injury count, witnesses now specify the attackers hailed from Hime Basti in Arunachal Pradesh's Lower Siang district. The Takam Mising Porin Kebang reports that while nine people were hit, none suffered wounds to the head or chest.
As the standoff drags on, protesters have tightened their grip on the region. Blockades are active at the Hollongi, Banderdewa, and Gumto entry gates, forcing authorities to warn commuters against using these routes. Local groups insist they will keep these transit points shut until the shooters are in police custody.
State leadership is trying to keep the lid on, with Education Minister Ranoj Pegu confirming that Arunachal Chief Minister Pema Khandu promised a proper investigation. Meanwhile, the Assam Cabinet has officially reconstituted regional committees to jumpstart stalled boundary talks. Officials have identified 86 remaining disputed villages from an original list of 123, and they are pushing for a resolution through these joint committees rather than more street-level clashes.
Updated at 12th August 2026 at 9:52pm
Protesters have expanded their reach across the region, with the Takam Mising Porin Kebang and allied groups choking transit at Dwarmukh-Banderdewa, Ruksin, Solengi, and Pabhoi. The agitators are stopping any vehicle bearing Arunachal registration numbers, demanding the shooters be handed over to Assam police.
While the state government insists this is a local land row, internal records show the scope of the problem. Assam informed the state assembly on July 29 that Arunachal Pradesh allegedly occupies over 16,000 hectares of Assam land. The border dispute remains a massive, unresolved issue spanning 1,200 friction points along the 804-kilometer frontier.
Chief Minister Sarma played down the severity of the border friction, insisting that the two states are nearly finished settling their boundary disputes. He noted that of the 123 villages once under dispute, 71 are settled, leaving only 52 in limbo. He publicly urged his counterpart in Arunachal to ignore the noise from the streets and help bring the shooters to heel.
As the standoff bites into local supplies, the administration is keeping a close watch on the Sadiya-Buruli stretch. Despite the heat, the state government maintains that these localized flare-ups should not be allowed to collapse the institutional progress made under the Namsai Declaration, which continues to serve as the roadmap for the long-term border peace process.
Updated at 13th August 2026 at 1:45pm
Student groups, led by the Takam Mising Porin Kebang, have formalized an indefinite economic blockade against Arunachal Pradesh. The protest now chokes transit at Dwarmukh-Banderdewa, Ruksin in Dhemaji, Banderdewa in Lakhimpur, Solengi in Gohpur, and Pabhoi in Biswanath. Demonstrators are stopping all vehicles carrying Arunachal registration plates and refuse to stand down until the gunmen behind the Mingmang Badati shooting are handed over to local authorities.
Assam police confirmed 12 people were injured in the border clash, correcting previous reports. TMPK leader Bhavez Miri stated that while border frictions are common, the use of firearms represents a dangerous shift in hostilities. He urged for mutual respect between communities, noting that victims from the Assam side sustained wounds but were spared life-threatening head or chest injuries.
Chief Minister Sarma publicly clarified the status of the Kaziranga National Park eco-sensitive zone on August 12. He warned residents not to misinterpret recent Supreme Court orders, confirming the existing 10-kilometer provision remains fully in effect until the state government issues a formal notification. Sarma expressed concern that a blanket 10-kilometer buffer could displace thousands in areas like Kaliabor, Jakhalabandha, and Bokakhat, promising a more measured approach once the proposal reaches the National Board for Wildlife.
Updated at 13th August 2026 at 5:50pm
New reports indicate that the recent border friction has spilled over into violence between communities. Police and CRPF personnel deployed to the Silapathar-Likabali area came under fire from rock-throwing mobs as the situation turned chaotic. The standoff has deepened existing cultural rifts, specifically igniting tensions between the Mising and Galo communities.
Arunachal Chief Minister Pema Khandu took to social media to back Sarma's call for calm. Khandu urged residents to stop the unrest, warning that the localized flare-ups threaten to destroy the historical bonds of brotherhood between the two states.
Updated at 13th August 2026 at 6:03pm
Tensions boiled over near the Likabali border on Thursday as mobs traded stone-pelting. Assam Police fired four warning shots to break up the skirmish, though authorities confirmed no injuries occurred during the confrontation. The situation remains under heavy observation.
Arunachal Chief Minister Pema Khandu held emergency sit-downs with the All Arunachal Pradesh Students Union and representatives from the Galo Welfare Society to lower the heat. Khandu pledged to facilitate immediate dialogue and rebuild trust on the ground.
Assam Education Minister Ranoj Pegu confirmed that the state cabinet has shuffled its regional committees, bringing in new ministers and senior officials to handle the boundary negotiations. Pegu stated that both states remain committed to resolving the 1,200 points of friction through cooperation rather than conflict.
Updated at 13th August 2026 at 9:46pm
The Takam Mising Porin Kebang has officially pulled the plug on its indefinite blockade. The decision followed high-level negotiations at the Dhemaji District Commissioner office, involving Assam Border Protection Minister Atul Bora and Education Minister Ranoj Pegu. A subsequent sit-down in Likabali brought together various student and welfare unions from both sides of the border to hammer out the truce.
The student group is calling for the immediate arrest of four named suspects in the Mingmang Badati shooting: Nirak Ngomle, Taji Nika, Koter Nake, and Kamli Nake. Investigators have a 48-hour window to make these arrests. Authorities also laid down a new ground rule: no one is allowed to bring firearms into peace talks held on Assam soil. Any violation of this policy triggers immediate legal action from the state.
Updated at 13th August 2026 at 10:06pm
The Takam Mising Porin Kebang (TMPK) called off its indefinite blockade after state officials and representatives from across the border agreed to push for a peaceful, time-bound resolution to the land dispute. The student group maintains its 48-hour deadline for the arrest of the four named suspects, Nirak Ngomle, Taji Nika, Koter Nake, and Kamli Nake, but cited humanitarian concerns for the public as the reason for clearing the roads.
Assam Education Minister Ranoj Pegu clarified that the shooting occurred on undisputed land within Assam, effectively separating the criminal investigation from the broader state-level boundary talks. The government has committed to covering medical bills for the 12 victims and is pressing authorities in Arunachal Pradesh to hand over the four men accused of the attack. Police have confirmed the suspects are residents of Hime village.
The TMPK and government officials have also set a new ground rule for future negotiations held on Assam soil: no participants will be permitted to carry firearms. Any violation of this policy will trigger immediate legal action from the state administration.
Updated at 14th August 2026 at 3:00am
Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister and Arunachal Pradesh MP Kiren Rijiju stepped into the fray on August 13, meeting with Assam MPs to call for a peaceful resolution. Rijiju described the border flare-ups as a family misunderstanding, insisting that the states must settle disputes through negotiation while acknowledging the historical ties stemming from Arunachal's origins as part of Assam. He confirmed that both chief ministers remain in active contact to manage the crisis.
Meanwhile, Assam Pradesh Congress Committee president Gaurav Gogoi criticized the handling of the border standoff. He urged the BJP-led administrations in both states to move beyond temporary fixes and adopt a permanent, constitutional, and legal mechanism to settle the boundary friction. Gogoi emphasized the need for better coordination to ensure ordinary citizens do not face harassment during the ongoing unrest.
Updated at 14th August 2026 at 9:51pm
Forest Minister Jayanta Malla Baruah shifted state policy in July 2026, ordering an 8,000 rupee per bigha payout for farmers suffering from elephant damage. The move aims to halt the common practice of using firecrackers and other aggressive tactics to drive herds out of fields. Activist Soumyadeep Datta of Nature's Beckon, who long pressured the government to abandon these violent deterrents, backed the plan as a way to stop officials from siphoning off elephant conservation funds. Datta claims previous administrations wasted millions in state money on firecrackers and kerosene under the guise of wildlife management.
As the government recalibrates its wildlife strategy, it faces pressure to grant permanent protected status to two forest zones in Goalpara: the proposed Pancharatna and Ajagar Wildlife Sanctuaries. These areas remain the last holdouts for elephant habitats in the district. Proponents argue that bringing these forests under state protection is the only way to stop the rampant encroachment that has turned the region into a hotspot for man-elephant conflict.
Updated at 15th August 2026 at 1:48pm
Forest Minister Jayanta Malla Baruah and Agriculture Minister Pijush Hazarika marked India's 80th Independence Day on August 15 by honoring the state's tribal freedom fighters. Baruah specifically spotlighted the history of Sengyajik Joya Thaosen of Jorai village, announcing that Jorai is among 50 indigenous sites selected for a new tourism project. The government plans to build museums, interpretation centers, and document oral histories to preserve the legacy of these tribal fighters.
Environmental advocate Soumyadeep Datta credits the recent crop-damage compensation policy as a departure from years of faulty forest department practices. Datta claims that while previous officials wasted millions on firecrackers and kerosene, the new policy addresses the root of the man-elephant conflict. He continues to push the government to grant permanent status to the proposed Pancharatna and Ajagar Wildlife Sanctuaries, including the Urpad Beel wetland, which he identifies as the last remaining elephant habitats in the Goalpara district.
Updated at 15th August 2026 at 5:48pm
Sarma announced a massive 1.5 lakh crore rupee investment for infrastructure between 2026 and 2031. The plan leans on 50,000 crore rupees from state coffers with the remaining 1 lakh crore coming from the Centre. The cash injection targets schools, roads, urban projects, and rural development. He claimed the state is shifting from chai to chip as it eyes a semiconductor facility and aims for a developed status by 2047.
The government is launching a new Youth Development and Empowerment Department to sharpen job skills. Sarma also ordered the creation of eight new co-districts and mandated that officials clear pending files in mission mode. To combat social issues, he set a 30-day crackdown on child marriage and polygamy starting November 1.
Looking ahead, the state will celebrate 800 years of Swargadeo Chaolung Sukapha in 2028. Sarma urged residents who migrated to Assam but adopted local culture to list Assamese as their mother tongue for the ongoing Census. He noted that the Census exercise is currently deferred in flood-stricken Sivasagar and Charaideo districts.
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