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Amid COVID-19 lockdown; A nationwide Twitter storm to save the forests of Northeast makes it trending on top in the All India Trends

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While the entire nation has been under lockdown, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MOEFCC) and the National Board for WildLife (NBWL), our country’s highest government authorities entrusted with the role of protection of India’s environment, forests and wildlife have been busy diluting our environment laws and clearing industrial, mining, hydropower, commercial projects in our most pristine and biodiversity rich forests. This has enraged citizens across India and they have been expressing their angst on Twitter and other social media platforms using hashtags such as #SaveDehingPatkai  #IamDehingPatkai #IndiaAgainstDeforestation, #DumbOrGreedy, #SaveEIA, #SaveAmazonOfEast #SaveDibangValley and others.

An online movement initiated by Gauhati University’s Eco Club ‘Moi Prokriti’ to spare Dehing Patkai rainforest from coal mining, has increased huge perceivability.The online movement started on 13th May,2020 and it has gathered a great response from the netizens.

After a huge number of netizens came forward and tweeted about the issue, Bollywood actor Randeep Hooda tweeted on issue. ” ‘Called Amazon of the East’, Dehing Patkai sanctuary has everything from elephants, cats to bears, famous Assam macaque in which the govt has performed mining. Do we need another COVID-19 to realise how important biodiversity is,” he tweeted alongside a connect to a change.org campaign addressed to the CM of Assam, among others.

Bollywood actor Dia Mirza additionally took to Twitter to voice her supposition. She tweeted #SaveDehingPatkai along with a quote by Forest Man of India Padma Shri Jadav Payeng.

A nationwide tweet storm organised by Moi Prokriti,the Gauhati University Eco-Club in collaboration with the students of Tezpur University, Dibrugarh University,Cotton University and Bhattadev University and supported by citizens from different parts of the nation on Sunday,  24 th May,2020 trended at number 1 in all India trends and across most cities in the country. Citizens across the length and breadth of India irrespective of their caste, colour, creed or religion from Itanagar, Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, Nagaland, West Bengal in East India to Himachal Pradesh, Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, UttarPradesh in North India; and Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Karnataka in West and South India were unified in their demand from the Indian government to #SaveDehingPatkai #SaveAmazonOfEast and #SaveDibangValley. Randeep Hooda even used the hashtag in his earlier posts’ thread in support of the Tweet Storm on Sunday.

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Dibang Valley in Arunachal Pradesh and Dehing Patkai Elephant Reserve in Assam are recognised as one of the most bio-diverse rich forest habitats not just in India but globally as well. They are home to some of the most rare and endangered flora and fauna which will be lost forever with the nod given by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MOEFCC) for clearing more than 6,00,000 old growth trees in Dibang valley for two environmentally destructive hydro power projects (Etalin and Dibang MultiPurpose projects) and by the National Board for Wild Life (NBWL) chaired by Mr. Narendra Modi himself for coal mining in 98.59 hectares in Dehing Patkai Elephant Reserve. Sub tropical forests like these are complex ecosystems with species that have evolved over millions of years. Once cut, they will be lost forever.

Dehing Patkai in Assam, referred to as ‘Amazon of The East’, is part of the largest stretch of tropical lowland rainforests in Eastern Himalayas and Indo-Burma biodiversity hotspots. Some of the rare species found in Dehing Patkai are of high cultural importance for the Assamese people like Hollong (state tree), Foxtail Orchid (state flower) and White Winged Duck (state bird). Research studies through camera trapping reveal presence of 7 wild cat species in Dehing Patkai Reserve. This is the highest diversity of wild cats found anywhere in the world. Research on primates like Western Hoolock Gibbon, Bengal Slow Loris etc in Dehing Patkai has found that arboreal species (living in trees) need unfragmented forests for their survival. Dehing Patkai along with adjoining Deomali Reserve in Arunachal has a healthy population of more than 600 elephants whose natural movement will get negatively impacted by coal mining leading to increased man-animal conflict. Dehing Patkai is also one of the last remaining habitats of 12 bird species that are of High Conservation Concern according to the State of India’s Birds Report 2020. There are 4 tree cavity nesting hornbill species that are highly vulnerable which are only found in Dehing Patkai & Namdapha National Park in India. Dehing Patkai is home to globally threatened mammals such as Himalayan Black Bear, Chinese Pangolin, Himalayan Giant Squirrel and many others. Coal mining in this pristine land will contaminate groundwater, rivers, streams and the soil and cause habitat destruction, which will endanger the lives of more than 50 mammal species, 350 bird species, 310 butterfly species,70 species of reptiles & amphibians, 40 odonate species and many ethnic groups residing in the area like Tai Phake, Khamyang, Khampti, Singpho, Nocte, Ahom, Kaibarta, Moran. Nod given for coal mining in this environmentally and ecologically sensitive zone needs to be revoked.

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Times of Northeast is an independent digital news portal which seeks to grab the attention of rational-minded people from Northeast India.

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Woman cuts off man’s genitals for refusing to marry her; Hospitalized

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In a shocking incident, A woman allegedly chopped off the genitals of his brother-in-law with whom she allegedly had an illicit relationship in Lower Assam’s Bajali district.

As per reports, the incident took place on September 23 when the woman attacked her brother-in-law after the latter refused her marriage proposal.

The injured man was rushed to the hospital and is currently undergoing treatment in Guwahati.
The victim, identified as 30-year-old Saiful Islam.

According to locals, Islam was involved in a secret affair with his sister-in law.

The two were in a love affair for the last seven years, reportedly taking advantage of times when her husband was away. 

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In a violent turn of events, she allegedly attacked him and severed his genitals. Police quickly intervened, arresting the woman and initiating an investigation into the incident. They also recovered the weapon used in the attack from the scene.

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Assam’s Mobile Theatre journey since 1960s

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The mobile theatre of Assam, also known as Bhramyaman Theatre, is a unique and vibrant form of theatre that originated in the state of Assam, India where Achyut Lakhar gave birth to Mobile theatre in Pathsala town in the 1960s. Every year the theatre groups travel from place to place with their cast, crew, musicians, dancers and everything required to set the stage, to perform in villages, towns, and cities across Assam.

During the theatre season Pathsala town turned festivity where thousands of people gathered in one place to see plays of ‘Awahan Theatre’, ‘Kohinoor Theatre’, ‘Rajmukut Theatre’, ‘Rajlakhsmi Theatre’. It’s like a festival for the people. The plays often focus on social issues, family drama, mythology, and folklore, as well as contemporary topics like politics and corruption which the audience loves it.

The Theatre group continues to attract audiences on live stage without the use of special effects like green or blue screens, or 3D or 5D technology. During the show many actors injured by accident on live stage.

Earlier, plays like ‘Titanic’ attracted audience without a single drop of water on stage, and ‘Jurassic Park’, ‘Mary Kom’, ‘Mahabharat’ and ‘Ramayana’ also attracted audience.

The groups give employment scope to more than 5000 people. There are more than 30 mobile theatres in Assam, where more than 100 to 150 people work in every group.

Tapan Lahkar, producer of Kohinoor Theatre, reflected on the theatre’s legacy, saying, “Kohinoor Theatre has proudly completed 49 years. Every artist in our group puts in immense effort. In the past, we managed to make our play ‘Titanic’ a success without a single drop of water or any special effects—it was a significant challenge for my father. Similarly, our productions of ‘Jurassic Park,’ ‘Mahabharat,’ and ‘Ramayan’ captivated audiences long before they were ever seen on television.”

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Prastuti Parashar, producer of Awahan Theatre, emphasized the cultural importance of mobile theatre, stating, “Mobile theatre has played a crucial role in promoting Assamese culture, language, and identity while providing both entertainment and social commentary to audiences across the state. Awahan Theatre is like family to me, and we are committed to giving our best to entertain our audience. We tackle stories about family and political issues, always with a focus on Assamese culture. We also need the continued support of the people.”

Dhruba Talukdar, producer of Rajlakshmi Theatre, shared his passion for the art, saying, “I hail from Pathsala town, the birthplace of mobile theatre, founded by Achyut Lahkar. Inspired by the plays I watched as a child, I always dreamed of opening my own theatre. I aim to spread positive messages through our productions, addressing issues like global warming, social concerns, politics, and corruption. I take risks to fulfill my dreams, and I don’t believe that OTT platforms can ever replace the unique experience of mobile theatre.”

Manas Kalita, producer of Rajmukut Theatre, highlighted the challenges faced by performers, noting, “Performing on a live stage is not easy. Many actors have been injured during shows, yet they continue to perform with dedication. Every actor and staff member works incredibly hard in mobile theatre.”

Finally, Giridhor Choudhury, a senior citizen from Bajali, expressed his deep connection to the tradition, saying, “Assam’s mobile theatre groups are an integral part of our culture and should live on forever. It’s an emotion for the Assamese people. Since 1963, mobile theatre has provided employment opportunities to many in Assam. Today, there are more than 30 mobile theatres in the state, each employing 100 to 150 people. In total, 4,000 to 5,000 individuals are engaged in this vibrant tradition.”

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Assam

Ranjeet Kumar Dass distributs forms of MMNMA scheme at Bhattadev University and NH collage

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After Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma launched ‘Mukhya Mantri Nijut Moina’ scheme in Assam to prevent child marriage, Assam’s cabinet Minister Ranjeet Kumar Dass distributed forms of the Mukhya Mantri Nijut Moina Asoni scheme at Bhattadev University in Pathsala and NH college in Patacharkuchi.

The scheme to provide monetary benefits to girl students every month in order to put an end to child marriages. This scheme will be awarded to around 10 lakh girls.This scheme is a monthly financial assistance scheme to fight against child marriage. Girls who are studying in HS, graduation and post-graduation level will get this government’s financial support.

During the programme Ranjeet Kumar Dass said, “Heartfelt thanks Assam CM for the CM’s Nijut Moina Scheme, a game-changer for Assam’s meritorious students.”

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“There are many families in my constituency that can pay their daughter only Rs. 1,000 to Rs. 1,500 a month for the expenses of studying in the university. But now at least such economically backward meritorious students do not have to leave their studies.

“Today we distributed forms in Bhattadev University in Pathsala and NH college in Patacharkuchi in presence of Bajali district administration, students and staffs.

Meanwhile, the students of the university expressed happiness after the scheme launched by the Assam government.

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