Kokrajhar: Amarsingh Basumatary is utterly disappointed. The hopes of the strawberry cultivator in Chirang is now blighted with frustration. But why? The 21 days nationwide lockdown has changed the course of his hard working time.
Three months back these crops grew huge hopes in his mind as 17,000 saplings on a plot measuring around 3 bighas drew no less attraction with fruitful crops at Salbari along the Indo-Bhutan border. But only to be nipped in the bud. PM Narendra Modi announced nationwide lockdown from March 25 which will be over by April 15. The yield was good. But only to be damaged under the impact of the lockdown. No transportation, no market---all traders have down the shutters. What to do: he is at his wit’s end. No solution in sight.
“The investment was handsome indeed. Some plants were brought from Himachal Pradesh. I engaged 5 workers who spared no pain to grow the promising crop. But my hopes are shattered because of the lockdown,” said a visibly upset Amar.
Strawberry crop is cultivated during the season of winter which begins from January to May month every year. He said, “It’s the peak season, I could pluck 80-90 kgs of yields. But what would I do? I can’t sold out the fruits in the market. No taker. No trader for these fruits worth Rs 3.5 lakh. The lockdown might extend. But by then these fruits would damage. No mechanism to process these.”
The strawberry fruits have good demand in Gelephu(Bhutan), Kokrajhar, Kajalgaon, Bongaigaon, Barpeta and Guwahati. But the markets are not opening apprehending the outbreak of COVID-19.
He recollected a time as he sold these fruits at Gelephu in Bhutan at Rs.500 per kilogram, Rs.300-350 per kilogram in Assam. But this time the lockdown has not allowed him to take that course.
He appealed to the government to help him make up the loss he incurred. He was not covered by the PM Fasal Bima Yojana. No hope at all now. How safe and secured are the peasants who can concentrate on cultivation to give the sector a fresh lease of life.
Abinash Basumatary, the Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) of Parbatjhora Division in Kokrajhar district, was allegedly caught red-handed while accepting a bribe during a raid conducted by the CM Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Branch on Tuesday.
Acting on a tip-off, the CM Vigilance team carried out an operation in Parbatjhora, during which the DFO was detained for allegedly accepting a bribe from a contractor.
According to sources, Basumatary allegedly accepted Rs 2 lakh from a contractor in exchange for clearing pending bills during office hours. Following the operation, he was taken into custody and is currently being interrogated for further investigation.
Later in the evening,...
A wild elephant damaged two houses at Laokriguri village under Gongia VCDC in Kokrajhar district late on Tuesday night, triggering panic among local residents.
According to local sources, the elephant reportedly strayed from the nearby forest area of Raimona National Park into the village while searching for food. The animal damaged the houses belonging to two families before moving away.
Family members of the affected households managed to escape safely and no casualties were reported in the incident.
The incident has once again brought attention to the growing human-elephant conflict in areas surrounding the national park and adjoining forest regions.
Residents informed...
Bodo Sahitya Sabha, the apex literary body of the Bodo community, has expressed serious concern over the recurring delay in the distribution of textbooks to students studying in Bodo-medium schools across Assam.
Addressing reporters during a press conference held in Kokrajhar on Sunday, BSS president Gopinath Borgoyary urged the concerned department and the Assam government to take immediate measures to resolve the issue and ensure timely supply of textbooks in future academic sessions.
Borgoyary alleged that students from Bodo-medium educational institutions face shortages of textbooks every year due to negligence on the part of the authorities concerned. He said that although the...
KOKRAJHAR, April 4: A massive election rally was held at Shilbari under Parbatjhora constituency in Kokrajhar district in support of Congress candidate Ashraful Islam Sheikh. The rally was addressed by Gaurav Gogoi, President of the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee and Member of Parliament.
Addressing the gathering, Gogoi criticized the ruling government, alleging that it remains focused on the development of Dispur while neglecting regions such as Kokrajhar, the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR), and other interior areas. He assured that if Congress comes to power, special funds would be allocated for the development of BTR.
Launching a political attack, Gogoi alleged that the All...
The opposition United People's Party Liberal (UPPL) has announced three more candidates for the upcoming Assam Assembly elections scheduled for April 9.
The newly declared candidates are Jwngswrang Borgoyary from Manas LAC, Jayanta Rabha from Tangla, and Phanidhar Basumatary from Dekiajuli LAC. With this announcement, the UPPL has now fielded candidates in 19 constituencies for the forthcoming elections.
Meanwhile, the ruling Bodoland People's Front (BPF) has declared 11 candidates. On Thursday evening, BPF president and BTC Chief Executive Member Hagrama Mohilary announced the names of candidates for several constituencies, including Kokrajhar.
Mohilary stated that the BPF will...
The All Santhal Students’ Union (ASSU) has called upon members of the Santhal/Adivasi community to boycott public meetings of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma during their upcoming visits to the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) region and Upper Assam.
Speaking to reporters at Habrubil in Gossaigaon on Tuesday, ASSU vice president Durga Soren expressed dissatisfaction with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), alleging that the party has failed to address the welfare and development concerns of the Santhal community in Assam.
Soren said that during the 2014 Indian general election campaign, Prime Minister Modi had promised that the Santhal/...
KOKRAJHAR, Feb 6: To strengthen the bond between young minds and Assam’s rich natural heritage, Manas National Park and Tiger Reserve (MNPTR) organised a four-day Nature Orientation programme from February 3 to 6, 2026.
Held in collaboration with Aaranyak’s Rhino Goes to School initiative, the programme forms a key component of the Manas Mitra project—an outreach effort launched a year ago to bridge the gap between fringe villages and forest conservation.
The programme was conducted across four fringe-area schools—Bonmajra Bodo ME School, Khamardwisa High School, Panbari Girls’ School and Labdanguri ME School—and witnessed the participation of over 600 students. Sessions focused on...
The 65th annual conference of the Bodo Sahitya Sabha (BkSS) entered its second day on Saturday at Thengpakri Fwthar, Borlaogaon, near Bijni in Chirang district.
The conference witnessed multicultural showcases representing different communities across the state. More than 4,000 delegates and participants attended the event from various district committees, the state committee, and neighbouring countries, including Nepal, Bangladesh, and Bhutan.
The exhibition and book fair of the conference drew a huge throng of visitors as well as members of the public from various areas. In particular, cultural demonstrations representing different communities attracted Sahitya-loving people to the...
The Bodoland Cup Cricket Tournament concluded successfully on Thursday at the DN Himmat Singha High School Playground in Kokrajhar, witnessing enthusiastic participation and competitive cricket.
The tournament was organised by Rainbow NGO, Kokrajhar, with support from the Kokrajhar Cricket Association, with the objective of promoting a vibrant sporting environment among cricket enthusiasts in the region.
A total of eight teams from Baksa, Kokrajhar, and Dhubri districts participated in the tournament, making the competition lively and engaging for players as well as spectators.
The final match was played between Sangrila NGO and Gangster Club. In a thrilling encounter, Sangrila NGO...
Massive protests swept across Kokrajhar and other districts of the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) on Thursday evening as the All Bodo Students Union (ABSU) and several tribal organisations rallied against the Assam Cabinet’s decision to grant Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to six communities.
Thousands of tribal residents—representing ABSU, CCTOA, BTC Tribal Coordination Committee, Tribal Sangha, Garo Students’ Union, All Rabha Students’ Union, Rabha Women Council, Bodo Samaj, Bodo Sahitya Sabha, and others—participated in a large march in Kokrajhar town, asserting that they would “never accept” the inclusion of these communities in the ST list.
The protest rally began at Bodofa...
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