Uncommon 'Bhellaghar' constructed at Naamkhola in Darrang district in Assam

On the occasion of Magh Bihu,people of Assam in India used to worship the God of Fire in the very morning of January 14.They construct a house made of bamboo and thatch in open paddy field (after harvesting).People eat feasts there in the night and burn it in the morning to please God of Fire.

An uncommon such 'Bhellaghar' had been constructed in a village near Naamkhola in the district of Darrang.The 'Bhellaghar' was four storied,which had attracted a large number of people of the district till January 15.

Miscreants hurl grenade in Udalguri in Assam; 1 dead 13 injured

Miscreants hurl grenade in Udalguri in Assam; 1 dead 13 injured



One Gagan Das (34) was killed and 13 injured on spot in Udalguri town near Shwahid Bedi on January 15 at 6.50 pm when unidentified miscreants hurled a hand grenade.According to reliable sources the incident had resulted out of the clashes between the NDFB and NDFB (cease fire ) groups.The incident has created sensation in the district.According to eye witnesses two cycle borne youths threw a chinese made hand grenade at the crowded spot killing one youth and injuring 13 others.Army and police had cordoned off the area but none could be arrested so far.Some of the injured were Bipul Pal,Riju Hazarika,Bikash Deka,Biju Sutradhar etc.The irate public destroyed the Udalguri Civil Hospital buildings on the plea that doctors were not present in time.Dr.S S Meenakshi Sundaram,DC Udalguri and Col.Y.Choudhuri Commanding Officer 315 Field Regiment (Kargil)told this correspondent that the situation was under control and the unruly mob wrere dispered.DC also Said that the seven critically injured persons were shifted to GMCH for further treatment.In the mean time Dr.Meenakkshi Sundaram,DC Udalguri along with Col.Y Choudhuri and A Tiwari,SP Udalguri had rushed to the spot for investigation.Condemning the act senior citizens of the district said that targetting innocent people would not serve any purpose.

Child scientist’s eco-camp & tracking on Indo-Bhutan jungles

In an attempt to create awareness to conserve flora and fauna of Assam and to make science popular among children of the rural villages a unique programme of eco-camp cum tracking for 30 child scientists of Udalguri district was organized at Jalimukh ( 260 55’10” E and 91o53’04” N; elevation 370m above sea level) on Indo-Bhutan international border on January 9,2010.Udalguri district administration organized the programme in association with Divisional Forest office,(Dhansiri Division),Udalguri;37 BN SSB and Aryabhatta Science Centre district coordinator. Five students accompanied by a guide teacher from each of the six developmental blocks of the district namely-Kalaigaon, Khoirabari, Bhergaon,Udalguri,Rowta and Mazbat took part in the eco-camp cum tracking It needs mention that the students had been selected on the basis of their performance in the block level science competitions held in the month of November 2009.

A simple inaugural ceremony was held at Nonai Range Forest office in Khalingduar reserve Forest at 9.30 am It had been an excellent work done by the organizers for which children of all the six development blocks could arrive and depart home safe. District Aryabhatta Science Centre coordinator Jayanta Das in his welcome speech explained about the eco-camp cum tracking programme saying that such events would boost the morale of the children of the villages and would also motivate them to work for the conservation of nature and wild life. He thanked officers of Udalguri district administration, Divisional Forest Office, Dhansiri Division,Udalguri; 37 BN SSB and 315 Field regiment (Kargil) for sharing the day with the child scientists.Dr.SS Meenakshi Sundaram,DC,Udalguri in his inaugural speech thanked the child scientists for taking interest in science technology and conservation of nature and wild life. He said that district administration of Udalguri would arrange more such events for the children so as to create scientific temperament in them. Bankim Sarma,DFO, Dhansiri division, Udalguri also addressed the child scientists and the guides explaining the need for conservation of ecology.According to him plantation of more and more trees would only save thousands of species from micro organism to bigger animals. He gave in details of the Khalingduar Reserve Forest and its flora and fauna.

30 child scientists both boys and girls accompanied by the heads of the district administration, forest department, 37 BN SSB, 315 FD Regiment (Kargil),media persons and other dignitaries walked to Jalimukh the abode of Hornbills, situated well inside Bhutan. Tracking through the deep jungles far away from human habitation had been a never before experience for all the participants.A community feast was arranged for the participants on the bed of dry Nonai river at 2 pm followed by a thank giving ceremony where child scientists felicitated Dr. SS Meenekshi Sundaram,DC,Udalguri;Bankim Sarma,DFO, Udalguri; Indra Kalita SDO (S) Udalguri; Anthony Tamni, Commanding Officer,37 BN SSB and Col.Yogesh Choudhuri ,Commanding Officer,315 FD Regiment with a gamocha for arranging the eco-camp cum tracking for them.The closing ceremony was anchored by senior journalist and Hony. Wild life Warden Bhargab Kumar Das.DN Hazarika ,Circle Officer Tangla;Pranjal Das,Circle officer ,Mazbat; NB Wari,District Election Officer, Udalguri and journalist cum conservation activist Debanga Mahaliya also took part in the programme.

Two Assam child scientists win national laurels in Ahmedabad

Two Assam child scientists win national laurels in Ahmedabad

Two child scientists from Assam have won laurels in the recently concluded NCSC (National children’s Science Congress) session at Ahmedabad city. The child scientists from Assam namely Santana Bora and Jayashree Barua have been selected for the national panel of child scientists 2010. It needs mention that a group of 25 child scientists and 9 officials under the supervision of ASTEC (Assam Science Technology and Environment Council) Guwahati attended the national level session at Ahmedabad city from December 27 to 31.

Biman Chandra Barua, state coordinator ASTEC and K.M. Tamuli team coordinator informed that 557 nos of child scientists from different states of India presented projects on the focal theme “Planet Earth: explore care and share” ,out of which 25 projects had been selected for the national panel of 25 child scientists. Assam girl Santana Bora of Sonitpur presented a project on “Molasses from musa balbiciana”,( Bhimkalor Gur) while Jayashree Barua also from Sonitpur presented the project on “Egg shell :the golden waste” .Both the girl’s projects could draw special appreciation from media and noted scientists of the country during the National Children’s Science Congress/2009.

Udalguri district administration’s unique plan to popularize science among children.

Udalguri(India) district administration’s unique plan to popularize science among children.


In order to popularize science and technology among people of the district ,particularly among the students and children, Udalguri district administration has taken up a few unique schemes like arrangement of district level science meet; tracking in the Khalingduar Reserve Forest, introduction of district level excellence award for child scientists and display of best science models on Republic Day and Independence Day programmes at Udalguri every year. Talking to this correspondent Dr.S.S. Meenakshi Sundaram, Deputy Commissioner of the district said on December 22nd that the new schemes and awards would motivate students and children of the district to take interest in science and technology. He said that Udalguri district administration had been giving excellence awards to distinguished persons in the field of public service, public administration and public security since 2008, twice in a year ie on Independence Day and Republic Day. He said that another fourth category of excellence award for child scientists would be added to the existing scheme from 2010.The excellence award for child scientists would be awarded to the child of the district who would show excellence in the state or national level science competitions in the field of science, technology and conservation of nature and wildlife. According to the Deputy Commissioner ,a selection committee had been formed with DC Udalguri as the chairman; Indra Kalita SDO (S) Udalguri as Executive Chairman; Bhakta Chetri, Principal, Ramswarup Agarwalla Memorial English School as the Vice Chairman; Jayanta Kumar Das,District Coordinator NCSC Udalguri as member secretary; Nitu Deka (teacher) and Rabindra Rava (journalist) as members. The DC also said that district administration would sponsor a tracking expedition to Jalimukh in Khalingduar Reserve Forest,an enchanting place at the source of Nonoi river on Indi-Bhutan international border in January 2010, in association with forest, SSB and police .He further said that five students from each of the six development blocks of the district namely –Kalaigaon, Udalguri, Mazbat, Bhergaon,Khoirabari and Rowta would be selected on the basis of their performances in respective fields to take part in the tracking.

Another meeting of the district coordination committee of Aryabhatta Science Centres of the district was held at DC’s conference hall on December 22nd at 11 pm to discuss arrangement of the district level competitions on science based model, extempore speech and poster drawing competition. The meeting which was presided over by Mihir Barua, ADC Udalguri and Nodal Officer of the competition decided to arrange the district level science meet on January 28 2010 at Ramswarup A.M.E. School with day long programme. The meeting also decided to invite Dr.S.K.Choudhuri, Director of ASTEC, Guwahati to attend the programme as the chief guest. The meeting was attended by all the developmental block level coordinators of Aryabhatta Science Centres and District Education Officer Udalguri. The first and second position holders would participate in the state level competition to be held in the month of February or March 2010.