Assam’s Eviction Drives: Ripple Effects Across Northeast India

The Assam government''s intensified eviction campaign—primarily targeting alleged encroachments on government and forest land by Bengali-speaking Muslims—has sparked political controversy and heightened regional tensions. The impact of these actions is being felt not only within Assam but also in inter-State relations across the Northeast.

Origins and Timeline of Eviction Drives

Political Context and Government Agenda:

• The ruling party in Assam assumed power in 2016 with the slogan to safeguard jaati (community), maati (land), and bheti (hearth).
• The first significant eviction operation took place in September 2016, following a directive from the Gauhati High Court to clear forest areas around Kaziranga National Park.

Key Developments:

• In 2021, an eviction at Gorukhuti in Darrang district turned violent, resulting in two civilian deaths and raising human rights concerns.
• The campaign resumed in June 2025, amid mounting corruption allegations against the government, including suspected irregularities in a Gir cow distribution project in Gorukhuti.

Socio-Political Underpinnings of the Eviction Policy

Narratives and Target Communities:

• The eviction drive forms part of a long-standing anti-infiltration narrative, particularly aimed at Bengali-speaking Muslims, often labeled pejoratively as “Bangladeshi” or “Miya.”
• The current ruling party accuses its predecessors of facilitating illegal settlements to consolidate vote banks.

Historical Foundations:

• The state''s stance draws from the Assam Agitation (1979–1985).
• The Assam Accord established March 24, 1971, as the official cut-off date for identifying and deporting illegal immigrants.

Escalation and Communal Polarisation

Widening Scope of Evictions:

• While Bengali-speaking Muslims are the primary target, other communities have also been affected.
• In 2022, an eviction at Silsako Beel, a prominent wetland in Guwahati, saw the demolition of homes belonging to 130 families, including non-Muslims.

Casualties and Justifications:

• From 2016 to July 2025, at least five individuals have died in the course of these eviction operations.
• Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has invoked terms like “land jihad”, justifying the drive with data:
• 15,288.52 bighas of satra (Vaishnav monastery) land allegedly encroached by individuals with questionable citizenship.
• 3,620.9 sq km of forestland under encroachment as of March 2024.

Legal Protections and Resettlements:

• Forest Rights Act (2006) protects tribal communities settled before 2005.
• Some Ahom families, evicted alongside Muslims, were given priority in resettlement.

Regional Impact and Reactions from Neighbouring States

Heightened Border Vigilance:

• States such as Nagaland, Manipur, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, and Mizoram have tightened border controls.
• NGOs in Nagaland accused Assam of forcibly relocating evictees into their territory.

Preventive Measures:

• Nagaland police intercepted around 200 vehicles transporting suspected illegal settlers.
• Certain extremist groups in Nagaland formed task forces to patrol and secure border areas.
• Neighboring states also made Inner Line Permit regulations more stringent.

Evictions Amid Inter-State Border Disputes

Territorial Encroachments:

• Assam’s eviction campaign intersects with unresolved inter-State border conflicts, especially where alleged migrants have settled.
• Approximately 83,000 hectares of Assam’s land is claimed to be under occupation by Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Nagaland, and Meghalaya.

Mutual Accusations and Pushbacks:

• These states claim Assam is using migrants to alter demographics in disputed zones.
• In retaliation, they have initiated their own eviction drives, pushing alleged migrants back into Assam.

Judicial Directive:

• On July 30, 2025, the Gauhati High Court mandated the formation of high-level committees across all five states to coordinate evictions from forest areas.

Conclusion

What began as an administrative measure in Assam has evolved into a highly politicized, regionally sensitive operation, influencing ethnic dynamics, inter-State relations, and governance along fragile borders.

The ongoing eviction drives underscore a delicate balancing act between land rights, environmental preservation, identity politics, and human rights in the complex socio-political landscape of Northeast India.

UK’s Recognition of Palestine: A Diplomatic Turning Point in Global Geopolitics

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced that the United Kingdom will officially recognise the State of Palestine during the upcoming UN General Assembly in September, unless Israel agrees to three key conditions:

1. A ceasefire in Gaza,
2. Increased humanitarian aid access, and
3. A genuine commitment to a two-state peace process.

This marks a major shift in British foreign policy and could become a decisive moment in international diplomacy regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Rising Global Support for Palestinian Statehood

Momentum Building Among Western Allies:

• Following the UK’s announcement, French President Emmanuel Macron also pledged that France would recognise Palestine in September.
• Canada and Portugal have voiced similar intentions.
• Amid the ongoing 21-month Gaza conflict, Israel is experiencing growing diplomatic isolation, as several long-standing Western allies re-evaluate their positions on Palestinian statehood.

A Diplomatic Watershed: Shifting International Consensus

Changing International Dynamics:

• Currently, 147 out of 193 UN member states recognise Palestine.
• Historically, major Western powers withheld recognition, arguing it should follow a final peace agreement.
• This position is now evolving. Both Russia and China—permanent members of the UN Security Council (UNSC)—already recognise Palestine.

Implications of UK and France Recognition:

• If the UK and France formalise their pledges, the United States will stand as the only P5 member (permanent UNSC member) opposing recognition.
• This would diplomatically isolate Washington, particularly as G7 powers like Britain, France, and Canada begin to align in support of Palestinian statehood.
• Britain''s decision holds particular historical weight, given its foundational role in the Israel-Palestine conflict.

Historical Context: The Balfour Declaration’s Legacy

Foundational British Role in Zionist History:

• The Balfour Declaration, issued in November 1917 by British Foreign Secretary Arthur Balfour to Zionist leader Lord Lionel Walter Rothschild, marked the first official British support for a Jewish national home in Palestine.
• At the time, Palestine was under Ottoman control, and Jews made up just 9% of the population.
• The declaration was politically motivated—Britain sought to gain global Jewish support during World War I.
• Earlier schemes, such as the Uganda Plan (1903) proposing an alternative Jewish homeland, had been discarded.
• Endorsed later by the United States, the Balfour Declaration became a pivotal moment for Zionist legitimacy and shaped the future geopolitical landscape of the region.

Britain’s Post-War Influence and the Creation of Israel

Mandate, Migration, and Conflict:

• After World War I, Britain navigated contradictory promises: advocating both for a Jewish homeland and for Arab independence.
• Behind the scenes, the Sykes-Picot Agreement (a secret pact with France) divided the Ottoman Empire’s territories between European powers.
• Under a League of Nations Mandate, Britain administered Palestine, enabling significant Jewish immigration and the establishment of parallel Jewish institutions, including armed paramilitary groups.
• By the end of World War II, Jews composed 30% of the population in Palestine.
• Concluding that the Mandate was no longer viable, Britain endorsed partition.
• In 1947, Britain informed the UN it would end its mandate by May 15, 1948.
• On May 14, 1948, Zionist leaders declared Israel’s independence, which was promptly recognised by the U.S., igniting the First Arab-Israeli War.

Britain’s Recognition of Palestine: A Symbolic Reversal

A Historic Policy Shift:

• The UK’s planned recognition of Palestine—108 years after the Balfour Declaration—is highly symbolic, particularly given Britain’s deep historical involvement in the conflict.
• While the move may not immediately change the reality of Israel’s occupation, it signals a significant policy reorientation.
• With global condemnation of Israel intensifying—amid allegations of genocide and harrowing images from Gaza—the unconditional support previously extended by the UK and other Western nations is becoming politically and morally unsustainable.
• Britain’s new position reflects international pressure for a more balanced and equitable approach to the Palestinian cause

Wind Farms in the Thar Desert Report World''s Highest Bird Mortality Rate

A recent study has revealed that wind energy installations in India’s Thar Desert are responsible for the highest recorded bird mortality rates globally, raising serious concerns about the ecological costs of renewable energy expansion.

Introduction: Renewable Energy and Unintended Consequences

India''s rapid transition to renewable energy—driven by its climate goals and increasing power needs—has come with a significant ecological downside.
A study by the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) highlights the alarming toll on bird populations in the Thar Desert, where large-scale wind energy infrastructure threatens several avian species, including the critically endangered Great Indian Bustard.

Study Findings: Bird Deaths in the Thar Desert

Survey Scope and Methodology:

• Published in Nature Scientific Reports, the study covered a 3,000 sq. km area in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, which hosts approximately 900 wind turbines and supports over 270 bird species.
• Researchers performed seven multi-season field surveys around 90 randomly selected turbines, within a 150-meter radius, where they recorded 124 bird carcasses.

Mortality Estimates:

• The estimated annual bird mortality is 4,464 birds per 1,000 sq. km, after adjusting for scavenger interference and terrain-related detection limitations.
• In comparison, control sites located 500 to 2,000 meters away from turbines showed zero bird deaths, confirming that the wind turbines were the direct cause.
• The monthly death rate per turbine was calculated at 1.24 birds, which is substantially higher than previous findings from Kutch and Davangere, where rates were just 0.47 birds per turbine per year.

Species at Risk and Regional Ecological Sensitivity

Flyway Importance and Habitat Risk:

• The Thar Desert is a critical segment of the Central Asian Flyway, one of the major migratory routes for Eurasian birds.
• It also functions as an essential wintering ground, making it especially vulnerable to turbine-related bird fatalities.

High-Risk Species:

• Raptors, in particular, face increased risk due to their slow reproductive rates, long lifespans, and soaring flight patterns, which put them directly in the path of spinning turbine blades.
• For endangered species, these additional mortalities can have severe population-level consequences.

Mitigation Strategies to Reduce Bird Fatalities

Experts recommend multiple mitigation approaches to minimise bird deaths:

Visual and Operational Interventions:

• Blade painting: Coloring one blade black enhances turbine visibility for birds.
• Timed shutdowns: Temporarily stopping turbines during migration seasons or early mornings reduces collision risk.

Site Selection and Sensitivity Mapping:

• Pre-construction site assessment is considered the most effective solution.
• The Avian Sensitivity Tool for Energy Planning (AVISTEP), developed by BirdLife International, classifies potential wind farm areas into low, moderate, high, and very high sensitivity zones for bird life.
• However, AVISTEP should be used alongside detailed field-level studies for more accurate planning.

Regulatory Shortcomings:

• Despite the grave impacts, onshore wind energy projects in India are not required to conduct Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) before installation—a regulatory gap that experts say needs urgent attention.

Offshore Wind Energy: A New Frontier with Its Own Challenges

National Targets and Coastal Potential:

• India is now focusing on offshore wind as a less land-intensive alternative.
• The government has set a target of 30 GW of offshore wind capacity by 2030, with 4 GW of bids already invited in Gujarat and Tamil Nadu.
• With 7,600 km of coastline and 2.3 million sq. km of exclusive economic zones, India has vast offshore wind potential.

Opportunities and Cautions:

• According to the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW), developing offshore capacity—especially in Gujarat—can help stabilise grid reliability during peak loads.
• However, experts caution that marine ecosystems may suffer:
• Offshore infrastructure can disturb marine habitats, raise underwater noise levels, and reduce water quality.
• The EIA report for the Gulf of Khambhat documented sensitive species like dolphins and sharks, warning of serious construction-related disturbances.

Need for Stronger Ecological Assessments:

• While EIAs are mandatory for offshore wind projects, concerns persist about the depth, duration, and accuracy of ecological evaluations.
• This is especially crucial in biodiverse coastal areas like Gujarat, which lies along both the Central Asian Flyway and the African-Eurasian Flyway, making it a critical habitat for migratory birds.

Conclusion

The Thar Desert wind farms underscore a critical paradox in the global energy transition: while renewable energy is essential for combating climate change, its implementation must be carefully managed to avoid devastating ecological impacts.
India’s current policies must evolve to balance energy development with biodiversity conservation, both on land and at sea.

Matri Van Initiative

Launch and Leadership

The Matri Van initiative was recently inaugurated in a ceremonial event led by the Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, and the Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs.

Program Details

• Part of the "Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam" campaign.
• Designed as a theme-based urban forest, to be developed on 750 acres in the Aravalli Hills.
• Aims to create a nature-inspired ecological and cultural space to promote biodiversity, urban sustainability, and public wellness.

Collaborative Approach

The initiative will involve:

• CSR contributors
• Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs)
• NGOs
• Multinational Corporations (MNCs)
• Schoolchildren
• Government agencies

Key Features

• Eradication of invasive species such as Kabuli Kikar (Prosopis juliflora)
• Plantation of native trees like Dhak and Amaltash along the Gurugram-Faridabad Road
• Development of theme-based groves to restore local flora
• Infrastructure for public use, including:
• Nature trails
• Cycling tracks
• Yoga zones
• Gazebos and seating
• Public amenities
• Parking at four corners
• Treated water irrigation systems, misting, sprinklers
• Water bodies for conservation and urban flood control

Kopili River and National Waterway-57

Recent Development

The Kopili River in Assam has been officially designated as National Waterway-57, marking a historic advancement in riverine trade and sustainable transport in Northeast India.

Geographical Profile

• Source: Originates in the Saipong Reserve Forest, Borail Range, North Cachar Hills district at an altitude of 1,525 meters.
• Length: 256 km, including:
• 78 km forming the Assam-Meghalaya border
• 178 km flowing within Assam
• Type: Interstate river flowing through Meghalaya and Assam
• Importance: Largest south bank tributary of the Brahmaputra in Assam

Regions Covered

The river flows through:

• North Cachar Hills
• Karbi Anglong
• Nagaon
• Morigaon

Agricultural Importance

In areas such as Kamrup district, the river supports the cultivation of six major crop types:

• Winter rice
• Summer rice
• Autumn rice
• Mustard
• Rape seed
• Wheat

Mahanadi River Dispute

Recent Developments

After years of legal confrontation in a dedicated tribunal regarding water-sharing arrangements, the states of Odisha and Chhattisgarh have now shown readiness to resolve the Mahanadi River dispute through mutual dialogue and cooperation.

About the Mahanadi River

• Significance: One of the major east-flowing rivers of peninsular India, traversing primarily through Chhattisgarh and Odisha.
• Water Potential: It ranks second only to the Godavari River in terms of water potential among peninsular rivers.

Geographical Details

• Origin: Emerges from the Sihawa hills in Dhamtari district, Chhattisgarh.
• Flow: Moves eastward, carving a deep ravine through the Eastern Ghats, and enters the plains of Odisha near Cuttack before finally draining into the Bay of Bengal at False Point via multiple distributaries near Paradip.
• Length: Approximately 860 kilometers.
• Boundaries:
• North: Central Indian hills
• South and East: Eastern Ghats
• West: Maikal Range
• Basin Area: Covers 1,41,589 sq. km, accounting for nearly 4.3% of India''s total geographical area.
• States Covered: Mainly Chhattisgarh and Odisha, with smaller parts of Jharkhand, Maharashtra, and Madhya Pradesh.
• Major Cities Along Its Course: Includes Raipur, Sambalpur, and Cuttack.
• Sediment Activity: Known as one of India’s most active silt-depositing rivers.

Tributaries

The river is fed by several important tributaries:

• Seonath
• Jonk
• Hasdeo
• Mand
• Ib
• Ong
• Tel

Hirakud Dam

• Located about 15 km from Sambalpur, Odisha.
• Recognized as the world’s longest earthen dam (measuring 26 km).
• Serves multiple purposes: irrigation, flood control, and electricity generation.

Link to Chilika Lake

• Chilika Lake, a Ramsar-designated wetland, receives around 61% of its inland freshwater from the Mahanadi system, particularly via its distributaries Daya and Bhargabi.

Denotified, Nomadic, and Semi-Nomadic Tribes (DNT/NT/SNTs)

Current Developments

Recent national-level conferences in New Delhi have intensified demands for the formation of a permanent national commission dedicated to the welfare and rights of Denotified, Nomadic, and Semi-Nomadic Tribes.

• Who Are They?

Denotified Tribes (DNTs)

• Previously classified as “criminal tribes” under the Criminal Tribes Act, 1871 during British rule.
• Once notified, entire communities were forced to register with local authorities and were presumed guilty of criminal conduct.
• Post-Independence, the Act was repealed in 1952, and these tribes were “denotified”.

Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Tribes

• These groups lack permanent settlements and typically migrate for livelihood purposes.
• They historically relied on common lands, forests, and grazing fields for survival.
• Most of them remain economically disadvantaged, socially marginalized, and lack land or home ownership.

• Population and Community Details

• Denotified Tribes: Around 150 distinct groups.
• Nomadic Tribes: Approximately 500 communities.
• Combined, they make up nearly 10% of India’s population.

Governmental Initiatives and Commissions

Idate Commission (2014–2017)

• Established by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
• Led by Bhiku Ramji Idate, the commission was tasked with:
• Creating a state-wise list of DNT/NT/SNT communities.
• Recommending welfare measures for both state and central governments.
• Resulted in the Development and Welfare Board for Denotified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Communities (DWBDNCs) in 2019, to execute welfare programs.

Renke Commission (2008)

• One of the earlier efforts to identify and document DNT communities.

SEED Scheme – Scheme for Economic Empowerment of DNTs

• Launched by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
• Eligibility: Families with an annual income below ₹2.5 lakh, not availing benefits from similar schemes.

Key Objectives:

• Free coaching for competitive exams.
• Health insurance coverage.
• Livelihood assistance and community-level development.
• Housing aid, including financial support for constructing homes.
• Budget: ₹200 crore allocated for FY 2021–22 to FY 2025–26.

Investor Education and Protection Fund Authority (IEPFA)

Overview

The Investor Education and Protection Fund Authority (IEPFA) is currently in the final testing phase of its new Integrated Portal—a centralized digital platform intended to simplify the process of filing claims and improve access for both investors and companies.

Establishment and Role

• Formed in 2016 under the Companies Act, 2013, IEPFA operates under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs.
• It manages the Investor Education and Protection Fund (IEPF) and is tasked with promoting financial awareness and safeguarding investor interests.

• Functions

IEPFA’s primary responsibilities include:

• Processing refunds related to unclaimed dividends, shares, matured deposits and debentures, etc.
• Advancing investor education across the country through awareness campaigns.

Key Initiatives

• Niveshak Didi
• Niveshak Panchayat
• Niveshak Shivir
  These flagship programs aim to empower citizens with financial knowledge and foster a financially literate society.

Sources of the IEPF

The Fund accumulates resources from financial instruments that remain unclaimed for seven years, including:

• Unpaid dividends
• Refundable application money
• Matured deposits and debentures
• Interest income from the fund

Donations or grants from government and other entities