In the midst of COVID-19 lockdown, desert locust swarms have been seen in parts of Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana and Madhya Pradesh in the second half of May 2020. The recent attacks by desert locust swarms have caused massive crop damage, depletion in the stock of cattle fodder and destruction of green vegetation in these states. As on 25th May, 2020, over half of Rajasthan’s 33 districts were...

-The Hindu Following the agreement allowing some 35,000 displaced Bru tribal people to settle permanently in Tripura, tension is brewing between the Brus and the non-tribal Bengali residents who worry that they will become refugees in the State. Rahul Karmakar reports on the challenges to secure suitable land for both Anandabazar, a commercial centre in northern Tripura’s Reang tribal domain, means Market of Happiness. Given by Bengali refugees from present-day Bangladesh during...

-The Indian Express Some fear such a census will “further marginalise” the descendants of Bengali-speaking migrants in Assam Guwahati: Assam’s Welfare of Minorities Minister Ranjit Dutta has confirmed the state’s plans to implement a census to identify Assam’s ‘khilonjiya’, or indigenous Muslim population, this year. On Tuesday, Dutta will meet with various representatives of the indigenous Assamese Muslim community to seek their “suggestions” in finalising the framework of the census. “A sum of...

-The Telegraph Bengalis living in Assam would lose all rights and privileges if Clause 6 of the Accord was implemented Hailakandi: The central committee of Barak Upatyaka Banga Sahitya O Sanskriti Sammelan on Thursday expressed concern over implementation of Assam Accord. The committee said Bengalis living in the state would lose all rights and privileges if Clause 6 of the Accord was implemented. Clause 6 says, “Constitutional, legislative and administrative safeguards, as may...

-The Hindu Kolkata too witnessed road blockade and disruption in traffic movement over the last few days. Violence continued in West Bengal on Sunday despite repeated appeals by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for peace. From parts of Howrah, Murshidabad and adjacent areas of Kolkata, the protest spread to Nadia, North 24 Paraganas and parts of Bardhaman. Internet services were stopped in six districts. Officials said the violence was “largely sporadic”, confined to...