VOL 01 | ISSUE 16 | JAN 18 - JAN 24, 2014
`10 ges 24 Pa
`5Cr OR JUST ANOTHER
IRC MEET
BRAINSTORMING PG02 SESSION?
drugs City teens falling prey to
Ashlee Simpson Catching Up, Pg 24
Getting Knotty
Modi triggers TET change PG
04
5 Things
To Look At Before You Buy Insurance For Your Vehicle PG
14
PG
PG03
10
In conversation with
PC SORCAR
2
G PLUS JAN 18 - JAN 24, 2014
Lead Story
`5Cr
IRC MEET OR JUST ANOTHER
BRAINSTORMING SESSION?
The Indian road congress (IRC) is going to organise its 74th annual session at Guwahati from January 18, 2014.
D
ilapidated conditions of the roads have always been a major hindrance to progress in the entire Northeastern region including Assam. With an aim to convert those roads into carriers of growth, the Indian road congress (IRC) is going to organise its 74th annual session at Guwahati from January 18, 2014. The five-day session, organised with the initiatives of state public work department (buildings and NHs and roads) will witness participation from a host of dignitaries (around 3000 engineers) in the fields of civil infrastructure, members of IRC from state and central government, public and private sector organisations across India and abroad. The state government has sanctioned an amount of Rs 5 Cr for the event. “It is a fact that road network in NE states is still under-developed in comparison with the other developed states of the country. The states of Assam and other NE states are still lagging behind in development of agriculture, horticulture and industrial sector. Both the state government and the central government have given stress on integrated development of road network with a vision to materialise the Look east policy. At the same time, there is need to connect and develop the missing link in the road sector of the state,” B.N. Bhattacharjee, additional chief engineer, planning, PWD who is the press and publicity chairman of 74th IRC annual session, said in a press statement. The organisers of the IRC have also agreed on putting continuous efforts to develop the state in the next 20 years to an all India level.
Till 2005, Assam had only 180 kms of national highway (Guwahati bypass) with proper crust thickness of the required NH standard. With the introduction of SARDP-NE in the state in the year 2006, NH networks are being improved to the required standards.
The IRC was set up in December, 1934 by the Government of India
Objectives of IRC To promote and encourage the science and practice of building and road construction and their maintenance - To provide a channel for the expression of col-
lective opinion of its members regarding roads and bridges
- To promote the use of standard specifications Elaborating the problems related to the developmental aspects of the state, Bhattacharjee also stated, “Prolonged monsoon periods, short working season, large flood prone areas and insufficient construction materials are some of the major hurdles in the development of the road sector” Till 2005, Assam had only 180 kms of national highway (Guwahati bypass) with proper crust thickness of the required NH standard. With the introduction of SARDP-NE in the state in the year 2006, NH networks are being improved to the required standards. Since the beginning of the SARDP-NE programme, a total length of 333.0 km of NH in the state has been developed to 2-lane with paved shoulder (10.0 meters carriageway) “In the road sectors, out of total length of 45500 km comprising SH, MDR and rural roads, 22700 km has been blacktopped so far and out of 6553 nos of timber bridges, 3303
nos have been converted into RCC bridges under different state and central government schemes. As on date, 14301 km of rural roads have been completed under PMGSY scheme and balance 1607 km remains to be completed out of sanctioned length so far. 28 nos of NHs with a total length of 3069.22 km pass through Assam, out of which 1908.0 km is constructed and maintained by Assam PWD,” the press statement mentioned. Besides, the annual event of IRC will also witness a technical exhibition cum buyer seller meet at the Sarusajai stadium. The meet will offer exposure to emergent technologies, new ideas and concepts, modern equipments and machineries. It will also have interactive interface with various development authorities and eminent professionals with special emphasis on highway engineering, bridge engineering and road safety. It will come to an end on 22nd of January.
and to propose specifications
- To advise regarding education, experiment and
research connected with roads and bridges
- To hold periodical meetings, discuss technical
questions regarding roads and bridges
- To suggest legislation for the development, im-
provement and protection of roads and bridges
- To suggest improved methods of administra-
tion, planning design, construction, operation use and maintenance of roads and bridges
-
To establish, furnish and maintain libraries and museums for furthering the science of road making
- To publish or arrange for the publication of
proceedings, journals, periodicals and other literature for the promotion of the objectives of the IRC
3
G PLUS JAN 18 - JAN 24, 2014
G-View
City teens falling prey to Rahul Chanda
A
national study on drug abuse among children has found that Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram have the highest percentage of heroin, inhalants and injectable drug users respectively. The study, conducted by the All India Institute of Medical Sciences and National Drug Dependence Treatment Centre, New Delhi, in 27 states and two Union territories, found that 88.6 per cent children drug users interviewed in Mizoram used injectable drugs while 68.3 per cent children inhalant users were from Tripura. Meghalaya had the highest proportion of heroin users (27.3 per cent). Guwahati is just 100 kilometres away from Shillong, and the condition out here too, looks grim.
Age concern
It has been seen that earlier, the rehabilitation centres in Guwahati used to get patients who were mostly middle aged. Now though, the rehabs every now and then encounter cases of minors suffering from addiction. A city based NGO KRIPA foundation Project Director Deepak Sahney informed us that in seven years of work he has done in Guwahati, he discovered that these days, the minors in the city are getting exposed to drugs very early. He said, “I previously only used to get patients who were middle aged, but these days, every now and then, I receive phone calls about minors being addicted to drugs. We not to taking too many minors in as patients, as it might hamper their education. But when required we do try to cure them”.
Women woes
It is also shocking to know that in Guwahati there is not even a single rehab centre for women. According to Sahney, many young girls of the city are falling prey to drugs and their parents, friends and family members keep on looking for a rehabilitation centre for them. They finally have to send them to places like Pune, Bangalore, Mumbai and Hyderabad. It is an expensive affair to take patients out of the state and cure them, but people do not really have a choice.
Cost factor
Like hospitals charge a lot, even rehabs have a fees structure to provide all the required amenities to the patients. KRIPA foundation has an intake capacity of 35 people and every patient has to pay seven to eight thousand per month. Similarly, there are some other rehabilitation centres
drugs Major drug pockets of Guwahati Ulubari
Gandhi Basti Lachit Nagar Ganeshguri Maligaon Uzaan Bazar Panjabari
Drug cost Heroin
Major drugs used in Guwahati Spasmo Proxyvon(SP)
Last Gate
Nitroglycrine(Nitro)
Guwahati Club
Nap10
Bhangagarh
Heroin
1 gram –
`2000 (approx) Pure heroin
1 gram
`5000 (approx)
Brown sugar
Smoke to injection
in Guwahati. They are: A to Z foundation Navjeevan foundation NESPYMO Asha Bhawan It is also shocking to know that there is not even a single government run rehabilitation centre in Guwahati.
Drugs used
Excluding alcohol, marijuana and dendrite, there are some drugs, which are doing the rounds in the Guwahati market. Spasmo Proxyvon(SP), Nitroglycrine(Nitro), Nap10, Heroin and Brown sugar are some of the major drugs being supplied to the addicts in the city. Pharmaceutical drugs like SP, Nitro and Nap10 are consumed as tablets, whereas drugs like Heroin and Brown Sugar are either smoked up or injected in the body.
Pharmaceutical drugs like SP, Nitro and Nap10 are consumed as tablets, whereas drugs like Heroin and Brown Sugar are either smoked up or injected
According to Deepak Sahney, injection is more dangerous than smoking up the drugs. The reason why people start injecting drugs, is that when the addicts start smoking the effect takes lesser time to kick in. But when they get immune to smoking up, they opt for something better. The addicts start injecting the drugs into their body which gives them an instant kick and the quantity which is injected is also far more less than the quantity required to get high after smoking up.
Drug cost
The main drugs used in Guwahati are Heroin. Whatever quality of drug is sold in the city is always polluted and hence it is sold at a cheap rate of approximately Rs 2000 per gram. In the national market, pure heroin costs around Rs 5000. The addicts in the initial stage buy the drugs by managing money from their pockets. Gradually, they start steal-
ing money from their house and after a few days when they become a total addict and hev no other option to arrange the money for the intoxicants, they start indulging themselves in various crimes like chain snatching, kidnapping, robbery, vehicle theft and so on. This tendency gives birth to various criminal nexus in the city.
From the horse’s mouth
Reviewing this entire scenario, GPlus decided to interact with an addict in KRIPA foundation. A 28-years-old addict, who joined KRIPA foundation in the month of March 2013, said that he started taking intoxicants from the age of 14. He said, “I started with alcohol, shifted to ganja and then started pharmaceutical drugs like SP, Nitro and Nap10. When I was 21 years old, I started taking Heroin through one of my friend and got addicted to it. Initially, I was introduced to a pedlar by my friend, but after buying the intoxicant, I had to share it with my friend. So, I made a good relation with the pedlar and started buying it individually.
Pedlar and the city drug pockets
The 28-year-old said that in Guwahati you will never be able to know the main locations of the pedlars. He said, “They have a big racket and are always moving all over Guwahati. We used to contact them over the phone and get the stuff wherever we used to call the pedlars. The major pockets I used to buy drugs from in Guwahati are Ulubari, Gandhi Basti, Lachit Nagar, Ganeshguri, Maligaon, Uzaan Bazar, Panjabari, Last Gate, Guwahati Club and Bhangaghar.” Enquiring will he help the cops to get hold of the pedlars, he replied, “I don’t want to die. You can never stop the pedlars from selling drugs as this is their bread and butter.” KRIPA foundation project director Deepak Sahney said, “Drug abuse can be curbed in the city by reducing the demand and supply of the intoxicants.” He explained that supply can be taken care of by the government and the cops, whereas the supply part can only be taken care of, by increasing the awareness level among the kids and the youth by proper education and also efficient care taken by the parents. In modern times it is been observed that parents do not have time for their children, and unfortunately they fall prey to drugs. How can the racket or the nexus be totally busted and barred from further distributing the poison among Guwahatians? What more can the government seriously do to help the addicts, so that they are no more lured by the pedlars and become an earning source for the illegal drug market in the city?
4
G PLUS JAN 18 - JAN 24, 2014
In The News
Modi’s Ghy visit triggers TET change
Has Narendra Modi’s scheduled visit made the State Government shift the TET exams from Sunday to Saturday? G PLUS NETWORK
A
lthough Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi had challenged Narendra Modi to come to the Northeast and secure a victory here, also mentioning that “Modi magic won’t work in Assam”, he seems to be pretty much concerned over Modi’s maiden public rally scheduled for the 8th of February in Guwahati. The Gogoi government’s decision to hold TET examinations on 8th February coinciding with Modi’s rally seems to give a clear indication that Gogoi is extremely worried about Modi’s rally as well as the emerging Modi wave across the country. The state government has always been holding TET examinations on Sundays and this is for the first time that the TET examination will be held on a Saturday. It surely looks like a deliberate move on the part the state Government to ensure that youth in large numbers remain busy appearing for the TET examination instead of attending Modi’s rally. If that is the intention, then It is very unfortunate that the TET aspirants this time, are being used as a political weapon by the ruling government which may eventually cause more damage to the ruling party than good. Secondly, it will give enough advantage to Modi to hit back at the Gogoi government on the move to hold the TET examination on his rally day. There is no denying the fact that Modi has already won the hearts of
millions of people of this country, which has been endorsed by various surveys conducted by media houses as well as political parties. Enough of curiosity has already been created about Narendra Modi all over the country. So it is obvious for people in large number to flock to the rally ground on the 8th of February in Guwahati. Only time will tell whether, such curiosity will turn in to votes for Modi and BJP
to form Government at the centre. Inside information from the state BJP confirmed that Modi’s rally will be a grand success with over 3 lakh people expected to attend it. Sources also confirmed that the venue might become rather small to accommodate all the people who are expected to attend the rally. The situation may even be such that to make Modi’s speech reach out to everyone conveniently,
Modi’s rally, besides surprising the ruling Congress may also surprise some other political parties as well as disturb the political equations in the state. Speculations are also rife that highly placed sources have confirmed that a large number of AGP members may join BJP at the rally venue in presence of Narendra Modi on the 8th February.
it may be necessary to put up digital screens at various nook and crannies of the city. Modi’s rally, besides surprising the ruling Congress may also surprise some other political parties as well as disturb the political equations in the state. Speculations are also rife that highly placed sources have confirmed that a large number of AGP members may join BJP at the rally venue in presence of Narendra Modi on the 8th February. If this turns out to true then it will be a telling blow to the already faltering regional party. With rumours abound that some of its most senior leaders are contemplating a jump to BJP, the AGP will be left with a huge void. This being said, the BJP would also look at this as an opportunity to up their image and stronghold in Assam, which has not been that impressive over the years with a lack of leadership. Whatever be the scene with the different political parties, the Modi rally looks set to create major waves in the political atmosphere. If the TET examination date change is the result of Modi’s visit, then the Congress seems to be taking the BJP threat quite seriously and the upcoming LS Polls is sure to make for some exciting viewing and speculation.
5
G PLUS JAN 18 - JAN 24, 2014
Guwahati markets flooded with fake Eri clothes
City
Cheaper and lower quality fabric making life difficult for the traditional Assamese silk and its producers. MRINMOYEE HAZARIKA
L
ack of awareness and ignorance about genuine Eri clothes among the consumers has posed a huge threat to the very existence of the poor person’s silk. Taking advantage of this ignorance in people, outstation traders, especially from Bihar have been trading counterfeit silk in the name of Eri silk, found in the Northeastern region of the country. The traders from the Bhagalpur area of Bihar are being alleged of importing Eri cocoons from Assam and exporting some other yarns, commonly known as ‘Bihari yarn’, to Assam and instigated the local weavers to use it. The weavers from South Kamrup and other rural areas of the state too have started blending Bihari yarn with Eri yarn because of its low cost and trading it as genuine Eri fabric. “Almost all the cloth stores in Guwahati are now trading fake Eri clothes as genuine ones. The traders are selling it because of its cheap rate and high profit value,” Narmohan Das, a silk trader who is involved in promoting Eri silk said. He also mentioned that even the government run outlets like Artfed and AGMC (Assam government Marketing Corporation) were also trading in these fake fabrics as genuine Eri clothes. “After 2007, the demand for Eri silk has grown globally and it is even being considered as an alternative for Pashmina silk because to acquire Pashmina fibres, one has to kill the infant goats found in high altitudes of the Himalayas in Nepal, Pakistan and Northern India. But Eri is an eco-friendly fibre and no slaughter is
“
Almost all the cloth stores in Guwahati are now trading fake Eri clothes as genuine ones. The traders are selling it because of its cheap rate and high profit value”
Eri yarn production in 2008-09 in Assam in 2011-12 in Assam
Photos: Madhumita Phukan
done to produce it. Eri clothes do not cause any skin diseases. But it takes a lot of effort to spin and weave these handmade Eri clothes. Therefore, in order to gain more easy profit, some unscrupulous traders from and outside the state have started making fake Eri clothes,” Chandan Keshab, a trader from Boko in Kamrup district said. Around 90% of the eri cocoons of the world are produced in Assam and villages like Bijoynagar, Boko, Chaygaon etc in rural Kamrup, Goalpara and Kokrajhar districts are known as the hub of Eri industry. Rural people, mostly women, are involved in this industry and they belong to the weaker sections of the society. “Out of the total Eri produced in Assam, 20-15% Eri cocoons are being exported to the mills located in Bhagalpur, Bihar. In order to gain more profit, the weavers too have
1975
784 tonnes
tonnes
Assam government has earmarked Rs 232 crore under the state plan and Rs 138 crore under non-Plan to promote growth in the handloom and sericulture sector during the financial year 2013-14
A genuine pair of eri cloths cost between Rs 3500-7000 A fake pair of eri clothes cost between Rs 1500-2200
started blending Bihari, Thiland and some other yarns with Eri, which had badly affected the reputation of the age-old Eri industry of the state. But, the outside (Bihari) traders have been making Eri clothes from the cocoons imported from Assam and making money out of it and those Bhagalpur made Eri clothes have taken the international markets, thereby posing a threat to the traditional Assamese eri industry,” Chandan Keshab further added. He also stated that the demand for eri is high among the people in Canada. “I have exported approximately 10,000 metres of Eri clothes per year to Canada and it is the minimum amount of Eri clothes that I have exported to the same place.” Both Narmohan Das and Chandan Keshab have criticised the government for not taking enough steps to protect the traditional industry of Assam. “The government are running only different schemes. The government officials do not look into the real picture and confine themselves to the
paper work. We have brought up this issue with the government, but they are too slow to take any significant steps. They have promised us, but so far, we have not seen results of their initiatives. If things go on like this, soon the traditional industry of the state will become extinct,” Both Das and Keshab lamented. Currently, about 4 lakh weavers of the state are involved in the Eri
industry. But as they belong to the weaker section of the society, they cannot afford to take up any steps to curb the fraudulent practices going on with the Eri. “Until and unless the consumers become aware of what they are buying and the government steps in to control the fake markets of Eri, the industry will go into oblivion,” Narmohan Das said.
Concerns - Consumers cannot make out the difference between fake and genuine Eri clothes - Consumers who know the difference between fake and genuine Eri clothes buy the fake clothes because it is cheaper - Creation of artificial crisis for Eri cocoons from time to time Suggestions to protect Eri industry by Muga, an NGO involved in protecting and promoting the industry - Creating awareness on the difference of fake and genuine Eri clothes among the people - Granting GI tag for Eri - Develop Eri villages where the production is done - Raw Eri (both fibre and cocoon) should not be exported. It should be done after fulfilling the local demands - Should stop importing Bihari yarn and other cheap and fake fibres - Concentrate on organised cultivation of Eri leaves - Use of systematic and scientific methods to measure the quality of the Eri clothes - Distribution of germ free eri cocoons to the farmers
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G PLUS JAN 18 - JAN 24, 2014
City
Geetanagar sees zero heinous 10 crimes in 2013 336 195 131 Cases registered
Rahul Chanda
G
eetanagar is another urban area in Guwahati which has people from all around the northeast and even outside this region. The area is five kilometres away from Paltan Bazar. In an interesting achievement, to the area in the last year, Geetanagar Police Station did not register any case pertaining to murder and rape. GPlus reviewed the cases registered in the police station and the crime scenario of the area.
Cases registered
The area registered a total of 336 cases in 2013 which is far lesser than what Dispur registered (2757). Out of these 336 cases, the police succeeded in disposing 195 and a further 131 cases are pending due to further investigation in the police station, whereas 10 cases were transferred to other police stations. It is pretty impressive that the area did not register even a single case of murder or other heinous crime like rape, which explains that the area is safe.
Other cases
Though the area did not witness any major crime, cases of theft, auto theft, burglary and cheating topped
the crime chart. There were 69 cases of theft registered out of which, 51 cases were disposed off successfully and 18 cases are still pending for further investigation. Thirty-seven cases of auto theft were registered, out of which 15 cases were successfully disposed, whereas 21 cases are still pending due to further investigation. Similarly, 31 cases of cheating and 34 cases of burglary were reported respectively. There were also a few cases of suicide, assault, threat and IT Act registered which was calculated under the heading other IPC.
Crime against women
Although there were no rapes reported in the area, some cases of crime against women were registered in the Geetanagar police station. Around nine cases of molestation were registered, out of which six were successfully disposed and three cases are still pending due to further investigation.
Extortion
11 cases of extortion were registered, out of which four cases were disposed off whereas six cases are pending. What needs to be noted is
Cases disposed
that whatever cases are registered in the Guwahati are, extortion has always been a major concern for the entire city. There is a history of major extortion cases in the city and it seems like that in the coming days too, bringing down the cases to null will be a big challenge for the city cops.
Breach of trust
Breach of trust is the simplest felony witnessed in any section of the society. According to police sources, the cases of breach of trust get reported very often. Some register a case and some don’t, but people do tend to get hurt when they discover that they have been cheated by people whom they trusted. Geetanagar police station registered 9 cases of Criminal Breach of Trust, out of which 1 case was successfully disposed, whereas 7 of those are yet to be investigated. One case was transferred to a different police station. With 195 cases successfully disposed out of 336 registered cases, Geetanagar police appears to have done good work in the last year. Zero murder and rape also enhances Geetanagar’s reputation as an ideal area to live in.
Cases pending for investigation
Cases transferred to other police stations
Cases
Pending for Regt. investigation
Final report
Cases charge sheeted
Cases transferred
Theft(general)
69
18
47
4
0
Auto theft
37
21
15
0
1
Cheating
31
18
7
2
4
Burglary
34
14
20
0
0
Torture
8
2
2
3
1
Other IPC
103
33
38
32
0
Counterfeit
2
1
0
0
1
Extortion
11
6
3
1
1
Robbery
6
2
2
1
1
Kidnapping
11
3
6
2
0
Molestation
9
3
3
3
0
Attempt to murder
3
1
1
1
0
Land Grabbing Act
2
1
1
0
0
NDPS Act
1
1
0
0
0
Criminal Breach of Trust
9
7
1
0
1
Total
336
131
146
49
10
7
G PLUS JAN 18 - JAN 24, 2014
City
Road Safety Week concludes G PLUS NETWORK
T
he Road Safety week came to an end on Friday with several awareness programmes conducted in the city by the officials of the state Transport department and district transport office of Kamrup (Metro). However, the officials have expressed concern that people so far have failed to avail the financial assistance and other help provided by the government. Kushal Chandra Hazarika, deputy commissioner of the transport department said that there are several schemes, which can provide much needed assistance to the victims of road accidents. He mentioned that schemes like the Solatium Fund Scheme have to be utilised by the people. “It’s very unfortunate that people hardly take help of the facility provided by the government if they are injured in road accidents or if somebody dies. We have not seen people come up and avail the Solatium Fund Scheme which amply compensates the victims,” Hazarika told G Plus on the
“
It’s very unfortunate that people hardly take help of the facility provided by the government if they are injured in road accidents or if somebody dies. We have not seen people come up and avail the Solatium Fund Scheme which amply compensates the victims,” Kushal Chandra Hazarika, Deputy Commissioner , Transport Department
During the road safety week, at least 450 road accidents have taken place across the state.
Drills and demonstrations undertaken during the traffic safety week
sidelines of the closing ceremony of the Road Safety Week in Guwahati. Under the Motor Vehicles Act 1988, compensation is given to the victims of hit and run accident cases through National Solatium Fund Scheme, 1989. The amount of compensation in respect of death shall be a fixed sum of rupees fifty thousand and in respect of disablement of any person shall be a fixed sum of rupees twenty-five thousand. In case of claims arising out of death, the payment shall be made to the legal representative of the deceased. He also said that the victim just has to apply at the nearest Police Station or Revenue Circle Office even on a plain paper to avail the facility, which is later given through the Deputy Commissioner of respective districts. Such incidents are minimal in the DC office as people are not aware of the fact and the insurance companies too remain silent in this regard so that they don’t need to pay extra to the applicant. Several other activities including mock drill and street plays were performed to create awareness on the safety measures on the road where officials of the department participated. The DTO also carried out several other programmes like providing training to bus drivers and attendants and conducting awareness campaigns includ-
ing the Great Guwahati Walkathon during the week. Bibekananda Das, the outgoing traffic Superintendent of Police of Kamrup Metro said that it’s time the drivers should be extra cautious on the roads to save the lives of thousands. “Almost 78 % accidents take place due to reckless driving. So, just by being a bit more careful, more lives can be saved on the streets. Let’s take a resolution that we will be more careful on the roads from now onwards,” Das said. According to official figures, in 2012, there were at least 6,535 road accidents in the state, killing 2,291 people. The number of deaths in road accidents in 2011 was 2,854, while in 2010 it was 2,498 and in 2009, the figure was 2,499. Though the exact figures for 2013 are yet to be compiled, a source said the figures will be more than 2,200. In Kamrup district alone, 208 persons were killed in 2013 till September and another 246 in 2012. The theme of this year’s road safety week is “When on the road, always say ‘Pehle Aaap’”. The superintendent of Gauahti Medical College Hospital (GMCH) said that the period between the moments of the accident up to the time of reaching the hospital is ‘golden’. “Many lives can be saved if appropriate measures and sincerity is maintained during this period,” he said.
8
G PLUS JAN 18 - JAN 24, 2014
In The News
Legislators pledge to save children from tobacco abuse I n a major step to help check tobacco abuse, MLAs from various parties have pledged to make their respective constituencies tobacco free and save the children of Assam from the menace of tobacco. According to the Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) carried out in 2010, there are 39.3 percent tobacco users as compared to national figure of 34.6 percent. According to the provisions of the Cigarette and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), 2003, it is mandatory for all educational institutions to put up signage mentioning clearly that selling of any tobacco products within 100 yards of institution is strictly prohibited. COTPA also forbids buying or selling of tobacco products by any individual below the age of 18. The Voluntary Health Association of Assam (VHAA), a premier nonprofit organization involved in the field of public and rural health, in as-
Signing a pledge, the MLAs have promised to Make all Educational Institutions Tobacco free
Total prohibition on selling of tobacco products within 100 yards of the educational Institutions Prevent buying or selling of tobacco products by anyone below the age of 18.
sociation with Voice of Tobacco Victims (VOTV) carried out this drive to make the politicians aware about the hazardous impact of tobacco abuse and seek their support towards making a tobacco free state. Renowned oncologist and Director of the Dr. B. Barooah Cancer Institute Dr. A.C. Kataki, who is also a patron of the VOTV observed, “Smoking and chewing tobacco is the single most important risk factor for cancer. 55-60% of all cancers in male and 25-30% in female are tobacco related cancer in this part of this coun-
try. Tobacco is also responsible for cardiovascular disease, stroke, chronic respiratory disease, peripheral vascular disease and has adverse affects on pregnancy and child birth.” Hailing this move, Executive Secretary of the VHAA, Ms. Ruchira Neog observed that without the support and help from the political fraternity, the drive to make Assam tobacco free, cannot be achieved. She also called upon the policy makers to take a firm stand in this regard to ensure a safe, healthy and tobacco free future for children.
Khagen Sharma takes charge as state DGP Profile
Name: Khagen Sharma, IPS (RR 1982) Domicile: Kamrup Date of birth: 1/2/1955 Date of appointment: 3/1/1983 Year of allotment: 1982 RR Date of confirmation: 1/9/1983 (in jr scale) IPS 5/2/1986 (in Sr scale) IPS Education qualification: MA
T
he former DG of Civil Defence and Home Guards, Khagen Sharma, on Friday, formally took charge of the highest post in the state police force. In a brief ceremony organised at the Assam police headquarter in Guwahati, Sharma took over the charge of the prestigious position of DGP. Sharma headed the state police’s Special Branch for more than 15 years. Thereafter was elevated as DG, Home Guards and Civil Defence earlier last year. A 1982 batch IPS officer Sharma has replaced Jayanta Narayan Choudhury, who has been appointed as the new Director General (DG) of the premier ‘black cats’ counter-terror force, is due to retire in May, 2015. In an interactive session held with the media, the new DGP just after taking charge has expressed his goals and aims he wants to carry out during his tenure as the chief of Assam police. Appealing for cooperation and support from all sections of the people, Sharma said, “The main objective of the police is to provide security to the common public. We have been able to bring four insurgent groups of the state to the table and discussions are going on with another twelve such organisations. The relation between the police and public needs to be improved.” In a nine pointer charter of aims and goals, the new DGP has stated that vigorous attention has been given to the counter-insurgency actions in the past and the police did not get
Outgoing DGP JN Choudhury (L) congratulating Khagen Sharma (R), the present DGP of Assam
much time to concentrate on general crimes. But, from now onwards, the same amount of attention will be given to the general crimes like theft, robbery, abduction, illegal smuggling of drugs etc, which have become rampant in the recent times. “I will also try to give attention to provide security to children, women and old people. Besides, scientific measures will be taken up to control traffic and road accidents,” Khagen Sharma said. Highlighting on strengthening and modernisation of police force, he also said, “Providing training and improving the behaviour of the police will be the two other important aspects to be carried out during my tenure.” Regarding the prevailing law and order situation of the state the new
In a nine pointer charter of aims and goals, the new DGP has stated that vigorous attention has been given to the counterinsurgency actions in the past and the police did not get much time to concentrate on general crimes. But, from now onwards, the same amount of attention will be given to the general crimes
DGP said, “Compared to the previous times, the law and order situation has improved. But, there is no complacency. The major militant groups have come to the table and the remaining fractions do not know what to do and what not to. Therefore, they are targeting the common people. Though the problem of insurgency has come down, the level of violence is still there” The new DGP also spared a thought on Paresh Barua and other active militant groups of the state. “If Paresh Barua comes to the table, I will be glad. He has recently called for an alliance of all the insurgency groups of the region including Maoists. Such alliances were called for in the past also and remained unsuccessful. It will be a failure this time too” During his career as an IPS officer, Sarma had served as the SP of the districts of Karimganj, North Cachar Hills and Jorhat and served as the Principal of the Police Training College. He also served as the DIG of Police of the Northern Range before joining the Special Branch as DIG in 1997. He served as DIG, IGP and Additional DG in the Special Branch before tak-
ing over as DG of Civil Defence and Home Guards in August last year. Before handing over the baton to the new DGP, the outgoing DGP, Jayanta Narayan Choudhury expressed grief over the handling of the ethnic violence of BTAD and the panchayat elections in Goalpara district which happened during his tenure as DGP, “The violence of BTAD was a big incident during my tenure. If I get another chance, I would have handled it differently” Regarding the achievement being attained during his tenure as DGP, Choudhury also stated, “The process of change in Assam police started since I took charge and it will improve even more with the appointment of the new DGP. Earlier, the police was busy dealing with insurgency only. Therefore, their approach towards the common public were not favourable, but now the trend of civil policing is improving.” A 1978-batch IPS officer of Assam-Meghalaya cadres, Choudhury has served in the Intelligence Bureau (IB) for a number of years before he took over as Assam police chief last year.
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G PLUS JAN 18 - JAN 24, 2014
In The News
THE WEEK THAT WAS National Youth Day observed in the city National Conference on On the occasion of the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda, The Assam State AIDS Control Society along with the Red Ribbon Clubs of various colleges of the state celebrated the National Youth Day at the Dighalipukhuri premises on January 15. The prime reason behind the function was to enhance awareness against HIV/AIDS especially among the youths. The meeting was inaugurated by noted Assamese singer, Manas Robin who sang a song on HIV/AIDS to inspire the fight against the dreaded disease. Project Director, ASACS, S K Roy has urged many youth organisations to extend their support and cooperation to the awareness drive as they have decided to extend the National Youth Day as a month long event. The month long programme will include a mass rally by all the Red Ribbon Clubs of greater Kamrup and other youth organisations of the state, which will be followed by a mega voluntary blood donation camp in Guwahati.
Guwahati to have seeds vending machines
Seed vending machines, a new concept, will be started in the city within this March. Just by inserting a ten rupee note one can get good quality seeds. The reason behind this innovative idea is to make the city people utilise their rooftops for gardening. The initiative, called the National Vegetable Initiative for Urban Cluster, has been started by the Union government in cities having population of more than 10 lakhs. Under this scheme the citizens of these particular cities will be encouraged to go for rooftop gardens, where apart from regular plants they can also grow hybrid and off season varieties. So to avail good quality seeds easily, the vending machines will be installed install. Khagen Sharma, Senior development officer SH&FP said, that they have brought ten such machines. Though all the locations have not finalised yet, some of the places where the vending machine will be installed are the airport, railway station, ISBT, secretariat and Krishi Bhawan in Khanapara. Depending on the response in those places, they will decide on installing more of them. The machine was demonstrated at the International Agri-Horti show held in Khanapara. One such machine costs Rs three lakh.
Film based on City sex workers
Women’s Issues announced
By providing a national platform to highlight the issues and challenges faced by the women in northeast region, a big seminar is to be observed in the city. Indian Association for Women’s Study (IAWS) joining hands with Gauhati University, is going to organise its 14th National Conference in the University campus from February 4th to 7th. The theme of the conference is ‘Equality, Pluralism and the State: Perspective from the Women’s Movement’. Several issues related to women in the North East will be discussed during the conference. Indu Agnihotri, General Secretary of IAWS said, in spite of the long list of challenges faced by women in contemporary India, IAWS is determined to challenge the dominant discourse by highlighting the plurality of experiences of the multilayered women’s movement and women themselves within the country. The conference will also screen films dealing with social issues with Arup Manna’s ‘Adhyay’ and Rajesh Bhyuan’s ‘Me and My Sister’ being among those. A photography exhibition on women’s participation in freedom movement of Assam will be done.
Giant TVs for Modi rally
As a part of the countrywide election campaigns, Narendra Modi’s next rally is going to be held in Guwahati on February 8. The upcoming election campaign ‘Maha Jagaran Samaroh’ will take place in the College of Veterinary Science, here. Although BJP expect a huge turnout of people at the rally, they still have a plan to put up more than 30 large sized television sets in different locations of the city for the people who cannot make it to the venue. The party wants to make every nook and corner of Guwahati feel the presence of Modi and the television is the medium through which a maximum number of people can be reached. The objective of this rally is to spread the message of making Assam- a state free of ‘fear, hunger and corruption’, said BJP State President Sarbananda Sonowal.
16th International Theatre Festival held in Ghy
Assamese film SHIYOR, based on the local sex workers was screened at a special preview at Gold Cinema, Paltan Bazar on 16th January. This is a Debut film by the director Kangkan Rajkhowa and produced by Sanjive Naraine, who expressed his confidence about the success of the movie across the state. The presence of Bollywood actor Adil Hussain also made the screening special. In his speech he showed his concern over the need of more theatres in the state.
Bids from across the country for City Metro Project Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) has received bids from nine consultancy firms from across the country to carry our feasibility study and prepare a detailed project report for rail-based Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS) project in Guwahati. The consultancy firms which have sent their bids are AECOM ASIA Company Ltd, RITS Ltd and SAU of Gurgaon, Geodata Engineering of Pithampur, Jacobs Engineering India Pvt Ltd of Mumbai, Yooshin Engineering India Pvt Ltd of New Delhi, Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) of Metro Bhawan, New Delhi, Egis Rail of Faridabad and SYSTRA of New Delhi. The tender for the project was invited globally in November last year. M Angamuthu, CEO of GMDA said, they are examining the details of the nine bids that they have received so far. It will take another 10 days to get the final validation. He also added, “We are planning to complete the entire bidding process by February. Only then in March can we start the process the feasibility study for DPR”.
A six day drama festival was organised by Nation’s premier drama institute; National school of drama, New Delhi at Rabindra Bhawan here. The fest went on from 11th January to 16th January, 2014. Plays from foreign countries like Israel, Japan and Sri Lanka were staged at the fest. The show was a part of NSD’s annual drama festival, Bharat Rang Mahotsava, which has 71 of the best theatre group from across the nation and abroad staging plays in 17 languages. The drama festival was inaugurated by Assam Culture Minister, Pranati Phukan and eminent playwright, Tarun Saikia. Six plays were staged, one for each day, of which two were silent plays and rest four were of different languages like, Kannada, English, Marathi and Sinhala. The inaugural play was ‘The Woman didn’t want to come down to Earth’, directed by Gabrielle Neuhaus from Israel. Event coordinator Baharul Islam said, “Since a decade, NSD has been trying to contribute to the growth & development of the theatres across the country and as a part of the initiative, this year they selected Assam & Manipur. These events are called satellite Festivals and intended to give people in different regions of the country an idea of the experiments and developments in other countries”.
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G PLUS JAN 18 - JAN 24, 2014
In Conversation Photo: Rahul Chanda
PC SORCAR ASKS GUWAHATIANS NOT TO CHANGE
G PLUS NETWORK
Magician PC Sorcar Young who is also known as the Leonardo-Da-Vinci of India because of his various talents, visited Guwahati with his son Pouroosh to perform in shows organised by the Guwahati Town Club at the Guwahati Medical College Auditorium, to raise funds for underprivileged children. He exclusively talks to GPlus. What does magic mean to you? Would you consider it an art or a form of entertainment?
According to me, magic is an art and with this art we entertain people. In the past people used to perform magic only in the courtyards of kings, these days it is everywhere and even educated people enjoy watching magic. Similarly, in the past people used to first see magic and then used to pay whatever they wanted for the show, but now, people first buy tickets and then enjoy the show.
Was it a natural decision to take up magic or was it an influenced one?
Partly, it was a decision because of my love and affection towards the profession and partly because of my father. My son is a very good musician in spite of being a magician. Similarly, before joining the magic world, I was a pilot. I also like journalism, and in fact, once I wanted to be a journalist.
PC Sorcar Junior and PC Sorcar Young – what is it all about? Please clear the confusion for the readers. PC Sorcar Young is just 6 inches taller than PC Sorcar Junior and that is the only difference between the two.
Why don’t you perform together?
Both of us have some ego problem, which bars us from performing together.
Who are your two favourite magicians?
At present my two favourite magicians are PC Sorcar Junior and David Copperfield.
What is the difference between a Magician and Illusionist?
There is not much of a difference between a magician and an illusionist. Anyone who knows magic is a magician, who can perform in front of any given number of people, whereas an illusionist performs in front of a huge crowd. I am a magician and an illusionist too.
Have you encountered or experienced any supernatural force ever?
There is some supernatural force which helps you to work. Our family has some kind of blessings from God that we can woo people’s hearts with our act. Magicians from all over the world, watch our performance to learn. It’s a positive supernatural power. We do not perform any tantra vidya and do not believe in any negative supernatural power.
Has magic lost its old charm with the advent of more and more TV shows?
I believe magic has not lost its old charm because of TV shows. People still like to watch it. It’s just in the past, the types of entertainment were lesser. In the past, Kolkata had only the New Empire hall, which was used for performing magic, but at present there are around 12 to 13 similar types of halls in Kolkata where magic can be performed.
Have you heard of any magician from Assam?
I know a lot of magicians from Assam, and my father used to like Mr Hussain a lot.
Your favourite movie on magic?
I don’t exactly like any particular movie on magic as they do not perform true magic in films. It’s mostly manipulated. People cannot jump from one building to another. Magicians cannot do magic in their personal lives.
Your take on AAP, Rahul Gandhi and Narendra Modi.
I am not at all political so I will say that whoever comes into power should perform magic and develop the nation to its most.
Can magic ever help bring World Peace?
Our mission is somewhat like that. We have formed a group called International Brotherhood of Magicians and are always in touch like brothers.
Your message to the people of Guwahati.
I have been visiting Guwahati since a long time and I really love this city. There is no city in the world like Guwahati. I would request the people of this city to keep Guwahati the way it was when I used to visit it when I was a kid.
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G PLUS JAN 18 - JAN 24, 2014
Business
Indian Institute Of Packaging To Be Set Up In Ghy SHAMBHAVI
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hat is likely to address the vital concern of the industry of Assam, a unit of the Andheri-based Indian Institute of Packaging (IIP) of the Union Commerce and Industry Ministry will be set up in Guwahati. IIP director Prof N C Saha informed about this move when Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi met him during the latter’s visit to the Institute recently. The proposed unit of the IIP in the city will be its seventh in the country. The Chief Minister said that the State Government would allot the required area of land for the proposed IIP unit at Guwahati and will extend all sorts of support in setting up the unit. Such a unit is what the North East region requires the most. Attractive packaging is an important part of marketing. High quality packaging facilitates higher sale of commodities and thus helps in economic development, he said. Saha said that the Union Commerce and Industry Ministry has sanctioned a financial assistance of Rs 5 Cr for setting up the Guwahati unit of the IIP. The unit will also provide employment opportunities to the youths of the region. The Guwahati Centre will provide training and testing facility. Packaging industry in Assam is expected to get
impetus with the coming of the Assam gas cracker project. GAIL (India) Limited promoted petrochemical plant Brahmaputra Cracker and Polymer Limited (BCPL) at Lepetkata in Upper Assam’s Dibruagrh district is scheduled to have mechanical completion soon. A Plastic Park is also coming up in Gelapukhuri at Tinsukia district of Upper Assam. The park is expected to
create necessary infrastructure to set up plastic based industries from the raw materials to be available from the BCPL. Presently local industry has to import packaging material from outside the state, which increases the cost and besides the time. Brand managers have often cited this shortcoming for the lack of indusrialisation in Assam.
Fruits & vegetables de-listed from Agri Act
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hile being considered as a political move ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, Congress ruled Assam has de-listed fruits and vegetables from the purview of the Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) Act, 1972. It will mean that cess will not be levied by Assam Agricultural Marketing Board on these commodities. However whether it will in any way help the common man and will this bring down prices, is the vital question
dogging the public mind. This move is expected to result in financial losses to the tune of Rs 10 Cr to the state government. According to the state government, this step of the government will benefit the entire farming community to reduce postharvest investment for marketing, besides enhancing competitiveness in the emerging agribusiness sector. Government has reasoned that fruits, vegetables and eggs are by and large perishable produce in nature and
due to inadequate storage & market facilities, the farmers are deprived of getting their due return out of the farm produces. Hence, this policy decision was necessitated. Assam has registered over 576 cases in 2012 for violation under essential commodities act, in 2013 the number stood at 888. Taking action, around 21 licences were cancelled in 2012 and in 2013, around 58 licences were cancelled.
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G PLUS JAN 18 - JAN 24, 2014
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G PLUS JAN 18 - JAN 24, 2014
Events
Photos: Rahul Chanda
Metropolis Asia’14 Date: 10th to 12th January Venue: Shraddhanjali Kanan & State Zoo
LONGEST PITHA
Red FM unveils longest pitha at JB’s
SONU NIGAM LIVE Date: 11th January Venue: Sarusajai Stadium
PC SORCAR INDRAJAL Date: 16th to 19th January Venue: GMC Auditorium
Underprivileged children from various NGOs enjoy a PC SORCAR show
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G PLUS JAN 18 - JAN 24, 2014
Feature
5 Things To Look At Before You Buy Insurance For Your Vehicle
Rohit Sarawgi, Independent Financial Advisor
B
efore you hit the road in your new dream vehicle, you need to insure it against any possible mishap and hence, buying the right insurance for your vehicle is very important. Most motor policy offers are very similar and, therefore customers may find it difficult to select the best among them. However, certain important factors like brand, policy coverage, customer service, distribution and access price need to be considered before making a final decision of insuring your vehicle.
Brand
This is one of the most important parameter that differentiates one insurance company from another. For the insurance industry, the moment of truth for a customer is ‘when he makes a claim’. One can easily check the Claim Settlement Record of an insurance company on its website which provides details of claim settled and time taken for claim settlement. A key point to remember is that, motor insurance is portable, that is, you can shift to another insurance company without losing any benefit you are eligible for.
Coverage
The next important step is to select the right insurance cover as per your
requirement. A standard car insurance, commonly referred to as Motor Package Policy, consists of a ‘Third Party Liability’ cover and an ‘Own Damage’ cover. As per the Motor Vehicles Act, a third-party liability insurance cover is compulsory for all vehicles plying on public roads, whereas an ‘own damage’ cover is not. However, opting for both these covers is recommended as they cover both accidental damages and the risk of third-party losses to one’s vehicle. With the advent of de-tariffing in India, insurance companies are now offering attractive add-ons (example: nil depreciation, no claim bonus protect), along with basic motor package policy.
Customer Service
Insurance companies now focus on over-the-counter (OTC) issuance of policies. ‘Agents / Advisors’ are provided state-of-the-art technologies to ensure faster delivery of policy documents. Apart from this, some companies have been able to demonstrate significant reduction in turnaround time for other service requests like en-
dorsements for effecting any change in existing policy and cancellation of policies, among others. To make claim settlement process fast and stress-free, many insurance companies have even tied up with garages for cashless settlement. This allows customers to take delivery of their vehicle immediately post repairs, that too without paying any money to the garage. What the customer should look out in this case is the wider network of such garages, number of the garages empanelled and the service quality provided by such garages. A wider cashless network of the garages not only provides you multiple options, but will also ensure a faster and standardised claim settlement.
Distribution & Access
Sometimes, it is seen that, one is not aware of whom to reach out to in case of any difficulty. The situation gets worse if a problem does not get
resolved even after contacting the insurer - resulting in the ultimate customer experience becoming negative. A wide network and communication channels have become the need of the hour for companies offering motor insurance. Widely spread Customer Service Points, 24 x 7 accessibility of Toll Free Number etc., Easy Claim Settlement Procedure etc. are also to be checked.
Premium
The premium charged should be one of the most important criteria for buying a vehicle insurance policy. But the decision of buying a policy/selecting an insurer should not be solely driven by a low premium quote. The premium depends on the vehicle’s value (IDV- Insured Declared Value) and the rate multiplier which is decided by the insurance company. The rates
for all motor insurance products are based on the loss experience of the insurance company. Higher the chance of accidents, higher is the price for an insurance cover. Generally, the model of the car and the geographical location are the two most critical factors which decide the premium rate. However, many other factors like the age of the vehicle, occupation and daily mileage may also play a vital role in determining the premium amount. So, there you have it, those were some of the most important factors you need to consider before buying insurance for your vehicle. Of course you might have your own criteria and yardsticks to compare, but for the others, the above pointers should help you step in the right direction.
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G PLUS JAN 18 - JAN 24, 2014
Career
Choosing the right job Choosing the right job is as tough as finding a job. It is very important that you know what you are looking for and what your abilities are.
W
hile you complete your degree and are all set to start your career, a big wall in the form of a practical job market falls on your way. Once you enter into the real field you forget the academic preparations and plans you made that time and got to know that how much difficult it is to find a good job. Whenyou have done all the right things and followed all the rules of the smart job hunt: exemplary research, networking, Internet search, resume and letters, interviews and even carefully crafted thank-you notes, but for weeks nothing happened. It is the hard time but don’t feel sorry and let self-doubts get you down. Finally, however, the heavens smiled on you and guess what not one, but two interesting job offers came your way. They each had positive aspects along with some negative ones. This is when a good decision-making system comes in handy.Now your career depends on nothing but how intelligently you distinguish between them. Here are 6 things to consider when comparing job offers-
Company profile The first thing you should look for is the market status of the company you want to go for. Because the company reputation will add extra stars to your career profile also. Do some research to find out is the organisation well respected and known for quality work and good management. What the competitors think about it, has it a bright future, are they making great profit. Newspapers and social network can help you a lot in doing so.
Salary This is the most motivational factor for doing a job. To live a normal lifestyle in this highly cost city having a good pay is essential. If the payment is of your satisfactory level you will always give your first priority to your job. Clarify all your doubts regarding the salary part for example how they are going to pay and cut it.
Benefits Make sure you will have freedom to express your views and implement your ideas. Try to get involve in a field that interests you otherwise you will find it difficult to work.
Consider both tangible benefits, like healthcare and intangible ones, like an enjoyable place to work. Wherever possible, try to attach money values to benefits.
Interesting Tasks and Subject Matter
Make sure you will have freedom to express your views and implement your ideas. Try to get involve in a field that interests you otherwise you will find it difficult to work. Working in the same manner also lacks the scope of learning. So always use your skill in the field you like.
Communication How long will it take, and how much will it cost? Can you get there without a car all these things matter
a lot which you should always think for first. Unless you face the trouble once the job gets start; reaching the office by late and need to leave as soon as possible causes from the communication problem which will also make you the easy target of your boss.
Work Environment
Are they the kind of people with whom you want to spend your whole day? The office environment should be always like you feel comfortable. Try to have a healthy relation with your co-workers. Although it is a high competitive market but the door is always open for the aspirants. As at the end of the day nothing but your skill, passion and talent will get you a great job. With all the tips you will be only able to distinguish the job actually for you.
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G PLUS JAN 18 - JAN 24, 2014
Reviews
Halo: Spartan Assault Starring: Shiv Darshan, Hasleen Kaur Director: Rajesh Pandey Karle Pyaar Karle is an adrenaline gushing, action packed, edgy love story of two rebels, Kabir & Preet, playing the game of life. The unstable environment within their homes manifests into their daring attitude towards life. Right from their childhood Kabir and Preet indulged in playing borderline dangerous games trying to defy the fear and complexes within. In a desperate moment, eight year old Kabir indulged in an act that lead him to the doors of a juvenile home ... In a bid to protect Kabir, his mother decided to leave town to escape the harsh punishment. After travelling from one city to another for 12 years, the family returns to their home town where Kabir and Preet reconnect......beginning a mad chapter of dares, games and fun. The film is a journey of their unbridled games as they discover themselves and the essence of romance. Problems rear up as though it was their destiny ... Preet started believing that they are ill fated and it’s best they should stay away. Kabir firmly believed that only if they are together, will they survive. Preet willingly tore herself apart from Kabir leading them to a point of no return.
Available only for Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8, “Halo: Spartan Assault” is a new top-down action shooter that brings a “Halo” video game to touch-based devices for the first time in franchise history. Developed by 343 Industries in conjunction with Vanguard Games, “;Halo: Spartan Assault” provides an accessible, pick-up-and-play experience for fans and newcomers alike. Set between the events of “Halo 3” and “Halo 4,” “Halo: Spartan Assault” is a new chapter of the award-winning “Halo” universe that explores the first missions of
the Spartan Ops program and dives deeper into the backstory of HumanCovenant wars. Play through the eyes of either Commander Sarah Palmer or Spartan Davis stationed aboard the UNSC Infinity as they fight never-before-seen battles against Covenant forces. With rich storytelling, intuitive controls, and best-in-class action, audio and graphics, “Halo: Spartan Assault” brings the epic scale and action of the “Halo” universe to mobile devices through unrivaled action and intensity.
‘Britney Jean’ On the eve of her 32nd birthday, Britney Spears is at a pleasant point in her career, and has little left to prove in the recording studio, or anywhere else. 2011’s “Femme Fatale,” a collection of kinetic synthpop largely helmed by Max Martin and Lukasz “Dr. Luke” Gottwald, was the first album that was effectively removed from the high-profile period of personal struggles that checkered Spears’ career in the late 00’s, and hit No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart thanks to pristinely crafted pop songs like “Hold It Against Me” and “Til The World Ends.” The flurry of hits from “Femme Fatale” was paired with a relatively controversyfree run for Spears, who put on a successful tour behind “Femme Fatale,” became a judge on “The X Factor,” helped Will.i.am score a Top 5 hit with “Scream & Shout” and danced with her two sons in the music video
Book Review
Game Review
Music Review
for “Ooh La La,” a song recorded for “The Smurfs 2” soundtrack. “Britney Jean,” her eighth studio effort, was announced concurrently with the singer’s two-year-long “Britney Spears: Piece of Me” residency at the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas; while the reveal did not exactly make a new album seem incidental, it’s been made clear that, new hits or no, the “…Baby One More Time” auteur is going to endure.
The Race of My Life : An Autobiography
Authored By: Milkha Singh, Sonia Sanwalka Publisher: Rupa Publications India (2013)
Milkha Singh has led a life dominated by running, running, running… From a boy who narrowly escaped death during Partition (most of his family was not so lucky), to a juvenile delinquent who stole and outran the police, to a young Army recruit who ran his very first race to win special privileges for himself (a daily glass of milk). After that first race, Milkha Singh became an athlete by default. And what followed was the stuff legends are made of.
In this remarkably candid autobiography, Milkha Singh shares the amazing highs of winning India’s first ever gold in athletics at the Commonwealth Games, the unbridled joy of being hailed as the ‘Flying Sikh’ in Pakistan, as well as the shattering low of failure at the Olympics. Powerful and gripping, The Race of My Life documents the journey of an impoverished refugee who rose to become one of the most towering figures in Indian sports.
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Margot Robbie, Jonah Hill Director: Martin Scorsese High quality global journalism requires investment. Please share this article with others using the link below, do not cut & paste the article. See our Ts&Cs and Copyright Policy for more detail. Email ftsales.support@ft.com to buy additional rights. They got off with fines, prison sentences and social outlawing. Now is the time for the true punishing of the Wall Street malefactors: an epic-length Martin Scorsese film. It will be hard for culprits to watch The Wolf of Wall Street. It’s hard for anyone. It’s like being hit over the head for 179 minutes by a cocaine-overdosed Statue of Liberty. Scorsese defends truth, justice and decency while offering, simultaneously, all the fun of the unfair. He wants us to condemn the brokers while giggling in admiring outrage at their chutzpah and dishonesty. Here are the sleaze and lies – mega-sleaze, ultra-lies – of true-life multimillionaire Jordan Belfort, on whose post-jail memoirs Terence (Boardwalk Empire) Winter based his script. Parties, orgies, drug benders: all on an endless loop. Criminal scams. More orgies, more cocaine. “Tsk, tsk; but wow, wow” is the movie’s motto. We can have our coke and snort it. While condemning the stoner madness of the rich, we can all but sniff and lick it ourselves, not to mention blowing it in powder form up the apertures of – no, we’d better not mention that. As “fun” the film is punishingly samey. Every time I looked at my watch, the hands seemed to have stayed still. Leonardo DiCaprio plays Belfort as the Gatsby we didn’t see – Fitzgerald’s scummy acquisitor before he became a romantic party host – and even wears the same pink suits. DiCaprio does everything cleverly and exuberantly while never building the character’s interest. His quippy voiceover cynicisms – “Their money was better off in my pockets. I knew how
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to spend it better” – amuse us for a while. But a while isn’t three hours with no variation, no rubato and, in contrast to other Scorsese megastructures (Goodfellas, Casino), no sense of structure. Didn’t the parade go by, anyway, before this film reached our screens? The Wolf of Wall Street is so Noughties. Been there, done that, got the Enron prison shirts. With a Scorsese film one hoped the cinema of white-collar crime would turn a new page. Maybe Mammon-Elegiac; or the Sins of the City Fathers (who let it happen); or capitalism as Good Dynamo undone by Bad Desperadoes. Something, anything, other than one more badass Satyricon, foaming with narcotics and tokenised with a punitive ending after the walloping fun for the envying classes. By the way, the collector’s version of The Wolf of Wall Street, and if Scorsese gets wise the Director’s Version, will consist of just one scene. It is by far the best: it comes at the beginning and says everything crisply that doesn’t need to be shoutily repeated over and over. Matthew McConaughey, never better, has a shark-featured cameo as young Belfort’s first-day mentor. He is totally hilarious, a lean, airygestured, epigrammatic, mad-asa-fox cynic and crypto-sociopath: just the man to ensure good order in Moneyville as the young striped shirts learn to get in formation with the striped coke lines.
Fun Cinemas
Anuradha Cineplex
Apsara Cinema
Miss Lovely
Daily at 9.15 AM
Daily at 9.00 Am & 5.00 PM
Daily at 8.00 PM
The legend of hercules
Daily at 11.25 AM & 3.45 PM
Karle pyar karle
Daily at 1.25 PM
Yaariyaan
Daily at 5.50 PM
Daily at 2.00 PM
The wolf of wall street
Daily at 8.30 PM
Daily at 11.00 AM and 8.00 PM
Daily at 11.00 AM & 5.00 PM Daily at 2.00 PM
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G PLUS JAN 18 - JAN 24, 2014
Web Watch
Google updates Chrome for Android and iOS, says it reduces data usage by half
Adobe brings 3D printing to Photoshop Creative Cloud
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hotoshop’s current 3D tools are primarily designed for prettying up existing 3D models, not for creating models themselves. Adobe’s potential value-added to the workflow: automatically make a model printable. When you send it to a 3D printer, Photoshop will find holes in meshes, walls too thin to print, and can automatically generate necessary support structures. Through partnerships with Shapeways, MakerBot, 3D Systems and Zcorp, Photoshop includes profiles for selected output devices that allow it to apply and preview applicable materials. You’ll also be able to share the models on Behance using Sketchfab.
S
earch engine giant, Google, on Wednesday announced an upgrade for its Chrome apps for Android and iOS, bringing them up to version 32. The new apps feature new tweaks that will allow users to cut their data consumption by as much as 50 percent. Ever since the affordability of smartphones has increased across the rank and file of people around the world, Internet browsing too has shifted from desktops and laptops to mobile phones and tablets. The company says that the major problem arises with the consumption of data when a cell phone or tablet is not connected to a Wi-Fi network. And if there is a 3G or a 4G connection involved, then the data allowance can run out within days before a user even knows about it. The new Chrome update will utilise new data compression and band-
width management on Android and iOS devices, claiming to cutting the data usage by up to 50 percent. Once the version is updated, the following directions need to be taken: Start at Settings > Bandwidth Management > Reduce Data Usage. Turn the toggle switch to on, which starts working towards saving data and managing the bandwidth. The menu will also display the bandwidth saved every month when Chrome is used. This feature also enables Chrome’s Safe Browsing technology malicious webpages. The company also announced that it will be adding Google Translate to Google Chrome for iOS in the next few days. This is being done to enable iOS devices to translate foreign language pages easily. Users just have to look for the translation bar, and select “Translate.”
Google unveils ‘smart contact lens’ to measure glucose levels
G
oogle has said it is testing a “smart contact lens” that can help measure glucose levels in tears. It uses a “tiny” wireless chip and a “miniaturised” glucose sensor embedded between two layers of lens material.
However, it doesn’t yet work with the Windows 8.1 3D print API. While 3D printing is probably the buzziest new feature, there’s a host of other new features for people still operating in two dimensions. Probably the flashiest is Perspective Warp, which, as its name implies, allows you to sort of change an image’s perspective by pushing and pulling corners of a mesh overlay. This feature reminds me of the initial rollout of the Content Aware technology: it demos well, but can be tricky to use, and only works well under limited conditions. It seems more optimized for compositing.
The firm said it is also working on integrating tiny LED lights that could light up to indicate that glucose levels have crossed certain thresholds. But it added that “a lot more work” needed to be done to get the technology ready for everyday use.
“It’s still early days for this technology, but we’ve completed multiple clinical research studies which are helping to refine our prototype,” the firm said in a blogpost. “We hope this could someday lead to a new way for people with diabetes to manage their disease.” Many global firms have been looking to expand in the wearable technology sector - seen by many as a key growth area in the coming years. Within the sector, many firms have been looking specifically at technology targeted at healthcare. Google’s latest foray with the smart contact lens is aimed at a sector where consumer demand for such devices is expected to grow.
‘Bikini Bridge’ hoax causes controversy
E
arlier this week, images of the bikini bridge – where bikini bottoms are suspended between the two hipbones, causing a space between the bikini and the lower abdomen – began circulating on the internet. The term exploded into popularity, with searches rising by 138,951 percent according to Yahoo! Search. The term’s popularity also shot up searches for the thigh gap, a similar health trend, by 1,454 percent.
To further authenticate this new form of “thinspiration,” positive and negative propaganda reviews were placed around the internet attached to the images, followed soon after by news sources like BuzzFeed and The MailOnline posting articles about the new trend. Because of this, the conversation has now turned from judging the extremes people will go to for a perfect body, to the dangers of how fast misinformation can spread online.
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G PLUS JAN 18 - JAN 24, 2014
Life
arranging the marriage RAHUL CHANDA
ELLA DIABL
I answer all your questions on life, love and sex
I’m at college, I’m still a virgin and I’m being pressured by friends into finding someone to lose my virginity to. They say it would be the best thing to do but I feel like I want to meet someone right first. Is that bad? -Name withheld
Good for you! Your virginity belongs to you. It’s yours to keep until you find someone you – and you alone – want to give it to. Even if he turns out to be a mistake in the long run, at least he will be your mistake. Until then, your virginity is nobody’s business but your own. So, please, be proud of yourself. Not for being a virgin but for doing what you know is the right thing for you.
P
eople say that marriages are made in heaven, but well, there are some which are made in earth too. There might be a fashion of love marriages these days, but in Guwahati, people still tend to see arranged marriages in a large number every year. As this season is of new bonding, marriages, festivities and many more, people who are hooked with someone by their parents and relatives are always concerned and worried about the new future they going to step in to. Gplus talks about certain ways and means by which an arranged marriage can be made awesome.
Pre-marital hiccups
The most negative thought that rules people’s brain before getting married and entering into a totally different life is the adaptability condition. Two different people from different families get together and swear that they will live till eternity without fighting and cooperating, sounds amazing, but tough to believe looking at the number of divorce cases registered in city family court. With ego problem rising among both the sex by every passing day, getting adapted and habituating with different rules of life becomes pretty tough. However, if you are confident about living a nice future, than adjustment is the key to it. A 38-years-old city based house wife feels that in the initial stages of any arrange marriage, the situation is different. She said, “It takes time to understand your partner and his family. I also some-
times used to get disturbed by the different nature and lifestyle, but gradually I started understanding the difference between me and my husband. I understood the way to eradicate the difference between us and later realised that my husband is a wonderful man. We started communicating all the issues and resolved it through communication.”
Don’t complain
An arranged marriage means more responsibilities and expectations. Both partners are under pressure to make the marriage work. Your partner may not share all your likes and dislikes and his/her family may not follow the same values as yours. You may be constantly corrected about the way things are done in the new house. But it’s not a very complex situation which cannot be tackled. Adjustment is the name of the game. Have a frank talk with your partner, list out your anxieties and figure out a way to do things without antagonising your new family. In the initial days of your marriage, don’t take rude remarks or the seemingly harsh moves of your partner too seriously. Also, don’t adopt the tit for tat philosophy. Stay away from troublemakers and look for allies. Also, don’t complain or sound whiny to your partner. Remember, he/she is just as confused and nervous as you are.
Love blooms
You may not fall madly in love, but you can be
ready to love a life that’s comfortable, stable and enduring. There is something endearing about a love that lasts. It is sometimes noticed the longer arranged marriage couples are married, the stronger their love and affection for each other tends to be. Also, it is likely this relationship is the first real relationship both parties have had. When you do not have anyone else to compare to, the person you are marrying can seem like the best option you could have had.
Fall in love
Love is that essential ingredient that can help both of you overcome hurdles. If love at first sight hasn’t happened, don’t worry. It may take time, but you will grow to love each other. Even if you’re in love already, don’t expect your partner to immediately reciprocate the feelings. Give him/her time and work on how you can earn his/her love. Be patient and don’t get frustrated every time your partner says or does something wrong. If the feelings of both the partners match with each other, than dreams, desires and future expectations also matches, and you work together to achieve them. There is a concept these days that love marriages are better than arranged once, but arranged marriages are not that horrifying like the modern youths think it is. It is easy to fall in love, but it is also easy to get married and love. Various studies and researches explains that most arranged marriages in India lasts for long.
My boyfriend has been diagnosed with depression. When we’re alone he’s affectionate but with friends he ignores me. If I complain, his friends constantly take his side. He doesn’t see how upset I get and neither bothers to defend our relationship. Some of his friends have on occasions said that they don’t think we’re working out. I’m worried their comments could destroy what we’ve worked to build. - Name withheld Well we Indians have a natural tendency of poking our nose in other people’s affairs without minding our own businesses. Ask his friends to go take a walk rather than troubling you or your boyfriend with unsolicited relationship advice. To put things straight, clinical depression puts an unfair social stigma on sufferers, and it sounds as if your guy is scared of his friends’ contempt if he displays any emotion or dependency, including affection for you. Speak to him alone, and calmly. Tell him you’re proud of the relationship and you want to show united pride to others. He needs your help to learn that depression is no reason for shame or embarrassment
If you have any queries for ELLA DIABLO, mail it to diablo@g-plus.in
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G PLUS JAN 18 - JAN 24, 2014
Health
HOLIDAY HEART SYNDROME Binge and booze can give you a heart attack! Dr.Bikash Rai Das, Consultant Cardiac Surgeon
N
ot to dampen any spirits, but studies show heart troubles spike during this time of the year. It’s not just a Western phenomenon as recent researches in Asia too found the same thing. This often occurs in binges on weekends, during vacations, and, of course, on holidays. The increase includes fatal and nonfatal heart attacks and a less serious condition dubbed “holiday heart syndrome” —an irregular heartbeat caused by too much alcohol. Many who aren’t chronic drinkers may not realise that excess drinking at the annual New Years party has its own risks. The condition typically happens in otherwise healthy adults, and resolves within 24 hours, though teens aren’t immune. Most of us are aware that unaccustomed exercise or activity can give us aches and pains in muscles that are not used to being abused. But we don’t generally think of the heart as just a muscle although it is, and an important one at that. In case of holiday heart syndrome, we take a holiday from our normal restraints and overdo it, as far as the heart is concerned. Overindulgence in certain behaviours can make the heart to speed up and become irregular; it can cause chest discomfort, blood clots to the coronary arteries (heart attack), brain (stroke) or even
cause death. Holiday heart syndrome is an irregular heartbeat pattern present in individuals who are otherwise healthy. It involves irregular contractions in the heart’s upper two chambers that patients often feel as palpitations, a funny fluttery sensation in the chest, or chest pain. It’s like the heart’s rhythm has gone “haywire”. Typical symptoms include palpitations (the sensation of a fast, irregular or skipped heartbeat),
ip
H
hT t l a e
feeling woozy, chest discomfort and shortness of breath. Irregular heartbeats can be serious. If palpitations continue for longer than a few hours, patients should seek medical attention. The term was coined in 1978. Symptoms usually resolve themselves within 24 hours and reasons for the seasonal increase are uncertain with theories also suggesting cold weather, overindulgence and stress. It can be the result of stress, dehydration, and
drinking. Sometimes associated with binge drinking, the condition can also occur when individuals consume only moderate amounts of alcohol. Studies investigating holiday heart trends have found a statistical increase in heart attacks and other problems — not a giant surge but worth noting just the same. It happens in cold climates, sometimes when sedentary people or those with heart disease exert themselves too much or spend too much time outdoors. Cold weather can constrict blood vessels, increasing pressure on the heart. Doctors have long known that cold weather is hard on the heart. Blood vessels constrict, which raises the blood pressure and the blood too clots more readily. Frigid temperatures increase strain on the heart, and too much physical exertion can worsen the burden and trigger a heart attack. The flu season coincides with winter holidays and that might be a factor since the virus can cause inflammation that also can stress out the heart. Studies show that cardiac deaths including fatal heart attacks increase almost 5 per cent on Christmas Day, the day after and on New Year’s Day. Deaths from other causes also increase during the holiday period, but not as much. There are 2,000 extra deaths each year in America, mostly from heart-related problems, linked with Christmas and New Year’s. Hospitals’ holiday staffing is another factor, with fewer doctors and nurses working and the most senior employees often on
vacation. Another reason is that in the rush leading up to the holidays, people tend to ignore symptoms and put off going to the doctor —which can be dangerous if heart problems or other serious illnesses are brewing. The stress of running around buying gifts and braving holiday crowds might have been another factor. Alcohol is the usual culprit for the holiday heart syndrome. So, the preventive advice will be to avoid excessive eating and drinking, and getting enough exercise throughout the season. One should head straight to the emergency room without ignoring if one suffers from any of the lifethreatening symptoms such as chest pain, unexplained falls, numbness or tingling. But for non-emergencies and elective surgeries, you might want to consider holding off until hospital staffing is back to normal. Holiday heart syndrome is seldom life threatening, and most often occurs to an otherwise normal heart. The lesson here is to accept the fact that there is a limit to what our heart and other muscles will tolerate. A “binge”of alcohol or even caffeine and nicotine can poison an otherwise healthy heart, and damage a sick one. Fortunately, the problem is usually resolved in less than 24 hours, and can be avoided by not repeating the same behaviour. The holiday season is supposed to be a time to relax and enjoy celebrating with family and friends, but it’s not supposed to be a holiday from taking care of yourself.
Work out can be done at any time of the day either morning, afternoon or night, the only thing to be kept in mind is the gap between food & exercise which should be atleast 4-5 hrs .
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G PLUS JAN 18 - JAN 24, 2014
Your weekly dose of HOROSCOPE ARIES
The details are overwhelming on Monday and Tuesday. Something small, a proverbial straw on the camel’s back, will be the end of you — unless you do something healthy for your mind and body. Something to blow off steam. Sprinting is one way to go. Or group sports. Wednesday and Thursday, you’ll be so wrapped up in your own head that you’ll forget to pay attention to someone who needs you. As soon as you focus on them, all else will figure itself out. Friday and Saturday are dreamy and portentous, but Sunday is light-hearted, fun and exciting.
TAURUS Your life blossoms like a flower this week. Monday and Tuesday you are happier and more engaged than you’ve been in a while. And your heart is thumping faster than ever. You and you-know-who make quite a team. Cash, companionship and concerts are in the stars Tuesday. Wednesday and Thursday return you to real life, but everything is brighter and better than usual. Some fairly deep emotions come to the surface on Friday — you clearly care about this person — and Saturday sparks a passionate interaction. Sunday finds you a bit more distant, almost philosophical.
GEMINI Every time you add up the numbers on Monday, you come up with a different sum. Frustrating! Your head is clearly on other matters. (On other continents?) Steel your focus on Tuesday and try to get the paperwork dealt with. Wednesday and Thursday you can turn off your brain and be purely on the lookout for a good time. Romance, too, is in the stars. Friday you find yourself entering into a friendship — or a relationship — you feel unsure about. Saturday you’re in observation mode. But Sunday, relationships and partners are positive themes. So is adventure.
CANCER You are attuned to the edges of things on Monday, the contrasts, the subtle distinctions. You are perspicacious to the last. Dive into a project that needs some cleaning up, that puts you in touch with people you admire and that lets you enjoy yourself. Wednesday and Thursday, enjoyment will be at a minimum — a bump in the road in your relationship with someone at home challenges you — and the workweek ends on a hazy note. You go into the weekend unsure of where you stand. Do something for yourself this weekend. Cancel social plans. Be a free agent.
LEO There is less money to go around at the outset of the week than you’d like. Such is life. But strangely, you find being thrifty sort of fun. You can get into eating noodles. By the middle of the week, you are so distracted by the funny things falling out of friends’ mouths you are barely thinking about money (or the lack thereof). A creative date on Thursday might not cost you a dime. On Friday and Saturday, deep issues and family matters are in the stars, as is a strong sense of ego. Sunday is fiery and wild and romantic — you lucky dog
VIRGO You are perfectly happy to spend Monday and Tuesday cleaning out your car, cleaning up your office — cleaning anything, really. You have headphones. You’re in a good mood. And you love it when your life is tidy. New projects figure strongly the first half of the week, but don’t put your money where your mouth is, not yet at least. Be careful about cash flow, especially on Wednesday and Thursday. Friday it may dawn on you that some of your goals are unrealistic, but you’re the kind of person motivated by the impossible. The weekend finds you restless and daring.
TIMEPASS
LIBRA A nagging voice in your head is like your own private DVD commentary on Monday and Tuesday. If only it had a sense of humor! Your meticulousness might be your downfall: There are just too many details to deal with. Then, on Wednesday, the irrelevant periphery falls away and you find yourself staring into the eyes of someone you feel awfully strongly about. Ah, beauty! Ah, romance! Your infatuation with this person has you feeling possessive on Friday, but give them space. Saturday you sense that some major changes in your life are afoot, and Sunday you’re glowing.
SCORPIO A secret finds its way into your awareness on Monday or Tuesday. You’ve become someone’s confidante. You are flattered by their trust. Internally, this week is quite positive for you — although midweek you may find you don’t have much patience for small talk, decision-making or social situations, what with all the thoughts swimming through your head — but by Friday you’ll find yourself surrounded by people who are genuinely interested in you. They are drawn to you. They practically idolize you. Saturday and Sunday you get a bit carried away in all the attention.
SAGITTARIUS No matter how much you deserve a bonus, the start of the week is not the time to be dropping hints. You’re better off making sure you don’t drop your coffee. You’ll be doing forty million things at once. The fast-forward blur of Monday and Tuesday slows down to a normal pace on Wednesday and Thursday — you may even have enough time to be social midweek (what a luxury!) — and by Friday you’re in bona fide slow-mo. This gives you plenty of time to ponder your future. The weekend, especially Sunday, is ideal for goal setting.
CAPRICORN A simple fact — small, beautiful, true — means the world to you on Monday. It solves a puzzle you’ve been working on for weeks in your mind. It may put you in the mood to conduct still more research, place some calls, advance to the next step in a project. Or maybe you’re ready for a new project: Wednesday is a great day to start something, and Thursday you have energy to spare. Your detachment from emotional matters on Friday puts you in the ideal frame of mind to make a big decision, and Saturday and Sunday find you racing with full speed toward accomplishing a major goal.
AQUARIUS Everything is peachy-keen on the surface, but an interest in other people’s motives has you looking deeply at your life on Monday and Tuesday. It’s unclear what the future holds and, especially, what your financial outlook is — so be careful in business deals. Wednesday and Thursday are less about business and more about buddies (you might meet someone new, or connect with a pal in a way you never have before), but Friday once again finds you focused on career matters. On Saturday, avoid situations where you might feel exposed. Then, on Sunday, race out of the house and embrace the day.
PISCES Your intuition won’t let you down at the start of the week. Feel free to make a decision before you have all the facts you think you need. If necessary, you can always alter course as new information arrives. The new information that arrives on Wednesday and Thursday may strangely enough come in the form of dissention from someone you usually agree with. Give them the benefit of the doubt, but if you suspect they’re walking all over you — as might be the case on Friday or Saturday — well, you are too wonderful for that. Take a stand and you’ll be rewarded on Sunday.
JUST FOR LAUGHs In Court the Judge says to a double-homicide defendant. “You’re charged with beating your wife to death with a hammer.” A voice at the back of the courtroom yells out, “You bastard!” The judge says, “You’re also charged with beating your Mother-in-law to death with a hammer.” The voice in the back of the courtroom yells out, “You rotten bastard!” The judge
SUDOKU
stops and says to the guy in the back of the courtroom, “Sir, I can understand your anger and frustration at these crimes but no more outbursts from you or I’ll charge you with contempt. Is that understood?” The guy in the back of the court stands up and says, “I’m Sorry, Your Honour, but for fifteen years I’ve lived next door to that bastard and every time I asked to borrow a hammer, he said he didn’t have one.”
Solutions (Last Issue)
Fun
21
G PLUS JAN 18 - JAN 24, 2014
Travel G PLUS Feature
G
okarna, is a lesser known town centered around temples, pilgrims and natural beaches. The name Gokarna, meaning cow’s ear (go=cow karna=ear) in Sanskrit is based on Hindu mythology. Since last 10-12 years pioneering younger European tourists enchanted with cheap unspoiled quiet natural beaches, warm weather especially during winter months in Europe flocked to this place. Not to forget almost no crowd, no hawker and/or police harassment compared to beaches in Goa faciliatated in popularizing Gokarna. Catering to these tourists local entrepreneurs came up with shops, hotels, and even resorts of late. Now a days you can get anything from Duracell batteries to Macaroni and Cheese packets. Many of these new breed of tourists come here for the laid back beach rather than temples. However that laid back atmosphere is almost gone now due to the popularity of this town. There are four beaches- Kudlee Beach, about a 20 minute walk from town, followed by Om Beach, Half Moon Beach and the secluded Paradise Beach.
GO
For those who are seeking more serenity than other beach locations in India
How to get there? By train
Gokarna is accessible by rail from Karwar, Ankola, Kumta, Mangalore and Madgaon (also called Margao). Kumta (35 km) and Ankola (20 km) are the nearest major railway stations, from where public or private transportation is available during day time. The Konkan Railway [2] passes through nearby. Only some trains like “Matsyagandha Express” (Mangalore to Mumbai via
Madgaon) stops here. This train station is appropriately called as “Gokarna Road”. The train station is actually about 8 kilometers away from Gokarna. Taxi fare is about Rs 250 whereas Rickshaws should be in the range of Rs 120200 (unless you arrive at nighttime during the monsoon).
By bus
From Bangalore, depending on the day of travel, there are any-
What to see? The Mahabaleshvara Temple
is one of the largest in town and is the main place of pilgrimage, at the western end towards the beach.
The Maha Ganapati Temple
is just meters away from the Shiva Temple and made in honour of Lord Ganesha having played a hand in taking the Atma Linga from Ravana. It is common protocol to first visit the Ganapati Temple & then move to the Shiva Temple.
where from 1-4 buses operating. It is a 12 hour overnight journey from Bangalore to Gokarna. the experience taking the overnight sleeper was described as “being driven in a bouncy castle driven by the wicked witch of the west” - beware. There are direct train services between Bangalore and Gokarna Road. There is a day train and a night train that stop at Gokarna. Private buses also operate to/from Hampi/Hos-
Koti Tirtha is an artificial water
tank used for ritual bathing and is regarded as very holy by the locals. Koti Tirtha with its surroundings has an old world feel to it and makes an interesting trip. It is approachable by a short westward walk from Venkateshwara temple.
Beaches: The five beaches are Gokarna beach, Kudle beach, Om beach, Half-moon beach and Paradise beach. Gokarna is popular with pilgrims, while Kudle and Om are popular with tourists.
pet. You can book online ticket to gokarna from any one of the operator’s websites(RedBus, Travelyarri,[Abhibus] etc.). If arriving from Goa, you can take a local bus from Madgaon or Canacona to Karwar, then catch another bus to Gokarna.
By air
The nearest airport is in Goa at Dabolim. (Rail link via Margao) Gokarna is a pilgrimage town first and foremost, remain quiet and respectful of local traditions, ask permission (and remove your footwear) before entering any of the temples, and if you must consume alcohol here, do it on the premises of your guesthouse, not in town. Anyone carrying charas should be particularly careful. It is common to see Sadhus sitting a haze of ganja smoke, but don’t assume that it’s ok for you to do it to. There are several other temples near Gokarna. Murudeshwara temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva, is 45 mins to 1 hour drive from Gokarna.
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G PLUS JAN 18 - JAN 24, 2014
G-Talk
Will Modi be able to woo Assam voters in the forthcoming LS Polls? Nitul Deka
Neelakshi Bordoloi Freelance journalist
Aam Aadmi Party member
POINT
T
here is much speculation in both the media and among the common people about the fate of the country post LS polls 2014. While an overwhelmed Congress, beset with charges of corruption and underperformance, is struggling to find its footing ahead of the elections , an invigorated Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) under the robust leadership of Gujarat Chief Minister, Narendra Modi is all set to trounce the ruling UPA II and form the next government. Even as new entrant Aam Aadmi Party is all set to upset the carefully construed numbers crunched out by the political pundits for the major political parties—the Indian National Congress (INC) and the BJP. Although only time will tell who will rule the roost in Delhi post elections, the BJP stands a very good chance to give a better performance during this election and increase their numbers in the Lok Sabha. The party at present sends four MPs to the lower house from Assam—Kabindra Purkayastha from Silchar, Bijoya Chakravarty from Guwahati, Ramen Deka from Mangaldai and Rajen Gohain from Nagaon. While the individual performance of the MPs for development of their constituencies and the state is debatable, the huge wave in favour of the party and more particularly for its PM candidate may buoy BJP candidates to power during this election. The BJP has been playing its cards right after a long time, rallying behind its PM candidate after the initial hiccups. The party’s systematic display of the progress made in BJP ruled states, more particularly Modi’s own state, Gujarat and his ragsto-riches story of a tea-seller-turnedCM has touched the imagination of a large portion of the voters who are more able to identify themselves with a common man than a person who was handed leadership on a silver platter (read Rahul Gandhi). In Assam, more particularly in Guwahati, the pro-development image of Modi as an able and no nonsense administrator has found acceptance with the people already
COUNTERPOINT Modi’s personal image as a strong administrator who is not afraid to speak his mind on important issues as opposed to the present oft uncommunicative Prime Minister Manmohan Singh whose silence on crucial issues have frustrated the people of the country on several occasions, may also act as a strong factor in favour of the BJP emerging as the winner.
besieged with rising prices of essential commodities and law and order problems. Coupled with the everyday drama of the Congress led government at the centre and its failure to control price rise, alleviate unemployment problem among others, the people are naturally gravitated towards the promise of a better and more secured future. Modi’s personal image as a strong administrator who is not afraid to speak his mind on important issues as opposed to the present oft uncommunicative Prime Minister Manmohan Singh whose silence on crucial issues have frustrated the people of the country on several occasions, may also act as a strong factor in favour of the BJP emerging as the winner. While a section of voters are also rooting for the newly emergent AAP, especially after its spectacular performance in the Delhi elections and its promise of a clean and efficient political machinery, more people are likely to stick to the tried and trusted political parties to form the next governance.
B
haratiya Janata Party must be on a new high after the results of recently concluded state assembly elections in four states. In spite of getting more candidates selected in Delhi, the party is out of power, and this result would have somehow irritated the party. The saffron party on the other hand is trying its best to woo the voters in the entire country. Projecting Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi as the prime ministerial candidate may be, according to the BJP members, a key to the upcoming general elections, but the party had similarly taken up various strategies in the past, which
The rift in BJP is the major factor, which will never be able to give the party an opportunity to bring the change they usually claim they can bring in the exaggerated public addresses made by their leaders. In spite of bringing Modi to Assam, if they could have just resolved the local candidature issue, which the local people are well aware of, wooing the voters without wasting money on Modi would not have been very tough.
did not help them to form the Union government. This time too, their Muslim wooing strategy might not bring them the success they are looking for as at the end of the day, everyone in India are well aware about the fact that their core ideology is Hindutva. Assam BJP may be thinking that bringing Modi to the state might help them increase their chances to get some Lok Sabha seats into their pockets from Assam, but it is the same dream they dreamt about during the recently conducted Delhi assembly elections. The formation of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and their victory is a serious threat to the BJP. Moreover, unlike other states’ political scenario Assam is different. The state is politically, culturally and communally divided. There are many ethnic tribes and they always want that someone from them should represent their group to the parliament. Narendra Modi being from a different state and having a bad communal past will not be able to woo the voters with his over ambitious speeches. BJP’s attempt to win the general elections by taking Modi all around may be a winning thought according to them, but the truth is that the saffron party has better leaders than a man who was once accused of killing many Muslims on the streets of Ahmedabad. The rift in BJP is the major factor, which will never be able to give the party an opportunity to bring the change they usually claim they can bring in the exaggerated public addresses made by their leaders. In spite of bringing Modi to Assam, if they could have just resolved the local candidature issue, which the local people are well aware of, wooing the voters without wasting money on Modi would not have been very tough. Bijoya Chakravarty and selfclaimed Bhal Manuh Pradyut Bora are already in a tiff for the Guwahati Lok Sabha seat. AAP is also a party which will give tough competition to BJP in the upcoming elections as ideology wise, AAP is far better and has proved in 17 months that it has the power to woo the voters to change the system.
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G PLUS JAN 18 - JAN 24, 2014
Citypedia
Fabrication HOUSEs G Plus will keep on publishing such relevant and useful information in this page in the coming issues.
Compiled by Rangman Das
Sabitri Steel Fabrication
Near LCB College Maligaon Guwahati – 781012 Phone No – 0361-2573922, 2679144
Ganpati Sales Corporation
Krishna Nagar Road Chandmari Guwahati – 781003 Phone No – 0361-2658024
Blitz Engineering and Fabrication
Sarada Steel Fabricator Rajgarh Road Guwahati – 781007 Phone No – 0361-2456090
Glass Ghar
Laxmi Mandir, Beltola Guwahati – 781028 Phone No – 0361-2307662
Chandamita
S S Motor Works
Assam Engineering Works
Hatigaon Chariali Guwahati – 781038 Phone No – 0361-2224475
Chilarai Industries
Kalapahar Guwahati – 781016 Phone No – 0361-2472813
DD Engineering
East Point Tower Bamunimaidam Guwahati – 781021 Phone No – 0361-2558961
Ferro Structures
Basistha Chariali Guwahati – 781029 Phone No – 98640-64340, 94354-33333
Maa Kamakhya Industry Maligaon Chariali Guwahati – 781011 Phone No – 0361-2572645
N K Constructions
Samannay Path Khanapara, Guwahati – 781022 Phone No – 94351-03006
N S Enterprise
Beltola Tiniali Guwahati – 781028 Phone No – 0361-2309158
Padmaja Fabrication
Basistha Chariali Guwahati – 781029 Phone No – 0361-2300574
Punjab Engineering Works Shahni Bhawan AT Road, Guwahati – 781001 Phone No – 0361-2554856, 2518920
Purbanchal Udyog Bikash A K Azad Road Rehabari Guwahati – 781008 Phone No – 0361-2637447
S C Road, Athgaon Guwahati – 781001 Phone No – 94350-10711, 99542-43502
Zabbar Bazar Athgaon, Guwahati – 781001 Phone No – 98640-12423, 88765-12423
K C Choudhury Road Chatribari Guwahati – 781008 Phone No – 0361-2608869, 98640-31944
Green Hill Engineering & Interiors
Vigyan Engineering Works
SRCB Road, Fancy Bazar Guwahati – 781001 Phone No – 0361-2541436
Industrial Estate Bamunimaidam Guwahati – 781021 Phone No – 0361-2550737
Fabrication Works – Aluminum Adinath Aluminum
Zabbar Bazar Athgaon, Guwahati – 781001 Phone No – 98640-96753, 97060-96753
Advance Engineering & Supply Co M S Road, Fancy Bazaar Guwahati – 781001 Phone No – 0361-2736835, 2514429
Allied Aluminum Construction
S C Road, Athgaon Guwahati – 781001 Phone No – 94350-44418, 98640-39727
Aluminum Décor
RGB Road, AIDC Guwahati – 781024 Phone No – 99541-78692
Bidawatka Brothers
S C Road, Athgaon Guwahati – 781001 Phone No – 0361-2487744, 98640-65041
Boro Aluminum Systems Ganeshguri Chariali Guwahati – 781006 Phone No – 98541-67520, 97071-97050
Creative Gallery
Opp. NETV, A K Azad Road Rehabari, Guwahati – 781008 Phone No – 94351-47002
Delco
Sreenagar Path, Christianbasti Guwahati – 781005 Phone No – 99542-18270
G S Road, Guwahati – 781007 Phone No – 98640-68865, 98640-35111
Kamrup Aluminum Works
Maa Aluminum House
KRC Road, Kumarpara Guwahati – 781009 Phone No – 0361-2480145, 94354-04980
Maa Bagala Aluminum Construction B R Phookan Road Kumarpara Guwahati – 781009 Phone No – 99545-04067
Maa Kamakhya Aluminum House
S C Road, Athgaon Guwahati – 781001 Phone No – 0361-2480820, 94355-47444
Maa Kamakhya Glass House Fatashil Ambari Near Police Station Guwahati – 781025 Phone No – 99547-45845
Manish Aluminum
F A Road, Kumarpara Guwahati – 781001 Phone No – 94355-51510, 98640-84628
Neeraj Bhartia
H B Road, Fancy Bazaar Guwahati – 781001 Phone No – 94350-27722
New Lalita Aluminum Fabrication K R C Road, Kumarpara Guwahati – 781001 Phone No – 99545-04067
N T Industries
Opp. Maszid Ulubari Guwahati – 781007 Phone No – 0361-2739800, 98644-41544
24
G PLUS JAN 18 - JAN 24, 2014
Catching Up
Headlining acts! Ashlee Simpson WHO’S sHE?
This babe is an American singer-songwriter and actor. The younger sister of Jessica Simpson, she rose to prominence as a participant in her sister’s reality show Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica, and starred in the spin-off program The Ashlee SimpsonShowwhich portrayed her creating her debut album, Autobiography.
SO WHAT?
Following a North American concert tour and a film appearance, Simpson released her second number-one album, I Am Me (2005). Simpson assumed creative control over her less successful third album, Bittersweet World (2008).
NOW WHAT?
She was surprised with a romantic proposal from her boyfriend of seven months, Evan Ross. The singer-songwriter and actor got engaged with her boyfriend and proudly flaunted the bling ring in public as she walked through Maui. The couple, who have been enjoying a relaxing break on the Hawaiian island, were ready to say aloha as they were spotted with luggage heading to the airport.
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Sunanda P Tharoor found dead at hotel in Delhi Sunanda Pushkar Tharoor, wife on union minister Shashi Tharoor, has reportedly been found dead at a five-star hotel in Delhi. Police believe it could be a case of suicide. The couple recently issued a statement which said they are happily married and intend to stay that away” after Mrs Tharoor, in a series of tweets, accused a Pakistani journalist of “stalking” her husband. The Tharoors were married in 2010.
pick of the week The Indian hockey team pulled off a sensational come-frombehind 5-4 win over Olympic champions Germany after Mandeep Singh slammed a brilliant hat-trick in their fiercelycontested 5-8th place classification match of the Hero World League Finals in New Delhi on Friday.
SuchitraSen passes away at 82 Legendary actorSuchitraSen’s last rites have been conducted at Kolkata’s Keoratola crematorium. She was given a gun salute by the West Bengal government, as announced by chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday. The actor, one of the leading lights of the golden age of Bengali cinema, died of a heart attack in Kolkata’s Belle Vue Clinic. She was 82. Mamata Banerjee, a frequent visitor while the actress was in hospital, officially announced Ms Sen’s death, saying: “The passing away of ‘Mahanayika’ (great actress), I feel in world cinema and in Bengali cinema is a big and sad news. Such a talent is born only once and there is no parallel. Today is extremely saddening for us. We have lost someone important. The actor had been in hospital since December 23, being treated for a respiratory tract infection. She was dependent on oxygen support and grown very weak over the last few days.
Varanasi clerics issue fatwa against AAP cap with image of broom
Syrian government submits plan for truce, prisoner swap
The Syrian government recently said it had presented plans to its Russian allies for a cease-fire in the northern city of Aleppo and an exchange of prisoners with the opposition in advance of peace talks next week in Switzerland.The announcement in Moscow by Walid Moallem, the Syrian foreign minister, appeared to be a significant development in advance of possibly landmark peace talks slated to begin Wednesday in the Swiss city of Montreux.
What did I just hear? Congress leader Manishankar Aiyar on Friday mocked Narendra Modi’s prime ministerial ambitions and said “I promise you in 21st century Narendra Modi will never become the Prime Minister of the country. But if he wants to distribute tea here at the AICC meet, we will find a place for him.”
This is one crisis Delhi Chief Minister ArvindKejriwal will find difficult to handle. The AamAadmi Party (AAP) cap with the image of a broom has raised the hackles of a section of clerics, who have issued a fatwa against it.A section of clerics in Varanasi has said the AAP cap is anti-Islamic and Muslims must not wear it. “A broom is used for cleaning garbage. So, sporting its image on the head is anti-Islamic. In Islam, we bow our head only before the Almighty. We cannot allow Muslims to wear such a cap,”a national daily quoted Mufti board secretary MaulanaHaseen Ahmad Habibi as saying.Habibi added Kejriwal can use the image of broom anywhere, but not on head. We call upon Muslims to avoid the caps with the image of a broom.
Kamur of the week
Republic Day checking. With the end of Bhogali Bihu, begins the security concerns for Guwahatians as the city cops do not waste any time harassing the general public by checking them in each and every traffic point. Security is a genuine concern but the denizens are sick and tired of the chaos caused every 15th August and 26th January.
Printed & Published by Sunit Jain on behalf of Insight Brandcom Pvt. Ltd. and Printed at Arkashish Publications (P) Ltd., Katahbari, Garchuk, Guwahati and Published at H/No. 34, K. C. Choudhury Road, Chatribari, Guwahati - 781008, Editor: Koushik Hazarika. Phone: 0361 2737737, Email: info@g-plus.in, RNI No: ASSENG/2013/52641