G plus volume 1 issue 18 by G Plus

VOL 01 | ISSUE 18 | FEB 01 - FEB 07, 2014

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With the police commissionerate being announced, city cops must look to bring down the numbers soon and make the city a safer place.

Crime rate increases

02 in Guwahati

Kelly Brook Catching Up, Pg 24

Behind the best

BUSTING STRESS

G PLUS FEB 01 - FEB 07, 2014

Lead Story

Crime rate increases

With the police commissionerate being announced, city cops must look to bring down the numbers soon and make the city a safer place. RAHUL CHANDA

nario is also gradually moving upwards because of various reasons like unemployment, poverty, addiction and so on. G Plus reviews the crime scenario in the city which happened last year.

uwahati is known as the hub of the entire northeast. People from all over the northeast region throng to the city for various needs and requirements. But, with increasing population the crime sce-

in Guwahati

Crime chart police station wise 498

Chandmari

1113 413

Noonmati Geetanagar Pragjyotishpur Satgaon

779 24 276 116 97 201 244 291

Pan Bazar

1049 882

Paltan Bazar All women

2541 117 486

Latasil

812

Cases pending

400

Bharalumukh

816 746

Jalukbari

1574 356 338

Gorchuk Fatasil Ambari

656 500 317 330

Azara North Guwahati

Cases registered

270

92 45 2043

Dispur

7517 362

Hatigaon

688 726

Basistha Bhangagarh Khetri Sonapur

Looking into the details of police station wise cases pending for further investigation, the numbers are increasing every passing year. The city police might be trying their best to solve the cases as soon as possible, but it is pretty difficult to solve all the cases at one go.

1271 219 367 146 87 305 212 SOURCE: Guwahati City Police

The above chart shows, police station wise, various crimes registered between January to September 2013, and also displays, police station wise, cases pending for further investigation till September 2013. Analysing the crime data, it is seen that Dispur witnessed the maximum number of crimes and Geetanagar witnessed

the least. Areas like Paltan Bazar, Fatasil Ambari and Basistha also saw a good number of cases. Looking into the details of police station wise cases pending for further investigation, the numbers are increasing every passing year. The city police might be trying their best to solve the cases as soon as possible, but it is pretty

difficult to solve all the cases at one go. Cases like land grabbing, white collar crime, kidnapping and murder requires thorough investigation and scrutiny. But if the pending cases are adding up year by year, there are also areas like Geetanagar which sees minimal crime which explains the cops are again doing their duty.

G PLUS FEB 01 - FEB 07, 2014

Lead Story

Year wise city cases registered & disposed MONTH WISE city Cases registered & disposed Month

Cases registered

Cases disposed

January

939

815

February

886

699

March

1101

1160

April

1067

954

May

1010

947

June

1058

955

July

1124

808

August

1118

987

September

1122

968

Cases registered

Cases disposed

2004

4830

2287

2005

5599

5233

2006

5896

4585

2007

6337

5475

2008

7444

5593

2009

7254

6026

2010

9371

7240

2011

10946

7996

2012

11490

10833

SOURCE: Guwahati City Police

The above chart shows the month wise detail of cases registered and disposed in Guwahati from January to September 2013. The month of July witnessed maximum number of crimes in the city and in the month of March, most of the cases

Year

were disposed.So, till September 2013, 9425 cases were registered in Guwahati. 8293 cases were disposed, which shows that the rate of crime committed in the city is more than the rate of cases disposed which looks like a concern.

The above chart shows year wise record of cases registered and disposed in Guwahati from 2004 to 2012. Analysing the data of different years it can be noticed that there is a gradual increase in the rate of crimes registered in Guwahati. If we see the entire data, 2012 recorded the highest number of crimes in the city. Even in 2013, till the month of September, Guwahati registered 9425 cases. Adding the crime records of additional

three months has all the possibility of taking the figure to somewhere plus 10000. So, along with the progress of the city, the crime rate is also gradually increasing. The plan of action of the police may have barred some crimes from taking place in the city, but the road looks long and the city cops must have an efficient system in place in the coming days so that the crime record chart looks less heavy.

Lgbia gets new 5 Crore ATC system RAHUL CHANDA

dding one more feather to its cap, Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport (LGBIA) has recently started the Air Traffic Control (ATC) automated system. The system was commissioned long back but the services started recently. With the help of this new equipment, the air traffic control will become more secured, smoother and faster. G Plus explores the uses of this system, which was constructed on a budget of Rs 5 crore.

The city airport is all set for some modernisation and the authorities are really upbeat about it.

Authority speak LGBI Airport director AK Verma said, “Because of ATC, the air traffic control will be better than before. This is one of the systems, which are supporting the radar. It is a type of radar display. It is very sophisticated equipment. ATC controls the air traffic with the help of this equipment. This will improve the efficiency of the airport management. It helps a lot in the landing and departure of aeroplanes. We initially tested it for a few days, but now we have finally started using it and it’s completely commissioned.” He further informed that the budget for setting up the equipment was Rs 5 Crore. He also in-

formed that the flights will be further controlled efficiently in the air. It becomes easier to direct the aircrafts and also to provide safe routes. He said, “Sometimes you don’t see the plane in the radar, so you have to detect the plane and direct it through some procedures which is very time consuming. But with the help of the ATC automated system, the planes are always in a track and it is easier to direct them which takes shorter time and simultaneously helps in saving fuel. With this system you can see all the planes and the safety level increases which reduces chances of

accidents. The air traffic controller always have a pressure of keeping an eye on the planes and tracking them, so they are always under stress. ATC automated system makes the system easier and the controller work peacefully taking less stress.”

Not only for Guwahati It is also to be mentioned that this automated system will not only control the air traffic of Guwahati airport, but it will control the air traffic system of the entire northeast. The coverage of this automat-

ed system is for the entire northeast because of the radar system. In entire India, this automated system is constructed in around fifteen major airports where international flights fly. Verma added, “Guwahati is set to give tough competition to all the major airports and in the coming years there will be some major development in the airport.”

ISO 27001 The LGBI airport director confidently said that Guwahati is trying to set a standard of ISO 27001 which none of the airports in India

has. He said, “The entire working system will be changed and it will be systematic. Guwahati airport will have the tag of an international level airport. We have started working on the system and it will not take a lot of time. This is a project which is coming this year and it will be effective.” Whatever is the scenario, the approach towards a modern LGBIA is making the administration happy about all the right things. People might feel that it is just a clamour, but the AAI finds it practical. Let’s see and find the opportunities about the strategy.

G PLUS FEB 01 - FEB 07, 2014

City water bodies highly polluted

City

Mrinmoyee Hazarika

A recent survey reveals that the water bodies of the city are highly polluted and Borsola beel is the most affected

oor drainage system, disposal of industrial wastage and waste into water has been posing a great threat to the major water bodies of the city, thereby deteriorating the quality of water. A survey conducted by a student of Cotton college under the guidance of Dr Rezina Ahmed, associate professor, department of Zoology of Cotton college reveals the fact that among six major water bodies of the city, Borsola beel is the worst affected. The survey, named ‘Study on diversity of aquatic insects with reference to physico-chemical parameters of some selected fresh water ponds in Guwahati, Kamrup and a part of the river Brahmaputra (from Uzan bazaar to Bharalu)’ was done in Nagkata pukhuri, Jorpukhuri 1 and 2, Borsola beel, Deepor beel in the year 2013. “We have analysed the physical and chemical parameters of six water bodies of the city and among them, the Borsola beel is the worst affected water body. The survival of aquatic flora and fauna depends upon the quality of water. Therefore, it is of utmost important to keep the water bodies free from pollution,” Dr Ahmed told G Plus. During the survey conducted from February to May last year, it was revealed that the level of dissolved oxygen was between 5.4 to 6, which is the lowest compared to the other five water bodies. The level of free carbon dioxide in the water was from 4 to 8 in Borsola beel during the same period, whereas Dighalipukhuri did not record any free carbon dioxide in the water. Similarly, the analysis of alkalinity and hardness from February to May, 2013 found in Borsola beel were from 2 to 2.6 and 200 to 140. “Poor drainage system of the city, industrial outlets connecting the water bodies, setting up of garages and car-washes on the bank of the ponds, disposal of food items into the water, increasing level of pollution are some of the major factors responsible for the deteriorating quality of water of

Borsola Beel

“

Another reason for the increasing water pollution is human interference and it has been affecting the aquatic eco-system as well as the flora and fauna living in the water.”

the water bodies of the city,” Dr Rezina Ahmed said. Criticising the Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) for not cleaning the drains on time, Professor Ahmed also mentioned, “Another reason for the increasing water pollution is human interference and it has been affecting the aquatic eco-system as well as the flora and fauna living in the water” Moreover, the survey also reveals that the Bosola beel is the largest and most highly polluted among the five other water bodies of the city that were surveyed by the student of Cotton college. The reason behind it is that the drainage system of the city is connected to it and the water colour

Level of dissolve oxygen found in the survey done by the student of Cotton college Month

Dighalipukhuri

Jorpukhuri1

Jorpukhuri2

Nakkata pukhuri

Borsola beel

Deepor beel

Brahmaputra (from Uzanbazar to Bharalu)

Feb Mar

8.6

14.4

8.8

5.4

3.2

7.1

8.2

19.2

Apr

7.6

8.8

7.8

May

4.4

8.4

4.4

8.9

8.4

9.2

Level of free carbon dioxide Month

Dighalipukhuri

Jorpukhuri1

Jorpukhuri2

Nakkata pukhuri

Borsola beel

Deepor beel

Brahmaputra (from Uzanbazar to bharalu)

Feb

2.3

Mar

2.2

Apr

2.1

1.9

May

1.1

1.67

of the beel is dark-grey brown. The water also smells of Hydrogen sulphide gas. “We have also analysed the Ph level of the water bodies in our survey to look into the purity of the water. The Ph level of Borsola beel was 7.5, whereas 7 is considered as the neutral parameter. Any parameter below 7 is called acidic and above 7 is called

alkaline,” Dr Rezina Ahmed further added. The pollution level of the Deepor beel, the lone Ramsar Site of the state and the second of its kind in Northeast India, after the Loktak in Manipur too has reached a very high level. “Because of the increasing pollution, the quantity and variety of fish is dropping drastically. It has also

caused the death of aquatic creatures and posed threat to the survival of other aquatic plants in the Deepor beel. The waste dumping ground of GMC in Boragaon is located just half a kilometre away from the Deepor beel and the poisonous substances make their way to it from Boragaon,” Moloy Baruah of Early birds, an environmental NGO said.

G PLUS FEB 01 - FEB 07, 2014

In The News

Trade body opposes holding fairs inside the city

With a multitude of fairs and festivals being held inside the city, the organisers of the International Guwahati Trade Fair asks the government to make the Maniram Dewan Trade Centre the standard venue for all.

File photo

MRINMOYEE HAZARIKA

mong many other reasons to establish a trade centre, the Maniram Dewan Trade Centre, on the outskirts of Guwahati is to divert the traffic congestion far away from the city. Since its establishment in the Betkuchi area of Guwahati, the centre has been serving as an important venue for holding trade fairs and other festivals. Even, the government has decided to hold all the major fairs at the premises of the Maniram Dewan Trade Centre. But the recent trend of organising fairs and festivals including food festivals in every nook and corner of the city has become a matter of concern for the trade bodies of the city. “The government should not allow holding of fairs and festivals inside the city. These fairs organised in the small playgrounds located in different parts of the city cause severe

traffic congestions. Considering the convenience of students and senior citizens, it is understandable for book fairs to be organised inside the city. However, other fairs being held every now and then in the heart of the city are creating heavy traffic congestion for the public,” Rajesh Das, vice presi-

“

These fairs organised in the small playgrounds located in different parts of the city cause severe traffic congestions.

dent of Industries and Trade Fair Association of Assam (ITFAA) said. Urging the government to hold fairs and festivals in Maniram Dewan Trade Centre, Das further said, “There is a state of the art trade centre right in the city and after its establishment even the government has been holding fairs and festivals in it. But, recently, there have been a number of fairs and festivals being organised even in small playgrounds of the city. These grounds do not have any of the amenities” Mentioning the lacuna of the playgrounds located inside the city, Das stated that these playgrounds do not have a public toilet and no space for car parking for the visitors. “Now, we have seen that the government has organised fairs in the veterinary playground situated at Khanapara and permits other people to organise festivals in other play-

grounds of the city. If this trend prevails, then the very idea of establishing Maniram Dewan Trade Centre is defeated,” Rajesh Das said. At the same time, he also rued the poor state infrastructure around the trade centre. “The condition of roads leading to the Maniram Dewan trade centre is not good. Besides, the street lights near it are dysfunctional. But we have seen that the government puts up temporary lights on the VIP road in case of government functions. Therefore, we are appealing to the government to develop the infrastructures in and around the trade centre, so that people can visit there at night as well,” Das mentioned. The trade centre witnesses various exhibitions for seven to eight months of the year and the season starts from February and goes on till the month of September to October. The ITFAA has organised its 21st

edition of international Guwahati trade fair (IGTF) from 31st of January at Maniram Dewan trade centre. A team of wrestlers from USA (Kevin Mathews, Trent Barreta) led by Sonjay Dutt who is known for his appearances with Total Nonstop Action (TNA) will perform during the fair for the first time in India. Countries like Bangladesh, Thailand, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka are participating in the fair. The IGTF will come to an end on February 16. “We have been getting an overwhelming response from the public in the last 21 years. it has been helping to promote business and economy of the state. Because of the endeavour taken up by us, the Guwahati-Dhaka international flights will be running in the next few months. Our aim is to establish Assam as the gateway to the South-east Asia,” saidRajesh Das.

G PLUS FEB 01 - FEB 07, 2014

Politicking

Congress is narrow minded With Modi’s scheduled visit drawing nearer, is the Congress getting jittery about the impact he is going to have?

BJP

RAHUL CHANDA

s the city of Guwahati is all set to listen intently to Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi, citizens can already feel the various political strategies in the air. With the Teachers Eligibility Test (TET) date being changed from the 9th to 8th February, even if it is unintentional, people are speculating Gogoi’s approach as a political one and believe that the date change was targeted to bar people from visiting Modi’s rally.

Tight schedule It’s not only Guwahati where Narendra Modi will address a gathering on 8thFebruary; he is also scheduled to address a rally in Imphal and Chennai on the same day. BJP leaders expect a huge turnout of people at Modi’s rally at the College of Veterinary Science here. BJP national president Rajnath Singh and other

national leaders will also address the rally along with Modi. The Assam state BJP members are very enthusiastic about the rally and are preparing in full swing to showcase the culture and tradition to the Gujarat chief minister in an aesthetical way. As the schedule is very tight BJP sources said that the cultural programme at the venue will be over within 10 minutes.

The dirty politics Assam state BJP president Sarbananda Sonowal slammed Congress and the Tarun Gogoi government saying the district administration already knew about the date of Narendra Modi’s arrival, still there was a date change for TET exams by the Congress ruled government. He said, “It is basically the dirty design of politics by the Congress government which is not new. Government wants to create hurdles for the general public not to reach the venue and com-

mute easily. Congress is very narrow minded and understands that its regime is over.” Sonowal also informed that Narendra Modi will address a rally in Silchar on 22nd February. On being asked if having a bad history regarding the 2002 Gujarat riots, would Modi be able to woo the Assam voters, Sonowal said, “It was just accusations by other parties, but he was never involved in the riots, which has been proved in the Supreme Court. If the apex court has given a clean chit to Modi, than it is clear that he is innocent.”

The AAP hurdle As there is a clamour in the country that because of the Aam Admi Party, Narendra Modi might face tough challenges to become India’s prime minister. BJP president, Sarbananda Sonowal cleared the air saying what AAP is doing today, BJP did it long back. He said, “Under the

The people of Assam and the entire country, badly require a change and have shown enough faith in our party. BJP is the only party, which can bring the change which people of Assam require.” Sarbananda Sonowal said that the public rally’s objective is to spread the message of making Assam a state free of “fear, hunger and corruption.”

leadership of Rajnath Singh we have started the Gaon-chalo, Ghar-ghar chalo campaign to understand and solve all the problems of the rural as well as the urban India. AAP is not at all a factor for us as we are pretty confident that we will get the maximum seats. The people of Assam and the entire country, badly require a change and have shown enough faith in our party. BJP is the only party, which can bring the change which people of Assam require.” Sarbananda Sonowal said that the public rally’s objective is to spread the message of making Assam a state free of “fear, hunger and corruption.”

Alliance With BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi set to visit Guwahati on Feb 8, 2014, everybody will be waiting for answers to some of the much speculated questions – how many seats does the party have? How many candidates will it field in the 14 constituencies? And most importantly, is there a possible collaboration between BJP and the regional party AGP as many are talking about it in whispers? BJP state president said that till now they are looking to go it alone in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls and have not yet decided on any alliance plan. BJP sources said that from each of the constituencies about seven or eight candidates are applying for tickets. The list of candidates is expected to be out centrally within February after Modi’s rally

and the party will not take any fees for the tickets. Sonowal also clarified the same saying the tickets will be given to the candidates after the high command’s approval and the list will be declared by February end. Highly placed sources in AGP informed that Mahanta recently had a meeting with the central leaders of BJP including national president Rajnath Singh concerning an alliance between BJP and AGP. Whereas AGP president recently informed the media that the party has not received any alliance offer from the saffron party and are confident of winning maximum seats in Assam. In the 2009 Lok Sabha elections, BJP won four out of 14 seats by tying with Asom Gana Parishad (AGP). Kabindra Purakayastha from Silchar, Bijaya Chakrabarty from Guwahati, Rajen Gohain from Nagaon and Ramen Deka from Mangoldoi were the winners. Whatever is the scenario, the BJP’s prime ministerial candidate’s scheduled visit to Guwahati on 8th February is a wait and watch political event for Guwahatians, as it has already drawn a lot of attention from various political parties and the government. The security system also is on alert since 26th January and maintaining the peace during Modi’s visit is a matter of concern for the security agencies as thousands of people are already planning to throng the venue where Modi will address the rally. But how effective will his speech be? Will it in any means impact the voters of the city?

G PLUS FEB 01 - FEB 07, 2014

In The News

THE WEEK THAT WAS Session over paediatric surgery held at GNRC The 11th annual conference of the North East chapter of Indian Association of Paediatric Surgeons (NEIAPSCON) held at GNRC Hospitals recently. The two-day conference was inaugurated by Padma Bhushan MC Mary Com and Padmashree Dr Rathin Dutta. The theme for the conference was ‘Newer Trends in Paediatric Surgery’ and it brought together a number of pioneers in the field of paediatric surgery from all over the country. The Sports icon said, “For me, doctors are next to God, because my youngest son, Prince had a hole in his heart, and it is only because of the advancement in paediatric surgery that new-borns are now able to live longer.”

Guwahati Cine Club restarts regular film screening After the successful completion of its 6th Guwahati Film Festival in 2013, Guwahati Cine Club has restarted its regular film screening programme. It was one of the prominent motives of Cine Club to arrange screening of films of national and international repute in every 2nd and 4th Saturday and Sunday of every month at Lakhmiram Barua Sadan. The year’s first screening held at Lakshiram Baruah Sadan. ‘Playing The Tarr’ a 35 minutes film by Roya Sadat from Afganistan and ‘Amar’s Palm’ a 125 minutes film by Khaled Youssef from Egypt was screened in the film festival. Roya Sadat, is one of the first female film directors to emerge after the fall of the Taliban regime in Afghanistan. She has already attracted the international attention by her creations. Besides these two international films there was a documentary too on the African Tribes.

PHE employees call off 72 hours stir A 72 hour long strike which was expected to start from January 27 till January 30, was called off by the agitating employees of Assam Public Health and Engineering Department (PHED) after a meeting with the state government on January 27. The reason behind this non-cooperative movement was to seek an increase in manpower. Manik Chandra Deka, the joint secretary of the workers’ union said, “There are 12,503 posts of PHE workers in the state but around 2,800 have remained vacant for years. Since 2005 no new worker has been appointed and the government has engaged 300 casual workers instead. Workers don’t get any leave or holiday and often have to work for 12 hours due to non- recruitment of new workers”. In a meeting with Parliamentary Secretary, Chandan Kumar Sarkar, they decided to call off their strike on assurance of providing permanent retention of jobs to more than 10000 workers within February this year.

Femina audition for east zone held at Guwahati The eastern zone selection round of the fbb Femina Miss India 2014 was held at hotel Gateway Grandeur in Guwahati on January 28. Promising young beauties from Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand were seen taking part in the contest. Some of the contestants were as fresh as college students, while some were working in the entertainment and fashion sectors. Three contestants were selected for the final eastern zone regional pageant in Kolkata namely, Rimpi Deka of Tezpur, Kasturi Borkotoki of Nagaon and Kiran Lashram from Guwahati. There were several rounds prior to the selection - walk on the ramp, introducing the self and answering questions put forward by judges. The selected candidates will go through a holistic training programme and get groomed by a panel of experts from the fitness, fashion, diet, lifestyle and beauty industries. . The final auditions of the fbb Miss India 2014 will be held in Mumbai.

ADECT organises job fair for city youths With an aim to provide employment to the state youths, the Assam Directorate of Employment and Craftsman Training (ADECT) has organised the Job and Employment fair at the Sonaram High School Ground. The Two day fair was inaugurated by State Labour and Employment Minister Prithibi Majhi on January 29. Altogether 15 private companies from different sectors are here to recruit candidates. Apart from those, 57 technical skill providers have also put up stalls to select candidates based on different criteria to offer them training in skill development. Speaking on the occasion, Majhi said, “Thousands of youths are unemployed in our state and through this kind of fairs the unemployed youths get to apply for the job of their choice and also know about the various companies that are recruiting at the moment”.

City senior citizens get special amenities

AEC completed its 59th year The Assam Engineering College (AEC) celebrated its 59th Foundation Day on January 25 with a variety of programmes. The day began with the hoisting of the college flag followed by a colourful march-past by the inmates of college hostels. The annual merit awards of the college were also presented subsequently. Prof AK Padmapati, ex-Principal of Assam Engineering College attended the ceremony to distribute the awards. On the occasion, a friendly limited over cricket match between ‘Principal Eleven’ and ‘Alumni Eleven’ was also organized. The Alumni team comprised many past leading players of the state. The AEC team had dominated the cricket scenario of Assam in the 60s, 70s and early 80s when a host of gifted players were rolled out for Ranji Trophy and other national tournaments by this premier institution.

As the abuse incidents of elderly persons are growing in the state, especially in the capital, the National Human Rights Commission (NRHC) has ventured to implement the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007. In a letter to the chief secretary, the NHRC enquired whether ‘Maintenance’ and ‘Appellate’ tribunals and old age homes have been established for senior citizens. According to the act, the government has to establish homes for indigent senior citizens and ensure that state hospitals provide beds to senior citizens for treatment of chronic, terminal and degenerative diseases. An official in the state social welfare department said, “There is not a single ‘Maintenance’ and ‘Appellate’ tribunal in Assam. There is only one government old age home in Kamrup’s Boko. In terms of medical aid, the state government has a health scheme under which a person who is over 75 years gets a one-time medical support of Rs 700 only. Help Age India, a leading NGO working to secure senior citizens’ rights, said in a report that Guwahati came second in incidents of ‘elder abuse’ in 2012, with 60.55 per cent elderly persons facing abuse.

400 buses to ease city transport woes The Central government has sanctioned a total of 400 buses for the Assam capital city Guwahati under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission. These buses have been approved subject to conditions like setting up of city specific SPVs, ensuring availability of adequate land for depots, workshops, proof of tie-up with financial intermediary, undertaking of state government regarding operational losses, legal notification of urban agglomeration and local planning area among others. The 400 buses sanctioned for Guwahati will cost Rs. 191 crore and 90 per cent of this will be central government’s share, which is Rs. 171.90 crore. The meeting also approved ancillary infrastructure, including upgrading of existing terminals and development of new depots for the city, at an estimated cost of Rs. 22.31 crore with the centre’s share of Rs. 20 crore. In phase I of JNURM, the city received 182 buses, which are being operated under As-

sam Transport Corporation (ASTC), without setting up the SPV. But this time the government has to set up

Special Purpose Vehicles (SPV) for operating and managing the buses before they actually arrive here.

G PLUS FEB 01 - FEB 07, 2014

In Conversation Photo: Rahul Chanda

Kiran Shankar More was the wicket-keeper for the Indian cricket team from 1984 to 1993. He was the Chairman of the Selection Committee of the BCCI till DilipVengsarkar took over from job in 2006. Recently he visited Guwahati to launch a book Purbottaror Arjun, written by city based sports journalist BipulBurman. G Plus exclusively interacts with More. RAHUL CHANDA

I used to play Kho kho and cricket together. I played Kho kho for state and represented Gujarat. I joined a cricket club in Baroda and it all happened from my school. Then I got selected for Baroda under-19 tournaments where I performed well and was selected for under-19 India. I played against England in 1977.

When did you start playing for India and under whose captainship?

I started playing for India from1983 under the captaincy of Kapil Dev. We went to West Indies and won the tournament for the first time. After that India also won the world cup but I was not a part of that team. India had never beaten West Indies in one dayers.

Do you feel any difference in cricket now and the past?

I think the attitude, the aggression and even the rules have changed but the cricket remains the same. Definitely a lot of innovations have come into cricket. Especially the players’ attitudes have changed drastically. They are more positive; more result oriented, which helps the game. And with T20 coming in, you see reverse sweep shots are being played even in test cricket. So, there is a positive change. The equipments are better now - the bats are designed in such a way that just after touching a ball, it reaches boundary. The shoes, clothing, the helmet, kind of everything is different. So, cricket has overall changed but the basics remains the same

What are your hobbies?

I love music, traveling, meeting people and I like all sports. I follow almost all sports like badminton, hockey and football. I am a big fan of football.

Is this your first visit to Guwahati?

I have visited Guwahati many times. Last time I came was in 2005 and before that, I came here to play matches.

requires “Assam proper guidance “

“

How did you get into cricket?

- Kiran Shankar More

You were one of the BCCI selectors; didn’t you ever get a chance to select someone from Assam?

What do you like about Guwahati?

Like entire India, even Guwahati has changed a lot. There are new buildings, hospitals, sports facilities and many more. I basically like the people of this city a lot. I like the culture, there is a lot of music here, a lot of cultural activities which is the best part of this region.

Assam is not getting reflected nationally in the field of cricket or any other sports, so what can be done according to you?

Assam requires proper guidance and a good development plan. Without development and proper planning, nothing can be successful.There is talent in Assam and it also has a great future but proper strategy and planning is required in not only cricket, but the entire sports scenario.

Assam requires proper guidance and a good development plan. Without development and proper planning, nothing can be successful.”

There were some young players who were doing pretty well under 19, but nothing came in as at times you get to see those players and sometimes you don’t get to see them. I remember a player from Orissa, and he played for India. There are players like Dhoni who got opportunity. Similarly from Assam, maybe it was that, at the exact moment no one was there. Sometimes you see a player who has extra ordinary talent and you select that player.

When you were a player, did anyone ever try to book you for betting?

Nothing of that sort happened to me and it is very unfortunate that betting exists among people. It is very bad

for cricket, but the game still goes on and if you look into the popularity of cricket, it is excellent. Earlier we used to play in metros like Kolkata, Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore, but now we have stadiums everywhere. This should happen to all sports and not only cricket. I personally never experienced betting so I cannot comment on it much. Sometimes players are also trapped into it.

Do you have any message for Guwahati youth?

Nothing is impossible and the greatest example is MS Dhoni. As India’s captain he has been leading the team for last six to seven years. He also won two world cups for India. So, just believe in yourself, work hard because there is always opportunity if you perform. Selection is always fair, and if you are good, you will 100% be picked.

G PLUS FEB 01 - FEB 07, 2014

NO KIDDING!

Society

Drama troupes of both national and international origin staged plays in the 3rd national children theatre festival 2014

Subhrajit Roy

he evergreen character of Charlie Chaplin and the present era comedy icon Mr. Bean have always been favourites of children and it sounds interesting when both of them are seen on the same stage. Both these comedy stars narrate the story of a prince who roams around different time ages along with his friend (son of the Chief Minister). Their time travel in the past makes them feel disturbed due to the wild nature of the inhabitants of that time. Similarly, they find their future to be more insecure due to the usage of nuclear weapons. Both of them can understand the threat on the nature due to such scientific advancements and decide to come back to the present. On returning, they rescue princes, a symbolism of nature by defeating a demon, signifying that we should act in our present to secure our future. Young minds from Bangladesh staged this saga, named ‘Kaaljatra’ at the Rabindra Bhawan in the recently held 3rd National Children Theatre Festival, 2014 organised by Guwahati Sishu Natya Vidyalaya. Directed by Anwar Hussain Sahmeem, the play expresses the intense desire of children’s minds and dealt with the issues like global warming. The play also uttered about the necessity of world peace. The festival this year has witnessed some tremendous plays both from Assam as well as Bihar, Puducherry, Kerala and Gujarat. The Hindi play ‘Topiwala’ from Bihar, directed by Vinod Roy depicts the plight of a cap seller and the mischievousness of a group of monkeys, where deception gets defeated by wisdom. The play also stressed about the issue of painful torture on animals through various comedy sequences. A colourful presentation of fairy tales with live music gave the play a profound touch. Similarly, the dilemma of children between their euphoric imaginations inspired by fairy tales and the sweet reality of mother’s love are presented in the Ta-

Kaljatra

Xukula Ghora mil play ‘Nilavi Thedi’, the inaugural play of the festival from Puducherry, directed by L. Ravi. ‘Akasappokkal’ (The Sky Flower), another beautiful play from the southern India, deals with the issue of conservation of nature. Directed by Kannan Palakkad, this Malayalam play narrates the march of an orphan girl for the conservation of Biodiversity. Regarding conservation, two local plays, namely ‘Belir Hatat Dhori’, dieccted by Tapan Barua and ‘Sula Siluar Gaan’, a play from Nagaon diected by Anjan Bhuyan, also deal with conservation of forest and preservation of tradition

respectively. In a tribute to the legendary Laxminath Bezbarua, a play on his childhood also got presented in this festival by the organising group. There are a numbers of plays in the festival, which deal with issues and problems related to youngsters. ‘Nigoni Dour’, the play from Gohpur directed by Prabin Saikia as well as ‘Xukula Ghora’ directed by Manik Roy deal with the conflict between the over expectation of parents and the present day education system where students are supposed to lose their desire at some point. As an aftershock a child, may get deviated and choose a wrong way for survival, which is presented in the play ‘Ajab Bacchon ki Gajab Kahani’ directed by Dr. Murutuza K. Railwaywala. The major issue focused in this Hindi play from Gujarat is the ‘Learning Disabilty’ in children. Finally, the concluding play ‘Kiman Aru Click Click Click’, directed by Jyoti Narayan Nath deals with the impact of ‘Virtual World’ on children. From Angry Birds to Barbie Doll, the mere fantasy of video game and its characters have gripped over the young minds. The present era children are addicted with these elements whose detrimental effects have deviated them from nature. The play utters about the need of the immediate rescue of children from this virtual reality.

This year the month of January began with AWFA (Artist Welfare Fund Assam) Theatre Festival 2014 where altogether five plays were staged. After that the six plays presented in the 16th Bharat Rang Mahotsav 2014 includes the plays from Israel and Japan. The 35th edition of the Jyotirupa One Act Play Competi-

Topiwala

tion held in the last part of January has also gathered numbers of plays in its record. Within all these, the eleven plays presented in the 3rd National Children theatre Festival, have remained the focus as all deal with the issues and concerns, desires and fantasies of children, which is a matter of ‘No Kidding’.

G PLUS FEB 01 - FEB 07, 2014

Business

PM draws road map for NE states Prime Minister Manmohan Singh recently met the Chief Ministers of all North Eastern States in New Delhi regarding all the major upcoming and ongoing projects.

SHAMBHAVI

rime Minister Manmohan Singh recently met the Chief Ministers of all North Eastern States in New Delhi regarding all the major upcoming and ongoing projects. The Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission, Dr. Montek Singh Ahluwalia said that the State Domestic Product growth in the region has been above the national average for the first time ever in the 11th Plan underscoring success of the initiatives and constant monitoring by the Planning Commission.

Railways

The Twelfth Plan initiated a major expansion in railway development in the region. There are 20 Railway projects under way of which, 10 are National Projects. Additional financial resources of Rs. 314 Cr were made available in the current year to allow completion of the Rangiya-Rangpura (Tezpur), Rangpura-North Lakhimpur and North Lakhimpur- Murkongselek routes. •

• •

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Lumding-Silchar gauge conversion for main and branch lines. Additional resources of Rs. 100 Cr were provided in the current year. Expected completion: March 2015 for the main line and June 2016 for branch lines. Bogibeel Rail cum road bridge across Brahmaputra to be completed by December 2016. New broadgauge line DudhnoiMendipathar to be completed by March 2014 will be the first rail connectivity to Meghalaya. New broad gauge line HarmutiNaharlagun to be completed by March 2014 will be the first rail connectivity to Arunachal Pradesh. The following seven national projects will be completed in the Twelfth Plan: Rangiya-Murkongselek (Assam), Lumding -Silchar including branch lines (Assam, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura), Tetelia -Byrnihat (Meghalaya), Jiribam-Tupul-Imphal (Manipur), Bogibeel bridge (Assam), Kumarghat -Agartala (Tripura), Agartala -Subroom (Tripura).

Road Development •

•

The East West Corridor of the National Highways in the North East is 500 km. 81 % is complete and the likely completion date is December 2014. The Government of Assam has to resolve some land availability issues. The Special Accelerated Road Development Project involves development of 4099 km of roads in phase A. Of this, 2505 km have been sanctioned and 1215 km are complete. Various steps taken to improve implementation were reviewed. Targeted completion

•

dates for various stretches are between June 2015 to March 2017. The Trans Arunachal Highway programme involves a length of 2319 km of which 58 percent is sanctioned. Completion date for various stretches is between June 2016 and March 2018. Additional six projects implementation units set up to speed up work. Actions needed to speed up implementation, including action by State governments in several areas was reviewed.

Power •

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The North East currently has 4080 MW of generation capacity and another 6810 MW are under development. Untapped hydro potential is 55,561 MW and the development of this potential would generate surplus power, meeting the energy needs of the Nation and also generating resources for the region. There is need for expeditious environmental and forest clearances and land acquisition. The Ministry of Environment has recently issued fresh guidelines, which will help. The Cabinet Committee on Investment cleared the Dibang project recently. The Lower Subansiri project is facing some implementation problems, which need early resolution. Ministry of Power and Government of Assam have scheduled a meeting in February. Intra-state Transmission line network for Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim is being taken up under NLCPR (Central). For states other than Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim, the Power grid has prepared a project for evacuation of power being funded by World Bank and Government of India.

Airports

Air connectivity has increased considerably and average departures per week have more than doubled from 226 in 2001 to 497 in 2012. However more needs to be done and is being planned. • New Airport being developed at Pakyong. Some land acquisition issues remain and the State Government has to construct the approach road from Gangtok to Pakyong. The airport could be completed by December 2014. • New Airport at Itanagar is planned by state government to resolve land acquisition issues, approach road and electricity and water. • New Airport at Cheihu: an alternative site has to be selected by the State Government. • Several existing airports are being expanded/ modernised: Guwa-

• •

hati, Dibrugarh, Jorhat, Shillong, Imphal and Agartala. Guwahati is being developed as a regional hub to improve connectivity. Intra regional network is weak. NEC is trying to develop through VGF support.

Inland Water Transport

National Waterway 2 on Brahmaputra (891 km) provides scope for eco friendly and cheap transport of both commodities and people. It is planned to ensure 2 to 2.5 metre depth with navigation aids and ten floating terminals maintained by IWAI. • 16 floating terminals for passengers, being set up by Ministry of Shipping are expected to be operational by end of march 2014. Four are already operational. • IWAI is developing a Roll-on, Roll-off facility at Dhubri and Hatsingimari to reduce travel time of vehicles between Meghalaya and Dhubri in Assam which now have to go over Jogihopa bridge adding 220 km. • Vessel repair facility is being developed at Pandu (Guwahati). Assam government to expedite land transfer. Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, in his address, gave a detailed account of the ongoing Bogibeel bridge, EastWest Corridor, power projects, the second bridge over the Brahmaputra, railway projects, among others. Gogoi said the Government would complete the land acquisition task soon for early completion of the East-West Corridor. The Chief Minister called for expeditious environmental and forest

clearance for completion of hydro projects within the stipulated timeframe. Gogoi emphasised on the need for development and modernisation of Brahmaputra Waterways (Inland Waterways 1) to improve connectivity and transportation of goods at a cheaper cost. He requested Government of India’s help for securing World Bank assistance. The Chief Minister while thanking the Prime Minister for taking the initiative to speed up the development process in the North East region, said the land acquisition for the DholaSadiya bridge has been almost completed.

The Assam CM also raised the impacts of floods and erosion and need for speedy clearance by Brahmaputra Board, Central Water Commission for comprehensive floods and erosion management. He also said that the ongoing Lumding Silchar railway line, Rangia Morkongselek gauge conversion projects would be completed if funds are released to the Railways by the Ministry of Finance. Gogoi also raised the issues of airport expansion with night landing facilities at LGBI Airport and expansion of landing strip at Mohanbari Airport.

HONDA SET TO EXPAND IN RURAL ASSAM G PLUS NETWORK In a strategic move which will propel the growth of Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India (HMSI) in rural areas of Assam, the company has tied up with Regional Rural Bank (RRB), Assam Gramin Vikash Bank (AGVB) for financing two wheelers. AGVB, which has 388 branches, a large part of them are in rural areas.HMSI has already associated with Co-operative, Gramin & NonBanking financial institutions in Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh & West Bengal for providing two wheeler retail finance facility at state & PAN India level. HMSI is eyeing 30 percent of the market share in the two-wheeler segment. Northeast India roughly sales 24,000 two wheelers every

month. Shakul Sharma, zonal manger of HMSI on Thursday said, “We are targeting a growth of 30 percent in the next fiscal and will rope in other co-operative and RRBs. This partnership with the largest regional rural bank in North East will definitely make two-wheeler buying from Honda more accessible and convenient for the customers.” Through this partnership, buyers can avail loan amount of upto 80% of Honda’s two wheeler. HMSI claimed while two-wheeler industry in North East has grown at 15 per cent, sales of the company grew by 29 per cent during April-December last year compared to the year ago period

G PLUS FEB 01 - FEB 07, 2014

Business City

G PLUS FEB 01 - FEB 07, 2014

Health

What’s cooking? The healthy cooking oil an oxymoron

Dr.Bikash Rai Das, Consultant Cardiac Surgeon

ts pretty much step one in the handbook of preventing heart disease, “Swap artery-clogging saturated fats for their healthier, unsaturated counterparts”. You might have heard of blended whiskeys, but now-a-days if you look closely the newer cooking oils slipping onto the grocery shelves, you might discover that cooking oil is also being blended. Is it confusing? Let me explain a bit. The packet may claim that it’s an olive oil and then if you look closely, it will read blended oil. The photo on the oil bottle might show rice bran and it says rice bran oil, and in a small font in a corner it says that it has sunflower oil too. Since It’s all becoming utterly confusing, how on earth does one decide what to pick up. Some vegetable oils that claim to be healthy may actually increase the risk of heart disease. In India, since time immortal, the oil we use in our kitchen is largely dependent on where you come from. In Kerala, it’s coconut oil, in Andhra and Rajasthan, its sesame oil, in the East and north we use mustard oil and in central India and Gujarat groundnut oil is used. A plethora of scientific research has proven that when it comes to health we need to make sure we consume enough healthy fats. However, more important than total fat is the type of fat in our diets. We all know that oils are much healthier than fats that come from animals (with the exception of coconut, palm kernel, and palm oils), particularly in relation to heart and brain health. Fats that come from animals have a much higher amount of saturated fat-the type of fat correlated with increased total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. But with so many different oils out there, how do you know which one is best for you? In the 80’s with the scare of cholesterol and heart disease, overnight ghee got a bad name and we were told that we should avoid trans-fats and sunflower oil became popular. That was in the 90’s. But today it’s an altogether different story. You have new types of oil spilling across the grocery shelves from around the world and each new bottle label brings with it a new health hope. One of the most important thing

to keep in mind is that oil behaves differently when heated, it changes texture, colour, taste as well as it’s nutritional properties. When the oil reaches its smoking point, a lot of the nutrients are destroyed and it can sometimes potentially form harmful compounds. Also, different oils have varying amounts of fats - polyunsaturated, monounsaturated and saturated fats.

How much oil should we consume? The total quantity of oil consumption should not cross 2 teaspoons per person per day. That’s as far as quantity goes, but what about the quality. Here’s a look at various oils and why they are not created equal. All vegetable oils have a different nutrient content and specific uses in cooking. Although cooking oils are very similar in their calorie content, the nutrient content varies quite significantly from one oil to the next. All oils contain varying amounts of saturated fat, monounsaturated fat, and polyunsaturated fat.

Sunflower oil The oil extracted from the seeds of sunflowers is known as sunflower oil. It has a high quantity of vitamin E. Sunflower oil is a mixture of monounsaturated (MUFA) and polyunsaturated (PUFA) fatty acids. It has a high smoking point, which means that sunflower oil holds onto its nutritional content at higher temperatures, which is probably why this oil is widely used in deep frying chips, samosas and vegetables. People with diabetes may need to be careful about sunflower oil as it may lead to the possibility of increasing sugar levels.

Coconut oil This oil is full of saturated fat. Studies suggest that diets high in coconut oil do raise total blood cholesterol and LDL cholesterol. Coconut oil also seems to raise HDL (good) cholesterol and it has the advantage that it behaves very well at high temperatures.

T h t l ea

Groundnut oil Groundnut oil or peanut oil is got a good combination of fats, and has the good monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats and is low in bad saturated fats. It’s a good all-purpose oil for cooking and it works particularly well for Asian foods that are prepared in the wok.

Mustard oil Has a near ideal fat composition but not very good as it contains high amounts of acid ranging from 35 to 48%. It is recommended that you don’t use mustard oil as the sole cooking medium. It has a high smoking point so it’s very good for deep frying.

Canola oil A recent entrant into the Indian market, Canola is flying off the shelves. Canola oil, which is made from the crushed seeds of the canola plant, is said to be amongst the healthiest of cooking oils. It has the lowest saturated fat content of any oil. It’s seen as a healthy alternative as its rich in monounsaturated fats and is high in Omega 3 fats. It has a medium smoking point and is an oil that works well for fries, baking, sautéing etc.

Olive oil If you use Olive oil regularly, you are consuming monounsaturated fats

that will help you lower your risk of heart disease and breast cancer, and that’s possibly because of its high monounsaturated fat content, which lowers cholesterol.

Extra Virgin Olive oil This oil is a hot favourite, it’s derived from the first pressing of olives and if full of antioxidants as well as polyphenyls, that are both considered good for heart health. It’s a darker colour and has less acidity than olive oil. I use it largely in salads, cold dishes and over pastas.

Rice bran oil A fairly new kid on the block and a fast rising favourite amongst the manufacturers, rice bran oil is made from the outer layer (bran) of the grain of rice. Health experts claim that it’s the healthiest oil on the planet. Apparently, rice bran oil has a chemical called oryzanol which is good for your cholesterol. It is high in monounsaturated fats and has a fair amount of polyunsaturated fats too, both the good type of fats. Since it has a high smoking point, it works well for deep frying chips and all.

Sesame oil Sesame oil comes in two colours. The lighter one is used in India and the Middle East, and is pressed from un-toasted seeds. It has a mild flavour and a high smoking point. The

Stretching exercises should be done after a proper warm-up on treadmill, recumbent bike etc. to prevent any kind of muscle pull or strain.

darker variety has a distinct nutty aroma and taste and works very well in Asian food as a marinade or in stir fries. Both types of oils are high in polyunsaturated fat but they should never be heated for too long. Sesame oil also contains magnesium, copper, calcium, iron and vitamin B6. Changing or rotating oils is healthy as it gives the body the different essential fatty acids which it needs. Normally, no single oil has all the essential fatty acids and the fatty acids ratio which the body needs. For example we need a judicious combination of mono-unsaturates, poly unsaturates and saturated fatty acids.

How does one decide on what is the optimal ratio of these fats? A thumb rule is 20% saturated 30% poly unsaturated and 50% mono unsaturated the optimal ratio of these fats and this also includes the nuts and oil seeds as a source of natural oils.” As far mixing of oils go, what works is olive for breakfast, pastas and salads, sunflower for deep frying, sesame for Asian, and alternation between Rice bran and Canola for Indian. Take your pick. Many of us are getting too many omega-6 fatty acids and not enough omega-3 fatty acids, throwing the ratio of the two off. It’s recommended we increase our intake of monounsaturated fats in whole foods, such as olive oil and canola oil, while minimising our intake of corn, soybean, and safflower oils, which are high in omega-6 fats. When consumed in moderation, as any oil should be, vegetable oil can be just as healthy for you as any other oil. Studies have shown that vegetable oil poses no higher health risk to you than any other oils on the market.

G PLUS FEB 01 - FEB 07, 2014

Life

BUSTING STRESS

Ritu Gupta talks about ways to get rid of the universal problem.

WHAT IS STRESS?

PRIORITISE YOUR WORK

We generally use the word “stress” when we feel that everything seems to have become too much - we are overloaded and wonder whether we really can cope with the pressures placed upon us. Stress includes mental, social and physical manifestation. These include exhaustion, loss or increased appetite, headaches, crying, sleeplessness or over sleeping. Some stresses get you going and they are good for you - without any stress many say our lives would be boring and would probably feel pointless. However, when the stresses undermine both our mental and physical health they are bad. The WHO has named it a worldwide epidemic. One person’s “worry” is another’s “stress.”

This is very important. While starting your day it’s always better to start off with the complicated things first because energy level is highest during the day.

BE REALISTIC

Accepting the truth of life and being real helps to reduce stress. This is only possible if we accept the real self within us. Comparing ourselves with others will only add to the stress, so finding peace within would make you real.

TIME MANAGEMENT

Managing your time well helps you to be stress free. Distributing your time properly helps you to do your work better thus, keeping your stress level low.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF STRESS

LEARN TO BE FIRM

The most common signs of stress are mood swings, skin problems, change of sleeping pattern, stomach or bowel upset, changes in eating habits, low self-esteem, poor memory, fatigue, headache, backache, frequent use of tobacco, alcohol, drugs and emotional outbursts.

Working beyond your ability will always give you stress. many a times to oblige people we take extra tasks which we are not able to fulfil. Being firm and saying no at times makes life simpler and people stop taking advantage of you.

SMILE AND LAUGH

HOW CAN I MANAGE STRESS BETTER?

The best way to manage stress is first to identify it. If a person is suffering from stress, the first task is to find out why they are feeling stressed. Is it an unhappy relationship, money worries, health problems or job problems? We have to understand whether the stress in our life is motivating us or is it hampering our well- being? Because all stress is not bad. The moment we understand that it is affecting our physical and mental health we need to help ourselves. Stress can never be eradicated from our lives entirely but yes, we can learn to manage it.

Some ways to bust stress:

• Become aware of your stressor and your emotional and physical reactions. • Recognise what you can change. • Reduce the intensity of your emotional reactions to stress. • Learn to moderate your physical reactions to stress. • Realise there is a difference between caring and loving. • Do what you love.

HOW TO REDUCE STRESS:

REDUCE THE INTAKE OF TEA AND COFFEE

Tea and coffee contain caffeine, which starts adrenaline circulation in our body. This creates nervous energy and leaves the body tired and weakened.

STOP SMOKING

Smoking reduces the ability to exercise. It makes client with short of breath. It also makes the smoker less able to cope with stress because the smoker has fewer reserves of strength.

TAKE EXERCISE

Exercise is a vital way of reducing stress. it generates nature’s endorphins the good hormone. It creates a sensation of well being and it tones and relaxes the body.

We have to understand whether the stress in our life is motivating us or is it hampering our well- being? Because all stress is not bad. The moment we understand that it is affecting our physical and mental health we need to help ourselves.

Robert Holden says, “Laughter is one of the best ways of relieving tension. A good laugh is similar to an inner message; it relaxes muscles, releases tension, lower blood pressure, increases oxygen intake, improve circulation and reduces stress hormone production.” As put by William James “The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another.” Substituting a positive thought for a negative one does wonders. It was once stated that like a glass held in the hand for a long time might start affecting our hands and gradually the whole body similarly stress if not managed well can take the shape of depression. The person or thing which gives us stress are known as the stressor. When we feel we are very stressed we should stay away from the stressor. When you are very stressed, ask yourself one question, will this matter in 5 years from now? If yes, then do something about the situation. If no, then let it go. The key to reducing stress is to prevent it.

Ritu Gupta is a psychological counsellor dealing with people having individual, marital, job related and child related issues. She also assists Dr. Deepak Goenka with infertility counselling.

G PLUS FEB 01 - FEB 07, 2014

Fashion

Freaky February The stylist in you GARGEE BARUAH

The stylist in you

he most common wardrobe woes include ‘choosing’ from among your best dresses when you have the least time to decide. This is a problem that usually a fashion fanatic faces as well as even others who at times care to look perfect for the occasion. No matter how many gorgeous dresses or attires you have, just pause! Keep in mind what time of the day it is and which occasion it is and yes, what kind of weather it is. It may sound silly but when you wear a very beautiful dress on a super gorgeous colour embellished with the best works during a hot summer day, your look can be claustrophobic for people around you. Let G Plus give you a hand in fixing up those petty problems and help you sail smoothly through a formal outing by making you your own stylist!

Night owl Step 1: Try using a lot of colours in black if you intend to wear ethnic. If you wear a head to toe black Anarkali, make sure your dupatta is the best feature that highlights the blending of a lot of colours like dark green, dark blue and maroon. You can keep the sleeves quarter or full with golden piping and a coloured border (maroon or dark green).

Step 1: For an evening outing, flatter yourself with mild colours. Wear colours that compliment your skin tone and avoid loud colours. You can flaunt a graceful maxi dress and wear pearls (earrings or a single piece of necklace) if your clothing is not studded with any stone work or other crafts. Peep- toe heels will highlight your sense of style. If you’re a leggy lass, put on a kneelength off- white or white dress with a red or golden coloured belt.

Step 3: Try making a loose bun as your hairstyle or a casual braid. Wear a jasmine, a real one if you have.

Step 4: Keep your makeup minimal. Apply only mascara to your lashes and a little eye- shadow towards the end of your eye- lids.

Step 2: You can wear cherry or peach liquid lip colours instead of wearing the matte effect. You can leave your nails with a nude shade or French manicured.

Step 2: Don the smudgy eye makeup or use a pinch of golden eye- shadow highlighted with black or bronze towards the end. Step 3: Golden stilettos to give you the red carpet feel. Paint your nails with a beautiful dark green or shimmer. Step 4: Wear a loud lip colour. Don’t wear jewellery except your jhumkas.

Step 5: Leave your hair open and try outer curls if you have wavy and silky hair or else pin your hair into a bun. Try wearing that medium sized bindi preferably in golden.

Fashion might sound a bit high funda word for people who do not get time or are not acquainted with the present dressing up scenario, but what matters is the attitude you carry with your attire. People say that the first impression is your last impression and whatever you wear kind of makes a statement about your personality. Whatever may be the occasion, day or an event, you need to look different and need to convey a message with your attire. So, February or any other month being look conscious is what gains you attraction. Choose the perfect shop in Guwahati and be happening.

G PLUS FEB 01 - FEB 07, 2014

Events

ALCHERINGA - SAAZ Date: 30th January, Venue: IIT, Guwahati

PAPON NIGHT

Music With No Artificial Flavours

Date: 30th January, Venue: Hotel Brahmaputra Ashok

7days

Me-Dam-Me-Phi Date: 31st January, Venue: Sukapha Nagar

VENUE

EVENT

30thJan - 2nd Feb

DATE

IIT Guwahati

Alcheringa

31thJan - 16th Feb

Maniram Dewan Trade Centre

21st International Guwahati Trade Fair

30 Jan - 2 Feb

Chandubi Lake, Mirza

2nd Moto Camp G2G

1st Feb

District Library Auditorium

Master & Miss Little Stars of North-East 2014

4th Feb

South Point School, Barsapar

Sarathi â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Free book distribution for the needy

1st Feb

Terra Mayaa

The Grind

3rd Feb

Cotton College, Guwahati

CULTURES OF PEACE: Festival of Northeast

Want your event to be featured on this page? Just mail us at info@g-plus.in

People of Ahom community and others take part in the celebration of Me-Dam-Me-Phi at Sukapha Nagar, Notboma, Dispur with traditional funfare.

G PLUS FEB 01 - FEB 07, 2014

Reviews

Asphalt 8: Airborne

Cast: Abhay Deol, Preeti Desai Director: Devika Bhagat

GAME REVIEW

mit Sharma (Abhay Deol) is an easy going man has given into the mundane and has absolutely no qualms about leading a boring life. On the other hand, his girlfriend, Samara Patel (Preeti Desai) finds no end to her frustration after failing to make a mark as a dancer. How the two take the path of self discovery is what forms the rest of the film. With a very simply laid plot, ‘One By Two’ tracks down the lives of two protagonists, each caught up in their cobwebs in life, each wanting to get another step closer to the ultimate dream. What both of them lack, in their own distinct ways is the go-getter attitude and confidence to take over the big bad world. Isn’t that the case with most of us? The director effortlessly weaves the similarities in her characters with the stark differences in their personalities which is what makes the plot line so endearing to watch. The subtle undertone of the uncertainties that cloud the minds of most of the youth today is brilliantly dealt with. At no point does the director let the dialogues and treatment of the subject cross the line and sound preachy. By the looks of it, ‘One By Two’ may not pull as much crowd as others written by Devika Bhagat like ‘Bachna Ae Haseeno’ and ‘Ladies Vs Ricky Bahl’, but one just cannot ignore the luster ‘One By Two’ holds. It doesn’t boast of the Salman Khan masala, nor does it pretend to be a SRK romance. Staying to true to what it is,

A the film delivers what it promises and reaches out to its audiences even more. The characters are well etched and realistic. No melodrama, no sensationalism – only what you see I nthe real world. The way the director builds on the equations the two protagonists share make the confusion in their minds almost palpable. The theme is bound to remind you of Ayan Mukherjee’s ‘Wake Up Sid’ but by the end of the film, Devika Bhagat, the director manages to hold her own show. The effort is brilliant to say the least. Talking of the performances, Abhay Deol delivers one of the best performances of his career so far. He seems to be tailor made for the

role of a laid back, confused guy. Known for being very selective, Abhay Deol shows genuine compassion towards the character he plays and delves deep into its skin. For a newcomer, Preeti Desai is nothing short of a revelation. We’re glad she took to films for this is where she belongs it seems. She is a charmer all the way. The music by Shankar Ehsaan And Loy grows on you as the film progresses. With such renowned credibility, there is only a little we can say in praise of the trio. If Devika Bhagat juggles take the film on three dimensions, Shankar, Ehsaan and Loy ass a fourth one with the perfect music.

sphalt 8: Airborne, a popular trending racing game for mobiles and tablets, has now been made free to download for Windows Phone and Windows 8 platforms. The game, created by Gameloft, takes up a size of 800MB on Windows Phones and around 1GB for Windows 8. Asphalt 8: Airborne is the latest sequel in Gameloft’s superpopular arcade racing franchise, but this one has a new element that lets you get big air to perform tricks. The new

jumping mechanic is fairly well executed and adds to the excitement, but it becomes old hat pretty quickly. It’s important to note that arcade racers like this one differ from simulations like the Real Racing franchise, so don’t expect real-world physics and controls. This type of racer is meant to be much more fast-paced and entertaining than the sims, so racing purists might want to look elsewhere. With that said, Asphalt 8 is still a lot of fun.

Cast: Aaron Eckhart, Bill Nighy, Miranda Otto Director: Stuart Beattie

f a list is ever compiled of the most embarrassing screen moments featuring otherwise talented actors, the scene a few minutes into ‘I, Frankenstein’ in which Miranda Otto announces, with a completely straight face, that she is Leonore, High Queen of the Gargoyle Order, must surely place somewhere near the top. But then, this excruciating 3D romp catching up with Mary Shelley’s literary creation 200 years after he first drew breath is little more than a long series of such nailbitingly awful moments, haphazardly stitched together. Aaron Eckhart plays the title character (the monster,

not the scientist, in case there’s any confusion), who becomes entangled in a war between the aforementioned sentient statuary (the goodies) and an army of hellspawn led by Bill Nighy’s demon prince Naberius (the baddies). Nothing about this works: the effects are dire, the mythology confused and idiotic, Aussie director Stuart Beattie’s direction is leaden-footed and the entire affair is devoid of humour (not that it isn’t funny, just not intentionally so). The ones who loved ‘Van helsing’ may like the movie as it is also a depiction of mythical characters in a more presentable way.

Publisher: Penguin Viking Author: Chitrita Banerji

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t is 1973. A newly independent Bangladesh is collapsing under the weight of impending famine, unemployment and political corruption. In the midst of this upheaval, Uma, a Bengali from Calcutta, moves to Dhaka with her husband Iqbal. As the young woman learns to make the new city her home, she faces upheavals of her own. Iqbal is a changed man, their mixed marriage raises too many eyebrows and

the charged atmosphere in Dhaka makes it impossible to trust anyone. Uma has never felt so utterly alone in her life, until she finds herself unexpectedly falling in love. Mirror City brilliantly captures the turbulent early days of Bangladesh, the slow breakdown of a marriage and a woman’s search to find herself. Nuanced, atmospheric and full of drama, this is an utterly compelling novel.

G PLUS FEB 01 - FEB 07, 2014

NSA, GCHQ target Angry Birds and other mobile apps for user data

Web Watch MTNL to provide high-speed Wi-Fi services to customers at non-home spots

part from being the grim reaper for green pigs, Angry Birds, according to reports, is more than just a smartphone game app. Security agencies in the USA and in Great Britain, namely the NSA and GCHQ, are said to be able to collect vast amounts of personal data from these apps, also called ‘leaky’ apps (a list that includes Facebook and Twitter), according to multiple reports citing new documents provided by Edward Snowden, former NSA contractor. The purported leaked documents, quoted by the Guardian

and NYT, are said to explicitly reveal the agencies at work to exploit ‘leaky’ apps (iPhone and Android apps were specifically mentioned) that use photo sharing, geo-tagging, sharing of location and a host of other such permissions. The NSA and GCHQ documents reveal capabilities to tap the data of a user, understand the type of websites visited, age, gender, marital status and sexual orientation. The simple interception (from user to network) of an uploaded photo to social media can reportedly also yield a lot of user data, from the email, phone number, buddy lists,

‘FakeOff’ helps detect fake Facebook accounts

and “a host of other social working data as well as location.” The reports claim that the security agencies’ mobile application projects aim to deliver two capabilities, namely: capability against mobile applications and targetcentric converged analysis of data converged from voice, text, and geo-tagging. Both the documents were from the year 2010. The agencies have been exchanging notes (also termed as recipes) on spying since 2007, according to reports. The information that is nicked by the agencies, helps them to piece together profiles of targeted users.

he news comes just days after a Wall Street Journal report said the tech giant was actively working on ways to implement a mobile payment system. The report cited the shuffling of executives to build the payment service as evidence, as well as additional sources familiar with the potential business. Apple has multiple avenues available to implement a mobile payment system, not the least of which is the iPhone 5s’ Touch ID fingerprint sensor. That feature currently enables users to pay for music, movies and apps via Apple’s iTunes and App stores.

Air India set to offer Wi-Fi on its aircraft

in-flight entertainment and connectivity (IFEC) company, Thales of France, has been asked to make a presentation to AI management at the earliest. “There are two aspects of providing Wi-Fi on planes. While the hardware will have be installed on aircraft, Thales is perhaps the only company globally that provides the software and connectivity for internet connectivity in air. We want to be the first Indian carrier to offer internet on board and have asked Thales to respond as early as possible,” said a senior official.

Mumbai and New Delhi airports and all the food courts and malls for this service. Agarwal said an MTNL customer who uses Wi-Fi on multiple devices like laptop, mobile, personal computers and tabs at home will also have access to internet on such locations. A customer will have to register himself at such places, and just by using his unique login ID and password can have access to internet there, he added. He said there are certain authentication process required before launching the service and as soon it gets complete, the service will be launched. MTNL has partnered with C-bot to provide this Wi-Fi service. MTNL which currently has 6 lakh broadband customers, sees addition of another 2 lakh to its customer base once this service is launched.

You might soon be able to pay with your iPhone

s instances of cyber impersonation on social networking sites rise, an Israel-based start-up has developed an application, FakeOff, that helps to identify fake accounts on Facebook. The app checks timeline activity of the suspect and tries to locate abnormal activity that indicates a nonnormal way of usage. It allows the user to scan the photos of the suspect to find out if it was stolen from someplace online,

n a first for Indian aviation, you may soon be able to surf the net while flying. State-owned Air India is planning to have WiFi on both its wide body and narrow body planes that are used for international and domestic flights, respectively, for a fee. AI chairman Rohit Nandan has set up a panel of top AI officials to examine the technical aspects and ensure that onboard Wi-Fi connectivity happens in a cost-neutral way for the airline and in fact helps the Maharaja earn some money. The world’s leading

iling state-owned telecom company MTNL plans to launch high speed Wi-Fi services in Mumbai and Delhi, which will provide Internet services to customers at different locations apart from their homes. MTNL will be tying up with malls, coffee chains and food courts to provide this unlimited Wi-Fi service to its customers. “We are planning to provide our customers Wi-Fi services at indoor locations such airports, cafes, food courts, apart from their homes. We will be offering 8Mbps speed”, MTNL Executive Director Peeyush Agarwal told reporters in Mumbai over the weekend. On the tariff side, he said a customer will have to use a linebonding modem to avail of this service, adding that customers already using the MTNL Wi-Fi services on mobile devices will be charged an additional Rs. 50 to 100 apart from their existing monthly rental. He said MTNL, which operates only in Mumbai and Delhi, has already tied up with Mumbai’s new terminal T2 to provide this Wi-Fi service and is in talks rest of the two airports for the same. MTNL will be targeting the

Touch ID is a hot feature for many iPhone customers, too. According to Cook, the fingerprint reader has resulted in more consumers opting for the $199 iPhone 5s versus the $99 iPhone 5c, which doesn’t offer the Touch ID sensor. Apple certainly has a lot of ammunition should it decide to roll out a payment service to compete with the likes of Paypal and Isis. The company has hundreds of millions of iTunes accounts on file that integrate with existing debit and credit card accounts. Forrester says that the mobile payments market could be a $90 billion business by 2017.

BlackBerry to offer free voice calls through BBM by february

martphone maker BlackBerry will introduce free voice calls on its instant messenger app over next month through an update which will also allow users to surf and create BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) channels, share content and geographical location on the go. Krishnadeep Baruah, senior director, channel marketing in Asia Pacific for Blackberry, told ET

that the global update of the app will happen ‘within a few weeks’, which will put BBM in direct competition with apps like Viber, Line and WhatsApp, that allow users to make free calls and send audio as chats. Baruah said that video call on BBM, that is available on BB 10 devices, will be available for users across platforms in the near future,

but declined to confirm whether it will be part of the next app update. The company may also launch BBM for Windows devices in the future, the only operating system that does not support BBM at present. “We’re constantly evaluating and hopefully at the right time we will be able to launch on newer platforms,” Baruah said, without specifying a timeline.

G PLUS FEB 01 - FEB 07, 2014

Your weekly dose of HOROSCOPE ARIES

You’re way out in front of the crowd at the beginning of the week — ready, willing and eager for whatever life (and love!) has to offer. The possible pitfall: Impatience where you may need to allow a little time. Around Wednesday or Thursday, you can have your cake and eat it, too, if you use a little charm. Put your ideas across diplomatically enough, and see others jump right on board. Aren’t you a flirt on Friday and Saturday! You’re 10 kinds of fun now — just be gentle with those who are liable to fall hard for you. Home’s likely where your heart is on Sunday, so nest away.

TAURUS If you’re thinking about something (or is it someone?) new, don’t rush into it at the beginning of the week. Check out all of your options — and know that some fresh ones may open up on Wednesday or Thursday. Gorgeous, grounded energy is on tap for you these days, with matters of the heart highlighted, too. On Friday and Saturday, you may not be incredibly efficient, but you have enviable emotional intelligence. Others are shocked by how well you get them. On Sunday, having people over may be more fun than heading out and about.

GEMINI Whatever you’re aspiring to a different job, a living-situation change, renewal in the old love life — you can get it going at the beginning of the week. A key now: Get input from those around you, and lots of it. Then, on Wednesday and Thursday, ruminating on what you’ve learned is favored. It may be a challenge to concentrate, but you can do it! Romance or some other sweet stuff may come knocking on Friday and Saturday — there’s definitely movement and improvement in the air. On Sunday, plan to soothe your soul and rest those busy feet.

CANCER

TIMEPASS

LIBRA

Keeping your emotions in control may be tough at the beginning of the week. Slow down, breathe deeply and schedule in some destressing activity. On Wednesday and Thursday, don’t forget — following up is key now, whether it’s a professional deal, something with a friend or maybe even a romantic prospect. You’ll more than likely get terrifically positive responses. You might just be a party animal on Friday and Saturday, and even if you’re not acting wild, all eyes are on you. Get out of your shell, at least a little bit! Sunday’s energy is super, too — what do you want to do?

LEO

Are you willing to compromise with a friend, your boss, a coworker or a partner at the beginning of the week? If it turns into something of a tussle, Wednesday and Thursday are excellent days to sort it out amicably. You’re forgiving and compassionate now, making others’ shoes easy to step into (and yours hard to fill). On Friday and Saturday, a conversation could get intense, whether intellectually, emotionally or both. It may be uncomfortable; on the other hand, it may be kind of hot. Sunday’s not meant for big accomplishments, but simple things can be very pleasurable.

SCORPIO

As the week begins, you are on point — ready, willing and able to take on whatever love and life may bring. Just don’t be too impatient for things to start! In the middle of the week, rock that charming demeanor and you’ll be sure to get what you want. Put your ideas across diplomatically enough, and see others jump right on board. Friday and Saturday sees you at your flirtatious best! You’re 10 kinds of fun now — just be gentle with those who are liable to fall hard for you. Home’s likely where your heart is on Sunday, so nest away.

VIRGO What you think is a spirited discussion at the beginning of the week could be interpreted by somebody else as an argument. Take a little extra care with your delivery, especially at work. In a bit of a switcheroo, you may be inspired to bare your soul on Wednesday or Thursday. Sharing your innermost thoughts might be scary, but it’s worth it. On Friday and Saturday, you’re likely thinking faster than those around you. Pushing them can either be fun or a pain; it depends on your attitude. Sunday’s a great time for a little gathering.

If you’ve fallen off your fitness regime, renew your commitment to your health at the beginning of the week. Starting small is fine — even taking a walk is a step in the right direction (and calming, too). A certain situation could get tense on Wednesday or Thursday, and you’re not one to back down. But if you initiate a dialogue that breaks the impasse, you’ll demonstrate both strength and flexibility — much better than plain old force of will. Play it safe on Friday and Saturday; observation’s more fruitful than action now. And on Sunday, your instinct has a major role to play.

SAGITTARIUS You’ll love a game at the beginning of the week, whether of the physical or brain-teasing variety. What’s key is participating instead of just spectating. Around Wednesday or Thursday, lend someone (your boss, a friend, a love interest) a hand when they least expect it. It needn’t be a big thing — it’s the observant thoughtfulness that counts now. While you’re likely busy on Friday and Saturday, you may not get the mental stimulation you require. Make time for reading or watching a documentary. Keep Sunday free for whatever catches your fancy.

CAPRICORN A relative, a wise friend or a mentor can help put something worrisome into perspective at the beginning of the week. Taking action — even a small step — makes matters better, too. Wednesday or Thursday should bring a big improvement, possibly with a work matter or in your love life — or just in your mood. Work hard and play hard on these days; when the weekend comes, you’re likely to be preoccupied by intellectual or interpersonal matters. Think it through, and come Sunday, you may be ready to make a change.

AQUARIUS Your intellectual capacity is stunning at the beginning of the week — formulate some amazing new ideas and make some interesting connections. Put your head together with another brainiac, and who knows what’ll happen? Around Wednesday or Thursday, life (or your own headspace) could seem dull by comparison, but just set about learning something to regain your spark. Speaking of sparks, they’re liable to fly on Friday and Saturday, maybe in the romance department. You’re a natural-born flirt now. By Sunday, you’ll be happy to simply dawdle around the house.

PISCES Is somebody hiding something at the beginning of the week? Could it even be you? Try shedding light and getting issues or secrets out in the open. By Wednesday or Thursday, you might just be shouting from the proverbial rooftops - or maybe this is stuff that’s better conveyed in a whisper or a love note. Find your unique expression; it’s so much better than the usual. Watch your step, literally and figuratively, on Friday and Saturday; you may be accident or mistake-prone now. The arts are in the stars on Sunday, whether you’re spectating or creating.

JUST FOR LAUGHs Wedding speech from modern girl to her in laws: My dear new family, I thank you for welcoming me in my new house... Firstly I must tell you that my presence here should not change your life routines... Those who used to do the laundry must keep on doing it...

SUDOKU

Those cooking must keep cooking... Those cleaning must keep cleaning... I’ll not disturb anybody’s routine... So far as I’m concerned, I’m here only to: Eat BUN, Have FUN and Entertain yiur SON!!!

Solutions (Last Issue)

Fun

G PLUS FEB 01 - FEB 07, 2014

Travel

Bhutan and the royal experience B

hutan reminds us of the green valleys, snow-capped peaks, cold climate and attractive heritage and culture. This splendid country is flanked by the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh in the East, Nepal in the West, and Tibet in the north. You will never be in want of activities in Bhutan. The valleys and temples, Handicraft emporiums, memorial, Chukha Hydel Project and monasteries are some of the major ones among the tourist places in Bhutan. G Plus talks about some must watch places in Bhutan this week.

Paro

It is a small village with a bazaar, hotel and a restaurant. ParoDzong and Ta Dzong, which also houses the National Museum, are two places of awareness. Ta Dzong was built in 1651 as a watch tower. A six-storey structure, it has a number of objects of religious and cultural interest, along with a collection of thankas.

Thimpu

Thimpu is an open valley and the capital of Bhutan kingdom is an attractive, clean, small town encircled by high mountains with the Thimphu Chu flowing to its East. The built up area extending for about 3km, is mostly of established houses and a population of 20,000. Entering the town from Paro or Phuntsholing, the Nordzin Lam starts where a petrol station is seen.

Flora & Fauna

Bhutan is exactly said to be a botanists’ glory. It has a rich selection of the floral species that include Rhododendrons, junipers, magnolias, carnivorous plants, rare orchids, blue poppy (the national flower), edelweiss, gentian, medicinal plants, daphne, giant rhubarb, high-altitude plants, tropical trees, pine and oak.

Tashichhodzong

The fortress serves as the office of the King, ministers and different government organizations and also headquarters for basic body of Bhu-

tan. Bhutan’s religious leader and the monks of both Thimphu and Punakha exist here during summer. It is also the venue for Thimphu Festival in the fall season.

Phajoding Temple

A saint known as ShachaRinchen built the temple in 15th century and is situated at an elevation of 12,138 feet, overlooking the Thimphu Valley. Surrounding the temple is many withdraw houses for the people who come here and spent about 3 years in withdraw. The hike is uphill north of Thimphu through mixed conifer forest with great views of Thimphu valley behind.

Phuentsholing

Most tourists entering Bhutan over land enter at the border town of Phuentsholing, from the nearby Indian town of Jaigaon. The change in the degree of purity and organization as you cross the border is unbelievably visible. Places you can see are KharbandiGompa, built in 1967 by the Royal Grandmother; the monastery contains paintings on the life of Buddha and statues of ShubdrungNawangNamgyal and Guru Rinpochey.

ZangdoPelri Temple

This holy place is situated in the center of Phuntsholing town, represents the abode of Guru Rinpochey. On the earth level there are statues of Guru and his eight Manifestations. And the Wall is enclosed with paint-

ings of Buddha’s life. On the second floor it contains of eight Bodhisattavas and statues of Avalokiteshwara and ShubdrungNawangNamgyal while on the top floor the main statue is of Buddha Amitabha.

Taktsang Temple (Tiger’s Nest)

The trail to the monastery climbs through attractive pine forest, many of the trees festooned with Spanish moss, and an infrequent grove of fluttering prayer flags. We stop at the cafeteria for a rest and refreshments and continue our hike for short while until we see, clearly and seemingly within reach, the remains of Taktsang monastery.

Punakha

Situated at an altitude of 4430 feet above sea level, Punakha had once served as the winter capital of Bhutan. It is still being used as the winter home to Bhutan’s spiritual leader and the monks of Thimphu and Paro. Blessed with moderate climate and fed by Pho Chu (Male) and Mochu (female) rivers, it is the most fertile valley and best red rice grower in the country. So, these were some of the must watch destinations of Bhutan, and if you visit these, you will get the options of visiting some more which are not listed here. Enjoy the trip.

G PLUS FEB 01 - FEB 07, 2014

G-Talk

Does Assam lack candidates to contest in the RS polls? rajorshi das

rupam das

Entrepreneur

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POINT

t is an open secret under what circumstances Dr. Sanjay Singh received the candidature of the Congress party for the Rajya Sabha and it is certain that he will win the election hands down without much problem. Respecting the constitution of India, we welcome this move by the Congress party and the so-called UPA. Since 1991, Dr. Manmohan Singh has been a Rajya Sabha member from Assam without much hue and cry or protest from whosoever. Personally I do not have any objection with people from other states becoming a Rajya Sabha or Lok Sabha member from Assam. It is a common practice among parties even in other states as well. But the more pertinent question to be asked is what is the number of Assamese people that are members of the upper house from other states? The answer will be nil and it is rather embarrassing. It is shameful for all the Assamese. This is an embarrassing situation even for a congressman and they will bite the dust in next Lok Sabha elections for these kind of anti-Assamese activities. Maybe there is a lack of eligible leaders among Assamese people to become a Rajya Sabha member and the Congress party firmly believes in it. They have proved it time and again with their acts that Assam has a lack of potential. Now, if there is a lack in eligible congress candidature for seven MPs, then how would they field candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. In two month time, would an efficient, eligible, dynamic Assamese congressman appear out of nowhere. It is a matter of great concern for every Assamese individual that Dr. Sanjay Singh has got the Rajya Sabha

COUNTERPOINT

“

Maybe there is a lack of eligible leaders among Assamese people to become a Rajya Sabha member and the Congress party firmly believes in it. They have proved it time and again with their acts that Assam has a lack of potential. Now, if there is a lack in eligible congress candidature for seven MPs, then how would they field candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. “

candidature from Assam. Let Mr. Tarun Gogoi , Mr. Himanta Biswa Sarma and the high command Sonia Gandhi answer in the Lok Sabha polls how many efficient people they will borrow from other states to contest the election on congress tickets. Everyone knows in Lok Sabha pepole with more efficiency and eligibility are required.

he state of Assam is full of talented and brilliant minds that have already proved their abilities in various fields. People like Lakshminath Bezbaruah, Dr Bhupen Hazarika, Bhabendra Nath Saikia, Ananda Ram Barua and many others were born in Assam and have contributed to the society to a great extent. Assam has also seen ace politicians like Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi and Hem Barua. Gopinath Bordoloi, the first chief minister of Assam, had played a major role in securing the future of Assam during the time of India’s independence. Without his political views and prowess, Assam would have been included in East Pakistan and we would never be able to call ourselves Assamese.

“

The Prime Minister of India has been elected and has been winning from Assam in one of the seven RS seats, for the fifth consecutive term. But, what has the state got from his candidature?”

Another towering figure in the political history of Assam is Hem Barua who played a very active role when he was a member of the parliament. He was very eloquent inside the parliament and raised different issues of the state in front of other members. It is said that there was pin drop silence when Hem Barua spoke in the parliament. It is also true that nowadays we do not get to see such personalities in the field of politics from Assam. But, that does not mean that we lack people who can contest in LS or RS polls. The prime minister of India has been elected and has been winning from Assam in one of the seven RS seats, for the fifth consecutive term. But, what has the state got from his candidature? The PM, who belongs to a national party, could have at least solved one burning issue of the state. But, we have not seen him taking any steps or contributing towards solving any of the problems of the state, be it flood, rhino poaching or insurgency. The only time he visits the state is during elections. We doubt that he is aware of any of the situations going on in Assam. This time too, the Congress party has decided to nominate another person in the upcoming RS poll, who does not belong to Assam. There is a high chance of him (Congress nominated candidate) winning in RS poll in Assam. But, it is guaranteed that people of the state will not get to see him after the elections. Therefore, the political parties should choose local candidates to contest in polls and when there are a lot of intelligent youths, they should be given a chance to showcase their potential.

G PLUS FEB 01 - FEB 07, 2014

Citypedia

Astrologers & Palmists G Plus will keep on publishing such relevant and useful information in this page in the coming issues.

Compiled by Rangman Das

Abhijeet

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Bharath Raaj’s Astro Samadhan & Research Centre

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Astro Mandir

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Nabagraha Road Silpukhuri Guwahati – 781003 Phone No – 94351-02359, 98641-53493

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Ganga Jyotish Kendra

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G PLUS FEB 01 - FEB 07, 2014

Catching Up

Headlining acts! SMS GPLUS APP to 56677 and download GPLUS mobile app

Kelly Brook WHO’S sHE?

This babe is an English model, actor and television presenter. Brook was born and brought up in Rochester, Kent. Brook attended the Thomas Aveling School in Warren Wood, Rochester. She then studied at the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts in London for three years before becoming a professional model.

Queen Elizabeth II going broke, left with just 1 million pounds

Brook’s modelling career began at 16 after winning a beauty competition, in which she was entered by her mother. She later worked on a range of advertising campaigns, including Foster’s Lager, Renault Mégane, Walker’s crisps, Piz Buin and Bravissimo, a company that specialises in bras and lingerie for large-breasted women. Her figure eventually caught the eye of the editorial team of the Daily Star tabloid, which began featuring her as a Page Three girl.

NOW WHAT?

Some people are all about the derriere. So much so that The Original Factory Shop retailer commissioned a survey of 2,000 women ahead of their new knickers range. They got the low-down on underwear favourites and on who’s got the best butt in town. The best bum survey found that Kelly Brook has the best bum. There’s no denying that the 34-year-old model and TV presenter has a killer figure. Congrats on the number one hot-spot.

Andhra assembly rejects Telangana bill, Congress downplays move

US criticizes ‘spurious’ charges against Egypt’s Al-Jazeera scribes

The United States has criticized the Egyptian government for bringing charges against Al-Jazeera television journalists, saying Egyptian prosecutors acted with “an egregious disregard” for basic rights and freedoms. U.S. State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki described the charges of “airing false news” against the 20 journalists -- including four foreigners -- as a “spurious” claim. Eight of the journalists are being detained by the Egyptian authorities.Psaki said Washington was “alarmed” by the reports that more journalists are now facing trial in Egypt.She insisted that no reporters “regardless of affiliation” should be “targets of violence, intimidation, or politicized legal action.”

As reported by Xinhua, Australia’s Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) made an announcement at Canberra that robots armed with sensors would be launched in Indian Ocean to study vast fisheries and mineral resources that are of importance to India as well as Australia. They will target specific gaps in understanding ecosystems in Indian Ocean which is of great concern to both the countries. CSIRO said that Bio Argo will be launched by mid 2014.

and send it to 56677

SO WHAT?

This is evident following reports that the head monarch of the United Kingdom, Queen Elizabeth II is going broke. According to an international daily, a report by the House of Commons’ Public Accounts Committee has found that the Queen’s financial reserves have reached a “historic low,” dwindling to 1 million pounds ($1.66 million) from 35 million pounds ($58 million) in 2001. The Committee’s report has placed the blame squarely on the Queen’s advisers for overspending in a manner out of line with the austerity measures that have been adopted by Prime Minister David Cameron’s government. The royal household only managed 5 percent efficiency savings over the past five years, while some British government departments have cut their budgets by up to 33 percent. In the 2012-13 fiscal year, the report found that the royal household received 31 million pounds ($51.4 million) in taxpayer funds, but spent 33.3 million ($55.2 million), dipping into the reserves in the process.

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In a major embarrassment for the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government that could have implications on the state’s bifurcation, the Andhra Pradesh assembly rejected the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Bill, 2013 meant to create a separate state of Telangana.Amid protests by legislators from Telangana, Speaker N Manohar announced that a resolution TELANGANA moved by chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy for rejecting the bill was carried and adjourned the House sine-die.”The assembly resolves to request the President not to recommend the AP Reorganisation Bill for introduction in Parliament as it seeks to bifurcate the state without any reason/basis. The bill has been sent to the assembly in utter disregard (of) linguistic homogeneity and administrative viability,” the resolution said.

What did I just hear? A British court ordered an Indian-origin woman, who was arrested after a counter-terrorism operation, to stand trial after she was charged with attempting to murder her mother -- a magistrate -- with poison, media reported. Kuntal Patel, 36, a bank worker, is accused of spiking her mother’s soft drink with abrin, a substance described as “much more poisonous than ricin”. Her mother Meena Patel, 54, allegedly drank the substance but survived.

Edward Snowden nominated for Nobel Peace Prize NSA whistle-blower Edward Snowden has been nominated for the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize. Two members of the Norwegian parliament nominated Snowden, saying that he made a critical contribution to restoring the balance between a ‘country’s legitimate need for reliable intelligence to preserve its own security’ and ‘people’s individual freedoms’.Socialist Left party members Bard VegarSolhjell and SnorreValen said in remarks sent to the Nobel Committee that there despite Snowden damaging the security interests of several nations, he has made contribution to a more stable and peaceful world order.

Kamur of the week

Lack of traffic sense. It’s not even been a month since the traffic safety week ended and Guwahatians still have not learned the basics of traffic rules. With people still driving the wrong way on one way streets, jumping red lights and proudly crossing streets over the dividers, it seems even a road safety year would not be enough to teach them.

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