VOL 01 | ISSUE 09 | NOV 30 - DEC 06, 2013
`10 ges 24 Pa
Brandi Glanville
The consensus about dearth of employment options might have some semblance of truth but are the city youth equipped enough to nail a job? G Plus finds out.
Catching Up, Pg 24
LovLes @ 41 City revellers upset at bar timing roll back
From the horse’s mouth
PG
Where are the right le in peopjobs
Guwahati?
11
Kaushik Barua talks about his debut novel ‘Wind Horse’
PG
15
Exclusive interview with Yami Gautam
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G PLUS NOV 30 - DEC 06, 2013
Lead Story
The consensus about dearth of employment options might have some semblance of truth but are the city youth equipped enough to nail a job? G Plus finds out.
people
Where are the right jobs in Guwahati?
Koushik Hazarika
A
s the young guns step out of their college uniforms and take off their graduation hats, we might do well to forgive them if they feel they are armed to handle any job with confidence and panache that they are led to believe. Anyone with a degree or a certificate usually feels that they have done a good job after securing above average marks, and with a 6-month internship to back up the course, it is inadvertent that they would start weaving dreams about making it big and climb the proverbial ladder two steps at a time.
Reality bites the actual scenario is however slightly different because employers generally do not look at scores and credit points. What they like to see in an employee is his attitude towards work, his eagerness to learn, his enthusiasm to adapt and his desire to succeed. People might feel that dur-
ing an interview, all this can be easily feigned to land a job but a seasoned and keen employer manages to gauge a candidate most often. An HR manager from a reputed corporate firm in the city feels that most of the aspiring candidates fail to understand the requirements of a job and often let the urge to be employed overtake their credentials. “Most of the candidates that I generally interview fail to understand the requirements of a certain job. Dreams are fine but you must be able to communicate clearly and let the interviewer know about your aspirations and desires. It often happens that I like a certain candidate and feel that he has potential, but I cannot recruit somebody based on speculation. We are not always allowed the luxury of taking in somebody and judge his ability after. So the candidate needs to be spot on with his communication so that the recruiter gets a clear idea about his capabilities.�
A strong knowledge base, passion to work and effective expressions is what every organisation looks for in their resources, besides their time, efforts and commitment.
Employment As per a report published by the National Skill Development Centre (NSDC), the Ministry of Development of Northeastern Region (DoNER) has outlined two major achievements as a part of their Vision 2020 initiative: Overall GSDP growth at a CAGR of 11.64 per cent between 2007-09 and 2019-20 Overall per capita income growth of 12.95 per cent between 2007-09 and 2019-20
Whether these figures can be achieved remains to be seen, but what the prospective candidates need to analyse is whether they are ready for the economic and projected employment boom if and when it happens. With the city slowly developing into a trading and business hub, the employment opportunities will also pop up in various sectors. A case in point is the series of premium 5-star hotels, which will be functional in the near future. Apart from the hospitality industry, it will also create job opportunities in other sectors that in turn will lead to sec-
ondary and tertiary options. It can be argued that the industry here is not generating enough employment, but then there are openings, which are still lying vacant due to lack of eligible manpower. A media house in need of a digital marketing executive are still waiting for the right candidate to apply and has had an advertisement running for the last two months. They have even had to entertain calls where aspirants were not too sure, what digital marketing was, confusing it with the marketing of digital products and goods!
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G PLUS NOV 30 - DEC 06, 2013
Lead Story
The lack apart from the lack of communication, inaptitude, perseverance and failure to stick around, there are some other basic aspects, which are lacking in the aspirants which usually lead to creating wrongful impressions and failure to attract attention. Pubali Borthakur, HR Manager of Zaloni, Guwahati, an IT company, has been recruiting candidates for a good number of years and is also associated with numerous institutes through campus recruitments. She said, “Since my first experience about ten years back, I have never forgotten to remind the respective placements cells to retell their students to bring in CVs, certificates and dress properly! This, in spite of being the very basics of appearing for an interview, our students forget or maybe they don’t know - I am not sure about the exact reason though.”
Pubali puts forth her reasons for the lack: The dwindling teacher-student relationship that needs mutual trust building exercises. The belief among the youth as well as a few teachers, that practical work is completely different than academics. Thus, most of the youth end up not taking their courses seriously enough thinking it will be a waste once they land up in their jobs. Definitely technology! Nowadays, solutions to assignments are at the tip of the index finger. Answers are copied and pasted. Competition: Our youth are competing with those from different regions all over! This competition has made us feel that we are lacking somewhere, as a few decades back, soft skills development was not a major issue at all.
Need of the hour currently, there are quite a few number of youth who are graduates or diploma holders. They possess the necessary certificates and degrees but still fail to bag a job. The reasons for this are many and as Pranjoy Das, a skill and personality trainer in the city puts it, the institutes in the city, skill development and others are not providing training which can help make professionals out of these aspirants. He infers that, “Skill development in India is still at a superficial
For Senior-level executives: Senior level executives are more confident and responsible individuals. However, their job profile creates considerable work pressure that in turn puts their stress management and anger management skills to test time and again. Their inability to tackle such issues effectively may lead to burnouts, even at the peak of their career. The easiest way out they find is to suppress such issues from getting out of hand. Indulging in late night socializing is one such way, which has become almost stereotypical of senior level executives . It is one of the leading causes of family and lifestyle related problems. -Pranjoy Das
stage. A tour of Guwahati will reveal a plethora of institutes promising to provide all the right skills to job aspirants to make them more ‘employable’ in modern day organisations. Though the intention is quite noble, the problem lies in the design and delivery of such services. Neither the trainers nor the aspirants fully understand what the ‘right skills’ are or should be. Both need to understand that spoken English courses with ‘accent training’, short-term computer courses, vocational training etc. are not enough to create skilful human resources. What is required is a need-based, problem-based and issue- based approach. The right skills would be those that specifically address and help to overcome all present day needs, problems and issues faced by employers and customers. If a suggestion be made, along with technical skills, institutes can include elements of etiquette, communication skills, positive attitude, ethics,
values, aesthetics, sympathy, empathy, emotional intelligence, critical thinking skills and creativity which would ultimately create well rounded individuals.” Pubali, feels that, “A strong knowledge base, passion to work and effective expressions is what every organisation looks for in their resources, besides their time, efforts and commitment. These skills can definitely be developed once the individual feels the purpose and has the vision.” With Guwahati attempting to become a significant landmark in the country, it is somewhat foreboding that the existing recruiters struggle to find the right fit for their organisations. For the city and the state to achieve economic stability, the youth need to step up and sort out not only their goals and missions, but also the ways to evolve themselves according to the needs of the industry.
The Guwahati Metro Rail Feasibility Study A Pre-bid meeting was organised recently for the selection of consultant of the proposed Guwahati Metro Rail Project.
Mrinmoyee Hazarika Taking another step forward in its effort to provide fast, convenient and cheap mode of transportation to the city people, the GMDA and other concerned agencies recently organised a pre-bid meeting for the selection of consultant for the proposed Guwahati metro rail project in the city. Altogether 22 consultants from India, USA, France, Germany, South Korea and Spain attended the meeting. A Global tender notice inviting request for proposal (RFP) for the selection of consultant for Feasibility Study and preparation of detailed project report (DPR) for rail based MRTS (Mass Rapid Transit System) at Guwahati was published on November 4 this year. The central government had sanctioned an amount of Rs 25 Cr for the feasibility study of the ambitious project and the preparation of a Detailed Project Report (DPR). The project, to be carried out in three phases and covering a total distance of 196.30 km, is estimated to cost Rs.14,000 crore. The cost of
preparation of DPR for three phases for 196.30 km is around 50 crore. A GMDA official had mentioned that the feasibility report would examine the competitive profile of the suggested system in comparison to other mass transit modes, taking into consideration future population, land use and employment. The same report would also highlight the cost-effective solution as well as transit operation and maintenance cost of the system. The study will also include alternative models for direct or indirect financing of the project. “The DPR would reveal the details of the suggested system in the feasibility study,” the official furhter added. The final DPR shall include traffic and engineering surveys, alignment review, land plans and preliminary design of geometrics, location and layout of stations and maintenance depots as well as selected transit mode in conformity with the consultancy. Angamuthu, CEO, GMDA mentioned that the process of delineation of the city shall be completed by January of 2014. The project influence area
considered for MRTS extends to five districts including Nalbari, Darrang, Kamrup, Kamrup metro and Morigaon. Based on the Comprehensive Mobility plan (CMP) for Guwahati city carried out in 2008, the proposed city metro rail project will be completed in a three-phase manner. Of the 196.3 km of the proposed project, 64.50 km of length will be completed in phase one. The remaining 56.30 km and 75.50 km of the total length will be done in the second and third phase. The concept paper and terms of reference for rail MRTS at Guwahati had been approved by the Union Ministry of Urban Development in the month of July, 2013. The concept paper enumerates feasibility study for 196 km of track and preparation of detailed project report of 65 km (PhaseI) covering a metropolitan area of 2205 sq-km to cater to a population of 2.4 million. Besides, the passenger demand for the corridors being included in the three phase work of MRTS will be assessed in the feasibility report. The entire project is proposed to be implemented through a special purpose vehicle (SPV) under the state government.
Phase 1
Phase 2
A) Corridor 1 Airport to Narengi via Jalukbari, Bharalumukh, Fancy bazaar, Chandmari, Noonmati connecting eastern and western part of the city. (length 32.4 km)
A) Corriodr 1 Airport to Mirza (new town 3) (length 12 km)
B) Corridor 2 Paltan bazaar to Khanapara via Ulubari, Bhangagarh, Ganeshguri, Dispur connecting central area with south eastern part of the city. (length 11.8 km) C) Corridor 3 Khanapara to Jalukbari along NH 37. (length 20.3 km)
B) Corridor 2 Khanapara to Jagiroad along NH 37 (length 44.30 km) Phase 3 C) Corridor 4 Amingaon to Hajo (length 20 km) D) Corridor 5 Amingaon to Rangiya via Baihata chariali (length 42 km) E) Corridor 6 Baihata charali to Sipazar (length 21.5 km)
The passenger demand for the corridors to be included in phase
Corridor
From
To
No of passenger trips per day (2010)
No of passenger trips per day (2015)
1
Jalukbari
Narengi
190,859
297,352
2
Khanapara Paltan bazaar
199,732
311,176
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G PLUS NOV 30 - DEC 06, 2013
In the news
Airline fares should be regulated: AAI Rahul Chanda
The authorities have decided to slash certain tariffs to make Guwahati airport avail more domestic and international air traffic. But will this have any bearing on the fare that the passengers have to shell out?
Number of flights (take off and landing) per day
90
Number of passengers per day
7000
Number of aircrafts visiting LGBI every month
2750
Number of parking base
21
Number of international flights
1 (thrice in a week)
A
s the Union aviation minister Ajit Singh is focussing on discovering ways and means to improve regional connectivity in the country, the newly appointed Guwahati Airport Authority’s Director, AK Verma feels that the airlines should have a limit in charging of fares from the passengers. “This is the first time in India that any airport has kept uniform charges for both international and domestic passengers. As a part of our endeavour to promote regional connectivity in the country, we had asked for uniform charges to bring in more international airlines to Guwahati. The airport is also strategic in terms of its location,” said a senior Airports Authority of India (AAI) official, on condition of anonymity, a national daily reported. Guwahati has announced a uniform set of charges for both international and domestic passengers and airlines to make more use of the capacity of the airport. The charges for international flights are now less than a third of the rates at the Kolkata airport,
which is also its nearest competitor. The Kolkata airport charges User Development Fee (UDF) of Rs 400 to domestic passengers and Rs 1,000 to international passengers. The UDF of the Guwahati airport has been slashed, but these changes have been implemented by the Union government and the authorities in Guwahati are yet to get a notification about the move.
million passengers annually. AAI has announced plans to build another runway at a cost of Rs 500 Cr and undertake the city-side development at the Guwahati airport. The changes could make a larger impact on the pricing of tickets for shorthaul international flights out of India, especially by low-cost carriers, for whom a charge of Rs 1,000 might mean a lot.
Slashed rates
The fare game
The rates will also mean a benefit for the 5 daily international flights using the Assam based airport which is also seen as the natural gateway to the North East Indian states. Over 30 per cent of around 175 flights from the Kolkata airport are international. The uniform charges are in the form of landing and parking charges and UDF. UDF is charged to bridge the shortfall between revenues earned and cost incurred at an airport. The Guwahati airport was refurbished in December 2009 and has the capacity to handle around 5.5
For quite a long time, people travelling outside Guwahati have to pay a lot for the tickets, and it is an additional pain when the situation is urgent. A flight flying to Delhi, Mumbai or any other city charges a minimum of Rs 5,000 – 6,000 if the tickets are booked early, but if you book a ticket one day before travelling or on the same day, the ticket can cost you Rs 15 to 20 thousand. There is no limit on the fares charged and airlines decide the costs individually. There is no regulation which can set a limit on charging fares. It is true that increase in fuel price and
extra charges which airports charge compels the airlines to get it back from the passengers, but still a limit or regulation can keep a check on the fares. The Union government might slash rates for the convenience of domestic and international passengers, but will the ticket fares go down?
Present status Guwahati Airport Authority director AK Verma, on Wednesday, said that the customer satisfaction index is better in all the areas - check-in, overall security, festival friendliness and it can compete with any other airport in India. He expressed, “There are three more hangars coming up at the airport which will help in strengthening the infrastructure to start more international flight service. It is true that the aviation ministry has declared the slashing of certain rates at the airport which might help in cutting the ticket fares, but we have not received any notification yet, which can provide a detailed view of how the fares will be reduced.”
On being asked why the passengers have to pay a high price while going out of Guwahati, the director said, “There are various reasons for this. In other airports, the airlines have to pay a high price for the facilities provided like the UDF. The ticket fares are entirely decided by the airlines, and the irony is that there is no rule or regulation to have a maximum limit on the fares. The government should work on it and decide on something more systematic. Now the fares are charged without any control, if tickets are booked early then it’s a bit cheap but it’s very high if it’s on the same day. The process varies, depending on the season, number of seats available and so on. Hence there should be a regulation.” The government might have thought of slashing some charges to compete with other airports like Kolkata. But what profit will the passengers gain after this? When will people be able to avail a more regularised and fixed rate for airlines like we have for the railways?
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G PLUS NOV 30 - DEC 06, 2013
In the news
City revellers upset at bar timing roll back rahul chanda
Bar timing limits extended up to 11 PM only to be brought back to 10 PM... again
R
ecently, a breather came for the city party-goers, when the administration declared an extra hour for the bars in Guwahati. But, the good feeling soon faded away as the extension orders were rolled back on Wednesday. If we have to believe the people protesting against such a decision, then it would be correct to say that such a decision may disturb the security scenario in the city. But are there not an equal number of decent drinkers too, who drink just to relax and have fun?
The agony Prithwi Das, a city based doctor feels that the increased deadline till 11 pm is still way less than some other metros. He said, “It is only after 9 pm that I get time to go to a bar and relax for a while. These days I drink at home because by the time I reach a bar, it is almost 10 pm. I heard recently that the administration has extended the time limit, but later came to know that the order was again rolled back. It is sad that Guwahati still has a problem with late night parties.” A city based businessman Rupak Saikia was very happy with the decision of time extension but when he heard that the order was rolled back he felt bad. He expressed, “I heard that only 22 to 23 bars will follow such timings and once the administration is content with the implementation, it will be followed by all the bars. The administration rolled back the order, which means the security factor is still a concern in Guwahati in spite of the clamour that the city is turning into a metro. As Guwahati is competing in all the areas with other metros, I feel such a decision will make the city feel conservative and narrow minded. Anyways if the bars are closed, people drink at home or on the streets as well. So, now they will not have a fixed place to hang out at nights.” Chirojyoti Bhattacharjee, a painter by profession said, “I visit various places in India for many
I feel such a decision will make the city feel conservative and narrow minded. Anyways if the bars are closed, people drink at home or on the streets as well. Bar timings
in other cities Mumbai - 11.45 PM Delhi – 1.30 AM Bangalore – 11 PM Kolkata – 11.30 PM Pune – 10.45 PM Number of liquor shops in Guwahati
Number of bars in Guwahati
300 128
`36 ` Daily revenue generation from liquor business
lakh
Revenue generated by the government in the financial year 2011-2012
115.16 crore
painting exhibitions and seminars. Wherever I go, the bar timings in states, which are not dry is until 12 am. Nowadays, working late nights is a necessity; people get over from work only after 8-9 pm, so if they want to relax for a while, there is no place to go after 10 in Guwahati. So, it was a good decision taken by the administration, but withdrawing the extension again makes people feel bad about the city.” He further added that there is a problem when people get over drunk and create nuisance, but everyone is matured and the law and order situation is not that bad in the city, so the administration should rework the time frame and let people have their part of fun.
all the bars and wine stores.” Neha Yadav, a house wife is fed up of controlling her husband from drinking, she said, “By extending the bar timings, the government could have created a mess in the city as people have not yet forgotten incidents like the GS Road molestation case. My husband works till 9.30pm and reaches home by 10 and by then, the bars are closed. So I am happy he can’t drink. A few days back, he went to a bar and drank till 11, which made me angry and it affected our relationship too. Now that the government has rolled back the order, it has given me a breather. I think they should declare the state dry.”
The haters
The admin
If there are people who are feeling good about such a move, it also evoked sharp reaction from different quarters. Guwahati has already earned the dubious distinction of being a place with the highest density of bars and wine shops in India, and the time extension, many believe, would aggravate the crime scenario in the capital city. So, withdrawing the orders of time extension in bars was appreciated by many. Rajiv Kumar Jha, a social activist, feels that it is good that the bar timings extension plan was withdrawn as it shows that the administration is not sure about the law and order situation. He said, “All the major heinous crimes takes place in the country when people are drunk, so backing people who drink is indirectly encouraging the criminals. It is true that there are matured drinkers too who understand their part of duties and responsibilities, but all is not well in the city. States like Gujarat and Mizoram are developing very soon and the literacy level is also decent. I feel that if a state becomes dry, it helps in the developmental process. I oppose the extension of bar timings and feel that instead of extending the bar timings, they should close down
according to sources in the excise department, the order to extend the bar timings was implemented by the Kamrup Metro deputy commissioner and on 27th November, the order to withdraw the decision came from the commissioner of the excise department. The source said, “The excise department is reworking on the excise law and as there is already a case pending in the Gauhati High Court, the decision cannot be implemented now.” He further added that the Commissioner of excise department had written to the deputy commissioner about the legal constrains and therefore the order was withdrawn. The cabinet committee is also working on this issue and the decision will come after their approval. It is true that alcohol is not socially accepted all around, but many people consume it with precaution just to have fun. At a time when other cities in the country have late night parties and discos for people to relax, a city like Guwahati aspiring to be a metro has restrictions on the entertainment and enjoyment part. Maybe it is the law and order situation or the people who cannot behave after getting drunk, but whatever the reason, Guwahati still needs to grow up.
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G PLUS NOV 30 - DEC 06, 2013
In the news
ATM Fiasco Haunts The City
Post the Bangalore ATM incident, G PLUS checked out the security status of the teller machines in the city. MRINMOYEE HAZARIKA
T
he residents of the Guwahati are reeling under terror after the horrific attack on a woman at an Automated Teller Machine (ATM) in Bangalore, followed by another such incident in Chennai. Yet, there is no trace of action being taken by the bank authorities of different banks to beef up security in the ATM kiosks located in different localities of the city. According to the guidelines set by the Reserve Bank of India, caretakers must be present at offsite ATMs and the responsibility of strengthening the security falls upon the banks themselves. The RBI guidelines also mention that the banks should make arrangements with local police authorities for regular beats in case ATMs are located in sensitive areas.
Security scenario
In its effort to look into the security scenario of the ATMs located in different areas of Guwahati, G Plus found that apart from a few guarded ATMs owned by the private sector banks, most of the ATMs owned by the country’s largest government-owned bank SBI are left unguarded. It definitely is a cause of serious concern for the customers to conduct financial transactions from those ATMs at night or even at other times
of the day. The lighting arrangements too are very poor in some of the ATMs which are located inside small gullis, making those more vulnerable. “We have more than 300 ATMs in greater Guwahati and not all of them are guarded or manned. Among those ATMs, 50 to 60 have been identified as vulnerable to attack. We have requested the authorities to approve appointment of security guards at all the ATMs in greater Guwahati. We expect to protect all the ATMs in the city, excluding the periphery areas by a security guard by December 31,” a senior official of SBI told G Plus. At the same time, the official has urged the customers to be careful while using ATM machines because
“
We have more than 300 ATMs in greater Guwahati and not all of them are guarded or manned. Among those ATMs, 50 to 60 have been identified as vulnerable to attack.
incidents can happen anytime, anywhere. The scenario in other private sector banks too is more or less similar to the one with SBI. IndusInd Bank has 14 ATMs in the Northeast and two in Guwahati. “All of them are guarded,” said an official of the bank here. On the other hand, HDFC Bank, one of the oldest players has 20 ATMs in Guwahati that are all guarded. Sources at the bank said, “All our 20 ATMs in the city have security guards,” Some other private bank officials have mentioned that though they do not provide round-the-clock security service to the ATM kiosks, they do provide security guards during the night hours.
Cops initiative
Though, the city police directly cannot involve in the manning or guarding the ATMs situated in sensitive areas, yet it has decided to intensify patrolling at night and in the early hours of the day, when most crimes occur. “If incident similar to the one in Bangalore occurs here, it will not be easy to investigate given the present security mechanism in the ATMs. Because, sometimes the CCTV cameras installed inside the ATM kiosks or in the machine itself do not function properly. Besides, criminals are well aware of the existence of these cameras. It is not tough for them to damage those cameras and they may also cover their faces while committing crimes,” a source in the police told.
Even the bank officials expressed their helplessness in tracing the criminals in case of such scenarios. “We have installed CCTV cameras inside the ATM kiosks and inside the machines. But, if someone damages the cameras or commits crime wearing masks even in a guarded ATM kiosk, we cannot help it. But, we at least get a report on time,” a bank official mentioned.
We visited around 25 ATM’s from Paltan Bazaar to Panjabari around midnight and discovered that all the ATM’s were without any security guards
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G PLUS NOV 30 - DEC 06, 2013
Business
Industrial Power Tariff Goes Up As if the sky rocketing prices of onion, potatoes and tomatoes were not enough, now the power bill of industries is also expected to go up. SHAMBHAVI
T
he Assam Electricity Regulatory Commission (AERC) has recently announced the multiyear power tariffs for the financial years of 2013- ’14, 2014- ’15 and 2015’16, which will come into force from December 1. The Commission has approved increase that is 2.4 per cent, in tariffs of certain categories of consumers like high tension (HT) industries, tea, and coffee and rubber industries and Domestic-B category (above 5 Kilo Watt (KW) - 20 KW load). AERC has given a go ahead to average tariff increase of 2.4 per cent for the financial year of 2013-’14 and has retained the fixed/ demand charges at the existing level for all categories. However, through its tariff order, the Commission has retained the tariffs of the ‘Jeevan Dhara’ category and the first slab of the ‘Domestic-A’ category (first 4 units per day or first 120 units per month) at the existing levels, with the intention of reducing the burden on these categories, and also since the level of cross-subsidy is within limits. The Government of Assam has assured a Rs 200 crore tariff-related subsidy and it has particularly mentioned a Rs 1.10 per unit subsidy for the ‘Jeevan Dhara’ category and Rs 0. 70 per unit for the ‘Domestic-A’ category for the first four units per day, that is 120 units per month. This will benefit 11.27 lakh ‘Jeevan Dhara’ category consumers and 15.28 lakh ‘DomesticA’ category consumers. The Commission has also reduced the tariffs for the ‘Low Tension (LT) General Purpose Supply’ category since this category, which primarily includes premises of charitable organisations, places of worship, small
government offices, etc., may not be required to subsidise other categories. The Commission has retained the existing tariff differential in the time of day (TOD) tariffs for different time slots during the day, so as to ensure that the demand side management (DSM) and energy conservation measures are continued. But rational of this increase is questioned as Assam government has decided to subsidise power rate for Above poverty line (APL) and Below poverty line(BPL) consumers. An amount of Rs 200 crore per year will be given to the Assam Power Distribution Company Ltd (APDCL) as subsidy to meet the extra charges. Assam power minister, Pradyut Bordoloi earlier said, “There has been 165 percent increase in natural gas price in last two years, while in case of coal the price has gone up to 150 percent. Though the electricity tariff is decided by AERC and government has no say in it, it is our responsibility to take care of the consumers if the tariff is hiked.”
A
The current demand of power in the Assam is about
“
1,300 megawatt (MW)
at peak load out of which there is an average shortage of about 250
local bodies, 6th schedule areas, other autonomous councils, reform and restructuring of State PSUs and covering the non-Plan expenses.
Palm oil production to be increased in ne
W
ith India hugely relying on imported palm oil to meet its domestic requirement, Union Agriculture minister is eyeing Northeast India to increase domestic production. Union Agriculture minister, Sharad Pawar on Wednesday said Arunachal Pradesh is included under oil palm development scheme. Mizoram is already doing the palm oil cultivation.
MW.
The per-capita power consumption in Assam at a meagre
There has been 165 percent increase in natural gas price in last two years, while in case of coal the price has gone up to 150 percent
Assam CM seeks `307430.13 Cr from 14th finance commission ssam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi sought huge financial support, `307430.13 Cr. from the 14th Finance Commission to meet its non-Plan expenditure. It is expected that a good sum of fund sought will go into the making of Guwahati metro rail. Assam Government submitted a memorandum seeking Rs 307430.13 Cr. as an award from the Commission to meet the State’s committed expenditure and carry forward infrastructure development activities. The overall award covers the State’s specific needs including the upgradation of infrastructure, predevolution revenue deficit, additional financial liability for the new pay commission, rehabilitation of erosion affected families, financial assistance to
There are 10 lakh BPL families and 16 lakh ABL families who will avail the electricity tariff subsidy.” Bordoloi added, “The distribution company’s monthly expenditure is Rs 300 Crore, but its revenue collection is Rs 225 Crore. Taking the annual loss figure to Rs 900 crore. Out of 16 lakh houses provided with electricity connections in the last three years, the company could collect revenue from only 18 percent of the houses.” But despite much touted power reforms of 2005, the transmission, distribution and commercial losses have been brought to just 28 percent from 50 percent and consumers are paying for the losses.
290 kilowatt hour (KWh) is far below national average of
890 KWh per capita The number of electricity consumers in Assam has gone up from
9 lakh in 2004-05 to 26 lakh in the current year.
Fiat India Sets Up Free Winter Checkup Camps
F
IAT Group Automobiles India Pvt. Ltd (FGAIPL) has undertaken a massive after sales initiative across India. FGAIPL will set up free winter check up camps at its exclusive dealerships across India that will start on 28th November 2013 and end on 30th November covering all the states. This move is in continuation with FIAT’s strategy to reach out to a wide base of FIAT customers located across India and reiterate its commitment to the Indian market. Speaking about the initiative, Mr. Nagesh Basavanahalli, President and Managing Director, FIAT Chrysler India Operations said, “FIAT India is rapidly taking strides to reach out to incumbent and prospective customers. The winter check up camps are
an effective way to connect with our existing customer base of over 2 lakh and reiterate our commitment to them. Through the check up camps, we will replicate FIAT’s global standards in after sales service in India. We
have seen a very positive response to the check up camps that were concentrated in select cities a few weeks ago and have therefore decided to launch winter camps keeping the changing weather in mind across India”.
8
G PLUS NOV 30 - DEC 06, 2013
City
VOX POP
LOVE FOR THE BOOK FAIR
T
here has never been a dearth of book lovers in Guwahati and the book fairs are a witness to that. The welcome winter has brought along with it the time most anticipated by bookworms - the book fair season. Just a few days back The Guwahati Book Fair, held at the AEI ground was concluded. But the locations of these fairs have been forever changing and losing the consistency that they used to have earlier. Sometime back it was shifted to the Maniram Dewan Trade Center which turned out to be a loss for the industry as people did not turn up. Considering this, its location was changed to the much smaller AEI ground that was in the heart of the city but the fact cannot be overlooked that the accommodation capacity is quite less than the other available grounds in the city. So the question arises that whether a proper initiative needs to be taken regarding the placement of the book fair venue and the love for books in the heart of Guwahatians. Can such a step be taken by the authorities to showcase that the fair is capable of being designated as a national affair.
Anjan Kakati, Student Speaking of book fairs, it is obvious that the present venue is very small and accommodation of such a large population is impossible. Steps should be taken where a larger area is chosen so that it does not get crowded and people can browse through the books peacefully. Two areas can also be simultaneously engaged so that the footfall is equally distributed between them so that the proceedings are peaceful. International publishers must be invited so that new and more variety of books are available. Old and famous books can be republished and presented to the people so that interest is created among the younger generation as well.
Rakesh Medhi, Marketing Executive
Space is obviously an issue because of which many publishers are left out or cannot be entertained together. The duration also seems to be a problem because 14-15 days are not enough for the people to visit the fair as people who live on the outskirts of the city may have problems commuting on the particular days. So, I believe the duration should be increased to at least 20-25 days so that all book lovers from all parts of the city can attend the fair. The waning interest of the youth towards these fairs should also be taken care of by introducing proper concessions for them so that their urge to buy books off the internet lessens.
Nibaran Nath, Self Employed Development is very necessary for such fairs to be a success and for this, the engagement of media is very important. Advertisement is a must in and around the whole city and that can be done by involving the various educational institutions that have come up and having tie-ups with them to increase the interest of the students. Tours should be organised through the fair for students so that they come to know about the important books of the times. By taking some simple measures, the craze for books can again be revived.
Dhrubajyoti Patgiri, Student
Just as the International Trade Fair is always a success, in the same way the Book Fair too can be worked upon if the organisers take up the initiative to do a bit of branding and an air of excitement should be created for the fair so that people actually look forward for it. Advertisements go a long way in making such events successful otherwise, half of the people do not even realise the commencement or ending of the event. Intellectuals and academicians should be invited to speak on the books to look out for and the importance of reading. The best books should be highlighted and discussed about. Only then can we expect to see any change in the scenario.
ROAD LOAD
THE GHY TRAFFIC MESS
I
LOVE GHY! This city was the first sight I laid my eyes on when I first opened my eyes, and so far, it has been the best. With urbanisation and migration of people, Guwahati is expanding in all the three dimensions. But something that has grown less in comparison to the increased population are the city roads. According to the census of 2011, Guwahati accommodates 1.4 million residents, and everyday thousands of people come to and pass through it, which has added a big hiccup to everyone’s life in the city - the traffic jam. In the busy city life nowadays, everything is fast moving except for the vehicles on road. This deadly knot of daily life, which is continuing to harass us since for the last few years, needs a careful and thoughtful solution. It is well known to all that the roads of the city are too narrow to be accommodating a large number of vehicles running in the city. The two lane road system of Guwahati is a joke and it allows parking as well, leaving space only for a single lane. I don’t even want to talk about how some people of the city buy big cars every day and then drive them with abandon with no regard for traffic rules. People in Guwahati are yet to be wise enough to use the shared-car system followed by developed countries. Above that, they just ignore all parking rules because they lack civic sense and park their car as they would park in an open field. There is no system and moral rule of the people in Guwahati for stopping the vehicles and hence they think they are free to stop their car in the middle of the road to get to their favourite store, which sometimes create an awful mess. The driving sense of the people is a big issue to be dealt with. Instead of maintaining a decorum to follow a traffic lane, almost all the people hurry to be in a race on the roads. Teenage bike riders, ministers with red lights, all of them add to the mess. The city busstands do not have extra lanes, due to which the buses stop on the road, plus the non-systematic city bus system encourages them to compete into overtaking each other on the roads, which not only scares but sometimes kills too. It is seen that the recent traffic light system is not scientifically correct, which does not much help the normal traffic but creates confusion and delay. I think these matters should be addressed thoroughly through mandating some strict rules of traffic and a parking system should be planned with some better alternatives.
CITIZEN JOURNALIST
Monisha Choudhury
YOU CAN BE A CITIZEN JOURNALIST TOO. Just mail us your story at editor@g-plus.in
9
G PLUS NOV 30 - DEC 06, 2013
Ward Watch
AREA COVERED
PRATIK DHAR
Jonaki Nagar, Near Boro Chowk
TOTAL VOTERS
300 – 350 (Approx) WARD
NO 24
TOTAL RESIDENCES
70 – 80 (Approx)
LANDMARK
Near Gurukul Grammar School & DIMS Hospital Complex
J
onaki Nagar is a place where the essence of nature can still be felt. Away from the hustle and bustle of the city, the area still looks serene. This time G-PLUS went to Jonaki Nagar, which comes under the Ward No. 24.
We are giving our best effort to construct the 350 metre stretch of Jonaki Nagar Path which was suppose to be complete a few years back. For that purpose, we have even submitted an application to the Councilor and he too, considering our demand said, the project is under process. At present, there is no support from the government and the residents of the locality have collectively contributed to a fund, which we have used to lay gravel stones on the street. Since the amount was less, we could not convert it into a concrete street. It has been 10 years now that we have been engaged in the development of this locality. Apart from that, the unnayan samiti have also renovated the Shiva Mandir as we have fitted iron grills on the edges of the Mandir complex and have reconstructed it with marble floorings.
3.5
Local unity
3.5
Kushal Nagar B.P. Chaliha Nagar Geeta Nagar Matgharia Forestgate
Kamala Bagan Ahmed Nagar Narangi Birkuchi Kalita Kuchi (part) Bonda (part)
COUNCILOR’s Version
Amarjyoti Kalita, Jonaki Nagar Unnayan Samiti
4
Residents’ response
GP rating AREA INCLUDED
Ananta Kumar Das, Ex-President
3
A. S. Member’s response
Kameswar Kalita, Ex-Secretary Jonaki Nagar Unnayan Samiti We have a lot of ongoing problems that continues to persist. Since, the locality is in the interiors and quite away from the main road, we are deprived from some basic amenities. There is only a culvert that had been constructed around 10 years ago by the then Councilor at a cost of Rs 45,000 approximately, but apart from that, no other projects have been undertaken. We do not have proper street lights and the poor condition of the street also makes it an accident prone area during the evenings especially for the senior citizens. Moreover, the main drain that passes through the locality must have a minimum width of 6 feet but some residences, despite knowing this fact, have extended their boundary walls, which has narrowed it down. This creates unwanted blockage of flowing water and garbage.
Ila Das, member
Student
Jonaki Nagar Mahila Samiti We were given Rs 50,000 from the MLA fund as a grant and with that, we constructed a boundary wall on one side of the Mahila Samiti’s workplace. We also have a ‘Naamghar’ where women from almost all the households of the locality, come to participate in naam, which happens all round the year. Apart from that, this also allows us to have faith in one another and keep unity among ourselves as we meet every week. We discuss about our day-to-day activities with a motive to help each other. We have also introduced a fund system where each member has to deposit a fixed sum according to her capacity and from where any member can borrow an amount in times of need.
Constructing a proper road has become the main concern for now as it deteriorates every monsoon. The drainage system has to be renovated as well. For all round development, the youth will have to come out and take their share of responsibilities along with the senior members who are already trying to change the face of the locality. Since, our area is away from the hustle and bustle of the main road and wears a natural get up, it must be preserved. People do have unity among them and we keep a track on safety of the people especially woman. The residents also take responsibility for carrying out regular cleaning drives.
Dipak Das,
Area Sabha Member, 24 (B) I have already had a discussion with our Councilor (Ward no. 24) regarding the matter of renovation of the Jonaki Nagar Road. To increase the pace of the work, a 12 member Ward Committee has been formed which includes the Councilor, 4 Area Sabha Members and the 4 nominees chosen by each of the Area Sabha Members and 3 persons from the ward who have good influence in the society. Within 1st week of December we will make a plan on which areas would be repaired immediately. Regarding water supply, PHE (Public Health Engineering) have already provided with 2 boring wells in Shanti Nagar and Jonaki Nagar will also be benefitted from the project within six months as a distribution system would be constructed for them. Moreover, the reservoir situated at Sreenagar has to be repaired before it actually starts functioning.
10
G PLUS NOV 30 - DEC 06, 2013
Life
ELLA DIABL
I answer all your questions on life, love and sex
A couple of years ago I fell in love with a girl. I had never met her; we only talked over the phone or chatted online. She used to flirt with me shamelessly but when I expressed my feelings for her she suddenly severed all ties with me. I am shattered. What should I do. -Name withheld
When Are You Getting
Married?
This question can sometimes become quite irritating and frustrating. After all, marriage is not a piece of cake and everyone has their own ideas and timelines. RAHUL CHANDA
I
t’s really no one’s business to be concerned about anyone’s marriage plan, however, this query is commonly hurled at couples or stags that have been together for a certain number of months or years, or been single throughout their life. Many young people have chosen to delay marriage or do not even want to consider marriage after witnessing high divorce rates. Regardless of the reasons for your unmarried but dating, live-together status or singlehood, being armed with good, but classy responses when assaulted with the question is vital to retaining your sense of humour and perspective. But it’s not easy every time and at times, people get irritated about the same question being asked again and again. Guwahati youngsters too, face this and react accordingly.
The beginning
In India, as soon as a girl reaches adulthood they are considered to be marriage-ready.Our creative forefathers formulated the society in such a way, that without getting married, the responsibilities of of a person are not complete. People expect the youth to get married after a certain age and complete the responsibilities without caring if they are comfortable with the idea or not. A 24-year-old working woman feels that after listening to such questions, the feeling is a transformation from shyness to embarrassment and then becomes a stigma. She said, “Initially when I started answering such questions, I used to
feel shy. Later when I completed my studies and started working, my parents started hunting for a man for me, and it became a pressure situation for them because of the relatives who always ask kept asking about my marriage. So, because of my parents’ concern, it became an embarrassment for me. Now, my parents are so tensed about my marriage that it has become a kind of stigma for them and me too. I don’t think that I am that old that I should be worrying about my marriage.”
Men’s talk
A man in India is expected to start earning after his studies and as soon as the money starts coming home, people expect him to settle down. The irony in a man’s life is that the responsibility never ends; parents, friends, colleagues, girlfriend, if any and then finally the wife and the children. So, if any responsibility is not given full attention, the man is deemed irresponsible. The irony does not end there. Every man is expected to be successful in life and success directly or indirectly means money. The more money you have, the more successful you are considered to be. 29-years-old Chirajyoti Bhattacharjee is sick and tired of making people happy, he said, “I am a painter and still struggling to establish myself. I spent a lot while studying fine arts, now my parents think I should earn good and they have already started planning my marriage. Every day I face this question from my parents, friends and relatives. Relatives are the main enemies who keep instigating my parents.
They seem to have no other business but thin about my marriage. It’s frustrating.”
The rebels
The society might continue framing various ethical rules and regulations but still there are people who like to be called rebels and decide their future according to their own will. Anna Hazare claims he did not get married to work for the country. Former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee also might have some similar reasons for not getting married. City based businessman Manoj Deb, who is 40-years-old and unmarried, claims he will never get married. He said, “I hate responsibilities and already have enough of them towards my family and friends. I don’t want to get married because I feel it will be a unnecessary burden and I hardly trust women. My earnings are also not fixed and after getting married, I will have to be sure about my earnings so that I can feed my parents, wife and kids. My lifestyle is different and I love travelling, so, I don’t want to get married and lose my freedom.” It cannot be denied that getting married is an important part of life but, if someone chooses not to get involved in such a relationship, then it is a personal choice. People might ask someone about their marriage out of concern, curiosity or generally as a conversation starter. But we should understand that it might not always be a casual question for everyone.
Dude, a ll you need to do is to simply move on in life. The mat hematics are simple, she is not hing but a tease who simply wanted to have some f un but sadly you were t he v ictim. Do not let her occupy too much of your menta l space, coz she is just not wort h it. For starters start ta lk ing to some random chick and tr ust me in no time you w ill fa ll in love w it h her too. Boys are simple creatures you see!
I am a 45-year-old married man living away from my family, in Guwahati. Recently, one of my friends — she stays in the US — came to stay with me for a night. In fact, we met after twenty years. Although our friendship has always been devoid of any sexual feeling, yet a glass or two of Rum and a walk under the starry sky, took a toll on her senses and we ended up in bed. She is married herself and now she is bombarding me with calls and texts. Please help. - Name withheld Well t his sounds so much like t he stuf f we see in desi mov ies now- a-days. A peg or t wo dow n and bingo...some har mless adulter y bet ween t wo old friends. Look dude, get t his clear. If she can go to bed w it h you under t he pretext of a starr y sk y here in Guwa hati, imagine what she would do w it h someone back t here in t he US. Maybe she is “recession hit” and on t he desperate look out for a man who can bail her out, hence a ll t he dra ma. Do not fa ll for t he trap and simply change your number. Period!
If you have any queries for ELLA DIABLO, mail it to diablo@g-plus.in
11
G PLUS NOV 30 - DEC 06, 2013
In conversation
From the horse’s mouth Kaushik Barua talks about his debut novel ‘Wind Horse’
‘Barua tells the story of the Tibetan people’s struggle to regain their homeland in affecting prose that is at once measured and gripping. Windhorse is a paean to their heroic struggle, but one that bravely retains the complexity and contradictions of their unique culture. The pages turn themselves and the reader is reminded this is history we are yet living.’ -Mridula Koshy
Koushik Hazarika
From Guwahati to Tibet – could you help us trace your path and tell us how ‘Windhorse’ came about? I know it’s an unlikely topic for me to choose- me being from Assam and having spent most of my time in Delhi (and in Rome the last few years). But there’s a story behind the discovery of the novel. I used to go to Dharamshala often in my mid-twenties (yes, I was in my mid-twenties at one point, it’s been long, but I still don’t feel much older). I went mostly because I really enjoyed the place- I liked the food, the views, the monks clapping and debating. Basically I liked all the clichéd sights and sounds of the place, but never knew much about the political situation in Tibet. Then I stumbled upon a book-store on one of my visits and asked the bookseller for a recommendation. He suggested a modern history of Tibet (In Exile from the Land of Snows by John Avedon). There I read about an armed resistance movement in one of the chapters: an actual armed guerrilla group set up by Tibetan Buddhists. That really intrigued me: both the romance and the adventure that the image seemed to hold, and the idea that this was a small group fighting against an enemy with a massively larger pool of resources. But what really captured my imagination (possibly because it was so different from my own humdrum life) was what I imagined to be their internal conflict. Since they were also mostly Tibetan Buddhists, they were possibly defying the broad direction their community was taking with regard to resistance (basically becoming Buddhists with guns). The next time I went to Dharamshala, I mentioned this to the book-seller. He then asked me to wait in his store and over cups of tea revealed his own past- he was one of the few survivors of the actual armed resistance. Somehow the story and the image of these people fighting in the mountains (at the end of the world, to use a clichéd dramatic sense of how I imagined them) against impossible odds moved me in ways I couldn’t explain. I started researching the history of the period and of the actual movement. And this eventually led to Windhorse. It’s taken five years, but I think the process of writing Windhorse has been its own reward. I feel like I’ve been changed by imaging the lives of people who decided to go to such lengths to find meaning and freedom in their lives.
In one of your interviews, you had mentioned about Ravi Dayal? Did you really just ‘keep writing’ after that or did you try to change your style or gather guidance from anywhere else. When I said I wanted to ‘keep writing’, I meant I wanted to continue irrespective of how the writing rewarded me (in terms of publication or success). And I did. While this may make it seem like writing a novel is a continuous, practically spontaneous process, in my case it was very different. And you’re right- I had to re-assess my style many times through the creation of the novel. Now I see writing a novel as a consistent act of chiselling away at a text. While I didn’t change my overall style substantially, I did go back and re-draft large segments of the novel. One major change happened during the second draft. The first draft was very research-heavy (probably because I wanted to use all the research I had done, and maybe because being an outsider I was insecure and wanted to display my knowledge of the context and the culture). But then, I realised that this was a work of fiction. And fiction only works through characters. The true magic of writing a novel lies in making a character a real person, making him or her come to life. So that was the major shift in the second draft (toning down the context, using historical facts or cultural references only to strengthen the personal narratives of the characters). But I think there will be a huge shift in later works. I want to grow as a writer and may experiment early on in my career. In fact I’m currently working on a dark comedy set in Rome, which is practically from a different universe in terms of tone and style.
T
he first fiction to be written on the Tibetan resistance, the novel has been published by HarperCollins and city boy Kaushik Barua is pretty enthusiastic about his maiden venture. He talked to GPlus during his visit to Guwahati for the launch
Siddharth Sarma is a contemporary and I guess an erstwhile classmate as well. Have you guys ever shared or discussed about writing? If not, have you read any of his novels? Of course: in fact, we’re pretty good friends and used to meet often whenever we were in the same town. I am a friend and a fan, and have read both of his books. I enjoyed Grasshopper’s Run and thought he had a really sharply etched character that he brought to life with great style. Also, to open a children’s book with the violent scene that he employed was a bold move, but I think it worked really well. And he also really enjoyed reading Windhorse (he had read bits of the draft even before publication), which was also a source of reassurance while I was finalising the manuscript. And, as you can guess as a Bosconian yourself, I’m delighted that there are two of us at least (and more to come I’m sure) in our generation whose work has been published and hopefully we’ll manage to keep encouraging each other. What exactly does Kaushik Barua do professionally? I’m working with the United Nations and am currently based in Rome. My work mostly entails supervising and advising rural development projects across Asia and West Africa. I find the sector fascinating. Of course it can also be frustrating because so many of the development
problems in the world have not been solved despite the resources being channelled towards them. But development issues lie at the intersection of many different disciplines: economics, sociology, politics, history and one has to constantly be creative in designing projects and solutions.
Any favourites among Indian writers? I haven’t been very good at keeping up with new Indian writing. Some favourites are Amitav Ghosh of course- for the meticulous research he conducts (and fuses beautifully into the narrative). Rohinton Mistry because his writing is truly ‘a fine balance’, a lesson in delicate honest writing. Among younger writers, I really like Janice Pariat’s elegant stories; each one is like a gem of a different cut.
Your inspirations? I’m constantly looking for inspiration! And often, they aren’t iconic global role models, but people I could possibly relate to. I am particularly struck by people who lose themselves in an art or craft, who are totally immersed in their art and find meaning and joy in its practice. Current inspirations include the people featured in ‘The Supermen of Malegaon’ and all the band members of Indian Ocean: I recently watched the documentary on the band and was moved by how they stuck to their vision and their belief despite the odds being completely against them. And also how
‘In this compelling debut novel, Kaushik Barua brings to the reader a tender and evocative account of the fall of Tibet and the human suffering that followed in its wake. Barua’s prose is deceptively simple, but such is his skill that the haunting images of the windswept hills and plateaus and its proud, fierce people battling their unfortunate fate, lingers in the heart and mind. Windhorse is a deeply moving book and Barua’s is a refreshingly original voice.’ Jahnavi Barua ‘Barua combines the vast sweep of a tumultuous time in history with finely observed details, a deep understanding of his subject with evocative language, empathetic characterization with pacy narrative to create an enthralling story that moves as well as informs, memorably. “Windhorse” is a heroic tale from a powerful new voice.’ Mitra Phukan
they just seemed to have so much fun while they were at it (and have had fun for twenty years now! Of course, I’m saddened by the recent split in the band, but hopefully all of them are still happy to be making music.)
I know it might be unnaturally early to ask this, but have you got anything else lined up? It’s actually not too early. I’ve started working on a dark comedy set in Rome. Like I had mentioned, this time the tone and style will be very different. It’s a coming-of-age story but for people in their thirties, because I guess we still have some growing up (or coming of age) to do. I also want to work on some nonfiction, especially around the themes of poverty and development and I am fleshing out a few ideas.
12
G PLUS NOV 30 - DEC 06, 2013
Check out
HEAVENLY ABODE
what we recommend
Do you want to experience a trip to heaven while you’re alive? Okay, since your answer is an inaudible ‘yes’, G Plus would recommend you to head to Chocolate Heaven.
– Yami Gautam
Chocolate Shot
GARGEE BARUAH
I
t’s a sinking feeling. A sinking-inchocolate feeling! If you have been dead for sometime, this Heaven guarantees life.
What we tried: A chocolate shot, a Belgian chocolate waffle, a doubledelight pancake, a hot chocolate.
Price: Reasonable, around 300 to 400 bucks for two people. Cheesy garlic bread, pizzas and pastas are also delicious here and in demand. The double-delight pancake is a wonder. It is layered with a scoop of chocolate ice-cream, chocolate sauce, along with slices of banana drenched in chocolate syrup. The pancake here is made in the right way as it is neither hard nor delicate but spongy. The chocolate shot is cheaper and is a must-try. You can either try it in its raw/pure form or get an extra topping of caramel or Irish chocolate or hazelnut flavour. The Belgian chocolate waffle is one ‘highway to hell’ (here, heaven)! It is covered with chocolate syrup and vanilla ice-cream, and soft rather than being hard. It has also slices of banana covered in chocolate sauce. Those crazy for melted chocolate, this is your destination.
locate them
42, 1st Floor, R G B Road, Opposite Junali Path, Near Zoo Tiniali, Guwahati
Opening hours: 10.30 AM to 9.30 PM
The ambience is great to chill-out with friends or even throw a birthday party. The interior is decorated with chocolate based wall-designs and the entire theme is chocolate-based. The ceiling is decorated with chunks of wooden chocolate bars. It’s as if you are in Charlie’s Chocolate factory! No hyperboles, you better go and experience chocolate there.
The service is good and swift
With the abundance of eating joints and restaurants, Guwahatians need not get confused on which place to head next as the devil in you would want to dive into a chocolaty-experience for something new, sweet and kicking!
Devils Delight Pancake
Tajmahal made of white chocolate
Walnut Brownie
21
* 3/86 129 129
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* 3/86 129 129 G PLUS NOV 30 - DEC 06, 2013
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G PLUS NOV 30 - DEC 06, 2013
Reviews
Need for Speed Rivals
N
eed for Speed Rivals is a racing video game set in an open world environment. Developed by Swedish and British developers Ghost Games and Ghost Games UK and developer Criterion Games, this is the twentieth installment in the long-running Need for Speed series. The game, which was written by Will Staples, was released for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 on 19 November 2013. It has also been released for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One as launch titles in the same month. Need for Speed Rivals captures the adrenaline and intensity of the street’s ultimate rivalry between cops and racers in a stunning open road environment. Built on the Frostbite 3 game engine, Need for Speed Rivals allows gamers play as either a cop or racer, where each side of the
law has its own set of high stakes challenges, rewards and consequences. As a racer, the goal is to become infamous for taking risks behind the wheel and capturing your most intense escapes on video for the world to see. The more cops players evade, the more Speed Points they collect, enabling them to unlock new cars and items. Keep raising the stakes race after race to become an ever-more valuable target to the cops -- but risk losing it all if busted. As a cop, players work together as part of a team in pursuit of racers, earning prominence and rising in the ranks of the Police Force with every bust. Achieving higher ranks unlocks new police-only cars and more powerful pursuit tech. At the heart of Need for Speed Rivals is AllDrive, an innovative new online feature that allows gamers to seamlessly transition from playing alone to playing with friends, eliminating the line between single player and multiplayer. Players will have to keep one eye on their rearview mirror as friends will be able to enter and exit races on-the-fly, creating a world where no two events will ever be the same.
A
Sir Sir Sarla
conflict between desire and responsibility may give rise to several unusual circumstances. Such conflicts sometimes cross all the limitations and make the circumstances more pathetic. To manage such conflicts and maintain a balance between human relationships someone has to volunteer, keeping all his internal conflicts suppressed so that most of the others associated with these, may thrive. Such a character is Prof. G.P. Palekar (Makrand Deshpande), who is not only a teacher but also plays the role of a mentor to his students, namely Sarla (Aahana Kumra), Phanidhar (Sanjay Dadhich) and Keshav (Faisal Rashid). Both Sarla and Phanidhar were working on a literature research project on love under his guidance. Surprisingly, Sarla was infatuated by Prof. Palekar and her bubbly character gripped the professor’s senses. But being aware of the aspects of a student-teacher relationship, at some point he had to take the decision of her being married to Keshav. On the other hand, Phanidhar too loved Sarla, but could not express it due to the restrictions imposed by professor. Both Prof. Palekar
Director: Alexander Payne Cast: Bruce Dern, Will Forte, June Squibb, Stacy Keach and Bob Odenkirk
W
hat is it about Nebraska — not the state but the idea of it — that prompts creative artists to strip everything down to the wall studs? Bruce Springsteen titled his darkest, sparest album after the place in 1982 and now comes Alexander Payne with “Nebraska,” a desolate comedy-drama about fathers, sons, life’s highways and missed off-ramps. It’s a movie that floods you with emotion when you least expect it.
The father, Woody Grant, is played by Bruce Dern in a performance that is being heralded as a grand comeback but is most remarkable for its ornery prairie minimalism. Woody’s an old Montana cuss who drinks too much and talks too little; all that’s keeping him from dying is a letter he receives stating he may have won a multimillion-dollar sweepstakes. It’s probably the kind of junk mail you and I throw out every other day, but Woody intends to go to
Lincoln, Neb., to collect his winnings if he has to walk there. Nebraska” is about ghosts, then, and whether we can outrun them before death gets to us first. It’s about the American way of a quick million — or the promise thereof — and the consolation prizes we’re offered and accept. And it’s about a man driving his own car for three blocks. In other words, it’s the sort of movie that’s about nothing at all and everything that counts.
November 24, 2013 Pragjyoti ITA, Machkhowa and Phanidhar share a love-hate relationship where both have their own points of argument. ‘Sir Sir Sarla’, a profound, long-winding play in three parts, staged at various stages over the decade is an exemplary presentation of present era human life. Recently, the first part of the play was staged at Pragjyoti ITA, Machkhowa on November 24, 2013, at ‘Preetir Enajori-2013’ organised by cancer care foundation Deepsikha. Scripted, directed and acted by Makrand Deshpande himself, the presentation showcased immense versatility of the actors. As Makrand projects the man of conflict and balance in Prof. Palekar and Aahana shows the transitions in the character of Sarla. Similarly, both anger and fun are portrayed by Sanjay as Phanidhar, whereas Faisal provides touches of confusion as the character of Keshav demands. As the play roams around the subject of literature, several literary and poetic references are brought in. The multidimensional set design by local artist Nuruddin Ahmed projects the characteristics of a human mind through a property on stage.
Subhrajit Roy
Realesed this week `394
NOW
SHOWING
Cast: Saif Ali Khan, Sonakshi Sinha, Jimmy Shergill, Vidyut Jamwal, Gulshan Grover and Ravi Kissen Director: Tigmanshu Dhulia
B
ullet Raja follows the trajectory of a simple, unemployed, Brahmin man Raja Mishra (Saif Ali Khan), who is almost about to take up a job in a hotel that asks him if he has a hotel management degree. A series of untoward incidents in his life forces him to take the law in his own hands. Soon the simple youth transforms into a dreaded UP gangster, who lives life by his own rules. In the course of things he proves to be a loyal friend to Jimmy Shergill and his heart beats like never before for the 156th girl (Sonakshi Sinha) he meets. In his rise to power he is supported by a local politician (Raj Babbar) who ultimately wants to get rid of him. Sadly, Raja loses his dear friend and then the revenge story begins. Director Tigmanshu Dhulia’s film does not sacrifice a certain essence that you have come to associate with his recent films (Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster, Paan Singh Tomar, Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster Returns).The result is a des-chic, guns and gore affair, set against the backdrop of conniving UP politics and mafia. It is a decent one time watch.
Bullet raja
Ram Leela
Anuradha Cineplex
Daily at 11.00 AM, 2, 5 ,8.00 PM
____________
Apsara Cinema
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Fun Cinemas
Daily at 9.45 AM, 12.45, 5.45 ,8.30 PM
Daily at 2.50 PM
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G PLUS NOV 30 - DEC 06, 2013
Special
RAHUL CHANDA
Yami Gautam made her Bollywood debut in Shoojit Sircar’s romantic comedy Vicky Donor, which touched on the topic of sperm donation. Upon release, the film was a critical and commercial success, and Gautam gained positive reviews for her performance. The lady visits Guwahati for the Blender’s Pride Magical Nights and exclusively talks to GPlus.
“I WOULD LOVE TO DO ASSAMESE MOVIES”
Have you ever visited Guwahati before? No, I haven’t but I used to hear a lot about it from one of my classmates who belonged to this place.
What are your future projects?
At present, I am busy with the promotion of Total Siyappa, which is directed by Eeshwar Nivas and written by Neeraj Pandey. After that I will be working with Ajay Devgan for a film called Action Jackson which will be directed by Prabhu Deva.
If you get an opportunity to work in an Assamese movie, will you go for it?
I would love to work in an Assamese film. I have never restricted myself to any language. If I get a good script I will definitely do it.
What are your hobbies?
I like reading which I mostly do when I am flying. I also love painting but I am not a painter, basically I love sketching something abstract. I also love hanging out with my family and friends.
The guys will be eager to know when you are planning to get married. Can you let it out?
I very much believe in the institution of marriage and I also certainly want to get married, but at present, it’s difficult for me to say when. I am only concentrating on my career now.
So you are single then?
I am absolutely single and very much busy with my work.
Who is the man you desire to work with in Bollywood?
It’s not just me but any newcomer in the industry would say that they want to work with Amitabh Bachan. He is a great actor and an amazing person. I definitely want to work with an actor like him.
If you were not an actor, what would you have become? An IAS officer! I studied in Chandigarh and graduated from Punjab University. I wanted to become an IAS officer. Your fate is predestined, but somehow I got an offer to work in television serials and then went to Mumbai. I also want to work for social causes.
Will we ever see you directing or producing a film? No, I don’t think I am good at it. I am just an actor and will keep acting. I will have to explore so much in my field.
What about politics, are you interested in it?
I would have joined a political party if I was interested in it. I feel that to work for the society there are many other ways without joining politics. I will never become a politician and I am not eligible for it.
Do you want to say something to the youth of Guwahati? I want to tell them that they should give voice to their choices. I am also from a small town and believe that people from small towns can do big in life. No one should stop fighting the obstacles and should take up all the challenges in life.
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G PLUS NOV 30 - DEC 06, 2013
Career
The
Pharmacist
PRATIK DHAR
DURATION
4
years Degree Programme
ELIGIBILITY (Graduate Level)
Educational
Bachelor of Pharmacy is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for a course in pharmacy. The duration of the course is four years and the course curriculum provides valuable knowledge on health care and biochemical science. The course provides experience to gain knowledge on medicines and its uses. The master of pharmacy is a two year post graduate academic degree which can be pursued only after the completion of bachelor degree.
T
he study of pharmacy is more or less related to the art of preparing and dispensing medicines as it develop insights into how drugs are made and medications affect the human body. The study of pharmacy qualifies a candidate to gain entry to a profession that focuses on improving the quality of people’s lives. Basically they are the health professionals who explain the doctors’ instructions to patients so that they can use these medications safely and effectively. Those who want to become pharmacists should bring with them certain qualities which help them in their career prospect.
Benefits of the Course A candidate can pursue Master Degree which further offers various specializations. After obtaining a Pharmacy degree, one can start his or her own chemist shop and sell medicines. The degree also helps in registering with the State Pharmacy Council.
The candidate must be a 10+2 passed from a recognised board.
The candidate must be a 10+2 passed from a recognised board
The candidate must have physics, chemistry, maths (PCM) or physics, chemistry, biology (PCB) or Physics, chemistry, maths and biology as subjects.
The candidate must have (PCM), (PCB) or (PCMB) as subjects
The candidate must have at least 50% marks in Pre-University course with maths or biology as one of the subjects or a diploma in pharmacy. In some states, additional pharmacy entrance examinations are necessary in order to be eligible for the course.
ELIGIBILITY (Post Graduate Level)
An entrance examination, Graduate Pharmacy Aptitude Test (GPAT) and interview are also conducted for admissions.
Some of the subjects and specialisation for the post-graduate level are* Modern Pharmaceutical Analysis Advance Pharmaceutical Technology Biopharmaceutics and Pharmacokinetics
The candidate must have at least 50% marks in Pre-University course
PQQ
May have to appear for entrance exam
They must also have good communication skills since it is a requirement of the profession
Candidates who have passed Bachelor of Pharmacy Degree program with not less 50% marks
Years Degree Programme
Candidates who have passed Bachelor of Pharmacy Degree program with not less than 50% marks.
An entrance examination, Graduate Pharmacy Aptitude Test (GPAT) and interview are conducted
Employment Areas Hospitals Chemist Shop Health Centres Research Agencies Pharmaceutical Firm Food and Drug Administration Educational Institutes and many more
Job Types Researcher
Formulation Technology and Validation
Data Manager
Clinical Research and Regulatory Affairs and many more
Drug Inspector
*These are few of the subjects from the entire course and these may vary from institute to institute
With completion of M. Pharm., one can also opt for Ph.D as further study program, pharma students have the scope for pursuing it abroad as well.
They should have a good aptitude for science.
Being detail-oriented is imperative as mistakes can endanger people’s lives.
DURATION
2
The courses help in providing a better exposure to practical skills while assuring to develop communication skill as well.
Analytical Chemist Medical Transcriptionist Regulatory Manger and many more
They must possess good managerial skills if they are running retail pharmacies. Must possess vast knowledge if there is a planning to start up a own set up. It is a tough profession as one may need to devote long hours in order to give their services.
An Overview
Like every other profession, pharmacy too is regulated in the country. While the AICTE is directed to provide approval to institutions for academic courses and programmes, the Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) is a statutory body constituted to regulate the profession and practice of pharmacy in the country.
Some of the subjects for the undergraduate level are* Biochemistry Human Anatomy Hospital and Community Pharmacy Pharmacology Pharmaceutical Analysis Medicinal Chemistry and many more
Some of the Top Colleges Bapatla College of Pharmacy, Andhra Pradesh University of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Punjab University, Punjab Manipal College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Manipal Department of Pharmacy, BITS, Pilani Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Jadavpur University, Kolkata Government College of Pharmacy, Bangalore Faculty of Pharmacy, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi
G PLUS NOV 30 - DEC 06, 2013
17
Events
18
G PLUS NOV 30 - DEC 06, 2013
Web Watch
Ex-Nokia engineers launch IRCTC launches
scheme new Jolla smartphone e-wallet to make ticket booking simpler I ndian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) has been making various efforts to make ticket reservation/cancellation process easier for people. IRCTC has now taken one step further in this direction as it launches a new e-wallet scheme for users. The new initiative is a ‘rolling deposit scheme’ wherein users have an account with the IRCTC and have a sum already deposited that can be used for future tickets
E
ngineers who used to work for Nokia are hoping to grab a share of the lucrative and highly competitive smartphone market with a new handset, which is based on the former world No. 1 mobile phone maker’s old software and is faintly reminiscent of its recent models. The Jolla handset’s Sailfish platform has been developed from the MeeGo operating software, Nokia’s last open-source platform which it abandoned in 2011 when it switched over to using Microsoft’s Windows system. The sleek 4.5-inch phone, which almost looks like it could be part of Nokia’s Lumia range, features an eight megapixel camera, supports
fast 4G internet connections and includes the well-received Nokia’s HERE mapping services that cover more than 190 countries. But, unlike Nokia’s phones, Jolla is also compatible with more than 85,000 apps provided by Google’s Android, the popular and dominant operating system that has helped Samsung overtake the former Finnish bellwether to be the world’s largest mobile phone maker. In a consumer test, the Jolla, which has a price tag of 399 euros ($596), didn’t seem to have much to make it stand out among other smartphones. Its camera is standard; it uses a MicroSD card; has 16GB of memory storage, with a talk time and battery time of some 9-10
hours. But it has nice touches, including multiple swipe features and a useful user-replaceable battery, unlike many other models. Neil Mawston from Strategy Analytics near London says the Jolla is not “an iPhone or Samsung Galaxy killer” although it could find a niche in the relentless smartphone race. “At some point people will start looking for an alternative to Android and Apple so there might be an opportunity in this very cyclical market for Jolla to grab market share,” Mawston said. “But I think it will be two or three versions down the line before we really know whether Jolla or Sailfish is worthy of challenging Apple or Android or Microsoft.”
.bike, .guru latest additions to domain names
N
ine new domain names have been reportedly made available as the internet domain names system undergoes a radical change. The new web address suffixes, include .bike, .clothing, .singles and .guru and the new names are expected to be released at a rate of ten a week. According to the website, the new names, formally known as generic top level domains (gTLDs) are currently open only to those
bookings. With e-wallet, process of booking tickets is expected to become less time-consuming. According to an IRCTC official, the current system takes a relatively long time as the customer is directed to a bank’s service, from IRCTC service, to make the payment and the again redirected to the IRCTC website. Only PAN card verified users can register for the e-wallet scheme. In case of cancelling a ticket, IRCTC will credit the refund to the e-Wallet account next day.
This interactive Bob Dylan video is the most amazing thing on the Web right now
T
his amazing (substitute that with any other adjective from the thesaurus- wondrous, mind-blowing, phenomenal, brilliant) interactive video will surely make you want to clap and whistle. It’s that well done. The song in question is Bob Dylan’s classic ‘Like a Rolling Stone’, from the 1965 album ‘Highway 61 Revisited’. The video emulates the way a TV works with
a bunch of different channels that you can browse using the ‘up’ and ‘down’ arrow keys on your keyboard. The killer aspect is that every single channel will keep in sync with the song so that even when you jump between, say the History Channel and ESPN, the person on camera will be lip-syncing to the song. That’s the best way to describe this video. To believe it, one can watch it.
Facebook Messenger adds desi chumbak stickers
with registered trademarks and will be open to the general public at the end of January 2014. The report said that last month four new domains were launched that included the Arabic word for ‘web’, the Chinese word for ‘game’ and the Russian words for ‘online’ and ‘web site’. The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (Icann) believes that the new set of names will transform the way business is done online and will
help consumers easily find specific content within each extension. The report said that Icann has invited companies to submit applications for names they would like to register and request for new names, include likes of .porn, .ninja, and .ferrari. The report said that approximately 1,400 new gTLDs are expected to come online in the next few years with 700 more generic names, such as .shop, .hotel and .site.
F
acebook users can now send ‘Chumbak Expressions’ stickers that have popular Indian street lingo like ‘Oye’ or a very aunty-ish, ‘Any Good News’. The stickers are available for free on the Messenger and Facebook apps for Android and iOS.
19
G PLUS NOV 30 - DEC 06, 2013
Fashion
Accessorize GARGEE BARUAH
A
ccessories can even make a plain ensemble look pedestal. Love for accessories is common among women. While most fashion fanatics chase after branded accessories, there are the fashion freaks too who are streethoppers and love street shopping. However, the sad story is that Guwahati does not have a very amazing street collection like Delhi, Mumbai or even our nearest, Shillong can proudly boast of. One can find a chain of street shops at Fancy Bazaar which is quite good even if not something unique a collection it has. In Guwahati, one can find fashion accessories at any cosmetics store apart from the ones at Pantaloons, Big Bazaar, Hub, Vishal Megamart, Dona Planet, Sohum Shoppe, and Sohum Emporio. Heading to Fancy Bazaar for accessories shopping wouldn’t make you regret because there is a wide range of collection and a chain of accessories store to help you find your taste.
Bangles They make you feel pretty and bring out the elegance femininity is. Glass bangles in single-colours like green and orange stand out. If you’re wearing a green kurti/ suit, put on the orange ones on one hand, and vice-versa. Plain gold bangles (without any design) also look graceful when you wear a simple mekhela chadar. Kundan bangles and diamond studded ones or pearl throw a party appeal. A pair of multi-coloured fancy bangles can steal the show. Throw away the western apparel and look ‘desi’, won’t you for the bangles?
Necklace Necklaces highlight your neckline and the clothing you carry should be kept sober. When you put on a necklace, wear a single-coloured dress so that the emphasis is on the necklace. Also, fusion wear is in vogue and therefore, you can do a lot of mix and match. Necklaces with an ethnic touch always look fashionable when donned with a long skirt and a one-coloured tank top.
Bands Bracelets work as a substitute for bangles. While you can wear as many bangles, you only wear one bracelet. Bracelets look beautiful only when they are not over the top. To draw attention to the bracelet the hands should be free of any other jewellery. Diamond or platinum bracelets are always in vogue. When donning that evening gown, go for a sleek and simple bracelet. If you’re wearing something Indian, black metal or silver bracelet with meenakari will look fabulous and yes, try the thicker ones!
Scarves Since, it is winters (atleast for namesake in Guwahati), it is the best time to buy scarves of varying colours to team up with your dresses. Floral scarves, animal printed, contrasted shades, or lighter hued, you get to choose according to what you’re going to wear to keep it casual. If you want scarves to protect you from cold and look fashionable at the same time, you have to go for branded ones. Also you can accessorize your hat by tying a scarf around it or your casual sling bag by doing the same.
Pendants Platinum pendants add to a summer dress or an evening gown you wear. When that rare pendant is the only accessory you are wearing with the dress, you couldn’t look more beautiful. Fancy pendants come in different designs.
Clutch Rings
Hair clips Living that teenage dream, you can always go back to looking punk by putting on a cute and trendy hair clip. Wear the look by putting on a floral short dress. Accessorize is the best store to go hunting for such accessories. Since we don’t have one here, try online!
People who have a fetish for rings, I would say Delhi is the place to be. In Guwahati, you have to hop to Pantaloons to look for some really good collection. Guwahati lacks a good street collection of rings. Of course, jewellery stores are aplenty here. Rings are favourable accessories for ethnic-fusion wear.
Head bows, Head bands, Head gear When you plan to wear a pretty maxi dress be it for casual wear or a party, you can choose your hair accessory accordingly. Head bows are a pretty wear and give a girly appeal. A head band or a head-gear makes your look funky and you can always bond with it when you’re dressed casual.
For a good clutch, you have to go through a lot of odd ones before you find your perfect one. Baggit can always be trusted for formal or casual wear. Designer clutches are show-stoppers in parties. A clutch in gold is a fashion accessory to team with when you don that little orange dress (Victoria Beckham does justice to this look) or an LBD.
I prefer the collection of accessories at Pantaloons. The brands they have are Sia, Ivorytag and Tribal fusion. Sohum is another spot to head to as they have a wide variety of accessories. If you don’t find your match here, you can always go shopping online. Make it your best buy! They can totally change your look
20
G PLUS NOV 30 - DEC 06, 2013
Your weekly dose of HOROSCOPE ARIES
Your interest in cultural activities powers up early in the week, so see if you can scout out a new gallery or find a concert that sounds appealing — you’re always looking out for new stuff! The bulk of the week is taken up with hard work — but it’s stuff you’re confident you can do, and you should be able to take care of it all, no matter how hopeless it seems at first. Spend the weekend with people who agree with you on the big issues — you don’t have the time or patience for major arguments!
TAURUS Your easy charm works magic on people on Monday and Tuesday — especially those who are visiting your home, city or country for the first time. Show them how sweet your people can be! A spiritual person shows you what’s what midweek, and while you may be dubious at first, you can sense that they have a real connection with you on a deep level, so keep listening (but don’t do anything crazy). You’re irritated by someone who keeps pushing your buttons this weekend — most likely a family member or someone younger than you. Try to avoid them when it’s at its worst.
GEMINI Your closest personal relationships get very interesting this week. You should find yourself focused on one person early on, though you may want to reach out to others in your life if you have the time. From Wednesday through Friday, you may chafe under the authority of someone who used to be an equal, which could leave you thinking twice about your commitment to them. If you have your doubts, expect someone new and exciting to pop into your life this weekend, which should make the transition even likelier if it’s what you really want.
CANCER
You have a slightly harder time fitting into your social life than usual today, though that doesn’t mean you should just cloister yourself away! Try to just apply yourself as well as you can on Monday and Tuesday, though you can feel a blockage in energy that you know is short-lived. You need to deal with the conflict between your inner live and outer life midweek, and should find an easy out that is lasting. Your emotional side causes problems this weekend, but only for those among your friends and family who are more aloof or reserved
LEO You begin the week feeling fantastic and ready to explore your surroundings, especially if there’s something new about them. Travel and change are far more exciting than usual for you! You may feel obligated to help someone on Wednesday, and if so, expect it to stretch out far longer than you had anticipated. Still, you do earn far more karma points than usual. The weekend is a good time to let go of something or someone you have been holding onto too tightly — you are amazed at how easy it is!
VIRGO You’re the responsible one as the week begins, keeping yourself focused and on track even as your friends and family seem obsessed with spring fever. Just keep hammering away at your work and you’ll have more time later. Wednesday through Friday open you up creatively, and it’s easier than ever for you to express yourself in new ways. Someone really likes what they see or hear! Mix things up a little this weekend, if only to show your people that you don’t have to do everything in the same way all the time.
TIMEPASS
LIBRA
Your brainy energy is the perfect antidote to any bad mood your friends are having early this week — share your quirky ideas with them and watch their faces light up! It’s also a good time to apply yourself to real-life problems. Your nostalgia takes a slightly darker turn through Friday, and you may want to focus on the present to avoid thinking too much about the past. Life gets a lot sweeter this weekend, as nearly everyone in your social circle seems willing to get along well for the sake of the group as a whole.
SCORPIO Big ideas are having a greater influence on you than usual on Monday and Tuesday — even stuff that seems totally unrelated to your recent obsession goes through the filter, with interesting results. Your social energy is almost perfectly harmonious in the middle of the week, and you enjoy most of the time you spend with friends and family to an unprecedented degree. Things do get weird this weekend, thanks to some recent changes and the resulting resistance — outbursts are the norm for a bit longer.
SAGITTARIUS You’re full of surprises as the week begins, showing everyone why they love you so much with your jokes, gifts and games. Keep it up and see what happens next! Try to keep your wallet at home from Wednesday through Thursday and use other tricks to keep yourself from spending more than you can afford. Impulse buys are all too likely if you can’t restrain yourself. You make a solid impression on at least one person you meet this weekend, and that could lead from anything from romance to artistic collaboration.
CAPRICORN It’s vital that you keep yourself on track on Monday and Tuesday — there are distractions aplenty, and if you don’t maintain some semblance of discipline, you can expect to have to make up for lost time later on. If you pull it off, you should get recognition right away, and your good energy lasts through the end of the week. You can accomplish even more than you had hoped! The weekend might get a bit tricky, though, thanks to unexpected circumstances that interfere with even the best-laid plans.
AQUARIUS It’s your job to marshal the forces and get them moving on Monday and Tuesday, even if you don’t feel all that organized yourself! Sweet if you can get your friends or family to pitch in. Discipline is the keyword for the middle part of the week, as you end up spinning your wheels, getting nowhere if you can’t force yourself to stick with the program. Trick yourself into following orders! You need to get yourself focused on something bigger than yourself this weekend, and it’s easy and fun to do so!
PISCES Don’t worry too much if things seem to be working against you early this week — you can rely on a little shot of luck just when you need it most! That doesn’t mean you can get away with slacking off, though. Your input is vital to help your coworkers or friends figure out a plan starting Wednesday, and you may have to assume a leadership role temporarily to ensure the right decision is made. Your brain feels like a hamster wheel this weekend, and you might just have to let it wear itself out so you can get some rest.
JUST FOR LAUGHs
Mom: Hi! Son, what does IDK, LY, & TTYL mean..? Son: I Don’t Know, Love You, & Talk To You Later..! Mom: It’s ok, don’t worry about it...I’ll ask your Sister, Love you too..! Dad: Son, I have a Facebook account now... accept my friend request..! Son: You’re on Facebook now..? WTF..!!! Dad: What does WTF mean..? Son: Ohhh...It means, Welcome To Facebook, Dad. Mom: Son, your grandmother passed away an hour ago. LOL! Son: How is that funny, mom..?
SUDOKU
Mom: What do you mean, Peter... surely it is not funny..! Son: Mom, LOL means: Laugh Out Loud..! Mom: Oh, No! I thought it meant: Lots Of Love... I’ll have to call everyone back and explain xU xQ ..!!! Sister to her brother: What are you giving to Grandmaa on her birthday? Brother: A Football.Sister: Is age mein? Aur vaise bhi Grandmaa kahan khelti hai? Brother: Mere birthday per jo unhone Bhagavad Gita diya tha uska kya ?
Solutions (Last Issue)
Fun
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G PLUS NOV 30 - DEC 06, 2013
Travel
Getting Adventurous This Winter G Plus feature
I
ts winter vacation time and like other cities in India, people in Guwahati too must be looking for a beautiful winter vacation spot. If you are a skiing lover, than you might be hunting for a nice skiing destination for getting a bit adventurous in life. India offers numerous ski destinations which give adventure enthusiasts a chance to explore the snow filled slopes. The vast open spaces, snow clad mountains and the awesome height of skiing slopes in India are enough to pump up the adrenaline in any ski enthusiast.The cool wind grazing your face as you ski down over freshly fallen snow and pristine ski slopes is a mind blowing experience which will be etched in your memory till eternity. Some of the most popular skiing destinations in India are-
First Time Skier’s Tips Raid Your Closet Before You Buy New Clothes There’s no need for expensive, fancy ski clothes for your first time skiing. As long as you have a turtleneck, a sweater or a fleece jacket, and some kind of insulating pants (no denim, though) to wear under a winter jacket and waterproof snow pants, you should be warm enough. A pair of winter gloves is a good idea, too. When you know you like skiing, you can upgrade your wardrobe. Rent Skis and Boots Your skiing experience will be better if you rent skis and boots instead of borrowing a friend’s old pair of dated skis or boots. Even if you have a pair of old skis or boots, learning to ski on a modern pair of skis is not only safer than skiing on old skis, but, it will help you progress faster.
Kufri
Himachal Pradesh
The winters cover the area with a nice white sheet of snow and thus the beauty of the scenery is just breathtakingly beautiful. The ideal time for skiing in this region is from the months of November to February. The tall deodars and the green pines look regal.
Manali
Himachal Pradesh
It is a very magnificent hill station that is very popular with the citizens of India. Ample snow formations and beautiful slopes make the place a heavenly location for skiing in the winters. The availability of many good ski slopes in the nearby Solang Valley keeps the skiers happy. The best time to visit the place for skiing is from January to February.
to visit is in the months from December to March, when the snow is nice and thick.
visit the area in any month because the steady trickle of visitors keep the place always alive.
shikesh, the place is almost like heaven on earth. The slopes are located at an altitude of almost 2500 to 3000 m.
Gulmarg
Narkanda
DayaraBugyal
This heartland of winter sports is located in Baramla district of Jammu and Kashmir. It has been recognized as the 7th best skiing destination of Asia.The best time to visit the region is during the months of December to March.
This place is famous for its abundance of snow, located in Shimla district. There is lush apple cultivation in the place, thus the steady stream of visitors and skiers are kept amused and engaged throughout. The best time to visit the place is in the winters, when the snow has formed very nicely over the slopes.
There are lush slopes, dotted with vast expanse of beautiful alpine grasslands. It is one of the most picturesque skiing spots. It also has the beautiful lake of Barnala Tal in its midst, which is a famous camping site for most trekkers and visitors to the area.
Jammu and Kashmir
Pahalgam
Solang Nala
A major destination where snow skiing is undertaken heavily, the place is very popular among all the regions of western Himalayas though it is a small town located in the Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir. The best time
It is a famous valley in Manali. It is famous for conducting many types of winter games, especially skiing. There are many tournaments organized as well as workshops held for teaching amateurs the basics of skiing. One can
Jammu and Kashmir
Himachal Pradesh
Himachal Pradesh
Auli
Uttaranchal
The beautiful glittering slopes and the nice clean environment have made Auli a favourite skiing destination. Located some 250 kms away from Ri-
Uttarakhand
These were some of the destinations which can be your skiing spot this winter, but the list do not ends here. There are many more places which can gift you the skiing adventure experience, but for the time being, you can choose any option from the above and plan your vacation. Have fun.
Take a Lesson Even if your friends ski and want to teach you, investing in a ski lesson is necessary. You’ll get started off with a good basis of ski knowledge, and with continued lessons, you’ll be a great skier before you know it. Make sure to specify that you are a beginner skier with no (or little) experience on the slopes. Stay Hydrated and Get a Snack Because you’re working new muscles, it’s easy to get tired. Stopping to get a drink or a snack is very important for your safety. Stay Safe Ski with caution, listen to your instructor and work hard to stay in control. Since it is your first day, it’s best to stick to terrain that you know you can handle.
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G PLUS NOV 30 - DEC 06, 2013
G-Talk
Does Assam require another extension of AFSPA? Bubumoni Goswami
SNIGDHA GHATAK
President, Manab adhikar sangram samiti (MASS)
Social Worker
POINT somehow support the extension of Afspa for some more days as it can help eradicate terrorism in the state entirely. The law-and-order situation in Assam continues to be a matter of concern due to the violent activities of the militants. During the period from January to August this year, there were 127 incidents of violence, in which 11 persons including two security personnel were killed. Maoist movements were noticed in Assam and Arunachal Pradesh and Maoist activities were also detected in the districts of Golaghat, Dhemaji, Lakhimpur and Tinsukia of Assam and the Namsai area of Arunachal. The ULFA (I) has been staying in Lohit, Tirap and Changlang districts of Arunachal Pradesh, while the GNLA is helping the ULFA to take shelter in the Garo Hills of Meghalaya. Extending Afspa in this situation for one more year is not a combatable move.
“
This decision is pretty controversial as there are already various groups who are fighting against the so called draconian law. But, if we look at the history of Assam, the law has existed since 1990 when ULFA was outlawed and Army crackdown was launched against the insurgent group. The law may be harsh, but to a certain extent the law had helped to reduce violence in the state.”
W
e vehemently oppose the Armed Forces Special Power Act (AFSPA), which violates human rights and is also very suppressive in nature. This act replicates colonial behaviour and medieval mentality. In order to subvert the ‘Quit India movement’ in 1942, the British colonial rulers had implemented this act as an ordinance. But later, in 1958 this act was implemented in the Northeast including Assam by the authorities of independent India and later expanded it to Jammu and Kashmir. This act was made more severe in independent India than during the pre independence era. During the implementation of this act in 1958, it was said in the parliament that the act would be put in place for a period of six months only. But averting all the
During the implementation of this act in 1958, it was said in the parliament that the act would be put in place for a period of six months only. But averting all the promises, the act has been implemented in the region for the last six decades.
“
I
heard that recently the Centre has extended the cover of the controversial Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) in Assam and border areas of Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya for a period of six more months with effect from November 4. Now, this decision is pretty controversial as there are already various groups who are fighting against the so called draconian law. But, if we look at the history of Assam, the law has existed since 1990 when ULFA was outlawed and Army crackdown was launched against the insurgent group. The law may be harsh, but to a certain extent the law had helped to reduce violence in the state. Activists like Irom Sharmila have been fighting against the law for the last 13 years, but still it has not been repealed from states like Manipur. There also must be a reason for that. I have heard that there are around 32 outfits in Manipur, all having their own demands and issues. People face terror almost every day, so, to control a situation like that people require a strict law and AFSPA is a part of that law. Yes, it’s true that because of such laws many a time, even innocent people have had to die and face various obstacles. But it also cannot be ruled out that people do feel secured and safe at least from the rebel groups. AFSPA will cover entire Assam; it will be applicable up to 20 km from the borders of Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya where insurgent groups are active. Recently there were mass killings in the areas in Assam bordering Meghalaya and many people lost their lives. Bomb Blast is also not new to Assam and many factions are still active in the state. After 1990, up to now, it is only the Army, which controls the situation when something major happens like the BTAD violence. So if there are negative results of such laws, positive results also cannot be ruled out. I
COUNTERPOINT promises, the act has been implemented in the region for the last six decades. Now, the question is to what extent the insurgency activities have come down in the Northeastern region in the last sixty years of AFSPA implementation? Brutal incidents of the Molam mass slaughtering and rape of Manoroma Devi in Manipur, murder of Ajit Mahanta, Dulan Barua, Mahesh Roy, Dasarath Singh of Assam by army personnel, rape of Raju Barua, Bhanimai Dutta and many other innocents are the outcome of the unrestrained power given by AFSPA to the army personnel deployed in the region. Even after revealing all these facts, this act is still in place, which is very shameful. The encounters, which were being claimed as real by the army where thousands of innocent lives were lost, have been proved as fake ones in the court. The families of those innocent victims have been suffering and making rounds to the court for justice. But no one (army personal) has been convicted of any crime and hence no exemplary punishment has been announced. The duty of the government as well as the court is over just by announcing some compensatory amounts to the families of the innocent and potential youths. The people of Manipur, Assam and other North eastern states have been taking all available means of protest to repeal this black act in the region. Those activities have reached its height, especially in Manipur where students have committed suicide on the streets, women have comie out of their house naked and the indefinite fast carried out by Irom Sharmila for more than a decade. Organisations of international repute like Amnesty international too have termed the act as infringement of human rights and democracy. Therefore, there is no reason that this act can be considered as humanitarian and for the sake of maintaining democracy and civil rights of the people, AFSPA will have to be repealed.
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G PLUS NOV 30 - DEC 06, 2013
Citypedia
pAINT Dealers
G Plus will keep on publishing such relevant and useful information in this page in the coming issues. A Nawaza & Co
Balaji Sanitary & Hardware
AM Associates
G S Road, Manipuri Basti Guwahati – 781007 Phone No – 0361-2635851/50
Adabari Guwahati – 781012 Phone No – 0361-2571491 RGB Road, Opp Namghar Guwahati – 781024 Phone No-0361-2134650, 97060-57890
Amrita Bhandar
G-10, Sikaria Building A T Road, Guwahati – 781001 Phone No – 0361-2546153
Annapurna Hardware
R G B Road, Guwahati – 781024 Phone No – 0361-2528279
Balaji Trading Co.
Baruah’s
Near Little Flower School Hatigaon Guwahati – 781006 Phone No – 0361-2230077
Bhawani Hardwares
R P Road, Ganeshguri Guwahati – 781006 Phone No – 0361-2264006
A T Road, Guwahati – 781001 Phone No – 0361-2541767
Antaraj
Md. Shah Road PaltanbazarGuwahati – 781008 Phone No – 0361-2639333
Beharbari, NH 37 Beltola Guwahati – 781028 Phone No – 0361-2301518
Aria Paints
Choudhury Enterprise
S R C B Road, Fancy Bazaar Guwahati – 781001 Phone No – 0361-2517625
Ashok & Co
G S Road, Paltan Bazaar Guwahati – 781008 Phone No – 0361-2544811
Assam Paints & Agencies
Bora Traders
K. C. Road, Sabipool Guwahati – 781008 Phone No – 0361-2638111
F A Road, Kumarpara Guwahati – 781001 Phone No – 94355-51710
Delux Store
S R C B Road, Fancy Bazaar Guwahati – 781001 Phone No – 0361-2631018
Jonali Path, AIDC Guwahati – 781024 Phone No – 0361-2206144
Ayush Trade Link
Dhananjay Hardware Store
R P Road, Ganeshguri Guwahati – 781006 Phone No – 0361-2263498, 98640-77012
R P Road, Ganeshguri Guwahati – 781006 Phone No – 0361-2592399
Eastern Hardware
SRCB Road, Fancy Bazaar Guwahati – 781001 Phone No – 0361-2631053
Ganesh Marble
Sixmile Guwahati – 781022 Phone No – 0361-2333829
Giribala Hardware
Wireless, Basistha Road Guwahati – 781006 Phone No – 0361-2262304
G K Hardwares
City Hardwares
Deepak Enterprises
Balaji Hardware Stores
Eastern Hardware
TRP Road, Fancy Bazaar Guwahati – 781001 Phone No – 0361-2514758
Assam Sanitary & Hardware Store
Near Paltanbazar Overbridge Paltanbazar, Guwahati – 781001 Phone No – 0361-2511402
S C Road, Athgaon Guwahati – 781001 Phone No- 0361-2480626, 2591520
Chuva Hardware
GNB Road, Silpukhuri Guwahati – 781003 Phone No – 0361-2664666 Hatigaon, Sijubari Road Guwahati – 781038 Phone No – 0361-2225894
Assam Sanitary Enterprise
Divyam Agencies
Dharamshala Market, SRCB Road Fancy Bazaar Guwahati – 781001 Phone No – 0361-2521920
Near Railway Gate No.6 Kumarpara, Guwahati – 781009 Phone No – 0361-2517235, 94350-42664 B K Kakoty Road, Ulubari Guwahati – 781007 Phone No – 0361-2526405
Compiled by Rangman Das
Lokhora Road, Kahilipara Guwahati – 781018 Phone No – 0361-2471875
Dispur Hardware
RGB Road, Ganeshguri Guwahati – 781005 Phone No – 0361-2595101, 99547-00600
G M Traders
Gopal Das & Sons Hardware G S Road, Ganeshguri Guwahati – 781005 Phone No- 0361-2593736
Gopal Stores
G S Road, Paltan Bazaar Guwahati – 781008 Phone No – 0361-2739771, 98641-18955
Gurucharan Traders Adabari Tiniali Guwahati – 781014 Phone No – 98641-12269
Hazarika & Sons
SRCB Road Fancybazaar Guwahati – 781001 Phone No – 0361-2510595
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G PLUS NOV 30 - DEC 06, 2013
Catching up
Headlining acts! Farrukh Dhondy WHO’S HE?
Farrukh Dhondy was born in Poona, India in 1944 and is a Indianborn British writer, playwright and screenwriter.
SO WHAT?
Dhondy’s literary output is vast, including books for children, textbooks and biographies, as well as plays for theatre and scripts for film and television. He is also a columnist, a biographer and media executive.
NOW WHAT?
He said Bollywood films are not at all popular with the western audience and it is the Indian population that goes and watches it. Bollywood films are a hit in the US and Britain because there are 7 million and 2 million Asians respectively. He also said that the Indian actors don’t look like or behave like Indian people. You won’t find a person like Salman Khan on the streets. But you may find someone like Johnny Depp in the US.
To subscribe type GPLUS and send it to 56677
Scarlett Disqualified from Golden Globes
Brandi Glanville
Scarlett Johansson will not be bringing home a Golden Globe for her work in “Her.” The Hollywood Foreign Press Association has ruled that Johansson’s voice-only performance in Spike Jonze’s film will not be eligible. A member of the association explained that in order to be nominated, the actor has to have a physical presence onscreen as Scarlett portrays Samantha, an operating system for a near-future computer device.
WHO’S sHE?
Brandi Glanville was born on November 16 in 1972 and is an American television personality and former fashion model.
SO WHAT?
Glanville married actor Eddie Cibrian, known primarily for his work on TV series including The Young and The Restless, Third Watch, CSI: Miami and The Playboy Club, on May 12, 2001. The couple has two sons together, Mason and Jake.
bizzare news
China’s ‘cultural sex festival’ ‘Healthy sex, happy families’. The official theme this time for China’s 11th annual Guangzhou National Sex Culture Festival. It is a sex festival which is an annual exposition that seeks to redress the predicament of China’s swamp of lonely people-married or not is a three-day ritual with myriad erotic possibilities including displays of ‘realistic’ life-size female dolls, transgender fashion shows, naughty nurse costumes and many more.
pick of the week As the country gears up for Lok Sabha elections next year, Google is doing its part in ensuring that we vote and more importantly, vote wisely. The search giant has launched an Elections Portal, wherein one will be able to get detailed information about politicians, political parties and also understand the electoral process.
What did I just hear? In his third term, chief minister Tarun Gogoi signalled that all is not well with the state’s finances and indicated that the state would go bankrupt if salary arrears are paid as demanded by government employees. He said, “If I have to pay these arrears, the government will become bankrupt”.
NOW WHAT?
Brandi Glanville and Carlton Gebbia got flirty shopping for lingerie together for an episode of Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, and a preview of next week’s episode suggests the two co-stars later make out. Single mom Glanville, however, later clarified on her blog that she won’t be engaging in a lesbian romance because she’s tried it before.
Is Cruise dating Prepon? News have surfaced that Tom Cruise is dating Laura Prepon when he took the actress out for a posh dinner at The Renaissance The Manor Hotel. Not only that, but the former Days of Thunder star purportedly picked up the actress in a classic car and surprised her with a vintage 1979 bottle of merlot. They met each other as both are members of Church of Scientology. But recently Cruise has denied romancing her but said he would date again as he has been talking to women.
Kamur of the week
SBI ATMs: Most of the SBI ATMs in the city go non-functional for more than a week in a month which makes the customers run to the different ATM machines and also pay transaction fee for withdrawing money from a different bank. The added pain are the denominations, as there are hardly any Rs 100 notes in the machines compelling people to withdraw Rs 500 and more spoiling their monthly budget plan.
Printed & Published by Sunit Jain on behalf of Insight Brandcom Pvt. Ltd. and Printed at Arkashish Publications (P) Ltd., Katahbari, Garchuk, Guwahati and Published at H/No. 34, K. C. Choudhury Road, Chatribari, Guwahati - 781008, Editor: Koushik Hazarika. Email: info@g-plus.in, RNI No: ASSENG/2013/52641