VOLUME 02 | ISSUE 52 by G Plus

Viral fever and season change

PG 16

67th

Assam Police Day

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Vivek Bora

New hunk on the block

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VOLUME 02 | ISSUE 52 OCT 03- OCT 09 , 2015

PRICE `10

I will never shift parties

Exclusive Siddhartha interview Bhattacharya, President, Assam BJP with PG 02

Night city bus service

launched in Guwahati PG

City turning into a fitness zone

G PLUS SEP 26- OCT 02, 2015

In Conversation

I will never shift parties

rahul chanda

iddhartha Bhattacharya was born in Guwahati and started his education in a vernacular school. He studied there till the third standard and then joined Cotton Collegiate School. In class four he appeared for the all India merit scholarship and after he was selected, he was given the option to study in two residential schools, Scindia School of Gwalior and Ramakrishna School, Purolia. His father opted for Ramakrishna Vidyapeeth, Purulia and thus, he continued his schooling from there. In 1977, he appeared for Madhyamik exam and received an All India Scholarship; however, he decided to come back and enrolled himself in Cotton College Guwahati. While he was in Cotton College, the Assam agitation had begun in 1979, and after graduating, he joined JNU New Delhi, but because of ideological issues he did not adjust well and came back to Gauhati University. After completing his PG in economics and persuaded law and subsequently opted for the legal profession. While working as a lawyer, and pursuing his studies, he opened up a small restaurant (Cafe Seventh Heaven), and in fact was the one of the pioneers to introduce chicken rolls in Guwahati. The state BJP president exclusively talks to G Plus and opens up about his political ideologies and Assam.

Can you tell us about how you started with law and then joined the politics? Back in 1995 one of my friend’s fathers was contesting in the elections from BJP for the Lok Sabha seat and he requested me to help him out and so, I did. My father, Gauri Shankar Bhattacharya had been an MLA for a long time and he was one of the first persons who started the communist movement in India with Jyoti Basu, S.K. Dange and others. Subsequently he got disillusioned with the communist movement in 1962 when China attacked India. They had an ideological difference with the whole communist movement and that was when he came out of the movement and opened the first regional party in Assam. Dr. Bhupen Hazarika, Hemen Baruah and Dilesar Tasa started ‘Jana Gana Tantrik Dal’ or People’s Democratic Party. They were the major opposition party in the Assam Legislative Assembly. In 1977, when the Janata Party was formed, their leaders invited my father and they merged with the Janata Party. In 1979, when Janata Party failed, my father retired from politics. Since then he has never contested elections and started writing. He is also a recipient of the prestigious Sahitya Akademi Award. My father had a good relationship with leaders like Atal Behari Vajpayee, Nanaji Deshmukh, Ramesh Mishra and many more, from the time of emergency. In

Siddhartha Bhattacharya, President, Assam BJP

fact my father was also kept under house arrest during the emergency. The emergency was difficult on us, so much so that George Fernandes stayed with us, for a long time. I’ve had a very close and personal relationship with Atal Behari Vajpayee and always liked him. After meeting Atal Behari Vajpayee, I thought if I had to ever opt for any political party, why not BJP? I had an opportunity to join Congress when Hiteshwar Saikia had insisted that I join Congress among offers from other parties, but I always felt like being a part of BJP and have never thought about shifting and neither will I ever shift, because ideology is something which is paramount to me. My ideology is that I believe in Indian nationalism and that is how I got involved with BJP.

that we are not only inducting people from different political streams, but we are also giving them regular training to indoctrinate them about the ideology of the BJP. The regional feeling is not contradictory of the cultural nationalism that we profess. That is the part and parcel of the concept of cultural nationalism; Assam is a part of India.

Himanta Biswa Sarma joined BJP, do you think he will be able to help BJP win and after his induction many state BJP members have openly slammed the move of inducting Congress members, so don’t you think there is an occurrence of a rift in the party because of his induction?

What are the important cases which you handled and won as a lawyer? I was an appointed lawyer for the Army for a long time at the Gauhati High Court. I had defended the heaviest corpus cases that had come out from operation ‘All Clear’ in Bhutan. I have handled all cases pertaining to that area. I dealt with almost all of the counter insurgency cases in the northeast on behalf of the Indian Army. I have also done a lot of Court Martial cases. One of the significant court martial cases I had handled was the Sukhna Court Martial Case. I was the prosecution council on behalf of the Army in that case and I had handled the appeal of the Manoroma Devi rape case in Manipur among many other cases.

After 15-16 months of BJP in the Centre, the Central Government is being criticised by some sections for implementing some Hindutva and RSS ideologies like the meat ban, encryption policy which was rolled back, then the porn ban, do you think these ideologies will work in Assam? I fail to understand one thing that if Christianity, which originated in Je-

rusalem and Islam, which originated in the Middle East, are acceptable in India not just as religions but also as a philosophical thought and are major religions all over the world, how can it be an antithesis to the Indian concept? If you are agreeable to a religion that never originated in India, what is wrong in accepting a philosophy or ideology or a religion which has evolved in India. In almost all the Middle Eastern states pork is banned.

But those are Islamic countries and India till now is not a Hindu country!

I fail to understand another thing. if you expect me to adhere to certain norms, what’s wrong in that? During a particular period when namaz is offered, if you put a ban on using of loudspeakers, that is understandably wrong because that will hurt the feelings of certain Indian citizens who practise that religion. Everybody has to make compromises and adjustments. If the majority of the Indian citizens believe that for a particular period of time, some kind of

Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru and other leaders had given them assurances, some of which are in writing, stating that ‘if you are ever prosecuted in your country where you are forced to live because of religious and social persecution, the Indian state will always welcome you as an equal citizen of India and we will give you security, rehabilitation and we will take care of you’.

self-restraint is asked for, why should society not cooperate? It is a give-and-take situation. You should also accommodate other communities. I feel that for a common evolved identity, we should be accommodating to each other’s feelings and beliefs. Hinduism is a very flexible religion. In UP, Brahmins do not take meat or any nonvegetarian food, but Brahmins in Assam believe in Shakti Pujas. We believe in sacrifice and consume meat. Similarly, in Hindu religion some believe in idol worship and some do not. The Vaishnavites do not believe in idol worship. In Maharashtra or in Gujarat, people are mostly vegetarians, but that is not the case in Assam. So obviously policies will definitely not be carbon copied in Assam and these issues don’t have any kind of relevance in Assam.

BJP is now inducting people from Congress, AASU, AGP and with parties with different ideologies, so is there a crisis in state saffron party that you are inducting people from so many different party? Around 1980, the Assam Agitation was at its peak. People who were politically conscious and active were either involved in the Assam agitation or they had joined AGP, which was from the fall out of the Assam movement. Now when you want to evolve and expand, obviously the common pool is the people of Assam. I will put it this way, many rivers ultimately go and end up in the sea and the rivers no longer have a distinct identity. All rivers become sea water. Now if that kind of conglomeration can happen in nature, it can happen in political thinking too. Secondly, you might have noticed

When you are in politics, personal ambitions often get reflected in your thoughts and words. Himanta Biswa Sarma will play a big role in Assam politics and I will tell you why. In 2014, BJP had put up the best ever performance in Assam for Lok Sabha polls and with that best ever performance our vote percentage was 29. Congress had put up the worst ever performance and their vote percentage was 39. There is a clear gap of 10% votes. In the Lok Sabha elections issues are different. In a Lok Sabha constituency, there are 10 Vidhan Sabha constituencies. In Guwahati, Bijoya Chakravorty had won by more than three lakh votes. If you look into the Vidhan Sabha calculations, in Dispur she had a massive lead, in East Guwahati she had a massive lead, in West Guwahati too, she had a massive lead. Jalukbari was a simple lead, but in other constituencies Congress had taken lead or Congress wasn’t that far behind. Overall the result was announced, but in assembly elections if the same result is taken into consideration, then out of the 10 constituencies BJP only win in five and the other five will go to Congress. So that 10% margin of 39 and 29 has to be negated. How do we do that? The vote share of AGP has gone down to 3% and it will not be realistic to say that 3% will be reduced further. At the most it might go down to 1% or 2%. Now the Muslims, yes, a substantial number of Muslims have joined BJP, but even with their joining, the 10% margin remains. Non immigrant Muslims have always sided with Congress. Immigrant Muslims will vote for AIUDF. Similarly, the Bodoland area which covers around 15 seats, there is no prospect according to BTAD elections. The only realistic solution is the splitting of the Congress because out of the 39% of votes, Congress controls a substantial number of mainstream Assamese votes. The only way out is to bring this vote over to the BJP, and for that I have to look at the fault line in Congress and that was in the differences between Tarun Gogoi

G PLUS SEP 26- OCT 02, 2015

In Conversation In 1950, Congress was in power, and BJP had not even formed. Congress for its own vote bank politics had refrained from carrying out a national commitment. If BJP has the political guts and political wisdom to correct a historical blunder, the role of BJP should be lauded and not criticised.

and Himanta Biswa Sarma. It was very essential for me to bring Himanta Biswa Sarma to our side and that I have done. That is pure and simple political calculation and I will see the results in the 2016 elections.

What is the calculation about the alliance in 2016?

Himanta Biswa Sarma, Siddhartha Bhattacharya and Sarbananda Sonowal are three prominent figures in state BJP and according to Sarma, Siddhartha Bhattacharya and Sarbananda Sonowal are the two persons who are dynamic, But he also said that in future he wants to see a tribal person as Assam’s CM. Who, according to you is the CM candidate for BJP?

As of today we are strengthening our own. We are very confident that on our own we will be able to win a simple majority. We are trying to go for the two-thirds majority and at this moment we are not thinking of any alliance. Post poll, I doubt there will be any other party left out.

Centre’s decision about allowing the refugees to stay here invited stirs, how do you take a stand on that move? I fail to understand why we should make a common issue out of two different distinct issues. Immigration is one issue and refugees are another issue. All over the world, if you see the European states, there are people who are coming over to the European state because of social and political turmoil in their country – Syria, Libya, Turkey are such examples. Are the countries of Europe not accepting these people?

Accepting but are not giving permanent citizenship! That’s a different issue altogether. India was divided on the issue of religion and it’s a historical fact. Whether it was right or wrong, history stands for the fact that the division of India on the

When namaz is offered, if you put a ban on the use of loudspeakers, that is understandably wrong because that will hurt the feelings of certain Indian citizens who practise that religion. basis of religion was absolutely a wrong move. When India was divided on the basis of religion, certain sections of people who were left in Pakistan and followed any other religion other than Islam became minorities there. Their fates were never decided by them but by the Congress leaders sitting at Delhi. So, when these people protested and came to Congress leaders to voice their concerns, about abandoning them in a hostile country, Indian leaders like Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru and other lead-

ers had given them assurances, some of which are in writing, stating that ‘if you are ever prosecuted in your country where you are forced to live because of religious and social persecution, the Indian state will always welcome you as an equal citizen of India and we will give you security, rehabilitation and we will take care of you’. That was a solid promise which was given at the time of Independence, and that got reflected in 1950 when Immigrants’ Expulsion of Assam Act was introduced.

We follow a parliamentary system and in the parliamentary system you don’t put the cart before the horse. First let there be 65 MLAs who belong to BJP and only then can we think who leads them. Our candidate in Delhi was a disaster and we believe we learn our lessons very fast.

Personally according to you who is the CM candidate? Nobody.

Where will you contest from? I will be contesting from Guwahati East. It is where Robin Bordoloi

had defeated me last time.

As a president you might be receiving many calls for tickets, how are you managing? In BJP identifying an individual’s eligibility for contesting elections in any constituency has a very different approach. Firstly the central leadership has a survey conducted for the whole of Assam. They submit reports indicating the strong points and weak points about individuals who dominate the areas. The survey is conducted for all 126 constituencies. Because it is a very confidential survey, even the State President does not get to know the details about the surveyor. Apart from that we have asked the candidates for their bio-data along with the application. We have asked our district committees to go and short list certain names. There will be also indications from other affiliates of BJP. All of this data will be analysed, discussed and only then, the best person for a particular constituency will be given the party tickets.

Tell us something about your hobbies and your children? I have two daughters. My elder daughter is studying law in Guwahati and my second daughter is pursuing her post graduation in political science from Delhi University. I like to read, and I am a trained mountaineer. I enjoy horse riding and little bit of motor cycling. My wife runs her own business. rahul.chanda@g-plus.in

Ganeshguri bar cum restaurant Gohali’s license cancelled G PLUS NEWS

he Kamrup (M) district administration has cancelled the license of Gohali bar cum restaurant situated in Ganeshguri for selling liquor illegally. A team led by ADC Rajib Prakash Baruah, excise officials, police officials along with lady constables had inspected the city based bar cum restaurant and found that the Gohali bar was serving liquor to customers after 10 pm, which was against the rules of excise. “Our team had reached Gohali bar cum restaurant at around 10.45 pm on Wednesday and our magistrate had ordered for liquor to find out if they sale liquor after the stipulated time. The manager said that they would do so but at double the price. When they were asked why they were selling liquor after 10 pm, they made excuses and when they got to know that we are government officials, they misbehaved with us. The officials were also physically assaulted

A case has been registered under section 353 of IPC against the bar owner for physically assaulting government officials.

and the owner hit the magistrate,” said Baruah. The Dispur police were informed when the officials were misbehaved with and as per the complaint, an FIR was lodged and three persons including the owner were arrested. The Deputy Commissioner of Kamrup (M) M. Angamuthu who followed the inci-

dent suspended the license of the bar cum restaurant and also issued a show cause notice asking for a response as to why the license should not be cancelled. The special team of the district administration and the excise department, led by ADC Rajiv Prakash Baruah conducted raids at various places to

check violation of excise rules by bars, wine shops and restaurants in the city. In another raid, one person was arrested from the New City Resort located at Lokhra and alcohol worth several thousand rupees was seized. Supratip Lal Baruah, ACP of Dispur Police station said that as per rules, liquor cannot be served

after 10 pm and the said bar cum restaurant was serving liquor after that time and when raided, they misbehaved with the officials of administration and the additional deputy commissioner. They also created disturbance during the investigation and therefore a case has been registered (Case no. 2103/2015) of IPC 353 by election officer Chinmoy Phukan. ADC Baruah said that investigation will be continued in other bar and restaurants, dhabas etc. as most of the city bar cum restaurant, dhabas sell liquor after the stipulated time. “This is a surprise visit to the city bar cum restaurant and selling of liquor is on the rise and during dry day, people want to buy liquor illegally although they are charged double the price. Sale of liquor on dry days and after 10 pm is illegal but it is being served by some people to earn some extra money,” said Baruah.

G PLUS SEP 26- OCT 02, 2015

In The News

Night city bus service launched in Guwahati

JUTHIKA BARUAH

Night city buses have been launched in the city with 20 buses. The service will be started in three routes on an experimental basis. The fare will be charged 50% extra of the normal rate.

uwahati got its first night city bus service from October 1 and the service has been launched with the theme ‘Use public transport, avoid traffic congestion.’ The district transport office has urged the public to use public transport rather than private vehicles. Speaking to G Plus, DTO (Registration & Licensing) Gautam Das said, “The night service has been launched for the public convenience and initially it will start in three routes with 20 buses, which will increase to 36 buses. But for the citizens of Guwahati, 36 buses are not sufficient for which the numbers will be increased as per the demand of the public.” Das said, “If we get good response from the public the service will be better. We have also launched AC buses and we are getting good response from the people and the buses are successfully running in the city. Special people will also be deployed in each point to inform the people about the timing of the buses and it will be fully secured as the service will have coordination with police. There will be a toll free number for any complaint or problem if faced by the commuters but at present people can dial 100 in case of any emergency.” A meeting was held on the 21st September with all the city bus associations and local authorities for the initiation of the the night city bus service. The associations

The buses will be fully secured and the timing of the buses will be notified by people deployed in each point. agreed till midnight experimental basis.

Route description for night city bus service: Route 1 Khanapara to Khanapara via Six Mile, Ganeshguri, Bhangagarh, Ulubari, Paltan Bazaar, Panbazaar, Bharalumukh, Maligaon, Adabari, Jalukbari, Garchuk, ISBT, Lakhara Chariali, Basistha Chariali, Khanapara and vice-versa.

Route 2 Jalukbari to Khanapara via Adabari, Bharalumukh, Kachari, Uzanbazaar, Guwahati Club, Chandmari Flyover, R G Baruah Road, Ganeshguri, Six Mile, Khanapara and vice versa.

Route 3 Forestgate to ISBT, Betkuchi via Noonmati, Bamunimaidam, Chandmari, Guwahati Club, Uzanbazaar, Kachari, Bharalumukh, Adabari, Jalukbari and vice versa. An official of the Assam State Transport Corporation (ASTC) while speaking to G Plus said, “A scheme of JNNURM has been launched under the Ministry of Urban Development, Government of India and under the scheme 330 buses have been sanctioned

Buses- 330 Non AC- 200 AC- 100 Volvo-30 Total Cost- Rs. 122crores 1st Instalment- Rs. 54.99crores

(Central), Rs. 6.11crore (State) Minimum Fare (AC)- Rs. 10 Night bus fare - 50% extra of the normal rate. for the city in which the Central Government’s assistance is 90% and 10% is from State Government fund. We received the first instalment of Rs. 54.99crores from the Central Government and Rs. 6.11crore from state government.” The bus services has been started with great enthusiasm in order to develop the infrastructure but the public raised questions as to why such services remain unsuccessful after a certain period. The ladies city bus services which was launched a few months back was not successful and the service was stopped after one month. “We didn’t get response from

the public and therefore we have to stop the service as we cannot run the empty buses. There are females who travel along with their husbands or sons and therefore they opt for normal city buses,” the official added. Although the government run buses can’t be stopped even if they do not get passengers they have to run the buses because it has an expense and the ladies bus which was started to ply in the city every half an hour or an hour which was not aware of by the females. “As we didn’t get good response from the public we have to stop the buses. We would have been happy if the buses

would have run successfully because females travel in the normal city bus with many problems and they also have to face many untoward incident but the ladies only didn’t accept the service of the ladies city bus,” said DTO Gautam Das. Talking to G Plus, one of the commuters Geetashri Devi said, “I work in a private company and always travel by public transport. I would have been happy if I could travel in the ladies bus, which would have not only been safe but also comfortable but I didn’t notice a single bus on the road during that time. And if the transport authorities have fixed any time for the buses then they should have been clearly mentioned at what time the buses would be available and on what routes the buses would run. If the time and route would have been specific, most of the ladies would have accepted it as almost every female has faced some problem or the other while travelling in the city buses.” Another commuter Ranjan Das said, “The night bus service would have been helpful for people like us who travel by public transport and as I work in a private firm I have to stay late nights in the office and it becomes difficult to go back home. We cannot hire an auto as they charge exorbitant rates and now that the night service has been launched, it will be beneficial for us.” juthika.baruah@g-plus.in

G PLUS SEP 26- OCT 02, 2015

Concern

Is Bapu’s principle of Swachh Bharat being followed by the city? T JUTHIKA BARUAH

he citizens of Guwahati celebrated Gandhi Jayanti with a lot of devotion. But how many of them actually follow the principles of Gandhiji or his Swaccch Bharat Mission which was one of his most important ideologies. The Swachh Bharat Mission was launched on 2nd October, 2014 by the Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi to pay tribute to Gandhiji and the mission was to keep the country clean and hygienic. But that does not seem to be the case in Guwahati. The city has many areas, where one can still see overflowing garbage, uncovered drains and lack of public toilets and sanitation facilities. So, G Plus decided to survey some areas of the city and found that the mission swachh bharat is still to reach those places. “Swachh Bharat was launched last year but to be a swachh city, the people need to be responsible and the authorities need to be active. The city has developed commercially but the streets are still covered by garbage. I have grown old in this place but the garbage bins remain the same in front of my shop. People can’t walk through the roads and have to cover their noses once they pass through it as the municipal corporation does not collect the garbage daily, as a result of which the place remains dirty and it stinks so much that the passersby have to stop their breath for few seconds to pass through it,” said Ratul Roy, one of the shopkeepers in the Paltan Bazaar area. Another resident of Chatribari,

Most of the places in the city are still to follow the ideology of Gandhiji’s Swacch Bharat. Public and community toilets are yet to be constructed by the GMC to keep the city clean and hygienic.

Rupa Banik said, “Swachh Bharat or swachh city does not only mean that the government or the concerned authorities should repair or construct the main roads but they also have to notice the small lanes and bylanes and in what condition they are in. It has been more than 35 years that we have been living in this area but the roads remain the same and the garbage is not collected daily. Half of the road is blocked with garbage bins and it stinks so much that one cannot pass by. It might also cause diseases as it is unhygienic and unhealthy.” She also said that it has been seen on television that in some areas officials and NGOs go to certain places to clean the roads with brooms in their hand and that all this seems very fake. The places shown on TV are usually clean and if anyone really wanted to clean the area, they would

have to inform the media. The Swachh Bharat Mission is being implemented by the Ministry of Urban Development (M/o UD) and by the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation (M/o DWS) for urban and rural areas respectively. Therefore, the Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) in this regard has already created an online account for monitoring the various activities under the Swachh Bharat Mission. Sanitary Supervisors/Swachh Bharat Mission Officers have been appointed in every ward for promoting public hygiene and sanitation in their respective wards apart from fulfilling their compulsory duty of registering complaints of residents and taking swift action on them. The GMC has undertaken programs to construct public and community toilets in and around the

city. A proposal has been sent to the Director, Municipal Administration (State Mission Directorate, SBM) for construction of 100 community toilets in identified slums all around Guwahati city. Identification of locations of such community areas where toilets can be constructed is under process. GMC has inaugurated a modern public toilet under the Public Toilet scheme of Swachh Bharat Mission at Fancy Bazar. The project has been executed under the PPP mode. Rakesh Tiwari who owns a shop in Fancy Bazaar said, “Setting up of a toilet is easy but maintenance is a tough job. They have launched the toilet but after a few months it will happen that there will not be water and it will be in a condition that people won’t be able to use it. It’s good that they have taken some initiative but it needs to be maintained as well for long term. In other cities we see that the projects are fulfilled but here such projects remain unsuccessful due to lack of maintenance.” Architect Tapash Kalita of GMC said that 10 places have been proposed for setting up of public toilets of which tender have been given for six toilets and work has already begun for two public toilets in Nepali Mandir and the other in Bhangagarh. The other proposed

Ramp provided for the physically challenged.

Modern urinals and water closets provided in the toilets. Separate toilet provided for the physically challenged. Blank walls provided which can be used for advertisements.

Bio digester tanks provided as an alternative to the conventional septic tank. places are Chabipool, Paltan Bazaar, Sarabhatti Chariali, Beltola, Basistha Chariali, Khanapara, Mathgharia and DC office premises. He also said that no central assistance has been received as yet under swachh bharat mission and GMC have taken the steps solely to keep the city clean. Kalita said that a mobile application will also be launched so that people can lodge their complains and if anyone finds that the streets are dumped with garbage, they can click a photo and upload it in the app so that immediate action could be taken. juthika.baruah@g-plus.in

G PLUS SEP 26- OCT 02, 2015

CIty

67th Assam Police Day KALYAN DEB

he 67th Assam Police Day was observed on Thursday, October 1st and for the first time the day was celebrated with a festive fervor. In an attempt to improve police-public relation in the state, a gala event was organised at the Nehru Stadium. Performances of different dance forms of diverse tribes and cultures of the state were on display on Thursday evening. The colourful event also witnessed the participation of general public along with police officials and renowned faces from different walks of life along with chief guest Bhumidhar Barman, Revenue Minister, Vinod Kumar Pipersenia, Chief Secretary and Khagen Sharma, Director General of Police. The cultural evening kicked off with a cultural procession where 48 cultural groups from different parts of the state had taken part. The procession was taken out from Sports Authority of India Complex in Paltanbazar at around 3:30 pm and was marched till Nehru stadium while showcasing their different dance forms through the city streets. The procession was organised in order to deliver the message of unity among the people of the state despite the diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds. 67 lamps were also lit at the venue by eminent people from various walks of life to mark the 67th Assam Police Day. “The day which has brought together police officials and general public under one roof will help in strengthening the relationship between the police and general public. In different occasions due to terrorist activities people had to lose their property and lives but the same has been brought down with the intervention of the police force and has provided us security. In several occasions clash breakout between the public and the police but since police provides us with security of our lives and property so we have to develop a

Observed with objective to develop better police-public relationship

friendly relationship with the force”, said revenue minister and chief guest, Bhumidhar Barman in his speech during the event. “Over 500 policemen had sacrificed their life in their fight against terrorism in the state and I bid my tribute to those policemen and their families”, the chief guest noted.

Earlier the same day, a marchpast and parade was also presented by 10 platoons including brass and pipe band followed by the flag hosting ceremony of Assam Police was organized at 4th Assam Police Batallion, Kahilipara. The flag hoisting ceremony took place in the presence of several senior police officials of the state. Addressing the

ceremony chief guest, chief secretary V.K. Pipersenia, said “The history of Assam police is long and shackled and has seen many obstacles and has evolved a great deal from its origin. From its origin with the strength of 8000 after independence it has come as an organized and disciplined force. It is a matter of great pride that home ministry has adjust Assam Police

as the best performers in tackling human trafficking. Another feather in the cap of Assam Police is the successful recruitment of over 5000 constables.” However, the chief secretary also stressed on the need of the state’s policemen to evolve with the changing time and urged the police at the thana level to be more proactive and make a place on the hearts of the people. “The expectation from the police by the general people has increased drastically with the increase use of electronics and social media. Assam Police will have to be adaptive to the fast growing technology”, the chief secretary added. Following the march-past medals for gallantry, the president medal for distinguished service, police medal for meritorious service and the chief minister’s medal for outstanding service was given away by the chief guest. The history of Assam Police Day goes back in the year 1949 when K.R.Choudhury took charge as the first inspector general of police on this very day and is observed since the very year. kalyan.deb@g-plus.in

G PLUS SEP 26- OCT 02, 2015

City turning into a fitness zone

With city’s top gyms recording a 20% increase in the membership and city authorities coming up with plans to provide proper exercising ambience to Guwahatians, are the citizens beginning to understand the importance of fitness? RAHUL CHANDA

BI Pinkathon-Empowering Indian Women’ – an initiative to raise awareness about the importance of a healthy lifestyle for women and issues like breast cancer and bone health, concluded its first edition in the city recently where over 4,000 women across all age groups and from different segments of society participated enthusiastically. Giving importance to fitness, many city parks are also seen to be crowded early in the morning where Guwahatians are seen jogging or taking a fresh walk to keep healthy. Similarly the city authorities, police and many corporate offices are seen to be laying special emphasis on fitness these days.

Authorities’ initiatives Recently the GMC has talked with other city stake holders to make certain roads in the city a one way zone in the morning hours so that one side of the road can be used by the pedestrians for morning walks. The GMC Additional Commissioner said that initially, the road from Chandmari to Zoo Road will be a one way zone but the date has not been finalised yet. Similarly other roads will be also made one way zone from 5 to 7 am so that people can peacefully take a morning walk as there are less parks in the city. He said, “The plan is to facilitate the citizen to exercise by walking.” He also said that the GMC is in talks with other stake holders like the city traffic police to finalise the plan of providing better opportunities to the Guwahatians so that they can use the city roads during the morning time for walks and exercises. The GMC recently organised a medical camp for all the rag pickers in the city and in the camp, injections and medicines were provided to the rag pickers for their fitness. The city police are always criticised by the public for not being fit, but according to a highly placed sources in the police, the present commissioner of police is a fitness freak and makes sure that all police personnel exercise every day. The source said, “Every day one or the other officer in the police commissionerate is assigned to take physical training classes for all the police personnel.” The source

also said that aged policemen is a concern but they cannot be sacked so, they are asked to remain fit and meanwhile, the city police is inducting more and more young officers and police personnel who are fit to work in the field. DCP Traffic Pranabjyoti Goswami said that certain roads have been pedestrian zones since last one year and it has been informed to the public through various notifications so that city people can go for morning walks without the worry of vehicles plying in those roads. He further added that the roads which are pedestrian zones are the circle of Digalipukhuri, Kendriya Vidyalaya to Research Gate near IAS Colony, the adjacent road of Cotton College from 5 to 7 am and on Sundays 2 pm onwards. He also said that the police are contemplating to make the Fancy Bazar Road a pedestrian zone as well but it still has to be implemented. Goswami said that the other roads will also be considered after these roads are utilised by the city people to the fullest.

The Corporate scene Along with the government departments even the corporate industry is laying stress on the fitness of their employees. Hyundai regional coordinator, administration and accounts, Sonu Lal Rajak said, “We plan one or two monthly motivational programmes for our employees so that they are motivated to remain fit.” He also said that they provide free healthy lunch to all their employees so that they do not have to eat outside. He also mentioned that Saturdays and Sundays are offs for the employees so that they can be relaxed and work hard during the next five days. On Wednesday, the organisation makes sure that everyone in the office leaves by 5.55pm and spend the evening with their family so that no one is stressed about not getting time to socialise. Rajak said that fitness is very important for the employees and as Saturdays and Sundays are off, all the employees can plan their work out schedule accordingly. Similarly many corporate HR managers said that fitness is an important issue and somehow the realisation of the importance of fitness has gripped all and it has become an agenda for the corporate world.

City GMC plans to make certain city roads one way zones so that people can have morning walks during the wee hours GMDA plans to allocate extra funds to make the city parks efficient for the public City police has declared some areas as pedestrian zones during some hours of the day so that people can exercise peacefully City gyms register around 20% increase in the number of memberships

Ghy Pedestrian Zones Existing (5AM to 7AM) • • •

Dighalipukhuri Circle APSC Office to Research Gate Road adjacent to Cotton College

Planned • •

Gold Gym’s head trainer Kamal Sinha said that there is an increase of around 20% in the number of memberships which the gym has witnessed since the last year. He said, “Last year we had around 800 members but now we have more than 1000 members and there are applicants almost every day.” He said that suddenly there has been an increase in the enthusiasm of the public to become fit. Sinha also mentioned that since Gold’s Gym is expensive, everyone cannot afford it, but people from the corporate world and high level government officials and politicians visit the gym to remain healthy. He spoke of Himanta Biswa Sarma and other MLAs who are regulars along with other prominent government officials like MGVK Bhanu. Chairman of Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) Dhiren Baruah said, “The parks are the only place where people can spend their leisure time with their children. As the people do not have any space at their homes, they come out to spend the time in parks where they can walk, exercise, play and gossip with one another. Therefore, the GMDA is trying to develop the parks and will come out with new parks for the people.” Baruah said, “The Government should also adopt a policy for the development of the parks for the people. There are 18 parks in the city under GMDA but we need more. Against 30,000 people one park is necessary but there are only 18 parks and people are not aware of all the parks except a few. We are providing funds for maintenance but we should give an annual grant to the parks for mass participation as the grant collected by the parks are not sufficient for maintaining a park.” As is evident, city authorities like GMDA, GMC, City Police and most of the corporate companies have decided to make fitness a necessary concern for all and even the city people are now becoming fitness freaks possibly making Guwahati a fitter city in the coming years. rahul.chanda@g-plus.in

Fancy Bazar Road Chandmari to Zoo Road Tinali

G PLUS SEP 26- OCT 02, 2015

Campus

JUTHIKA BARUAH

SMSS victorious in Cotton College elections

SMSS has set a winning position in the Cotton College election with Amlanjyoti Dewry as the GS. AASU and NSUI had failed to keep the long run position in the students’ poll. Group of students not happy with Amlanjyoti’s victory. Students’ alleged that the union members forget their assurances after the election like the politician.

College Principal’s response on behalf of AASU candidates had created a controversy in the pre-election debates

he general elections of Cotton College saw a major victory of the Satra Mukti Sangram Samiti (SMSS), leaving behind the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) and National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) who had been the winning team for many years, with Amlanjyoti Deuri bagging the post of the General Secretary. Although the elections were said to have commenced peacefully some students have alleged that the general secretary Amlanjyoti Deuri is not eligible to contest the election because his attendance percentage is zero. A student with low attendance cannot be allowed to contest the elections. It has also been alleged that Deuri was supported by many parties, which is unethical. Speaking to G Plus, a student of H.S. 1st year said, “The college elections are held every year but we didn’t get to see any change as the union members, once they are elected, forget about their assurances given to the students. The college election is completely political and they pretend to be serious only during the campaigning, which is actually a farce. Being one of the most reputed and oldest colleges of the state, the infrastructure is not developed. The teachers’ should give equal attention to the students. Some teachers’ do not give proper attention to the students’ who sit on the last bench. Sitting on

ABVP and SMSS had made an alliance and that the MNDP, SNBC and SKL hostels contested for ABVP & SMSS while RKB, which is the boys’ hostel, was supported by AASU. In an open debate when the SMSS candidate Amlanjyoti Deuri had asked a question to the AASU candidate Sachidananda Bora, the Principal stood on the dais and answered on behalf of Sachidananda. This had created quite a controversy.

The elected candidates

the last bench do not meant that the students’ are bad. Getting admitted into cotton college means the students’ are meritorious and therefore the teachers should give equal attention.” The student also alleged that the Physics and Chemistry department are so unhygienic that it becomes difficult for them to attend classes. “We cast our votes to the contested candidates expecting that they will do something for the college but after being elected, they pretend like they do not have any responsibility towards the college once they become the GS or any other union member,” the student said.

Another student of TDC 1st semester said, “We expect certain new things from the new union. The infrastructure needs to be developed and the security system should be improved. Being such an old college there is no security guard in the college gate. The AASU influence is much more in the college which should not be as this is a college election and they should behave like a Cottonian and not a politician.” Taniksha Das of H.S. 1st year said that the new union should complete the incomplete work. “It has been said that the government has provided one

building for girls’ hostel and we expect that it would be completed soon,” said Taniksha. Talking to G Plus, Vice President Utpal Kakati said, “There are many things to be improved but we are also students and we can only try our best. The rest depends on the authority. The students have many expectations from us and we will try our best to develop the infrastructure.”

Controversy It was also informed by one of the students that before the elections,

Pratiman Phukan (President), Bhanita Talukdar (Assistant General Secretary), Gunjan Sarma (Editor, Cottonian), Abdul Goni (Secretary, Boys’ Common Room), Bhavana Barman (Secretary, Ladies Common Room), Gyandeep Hazarika (Secretary, Debating and Symposium), Parismita Goswami (Secretary, Social Service), Priyakhi Khanikar (Music Secretary), Sumanjit Das (Cultural Secretary), Dulal Patar (General sports secretary), Mrinmoy Boro (Cricket Secretary), Suraj Sarma (Tennis Secretary), Jay Krishna Das (Rowing, Swimming and Gymnasium Secretary). juthika.baruah@g-plus.in

G PLUS SEP 26- OCT 02, 2015

Governance

District Administration assures hassle free Durga Puja in the City JUTHIKA BARUAH

The District Administration has formed three committees for monitoring and to ensure a Durga Puja free of hassles and problems.

amrup (M) Deputy Commissioner M. Angamuthu, while addressing a meeting, said that the committees will consist of all the Deputy Commissioners of Police, Additional Deputy Commissioner, officials of the Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC), Fire Service, District Transport office, officials of the Pollution Control Board, PWD, APDCL, health and circle officers. “A database will be created in each Puja committee with the corresponding police districts to monitor the cleanliness and maintenance of the Puja committees. It has also been instructed to the committees to ensure that they should follow the guidelines and that the committees would have to immerse the idols in the designated areas like the Pandu Ghat (Fancy Bazaar), Kasomari Ghat (Fancy Bazaar), Choonchali, Basistha, Saukuchi and Chandrapur,” said Angamuthu. The DC also instructed that the committees should ensure the

safety of public and CCTV cameras should be installed. Generators and electrical security should also be ensured with separate entries for males and females to be maintained. It has also been directed that the city bus services should be available till

1 am and plastics should be banned to encourage the bio-degradable products for an eco-friendly puja. The police commissioner of the city has decided to form a single window so that the puja committees can receive the guidelines accordingly.

The administration will conduct a meeting seven days ahead of the Durga Puja in the District Library to provide the Puja committees the guidelines based on the database to be provided by the three committees. The do’s and don’ts will also be instructed

to the Puja committees. Instructions have also gone out that there should be 24X7 electricity during the Puja celebrations and keeping in view, the Swacch Bharat Abhijan, the Puja committees have been instructed to ensure cleanliness and volunteers need to be active during the four days of Puja so that the environment remains healthy and hygienic. The administration will also ensure a safe and secure puja and the DC has also instructed to use eco-friendly idols for a healthy environment. The DC also said that different times will be allotted for immersion of idols for the puja committees in order to reduce the traffic congestion. “Last year too, the puja committees supported us on our mission to ensure a safe Puja and this year also we expect the same from the committee members. We have instructed the committees to use eco-friendly idols so that the water doesn’t get polluted when the idols are immersed,” said Angamuthu. juthika.baruah@g-plus.in

G PLUS SEP 26- OCT 02, 2015

Environment

KALYAN DEB

PHCP leads the rescue against near extinction of Pygmy Hog

he Pygmy Hog which used to be found in a narrow strip of tall and wet grassland plains in the area south of the Himalayan foothills from Uttar Pradesh to Assam, through the Nepal Terai and the Bengal Dooars is enlisted as one of the critically endangered species. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), in its Red List, categorises it as critically endangered, putting it among the most threatened of all mammals. It is also listed in Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act. Barely a foot tall and a couple of feet in length, the pygmy hogs lack the characteristic squiggly tail of other pigs. However, due to threats to the habitat such as human settlements, encroaching farmland, overuse of land by livestock and commercial forestry, it almost lead to the near extinction of the species. Flood control programmes and uncontrolled seasonal burnings have also damaged the grasslands. Besides, the collection of thatch and other plants, apart from trapping and hunting, continue to be key issues. Locally, it is known as Nal Gahori or Takuri Borah in Assamese and Oma Thakri in Bodo. It is currently restricted to a single viable population in the wild in the Manas Tiger Reserve and a tiny reintroduced population in the Sonai Rupai Wildlife Sanctuary, both in north-western Assam. But since the elusive species rarely emerges from the tall grass, there is no data on its exact status in the wild.

Conservation Program It was in the 1995 when the Pygmy Hog Conservation Program (PHCP) was initiated by Goutam Narayan with the collaboration of the Assam government, the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust (DWCT), and IUCN/SSC Wild Pig Specialist Group. The motivation was the opportunity to address the conservation of the pygmy hogs and other endangered species of tall grasslands of the region through field research, captive breeding and reintroductions after adequate restoration of degraded former habitats. Situated amidst the greenery of Indira Nagar in Basistha the inception of the program came into being with the motive to establish a well structured conservation breeding project for pygmy hogs as an insurance against the possible early extinction of the species in the wild and as a source of

animals for reintroduction projects.

Modus Operandi This facility includes a holding enclosure and three large (3,200 m2) pre‐release enclosures as a part of the soft release process and consists of near natural simulated grasslands where hogs earmarked for release to the wild are kept under minimal human contact. The hogs are encouraged to forage naturally and their supplementary diet is gradually reduced to less than a fourth of daily requirement. The behaviour and habitat use are studied and it was encouraging to note that these hogs start behaving like wild animals and learn to survive in the wild within a couple of months. After about five months in the pre‐release

enclosures the hogs are taken to the reintroduction site where they are kept in a smaller enclosure for 2‐3 days before being allowed to escape to the wild. In 1996, six wild hogs (2 males, 4 females) were caught from the Manas National Park and transferred to the custom built research and breeding centre in the city. Five more hogs were caught and released at the capture site after fitting three males and a female with radio harness for radio‐telemetry studies. The six hogs settled down well in Basistha and 3 adult females, which were pregnant from wild, produced healthy litters in 1996. All but one of the 13 young (7 male and 6 female) were reared. By the year 1997 the hog population almost doubled from 18 to 35, which constituted a 580% increase in 21

months. In the 1998 breeding season, five captive sows farrowed at Basistha adding 22 more hogs to the population. In 1999, 11 young from five normal litters were reared despite several babies dying of piglet diarrhoea, and in 2000, 14 new hogs were reared taking the captive population to 65. The following year, six pygmy hogs were captured in Manas to start the captive breeding programme in Basistha, Guwahati, with the goal of reintroducing captive bred hogs back in the wild. After 12 years, in 2008, the project released 16 hogs into the Sonai Rupai Wildlife Sanctuary in Assam. More hogs were released in Sonai Rupai in 2009 (9 hogs) and 2010 (10 hogs) and altogether 35 (18 male, 17 female) hogs were released in the sanctuary and they continue to thrive there. Similarly, 59 (26 male, 33 female) hogs in 12 social breeding groups were released in better managed grasslands in the northern parts of Orang National Park between 2011 and 2015. Thus, the project as of today the research and breeding centre consist of 38 pygmy hogs and has released 94 captive‐bred hogs or over fifteen times the number of founder stock. The conservation programme also depends on grants. The US Fish and Wildlife Service and IUCN SOS have chipped in, but the programme needs to gain government support to build up momentum and a higher profile.

Goutam Narayan becomes the first Indian to get Harry Messel Award Conservationist Goutam Narayan has become the first Indian to get Harry Messel Award for Conservation Leadership in recognition of his pivotal role in leading the Pygmy Hog Conservation programme in the North-East. The award was announced during the IUCN Species Survival Commission Leaders’ meeting held in Abu Dhabi last week, a release issued by the Pygmy Hog Conservation Programme (PHCP) said. The award citation mentions that Narayan has been awarded “in recognition of his pivotal role in leading the Pygmy Hog Conservation Programme in north eastern India since 1995, thus saving a whole genus from extinction and his long service to the Wild Pig Specialist Group.” The Harry Messel Award recognises exemplary service to IUCN Species Survival Commission, especially from individuals who have made a specific contribution to species conservation on the ground or through their leadership. The award, instituted since 2004, is usually given at an interval of two to four years with 18 individuals and an organisation receiving the award so far. kalyan.deb@g-plus.in

G PLUS SEP 26- OCT 02, 2015

Ward Watch

WARD NO

Concentrated area Sundarpur Ward number 20 Sub-division 20(b) Councilor Anima Deka Phone number 9508417039 Area sabha member SHiv Saran Bhuyan Phone number 9864253996 Problems Water logging, poor road condition, siltation

Water logging and silt worry Sundarpur residents

KALYAN DEB

hen it comes to development, most parts of the Sundarpur area has been revamped except for the road adjacent to the Bharalu River, which is still in need of attention. The heavy rains inundate many vital areas of the city, creating problems for residents and commuters. Among these, the localities of the Zoo Road situated in the eastern part of the city are amongst those who suffer the most. Many by-lanes get inundated and rickshaw pullers can be seen charging exorbitant fares from those who want to go to their homes or come out of them. Despite the hue and cry, parts of the Sundarpur area that lies adjacent to the Bharalu River remains undeveloped. Meanwhile, residents have hit out at the state government for failing to find a solution to the problems of water logging.

People’s say Though the main by-lane of the Sundarpur area has been developed with the road having been constructed with concrete blocks and a proper drainage system, a few years ago, water logging in the area remains a problem. Meanwhile, the road that runs adjacent to the Bharalu River after crossing the Sundarpur bridge is still a far cry from being developed and a moderate to heavy rainfall leaves the area submerged. “Water remains logged for over twenty-four hours and even after a moderate rainfall, the level rises up

Councillor’s say

to two feet. Even after comparatively lesser rainfall than the past few years, the same problem remained unsolved. Last week when it rained heavily for a few days it filled up the drains and caused the water to overflow on to the streets,” said Panna Nath, a resident of Sundarpur. The problem of water logging is not new to the people of Sundarpur and as mentioned by the residents, the scenario has worsened since the year 1996 and has continued to be so ever since. It was during the years 1999 to 2008 when the people had to suffer the most due to flood as water ran into several houses in the area. “The area gets submerged by the water that overflows from the Bharalu River and the problem will remain until the drainage system in

the area is diverged. Though the main by-lane of Sundarpur area had been constructed, the area still suffers from flood. Besides, the lack of outlets and water reservoirs, the city being unplanned is a prime reason for the flood,” added Nath who has been residing in the area since 1979. Besides flood, siltation is a key reason which concerns the residents of the area. Prior to monsoon desiltation process could be seen in several areas of the city in order to control flood however, the same did not help in controlling the situation is the Sundarpur area. After the logged water passes away, the road is left with a layer of mud that remains for several days and creates problems for commuters. “Since last year, very little has

been done to tackle the problem of siltation as after every flood the road gets covered with mud that remains until it naturally dries of. On very rare occasions, can GMC operatives bee seen clearing the mud off the road. It becomes problematic for vehicles to commute through the road and for pedestrians as the situation gets hazardous. The solution to meet the problem of flood in the area is to raise the level of the road,” noted Champak Barman. “Siltation is also the reason due to which the water outlets get blocked which is also one of the reasons for water logging in the area. It will require regular intervention of the authorities and the government until the problem of flood is addressed to”, Barman added.

eferring to the problem of lack of funds sanctioned by GMC for the development of different areas of Guwahati, councillor Anima Deka said that the only sanctioned fund received over the past two and a half years of tenure is merely 30 lakhs. The roads that are to be constructed by the Flood Disaster Restoration (FDR) fund are decided by the engineers of the GMC. “The 30 lakhs that was sanctioned after the election is certainly not sufficient to develop an entire ward and before suggesting a particular area, the matter has to be discussed with the ward committee members. Last year when the FRD fund was sanctioned, the Lakhimi Path and Nav Path were developed. Similarly, this year a few by-lanes have been suggested for the construction of roads such as bylane number 3 in Kalyanpur. After the cost was estimated to be within 20 to 30 lakhs by the engineers, the developmental work can be carried out in a different area,” said Anima Deka, councillor of ward number 20. “There are certainly several problems in the Sundarpur area but the more problems a particular area has, the more funds it will require to develop it. Since, there are several areas in a particular ward which are in sub-standard condition so the initiatives will have to be taken gradually”, the councillor added. kalyan.deb@g-plus.in

G PLUS SEP 26- OCT 02, 2015

In The News

Investigative Units soon in Assam to counter crime against women

Drone surveillance by Assam police soon

G PLUS NEWS

o deal with the soaring rate of crimes against women, the state is soon to have ‘Investigative Units on Crimes against Women’ (IUCAW). The union home minister Rajnath Singh has written a letter to Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi who is also the state’s home minister recently and shared his concern over the spurt in crimes against women. With a total of 19,139 cases, the state recorded the highest rate of crime against women in the country last year with at least 123.4 percentage, which is almost double of the national average of 56.3 percent. The letter from Rajnath Singh to Gogoi said, “There is a need to strengthen various elements of the criminal justice system, namely, investigation, prosecution and trials to deal with the rise of crimes against women. The ministry of home affairs (MHA) proposes to set up IUCAW, in states with high rate of crime against women on a 50-50

cost sharing basis with the states.” MHA has proposed to set up 150 such IUCAW units initially on pilot basis in most crime prone districts of every states. In Assam, districts like Sonitpur, Nagaon, Kamrup and Dhemaji are the having huge numbers of such cases. An IUCAW unit is likely to have 15 personnel, five women preferably. “The state will have full f lexibility to create new posts or to designate from the existing strength. Each IUCAW will be headed by an officer of the rank of additional superintendent of police assisted by two DSPs,” the letter mentioned. The focus of these units will be to deal with heinous crimes like rape, dowry deaths, acid attacks and trafficking. The units will also encourage proactive policing, intelligence gathering, tackling organised crime, monitoring proper implementation of the legislative provisions, helping awareness

generation and promotion of social participation in checking crimes against women. The letter also advised the state to set up separate ‘fast track courts’ to deal with such cases expeditiously. The union home minister assured that though all these issues are state subjects, yet the MHA would like to augment the efforts of the states in this matter. Latest National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB)’s report said, some 5,307 cases of sexual offence, 9,626 numbers of cases of cruelty by husband and relatives and at least 3,895 cases of kidnapping of women were registered in Assam last year. “Some 2,047 women were raped last year out of which 23 were gang raped. Similarly, there were 3,100 cases registered across the state against assault on women with intent to outrage her modesty during the last year,” the statistics revealed. Another 3,895 women were kidnapped out of which one was murdered.

GHC seeks Kaziranga eviction report, summons State Govt officials G PLUS NEWS

Division Bench Chief Justice (Acting) K. Sreedhar Rao and Justice P.K. Saikia, while hearing the case of illegal encroachment in Kaziranga National Park has directed the Deputy Superintendent of Police (Border) and Deputy Commissioner of Nagaon to appear before the Court on October 6 to file compliance report as directed earlier by the Court in its previous order passed on July 15 failing which contempt action would be initiated against them. In the previous order, the HC asked the state government to clear two animal corridors located at Bandordubi and Deusur areas adjoining the park within a month.

Officially there were at least 168 families are residing at Bandordubi while 190 families are residing in Deusur area. The Nagaon DC earlier informed the court that the eviction could not been carried out due to the inundated situation of the areas. However the district administration has already served eviction notices to them. The HC also summoned the Deputy Commissioner, Golaghat to file an affidavit regarding the steps taken for verification of encroachers

in Kaziranga area of Golaghat district. Similarly, the Commissioner and Secretary, state’s Revenue Department was also directed to be present before the Court on October 6 to explain the steps taken in compliance with the Court order regarding eviction of Patta holders in six additions of the park . The state government side informed the court that it has already cleared the sixth addition of the park and soon going to handover the addition to the park authority.

ssam police is soon to introduce drone surveillance in the state. Experimenting a drone over the auspicious Assam police day celebration at Assam police battalion campus for the first time, the state police announced that drone use will soon become a regular phenomenon in various police operations, Assam police Director General Khagen Sarma said, “It’s still at an experimental level. Currently we are trying to excel our training in operating the unmanned drone machine for surveillance. After passing all the tests, we may consider using drones for

better aerial vigilance and even in counter terrorism operations. We are now checking its video feeds.” Assam Police Chief Sarma viewed that without public support new technology alone cannot help policing in this trouble prone state. He said that with a handful of police force available in the state, public backup is a must in Assam. “Only 70000 police force is available against three crore population in Assam. It’s clear that without public coming ahead to cooperate with us, policing here can never be successful,” Sarma said.

GHC rejects Gopinath’s bail plea G PLUS NEWS

roblems have mounted for absconding MLA and molestation accused Gopinath Das as the Gauhati high court rejected his bail plea. Das was accused of sexually harassing his minor domestic help inside his moving car. Das prayed for an anticipatory bail in the case before the high court. In his prayer he had annexed two statements signed by the victim girl’s parents saying that they slapped the charges against Das after being coaxed by politicians from Das’s opposite camp. After media reports alleged that the two statements were fake, the HC ordered the police to investigate their authenticity. Police investigation too

found that at least four aides of Das kidnapped the victim girl’s parents and took their signatures in blank papers forcibly. Later the papers were tampered with fake statements. Police then registered a separate case too and arrested at least four persons for helping Das to flee and misleading the investigation. Public prosecutor Z Kamar said, “All the evidences point towards the fact that Das has committed the crime and so we objected his bail plea.” Das is believed to be outside the state. Police sleuths have even raided several locations in search of Das in West Bengal’s Coochbehar and Siliguri too.

G PLUS SEP 26- OCT 02, 2015

WINGSOFHOPE

Art

Subhrajit Roy

he natural transition in the physical and mental status of a woman from a girl has always been a factor of curiosity among the rural folks in Assam. The superstition associated with such a transition in the Assamese society follows a process of rituals. Such a rural girl Togor, who is about to have the transition phase in her life became the treat to the eyes of the old village Mandal, at whose home she worked as a maid servant. At times, Mandal tried to attack her. During one such occasion, his wife caught him red handed and after that Togor was forced to leave the job. Initially, she could not understand what was happening, but gradually, she felt that something unique was about to happen in her life. As she was also an earning member of the family, in which there were no male earners, the loss of her job was another jolt for their poverty stricken family. Her mother Golapi became even more worried, as Togor’s sister-in-law gave birth to a new baby girl. The family already had two girl children of the same generation and the birth of a new born baby girl brought more difficulties for this poor family.

Meanwhile, on a Saturday midnight, Togor underwent puberty and accordingly, became the source of attention for the neighbouring ladies. She was asked to stay within a hay grass box for seven days round the clock and many other rituals and restrictions were thrown on her to follow. The teenage girl was unable to understand the happenings that had surrounded her. She fantasised that on a full moon night, something special had happened in her life which had changed it and she felt like she had developed wings to fly like a butterfly. Her dreams flew away within the brightness ushered by the full moon. But when the hangover got over, she came back to reality which had only the harsh truth. Within all these she expressed to her mother about her willingness to work at the village cooperative where one of her relatives had worked. This proved that she had not only grown up physically but also mentally. The transition had made her progressive. The illogical rituals may not make her grow, but the harsh truth of poverty made her to realise the need of her maturity for being financially

supportive to her family. The short story ‘Pokhila’ combining all such incidents was penned down by Imran Hussain, which bagged him the ‘Katha Award’ in 2001. The enactment of this short story on stage was recently presented by ‘Bird’ in association with the Directorate of Cultural Affairs, Assam, at the Rabindra Bhawan in Guwahati on September 26, 2015. Directed by Jyoti Narayan Nath, the play was enacted in a self narrative mode. The lead protagonist Togor, played by Ponkhi Kashyap made a connection with spectators through direct speeches as the narrator Togor. On the other hand her involvement in the play as the character of Togor

was more influential. Although there had been a strong synchronisation between this narrator and character, at times character proved itself more influential as narrator became too fast in dialogue delivery. The artistic and poetic movements implemented in the play made it soothing to the eye with minimum usage of set designing properties. The background score by Dhanjit Boro and light design made those limited properties livelier. To justify the name of the play, there was a butterfly on stage to ironically signify the progressing nature of the lead protagonist. A snake was also presented on stage to compare the poisonous nature

of the only male character in the play. To discuss about the directorial portion, it is to be mentioned that the plot and subject of the play have too much relevance in the contemporary Assamese society and the director took a swift mode in presenting it, as a minor deviation could bring about drastic change in the actual appeal of the play. One way, Togor achieved progressive transition within herself, the other way she brought about the wings of hope for her dreams. Dramatically, the play had more scope of improvement as emotions took much space in connecting the acts on stage with the spectators in the auditorium.

G PLUS SEP 26- OCT 02, 2015

G Talk

Digitally yours, Do NGOs really work mine or theirs? for the society?

n the last few days, right after Prime Minister Modi’s visit to the US, the social media has been f looded with ‘Digital India’ and ‘internet.org’ updates, comments and arguments – both for and against it. It was an amusing situation since a section of the people were vehemently opposing it, while some of the others were left wondering if they had just given up their online freedom unknowingly. On papers, Digital India seems to be a noble and innovative initiative, but it is a gargantuan challenge in a country where even the basic amenities are not available for some. The initiative designed to connect millions of homes in the country through high speed internet is targeted at making government services available to each and everyone with the promise of transparency and speed attached to it. But is it a viable plan or will it fade away just like hundreds

of other schemes and initiatives that were announced? With the recent public support from the Silicon Valley giants and more significantly, Mark Zuckerberg, the drive however seems to be moving in the right direction and without trying to sound biased, a digital India surely sounds like an exciting prospect for each and every Indian and this was not an opportunity that Zuckerberg would miss out on, lending his hand to the initiative and also propagating his own internet. org through the initiative. A digital India is light years away but what is needed is the will to see it through and make sure that it does not turn out to be ‘India shining’ because more than the powers that rule, it is the country which needs this to happen.

Koushik Hazarika Editor

THE DIGITAL INDIA RUCKUS Sidharth bedi varma

n the last 7 days, a lot has been said, written and professed about the Digital India initiative, and Facebook ’s internet.org mission. Some called it a profile picture decoration gimmick; some hailed it as the best move by PM Modi, while some were just adamant about calling it a pointless and hopeless scheme that would do India no good. While dissent and opinions are always welcome in a democracy, it’s best to dissent or opine about things after having prior knowledge about said subject. To be clear, the Digital India initiative should be independent of Mark Zuckerberg’s internet.org campaign. While I admire and wholly support the dream of a digitally integrated India, the way our government has gone about the step raises questions. There is a corporate conspiracy in the whole scheme. Why is a giant like Reliance in the scheme of things? Why are there no oth-

er players? The lack of other player makes this seem like a corporate monopoly. No wonder people have been ranting about it. If there were more partners, more corporate houses, more tech giants involved, there would be more transparency and they could share their resources for better implementation of Digital India. But since PM Modi’s favourite Telecom industrialist is involved, how can the others come into play? The point is, before further introspections is made about the initiative, there are three things people should understand very clearly; Facebook ’s internet.org, Government of India’s concept of Digital India and Net Neutrality and how all of them are independent of each other. This reminds me of a joke I read, ‘If you want to support Digital India, you should start by removing passwords from your Wifi’.

Point

It was the perceived failures of state-led development approaches throughout the 1970s and 1980s that fuelled interest in NGOs as a development alternative, offering innovative and people-centred approaches to service delivery, advocacy and empowerment. Across the developing world, states with limited finances and riddled by poor governance and corruption have failed in development for all of their citizens. Within this context, alternative forms of development have been pursued, and since the 1980s, nongovernmental organisations (NGOs) have been increasingly advocated as a means through which the gulf between citizens’ needs and existing services can be bridged. Where states cannot provide sufficient goods, services or environments that help citizens in securing livelihoods, or where disadvantaged groups are excluded from existing state institutions, alternative channels of service provision. It is this gap that NGOs have neatly fitted into. The emergence of their manifestations of wider social movements have dramatically altered the broader social, political and economic landscape by promoting pluralism, diversity, and tolerance in society while protecting and strengthening cultural, ethnic, religious, linguistic and other identities. While there is scope for positive relationships between government and NGOs for those working towards mutual goals in service and welfare provision, those working openly in advocacy and human rights tend to be viewed with suspicion or open hostility. However, the manifold services of NGOs in the sectors of Agriculture, Education, Health, Rural and Urban Development, Women and Child welfare, welfare of the underprivileged and minority, Disaster Management etc. have led to a new dawn in theirs and the development of the nation as well. Their influence has today forced even the Political parties to include welfare and development activities in the Election mandates. It is the NGOs who reach the interiors where the Govt. mechanism even fail to know of the existence of such places and situations. The amendments of different Acts and formation of Social Policies owe much to the efforts of the NGOs which led to the launch of new schemes and missions and the integration among different departments are the result of the work and efforts of the NGOs.

RAHUL CHANDA

It is a common notion that NGOs work for the society and indeed, it is true. NGOs have done a commendable job in the areas of wildlife protection, rural development, capacity building, health care, child rights, human rights and various other fields. Well, the idea of an NGO today, among many, seems that it is also an easy way to mint money. We may attract serious criticism for making such a comment but we would like to draw out certain observations, which we have encountered, through this piece. It is seen that youngsters, left with no other options, decide to start an NGO. Well, it may be a noble idea initially but later on, when they start receiving financial aids, they become corrupt. The argument is – why start an NGO when we can’t keep up its spirit? Well, its not hogging the limelight by making any baseless allegations but we can see for ourselves and assess reports released by the Registration of Societies and other agencies. There are many NGOs, who are operating across Northeast without any base. Many such NGOs even enjoy the patronage of political bigwigs. Politicians in nexus with such NGOs are siphoning of welfare funds meant for development. Drawing the attention on a recent ruling by the Delhi High Court, which has called for toughening of licensing norms for NGOs, observing that 99% of them are “fraud” and “merely money making devices”.

JUTHIKA BARUAH

Counter point

Interactive

ello sir, There was an incident last week where a very senior Government official was involved in a car accident. His shiny brand new car represents all that is wrong with the system. Your esteemed publication also was the first to update this news on the social media platform. But there is no point of just reporting such incidents. We have not been told of the follow up action on the official. I was at the scene myself. I saw his drunken demeanor and the way he was threatening everyone. The police officials at the scene were also afraid to take any action. Why is it that he was let go scot-free? Why is there no highlight on such officers and why aren’t they stripped of their ranks? The question is simple, will the victim get justice or will the official get away with it? I am not here to preach for the victim, but failure to deliver justice would be a failure of the very system they are working for. Name withheld

To Mr. Koushik Hazarika Editor of GPlus

Letter to the Editor

As your paper covers each and every issue of the Guwahati city, I want to bring to your notice that as the authorities have decided to start night bus services, will they be able to provide safety and security to the women during the nights and why are the women city buses not seen any more on the roads? Don’t you think that there should be special bus services only for the women during the nights? I stay in the Lal Ganesh area and work in an organisation at Pan Bazar, each and every bus plying towards Lal Ganesh is jam packed after 6 pm, and after 8pm it is very tough to get even a single bus. Moreover the male passengers travelling during the night time are mostly drunk and the conductors do not mind using foul languages. The authorities have announced night bus services in three routes and the road from Paltan Bazar to Lokhara is not there in any of the route. Meanwhile, the women bus service which the administration started a few months back does not exist anymore, so don’t the city women require a bus service? I can understand that because of less passengers the service might have stopped, but if once the government decides on a service will it be so unplanned that the service would be stopped just within a span of one or two months. The authorities have till now not been able to mandate the fare meter reading system in the auto rickshaws and the auto drivers do not hesitate to charge according to their own will, and the buses which ply are not concerned about people. Adding to the pain is the bad behaviour of the conductors and in such a scenario, the night bus services do not seem to be something for the female population of the city.

Bidisha Saikia Lal Ganesh

G PLUS SEP 26- OCT 02, 2015

Has policing in Guwahati improved after the formation of the Police Commissionerate? Guwahati joined the league of big cities in the country with the adoption of police commissionerate system by ending a 10-year-old administration of the senior superintendent of police in the month of January, 2015. It’s been around nine months that the policing in the Guwahati has seen more supervision with induction of many officers in the system. So has it helped in building better police-public relationship in the city and has it helped Guwahati?

f you take a new bottle and fill it with old wine, only the look outside will change, not the taste. The people are the same, the mindset is the same and only the name has changed .Till date, no improvement can be seen in traffic control. City bus and trekkers are creating nuisance, incidents of crime and accidents have not diminished. I for one do not find any noticeable change or improvement. It was a useless and wasteful exercise on the part of the home ministry.

ue to rapid urbanisation leading to unchecked growth in the city’s population, policing has become a greater challenge than ever before. Thus the introduction of the commissionerate system this year, abolishing the 10 year old administration of SSP was a welcome change ushering in fresh idea. Expectations were high and new commissioner Jyotirmoy Chakravarty spoke about improving public-police relations for better policing. But the ground reality seems to have changed very little. Does a common innocent person or community really feel safe when a police is around or is there still a sense of fear? This is the big question. Thus law enforcement by consent and not by force should be the goal.

Bhaskar Phukan

Satyajit Chakrabarty

Sabah Ahmed

Sujit Chaudhuri

John L. Sang

Arunil Goon

he Police Commissionerate in Guwahati was long overdue, especially after the 2008 serial blasts. I honestly believe that the overall policing in Guwahati has undergone a slight change for the better, though a lot is needed to change, and the commissionerate is in its nascent stage as well. But at the end of the day, it’s the attitude of the men in khaki rather than the system overhauling that makes all the difference.

he colour of uniform will never change, khaki will always be khali, means, always empty for money. Change traffic rules than we will be able to judge. But still, it has improved to a certain extenth

here was really no need for the creation of a police commissionarate in Guwahati as in the first place, much bigger cities do not have a police commissionerate. However nothing has changed till now, rather criminal activities have doubled. The first commissioner was almost non-existent.

o! Nothing has changed. Crime rate is same, traffic situation has improved a little but there is a long way to go. Traffic can run smoothly when all concerned departments work in co-ordination, viz GTP, PWD and GMDA

Meet Meet

In Focus

Miguel Das Queah Child rights activist

orn in Tezpur on June 15th in the year 1986, Miguel at the mere age of 21 got associated with social activities and to this date, he is the youngest child rights activist. Miguel did his schooling from Don Bosco School, Guwahati and higher secondary from the Assam Valley School. He then moved to Delhi where he pursued his graduation in History from St. Stephen’s College. It was during his third year of graduation when Miguel became the vice-president of St. Stephen’s, Delhi and got in touch with several organisations whose work revolved around social issues. In the year 2008, after the completing his graduation, Miguel was chosen among 18 youth leaders from across the country who were sent to sent to the U.S for an academic program for youth leader study program. Gradually Miguel also volunteered for two organizations named Goodwill and St. Leos Food Connection. In the same year he was awarded with the Study of United States Institutes For Student Leaders(SUSI). “During my work with the two organisations I got to know about American politics, their education system and social service network and I realised that the kind of facilities they had was very extensive. There were senior service centers for older people, service for the homeless and for the people who are hungry. I started thinking - if U.S. can have it, why can’t my own country,” asserted Miguel. Miguel then started volunteering for organisations in Delhi which made him realise how he wanted to structure his future. However, the lack of initiative of the people and the implementation of the different plans meant for those in need frustrated him. In the year 2009, when Miguel was volunteering for All India Senior Citizens’ Confederation he got a chance to meet Late Dr. A.P.J.Abdul Kalam. “I was the last one that day to get to meet him. I went in at around 5:30pm and came out around 8:00pm. During the conversation I told him about the several problems and complained about the entire system being not in place and in reply he just asked me what I had done to get the system in place. He said that so many things are wrong but there are many things that can go right. It inspired me to start a group of my own,” Miguel asserted. “In 2010 I came down to Guwahati and knowing that I was still working with All India Senior Citizens’ Confederation I was invited to Amar Ghar during a program to speak about my experiences. There I met a lady and had a conversation about changing the system and empowering the disempowered. While I was praised for my work she also asked what as youth, was I doing wrong, we go out for studies and settle outside and complain about Assam being undeveloped. Interestingly, Shankardev Goswami who is my strongest inf luence, asked me if Assam was in my prospect list? These words actually put me in a spot and the drive was provided by the lady sitting next to me and within a week I came back to Assam. The lady was Mamoni Raisom Goswami,” said Miguel. After shifting back to Assam, Miguel

started working in various slum areas of Guwahati and in the process realised that these ghettos suffer from all the problems such as sexual abuse, malnutrition, poverty, health, etc. While everyone else raise their voices against their problems, the children remain unheard and that’s where child rights comes into play. Hence, Utsah the brainchild of Miguel Das Queah was founded on 28th March, 2011. Speaking to G Plus Miguel also shared an experience when he became a victim of sexual abuse during his time in school. “It was the first time I was coming in a city bus and this man stood behind and later stalked me as well which really horrified me. I was in my 7th standard and couldn’t tell this to anyone. Similarly, there are several children who fall victim to such incidents,” Miguel said. Among the feathers in his cap, Miguel has been recognized as a “Rising young leader” of the Asia Pacific and the Americas, through the “New Generation Seminar Fellowship” by East West Center, Hawaii, in the year 2013. He also represented Northeast India at the Commonwealth Asia Youth Leaders Summit in Delhi in the same year. Miguel believes that all the social issues revolve around a child and if a child can be protected from all such issues it will help in developing a better society that is free from all such problems. Thus, Utsah works on counseling the parents and children and free them from all kinds of abuse. The people need to see a child with a perspective of protecting him/her which will bring the change. The Hafiznagar slum area in the Mother Teresa Road stands as an example among several others which have been revived from a situation where there were more than 80 child labours or has no child labours to this date. Although, Miguel believes that there is a long way to go but Uthsah with the help and support of over 200 members is continuously working to revive a child from any deprived situation.

G PLUS SEP 26- OCT 02, 2015

Health

Viral fever and season change

G PLUS FEATURE

The length of time that bronchitis is infectious varies, depending on its cause. Symptoms may last two to three weeks, although the cough may take longer to go. Bronchitis is most commonly caused by viruses. It often follows another illness, such as a cold or flu. Bronchitis can also be caused by bacteria, but this is much less common.

Common cold The common cold is infectious about one to two days before your symptoms appear. Symptoms are usually worse during the first two to three days. This is when you’re most infectious, although you may still be infectious until your symptoms have gone. In adults and older children, cold symptoms usually last about a week, although a cough may last up to three weeks. Colds tend to last longer in children up to the age of five, typically around 10-14 days.

Cause and Pathogenesis

Symptoms and Signs

Once the virus enters the body, there is an incubation period when the virus multiplies to a level high enough to cause infection. This is followed by a prodromal phase of fatigue, malaise and body and muscle aches that may lead to the onset of fever. The fever may be low grade or high grade and remittent. Inflammation of the pharynx, a running nose, nasal congestion, headache, redness of the eyes, cough, muscle and joint pains and a skin rash could be present. The fatigue and body pain could be disproportionate to the level of fever, and lymph glands may swell up. The illness is usually self-limited but the fatigue and cough may persist for a few weeks. Sometimes pneumonia, vomiting and diarrhoea, jaundice or

The length of time you’re infectious for after having a viral infection will depend on the type of virus involved. The infectious period often begins before you start to feel unwell or notice a rash.

Bronchitis

iral fever refers to a broad spectrum of conditions where viral infections are associated with elevations of body temperature. The term encompasses a wide variety of viral infections, some of which can be clearly identified by their symptoms and signs. These viral infections may show generalised symptoms, but may target specific organs. Headaches, body aches and a skin rash characterise most of these viral fevers. They may affect any age group, and are seen world-wide. They require only symptomatic treatment. Some are highly contagious. Most of them are not dangerous and self-limited, but some can progress rapidly leading to death.

Most viral infections are spread by inhalation of aerosolised particles, by intake of contaminated water or food, or by direct contact. Infection then spreads locally and thereafter into the blood stream or lymph channels. Some of the viral infections can be transmitted sexually or by direct inoculation into the blood stream. The duration of the primary infection may vary from days to several weeks. Manifestation of the disease clinically is usually a consequence of the virus multiplying at a specific site. Even though the fever comes down, in some infections the virus continues to multiply and cause persistent infection.

The infectious periods for some common viral infections are described below.

Flu (influenza)

arthritis (joint swelling) may complicate the initial viral fever. Some viral fevers are spread by insects, for example, arbovirus, can cause a bleeding tendency, which results in bleeding from the skin and several other internal organs and can be fatal.

Investigations and Diagnosis

The diagnosis and management of viral fevers is based more on the clinical presentation than by laboratory investigations. Since these infections are commonly self-limited, investigations are unnecessary. The diagnosis is made by the typical history of fever with severe muscle and joint pains. Skin rash and lymph gland swellings have to be specifically looked for. Laboratory investigations are undertaken to rule out other bacterial infections rather than to confirm viral fever. Blood tests will not show any increase in the white blood cells, which typically occurs with bacterial infections. The numbers of lymphocytes may be increased. The Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR) is not elevated. Confirmation is by culture of virus from the relevant specimens such as nasal swabs, and skin rash or by increase in antibody levels in serial blood samples.

Flu is usually infectious a day before symptoms start and remains infectious for about five to six days. Children and people with lowered immune systems may be infectious for a few days longer.

Treatment and Prognosis Treatment of viral fever is purely symptomatic with antipyretic and analgesic drugs. Bed rest and adequate fluid intake is advised. Nasal decongestants may be beneficial. Specific antiviral therapy is not routinely recommended. Steroids are not advised as it may lead to bacterial superinfection. Only in cases of super-infection do antibiotics need to be prescribed. It is important that antibiotics are NOT routinely used for prophylaxis. Complications of viral infections like pneumonia (viral or super-infection by bacteria) need to be addressed specifically by clearance of respiratory secretions and utilising ventilator assistance if hypoxia is severe. Symptoms of gastroenteritis should be managed with antimotility agents. Most viral fevers recover completely in a week although fatigue may persist for a few weeks.

Prevention

Viral fevers are difficult to prevent. They occur as epidemics of infection depending on their mode of spread. Vaccines have been tried targeting the respiratory and gastrointestinal viruses with little success due to several subgroups of viruses with different forms of antigenicity, all of which cannot be covered with a single vaccine. Fortunately since most infections are mild and self-limited, we can be assured of a full recovery.

Glandular fever Glandular fever is infectious during the incubation period (the time between catching the virus and developing the symptoms). For glandular fever, this can be two to four weeks. Some people have the virus in their saliva for up to 18 months after infection. However, glandular fever isn›t very infectious and the length of time people remain infectious varies considerably. First symptoms of measles include a high temperature, red eyes, sensitivity to light and cold-like symptoms, such as a runny nose, watery eyes, swollen eyelids and sneezing. About three to four days later, a red-brown spotty rash develops that lasts for up to eight days.

Tonsillitis Symptoms of tonsillitis usually last for approximately one week. However, the length of time that you’re infectious will vary depending on the cause of the infection. Tonsillitis is most commonly the result of a viral infection, but it can also be caused by bacteria.

G PLUS SEP 26- OCT 02, 2015

Life

I CRY FOR Are You Being THEE, Responsible? MOTHER! www.artofliving.org/yoga, Follow Sri Sri @ SriSriSpeaks on twitter

My Mother has fallen, She didn’t want to, Known was she As a lover of humanity, Her children make her Bleed! Hers are now Festering wounds.... Oozing putrescence From her temples of God! Mother, hold my hand! I urge!

A crestfallen face As she hurtles down A crevice, Bleeding As her evil child Eats from her Open womb! Alas, I cry! Looking at the heavens! For a benefactor, A Saviour For my Mother To cover her slashed Nude body!

tinat ATIFA MASOOD

he Youth Leadership Program (YLTP) is very essential for our country today. The world is astonished at the great achievements of our youth leaders from the YLTP program. One of the Yuvacharyas after completing his YLTP, went back to his village in Orissa and brought an end to the practice of defecating in the open. He made arrangements for constructing proper toilets in every home there. All this was done by just one Yuvacharya in a matter of just one and a half month. It was such a great success that officials from the World Bank came to see the village. And then they called him to Delhi and asked him, ‘How did you manage to achieve this in such a short time?’ Our Yuvacharya explained ;We achieved this by motivating each and every person in the village to join the cause, and inspired everyone’. When you become a source of inspiration, then you can do great things and bring about a lot of good change in the society and the world. You all should keep moving forward with this sense of enthusiasm and confidence. We all want that the people around us should be more responsible and sincere, but then we ourselves also should work in that very same way. Wherever you find that great work has happened in India, whether it is in Maharashtra, Gujarat or the North-east, it has all been done by our Yuvacharyas. They have worked towards reviving many dried up rivers and streams, they have worked

towards creating awareness towards personal hygiene and sanitation of the environment. People in the villages have all agreed that these Yuvacharya should be elected as the leaders of the village. In around 196 villages in India, our Yuvacharyas have been elected to the post of the Village President because of the good work they have done. Some of our Yuvacharyas have been elected into the Village Panchayats at many places. Why is this so? It is because they have won the hearts of the people. All of you here can do that. But when is that possible? You can win over the hearts of people when you win over your own mind. What do you need to do for that? You need to do your sadhana (spiritual practices) regularly. There is a proverb in Hindi which says that you can win over the whole world when you win over your own mind. This is the eternal truth. We all have to become Karma Yogis (here meaning to become steadfast and sincere in action without being attached to results and outcomes). We had arranged a meeting of some government officers here a while ago, as one of the Central Ministers had approached me to come and address them. I told him, ‘Please ask your officers – ‘What kind of a driver would you like to keep? Would you like them to be Karma Yogis or not?’’ They all said in one voice, ‘Yes Gurudev, we would want them to be Karma Yogis’. They said, ‘We would not want an irresponsible driver. We want someone who takes responsibility’. Then I asked them, ‘What kind of teachers do you want for your own children? A responsible or an irresponsible one?’

You can win over the hearts of people when you win over your own mind. Again they said, ‘Yes we would want responsible teachers for our children’. Next I asked them, ‘What kind of doctors would you prefer? Would you want sincere responsible doctors or those who are irresponsible and careless, and who simply charge money and discharge patients without proper treatment?’ They said, ‘Gurudev, we obviously want responsible doctors’. Then I said, ‘Now I have nothing further to ask. See, when you want all the people around you to be so responsible and capable like Karma Yogis, then you should reflect deeply on whether you also display the same behaviour?’ People who were asleep or not paying attention, immediately sat up and became alert when they heard this, as if they got a sudden electric shock. They all felt a surge of enthusiasm. I told them, ‘Do you know that when you delay the processing of many important files, that hurts the progress of our country?’ They agreed to this. Then I asked them, ‘Will you all now take responsibility for this?’ See, we all want that the people around us should be more responsible and sincere, but then we ourselves also should work in that very same way. We play many roles in our life, but do we play each role intelligently and with a sense of responsibility? This is what we need to really ask ourselves.

His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar Ji

G PLUS SEP 26- OCT 02, 2015

Sports

ADRENALINE 2.0 The Indian Super League which saw stupendous success in its inaugural year has just started and the first match will be played between last year’s title-holder Atletico de Kolkata and Chennaiyin FC at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Chennai.

G PLUS FEATURE

he second edition of the Indian Super League (ISL, has doubled its sponsorship revenue, according to an official. It has got positive response from the corporate world and it is learnt that the sponsorship revenue earned by the ISL organisers has touched Rs 100 Cr. “The sponsorship revenue has almost doubled up in the second year. From last year’s Rs 55 crore, the sponsorship revenue has touched Rs 100 crore this year. This shows the corporate sector is upbeat about the business model of the ISL,” an ISL source said. The ISL website shows Hero as the title sponsor while Maruti Suzuki and Flipkart are the associate sponsors, of which the latter is a

new signing. The official partners are Amul, Puma, Muthoot Group, Gatorade, Volini, DHL, Seagram’s Imperial Blue Music CDs, UQuit IQuit. It is not only in the case of ISL organisers but the eight franchises are also attracting more sponsorship this year. “From last year’s Rs 5-6 crore price tag on the front jersey sponsorship, it is now up to Rs 8-10 this year for the same space,” a franchise official said. “At this rate, we are expecting to break even by the end of the fourth edition,” the official said. This year, Kolkata have announced their tie-up with construction Steel Company SRMB Srijan Ltd. as one of the six sponsors

on their jersey this year. Last year, they were allowed five main sponsors while this year that number has grown to six and ATK have got the sixth one. The team will sport SRMB Srijan logo on the front left jersey-chest. There’s no restriction on associate sponsors and ATK claimed that they have finalised 12 of them, up from 7-8 from last year. The club’s main sponsors is Indian telecommunications corporation Aircel, while its partners are Kolkata-based underwear brand Lux Cozi and insurance firm Apollo Munich. Another franchise Pune FC City have added sportswear major Adidas as their kit sponsor this year. Whereas, Pune City FC have Fair and Handsome as lead sponsor and HRX and Adidas as co-sponsors.

Indians to look out for 41 Indian players retained 23 signed from open market The Indian football market witnessed hectic negotiations among clubs officials and Indian players – for retention and signings from open market for players who played in the inaugural season of Hero ISL but were not in their club’s retention list. This season’s auction also drafted Indian stars Sunil Chhetri, Robin Singh and Eugeneson Lyngdoh. Football Sports Development Limited – the promoting body with a joint venture between IMG, Reliance Industries and Star India – in its Governing Council meeting in March 2015 had announced a retention quota of minimum of one and maximum six Indian players. Thus encouraging franchises to reward their best

domestic players with retention contracts and continuity with the club. A total of 41 Indian players have been rewarded with retention contracts by their respective Hero Indian Super League franchises. Chennaiyin FC, FC Goa, FC Pune City and Kerala Blasters FC have exercised the maximum allowed retention clause by retaining six Indian players each from their previous squad, while Delhi Dynamos and NorthEast United FC have retained five each, Atletico de Kolkata have four players retained and Mumbai City FC have opted for three. Each franchise is allowed to have a squad of 22, comprising of 13 Indian and 9 international players including

one marquee. Additionally, a franchise can sign 3 more players from the open market which can include maximum of 2 international players. Atletico de Kolkata and Kerala Blasters FC each have 9 Indian players on their roster, followed by Chennaiyin FC 8, Delhi Dynamos, FC Pune City and NorthEast United at 7 each, and Mumbai City FC having 6 domestic players. Indian player signings will be completed in the month of July through an auction followed by draft of unsigned players. The list for auction as well as draft will also include the names of players who missed out on the first season of Hero ISL in 2014.

Hero ISL Clubs Indian player list for 2015 Atletico de Kolkata Players Retained: Arnab Kumar Mondal, Baljit Sahni, Denzil Franco, Nallapan Mohanraj. Signings from open market: Nadong Bhutia, Jewel Raja, Sushil Kumar Singh, Syed Rahim Nabi, Clifford Miranda.

Chennaiyin FC Players Retained: Jayesh Rane, Abhishek Das, Harmanjot Singh Khabra, Jeje Lalpekhula, Dhanachandra Singh, Balwant Singh. Signings from open market: Godwin Franco, Mehrajuddin Wadoo

Delhi Dynamos FC Players Retained: Francis Fernandes, Anwar Ali, Syhlo Malsawmtluanga, Robert

Kerala Blasters FC Lathlamuana, Souvik Chakraborty. Signings from open market: Subhashish Roy Chowdhury, Seiminlen Doungel.

FC Goa Players Retained: Romeo Fernandes, Mandar Rao Desai, Laxmikant Kattimani, Narayan Das, Debadrata Roy, Bikramjit Singh Signings from open market: Pronay Halder, CS Sabeeth, Denson Devadas, Joaquim Abranches, Raju Gaikwad.

FC Pune City Players Retained: Lenny Rodrigues, Arindham Bhattacharya, Ravanan Dharmaraj, Israil Gurung, Pritam Kotal, Manish Maithani. Signings from open market: Gourmangi Singh.

Players Retained: Sandesh Jhingan, Ishfaq Ahmed, Mehatab Hossain, Gurwinder Singh, Saumik Dey, Sandip Nandy. Signings from open market: Mohammed Rafi, Nirmal Chettri, Ramandeep Singh.

Mumbai City FC Players Retained: Subrata Paul, Subhash Singam Singh, Lalrindika Ralte. Signings from open market: Gabriel Fernandes, Kingshuk Debnath, Rowlin Rodrigues.

NorthEast United FC Players Retained: Rehnesh TP, Aiborlang Khongjee, Robin Gurung, Boithang Haokip, Alen Deory. Signings from open market: Sanju Pradhan, Holicharan Narzary.

Schedule Neufc 06 Oct Tuesday 19.00 IST

Kerala Blasters DC

Match 04 VS

Northeast United FC

Jawaharlal Nehru Stadiun, Kochi

09 Oct Friday 19.00 IST

FC Pune CIty

Match 07 VS

Northeast United FC

Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex Stadium, Pune

15 Oct Thursday 19.00 IST

Northeast United FC

Match 12 VS

FC Goa

Indira Gandhi Stadium, Guwahati

20 Oct Tuesday 19.00 IST

Northeast United FC

Match 16 VS

Chennaiyin FC

Indira Gandhi Stadium, Guwahati

23 Oct Friday 19.00 IST

Northeast United FC

Match 19 VS

Athleco de Kolkata

Indira Gandhi Stadium, Guwahati

Match 23 VS

Northeast United FC

DV Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai

28 Oct Wednesday 19.00 IST

Mumbai City FC

03 Nov Tuesday 19.00 IST

Delhi Dynamos FC

Match 28 VS

Northeast United FC

Jawaharlal Nehru Stadiun, Kochi

07 Nov Saturday 19.00 IST

Athleco de Kolkata

Match 32 VS

Northeast United FC

Salk Lake Stadium, Kolkata

11 Nov Wednesday 19.00 IST

Chennaiyin FC

Match 35 VS

Northeast United FC

Jawaharlal Nehru Stadiun, Kochi

15 NOv Sunday 19.00 IST

Northeast United FC

Match 38 VS

Kerala Blasters FC

Indira Gandhi Stadium, Guwahati

20 Nov Friday 19.00 IST

Northeast United FC

Match 42 VS

Mumbai City FC

Indira Gandhi Stadium, Guwahati

25 Nov Wednesday 19.00 IST

Delhi Dynamos FC

Match 46 VS

Northeast United FC

Jawaharlal Nehru Stadiun, Kochi

28 Nov Saturday 19.00 IST

Northeast United FC

Match 49 VS

Delhi Dynamos FC

Indira Gandhi Stadium, Guwahati

02 Dec Wednesday 19.00 IST

Northeast United FC

Match 52 VS

FC Pune City

Indira Gandhi Stadium, Guwahati

The Marquees for this year Lucio (FC Goa) Carlos Marchena (Kerala Blasters) John Arne Riise (Delhi Dynamos) Simao (NorthEast United FC) Adrian Mutu (FC Pune City) Helder Postiga (Atletico de Kolkata) Florent Malouda (Delhi Dynamos FC) Roberto Carlos (Delhi Dynamos FC)

Foreign players in season 2 Last season saw some of world football’s biggest names performing in the ISL like Robert Pires, Alessandro Del Piero and David Trezeguet. This season has also attracted some famous foreign footballers who had successful in both the domestic and international circuits. The presence of marquee players in the Indian Super League has given a new dimension to Indian football, with several star players and football legends making their foray into India and taking part in the three-month long football tournament. The foreign stars at the disposal of the eight franchisees this season have the potential to take on the best in the world. From the likes of Nicolas Anelka to Roberto Carlos, the list is endless.

G PLUS SEP 26- OCT 02, 2015

Weavers Gallery launched in Guwahati

Events

ith the objective of promoting the local weavers nationally and internationally, city based fashion designer and the owner of Gallery 2000 Payal Chaddha launched Weavers Gallery at Lamb Road in association with Indu Singh, businesswoman and wife of a prominent bureaucrat. The launch function was organised at Hotel Pragati Manor on 27th September 2015. The event was marked by a fashion show where models walked the ramp wearing traditional and modern designs created by Chaddha using the handloom and silk of Assam.

Next days DATE

EVENTS

OCTOBER 3 TO OCTOBER 9

VENUE

EVENT

OCT 03

INSTITUTE OF ENGINEERS,

STARTUP SATURDAY GUWAHATI TALKS

OCT 03

CAFE COPA

BLOCK PARTY FEAT FLASH HARDCOR (USA

OCT 03

PRAGJYOTI CULTURAL COMPLEX, MACHKHOWA,

PLAY: PROF KELFA’S FACTORY

OCT 03

TOPAZ

TOPAZ CLUB NITES FEAT DJ SMITA (PUNE)

OCT 03

SARUSAJAI NATIONAL GAMES STADIUM

KERALA BLASTERS FC VS NORTHEAST UNITED FC

Metal Hangover 0.2 Metal Hangover 0.2 happened last Saturday in Cheers Crossroads where 4 local bands performed metal music and also on Sunday Classic Rock music played by Minus Zero Degree and Ekikrit.

G PLUS SEP 26- OCT 02, 2015

Reviews Cast: Akshay Kumar, Amy Jackson, Lara Dutta Director: Prabhudheva

ere’s a disclaimer, who really likes Akshay Kumar as an actor. On those rare occasions when he acts sadly, those occasions are extremely rare. Therefore, when year after year one is bound to see inane, mindless no-brainers masquerading as comedies with Akshay Kumar (not) acting in them, there’s a slight sense of disappointment somewhere. Just this year, for example, had a film like Baby. It had Akshay winning over even the harshest of his critics - that good was his performance. But even if one argues the case of actors having to

be versatile and such stuff, Prabhudheva’s Singh Is Bliing is not a comedy one can love Akshay in. For he’s given us better in the past. Anyway, to the film at hand, then. Lara Dutta’s comeback to the big screen is just passable. As the translator ‘Imli’, she gets her act right more or less, but doesn’t leave one with anything to remember her by. The supporting cast adds to the mayhem here. It pains to see an actor of Kay Kay Menon’s calibre wasted as the hammy, ‘I’m-too-good’ Mark. The background score forces you to laugh - pointing out when you need to - even when the

scene in itself doesn’t warrant it. And that hurts Singh Is Bliing. Even with the mindless-comedy caveat factored in into the experience of watching the film, it doesn’t come across as anything groundbreaking. Prabhudheva isn’t able to do much with Singh Is Bliing, all the un-needed bling notwithstanding. Among the better things in the film is Dudley’s camerawork in capturing Punjab, Goa and Romania on film. In all, Singh Is Bliing is a fun-filled affair, only if you choose to abandon your brain a light year away from the ticket windows

Cast: Irrfan Khan, Konkona Sen Sharma, Neeraj Kabi, Tabu Director: Meghna Gulzar Irrfan Khan starrer is based on a real life incident – the mysterious death of a young girl named Aarushi Talwar in in Noida, near Delhi. The gruesome nature of the crime shocked nation. This week’s release Talvar, is another ‘take’ on the story after Rahasya and the plot treads on similar lines. Will Talvar prove to be as sharp as its moniker in decimating its rivals at with its box office collections, or not, is the question. The film starts off with an ‘official introduction’ of Inspector Ashwin Kumar (Irrfan Khan) in the officers’ get together of CDI (Central Depart-

ment of Investigation). This is followed by his senior officers’ handing over to him the double murder case. The film then goes into a flashback of events which had led to the murders. The flashback shows the family of the Tandons which consists of Nutan Tandon (Konkona Sen Sharma), Ramesh Tandon (Neeraj Kabi), their daughter Shruti Tandon (Ayesha Parveen) and their domestic help Khempal. Needless to say, the body of Shruti is discovered on a bloodied bed. Police picks up Tandons’ domestic help’s close friend Kanhaiya. Based on his ‘assumptions’, he spins a story

that it was the husband-wife duo who had killed their daughter because they had seen her in a compromising position with Khempal. Wasting no time, Inspector Dhaniram and his senior officer declare the murder as a clear case of ‘honour killing’. Who ultimately are the killers of the 14 year old Shruti Tandon? Do they happen to be Shruti’s own parents or someone else? And does the case ultimately get solved after all the unexpected twists and turns is what forms the rest of the story. On the whole, Talvar is an engaging, edgy thriller with no dull moments. A must watch.

lood Bowl 2 smashes Warhammer and American football together, in an explosive cocktail of turnbased strategy, humour and brutality, adapted from Games Workshop’s famous boardgame. Blood Bowl 2’s new graphics engine and high-flying realization makes for a faithful portrayal of the fury and intensity of classic Blood Bowl matches. The solo game mode will have you lead the famous Reikland Reavers. Former star team of

Blood Bowl you are tasked with bringing them back to glory, following a full story campaign supported by the hilarious commentators Jim & Bob from Cabalvision. Each match of the campaign is unique, with unexpected and surprising events constantly renewing the experience! The multiplayer modes are bigger and richer than ever. In the persistent online mode, create and manage your own team comprised of one of eight races from the Warhammer world –

Humans, Orcs, Dwarfs, Skaven, High Elves, Dark Elves, Chaos, and the Bretonnia newcomers. You will develop your team, gaining XP and unlocking new skills. But beware! On the pitch, all losses are permanent... Organize entirely customisable championships, from qualifications to finale, and use the new Transfer Market to buy and sell your players, and build your Blood Bowl dream-team! The next generation of Blood Bowl touches down today, will YOU be the champion?

PVR Cinemas

Dona Planet. GS Road 08800900009 SINGH IS BLING 10 AM, 3.35 & 9.05 PM THE MARTIAN (3D) 12.50 PM TALVAR 6.25 PM

Fun Cinemas

HUB, GS Road 9864800100, 9864800200 SINGH IS BLING 10 AM, 5.40 & 8.45 PM THE MARTIAN (3d) 12.35 PM TALVAR 3.10 PM

Anuradha Cineplex Noonmati 03612656968, 9954544738

SINGH IS BLING 11.45 AM, 5.30 & 8.15 PM TALVAR 9.15 AM, 2.30 PM

Apsara Cinema Ulubari 0361 2541335 SING IS BLING 11 AM, 2, 5, 8 PM

GOLD Cinema

ASTC Complex, Paltan Bazar 9854066166

Album: Picking Up the Pieces Artist: Jewel

E GAMVIEW RE

NOW SHOWING

SINGH IS BLING 10.30 PM KIS KISKO PYAR KAROON 11 AM, 2, 5, 8 PM TALVAR 3.30 & 8.45 PM PULI 6.00 PM

u Yo OULDN SH ISTE L

icking Up the Pieces contains a not-so-subtle allusion to the title of Jewel’s 1995 debut Pieces of You. Twenty years later, the singer/songwriter is acknowledging how she’s strayed from the folky fragility of her beginnings and is now ready to reconnect with her roots, going so far as to sign with folk label Sugar Hill for Picking Up the Pieces. Over the course of this

GOLD Cinema hour-long effort, Jewel does find some space for guests -- Rodney Crowell shows up on “It Doesn’t Hurt Right Now,” Dolly Parton on “My Father’s Daughter” -- and there are gentle accouterments like moaning sitars, full rhythm sections, and gliding pianos, all arrangements that are felt more than heard. Despite these gentle touches, Picking Up the Pieces feels unadorned but not necessarily simple.

Salasar Building, Lakhtokia 9854066166 SINGH IS BLING 11 AM, 2, 5, 6.15, 8.00 PM KIS KISKO PYAR KAROON 8.45 PM TALVAR 10.30 AM & 3.45 PM PULI 1 PM

GOLD Cinema

LG Towers, Narangi 8811001898 SINGH IS BLING 11 AM, 5 & 8 PM TALVAR 2.00 PM

G PLUS SEP 26- OCT 02, 2015

VR HEADSETS

hat is VR and what’s the entire rage about? VR stands for Virtual Reality. A couple of years ago there was a revolutionary concept on Virtual Reality, where you no longer use your hands, but your phone’s accelerometer and gyroscope will help you navigate on the screen. This will be the most immersive experience you can possibly have while playing your game, watching your movie or a video or even VR based trailers; which basically means tilt your head and your player tilts and moves around within the video. It is, ‘First person’ experience in the truest sense. Although there are a lot of headsets to choose from, it is still best to invest in an entry level headset. There are DIY Google Cardboard headsets and other brands available too, but make sure you pick the right size (according to your phone’s screen size). Remember, you must have a phone with a good display. More the pixels per inch (ppi), better the experience. The best phones to try VR headsets are the ones with full HD display. It’s better not to invest a lot on

Lifestyle

How to lock down Google Drive files to prevent copy, download or printing a file

G this gadget, yet, because the apps that go with it are still in a very preliminary phase and require much work. I tried using the Insidious Chapter 3 app with the NHance DOMO cardboard VR and at one point I was sure that I was in the game, probably going to die. Virtual reality will be the next major platform. It will enable everyone to create, share and experience everything. The new announcements in this field include a Gear VR, which is a Samsung project and is set to release soon. The very popular Minecraft is also set to hit the VR world. Oculus, the father of the VR initiative

Get ready for

NH7 Weekender Juthika Baruah

will be spearheading the project. Video platforms like Netflix and Twitch are also ready to be launched on VR for a new kind of approach to watching TV. Imagine sculptors, doctors, artists all using VR, to get a better look and delve into their subjects. Imagine the benefits; imagine the accuracy and the advancements. The concept of VR is taking us into the future, and you can start experiencing it just buy getting a hold of a `650 NHance DOMO Cardboard VR headset.

sidharth.bedivarma@g-plus.in

oogle has quietly added a nice option in Google Drive. This new option is called ‘Lock down’ which prevents others from copying, printing or downloading any document you have shared with them. So, they will only be able to read the file but not be able to copy or download. This privacy feature is really good. • Lock down Google Drive files to prevent copy, download or printing a file • To enable this for a file, open Google Drive. Now open any file which want to lock down. Click on share icon to share this file.

‘Advanced’. Click on it to open advanced sharing options. Here, at the bottom, see the Owner settings options with two checkboxes. • Select the option saying “Disable options to download, print and copy for commenters and viewers.” Now, click on done.

Other persons will only be able to access the file but they will not get option to download, print or copy. Of course they will be able to take the snapshot of the file. So, this option will not be very useful for images.

• Here, you can enter the email or name of the persons to share the file. Below, see the link

CALL ME HANDY Wouldn’t you want to be the person who has everything, well equipped and yet travel light? Here are some things to pack for the 48 hour fest.

Indrajeet Bhuyan is a 17 year old tech blogger and security researcher. He is passionate about computers and believes in sharing knowledge and information . He uses his spare time helping people and companies secure themselves. fb.me/indrajeet.bhuyan

THE 5 MINUTE WORK MASSAGE

• Soft foam or sitting mat: No, sitting on the bamboo barricades is not a sensible idea. It will be painful and unsafe. Just carry a mat and your gang will have the last laugh • Tissues and face wipes will have more utility than bringing your headphones to a music festival.

uwahati this October will be 100kms away from one of the biggest rock festivals in India. A major highlight of Northeast India is its love for music and the scene is setting in for big concerts and big bands. Headlining this Shillong chapter of NH7 are bands like Megadeth, Papon and East India Company, Parikrama, Indus Creed, Lou Majaw, Lucid Recess and many others. So you know it’s going to be an all out adrenaline fest. Sweaty, loud, violent and ill-mannered people are definitely going to be a part of the crowd regardless of whether they know anything about the music. So, while these elements exist, let’s take a look at a few things, (pointers if you must) you can do to make your trip easier on yourself and stay a step ahead of the others.

There’s no denying that drugs are involved in a concert. And when you try and stop someone, you get the usual, “My choice bro. Do you want a drag?” People usually get swayed by this and think that drugs somehow will make the experience better. It is your choice, but not recommended, because you will not remember a thing after the concert. Your sobriety will give you a natural high that no drug can ever give. Choose wisely. No, don’t get wasted. You will not remember anything and make a fool out of yourself and wake up with an awful hangover. It’s a 2 day festival. Try to go the distance. Travelling in groups has its own advantages. Sharing utilities, sharing a drink and the very obvious, having fun with your group

• A small key-ring torch: a very practical item which is not heavy and just stays on your person. A source of light in insanely handy and you never know when you might need it. • A couple of waterproof bags for that uninvited rain which might try and ruin your precious phone. • Spare clothes: A t-shirt and an extra pair of shorts should do the trick. Vomit, sweat, mud or maybe a bird blesses you from the skies, you never know what major disaster might strike you and you need fresh clothes. • A face towel, toothbrush and toothpaste and probably some deodorant. • And since you’ll be busy recording the concert, and your phone might run out of battery, carry a power bank. That will be a life saver! Imagine the countless selfies and posts you’ll be able to keep making. • Cheers and here’s to a great trip!

here is nothing better than a good shoulder and neck massage after hours of sitting on the office chair. An article cannot teach you how to give a professional and therapeutic massage but just a quick shoulder rub does relieve a lot of stress. The shoulder muscle is called the trapezius, the muscle where you ‘trap’ your tension. Here are some techniques you can use to perform a quick but relaxing shoulder massage. By the way, before you go all out on a person, remember to take due permission first. Although most people enjoy it, some people might find it unnerving. Make sure you’re trying to knead the muscles, and not

break some bones, Go easy. Put your opposable thumbs to good use. Apply pressure uniformly and evenly. The shoulder is a sensitive area around the spinal joint and your skull. Treat it with the respect it deserves. If the receiver complains of pain, STOP immediately! You might just be doing more harm than good. Ask before applying more pressure: Inappropriate force could aggravate pain instead of relaxing your muscles. If you’re hitting something hard, it’s probably a bone and you should stop. And if you’re the one massaging everyone and want someone to come to you to, be patient. Karma does good things.

G PLUS SEP 26- OCT 02, 2015

Entertainment

Prithwiraj Theatre’s Season 14

Audio album Murchana

rithwiraj Theatre of Surjyapur, Biswanath Chariali has drawn the attention of mobile theatre lovers for the past13 years. And once again, it is all ready and started performing stage plays since 10th September. This is the 14th season for Prithiwiraj Theater and they will be performing four off-beat plays. Three very popular writers have written the three dramas for this season. Bhaben Baruah’s ‘Premor Thikona’, Samarendra Barman’s ‘Mohanayak’, Sebabrata Baruah’s ‘Maak aru Maram’ and Kolkata’s Ojat Satru’s bilingual drama ‘Swapna Amar Hariye Geche’. Among all the dramas, three of them have been directed by Azad Hussain and one, directed by Assamese producer Surajit Bora. The artistes include Biju Borkakati, Suvon Bora, Hargovinda Barman, Manoj Kashyap, Uttam Dutta, Uttam Neog, Anuraag, Hritesh Das, Kamini Goswami, Chitralekha Dutta, Pahi Neog, Rinku Bora, Mandira Gogoi

A and Dipsikha Bora. All the dramas have been produced by Prithwiraj Theatre’s producer Surajit Bora himself and the concept has been driven

by Dipsikha Bora. The theatre’s editor is Surjya Roi. The music for all the dramas have been composed by Ruhit Pathak.

Jajabor -The Roamer

irected by Rajib Sarma and produced by Mousumi Sharma Assamese Film Jajabor – The Roamer is set to release on October 9th. The story of Jajabor is one, based on real life incidents and shot in the beautiful locations of Assam and Meghalaya (around Tura)within a schedule of 6 days with 20 crew members. Jajabor has been selected for Nashik International Film Festival (NIFF) 2014. The story is based on two generations – an irritating old man and young man who lacks confidence as they spend 3 days and 3 nights together in a transit room. The 25 year old man, who is okay with his monotonous life but hopes to achieve more, is paired up with a 66 year old man who is irritated and has varied opinions on life. The older man leaves his family for a contract job and what happens on their chance encounter is the main theme of the film ‘Jajabor’ The cinematography and the story of the film have been written by the director himself. Director Rajib Sarma, a cameraperson, who is

living in Mumbai for the past 10 years and is an FTII alumnus, shot an experimental movie last year which inspired him to make this venture with Jajabor with the help of some of his friends. He was associated with films like ‘Baha’ (Award winner in Berlin film festival), ‘Ganje Ki Kali’ (based on Amrita Pritam’s story and Directed by NSD) and experimental films like ‘Ramayan Mahabharat Kamasutra’. The cast of the film includes senior artist Late Lakhi Borthakur, who plays the role of the old man. Sasanka Samer, plays the role of the young boy and Rijusmita Goswami makes her debut. The music of the film has been composed by Arup Jyoti Baruah and Zubeen Garg, Siddharth Hazarika and Tarun Tanmoy have lent their voice. The lyrics have been penned by Sasanka Sameer and the film has been edited by Mahesh Ghanekar, while sound has been mixed and designed by Devabrot Chaliha and Santosh Kumar. The audio album has already released and got a positive response from the Assamese music lovers.

Kalyan Kumar Kalita

n audio album, titled ‘Murchana’, was recently released to commemorate the 89th Birth Anniversary of legendary singer and musican, Dr. Bhupen Hazarika. The album comprises of 25 old and new melodious Assamese songs. The songs on the album have been penned by stalwarts like Puroshottam Das, Lakshyadhar Choudhury, Dr. Nirmal Prabha Bordoloi, Padma Barkotoky, Nitya Dutta, Hiren Bhattacharyya and Dr. Amarjyoti Choudhury. The album has been produced under the banner of the Lakshyadhar Choudhury-Usha

Choudhury Trust. All the 25 songs have been rendered by Dr. Anjanjyoti Choudhury, while he has been accompanied by Namita Bhattacharjya, Mitali Dey, Tarali Sarma, Sangeeta Kakati, Gayatri Hazarika, Dr. Sangeeta Dutta, Dr. Himalima Gautam and Parijat Ashmin in eight of the songs. Murchana also has a poem, ‘Moi Gandhijir Dore Hom’ which has been composed by Lakshyadhar Choudhury. The poem was recorded in the voice of Dr. Bhupen Hazarika at his residence in Nirzarapar, Guwahati. Rupam Talukdar has arranged the music for all the 25 songs.

G PLUS SEP 26- OCT 02, 2015

EMERGENCY NUMBERS

Horoscope Aries You likely have a lot on your plate, too, and will need to keep your focus in order to get it all done. However, last week’s Lunar Eclipse in Aries may have shaken your resolve, and you could find yourself getting upset or emotional about a key situation. Try to lighten your schedule this week if you can, as it will give you time to think. Avoid making spontaneous decisions.

Your social life may still be affected by last Sunday’s Lunar Eclipse, causing situations to become quite emotional. If you’re holding a party or celebration, it could be boisterous, so be prepared for plenty of noise. In fact, if you want to have an easier time, it might be a good idea to invite fewer people. It could also coincide with changes to your social circle whereby certain friends leave and new ones join the fold.

You may think you’re fine with a certain situation, but your feelings could reveal a completely different picture. You could find yourself getting emotional even though you’re trying hard not to. This could be due to last Sunday’s Lunar Eclipse stirring up feelings and perhaps causing you to consider the worst-case scenario. You’ll be feeling a lot steadier and more at peace with the world a few days down the line.

Cancer The Moon is your personal planet, so you may notice the residual effects of last Sunday’s Lunar Eclipse more than most. Be ready for action in your career sector, which might include a new opportunity or the chance to change to a more lucrative job. When one door closes, another opens. The cosmos may have big plans for you, so look at the bigger picture.

Virgo

Leo Remember to keep your personal details safe, back up important files, and keep receipts and paperwork if you buy big-ticket items or sign contracts. The Lunar Eclipse may have stirred up a desire for adventure - perhaps a kind of wanderlust! Seize opportunities, but don’t do anything you might later come to regret.

You’re full of vitality and eager to take the world by storm. However, Sunday’s Lunar Eclipse may have brought up emotions that you didn’t know you had, which could derail you somewhat. Consider lightening your schedule if you can, as it might make your life a lot easier. Where finances are concerned, you may experience delays, but you can avoid a lot of stress by not leaving things to the last minute.

Scorpio

Libra

Though you may have good intentions at the start of the week, go easy, as your relationship sector is affected and could unleash powerful feelings. If you’ve sensed that you and another have an issue, you might want to tread with care on Monday and for a few days after. It might not be easy to compromise either, so go with the flow. Make key decisions once you feel calmer.

Take care of yourself, especially early in the week as there could be minor accidents, especially if you’re feeling upset or frustrated. Try to leave Monday and Tuesday free of too many appointments and unnecessary stress, as you’ll find life a lot easier if you do. The Sun in your spiritual sector encourages you to relax, so make this your mantra for the days ahead.

Capricorn

Sagittarius Try to resist should you find yourself falling in love this week. If you can’t, then at least avoid rushing into anything. Last Sunday’s Lunar Eclipse probably stirred up feelings, even obsessive ones. Should you be in the midst of an emotional maelstrom, then knowing what’s happening might help you avoid acting impulsively. Retrograde Mercury might bring someone from the past back into your life.

If you already know what this is about, then it might help to try and resolve it sooner rather than later. Opt for a heart-to-heart talk, if possible. If that isn’t going to work, then you might need to go with the flow and tackle any problems if and when they show up. However, the aspects encourage change, so things could be different and perhaps better once the air is cleared.

Pisces

Aquarius

Sudoku

Watch your spending this week, as you may be encouraged to splurge on impulse. If you see something you like, you’ll be very tempted to go for it no matter how much it costs. However, it’s best to avoid doing anything you might regret at a later date or that might wreck your credit rating. Relationships continue to be fun and motivational. If you need someone to get you moving, you won’t be short of people eager to cheer you on. A Sudoku puzzle consists of 81 cells which are divided into nine columns, rows and regions. The task is now to place the numbers from 1 to 9 into the empty cells in such a way that in every row, column and 3×3 region each number appears only once.

last week solution

Watch out for communication snafus, especially on Monday and in the days following. A volatile vibe could see you ready to stand your ground and be completely honest. Given the emotional factor that’s showing up, it might be better to try a more tactful or conciliatory approach. If you don’t mind losing a friend or business connection, go for it. If you want to keep a friend, be careful about what you say.

Citypedia

AMBULANCE

Taurus

Gemini

Ambulance 102 Arya Hospital, Ulubari 2606888, 2606665 Downtown Hospital 9864101111, 9435012669 GLP Social Circle 2737373 GGUMTA (Mirza) 03623-227109 Marowari Yuva Manch 2542074, 2547251 Free Ambulance to GNRC Hospitals Toll Free: 1800-345-0011 Arya Hospital, Ulubari 2606888, 2606665 Ganga Blood Bank 2454742, 2455029 Lion’s Club of Ghy Central 2546611 Marwari Yuva Manch 2546470, 2547251 Saharia’s Path Lab (24 hours) 2458594

BLOOD BANK

HOSPITALS Arya Hospital, Ulubari (2606888, 2606665) B Baruah Cancer Institute (2472364/66) Brahmaputra Hospital Ltd (2451634/678) Chatribari Christian Hospital 0361-2600051, 9207044374 Downtown Hospital 2331003, 9864079366, 9435012669 Guwahati Medical College (2529457, 2529561) Guwahati Medical College Emergency (2263444) International Hospital 0361-7135005

Railway Central Hospital Casuality (2671025) Redcross Hospital (2665114) Sri Sankardeva Netralaya 0361-2233444, 2228879, 2228921 TB Hospital (2540193) Wintrobe Hospital 0361-2519860, 98647-77986 IHR-Institute of Human Reproduction 0361-2482619,09864103333

Mahendra Mohan Choudhury Hospital (2541477, 2543998) Marwari Hospital & Research Centre 0361-2602738/39 Marwari Maternity Hospital 03612541202/01 Nemcare Hospital 0361-2528587, 2455906, 2457344 Pratiksha Hospital 0361-2337260, 2337183/84 Basistha Military Hospital (2304617/0351)

GNRC Hospital 1800-345-0022 (Toll Free) GNRC Ambulance 1800-345-0011 (Toll Free)

24-HOUR PHARMACIES Arya Hospital, Ulubari (2606888, 2606665) D Modern Medicos, Maligaon (9864366763) Candid 24x7, Panbazar (2604422) DEAD BODY CARRYING VAN GLP Social Circle 2737373, 9435047046 Marowari Yuva Manch 2542074, 2547251 GGUMTA 98640-16740 ELECTRICITY SUPPLY Call Centre – 9678005171

OTHERS Fire Emergency 101 State Zoo 2201363 GMC Carcass Pickup 9435190720, 9864047222 LPG Emergency/Leakage 2385209, 2541118, LPG Booking (ivr System) 7670024365 Child line Guwahati 1098

GMC helpline number for garbage collection

RADIO TAXI SERVICES Prime Cabs 0361- 2222233 Green Cabs 0361-7151515 My Taxi 0361-2228888 Cherry Cabs 8876222288

Vigilance and anti corruption toll free number

8811007000

1800-345-3767 police station

SP, Kamrup District: Ph- 2540278 DGP Control Room: Ph- 2540242 SB Control Room: Ph-2261511 Police Control Room: Ph-2540138, 2540113 Azara PS: Ph2840287 Basista PS: Ph-2302158 Bharalumukh PS: Ph- 2540137, 2731199 Borjhar PS: Ph-2840351 Chandmari PS: Ph- 2660204 Chandrapur PS: Ph-2788237, 2785237 Dispur PS: Ph-2261510 Fancybazar PS: Ph- 2540285

Fatasil Ambari PS: Ph-2471412 Geetanagar PS: Ph-2417323 Hatigaon: Ph-2562383 Jalukbari PS: Ph-2570587 Jalukbari Out Post: Ph-2570522 Jorabat: Ph-2896853 Khanapara: Ph- 2281501 Khetri PS: Ph-2787699, 2787220 Latasil PS: Ph-2540136 Noonmati PS: Ph- 2550281 North Guwahati PS: Ph-2690255 Paltanbazar PS: Ph-2540126 Panbazar PS: Ph-2540106 Pragjyotishpur Ps: Ph-2785237 Women PS Panbazar: Ph-2524627

G PLUS SEP 26- OCT 02, 2015

Catching Up Most shared story of the week The last week of September was very responsive to GPLUS’ social media handles. Among all the activity, a post on Guwahati Railway Station getting free High-speed Wifi received a lot of engagement. The post was viewed by almost 11K people, liked more than 350 times. The post also received a couple of comments calling it a good initiative. The same post on our Twitter handle also received a lot of attention with 4 favourites and 7 retweets. facebook.com/guwahatiplus twitter.com/guwahatiplus

Guwahati

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Geeta Mandir

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on the block

Vivek bora About Me

Hi! I’m Vivek Bora. I am a model and an actor. I started my modelling career back in 2012 when I won the title of ‘Saundarjya Mr.Assam 2012’. I couldn’t continue because I was still pursuing my studies. Then in 2014, I won the 2nd runner up title at ‘Mega Mr. Northeast 2014’. Not only that but I also won the ‘Best Physique’, ‘Best Personality’ and ‘Vodafone People’s Choice’ award. Since then, I have not looked back. I’ve been a part of many ramp shows and I feel I’m heading in the right direction. I’ve been involved in major Assamese music videos like ‘Hiyare Dolisa’ with singer Tehsin Akhtar and a Hindi music video ‘Jiya Jaye Na’. I’m all set to appear in a mega Assamese TV serial titled ‘Girls Hostel’.

Mojo

he Geeta Mandir in Guwahati is one of the first things that come to the mind of many people, while discussing Guwahati. It’s true that there are quite a few other interesting things to see and do too but however, like all other attractions, the Geeta Mandir in Guwahati has its own brand of unique charm. Spread in an area of 25 bighas while the hillock covers an area of 51 bighas of land, countless visitors just can’t stop

gushing about the place. The Geeta Mandir Temple was built during the 1970s by then Chief Minister Mahendra Mohan Choudhury. The shape of a chariot indicating the Divine Vehicle of the Lord Krishna situated on top of a small hill, makes it quite a favourite place for all devotee to visit and pray to Lord Krishna as well as enjoy the nature. The temple is run by a trust committee named Geeta Samaj.

I’m a fitness freak. Being physically active is my way of keeping my mind and body in shape. I am a two time National Armwrestling Champion (2012 and 2013). I also play a lot of football, hit the gym regularly.

Route in the Woods

I definitely want to have a career in acting in my near future. There is no doubt about it! I believe, ‘If you think about touching the sky, you sure will. But if you think you’re a nobody, you will remain a nobody’.

PIC OF THE

WHAT DID I JUST HEAR?

WEEK

elhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal recently said that one should ‘work more’ and ‘talk less’ when it comes to realising the objectives of the Swachh Bharat mission. “Since one year I haven’t seen any action, leaving along the advertisements. I want to say that we all should work on this. Let us all talk less and work more,” Kejriwal said

Ka m u r of the week

s the Puja fever has started gripping the city, the construction of pandals on the city roads has started messing up the traffic flow at some points making people feel that the chaos has just started and will last for a month. The final touches. Photo: Adib Zamali Printed & Published by Sunit Jain on behalf of Insight Brandcom Pvt. Ltd. and Printed at Arkashish Publications (P) Ltd., Katahbari, Garchuk, Guwahati and Published at H/No. 34, K. C. Choudhury Road, Chatribari, Guwahati - 781008, Editor: Koushik Hazarika. Phone: 0361 2737737, Email: info@g-plus.in, RNI No: ASSENG/2013/52641