G plus vol 3 issue 16 by G Plus

recipe PG 16 of the week

Marwari Maternity Hospital faces sex determination charges

Anamika Nath

New Chic on the block

PG 07

Page 23

VOLUME 03 | ISSUE 16 JAN 30 - FEB 05 , 2016

PRICE `10

Victims of botched cataract surgery seek heavy compensation from Govt

05 Picnic dispute triggers dacoity

Guwahati gears up for

South Asian PG 02 Games

09 ROSAMMA FLIES TO AFRICA

5TH NATIONAL CHILDREN THEATRE FESTIVAL

08 Ulubari apartment society harasses family members of molestation victim

12-13

warD AchiEvements

G PLUS JAN 30 - FEB 05, 2016

Lead Story

rahul chanda

Guwahati gears up for South Asian Games

Guwahati is ready to welcome around 3500 athletes for the Games and the entire city is busy preparing for the event The 12th South Asian Games is scheduled to be held from 5th to 16th February In preparation of the Games several venues across the city are undergoing development The main entrance of RG Baruah Sports Complex has been renovated with the SAG just around the corner The event will have sports in 23 disciplines of which Guwahati will be hosting 16 at 9 different venues The opening ceremony will be held at the Indira Gandhi Athletics Stadium, Sarusajai on 5th February So far a budget of Rs. 90 crores has been allotted with more commitments from other counterparts People are well informed about the SAG with enormous publicity Nearly 3500 athletes and officials are expected to take part in SAG 5110 armed and 6537 unarmed police personnel to provide fool proof security 1900 rooms have been booked in 87 city hotels Participants will be served Indian, Chinese and Continental food A transport hub will be set up at Khanapara Veterinary field 100 ASTC buses, 90 private buses and 290 small and medium vehicles will be pressed into service for the Games

The city received great news with the announcement that it was one of the two venues for the 12th South Asian Games (SAG) starting from 5th February 2016. The Games will have sporting events in 23 disciplines, 16 of which are scheduled to be held in Guwahati and 7 in Shillong. The Games will go on till 16th February. The participating countries are Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka besides hosts India. Nearly 3,500 athletes and officials

are expected to be participating in various sporting disciplines. With an approximate budget of Rs. 90 crores, the preparations for the games are on in full swing and Guwahati looks set to welcome the athletes, officials and newsmen. But are the citizens informed enough about this major event? And is Guwahati truly prepared for an event of this magnitude? Where will the participants stay? What will they eat? Will Guwahatians go and watch the sporting activities? If yes, will they have to

buy tickets? G Plus looks into the preparation and how the city will greet and treat the guests.

Do people know about SAG? Anyone landing into LGBI Airport or entering Guwahati through its surface entry points like Khanapara, Jalukbari, etc. can easily feel the spirit of SAG; the innumerable hoardings and outdoor advertisements have indeed been placed all over the city and can-

not be missed. A traveller, Subhajit Roy, who recently came from Delhi and staying at Ulubari, while talking to G Plus said, “The Guwahati Airport is adorned with enormous hoardings and posters of SAG that anyone flying into Guwahati can easily know about the event and excites them to witness it.” Roy works in an advertising agency in Delhi and further said that he is on leave for 20 days and so, will surely visit the Games while he is in Guwahati. He said he felt the quality of advertising has improved tremendously in Guwahati and the SAG branding that he saw are indeed of international standard. He said, “As soon as you land into Guwahati airport, SAG takes off.” Similarly, many citizens talking to G Plus, said that the they have been exposed to the Games branding in the city are well informed about the games and are looking forward to this experience. SAG Communications Director, DJ Narain, talking to G Plus said, “It was very simple. Many Public Sector Undertakings contributed including Oil India Limited (OIL), State Bank of India (SBI) among others. All existing utilities of Government of India platform are sup-

G PLUS JAN 30 - FEB 05, 2016

Lead Story

porting the event.” Narain also said that it is an international event and all are excited about the South Asian Games. He said that the branding is looking good because a lot of effort has gone into its look and feel. According to the Organising Committee of SAG, GMDA is given the responsibility to execute the branding and outdoor advertising under an MoU. In turn, GMDA has engaged some reputed advertising agencies to execute the same through a tender process. The visitors and Guwahatians are getting a feel of the event already but where will the 3500 participants stay?

Accommodation The District Administration is taking care of managing the accommodation for the participants and according to sources, ADC Rajib Prakash Baruah is the head of the accommodations sub-committee. A source in the administration said that approximately 1900 rooms are booked in 87 hotels and guest houses across the city. The hotels range from 5-star properties to 2-star ones and a source in the SAG organising committee said that Vivanta by Taj is the ‘family hotel’ for SAG and all the VVIPs coming from different countries will be accommodated in Vivanta. All the hotels have been instructed by the administration to install CCTV cameras on their premises and also that the hospitality of the hotel workers should be world class. Two employees from each hotel have to be present at the airport for the reception of the guests along with other government officials.

Food The organising committee is also giving special importance to the quality of food which will be provided to the participants. According to the SAG organising committee officials, the participants will be served with Indian, Chinese and Continental food. The players will be served breakfast, lunch and the dinner at their hotels and when they are out for their events they can also carry

packed lunch boxes. The food safety officers deputed by the administration are visiting all the hotels and checking the quality of food keeping in mind all the food safety measures. The hotel owners have been instructed to keep the kitchens clean and the chefs should be wearing aprons and gloves while cooking.

Transportation Transport Commissioner Shamsher Singh, talking to G Plus said, “We have arranged 100 buses from ASTC and 90 buses from private owners for the Games. Also 290 small and medium vehicles have been hired and all these vehicles will be deployed purely for the Games.” He further said that there will be a transport hub during the games which will be at Khanapara Veterinary Field. Singh said that 113 transport department officers will be engaged during the entire event so that transportation is made convenient for all. He said for the convenience of the public, special bus services will be provided especially on the day of the opening and closing ceremonies. Similarly, the police will arrange the vehicles for the security personnel as security is the most important aspect that the organising committee is concerned about.

Security The organisers are planning to knit together a foolproof security arrangement for the entire event. Between the central armed police force and Assam Police, 5110 armed and 6537 unarmed police personnel of the state will be deployed in Guwahati to ensure that the Games are conducted smoothly and peacefully. Though central forces will be part of the security arrangements, they will work under the overall control and command of the state police in both the states of Assam and Meghalaya. So in Guwahati, security for the Games will be the responsibility of the Assam police. Multi-layered security covers are being put in place at all the venues. Even protection from the air will be provided by the Air Force and the Army Air Defence Unit. Along with all these important aspects the city authorities are trying to give a new and clean look to the city.

City beautification One thing is for sure: Guwahati needs a reason to look good. The last time the authorities were seen cleaning up and beautifying the entire city was during DGP-IGP meet

in 2014 when Prime Minister Narendra Modi also visited Guwahati to address the top cops meet. Even now as the South Asian Games approach, the PWD representatives are seen doing overtime, painting the dividers and engaging in other cleaning works. According to sources in the PWD, the representatives have been asked to paint all the dividers of the major roads of the city before 2nd February 2016. Also, PWD (Roads) have decided to improve the condition of roads leading to the venues - especially roads like Ghoramara Road which is from Bhetapara Chariali to Lokhara, Beharbari Road from Hockey Stadium to NH37, etc. Similarly, Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) is installing 190 new LED street lights at some roads to make sure the city does not look dark at night. The LED lights are being installed from Holi Ram Gogoi Road to Nam Ghar Road near Sarusajai Stadium, BK Kakoty Road from Ulubari Chariali to Sarabbhatti, Kahilipara Road from Ganesh Mandir to Power House, Begarbari Road from Hockey Stadium to NH 37 and from Bhetapara Chariali to Lokhra. But according to highly placed sources in the GMC, the funds were not sanctioned by the government to install lights from Sharabbhatti to Lokhara which is an area which remains dark during the night.

The routes Right from the airport to the hotels and then to the venues, a foolproof security plan has already been prepared. Entire routes along which the participants will commute will be sanitised and escorts for each vehicle will be provided. In the hotels, there will be police control rooms which will be manned by senior police officials and armed personnel. There will also be Quick Reaction Teams at vantage points across the entire city to prevent any untoward incident. The traffic arrangements are also being looked into and on certain roads some vehicles will not be permitted at certain times of the day. As the participants will stay in city hotels, and because the maximum number of hotels is located in Paltan Bazar, the Nepali Mandir

to Lokhara Road will be made free from unwanted traffic and parking norms will be strictly implemented. With all the preparations across the city the people of Guwahati should not miss out on the event and should also try and help the authorities to make the event a grand success. However, some Guwahatians, talking to G Plus, said that as the Games are not free they are confused about how and from where tickets can be acquired.

Tickets SAG organising committee officials talking to G Plus said that the public can easily get the tickets by visiting www.ticketgenie.in which is the ticketing agency for SAG and the public can also be redirected to ticketgenie from www.southasiangames2016.com which is the website of the 12th SAG. The official also said that there will be around 10 ticket outlets in the city and some of them are:• Cafe Coffee Day, Rehabari • Cafe Coffee Day, Anil Plaza • Cafe Coffee Day, R.G Baruah Road • Cafe, Super Market, Guwahati • Chennai Kitchen, Christain basti The official said that the cost of the tickets for most of the Games ranges from Rs. 10 to Rs. 50, but for events like hockey and football, the price of the ticket will range from Rs. 150 to Rs. 500. At present 5% of the tickets have been booked and 95% is available online. The member countries of South Asian Olympic Council, at a meeting in Chennai on 11th October, had decided that tennis would be a new addition to the existing 22 disciplines. The 22 disciplines are archery, athletics, badminton, basketball, boxing, cycling, football, handball, hockey, judo, kabaddi, kho kho, shooting, squash, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, triathlon, volleyball, weightlifting, wrestling and wushu. Meanwhile, the Theme Song of the Games was launched a few days back amid thunderous applause of thousands of people and volunteers who had gathered for the Run for North East and the Torch Relay in Guwahati. The theme song is one of Late Dr Bhupen Hazarika’s immortal creations ‘Ei Prithibi Ek Krirangon’. Launching the theme song, Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports (I/C), Shri Sarbananda Sonowal said, “Bhupenda’s vision and universal appeal of humanity and brotherhood would keep inspiring us and the whole world.” So Guwahati is all set to host a major international sporting event and the authorities are geared up to give a new look to the city. The irksome aspect is that such pleasant things happen in the city only after the announcement of a major event. rahul.chanda@g-plus.in

G PLUS JAN 30 - FEB 05, 2016

Concern

City’s No Parking area turns into parking space

The traffic department failed to enforce the vehicles that are parked under the no parking zones which has turned into a parking area that leads to traffic congestion in the city. Juthika Baruah City’s “No Parking” areas used as parking zones Lack of manpower and space is the reason for which vehicles can’t be confiscated Laws will be implemented for suspension of license

he city’s No Parking zones have turned into parking areas creating traffic chaos with the problem remaining unsolved for the citizens and this will continue until and unless strict laws are implemented. The city’s traffic has been a long standing problem and the traffic department seems to be failing to bring the matter under control. “It is not only the traffic cops who can solve the problem. Until and unless the citizens become conscious the problem will never be solved. The people who park their vehicles at the No Parking zones are literate people and it is not possible to check each and every time who is parking the vehicles at the no parking zones. We have to go as per the law and a fine of Rs. 179 is hardly a concern for the people. The city’s

traffic depends more on the people than on the traffic management. We cannot go against the law. People repeat the same mistake and it is not possible to remember the people who park their vehicles in the restricted areas repeatedly,” said Deputy Commissioner of Police, PJ Goswami while speaking to G Plus. Goswami said that even the roads are narrow and when a crane tows the vehicles away it also creates traffic chaos as the crane cannot run at high speed. “We also have less manpower for which we cannot deploy people in each and every zone to examine the situation. The people should be conscious as they are literate enough to read the “No Parking” signboard. People should be conscious and know that they shouldn’t park in the restricted areas which signify no

parking and they know that a fine or penalty could be imposed on them for violating rules but still people are least bothered,” said Goswami. The DCP further informed that there is also lack of space in the police stations to keep the confiscated vehicles. “There should be off-street parking allotments. Only then the traffic can be brought under control to some extent. Although there are parking lots people don’t want to park the vehicles by paying a minimum amount. In Fancy Bazaar area the GMDA parking has been allotted but still people park their vehicles on the roadside. There are also other parking places but people do not park their vehicles in the allotted places as a result of which traffic chaos has become a major problem,” added Goswami. Earlier, Guwahati Metropolitan

Development Authority (GMDA) had set guidelines in the Master plan for Guwahati building byelaws that provision of off street parking is mandatory which has been ignored which leads to traffic congestion. “We cannot confiscate the vehicles as there is lack of space in the police stations and the confiscated vehicles have to be parked on the road itself which is a total waste. In Rupnagar, there is a space in the ASTC bus terminus but the road is so narrow that when a crane enters the road it creates traffic congestion. There are many factors for which the traffic management can’t be brought under control and also the people should follow the rules strictly. When a professional like a doctor or engineer parks his vehicle under the restricted area it is quite unacceptable. In a city where

people are well-mannered the traffic of that city can be brought under control. In a city where manpower is less and the people are also not conscious about the rules and regulations, the city’s traffic can’t be managed,” informed Goswami. He also stated that people don’t want to pay and park their vehicles. Instead they park wherever they get empty space. “As there is less manpower we cannot make a police stand under the no parking signboard for hours and hours. There are many other works to do rather than standing and monitoring No Parking signboards for hours and hours. Giving a fine of Rs. 179 doesn’t matter to most people and therefore they park their vehicles wherever they want,” said Goswami. juthika.baruah@g-plus.in

Weather report for the week SAT 30 January

SUN 31 January

MON 01 January

TUE 02 January

WED 03 January

THU 04 January

FRI 05 January

More sun than clouds.

Mostly sunny.

Sunny

10 / 21 °C

9 / 21 °C

10 / 21 °C

11 / 21 °C

9 / 20 °C

10 / 22 °C

G PLUS JAN 30 - FEB 05, 2016

The victims of the botched cataract operation file case in GHC; demand compensation of Rs. 14 lakhs each Juthika Baruah

The victims of the botched cataract surgery demand compensation of Rs. 14 lakhs each and allege that the hospital authority and Shankar Nethralaya neglected in offering treatment to them

he victims of the botched cataract operation at Mohendra Mohan Choudhury Hospital (MMCH) have filed a case in Gauhati High Court (GHC) against the administration alleging that they have not received the compensation which they had been promised. According to sources, the victims are blackmailing the hospital administration although the hospital authority has provided them a compensation of Rs. 1 lakh to each of the victims. “The enquiry process is still continuing and as two enquiry committees were formed, one of the committees was dissolved by the Government and the Managing

Director of National Health Mission (NHM) is commissioning the new enquiry committee. The victims are demanding that they should be provided an amount of Rs. 14 lakhs each which can’t be provided immediately without the completion of the enquiry,” the source informed. According to the source, the hospital authority has provided the victims the expense of travel and food as well although the victims made a bill doubling the amount of the expense. The source further informed that the Gauhati Medical College Hospital (GMCH) provided the expense and the compensation and without the exact report further compensation cannot be pro-

A smooth ride towards Development

In the last 14 years the Govt. of Assam plans to accelerate the growth through better road connectivity Against 545 kilometres of pucca road in the year 2001; total 25,900 kilometres of pucca road has been constructed in the year 2015. The number of RCC bridges has increased from 309 in the year 2001 to 4,060 in the year 2015 and construction of 1,038 RCC bridges is going on. 181.50 kilometres of State Highway have been upgraded to National Highway. Under ‘Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi Concrete Road Nirman Scheme’ upgrading of total 126 roads by covering 253.17 kilometres of length has been started in all the constituencies of Assam. Total estimated cost for this ambitious project is Rs. 194.34 crore.

vided. On the other hand, the victims alleged that they had been neglected and that they had also gone to Shankar Nethralaya where they were refused treatment. “Earlier and long years ago, 30 such botched cataract operations were conducted at GMCH but those victims did not receive any compensation as it is not within the rules that such victims have to be necessarily compensated. But for these patients we are trying to provide the best of facilities as per their demand,” as stated by the source. In a routine eye check-up that was held in the MMCH, nine patients were found to have eye infec-

tions and out of the nine patients four were operated successfully while five have lost their eye-sight after the operation. “We have been conducting the routine eye checkup and cataract operation since 2013 and more than 3000 operations have been done till date. This type of incident did not take place earlier but this time these five patients have lost their eye sight. There are many factors for which such type of accidents may occur. We examined all the patients before operation as some people suffer from diabetic and other related diseases,” said Dr. MC Rajbongshi, Additional Superintendent of MMCH while speaking to G Plus.

The victims have already been provided a compensation of Rs. 1 lakh each

The surgery was conducted on 27th November and it has come to light that the patients suffered problems after the surgery and lost their eyesight. “It is doubtful that the patients will regain their eye sight but we are trying our best to provide them the best possible treatment. The blindness occurs due to infection and at the international standard the percentage is 0.5% while in India 2.5% of the people went blind due to infection. A person can become completely blind due to infection for various factors,” said Dr. Rajbongshi. juthika.baruah@g-plus.in

Janasanyog/1647/15

Victims of botched cataract surgery seek heavy compensation from Govt

City

G PLUS JAN 30 - FEB 05, 2016

Snippets

Website launched to aid house-hunting for potential tenants

Juthika Baruah

he search for rented houses, which has been a long pending problem for potential tenants, has been given an aid by a new initiative. A new website, bharaghar. com, has been launched to make things easier in the search for a rentable house. Speaking to G Plus, Director of bharaghar.com, Jigyan Deep Kalita said, “As Guwahati has been the hub for studies, work and business for people of the northeast and other parts of the state, they have to stay in rented houses. Large numbers of people search for rented houses, paying guest accommodations and hostels. To communicate or get in touch with house-owners, they have to go through brokers and property dealers for which they have to pay additional charges. It’s difficult for the students or for a section of the people to pay such charges and to bring an end to this practice we have launched bharaghar.com which will connect the tenant and the owner directly.” Kalita said, “We are trying to help the people who want to find a suitable rented house within their own set parameters without involving a middle men or property

bharaghar.com has been launched to solve the problem of locating houses for rent through property dealers and middle men who take large commissions dealers. There are many factors in searching a rented house which creates major deterrents and to bring down such problems the initiative has been taken. Through the website, the house-owners can update the details about their houses and accord-

Prime Minister Modi announces Start Up funds for entrepreneurs in the country Exemption from taxes and no government interference for the first three years

Bipasa Saikia Kashyap

ingly people can filter out the possibilities according to their needs. We do not charge any registration fee and after a house or property is registered we send people for verification of the house.” He further informed that the

Startup India Mobile App to be launched on 1st April, 2016

the house-owners free of cost. There have been around 2000 registrations and 4000 people have visited the Facebook page in search of rented house in three months,” said Kalita.

Job opportunities in city to rise with Start Up India implementation

500 crores funds to be given every year 80% rebate on filing of applications for startups

range of the rent starts from Rs. 2000 and goes on to Rs. 50000 per month. He also said that 11000 people are in search of rented houses on a daily basis. “We are not looking for revenue; rather our main objective is to provide the contact with

rguably the biggest initiative taken by the Modi government for the masses is the launch of the Start Up scheme. This initiative ensures a boost to start-up businesses, offering them a tax holiday, inspector raj-free regime for three years and capital gains tax exemption, amongst others. The PM stated that “the government will ensure faster registration of patents and bring in new schemes to protect intellectual

property rights.” This scheme was initiated by the government to promote a culture of entrepreneurship and give incentives including a Rs. 10,000-crore corpus for innovationdriven enterprises, a three-year break from paying income tax on profits, a Rs. 500-crore per year credit guarantee mechanism, and exemption from capital gains tax for start-ups. Modi took to stage to announce this plan to help entrepreneurs and asked them to

play a transformative role in India’s development. On condition anonymity, a senior official of the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) while speaking to G Plus, ensured that this initiative will see a rise in the number of first generation entrepreneurs in the city. According to him, this will be a boost for young entrepreneurial minds. “When someone starts a business, the first two or three years are very crucial. In working terms, it becomes a make or break situation. Usually what happens is that in the very first year itself you need to pay bank loans, pay interest and taxes. Earlier what happened was that whoever wanted to conduct a business had to also simultaneously clear taxes, interests and loans within a year.” According to him, the very fact that this initiative does not require the servicing of bank loans immediately helps a lot. This can in turn be utilized as revenue generation. With this start

up initiative, the risk factor is nullified as the first three years the government is going to do all the handholding. They will also have business consultants who will help them out and guide these entrepreneurs. With the launch of this ambitious scheme, Guwahati is also set to experience a boost in the employment generation sector. “We cannot give an approximate count of the employment generation as the figures might vary depending on the number of start-ups launched and the number of people employed in these start-ups. For instance, some might start a company with three employees whereas someone might do the same with thirty. But it is a known fact that employment opportunities will definitely grow in the city and we are all waiting for the change,” the official added. bipasa.saikia@g-plus.in

G PLUS JAN 30 - FEB 05, 2016

Marwari Maternity Hospital faces sex determination charges

Bipasa Saikia Kashyap

he Kamrup District Health Authorities are planning to act against the low sex ratio in Kamrup (M) by sealing and canceling the licenses of all the Diagnostics Centers that are violating the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques Act, 1994. Health experts are yet to come to any conclusive reason regarding the low sex ratio in Kamrup (M). As part of the whole investigation, the Kamrup Health Authorities along with the District Appropriate Authority made a sweep of the entire district to check for any diagnostics center indulging in illegal sex determination. Dr. Nilima Devi, Director of District Appropriate Authority, while speaking to G Plus, mentioned that she along with her team led an investigation which revealed that most of these diagnostic centers were using machines that are prohibited by the PC PNDT Act. “The Marwari Maternity Hospital’s ultrasound room was sealed as they were caught using portable ultrasound machines. Most of these clinics have been given notices and the state health department has filed a case that will decide the next plan of action.” The cases have been referred to the court of the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Kamrup (M). The investigation was led by the National Inspection and Monitoring Committee (NIMC) team of the union health ministry and as part of this, the ultrasound clinic of the Marwari Maternity Hospital (MMH) located in Athgaon was sealed a few days back. “We confiscated three portable ultrasound machines from the MMH which we put in a separate room which was shut and sealed. Such portable machinery can be carried anywhere and this fuels the

hops found violating tobacco advertisement norms are going to face trouble in obtaining and renewing trade license and No Objection Certificate (NOC) with the Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) having issued fresh instructions in this regard. In a recent instruction issued by Joint Commissioner, GMC, the Corporation directed officials concerned to take necessary action against shops violating tobacco advertisement norms at the time of issuing trade license and NOCs. The instruction was issued by the Joint Commissioner following

In The News Marwari Maternity Clinic in city face investigation for carrying out sex determination tests Diagnostic clinics in the city under scanner as portable ultrasound machines have been found in most of the centers District Health Authorities to take stringent action against anyone fueling sex determination

sex determination process. Most of the culprits use such machines and move them to undisclosed locations to carry out unregistered determination and abortions,” Nilima Devi mentioned. However, while speaking to G Plus on the condition of anonymity, a senior doctor of the Marwari Maternity Hospital, Guwahati assured that they were not involved in the sex determination of unborn fetuses. According to him, the MMH apparently maintains a higher female delivery ratio than males. “What happens is that we get a lot of patients from economically poorer sections who come from far-off places and at times, just to relieve them early, we hurry up and finish their cases without maintaining proper official

records. What we are guilty of is that we could not maintain proper records of some people. But that was never out of malicious intent. It was only done so that we could help those patients. To help some, we cut corners no doubt, but we were never ever involved in the determination of sex.” Explaining further, he said, “Suppose a woman who is in dire need of an abortion comes to MMH from a place like Bongaigaon. Now, to go through the entire process including preliminary check-ups and what not it takes hours and also costs a lot of unnecessary money that many might not be able to afford. We cannot say no to such people.” The veteran doctor lamented that the health department was only focusing on getting the objectives right and

was forgetting the plight of many people who are unable to afford any medical care. The MMH is currently not conducting any ultrasounds and are waiting for the next order of the court and the Health Department. Other than the MMH many other diagnostic centers of Guwahati were issued notices for nonmaintenance of ultrasound records of pregnant women and violating the PC PNDT Act. The Madhav Kakoti Ultrasound Clinic in the city has also been issued notice to maintain equipment and records. The equipment from the Guwahati-based Diagnostic Clinic and Research Centre located at Panbazar were also sealed. However, according to Dr. Nilima Devi, since there was only one portable machine found there, there was

no case filed. However, the machine was taken away and sealed. Ganesh Saikia, Director, State Health Department Kamrup (M) while speaking to G Plus, mentioned that most of these clinics were violating some vital clauses of the PC PNDT Act. “The inspecting authorities discovered that most of the clinics were also in rather deplorable conditions. Such clinics lure the economically backward sections of the society and in exchange for money, they determine the sex. This also happens due to easy and unmonitored access to ultrasound care.” According to the 2011 census the sex ratio in Kamrup (M) is 1000:936 males to females. The low sex ratio in Kamrup (M) is a serious concern and a matter of investigation. A serious study is needed to find out why in a developed city like Guwahati with the best of health facilities, the ratio of girl child compared to boys is alarmingly low. The Health Department has declared that sex-selective abortion is one of the biggest reasons for the low sex ratio in Kamrup (M) and that they would closely look into such illegal acts and severe action will be taken against anyone guilty of this crime. The Health Department has also stated that very soon some special teams would be engaged to continue the drive across all the districts in the State. bipasa.saikia@g-plus.in

No Trade license/ NOC for shops violating tobacco ad norms a request by the Voluntary Health Association of Assam (VHAA), an NGO to GMC Commissioner Narayan Konwar to sustain compliance of tobacco advertisement norms in Assam through intervention of the municipal body. It may be mentioned that Assam Police had earlier intervened to stop all forms of direct tobacco advertisement at the point of sale (tobacco product selling shop) in Assam and

was successful in removing all advertsiement hoardings which were installed at the point of sale violating section 5 (rule 4) of the Cigarette and Other Tobacco Product Act (COTPA), 2003. As per the rule of the section 5 of the COTPA, tobacco products can be advertised in the package containing tobacco products, on the entrance and inside a warehouse storing tobacco products and at the

point of sale (tobacco product selling shop) or distribution only. But presence of hoardings advertising tobacco products, larger than prescribed (60cm x 45 cm) at the point of sale and more than two boards at one point of sale are regarded as violation of the section 5. VHAA’s request to GMC was to make it mandatory for all tobacco product selling shops to comply with section 5 and rules of section

6-a (mandatory display of boards stating sale of tobacco products to minors is prohibited with pictorial warnings) of COTPA for obtaining and renewing trade license. Violation of section 5 of COTPA is liable for penalty up to Rs. 1,000 or two years’ jail on first time violation and fine of Rs. 5,000 and five years’ jail for subsequent violation.

Crime

G PLUS JAN 30 - FEB 05, 2016

Ulubari apartment society harasses family members of molestation victim

KALYAN DEB

Victim’s family alleges negligence and anomaly in the police department as reason of failure in providing security to common people

and there is no movement against the accused. I have approached all senior officials of the police but my problem has not been addressed. If the police cannot provide security to the common people then what is the use of having them?” the family member informed. It was also stated that a fee for restoring the boring system was collected from each household of the apartment. After the completion of the process a particular amount was to be refunded to each household. However, the same was not done and was inappropriately used by the society members. An FIR (case no. 20/15) was also filed against the society members but the police have allegedly not taken any step against the members. Meanwhile, when the present president of the society, Sujit Dutta, was approached he refused to talk to the media on the same issue. There have been several other cases filed against the society members (case number 75/15, 63/15 and 75/15) on which no action has been taken by the police. Meanwhile the police have stated that investigation on the matter has started and the police will take the matter to a logical conclusion. “Such matters cannot get immediate results. If someone believes that justice has not been delivered, he can always approach other law enforcers. The victim can always go to the high court against the society,” said Amitava Sinha, DCP Central.

ery few are brave enough to discuss unpalatable incidents that take place in respectable and affluent homes; to speak out is an act of great valor. On several occasions the victim or their family members end up staying silent forever scared of the ignominy of being labeled shameless and imprudent but there are also some among the lot who choose to be vocal. However, there are repercussions of speaking out about being victimized and G Plus picks up one such story. In a contemptible incident, the family of a child abuse victim is being consistently harassed by the apartment society in which they reside as also by the alleged child abuser. The incident occurred at Purbanchal Housing Complex at Borthakur Mill Road, Ulubari. An 11 year old girl was sexually abused by an 82 year old man in 2013. The man is reportedly a socially powerful person. It has been alleged that Tushar Kanti Das, former president of the society of residents of Purbanchal Housing Complex, abused the 11 year old victim. Although the case has been registered and is under judicial consideration, the family members of the victim are being persistently harassed by the family members of the accused and the society of the apartment complex.

The discrimination faced The society of the residential complex has denied the victim’s family of all rightful services. The society has not taken the regular maintenance fees from the victim’s family and their water supply had been disconnected on 30th December 2015. Till date the water supply has not been restored. In one instance, the president, secretary and other society members had even asked the family members to withdraw the case at the police station failing which the society refused to collect the maintenance fees from the family. The victim’s family filed several FIRs in Paltan Bazar police station against the abuser but his influence with the police has halted the inves-

tigation. The victim’s family members allege that the family members of the accused are mentally harassing them and also have converted the parking area of the apartment into a drinking hub. The same was also reported to the police. However, no action was taken against them. “Whenever a complaint is filed, not a single officer visits the spot, takes statements of a third person and investigates the matter. The only investigative measure the police have taken is taking the statements of the accused. We are living in such insecurity. We have

been buying our share of water since almost a month now. Police have said that they can restore the connection but it will not bring a permanent solution to the problem,” mentioned a family member of the victim. “While at one point the society had refused to collect the maintenance fee if the FIR was not withdrawn, on the other hand the society members filed an FIR against me for not paying the maintenance fee. These are the kind of tricks they are playing to harass my family. The police are taking the case very lightly

The molestation incident The cause of the harassment faced by the family members of the victim has its roots in an alleged incident of molestation that took place on 8th June 2013. Tushar Kanti Das, accused of molesting the 11 year old, was then the president of the society of the Purbanchal Housing Complex. Apparently, the family members the accused and the family members of the victim have shared a healthy social relationship for over five decades. It was in the afternoon that the 11 year old paid a casual visit to Das’s place to

Victim of alleged molestation faces continuous harassment by the apartment society Water supply has been cut off and the family has been denied all rightful services of the society The victim’s family has also alleged that the parking space of the apartment is used as a drinking hub by the son of the accused The incident took place on 8th June, 2013 when 82 year old Tushar Kanti Das allegedly molested an 11 year old Besides anomalies in the department, victim’s family alleges that the police is taking the case very lightly

seek some assistance with her school lesson from Das’s daughter-in-law. However, the daughter-in-law was not present at home during at that time and Das asked her to give him some company. Since Das was a close acquaintance of the victim’s family, the 11 year old felt comfortable being near him. Taking advantage of the situation, Das inappropriately groped the minor. Following the alleged molestation the incident was reported to LCW via mail for guidance. “I was not willing to make the matter public but after the matter was reported to LCW they forwarded the matter to Assam State Protection of Child Rights. I discussed the matter with then secretary of the society who gave me a go ahead against Das following which a case (number 922/14) was registered at Paltanbazar police station,” stated a family member of the victim informing that it took eight months for the police to file the charge sheet. It has also been stated that Das has a big influence over all the residents of the society due to which everyone refuses to speak against him. While the matter of molestation is up in the court of law it is yet to be seen if the victim’s family get justice. kalyan.deb@g-plus.in

G PLUS JAN 30 - FEB 05, 2016

Crime

Picnic dispute triggers dacoity

Dispute between two picnic parties lead to a chain worth approximately Rs. 5 lakhs going missing

KALYAN DEB

During the melee, someone reportedly snatched a gold chain worth Rs 5 lacs from the neck of one of the members

Two groups visiting Deepor Beel for picnic clash against each other. Locals too get involved in the fray.

A dispute took place between two groups that had gone for picnic at Deepor Beel It was around 4:30 pm when the wrangle took place While one group of females alleged that a group of men in inebriated condition misbehaved and assaulted a few of them, the other group reported a dacoity of a chain worth approximately Rs. 5 lakhs Both the groups have narrated different stories that only aggravates the entire matter

dispute between two groups at Deepor Beel ended up with a dacoity followed by locals having to get involved to end the squabble. A gold chain worth approximately Rs. 5 lakhs was allegedly snatched away from one of the youths involved in the dispute that took place at around 4:30 pm on 26th January. Two cases have been registered simultaneously by both the groups at Gorchuk police station and investigation is under way. According to the police, as there was involvement of females and as the matter was getting out of hand, it was the locals that became involved to bring the dispute under control. Meanwhile, there are two sides of the story as narrated by each group which are mutually accusatory.

Perspective 1 perspective of the all-female group As stated by the group of females, they came to visit Pamohi after a family lunch at Azara. Apparently, they were seven females along with two children and a male driver and they stopped at Deepor Beel before intending to return home.

While some of them were posing for photographs at the Ramsar site, a few men in inebriated condition tried to disrupt their activity after which the females retaliated vocally. Following this, the group of men supposedly under the influence of alcohol tried to assault the females. Meanwhile, the group of females shouted out to the nearby picnic parties and locals for help. The people from the surrounding picnic parties came forward and battered the group of men. As stated by the group of females, they had no information of the gold chain going missing during the dispute but alleged that it was the misbehaviour of the group of men that triggered the incident. “The men not only just misbehaved but also tried to assault us. There are several scratch marks on my arm which makes this very evident and one other female was also hurt during the squabble. Since we were an all-female group and had two children with us, we got scared of the situation and had to cry for help after which the people nearby took the matter in their hands,” stated one of the females in the group informing that the only male accompanying them was the driver.

The other assertion of the incident While the group of females had accused that the dispute was triggered by a few men under the influence of alcohol, this group of men narrated an entirely different story. Firstly, they dismissed the allegation that they were under the influence of alcohol and stressed that they were accompanied by their family members and children. The incident took place when the group were about to leave the spot on their way back home. An altercation broke out with a few other men who were supposedly with the group of females during which one of those men who were with the female group snatched the gold chain worth approximately Rs. 5 lakhs from one of them. It was after the chain went missing that the physical tussle took place. Following the incident the group reported the matter to Gorchuk police station and lodged a complaint of dacoity. As stated by the group, the females were accompanied by three men and one of them had snatched the chain. They said that he could be identified if brought before the

group. It was also stated that the dispute was not with the females but against the one who had snatched the chain and was accompanied by the females. “If they are not hiding anything then they should have been the first one to inform the police rather than fleeing from the scene and reappearing only after the FIR was registered by us. We are not accusing the females of stealing the gold chain but they certainly are hiding the one who had snatched it,” informed one from the group of men involved in the dispute. The group also informed that wallets of many of the group had gone missing.

Police’s say We have registered cases by both the parties and investigation is under way. Police suspect the case to be of “incidental dacoity” where one took advantage of the wrangling situation. It was also informed that the locals got involved in the dispute as the matter was getting out of hand. Also a few leads have been found that could be of help in reaching a conclusion. kalyan.deb@g-plus.in

G PLUS JAN 30 - FEB 05, 2016

Buzz

Ghy passes the smart city exam, ranks 17th

With the Centre announcing Guwahati as one of the selected 20 smart cities in the country, Guwahatians are eager to witness the change

ust after the GMC submitted the smart city proposal to the Ministry of Urban Development (MoUD), Government of India on 15th December last, G Plus predicted that Guwahati will enter the first list of 20 smart cities and the announcement will be made on Republic Day. Well, the announcement was made just two days after Republic Day and Guwahati was announced in the first list of smart cities in the country, securing 17th rank in the list. Union Urban Development Minister, M. Venkaiah Naidu on Thursday, announced the names of the first 20 cities which will be developed into smart cities in 2016 and Guwahati figured at serial number 17. But which are the other cities? How did Guwahati make it to the list and what will be the plan of action now? G Plus looks at the possible scenario.

Other cities The cities which the union minister announced in the first list of smart cities are Bhubaneswar (Odisha), Pune (Maharashtra), Jaipur (Rajasthan), Surat (Gujarat), Kochi (Kerala), Ahmedabad (Gujarat), Jabalpur (Madhya Pradesh), Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh), Sholapur (Maharashtra), Davangere (Karnataka), Indore (Madhya Pradesh), New Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC, Delhi), Coimbatore (Tamil Nadu), Kakinada (Andhra Pradesh), Belagavi (Karnataka), Udaipur (Rajasthan), Guwahati (Assam), Chennai (Tamil Nadu), Ludhiana (Punjab), and Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh). These cities were chosen from 98 cities shortlisted for the ‘Smart Cities Mission.’ “These 20 cities will

rahul chanda • Pan-city initiatives in which smart solutions are applied covering larger parts of the city – Brahmaputra River front development, Bharalu River water navigation route, storm water and sewerage system of Guwahati city So while the city is in the first list of 20 smart cities now and Guwahatians can brag that they will live in one of the smart cities of India, what will be the plan of action?

Plan of action

be the first to receive funds, hence kick-starting the process of developing them into ‘smart cities.’ The next two years will see the inclusion of 40 and 38 more cities,” Naidu said at a press conference in Delhi. According to MoUD, winners were from 11 states and the Union Territory of Delhi and the selection was objective and transparent based on standardized processes. In terms of population, these 20 cities account for 3.54 crore people and a total investment of Rs. 50,802 crores has been proposed in the selected smart cities and towns during the five-year period. Naidu claimed the selection process was independent of government interference and the shortlisting was done by three different panels of experts. The first 20 cities were shortlisted based on the feasibility of the proposal, cost-effectiveness, result orientation,

citizen participation, strategic plan, vision and goals, among other things. But how did Guwahati manage to get into the first list? Was the proposal really impressive?

Proposal ingredients According to GMC officials, many exercises were carried out to get opinions from city people, government officials and experts before making the proposal. The officials understood what exactly were the city’s requirements for it to be termed smart. Many people participated in the process and the feedback was analysed and incorporated in the proposal. The proposal for participation in the ‘city challenge’ in the smart city mission was submitted on 15th December to MoUD, as per the prescribed format given by the ministry. There were many elements thought of and the major thoughts presented for change are the following:Building ecological infrastructure along the contiguous network of storm water channels of Bharalu, Morabharalu, Pamohi and Barsala Beel to augment the measures taken to mitigate the flash flood problem of the city by constructing things like:• Sluice gate to divert water & block back flow from river • Cycling & walking along the trail • Approximate level difference of street and river edge to be 4 to 6 metres • The level difference can be utilized to fit in activities below

• • • •

•

the road level. This ensures the view from the road remains unhindered and people get all the facilities at the lower level Concrete edge being built along the drain Total length of the water Channel - 57.2 km Total length of riverfront development - 7.0 km Proposal for easing the traffic congestion by ICT based traffic information system and improving the service level of public transport to increase the model share of use of public transport Developing the destinationplaces

The proposal had a presentation of how the areas will look after development. The proposal showed strategic components of area based development and indicative areas in Guwahati like: • City improvement or retrofitting – Fancy Bazar, Pan Bazar, Athgaon to Tokobari area, along the GS Road, Paltan Bazar area and Ganeshguri area • City renewal or re-development – Umananda Temple area, Kamakhya Temple area (Nilachal Hill), along the NH 37 (Boragaon area), Dighalipukhuri area, Kharghuli area and VIP Road area (cycle track, pathway for pedestrian) • City extension or Greenfield development

According to sources in GMC, there was a budget of Rs. 4 crores for the smart city proposal preparation. There is a yearly budget of Rs. 200 crores for five years to implement the plan of smart city - 50% expenses will be provided by the Central government and 50% by the state government; Rs. 100 crores will be provided every year by the Centre and the state will provide Rs. 100 crores. For the proposal preparation, Centre provided Rs. 2 crores and state provided Rs. 2 crores. The Central Government has not prescribed any particular model to be adopted by the smart cities. Each city has to formulate its own concept, vision, mission and plan for a smart city that is appropriate to its local context, resources and levels of ambition which was highlighted in the proposal. The GMC source said very soon - may be within a month - a special purpose vehicle (SPV) will be formed which will be an independent body and will entirely look after the smart city workflow. After the SPV is formed, a DPR will be made for the smart city construction plan and submitted to the MoUD and according to the DPR the exact budget will be decided and funds will be allotted accordingly. The SPV will have members from both Central and state governments and also the concerned city development authorities will be the members. The GMC source said that by the end of 2016 work will be on in full swing and in five years the city will be changed. Many were assuming that the Centre has played an election card by announcing Guwahati in the first list of 20 smart cities, but according to MoUD it was a fair competition. Whatever may be the reason behind the decision, Guwahatians are happy with the news. rahul.chanda@g-plus.in

G PLUS JAN 30 - FEB 05, 2016

Will BJP’s Sonowal CM card dethrone Gogoi?

Politicking

Taking a safe step for Assam polls, BJP announces state BJP president as the CM candidate in an attempt to woo Assamese voters and retain senior BJP workers’ faith rahul chanda

fter the Delhi and Bihar debacle, the Bharatiya Janata Party, in an attempt to woo the Assamese voters, announced state BJP president, Sarbananda Sonowal, as the chief ministerial candidate for 2016 Assam elections. Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, who was on Thursday appointed as BJP’s chief ministerial candidate for Assam, expressed confidence that BJP would end the Tarun Gogoi-led Congress rule in the state. According to media reports, he stated in Delhi that he is confident that the BJP will defeat the Congress in the coming assembly elections and will make history in Assam. But will the decision of declaring Sonowal as the chief ministerial candidate of BJP bring victory or dissidence in the party?

Reasons of declaration In Bihar, Sushil Modi was always in the limelight but was never declared the chief ministerial candidate. Moreover, the Mahagatbandhan factor somehow spoilt BJP’s chances. Senior leaders of BJP in Delhi were not happy after Kiran Bedi was projected as the chief ministerial candidate.

She was new to the party and AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal was once an ally of Bedi as they were co-activists. But the card played by BJP did not bring victory to the party. The decision, which was taken in the party’s board meeting on Thursday, reflects a strategic shift in the BJP’s approach to face the assembly polls. Unlike in Bihar where the BJP paid the price for ignoring local leaders and relying heavily on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s charisma, the battle in Assam would be fought with a local face in the lead. After 2014 Lok Sabha polls, BJP thought the Modi magic will help in every state like it did during Lok Sabha polls, but the saffron party did not learn a lesson from Delhi’s result and even in Bihar they more or less depended on their poster boy, Narendra Modi. Changing the plan of polls, the party in Assam is set to contest projecting a local face and Sarbananda is also not new to the party. Sonowal was the president of the influential student organisation, AASU, before he joined politics and after AGP he joined BJP in 2011. In BJP also he was given major roles to play and even during Lok Sabha polls he was the state president of the party. But will the announcement bring dis-

sidence in the saffron party?

Is there any dissidence factor? As soon as Himanta Biswa Sarma joined the BJP, in an exclusive interview with G Plus, he had said that someday he will want to see a tribal leader as the chief minister of Assam. Also after Sonowal was made the president of the state BJP, it was already deemed that he would be the chief ministerial candidate. Himanta Biswa Sarma was seen allying with Sonowal and in many instances, both of them looked like being good friends. Even when Narendra Modi visited Guwahati, both of them accompanied him to dais at Khanapara field. But after Himanta joined BJP, many observers started feeling that BJP is turning into a Himanta-centric party, and many senior leaders and workers of the party were not happy about Himanta’s inclusion. With the CM candidate announcement the senior leaders and old party members will be happy and the upper Assam BJP strongholds will remain BJP’s bastion. As people rumoured that Himanta might create a rift in the party for the CM candidature, the

rumour may not be given importance by the party workers and all the party leaders and workers might unite and work together for the party’s victory. But will the saffron party win elections in 2016?

Winning possibilities Congress chief spokesperson Mehdi Alam Bora, talking to G Plus said, “Announcing Sonowal as the CM candidate is BJP’s personal choice but whoever may be the candidate BJP can never form government in Assam.” He further said that BJP will surely lose in 2016 and Congress will single-handedly form the government. BJP in the meanwhile is confident of forming the government by joining hands with BPF and highly placed sources in the party said that the saffron party is also in talks with AGP but they are not being able to take any decision on seat sharing. A political observer talking to G Plus said that BJP is gaining people’s confidence in upper Assam. After Himanta joining BJP even the Guwahati people are converting to BJP but the saffron party has to think of something about Barak Valley as it has always been a Congress stronghold.

The observer said that if Gautam Roy joins BJP there might be a difference in that area and the observer felt that since Gautam Roy was very close to Himanta at one point, anything can happen in politics.

What will Himanta get? Himanta’s ambition at present is to bring BJP to power in 2016 but being a political giant he might be aiming for a good portfolio. But is he thinking of becoming a central minister as, by 7th June, the new Rajya Sabha MPs from Assam will be taking oath? And if the Assam elections are announced in the month of April the Rajya Sabha elections might get postponed. If the Rajya Sabha MPs are selected after the assembly elections are over, then according to many, BJP will have more numbers of MLAs whether they form the government or not. So if Himanta is elected as a Rajya Sabha MP, he can get the opportunity of becoming a minister in the Central government. All said and done, if BJP comes to power, Himanta is set to get some very important portfolios – perhaps of his choice. rahul.chanda@g-plus.in

Centre’s inability to meet demands becomes priority in CM’s Republic Day Speech

Bipasa Saikia Kashyap

Tarun Gogoi slams Centre in Republic Day speech; states that Centre’s inability to provide funds has been affecting the state severely Futile attempt to disrupt CM’s speech: teachers demand provincialization of educational institutions Assam State Police impresses audience with bike stunts and parades

he 67th Republic Day celebrations in the city unfolded with gusto the foggy morning of 26th January, 2016 in the city. On display were patriotic performances as also protests that happened right in the middle of the chief minister’s Republic Day address. However what could not be overlooked was Tarun Gogoi’s rather indiscreet attempts to slam the BJP government. In his speech, the CM referred to the central government’s inability to release the required funds for flood control in the state as a failure of sorts. Stressing mostly on the flood scenario in Assam, Gogoi stated that they were yet to receive the special flood relief funds by the Centre. “Progress is being delayed a lot due to the Centre’s interference in releasing funds. We have come a long way and we will continue to do so, but by ourselves.” The CM also brought up a tally where he stressed on the utmost importance of bridges in Assam. “We need more bridges here. Without bridges, a nation cannot progress. We have built a lot

of bridges all over the state, but we need a lot more.” Adding to that, Gogoi also brought up the issue as to why the Centre was holding on to the Special Category of the people of Assam. The chief minister also criticized the Centre over the suspension of the North East Industrial and Investment Promotion Policy (NEIIPP) and said that for the ‘Make in India’ initiative to become successful, ‘Make in Assam’ was mandatory. “The state attracted a large number of investments because of the NEIIPP which helped us considerably in creating more jobs and wealth,” he said. The CM went in depth to mention the positives of the Congress government over the last 15 years. Gogoi talked about health, education, business, culture and tradition in his hour long speech. In one instance, the CM also particularly urged the women and children of the state to come forward and take initiatives. He sought out to the women, especially from the rural areas and encouraged them to take up small scale indus-

trial ventures like “tator xaal” which would be whole-heartedly supported and helped by the state government. However, in contrast to this the CM remained completely silent on the Modi government’s recent Start Up initiative. In conclusion, Gogoi urged the people of Assam to hope for a better and a prosperous tomorrow. He reached out to the people of the state and stressed on the need of the hour to remain united in a time of communal disharmony. However as his speech concluded, one could not help but think if it was all carefully worded and more of an election propaganda. The celebrations continued through the morning. The Assam State Police and its various other departments showcased a plethora of performances. Bike stunts, marching bands and troops were all a part of the Guwahati Republic Day celebrations. Children from all over the city came forward to add cheer to the day by presenting a number of cultural and patriotic items. bipasa.saikia@g-plus.in

G PLUS JAN 30 - FEB 05, 2016

Ward Achievements

The wards of Guwahati A track report

KALYAN DEB

esidents of Guwahati were finally given an opportunity to choose their representatives to the Guwahati Municipal Corporation after a five-year gap when elections were held in 2014. The initiative focused towards a more transparent functioning of the body. Thus, the city was divided into 31 different wards where councillors were chosen as the people’s representatives in order to help them develop the locality. Meanwhile, G Plus since its inception has been following the initiatives taken by the authorities for the development of the wards through its column “Ward Watch” and voicing public opinion about the steps that were needed to be taken. With the passage of two years of the last GMC elections being held in the city we take a stroll down the wards and bring to you the achievements of each ward.

Ward number

Councillor Sukur Ahmed Phone number 88876683245 The Garigaon area, which has long awaited development, has been sanctioned an amount of Rs. 25 lakhs. “The area has been in a substandard state for the past several years – mainly the condition of the road. An amount of Rs. 25 lakhs has been sanctioned and the tendering process should be completed within one week. Meanwhile, funds are being sanctioned and works in several areas are in progress. GMC has undertaken several schemes which can be considered as an achievement,” mentioned councilor, Sukur Ahmed.

Ward number

Councillor Sikha Dey Phone number 9954089835 Among several other roads in Ward No. 2 the road in the Ananda Nagar area was developed with proper drainage system. The area has been in decrepit state for over two years and remained submerged under water every monsoon. “The residential area of Ananda Nagar has been constructed in October after a tender was passed earlier in 2015 and has brought a breath of relief or the locals of the area,” said councilor Sikha Dey.

Ward number

Councillor Debajit Rajbongshi Phone number 9864107028 Ward No. 6 has been facing problems of poor road condition, drainage and drinking water and some of the areas were in disastrous condition. Areas such as Pachim Boragaon and Dhirenpara are some of the areas that suffered the most. “The Paschim Boragaon area has been in sub-standard state for several years. However, work is in progress in the area in association with DDA. Similarly, Deben Khakhlary Path and Shankardev Path in the Dhirenpara area are undergoing development and are expected to be completed very soon,” said the councilor. The areas have been developed with an approximate amount of Rs. 50 lakhs and Rs. 46 lakhs respectively.

Ward number

Councillor Bhupen Thakuria Phone number 9864053365 Ujjal Nagar in Dhirenpara, which has been in a bad state for the past several years, has been developed after GMC elections were held in the city. “It can be said that since 1957 not a single stone has been unloaded in the area and after the elections an amount of Rs. 30 lakhs was sanctioned for the area after which

Road and drainage system under construction at Journalist Colony, Kahilipara in Ward no. 26

the entire area was constructed. This was well appreciated by the locals of the area. In the same area there was a school run by Snehalaya and students faced major problems while commuting to and from school. After the construction of the road the commuting problem of the students has been far lessened,” asserted Bhupen Thakuria, councilor of Ward number 7.

Ward number

Councillor Sunita Bhilwaria Phone number 9435706657 It is not an unknown fact that Guwahati suffers from a major scarcity of drinking water and Bharalumukh is one of the most affected areas. The same was also discussed in the recent Ward Talks, a discussion session initiated by G Plus where several areas facing similar problems were identified. However, in an initiative taken by GMC a well-bore was

installed in February 2014 near Desbhakta Tarunram Phukan Park which provides drinking water to 2000 households. Another well-bore was also installed in Athgaon Pukhuripar through MP fund which provides drinking water to several households.

Ward number

Councillor Rajkumar Tiwari Phone number 9435112493 The Fancy Bazar area is one of the busiest areas of the city and the lack of public toilet was certainly a concern for the passersby and the shoppers. However, the same has been addressed in the recent past when a public toilet was installed near Jail Compound in MS Road. “The installation of the hi-tech toilet in the area is an achievement for the ward. The toilet is one of its kind in the city and one can also take bath in it. The toilets are also well-equipped with gey-

Councillor Pradip Rai Phone number 9864095245 Drinking water was a major concern in Ward No. 3 and several households had to buy their share of drinking water, which certainly added to the cost of living. The problem has been well addressed after the GMC election was held in the city. “Up to seven well-bores have been installed in areas such as Shuttlegate, Subhash Nagar, Shakuntala Colony, Green Park Colony and several other areas which have resolved the issue of drinking water. Each bore allots water to around 200 to 250 households and thus, through the initiative, a major chunk of the problem has been solved,” Rai said in a conversation with G Plus.

sers,” Tiwari informed adding that the toilet is maintained by a Delhibased NGO and was installed with a budget of Rs. 36 lakhs.

Ward number

Councillor Mrigen Sarania Phone number 9864043462 The Solapara area near Ulubari has been in a poor state for the past several years. The entire area gets submerged under water during every monsoon. However, the area has been recently developed with FDR (Flood Disaster Restoration) Fund and has been given a face lift. “The road in the area was constructed in 2008 but due to water logging the road got damaged. The area was neglected by the authorities despite being located in the heart of the city. After several efforts that were made by the government the area was developed. In the meantime a water connection was fixed in the area which has provided relief to the locals,” said councillor Mrigen Sarania.

Ward number

Councillor Balendra Bharali Phone number 9435016462

A boring installed in Colony Bazar in Ward no.17

It is not alien to the people of Guwahati that scarcity of drinking water is one of the major concerns. Ward No. 12 has been facing this problem. Areas such as Chandmari, Nabagraha, Kharguli are among the most affected areas. Addressing the problem, the pump at Satpukhuri in Kharguli has been replaced which to some extent has helped resolve the problem. “After the replacement of the pump the water supply system has improved and thousands of households have been provided with drinking water,” asserted Councillor Balendra Bharali.

G PLUS JAN 30 - FEB 05, 2016

Ward Achievements Ward number

road remained submerged under water. It was in December last year that the road was constructed with approximately Rs. 1 crore 15 lakhs and the road was provided with a proper sidewalk. Connecting areas such as Kalyani Nagar faced similar problems which have been resolved with the support of local MLA,” said councilor Manjula Kakoti.

Councillor Nipon Kumar Kalita Phone number 9864173209 Several roads of Ward No. 13 have been constructed in the term of over two years including several major lanes and many by-lanes. Several lanes of Lachit Nagar, Benu Talukdar path in Gandhi Mandap Road and Gandhi Basti have been constructed while many have already been sanctioned. “The roads that awaited construction for the past several years have been constructed via several funds such as MLA, MP, FDR and GMC with an approximate amount of Rs. 5 crores. The areas faced major problems of flood which has been resolved after the construction of the roads and several others has been sanctioned and construction will be initiated soon,” the councillor stated.

Ward number

Councillor Sumit Das Phone number 9864032518 “There are several problems in a particular society and as far as GMC is concerned, the department’s work is limited to roads, drainage and streetlights. Several steps are needed to be taken for the development of a society however. Through the Rs. 30 lakhs that was sanctioned by the department, the road of Natunbasti and Arya Chowk was constructed and street lights were installed in the area,” said councillor Sumit Das. The councillor also informed that the department needs to look after such areas and commit towards delivering what they say.

Ward number

Councillor Pran Krishna Bhowmik Phone number 9957991442 Ward No. 16 which includes areas such as Cycle Factory, Ananda Nagar and parts of Barsapara, is one area where nothing much could be done due to lack of fund. The only amount that was sanctioned was Rs. 30 lakhs after the declaration of results of GMC elections. “The only development that was done was in Block B of Bhaskar Nagar which was facing ma-

Ward number

Councillor Jona Rabha Phone number 9954739452

A view of the developed Solapara Road in Ward no.10

jor problem due to lack of drainage. After Rs. 30 lakhs was sanctioned, drainage on both side of the road was constructed with an amount of Rs. 20 lakhs and the rest was used for the development of another lane in the same area. Besides this no additional fund has been sanctioned so far due to which no developmental process could be carried out in the ward,” concluded the councillor.

Ward number

Councillor Madhuchanda Deb Phone number 9864852326 Similar to 16, Ward No. 17 could not be properly improved either due to lack of funds. However, with the sanctioned amount of Rs. 30 lakhs, parts of the road in areas such as Colony Bazar, Birubari and Battalion Gate were constructed. Meanwhile, an initiative was taken by the locals of the Colony Bazar area which faces a massive problem of drinking water. By collecting funds from the locals and support from Bijoya Chakrabarty two well-bores were installed in the area. “Since through GMC there has not been any major change in the ward that could be termed as achievement, with the initiative of the locals and the support of Bijoya Chakrabarty two well-bores were installed in the area and more such bores are expected in the near future that will help in solving the problem of drink-

ing water,” the councillor informed.

Ward number

Councillor Anima Deka Phone number 9508417039

The most affected areas in Ward No. 20 are Anil Nagar and Nabin Nagar. The problem of water logging in the areas has been perennial and there have not been any steps taken so far to permanently resolve the problem. Although prior to last year’s monsoon siltation process was carried out and pumps were installed in order to relieve the area of water logging. “Until a permanent solution is provided to the people of these areas it cannot be asserted that the ward has achieved anything. Any improvement that the ward has seen so far includes contribution of the people. Installation of street-lights under Project Jyoti is only due to the initiative of the people. Meanwhile, nothing much has been done so far by GMC to improve the ward. De-siltation process was initiated in October 2014 due to which flood could be controlled in several areas whereas no such step has been taken so far this year,” stated councillor Anima Deka.

Ward number

Councillor Sashanka Jyoti Deka Phone number 9864217101

Ward No. 21 stretches from parts of Zoo Road, Gita Mandir and the Gauhati Commerce College among other areas and has been lacking in street lights. “For the past eight years the street lights were not in working condition and after the GMC elections were held the problem was addressed. Over 400 street lights were installed in the area including the Gita Mandir premises. Meanwhile, 240 applications were also forwarded personally by me under the Project Jyoti scheme and many households have availed this provision of street lights,” informed the councillor.

Ward number

Councillor Rajen Das Phone number 9707840559 A street light installed at Geeta Mandir in Ward no. 21

It is not an unknown fact that there are several areas in Guwahati

that suffer from poor road condition and due to the same the locals of such areas have to suffer. The problems reaches its peak during monsoon as roads submerge under water and once the water drains out the streets are left muddy with debris. Similar was the condition of Bilpar Path in Sunsali. “During every monsoon water comes rushing down the hills due to which the locals of the area faced major trouble. However, the problem was addressed in September 2014 after the road was constructed with a fund of Rs. 25 lakhs sanctioned by GMC,” said councilor Rajen Das.

Ward number

Councillor Bijuli Kalita Medhi Phone number 9854115394 One of the oldest localities of the city, Shankar Nagar in Noonmati has been in disastrous state for over two decades. However, the locals were provided with a breath of relief after the road in the area was constructed and that brought in some well-deserved development. “I grew up in the area and since my childhood I have seen the area remaining in a substandard condition. I took the initiative and with an FDR Fund of Rs. 25 lakhs the road in the entire area was constructed and completed in the month of December. The area houses the residences of several indigenous people of Guwhati and the development of the area was appreciated by many,” asserted councilor Bijuli Kalita Medhi.

Ward number

Councillor Manjula Kakoti Phone number 8011149307

The Dispur area has been undergoing development and with it the surrounding areas are also being uplifted. Similar is the story with Kahilipara. The area in the recent past was not very developed and had many unconstructed roads with no proper drainage. However, it has been growing along with the rest of the city. While there are areas that are yet to be developed, at the same time there are many where development has taken place. “The Journalist Colony near Forensic faced massive trouble even during winter and the

The Udalbakra area is set to undergo a major development as the Asian Development Bank has been approached by councillor Jona Rabha. “This was after all the departments failed to resolve the issue of waterlogging in the area. Thus, I approached the Asian Development Bank following which several meetings were held with the locals and the officials of the bank who surveyed the entire area. While all the processes have been completed, the confirmation from the head branch in Manila is awaited. Once the project kicks off it will be one of the biggest achievements of the ward,” informed the councillor adding that the Rs. 5 crore project will connect an underground drainage system from Udalbakra to Morabharalu where the water will be drained out.

Ward number

Councillor Bhagya Ram Terang Phone number 9864015761

The Greater Boragaon area that suffered from massive problem of drinking water has been provided a semblance of relief as well-bores have been installed in a project initiated by PHE. “Locals of the area were dependent upon wells for their source of drinking water. It also caused several health problems among which jaundice was a major concern. After the installation of the bores up to 250 households are served healthy drinking water following which the jaundice ratio has also gone down,” stated the councillor. The project was initiated with a budget of around Rs. 60 lakhs and has covered a majority of the Basistha area.

Ward number

Councillor Swapan Das Phone number 9864067152 Lagging behind with floods due to improper drainage system of the Panjabari area has been a major problem. The residents had stated to G Plus that the drainage system was technically wrong and was filled with silt due to which people were harassed during the monsoon season. However, in an initiative the problem has been addressed with a fund of Rs. 7 lakhs where a seal tank is under construction. “After the completion of the seal tank the problem of flood will be addressed and will also help in preventing flood in the upcoming monsoon,” asserted Swapan Das. kalyan.deb@g-plus.in

G PLUS JAN 30 - FEB 05, 2016

G Talk

Looking forward to E

he only spice for Guwahati over the last week has been Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi’s predictable ramblings of his government’s “achievements” over the last 15 years – in his Republic Day speech at that! No wonder the spice was so bland. Politicians today seem to have lost their sense of “sthan, kaal, patro” when it comes to boring us to death with their rabble-rousing. Guess they can’t help it – especially the Chief Minister, saddled as he is with his “15 years of bikaax and biswaax” tagline. All in all, I am not sure how the elections will pan out this year and only hope that it doesn’t turn violent what with the high-decibel communal rhetoric being spewed around so carelessly these days. At this moment, I am just not inclined to state that the forthcoming election is something I am looking forward to. What I am looking forward to though is the continuation of the chill, the winter and with it, the slew of events that are lined up to be staged in Guwahati. This coming weekend, Guwahati will be hosting four superlative events – the Rongali Festival, the Kaziranga Literary Festival, the Internation Trade Fair and Alcheringa, the annual fest of IIT Guwahati. While the Rongali Festival, Alcheringa and the Trade Fair are slated to be carnivals of sorts showcasing Assam and its vibrant culture in all its glorious hues besides bringing highpitched musical entertainment, the Lit Fest will host a number of eminent foreign authors – from Italy and

Slovenia specifically - besides some stalwarts from outside Assam. Add to that, prominent English writers from all over the northeast are expected to participate in the Festival deliberating on a variety of topics ranging from modern India, relevance of thoughts on non-violence and love poetry. All four festivals together will essentially mean the congregation of the brightest writers, dancers, artisans, artists, dramatists, rock stars, singers, merchants et al from within and outside Assam. The coming weekend is expected to show Guwahati what true social vibrancy is all about. Beyond the weekend is of course the South Asian Games starting from 5th February and the city is already being adequately spruced up for the same. The top Indian sportsmen will be seen in action muscling it out with our neighbours in a variety of sporting disciplines. What could be of real international billing is the India vs Pakistan hockey match that would undeniably draw the crowds as this one is unprecedented as a sporting event for Guwahati city. The grapevine is also abuzz about the performances of the Mary Koms and Vijender Singhs, the tennis stars and other sporting heroes that the city will play host to. For once, all sarcasm apart, the city is offering things to its denizens which are worth looking forward to.

Swapnil Bharali Executive Editor

The beef of Hindutva

Are events like SAG helping local sportsmen develop?

vents like South Asian Games are a golden opportunity for sportsmen. With the world class infrastructure that such international events bring, it also brings in exposure and a chance for interaction with sportsmen from various nations. These events bring in a much needed change in the infrastructure and the sportsmen who are usually neglected get an opportunity to avail great facilities. Moreover, events like the SAG also create long term assets which have a trickle-down effect. The long terms assets created reflect on the state’s infrastructure which positively reflects on budding local talent. Further, the exposure often proves to be a catalyst in encouraging local sportsmen to take up their sport more seriously spurring coaches and trainers to impart more modern coaching methodologies to their wards. Further, the feel-good factor and pride that these events bring to the host city cannot be explained or enumerated in tangible terms. Sports and partaking in sports gives an entire different emotional high and it is only the sportsmen or the sports buffs who find keen satisfaction is practicing or following their sport. This holds truer at the local level and the scope for local sportsmen to develop increases manifold.

KALYAN DEB

he concept of South Asian Games is to encourage international cooperation and competition at the same time. The SAG sees a multitude of countries taking part in the event and everyone plays for gold. What is surprising is that people are questioning whether it will help groom local sportsmen. Unfortunately, that is not the reason why this event is held. The countries competing with other strive for the top berth. It is the sportsmen themselves who must see these events as opportunities and seize them to groom themselves. ‘You can take the horse to water, but you cannot make it drink’. The state cannot be held responsible for the progress of players in terms of such events. The state can only provide a platform like SAG to bring out India’s potential. For local sportsmen to develop, the players must emulate the competition that comes in. Moreover, there is rampant corruption in such events. There is gross mismanagement of funds and lack of adequate trainers and professionals who can actually make difference in the fitness quality of the players. The lack of maintenance thereafter is also another question that needs to be addressed. Buildings will be erected but the poor maintenance of facilities will in the end decay the ‘top class’ infrastructure that the events boasts. Given all of this, events like international sporting events hardly allow local sportsmen to develop.

Bipasa Saikia Kashyap

“The value of a man was reduced to his immediate identity and nearest possibility. To a vote... To a number... To a thing... Never was a man treated as a mind.” – Rohith Vemula in his suicide note. Rohith Vemula’s death reflects the warped monster of modernity that is creeping into the current Hindutva politics. Vemula was a Dalit and an Ambedkarite who sought admission in the University of Hyderabad. With the BJP government’s current entry into the national scenario, the effect of the saffronites can be felt. Rohith’s death has been termed as a “Dalit student who committed suicide.” Rohith ironically, is singlehandedly representing the lowest strata of the Hindu community. His fight stemmed from the on-going crisis between professors and students - of not receiving guides or grades due to caste. This is the second incident of suicide in the same university for the same reason in three years. That however seems to have been forgotten. In the on-going current Hindutva struggle for independence, individual identity is lost. A student’s plea for academic attention has turned into an election manifesto. The RSS-Shiv Sena fueled BJP

is digging up dirt in the University. The question of consuming beef versus being a Hindu is surfacing again. Earlier in 2015, when the state of Maharashtra banned beef, the Ambedkar Students’ Association (ASA) of the Hyderabad University, which is the Dalit wing, organized a beef festival. Instead of mourning the loss of a Ph.D. scholar from our midst, political agenda are being made and carried out. Rohit Vemula’s emotional corpse was torn apart and shared equally by the Dalit wing, the Hindutva groups, the students, professors and the like. As a journalist, I too believe in change for the better and I am seeking that change with the BJP. But, the essence of a modern, liberal Hindu cannot be lost for times have proven that the entire burden of Hindu religious agenda is carried only by women and the lowest social strata. As the nation celebrates the 125th birth anniversary of B.R. Ambedkar, Rohith Vemula’s suicide is a reminder of the void between Ambedkarite aspirations and the struggling Indian modernity. The call of the hour is not to implement Hindutva politics, but to implement the right spirit of Hindutva politics.

Sidharth Bedi Varma

Interactive Hello sir,

Almost 70000 vehicles are added to the streets every year in #Guwahati. However, there are only 71 designated parking lots across the city with an average capacity of 60 cars per lot, which means about 4200 (avg.) cars can completely occupy all the slots. Unfortunately, this accounts only for 6% of the vehicles on the streets. The remaining 94% have occupied the ‘No Parking’ zones. It is only logical that this ‘soon to be Smart City’ has long standing traffic jams and chaos on the streets. This requires some serious “out-of-the-box” solutions and G Plus should take the initiative is highlighting this huge problem.

via email

Dear Sir,

Letter to the Editor

It is very difficult to understand why the authorities are not acting against the violators of parking norms in Guwahati. There are no parking sign boards installed in many areas in the city but near all the installed signboards there are always vehicles parked. Also it is very confusing these days to understand where to park and where not to park as the parking places do not have any sign boards. I request G Plus to raise this issue as people are not clear about the parking norms because if all the vehicles can park under the No Parking signboards and as the city has maximum on road parking slots, where do the people exactly park their vehicles?

Jyotirmoy Saikia Ganeshguri

G PLUS JAN 30 - FEB 05, 2016

Is Guwahati’s inclusion in the 1st Smart City list genuine or just a political gimmick in the face of the upcoming elections? Guwahati’s selection in the 1st Smart City list is a welcome move. But within hours of it’s announcement, it has been met with severe criticism from the public about possible mismanagement of funds, corruption and false promises.

irst, this is not part of an election campaign that some party promises to do this and that and blah blah blah. The Smart City initiative is a genuine process of upgrading the urban areas as nearly 50% of the world population live in cities and a lot of industrial hubs are located in the cities which fuel the countries’ economy. Guwahati is bound to be in the list now or later, taking into consideration its geographical importance. It also represents the other north eastern states and has a cosmopolitan presence. So, inclusion of it was necessary. Now, it came as a coincidence that the declaration of the list precedes the elections. So, this is like a combo package. One clarification: The fund allotted aside by centre is Rs. 500 c rore s for 5 years, actually. States still require another Rs. 500 crores to fulfil the requirements of a smart city.

here should not be any doubt that it is an election gimmick. It is just renaming of JNNURM scheme under UPA to smart city project under NDA. Rs. 500 crores every year to a city like Guwahati is nothing but a joke. Many big projects worth thousands of crores are under implementation without smart city tag. In my opinion, it is just upgraded version of JNNURM. Still we should wait for a few years to know what exactly this smart city project is. Hope it will not be smart corruption project. Fingers crossed.

Sandeep Kumar Sarma

Sunny Borah

Avilasa Pathak

Pavitra Nath

f suppose Guwahati had not been included in the list of smart cities then these same group of public would have created a huge hue and cry saying that the centre has always been partial to us, they don’t consider NE to be a part of mainland India, they don’t invest here so the people have very less employment opportunities, blah blah and what not. Some people just need an excuse to criticize the government.

top criticizing and doubting the central government. May be they will get benefit but at least they are not looting us. We must welcome this opportunity. Baki thakil state or kotha baad dia he kinu kom sab khabo (sic).

Darshana Garg

Akash Jyoti Saha

think people should just sit back and relax for some time. By the way G Plus, I hope you won’t convert yourself into Arnab Goswami’s Times Now ... “ Tricky question” because I come here just for news ... not criticism!

ome on, don’t feel negative or try to make others feel negative. The Central Government will do something. Well, it’s always better to have 20 cents if you’re not getting 100 cents, if you know what I mean

In Focus

Meet Meet Meet Dr. Akashitora Saikia Actor, Author and TV Personality

nitiation into acting on the stage at the mere age of four by playing the role of little Krishna, she impressed the audience so much that one admirer announced a gold medal for her. She never looked back after being adjudged as the best actress and debater in a Gauhati University youth festival in 1987. A face known to all, Akashitora is also the first print model, a voice over artist, journalist and anchor. Born in Naharkotia, Akashitora is known to all to have lent glamour and substance to many television programs and films. Coming from a very cultured, educated and fulfilled upbringing, Akashitora did her schooling in Sivasagar and her higher education from Cotton College and was there till she pursued her masters’ degree. She also attained a Ph.D. from Gauhati University for her thesis on the Changing Profile of the Educated Assamese Housewife. Sharing her initial stages of acting with G Plus, Akashitora mentioned that soon after her first stint at a stage program she started working with Abdul Majid and did several plays viz. Teu Kun, Gaonbura, etc. along with her father - renowned journalist Late Kamala Saikia. She also bagged a national level award in the same year for a play in Delhi. “My father used to take me to places and even at home we had a very culturally active atmosphere with people like Gulab Borborah, Biren Borkotoky being regular visitors and I cherish the kind of upbringing I had,” stated Akashitora. “Cotton College gave a new boost to my career and broadened my horizons. We actively participated in all kinds of festivals and I got recognition for my work there. It was the period between 1987 and 1989 that I was adjudged the best actor, best presider, and competitor and I even got a gold medal in recitation in an inter-university fest held at Gauhati University. That was a very enlightening period in my life when I interacted with people like Dr. Amarjyoti Chowdhury, Dr. Arupjyoti Choudhury, Nabakanta Baruah and Parag Das at various platforms,” Akashitora mentioned to G pLus. However, it was only the beginning of the glorious career that lay ahead of her. She went on to join the big league and made the first move towards the television industry soon after Doordarshan came in. Xondhya Tora was the first step towards establishing herself as a top actress in the television industry after Siva Thakuria approached her to play a role in the serial. Throughout her career she acted in more than 200 TV serials. To name a few, Colonel Baruah was one of her most acclaimed serials besides Mahatma by Sanjiv Hazarika, Jibon Surabhi, Aparajita, Lady Inspector, Bhikkha, Madol being among the many serials where Akashitora has played stellar roles. Parallel to her acting and anchoring, Akashitora worked in her first feature film, Kushal Konwal, in 1998. Another feather in her cap was Konseng, a historical drama by Dr. Amarjyoti

Choudhury, which ran to full house for three days at Rabindra Bhawan. She considers this play as a turning point in her life. However, there were moments when Akashitora was pulled down but few could see the pain behind the success. Akashitora’s father Kamala Saikia was killed by Ulfa militants on 9th August, 1991. “His untimely demise shattered me and still affects me. He was my friend, philosopher and guide and such a towering personality being dragged and killed is a thought that still haunts me. At that time, Radhika Mohan Bhagawati, who was like a father figure and my local guardian during my college days, told me that whatever I do in life, I must always carry my father’s legacy. He gave me a job of running a regular column in Amar Asom based on women. I started writing Apunar Loi which gained huge popularity and that is when my journey as a writer began,” Akashitora said. Following the column, a few regular readers and friends suggested her to start writing a book. That is when Xei Prem started in 2005. Based on her own story, the book was well accepted by the reading public and was followed by a second edition in 2011 which was a sellout. Akashitora is currently working on her fourth book which is based on true Facebook stories and will be a compilation of twenty-five stories. Her reality shows Ekanto Byoktigoto in 2009 and Ji Kom Xosa Kom in 2011 were some of the popular TV shows that still remain fresh in people’s minds. Ekanto Byoktigoto (Voice of Silence) had also landed her the Nebcus Media Awards in 2010-11. Akashitora also stated that she is working on something very new that can be expected by the next couple of months. The actor has also expressed her desire to make feature films under her own banner, “Aroha Empire,” that was founded in 2000 and has made several documentaries and short films. Apart from being an actor, voiceover artist, model, author, anchor and journalist she is also an enthusiast of motorsport and an avid traveller. She believes that her daughter Atlanta is her best travelling partner.

G PLUS JAN 30 - FEB 05, 2016

Lifestyle

VAASTU SHASTRA

yon gyan

SHOULD I HAVE SEX AFTER A STROKE? Having a stroke can have far reaching effects. It can affect your physical, social, psychological and mental well-being. It tends to hang up your boots prematurely while you are still capable of playing good music. If sex was important to you before your stroke, there is no reason why you cannot have a sex life after your stroke - whether this is by initiating a new relationship or resuming an old one. However, keeping an open mind, addressing any physical and emotional issues and giving yourself time to adjust is often the solution to getting your sex life back on track.

Concerns You may be concerned that having sex will bring on another stroke. This is quite a common concern. However, there is no reason why after a couple of weeks you cannot begin to have sex if you feel ready to do so. Speak to an expert if you still feel unsure about having sex. Try not to feel embarrassed as they are used to talking about such personal matters even if you are not.

Physical changes You can still be sexually active after a stroke although you and your partner may need to make some changes/adaptations. Physically, stroke can affect men and women in different ways. Both may find that libido (sex drive) is lessened due to tiredness, pain, anxiety, doubts about self-image and concerns for the future. • Women: may find that sexual arousal takes longer after a stroke. There may be a loss of sensation or a degree of vaginal dryness which may hinder sexual activity. • Men: are more likely to be concerned if they find they are unable to achieve or sustain an erection. This can happen after a stroke for many reasons but it is also common after any serious illness. Worrying about failing to have an erection can make things worse. • After a stroke, even if one side of the body has been affected, the nerve processes involved on the unaffected side are usually enough to sustain an erection. • Other reasons for erectile dysfunction in men: erection problems can also occur as a side effect of some medicines. Talk to your doctor as your medication can be reviewed and, if needed, you may be referred to a specialist. Self-medication with drugs such as Viagra is not recommended following a stroke.

DO NOT SUFFER IN SILENCE! Dr. Mithun Bhartia MRCC UK, SECSM Amsterdam CCT Diabetes and Endocrinology UK advicesexologist@gmail.com

VAASTU ASPECTS ON

GUWAHATI MEDICAL COLLEGE

he Guwahati Medical College was set up in 1960 much after the Assam Medical College, Dibrugarh and its para-clinical and clinical departments were started in the Civil Hospital Campus at Panbazar, Ulubari Maternity Home, Emigration Hospital (later on Infectious Diseases Hospital) and T.B. Hospital at Birubari. The government of Assam constructed the permanent buildings of the Gauhati Medical College and Hospital on the Narakasur hill. The P.W.D., government of Assam, took up the survey and started road constructions in 1962 in the Narakasur hill. The Assam Government Construction Corporation (AGCC) started building construction in February 1962. Hostels were given priority and started in the foothills of the Narakasur hill. The hostels were completed and taken over and occupied in between August, 1965 and October, 1966. The girls’ hostel was occupied in June, 1968.As these buildings were constructed on the hill at southwest, with the hostels facing northeast and north, the vaastu of these residential are fine in general . The construction of the main college and administrative building at the Narakasur hill top could be started by the AGCC in April, 1965 after the road was completed to the top by the PWD. Part by part the main college building was taken over from April, 1968 to which Preclinical. Paraclinical and Central Library was shifted by August, 1968.The entire compound is having almost 45 degrees tilt towards east as per the magnetic compass. With several new buildings being added up along with the new parking lot, the Vaastu of the entire campus kept on changing with time. Initially, the main GMC building face Northeast with lot of open space in front. But they were occupied by medicine shops and small tea stalls later causing the entire northeast(which is almost parallel to the G S Road) to be closed. About 8/9 years back, Paying wards were created at the eastern corner which also made the eastern side heavier. The electrical sub-station has been commissioned at the northern corner of the GMC complex which has affected the financial status of the College since its inception. It would have been better to construct the main entrance road along the northeast from the Northern corner towards Bhangagarh and install the electrical sub –Station at southeast or Northwest(Towards the Rupnagar direction). However, the canteen of the GMC is lo-

CHITOL MAASOR TEL SURUHA Ingredients

recipe of the week

During Magh Bihu every household in Assam has at least one meal with Chitol Maas. They either make sour curry with Kosu and Ou Tenga or make Tel Suruha.

Five pieces of Chitol fish 4 onions diced 1 tablespoon of ginger paste 1 tablespoon of garlic paste 1 teaspoon of cummin Half cup spring onions chopped Half cup coriander chopped Salt to taste Four whole green chillies.

cated at southeast giving it some stability. The Principal’s Office and other administrative Professors and staff are located at southeast instead of Southwest. The office of the Hospital Superintendent is located at the northern Northeast. So the administrators could never get any command over the students and junior Doctors and there has been numerous incidents of protests and agitation by students and junior doctors getting out of control. AS per vaastu, the operation theatres should be located at West. In GMC, they are scattered all over in different departments and so mixed results are found. The doctors from the orthopedic, Gynaecology, Pediatrics, Urology departments are doing well having name and fame as their departments are located at southwest, west and south. There are constant complaints from the patients who are kept in the northeastern wing of the GMC. In fact, this area is ideal for the main entrance, reception, diagnostic works and consultation rooms. The present Out Patient deptt (OPD) area is from North and northwest which is alright. The construction of the College auditorium at southwest has added weight to the compound at southwest but individually, it is facing Southeast making the northwest heavier. The Big Generator near the entrance at south South is also a positive factor for GMC FEW SUGGESTIONS :1. If the authorities cannot vacate the medicines shops at northeast, same should be relocated along the road at northwest and southwest. 2. The Doctors and professors would do well to sit facing G S Roads i.e. Northeast in their chambers. 3. While operating, the surgeon should face north or east. In this case, facing G S Road will be the best. 4. Department of Nuclear Medicines, where nuclear isotopes are used for treatment of cancer and radio immunotherapy, should be located in North. Hemanta Kumar Sarmah Engineer, Businessman, Advanced Pranic Healer and Su Jok Acupressure specialist

ry onions in mustard oil and add soaked ginger/garlic paste and jeera powder. Fry for some time and add the raw fish. Turn the fish once and take out of the pan. Add lots of diced spring onion and fresh coriander and about four whole chillies. Add some more grated onions. Add the fish once more and pour one cup of hot water. Let it simmer for about fifteen minutes. Take off fire and add some more chopped coriander. Best served with plain rice. Hope you all like it!

PROCESS KULKUL RAHMAN Entrepreneur, mother and a passionate cook

G PLUS JAN 30 - FEB 05, 2016

AVOID BURNS DURING WORKOUT

e all hit the mats for that burning sensation in our muscles. There are sessions where we chase that burn by working on a gruelling high-rep set or HIIT cardio session. But the burning in our oesophagus is not a good thing. Commonly known as ‘Heart Burn’, Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) is an uncomfortable occurrence that can happen to most inside or outside the gym. This can definitely impede your performance in the gym and blunt training intensity. Not to mention, it’s just downright annoying. Unfortunately, GERD is a common problem for those who hit the weights hard. A study from the University of Oklahoma comparing reflux in runners, cyclists and weightlifters found that seven out of the 10 lifters who had been tested had acid reflux and was considerably worse than the other athletes. The researchers explained that this high incidence of heartburn in weightlifters is due primarily to the high pressure that builds up in the abdominal cavity as you “push your guts out” on a set and perform a Valsalva manoeuvre, which entails holding your breath while exhaling against a closed glottis (the opening between the vocal chords in the throat). While the Valsalva manoeuvre is beneficial when lifting, as it provides better spinal support and greater overall stability to help generate more strength and power, the increased abdominal pressure can literally push stomach acid into your oesophagus. This is especially common during exercises where the torso is horizontal, such as bench press and bent-over rows.

TAKE HOME ADVICE: If heartburn is affecting your workouts or your life at any other time, try these tips to minimize GERD attacks: Avoid the weightlifting belt. I generally promote the use of a weight belt, at least for heavy sets, because it causes an increase in ab-

dominal pressure, which is great for increasing strength and power. But it’s also bad for heartburn sufferers, as it can increase gastric reflux. Don’t forget to breathe - While holding your breath during a Valsalva manoeuvre can boost your strength and better protect your spine; if you frequently suffer from GERD, you may want to focus on exhaling normally during the positive portion of reps. Keep a six-pack - Extra fat in the abdominal area puts extra pressure on your stomach, which can increase reflux. Recent evidence suggests that overweight individuals have less parasympathetic nervous system activity than leaner people, which may make the lower oesophageal sphincter more relaxed and allow more stomach acid to enter the oesophagus and cause heartburn. Eat well in advance of training - Have a whole-food meal about 2-3 hours before your workout, as opposed to right before, which can make you more susceptible to reflux. Use acid-reducing medicines under the supervision of a Doctor - Over-the-counter products like Tums, Zantac or Prilosec can be a big help when symptoms strike or if GERD is a recurring issue. The goal of these products is basically the same, but they vary in how they work inside the body. Antacids like Tums use calcium carbonate to buffer the acid in your oesophagus and stomach. Medications like Zantac use the active ingredient ranitidine, which is a histamine H2-receptor antagonist that inhibits the production of stomach acid; this ingredient not only helps when symptoms strike, but it can also prevent them when taken 30-60 minutes before mealtime. So guys, keep training regularly and don’t let yourself surrender to small health issues I mentioned. Obstacles are only a chance for us to work harder.

BIBHU MONI SINGHA, Fitness Expert & Sports Nutritionist Gym Manager, Training & Nutrition Head, SFL Fitness, Guwahati

Lifestyle

Turmeric (Haldi) Beauty Secrets

Turmeric, also known as ‘haldi’, is a popular deep yellow, earthy spice that’s probably best known for its association with curries and mustards. It is considered a herbal remedy due to its anti-inflammatory and therapeutic properties. Turmeric, both in the raw as well as the powdered form is widely used for cooking and many forms of skincare. Turmeric’s antiseptic properties has the ability to keep many skin and hair problems at bay. Here are a few benefits of Turmeric (Haldi):

Improves Skin’s Elasticity Haldi helps keep the skin looking young and fresh. A rich source of antioxidants, it is great for ageing skin. It helps stimulate new cell growth and helps keep the skin’s elasticity intact.

Keeps wrinkles at bay You can use turmeric in combination with other ingredients to manage your wrinkle woes. Add raw milk and tomato juice to rice powder and turmeric powder. Apply the paste and let it stay until it dries. The lactic acid present in milk will help peel off the dead skin cell.

Prevents acne Turmeric takes care of scars and inflammation and also reduces oil secretion by sebaceous glands. Prepare a turmeric scrub, add a few drops of water and lemon juice to turmeric powder. Apply the paste on the acne and leave it for about 15 minutes. Gently scrub it off your face with plain water. You can also use turmeric and sandalwood mixture as an acne face pack and wash it off in approximately 10 minutes. For acne scars, dab a mixture of turmeric and plain water and leave it on the marks for 15 minutes. To control oil secretion, prepare a paste of sandalwood powder and ground turmeric with orange juice. Leave the paste on your face for 10 minutes and then wash it with lukewarm water.

Helps lighten stretch marks A mixture of besan (gram flour) and turmeric in yoghurt/raw milk/water can help lighten stretch marks. Apply, let it dry and wash away. Do this 3-4 times a week for better results.

Provides relief from burns In case you accidentally burn your skin, you can turn to turmeric for quick relief owing to its antiseptic properties. Prepare a mixture of turmeric and aloe vera gel. Apply it on the burn and notice how it heals the wound in no time.

Heals cracked heels Apply a mixture of coconut oil/castor oil and turmeric powder on cracked heels preferably 15 minutes before you head to take a bath. It will help heal heel cracks.

Treatment of Dandruff Dandruff and other scalp issues can be treated by applying a mixture of turmeric and olive oil on your scalp before taking a shower. Leave it for 15 minutes and then wash off the mixture with a natural shampoo. It removes the signs of dandruff by increasing circulation in the scalp and providing nutrition to the hair follicles.

Prevents Hair Loss Hair loss can take place due to various reasons like unhealthy diet, stress or disease. Curcumin is a component of turmeric that can inhibit the activity of growth agent beta one known as TGF beta one which causes the death of hair follicles resulting in hair loss. Turmeric mixed with honey and milk can be extremely beneficial as they reduce the negative effects on your hair.

G PLUS JAN 30 - FEB 05, 2016

Reviews Cast: Sunny Leone, Tusshar Kapoor, Vir Das Director: Milap Zaveri

vie Mo view Re

astizaade is all set to hit the screens tomorrow and the cast has done everything to make sure that the film is promoted well. While Sunny Leone is playing a double role in this one, let’s see if the cast has packed an entertaining punch with this one. Though adult comedies are not new to us, read on to know if this one is worth your money. A week after Kya Kool Hai Hum 3 comes another sex comedy Mastizaade. Unlike the claims made by makers of the previous film this one isn’t India’s first attempt at the genre. There isn’t any point explaining the plot of Mastizaade cause there isn’t really one. The film is an attempt to put together a collage of some funny and not so funny jokes and use the box office draw – Sunny Leone to full advantage. If you are a Sunny fan then you are in for a double treat. Along the way we meet a supporting cast of Asrani, Suresh Menon and

Shaad Randhawa who share the burdensome task of making the audience laugh. If sexual innuendos, double meaning dialogues and tons of cleavage and racy images get you excited then Mastizaade is your film this weekend. Hate her or love her but you can’t ignore her. Sunny Leone is in full throttle mode in Mastizaade. There is hardly any scene that doesn’t have Sunny in it. And you have to give her full marks for attempting this genre with uber confidence. She is unapologetic and brash in her portrayal of the twin sisters Laila and Lily. Vir Das has superb comic timing and is totally at ease with his role. He has some of the best lines in the film. Also his equation with Tusshar helps most of the scenes work. Tusshar who has already dabbled in the genre before knows the routine and plays the part well. Riteish Deshmukh’s special appearance is a major highlight

and we wish his cameo was extended and he had more screen time. A lot of scenes in the film are clichéd and even with the long pauses and build up one can predict the end of a stretched joke. Some even seem borrowed from Whatsapp groups. There isn’t any harm in using material that’s out, but then you lose the ability to throw a surprise or present something fresh. Because of lack of a vital story line the film has an uneven graph. Suresh Menon’s utterly stereotyped gay character is garish and totally unnecessary. Also he has played an effeminate gay man so many times on other platforms that this had zero entertainment quotient. The climax is poorly written and badly executed almost as if it were a scene out of a 90s slapstick show. Mastizaade is clearly a Sunny Leone film, and if you plan to watch it for her then it’s worth the price of admission.

Cast: R Madhavan, Nasser, Zakir Hussain, Ritika Singh Director: Sudha Kongara

di Tomar had a dream to win the boxing gold for India. Instead he languished in a nightmare for a decade as his gloves were spiked during an all-important match, blinding him in the arena and handing the match to his undeserving opponenta mediocre boxer but a political powerhouse. The culprit was his own coach, Dev Khatri. Shattered by his loss, and disillusioned by the state of Indian boxing, Adi turned to a life of cynical self-destruction of booze, brothels and bar-fights. Loyal friends somehow bring him

back to boxing as the coach of the lowly rated Indian women’s boxing team. His outspoken honesty sends jitters through his old adversaries, and he is soon transferred to Chennaithe Siberia of Indian boxing. But Adi continues to dream but this time for a free-spirited, fiery young woman from the fishing community, Madhi. Adi spots in her a champion that could bring India the gold that he was robbed off. But first Adi must earn her trust, then tame her impetuosity and finally make her dream all this in just nine months before the world

NOW SHOWING

Anuradha Cineplex Noonmati 03612656968, 9954544738

Saala khadoos 9.00 AM, 3.45 & 8.15 PM Mastizaade 11.15 AM Airlift 1.30 & 5.45 PM

PVR Cinemas

Dona Planet. GS Road 08800900009

championship. And so begins an uneasy partnership between a man who loves his sport and a girl who loves her freedom. Rigor and rebellion, structure and free spirit collide. It is the beginning of a beautiful friendship and a journey towards an impossible dream. R Madhavan packs a punch with his performance as the ‘Khadoos’ coach and fresh face Ritika Singh too puts her heart into the role. Saala Khadoos is extremely formulaic and that’s where it falls flat. Strong performances do not save this predictable film.

Saala khadoos 10.45 AM, 1.20, 3.30 & 8.30 PM Mastizaade 10.50 AM, 3.45, 5.55 & 8.45 PM Airlift 1.10 & 6.15 PM

Fun Cinemas

HUB, GS Road 9864800100, 9864800200 Saala khadoos 11.20 AM & 4.00 PM Mastizaade 9.00 AM & 6.10 PM Airlift 1.30 & 8.45 PM

Apsara Cinema Ulubari 0361 2541335

The Z Factor: My Journey as the Wrong Man at the Right Time

Album:

Who Sold My Generation

eattle garage trio Night Beats make their Heavenly Records debut with their brazen third LP, Who Sold My Generation. Fronted by guitar slinger Danny Lee Blackwell, Night Beats have amassed a fairly substantial catalog in their six years together, issuing a variety of different singles and compilation tracks alongside their two previous albums. With regard to their overall sound, not a great deal has changed since they first dropped their

GOLD Cinema

Author:

Artist:

Night Beats

Mastizaade 11.00 AM, 2.00 & 8.00 PM Airlift 5.00 PM

Book:

Subhash Chandra

u Yo LD OUTEN H S IS L

debut single, “H-Bomb,” in 2010. Their talent for brash, riffy psych-rock with plenty of attitude remains their greatest strength, and their marriage of Nuggets-era sounds with the contemporary lo-fi aesthetic of 21st century garage revivalists puts them in league with other prominent West Coast acts like Thee Oh Sees and Ty Segall. As on 2013’s Sonic Bloom, reverb is king and Night Beats’ swagger is captured here in a thick cacoph-

ASTC Complex, Paltan Bazar 9854066166

ony of the stuff as Blackwell’s ace guitar work bounces wildly around the room on standouts like the free-ranging “Sunday Mourning” and the hooky single “No Cops.” With its radio static, vintage broadcast samples, and spoken incantations, experimental opener “Celebration #1” sets a freewheeling, almost anarchistic tone and Night Beats do manage to maintain that energy, if not the mischievous intent, throughout the album.

Airlift 11.00 AM, 2.00, 5.00 & 8.00 PM Mastizaade 11.30 AM, 2.30, 5.30 & 8.30 PM

u Yo LD OU H S read

GOLD Cinema

Salasar Building, Lakhtokia 9854066166 Subhash Chandra, the promoter of Essel/ Zee Group, is an unlikely mogul. Hailing from a small town in Haryana, where his family ran grain mills, Chandra has been a perennial outsider, repeatedly aiming high and breaking into businesses where he was considered an inter-

loper. Starting work as a teen to pay off family debts, Chandra had to rely on bluff, gumption and sheer hard toil to turn things around. A little bit of luck and political patronage saw him make a fortune in rice exports to the erstwhile USSR.

Airlift 11.00 AM, 2.00, 5.00 & 8.00 PM Mastizaade 11.30 AM, 2.30, 5.30 & 8.30 PM

GOLD Cinema

LG Towers, Narangi 8811001898 Airlift 11.00 AM & 5.00 PM Mastizaade 2.00 & 8.00 PM

G PLUS JAN 30 - FEB 05, 2016

‘Anup Neel’s Chiramor Nasoni’

n audio album containing five songs was released at a function at Shraddhanjali Kanan in the presence of Assam’s eminent music directors and cultural activists. Though the album has been conceptualized by Anup Neel, it has been produced by Sanjib Chiram under the banner of Chiram Production. All the songs have been written and put in tune by Anup Neel, Sanjib Chiram, Manoranjan and Jyoti Airio. The album’s music has been composed by Nilutpal Xobdo and Saurav Hazarika. The album contains the tracks Ronga Sola, Chakoi Chokua, Bukute Bowali, Ronga Boga Gaal and Ribing Gacheng which have been rendered by Sanjib Chiram, Lipika Rani, Mousam Gogoi, Barnali Kalita and Anup Neel. All the songs have

been recorded and mixed by Palash Gogoi and Nilutpal Xobdo. The songs have been rendered to suit the ever changing demand of Assamese music lovers. There is a different vibe from each song. The video of the songs are being shot at various locations across Assam. Releasing an audio album at a time when the audio CD market is crashing down and at the same time, the woes of piracy are yet to be addressed, is truly a brave and remarkable sign. Anup Neel hopes that the Assamese audience will accept this album and encourage him in his journey in the field of music. For this Bihu season, ‘Chiramor Nasoni’ will be a remarkable addition to the world of Assamese music.

Entertainment

Priyanku Baruah’s ‘Bike Story’

new Assamese short fiction film titled ‘Bike Story’ recently completed its shooting at various locations around Guwahati. The short film has been directed by the young and talented Priyanku Baruah who has also penned the story and the screenplay. The young director’s project has been produced by Nirupam Koch and Pranab Rajkhowa under the banner of PB Films and White & Black Productions. Synopsis: The story of the

short film revolves around Janardhan and Meghna. With the lovebirds in a relationship, the couple finds very little time to hang around with others. Janardhan’s plan of taking Meghna for a ride faces the obstacle in the form of a bike mechanic Rajesh. Rajesh disappears with the bike after Janardhan asks him to fix a problem. What happens next unravels the story and plot behind ‘Bike Story.’ The main vision behind making this short film is to expand the culture of independent film-making

within the state and to encourage short film makers to step out of their comfort zone. The key roles in this film have been essayed by Partha Hazarika, Papari Kalita, Dibash Jyoti, Jotinjeet Bora, Silpi and Bijoy Shankar. The cinematography has been done by Minakshi Bhagawati and Jitu Baruah. The short film is on schedule and is expected to release in April 2016. According to director Priyanku Baruah, the film will be released by organizing screenings at auditoriums and film clubs around Assam.

New Video Song Cycleore Keriya…

ddipta Bharali, a promising singer whose hard work and dedication has boosted his career as a professional singer is not only blessed with a fabulous voice, but backs it up with solid technique and compelling stage presence. The concept of making singles has become more popular than making an album which is obviously a more time and resource consuming effort. Social networking sites as well as various private television channels have played a major role in making these songs popular. Uddipta Bharali recently released his new modern Assamese audiovideo song titled ‘Cycleore Keriya…’ on Youtube and other Social media platforms which was very well received by the Assamese audience. All the private music channels of Assam like Ramdhenu, Rengoni and

Jonakk also featured the song. The song has been written by Jyotirekha Devi, tuned by Ganadeep and beautifully sung by Uddipta Bharali. The music has been composed by Palash Gogoi. The cast in the video includes popular Assamese actress Barsha Rani Bishaya, Nandini Boruah, Rajiv, Naba Dutta and other co-artists of Kohinoor Theatre. The video has been conceptualized by Tapan Lahakar and Himankan Das. The video has been directed by Suresh Medhi and edited by Moni Rajkonwar.

KALYAN KUMAR KALITA

Art

G PLUS JAN 30 - FEB 05, 2016

ROSAMMA FLIES TO NATIONAL CHILDREN AFRICA 5TH THEATRE FESTIVAL

Subhrajit Roy

osamma is a cow and she travels to Africa in an aeroplane. Although it sounds funny, but in the imaginary world everything is possible. She becomes the point of irritation for the hen Rambo, the fish Pilpil, the pig Yakru, the dog Kumbu and most importantly their master and the owner of the farm Shaane Gabba. She rants and raves at everyone in the farm. After becoming exhausted with her activities finally Shaane Gabba decides to send her to jungles of Africa. There also she starts creating trouble for the inhabitant animals and forces them to take shelter at Shaane Gabba’s farm in India. On finding things beyond control, Shaane Gabba brings her back to this farm. Through the medium of dramatics the artists of Sandbox Collective, Bangalore recently presented the story of Rosamma and her companions at Rabindra Bhawan, Guwahati. The occasion was the 5th National Children Theatre Festival, 2016 (January 3-7, 2016), organised by Guwahati Sishu Natya Vidyalaya. The play “How Cow Now Cow” had several punches of being satirical in nature, but director Vinod Ravindran took the opportunity to keep it non-judgemental and simple as it catered to the need of entertainment for the children. The techniques incorporated in the play, such as narration of stories through paintings and over projector, portrayal of characters through some properties and the interaction with the audience were much appreciated. Most importantly, the play took the liberty to show an animal as a person who can walk and talk rather being stereotypical in creating an actor to be an animal. The three characters played by Sachin Gujrale, Rency Phillip and Abubakar Siddiq kept the audience gripped for

Save Trees, Save the Earth

Jake Jake Uri Jay Charai

Hihote Pahar Bogabo

50 minutes in a flow of laughter. This year the festival presented ten plays from different parts of the country as well as the state. The play “Khambana Purum San Senba,” directed by RK Khogendra Singh and presented by The Forward Artistes Centre En-Camped (FACE), Manipur narrated the story of an orphan sibling duo Khamba and Khamnu. Similarly, the play “Phutukar Phen,” presented by Ferangdao, Guwahati also showed a play within a play. Director Papori Medhi took the humorous dimension in presenting it. The students of Modern English School, Kahilipara, Guwahati, under the direction of Rajib Kro questioned the mindset of the society in particular and parents in general in choosing a career for their children. The play “Hihote Pahar Bogabo” also criticized the “Rat Race” in the name of competition which can kill many dreams. Director Madan Rabha and

Chola Chilowar Gaan

Dhananjay Rabha of Badungduppa, Goalpara also narrated the conflicts between a father and his son about academics and sports through the play “Bornomala.” All these plays had some appeal in them, but to summarize, they could not succeed in leaving an impact - be it the presentation styles or the performances. While being particular about the play “Tejimola Aru Ankita” by Guwahati Sishu Natya Vidyalya, director Manik Roy could not leave the impact like his previous plays “Xukula Ghora” and “Dhunumoina.” Though the play fuses the story of Tejimola from the creations of Lakshminath Bezbaruah with modern day girl Ankita, as a whole the presentation remains discrete from each other. Another literary creation which got life on stage in the festival was “Mitul Naame Putulti” presented by Sarabhuj, Kolkata. Based on the story by Sailen Ghosh, director Tarun Pradhan and Sutapa Awon Pradhan presented the stories of two dolls, Mitul and Rajkonna, in a colourful manner. It was the inaugural play of the festival. With the message “Unity is strength,” Utpal Kumar Das of theatre group Pinak, Barpeta presented the play “Jake Jake Uri Jay Charai.” The play narrated the story of a mother bird that saves her chicks from a greedy hunter, which is further narrated by a grandfather to his grandson. The simplicity of children could be observed in the play “Chola Chilowar Gaan” presented by the students Gurukul Grammar Senior Secondary School, Guwahati. The play showcased how children can sort out things without any complexity be it “Bride-Groom” game or stitching a shirt. Director Anjan Bhuyan’s initiative to present it through comedy was the USP of the play. Every festival needs to have a motto behind its success. This festival too had the same as it tried to ignite the intellectual development of the children. As part of the festival, several workshops had been organised for the children of schools and NGOs across the city. Most importantly, the festival had a presentation by the students of Ashadeep. Directed by Rajiv Kumar Saud, the play “Save Trees, Save the Earth,” presented by the speciallyabled children, appealed against acts of deforestation. The colourful play with eye-catching costumes and appropriate narrative voiceovers won the hearts of the audiences. The message carried by this particular play is universal in one way; the enactment also spoke loud about the specially-abled children with the will power “We can also do”.

G PLUS JAN 30 - FEB 05, 2016

Vivanta by Taj, Guwahati celebrated the launch of its fine dining restaurant ‘Umami.’ Binding the nuances of oriental flavours on a vivacious palate, the restaurant would play host to numerous discerning travellers in the region. Commenting on this occasion, Mr. Krishan Aggarwal, General Manager, Vivanta by Taj – Guwahati said, “We are absolutely delighted at the launch of our signature oriental restaurant. With a fine mix of fresh flavours and unique cuisine styles, we hope to provide our guests with true epicurean delights with this experience.” Hosted by General Manager, Mr. Krishan Aggarwal, the evening saw the crème de la crème of the city’s social circle celebrate this special occasion. Eminent journalists, renowned opinion leaders, food bloggers and socialites graced the event on this momentous occasion. Alexander Jacob educated the guests regarding lavish whisky and food pairing dinner. The emboldening menu offers a wide selection of fresh seafood, meats and vegetables cooked in Sichuan Style. From the entrees to the main course, the menu has signature dishes like Katsus, Braised duck, Banana flower, Hainese style drunken chicken, Yakisoba, Hargou, Bao, Gouza to name a few. The restaurant has an array of domestic and imported wines from all over the world with an intriguing infusion of hand crafted cocktails and local ingredients. Conceptualisation of the menu is based on simplicity with a complex twist in flavours, innovative design is inspired by kimono graphics and Japanese elements.

Guwahati opens doors to its signature oriental restaurant: ‘Umami’

Events

January 30th to Febuary 5th

Decathlon Azara AT 6:30 AM

Decathlon Azara welcomes you to KHELAR MELA! List of Events (1)Bycycle Workshop- (8am-10am) (2)Circut round competition (10.30am-12.30pm)

DRIVE INN AT 8:00 PM

HiLLTOP FESTiVAL 2016

Music: Genre : Psy Trance

JAN 31

The Kaziranga Literary Festival, an initiative of the Department of Tourism, Govt. of Assam, in collaboration with the North East Writers’ Forum, was inaugurated at Hotel Brahmaputra Ashok by the the Chief Secretary, Govt. of Assam, Mr. V.K. Pipersania in the presence of the Vice Ambassador of Italy to India, Mr. Ramesh Jain, Secretary, Tourism, Govt. of Assam, Italian writers, Dr. Sergio Scapagnini, Dr. Vera Seploj and Federico Raimondi, Mr. Arup Kumar Dutta, President, North East Writer’s Forum besides a host of writers in a glittering ceremony. The two-day festival will have a number of panel sessions with writers deliberating on various topics. During the event, the GMC commissioner, Narayan Konwar, presented a concept note to the Italian delegation on a number of exchange programs that can be held between Assamese artists, painters and writers with their Italian counterparts.

Days

JAN 30

The Kaziranga Literary Festival

r. Sanjay Kumar Rai, Head (L&C) Pl, OIL (2Nd Left) and Mr. Kalyan Kumar Das, OSD (Security) Pl, OIL (Extrem Right) are seen handing over a cheque today to Mr. Umesh Kumar, IPS, CMD, Assam Police Housing Society and Captain, Assam Police Tennis Club (3Rd Left) towards The Cost Of Electrification Of The Assam Police Tennis Club Court, Guwahati Amounting Rs. 9,55,000/Under Oil’s Corporate Communication Scheme.

Events

Decathlon Azara AT 6:30 AM

KHELAR MELA

(1) 5K Run (Starts at 6.30AM) (2) Street Football tournament (10am-8pm) (3) Tent pitching workshop (1pm- 3pm) 3RD WOMAN POWER CAR RALLY 2016 AT 8:00 AM

G PLUS JAN 30 - FEB 05, 2016

Citypedia

EMERGENCY NUMBERS

Horoscope Aries Don’t inadvertently give too much away, especially when it comes to a work brainstorm or plan of attack against the competition. The reason is that someone may be paying more attention than you realize. They could steal your idea out from under you and use it themselves. There could be some unscrupulous people around who may seem pleasant but really aren’t.

Taurus Your best bet for making the most of this week is to plan ahead. The more organized you can be, the better your chances of dealing with unexpected events. It also helps to pare down your schedule and leave yourself room to improvise when necessary. If you’re planning a trip or exploring new social circles, you won’t be alone. However, you could get more than you bargained for, so pay attention to your instincts.

Cancer

Gemini If you’ve felt put upon by certain people lately, it could be time to do something about it. Let others know you have limits and that there are certain things you won’t tolerate. It can improve key relationships as you move into the future. This week there are certain aspects that could make life quite intense, particularly where business matters or finances are concerned.

Leo You might be tempted to splurge, particularly if you aren’t thinking clearly when it comes to price and value. If in doubt, get help from a friend who may have some wise advice. If you’re partying this week, a temptation to indulge a desire could make you turn to comfort foods or perhaps pursue a relationship that isn’t in your best interests.

You could be telepathically connected to someone, particularly at the start of the week. You might get an urge to call this person or perhaps ask if he or she needs help. One relationship could become more passionate when Venus connects with Pluto. But if you’re trying to force things, you could be giving off the wrong vibe. It’s better to let things develop organically than try to push when the time isn’t right.

Virgo

Feelings could be quite potent this week, developing in strength as Venus moves closer to Pluto. You could find that you’re drawn to someone who really stands out from the crowd. Conversation could also ratchet up and become quite intense. This could be one of those weeks when things between you and another reach a critical stage. What you do next could have consequences for the future.

Scorpio

Libra

Although you tend to err on the side of tact and diplomacy, the presence of Mars in your sign could encourage you to be more assertive. This could show up as a determination to set firm boundaries, particularly regarding someone who seems to flout them regularly. This attitude will also show up on the home front, where scheduling tasks and delegating chores can free you up to enjoy yourself this season.

A desire you’ve had for some time could get stronger this week, particularly if it has to do with romance. As a result, the need to get closer to this person could become something of an obsession. Go easy, though, as this approach might make him or her uncomfortable unless the feelings are mutual. It seems you’ll leave no stone unturned to get to the bottom of a mystery or problem, and your persistence in this area could certainly pay off.

Capricorn

Sagittarius

Aquarius This week brings the chance to do that, and the conversation between you should be riveting. If you can meet each other’s needs in any deals, you’ll both be satisfied. You’ll also have the option to do some spiritual housecleaning by purposefully letting go of feelings that are preventing you from forging ahead. Dreams could be intense, too, and may have pertinent guidance for you.

Sudoku

A holiday romance could be in the cards, or you might find that your relationship with your sweetheart takes a turn for the better or more passionate. Something clicks, so you could be flying high and enjoying the new, more intense vibe between you. You may also become very organized and eager to set up a new strategy that helps you become more focused, not only on holiday tasks but also on those preparations for taking plans to the next level in 2016.

Pisces

With more holiday get-togethers on the calendar, you’ll have fresh opportunities to meet that special someone and forge new connections. One in particular could be quite intense and may leave you wanting more - perhaps a lot more! Friends might try to get you involved in their plans, but you don’t have to agree to everything that’s asked of you.

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

You may give a lot of thought to gift buying and holiday spending in general. You might wonder what you stand to gain if you buy an expensive present for someone. Will they even notice? It might be better to adopt a workable budget and stay within that. Give joyfully and you’ll be imbibing the seasonal spirit for real. The temptation to stay within your comfort zone may be strong, but you’ll fare better if you can move beyond it.

AMBULANCE

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, 92070-44374 Downtown Hospital 2331003, 9864079366, 9435012669 Guwahati Medical College (2529457, 2529561) Guwahati Medical College Emergency (2263444) International Hospital 0361-7135005 Mahendra Mohan Choudhury Hospital (2541477, 2543998)

Marwari Hospital & Research Centre 0361-2602738/39 Marwari Maternity Hospital 0361-2541202/01 Nemcare Hospital 0361-2528587, 2455906, 2457344 Pratiksha Hospital 0361-2337260, 2337183/84 Basistha Military Hospital (2304617/0351) 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, 098641-03333 Dispur Hospital Reception 97070 20370 82539 99124 361-2235759 (Landline No. / Fax) Hayat Hospital

8011003110 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 JAN 30 - FEB 05, 2016

Catching Up Most shared story of the week Kishour Giri, the man with the guitar certainly was the talk of the G PLUS Social media handles with over 850 likes and 411 shares. People couldn’t seem to digest the fact that he wanted to come out to the streets with a guitar to protest against the violent video games and toy guns that are easily available in the market. facebook.com/guwahatiplus twitter.com/guwahatiplus

Guwahati

GYAN

Did you know?

Nabin Chandra Bordoloi Hall

New

Chic

on the block

anamika nath About Me

Hi, I am Anamika Nath and my friends call me Ani. I am a 23 year old girl from Guwahati. I am pursing MA in Education from Shillong University. I have been a part of DY365 Calendar Girl 2014 (Top 12), Ad’s Runway, BDC Metropolis Asia, T2 Shoot among other projects. Also, besides modelling, l love playing Badminton, listening to music and having fun with friends.

Mojo

My positive attitude towards life is what gives me strength and makes me passionate about Fashion and Style. I want to shape my future for the betterment of the State and Country. I am the kind of person who can draw inspiration from the small honey bees, who work tirelessly to manage a small drop of honey each day. I understand the value of hard work and I believe there is no alternative to hard work.

Route in the Woods

he Nabin Chandra Bordoloi hallcum-library located at Cotton College Road was earlier known as Curzon Hall. It was in this hall that Lord Curzon was felicitated when he visited Assam in 1903. The then Viceroy of India, Lord Curzon, had visited the State to take stock of the post-1897 earthquake situation. The Curzon Hall was the first public

hall of the State. This Assam-type building was later handed over to Cotton College for use as its library. After about 10 years of constructing the old building of Curzon Hall, a new building was constructed at the site on the bank of Dighalipukhuri, at which the NCB Hall and Library now exists. It was renamed as the Nabin Chandra Bordoloi Hall.

Like every aspiring model, I want to be the best & I think I’d like to try my hand at Acting. For now, I’m just focused on my education and maybe take up work as a Professor.

PIC OF THE

Ka m u r of the week

WEEK

n spite of all the hullabaloo about a well managed traffic system in Guwahati, the city buses are still having a field day in stopping, moving, turning, speeding in any way they want without any regard for traffic rules and public safety. The chaos created by them stands out every time the city returns to normalcy after about of holidays!

WHAT DID I JUST HEAR?

he Supreme Court of India has stayed Assam CM Tarun Gogoi’s special welfare scheme of Rs 500 Cr. A bench comprising Chief Justice TS Thakur and Justice R Banumathi said, “This is an election year; that is why you are distributing such benefits without any basis...hundreds of crores are being spent without proper identification. You must go to the villages and identify the beneficiaries. There are lakhs of people living in kutcha houses who need the benefits.”

In Association with Fill in the ‘blacks’

Photo: Adib Zamali

G PLUS JAN 30 - FEB 05, 2016

Society

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