G Plus Vol 3 Issue 22 by G Plus

recipe of the week PG 17

8588 cases still pending in East Police District

PG 10

Sultana yashmin haque New Chic on the block

Page 23

VOLUME 03 | ISSUE 22 MAR 12 - MAR 18, 2016

PRICE `10

Defacing of hoardings is illegal: DC

How do question papers get

leaked?

09 District Administration takes initiative to save urban biodiversity

06 Assamese film fraternity soldiers on for revision of state film policy

213909 voters to choose Gauhati East MLA GOING BY previous progress report

Ward no 8

14 kedar road

G PLUS MAR 12 - MAR 18, 2016

Lead Story

How do question papers get ?

leaked

With two question papers leaking this year and the relevant examinations deferred, G Plus tries to find what can be the possible loop holes

The past According to a former chairman of SEBA, there are many problems in the education system of Assam. He said that an NGO named Pratham every year conducts an annual survey and the report says that in Assam 50% students go to grade 9 with knowledge base of a grade-5 student. Matriculation being very important in Assam to get a job, it is a matter of desperation for a student to clear the matriculation exams. This desperation has led to a nexus being formed. The former chairman said that no one is worried about improving the education system and the entire system is turning out to be a business. There are some government schools in Guwahati where the teacher-student ratio is shockingly lop-sided. In one instance, there are 11 teachers for just 4 students. Similarly, according to the former chairman, in 2013 when he tried to bring about some changes in the SEBA examination system, around 3000 students failed because the matriculation nexus failed against the new stringent laws. Soon after, the chairman was

removed. The government thereafter spent a lot on enquiries to find out the anomalies in SEBA and to find out the functions of a chairman. The enquiry was conducted but the report submitted concluded with just improving the system and making it more IT savvy. A new chairman joined with the education system of SEBA remaining the same. Now with the HSSLC question paper leakage, the functioning of AHSEC is being questioned. Any examination being a very confidential activity, how does the leakage happen? G Plus tries to find out the structure of the examination in SEBA and AHSEC.

The structure The former chairman said that the examination process of SEBA is very confidential and question papers are hardly leaked. He said that from the SEBA, one or two persons along with some experts from the teaching community who are respected for their work are assigned to set the papers. The papers are printed outside the state after SEBA gathers all the information viz. the number of students sitting for the exams, the number of centres where the examinations will be conducted, the quantitative requirement of question papers, etc. The pa-

pers come in packets which are sealed accordingly. The questions papers are then sent to the nearest police station of a particular centre. The papers remain in police custody and only the Principal of the school where a centre is located can go and collect the question papers one or two hours before the examination commences. The chairman said that in SEBA question paper leakage is next to impossible but added that in AHSEC the system is murkier. G Plus tried to contact the controller of examination of AHSEC to get the structure of the conduct of the examination, but the controller sounded busy and refused to provide any information. But according to sources in AHSEC even HSSLC examination conduct is strict and confidential. But what if there is some nexus between the police and the teacher or administrative staff of any centre? What if any policeman’s child is sitting for the exam and the papers are kept in his custody? According to the norms, the controller of examinations himself is removed if his/her child is appearing HSSLC exams. A former council member of HSSLC, talking to G Plus under conditions of anonymity, said that in HSSLC two sets of papers are prepared. In 2012 the controller of examination’s child

A distressed student after the paper leak

G Plus Photo

lose on the heels of the physics question paper leakage in the ongoing HSSLC examination conducted by the Assam Higher Secondary Education Council (AHSEC) and the burning of HSLC examination answer-scripts, the leakage of the HSSLC Biology question paper has rocked the state. With the blame game and slam game continuing across the state, the issue attracted political importance with students’ bodies and opposition slamming the education minister and the chief minister. However no one has tried to understand what can be the causes of paper leakage as the bodies like the Board of Secondary Education (SEBA) and AHSEC keep pressing their opinion that the question papers are very confidential and it is difficult for anyone to steal them before the exams. G Plus tries to get a picture of the structure of question paper setting to its printing and on to its transportation to the examination centres, and where the loopholes might exist from where the papers can be stolen by people with vested interests.

The leaked paper was sitting for grade 12 board exams and the controller was removed. But in that year, an extra set of papers were requested by one centre and before the examinations started the seal of that extra set was found to be opened. The invigilator complained about the tampered seal and the other set of papers were used for the examination. The council called an emergency meeting and many people in the council demanded an enquiry but later the incident was forgotten and no enquiry was ordered. Similarly, many invigilators this time too complained that the seals of the packets containing question papers were wrongly placed making it easy for anyone to access the question papers. There were around 2 lakh students who appeared for grade 12 exams this time out of which 1.5 lakh were arts students, 17,000 commerce students and 33,000 science students. There were around 820 grade 12 examination centres across Assam and

G Plus Photo

rahul chanda

according to sources, some were government and some private. It remains uncertain if the papers were even sent to police stations for safe custody or not. But while high profile enquiries might be ordered wherever the papers were leaked from, the cover up might already have been prepared by now making it possible for the culprits to be freed easily. The investigation might pinpoint the actual reasons for the leakage but there are loopholes like the custody of papers, the transportation of papers, the sealing of papers, the preparation of question papers and many more. It is shocking that the council’s systems are still not fully computerised and the risk remains for the next year too. Two papers were declared leaked this year and the exams were deferred. But the strong possibility remains that perhaps all the papers were leaked and no one knows about it. rahul.chanda@g-plus.in

G PLUS MAR 12 - MAR 18, 2016

Lead Story

Rescheduling of exam is not the solution: Guardian

Juthika Baruah

82 copies of Social Studies answer scripts from Gopal Bodo Govt. HS School destroyed by fire

Guardians at an examination centre

G Plus Photo

CID team arrives at Salt Brook Academy for investigation The leaked question paper went viral on social media like Whatsapp leading to cancellation and rescheduling of the examination

With leakage of question papers and burning of answer scripts, the state’s education bodies find cancellation and rescheduling of examinations as the only viable solution; the scandal remains just an ‘unfortunate’ incident

he education system of Assam has made a mockery of the examination process and they seem least bothered about the lives of the students with the examination procedure seeming to be taken very lightly by them from all appearances. The burning of answer scripts and leakage of question paper has proved that the education bodies hold no responsibility towards the students. On 3rd March, around 10,000 answer scripts of High School Leaving Certificate (HSLC) were gutted in a fire at the Sankardev Seminary High School in Jorhat where the answer scripts were kept under “security.” It has come to light that the answer scripts of the schools of Kamrup (M) were also there and the schools are Rajhans Sishu Vidyalaya, Ascent Academy, Aryan Academy, Luit Academy and Belleview High School. “The examination centre for these schools was Gopal Boro Government Higher Secondary School and 82 copies from this centre have been burnt. The copies are from English medium schools. The copies of Social Studies have been burnt. The board has shown irresponsibility in conducting the examination; the examinations now-a-days are taken very lightly,” said Shivani Barman,

Principal of Gopal Bodo Govt. HS School. “There was only one security guard outside the room where the answer scripts were kept and it is due to the lackadaisical attitude of the board for which the students have to suffer,” said Barman. As for the Assam Higher Secondary Education Council (AHSEC) and its multiple question paper leakage saga, Barman said that responsibility is totally lacking as the bundles of question papers were not sealed properly; access to the question papers was very easy as the sealing wax, which should be placed on the joints of the packets, were not placed appropriately. A principal of a Guwahati-based school, while talking to G Plus said, “We heard that the paper of Chemistry and Mathematics had also been leaked in Salt Brook Academy, Dibrugarh, but it did not come under focus. The system of education has become so bad that conducting an examination is worthless now-a-days. We do not have any feelings to come to school for examination duty as the students also do not have any interest in these examination.” A four-member team of the CID arrived at the Salt Brook Academy (SBA) in Dibrugarh on Wednesday to probe the Biology question paper leak of the Class

XII state board examination. On 7th March, a day ahead of the scheduled date of the examination, leaked biology question papers were found circulating on the social media in some areas of the state. It was also discovered that someone had scribbled 5-6 questions of the paper on the boundary wall of a house near the school. On enquiry, it was found that the questions matched those in the original paper. The exam was called off immediately and rescheduled to 19th March. The CID sleuths questioned a few students and officials of the institute as part of their investigation. The AHSEC, which conducts the Class XII state board examinations, has formed a committee comprising of a retired IAS officer, Laxmi Nath Tamuly and former academic registrar of Gauhati University Jitram Dutta to enquire into the matter. The two-member committee will start its probe from this week itself, said a source in the Council. The political parties and students’ body have demanded that the Education Minister be suspended and strict action be taken against the culprits. One of the guardians Reema Kakoti said, “The education board is playing with the lives of the students. The students work very hard to ap-

pear for the examination and HSLC and HSSLC are the two most important examinations of the students. Incidents like these disturb the mental condition of the students. They be-

come nervous as to what will happen to their lives and rescheduling of examination is not a solution.” juthika.baruah@g-plus.in

G PLUS MAR 12 - MAR 18, 2016

Politicking

voters to choose Gauhati East MLA going by previous progress report

With issues of flood and poor roads topping the chart, the people of Gauhati East give a mixed response about the developmental works undertaken by the present MLA rahul chanda

very five years during the elections people vote for a candidate of their choice and the decision often elicits various discussions and debates among family, friends and colleagues. Who to vote for is something people indeed brainstorm on. As the poll dates in Assam have already been announced, Guwahati consisting of four constituencies is gearing up to vote on 11th April and all that happened in the last five years is expected to be thoroughly dissected and analysed. G Plus tries to construct a report on the four constituencies starting with Gauhati East LAC (Legislative Assembly Constituency) in this issue. The constituency, for the last two terms, has elected Capt. Robin Bordoloi as its representative to the legislative assembly.

53 Gauhati East Total voter population in Gauhati East constituency in 2006 was 190647 and in 2011 it has increased to 225765. For 2016, there are 213909 voters out of which 108281 are male voters and

105628 are female voters. The areas which fall under Gauhati East are Paltan Bazar, Fancy Bazar, Ulubari, Silpukhuri, Chandmari, Narengi, Uzan Bazar, Kharguli, Bhangagarh and New Guwahati. Ward-wise there are around 8 GMC wards under Gauhati East constituency viz. Ward Nos. 9, 10, 12, 14, 18, 21, 23 and 24. G Plus takes a look at the winning parties and candidates in the past years. The list indicates that the constituency was represented by a Congress candidate the maximum times. This automatically raises the question as to how much development the constituency has witnessed in the past years under its Congress MLAs. G Plus visited all the areas in the constituency to find out if the voters are happy with the developmental work which took place in the last 5 years.

The voters’ views The residents of areas like Anil Nagar and Nabin Nagar are rather irked with the present MLA as, according to them, their localities are

under water half of the year because of floods. One of the residents said that during the 2014 urban floods, the MLA did not even visit the area when the residents were struggling with the floods. Floods are a major issue in all these areas and in areas like Chandmari, Zoo Road, etc. people have only

one question: when the flood water is mostly of the Bharalu River, why is it so difficult for the authorities to take the water to Brahmaputra without any damage? The residents also said that last year there was less rainfall and so the city witnessed lesser floods and yet these areas faced the same prob-

The winning candidates and parties since inception of elections Year

Assembly Constituency

Winner Name

Party

1957 1962 1967 1972 1978 1983 1985 1991 1996 2001 2006 2011

Gauhati East Gauhati East Gauhati East Gauhati East Gauhati East Gauhati East Gauhati East Gauhati East Gauhati East Gauhati East Gauhati East Gauhati East

Bhattacharjya, Gouri Sankar Debendra Nath Sarma M.M. Choudhury Atul Chandrasaikia Ajoy Kumar Dutta Munin Sarmah Biraj Kumar Sarma Chitta Ranjan Patowari Biraj Kumar Sarma Pankaj Bora Capt. Robin Bordoloi. Capt. Robin Bordoloi.

CPI INC INC INC JNP INC IND INC AGP INC INC INC

lems. A resident of Lachit Lane in Lachit Nagar said, “Our MLA Robin Bordoloi was the chairman of GMDA and the department is digging all the roads in these areas for some water supply project. The MLA should have made sure that as soon as the digging is over the roads are repaired back, but that has never happened.” A resident of Anil Nagar said, “We have changed the name of our area to Anil Sagar, as the area is mostly submerged in water.” The resident also said that during floods the MLA never visited the flood affected areas to see the condition in which people live. Similarly the hilly terrain in the constituency comprising of areas like Amya Nagar, Piyoli Nagar, Madhyam Nagar have many problems. The living condition of people there is pathetic as they have bad roads, electricity problems and water scarcity and the residents are very unhappy with the performance of the MLA. One of the residents of Amya Nagar said that the MLA never visited the area in the last five years and the roads are still undeveloped there. The resident recalled that the MLA visited only before the last assembly elections in 2011 to plead for votes and made many promises like helping the residents get their lands pattas which never happened. The residents of Bamunimaidam also have many similar problems as many lanes in the area remain unconstructed. However, there are also positive reviews appreciating the MLA. One senior citizen from Rupnagar said that Robin Bordoloi is very accessible and he tries to help whoever seeks any kind of help. The citizen said, “If you recall five years back, the condition of all the lanes and by-lanes in the Gauhati East constituency were pathetic and now if you roam around you will find good roads. The MLA, as Chairman of GMDA, initiated the water supply project which, after completion, is expected to provide 24/7 water supply to Guwahatians. The MLA did not get any ministry or else there could have been more development in the constituency.” So there are mixed

G PLUS MAR 12 - MAR 18, 2016

Politicking responses about the developmental progress of the constituency.

Capt. Robin Bordoloi says Talking to G Plus, Gauhati east MLA, Capt Robin Bordoloi had said, “There was a lot of drinking water problem in my constituency. Despite having the Brahmaputra people do not get water to drink. Solving this issue was my main target and when I was the chairman of GMDA I did take up lots of drinking water projects with JICA and within two-three years we will have plenty of drinking water. In my constituency there are nine or ten hills. The communication is very bad and many pockets did not have electricity. I took care of that part by providing them solar lights.” He added, “I am an MLA with not much of powers. I had to request the ministers. For example, when I go to the PWD minister asking to improve the roads,

Election results in 2011 in Gauhati East constituency Name of the candidate

Party

Total votes

Upendra Nath Talukdar

CPI

1795

Queen Oja

AGP

29644

Dhirendra Deb Adhikari

NCP

794

Capt Robin Bordoloi

INC

47727

Siddhartha Bhattacharya

BJP

43730

Umesh Chandra Das

322

Kailash Kanta Sarma

AITC

1318

Jayanta Kumar Barua

IND

261

Tutu Sarkar

IND

505

Kaji Nekib Ahmed

IND

419

Bhupen Boro

IND

353

Bhupen Sarma

IND

607

Total

127475

she says there is no money, whereas we know that she pumps out money from Guwahati to her constituency in Golaghat.” The MLA is not totally happy with his work and feels that he could have done better if he got a ministry. The baffling question remains that despite being such a senior MLA, why did he not get a ministry?

The main opponent The BJP candidate, Siddhartha Bhattacharya, who will contest from the Gauhati East constituency, said that in the last five years there was no developmental work seen in the constituency by the MLA. He said that in a year MLAs get Rs. 2 crores as developmental funds in the constituency but maximum amount of this fund is siphoned away by providing wrong calculations. He said that the constituency has many issues like flood problems, pathetic roads. The lower income group people in the constitu-

ency are totally ignored and it is because of Bordoloi’s incompetence that he never gets any ministry. Talking about the GMDA water supply project, Bhattacharya said that the project was expected to be completed long back but the completion is far from reality. He said that whatever roads are constructed are from central funds and the MLA did nothing for any kind of development in the constituency. So, for the public, it will be tough to decide who to vote for. G Plus presents a retrospective picture of last elections with the figures of votes polled for each candidate. While the list shows the vote share from the last time, the fact remains that there was a tough competition between Siddhartha Bhattacharya and Capt. Robin Bordoloi in 2011. The BJP has already declared their candidate for the seat this time but the Congress is yet to declare theirs. rahul.chanda@g-plus.in

Vivanta by Taj all set to host Guwahati Food Awards today

Interior of a popular lounge in Guwahat

he stage is all set to celebrate Guwahati’s gastronomic offerings– Vivanta by Taj is the venue of the 2nd Guwahati Food Awards, 2016 which will recognize Guwahati’s best of the best in food The second edition of the Guwahati Food Awards, 2016 (GFA, 2016) is all set to be staged today and will welcome all participating and nominated stakeholders in the food business of Guwahati city. The hunt for the best food joints in the city is on and with a voter participation of over 50,000 the occasion has witnessed

unprecedented popularity and created a huge buzz in the city. Hosted by Vivanta by Taj, the GFA, 2016 is a venture supported by Pernod Ricard, Magic Cook, Patanjali, Big 92.7 FM, Outreach Advertising with Asomiya Pratidin and Pratidin Time as media partners. The nominated food joints of Guwahati are facing off in 24 exciting categories in which their fares will be judged. The categories include Best Assamese, Naga, Bengali and Oriental cuisines besides others that include Restaurant of the Year and Best

Bipasa Saikia Kashyap

An exotic dish in a Guwahati eatery Mithai Shop. Also categories creating a buzz are Best Value for Money Restaurant, Best Pub/Bar, Best Bakery and Bakery Chain, Best Fast Food Joint and the two most awaited and talked about categories- Best New Entrant and Setting Benchmark through Innovation. The evening will also witness the formal launch of the Guwahati Food Guide - a comprehensive handbook detailing the eateries of the city. The GFG is a complete book of information of all kinds of food and beverages available in the city with a detailed

listing of over 200+ outlets and will contain expert reviews, addresses and phone numbers of the eateries. It is the brainchild of Sunit Jain, Director, G Plus. In his words, “The GFG is essentially a pathfinder showing the next place that someone is looking for to dine out at or order in from. While it is the visitor’s guide to eating out, it is as much a gourmet’s guide to the unusual and lesser known delectable meals that are served in Guwahati. We are very much looking forward to Guwahati’s response to our first attempt at creating a food guide

G Plus Photo

of sorts.” The Guwahati Food Awards, 2016 will host food experts Manjit Gill Corporate Chef, ITC Luxury Hotel Chains, Suresh Hinduja - founder of gourmetindia.com and Ashish Chopra, contributing writer to Exotic magazine, The Pioneer newspaper, Travel World magazine and Global Food & Traveller magazine. The evening will also see comedian Sanjay Rajoura entertaining the audience with his quirky stand-ups. bipasa.saikia@g-plus.in

G PLUS MAR 12 - MAR 18, 2016

City

City administration takes up initiative to save urban biodiversity

Juthika Baruah

Voting lines opened on 7th March and will remain active till 30th April The animal with the highest vote will be declared City’s Animal on 22nd May Local people will be trained to deal with wild animals showing up in residential areas

he Kamrup (M) district administration along with NGO, Help Earth, have taken up an initiative to save the urban biodiversity and also preserve the city’s animals by introducing online voting system for the city animal. Deputy Commissioner of Kamrup (M), Mr. M. Angamuthu, while launching the voting line said, “Guwahati has a beautiful biodiversity and there is peaceful co-existence but the people tend to usurp the wildlife habitats for which the animals are forced to stray into urban areas. We should start preserving the animals and we should treat the animals the way they should be. The animals attack people only when they are provoked or mistreated.” Founder of Help Earth NGO, Jayaditya Purkayastha said, “Guwahati may be the only metropolis in the world to have the privilege of being surrounded by 18 hills, 2 Wildlife Sanctuaries, 8 Reserve Forests and a Ramsar site all compressed within an area of 216 sq. kms. To add to this, the Brahmaputra River cuts across the city making it habitable for a wide variety of life forms. Deepor Beel, one of the important wetlands of Asia and the lone Ramsar site of the state, is situated at the west of the city and is world renowned for its avian life. The city has much to offer in terms of biodiversity and due to regular inflow of people into the city there is an ever increasing need for natural resources.” Purkayastha said that the con-

DC M Angamuthu addressing the media conference

The administration and the NGO, Help Earth, have taken a new initiative to save the urban biodiversity and to identify the “city animal” through voting system cept of City’s Animal was born with an intention to generate mass awareness and highlight conservation concerns associated with these animals and the urban biodiversity of the city as a whole. For City’s Animal three candidate animals with highest conservation concern will be nominated and people can vote for their choice of animal. The animal which will receive the highest vote will be declared as City’s Animal. The three candidate animals are Black Soft-shell Turtle, Greater Adjutant Stork and Gangetic River Dolphin.

The Greater Adjutant Stork also known as Hargilla in Assamese is one of the biggest birds of Assam. The global population of this endangered bird is less than 1200 individuals. Due to diminishing habitats and lack of breeding space the bird fights for existence. The species can be seen in Deepor Beel Wildlife Sanctuary and the garbage dump of Borbari. The Gangetic River Dolphin is suffering because of habitat destruction and trade for its oil and flesh. They are also caught in gillnets and line hooks. The Black Soft-shell Turtle also known as Borkaso is con-

fined to temple ponds but due to habitat destruction and trade of this animal for its flesh and eggs, the animal is on the brink of extinction. Fortunately, a recent survey has shown that a small population exists in the Brahmaputra River and its tributaries. Purkayastha said that they do not rescue animals directly as that is illegal but sometimes they assist the Assam State Zoo in rescue related work. To bring down the rising scenario of man-animal conflict, the NGO has planned to launch an app-based programme to streamline the process so

The presentation in progress

that people can inform through the application if they face any such situation. They have also taken an initiative for bird cataloguing and census in Deepor Beel and as of now they have found about 100 species of water birds in the wetland. Purkayastha said that dealing with the encroachment is beyond their scope but they carry out community level awareness drives on different aspects of the wetland so that footfall of migratory birds does not decrease. Moreover, DFO, Kamrup East, Chandan Kumar Bora, said that the forest department will create awareness by involving the local people as volunteers who will be trained on how to deal with wild animals when they are noticed in residential areas. “When people see a wild animal in a residential area, they panic making a hue and cry. They do not treat the animals as they should be treated for which the animal harms the people. We will train the people on how to deal with it and also instruct them that they should immediately inform the forest department. Until the department officials reach the spot they should not harm the animal or provoke it,” said Bora. The voting lines opened on 7th March and shall remain active till 30th April midnight. Based on the results, the animal with the highest votes shall be declared as City’s Animal. The official announcement will be made on 22nd May on the occasion of World Biodiversity Day. juthika.baruah@g-plus.in

G PLUS MAR 12 - MAR 18, 2016

Document forgery by two female lawyers puts new applications under scanner Two female lawyers indulged in document forgery to obtain their practice licences; several applications are under observation following tightening of the scrutiny process

he Bar Council of Assam, Nagaland, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim discovered two fraudulent female lawyers one of whom has been practicing since 2005 while the other had applied for a fresh licence. The Bar Council has filed a complaint with the police alleging forgery against the two who had submitted bogus LL.B. pass certificates to get themselves enrolled as licensed lawyers. Beena Hazarika had submitted forged documents during a renewal process for lawyers who have been practicing for five years and above while Chayanika Koundinya did the same while enrolling for a fresh licence. The enrolment committee, during the course of scrutiny of applications, found various instances where the notary public and the advocates put their seals and signatures even on certificates where there was no signature of the deponent, which is in violation of the laiddown rules.

The Chayanika Koudinya forgery During the course of enrolment, the Bar Council came across an application for enrolment submitted by one Chayanika Koundinya, daughter of Sri Abani Sarma. At the time of scrutiny the office found some discrepancies in the documents enclosed with the application for enrolment and thereafter placed the matter before the three member enrolment committee headed by Sailen Das, chairman, and consisting of Tanmoy Jyoti Mahanta and Sudipto Bhattacharjee as members. After scru-

tinising the submitted documents, the enrolment committee found that the LL.B. certificate issued by the Gauhati University appeared to have been over-written. The committee, in order to come to a definite conclusion, directed the applicant Chayanika Koundinya to produce the original for verification. However, there was no response from Koundinya for over a month and she did not produce the required document as directed. After that the Committee felt it expedient to seek a clarification about the authenticity of the LL.B. certificate as well as a certificate issued by the Gauhati University Law College and accordingly wrote letters to the concerned authorities to clarify if Koundinya had at all passed the LL.B. examination from the University. After scrutinising the matter it was found that the roll number in the certificates produced by Koundinya belonged to one Tulika Deka. As the matter came to light, the University was contemplating initiating an appropriate action including lodging an FIR against Koundinya. Apparently, it was also found that the documents produced by Koundinya were attested by the superintendent of the Law College. The enrolment committee took a strong view on the matter and referred it to the council following which disciplinary proceedings were initiated against those who were involved in the matter.

The unearthing of Beena Hazarika Another incident was unearthed during the renewal process where it

Chayanika Koudinya was found that Beena Hazarika had been practising without any authorised degree or licence since 2005. Hazarika submitted an application before the Council under the Bar Council of India Certificate and Place of Practice (Verification) Rules 2015 where she enclosed an attested photo copy of a certificate bearing Enrolment No.169/2005 and the same was supported by the certificate issued by the Advocates’ Association, Guwahati. At the time of scrutiny it was found from the records maintained by the Council that the enrolment number belonged to one Dhrubajyoti Chakraborty and not Beena Hazarika. Accordingly, the Council directed the Advocates’ Association, Guwahati to send their records granting membership to Beena Hazarika and meanwhile directed Hazarika to produce the original certificate of enrolment. Although the Advocates’ Association, Guwahati fur-

Beena Hazarika nished a certificate of enrolment which was similar to the certificate submitted with the application for verification, Hazarika neither appeared before the Council nor produced the original enrolment certificate. Accordingly, the committee passed an order in February rejecting Hazarika’s application and directed the Advocates’ Association to cancel Hazarika’s membership. An FIR has been lodged against both the fraudulent lawyers by the Council in the Panbazar Police Station which is at present pending investigation. Also the Bar Council of Assam, Nagaland, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim have informed the Bar Council of India about the matter.

Further preventive measures The Council expressed concern

Juthika Baruah

G Plus Photo

he Assam State Museum has an approximate storage space for 11000 objects and only 10% of it has been displayed. The other 90% has been lying neglected in storage. The government of Assam which is making serious efforts to bring its museums at par with the world’s best museums invited the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) and the International Centre for the study of Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Property (ICCROM) to train its museum professionals working in different museums of the state in the Assam State Museum in the field of re-organization of storage. The two-week long workshop aimed to raise the standard of storage of the Assam State Museum to a professional level by working in team

not been properly displayed. The objects are kept in an organized manner which will be helpful for the research scholars or professors and the students, researchers with proper permission

In The News

KALYAN DEB

Re-Org workshop ends at Assam State Museum within an approved budget and follow the methodology developed by ICCROM which works in four areas - the building management, the collection, the furniture and the tools. “Storage is one of the most important aspects of Museum and more often remains in a state of neglect which is a threat to their conservation and makes them inaccessible for research, exhibition etc.” said Gael de Guichen, member of ICCROM, while speaking to G Plus. Guichen said that it is not only the Assam State Museum but all the museums across the world have storage that lies neglected. Speaking to G Plus, Director of Directorate of Museums, Y.S. Wunglengton said, “Assam has a rich cultural heritage and also a rich collection of manuscripts but it has

from the authority can use the object for academic purpose.” The Director of Museum further said that because of its significance for the region, the Assam State Museum is being used as a case

over such cases of cheating and forgery being committed and is taking all precautions to ensure that only genuine LL.B. graduates, who have passed from recognized universities, are enrolled with the Council. The Council is also taking into consideration verifying the applications submitted in terms of the Bar Council of India Certificate to ensure that the advocates who are in active practice are given the certificate so that advocates, though enrolled but engaged in other trades, vocations or occupations, are debarred from practicing as advocates. “It was a shocking incident of forgery being done by lawyers. Since such serious cases have come to light the scrutiny process has been tightened even more and there are many such cases that have been put under observation,” stated Sailen Das, Chairman, Enrolment Committee adding that there could be more similar incidents that could come to light while scrutinising the documents. Instances where Notary Public and the Advocates put their seal and signature on such affidavits where there is no signature of the applicant has also come to the notice of the enrolment committee during the course of scrutiny. In order to stop the practice of executing unsigned affidavits/documents the Council has issued letters to all the bar associations within the jurisdiction of the Council to ensure that affidavits and other documents are strictly executed in accordance with the law and the presence of executants are insisted upon by the notary public as well as the identifying advocate. kalyan.deb@g-plus.in

study for the implementation of this methodology. Assam State Museum was established in 1940 and it currently houses close to 14,000 artefacts. Of this, around 5,000 objects are on display. The museum is considered to be a premier antiquarian institute in the northeast and its roots can be traced back to 1912. It has separate sections on ethnography, sculpture, manuscript, arms, textile and a conservation laboratory. The Director also said that to make a state of the art world class museum, it is also the responsibility of every citizen to show interest in developing the museum by introducing different culture and tradition of the state. The Assam State Museum has a total collection of 751 objects on ground, 1760 on furniture and a collection of 2511 objects. juthika.baruah@g-plus.in

G PLUS MAR 12 - MAR 18, 2016

In The News

Assamese film fraternity soldiers on for revision of state film policy

The Assamese film fraternity’s battle to reduce service charges on film exhibition in the state continues but it also leaves one wondering if that is the sole reason for Assamese movies failing miserably at the box office Bipasa Saikia Kashyap

ith Joymoti being released in 1935 and it being the first Indian talkie to have used dubbing and re-recording technology as also using a female protagonist, something almost unheard of in Indian cinema of the, Assamese cinema had arrived with a bang. Then came cinematic masterpieces like Era Bator Sur (Bhupen Hazarika’s first movie) in 1956 and Puberun in 1959 (first Assamese film to be screened at an International Film Festival in Berlin) that brought all the laurels befitting an international audience etching Assamese cinema in the history of Indian as well as world cinema. However, the present scenario of Assamese films is not the same. In fact, over the past few years, there has been a massive turbulence in the Assamese film industry. The past decade actually held a testimony that regional films were just not selling, despite eminent director Jahnu Barua’s repeated claims to G Plus to the contrary.

The Film Fraternity of Assam held a convention on 6th March last and strongly demanded a clear cut film policy to facilitate a fresh start for the entire Assamese film sector. The meet was attended by various groups in the film fraternity, including the North East Television, the Video Technician Association and the Assam Cine Musician Association along with film makers, musicians and video editors of the North Eastern region. The meet was held to discuss the various grievances faced by the film fraternity - specially the Assam Amusement and Betting Tax (Amendment) Act, 2007. A recent cabinet move made by minister Rakibul Hussain and cultural affairs minister Bismita Gogoi for the approval of the policy gave the people a sense of false hope for some time. However, according to Jahnu Barua, no one from the government has apparently approached him for the revision of the policy. “We have not received any intimation in this

ment’s failure for even acknowledging the various issues that are killing the future of Assamese cinema - the most important being the amendment of the film policy in 2007.

The modification of the film policy in 2007

Bhupen Hazarika’s Era Bator Sur - 1956

Kopil Bora, Jerifa Wahid, Bani Das, Arup Borbaruah, Manju Borah addressing media persons in the city

regard. We have only come to know about it through the media,” said Baruah. Various other issues that are currently plaguing the film industry, like lack of funds and resources were also discussed. Directors like Abdul Majid, Pulak Gogoi, Manju Borah and actors like Biju Phukan and Nipon Goswami were some among those who attended the event. “The need of the hour is a united move. Before this, we held many meetings and took many resolutions. But all went in vain as many of us failed to stand together,” said actor Biju Phukan. On the occasion, even the Assam State Film (Finance and Development) Corporation, who was a part of the meet, lashed out at the state govern-

In the month of February, the Assamese Film Fraternity called out for a heated debate where they openly challenged the existing film policy and accordingly filed a PIL (case number is WPC 818/2016) in the Gauhati High Court for the negligent behavior of the State Government towards the film industry. Senior fraternity members announced that the most specific clause of the new and revised policy was that the old one be revived. Addressing the crowd, eminent director Bani Das said, “A specific clause of the PIL is that the old policy should be thoroughly looked into.” Assam charges the highest amount of service charges in the entire country at Rs. 40 on a ticket costing Rs. 100. This used to be a meager Rs. 4.50 in 2007 which skyrocketed overnight as the film policy was revised. The second highest service charge is levied in Maharashtra which is Rs. 14. States like West Bengal even today are charging Rs. 3.50 per ticket. Due to this, there has been a massive imbalance in the distribution of revenue in Assam. A panel of young and talented actors also joined the convention and voiced out their appeals for the revival of Assamese cinema. Actor Zerifa Waheed stated that ample pressure will be put on the government for the new policy to take shape. “We want to establish Assamese cinema as an industry and until and unless that happens, our demands will never be taken seriously. Governments come and go and in between our problems remain unheard.” bipasa.saikia@g-plus.in

Weather report for the week SAT 12 March

SUN 13 March

MON 14 March

TUE 15 March

WED 16 March

THU 17 March

FRI 18 March

Sunny

Mostly sunny.

Sunny

16 / 27 °C

14 / 27 °C

16 / 27 °C

16 / 29 °C

18 / 29 °C

18 / 31 °C

19 / 30 °C

G PLUS MAR 12 - MAR 18, 2016

Governance

Defacing of hoardings is illegal: DC

Defacing of hoardings is an illegal move

Juthika Baruah

Any organisation can create awareness to implement regional language but defacing of hoardings/signboards is illegal.

District administration will take action against the organisation who defaced the hoardings

90% of the hoardings of political parties have been removed from public properties as a part of the model code of conduct

AYM activists defacing a hoarding nies are seeking an official circular from the administration but the DC is not aware of it. “As we are a global company we cannot change the hoardings arbitrarily. The logo, size, etc. all are approved by the headquarters and even the space left on both the sides in the hoardings are specified by them. I have been repeatedly asking the administration to provide us with a circular so that we can change the hoardings and signboards and incorporate Assamese which needs an approval by the head office. One hoarding costs around Rs. 1-1.5 lakhs and the company is ready to bear the cost but they need a cir-

cular as to how much authentic it is,” said an employee of a German based company. But the Deputy Commissioner said that he has not received any such communications and they will surely take initiative for the companies saying that the regional language should be implemented by all. “The global companies can write in English but the Assamese language is necessary and as they are doing their business in Assam they have to follow the instructions of the state government,” the DC said. On the other hand, with the Model Code of Conduct coming

Zublee and Zubeen part ways

n a woeful piece of news, Zublee has announced that she is parting ways with Zubeen Da for the forthcoming Rongali Bihu season. It will certainly be a disappointment for those who visit Bihu events purely to witness the delightful duo as the coming Bihu will not have any such event. After over a decade of association and sharing of stages all over Assam, Zublee will be seen performing solo along with her band. Notably, although Zublee took the stage alone on several occasions, she has never been seen performing solo during Bihu functions. “It was not an easy decision to take as we have been associated with each other for several years. However, it has also been my long-standing desire to perform solo in Rongali Bihu celebrations but season after season, it somehow has not materialised. Although, it was not an easy decision to take and both I and Zubeen Da were very emotional

into effect, the administration has removed hoardings which have been a part of political campaigns. Annoyed by the parties flouting norms and placing posters randomly, the administration has started removing all hoardings from the metro zone. Hoardings can be placed on private properties only with the permission of the property owners. The Election Officer of Kamrup Metro said that the parties should follow the rules and they have to obtain written permission from the owner of the place to place the hoardings and also there should be details of the printer and publisher

is set to be released very shortly along with a few other projects that include another album with her folk/rock band where the music is by Partha Pratim Goswami. She is also working on an Assamese lullaby and will be the guest music director for the play “Breaking News” by Rajdweep for Kohinoor Theatre.

Assistant expenditure observers will be appointed in addition to the expenditure observer which should be clearly mentioned. More than 90% of the hoardings in all the four constituencies have been removed. The Election officer said that the Dispur and Jalukbari constituencies have been marked as expenditure sensitive constituencies and the flying squads with the surveillance teams will also keep a close eye on the activities of the political parties and the rallies organised by them. Besides, assistant expenditure observers will be appointed in addition to the expenditure observer of ECI. juthika.baruah@g-plus.in

GHC stays ‘Demolition’ order around KNP

A about it, he at the same time was very supportive,” Zublee asserted. It was also mentioned that the parting is only for the upcoming Rongali Bihu season and the duo will be performing together again in future. But the events remain uncertain. Currently Zublee is also working on the second volume of Mati which

G Plus Photo

he act of Asomiya Yuba Mancha which has defaced various hoardings that were not in the regional language is illegal according to Kamrup (M) district administration. Rather, they could have created awareness to impose the regional language. Speaking to G Plus, Deputy Commissioner of Kamrup (M), M. Angamuthu said, “Defacing of hoardings is not legal and if anyone wants to take the initiative of imposing the regional language they may create awareness rather than carrying out such illegal acts. We had instructed the government and non-government institutions to impose regional language in signage/hoardings and had set the deadline as 31st January. Now that some of the organisations have not followed the instructions we will take action against them but the social organisations who have defaced the hoardings can’t take such action as it is a violation of the law.” The DC said that the administration has not given any permission of defacing hoardings to any organisation and that action will be taken against those who have done so as it is an illegal act. Anyone willing to implement the regional language can create awareness - be it in the school level or by organising public meetings so that the institutions can get a certain period of time to implement the language. Meanwhile, the global compa-

Gauhati High Court single bench has put a stay on an order issued by National Green Tribunal (NGT) earlier in which the latter directed the government to demolish shops and dhabas located within 100 meters of NH-37 or in the protected area of Kaziranga National Park (KNP). On 19th January, the NGT had passed an order stating that all shops and dhabas located within 100 metres of NH-37 on the stretch between Jakhalabandha and Bokakhat in upper Assam and all such establishments within 500 m of the boundary of Kaziranga were liable to be demolished. The order had shed a pall of gloom among hundreds of businessmen and owners of such dhabas and

resorts in the said stretch. Later three of these establishments challenged the NGT order before the high court saying that their constructions were legal. Petitioners said that majority of the people along the Jakhalabandha-Bokakhat stretch survive on Kaziranga tourism and if the order of the NGT is given effect to, it would jeopardise the livelihood of a large population. They also said that the local population protects Kaziranga, which has led to a huge increase in all types of flora and fauna, including rhinos and tigers. While putting a stay on the demolition order, the single bench court has also commuted the matter to a division bench where a similar matter is being heard.

G PLUS MAR 12 - MAR 18, 2016

City

8588 cases still pending in

rahul chanda

ith the formation of the city police commissionerate, the structure of the police functioning has changed with various senior police officers getting extra responsibilities to keep checks on law and order situations. As there are three police districts in the city now, every district has some police stations under it. G Plus checks the crime scenario of the east police district analysing the crime rate of the district, police station wise in 2015. There are six police stations under east police district viz. Dispur, Bhangagarh, Basistha, Hatigaon, Sonapur and Khetri.

East Police District

The east police district registers more cases in 2015 than previous years and the disposal of cases on time still remains a concern even despite formation of the commissionerate 8588 cases still pending disposal in East Police District

Police stations registering more cases Significantly, Dispur PS is the most important police station in the district as it registers maximum cases not only from Guwahati but in the entire state. According to highly placed sources in the police, there are approximately 7000 cases still pending in Dispur Police Station. As Dispur is the stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s capital and considered the most important locality in the state, the local police have to always be alert about crime-related incidents happening there. Ganeshguri falls under the same police station and it is an important business hub of the city which makes the area very critical. The entire Dispur area is newly built up and as maximum numbers of retired government officials and bureaucrats have made the locality their home, it is a vital zone in the state. In 2015 the police station registered 2958 cases and disposed 3352 cases. The figure looks mismatched because there were already 6958 pending cases in the police station. On 1st January 2016, 6564 cases where brought forward as pending cases from the previous year. Basistha is the second police station which registers a huge number of cases and because of all the coal depots established in the area, it is a sensitive area. According to highly placed sources in the police, the Jorabat police and Basistha Police are blamed for having a nexus of forming a syndicate which allows banned Meghalaya coal to enter Guwahati without following the National Green Tribunal (NGT) norms. The Basistha police in 2015

Crimes like land grabbing, cybercrime, dacoity and burglary have increased Dispur police station registers the maximum cases in the entire state Khetri and Sonapur police stations keep witnessing many public stirs Issues like less man power and frequent transfer of police personnel hamper the investigation process G Plus Photo

registered 1443 cases and disposed 1616 cases. The previous pending cases in the police station were 1490 cases and this year there are already 1322 pending cases. According to police sources, crimes like land grabbing, cybercrime and burglary has increased in the area.

Bhangagarh & Hatigaon Recently Bhangagarh police station was in a lot of controversy after the Congress-BJP tussle at Rajiv Bhawan where many BJP leaders alleged

that the police acted in a biased manner favouring the Congress. The police station registered 262 cases in 2015 and disposed 303 cases as 211 cases were brought forward from 2014. 177 cases were pending at the start of 2016. The police station has to deal with all the crime cases registered in GMCH where patients from all over the state come for treatment. Also the local police have to be extra alert as the Congress headquarters is located in the area. Cases of theft have also increased in the area according to police sources. Hatigaon registered comparatively lesser cases but some

Cases registered and disposed in police stations under east police district, Guwahati Police station Dispur Hatigaon Basistha Bhangagarh Khetri Sonapur

2013

2014

2015

Registered

Disposed

Registered

Disposed

Registered

Disposed

2760

2172

2748

3158

2958

3352

480

426

384

473

444

534

992

896

1182

945

1443

1616

285

346

231

345

262

303

194

209

176

202

200

210

425

487

222

322

362

334

sensational cases were registered in the police station like the triple murder case. It also registered some major dacoity and burglary cases in 2015. Hatigaon registered 444 cases in 2015 and disposed 534 cases as 427 cases were previously pending since 2014. In 2016, the Hatigaon police station has 357 cases pending disposal.

Sonapur and Khetri Khetri and Sonapur fall under tribal belts and register the least cases in entire district. But maintaining law and order situation in these areas is a concern as the police face many stirs and agitations in these areas. Sonapur registered 362 cases in 2015 and disposed 334 cases in the same year. 89 cases were brought forward from 2014 and in 2016 it has 123 pending cases. Similarly, Khetri registered 200 cases and disposed 210 cases in 2015, and in 2016, 45 cases are pending in Khetri police station. In summation, 8588 cases are still pending disposal in the east police district. But why are there such a large number of pending cases in the district?

Problems The police face a lot of problems and the most prominent is the shortage of manpower. According to a senior police official, there are 17 IOCs in Dispur Police Station and all of them are responsible for investigating cases which are registered in the police station. But these officers also have to take care of the law and order situation for security. They are also deployed for VIP security duties. So, to dispose more cases the investigating officers have to dedicatedly work on investigation and so, the need for different units for security and investigation arises. Similarly, the Dispur police station covers a vast area, and hence there should be more outposts in the area to cover all places. Also the officers frequently get transferred which makes the new officer take time to familiarize himself with the entire case from the beginning which delays the process of investigation. The formation of the commissionerate brought an expectation that the case disposal figure will increase. It might have increased but the numbers pending are still a cause for concern. rahul.chanda@g-plus.in

G PLUS MAR 12 - MAR 18, 2016

City

Guwahati’s election sops: the new foundation stones

In a move to allure voters sitting Congress MLAs go on a foundation stone laying spree

KALYAN DEB

he race for the crown began days before the election dates were declared and with that also began the exercise of alluring the voters. The step began with the many lanes and by-lanes of the city that have been thirsting for development for years. Throughout their term as representative of their respective constituencies, the MLAs could not perceive the sufferings but the forthcoming elections have worked as an eye-opener to the representatives. Guwahati also witnessed a similar spree of development in the past few months that clearly had the agenda of alluring the voters. Foundation stones were laid for the construction of several lanes around the city that had remained undeveloped for the past several years despite pleas and cries of residents for a positive change. Meanwhile, in some of the areas, it was the first initiative ever of constructing a road. G Plus carried out a survey where several areas of the city were found to be lying in shabby conditions for several years and had not seen any change despite various efforts from locals and residents. However, the blow of the election horn has woken up the MLAs of three of the four constituencies of the city followed by release of funds for the development of these areas. The fourth constituency of Jalukbari unfortunately has missed out on the sops with its MLA now longer in power. Areas such as Hedayatpur, Kharguli, Bharalumukh, Jayanagar, Jyotikuchi, GS Road and several others witnessed public meetings in the recent past. The same were chaired by the respective MLAs of the constituencies laying the foundation stone and promising the development of the roads. Hedayatpur is one area that had been deprived of the basic requirements of a constructed road and proper drainage system, which resulted in flood and several other inconveniences for the people residing in the area. However, in a public meeting held on 10th February last that was chaired by the MLA of Guwahati East, Capt. Robin Bordoloi, the foundation stone of the construction of road was laid and the MLA expressed his contentment on the development of the area. Bordoloi also made his presence felt in Kharguli when he inaugurated the Bonkonwar Path in Kharguli on 28th February where only part of the entire road was constructed and the rest had re-

mained deprived. However, people are still uncertain if the entire road will be constructed. Similar was the scenario on 24th February when Akon Bora, MLA, Dispur constituency laid the foundation stone of the 9th By-lane of Jayanagar that had remained deprived for several years. “For the past several years we have been striving for the construction of the road. The road that now exists is only due to the efforts of the people and had never undergone any development in the past. We even approached the MLA several times but did not get any assurance from his side and his ready excuse always was lack of funds. However, with the elections coming up, the funds have sprung out of nowhere and this is only to allure the voters,” asserted Mano Roy, a resident of Jayanagar. Along with the MLAs of Gauhati East and Dispur constituency, Hemanta Talukdar, MLA, Gauhati West was also seen equally participating in the rat race. He also had his name engraved in some of the foundation stones, one of which was recently laid in Dhupolia in Jyotikuchi. “There are several lanes and by-

lanes in Dhupolia but only the main lane was constructed. The condition of the lanes is very pathetic but they failed to grab the attention of the MLA for the past several years. Now, as the election dates are nearing, the MLA made a move to construct a few yards of the main lane whereas the by-lanes still remain in disastrous condition. The step is a very clear move to allure the voters but such moves after fifteen years of existence of the government will not earn them any favour,” stated a resident of Jyotikuchi. Talukdar also laid the foundation stone of Prabhat Chandra Choudhury Path in Kumarpara on 10th January and an amount of Rs. 12 lakhs was sanctioned. Meanwhile, it is for the first time that any kind of construction of the particular lane has been initiated. The existence of the road is only due to the initiative of the people who collectively took the required steps for the development of the road. “We have been striving for the development for around seven years and it is only now that funds have been sanctioned for the road. For the past several years people have been suffering. Irrespective of the agenda of

the politicians we are happy to have the road being constructed,” stated Gautam Das, a local resident. Residents of Masjid Lane of Sreenagar on G.S. Road echoed similar views after the foundation stone was laid on 27th February. It was also mentioned that it was after a gruelling period of over three years and pursuing Robin Bordoloi relentlessly that the road has been sanctioned.

Protest against anomalies by MLAs However, the move of laying the foundation stone has also ignited protests among the councillors of BJP. In several areas MLAs have sanctioned funds of GDD (Guwahati Development Department) which is a central government fund and had MPs, MLAs and councillors of different wards of the city among several members. The fund is issued through GMC and is further implemented by the councillors whereas in few of the areas the MLAs have sanctioned the fund and erected marble plaques with their names engraved on them. “While most of the implementa-

tion is done by the councillors, the MLAs engrave their names on the foundation plaques. According to norms, the plaques should only carry the names of the contractors, amount sanctioned, length and breadth of the area constructed and such other information. The move has not only been opposed by BJP councillors but also several councillors of Congress have also supported the opposition,” stated Shashanka Jyoti Deka, councillor of Ward No. 21. Similar views also came from Sunita Bhilwaria, councillor, Ward No. 8 where MLA Hemanta Talukdar has engraved his name in one of the marble plaques. Following the opposition the MLAs have suggested to carry the names of the MPs and the councillors in the foundation stones laying ceremonies that will be held in future. The construction of marble plaques that hold the name of the MLA is a clear move to take credit for any kind of development. However, the fall-out that these sops will bring will only be seen on 19th May after the declaration of the results of the Assembly elections. kalyan.deb@g-plus.in

G PLUS MAR 12 - MAR 18, 2016

Crime

Guwahati records highest number of

rape deaths in state in ten years G

uwahati’s march to be a smart city soon will be only a cosmetic attempt to modernize the city on the surface while the city continues to ignore its core societal problems. A city cannot develop until and unless there is abatement of crimes against the women population. Crimes against women have risen immensely since the past ten years and the statistics tell a scary tale. In the past ten years in Guwahati, women have been victims of ethnic violence, societal intolerance and have even been targets of the mainstream media. The total number of crimes registered against women all over Assam from 2005 to the end of 2015 is 74,101 according to Official State Police Records. Out of this, about 16,000 are rape cases. A total of 78 women died due to rape in this period, while 1,388 were killed in dowry-related cases. The number of women killed in witch-hunting cases is 123 over the state.

Guwahati’s statistics Out of the total figures, from 2005 till the end of 2015, Guwahati has registered approximately 4,579 cases of crimes against women. The city registered the fifth highest number of atrocities against women and these figures are actually just the cases that were registered with police. The actual number is higher. Guwahati comes

Guwahati records low conviction rates and lower arrests when it comes to crimes against women

2100 1900

1960 1721

1700 1634

1500

1100

1701

2047 1852

1716

1419

1300

1310

Highest number of rape related deaths recorded in city

1203

900 700 500 300 100 2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

Bar diagram showing Assam’s rape statistics over last 10 years right after Cachar - 6,162 cases, Barpeta - 6,477 cases, Dhubri - 7,385 cases and Nagaon - 7,472 cases. Out of the total 4,579 cases registered in Guwahati, charge sheets were filed for only 1,388 cases which were taken up by the state police department for proper investigation. According to Guwahati police statistics, a total of 3,191 cases were not registered for FIR. An average of about 50 cases is registered every month and the average is growing. The average growth rate of crimes against women has peaked in the last five years. On micro observation, the reali-

EMFA advocates for postal voting facility to media persons lectronic Media Forum Assam (EMFA) has urged the election authority of India for providing the facility of postal ballots for the city based media persons during the forthcoming Assam Legislative Assembly election scheduled for April 4 and 11 next. The media forum argues that there are thousands of media employees including journalists in Guwahati, who work for the 20 plus morning news dailies, around hundred periodicals, five satellite news channels and a few electronic media outlets. However, most of these media employees living in Guwahati are non-natives to the city and they have their voting rights in their native home towns or villages. “There are more than four thousand media

Bipasa Saikia Kashyap

Guwahati is fifth highest when it comes to crimes against women in the entire state

employees along with their eligible family members who don’t have their names in the voters’ list of greater Guwahati. These people often miss the opportunity to exercise their voting right as they cannot leave the station on the poll-dates due to their crucial duties of covering the election and thus most of the votes often go waste,” said a statement issued by the EMFA. So the forum appealed to the chief election commissioner of India as well as the chief electoral officer of Assam to arrange for postal voting facilities for the interested city-based media persons along with their families. The EMFA clarified that the centre for postal balloting and also the date and time for the same should be decided by the election authority where the forum has no specific choice.

ty presents a gloomy tale. Out of the total 1,388 cases taken up by the city police, there were 838 who were arrested mostly based on serious first party crimes. However, what is shocking is that only 32 people have actually been convicted of these crimes. So what the numbers trickle down to is this: a total of only 32 arrests have been made from a total number of 4,529 cases registered in Guwahati in the past ten years. Most of the cases are still pending; victims are yet to be handed justice and convicts are yet to face judgments. The number of solved crimes does not even constitute 10% of the total.

Assam BJP president and currently CM candidate, Sarbananda Sonowal referred to the National Crime Records Bureau data and blatantly refuted Tarun Gogoi’s claim that the rise of crimes against women have lowered in the state. According to statistics, crimes against women in Assam have been recorded as one of the highest in India. “By ignoring this single most important data to judge Assam’s performance on such an important parameter, Gogoi willfully withheld vital information from the people of the State,” Sonowal said. Sonowal lashed out against the CM and said that it was “deplorable” for

him to claim, as a matter of interpretation, that the intensity of the 19,139 (till 2014) cases of atrocities registered against women in Assam is in any way less than what the data reveal for some other states. Gogoi had earlier said that while in 2014, there were 19,139 cases of atrocities against women registered in Assam, BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh registered far greater number of such incidents. In these ten years, except for 2011, when there was a slight dip in the crime graph compared to the previous year, there has been a general upswing. According to city police data, in the entire state, the number of women who succumbed to their deaths due to rape is the highest in Guwahati (9) followed by Sonitpur (8), Chirang (8), Dhubri (7), and Jorhat (6). Guwahati (M) has recorded the highest number of deaths due to rape in the past ten years, with a total of 9 registered deaths; a close second are Chirang and Sonitpur with a record of 8 cases till 2015. bipasa.saikia@g-plus.in

Dedicated helpline for children

ith constant rise in crimes against children and more and more children falling prey to human trafficking rackets, the Assam government has decided to open an exclusive helpline to safeguard child rights across the state. Pressing for strict action against any violation of child rights, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi urged the people of the state to join hands against any such atrocities against children. Gogoi stressed that a mechanism should be created to check on such crimes at the source besides rescuing victim children from the clutches of human traffickers and child abuse rackets. “Unless people rise against the ill trend, children from poor

financial, educational and backward backgrounds are prone to such atrocities and traffickers. The state government has decided to open an exclusive helpline for children across the state soon,” Gogoi said. The helpline will be opened at all district and sub-divisional levels across the state soon. Once the helpline will start functioning, a 24X7 call centre is slated to attend any emergency calls and alert the concerned authority immediately. Currently, the state unit of Childline located here is providing a similar helpline to reach out to the children in need. Since 2001, Childline (Guwahati) has intervened in as many as 6115 cases. Gogoi recently flagged off the Mukti Caravan, a campaign on wheels

against child trafficking spearheaded by Bachpan Bachao Andolan (BBA) in association with Kailash Satyarthi Children’s Foundation. As a part of the first phase, a group of youths will cover 10 districts of the state and spread awareness amongst communities, villages and towns prone to human trafficking. It will sensitise the people through street plays, folk songs infused with social messages, pamphlets, wall writings, pledge signings and awareness camps on child exploitation and need for education to sensitise the masses. Former victims of trafficking and bonded labour will also participate in the campaign and sensitise masses about trafficking and related exploitations.

G PLUS MAR 12 - MAR 18, 2016

Ward Watch

WARD NO

Concentrated area: Kedar Road Ward number: 8 Sub-division: 8(a) Councillor: Sunita Bhilwaria Phone number: 9435706657 Area sabha member: Runu Dutta Phone number: 9864094445

G Plus Photo

Problems: Dust and uneven road condition

Locals of Kedar Road distressed with on-going pipeline project

Since the initiation of the project, the area remains engulfed by a cloud of dust which, apart from poor road condition, is a major concern we move further inwards the scenario worsens.

Problems faced by the people That the major part of the road has been dug out and the piled up soil covering most of the road is becoming a daily cause of concern for the people of the area. Apparently the GMDA/ JICA water supply project which is underway in the area for the past three months has been playing havoc on the daily lives of the locals and those carrying out business from the area. “Ever since the water project was being implemented they started digging up the road. It began around two month ago when excavators started digging up the road and although the side of the road was filled up once they are now digging it up manually again and as a result the soil is piled on roads. Ever since it has become very difficult for a pedestrian to even walk through the area and moreover no work is being carried out currently,” said Prateek Jain a local resident. He also mentioned that for vehicles it is virtually a camel ride as due to the project large potholes that have been created in the road. According to other locals, though

the road has been in a pitiable state, it wasn’t creating much of a problem prior to the water project implementation. However, ever since the pipeline project was initiated, the problems of the people have compounded to a point where the business outlets have had to install plastic curtains in order to avoid the dust from getting into their workplace. Moreover, the western end of the road that was constructed around two years ago has also

been left in a dreadful state during the initiation of the project. It was around two months ago with the initiation of the project that left the newly constructed road devastated and it lies in the same condition till date. “We can cope with the poor road condition but the kind of air pollution that is pervading the area is more of a concern. As soon as we open the door a storm of dust flies inside our house, which is also very unhealthy,” asserted

G Plus Photo

ituated in the western part of the city, Kedar Road is surrounded by commercial institutions all around. Despite these commercial institutions, Kedar Road also happens to be a residential area. The western end of the area connects to AT Road which it meets under the middle of the Athgaon flyover. The eastern end meets the bank of the Brahmaputra River at MG Road. As one strolls towards the Brahmaputra bank, the mesmerising view of the statue of Lachit Borphukan gradually emerges leaving the passerby awestruck. The area is also surrounded by several monumental sites such as the Tarun Ram Phukan Park, several mosques, Red Cross Society of Assam State Centre and many more. However, that is the only good part of the area and nothing much can be written beyond this. Now a turn back towards AT Road will describe a picture of reality which only expresses the pitiable condition of the area. Covered by a cloud of dust it may be wisely suggested to all passers-by to cover their noses as a precautionary measure to avoid any kind of infectious diseases. The connecting path from MG Road is apparently only possible for pedestrians to traverse as the area remains crowded with vehicles serving the several commercial institutions. As

KALYAN DEB

a local. Compounding the problem of dust emanating from the on-going water supply project, the GMC parking in the area is also a major concern. Several garbage trucks and other vehicles of the Guwahati Municipal Corporation are stationed in the area which also plies through the area for most part of the day. The uneven road that ejects huge quantity of dust along with the poor road condition and the lack of parking space adds to the problems of the people. “Gradually the area is becoming a full-fledged parking space but the problem of dust will remain until the project is completed. The condition of the area does not characterize a city especially with the area which is a commercial hub remaining in such poor condition. There is no proper parking space and due to the on-going project which has damaged half the road vehicles have to be parked on both sides resulting in severe congestion causing massive traffic every evening,” said an anguished local of the area. It was also mentioned that there were several other problems such as garbage collection which has been addressed to but the main solution lies in the earliest completion of the pipeline project. kalyan.deb@g-plus.in

G PLUS MAR 12 - MAR 18, 2016

G Talk

Graceless Ineptitude

uestion paper leakage? No big deal! It has happened before, it will happen again. So, as a piece of news, this is not even sensational any more. The recurrence of the leakage this year is also not much of a concern; it is more or less expected. And what is the big brouhaha over thousands of answer scripts going up in flames? Just hold a re-examination. The students are resilient enough to take the brunt of such lackadaisical ineptitude that has come to govern the state’s examination board and council. Indeed, there hasn’t even been a murmur of helpless protest from the student community over a series of shameful incidents that can actually roast the SEBA and the AHSEC over slow fire for years to come. As for the one job that the two departments are entrusted with – that of holding the annual exams for the beleaguered students - what is utterly disturbing is the lack of grace with which their high officials repeatedly accept their own sheer incompetence. We have inside information that the sealing of the question paper packets were wrongly done such that the sealing wax was not placed along the seams of the envelopes but rather elsewhere in a random fashion. Also, it is plain apparent that the answer scripts that got burnt were placed without proper security. Having said that, it is plain ridiculous and laughable that the chairman of the AHSEC responds by saying that the whole

issue is “extremely unfortunate and disturbing,” that the matter is being taken seriously, the culprits are being hunted, heads would roll, and most vitally, the particular examination has been deferred. An inspector of schools here and a peon there is suspended, chowkidars are arrested, the CID is instituted to probe the matter and that beautiful word “sabotage” is back in circulation. All this brings the joke to a mirthless end and life continues; the worthlessness of the two departments will continue to be annually showcased. Can we have a limit to this prevailing nuisance? A huge exercise in self-assessment is the need of the hour. And this exercise needs to start from the very top. It is shocking that until 8th March, there has not been a word of assurance from the education minister. Understandable that these days it is the chief minister that is more heard and seen but isn’t the situation apt for the other gentleman to undertake some damage control exercise? And redeem his smeared image to the extent possible? Or is the election track demanding so much focus that veering off it could spell his political doom? Whatever be the case, the continuation of these unprofessional lapses coupled with this graceless ineptitude with which the situation is handled would one day be the doom of the student fraternity. That is more than certain!

Swapnil Bharali Executive Editor

Vijay - No Maal Ya!

Will the BJP-AGP-BPF combination be able to create an anti-incumbency wave before the elections?

lection results have by and large been predictable in Assam for the past several decades. Even in the last assembly polls, it was known that the Congress would return to power although the total number of seats it won came as a bit of surprise. Everything however seems to have become unpredictable in 2016 with psephologists joining the dots and trying to make sense of the confusing trends for the forthcoming polls. The puzzling scenario is the outcome of a combination of several factors, current and historical, which has contributed to multi-ethnicity in the state with each group nurturing its own political preferences. An undercurrent of antiincumbency coupled with the danger from the continuing demographic aggression from Bangladesh could play a decisive role in determining the outcome of the polls this time around. An evaluation of the existing mood across the state throws up certain observations. Firstly, there will probably be a hung assembly with a fractured verdict which means a coalition government. Secondly, the BJP could emerge as the single largest party although it is difficult to precisely estimate the number of seats it would win. And thirdly, BJP’s allies – AGP and BPF – would not perform as badly as had been surmised two months ago. Therefore, there is a greater chance of the BJP forming the next government with its allies. The contest would be very stiff in about 50 seats, especially in lower and central Assam, where the Congress is expected to retain some seats and win some from the AIUDF. For instance, Nalbari could swing either way and much would depend upon the candidate nominated by the BJP. At least seven seats in the Bodo inhabited areas are heading for an exciting finish because of a likely division of Bodo votes. I would say it is advantage BJP but it is a tough contest ahead.

Rajeev Bhattacharyya

rior to the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the Modi wave became very prominent and dominant. This wave however receded after the Delhi and Bihar elections. This proved that the ‘Modi wave’ was not really effective in State politics. Moreover, the alliance between BJP and AGP has snubbed various people within the party and irked several voters. So it is possible that the votes that would go in favour of BJP and AGP might just get diverted to Congress. After Himanta Biswa Sarma left Congress, there is no reported dissidence in the party. There is no one actually vying for the Chief Minister’s seat. By and large, Tarun Gogoi enjoys the full support of his party for another term as the Chief Minister. Although Sarbananda Sonowal is the BJP’s chief ministerial candidate, it has been known that the main motive of Himanta Biswa Sarma is to become the Chief Minister. Many old BJP party members are also unhappy with the decision of sparing many seats to the newly joined members from Congress. Also, since minority voters have a major role in Assam’s politics, the saffron ideology of BJP will be rejected by the minority and votes will either go to AIUDF or Congress. Experts opine that there will be no single majority party time, but it must be noted that many AIUDF members recently joined Congress which makes them more prominent in the political demography of Assam. And no matter how much you slam the current Government, since Congress has been in power there has been peace and prosperity in the State. Congress definitely has the potential to rough it out for another term.

SIDHARTH BEDI VARMA

hat is the difference between a farmer and Vijay Mallya? Simple, while one cannot dream of owning 30 acres of land to farm on, the other has the same as a vacation home in another continent just to lie low. Conveniently, this house is in the UK, extradition from where is very difficult and a long drawn process. Now, what is the difference between the State’s treatment for a farmer and Vijay Mallya? One is beaten to death for non-repayment of loans and the other cannot even be hounded, let alone brought in by the authorities for the same reason. Surprisingly, the amount of money for which a farmer loses his life is not even a fraction of the Rs. 9000 crores that Vijay Mallya owes to 17 banks. If this special treatment is not enough, Vijay Mallya is also an MP from Karnataka which means that he is having the cake and eating it too. Mallya’s tweets in the past 24 hours have been very entertaining. He has basically threatened the media, brought in the judiciary and called

for the mighty Arnab Goswami to be sent to prison for his “sensational” journalism - something many people would agree with. All this trash talk by Mallya definitely does point to the very evident nexus between the media, businessmen and politicians. The unfairness in the whole issue is that Vijay Mallya’s personal assets will remain forever intact and Siddharth Mallya will continue to reap the fruits of the vast empire his father has built for him and perhaps even brag that he is a self-made man. Vijay Mallya loves speed and cars, both of which help him be India’s latest high-profile absconder. He has now joined a very special list of controversial Indians who have fled to the UK to escape criminal proceedings. This coveted list includes the likes of Lalit Modi for financial fraud, Tiger Hanif for the ‘93 blasts of Gujarat and Nadeem Saifi from the Gulshan Kumar murder case. To add icing to the cake, the Indian Mission is yet to give a clear timeline as to when and if at all Mallya will return to the country and settle his debt.

Letter to the Editor PLIGHT OF THE CONTRACTUAL ASSISTANT PROFESSORS Dear Sir, I would like to express my views regarding anomalies in grading marks to a potential candidate (a contractual Asst. Professor) sitting for viva for getting selected for a sanctioned post of Assistant Professor. It has been observed that the selection committees for viva form their own rules for grading marks to the candidates. Earlier, D.H.E, Assam had forwarded a clause stating that full 1 mark will be allotted on the Experience Section to the candidates who have worked for one year on a continuous basis without any break. The irony is that DHE has issued an order to all Govt/Semi Govt. colleges that Asst. Professors appointed on contractual basis should be given an appointment for 89 days breaking the service of which is contrary to the fact of allotting marks on experience without any break of service. Now, DHE has come up with a new set of guidelines for selecting sanctioned Asst. Professors and they have amended the Experience clause. The new clause is of much relief and acceptable to the Asst. Professors who have been working on contractual basis. As per this rule, if the person has worked for the same hours in a year just like a sanctioned Asst. Professor then he/she should get 2 marks for one year, omitting the part without service break. The second clause fails to mention the number of working hours which proves to be a problem for the contractual teachers with a doubt as what should be mentioned in the experience certificate. As per UGC rules, an Asst. Professor should conduct up to 16 hours (maximum) of class teaching in a week. This means that there is total of 180 numbers of working days in a year excluding regular holidays and summer/winter break with 6 days in a week. Thus there are 30 working weeks for a sanctioned Asst. Professor and 480 hours of classroom teaching in a year. Hence, if a contractual Asst. Professor has done 480 hours of classroom teaching or worked 180 days in a college then he/she should get full 2 marks for a year. But, it has been observed that many members of the selection committees do not recognise the experience marks of the Asst. Professors working on contractual basis. Now the question is, doesn’t a contractual teacher deserve the experience marks even if there is service break as the system has made so after working same hours as a sanctioned Asst. Professor?

Gulam Ommar Ahmed Guwahati

G PLUS MAR 12 - MAR 18, 2016

Are the education boards getting off too lightly by just rescheduling the exams and issuing regrets? The recent mishaps and issues surrounding the HS exams in the State has harassed the students. Given that there were no suspensions and the CID probe not yielding any results yet are the education boards getting off too lightly by just rescheduling the exams and issuing regrets?

Rahul Roy

Mon Imaan Hazarika

Sandip Dey

Snehal Deb

Salma Nasrin

Nandini Chkravorty

es they are taking it very lightly. The future of the students is at stake. Whatever enthusiasm with which they tried to appear for the examination is lost. It is not going to be the same any more. The boards should have done better by providing proper security in the places where the answer scripts were sent for checking as much as wherever the question papers were stored before the examinations.

es. SEBA is taking things too lightly. A student who appears for exams with so much pressure in his head has to reappear just because these so called boards have handled matters carelessly and callously. This negligence should not be tolerated anymore and things need to be modified or changed asap because the students should not suffer at any cost and things should not be taken so lightly. The government should be strict from now onwards in matters like these and should take punitive and proactive action as the case may require.

Anita Sharma Classical Dancer

his has become a common phenomenon of the education boards, but they don’t understand the fact that the regrets being issued by them is not at all justified in the face of the harassment faced by the candidates and not by the people of the board. Their careers are hanging on a thin rope due to such so called “common mishaps” of the boards which is not at all sorted out. And what do they do? They just say an irksome sorry which is not at all tolerable. These things must be brought to an end and the people of the board should take these things seriously. They should take action regarding such hopeless situations rather than being sorry and announcing re-examination dates which is a curse for the students.

es! The board must be penalised. Every student sitting for re-examination must be compensated for the harassment caused. This exam will determine their future and they had given their best in it and the re-examination has been a nightmare for them. When all other students will be celebrating after exams these students will be studying. Results will be delayed and admissions will be started and they won’t have enough time to revise for competitive exams. The committees responsible for setting the paper and its storage must be suspended and criminal cases must be filed against them. The board must be revamped for proper functioning in the future.

es. The State Board is getting off easily by re-scheduling the exams and issuing regrets. The career deciding examination of a student’s life has become a matter of joke in the hands of SEBA. And issuing regrets is like stabbing someone and saying sorry, which makes no sense at all. As we know, competitive exams are knocking at the door. JEE mains are on 3rd April, 2016, i.e. after 22 days. A student has to revise for that at this point of time. He neither has time nor the enthusiasm to study for boards again. I feel the concerned authorities should be punished immediately for the negligence so that such things are never taken for granted in future.

In Focus

G Plus Photo

egligence is prevailing since 2010. Sometimes it was students who had appeared and yet were declared absent in the mark sheet. Sometimes there were cows having the answer scripts for their lunch. And the latest is that answer scripts have been burnt. The government is taking it very casually which is evident in their approach. The infamous consolation for the students is “I am sorry.” Two guards have been arrested and the CID has been given the responsibility for investigation which is under the State government. It will be a wasteful hue and cry for some days just for show. Some more will be arrested and that will be the end of the story.

Meet Meet Meet

“

One only becomes an artist when the person is a good human being” is what Padmabhushan Kelucharan Mohapatra had said to Anita Sharma when she was training under the exponent of Odissi dance. She staunchly believes the same and tries to imply it in her life. Although Anita was born in Dibrugarh on 1st March, 1969 she started her education from Guwahati at TC Girls High School and later went on to do her master’s from Gauhati University in Assamese Literature. A well-known Sattriya and Odissi dancer today, the recognition came after years of hard work and immense dedication towards dance. She believes that what we wish to do should be done with sheer enjoyment rather than considering the same as hard Achievements follow automatically. Being the granddaughter of historian Benudhar Sharma she grew up in a culturally enriched environment. Anita started taking dance lessons at a tender age of 10 under the guidance of Late Roseswar Saikia Barbayan. While she was undergoing training she came to be associated with Akyatan in 1979 that held a dance drama from Panchatantra and which was directed Garima Hazarika. It was then that she developed a relation with the veteran dancer. When in 1982 Garima Hazarika started Mitali Kala Kendra, Anita expressed her desire to train under her and was exposed to Odissi. She learnt the various aspects of the dance form including costume and choreography. On 3rd September, 1991 she staged her first solo performance (Mancha Prabesh). Apparently she was also Garima Hazarika’s first student to have gotten the opportunity to render a solo act. The year 1991 holds huge prominence in her life as it was the same year that she graduated from Handique Girls College and also got married to Samar Sharma. In most incidents one tends to lose touch with one’s passion but it wasn’t the case with Anita. She was blessed with a daughter in 1993 and due to the same kind of cultural environment prevailing in her new life she could continue with her passion for dancing. She went to Bhubaneshwar to train under Kelucharan Mohapatra. “It was when I was training under Guruji that I understood the true definition of Guru-Shishya parampara and I learnt that dance is not just a passion but a way of life. He was very happy to have me as a student as I was his first student from the northeast. He taught me that one only becomes an artist when one is a good human being. I then came back and started my institution “Abhinay” which was named and inaugurated by Guruji,” Anita stated to

G Plus. However, her inclination towards Sattriya always remained. She further started working on Sattriya dance under the guidance of Padmashree Jatin Goswami. She also got to learn the richness of Sattriya which made her gravitate towards choreography. Her first stint with choreography was Riturag in 2011, which was largely accepted and gave her the assurance that she was going on the right path. However, her dream came true on 13th July, 2014 when she choreographed Jyoti Prasad Agarwalla’s Xonit Konwari in Sattriya dance form. She was also offered the junior fellowship by Government of India where her subject was “Different Folk Elements in Sattriya Dance.” An empanelled solo artist of the ICCR, Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, Anita Sharma has had the privilege of performing in almost all the major dance festivals of India such as Khajuraho dance festival, Konark festival, Mahabalipuram festival, Bhayachandra festival, DIAF, Nritya Sangam, to name a few. A widely travelled and highly experienced danseuse, she has presented her art in various countries like U.K., Sweden, U.S.A., Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Russia, and specifically at the Sydney dance festival, Australia and Erasing Borders & Drive East Festival of New York. For her immense contributions as a dancer, teacher and choreographer, she was conferred the prestigious Sangeet Natak Akademy Award for the year 2014 by the Government of India last year. It requires mentioned here that she is the youngest artist from Assam to have attained this highly coveted distinction. She focuses on the promotion of the dance form for which she seeks the support of the government and the regional media. “To spread awareness about the 600-yearold heritage of Sattriya dance, we, the artists and the media have an equal role to play. In events that take place in different corners of the country people line up to be a part of the event whereas at the place where Sattriya was born, people’s lack of interest is stark. If this continues it will only throw up a sad picture ten years down the line. The media, along with promoting the performances, should also provide constructive criticism that will help the artists develop,” Anita said. Besides being a dancer Anita is an avid reader, enjoys cooking, listening to music, and hanging out with her friends. She believes that the smaller aspects of life can bring the most happiness.

G PLUS MAR 12 - MAR 18, 2016

Art

TAJMAHALAR NIBIDA

AN ATTEMPT AGAINST CORRUPTION

Subhrajit Roy

“

The Taj Mahal,” the exemplary edifice of dedication towards love and architecture, has forever been the subject of experiments of filmmakers and dramatists. In September 2015, the members of Yuva Chhatra Mancha of Dibrugarh University unfolded some torn layers from the pages of history on the stage of Rabindra Bhawan in Guwahati through a dramatic presentation. Their enactment brought to light the story of love between Shahjahan’s daughter Roushan Ara Begum and

Iranian architect & artisan, Amanat Khan Shirazi who was behind the construction this iconic mausoleum and not the better known love of Shanjahan and Mumtaz Mahal. Taking this regular fact of Shahjahan’s love as reference, the artists of the Guwahati-based socio-cultural organisation “Aanrakapor,” in collaboration with Ministry of Culture, Govt. of India, recently presented the play “Tajmahalar Nibida” on the same stage on 1st March, 2016. Although it sounds funny that

the construction of Taj Mahal is about to go through the process of tender, the play adopts the satirical pattern in presenting the moral. Originally, created in Hindi by Ajay Shukla as “Tajmahal Ka Tender,” the Assamese adaptation of the play has been done by Anupam Kumar and designed and directed by young director Dhiraj Kumar. A direct attack on the acts of corruption spread through the bureaucratic strata in government departments and other

stakeholders in the society, the play portrays a contemporary picture of the socio-political scenario of Assam. Coming to the storyline, when Mughal Emperor Shahjahan (Hirajyoti Sharma) desires to construct the Taj Mahal, the assignment goes directly to the corrupt engineer Gupta (Rupam Chetia) and his subordinate Sudheer (Manoj Martin Saud). Both the officials plan to build up the Tajmahal Construction Corporation (TCC) at first and the emperor allows funds accordingly. Years pass this way, but no progress is visible so far as construction work is concerned. On enquiring about the status of the work, Gupta just gives him some false assurances. Contractor Bhaiji (Bikash Das), another acquaintance of the corrupt duo, also fuels the fire of corruption by availing fake projects and doing zero work. The government fund goes to waste this way and several other stakeholders like the Social Worker, Enforcement Officer, Pollution Control Official and many more, also come forward. After twenty five years of its inception, not even a single tender could be invited for actual construction work. On the other hand, Gupta builds up his dream farmhouse and a 5-storied hotel. With the Tajmahal as an example, the play deals with the subject

of corruption that prevails in any government funded construction work. Bringing references like “Yamuna Bachao Aandolan” and “Marble Patthar Bachao Aandolon,” the play raises the issue of “Lower Subansiri Hydel Project” in Assam and the subsequent public agitation. The process of land acquisition near the Yamuna river bank from the encroachers is also compared with the encroachment of Satra land in Majuli and green belt in Kaziranga by illegal migrants. Mentions of points like “dissidence” and “disinvestment” bring some humour in the play which has nothing but satirical tinges. The play can be considered as an honest attempt to be an eye-opener in projecting the open secrets of corruption at all levels of society. Through the mode of comedy and punch lines the play was successful in conveying its inherent moral. But certain sequences in the play were repetitive whereas some others were unwarranted which together resulted in making the play a bit lengthy. Otherwise the play could have been shrunk by almost 20-25 minutes from its duration. Even characterization of certain actors in the play was also unwarranted. The puppet dance sequence in the play could have been used more and more as the narrator. All these make the directorial angle of the play a little weak. So far as the performances are concerned, Hirajyoti Sharma enacted the role of Shahjahan pretty well and Bikash Das did immense justice to the character of Bhaiji. Rupam Chetia and Manoj Martin Saud brought different shades to their respective characters. The play was enriched with limited but excellent set design by Shiv Prasad Nath and Dhruvaraj Pathak. A property like the draft plan diagram of the project which was often used by Gupta to knot Shahjahan’s neck brought some humour in the play. The cylindrical diagram which was hung from the ceiling and which eventually enveloped the face of the emperor to signify the dream moments made the particular scene a signature one. All these were supported by the light design of Prasanta Kumar Das. So far as the background score is concerned, Dhanjit Boro contributed some humour in the play by using a retro Bollywood number as well as a jingle from an old Doordarshan serial. Altogether, the play can be considered as a good initiative in focussing hyper sensitive issues related to the development of the common masses. But it lacked perfection in its presentation.

G PLUS MAR 12 - MAR 18, 2016

92.7 BIG FM

PRESENTS AXOM JIYORI RUPE GUNE season 5

Dr. Srutimala Duara conferred “Woman of the Year” award

Event

Days

Events

March 12th to March 18th

MAR 12

nternational Human Rights Council (Assam Chapter) celebrated International Women’s Day at Don Bosco Provincial on 8th March. Writer Dr. Srutimala Duara who was the chief guest, was felicitated on the occasion with the “Woman of the Year” achievement award. Other prominent guests in the function were Pranabjyoti Goswami, DCP Traffic, senior journalist Manjit Mahanta, Utpal Sharma, NE Region Head of Cultural Resources & Training and Amandeep Paul, founder and managing director of NEEDS Group.

AT 12:00 PM

TASVEER’16 - ANNUAL PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBITION Vivanta by Taj Guwahati

eliance Broadcast Network’s radio arm 92.7 BIG FM, India’s No.1 FM Network reaching over 4 crore Indians each week, offered a unique opportunity to the female student fraternity of Guwahati to showcase their talent in the fifth season of Axom Jiyori Rupe Gune. The search to find the Top 15 such bright and brilliant girls kick started on Saraswati Puja with a call for entry promos being aired. From the umpteen numbers of applicants, the Top 10 finalists got selected based on popular votes for the grand finale at Recipes on 5th March, 2016. Bhanu Sarma, renowned beautician; Barnali Pujari, actress & writer; and Tinat Atifa Masood, well known personality developer, social activist, actress, singer, writer & motivational speaker graced the occasion and judged the finalists over three rounds – introduction, talent and judges’ question. Amidst much anticipation, Nibir Jyoti from Cotton College was adjudged the winner. Dimpa Kalita from Royal Group of Institutions was placed second and third position was taken by Anamika Saikia from Handique Girls’ College.

New Sac Building, IIT Guwahati

AT 6:00 PM

GUWAHATI FOOD AWARDS 2016 XS The Place To Be AT 7:00 PM Musician Kishore Giri taking out a procession with women journalists to mark the International Women’s Day in Guwahati on Tuesday.

PRE WOMEN’S DAY BIKE RIDE

PSYCHEDELIC NIGHT FT. DJ DEE

Bringing you one of the pioneers of the the DJ scene in Assam - Psy Dj. He has represented Assam at the Biggest Musical Dance Event – Sunburn Cafe Hendrix AT 8:00 PM

2 STROKE TOUR FEAT. THE CIRCUS & STREET STORIES IIT Guwahati AT 8:30 PM

LIVE PERFORMANCE WITH DIYA GHOSH AT ADVAYA 2016, IIT GUWAHATI Terra Mayaa

Women’s Day Ride supported by Assam xBhp, in Association with Metropolis, Decathlon Azara, Guwahati, Meghna Driving Training Institute & Galaxy Gym. A Bikerni ride was organised in Guwahati on occasion of International Women’s Day. For the 1st time this ride is organised under the banner of The Bikerni and arranged by The Bikerni: Guwahati Chapter (NE Part) in Association with ‪X BHP‬ Assam.

AT 8:00 PM

VANS LIVE NIGHTS II DUALIST INQUIRY & MADBOY MINK

G PLUS MAR 12 - MAR 18, 2016

Lifestyle

yon gyan

VAASTU SHASTRA VAASTU ASPECTS ON

COTTON COLLEGE

ur inquisitive mind always wants more. The story of Adam and Eve ended with eating the forbidden apple. When we ask our patients who are diabetic not to eat sugary desserts, the crave for the same increases. Similarly when we live in a society where talking and discussing sex is an absolute “No-No” it begs the question: are we doing good or bad? As a teenager when I was growing up, I had often seen television channels being switched off when there was an advertisement of a sanitary napkin. 20 years now, in the 21st century, this is still a common occurrence in most households. But by changing the channel so abruptly, are we not putting unanswered questions in the young mind the answers to which are often brushed aside by their parents and teachers. They get half-baked answers from friends and the internet which provides the fodder for future myths and misconceptions. “Having periods is not an insult.” Let’s break the cycle of secrecy, misinformation and fear about menstruation. The taboo that words like “whisper,” “secret” bring to menstruation should be looked into. Menstruation is a natural activity which should not need curtains to hide behind. Let us hold hands and educate our next generation on shame-free menstruation. Let that sanitary napkin advertisement continue on TV and let us start answering the questions that arise. Your children will respect you more for the same and you may become a friend to them for life. Dr. Mithun Bhartia is an expert in Diabetes, Thyroid and Sexual matters. He has returned from England after 12 years. His clinic is in Panbazar near Hari Sabha. Send your queries to advicesexologist@ gmail.com

otton College is the first college of northeast India and was established in 1901 by Sir Henry John Stedman Cotton, the Chief Commissioner of the British Province of Assam which included all the hill states at that time. Being one of the premier institutions of the country, Cotton College is ranked 37th in the Arts stream among the colleges in India. A proud saying amongst all past and present students of Cotton College is, “What Cottonians think today, Assam thinks tomorrow.” It was true till the ‘90s but after the advent of CBSE schools, the students started migrating to the Central Board so that they could get admissions in colleges outside Assam and compete with the rest of the country. Interestingly, the vaastu of Cotton College also kept on changing with new additions in and around the campus. The Cotton College campus is divided into four parts. The Physics and the languages departments are housed in the northwestern portion. The Chemistry department and the library are at north. The Administrative building and the departments of Mathematics, English, Economics and Political Science are at south along with four hostels. It also has the auditorium and the principal’s residence. The eastern part has the departments of Zoology and Botany besides three hostels. The girls’ hostels are on the other side of the Dighalipukhuri tank. The College is blessed with open areas at north and east in the form of the Judges’ Field and the Church Field. There is the big tank at east in

the form of Dighalipukhuri resulting in academic excellence. But now several buildings have come up in the northeast of Cotton College thus affecting its Vaastu. The head of any organisation or institution must occupy the southwest portion to command control. The Principal’s residence is at the northeast part of the central block. So the principals of Cotton College have never had proper control over the students. The Ranjit Barpujari (2nd Mess) and Krishna Kanta Handique (3rd Mess) hostels are at southwest and west of the central block. Traditionally, students from these two hostels have always done very well in academics having occupied the most exalted positions. The Rajnikanta Bardoloi Hostel (Cosmo) is in the northeast with a higher northeast and with a toilet block at east. This hostel has often had skirmishes involving the boarders and the general public. The northeast and the east of this hostel are sealed with a high wall. There is a proposal to demolish all the dilapidated hostels in the southern part and construct high rise RCC buildings in lieu thereof. This will add weight at south which should augur well for the college.

Hemanta Kumar Sarmah Engineer, Businessman, Advanced Pranic Healer and Su Jok Acupressure specialist

recipe of the week Cupcake

Flour 1 ½ cup Cocoa powder – 3 tablespoons Baking powder – 1 ½ teaspoons Baking soda – ¾ teaspoons Milkmaid – 1 cup A cupcake is a small cake designed to serve one person, which may be baked in a small thin paper or aluminium cup. As with larger cakes, icing and other cake decorations such as candy may be applied. A muffin on the other hand is just a cupcake without icing. The first mention of the cupcake can be traced as far back as 1796, when a recipe notation of “a cake to be baked in small cups” was written in ‘American Cookery’ by Amelia Simmons. In the early 19th century, there were two different uses for the name cup cake or cupcake. In previous centuries, before muffin tins were widely available, the cakes were often baked in individual pottery cups, ramekins, or moulds and took their name from the cups they were baked in. This is the use of the name that has remained, and the name of “cupcake” is now given to any small cake that is about the size of a teacup.

Butter – ¾ cup, melted and cooled

PROCESS

Ingredients

reheat the oven for at least 10 minutes. Take butter in a bowl. Melt it in a microwave. You can melt on stove top as well. Cool. Take dry ingredients (all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and baking soda) in a bowl. Mix well. When melted butter is cool, add water. Add milkmaid and whisk well. Add all the dry ingredients and blend together. Take paper cups and fill them with the batter. Put them into muffin moulds and bake till done. When cool, ice them with frosted icing. Frosted Icing: Mix one cup butter with two cups icing sugar, one tablespoon of milk, one teaspoon of vanilla, and food colouring of your choice. Pipe into different designs.

Vanilla extract – 1 ½ teaspoons Water – ¾ cup

KULKUL RAHMAN Entrepreneur, mother and a passionate cook

G PLUS MAR 12 - MAR 18, 2016

Lifestyle

What’s HOT this summer? Best version of

ontinuing on the topic from last week, I would ask you to repeat to the two questions when you get dressed: 1. What is the weather like? 2. What is the occasion? If your outfit can answer both of these questions, then congrats! You are dressed properly. Indeed in this heat, you shouldn’t look like a hot mess. Check out the must-have trends you need to try this summer!

BRAIDED PONYTAIL Adding a braid is an easy way to dress up a ponytail. Plus, it’s a very young, fresh look. Fashion trends come and go, but there is one classic kind of hairstyle that will never step out of fashion. That is the ponytail hairstyle. Ponytails are not merely the traditional versions if you want to get a more luscious look. Some trendy tricks must be added to the originally simple ponytail. You will see that the ponytail hairstyles are quite versatile for all women and all occasions. EXPERT TIP- It’s all about direction. To make sure your braid doesn’t fall flat, we recommend intertwining the strands loosely, pulling down and forward as you do. Try on braided hairstyles now!

WHITE The hottest colour for summer is white. And it makes sense, because white is not only crisp and pretty, it is also quite feminine and looks killer with any shade of skin. And really, that’s what we want in the summertime, isn’t it? Rock the colour of the season, wherever you may find yourself. We count a perfect white dress among our spring and summer essentials. It’s the go-to staple that’s as fit for a cocktail party as it is for a weekend. Whether you are replacing

an old favourite or need inspiration for a totally new twist, consider the Sohum Emporio your one-stop shop to finding your perfect white dress — for any body type or budget. From an office-appropriate shift to a specialoccasion gown, it’s all here.

SANDALS You know the saying, “Give a girl the right shoes and she’ll conquer the world?” Whether you wear them with tanned legs in the summer or quirky tights in the fall, true fashionistas know that sandals can be donned all year round. We’ve got it covered, with boho-style gladiators, strappy sandals with heels, espadrilles that lace up the leg, plus every other trend that might show up in between. So instead of wasting half a pay-check on those brands, snag a pair from Fancy Bazar that’ll break open the sandal game without ever having to break the bank.

OVERSIZED SUNGLASSES ARE A MUST

sory for any woman while the sun beats down on her during the spring and summer seasons. The season of sunshine also means you’re never fully dressed without a pair of great shades. This spring season, the glasses will be going big. Spring Summer 2016 eyewear trends suggest sunglasses with enough personality to punch up any outfit - think bright mirrored lenses, floral-embellished frames, round and square styles to complement the season’s biggest retro trends. Try colourful, irregular and playful shapes. They are the detail that makes the difference. Browse and shop at various eye brands stores like Titan Eye+, Himalaya Opticals, etc. available all around the city. Go big or go home! Well that’s all for now. Keep up your trendy look this season with minimal effort as Leonardo da Vinci delightfully elucidates in his quote “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” Sonika Ajmera Fashion Epitomist

Sunglasses are a necessary acces-

DRINK FOR YOUR HEALTH

re you worried that a pint of beer, a glass of wine or whisky on the rocks will hamper your fitness goals and ruin your health? Don’t. Go ahead and have a drink tonight, if you like. A plethora of research already suggests that moderate alcohol intake provides a laundry list of health benefits, particularly where the heart is concerned. As if that wasn’t enough to justify imbibing, a new study of nearly 15,000 adult men and women showed that drinking up to seven drinks a week is associated with a lower risk of developing future heart failure when compared to not drinking at all. Harvard Medical School and Brigham & Women’s Hospital researchers analyzed data from 14,629 people, aged between 45 and 64, recruited to the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study in the late 1980s. They kept tabs on the participants for over 20 years (through the end of 2011), questioning them about their

alcohol consumption at the start of the study as well as at each of three subsequent visits. As measured in the follow-up period, more than 1,200 men and 1,200 women developed heart failure. The lowest rate of these occurrences was

found in those drinking up to seven alcoholic drinks weekly, whereas the highest rate was found among former drinkers. After taking into account the various risk factors that could affect the results – including age, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, body

yourself

t’s not what you do once in a while that makes the difference. It’s what you do daily that differentiates you from the average. Your daily routine has to do everything in deciding whether you will or will not be legendary in your life. Robin Sharma says “Your days are your life in miniature.” To craft a perfect life, you need to perfect each day of yours. After all, how you spend your day today decides how your future will be. Extraordinary people have mastered this art of perfecting each day. An unimportant day is a myth. Jim Rohn said it best: “Success is something you attract by the person you become.” And to be the best version of yourself, you need to adopt the best practices in the world. I remember back in 2007, when I began developing my own plan for growth, I simply began by changing my daily routine. Few things that I incorporated in my daily routine are: • Waking up at 5 am daily. • Working out for at least 1 hour. • Reading a success book for at least 2 hours. • Writing in my journal at the end of every day. • Listening to a motivational message. • Reviewing my goals daily. • Drinking lots of water. Believe it or not, these simple inclusions to my daily routine has changed and shaped me into what I am today. It gave me the necessary

health and understanding of having goals in life, perfecting my days and working towards my goals with commitment, self-discipline and iron-clad persistence. So, if you have been wondering where to start, start with yourself. Change your daily routine. Become the best version of yourself. Wake up early, acquire knowledge daily, eat the best food, inspire yourself daily and don’t give up ever. As per a study done by University College, London, it takes 66 days of repetition to hardwire it and make it a habit. So, change your habits. Good habits are difficult to adopt but easy to live with, whereas bad habits are easy to adopt but hard to live with. Practice your craft daily and don’t stop even if you become the master of your craft. Improving your daily routine will improve your heath, time management, focus, concentration, commitment and take you to world class levels. Only when you change, things around you start to change. And the best day to start changing is TODAY.

Madhur Jayne A practicing chartered accountant and a certified nutritionist. He is the co-founder of a coaching centre for chartered accountancy and commerce students. He is a life coach and trains people on subjects like time, health, lifestyle and people management. Visit www.madhurjayne.com for more details.

mass index, cholesterol count, activity level, smoking – the researchers reported in a 2015 issue of the European Heart Journal that those who consumed up to seven drinks a week had roughly a 20% reduced risk of developing heart failure compared to non-drinkers. Not surprisingly, the study also showed that you can certainly have too much of a good thing. Participants consuming 14 drinks per week or more showed no reduction in heart-failure risk compared to abstainers. And in those drinking 21 drinks or more weekly, there were nearly 50% and 90% increases in risk of death, respectively, for men and women.

define one drink as about 14 grams of alcohol. This is the equivalent to approximately one small glass (4-5 ounces) of wine, a 12-ounce beer or one shot of liquor, such as whisky or vodka. In other words, don’t be afraid to drink in accordance to these rough guidelines. Enjoying a moderate amount of beer, wine or even hard alcohol won’t take away from all the work and dedication you put into your training and nutrition – it might actually enhance it! I believe in balance and that includes enjoying good food and drink, if you’re so inclined. Life’s too short not to savour the things you love on occasions!

TAKE HOME ADVICE:

Reference:

These study results aren’t meant to encourage slamming beers as a means of boosting heart health. Sorry to burst your bubble! They do suggest, however, that moderate drinking – one drink per day, 3-4 on two weekend nights, or hell, all seven in one night – may offer a protective mechanism against heart failure as you age. The researchers in this case

Goncalves, A., et al. Alcohol consumption and risk of heart failure: the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study. European Heart Journal, 2015. BIBHU MONI SINGHA, Fitness Expert & Sports Nutritionist Gym Manager, Training & Nutrition Head, SFL Fitness, Guwahati

G PLUS MAR 12 - MAR 18, 2016

Reviews Cast: Himesh Reshammiya, Farah Karimi, Naseeruddin Shah Director: Shawn Arranha

vie w o M vie Re

aghu (Himesh Reshammiya) is leading a dual life. He is a gangster but his fiance Tara (Farah Karimi) has no clue about it. Farah is a singer with a band. The duo stay with her mom (Shernaaz Patel). After confessing that he cheated on Tara, the duo break-up and this paves way for a major downhill in their lives. Under the pretense of a performance, Farah is invited to Ireland by Anirudh Brahmin, a guy she meets on Facebook. Farah takes up the assignment and is soon falsely claimed for drug peddling. An imprisoned Tara calls Raghu for help. Will Raghu be able to help Tara and solve the mystery of Aniruddh Brahman? Teraa Surroor comes off as one of the dumbest scripts ever. The film’s plot lacks intelligence. For starters, the characters are extremely loosely written. Raghu is the protagonist and hence he gets a background and a flashback too. Unlike his love interest

who strangely dresses like a high-school girl. Just to create an illusion of a mystery, the writers introduce a string of characters, that do not help the story much. Imagine, Shekhar Kapur is seen playing an Indian Embassy guy in Ireland but his introduction goes like – “Meet my almost exhusband Rajvir. He also works in the Indian embassy”. Another crazy character is Robert Santino (Naseeruddin Shah) who has fled 14 prisons in his life. He talks like a ‘shayar’ and sketches for no reason. If all this is any less, the twist in the story or should I say the revelation of Aniruddh Brahmin’s character is completely stupid. Also, the build-up towards it is extremely lame. Worst part is, in the first fifteen minutes of the film itself, Himesh kills a drug lord, cheats with his girlfriend with the least of emotion in any of the acts. Himesh Reshammiya once again tortures us with his attempt

at acting. He has one expression in the entire film and shockingly even in his intimate scene. (Is that what non-consensual sex for a man looks like?). He shows off his not-so-hot body often and you couldn’t care less. Hopefully this is his last attempt because his ‘Suroor’ is certainly not working for us. Farah Karimi debuts with this film and may it be her last. The girl hardly emotes and in her prison scenes, looks like she is stuck to the bed. She doesn’t cry, laugh or even smile properly, I wonder if it is because of her co-star. Shernaz Patel plays Tara’s mother. We now know what a favor (acting in this film) looks like. Naseeruddin Shah seems to be enjoying himself as Santino. He is at leisure cracking random dialogues. Shekhar Kapur is funny as hell. He gets the most hilarious line in the film ‘That’s why I hate love stories’.

FAR CRY PRIMAL

ar Cry Primal is a case study in how a game’s setting can drive its every layer, from the tone of its story, to the dangers of its world, to the brutality of its combat. That setting is the Stone Age. It’s 10,000 BC, and our protagonist Takkar is searching for the lost members of his Wenja tribe. They’re scattered across the Oros Valley, a dense wilderness of forests, swamps, and frozen caves, complete with mammoths and sabertooth tigers. As Takkar, you’ll build up a new Wenja village with a multifarious cast of characters. This reconstruction sets up Primal’s progression system. By recruiting the aforementioned Wenja--such as the shaman Tensay

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or the warrior Karoosh--you’ll unlock new items, weapons, and abilities. When you look past the facade, it’s essentially a new skin for the franchise’s traditional upgrade structure. But it lends character to what could be a lifeless system. As you build up your tribe from within, you encounter members of other groups, the majority of whom have plans contrary to your own. The identity of each of the game’s three tribes, and the political dynamic between them, sets up conflicts in a natural way. Learning the unique abilities of each animal, and taking the time to experiment with them, is essential for your survival. After a while, your predator allies become an

extension of yourself. They become the powerful weapons otherwise absent in the the abrasive wilderness. Editor’s Note: Far Cry Primal is now available on PC, and after taming numerous wild animals, liberating defended enemy outposts, and recruiting several members of the Wenja tribe, it’s clear that Primal’s PC version not only matches the quality of its console cousins, but slightly outpaces them in several ways, too. 60fps makes the brutal combat smoother. Detailed textures lend a more natural look to the Stone Age environment. Far Cry Primal’s setting is its greatest strength, and in its newest form on PC, it’s still worth the many hours it takes to explore.

Jai Gangaajal 2.00 PM

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Jai Gangaajal 11.15 AM Terra suroor 9.15 AM, 2.00, 6.50 & 8.45 PM Love in twang (Assamese) 4.05 PM

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Album:

Us and the Night

Artist:

Jai Gangaajal 11.30 AM, 2.00 & 8.30 PM Terra suroor 11.00 AM, 5.00 & 8.00 PM Love in twang (Assamese) 2.30 PM neerja 5.30 PM

Book:

3 Doors Down

The PCOD Thyroid Book

Author:

ast time we saw 3 Doors Down it was in 2011, when the post-alt quintet started to take stock of the onset of middle age on the monotone Time of My Life. Looking straight into the abyss caused the band to fracture, with the group losing founding member guitarist Matt Roberts and longtime bassist Todd Harrell, leaving vocalist Brad Arnold firmly at the helm. Arnold retained drummer Greg Upchurch, kicked

Rujuta Diwekar

u Yo LD TEN SHOU LIS Chris Henderson up to lead guitar, added new guitarist Chet Roberts and bassist Justin Biltonen, then hired renowned heavy rock producer Matt Wallace to make 2016’s Us and the Night. Despite its nocturnal title, Us and the Night is by many measures a brighter affair than Time of My Life: the guitars are still cranked to the max and the rhythms would fill a stadium but the tenor is lighter, the band spending equal time on

affirmations (“Everybody’s got a right to change,” they cry on “Believe It”) and sly sleaze (“In the Dark” -- as in “She likes to do it in the dark” -- is Nickelback by any other name). If 3 Doors Down favor wide strokes over specificity, that only underscores how they’re attracted to the elements that drift along in the mainstream current, appropriating shopworn mass culture so they can spin it into something bigger, louder, and simpler.

on’t blame it on the hormones. As women, it has always been up to us to leave behind the heritage of health, just like your grandmother did for your mother and everyone in the family. But it’s not easy to leave behind a legacy of health and harmony — we must first create that in our lives. That requires making time for ourselves, be it for exercise, to eat

u Yo LD ad SHOU re

right, or simply to nap. This book is about taking charge of ourselves, thanking our bodies and making peace with the fact that it’s not the hormones, it’s us. What can we do about our food, sleep, exercise and relationships that will make us feel good, help us overcome the conditions of PCOD and Hypothyroid, and most importantly get off drugs and stay off them for good.

GOLD Cinema Salasar Building, Lakhtokia 9854077177

Neerja 2.30 AM & 5.30 PM jai gangaajal 11.30 AM, 2.00 & 8.30 PM Terra suroor 11.00 AM, 5.00 & 8.00 PM

GOLD Cinema

LG Towers, Narangi 8811001898

Jai Gangaajal 8.00 AM Terra suroor 11.00 AM & 5.00 PM Love in twang (Assamese) 2.00 PM

G PLUS MAR 12 - MAR 18, 2016

Entertainment What has been your driving force apart from just sheer passion to follow a career in drumming? I still don’t know what made me choose drums from all the other instruments. All I remember is that I used to play random beats on the table and pencil box when I was a kid because of which I was often scolded. With a few of my childhood friends, we formed a band and started playing in local shows during the festive seasons back in Guwahati. I remember crying and begging my mom for a drum-set every day without getting a positive response. Then one fine day, one of my very close friends, Ahad, asked me to play his congo at a school function. We had a few rehearsals at his place and went with whatever guts we could muster putting up a performance which turned out to be good. For my relentless pursuit and interest, my mom managed to get me a drumset. Finally on the evening of 20th December 2005, a drum-set came home. Both me and my mom stared at it for a while after which she asked me, “Now where to keep this monster in this little house?” I remember goading her to leave and staring at it before I came to terms with owning a drum-set. Within five days, on Christmas, I got an opportunity to go live on stage. The most unexpected moment of the day was when I was felicitated by one of the chief guests with a ‘gamosa’ for my performance after the show and that is where it all began. I can say that such appreciation and respect from the crowd at that time acted as a driving force to follow a career in drumming.

Tell us something about support from family and friends, financially and mentally. Mental support has always been there from my friends, but to get it from my mom was quite a task. I kept hanging in there for years and eventually attained my mom’s trust. I just had to make my own way out when it came to financial support. But finan-

Getting personal with

Nawaz Hussain SIDHARTH BEDI VARMA

cial problems never stopped me from doing what I loved and always wanted to do. In fact, it acted as a boost for me to work even harder. It made me the self-made man I am today. And this also gives me a chance to tell my fellow musicians that nothing can stop us from doing the things that we love provided we give our very best.

Tell us something about your new projects. There are a couple of things that I’m working on, but my latest work is a music album with Aditya Narayan. One of its singles is set to release this March. Recording live drums for this album in the Yash Raj Studios was quite an opportunity. I am also working on some instrumentals with one of

the finest guitar and bass players from Assam, Kalyan Baruah, who has now settled in Mumbai. Hopefully this too will be out very soon and we plan to upload it on YouTube. Working as a freelance drummer in Mumbai gets me a lot of projects which I am always looking forward to.

A career as a musician can be taxing on an individual given that mainstream acceptance is still difficult to come by. How have you handled harsh situations? It is indeed very difficult and very true that getting mainstream acceptance is difficult. But it’s not impossible. When you accept your work wholeheartedly, you don’t really have to give importance about getting into

the ‘mainstream’ because in the end you are surrounded by the kind of music that you have always wished for. My journey as a drummer has been full of challenges. I gave up on my studies and came to Mumbai with an intention to learn how to read and write music. For every middle class musician the journey is not at all easy and I was no different in this regard because of which the city took me for a ride. But I always believed in the word ‘struggle’ because it played a very significant role making my life more interesting and fresh. It is a positive word for me as I struggle everyday and my day is complete only when I conquer the obstacle ahead of me. Music is where I receive my education from and struggle is how I garner my mental strength.

Artists you’ve been influenced by? Not exactly influence, but yes I do get inspired by a few. My love for drums began when I started listening to various bands but eventually I realized that the drummers who I was attracted to were mostly the independent ones. Being a sessions drummer in Mumbai, I personally feel that listening to independent drummers like Vinnie Coluita, Omar Hakim, Dennis Chambers, Steve Smith, Simon Phillips … and the list goes on … would add tremendous freedom to my style of playing. I do have a personal list of some super amazing bands like Textures, Periphery, Planet X, Garaj Mahal, Tribal Tech, The Mahavishnu Orchestra, Pink Floyd, Coldplay, Porcupine Tree, etc. including artists like Spyro Gyra, Steven Wilson, Greg Howe, Allan Holdsworth, Hiromi, David Gilmour, David Foster, Jeff Buckley, Pat Metheny, John Scofield, etc.

Commercial music making and personal taste may vary. How do you plan to choose if it comes down to that and why? It does vary! The artistry of playing the drum-set is restricted in the commercial or pop sphere. But to turn simple drumming into a grand recital by giving justice to the song is a task and I simply love doing that. I play my own thing and work on my music with other musicians. I look forward to the variations.

What is your advice to new talent emerging from the northeast? I don’t think that I’ve learnt enough to give any advice to other artists but I think it depends on individuals. You just need to keep taking the tiny steps towards your vision. From my side, I would suggest that people don’t lose sight of the target. It takes dedication and patience to achieve what you’re passionate about. Keep pushing yourself harder each day.

Any particular musicians from the northeast that people should watch out for? There are a few awesome bass players who are senior to me like Akashdeep Gogoi, Manas Chowdhary, Dibyajyoti Nath. Added to this, a few guitar players like Kalyan Baruah, Krishna Pradhan, Pawan Rasaily and my buddy Ishan Das are some of the prominent musicians whose works are cherished here in this city. These musicians are session as well as live players who have been working with big names like Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy, Salim-Sulaiman, KK, Farhan Akhtar, Pritam, Sachin-Jigar, Anushka Manchanda, Jeet Ganguly, Ankit Tiwari, etc. There are many such artists making amazing music that need support of the people from their hometowns and all I ask for is support which is very important in this business.

G PLUS MAR 12 - MAR 18, 2016

Citypedia

EMERGENCY NUMBERS

Horoscope Aries With the planets stacking up in a more secluded area of your chart, this is an opportunity to take time out to reflect on life. Even so, this week’s Solar Eclipse in this same sector could encourage you to take a look at whatever seems to be drawing to a close in your life. This can apply to projects, goals, circumstances, and relationships. In addition, be sure to read the fine print and note the details if you’re closing a deal later in the week!

Taurus Whether a friend’s idea is good or should be avoided is something you will need to research. This week’s Solar Eclipse on Tuesday may spotlight the opportunity to liaise with another or perhaps a group or interesting project. But don’t drop your guard and agree to go along with it without doing your homework - you could lose out in the future.

Cancer

Gemini You have the opportunity to shine this week, so make sure it’s for all the right reasons. With a Solar Eclipse as the driving force behind your actions, be careful about making any promises. Others will certainly hold you to your word. Meanwhile, opportunities could come up that bode very well for you in the future.

Are new experiences or faraway places calling to you? They may be this week, as a Solar Eclipse in your travel and adventure zone could see you eager to venture outside your comfort zone or take on a challenge. But you’ll want to put some thought into this, as taking off on the spur of the moment might not be your best bet.

Virgo

Leo Your finances are firmly in the picture this week and could be stirred up somewhat by a Solar Eclipse in your zone of shared resources. Whatever events take place in the coming days, try not to overreact. Do what you have to do in order to contain the situation or grab an opportunity. Beyond that, bide your time until next week when you’ll have a much better idea of the lay of the land.

Relationships could take a new turn in the days ahead, particularly with this week’s Solar Eclipse bringing one or two issues to the surface. One key romantic or other association could reach a turning point. In addition, facts can be deceptive and things may not be as they seem. So, if you’re going to hold a heart-to-heart chat, don’t base important decisions on what’s being said.

Scorpio

Libra

Will your routines evaporate this week? It’s possible, particularly if you’re tired of your job, health routines, or your lifestyle in general. This week’s Solar Eclipse could see you giving up trying, particularly if it’s something in which you’re not really interested. But it’s also an opportunity for a fresh start, and quite a big one at that. If something draws to a close, don’t chase after it.

This is a sterling time to grab the spotlight and showcase your skills and abilities. The Solar Eclipse in your zone of creativity, romance, and self-expression could be very exciting. If you have talents that you’ve barely exploited, you might be offered an opportunity to promote them that could lead to greater exposure in the future. Certainly, a love affair could become more passionate and intense.

Capricorn

Sagittarius

Aquarius Don’t be tempted give too much away, particularly if you can’t really afford it. This week’s Solar Eclipse may tug at your heartstrings. If someone needs help, you might be the first one to reach out to him or her. Yet before you part with your hard-earned cash, be sure that you aren’t doing so in vain. There are many reasons why things may not be as they seem.

Sudoku

This week’s Solar Eclipse in your communication sector could bring an interesting opportunity your way. Or you could be offered the chance to collaborate on a project or close a deal. But you need to tread carefully unless you’re certain of the facts. What you’re being offered could be perfectly valid and potentially lucrative, but it isn’t without pitfalls. These need to be fully investigated before you agree to anything.

Pisces

This could be an exciting week for you, with a Solar Eclipse in your sign that may encourage you to take a leap of faith. But before you do, be sure that what you’re considering is actually in your best interests. Tune in to your instincts, watch your dreams, and take heed of your inner guidance. Be mindful of the signs that life is bringing your way, and notice whether you’re being encouraged or discouraged. If you’re on the right track, you’ll feel it. 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

There’s a lot happening on the home front this week, as a developing issue could come to a head. A Solar Eclipse in this sector could stir feelings and encourage outbursts and heart-to-heart chats. Whatever the situation, you may reach a point where something has to be done. Indeed, the building tension could be too noticeable to avoid. However, do avoid taking action on the spur of the moment.

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 MAR 12 - MAR 18, 2016

Catching Up Most shared story of the week

New

Shilpa Shetty visiting Kamakhya Temple was the buzz last week with over 1600 likes and 41 shares. The Bollywood star and fitness guru was in the city to celebrate the 4th Anniversary of her spa and beauty chain IOSIS.

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Guwahati

GYAN

Did you know?

Navagraha Temple

Chic

on the block

Sultana yashmin haque About Me

Hi! My name is Sultana Yashmin Haque and I am 21. I moved to Guwahati for my studies and I am currently studying in Cotton College. Along with studies, my passion for modelling also led me to this city. I am a very athletic girl owing to the fact that I am a proficient swimmer and skilled in classical dancing.

Mojo

I love to cook and I am a total foodie. Apart from the kitchen, I also love to travel.

Route in the Woods

uwahati apparently is one city which attracts most tourists due to the several significant temples that it has. Of the lot, Navagraha Temple is one which attracts several visitors from across the country. As the name suggests, Navagraha Temple (or the temple of the nine celestial bodies) is a place of worship devoted to the nine planets of the solar system and is represented by a Shivalinga located within the temple. The nine lingams are covered by coloured cloths, each colour representing a different celestial body. According to the

inscriptions and recordings found on the temple walls, its origin dates back to the 18th century - to the reign of Ahom king Rajeswar Singha, son of Rudra Singha or Sukhrungphaa. The present structure was constructed much later after the original structure was destroyed in an earthquake. However, the Garbhagriha, built with bricks, exists till date. The temple is also an important astrological and astronomical centre as scholars and historians feel that the ancient name of the state Pragjyotishpura originated from this temple only.

Ka m u r of the week

s soon as the election dates were announced, the politicos became active and after one political party announced its candidates’ list, a rally was organised by one of the candidates without permission from the administration. Later, a show cause notice was served. Now elections are important for everyone but politicos create discomfort the public and the administration with such political dramas. It becomes a kamur for all.

As a woman, I want to be independent first. I also want to excel as a model and later, step into the glamorous film industry.

PIC OF THE

WEEK

WHAT DID I JUST HEAR?

alling Vijay Mallya “a sin of Congress,” BJP hit back at Rahul Gandhi after he asked the Centre why it allowed the liquor baron to fly to the UK. “Congress is now blaming the government for sins committed by its government. People like Mallya are its sins. Rahul Gandhi should rather answer why Mallya was given loans by 17 banks - most of which are run by the government - between 2004 and 2009 despite having dubious credibility. What was his party’s deal with him?” BJP National Secretary Shrikant Sharma said.

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Photo: Adib Zamali

G PLUS MAR 12 - MAR 18, 2016

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