G Plus Vol 3 Issue 29 by G Plus

Sex

“What is normal foreskin? I in our city am not aware of any classifications.” with Dr. Mithun bhartia

PG 18

VOLUME 03 | ISSUE 29 MAY 07 - MAY 13, 2016

PRICE `10

Multiple

Drug busts

in the city

– CM raises concern

Corruption, financial crunch mars GMC’s garbage collection project PG 05

G PLUS APR 23 - APR 29, 2016 Jasmita Sharma

New Chic on the block

Page 24

G PLUS MAY 07 - MAY 13, 2016

Lead Story

Multiple

Drug busts Bipasa Saikia Kashyap

in the city – CM raises concern Three arrested with possession of drugs and other narcotics in Dighalipukhuri area Brown sugar and 4 kilos of other substances recovered, alongside stolen artefacts CM raises concern – assigns Chief Secretary to form a special task force

n 25th April, three people were apprehended in the Dighalipukhuri area with drugs and other narcotics in their possession. The entire operation headed by the Assam Police lasted more than a day, at the end of which the three individuals were taken into custody. On that particular evening, the Latasil Police were informed about a certain locality where there was active dealing of narcotics and other illegal substances. On further enquiry, the police were able to trace down the exact location which served as the main hub. According to police officials, eight people were operating from the SK Bhuyan Road in Dighalipukhuri. However, by the time the racket was busted five of the suspects managed to flee the site. The police were able to take into custody Bablu Ali, Billal Afridi and Bhulu alias Murtuza Ahmed. The trio was allegedly peddling drugs to students and other people in the vicinity. Not only that, the residence of Billal Afridi also served as a drug den to people in the city who would want to come and “do” drugs. Neighbours who were often witnesses to suspicious activities in the vicinity were apparently

“This is not a newly formed racket. Such activities were going on for a long time but the neighbours never informed us about them. The house of Billal has been a perfect hideout for high levels of drug activity but the neighbours, in spite of being aware of this, were late by more than a couple of weeks in informing us” trilakya Borah

OC, latasil Police station too late in informing the police, according to Trilakya Borah, Officer-in-charge, Latasil Police Station who has been supervising the case. “This is not a newly formed racket. Such activities were going on for a long time but the neighbours never informed us about them. The house of Billal has been a perfect hideout for high levels of drug activity but the neighbours, in spite of being

Police during the drug bust S K Bhyuan Road, Dighalipukhri

aware of this, were late by more than a couple of weeks in informing us,” Borah stated. He believed that the delay in notification to the authorities was a direct result of the neighbours being intimidated and worried about their personal safety. “The Dighalipukhukri area is frequented by many students in the city. Students are gullible targets and very susceptible to the siren call of the products pushed by these peddlers.” According to neighbours, their suspicions became concrete when one day they spotted an apparently well-to-do young man visit Billal Afridi’s house who, according to the police, is the kingpin of the operation. The young man, on leaving the house in the evening, appeared to be completely drugged. That is when the locals sensed trouble and informed the cops. However, according to them that was not the first case of suspicious activity. The police however did not link this bust to the recent drug busts around the city. “We are taking this very seriously and we have already begun investigations. There are five more members who are absconding but we have recovered their phone numbers and we will be able to trace them very soon,” Borah

mentioned. The cops recovered 14 grams of brown sugar, 4 kilograms of other unidentified narcotic substances, other vials containing liquid substances, syringes, a couple of stolen computers, mobile phones and a sum of about Rs. One lakh in cash from them. According to Trilakya Borah, these drugs usually come in from Manipur and Silchar. The ones who have been arrested are actually the lowest level operators of these rackets. These are usually the poorest of the society who turn to peddling drugs to make easy money. One of the apprehended is a father with a month-old baby and a wife who was apparently battling the odds everyday to make ends meet. Hand-in-hand with the bust, the peddlers’ family members were also brought in for questioning to the Latasil Police Station. This is not the first case of a drug bust in Guwahati this week. On Wednesday, the Ambari Police also arrested one Rakesh from whom certain quantities of narcotics and some used syringes were recovered. Few days ago, two men –Chiranjib Gohain, Parvej Jaman and a minor were arrested for possession of narcotics from the Chandmari-Nizorapar area. There is a bigger racket

than this involved and this seems to be evident from the recent upsurge in illegal drug trading in the city. The CM has asked the state chief secretary to constitute a task force headed by the Additional Chief Secretary (Home) to address the issue of drug abuse in the city. He said, “The rising trend of drug abuse among youth is alarming. There is an urgent need for awareness among the adolescents and youth, to throw light on the inherent dangers of the hazard. Various concerned departments like Home, Education, Health & Family Welfare are to be incorporated in the Task Force aimed at beating the menace of drugs.” Gogoi also directed that the administration resort to adequate awareness and preventive measures while dealing with drugs. He has directed the police and other law enforcing agencies to be more vigilant and take strong action against drug marketers especially the bigger bosses who are actually the root cause of narcotics trade in the city.

bipasa.saikia@g-plus.in

G PLUS MAY 07 - MAY 13, 2016

NEET takes a toll on students; Central Govt fails to implement rules properly

tudents appearing for medical school qualifying examinations in the city are facing trouble with the Supreme Court’s new ruling to replace the entire gamut of All India Pre Medical Tests (AIPMT) with the National Eligibility Entrance Test (NEET) which is the only route to seek admission into medical colleges. Following the ruling, many scuffles broke out between students and authorities in Guwahati. The Central Government’s decision to do away with the AIPMT came just two days prior to the commencement of the latest exams. The order was the end-

The Central Government, alongside the CBSE scraps all State Level PMTs and announces a common entrance medical test Announcement comes just two days prior of the AIPMT, causing a furore among students Students of the city being subjected to harassment with new rules and regulations – incidents occurred where a student from HKV was beaten up by the police before the exam and girl students’ shirt sleeves were “cut off” The NEET will be conducted only in English and not in any vernacular language SFI, Guwahati wing protest over this incident, submits memorandum to the CM

Concern

Bipasa Saikia Kashyap

result of a joint decision that was made by the Central government, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) and the Medical Council of India (MCI). This has led to mass confusion amongst the current batch of students preparing to appear for the medical college admission exams. The Guwahati wing of the Students Federation of India (SFI) has taken to protests all over the city following this ruling and demanding that the implementation be carried out in a more coherent manner. “Students have no issues with the implementation of an NEET. The only issue is that they should have been informed well in advance instead of the announcement being made two days before the AIPMT. The Centre is also well aware of its own shortcomings which is why it has decided to severely crack down on students who are in any violation of any rules. Students of the city have been subjected to harassment,” stated Sangita Das, SFI Secretary, Guwahati. Apparently, alongside the ruling, the central government has also laid down various new rules for students which were only made known to them a few days before the final exam. Not many were even aware of these new requirements. “All the institutions in the city that were hosting the entrance examinations were heavily guarded by police personnel. An incident occurred where a student who had come to appear for his pre-medical entrances at Hindustani Kendriya Vidyalaya was beaten up by cops just a few minutes before the commencement of the examination,” said Sangita Das. Anishu Das had kept his bag inside the exam hall and left the campus for a few minutes. On his return, the cops stopped him and would not let him enter to appear for his exam. The cops held the student by his neck and threw him to the ground that resulted in an injury. Not only that, apparently in many places across the city, many female students’ shirt sleeves were “cut” or ripped by invigilators who stood by the Centre’s new rule that any students appearing for the NEET would have to do so in short sleeved attire and untied hair, in case of those with long hair. The Students’ Federation of India (Guwahati wing) has submitted a memorandum to Tarun Gogoi, the HRD Ministry and the Chairperson of CBSE demanding the revival of the Common Entrance Examinations (CEE) in Assam or else they scrap the Phase 1 of the NEET and make the Phase 2, that is to be held on the 24th of July, the sole exam. In addition, the NEET conducted will not have the questions in any language other than English. This has become an issue for many students in Assam who were waiting for the CEE that has the questions in both English and Assamese. In the memorandum, the SFI has also asked that there be an 85% reservation for students of Assam who are appearing for the NEET. According to the Central Government’s proposal, the NEET will be conducted in two phases this year. The first phase was completed on the 1st of May and the second phase is scheduled to be held on the 24th of July. The NEET will be held in both government and private colleges across the country. As per the proposal, 6.5 lakh candidates can appear in the first phase of NEET while 2.5 lakh candidates can sit for

the test in the second phase. A joint result is expected to be announced by 17th August and the entire admission procedure will be completed by 30th September. The decision was taken by a five-judge Constitution bench headed by Justice AR Dave who stated that the 2013, 2 to 1 verdict, which had paved the way for private colleges to conduct their own examinations, “needs reconsideration” as “the majority view has not taken into consideration some binding precedents.” The court had earlier in the day reserved its order on whether All India PreMedical Test (AIPMT) or NEET will be conducted this year for admissions to MBBS and MD courses. As per the NEET schedule submitted by the

CBSE, the All India Pre-medical/Predental Entrance Test, scheduled for 1st May and for which 6,67,637 students were to appear from 1,040 centres in 52 cities, including abroad, would be considered as NEET-1. This has apparently been undertaken to protect the interests of students who had left their homes for the exam and have fully prepared for it. NEET-2 will be conducted for the remaining candidates. NEET-2 will be held on 24th July and the results will be published by the CBSE on 17th August. AIPMT 2016 exam has been converted into NEET UG 2016 - previously only 15 % seats of all government colleges were filled up through AIPMT RESULTS, but now 100 %

seats will get occupied on basis of results of same exam. All STATE PMTs conducted till now or to be conducted in future have been declared null and void and students who were waiting for their State PMTs and missed out on the AIPMTs have to for appear the same on 24th July as NEET 2. The NEET 2 is only going to be conducted for students who missed out on NEET 1 – students appearing for the first phase cannot re appear. Combined results of NEET PHASE 1 and 2 will be declared on percentile basis on 17th August, 2016. bipasa.saikia@g-plus.in

G PLUS MAY 07 - MAY 13, 2016

Concern

Lack of voluntary donors increase number of racketeers at GMCH

Juthika Baruah

Year

Total Collection

Issue WB+PRBC+FFP+PLC+CRYO

HIV

HCV

HbsAg VDRL

of Discard Malaria No Camp

2012

29409

23797+5771+3582+5633+2

184

165

365

2013

29618

22585+6588+4077+5852+15

212

375

2014

29057

22700+5885+3782+5761+2

101

264

439

ty has been tightened after the incident and security personnel were being asked to keep a close eye on each and every visitor. The hospital administration will take every possible measure to control the menace of racketeers. The number of home guards has been increased to 78. An inside source of GMCH has informed G Plus that such types of incidents frequently take place in the hospital but as the staff do not want to be harassed by the police, they avoid coming between the racketeers and their victims.“The racketeers deal with the patient or their attendants outside the jurisdiction of the hospital. The trend is increasing as urban youth increasingly sell their blood for money, using the proceeds to entertain themselves in clubs and bars,” the source informed. The source reiterated that when patients are in desperate need for blood, especially negative blood, they resort to middlemen in the hope that scarce blood can be obtained by paying exorbitant prices. The ethics of such transactions are frequently ignored - desperation and ill-health transcend all other considerations. The source further informed G Plus that most healthy people can donate blood every 90 days. The shortage can be overcome if more volunteers were willing to step forward and donate blood. Thalassemia patients need 3 to 4 units of blood every month and the scarcity compels the hospital authorities to seek blood from the patient’s family members. The source stated that the blood collection system was in crisis and many members of society would prefer paying for blood rather than donating some of their own. The community needed to be made aware of the fact that blood donation should be considered a noble civic duty and periodic blood donation was not detrimental to the health of a normal, healthy person.

2015

29701

20693+7584+4480+5033+0

108

308

482

juthika.baruah@g-plus.in

Blood availability in %

O+ 37% B+ 35% A+ 14% AB+ 7%

GMCH Blood bank

ack of voluntary blood donation at the Gauhati Medical College Hospital (GMCH) has led to a nexus of blood racketeers and two such frauds, who tried to flee after taking money from the party that was in need of blood, have been arrested at the hospital a few days ago. The racketeers, Nayan Kalita and Pankaj Kalita, were roaming around the blood bank area of the GMCH when they found that one Purna Hazarika, an attendant of a patient admitted to the hospital, was in need

There is a crisis in the availability of negative blood groups. Many patients do not receive the blood that they need and have to turn to blood racketeers of blood. They approached Hazarika offering to donate blood in return for a sum of Rs. 2,250. “There are some people who roam around the blood bank trying to dupe the patients but they fail in their attempts due to the tight security which we provide. That particular day when the attendant of the patient was searching for blood, the two men promised to donate their blood for

a fee. Our security team doubted the authenticity of their offer and upon investigation, it was discovered that they were attempting to swindle the patient. They were apprehended and handed over to the police. Hazarika had paid them their fee after which they absconded. However, after a few days they reappeared at the hospital and on seeing them, Hazarika informed the administration,” said

Dr. B.K. Bezbaruah, Superintendent of GMCH while speaking to G Plus. Pankaj Kalita, who also happens to be a contractual employee of the GMCH, was later trapped in by the authorities. Upon instructions of the GMCH authorities, Purna Hazarika lodged a complaint at the Bhangagarh police station which soon arrested the duo. Dr. Bezbaruah said that securi-

Blood collected and issued at GMCH:

Weather report for the week Guwahati

SUN 08 May

MON 09 May

TUE 10 May

WED 11 May

THU 12 May

FRI 13 May

Passing showers

Numerous showers

Heavy rain

Numerous showers

More sun than clouds

20 / 32 °C

19 / 33 °C

20 / 34 °C

20 / 33 °C

22 / 34 °C

20 / 33 °C

SATURDAY

07 May

Thunderstorms

20 / 32 °C

G PLUS MAY 07 - MAY 13, 2016

Corruption, financial crunch mars GMCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s garbage collection project With city people complaining that the NGOs are not regular these days in collecting garbage, the moot question is how many days will GMC keep pumping money into the project

Rahul chanda

fter Ramky, the GMC started doorto-door garbage collection in Guwahati in July 2014 with the help of 31 NGOs who were responsible for collecting garbage everyday from all the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s residences and commercial establishments. The NGOs are also responsible for cleaning the drains and streets but is it all happening? There are approximately 2.5 lakh households in Guwahati and around 80,000 commercial establishments which together generate around 450 tons of garbage every day. Ramky was a failure and the GMC initiated a NGO-based garbage collection program two years ago. Two years later, G Plus tries to see whether the garbage collection plan is a success or a failure.

The present scenario Two years ago when the GMC initiated its new project, it provided 62 auto-tippers and 500 tricycles to the NGOs to collect garbage door to door and deposit it in the dustbins located across the city but they were asked to do this daily. GMC officials said that the initial investment for this project was around Rs. 80 lakhs per month. The current expenditure is about Rs. 1 crore monthly. Households pay Rs. 30 per month to the NGOs for collecting their garbage every day. This fee includes cleaning the drains that are proximate to the house. If there are 7,000 households in a ward and assuming that all the households pay their fair share, the fees received is about Rs. 2.1 lakhs per month. The collected amount goes to the NGO of that ward. The GMC also gives an additional 20% of the total amount to the NGO as a fee to collect the amounts due from the households since many collectors need to be employed to go to each house and realize payment. According to the GMC, the corporation provided tricycles, auto vans and other amenities to the NGOs. To start

Garbage collection status in two years Two years back

At present

62 auto trippers

40 auto trippers

500 tricycles

250 tricycles

Daily garbage collection

Once or twice a week

G Plus photo

the work, the NGOs required many types of equipment like shovels and spades; to provide for that, the GMC awarded each NGO Rs. 40,000 initially as a mobilisation advance. The only requirement for the NGOs was to collect the garbage and deposit it in the dustbins daily. But recently, many city denizens who spoke to G Plus, claimed that the NGOs did not collect the garbage every day. A resident of ward number 27 said that the NGO personnel collected garbage only once a week these days; similarly, residents of other wards claimed that their garbage was being collected every four to five days. The residents complained that they had to store their garbage for three to four days leading to decay of the waste and a desperate search for alternative means of disposal. Some residents also attempted to call the toll free number of the GMC to lodge a complaint but there was no answer at the other end. GPlus talked to a few GMC officials to determine the cause behind this lack of promised service.

The authorities A highly placed source within the GMC who spoke to G Plus said that the GMC is facing a financial crisis due to which many projects are not functioning smoothly, if at all. The source said that the GMC generates Rs. 5 to 6 crores as revenue from various taxes; the same is used to pay salaries for all the employees and the state government has not provided additional funds for many months. Regarding the garbage collection project, the source said that two years ago there were 62 auto-trippers and 500 tricycles but their number had now dwindled to 40 au-

to-trippers and 251 tricycles because of lack of maintenance and the GMC was not providing maintenance funds to the NGOs. The source also informed us that the NGOs were not being able to collect fees from the households on time and according to a recent audit, some NGOs had siphoned off the money collected from various households, compounding the problem further. The GMC has responded by slapping fines on these NGOs. For regular garbage collection to proceed smoothly, the amenities provided to the NGOs have to be repaired and maintained regularly and these organizations have to be transparent in their financial dealings. Funds collected by the NGOs combined with the 20% initiative from the GMC were designated to pay for the NGOsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; services in providing an efficient garbage collection mechanism in the city. But, sources within the GMC have told us that many of these NGOs have been remiss in collecting the necessary fees and some of them have chosen to simply collect the fees and not provide the services that they promised. Of course, there are organizations that are doing their very best to follow-through on their commitments but lack of adequate funding from the GMC has hampered their desire to achieve the stated goals. Failure to deliver promised services has led to a vicious cycle. Households have refused to pay their monthly fees as a result of shoddy service, contributing further to the downward spiral. Ramky failed due to a lack of adequate revenues. Will the same predicament hobble many of the well-meaning NGOs? rahul.chanda@g-plus.in

City

G PLUS MAY 07 - MAY 13, 2016

Governance

Election funding of political parties takes a toll on the common man

Price rise of essential commodities have left the people in an untenable situation as the concerned departments within the government have failed to control the hike in prices Juthika Baruah

olitical donations demanded by the various political parties from traders in the city have resulted in a massive spike in commodity prices as traders try to recoup their losses and earn a decent profit to survive. The brunt of the resulting price hikes is being borne by the general public. Consumers are in an impossible situation as the prices of essential commodities such as pulses, wheat and flour have shot through the roof. In an exclusive interview with G Plus, J. Islam, Deputy Director of Food and Civil Supplies for the Kamrup District remarked that Assam was a net importer of essential commodities and drought-like conditions in the producing states aggravated the worsening price situation. India is the largest producer, largest consumer and the largest importer of pulses in the world. In India, pulses are grown in about 24-26 million hectares of farmland, producing 17-19 million tonnes of pulses annually. India accounts for over one-third of the total world area and over 20% of total world production. India primarily produces Bengal gram (chickpeas), red gram (tur), lentil (masur), green gram (mung) and black gram (urad). For the majority of the vegetarian population in India, pulses are the major source of protein. Pulses and pulse crop residues are also major sources of high quality livestock feed in India. Different organisations have also protested against the price hikes and the All Assam Students’ Union President Dipanka Nath decried the failure of the central and state government authorities to bring prices in line with expectations. He further commented that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s assurances about reducing the rampant inflation in essential commodity prices including LPG and other necessities had fallen flat. Nath said that the price rises should be controlled immediately or else they would have to follow a different path to bring the price hikes into check. The supply department has also failed to check black marketing, hoarding and syndicate marketing and also indicated that as the traders had to donate huge amounts to the political parties during the recent elections, they have raised their prices to recover some of their costs. Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi has expressed grave concern over the recent price hike of essential commodities. In a statement here today, the Chief Minister said, “The price

Price list after election

G Plus photo

hike of the essential goods has hit the common man hard and has dealt a severe blow to the everyday life of an average citizen.” Gogoi also called upon the Union Government to execute and enforce methods to check and control the cost of essential commodities so that they are within the reach of the common people. The chief minister has asked the chief secretary to take adequate measures in tackling the steep price rise issue, so that consumers could buy the essential goods at affordable prices. He also asked the chief secretary to take measures to make essential commodities available in the Fair Price shops and Amaar Dukan shops in the state. On the other hand, the Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuba Chatra Parishad (AJYCP) also staged a demonstration condemning the price rise of basic necessities. The Food and Civil Supplies Department of the state government that is responsible for monitoring the prices of essential commodities absolved itself of any responsibility, choosing instead to blame the producing states for the high prices. District administration has also instructed the inspection team to take drastic action against unscrupulous traders. Tapan Dutta, Inspector, Food & Civil Supplies also lodged an FIR against the traders for violation of provisions of Assam Trade Articles order 1982. The administration has also initiated a drive across the city to ensure that items of daily needs should be available in the market at official rate. A helpline number has also been started where people can lodge complaints on 03612733052. The deputy director while commenting on the variety of prices in different areas said that the prices had been fixed by the chamber of commerce and a corresponding list had been sent to the government. Price variations were a result of differing quality of products. Islam said that an enforcement team had been formed whose responsibility was to check the soaring prices of essential commodities such as potatoes, onions and other vegetables. He claimed that prices had been steady for several days. Allegations were rife that in an election year, all kinds of illegal syndicates were being given a free run in the markets to fleece customers and hand over the lion’s share of the spoils to politicians. juthika.baruah@g-plus.in

G PLUS MAY 07 - MAY 13, 2016

City

CCTV surveillance – a crying need to control traffic violations in the city

KALYAN DEB

henever we come across a tragic accident on the roads while driving, we become overly cautious and take great care while driving. But sadly, the caution and the alertness last only for a while and we relapse to our old habits sooner than later. Similarly, we recoil at seeing some ghastly accidents but only for a few minutes and thereafter, we get on with our lives believing that accidents are a part and parcel of life and can’t be helped. With the rise in traffic related crimes, the need for an efficient automated surveillance system has come to hold utmost importance. Over the past decade, perpetual video surveillance has been introduced in many cities thanks to the thousands of cameras perched on buildings. Yet little thought has been given when it comes to the security and traffic surveillance of Guwahati. Recently, two persons were killed in two separate mishaps in the city on 28th April, Thursday. The first accident took place in Christian Basti where one Shivjit Basumatary, who was riding an Activa, was dragged under a bus. It was claimed that he was dragged for several meters and his body kept colliding with more vehicles. The other accident took place near Sankardev Nethralaya in Beltola where a person named Jakrit, who was travelling from Basistha to Beltola in an Activa, collided head-on with a school bus travelling in the opposite direction. The victim died on the spot. In both the incidents, the drivers of the buses managed to flee the scene soon after the accident. In another incident, a police constable named Mustak Hussain was killed by a speeding car near the Supermarket area on 26th April at around 6.20 am. Dhruba Baishya, the driver of the Swift Desire was driving at breakneck speed and hit the policeman who died on the way to the hospital. Following these tragedies, strict measures were implemented against traffic rule violators and the city buses.

G Plus News

n an operation conducted by the Gorchuk police, a gang of 13 bike lifters and receivers were apprehended from Sonapur and Nelie in Kamrup (M) district on Wednesday. Officer-in-charge of Gorchuk police station, Ananta Das, said that on Tuesday three people were arrested and the next day the other group were arrested. He said, “One month back a bike was recovered even as two persons had absconded

Defunct cameras on a city street g plus photo

In the wake of the incidents, the Deputy Commissioner, Dr. M Angamuthu, directed the DTO (Enforcement) and DTO (R&L), Kamrup Metropolitan District, to immediately cancel the permit of the buses involved in any accident and to also confiscate the licence of the drivers. Inspection drives being carried out in different locations around Guwahati were observed. The increasing number of road accidents in the city has always been a matter of concern to the commuters as well as

the administration but very little has been done so far in order to contain them. Guwahati, which is on the verge of being a “smart” city, can still be seen falling victim to all sorts of traffic related crimes - be it hit and run, rash driving, jumping street lights and the main cause of road mishaps - overtaking from the left-hand side of a vehicle. The need for a modern surveillance system is acutely felt as a result of the rash and dangerous manoeuvres

of the city’s buses. Installing CCTV (Closed Circuit Television) cameras can be an answer to many of these problems. The traffic police have been citing a shortage of man-power as a reason for their failure to crack down on repeated traffic violators. With the department being as understaffed as it is, the existence of CCTV cameras will facilitate the apprehension of rule-violators. CCTV cameras will also go a long way towards reducing petty crime in the city. If manpower upgrading is not possible immediately, technological upgrading becomes mandatory. The need was first felt in 2011 when the Assam government started the process of installing close-circuit television cameras at strategic locations in Guwahati where insurgents had triggered blasts on many occasions in the past. However, road accidents are not limited to strategic locations and can occur, and have occurred, elsewhere in the city and outside of the city limits. The CCTV cameras were installed upon the recommendation of a security review committee headed by the former DGP of state police, DN Dutta. The committee, which was constituted by the state government after the devastating serial blasts of 30th October, 2008, recommended the installation of CCTV cameras. In the first phase of this project, 290 cameras were to be installed around 91 locations in several areas of the city, including Ulubari, Ganeshguri, Fancy Bazar and Dispur. The second phase never materialised. Apart from monitoring the motion of moving vehicles, parked vehicles and pedestrian activity, the cameras were also meant to capture the traffic congestion in those locations. Unfortunately, many of the installed cameras have become defunct. Deputy Commissioner of Police, Pranab Jyoti Goswami, discussing the hurdles faced in controlling and investigating traffic crimes said, “There have been several proposals

forwarded to the government but no productive step has been taken so far. The CCTV cameras installed earlier were to monitor the security situation in the city whereas, for traffic surveillance, the cameras have to be placed in strategic spots in order to cover several meters of the road. Of course, traffic surveillance can be combined with monitoring the security conditions. It is also well-known that there are several business outlets that have installed CCTV Cameras on the exterior of their establishments. These cameras can provide for surveillance of the private facilities and also provide footage of incidents that occur in the vicinity. One such incident occurred recently, when a girl was molested in Bangalore and the resulting video footage took the social media by storm. The DCP went on to say that Guwahati could use around 10,000 CCTV cameras at an initial cost of Rs. 5 crores. But he also emphasized that even though it was the tendency of the general public to blame the police for failing to regulate errant drivers, many accidents could also be attributed to the rash driving of the victims themselves. In the case of the person who died at Christian Basti, he was hit by the rear wheels of the bus, which could not possibly have happened if he was hit from behind. A preliminary investigation revealed that the deceased person was trying to overtake the bus from the left-hand side. Similarly, in the Basistha incident, it was discovered that the bike had hit an object which caused the rider to lose his balance and slam head-on with the bus. A highly placed source in the Traffic Department could not mask his sarcasm as he stated, “It will require a major mishap of very prominent personality, be it a bureaucrat or someone of that stature and thereafter, the suspension of some senior police official. Only such an eventuality might act as an eye-opener for the government. kalyan.deb@g-plus.in

Gorchuk police arrest bike lifters’ gang

but the very next day a lady came and asked for the bike saying that the boys were scared and so had absconded. After that we have verified with the DTO office and found that the bike was stolen from Udalguri.” The arrested persons are Rahul Das (Bitu), Boragaon (Arrested/ Police custody), S/o Lt. Jonatan Das, Vill. Boragaon, Nizarapar (2) Jishu Boro, 18 yrs. (Arrested/Police custody) S/o Lt. Haren Boro, Vill. Katakipara, P.S. Gorchuk (3) Kapil

Boro (Arrested/Judical custody) S/o Raj Kr. Boro, Vill. Katakipara, P.S. Gorchuk (4) Goamsher Basumatary (S/o Sri Ramen Basumatary, Vill.- Beheguria, Shimla, P.S.- Shimla, Dist.- Baksa (BTAD) (5) Pranab Ronghang (18yrs. S/o Prabin Ronghang, Vill- Gopal Krishna Tea Estate, P.S.- Jogiroad (6) Amit Paharia (23 yrs. S/o Sri Babul Paharia, Vill.- Boragaon, P.S.- Jagiroad (7) Pallar Das (19 Yrs. S/o Lt. Horimon Das, Vill.- Palahguri, P.S.- Jagiroad

(8) Ritu Raj Bordoloi (22 Yrs. S/o Sri Soleha Bordoloi, Vill.- Boragaon. P.S.- Jagiroad (9) Putlo Patar (23 Yrs. S/o Anupam Patar, Vill.- Boragaon, P.S.- Jagiroad (10) Kailash Goura (24 Yrs. S/o Punjo Goura, Vill- Ouguri, P.S.- Baithalanguri, Karbi-Anglong (11) Deben Konwar (23 Yrs. s/o.- Sri Ananda Konwar, Vill.- Ouguri, P.S.Baithalangsu, Dist.- Karbi-Anglong (12) Pawan Patar (37 Yrs. S/o Athan Patar, Vill.- Daborghat, P.S.- Jagiroad, Morigaon) and (13) Jonesh

Muslain (28 Yrs. S/o Sinjoy Muslain, Vill.- Daborghat, P.S.- Jagiroad) and also recovered 10 numbers of stolen bikes from their possession. The team was led by Goamsher Basumatary and the team have stolen bikes from different parts of the state. It may be mentioned that 3 bikes were recovered from Nelli, 2 from Byrnihat and 3 from Garchuk and Lokhra areas of the city. They have been arrested under Section 379.

G PLUS MAY 07 - MAY 13, 2016

Bazaar

Beltola Bazaar bears the brunt of messy Guwahati traffic Restricted timings imposed on Beltola market to hit shopping activities

KALYAN DEB

he Gauhati High Court’s judgement on the restriction of business hours for vendors at the Beltola Bazaar struck the vendors like a bombshell. On Thursday, police and Guwahati Municipal Corporation officials could be seen announcing the restricted timings using microphones. The Gauhati High Court’s judgement that the market must only operate from 5 am to 10 am on Thursday and 5 am to 12 noon on Sunday stunned the vendors of one of the oldest markets in the city. It raises a serious concern among the vendors who come from several areas of the city and beyond, such as Sonapur, Meghalaya, Barpeta, Kharupetia, Nagaon and Boko. A scuffle between police personnel and the vendors occurred on Sunday when the men in khaki made an attempt to close the market after 12 noon as the High Court order was supposed to be brought into effect from Sunday onwards. However, the police and the GMC enforcement officials were unsuccessful in their efforts to implement the Court’s order in the face of defiant opposition from the vendors. A similar scenario played itself out on Thursday as police and GMC officials could be seen in the market place, repeating the same order using microphones. The vendors’ association had moved the High Court with a plea for revocation of its order, stating that the time periods stipulated by the Court were not feasible for the vendors to conduct their business. The motion was dismissed by the Court, leaving the vendors no option but to abide by the order. The Court’s decision was in response to the severe traffic congestion that has been persisting for several years. The market is one of the major causes of the traffic snarls, especially on Thursdays, causing severe discomfort and loss of time for commuters.

Out-turn for the vendors Vendors and businessmen doing business in the market are of the opinion that it is impossible on their part to conduct their business at the market only during the time periods stipulated by the High Court as they will have to arrive at the market the night before from places as far as Kharupetia, Barpeta, Goalpara, Meghalaya and Boko. It makes no economic sense for the vendors to bring their products to the market from far-away places just to have a five to seven hour window in which they can sell their goods. Moreover, they have to bear the entire cost

Gauhati High Court’s recently made a judgement and restricted the business hours for vendors at the Beltola Bazaar As per the new timings the market will only operate from 5 am to 10 am on Thursdays and 5 am to 12 noon on Sundays

of transporting back unsold products and for many, the two available days of business are the only days in which they can earn a living. “The revenues necessary to bear all our expenses can be met only if we can sell off our entire stock and we need the evenings for this. We come from faraway places and before the timings were revised we could easily go back home after selling all our goods but with the limited amount of time that we have now, most of us will have to carry our goods back and that will add to our expenses,” said a vocal female vendor who had come from Sonapur. The women vendors from faraway places such as Meghalaya, Boko and Goalpara echoed similar dissatisfaction and mentioned that the rule can be followed on Thursday since it is a working day but the market sees a larger footfall on Sunday. Restricting the timing till 12 noon will not meet their requirements. Many of the vendors also expressed their inability to arrive before 5 am. “Prior to the judgement, the market timing was ingrained in us that 10 pm was closing time but with the shortened hours, we will have to try selling all our goods before the day’s end. Even today I have not been able to sell half the goods. So, most of us are selling the goods at its cost price to avoid bearing the brunt of carrying the goods back home. If this had to be the norm then it would have been better to keep the market closed on Thursdays,” a vendor vented in frustration. Further, it is a rule of the association that the vendors have to pay an amount of Rs. 200 to Rs. 250 to the association for the allotment of space. The amount de-

pends upon the quantity of their goods although the levy of such fees is hardly justified. Women vendors taking part in large number is a signature of the market where traditional and ethnic food materials are on display. Rabha and Garo women vendors from Boko and Goalpara are famous for displaying traditional and ethnic food items like bamboo shoot, elephant apple, wood apple, various herbs and green leafy vegetables, seasonal fruits, dry fish, etc. Local fouls, goose, pigeon, etc., are also found in the market that has a name for dairy products like curds. There are many women vendors who run their families solely on the business they do in the market. Such women are a worried lot, following the order issued by the High Court.

Shoppers’ reckoning Beside the distress of the vendors, there were also mixed reactions from the shoppers who, other than expressing solace for the vendors, also expressed satisfaction that the traffic congestion would ease. Many, who come from distant places of the city, stated that there was always an alternate option rather than cutting off the root. “Although the market creates massive traffic congestion on Thursdays, there should have been an alternate way to deal with the problem on Sundays. We have to travel a lot before reaching the market and it is not possible to be over by the mentioned time. There should have been a more flexible decision just for Sundays as there is not much traffic. Moreover the authorities can always divert the traffic and on Sundays

G Plus photo

most of the vehicles plying through the area are of the shoppers who can park their vehicles elsewhere and then enter the market,” stated a shopper. However, another shopper welcomed the judgement and stated that the move will ease the traffic snarls. Meanwhile, government officials stated that the decision was made taking the convenience of everyone into consideration. “We have to make sure that the market keeps running and the traffic keeps flowing. We will continue visiting the market until the vendors stop resisting the High Court’s decision and start following the norm. We are hopeful that the GMC market will be ready by the end of this year and that market will accommodate up to 40% of the affected vendors who possess a vending license. Till then, all parties involved have to abide by the Court’s decision.

The significance of the market The Beltola Bazar, being one of the oldest markets in the State, has its attraction among consumers. The market is also famous for the availability of a variety of items ranging from grocery to stationery and other household items, including traditional ones. The unavoidable fact, however, is the market’s role in causing nasty traffic snarls. Experiments were done to reduce the traffic jams when the market was open, but they seem to have failed. The local people are not in favour of moving the market elsewhere. They would rather want that the market’s adverse influence on the traffic be reduced in some coherent manner.

Following the judgement a scuffle took place between police personnel and the vendors on Sunday when the men in khaki made an attempt to close the market after 12 noon The vendors’ association had moved the High Court with a plea for revocation of its order which was dismissed by the court The Court’s decision came in response to the severe traffic congestion in the area that has been persisting for several years Vendors expressed dissatisfaction and said that it is impossible on their part to conduct their business at the market only during the stipulated time period Beltola Bazar, being one of the oldest markets in the State, has its attraction among consumers and is famous for the availability of a variety of items Vendors from as far as Kharupetia, Barpeta, Goalpara, Meghalaya and Boko come to the market to sell their goods Further, it is a rule of the association that the vendors have to pay an amount of Rs. 200 to Rs. 250 for being allotted a space

kalyan.deb@g-plus.in

G PLUS MAY 07 - MAY 13, 2016

City

City’s animal to be declared on Biodiversity Day

The district administration has issued instructions to raise participation in the online voting of the city animal campaign through schools, colleges and other modes of communication

Juthika Baruah

Voting lines for city animal campaign will close on 20th May The city animal will be declared on 22nd May, i.e. on Biodiversity day Awareness campaigns have been intensified through schools and colleges Poster campaigns have been done in restaurants, city buses, shopping malls and other public places

n an initiative of the district administration, forest department and Help Earth NGO to save the urban biodiversity, an online voting campaign for the city’s animal was started on 7th March. River Dolphin is currently in the lead and the campaign will end on 20th May. Before the voting lines get closed, the administration wants active participation from the public as the participation is not up to expectations. The district administration has also conducted a meeting to popularise the voting campaign and issued instructions to increase participation from the public, especially the students. “The concept was initiated to save the urban biodiversity and also to elect an animal as the city’s icon animal. For the first time three animals have been nominated- River Dolphin, Black Softshell Turtle and Greater Adjutant Stork and the animal which will receive the highest vote will be declared as the city’s animal,” said

The poster campaign for city animal

Jayaditya Purkayastha, Founder of Help Earth. The result of the campaign will be declared on 22nd May on the Biodiversity Day and till date more than 8000 votes have been received. Other than online voting, the organisation has also visited schools and colleges to make the students aware about the initiative and has covered 7 colleges and 12 schools till date.

In a meeting held by the district administration, the Deputy Commissioner said that the quantity of voting has not met the expectations and laid stress on intensifying the awareness campaign through schools, colleges, offices, etc. The transport department and other departments concerned were directed to start computer kiosks at offices, at public parks and at the Assam State Zoo to facilitate

the common citizen to participate in the voting. It has also been instructed to carry out poster campaigns at shopping malls, restaurants, city buses and all the public places so that more people could be aware of the voting system. Later, Purkayastha said that 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 list, 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 birdlife. The city has much to offer in terms of its biodiversity and due to regular inflow of people into the city there is an ever increasing need for natural resources. He also said that the concept of City’s Animal was born with an intention to generate mass awareness and highlight conservation concerns associated with these animals and urban biodiversity of the city as a whole. 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 depletion of 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 at 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 of fishermen. The Black Softshell Turtle, also known as Borkaso, is confined to temple ponds but due to habitat destruction and trade of this animal for its flesh and eggs, the animal is in the brink of extinction. Fortunately, recent survey has shown that a small population exists in the Brahmaputra River and its tributaries. People can cast their vote by visiting the website www.myanimal.in. juthika.baruah@g-plus.in

NIA chargesheets NSCN (IM) militant for army ambush

G Plus News

he National Investigation Agency (NIA), Guwahati has filed a charge sheet against a militant of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Issac Muivah (NSCN-IM) faction in connection with the ambush on an army convoy in Arunachal Pradesh last year in which three jawans were killed and another three were seriously wounded. On 2nd April last year, the militants had attacked an army convoy which was on its way from Assam’s Tinsukia District to Longding in Arunachal Pradesh in four vehicles. An IED was planted on the road targeting the convoy. However, it did not blow off. After the first three vehicles of the convoy had gone out of the kill zone of the bomb, the militants opened fire at the last one killing the three jawans and injuring several others. Though no militant outfit claimed responsibility for the ambush, an NIA probe found that it was carried out by NSCN-IM militants. However initially, the involvement of the NSCNKhaplang faction was suspected as the outfit faction had called off its ceasefire truce with the government a few days prior to the incident. The NIA, in its charge-sheet submitted recently before special court in Arunachal Pradesh, named one Kapai alias Singmayo Kapai as a prime accused in the ambush. “Kapai, resident of Paoyi village of Ukhrul District in Manipur, relates to the ambush. He is a self-styled captain of the NSCN-IM and the ambush was carried out by cadres of the outfit,” NIA said. The ambush occurred around four months before Prime Minister Narendra Modi led government signed a peace truce with the NSCNIM faction. NIA sources said that the faction has strong presence and is all-pervasive in Tirap, Changlang and Longding districts in Arunachal Pradesh. “Probe revealed that the outfit had carried out the attack to avenge the killing and arrests of its cadres by security forces in Arunachal Pradesh,” sources said. NIA, in the charge-sheet, said that the investigators, during the course of investigation, have collected evidence from field as well as technical and forensic evidence. “The NIA has opted to continue further investigation of the case, since certain other accused involved in the crime are yet to be apprehended,” the charge sheet added.

G PLUS MAY 07 - MAY 13, 2016

City

Nemcare to open superspeciality hospital in 3 months

Nemcare Hospital will soon be opening a new superspeciality facility to reduce the sufferings of people who have to travel outside the region for advanced treatment Juthika Baruah

emcare Hospital will open a superspeciality hospital within three months to provide state-of-the-art facilities to patients from the northeast so that people are not compelled to rush out of the region in search of better treatment. Speaking exclusively with G Plus, the Managing Director of Nemcare Hospital, Dr. Hitesh Baruah commented, “The superspeciality hospital will have many departments that will include urology, oncology and neurology among others so that we can provide the best treatment to people of the state and the northeast region. Most people travel outside the northeast seeking better treatment since they do not receive a proper diagnosis here in the city or for that matter, in other parts of the region. As a result, they are compelled to seek better treatment elsewhere. People with ample resources can avail of better facilities in other cities but those without, are compelled to remain. The new superspeciality hospital will provide an affordable and convenient alternative to many patients with limited resources”. The hospital has also developed several certificate courses under the guidance of the National Skilll Development Corporation (NSDC) and in collaboration with the IL&FS In-

G Plus News

Nemcare press conference g plus photo

stitute of Skills. The courses are designed to provide trained personnel to the private hospital sector. The courses include 3-month certificate programmes to train general duty assistants, emergency medical technicians, critical care nurses and op-

eration theatre nurses. Commenting on the courses, Dr. Baruah said, “There are many private hospitals opening in the city but we have a lack of trained personnel. Thousands of students do not have any employment opportunities

after high school and we are trying to identify such individuals who are willing to enrol in these courses to launch themselves into a career. Unemployment is a burning issue at present and we want to be instrumental in alleviating this problem.

Personality development modules will also be offered to augment these courses.” Dr. Baruah asserted the importance of a good relationship between the patient and the hospital staff responsible for the patients’ well-being. Training staff to treat patients with dignity and maintaining a positive attitude was one of the top priorities of the hospital. Three sessions of each course will be offered each year to meet the increasing demand for trained and qualified personnel in the region. Dr. Baruah further added that the certificate will enable graduates to seek jobs all over the country. His hope is that the hospital’s initiative will increase the supply of sorely-needed trained manpower in the region and meet the need for competent health-care services in the city. juthika.baruah@g-plus.in

GHC seeks ‘up-to-date’ case diary in Pranjit rape case

ongress’s youth leader, Pranjit Choudhury, who recently landed into controversy for allegedly sexually exploiting a 23 year old post graduate student of Gauhati University, is yet to get respite as the Gauhati High Court on Thursday directed the city police to furnish an ‘up-to-date’ case diary in the case. Choudhury, who had also contested from Kamalpur seat in Kamrup District for Congress in the last elections, is on the run for at least two weeks since the case was registered against him. After the GHC rejected his anticipatory bail plea last week, Choudhury moved the court for the second time seeking anticipatory bail. Additional public prosecutor Bhimsen Sinha said that an accused can move the court for anticipatory bail more than once.

The advocate said, “In such appeals, the court will consider the petition on the ground of any new development in the case. Only after the accused can cite fresh development in the case, the court may consider his appeal.” The court of Justice Paran Kumar Phukan at GHC had earlier rejected Choudhury’s bail plea after the public prosecutor objected to the prayer saying that being a political leader, the accused may try to hamper and tamper with the ongoing police investigation if not arrested. The court, rejecting Choudhury’s first anticipatory bail plea earlier observed, “There is nothing in the case diary to show that the FIR has been filed with the object of

Pranjit choudhury

injuring or humiliating the accused petitioner by having him arrested. Despite issuance of notice by the investigation officer, he has not appeared before him. At this stage it cannot be said that it was a case of consensual sex.” The young Congress leader landed into trouble when a 23 year old post graduate student alleged that Choudhury had sexually exploited with under pretext of marrying her. In her complaint she alleged that Choudhury, though married from before, had promised marriage to her as he was planning to divorce his current wife. The Panbazar Police then slapped a case of rape and cheating upon him. While the city police have failed to nab the accused leader so far, the victim woman alleged that he is hiding somewhere in the

Kamalpur area. She said, “Choudhury must have influenced many and it’s a shame on the police. He is in Kamalpur only and travelling here and there.” The GHC has asked the police to furnish the ‘up-to-date’ case diary on Monday when the court will take up the matter again. Police sources said the victim had also claimed to have undergone an abortion after which additional charges under section 313 of IPC (causing miscarriage without woman’s consent) was also slapped in the case. “The punishment for such offence may amount to life imprisonment,” sources added. Both Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) and Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi have said that Congress party will not stand by Choudhury if he is found guilty.

G PLUS MAY 07 - MAY 13, 2016

Concern

Poor health-care system

leads to unscrupulous incidents at hospitals

Juthika Baruah

Poor health care system has become a big problem in the state Many of the staff at the GMCH are working as wage labourers The communication gap between doctors and patients needs to be addressed Trained manpower is thoroughly inadequate in both private and public hospitals File photo of GMCH

Many factors need to be studied and the absence of research into the health-care system has deteriorated the quality of treatment facilities; miscommunication between doctors and patients is a major problem that needs to be addressed

he health department has failed to provide adequate facilities for the public leading to repeated allegations of negligence in the provision of appropriate health-care to suffering patients. This has led to great concern regarding the quality of care that may be expected at the city’s hospitals. In a recent tragic incident at the International Hospital, a sixyear old child lost his life when he was apparently suffering from a mild fever and had been brought to the hospital for treatment. Despite the intense trauma suffered by the entire family, there was apparently no concerted effort to identify the chain of incidents that led to the child’s demise. Speaking to G Plus, Dr. Hitesh Baruah, Managing Director of Nemcare Hospital, commented that often, there was a severe gap in communication between the attending physicians/ staff and the patients or their attendants. These communication gaps sometimes led to these regrettable and avoidable tragedies. However, whenever such infrequent tragedies occurred, the hospitals and the physicians bore the brunt of the blame.

Dr. Baruah also said that trained manpower is important for the hospitals and that training should emphasize the importance of patient/physician communication. He admitted that quite often patients were treated brusquely by the attending staff and that human egos stood between compassion and treatment. He made a point to state that patients were suffering from all sorts of ailments and it was important to communicate with them in a humane and compassionate manner. He hoped that recent certificate courses introduced by the hospital would go a long way towards producing trained and empathetic health-care staff. Mr. Ganesh Saikia, Joint Director of Health for Kamrup (M), commented to G Plus that many factors contributed towards the poor state of health-care facilities in the state. He did not elaborate on the factors, stating the lack of available research data. He did however make a point that it was always easier to point fingers at hospitals and their staff whenever a tragedy such as the one mentioned above occurred but often, the root cause was something

completely different. He claimed that the health department was delving into the reasons why patients were seeking care in facilities outside the state. Meanwhile, the conditions at the Guwahati Medical College Hospital (GMCH) are beyond pathetic. Recently, allegations of a baby-trading ring and the existence of blood-donation racketeers at the hospital have surfaced. In a facility that is equipped with 2,245 beds, more than 5000 patients are being “treated” by junior doctors and Grade IV staff who are not being compensated for the additional work-load. This has lead to severe stress among the medical staff and a steady degradation in the quality of treatment and patient/physician communications. Contributing further to the abysmal conditions at the hospital, many of the patients seeking care at the hospital have very limited resources but the hospital is unable to provide free or inexpensive medicines, leading to an impossible situation for the patients. The lack of adequate number of qualified health-care personnel is aggravated by the reluctance of se-

nior doctors and professors to put in more than the minimum number of hours at the hospital. They are compensated at far higher levels

for the services they provide at the city’s many private hospitals. juthika.baruah@g-plus.in

G PLUS MAY 07 - MAY 13, 2016

Society

Bipasa Saikia Kashyap

Sattriya

- Assam’s dying dance form erywhere, there has been no concerted effort. We need the state government’s assistance to promote a unique segment of our Assamese culture.

When you compare Sattriya with other dance forms, what comes to your mind regarding its popularity at a global level?

With only three or four state institutions dedicated to teaching Sattriya seriously, Padmashree Jatin Goswami reiterates the huge need of the hour to promote Sattriya as the rich dance form that it is

n 2000, Sattriya was declared as one of India’s classical dance forms – taking the total count to eight. However, most youngsters today are only aware of the seven classical dance forms – Bharat Natyam, Odhishi, Kuchipudi, Mohiniyatam, Kathak, Kathakali and Manipuri. The first exposure that the Sattriya dance form got was in 1963 when Maniram Dutta Muktiyar received the Sangeet Natak Academy Award. It is a little-known fact that Sattriya was acknowledged by the Sangeet Natak Academy even before Odhishi. But Sattriya failed to gather momentum as a nationally recognized traditional dance form. We met Padmashree Jatin Goswami and discussed the sad state that this art form is in today. Born at Adhar Sattra of Dergaon in eastern Assam on 2nd August, 1933 Nrityacharya Goswami received his basic cultural education at home under the guidance of his father. Later, he learned the Sattriya dance form from Maniram Dutta Muktiar himself and Roseswar Saikia Bayan. Having pioneered the dance form in Assam, Goswami is not very concerned about his personal achievements. “What more can be done when the biggest fight we have fought is the State’s unwillingness to partake in its own traditions,” sighed Goswami. We had a heart-to-heart with the eighty three year old maestro who is still fighting to promote Sattriya as a world-wide phenomenon – a promise that it definitely holds.

Excerpts from the interview: How do you think Sattriya has failed to make the mark it deserves when it comes to obtaining a global platform? JG: Sattriya is worship. Sattriya is ritual. When it originated, Sattriya was a form of prayer offered to the gods. When Maniram Dutta Muktiyar took this dance form out of the Sattras of Assam to the world stage, there were

very few who stood up and took notice. In 1963 when he received the Sangeet Natak Academy Award, he travelled through Guwahati on his way to Shillong and back to Majuli. There was no press coverage about his award and no honours were bestowed upon him for achieving a major recognition. This was in sharp contrast to the enormous fanfare that was showered upon Kelucharan Mohapatra. Mohapatra’s state made sure that the nation was aware of his achievement. Sattriya, until a few years ago, was confined to the Sattras. It has been a personal struggle for all the art-

Padmashree Jatin Goswami

ists who have devoted their lives to the promotion of this dance form. How many institutions are there in this state that is wholly devoted to teaching this unique and vibrant dance? In Guwahati itself, you have various schools that will train you for other dance forms like Bharat Natyam and Odhishi. But how many Sattriya institutions are you going to find in say, a state like Tamil Nadu? The only dedicated work that is being carried out now is by the Sangeet Natak Academy and that is not enough.

In what ways do you think the state should promote this art? JG: There is a separate cultural division of the State Ministry which has remained completely dormant when it comes to promoting Sattriya to our youngsters. In the entire state we have only three institutions. The Luit Konwar Rudra Barua State College of Music affiliated under GU is one. There is another one in Jorhat – the Sattriya Sangeet Mahavidyalaya that offers Sattriya as a subject of detailed study and there is Dibrugarh University that offers a degree. There are three particular Boards dedicated to this art form – the Sangeet Sattra Guwahati, Assam Sattra Mahasabha and the Shankari Sangeet Vidyalaya. Unfortunately, these Boards are in desperate need of some sort of revival. They offer Sattriya as a part of their curriculum and once their students have passed the HSLC exams, they are offered jobs to teach the dance. However, due to negligence ev-

JG: A lot of people are still unaware that Sattriya is a classical dance form of India. The blame falls solely on the Assam government for its failure to give recognition to this form of art. In Orissa, there is the Konark festival that the state hosts each year. The festival is a five-day event and it attracts people from around the world. The starting ceremony of each day begins with an Odhishi performance. Besides that, the state also hosts the Mukteshwar festival – a week-long festival dedicated only to Odhishi. Do we see anything like that happening here? A week before Bihu, there are several workshops conducted all over the state that train children and youngsters alike for free. Why can’t the state sponsor the same for Sattriya? Why is Bihu the only face of Assam? In contrast, Bharat Natyam is recognized as an art form from Tamil Nadu and Kathakali is uniquely associated with Andhra Pradesh. But we only seem to be recognized for our folk art. Why can’t Sattriya instruction receive the same level of funding that the state provides for Bihu Konwaris?

Do you think Sattriya has a vague future, considering what you said? JG: If we do not take notice now, the Sattras of Assam are soon going to wither out and die. Our ancestors worked so hard to bring this form of dance to this level and we seem the least bit concerned about Sattriya’s future. The State should make at least the basic lessons of Sattriya mandatory in every school so that students can acquire the basic minimum qualifications to make an informed decision about whether or not to move ahead with their study of this dance. The only prominent work done by this state towards this form of dance was when Hiteshwar Saikia was the CM. Under his involvement, more than two hundred teachers were trained so in turn they would go ahead and spread their knowledge through our society. But since then, the State has gone blank on us. There were times when I was even questioned down South about Sattriya being a proper classical dance form – it has the same diction as Bharat Natyam, the same talas – and yet people are still unaware. We have completely given up hope that the state will ever do anything for us. Giving a few people some awards and a piece of paper won’t do much if the dance is completely gone. bipasa.saikia@g-plus.in

G PLUS MAY 07 - MAY 13, 2016

For better or for ‘verse’

Society

Catching up with two precocious poets

Bipasa Saikia Kashyap

hile the week has passed by with news of drug busts and affected youths coming in and the administration’s failure to curb such issues, a couple of Guwahati’s children have taken to wielding the pen to write some brilliant poetry. We hereby wish that they continue on this journey for as long as possible. Alisha Chandranathan and Arshia Mahanta, two precocious poets of Guwahati, have come up with books that were recently released in the city. Poets are contemplative souls and therein lay their talent. While Arshia talked to us at will about her writings, Alisha preferred to discuss life. Alisha’s book is titled “Thirteen or Thirty.” To pen down words about her would be unfair for she is so much more. She is Plath and Angelou in the making – delusional and unbending. Her book “Thirteen or Thirty” is like “The three corners of my mind.” She is a “greedy” thirteen year old and at the same time, a nurturing thirty year old.

Reflections: “Reflections” is the first part of the book and “What am I?” is the first poem. That in itself should be an indication to anyone who reads that there is a lot of trouble brewing ahead. Alisha’s poetry is not for the masses. Each and every thought she has will make you ponder. The assertiveness of her being will convince you in just those three short words. Most of her sentences are phrases, such is her command. And all the while, you have to

remember that she is just a thirteen year old. Her hopes are like everyone else’s but that is where Alisha stands out. She is imperfect and she is in acceptance of that imperfection, but with doubts.

Intuition: The second part of her book starts with the title’s simile – “Maybe” - for throughout this series, she is questioning something, someone. She is constantly assuming, imagining and getting lost in the flow of thoughts. She is bored too in between, and boredom is everyone’s state of being. She hides herself in between burning villages and at times tries to shift our thoughts to “mating humans” and “howling dogs.” But “she” always surfaces and assures us that she isn’t going anywhere.

Perceptions: Like the other two parts, Perceptions too starts with the most correct depiction. Her first poem “Portrait” is dark, teasing. Alisha plays with words like she owns them. She talks about a painting or a woman – or both merged into one. She immediately jumps into the childlike nature of hers; she goes back to the moment of her life when she realised that she was changing into a woman, that she was no longer a child. She writes about strangers being her confidantes and how those moments, with unfamiliar faces, have presented themselves in front of her,

acting like her muse. She writes about a bird that is trapped, fooling no one about her actual intent, but hiding it oh-so-well all the same! Of what you perceive of her, she will simply smile and falter away like the thin wispy end of the last trail of smoke – never to be built by anyone’s assumptions. Like she says - count till ten, hit them in the eighth! Arshia Mahanta’s unending maze is like her mind, the young, vibrant seventeen year old tells us. We met up with her and she agreed for a qiuck Q and A session! BSK: When did you start with writing? How did “Unending Maze” happen?” AM: I started writing “seriously” only from the ninth standard. Situations motivate me. I have a vibrant circle of friends who inspire me with their lives to be able to relate to my poetry. That was how “Unending Maze” was born. It is a collaboration of my own thoughts – my mind is like a continuous maze, it never stops. The dominant theme of my book is love and heartbreak. I see my closest friends falling in and out of love and this is the age where one starts experimenting with these kinds of feelings. My friends have been my biggest story-tellers and also my biggest critics. I am their confidant and that bond we share comes out through my words, in my writings. I believe that is poetry. BSK: What about love and heartbreak? AM: Heartbreaks are an essential part of life – it helps one grow, learn

Alisha Chandranath during her book release

Arshia Mahanta

and it necessitates humility in one’s life. In the longer course of time, they help us learn – from situations, from circumstances. I am a follower of William Wordsworth’s work and I do believe that “Poetry is the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings: it takes its origin from emotion recollected in tranquillity.” My poems too are a recollection of thoughts. I gather them at my will and that is when I take the pen and sit down to write. Other than Wordsworth, I read a lot of Kipling as well. Composing poetry is hard – it requires form, diction, grammar and then composing poetry in itself is a whole other task. BSK: Do you follow a pattern of writing? AM: As of now, I am not consciously sticking or following a pattern of writing. I write indefinitely, I write like there is no end. I want to explore a bit before I decide to sit down with a definite pattern of writing poetry. My science background in a way helps me be true to my poetry because at the end of the day, this is one way I vent out my frustrations, my feelings, my emotions. This is the only way to break the monotony of my life and I love it. BSK: How have your readers related to your poems? AM: Since this is my first piece of published work, I am a little conscious as to how people are going to perceive my poems. People are going to connect to me because the phase of

life that I am writing about is a phase that mostly everyone goes through. I am writing for a very limited audience and as of now, I want to keep my circle of readers small for I want to wait and see how I can do in the future. But one thing is for sure, I can never stop writing. It is my passion. BSK: What other than poetry? AM: As of now, I am concentrating on a career in Biology because I love the subject. But on the side I will be working on completely new projects. I like penning down real life situations – how situations work out in reality and slow them down bit by bit. I want to venture into writing plays and sketches probably. I want to venture into different realms of life. BSK: How do you balance between school work and writing poetry? AM: I juggle between studies and school work, but I never miss out on writing poetry. My family, especially my brother, has been my biggest strength. Poetry is letting out your feelings. It is vast and I encourage everyone to write. I never thought I would grow up to see a day when people would refer to me as a poet. It is encouraging. That is where I find the impetus to go on. I am a huge “Potterhead.” I was actually waiting for my letter to come! bipasa.saikia@g-plus.in

G PLUS MAY 07 - MAY 13, 2016

Ward Watch

WARD NO

Ram krishna path

shanti path

Surjya path

Bishnu rabha path

Concentrated Area Bhaskar Nagar Ward number 16 Sub division 16 (a) Councillor Pran Krishna Bhowmik Phone number 9957991422 Area sabha member Swarup Das Phone number 9435010853

ocated adjacent to Lokhra Road or Netaji Subhash Chanrda Bose Road which connects Paltanbazar with Lokhra, the Bhaskar Nagar locality in Kalapahar is home to around 2 lakh people. The area has several lanes that are not just inter-connected but also connect nearby areas such as Fatasil, Dhirenpara, etc. However, as much as the Lokhra Road area appears to be developed thanks to a recent facelift by the PWD, the condition of Bhaskar Nagar conflicts with the development scenario of the area. The locality is criss-crossed by several lanes such as Surjya Path, Bishnu Rabha Path, Shanti Path, Ramkrishna Path and Jyoti Path. The Bishnu Rabha Path leads to Fatasil which further leads to Bharalumukh. The area is also named as Shani Mandir Path if one enters from the Lokhra Road. Similarly, the entire stretch of Lokhra Road that fronts Bhaskar Nagar is filled with commercial outlets and the residential areas begin after one crosses the Mora Bharalu River. Past the river there are residences in all three directions.

Poor road conditions irk Kalapahar Bhaskar Nagar populace

The troublesome situation Despite having a settlement that dates back to the 1950s and the presence of many recent commercial and residential developments, the locality exudes a sense of decrepitude. No vehicle can exceed 5 Kmph once it enters the locality. Pedestrians are unable to walk a straight line through the entire stretch of the area. Bishnu Rabha Path is impossible to navigate after the slightest rainfall. The condition of all the other lanes in the area is just as abysmal. Large potholes in the roads rather than flooding are the main cause of these problems. Rain water accumulation along the lower stretches of the roads contributes further to the misery of passers-by. “It is difficult for anyone to commute if the road is in such condition. Not just women and children but even young people who are flexible and sporty enough have to be careful while walking down the street. The worst situation arises when a vehicle approaches from either side and we have to find a safe spot to stay away from being

Councillor’s Say

KALYAN DEB

splashed with mud or accumulated rainwater on the road,” stated a pedestrian who is a resident of the area. Another local resident, Ganesh Chandra Chakrabarty echoed similar opinions and stated, “The women and children face more problems while going to school or the markets. The road gets muddy after a few minutes of rain and water accumulates in the lower parts of the roads and remains that way until it naturally dries up. We used to believe that our living conditions were better than Anil Nagar and Nabin Nagar but now it seems we are in no better condition.”

The Cause The GMDA/JICA pipeline project being carried out in the area stands as the prime reason for the horrific state of the road. The project began in 2015. Established protocol requires prompt repair of a road surface after the installation of underground pipelines but this has been blithely ignored by the project’s representatives, causing innumerable problems for one and all. Every road and lane in the area has been

The councillor of ward number 16, Pran Krishna Bhowmik, informed that an amount of R. 72 lakhs had already been sanctioned but the code of conduct coming into force prior to the elections stood as a hindrance to the project. “The amount has been sanctioned through FDR (Flood Disaster Restoration) fund through which the Bishnu Rabha Path, connecting from Shani Mandir and Jyoti Path, will be renovated. The tender process was put on hold due to the elections. However, the project has been forwarded to the executive engineer of GMC although the paperwork might take some time. But I can assure that the area will have a proper road within this year,” the councillor informed.

severely affected. Jyoti Path and the lane bordering the Mora Bharalu River are the most disfigured due to a layer of muddy red soil that has spread over their surfaces after the conclusion of a pipeline project over a week ago. The road that was in a walk-able condition a few months ago degraded after the heavy downpours of 2014 that affected every part of Guwahati. It was since then that the condition started worsening, causing major inconvenience to the locals. “After the flood that lasted for several days, the asphalt wore off and there were huge craters in the road. Once the water drained out boulders were placed all over the surface but it was not rolled to make the road even and with time, the condition started worsening, resulting in the disastrous state that it is in today,” informed Bidisha Das, a sufferer of the inconvenience caused by the poor road conditions.

The only lane that is in a suitable condition to commute is Ramkrishna Path which had undergone construction in the recent past. Meanwhile, a few residents of Surjya path, on the bank of the rivulet, have taken up the responsibility to collectively construct the frontal of their residences in order to ease their problems. “We had suffered abundant problems due to the road condition and we have been waiting for the pipeline project to be over and initiate the construction. Since there is no initiative from the government, some of us residents have decided to do whatever we can within our limitations. We have suffered from floods and every possible related problem; once the road is constructed, we will be relieved of any such problem to a major extent,” stated a resident who is also a part of the initiative. kalyan.deb@g-plus.in

G PLUS MAY 07 - MAY 13, 2016

Salute to the Subhrajit Roy

he royal history of Rajasthan has always enthralled theatre lovers. Both on-screen and onstage presentations are often lucid offerings from the pages of the glorious history. With a view to make today’s youth aware about the sacrifices made by the legendary warriors of India, V Jalan Productions, in association with Voice Theatre, presented the Hindi play “Maharana Pratap” on 24th April, 2016 at Rabindra Bhawan in Guwahati. Scripted by eminent dramatist Sambhu Gupta, the epic play was designed and directed by Manik Roy. The lyrical presentation started with the singing and dancing by a troupe of wandering entertainers, who eventually bring the reference of Maharana Pratap Singh of Mewar in their conversation. By injecting a curiosity about the warrior king, the play progresses further. The Rajputs of Rajasthan had always faced many internal conflicts which shattered their unity and allowed the Mughals to take advantage over the scattered kingdoms. The story begins with the sacrifice made by Panna Dai to protect the life of newborn Rana Uday Singh (father of Maharana Pratap Singh) by exchanging her own son with the newborn royal baby. The play also depicts the sacrifices made by the women of that time including the queens who resorted to self-immolation to protect their independence and dignity. As soon as Rana Pratap was declared the prince of Mewar, Uday Singh was forced to displace Pratap Singh and make Jagmal Singh the new prince. Sibling rivalry had always soured royal relations and Pratap Singh was also not spared from it. The activities of the inefficient Jagmal made the ministers in the kingdom rebel against him, which led him to sign some treaty with Mughal Emperor Akbar. The references of the battles between the Mughals and the Rajputs are some of the important points focussed in the play - especially the battle of Haldighati. The courage and bravery of Pratap Singh did not allow him to surrender before Akbar; he took shelter in jungles and spent days in starvation. The references of the Bheel tribes and their contributions in battling against the Mughals are also focussed in the play. The outcry by his daughter out of sheer starvation made him weak and forced him to write to the Mughal Kindom begging for mercy. As soon as he realised that nothing can be bigger than the motherland, he took the oath of taking revenge on the Mughals. With new energy and a new army, he won almost all the battles of the Mewar region. But he could not win Chittor and subsequently, the artists threw the question to the audiences as to who would win Chittor. Though Chittor is symbolic

Art

warrior

here, the actual question raised by the presentation was that who will free our motherland from all sorts of out bound conflicts keeping everyone’s personal benefits aside. The director adopted the traditional method of storytelling by involving all the artists on stage in singing with equal participation and playing multiple characters. So far as performance is concerned, the first character which grabbed the attention of the audience was the character of Panna Dai played by Pankhi Kashyap. The essence of motherhood and patriotism made the character more dignified. Similarly, the small dance sequence performed by Rupchanda Sharma made the play temporarily light. Vishal Priyom Chaliha brought perfect variations in the four characters that he played bringing some humour in the character of Jagmal. Last but not the least, the title role was well crafted and presented by the producer

Vivek Jalan himself. The poor performance by some of the actors however, could not be ignored. So far as directorial advantages are concerned, one of the specialities of the plays of Manik Roy is the colourful ambiance on stage. The light design by the director himself was well supported by the vibrant coloured costumes that made the presentation soothing to the eye. The play had nominal set design with limited properties. The actors themselves became or posed as properties on a few occasions. But the biggest flaw observed in the presentation was its script. A play with heroism, courage, patriotism and bravery should essentially end with a stunning climax; preferably with a signature scene at the end. This presentation failed miserably in this respect although the message conveyed by it is very much necessary in present socio-political context.

G PLUS MAY 07 - MAY 13, 2016

G Talk

Commissionerate sans teeth D

he peace prevailing in the city, post the elections was almost getting to be staid when news came of a swell drug bust right in its heart – Dighalipukhuri. Even as I write this, news comes of a few other similar busts in some other city localities. Drug peddling and abuse is not a new phenomenon in Guwahati but one often associated such busts with its outskirts. The very respectable Pin Code of 781001 that dominates the Guwahati East constituency had been spared so far. However, taking certain cases of petty crime from recent vintage, like bag and chain snatching, pick-pocketing and now drug peddling, the otherwise respectable and historic localities of the city like Uzanbazar, Dighalipukhuri and Ambari seem to be infested with goons out to make a quick buck through means most unfair. In fact, a lot of other unsavoury elements are plaguing the city and the authorities now and then seem to be committing sins of omission in terms of implementing the rules that it has framed. Take for example the implementation of the High Security Registration Plates (HSRP) on vehicles. A long-standing order that was sought to be implemented to lessen or eradicate vehicle theft, facilities to incorporate the same sprouted up in various commercial hubs of the city. Vehicle owners were extended convenient facilities of changing their ornate or customized number plates to the regularized and standardized variant. The obedient lot of citizenry complied dutifully; the vast majority have been procrastinating wilfully. And so vehicle

thefts are continuing merrily. Boot-legging is another phenomenon that refuses to subside and the dry day of Guwahati is not really a matter of concern to the determined boozer. I, for one, am fully aware of a “covert” outlet in the Kharguli area that is constantly raided by the police of the local thana and closed down and which swings back into business after a couple of days. It is a matter of regret that despite Guwahati city coming under a commissionerate of police since the last one and a half years from the original directorate, certain issues have remained unresolved much to the consternation of the general public. The three instances mentioned above are mere cases in point and could have been easily tackled given a wee bit of will. It needs no great brains to understand that the Latasil Police Station which busted the drugs racket at Dighalipukhuri wouldn’t have known about its existence for so long that the racket flourished the way it did. If enforcing the Assamese language on signage and hoardings could be so easily done what stops the HSRP from being enforced as well? And the bootlegging? Of course, the police are well aware of it. The point of concern is: what allows these issues to remain unresolved? Is it a mutually gainful trade between the goons and the police? Or does the Commissionerate simply lack teeth?

Swapnil Bharali Executive Editor

Unbalanced judgement

SIDHARTH BEDI VARMA

he Supreme Court, in a recent judgement, has compelled one of India’s largest cigarette makers, ITC Ltd. to shut down its cigarette production. This decision has come after the Supreme Court ordered that the pictorial warning against tobacco consumption must cover 85% of the cigarette packet. A combative ITC would rather shut down their production unit, take back the existing stocks in the market and incur heavy losses than agree with the Supreme Court’s decree. The Supreme Court in its verdict said that such companies must fulfil their ‘duty to society’ which apparently will be met if 85% of both sides of their packaging represent pictorial warnings against the harmful effects of tobacco consumption. This effort as a whole seems extremely futile as a means to sensitize people against consumption of tobacco. How does pictorial representation make a difference? If you are a smoker, you know that opening a pack of cigarettes is stored in your muscle memory. You do not read the packet, EVER! Moreover, this superficial method of reaching out to India’s smokers will never work contrary to what Union Health Minister, Dr. Harsh Vardhan, seems to believe. Speaking of ‘duty to society’, why did Supreme Court overturn the judgement on Article 377 by say-

ing that it should be a matter left to Parliament, not the Judiciary? There continue to be instances when the SC surprises us all with progressive and regressive judgements at the same time. Shashi Tharoor has twice raised a private member’s bill in the Lok Sabha regarding article 377 and he has been turned down both times. It seems like decisions that actually need instant attention have been deferred and stalled and decisions like market timings of the Beltola Bazaar are being given attention to by the courts. The Chief Justice’s eyes also welled up recently when he was addressing the media and he urged the Government to consider more recruitments as the Indian Judiciary was overburdened and pressurized. CJI Thakur said that from a Munsiff to a Supreme Court judge, the average disposal in India is 2,600 cases per year as compared to 81 cases per annum in the US. We understand that the judiciary is overburdened but there are often times when the SC takes closed door decisions, decisions with unconstitutional benches and the Collegium System which has been heavily criticized and labelled as a ‘lobby system’ for judges. Considering how well conditioned the language of Judges is it is often difficult to discern the truth from possible mala fide intentions.

The ignored VIPs

ith the declaration of tax revenues and collection data, G Plus analyses what drives the nation’s finances, who are responsible for it and how the government can treat its creamy layer of tax payers better “A customer is the most important visitor on our premises. He is not dependent on us. We are dependent on him. He is not an interruption of our work. He is the purpose of it. He is not an outsider of our business. He is part of it. We are not doing him a favour by serving him. He is doing us a favour by giving us the opportunity to do so,” said Mahatma Gandhi One thing good about the current government at the Centre, affectionately or derisively referred to as the Modi Sarkar (rather than Bharat Sarkar or Central Government) as the intention of the opinionatedly inclined may be, is its attempt to be transparent. And I am not offering an opinion that earlier governments practised concealment simply because that is besides the point here. The point of concern is the revelation of certain data which states that just about 1% of the Indian population pays income tax. Now this is something that most of us have been more or less aware of. But revelations of the detailed data tell a disconcerting tale. The latest data disclosed by the government for the assessment year 2012-13 (as part of a transparency drive whereby the government has made tax data for the last 15 years public) reveals that a mere 2.87 crore individuals (out of the country’s population of 123 crores at that time) had filed income tax returns. Wait! Hang on! We are not talking about tax payments just yet. We are just considering filing of returns at the moment. Now, let’s break this figure down further. Of these 2.87 crore people, 1.62 crores merely filed their returns; they did not pay any tax. Apparently, under prevailing taxation laws, they were not required to as they did not fall under the taxable bracket. The truth may be different though and we can feel free to bring in thoughts about evasion, tweaking of

balance sheets to cause evasion, or simply being smart enough to find chartered accountants who can find the desired loopholes whereby paying tax can be avoided. Fact of the matter remains that this lot only filed returns and did not pay any taxes. We are now left with the balance 1.25 crore individuals who paid taxes in varying amounts in accordance with the tax calculated as per their income statements. This is just about 1% of the country’s population. Data reveals that among these 1.25 crore individuals, around 1.11 crores, i.e. nearly 89% of all taxpayers, paid taxes amounting to Rs. 1.5 lakhs or less each. This leaves a mere 14 lakh individuals who are the real funding machinery of the country’s fortunes – an incredibly miniscule 0.11%! Of these, 5,430 individuals have paid taxes in excess of Rs. 1 crore. And I am talking about direct personal taxes only and excluding corporate taxes and other direct taxes. If this whole lot of 1.25 lakh tax payers have together contributed to a collection

PERSPECTIVE Swapnil Bharali figure of Rs. 1,41,494 crores in 2012-13 (figures available up to January, 2013 on the Department of Revenue, Govt. of India website) and if 89% of them have paid Rs. 1.5 lakhs or less, it is worth pondering over the contribution of those 14 lakh individuals who have paid anything between Rs. 1.5 lakhs to several crores for the government to have collected the staggering sum of Rs. 1,41,494 crores up to January, 2013. So, what hymns of every Indian being equal in the eyes of the law are we humming all the time in the name of the constitution? What precedence, accordance, status and positions of preeminence are we offering to people other than these 14 lakh individuals who are actually allowing us our very thoughts, constructive, destructive or just plain

pedestrian, in independent India? And what paeans of glory are we singing for all those pretenders masquerading as the corner stone of nationalism, anti-nationalism and patriotism who fail to figure in the list of 1.25 crores leave alone 14 lakhs or 5,430? I would hardly be wrong in offering a statement of salutation to these individuals who can be conferred the eminent label of being India’s “clientele” and can actually demand preferential treatment by the government of India. But no! These are people who are expected to slog it out, create wealth for others, develop the economic ideals of the nation, pay their taxes as heavily as ever and thereafter conform to their status as Indians who are as equal to the publicity-hungry sloth on the mike as to the anti-national sloganeer who thrives on his rhetoric and the subsidies doled out from the money of these same taxpayers. If I am to recall Mahatma Gandhi’s observation and the importance that he desired to place on a customer or a client, I would venture to add that it is the client that is the most important entity on earth today. Without the client, the world would not survive. This is reflected in the respect and privileges that business entities, small and big, extend to its customers. “Priority customer,” “privileged member” etc. are terms that are liberally used by business establishments to show the esteem with which they hold their customer. If everything today can be measured in terms of money including the compensation for deliberate and false assassination of character, then I reckon the government should accord the highest respect to its clientele – its tax payers. An identification that states that an Indian is a tax payer and which allows him some special privileges against the non tax payer would be welcome. Forcing a tax payer, who pays taxes to the amount of Rs. 3-4-5 lacs or above, to rub shoulders with the country’s riffraff in instances where he need not, indeed amounts to the nation showing disrespect to its clientele. I pity the government that allows the honest tax payer to remain the ignored VIP forever!

Interactive

IP racism has been a big issue ever since TV debates started to highlight it. We often faced the problem but it has only been about a year that people have been raising a voice against it. Last week, I was at Nepali Mandir when the Governor apparently came to Hotel Srikant for lunch. Now I, being located in the area, saw police officials being deployed since morning actively keeping pedestrians and traffic at bay. They actually managed to control the chaos created by the trekkers and tempos and surprisingly it was interesting to see because a chaos-free Nepali Mandir is something Guwahatians need. Why is this done only when a VVIP comes visiting? Do we not deserve a better functioning and smoother city?

Name Withheld

Letter to the Editor Dear Sir,

Your last week’s issue carried an article about an alleged baby swapping nexus that might be in place in the Guwahati Medical College and Hospital. These things are horrific and the irony is, these incidents keep recurring. Where is the administration going wrong? When on one hand, the rest of the country is praising about how the North East raises its daughters, on the other hand we get to hear of such unsavoury incidents. I hope through your efforts, there is a fast paced enquiry into the matter and perpetrators are brought to justice. Thanks.

Sultana Atifa Ahmed via email

G PLUS MAY 07 - MAY 13, 2016

In Focus

Does surge pricing by Uber and Ola need to be regulated? Surge pricing by cab operators is a new phenomenon to Guwahati and it has been a cause of indignation among users as Uber has been seen to charge as much as 5 times its base rates in certain cases. Customers have often felt fleeced by these heavy charges and G Plus asks for public opinion on whether such pricing needs government intervention and regulation.

Siddharth Borooah

Nibir Bhuyan

y point of view is yes, the government of Assam like it’s counterpart in Delhi and Karnataka should step in and stop the surge pricing of Uber. This is hurting the people using their services and it does not auger well. Their reason of having surge pricing to balance out demand and supply is absurd and nothing but a way to fleece the customers. By that yardstick, every retail shop selling commodities would practice surge pricing on any item which is in demand.There should be regulations for the service sector.

es, surge price should be regulated. Uber and Ola, have a business model where they demand a higher fare when demand goes up. This ‘surge pricing’ has been the subject of heated indignation as well as impassioned defences. USbased Uber said it “regularly does surge pricing when demand outstrips supply.” The same should not apply in our city.

Abhishek Goel

es, the surge pricing should be regulated because Uber and Ola are useful to commute within the city where parking is a pain. Further, it is useful to make the service available for relatives and friends visiting the city for their travel or shopping (where I can book and pay). For such factors I would love to see these companies continue to make things available for me at normal price and I would happily take other public transport as well.

Ashish Goel

o. They are private companies and should be allowed to do business as they want it. If the government is concerned, they should launch government taxis at regulated prices. If government starts regulating everything tomorrow they will regulate price of momos and chicken tikkas too. Since these organizations are not under any government subsidy, I don’t think the government has any right to regulate them. I may sound like a capitalist here, but the truth is the government should focus on improving state transportation rather than policing private companies.

urge prices should be limited to an extent because many poor and middle class families avail Ola and Uber cabs at important times like festivals and rush hour. It is unfair that they have to spend their hard earned money on surged prices which hampers their budget a lot.

Ashish Jain

ost definitely! The cab services are here to provide a service and that too is paid by meter. Of late, they have become the only source of reliable commutation in the city and it affects a lot of people when they surge prices for no reason at all. It is only fair that we pay for the distance we covered. Just because the city’s administration has failed to provide convenient commutation does not mean a few companies can take advantage of the situation to make a few extra bucks.

Mon Imaan Hazarika

Meet

Nani Gopal Mahanta

Academician and Political Commentator

he Head of the Department of Political Science in Gauhati University, Nani Gopal Mahanta was born in Kowerpur near Sivasagar. His upbringing was steeped in Vaishnav culture because of his family’s association with the Kowerpur Sattra. His grandfather was the Sattradhikar and later his father, the president of Sattra Sabha. Through his childhood Nani acted in bhaonas (dramas), learnt to play khol and perform the Sattriya dance. Born on 30th April 1969 to father Lilakanta Mahanta and mother Dr. Nirupama Mahanta, Nani is the fourth of five brothers. His mother is an eminent author, educationist, exponent of Sattriya culture and a recipient of Ministry of Culture fellowship. Nani had his initial education in Sivasagar and did his higher secondary from Vivekananda Kendra Vidyalaya. It was there that he developed his interest in recitation. Being an admirer of Punya Saikia, Nani used to listen to his composition and practise the modulations that went into reciting a poem. Nani went on to pursue his graduation from Cotton College and topped the University. In Cotton College, Nani struck a friendship with Himanta Biswa Sarma and both became members of the union body during the same term. Nani went on to pursue his masters degree from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and came back to Cotton College to do his M.Phil. He went to University of California, Berkeley (2002–04) as a Rotary World Peace Fellow. Nani belonged to the first batch and was one of the two Indians out of sixty from around the world who were selected for the same. Nani today has a Ph.D. in terrorism. Nani was also a Visiting Fellow at the Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO), Norway where he presented his paper on Conflict Resolution and Peace Building. However, it was during his stay at JNU when he was introduced to a different dimension of life which also laid the foundation stone for the series of conflict-based papers that he has written over the years. “JNU gave me the foundation to appreciate the issues of the society. Usually academicians take their profession as a way of life but for me it also comes with certain responsibilities towards the society and scientifically looking at different issues of the society. During my stay in Cotton College, I wanted to do some higher research and wanted to understand the phenomenon of terrorism. Why people take up arms? What are the consequences? What are the external factors? But later on those insurgencies had come down but group conflicts had become more prominent. I had taken up such papers because my society is affected and it also enriched me. JNU gave me a national perspective to such conflicts and being there I was introduced to a completely different culture,” mentioned Nani during a conversation with G Plus. In 2010-11, he made approaches to understand the ethnic identities and the conflict between the Bodos and non-Bodos and the Bodos and Muslims during which he wrote articles. Of the lot one was on the Bodoland conflict that included studying the indigenous rights and the right of the minorities. However, Nani has now shifted

G Plus photo

his interest to election studies and the evolution of Muslim politics. Nani is a regular contributor to various national and regional newspapers and journals on contemporary conflict issues in India’s northeast. They include Economic and Political Weekly, Socialist Perspective, India Today, The Hindustan Times among several others. He is also one of the most popular political commentators on television in the region. Currently the editor of Journal of Political Science, he has also co-edited a book entitled Conflict Dynamics in North East India: The Shifting Terrain (with Dilip Gogoi), published in February 2012. “There are three to four areas that I try to focus on. One is insurgency and terrorism. Second is ethnic conflict and ethnic identity. The third is conflict resolution and peace building and how the society can establish peace by involving the stakeholders. Now I am trying to focus on election studies and also the usage of indigeneity particularly in the context of immigration. The desire to understand politics has dragged me towards this. I believe politics defines your future,” the educator mentioned. Nani had a delightfully romantic life. He had to elope with Gargi when he realized that their respective parents would never approve of their marriage due their caste difference. “I learned that her parents were not supportive of the marriage because we belonged to different castes. Her parents thought that she might not be accepted by my family. But she was ready to marry me and there was nothing to stop us. So, I simply asked her to come away with me. However, I hadn’t realized then that the toughest job would be to find a place for her to stay. With the help of friends I found a hostel for her and later told my parents. My brothers, mother and even my grandmother supported me but my father did not utter a word for days. Soon after our marriage however, she became one of the most loved members of the family,” Nani said. After twenty years of marriage the couple is blessed with two boys and a girl.

G PLUS MAY 07 - MAY 13, 2016

Lifestyle

Sex

in our city

VAASTU ASPECTS OF

am a 24 year old unmarried man from Maligaon. The shape and structure of my penis has often caused me to be nervous around women. I sort of have extra long foreskin and this has put me in embarrassing situations with women. Is this otherwise normal or do I need to take any corrective measures?

VAASTU SHASTRA

he penis is the male organ. Its function is to pass urine and to be used for sexual activity. As long as you are able to accomplish these activities without any pain or discomfort it should not really matter. It would have been helpful if you could have clarified what in your shape and structure actually bothers you. If you are unhappy because you are comparing it with porn stars stop fretting because you will not win. Take a chill pill and get on with life. Why is your foreskin (which you have mentioned is extra long) causing embarrassment? If you can satisfy your partner I don’t think it really matters. What is normal foreskin? I am not aware of any small, medium, large or extra large classifications. Please forward me any such data so that I can also enhance my knowledge! However if your foreskin is causing problems with urination and discomfort during sex you need specialist input.

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

BHARALUMUKH AND MACHKHOWA

hese are two of the oldest areas of North West Guwahati, situated by the side of the Brahmaputra River. The name Machkhowa suggests a market for fish as it is on the banks of the river though with no historical evidence so far. The river Bharalu connects the Brahmaputra at Bharalumukh, which is adjacent to Machkhowa. Most Guwahatians are aware of the fruit and vegetable wholesale markets which are situated in Machkhowa. The River Brahmaputra and the Idgah Maidan (field) are to the North of this area. This is a very positive Vaastu factor leading the market to f lourish since inception. The residents on the southern side of the Idgah Field are well-todo and enjoy the benefit of the open field at their east and the river to their north. The Deshabhakta Tarun Ram Phukan Park separates Machkhowa and Bharalumukh. The TR Phukan Road is on the western side of the park connecting Fancy Bazar with Bharalumukh. The road has been named after Late TR Phukan, whose residence is situated on the western side of the park. The benefits of Vaastu could also be witnessed in the lives of other residents of the area, who have been prosperous for many years. The old Guwahati Central Jail separates the Kedar Road area from Fancy Bazar. This area is known for having transport companies and warehouses. If we consider the entire Guwahati City, the Kedar Road area is on the northwest and it is the hub of the transportation business in Guwahati. The Kaliram Barooah Girls’ High School is on the eastern side of the MG Road at Bharalumukh overlooking the river Bharalu. The river and road

toward the west have had a negative impact on the school and over the years, it has lost its old glory and its penchant for producing good results. When it was established in 1949, there were open areas towards the east and north and many prominent women of the city graduated from this school. But haphazard construction and encroachment has blocked the eastern and northern sides of this school, affecting its Vaastu. Moreover, the boundary walls of the school are in a dilapidated state which is also very bad for its Vaastu. The Sonaram High school at Bharalumukh has its playground on the west side and the main building towards its north-eastern side. So, despite having the Brahmaputra at its north and northwest, this school has never made a mark in the field of education. On the contrary, the business establishments on the southern side of AT Road in Bharalumukh have been doing well because of the benefit of having the river towards the north along with the wide road in front as well. The AT Road takes a 20 degree turn from the Athgaon f lyover to Bharalumukh. This area is known for motor parts and accessories. The shops on the southern side of the f lyover have been affected by the bridge blocking the north and their business has deteriorated since the completion of the f lyover. Not surprisingly, the businesses having the open road in front and towards the north are continuing to prosper.

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

Mughal Garden

f Biryani entices your taste buds and you yearn to be lured by the heady aroma of flavours and spices along with perfectly cooked grains of rice and tender juicy chunks of mutton or chicken, you must eat at ‘Mughal Garden.’ If Hyderabad has ‘Paradise’ and Kolkata has ‘Arsalan,’ our own city has Mughal Garden. It is indeed Guwahati’s best kept secret. Located at Haji Musafir Khana Road, a by-lane off B. Baruah Road, this place serves the best Biryani in town. You can sit down and eat or order and take it home.

G Plus photo

With a meat based menu, the hit item here is Biryani, done to perfection. The Biryani here veers more towards the Bengal version, which is lighter but no less tasty with soft chunks of potato and egg, along with

succulent pieces of meat, an amalgam of Awadhi and Hyderabadi style. There is a wide choice of chicken and mutton dishes to choose from and the restaurant also has beef on its menu. The kababs are juicy with spices and

flavours balancing each other. The naans and rotis are recommended too but their Mughlai Paratha is definitely not worth a try. It is way too greasy and thick, so skip that. Every dish here is freshly

cooked and the service is quick and efficient. A wait of 10 minutes is all that is needed for your meal to arrive. All the dishes are very competitively priced; a meal for four will set you back by a mere thousand rupees! It is probably one of the best value-for-money restaurants in the city. This is a no frills restaurant but very high on taste and flavour; you will keep returning because of the food quality and taste. Although it boasts of an extensive Mughlai menu, its crowning dish is the Biryani. Order a side dish of Chicken Afghani Kabab or a Mutton Kasha along with a Lacha Paratha. The lacha is flaky and with perfect layers. Tear a piece, dunk into the gravy and pop the morsel into your mouth. It is heavenly! Round off a hearty robust meal with a Phirni, a sweet ending to an amazing meal that will weigh you down with taste but will not leave your pocket too light. Kashmiri Nath Foodie, owner at XOXO cupcakes, food blogger, recipe developer and expert on Assamese cuisine

G PLUS MAY 07 - MAY 13, 2016

Lifestyle

Cool Couture

Best version of

yourself

The North East India

Fashion Week

An ode to

“Respect”

A Promo Fashion Show coming your way on 8th May

Affluent Ray of Light is a nonprofit organization dedicated to globalize the social and cultural aspects of the different tribes of northeast India. The three-day fashion extravaganza, conceptualized to inspire and encourage the upcoming handicraft artisans and designers of the region who are working exclusively towards the promotion of northeastern fabrics and culture, will be held in Itanagar from 3rd to 5th June, 2016. As a prelude to the grandiose event, ARL will be organizing a promo fashion show in Guwahati on Sunday, 8th May, 2016, at Terra Mayaa which will witness the participation of 13 young designers who believe in showcasing their traditional fabric and patterns and have successfully carved a niche for themselves in the fashion industry. The designers who will be participating in the Guwahati promo are Arita Kashyap and Priyanka Buragohain from Assam; Milli Indira Dangngo, Techi Yapar, Nana Gona and Minu Mara from Arunachal Pradesh; Charlee Mathlena and Lalthabiki Chawngthu from Mizoram; Rupert W. Lynrah from Meghalaya; Ongtiong Kichu and Gloria Ovung from Nagaland; Vanshala Mishra from Bihar; Huanpi Rani from Bengaluru

and Archana Kabra from Rajasthan. Speaking on the occasion, Chief Operating Officer and founder of Affluent Ray of Light, fashion designer Yana Ngoba said, “ARL is committed to support upcoming and established talented designers from all backgrounds, with new innovative ideas that reflect the culture of northeast India. We desire to make a unique and positive contribution through fashion design to the ever changing world and also to change the concept of fashion shows in northeast, making it more cause-oriented instead of having just a skin and entertainment show.” The venue will also have stalls where designers from varied backgrounds will exhibit their designs and the handloom of the northeast to ensure optimum exposure and networking opportunity with the community during the fashion week. North East India Fashion Week is a concept created and implemented by Affluent Ray of Light (ARL) to promote weavers, designers and craftsmen of the region in the national as well as international market and to empower talent of northeast by providing them a networking opportunity and by facilitating buyers for their products. This event is a platform provided to

all stakeholders within northeast Indian industry, with a special focus on weavers and handicrafts, with a motive to build network and alliance with partners and markets across the globe. Such events are actually important in the sense that they are very significant in preserving the northeastern region’s rich fabrics, traditional handlooms and handicrafts, and very few of the designers from the region are making an effort to do so. The mission is to promote and preserve the vast variety of indigenous textiles and crafts that are slowly losing popularity amongst the younger generation, through fashion shows and help create business and branding opportunities for industries directly or indirectly engaged in retailing handloom, textile fashion and life.

n my search for providing the Ultimate Fitness to those who are primarily overweight, weak or for people who want to develop a lean and muscular body with my

career that spans for over 20 years and includes training clients in gyms as a Health & Fitness professional, I’ve learnt that only following a correct diet plan & exercise program isn’t

enough to succeed to achieve your Fitness Goals.

The reason:

Because most of the people that faced these types of issues either have a poor health, metabolic related disorder, low androgen levels or lack of quality or motivation towards life and exercise. What I’ve noticed is that people go to gyms for years with no noticeable changes in their physique. Added to this, people who are a part of the standard gym facility wanting to lose body fat and transform their body, get access to Amateur Personal Trainers who often lack appropriate knowledge and are not qualified enough to provide proper guidance. Though the fitness trade is constantly growing with huge gyms opening up on each block, it is mandatory for these kinds of gyms to find a solution by following standard scientific protocols of fitness training and get their trainers recognized by a

So change that mediocre mindset of yours today. You can be anything, you can achieve anything. Respect Time: No matter how awesome you are, no matter how smart or wealthy you are, your time here on this planet is limited. So why not make the best use of it? That’s the difference between successful and unsuccessful people. Successful people are aware of how they spend their time. There’s nothing like “time pass” in their dictionary. Every day is a new day and everyday is a blessing, Do not waste a single day because at the end of your life it will be these days that will sum up to form a life. “Your day is your life in miniature,” said Robin Sharma. Respect Health: A healthy person wears a crown that is only visible to an unhealthy person. What is the point of reaching excellence, achieving your goals, reaching your life’s mountain top if you fall sick there? Successful people clearly understand that being healthy is very important and that’s why you’ll find all the successful people sharing how they workout daily and eat only good food. You are what you eat. Your body is your temple, respect it.

Madhur Jayne A practicing chartered accountant and a certified nutritionist. He is the cofounder 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.

Sonika Ajmera Fashion Blogger

Proper Diet & Exercise:

Is it enough?

o achieve success in life, you must become the best version of yourself. And to become the best version of yourself, you must start to respect. Here are the 3 things in life that I invite you to start respecting in order to be the best version of yourself: Respect Yourself: Have utmost respect for yourself. We all share the same brain. We all are God’s most precious creation. We all have the same power, the same capability. We are powerful. We just use this brain differently. Some use it to catapult themselves towards their dreams and goals and some use it to only check out Facebook feeds. Some use it to be legends and some use it to only watch movies. Do not underestimate yourself. Human are pretty good at giving excuses like, “I didn’t because I’m too young, I’m too poor, I come from a village, my legs are broken, I don’t feel too good today, I’m not healthy enough and many more.” APJ Abdul kalam did not, Narendra Modi did not, Mary Kom did not, Steve Jobs did not and look what these people have achieved. Each and every one of us has the potential to be brilliant in life, be world class and legends.

Fitness Academy under the guidance of a Fitness Expert.

The result:

The response from the members is that they tried hitting the gym and it doesn’t work. It’s not the gym or the machine within the gymnasium that’s inflicting the shortage of progress. What’s missing is the right Fitness Education. People often get frustrated once they sign in, workout for a number of weeks, lose momentum and quit or get hurt from overdoing one thing or doing one thing wrong. There’s no structure to the fitness program, and along with lack of nutrition education.

The Solution:

• Be a part of a gym facility or health club where there are professionally trained and qualified trainers. • Always check the Credentials & Certification of the Personal Trainers and ask whether or they are ready to guarantee 100 percent reimbursement from their training program. • A Nutritionist must be engaged

with you completely. • Always look for a reputed coaching facility. An excellent facility would be SFL Fitness Athletic Facility & MMA, in Guwahati ABC’s, GS Road.

My Mission:

My mission is to create a community of likeminded professional personal trainers where I can provide the facility for others who can rework their body without the use of medicine and surgery.

A word of advice:

A certain frame of mind is required, but to make any program successful and to see changes, a workout has to be smart and planned. BIBHU MONI SINGHA, P.G.D. Fitness & Nutrition Gym Manager Training & Nutrition Head, SFL Fitness Gym & MMA CMPPT & WTPS IFBB, Madrid, SPAIN Fitness Expert & Sports Nutritionist, Life Member IAHF, Life Member & Regional Director, IAPEN Life Member, NSI, Member ACSM, U.S.A. www.bibhuuniversalfitness.com

G PLUS MAY 07 - MAY 13, 2016

Review Cast: Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, Sebastian Stan Director: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo

vie w o M vie Re

hilst working on a particular mission in Nigeria, the Avengers’ action result in collateral damage. Soon their actions are being questioned thanks to the mass destruction and loss of innocent lives caused because of them. Political pressure is thrust on this superhero team as accountability for their actions is expected. The UN decides to intervene and put the Avengers under a bureaucratic supervision. This forms a divide between the team as Steve Rogers / Captain America is against the idea of aligning themselves to a government body where as Iron Man/Tony Stark is convinced that a slight control is needed for them to function responsibly. As the two men decide to choose their own paths, they are left to fight one another and the rest including Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), Falcon,

Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner, Wanda are forced to pick sides. The best part about this film is that it has a great backing coming from the previous Captain America as well as Avengers films. To see Captain America and Iron Man stand against each other does not seem so shocking or intriguing since the reasoning is perfect. We have known Captain America to be a do-gooder and dutiful who will not succumb to propaganda or political pressure. Iron Man on the other hand knows what the consequences to his recklessness are (shown in Age of Ultron), hence the duo are fighting for their own reasons. Since I don’t mean to give any spoilers, I would just have to mention how brilliantly the Captain’s old friend Bucky Barnes is inserted into the plot with a history that is the second big reason for Iron Man and Captain’s fall out. The good part of the narra-

tive is that when the time comes for both teams to fight one another, there is a strong reason for member to turn up. Light humor rides through the banter amongst most members. The conversations between Iron Man and Peter Parker/Spider Man are extremely funny. Black Panther is another new character added in this film and I have to say, he has a perfect time and reason to be here. Ant-Man too is recruited on one of the teams and his humor is totally bang on. The writers pave way for more films with this film as none of the questions raised in this film find answers. Captain America : Civil War is a proof that Marvel knows how its done! Unlike Dawn Of Justice, this superhero vs superhero drama will make you struggle to pick sides. Undoubtedly, the best film in the Captain America series.

Cast: Meera Chopra, Sharman Joshi Director: Tinu Suresh Desai

hivangi (Meera Chopra) comes from a Rajasthani royal family. The princess is married to a prince named Veer (Vishal Karwal) and the duo stay in London. Everything is hunky dory in their lives until a gift from their hometown makes its way into their home. The royal necklace has been put under a spell of the black magic and soon possesses Veer’s body. A scared Shivangi returns home to a seek help. When a local mantrik fails to help her, she is told that only one person can and that is her exboyfriend Jai (Sharman Joshi). Initially being resistant to Shivangi’s Request, Jai gives in and decides to help her. Will Jai be able to save Veer from his deteriorating condition? Will the Daayan leave Veer’s body is what lies

ahead. Can someone tell filmmakers that even horror movies need a script. It is unruly for them to just put a love story, heartbreak and then marital bliss as a part of it. This film is an excuse of a horror film. In fact I would say, the dialogues were way creepier that what we were subjected to on a visual front. Rajasthan has become one of the most favorite places for Bollywood’s horror setting. Its as if cities never experience any haunted events. Probably they should have taken Adhyayan Suman’s detailed story to dig more into black magic events happening in the city. How does a dialogue related to Mahabharat and Ramayana make its way into such a film? Its like every

me Ga view e R

villain has to be a Raavan. Black magic is a done to death topic. The typical concepts of a black cat crossing, the use of Gangaajal etc are sold under the impression of scaring you. Logic is kept aside and hence the India-London travel is mere teleportation from one place to another. What’s the worst thing in this film is that, there is absolutely no interaction between the possessed soul and those living surrounding it. The ghost mere laughs but that too being so artificial, we hardly even get startled by it. Several scenes are left incomplete, like when the possessed body leaves the hospital walking on its hands, how do they take it home in a normal condition.

Artist:

Arpit Vageria

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Captain America: Civil War 9.30 AM, 12.15 & 5.40 PM Baaghi 3.00 PM Traffic 8.45 PM

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enveloping, polished production that effectively softens the rougher edges of McDonald’s voice; he’s hardly gravelly, but he is nicely weathered. All of these elements help turn Never Enders into an album that feels radio-radio by the rule books of 1997, but that’s its appeal: it is Lonestar celebrating who they are, from their countrypop roots to their middle age. Such warm self-acceptance turns this album into a cozy, pleasurable affair.

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Album:

2013 reunion with Richie McDonald, a move that’s tantamount to a basic-to-basics for the quartet. From the insistent arena-country anthem of the title track to the preponderance of shiny sentimental ballads, this feels like a revival of late-’90s country, but what makes Never Enders work isn’t that it succumbs to nostalgia, but rather that it relies on craft. The songs may not be grabbers, but they’re sturdy, melodic constructions given a lift by an

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Lonestar

oving over to Shanachie Records, the reunited Lonestar continue the path they started on 2013’s Life as We Know It on Never Enders. The title song alludes to the group’s status as survivors: at the point this record hit the stores in 2016, the quartet was closing in on a quarter-century in the business. To their credit, Lonestar choose to embrace their age here, getting a little bit more mellow than they did on the

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amir has never met anyone who understands him better than Anvi. But her passion for investigative journalism scares him no end. She is calling while reporting from a crime scene and promising to switch to anchoring when he hears a gunshot. Will she be able to fulfil her promise? Dhruv can do anything to please Vratika, for he seems bound to her for life. They have been going

Salasar Building, Lakhtokia 9854077177 steady for a while and he feels she brings smiles and light to his life like no other. Can one misunderstanding in a moment of anger finish it all? For Aamir, little Dhruv is the best gift life has given him. More than just brothers, they are the beginning and end of their family. After years, struggles and pain are slowly fading away in the face of happier times. But one phone call changes their entire life.

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G PLUS MAY 07 - MAY 13, 2016

Entertainment

In conversation with Kothanodi’s acclaimed director

Sidharth Bedi Varma

Bhaskar Hazarika

The pay scale.

Why do you think the Assamese industry has not done as well as the other movie industries?

Mostly, no. It is very difficult for the ‘end product’, in this case film, Again, there are a lot of reasons to trump a writer’s imagination. But for this. Demographics has a lot to do sometimes, what with it for instance. Our is written becomes box office is miniscule The movie has more complex and compared to others, been screened satisfying when which means low budacross several filmed. That’s part of gets for our films. Also, the whole charm of we have done a very Film Festivals: filmmaking. comprehensive job of driving away good technical talent to places You have relike Calcutta and Bomceived a National 20th Busan bay. So that has meant Award, but do you think the Assamese International Film an erosion of quality in Festival 2015 our films. audience watched

SHORT SYNOPSIS Adapted from Assamese folk tales, Kothanodi is a multi-narrative film about four shades of motherhood. It’s about a mother who puts her daughter’s life at stake for her pride; a woman who has given birth, but still isn’t a mother; a mother who takes a stand for her child and a mother who never wanted to be one in the first place.

and appreciated your movie?

DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT Kothanodi adapts its story from events and characters in four stories in the Assamese folktales compendium Buri Ai’r Xadhu (Grandma’s Tales). Compiled by Assam’s foremost literary luminary Laxminath Bezbaroa in 1911, these folktales are well known and have been much loved by generations of Assamese children. While the stories in Grandma’s Tales have traditionally been presented as stories for children, Kothanodi tries to push them towards darker, unorthodox directions: here the magic is real, illusions starker, emotions rawer, and horror more visceral. Why make a film based on obscure folklore from a little-known place tucked away in the north-eastern corner of India? The world is getting smaller, and with it, more homogenized. Contemporary

What do you think is the difference between Bollywood actors and Assamese actors?

Is your imagination and words in the script always the end product of what you imagine?

haskar Hazarika’s Kothanodi (The River Of Fables) recently bagged the coveted award for the Best Assamese Film at the 63rd National Film Awards 2016. The movie stars Adil Hussain, Seema Biswas, Zerifa Wahid and Kopil Bora among other known faces of the industry. The Twitterati and social media handles could not stop showering words of praises for the movie and hailed it as a ‘masterpiece’. So here is G Plus’ in conversation with the master director himself.

stories are increasingly irrelevant to their settings. An urban love story set in Bombay is likely to have the same themes as one set in Guwahati. This is, perhaps, the perfect time for cinema audiences to enjoy the rich diversity of culture and folklore in the world. In Kothanodi, audiences will be introduced to stories that have universal themes (fear, loathing, envy, love) which are expressed in local style and influenced by storytelling traditions of the numerous communities inhabiting Assam for centuries. Kothanodi can also be looked upon as another example of the dark undertones that lie under the surface of almost every bedtime story in the world, as part of the global trend of alternative adaptations of classic folktales.

Kothanodi is formed of 4 stories. What is the idea behind this amalgamation? Kothanodi is a reinterpretation of characters and events in four stories of the book Buri Ai’r Xadhu. The idea behind the film was to create a single narrative from multiple stories.

We heard you wrote screenplay for Hindi horror serials. How is that as an experience for what you want to pursue in the future? Not just horror, I wrote a lot of teenage drama too! But I’ve always had a soft spot for the horror and scifi genres, and I hope it reflects in my work.

BFI London Film Festival 2015

Well no they haven’t, but it’s not their 17th JIO MAMI fault! We haven’t even Mumbai Film gotten around to reFestival leasing the film in Assam yet. We hope to rectify that by July Goteborg this year. However, at International Film Nothing much. every global screenFestival 2016 ing so far – Busan, Favourite directors London, Goteborg, and musicians? Dharamshala Mumbai, Dharamshala, Los Angeles, International Film Too many to list, Austin and Stockbut some of the direcFestival 2015 holm – Assamese tors that have influpeople and lovers of enced me include David Assamese cinema have received the Cronenberg and Takashi Miike. Closfilm with much appreciation. er to home, Jahnu Barua’s early works have been a great source of inspiraWhy is the response to Assamese tion. Although I listen to every kind of movies from the general audience music, the Seattle grunge bands of the early 1990s have had the biggest influon a decline? ence on me. There’s no single reason. The loss of interest in Assamese cinema has to Any other projects you are curdo with factors such as lack of quality, rently engaged in? availability of screens, and a film distribution model that is heavily skewed Yes, I’m working on my next feaagainst Assamese films. ture film.

Audio album ‘Minervar Manar Katha’ released

lot of newcomers have entered into this musical world to fulfill their dreams of becoming an established singer, but few of them have been able to catch the attention of the listeners with their soulful voice. Minerva Talukdar (Nitu), one such talented young singer, recently released her first solo album of modern Assamese songs titled ‘Minervar Manar Katha.’ The album contains five songs of different flavors. The first one ‘Boga Kagojote’ is written and tuned by Achurjya Borpatra, music is done by Jon Jonak. The second one, ‘Juriya Xaliki’ is written by Dipankar Talukdar, tuned and musically composed by Manabjyoti Das.

Assamese movies have really weak scripts and yet the directors complain that the audience is unreceptive. What do you have to say about that?

The third one, ‘Bogakoi Bogoli’ is written and tuned by Ritu Bikash and music is done by Nintoo Pathak. The fourth one ‘Uxahotu Tumi Mor’ is written and tuned by Dipankar Talukdar and music is done by Manabjyoti Das. The last one titled ‘Koliya’ is written and tuned by Bastav Nath and music is done by Dibakar Dutta. All the songs are beautifully rendered by the singer. The songs have been recorded at Studio EDC Cotton College, DG Music Studio and Dijwa Chitra Studio and mixed and mastered by Manabjyoti, Nintoo and Diganta. The album is produced under the banner of M2 Production. Minerva, who trained under Pradip

Dohortiya, started singing at a very young age and made her debut in 2009 through the album ‘Mon Jonak.’ Then she had rendered her voice in a Bodo song and one Baganiya song while studying Mass Comm. in Cotton College. Now she is planning on making a Jhumur album and another solo album titled ‘Jiban Ekhoni Nodi.’ Manabjyoti Das, popularly known as an audiographer and music arranger, has completed a 17 year stint in the music industry since 1998. Manabjyoti, whose Hindi solo album titled ‘Tujhe Dekha’ was highly appreciated by the music lovers, has already lent his voice in more than 15 songs as well as in albums. He had also worked as a music arranger in Rajashree Theatre. The singer, Minerva is hoping that the Assamese music lovers will accept her album and will appreciate her in her musical journey.

KALYAN KUMAR KALITA

G PLUS MAY 07 - MAY 13, 2016

Citypedia

EMERGENCY NUMBERS

Horoscope Although certain aspects of your life may not be moving as quickly as you’d like, this week still shows promise. Indeed, because of the number of planets currently dancing backward, you’d do best to focus on smaller, more easily manageable projects or break bigger ones into smaller chunks. There’s a chance your confidence may be lower than usual, but don’t let that keep you from moving ahead.

Gemini With a focus on your spiritual sector, you may be moving through a period of reflection. See the coming weeks as an opportunity to do a little emotional housecleaning and finally be done with issues that have been bugging you for some time. The New Moon on Friday could bring dazzling insights regarding situations or people that are ready to leave your life.

Leo With the Sun, Mercury, and Venus moving across the top of your chart, this is a good time to take stock and explore fresh possibilities associated with your career and major ambitions. With Friday’s New Moon in this sector, you’ll be well placed to start a new job or contract or enjoy time in the spotlight and make the most of it.

Libra Your sector of secrets, shared expenses, and intimacy is very much in focus this week. And with the Sun and retrograde Mercury here, this is definitely the time to take stock and consider how you might get your money and intimate life back on track. Friday’s New Moon can be the perfect opportunity for a fresh start, but you’d be wise not to rush into anything. Wait until Mercury pushes ahead again on May 22.

Sagittarius Routines could get snarled as Mercury continues its backward dance. While inconvenient, you can use this phase to your advantage. Opt to rethink your timetable and the way you spend your days and consider making one or two radical changes so that life becomes easier and more efficient. See the weeks ahead as an opportunity to experiment with what works for you.

Aquarius You’ll be ready to take time off in the coming weeks, and the coming days are no exception. With a lively focus on your home and family zone, this is the ideal time to take the opportunity to kick back and relax, as well as spend time with those you’re closest to. And with the New Moon in this same sector on Friday, you might feel motivated to give your place a makeover or clear out the clutter.

Sudoku

Taurus With Venus newly in your sign, you’ll be ready to explore new social opportunities for pleasure and business. With a focus on Taurus in general, it’s time to channel your energies into projects that are deeply meaningful to you, especially any long-held dreams that you may be in a position to realize. Easy does it, though, as you’d be wise to plan first and take special care regarding costs.

Cancer Your social life looks like it’s moving through a lively, upbeat phase, with Tuesday showing special promise regarding one event. Whether it’s a party or first date, you look set to have a wonderful time. Also, a reunion with old friends or even an old flame is possible. Just be careful about promising more than you can deliver, as the present setup could bring unexpected delays.

Virgo High adventure beckons, so be prepared to move out of your comfort zone and consider broadening your horizons. Indeed, if you’re finding it difficult to make headway in key areas of life, turn your attention to exploring new options that might enable you to channel your energies elsewhere. You may experience such delays on the home front if family responsibilities keep you from doing as much as you’d like.

Scorpio With Mercury now retrograde in your sector of relating, you’ll have the perfect chance to resolve any niggling issues or disagreements with others. If certain deals or situations need tweaking or compromises need to be made, this is your chance to go for it. While Friday’s New Moon can be the perfect time to take a relationship to the next level, don’t hurry into anything.

Capricorn Pleasure plans come to the fore as you and your sweetheart, love interest, or perhaps family and children come together in the spirit of fun and adventure. It can be a time of indulgence, too, as Venus in Taurus encourages romantic dates with all the trimmings. Cultural activities can also bring a lot of enjoyment your way. If you’re eager to increase your musical or artistic knowledge, this is the time to do it.

Pisces As Mercury continues retrograde in your sector of speech and mind, make sure to back up important files on your computer and put vital documents in a safe place. Enjoy the opportunity to reunite with old friends or spend time with family members you haven’t seen in a while. If you’ve had a minor brush with a neighbor, the present lineup makes this the perfect time to smooth things over and get back on good terms.

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

Aries

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

8811007000

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

1800-345-3767

police station Fancybazar PS: Ph- 2540285 Comissioner of Police: 0361-2540278 Fatasil Ambari PS: Ph-2471412 DCP, Traffic: 0361-2731847 Geetanagar PS: Ph-2417323 DCP, (Central): 94350-49599 Hatigaon: Ph-2562383 DCP, (East): - 94350-83103 Jalukbari PS: Ph-2570587 DCP, (West): - 94350-27744 Jalukbari Out Post: Ph-2570522 Police Control Room: Ph-2540138, Jorabat: Ph-2896853 2540113 Khanapara: Ph- 2281501 Azara PS: Ph2840287 Khetri PS: Ph-2787699, 2787220 Basista PS: Ph-2302158 Latasil PS: Ph-2540136 Bharalumukh PS: Ph- 2540137, Noonmati PS: Ph- 2550281 2731199 North Guwahati PS: Ph-2690255 Borjhar PS: Ph-2840351 Paltanbazar PS: Ph-2540126 Chandmari PS: Ph- 2660204 Panbazar PS: Ph-2540106 Chandrapur PS: Ph-2788237, Pragjyotishpur Ps: Ph-2785237 2785237 Women PS Panbazar: Ph-2524627 Dispur PS: Ph-2261510

G PLUS MAY 07 - MAY 13, 2016

Event

Days

Events

May 7th to May 13th

MAY 7 terra mayaa AT 7:30 PM

NEWF felicitates Padma Shri Dhirendranath Bezboruah

n 4th May last, members of the North East Writers’ Forum offered their felicitations to its past president, Shri Dhirendra Nath Bezboruah, eminent journalist and translator, who was conferred the Padma Shri by President Pranab Mukherjee on 12th April, 2016. The Forum presented Shri Bezboruah with a Chelleng Chador and a memento bearing a citation. Former secretary of the Forum, Dhruba Hazarika welcomed the gathering and spoke about the monumental life of Shri Bezboruah in the field of journalism and his contributions in building up the Forum during its formative stage. The felicitations were offered by members, Mitra Phukan and Srutimala Duara, former president and current co-secretary respectively.

he Robin Hood Army is a volunteer based organisation that works to eliminate hunger by redistributing surplus food to the needy. Already present in 23 Indian cities, the Guwahati Chapter has been initiated with its first drive scheduled for 8th of May. To join, look up Robin Hood Army Guwahati Chapter on FB.

Bibek Debroy delivers 3rd Professor Sarat Mahanta Memorial Lecture

oted economist and National Institution for Transforming India (NITI) Ayog full-time member, Professor Bibek Debroy, delivered the 3rd Professor Sarat Mahanta Memorial Lecture at the Royal Group of Institutions at Gorchuk on Sunday evening last. He spoke on ‘Recrafting Development: Prospects & Challenges of Economic Growth in North East India.’ Prof. Debroy spoke strongly in favour of decentralisation of power and devolution of more powers to states. Prof. Debroy, who was born in Assam, laid out a roadmap for the development of this region which, he said, is viewed as “bypassed and marginalized.” Building tourism hubs in the region, making it the educational and medical node of the country, tapping natural reserves like bamboo, handlooms and mineral reserves and the hydropower potential of the region were his prescriptions for fuelling economic growth of the region. The event, anchored by Zerifa Wahid, commenced with the ceremonial lighting of the lamp by Prof. Sarat Mahanta Foundation chairman and noted public intellectual, Ajit Bhuyan, and Downtown Medical University Vice Chancellor Ramesh Chandra Deka. After a rendition of a devotional hymn by Singer Jubilee Baruah, a short documentary on the life and works of Prof Mahanta was screened. A book of poems titled ‘Unending Maze’ penned by Prof. Mahanta’s granddaughter, Arshia Mahanta, was released by prominent writer and journalist Indrani Rai Medhi.

Artist: TUHIN MEHTA Genre: Techno, Tech, Tribal-Tech

ony India takes its commitment of nurturing talent and redefining imaging industry with the launch of the innovative A68 (ILCA-68) camera and the α6300, its latest addition to the award winning line-up of mirrorless cameras providing an opportunity for enthusiastic photographers to discover more creative avenues with Sony’s collection of A-mount lenses. The A68 inherits many pro-style features from the much acclaimed A77M2 and features Sony’s unique 4D FOCUS system delivering extraordinary AF performance under any shooting conditions ranging from lighting as low as EV-2, an area where other cameras struggle. The α6300 boasts of having the world’s highest number of AF points on any interchangeable lens camera with an incredible 425 phase detection AF points that are densely positioned over the entire image area. Furthermore, the camera can shoot images at up to 11 frames per second with continuous autofocus and exposure tracking.

Department of Commerce, Gauhati University AT 9:30 AM

Manifest Kommercio 2016: Poster making Competition Department of Commerce, Gauhati University AT 2:00 PM

SOCIO-CONSORTIUM: AN INNOVATIVE CSR IDEA MAKING CONTEST for a firm

MAY 8 Dreamland Amusement Park AT 3:00 PM

SUMMER9TEEN POOL PARTY Artist Lineup Dee JayPoison a.k.a Mr.9o9 Đj Trishul

MAY 9 IIT Guwahati AT 10:00 AM

SPIC MACAY INTERNATIONAL COVENTION

G PLUS MAY 07 - MAY 13, 2016

Catching Up Most shared story of the week G Plus reported an SFI protest at Dighalipukhuri where the students gathered and demanded that a common NEET be conducted. G Plus also did a follow up story on the same. The post was shared 40 times with several comments and 236 likes. facebook.com/guwahatiplus twitter.com/guwahatiplus

New

Chic

on the block

jasmita Sharma About Me

Hey there ! I am Jasmita Sharma from Guwahati. I am pursuing my B. Tech in CSE from GIMT. I always wanted to showcase my talent among the people, which is why I participated in a beauty pageant conducted by GIMT, and by Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s blessings, I won the title of MISS GIMT 2016. Shortly after that, I won another beauty event conducted by GU Techfest 2016. I am determined not to be one amongst the crowd, but the one whom the crowd follows.

Mojo

I love singing, and enjoy baking. I also love spending time with animals. To be honest, I am crazy and passionate to enter the field of acting, and I am working my best towards it.

Route in the Woods

PIC OF THE The joy of free wi-fi

Photo: Adib Zamali

WEEK

My profession is a engineer but I am very passionate about modeling. My role model and inspiration is Priyanka Chopra. Her stunning personality and actions have inspired me to move forward in this field with determination and positive attitude.

Guwahati

GYAN

Did you know?

Lachit Nagar Hanuman Mandir

A In Association with

mong Guwahatiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s numerous places of worship, this temple is a popular destination for the religiously inclined. Located on GS Road, the Lachit Nagar Hanuman Mandir is not only a place for sightseeing, but it also allows you to some personal moments to contemplate and self-introspect. Although the present

temple building was constructed in 2003, the history of the temple dates back to a century. An aesthetically pleasing architectural piece in the midst of concrete buildings, the temple is visited by hundreds of devotees. The number of devotees rises on Tuesdays and Saturdays and often causes traffic jams in the area.

Printed & Published by Sunit Jain on behalf of Insight Brandcom Pvt. Ltd. and Printed at Arkashish Publications (P) Ltd., Katahbari, Garchuk, Guwahati and Published at H/No. 34, K. C. Choudhury Road, Chatribari, Guwahati - 781008, Editor: Koushik Hazarika. Phone: 0361 2737737, Email: info@g-plus.in, RNI No: ASSENG/2013/52641