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BJP KNOCKS CONGRESS OFF ITS PERCH IN ASSAM The BJP alliance is all set to form the government. But is it the saffron party or the ‘undercover’ RSS who takes the credit for the landslide victory

GMDA sheds a ray of hope on Kailash Nagar, Panjabari

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G PLUS APR 23 - APR 29, 2016

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G PLUS MAY 21 - MAY 27, 2016

Lead Story

BJP knocks Congress off its perch in Assam

The BJP alliance is all set to form the government. But is it the saffron party or the ‘undercover’ RSS who takes the credit for the landslide victory Rahul chanda

inally the 2016 assembly election results were declared on 19th May and the saffron party alliance won 86 of the 126 assembly constituencies in Assam. With this win BJP has made its entry into the northeastern states and according to the saffron party national president Amit Shah, the vote share of BJP has increased nationally which will help Narendra Modi come into power again in 2019. But for the Congress, it was a defeat that will remain unforgettable as Tarun Gogoi has to leave the chief minister’s chair after fifteen years for which he took the responsibility on his own shoulders. Talking to a national television channel in a face-off debate where state BJP leader Himanta Biswa Sarma was present, Gogoi refused to blame anyone for the defeat and took the entire responsibility. He even rubbished the fact that Congress could have won if Himanta could have been retained in the party. Gogoi said the reasons of the defeat will be analyzed. But how did BJP manage to win by such a huge margin and what was the exact strategy? Did RSS help the BJP in any way? G Plus looks into the strategy and also the major reasons of the saffron party victory and the great Congress loss.

What was BJP’s strategy? No doubt political campaigns are most important for winning elections anywhere these days and after Narendra Modi’s win in 2014 strategists like Prashant Kishore came into the limelight. And after the Bihar results Nitish Kumar was so happy with Kishore’s performance that he was provided with a cabinet berth. Similarly Rajat Sethi is the talk of the town now as he is the main brain behind BJP’s poll campaign in Assam. Other than the campaigns the BJP started working for 2016 assembly polls as soon as 2014 Lok Sabha elections were concluded. The BJP leadership had an eye on the Assam Assembly polls ever since it won seven of the 14 seats and 37% vote share in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. Amit Shah had put General Secretary Ram Madhav in charge of Assam by end-2014. Madhav worked tirelessly to woo Himanta and convinced Shah on the importance of BJP striking a pre-poll alliance with local parties like Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and Bodo People’s Front. The party also courted the Rabhas and the Tiwa communities.The BJP leadership was also quick to learn from the mistakes it had committed in Delhi and Bihar. Within days of its embarrassing defeat in Bihar, Shah announced Sarbananda Sonowal as the party’s chief ministerial candidate for Assam. Apart from the exception of Delhi where BJP had declared Kiran Bedi as its face against Arvind

Promises to keep To work closely with Centre to achieve complete sealing of Indo-Bangladesh border; scrutinizing citizenship of all suspect residents; leveraging biometrics for revision of electoral rolls Law to punish those industries, businesses and MSMEs who employ “infiltrators” Protecting religious, cultural and ecological land from infiltrators 35% reservation for women in state government jobs

G Plus photo

Kejriwal, this was a first in all the Assembly polls since 2014 that the party had decided to go local. BJP strategists used social media and communicated the BJP’s agenda to the young men and women in all 32 districts of Assam. Offline, BJP organized a series of public dialogues which saw top union ministers like Arun Jaitley sharing the BJP’s plans for creating jobs and developing the northeast with better policies for women’s rights and labour on tea estates. BJP used Facebook and Twitter to pilot new policies and measure their popularity before enlarging on them in the on-ground campaign. The focus of the campaign was on development. The party held several low key workshops under the banner

of ‘Assam Nirman’ across Assam with eminent people of different communities, which were addressed by union ministers from Delhi.

Himanta and Sonowal Sonowal’s image as the president of the old All Assam Students Union (AASU), his successful challenge to the controversial Illegal Migrants (Determination by Tribunal) Act, 1983, wedded to the PM’s promise of development, proved a clincher. Unlike its poll campaigns in Delhi and Bihar where Modi and Shah led from the

Results 2016 Results 2011

78 AIUDF – 18 BPF – 12 AGP – 10 IND – 2 BJP – 5 AITC – 1 INC –

60 INC – 26 AIUDF – 13 BPF – 12 AGP – 14 IND – 1 BJP –

front, BJP’s poll campaign was led by Sonowal and Sarma, both sons of the soil, in Assam. All its poll campaign material, including its catchy jingles, was in praise of Sonowal and not Modi. The BJP believes its ‘outsider’ plank about putting a stop to ‘infiltrators’ from Bangladesh succeeded not only with Assamese and Bengali Hindus but also Assamese Muslims. In its vision document, the BJP promised to not only totally seal the Assam-Bangladesh border but also bring about a law to punish any who might employ “infiltrators.” Himanta Biswa Sarma made some predictions before long the result day and almost all the predictions came to be true. Sarma addressed around 250 rallies during the elections and made sure that he visited all the constituencies in the state. After BJP’s win Himanta is considered as the mastermind as BJP sources said that Himanta was the main think-tank who decided on the candidates as also the seat sharing formula with AGP and BPF. Himanta fielded candidates in such a way that in one constituency, the sitting BJP MLA was replaced with an AGP candidate who won. Himanta made sure that Congress stalwarts like Pradyut Bordoloi and Gautam Roy lost the elections by fielding BJP candidates who converted Congress votes. Sonowal in the meantime kept influencing the party workers to work hard and denied any negative publicity campaigns. But other than these factors sources said RSS played a major role too.

Excise revenue very low in state because of corruption and defective mechanism of allotment; thus, policy to be revamped in order to maximize excise revenue generation To construct five bridges over the Barak river Building 30 new ITIs in the state and leverage PMMY for job creation Pucca houses for all BPL families in rural areas by 2021 Distributing sanitary napkins and iron pills free of cost to every household in Assam Waiving fees of girl students from Class X to university level; scooty for girl students who reside 15 km away from their colleges To set up special economic zones; building brand “Awesome Assam” to promote tourism

G PLUS MAY 21 - MAY 27, 2016

Lead Story Some reasons for BJP win

The RSS help

What went wrong with Congress? “We accept the verdict of the people of Assam. We will introspect into reasons for our loss and will rededicate ourselves to service of people with greater vigour,” said Sonia Gandhi after the election results. Similarly even Tarun Gogoi said that the reasons of defeat will be looked into. But according to a Congress member the induction of Anjan Dutta as the party president was the first step towards the debacle. The Congress member said in anonymity that Anjan Dutta was always a businessman in his life and had no idea about politics because of which many of the prominent Congress leaders left after Dutta took over as party president. Also the exit of Himanta Biswa Sarma was a major blow to the Congress and the local and national leaders failing to retain such a prolific leader came as a big loss to the party. The source said that in 2006 and 2011, it was because of Himanta that Congress won in elections but Rahul Gandhi failed to solve the dissidence issue and Tarun Gogoi’s ego did not allow the party to retain Sarma. Moreover the Congress party did not think on the alliance front much and should have retained the former allies like BPF. Rather, the Congress went all

PM Modi’s popularity has been the key reason to BJP’s success in Assam. BJP had projected Sarbanand Sonowal as its chief ministerial candidate in Assam who is popular among the young RSS has played a pivotal role in securing a win for their affiliate political party. RSS has been working on the ground in the state Himanta Biswa Sarma’s entry in the BJP worked for the party positively BJP raised the matter of Bangladeshi illegal immigrants. This was an emotional issue for people of Assam BJP highlighted alleged corruption in Tarun Gogoi’s tenure of 15 years.

alone very well aware of the anti-incumbency factor. The candidate selection was a major issue as when Bobbeeta Sharma was given a ticket against Siddhartha Bhattacharya, Akon Bora was again fielded knowing the alleged corruption involving the veteran. Just after the 2014 Lok Sabha election defeat the Congress should have strategized the 2016 election by solving all the issues and projecting the good work done in last fifteen years. Instead Congress went for a negative campaign against BJP which harmed them more. Congress released their candidate list after BJP. So going through BJP’s list the Congress should have fielded candidates accordingly but it did not happen. Congress is yet to understand that dynasty politics is no more accepted by the voters these days and corruption cannot be tolerated any more. And yet, it continues to live in total denial.

Guwahati Guwahati turned out to be a BJPAGP bastion this time as fielding first timers Bobbeeta Sharma, Jury Sharma Bordoloi and NirenDeka was the worst decision that the Congress ever took. After the denial of a ticket, former Gauhati East MLA Robin Bordoloi had said that he did not get the ticket because he did not have money, which means in Congress money matters to get tickets. On the other hand, Akon Bora is no more liked by the Dispur voters and Congress knew it but because of good relations with Tarun Gogoi, Akon Bora was given a ticket. Why Jury Sharma Bordoloi got a ticket remains a good question but the results proved that she had no idea about politics. Niren Deka was the Congress scapegoat who was fielded against Himanta Biswa Sarma but the move brought more criticism for Congress as BJP and was a laughing matter in the sense that Congress had no candidates worthy of giving any kind of competition to Himanta. Bobbeeta Sharma spent a lot on various kinds of publicity campaigns but her inexperience in politics made her bite the dust. Overall BJP Himanta proved his mettle in Guwahati. So BJP is set to form the new government in Assam but we can just hope that they do not forget the promises they made before elections.

G Plus photo

BJP had forged alliance with Assam Gana Parishad and Bodoland People’s Front which are prominent regional players. Their strategic expertise worked in BJP’s favour. rahul.chanda@g-plus.in JANASANYOG/12/16

As BJP was working round the clock to woo the voters and prepare their strategy, the RSS was working at the grass root level to make sure that the people were converted ideologically towards BJP. If BJP strategists are to be believed, the party didn’t rake up the Hindu-Muslim issue and its own estimate is that at least 20% of Assam’s Muslim population voted for the party. RSS, in the last two years, have opened up many RSS run schools across Assam and the teachers hired in the school were sent for some special training to adapt to the RSS lifestyle. One of the teachers who recently came from an RSS camp at Kanya Kumari, talking to G Plus, said in anonymity that they were sent to the training to learn the RSS ideology and also to disseminate the same ideology to the students in Assam. Similarly Uttar Assam RSS Pramukh Pracharak, Shankar Das talking to G Plus, said that RSS along with 16 other organizations worked under one forum Lok Ujagaran Manch for the elections so that BJP could win. The RSS Seva Bharati teachers worked as volunteers for seven days during elections. Similarly there are 524 RSS projects in Assam and everyone involved in the projects worked day and night to make the people of Assam understand the importance of a BJP government in Assam. Das said that since independence the RSS is working for the people during all problems in state may it be earthquake, 1962 war, Assam agitation or any such issue. In fact, RSS has always been there. Das said that he won’t attribute BJP’s win to RSS but all the Sangh workers worked so that BJP could form government in Assam. Another RSS member said that RSS went to all the households in rural Assam to make sure that they vote for BJP. So RSS did work for the BJP victory. But even when Assam was ruled by Congress for the last 15 years, why did the Congress witness such a poor performance this time?

G PLUS MAY 21 - MAY 27, 2016

In The News

What went wrong for the Congress? What went right for the BJP?

G Plus asked a few prominent and politically conscious Guwahatians for their opinion and they came up with some pragmatic analysis from which many lessons can be learnt and some sagacious advice taken

Compiled by Akshita Sharma

Tinat Atifa Masood Vice-Chairperson, Minority Department, APCC

What went right for bjp The BJP strategized around the impending fear amongst the Assamese people that AIUDF will be the ‘King-maker’ or they might form the government or the leader might become the Deputy Chief Minister. A situation was created whence people started thinking that maybe AIUDF might take over the reins. And all this was the creation of the BJP in connivance with the AIUDF. Hence, the constant slogan being hammered into the minds of the people of having an ‘indigenous government,’ ‘protection of identity’ and that this is the last Battle of Saraighat hypnotised enmasse! What went wrong for congress Former MP of the Rajya Sabha, Shri Pankaj Bora has said that the Congress in Assam is top heavy! I have no reasons to argue on that! I feel that when the President of the INC, Smt. Sonia Gandhiji has been reiterating time and again since 1998 for party workers to have humility and be austere, she definitely wants each party worker to behave as a true democrat. Over the years, there has been a massive and insincere deviation from what Soniaji had appealed for.

NANI GOPAL MAHANTA,

WASBIR HUSSAIN,

Political Analyst and Columnist In my opinion, BJP projected and relied on strong local leaders like SarbanandaSonowal and HimantaBiswaSarma. It stitched up alliances with influential regional parties and focused on developmental and livelihood options for the people. It touched on a very sentimental and critical issue of Assam, i.e, to protect Assam’s future by saving the identity of the indigenous people in the State by stopping illegal immigration from Bangladesh. According to me, BJP’s decision to not bring in the ‘Hindutva’ ideology in Assam worked out really well for them. Congress, on the other hand, was devoid of a clear campaign strategy and lacked a ‘star campaigner’. Tarun Gogoi did a remarkable job by going almost solo in handling the campaign. But Congress suffered from class deficit within the party and the perception of existence of several lobbies within it which damaged its image. It suffered from a strong 15 year-long anti-incumbency.

Academician and Political Analyst Whatever that went right for BJP would automatically mean that it went wrong for Congress. It is a combination of two factors, one is the positive and the other is negative. The young generation, which is below 40 years of age is 64% of the voting population. So with that in mind if you look at the voting percentage, there was an increase of about 10-12% in comparison to the last election. This indicates that the younger generation has voted for BJP and the overall developmental agenda that the BJP has promised has created a positive vibe. The failure and the crisis of governance by Congress and 65 constituencies that voted in the first phase of the elections has made all the difference because Congress could only manage to get 6 out of the 65 constituencies. This election transcends all caste, class, community barriers. People from every background came together to vote for BJP. The most important urgency was to stop Bajruddin Ajmal from becoming the ‘king maker’ and it has been the sole driving factor. Leadership and image of the person plays a huge role. Modi ignited the engine which was carried forward by Himanta Biswa Sarma who rekindled the emotions of the people and had the face of Sarbananda Sonowal. When Sarbananda said Jati, Mati, Bheti it had given people the assurance that this time they need to vote for him. These were some of the factors which created a sort of Tsunami, a positive Tsunami. This election provided the much needed boost for AGP. AGP was already in ventilation but by tying up with BJP, it provided them with much needed oxygen. BJP also got the benefit by this coalition because this gave the people a kind of psychological advantage that this combination would be a winning one.

Ajit Bhuyan

JURY SARMA BORDOLOI,

Editor-in-chief Prag News There are many factors for which Congress has lost the election but the most important fact is that in the last five years, the corruption level has risen to the extent that people couldn’t bear the situation and as the party fails to give any importance to the public, people become helpless. People have made movements, demanded various issues which have failed and the Chief Minister has virtually legalized corruption. People have to wait for their rights which have been neglected by the government and when the public cannot find any solution they have to wait for the election to choose the right party. They have become an enemy for the people. Another factor is that ruling a state by the government for 10 years becomes a danger for the people and 15 years is a long time. They took the public for granted. Dissidence had become another factor and after Himanta Biswa Sarma quit the party, it became weak. And the change that has been brought in the party with Anjan Dutta being elected as President has become more of a crisis for the party. Rahul Gandhi is also entirely responsible for the failure. On the other hand, people thought that Bharatiya Janata Party could bring a change and as it has become like a fertile ground where regional demography has changed, it has come in the minds of the people that change is necessary. And Himanta Biswa Sarma joining the party, the young generation has also supported the alliance. At the same time when Modi Government was formed at the Centre people have taken it positively and has given a second thought that BJP could bring a change in the state. Modi’s oration is very attractive. The public rallies are well planned and the combination of Himanta and Sarbananda Sonowal has become a strong point for the party.

Member APCC and Gauhati West candidate For us in Congress, we’ve been in power for the last 15 years. People voted against us because they don’t want the same sort of the government ruling since the last 15 years. The people of Assam wanted a change and this was the main campaign of BJP. What I feel is this is exactly what has gone in their favour. When we started our campaign we actually thought that the people to whom we have given a lot of benefits for the last 15 years and done a lot of developmental work would understand and appreciate that. But what I feel is that people have not seen the last 10 years of development. They just remember the last 5 years of and mainly they’ve seen 2014 which is when the BJP rose to power. Then they started comparing about what Modiji has said and what actually Congress wanted to give. Also, media played a big role in the campaign. We were lacking a little on the publicity factor. I must say that people have been very kind to vote for congress for the last 15 years and now they wanted a change so we should respect that. I can’t say exactly what is going right for BJP because in our eyes we can see no development happening. We see a lot of promises being made which actually touches the people’s hearts but they haven’t been fulfilled until now. Modiji has been a brand ambassador for BJP. Whatever he’s been speaking has been in favour of the youngsters and this time there was a lot of young voters who have voted for BJP. The media campaign and Modiji being active on all social media platforms has reached the youth and they voted for them. AGP had been completely wiped out from the state by the people until AGP formed an alliance with BJP and it has gained a lot from that and I have seen the people vote for them in every constituency. They had a particular vote bank in every constituency. The alliance has helped increase votes for them.

Sandeep Khaitan

Chartered Accountant What went wrong for the Congress? Tarun Gogoi opting for a fourth term had the fatigue factor setting in. This indicated total lack of credible second rung leadership in the party which could take charge. Congress lost talent as a result of the dissidence. The national leadership of the congress was a liability. The negative campaign of the congress went against it. Guwahati was flooded with hoardings from December onwards despising Narendra Modi, which did have a repulsive impact. The congress became increasingly synonymous with the Bangladeshi immigrants. The government was totally unable to drive development in the region for the last 3 – 4 years. A party having two-third majority lost development opportunities for trivialities. Rank corruption at all levels proved counter-productive. What BJP did correctly? The party learnt from the debacles in Delhi and Bihar, and made amends. It declared a credible face of Sarbanand Sonowal as the CM candidate early enough. Sarbananda and Himanta combine provided a much more credible alternative. It could effectively make an alliance of indigenous parties. For the first time the different ethnic groups in Assam, Tribals, North Indians, Nepalese, Hindu Bengalis, large section of the tea tribes, and even section of indigenous Muslims voted together. The party was seen as the ONLY party that could contain the onslaught of the Bangladeshi infiltrators. Himanta joining the BJP gave the party a big strategic insight.

Mahavir Jain

Businessman BJP had a good campaign going and it managed to assure the people of a bright future. Congress on the other hand, lacked in its campaigning and couldn’t fulfil the demands. Over confidence and arrogance led to the downfall of Congress. AGP is a matured party and the candidates are matured enough. The candidates who won are worthy enough with good experience and it only worked out because of creating an alliance with BJP. Their alliance proved to be fruitful for both of them.

Abhijeet Sarma

President, Assam Public Works I believe that corruption was the main reason for Congress to lose this election. The Congress ministers, the MLAs, officers, contractors, had a joint venture to procure the Centrally Sponsored Schemes and scam the government. Second is the killing of the rhinos, land encroachments. Thirdly, the security of the indigenous Assamese people was under threat. People were insecure because of Congress’s empathy towards the Bangladeshis. BJP joining hands with Himanta Biswa Sarma was a major reason for the massive win. BJP was the last hope for indigenous Assamese people. AGP is nowhere now. People never accepted AGP but it is only because of BJP and Himanta Biswa Sarma that it is now successful. In the coming five years, all the candidates who win from the AGP will be converted into BJP candidates. There will no longer be anything called AGP after five years.

G PLUS MAY 21 - MAY 27, 2016

Concern

Flash floods in Guwahati I

t is that time of the year when Guwahati constantly and repeatedly drowns under flash floods bringing everything in the city including its traffic to grinding halt. The only solution is urgent or instant diversion or drainage of rain water. The entire structure of Guwahati’s drain line is based on a major part of the Bahini River that originates in the hills of Meghalaya and flows through the southern part of Guwahati reaching Bashistha. From Basistha Chariali, continuing through Rukminigaon, Hengrabari it joins the Bharalu River near the Assam State Zoo (Jonali Point) where it becomes the Bharalu River. City-based activist Dwip Baruah has recognised that the only solution to the flash floods of the city is diversion of the rainwater to the natural bodies in and around Guwahati. As of now, most of the rain water collects in areas like Nabin Nagar, Anil Nagar, Shree Nagar, etc. and the extra water is being pumped out using high-powered pumping machines. However, according to the President of the Nabin Nagar Welfare Society, Dwip Baruah, this is not the solution. “Pumping out the accumulated water can be the second solution but a flow of gravity is very much needed to let out the excess water. This is why we need diversions.” One way to achieve this is if the Bharalu River around the Zoo Road area is dredged and deepened so that it can hold more water. However, due to the gird walls of the Bharalu being weak, this initiative was dropped. In the process, a few gird walls of the river were also broken. The water retaining capacity of the river was thus not increased. The administration had also once dug a few stretches of the river. While digging, however, the silt was collected and kept on the sides. This proved to be meaningless as just after a few spells of rain, these flowed back and added to the water blockades. Another reason for the

– Instant diversion of drain water the sole solution

During monsoons, the city administration gets busy with the flash floods that brings the city to a halt. Flash floods are the prime reason for the city’s growing traffic jams and there doesn’t seem to be a permanent solution in sight. G Plus reports. Bipasa Saikia Kashyap

G Plus photo

water-logging in Nabin Nagar is the accumulated flood water in Chandmari. There is a 10-12 feet wide boxed shaped drain in Chandmari that is the root cause of the entire flood in the adjacent Anil Nagar as it is the main route of the Chandmari drainage to flow into Anil Nagar. Diversion here is very much necessary as the southern part of the drain that would have helped in the flow of water is almost nonexistent now. The northern side of the drain requires massive augmentation. More than 50% of the water from the Chandmari drain, as a result, flow directly to Anil Nagar. The administration should mend the southern part of the drain so that the drainage from Chandmari can instead flow into the Sola Beel. Baruah also took an initiative of

calling the DA of Kamrup and the GMDA to take work along the NH 37 from Khanapara to Jalukbari. This is so that the water containing capacity can be improved. According to him, the channel is suited well for the summer season, but during the monsoon he proposes that there should be a pumping station at Khanajan. “Alongside this, provisions should be made such that the water flow is diverted to Kulsi River near Chaygaon. Work should also be undertaken for de-silting the Deepor Beel to increase its retaining capacity,” stated Dwip Baruah. Baruah lamented that the GMDA has been lax in implementing the measures that has been suggested by the citizens to solve the flood crisis in the city. Most of the measures adopted by the administration have been only theoretical that

would have otherwise been perfect for the city’s administration, or at least most of it. “It is true that the authorities have been a huge help when it comes to responding to our issues, but what they do not realise is that it is us who have to live with this problem. When it rains, the extra water remains stagnant for days together. The roads are damaged because of this and there has been no solution for the past ten years. We need a lot more tertiary drains as well. To sort out the flood situation, the authorities have to work in compliance with the common public,” Baruah said. Apart from the missing tertiary drains, most drains are also without culverts. Baruah, alongside a city based engineer Faizul Rehman, has approached the GMC, the GMDA and the PWD and they have mapped

the areas where all the diversions, tertiary drains and culverts are required. Surrounding the city, there are many exit points through which the extra rain water can be pumped out. There is the Deepor Beel, the Sola Beel, the Bor Sola and the Xoru Sola. If the administration can increase the draining capacity of water, it can be an answer to the entire flood situation in Guwahati. “It is a simple thing – augmentation in Bharalu is very necessary and it is enough to sustain the extra flood water that accumulates in the Zoo Road area. The administration has to make sure that the water from outside is not collected here. Instead they should make diversions for the outside water to go someplace. The same should be done for most major localities. This is something that is expected from the new government,” said Baruah. In conclusion, Baruah added, “The current government is only working on pumping out the extra water to prevent flash floods. With the change in the government, we will meet the new Development Minister and talk these issues out. We will also submit a memorandum stating that besides diversions, we also need deepening of the Silthaku Beel, the Deepor Beel etc. Guwahati is not only the gateway to the NE but the gateway to the entire Asia. If there is connectivity between Myanmar, as per the central government’s plans, then Guwahati will be open to the whole of Asia. Flash floods are a disgrace. The new government should implement certain measures so that this problem is sorted out once and for all.” bipasa.saikia@g-plus.in

G PLUS MAY 21 - MAY 27, 2016

Crime

Unnatural deaths

aggravates city’s crime record T

posedly resting still running. However, there was no one in the room. As one of them went to the kitchen to get some water to drink Bindiya’s body was found hanging from a plank. Terrified by the incident the brothers rushed to Bindiya’s residence in Panjabari after which the police was informed at around 8 pm. Brinda left behind three children (two sons and a daughter aged 17, 15 and 12 years old respectively). The case is suspected to be suicide as Brinda has been surviving on daily wage and has been struggling to feed her family. The financial crisis worsened ever since her husband Birendar Saha abandoned the family twelve years ago.

he past week saw a number of crimes taking place all over the city. From unnatural deaths, suicides, alleged murders and recovery of dead bodies, the city has seen it all within a span of a mere week. Meanwhile, at a time when the state is set to form a new government, such incidents surging high raises many questions about the security system of the city.

22-year-old found dead in city hotel

The series of events began on 14th May, when Paltanbazar police recovered the body of Pratim Kumar Sharma from Room No. 8 of Hotel Sukhmoni at Paltanbazar. A resident of Noonmati, Pratim was taking coaching lessons in Indore, Madhya Pradesh to crack government competitive exams. According to his parents, he was visiting the city on vacation. Pratim had gone missing from Wednesday, 11th May following which his parents had registered an FIR at Noonmati police station. His body was recovered the previous night from the hotel and there were strangulation marks around his neck based on which police initially suspected the incident to be suicide. Further investigating the alleged suicide of the 22-year-old student, the police are now looking at the murder angle as certain suspicions have been raised. Pratim’s clothes were torn at places and there were injury marks on his legs and arms. “Although his body was recovered on Friday night, police established the time of Pratim’s death to be between 2 pm and midnight of Thursday as the body had already started decomposing by the time it was recovered. Pratim was last seen at 2 pm on the CCTV surveillance of the hotel. When we found his body yesterday, it had already started decomposing. So we suspect the crime was committed on Thursday itself,” said a police official. It was also informed that Pratim had a girlfriend and was last known to be with her before he went missing. Reportedly, Pratim had gone out with his girlfriend saying he had a party to attend. Around 9.30 pm on Wednesday, when his parents called him, he said that they were in a cinema hall watching a movie. He could not be contacted thereafter.

Mother and son recovered dead

Body of alleged convict recovered

In a shocking incident, the bodies of a mother and her 4-year-old son were recovered from Rajdhani Lodge at Dispur on the evening of 14th May. Reportedly the deceased, identified

KALYAN DEB

27-year-old found dead near under construction apartment

as Parveen Majumdar and her son, Rizwan Majumdar was visiting Guwahati from Silchar along with Bapon Majumdar for medical treatment. The family had checked into Rajdhani Lodge on Saturday morning and little did they know that it would be the day that they would meet their maker. The lodge had received a call at around 3 pm the same day from Karimganj police. It was informed that Bapon was a convict in several crimes and the police would soon be visiting the lodge to apprehend Bapon. The management of the lodge was advised not to share this information with anyone. This phone call was followed by another call from Bapon’s brother. “The caller, who identified himself as the brother of Bapon over the phone, told the management of the lodge that Bapon had fled after killing his wife and his son. The staff of the lodge rushed to the room that the family was staying in only to find it locked from the outside. This prompted the staff members to raise the alarm and inform the police,” sources in the police mentioned. As the police entered the room the bodies were found lying on the

bed with neither of them breathing. Police officials mentioned that the necks of both the deceased bore marks of strangulation with rope. A suicide note was also recovered from the scene. While investigating the phone call from Bapon’s brother it was found that Bapon had informed his brother of having killed his wife and son and hinted towards committing suicide himself. Meanwhile, it another turn of events it was learnt on Friday morning that the body of Bapon Majumdar was recovered from Katigorah in Cachar district. However, more details are awaited as of what led to the death of the alleged convict. Bapon who had been missing since the incident took place was the prime suspect in the case. “It was learnt from his family members that his involvement in other crimes had perhaps driven him towards such a drastic situation. He belongs to a financially stable family and never showed any sign of being drawn to or getting involved in any kind of crime. There were always possibilities of Bapon to commit suicide,” a police official informed. It is worth mentioning here that

Bapon Majumdar was allegedly linked to various crimes viz. kidnapping, extortion, etc. and had checked into the lodge under the false name of Iqbal Ullah Majumdar. However, investigators claimed that the leads into the investigation are still being verified.

Woman commits suicide

In Guwahati, Wednesday morning began with the news of two dead bodies being recovered from different parts of the Dispur area. A woman reportedly hanged herself after struggling to meet the financial requirements to feed her children. Identified as Bindiya Debi (36), her body was recovered on Tuesday afternoon at a relative’s place in Nilgiri Path near Dispur College in Ganeshguri. She had visited the rented house of Atul Boro (32) and Ratul Boro (28) at around 12:30 pm on Tuesday. As a regular visitor to the brothers’ place Bindiya had lunch with them. Following lunch the brothers went out for some time. On returning at around 3 pm, the brothers found the ceiling-fan of the room where Bindiya was sup-

Followed by the recovery of the body of Bindiya Debi from the Ganeshguri area another shocking report unfolded when a body was again recovered from the Last Gate area in the city. The body was found at around 5:30 am in mysterious circumstances in the premises of an under construction apartment named Prag Panorama Apartment. The deceased has been identified as Pinky Tanty who was around 27 years of age. Originally hailing from Karbi Anglong, Pinky was working as a caretaker for Ms. Jugamaya in the adjoining Bhavendra Enclave. She was missing since 10:30 pm on Tuesday and her body was recovered on Wednesday morning by labourers working in the apartment who were not familiar with the deceased. Soon the police was informed and a barricade was created around the area where the body was found. An FIR was filed by Ms. Jugamaya on Wednesday morning at around 6:20 am. It was informed by the security officials of the apartment that the body was brought inside the premises of the apartment through the backyard where the boundary wall is of lesser height. It could not have been brought in through the front gate as security officials on duty are always present. People alleged that miscreants may have taken advantage of the heavy rain and inconsistent police patrolling in the area. According to police there were cut marks on her feet and arms due to which the possibilities of sexual assault have also been taken into consideration. While investigation is underway a case has been filed under section 302 of IPC and post-mortem results are awaited which could answer several other questions. kalyan.deb@g-plus.in

G PLUS MAY 21 - MAY 27, 2016

Concern

Student unrest at NLUJA over lack of facilities

The students of the University protested demanding shift of the campus to its permanent location at Amingaon and refund of the fees charged for various facilities which have not been provided to them

Juthika Baruah

he students of National Law University & Judicial Academy have gone on an indefinite strike alleging that the University authorities have charged much higher fees than other law universities while failing to provide the basic facilities to the students. The present fee structure of the University for both the undergraduate and post-graduate programmes are exorbitantly high and the university charges these fees by promising the students the best of facilities. A permanent campus is being constructed in Amingaon which has been pending completion for a few years now. With regard to the high fees charged, i.e. Rs. 2,14,000 for first year and thereafter Rs. 1,76,000 per annum, the services provided have been dismal or mostly non-existent. “The present campus looks beautiful from outside but the facilities that are being provided are worse than any other university or institute. Since my 1st year I have heard that the campus will shift to the permanent location at Amingaon where the best of facilities will be provided but there has not been any progress in this regard. The hostels have the worst living conditions and they are located very far from the university making it difficult for the students to come and attend classes. The requests of the students for refund of the fee amount have remained unattended by the authorities who have delayed the process for more than three years on various pretexts thereby disheartening the students,” said a student of the 4th year while speaking to G Plus. The university is one of the premier institutions of the country and the students are being charged a hefty amount for the facilities although both the Central and State Government have exclusively contributed more than Rs. 300 crores towards the construction of the permanent campus. The students also alleged that an amount of Rs. 1,500 per annum was charged as Internship Fee from the students in the year 2012. The following year saw an increment under the head of Internship and Placement Fee which was pegged at Rs. 5,000 per annum. The fee was charged from the students in the name of providing internship but no endeavour has been done to provide internship opportunities till date. “The university has charged high fees on grounds of providing various facilities which they have failed to provide. The external committee held extensive discussions with student representatives to resolve the matter of the refund but to no avail. The committee’s recommendation was not to allow the refund of

Law university students on indefinite strike The students are protesting demanding shifting of the campus to its permanent location at Amingaon immediately The students allege charging of high fees but failure to provide corresponding facilities

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the money to the students but instead to using the money for granting benefits to the future batches of students,” said the student. The university charged fees for different categories but they failed to provide the facilities for which the fees were charged. “A one-time amount of Rs. 2,500 had been charged from the students of all batches at the time of admission under the head ‘Student Bar Association.’ The usage of the money under this account is for the operation of the student bar council. The students had been short of services granted under this head until the constitution of Student Bar Council for the very first time on 3rd September, 2015. The university also charged Rs. 5,000 per annum from the undergraduate students since its inception as Moot Court Fees for utilisation of reimbursement of students going for moot courts, organisation of workshops and other programmes for enhancement of mooting skills or any other facility ministered with the intention of allowing the students to have a better grasp of the nuances of moot court competitions,” the students alleged. The students demanded that the entire fee structure be reviewed immediately and fees under such heads including the heads enlisted which have not been utilised be immediately refunded. Besides, the total fee structure in respect of the fees which is presently being collected but not utilised be immediately reduced. The students also said that the university is currently operating out

of NEJOTI building and certain residential buildings taken on lease for boys’ hostels. The temporary campus is rife with problems such as inadequate space for academic and co-curricular activities as well as unliveable conditions in the hostels. The Vice-Chancellor, who is the Chief Justice of the Gauhati High Court, in 2015, proclaimed that by December 2015 at the latest, the permanent campus at Amingaon will be ready and operational. Unfortunately, during the latest inspection conducted by the students on 15th May, 2016 the campus is far from complete. As informed to the students by the site supervisor, the boys’ hostel will take a minimum of 7-10 months to be completed and there is no tentative date for the completion of the girls’ hostel as work has not yet resumed on the building. The students have also submitted a memorandum to the Vice-Chancellor mentioning the problems they faced and demanding that the facilities to the students be extended or else to refund the fees taken for various purposes. Clarifying on the issue, the Registrar of the University, Dr. Himangshu Pandey said that being a new university it needs time to come to a position where things happen in a planned manner. “The students’ demanded that the fees charged for various purposes needs to be refunded as it has not been utilised and that they should be shifted to the permanent campus as soon as possible. The campus is a government project and the PWD is constructing the building which will need some

Students also demand refund of the fees on those facilities which have not been extended to them

time. A committee was formed to look into the issues and recommendations have been made which were placed before the Executive and General Council,” Pandey said. Considering the demands that the students have placed, the Committee submitted the recommendations to the Executive and General Council to fulfil the demands of the students and that journals should be provided free of cost to the graduate students of 2016-18

batches. It has also been recommended that placements should be held in cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, etc. The demand of the students that the fees need to be refunded cannot be accepted by the University authority as it is a government fund and that the fees will be utilized in the new campus to provide them with the best of facilities. juthika.baruah@g-plus.in

G PLUS MAY 21 - MAY 27, 2016

Questions raised on Digaru River ecosystem following mass death of fish

t has been reported that lakhs of fish died in Digaru River due to contamination of the river water from the industrial wastes that are drained into the same. This has however been denied by the fishery department which says that the water has been tested and found to be not polluted. Speaking to G Plus, Sub-divisional Officer of Fishery, Kamrup (M), P. Ahmed said, “We have tested the water and found that the water itself is not polluted. However, there are many industries in the proximity and their wastes are being discharged into the river for which the fish have died. It is also suspected that the fish could have died because of the poison that has been used by the Lessees appointed by the district administration.” Lessees are authorized fishermen who hold permits to conduct fishing activities in the river. Apparently, they use a certain variety of poison which enables them to catch dead fish easily thereby boosting their business. Ahmed said that many industries have been set up and as these fall under Meghalaya administration and Kamrup (M) district administration, the fishery department cannot come up with a solution. “Whenever we receive any complaint we immediately go to the spot and examine the water or the soil and prepare a report so that immediate steps can be taken. According to information received by the revenue department, arsenic poisoning from the ground water is suspected to have mixed with the rivers in spate resulting in the death of various types of fish. Stating that thousands of dead fish were seen floating on the rivers, revenue department sources feared that other aquatic beings might also have been affected. Environmentalists were also concerned about the loss of the fish in the river.

The use of poison by fishing lessees and the industrial waste discharged into Digaru River have led to mass deaths of fish in the river Juthika Baruah

G Plus photo

Environment

One of the local residents of Digaru said that the concerned departments are not taking any measures and that the fishery department is least bothered about the incident of the fish dying due to pollution. “Many beer factories have come up in the area. The waste discharged by these factories makes the water polluted but neither the administration nor the fishery department have taken any steps in this regard. This is the time when the fish lay eggs and fish population rises but the death of the fish will bring down the same,” the resident said. Moreover, Ahmed said that as the river also falls in the state of Meghalaya, the fishery department cannot restrict the discharge of waste into the river. Rather the administration should take steps to control the industrial wastes from being discharged into the river. It has also been noticed that people had occupied government land near the Digaru River. They have been evicted by the administration as these people used the river water for various household purposes polluting it in the process. While the evicted people have claimed that they have been living there for many years, the government authorities claim that they have no land documents. It has also been alleged by the officers that the people migrated from other places and started living near the river’s banks using the river water for household purposes and thereby polluting it. The fishery department has been given an annual target of 26570 MT of fish production till March 2016 and it has achieved 25065.5 MT

Lakhs of fish died in Digaru River due to contaminated water The fishery department achieved 25065.5 MT of fish production against the assigned annual target of 26570 MT Production of fish is increasing according to the fishery department The industrial waste discharged into the river is another reason for the death of the fish Many beer factories have been established in the nearby area which pollutes the environment which is quite close to the target. It has been said by Ahmed that the production of fish is increasing and that the local fish is now available in every market. People are losing the tendency to buy coarse fish. Some varieties of fish which were difficult to find earlier in the market are now easily available which signifies that the production of fish is increasing. juthika.baruah@g-plus.in

Brahmaputra Valley Short Film Contest 2016

Celebrating northeast India through shorts

G Plus news

ollowing the tremendous response by filmmakers and general public in the previous three editions, the organisers of Brahmaputra Valley Film Festival (BVFF) are organizing the fourth edition of the festival this year. Northeast is home to many talented filmmakers but they are unable to make it to the top because of lack of opportunities. The main aim of Brahmaputra Valley Film Festival is to provide a platform to aspiring filmmakers from the region where they can show-

case their work and also connect with experienced personalities from Bollywood. ‘I feel that filmmakers from the region need a platform to showcase their talent which is why Northeast needs more quality film festivals such as the Brahmaputra Valley Film Festival. I hope more and more budding filmmakers become a part of BVFF as they will get to learn more about the industry and also connect with the right people,’ shares renowned producer Ronnie Lahiri, who is also on the BVFF advisory board.

Every year along with the film festival a short film contest is also organised for film makers from northeast India as well as to any filmmaker whose film has been shot or filmed in northeast India or features stories/ topics related to northeast India. The short films will be judged by nationally and internationally acclaimed filmmakers from the region and Bollywood. The top 10 submissions will be screened at Brahmaputra Valley Film Festival. The top three winners will not only be awarded with prize money worth over Rs. 2 lakhs but

they will also get a chance to work with top Bollywood directors. Winners of the contest have gone on to work with some of the best in the film industry. Last year’s winner Jivitesh Majumdar, who won for his animation comedy Lotkon, is presently working as a trainee assistant director of Amitabh Bachchan starrer ‘Pink,’ a social thriller produced by Rising Sun Films. ‘BVFF gave me a platform that made me what I am today,’ reveals Jivitesh. Romi Meitei, filmmaker from Manipur, was the winner of the Short Film Contest in

its inaugural year and he returned in the following year to win the 1st runner up award. ‘BVFF is the best ever film fest to happen to northeast India. It has boosted my confidence in making short films,’ he shares. Interested filmmakers can submit short films, animations and documentaries with duration of 10 minutes or less online as well as offline. Last date of submission of entries is 31st May 2016. Details of the festival is available at www. bvff.in

G PLUS MAY 21 - MAY 27, 2016

GMDA sheds a ray of hope on Kailash Nagar, Panjabari

The residents of Kailash Nagar in Panjabari had been facing difficult times since long but the laying of the foundation stone of a culvert has brought a ray of hope in bringing a change to the area. Juthika Baruah

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he Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) has laid the foundation stone of a culvert in Kailash Nagar, Panjabari which has come as a ray of hope for the residents as the area which has remained neglected for 40 years will be developed in the interest of the public. The residents of many middle class and lower middle class people have developed the area to some extent within their own capacity but as the area is hilly it becomes difficult for them to live with water flowing from the hills making the unconstructed roads muddy and slippery. “It’s very shocking that there are areas in the city which are in such conditions and the people face so much dif-

ficulty. Therefore we have decided to work on the area starting with the construction of a culvert and after that we will construct the roads,” said Dhiren Baruah, Chairman of GMDA. Baruah said the project will costs Rs. 10 lakhs and will be completed within three months. “The population of the area is around 10,000-15,000 and many wellto-do officers and bureaucrats also reside there but it is very unfortunate that despite this the area has remained neglected for so many years and this is the first step of the GMDA to develop the area. Residing in such places has become a risk for the people but still such places are ignored when it comes to their development,” said Baruah.

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The chairman said that there are a section of officers who do not want to work and for which such development works have been kept in abeyance for so many years. Today, that GMDA has taken the initiative, thousands of people have come forward and supported the work and it has brought a ray of hope for the people. Baruah said, “The government should release funds for such work and it is for the greater interest of the people that developmental works should be done so that the masses do not have to face problem. We are here to serve the people and there are many roads which are still to be constructed. Everything is lagging behind as most of the officers are not willing to do the work,” Baruah said. One of the residents, Hiren Das said, “This has been a great initiative by GMDA as the area has never been developed. We are residing here since so many years and it has become very difficult for the people to commute as the roads are not constructed and during the rainy season the water flows from the hills due to which people can’t even walk through. The conditions of the roads are such that people moving from their homes itself becomes a risky proposition. The GMDA authority has taken this initiative for the public interest and has also promised to construct the roads as soon as possible. Hopefully the area will be developed and become a more conducive locality to reside in.”

juthika.baruah@g-plus.in

City

G PLUS MAY 21 - MAY 27, 2016

Snippets

Juthika Baruah

District administration instructs pre-primary schools to get registered

he Gauhati High Court (GHC) has directed the Kamrup (M) district administration to investigate the private pre-primary schools in the city and issue an order to submit their registration certificates online immediately. The GHC has come up with a statement that many nursery and kindergarten schools have come up in the city without any proper guidelines which is hampering the children and also depriving them from good or correct education. “The kindergarten schools have mushroomed in the city without adhering to any norms and objectives which may be detrimental and at times deprive a child from the right to education. Childhood care and education of children until they complete the age of 6 years has been made a directive principle and therefore the High Court has issued an order to submit all the relevant documents in the administration’s website www.kamrupmetro.in,” said Deputy Commissioner M. Angamuthu. The GHC has also issued a few directions in PIL 94/2013 keeping in mind Article 45 of the Constitution and keeping the spirit of the right of children to Free and Compulsory Education Act 2009 in the absence of statutory rules or administrative guidelines. There are many loopholes in the private schools and it is doubtful whether the students are being provided with quality education. The schools do not have fitness certificates or proper infrastructure like fire safety or any other disaster safety norms. Inspector of Schools, Kamrup

Bipasa Saikia Kashyap

ity boy Manash Pratim Borah has made the country proud. A resident of Ulubari, Manash, along with his team mates Deepika and Shekhar represented “Team Indian International” in the International Space Education Institute, Leipzig, Germany. Manash and his team bagged the opportunity of creating a Human Exploration Rover that can be manpowered and can run on the surface of the Moon or Mars. The team is now bestowed with the responsibility of working for the MARS 2030 mission that is a mission designed to send humans to Mars with the aim of exploring the planet. This mission will require a human powered rover on which the team is currently working on. The team is going to Germany this

Nursery and Kindergarten schools to be registered under district administration The pre-primary schools may be depriving children from right to proper education

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The schools should submit the relevant documents in the website www. kamrupmetro.in

According to the directions issued by the GHC, the district administration orders pre-primary schools to get registered immediately (M) Kabir Ahmed said, “The private schools charge fees according to their wish failing to provide the facilities to the students. The schools do not follow any guidelines nor do they provide any facilities to the students which they assure at the time of admission. There are many schools that do not follow the norms and action will be taken against them after the court’s order.” Earlier the district administration, in an operation by a team led by Additional Deputy Commissioner

and accompanied by the officials of the education, police and transport departments, inspected the schools and found many discrepancies. The schools were charging exorbitant fees for which the government has decided to make the school fees rigid for every school so that they do not charge high fees from the students. Section 18 of the Act which describes the admission and fees states that a child who has not attained the age of 5 years shall not be admitted to Class I or an equivalent class or any

class higher than Class I. A student seeking admission in a non-government educational institution in any class higher than Class I shall have to submit original Transfer Certificate from the recognised school where the student studied last to the head of the non-government educational institution where admission is sought. Admission of students in non-government educational institutions shall be made without any distinction of religion, race, caste, creed or any others. Every recognised non-government

educational institution shall reserve 5% seats for admission of meritorious pupils hailing from poor families. Such pupils shall be selected as per norms to be prescribed. The students admitted against the reserved quota as provided in sub-section shall pay such fees as may be fixed by the Director in consultation with the concerned School Authority on receipt of an application from the pupil in this behalf. juthika.baruah@g-plus.in

Tall achievements of city kids make Guwahati proud year for the development of the rover and will work directly under the leadership of Mr. Ralf Heckle, Director, NASA Outreach Program, Europe. Ralf Heckle is also the chairperson of the International Space Education Institute, Germany. Team India International has been sponsored by Tec Mantra Labs, Delhi under the chairmanship of Navdeep Singh, who has additionally contributed 3000 Euros for the fulfilment of this project. Manash is currently the Space Ambassador of NASA, the only person to hold a title in the entire country. Manash Pratim Borah

Manash completed his schooling from South Point School, Guwahati and graduated from Sathyabama University in 2016 as a Chemical Engineer. He underwent a special aero and space flight course in ISEI (International Space Education Institute, NASA) and is currently serving as an Indian Space Ambassador. We wish the young chap and his team all the best! The city does not cease to make us proud! Reed Rizvi Rehman, son of M. Rehman, Asst. Labour Commissioner, Government of Assam, Guwahati and Nazima Rehman has been chosen by

Google, one of the biggest companies in the world, to work with them. The young fellow started showing signs of a bright future when he was ranked 46th in the IIT JEE, one of the toughest entrance exams in the country. He was the topper from the NE. Reed, also made his parents proud when he scored a 100% in Mathematics in his HSLC exams. Rizvi will join Google as a technical engineer in the coming month and we wish him all the best! bipasa.saikia@g-plus.in

G PLUS MAY 21 - MAY 27, 2016

Governance

Sluggish water projects compound water crisis in city The city is facing acute water crisis although there are projects lined up to provide water supply to the public

Juthika Baruah

Water supply project of West Guwahati to be commissioned from June The project costs Rs. 372 crores Around 2 lakh people to be benefitted from the project

lthough there are many water projects lined up, the city continues to face acute crisis of water supply as the projects remain only as a hope for the people. According to the Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA), the public will get water by the end of May or first week of June. Gammon India Pvt. Ltd. has completed 98% of the water supply project for West Guwahati. On completion of the work it will be handed over to GMDA after which the Jal Board will immediately provide the connection to the households. “The total cost of the project is Rs. 372 crores and the government will release another Rs. 30 crores for the project. The project will be completed soon and around

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2 lakh people will be benefitted in West Guwahati. There are also other projects which have been initiated by Asian Development Bank (ADB) which will be commissioned in 2017. The ADB-funded project is to cover an area of 71 sq. kms. which will bring down the water supply crisis in the city,” said Chairman of GMDA, Dhiren Baruah, while speaking to G Plus. The water supply project initiated by the GMDA has been assisted by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) and Asian Development Bank (ADB). “The water supply project will provide uninterrupted water supply to the population of Guwahati.

Drinking water availability has been a long-standing problem for the citizens and a permanent solution will come after the water supply project is completed,” said Baruah. Baruah said that the project provides for construction of new water works facilities to serve Guwahati’s water requirement including raw water intakes, treatment plants, pumping stations, transmission lines, storage reservoirs and local distribution networks to achieve 24 hours water supply. The first Detailed Project Report (DPR) was submitted to Ministry of Urban Development for clearance under the JNNURM programme in December 2007 for an amount of Rs. 398.48 crores. It was due to shortage

of funds under the JNNURM programme that the Ministry of Urban Development cleared the project for a cost of Rs. 280.94 crores in 2008. The project was delayed due to lack of fund provisions and now the project is about to be completed. The GMDA Chairman further informed that 60% of the North Guwahati project has been completed. The trial line of Gammon water supply is successful and the people will get water 24x7. One of the residents of Chandmari, Rumi Kalita said, “We have come to know about such projects of water supply since long but till date we have not been benefitted and have to struggle for water. Sometimes, we don’t get even a drop of water and as

water is most essential for daily life the government should take the matter seriously without playing with the feelings of people. There are so many projects that we come to know about and the project was to have been completed by 2014. Now it is mid 2016 and the government has still not succeeded in providing water to the people.” To counter the problem of Guwahati’s water supply, Guwahati Jal Board will use surface water of the region from Brahmaputra River rather than ground water by proper planning and management. The treated surface water to be provided by Jal Board will be much safer in terms of arsenic and other trace elements like sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, total hardness, iron and manganese. juthika.baruah@g-plus.in

Weather report for the week Guwahati

SUN 22 May

MON 23 May

TUE 24 May

WED 25 May

THU 26 May

FRI 27 May

Rain early

Morning Clouds

Tstorms late.

Numerous showers

Passing showers.

More sun than clouds

20 / 30 °C

22 / 21 °C

23 / 33 °C

24 / 33 °C

23 / 36 °C

SATURDAY

21 May

Rain

22 / 30 °C

G PLUS MAY 21 - MAY 27, 2016

Buzz

Bipasa Saikia Kashyap

Expectations from the new government

With a new BJP-led government set to take over and its promise for fast-paced development of Assam, Guwahatians have a huge list of expectations from the upcoming government. We at G Plus got down to listing the ones that need to receive top-most priority.

Roads, rails and flash floods Torrential rains cannot be avoided and it causes the most serious infrastructural damages in the city. Roads and railways are constantly affected due to landslides. The past few months have seen many trains of the NFR being cancelled due to landslides. Trains running from Guwahati to Silchar, Lumding, Sealdeah and New Delhi were all cancelled. If the administration has so far been not equipped for rains, it is time that the new government takes appropriate steps. When it comes to the management of roads, flash floods in the city are the biggest concern. Most of the roads in the city itself are submerged in puddles of blocked drain water. Accumulation of rainwater translates into “flash floods” which is a despicable term nowadays. The entire drainage system needs to be studied and revamped and the best use of the natural water bodies surrounding the city such as Deepor Beel, Sola Beel, Bor Sola and Xoru Sola Beel need to be harnessed towards solving the problem.

Culture Guwahati celebrates Bihu in the most glorious ways, but apparently these days that is the only thing we celebrate. The year was a huge setback for the Assamese Film Fraternity. They went vocal about the death of regional movies. Assam charges the maximum amount of service charge on cinema tickets in a movie theatre than any other state in the country. There are problems galore when it comes to the state’s film policy. There has been a serious decline in production and viewership of regional cinema. Part of this lies in the fact that there truly has been huge apathy from the state government when it came to promoting Assamese cinema. A serious look in this matter and an urge to find solutions is the need of the hour. Then there is Sattriya – one of the eight classical dances recognized by the Sangeet Natak Academy, a beautiful art form which brought in the Sangeet Natak Award in 1963 even before Odhishi. However, the past few years, there has been a complete lack of state patronage to support or revive this dance form. Sattriya was brought out from the naamghars of Assam and is the epitome of Assamese culture. This is one most important change that is expected to be seen from the new government.

Law and Order The people of Guwahati have voted for a change and the biggest and the most obvious change any functioning society looks forward to is the management of law and order. However, statistics only reflect an increase in crime. According to the Criminal Investigation Department, the numbers of crimes relating to women and children have only gone up the last five years. Limitation in efficient police manpower is one main reason why there is no complete crime control. Rampant drug abuse among the youth, chain and bag snatching by people of the same age-bracket on to rape, murders and organized, planned heists, Guwahati has seen in all and these need to be checked.

G PLUS MAY 21 - MAY 27, 2016

Buzz Water Supply Most of Guwahati’s water supply projects are incomplete. Massive areas of the city do not have access to clean, potable water and the projects remain a pipedream taking forever to complete. Flood water harvesting is a mythical concept right now in the region where it should have been the top most priority. Just this month, the GMDA reviewed its status on a long pending water supply project which will cover the western part of the city from Bharalumukh to LGBI Airport. This project was scheduled to be completed in 2011 and has already missed a couple of deadlines - the last one being in 2015. On completion, the project will produce 107 million litres of water per day (MLD) for the residents of West Guwahati and Jalukbari constituencies. The expectation: complete the water projects at the earliest, within a year preferably.

And a few others

Completion of the 1second bridge over river Brahmaputra

The construction of a second bridge parallel to the Saraighat Bridge began in 2006 and hasn’t finished yet. Severe traffic congestion on the Saraighat Bridge has been a common phenomenon over the years.

2 Fast trials of

illegal immigrants

Corruption We are done and over with this aspect. Prime Minister Modi’s clean governance ought to be imbibed in the city administration’s culture which has long been steeped in corruption and which is virtually a part of the work culture. Small bribes here, big bribes elsewhere and constant greasing of palms to move files should be a thing of the past from now on. The middlemen and brokers may kindly find other ways to fill their pockets. Raise salaries if necessary; Guwahatians are capable of paying a little more by way of taxes but do usher in a bit of happiness on this score.

24 hours electricity and street lighting How many of us have laughed and secretly cursed the Assam State Electricity Board (ASEB) whenever we read a joke about the electricity problems that persists in the city? I am sure all of us must have but what we need is actually someone taking action on it. A slight windy weather can lead to power cuts for up to 2-4 hours because a tree fell! Proper street lighting is an absolute must in almost every street to increase safety and to avoid crime and accidents. After all what’s a smart city all about if it remains in darkness even for 5 minutes?

Illegal immigration has always been a problem in the state. With the judicial system as horrible as ours, we definitely need a fast, efficient and a proper judicial system where illegal immigrants are given the correct decision and as quickly as possible.

3 Felicitous

infrastructure

With so many buildings, malls and hotels coming up, what we need is more of it – better buildings, better flyovers, better everything!

4 Land

encroachments

Land encroachments in Deepor Beel are quiet an issue and have been in the news for the last few years. The land encroachments have been hindering in the flow of water from the city into the wetland which also happens to be a home to thousands of migratory and local bird species.

5 Sanitation and

waste management

From the Bharalu River pollution to GMC’s garbage collection project being a total failure, Guwahati now is not really far from becoming a garbage dump. Since 1999, Bharalu River has been in the news for being the most toxic water body and no action has been taken yet and it is already 2016! Open drains, open garbage dumps are found in every nook and corner of the city and is a home for thousands of diseases.

G PLUS MAY 21 - MAY 27, 2016

Ward Watch

WARD NO

Concentrated area Lachit Nagar Ward number 13 Sub-division 13(a) & 13(c) Councillor Nipon Kumar Kalita Phone number 9864173209 Area sabha member 13(a) Sontara Choudhury Phone number 9954860904 Area sabha member 13(c) Amya Ananda Lahkar Phone number 9864067545

G Plus photo

Social insecurity and degradation of infrastructure bog Lachit Nagar N amed after Lachit Borphukan, the great Ahom general, the Lachit Nagar area struggles for the basic desideratum. Starting from the problems of poor road condition on to theft and burglary, locals were alarmed after miscreants recently looted cash in the busy area in broad daylight. This only indicates that claims of increased security vigil in the city have gone in vain. Lachit Nagar is one of the busiest residential localities in the city as it connects the arterial GS Road to several areas such as Sarania, South Sarania and Rajgarh Road. From the commercially thriving GS Road, the area greets its visitors with a well-constructed road where concrete paver blocks were laid in 2015. However, one has to pass through an overwhelming stench of garbage dumped on the side of the road. Such is the condition that the part which is used as a garbage dump was left unconstructed. Meanwhile, the stretch of road that was constructed ends soon enough and as one moves further, the road condition gets worse.

Lack of amenities Due to the poor condition only a part of the road can be used by vehicles and pedestrians to ply through. Meanwhile, with the ongoing water supply project, the entire stretch

from Rajgarh Road to GS Road has been ploughed through and this has narrowed down the part of the road that can be used for walking. The area is also listed among the worst flood hit localities of the city as a major part of the road submerges under rainwater after every smart shower. A major reason of the area being flooded every monsoon is due to the water running downhill from Gandhi Basti. Meanwhile locals, expressing frustration over the watersupply project being initiated in the early stages of monsoon stated, “It was only a year ago that the road was constructed. Public money was used to construct the road. Then the same was used to dig it up and again it will be restored through public money. It is sheer wastage of hard-earned public money. Moreover, it shows the lack of concrete planning through which the water supply project has been especially initiated at this point of time when it is raining every other day. Both sides of the road have been ploughed through simultaneously due to which the inlets of the underground drainage system has been damaged.”

Security concern Besides the basic amenities, security is a major concern for the locals of Lachit Nagar. Chain snatching,

theft and burglary are regular occurrences in the area. An alarming incident took place on the morning of 3rd May when two motorcycle borne miscreants looted cash worth Rs. 4.76 lakhs at gunpoint from one Pradip Das when he was on his way to deposit the cash in a bank. As stated by Dwijen Kr. Das, proprietor of Mahalaya Marketing, the firm where the burglary took place, such incidents occur on a regular basis in the area. “Following the burglary the miscreants were chased by several people on bikes but they still managed to get away. Although police arrived at the spot on time and despite the fact that the miscreants were also spotted by a policemen on patrol duty, they were not halted even after their reckless driving.” Das also stressed on the need for CCTV cameras in the city saying, “Such cases would have been easily be solved had there been CCTV cameras installed at strategic locations of the city. It is due to the negligence of the administration that such incidents largely take place and the miscreants roam free without the scare of being apprehended. Had there been a camera it would have been a matter of merely five minutes,” Das added. “Prior to this incident there have been several incidents of chainsnatching that has taken place after sundown. Since there are no street-

lights burglars take advantage of the darkness and easily pull off such activities. Especially for women it is unsafe to walk in the lanes of the area. Such miscreants snatch and flee with whatever they can get hold of, be it the purse, ornaments (chains) or mobile phones. Other than incidents of snatching, the shops are mostly targeted. There have been shops where incidents of theft have taken place several times but the shop-owners do not report such incidents as no positive results ever materialize. Moreover, like the recent incident where the miscreants managed to flee despite the poor road condition, one has to be very practiced in carrying out such

KALYAN DEB

crimes,” a local stated. It was also mentioned that it is mostly the youths living in the surrounding areas who indulge in such crimes. It was also asserted that many of them consume illegal intoxicants and indulge in such crimes to fund their habits. Locals have also expressed dissatisfaction over the steps taken by the authorities for the development of the area. Although the police have launched a manhunt to nab those behind the incident, the concerned authorities have failed to ensure security of the residents in Guwahati as incidents of theft and other crimes have surged of late.

The road was recently constructed Councillor’s Say and is under the jurisdiction of the PWD (Public Works Department) whereas the lanes are the responsibilities of the GMC. “Only a few parts of the road were constructed last year and were not carried out in a proper manner. Had the concrete blocks been firmly set the condition would have been less miserable. I had discussed the matter with the chief engineer and the mayor for sanction of funds for the construction of the by-lanes. Since the code of conduct came into force no funds were released but it is expected that such matters will be discussed from 22nd May onwards,” stated councillor Nipon Kumar Kalita, adding that the PWD and GMDA will be approached for quick and merit-worthy construction of the road post the water supply project. On the activeness of police in controlling criminal activities the councillor stated that patrolling is only carried out when a particular incident is reported. kalyan.deb@g-plus.in

G PLUS MAY 21 - MAY 27, 2016

Art

EPIC EXPERIMENT

Subhrajit Roy

he epic story of the Mahabharata is a treasure of many sub-stories about which experiments have been a regular process, be it the literary works of many poets or dramatists’ presentations. Sometimes the intact enactment of the stories applauds the divine connection where as revival of ‘politically correct’ issues are also evident from time to time. This time it is an ultra modern saga where the entire play revolves around the narratives by Duryodhan (Dirju). Based on Dr. Khargeshwar Bhuyan’s novel “Juvaraaz,” the experimental presentation is written, directed and acted by NSDian Manash Protim Neog. Produced by New Age Actors’ Theatre (NAAT), in collaboration with Ministry of Culture, Govt. of India and in association with Department of Acting, Jagiroad College and Puppet People, the presentation “Juvaraaz @ Kurukshetra Live” at the Rabindra Bhawan on May 13, 2016 unfolds many layers from the character of Dirju. Among the interesting points, the extraordinary power of vision of Sanjay with which he narrated the entire happenings of the battleground of Kurukshetra to Dhritarashtra is used in the play as a live telecast by a news channel. Similarly,

Juvaraaz @ Kurukshetra Live

the Swayamvar of Drapadi (Divyangi) is presented in the play as a hightech reality show. The gambling by Shakuni (Suku Mama) takes place at a casino. Most importantly, the incidents are related to the contemporary happenings. The usage of puppets in the play and nomenclature of characters are the points to adore. But certain deviations from the original story cannot be avoided. The character of Karna (KK) is portrayed in the play as a pro-negative one. Only three brothers from the Pandavas are shown in the play with no mention of Kaurava Dushasan. Above this, the character of Krishna, who played an important role at the battle ground of Kurukshetra is no where found in play. To discuss about the directorial advantages it is worth mentioning that the director used digital properties to make the play technically rich. Similarly, moves of karate and gymnastics are also some positive additives. The tattoo art on actors’ faces to show the quality of the character is a distinctive one. The background score by Dhanjit Boro and light design by Mrinal Jyoti Goswami seems quite supportive of the plot. Coming to the weaker side of the play, the most significant point

which comes is the acting. As the actors played multiple roles, at certain points distinction between two characters could not be ascertained. Bhaskar Boruah plays the character of both Yudhishthir (Yudi) as well as the soul of Dirju, which creates some confusion in distinguishing one from the other. Another fault in casting is evident from selecting one of the tiniest Bhima (Veer) and youngest Shakuni in the history of presentations based on the Mahabharata. Most importantly, the concentration between performance on stage and direction off stage gets divided whenever the director of a play remains on stage throughout the presentation. In this play the director plays the role of lead protagonist which makes the play weak at certain points. So far as the message is concerned, whatever is perceived in the epic, the play contradicts it at certain points, which is very much relevant to the contemporary times. Being good or bad, evil or divine, are totally relative and the play carries that message only. Though satirical overall, the play has some light romantic moments and some comic moments as well. Over all this experiment with the epic is loud in nature.

G PLUS MAY 21 - MAY 27, 2016

G Talk

ADIOS AMIGO AJMAL

Hara-kiri in arrogance E

ot to decry, not to deride, but just to demystify a certain very apparent reason for the decimation of the ruling Congress Party in the state polls! I am afraid, and I am not mincing words here, that the leadership rot starts at the very top. Actually it is nothing new and I am not about to take credit for saying something that entire India is already aware of. But given the hands down washing that BJP has dished out to the Congress, it leaves some pertinent questions hanging in the air. The prime among these is the lack of leaders and this starts at the very top. By what stretch of imagination is Rahul Gandhi considered an equal to Narendra Modi as to be considered as equally capable PM material beats my mind by a long margin. It is a wonder that he is held in such awe and is accorded so much respect by the Congress Party when the truth of the matter is there for all to see. Election after election has been debacle after debacle for the Congress and yet Rahul continues to be the main campaigner. It is plain apparent that he just does not have the charisma of his father nor the qualities of leadership that is expected of a political leader. He just does not inspire confidence in his voters. And yet he continues without so much as a murmur of protest. The Congress would do well to dislodge the dynasty from its perch and do it fast if it at all has to revive itself. But the dynasty

seems totally entrenched, for reasons best known to no one it seems, and I truly wonder who will bell the cat! As for Tarun Gogoi’s lost realm, a bit of soul-searching rather than arrogance would have made a lot of difference. Given the political intelligence that Gogoi was supposed to have possessed, he should have read deeper into the dissidence factor that he was confronted with and the baton should have been passed when the opportunity presented itself. But no, at his age, he chose to believe in his arrogance (which is characteristic of the Congress Party anyway) and was faced with an electoral confrontation that floored him completely. He simply failed to see Himanta’s stature as a leader leave alone acknowledge the political acumen that the man possesses. To have predicted the results on 11th April itself to a ‘T’ speaks volumes of the pulse Himanta has on the state’s politics. Letting him go was the worst move that the Congress Party could have made. A party which had no leaders in the state until yesterday has today tasted sweet success. Himanta has managed to elevate himself to a politician of national reckoning. The Congress has indeed shot itself in the foot in a stylishly arrogant harakiri and the BJP did not even deliver the gun.

Swapnil Bharali Executive Editor

Au Revoir Tarun Gogoi

SIDHARTH BEDI VARMA

arun Gogoi’s glittering term as the Chief Minister of Assam came to an end after the results were announced on Thursday. The mandate shrunk the Congress to a mere 26 seats in the State. A complete wave took over Assam leaving the Congress to scavenge on the seats BJP did not contest in. But nevertheless, with all due respect, Tarun Gogoi deserves some parting words of praise for all he has done for Assam. This is not coming out of the writer in me, but as a resident of Assam under his governance. Tarun Gogoi’s most valuable contribution to the State would be an Assam where peace has prevailed. He handled the extremist element in the state like a true statesman. Under his rule, several of the extremist elements have not only surrendered, but diplomatic talks leading to peaceful outcomes were initiated. To get radicals involved in peace talks is a feat in itself and deserves all the praises. Tarun Gogoi’s story evolves from that of dark and unconnected villages to a state that records the second highest growth in employment in 2014-15. In the past

15 years, Assam has f lourished, and from its hostility has become the land of hospitality. Tarun Gogoi ran a State that was deserted by its own people selling their land and resources in search of a better future - the very state to which people have now started f locking back to create the future they went looking for. Connectivity in the region has been a major issue, but Gogoi took this from a negative on the scorecard to a genuine positive. What was once inaccessible, now has electricity, water, roads and is home to aspirations; the same aspirations that swayed to the ‘development mantra’ from the centre. The Congress, under his rule filled the political void in the State that was left by AGP leaving behind secret killings its wake. The octogenarian beat all the odds and stuck it out for 3 consecutive terms. With the passage of time, people make new aspirations and every demand must be catered. Gogoi’s term came to an end because he stood against a wave that was unpredictably enormous. Nonetheless, he has made his mark in the political stretch of India, one that will not be forgotten, the good or the bad.

was unable to believe that Maulana Badruddin Ajmal was trailing in the elections. But around noon, when it was finally confirmed, I not only heaved a sigh of relief like many other friends and at the same time recalled a song sung by the legendary American pop singer Jim Reeves: Adios Amigo the road that we have travelled has come to an end. Yes, the road has indeed come to an end for the perfume baron who had dreamt of not only becoming a “kingmaker” but also establishing an empire in Assam. Not so easy. Voters have become smarter than one would imagine. They realised that voting for the Maulana and AIUDF, the party they represent, would only mean inviting more danger at a time when the National Register of Citizens (NRC) is being updated and their patrons would no longer be able to protect them after the new government takes over. In hindsight, Ajmal failed to graduate from a businessman to a politician. He betrayed total lack of understanding of the state’s social fabric, how it sustains and how it surges ahead with a balance between the extremes. The new generation who has seen the cell phone and the internet from their births are not bothered about much about religion because it does not really

Guest Columnist, Rajeev Bhattacharya, throws light on Badruddin Ajmal’s wrong choice of political moves and frustrations prior to the elections that saw him bite the dust with a shocking, unexpected defeat

PERSPECTIVE Rajeev Bhattacharyya help in getting a decent job. In the burgeoning corporate sector in the country, it is the results that matter and nobody is bothered about anything else. They and a large section of Bengali Muslims who are genuine citizens were aghast when the AIUDF chief called all Muslims to unite in Assam in the name of religion on 23 rd January at a rally in Rangia. This section had always displayed a pro establishment sen-

timent and voted invariably for the party that will form the government. Most of the time it was the Congress that reaped the benefit but in 1996 they also voted for the AGP since it was certain that it would sweep to power. But in 2016 they appeared confused: while Congress had gained in the Bengali Muslim and immigrant pockets, it had to cede ground to AIUDF in Barak Valley. Ajmal’s contribution to Assam’s political landscape has been immense in that he united the populace against illegal immigration from Bangladesh. His activities and speeches provided ample fodder for the BJP leaders to repeatedly underscore the danger of the unabated infiltration from the neighbouring country. And the Maulana could not only make a strong defence against the allegations hurled against him, but his policy towards the Congress and efforts to stitch an alliance of “secular parties” punched large holes in his image. The Congress hardly gave importance to his overtures knowing full well that a pre-poll alliance with a communal party like the AIUDF would mean further lessening the chances of a victory in the polls. Ajmal initially denied attempting a tie up with the Congress. But extremely frustrated, he revealed everything on Twitter a day ahead of the polls and blamed the Congress for not agreeing to an alliance. Not everybody can be a politician and least of all communal perfume barons who only build castles in the air. Rajeev Bhattacharjee is a Guwahati-based journalist and author of Rendezvous with Rebels: Journey to Meet India’s Most Wanted Men

Interactive

s the television screens flashed the news of BJP contestants winning one seat after the other on 19th May, it was official that their phenomenal victory in the elections was bringing an end to the 15 year Congress rule in Assam. The BJP-AGP-BPF alliance won a whopping 86 seats out of 126 constituencies, while Congress managed to win only 26 seats. This election, BJP has turned out to be the biggest player, not only in the Brahmaputra and Barak valleys, but also in the hill districts. But the question remains, will the new Government deliver on the people’s expectations? While 15 years of Congress governance still left parts of Assam under developed, people now hold bigger expectations from the newly elected Government. Will the saffron comrades be successful in taking Assam ahead in the path of peace and progress? Will the ideology of Paribartan be materialized in the hands of the new alliance? Will Assam be MODI-fied?

name witheld

Letter to the Editor Dear Sir, Your last week’s issue about local artist Priyanka Bharali becoming a victim of cyber crime is one of the many issues that is taking over the administration. The number of cyber crimes has relatively shot up in huge numbers with easy access to the internet in the region. The victims of such crimes are mostly children and women. Horrific incidents of cyber crime have been reported in the NE and the administration should make sure to tackle the issue from its core. The rise of technology comes at a price, but is the Guwahati administration ready to tackle it? I hope thorough your efforts, there is some light on the matter.

Rajeeb Bora via email

G PLUS MAY 21 - MAY 27, 2016

In Focus

With the new government Meet being sworn in shortly, Asha Kuthari what observations do Chaudhuri Guwahatians have to make the city a better living space? Academician

he construction of a second bridge parallel to the Saraighat Bridge began in 2006 and hasn’t finished yet. Severe traffic congestion on the Saraighat Bridge has been a common phenomenon over the years. Does it take more than 10 years to complete a bridge over a river? Or is it inefficiency at its best?

Mon Imaan Hazarika

think the general public shouldn’t be made to wait for the CM convoy movement. This should be done away with. The new CM can work from home given the technology available nowadays and undertake minimal movement so as not to disrupt the valuable time of the citizens.

Diku Talukdar

ts already 2016 and connectivity remains a far-fetched dream. With Guwahati which is soon going to be a smart city, better connectivity is of utmost importance. Good condition buses which run 24/7 would do the job.

Jitu Talukdar

hortest horror story – ‘No Parking Available’. This indeed is a nightmare for all the drivers! Cramped parking spaces are bad but what is worse than this? Drivers who don’t know how to park and end up occupying more space than needed! Parking would forever remain a dreaded job and it honestly is exhausting. You can never find it when you’re looking for it!

Myna Barua

oads in Guwahati are every driver’s nightmare! It’s like a roller coaster ride, minus the fun and five times more the fear. There are no longer pot-holes but ‘doorways to hell.’ Let’s not even get to the point as to how narrow the roads and footpaths are. With footpaths being used by bikers and cyclists and for parking vehicles, where do they expect the pedestrians to walk?

Bibhash Deka

or many Guwahatians - even those living in urban settlements – clean drinking water remains a dream deferred. Water as we all know is now becoming a luxury. Even with the mighty river Brahmaputra flowing through the city, water scarcity is on the rise. The new government should give priority to this.

abu Malik

orking traffic lights, CCTV’s are a necessity. Growing crimes and accidents would be under check and traffic would be facilitated properly especially in the areas where a traffic personnel is not placed. It would ease the burden of appointed traffic personnel who work hard in the blazing sun and heavy downpour.

Deekshita Das

ith the crimes against women on the rise, we need more security measures in the city. Murders, rapes, molestation, sexual harassment has become an everyday news for all of us. It worries us for just a minute and we go about our day as usual. This shouldn’t be the case because it’s a matter of grave concern and should be considered as a huge problem.

Rimjhim Mandal

oming from a Marwari family that migrated to Assam in 1810, which incidentally makes it the oldest Marwari family in Assam, the roots of Asha Kuthari Chaudhury makes her as Assamese as any indigenous individual. Interestingly, the family came via the river route and brought with it salt for the first time thereby introducing a whole new flavour to Assamese cuisine. However, unlike a person from a Marwari family who is usually expected to have business indulgences, Asha had a completely different set of goals. Born on 9th November, Asha’s childhood was always surrounded by relatives. Growing up, it was her love for Assam that always held her back from moving away. From her schooling to her career so far, Asha has always had her umbilical cord attached to the picturesque land of Assam. She did her schooling from Nichol’s High School and went on to pursue her higher education from Handique Girls’ College and then Gauhati University. She earned her PhD from Gauhati University in 2003 and has published widely in the areas of theatre, performance, and film studies. The academically brilliant Asha was expected to crack the competitive exams after she had topped History in her Higher Secondary examinations but her love for the written word made her pursue literature in college. William Shakespeare imbibed in her the love for theatre. “We were doing several plays during college weeks and one of the first was ‘The Merchant of Venice’.” Handique is an all girls’ college and so we were given different roles; I played Antonio. I am not sure how I became an indulgent reader and a buff of theatre but if I had to take a name it would be Shakespeare. He never wrote original stuff but he used other people’s stories and wrote his wonderful plays. One of my favourite plays is ‘Macbeth;’ the other, ‘The Merchant of Venice’,” the academician shared with G Plus. During her graduation days she anchored a program called “Reaching Out” on television. Her love for writing also had her writing scripts. In the process, she contributed to several documentary features like “Konyak Nagas,” “Moto Mutant Sisters,” features for children’s science conventions and also for movies. Her recent work was “Moromor Bondhu” which was an adaptation of novelist AR Gurney’s “Love Letters.” Featured in two different linguistic versions, English and Assamese, it was performed by popular Assamese actors Kopil Bora and Zerifa Wahid on 25th July last year in Guwahati and several other cities and was also staged this year. However, amidst her involvement in several other fields it was the love for English that drove her to become a teacher. She completed her Masters and joined Gauhati University as a professor and has been teaching for over 20 years. “I always tell my students that if you don’t like what you are doing then you should stop. The fact that I was doing well in my studies got me the required support from home. While I was doing my Masters not many books of my taste were available

but my grandfather Bhupen Singh Kuthari really encouraged me and I am grateful for that. He would give me a handful of cash and send me to book fairs in Kolkata where I would buy as many books I could,” the professor stated. Asha was recently granted the Fulbright-Nehru Award for academic and professional excellence. She was on a 5-month research teaching grant to the USA and got the opportunity to interact with students, teachers and some of the biggest names in theatre. Sharing her experience Asha said, “During my five months of stay I watched around 50 plays. As I was researching on inter-cultural theatre, I was looking to get hold of different types of theatre. So I watched Japanese, Taiwanese, Canadian puppet shows, Broadway shows, Operas and several others. I was hoping to watch some Indian theatre there but I was severely disappointed. They have shows but intermittently and considering the talent that we have at home it is not really visible there. I wanted to see how Americans reacted to Indian theatre.” “We keep reading American theatre or other western theatre for that matter but they don’t know anything about us. That is what I am really trying to address. What they want to see is a very exotic picture of India but not the grass-root reality. The west tries to choose exotic over the real,” Asha added in disappointment. She also assessed the growth of theatre in Assam and besides mobile theatre, looks for a vibrant theatre culture that she witnessed in the USA. The lack of consistent BFA (Bachelor of Fine Arts) is another field that holds people back. “People here have good idea about theatre, they know theatre and want to watch theatre and many also want to go on and have a career in theatre. A touch of financial viability is what is desired as people really love theatre here,” Asha said sharing a vision of starting her own theatre company in future. She is also working on a book on the integration of Marwaris in Assam which will be published soon.

G PLUS MAY 21 - MAY 27, 2016

Lifestyle

q Sex

in our city

e are a middle-aged couple of Guwahati. I am 55 and my wife is 50. We have had a satisfactory sexual life when we were younger but of late, I seem to have run out of steam. I fail to get stimulated and we often try to spice things up by watching pornography. It helps but we find it too cumbersome every time. Some of my friends use Viagra. Do we need a prescription to buy Viagra? Is prolonged use of it healthy?

THUMB RULES OF

VAASTU SHASTRA

VAASTU

A Viagra belongs to a class of drugs called (PDE5) inhibitors (phosphodiesterase inhibitors type 5). They can increase the blood f low to the penis and so improve your erection. However, their use is not recommended in men who have recent history of stroke or myocardial infarction (within the last 6-8 weeks), or who have significantly low blood pressure, uncontrolled high blood pressure, unstable angina, severe heart failure, severe liver impairment or end-stage kidney disease requiring dialysis etc. There are various forms of PDE5 inhibitors and the prescribing information may vary with each other. You should always have a prescription for any medication. This might sound very patronizing for the profession but in our country there is a lot of over-the-counter prescription. Often the patients entrust their lives and health to people who sometimes are not even pharmacists! Often people say, “Please give me a medicine which does not have a side effect.” “There is no medicine which does not have a side effect and there never will be one.” Even pain-killers that we often pop in our mouth may cause kidney, liver damage and even cause bleeding in your stomach. The gas tablet that we so innocently take like sweets has a huge number of adverse effects on our body. The job of a professional doctor is to balance the risks and benefits in your favour. There is some increasing evidence that the effects of Viagra may diminish with time on a given individual. More research is going on. So do not just copy your friends! 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

aastu rules are same all over for everyone, immaterial of the area, location or size. They are listed below for easy reference. Position of gate and doors: Central north to northeast up to central east, southern southeast, central south, central west and western northwest. Well, deep T/well, septic tank, underground reservoir should be from central north to central east. But there should not be a septic tank on the northeastern side. There should be no toilets on the north, east or northeast. But a toilet can be placed on the northwest or southeast sides. The toilet seats should not face east or west. Kitchen should be on the southeast (best) or northwest with the cooking burner facing east in the south-eastern corner. All electrical items like meters, DG sets, TV, geyser, etc. should be towards

the southeast. Water taps, coolers etc. should be on the north, east or northeast. Adult bedrooms should be towards the south, southwest (master) and west. Children can have their bedrooms on the northeast, east or southeast. Guestroom and marriageable girls’ room towards the northwest. There should not be any stairs, garage, kitchen or toilet on the northeast. The stairs can be anywhere except the northeast. The steps should go from east to west or north to south. Leave more vacant space towards the north and east in comparison to south and west. The northeast part of the plot should be the lowest point while the southwest point must be highest. The centre of a plot/house (Brahmasthal) should not have any pit or heavy construction etc. The placement of the head while sleeping should be towards the south.

Cygnett

Repose Inn

ast Sunday, I headed for lunch to the Pavilion, Cygnett Repose Inn, both to taste and experience. This was an old property taken over by a new management, rebranded and repositioned in the market. It is over a year old and so is a perfect time to visit because one year is a period long enough to overcome initial hiccups and put all things in order.

Stepping in, what immediately grasps your attention is the positive and exuberant disposition of the staff. The interior has been remodeled and refurbished; it’s clean and functional. It does call itself a budget hotel and certainly makes no bones about it. Yet, let me tell you, it’s spotlessly clean and well kept. The manager was gracious enough to show me the rooms as well. They are immaculate

in contemporary lines, with small but well appointed bathrooms having all necessities at hand. Pavilion is their all day dining. The menu is extensive and has a kid’s menu as well and how thoughtful is that?! Not many restaurants in Guwahati can boast of a Kid’s Menu with names like ‘Bart Simpson Diet,’ ‘Laurel and Hardy’ and ‘Superman Punch.’ Since there were no kids

with me I opted for the adult menu. For starters, it was the classic ‘Murgh Malai Tikka,’ Salt and Pepper Vegetables and Fish and Chips. Service was quick and efficient. The Malai Tikkas were prepared quite well, redolent of subtle flavours of spices and cashews, and the portions were generous too. The Vegetable Salt and Pepper was just so but the Fish and Chips were amazing. Crisp outer coating and flaky white fish inside, with the tartar sauce was outstanding. It reminded me of eating in the old Plantation Clubs. For, the main course there was ‘Dal Makhani,’ Chicken in rich gravy and accompanying Rotis and Naans and the ubiquitous Paneer Butter Masala and Mutton Roghan Josh. The Dal was heavenly, smooth, creamy and perfectly spiced. The Rotis were soft and delicious. I found the Chicken a tad too rich but then again it’s a personal choice. The Paneer was fresh and packed full of flavours. The

Children should go to sleep with their heads towards the east. Children should study facing east. Sit facing north or east in offices, shops or at a business. The puja room should be on the northeast side without any heavy pial or platform. The overhead tank should be on the southwest, south or west. If it is placed on the southeast or northwest, there must be a heavier and higher structure towards the southwest. There should not be any water tank or water line over the kitchen. North and east should be lighter, open and lower. Heavy items should be kept towards the south, west or southwest.

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

‘Mutton Roghan Josh’ did not live up to its name. Full marks for the ‘Pan Seared Fish.’ The plate was pleasing to the eyes and pleasurable on the taste buds. It’s a full meal with herbed rice and sautéed vegetables. The round up to a decadent meal was with a surprise ‘Heer ki Kheer,’ an unusual combination of Phirni and Blueberry. Surprisingly, it worked very well and was absolutely brilliant. The Phirni was delicate, creamy, cool and with just a hint of Blueberry. Go spend a lazy and quite meal and return beautifully surprised at the Pavilion Restaurant, Cygnett Inn, Guwahati.

Kashmiri Nath Foodie, owner at XOXO cupcakes, food blogger, recipe developer and expert on Assamese cuisine

G PLUS MAY 21 - MAY 27, 2016

Lifestyle

What

makeup to use if you have

acne scars

(& what to avoid)

Before you apply so much as a dollop of makeup, you should always prime. Prep your skin with a primer that will smooth over any problem areas. Although makeup is the easiest

Don’t go for the glow

Makeup formulas that have a lot of luminosity, dewiness or a high shimmer content tend to bring out the texture and really emphasize the difference between flat skin and the skin that is raised from scarring. Lesson: Avoid anything glowy. Sadly, this includes highlighters. On the flip-side, matte products are the best because of their ability to absorb light and soften the appearance of the textured areas. If you are looking for a high-coverage, super-matte, and ultra long-wear base, we recommend ‘Kat Von D’s Lock-It Foundation’ (you will have to buy it online). If you have oily, pigmented acnescarring, then this might be your holy grail.

setting

goals

Top-level athletes, successful business-people and achievers in every field all set goals. Setting goals gives you long-term vision and shortterm motivation. It focuses your acquisition of knowledge, and helps you to organize your time and your resources so that you can make the very most of your life.

Matte it up

Just as with your foundation, you should opt for a cover-up that’s both matte and highly pigmented. It does an incredible job in smoothing out the unevenness in the skin texture and gives a superopaque and matte look. It fills in the deep parts of the scars. To apply the concealer, dot it onto specific areas with a flat brush, which allows you to press the product into the skin seamlessly.

Set your work

To keep all your hard work in place, set your makeup with a setting spray like Infallible Makeup Extender Setting Spray from L’oreal. Not only will it extend the life of your base but it won’t leave a dry, powdery effect on the skin like many pressed and loose powders do.

“The trouble with not having a goal is that you can spend your life running up and down the field and never score” said Bill Copeland. “There is one quality which one must possess to win, and that is a definite purpose, the knowledge of what one wants, and a burning desire to possess it.” said Napolean Hill. Goal setting will give clarity to your end vision. Without goals, you get the illusion that you are doing a lot of things, but they aren’t what you want. You are just busy fulfilling everyone’s goals. Setting your goals gives you clarity on what you ultimately want. It makes you crystallize and articulate the desires floating in your mind.

Sonika Ajmera Fashion Blogger

STRENGTH TRAINING & TESTOSTERONE

The importance of

Goal setting is a powerful process for thinking about your ideal future and for motivating yourself to turn your vision of this future into reality. The process of setting goals helps you to choose where you want to go in life.

…

Prime time

yourself

f you do not know where you’re heading, you’ll never get there. And that is why you need to set goals.

f you are guilty of perennially picking at your pimples or you’ve battled cystic bumps since your teenage years, chances are that you’ve been plagued by an acne scar or two. The dark marks and crater-like indentations linger, taking weeks — sometimes months — to gradually disappear. Although makeup is the easiest way to hide these dreaded blemishes, certain products and application techniques can draw attention to them rather than minimize their appearance. We tapped a few makeup artists in the city to reveal their best tips for dealing with acnescarring: what to use, what to steer clear of and the one step that you should never skip. Here are our conclusions

n the last article I pointed out the reason why a low fat diet is not ideal to burn belly fat and in this article I am offering you a solution which is actually what I prefer - and it’s also what I still personally use today to maximize testosterone levels for maximum lean muscle development. The solution is given below: Especially for men over 40, the safest and most effective long term solution is increasing your testosterone NATURALLY -- by using a specific style of STRENGTH TRAINING with free weights hitting only the large muscle groups of the body such as chest, legs and back with compound exercise and using heavy weights. It is important to note that just doing the exercises in the gym simultaneously while doing Strength Training does not lead to the desired

Best version of

Cool Couture

results of reaching one’s individualized peak testosterone levels. A specific program has to be designed by a qualified professional personal trainer following the “Scientific principle of Strength Training”. One more reason as to why people do not get results by merely doing a workout routine is the lack of proper “Strength Training protocols” for men over 40. A majority of the workouts mentioned on the internet and in health-related magazines are based on cardiovascular conditioning and group activity classes such as functional training, aerobic dance and indoor cycling; these are basically fun activities for recreational fitness purposes and actually have a negative impact on a person’s testosterone levels, making lean mass gains literally impossible and thus hindering the ‘fat loss

targets’. All of these types of group activities are reasonably good for achieving cardiovascular conditioning especially for young sports persons but not for a 40 year old individual whose testosterone levels are already low. If these types of activities are pursued by a person of 40 years or older, I am very sure that the workouts will lead to a further decrease in testosterone levels. All workouts and physical activities affect testosterone production in one way or another. Most of them affect your testosterone levels by a small amount while a rare few can have a significant upward effect in testosterone levels. However, there’s more to this. There are exercises that can have a negative effect and cause a decrease in your testosterone and it’s actually one of the most common exercises used among men over 40. That’s why before you do your next workout, I want you to be informed and make a wise decision on choosing your next type of training. The solution to this problem is to do the Specific Workout Program laid down by me for you to help your

It ensures that you are channelizing your time, energy and efforts into things that really matter to you. It makes you live more consciously. Your goals are a representation of your inner desires; desires which motivate you in life. The point when you set goals marks the point when you are most connected with your source of motivation. It is when your motivation is at its peak. Having goals on your mind serve as constant reminders of your sources of motivation. These are the fuels which drive you forward and keep you going when the going gets tough. The one thing common in all the people of the world who have made it large is that each and every one of them had goals and they took actions to achieve those goals. Do you set goals for yourself? What are your goals for the next 12 months? How about 3 years from now? 5 years? 10 years? Write it down in your journal or somewhere which is visible to you most of the time.

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.

TESTOTERONE LEVELS RISE UP OPTIMALLY WITHOUT ANY SIDE EFFECT. The following Workout Program consists mainly of Heavy Compound Exercises hitting only the large muscle groups of the body. The amount of resistance should be based on a person’s 70% to 80% of 1RM. Repetitions should be in a range of 6 to 12 and should be done in a linear or non-linear ‘periodized’ manner to avoid gas. The number of sets should be no more than 9 to 12 for each major muscle groups in a workout program. 8 WEEK PERIODIZED SAMPLE WORKOUT PROGRAM WEEK NO-1 Warm up with any cardio machine of your choice for 5 minutes Type of split – 3 day rest periods between sets of 1 to 3 minutes depending on the intensity of the exercise. Day – 1 = Chest & Back BARBELL BENCH PRESS DUMBBELL INCLINE PRESS BENT OVER BARBELL ROWS DEADLIFTS Day -2 = Lower body & Calves BARBELL SQUATS

BARBELL FRONT SQUATS ROMANIAN DEADLIFTS Day -3 = Shoulders & arms BARBELL CLEAN & PRESS UNDERGRIP PULL UPS CLOSE GRIP BENCH PRESS PARALLE DIPS So I would advise you to follow this schedule 3 times a week on alternate days and on other days do cardio, depending on your individual fitness goals. TRAIN SMART & GAIN GREAT RESULTS. For further Workout Programs & Diet follow me on Facebook or log on to my website – www. bibhuuniversalfitness.com. You can also watch my videos in my YouTube channel.

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 21 - MAY 27, 2016

Review Cast: James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence Director: Bryan Singer

et approx. ten years later from the events of X-Men: Days of Future Past, this film takes off with an introduction of En Sabah Nur (Oscar Isaac), who is the world’s first mutant who was hailed as a God in 3600 B.C. Egypt. Centuries later, he rises from the grave to destroy the civilisation and set a new world for the mutants. It’s the 80s and while Professor Charles is busy running his school with Hank, Mystique/Raven is surviving in East Berlin. Erik Lehnsherr/Magneto has settled in Poland with his wife and daughter and trying hard to live a normal life. When En Sabah Nur rises, he plans to recruit the strongest mutants on his side to take on the world. After recruiting a young Storm and Psylocke, he turns to Eric finding him in his weakest time. With a war ahead, the task of saving humanity and civilisation is on the shoulders of the young

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mutants Jean, Nightcrawler, Scott and Peter, who are about to learn the true nature of their powers. Bryan Singer’s newest installment in the X-Men series finds itself a great piece of story with history and a good chunk of past for the well-known mutants like Erik, Scott and Jean. The first half establishes itself a bit slowly but manages to keep you hooked with the character detailing. Apocalypse’s script finally answers the age old question of ‘Why is professor Charles bald?’ and mind you, it is interesting how it happens. What we truly miss in this script is the memorable interactions between Charles and Erik which have made the previous installments quite rich in content. As an antagonist, En Sabah Nur hardly packs any punch. In fact, it is also sad to see Magneto so weak just standing beside him like an extra. For God’s sake, he is Magneto – some sort of a born leader.

While Apocalypse aka Nur possesses some deadly powers, his recruitment techniques involving giving a bunch of mutants some extra super powers seem stupid. Singer has mastered the art of playing with his characters smartly by introducing us to their past and present to develop stories with each film. This time too, he does the same and also ends the film with the hints of the upcoming films with the younger mutants in focus. While Mystique gets a decent screen time, content wise, there is a dearth to her character detailing. Oscar Isaac stars as the evil Apocalypse. I wish he was given a better look. Isaac makes the most of what the writers offer him but fails to turn out as menacing as our favourite Magneto. James McAvoy returns as Charles or Professor X in the film. He is his usual charming self and gives you a cute scene when he is all nervous to meet Moira for the first time after years.

Cast: Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Randeep Hooda, Richa Chadha Director: Omung Kumar

arbjit is based on the real-life incident of Sarabjit Singh, an Indian farmer who is based in Bhikhiwind, Punjab, near the Indo-Pak border. On a drunken night in 1990, Sarabjit (Randeep Hooda) crosses over the border and is caught by the Pakistani army. After being held captive, he is forced to take the identity of Ranjit Singh, an accused for carrying out bomb blasts in Lahore. After learning about his disappearance and about being held captive by Pakistan, his sister Dalbir (Aishwarya Rai Bachchan) decides to seek justice for her brother. This is a tale of her courage, endurance and love for her falsely convicted brother. Having Dalbir Kaur herself on board for the rights of the film, I fail to

understand why the makers could not make this film a raw, no-frills affair. The heightened melodrama is the sheer cause of this film to put you off in spite of having a story worth telling at hand. Kumar’s Sarabjit is introduced as a happy go lucky, Punjabi guy who is highly family oriented but that doesn’t need to be conveyed with a celebratory song. The film fails to establish Sarabjit’s character in depth. The film is focused on his sister and her struggle minus the political angle from the Indian side. Her two decade struggle seems to be literally put in a script that feels like decades for the audiences too. Most dialogues come off as forced effect and hence fail to make an impact. Natural conversations are missing from the script, which make

Artist:

quieter moments. Further, new lead guitarist Roger Öjersson diversifies the attack with dynamic ferocity and imagination in his riffs, fills, and solos. He adds weight to even the most basic and gentle of melodies. The use of keyboards -- from Wurlitzers, Mellotrons, and synths to electric and acoustic pianos (played by vocalist/guitarist Jonas Renkse and guitarist/backing vocalist Anders Nystrom), are more assured and simultaneously painterly in detail and meatier. First single “Old Heart Falls,” with its modal melody and syncopated dynamic structure, offers fat crescendoes and

dropouts as swirling Mellotron strings, keyboard-simulated vibraphones, and a layers of reverb is cinematic in scope. The mellower cuts such as “Decima,” with its folk-like melodic line and uncharacteristic hand percussion (performed by JP Asplund) employ a restraint that ups the lyrics’ emotional quotient. While “Shifts” commences with the sound of an air raid siren, it plods at a dirge-like rock tempo colored by acoustic guitars and piano that recall vintage Wish You Were Hereera Pink Floyd.

X-men: apocalypse 9.45 AM, 2.45 & 5.45 PM Sarbjit 12.30 & 8.30 PM

PVR Cinemas

Dona Planet. GS Road 08800900009 X-men: apocalypse 10.30 AM, 3.25 & 9.00 PM Sarbjit 10.45 AM, 4.05, 6.40 & 9.15 PM The Jungle Book 1.15 PM Captain america: Civil war 6.10 PM Azhar 1.20 PM

HUB, GS Road 9864800100, 9864800200

X-men: apocalypse 12.30 & 5.45 PM Sarbjit 10.00 AM, 3.15 & 8.45 PM

Ulubari 0361 2541335

X-men: apocalypse 2.00 PM Sarbjit 11.00 AM, 5.00 & 8.00 PM

GOLD Cinema ASTC Complex, Paltan Bazar 9854066166

1920 London 5.30 PM Sarbjit 11.00 AM, 2.00, 5.00 & 8.00 PM Baaghi 11.30 AM Azhar 2.30 & 8.30 PM

Author:

u Yo LD N HOU S ISTE L

Noonmati 03612656968, 9954544738

Apsara Cinema

The Hidden Oracle: The Trials of Apollo - Book 1

Katatonia

atatonia is only one of many bands that began with their roots in blackened death metal and transformed their sound into one that is not only instantly recognizable but adheres more closely to moody, melodic progressive rock. The Fall of Hearts, the band’s tenth studio album, directly extends the line that began with 2003’s Viva Emptiness and carries straight through 2014’s Dead End Kings. That said, it also presents a new musical direction. New drummer Daniel Moilanen is more much nuanced than Daniel Liljekvist was. He can hit hard, but more importantly, he offers restraint and refinement in the album’s

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Book:

The Fall of Hearts

Anuradha Cineplex

Fun Cinemas

it a constant reminder that it is a film. The best written scenes in Sarbjit would be where Sarabjit loses his patience and shouts at his sister explaining how miserable his life in the jail is. The other would be Richa Chadha, who plays Sarabjit’s wife, giving a peace of mind to Dalbir’s character after she has lost all faith in her cause to free her brother. Only a few scenes click but luckily, the film does not have any jingoistic moments, which could have easily ruined the film even more. Towards the end, the film takes a turn into becoming a campaign of sorts for freeing falsely convicted prisoners in both countries. Now, this comes as a little shocking since Sarabjit himself was neither proved to be a spy or a terrorist and involving other cases is definitely a risky move.

Album:

NOW SHOWING

Rick Riordan

GOLD Cinema Salasar Building, Lakhtokia 9854077177

u Yo LD HOU S read

ow do you punish an immortal? By making him human. After angering his father Zeus, the god Apollo is cast down from Olympus. Weak and disoriented, he lands in New York City as a regular teenage boy. Now, without his godly powers, the four-thousand-year-old deity must learn to survive in the modern world

until he can somehow find a way to regain Zeus’s favour. But Apollo has many enemies - gods, monsters and mortals who would love to see the former Olympian permanently destroyed. Apollo needs help and he can think of only one place to go . . . an enclave of modern demigods known as Camp Half-Blood.

1920 London 2.30 PM Sarbjit 11.00 AM, 2.00, 5.00 & 8.00 PM Baaghi 8.30 AM Azhar 11.30 & 5.30 PM

GOLD Cinema

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

G PLUS MAY 21 - MAY 27, 2016

he state’s leading music institute Piano Kids celebrated its 4th anniversary with an evening of exhilarating piano music performed by a bunch of talented youngsters at the ITA Centre for Performing Arts, Machkhowa on 1 st May. The combined musical energy and concentration of around 100 young pianists created a breathtaking spectacle for the audiences. Entitled ‘A Symphony of Black & White 2016,’ the musical program was designed and directed by renowned piano maestro Kushal Krishna Dev Goswami. The evening kicked off with the devotional tune by Mohapurush Srimanta Sankardev and Madhabdev - ‘Muktito Nispriha Jitu’ rendered by child artistes Gangotri Goswami, Harshita Majumdar and Moorchana Goswami, and set to music by the institute students. The music encompassed several genres but the students played them with admirable ease and comfort, making the evening a feast for music lovers. It has been a tradition with Piano Kids to mix Assamese classics with timeless western and contemporary compositions in all its varied forms since its very inception. The evening that day was no different. A number of talented youngsters in their colourful attires displayed their skills and ranges in evergreen numbers like Dr. Bhupen Hazarika’s ‘Manuhe Manuhor Babe,’ KhagenMahanta’s ‘Ma Aami Sadiyaloi Jamei,’ Jayanta Hazarika’s ‘Mayamoi Rupali Jonak,’ besides songs associated with Raas. They also enthralled the packed crowd by playing a number of compositions created by world famous composers like L Kohler, S.C. Foster among others, and folk music from countries as varied as

A spectacular show by piano kids

England, Japan, America, Spain, etc. The much acclaimed musician and the institute’s principal, Kushal Krishna Dev Goswami has incorporated a solid set of traditional music, lush ballads, and various other classical compositions in his staff notations that reflect a wide

variety of musical influences. A duet piano collaboration between students Prajwal Aditya and Monmoy Aditya was warmly applauded by the audience. A highlight of the evening was a solo performance by Kaushik Amar Das who displayed exemplary agili-

Entertainment

Randeep Production’s new project

ty and exuberance in the composition ‘Leg Breaker.’ Fashion designer Garima Saikia Garg and former Miss Northeast Stuti Choudhury also gave a good account of themselves as hostesses of the evening. The evening also witnessed the felicitation of Mumbai-based renowned musician Dhrubajyoti Phukan who graced the occasion as the chief guest. Among other guests, eminent personalities like Commissioner of Industries and cultural activist Swapnanil Barua, Secretary, Tourism Lalit Gogoi, retired DC A. Absar Ali Hazarika, child specialist Dr. Prakritish Bora among others also graced the occasion with their august presence.

ith an aim to preserve, promote and propagate Assamese traditional songs among the young generation, a new album entitled ‘Shraddhanjali’ comprising 19 Borgeets and Goalparia folk songs is currently being recorded in Kolkata under the initiative of London-based production house, Randeep Production. The songs are being rendered by several well-known Assamese artists scattered in various parts of the country. The traditional indigenous music has never been of much interest to the urban populace who has grown up with Bollywood and other popular forms of music. Randeep Production is endeavoring to change this outlook by strengthening people’s engagement with traditional music. Its founder, a noted cultural activist and physician, Dr. Ranen Sarma is doing his bit in reviving interest in our traditional songs. He has made an effort here to reach out to the public, especially the young generation. He has also ensured that the songs in this new album are rendered without extracting the purity and integrity of traditional music. All the songs - 10 Borgeets and 9 GoalpariaLokageets in ‘Shraddhanjali’ are rendered in their original tune and accent. This rare album celebrates our rich and vibrant culture, heritage and tradition. Dr. Sarma had previously produced the much admired audio-video album in Assamese ‘A Collection of Nazrul Geeti and Rabindra Sangeet.’

Anup Neel comes of age

nup Neel, one of the most promising names of the Assamese music industry, is not only popular as a lyricist but is also a well-known composer and singer among the youth. Anup, son of Upen Saikia and Junu Saikia, was highly attracted to this field since his childhood. Without undergoing any professional training in music, he has been able to excel in this field only because of his dedication and respect for music. According to him, music is not only a subject of entertainment, but also a therapy. Anup Neel entered the musical world as a lyricist in 2012 through the album ‘Rinkumoni.’ In the album he had penned a song which was rendered by Mousam Gogoi. He has written songs for the albums like ‘Oi Dhan Senai,’ ‘Barnalir Emuthi Geet,’ ‘Moujan’ and last year he released an album titled ‘Namdang’ which was his own concept. Besides these, Anup has also written more than 20 single Audio-Video songs. Recently he has released two albums named ‘Senai Dhan’ and ‘Chiramor Nasoni’ which were his own concepts and which were highly appreciated by Assamese music lovers. All the songs of the album ‘Chiramor

Nasoni’ were written and composed by Anup whereas, in the case of ‘Senai Dhan,’ he wrote and composed 3 songs. Presently, the singer’s three songs have been highly appreciated by Assamese music lovers. The songs are ‘Krishna He Bulilung’ which was written, composed and sung by the singer himself. ‘Ketiyaba Mon Jai’ is written by Anup and sung by Zubeen Garg and ‘Krishnaye Korile Leela’ is written by Anup and sung by Debojit Borah. All the three songs have caught the attention of music lovers due to its heart-touching lyrics, soulful tunes and beautiful

singing. Popular Assamese singers like Zubeen Garg, Mousam Gogoi, Bornali Kalita, Chayanika Bhuyan and Debojit Borah have lent their voices to the songs penned by him. He also added that at present he is preparing two songs. One of them is a fusion of traditional folk and western rock and the other one is ‘Lorali.’ He will also present his popular song titled ‘Rebabbarebabba’ which was written, composed and sung by himself in video format and which will hit the market during Durga Puja season.

KALYAN KUMAR KALITA

G PLUS MAY 21 - MAY 27, 2016

Citypedia Taurus

Gemini

You’re moving through a time when creative ideas and lively opportunities encourage you to leave your comfort zone. With the Sun swinging into your financial sector from Friday, thoughts could turn to how you can make better use of your money. Saturday’s Full Moon could see you going on a costly spending spree unless you set a limit for yourself.

With a major focus on the more secluded sectors of your chart, you’ve been enjoying a respite. You’ll feel reborn once the Sun glides into Gemini on Friday. Now is the time to channel your energies into projects and plans you’ve been hatching over recent weeks. And with your ruler Mercury pushing forward from Sunday, you’ll be less exposed to unexpected delays and frustrations.

You’ll continue to enjoy a hectic social scene, with opportunities for romance, fun, and relaxation. Once the Sun jogs into Gemini, on Friday, you’ll enter a four-week phase in which you’ll benefit from taking time out for yourself. Use the weeks ahead to do a little spiritual housecleaning to release issues and people that no longer serve any purpose in your life - and recharge your batteries, of course.

Leo

Life continues onward and upward for you, with renewed determination to reach goals, enhance your income, and improve your work situation. However, there’s a shift of focus as of Friday, when the Sun dances into your social sector and encourages you to think about your work/life balance. If you haven’t had a chance to enjoy yourself lately, now is the time.

Virgo

Cancer

Libra

Scorpio

There’s potential for change showing up in your chart, but you must really want it if you’re to embrace it. The Sun jogs into your sector of belief and adventure on Friday. Whether you traverse inner or outer landscapes, you may be seeking your life’s deeper meaning and taking stock of your plans for the future. The Full Moon on Saturday could shift perspectives, suggesting you might take one conversation out of context.

With Venus in your sector of relating, certain relationships could be a lot of fun right now, including potential romance - whether you’re solo or attached. If you have been looking for a date, you could find that someone you already know proves to be the perfect companion. Things could get more intense as the Sun eases into your sector of transformation and intimacy.

The continuing focus on your pleasure sector could hasten the development of a budding romance. Over the coming week or so, you might find yourself making a decision about whether to get a little closer or not. Your lifestyle sector comes into focus from Friday, encouraging you to take stock and consider how you might improve your overall health and life in general.

This can be good time to host your friends and entertain at your place. With Venus currently in your home and family sector, your fabulous cooking skills are bound to impress. But if you indulge too much, you might find yourself putting on a few pounds. Even so, the weekend looks to be boisterous in another way, with a Full Moon encouraging you out and about.

Capricorn

Aquarius

Things take a brighter turn later this week as Mercury pushes forward after its retrograde phase. You’ll find traveling gets easier, legal issues take a turn for the better, and studying becomes less demanding. There’s another shift on Friday as the Sun enters your sector of ambition and career, encouraging you to make valuable connections.

Sagittarius

Although you might find it hard to stir yourself when it comes to diet or exercise routines, you could benefit from making a little bit of an effort. The presence of Venus in your lifestyle sector could encourage you to indulge even though you know you shouldn’t. The weekend brings a Full Moon in your sign, which could see you getting quite emotional and perhaps blurting out one or two things that you shouldn’t.

Pisces

After a great time meeting with friends, closing deals, and networking in new situations, the Sun shifts into your home and family sector. You might want to enjoy some downtime from this point on. It’s an opportunity to go out with your closest friends and nurture yourself, too. There’s a Full Moon over the weekend that could bring out the party animal in you.

GUWAHATI

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

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 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

ELECTRICITY SUPPLY Call Centre – 9678005171

BLOOD BANK

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

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

Sudoku

police station

last week solution

Aries

A sensuous blend of energies encourages you to indulge and enjoy life. In general, you’ll find that work and career matters begin to look more promising. As of Friday, the Sun in Gemini lights up your sector of communication to make this the perfect time to network, explore new options, and chat with others. However, go easy around the time of the Full Moon on Saturday, as you could say something you’ll regret later.

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.

Comissioner of Police: 0361-2540278 DCP, Traffic: 0361-2731847 DCP, (Central): 94350-49599 DCP, (East): - 94350-83103 DCP, (West): - 94350-27744 Police Control Room: Ph-2540138, 2540113 Azara PS: Ph2840287 Basista PS: Ph-2302158 Bharalumukh PS: Ph- 2540137, 2731199 Borjhar PS: Ph-2840351 Chandmari PS: Ph- 2660204 Chandrapur PS: Ph-2788237, 2785237 Dispur PS: Ph-2261510 Fancybazar PS: Ph- 2540285

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)

About Sudoko

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

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

GMC helpline number for garbage collection

8811007000

Hospital

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)

Vigilance and anti corruption toll free number

1800-345-3767

G PLUS MAY 21 - MAY 27, 2016

Event

Days

Events

May 14th to May 20th

MAY 21 Venue : Vivanta by TAJ

Terra maya AT 7:00 PM

NU BREED FEAT ANKYTRIXX XS AT 6:00 PM

NISHAN (Digital Om, Nepal)

MAY 22 Dreamland Amusement Park, Guwahati, India AT 3:00 AM

SUMMER9TEEN.3

MAY 27

Summersin Pool Party Venue : The Lily

Vivanta by Taj Guwahati, G.S. Road, Khanapara, Guwahati, India AT 10:00 AM

North East Franchise Show-2016 Guwahati

Padmashri dn bezboruah felicitated by india club

ndia Club, Guwahati â&#x20AC;&#x201C; premier tennis club of the country, felicitated its former General Secretary Sri Dhirendra Nath Bezboruah, eminent journalist and translator, who was conferred the Padmashri by the President of India on April 12 last. He was felicitated with a citation and a bouquet amidst a gathering of club members on May 17 in his residence. Earlier, Sri Anupam Chowdhury, Secretary General of the club welcomed the gathering and spoke about the monumental life of Sri Bezboruah in the field of journalism and his contributions in holding together the historic club at a crucial phase of its journey during his tenure as General Secretary. The felicitation was offered by Sri Abani Barua, President of the club, informs, Sri Kalyan Kumar Das, Vice-President of the club in a press release.

G PLUS MAY 21 - MAY 27, 2016

Catching Up Most shared story of the week GPlus this week made a post where the victim of an accident was unidentified and Geetanagar Traffic I/C reached out to us for help and assistance. This post helped track the identity of the person and his family was duly notified. We thank the residents of Guwahati and the avid followers of GPlus who shared the photo 356 times and helped track the person down. facebook.com/guwahatiplus

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Sneha Saikia About Me

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Hello! I am Sneha Saikia. I was born in Nagaon but I was raised in Guwahati. I am an aspiring model. My parents have supported me in every situation of my life.

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Besides modelling, I like to sing and dance. I have started to learn playing the guitar lately. I enjoy bike riding and would love to do a photo-shoot based on this theme. Singing gives me a happy feeling, and I prefer doing that to keep myself happy. I believe we can share our minds and emotions through singing. I want to participate in the prestigious Miss India contest and I want to win that crown.

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PIC OF THE The sweet taste of success Photo: Adib Zamali

I have always wanted to be a model. My role model is Priyanka Chopra. I am also beginning my career like her, struggling my way through success.

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Did you know?

Maharana Athletic Club

In Association with

irtually unknown to most people today, the once glorious club is now a sinking ship. The Maharana Athletic Club was established in April 1907 with strong endeavours of young sport enthusiasts namely Jogesh Sen, Limns Chandra Das, Kartabya Gupta and Shyam Gupta who amiably but zealously explored the sports scenario in an elite and organized manner. Initially founded as Orient Club, its basic objective was to promote hockey among the youths. But with time the focus shifted to motivating soccer talents of the region. The name Maharana was brought in as a

tribute to the warrior king of Rajasthan, Maharana Pratap Singh. In 1937 the Club became the first ever team to play outside Assam. In 1953 and 1954 the club became champions in the Bordoloi Trophy and defeated East Bengal in an exhibition match. The club also topped the Guwahati Football League 19 times during the period of 1946 to 1975 winning every major football tournament of the north-eastern region. Since 2007 the club began sliding as cricket took over the zest in football. The clubâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s record in Guwahatiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s football scenario will always remain among the sporting glories of the city.

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