G Plus Vol 3 Issue 14 by G Plus

recipe PG 16 of the week

Road Safety Week to be observed from 10th January in the city

PG 06

Jahnabee Bhatacharrya New Chic on the block

Page 23

VOLUME 03 | ISSUE 14 JAN 09 - JAN 15 , 2016

PRICE `10

Guwahati DOWNS around

18 02 lakh litres

of liquor in 2015

City witnesses first mysterious death in 2016

G PLUS JAN 09 - JAN 15, 2016

Lead Story

Guwahati downs around 18 lakh litres of liquor in 2015

rahul chanda

CCTV cameras were mandated in all the wine shops and bars in the city, where each and every moment of the liquor sale activity could be captured.

The liquor price hike decision was perceived as a probable revenue loss for the government, but the move looks like a win-win situation for all

ment. The excise department has set up tea garden level committees monitored by the district level committees headed by the Deputy Commissioners. The committees are to check illicit liquor trade and also educate the tea garden workers about the ill-effects of consuming illicit liquor that is not scientifically made. There is also a third party involved by the excise department to monitor whether the department is working efficiently or not. The State Anti-Drug and Prohibition Council is expected to evaluate the excise department’s effort in cutting illicit liquor consumption.

The excise department started conducting raids on selected licensees randomly on the basis of intelligence reports. Around 7 bar licenses were cancelled by the Excise Department in 2015.

Revenue

Excise warehouse for the country liquor which was closed for 6 to 7 months was restarted. At present there are 11 country liquor shops in Guwahati which are selling country liquor produced in a scientific manner and these are also generating huge revenue for the government. Excise department publicised a toll free number (18003453987) where people can complain about any illegal liquor trade. The wine store and bar timings were changed; wine shops would open at 2 pm and bars could open at 1 pm. The first and last day of every month were declared as dry days except 31st December. Price hike on liquor was the major concern for everybody. The wine shops on the national highways were advised that they were to be located beyond 200 meters from the mid-point of the national highway. The process is on at present.

After the new liquor law which increased the excise duty, people were sceptical about the revenue which the department would generate and G Plus, talking to highly placed sources in the excise department, discovered that the department is actually earning more than previous years. So, the government is earning more as in Assam there is increased revenue of Rs. 71 crores and in Guwahati itself there is a Rs. 20 crore increase in the revenue. Are people drinking more?

he city witnessed confusion in the initial days of June 2015 as liquor prices were hiked from 1st June 2015 after five years. Initially there were many squabbles at the wine shops as the price of the old stocks were also increased and consumers raised questions on being charged more on products with lower price tags. But later the excise department circulated a notification informing the consumers that the prices were taken in calculation to the hike as there

were still many bottles of liquor in the bonded warehouses with the old price tag but these will be charged according to the new fixed rates. So, the shopkeepers could charge according to the new prices. With the new decision, who was gaining the most and did the enhanced price dissuade Guwahatians from drinking? What about the revenue? Was the government able to earn more with the kike in liquor price and what were the changes the city observed on the excise front?

The new rules Commissioner of Excise, Shamsher Singh talking to G Plus said, “As per excise law we are examining if we can make some modifications and amend the excise act and rules enacted in 1910.” Singh further said that penal provisions for violations are very light as the offences are bailable and so the offenders can easily get out on bail. He said that illicit liquor trade in Assam is a major challenge for the excise depart-

Liquor consumed in Assam (approx) Liquor type IMFL Beer Country spirit

2014 4 crore 68 lakh London Proof Liquor (LPL) 2 crore Bulk Litre (BL) 66 lakhs LPL

2015 32 lakh LPL 17 lakh BL 8 lakh LPL

2015- -Assam – April to December

Liquor consumed in Guwahati (approx) Liquor type IMFL Beer Country spirit

2014 93 lakh LPL 45 lakh BL 45 thousand LPL

Revenue 2014 -Assam – April to December

2015 9 lakh LPL 8 lakh BL 4 thousand LPL

Rs. 466.53 crores Rs. 537.23 crores 2014 -Guwahati– April to December

Rs. 111.85 crores

2015- Guwahati– April to December

Rs. 131.89 crores

Consumption status Looking at the revenue, it appears that people are drinking more but G Plus discovered that the consumption of liquor has gone down after the increase in the price. So, according to the figures it can be seen that the price hike decision has somewhere helped the state as people are consuming less but the amount of revenue generated by the state has increased. Also, the genuine country liquor ware house has added to the revenue in a scientific manner which will not harm the health of the public. But illicit liquor trade is still a concern as even in Guwahati sometimes, there are officials checking on the entry of cheap liquor into the city at Khanapara and other points, but the checking is not regular. Also there are many restaurants and dhabas who sell liquor without any license and they are running since a long time without paying the liquor taxes to the government. According to sources there is a big nexus with the authorities but how far the excise department can reach in fulfilling their goals remains to be seen. rahul.chanda@g-plus.in

G PLUS JAN 09 - JAN 15, 2016

Fire started in a warehouse at Kamla Market on TR Phookan Road in Fancy Bazaar on Tuesday afternoon. Although the source and cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained, it is suspected that the fire was caused due to shortcircuit. The fire started at around 12:30 pm and the fire department was informed without any delay. Five fire trucks were deployed in the area to bring the fire under control. The fire was brought under control after over an hour of struggle.

Close call for Fancy Bazar

In The News

Following the recent inferno, another incident of fire took place on TR Phookan Road in the Fancy Bazar area.

ollowing the massive fire in Fancy Bazar during Diwali that shook Guwahati to its core and left several business organizations devastated, a similar incident took place on Tuesday again in the same area. However, it was a very close save from the area being reduced to ashes in blazing flames once again. With the memories and images of the past incident still remaining fresh, the report of another similar incident created panic among those present in the area. The mishap took place at Kamla Market on TR Phookan Road, Fancy Bazaar at around 12:30 pm. The source or cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained. The fire started in one of the godowns which mostly stocked plastic products. Although no blazing flames could be seen initially, smoke was consistently seen billowing out of the building. Some of the locals stated that the fire was ignited by a cylinder blast while others assumed that it was a short circuit which caused the fire. Meanwhile, it was due to the timely arrival and efforts made by the fire department that a devastation was

averted. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I arrived at the spot at around 12:30 and noticed smoke emanating from the building. Without any delay we informed the fire department and evacuated all the shops. The locals also made collaborative and collective efforts to control the fire,â&#x20AC;? said a shopkeeper of Kamla Market. Fire trucks arrived within half an hour of

the fire being ignited and soon five trucks arrived at the spot. However, the concern remained until the fire was brought completely under control. According to the shopkeepers, there was a cotton and glass godown in the area, which could reignite the fire. Moreover, only the ground floor of the five-storied building has commercial outlets whereas the floors

KALYAN DEB

above were residences which also had four families trapped inside. Locals were also concerned as the building had several numbers of LPG cylinders that could reignite the fire and take Kamla Market and the nearby multi-storied building down in flames. The area breathed a huge sigh of relief after over an hour of struggle by the fire-fighters and the damaged goods were brought out at around 2 pm. Although the fire had caused damage to three shops in the market no injuries were reported. According to officials of the fire department it is suspected that the fire was caused due to short circuit. After one of the biggest infernos that gutted property worth crores of rupees this was certainly a close call for the locals of the busiest area of the city and panic on report of any such incident is inevitable. Meanwhile, it was a highly appreciable job by the fire-fighters that prevented another devastation from occurring. kalyan.deb@g-plus.in

G PLUS JAN 09 - JAN 15, 2016

In The News

How earthquake-safe are city buildings?

The Manipur earthquake jolted Guwahati injuring some and cracking some building walls

After the scary minute-long Manipur earthquake, Guwahatians are a worried lot and wondering how safe they are. G Plus tries to find out how safe the Guwahati buildings are rahul chanda

whitish. The buyers should avoid buying brownish gravel. Sand – It should be preferably coarse sand without any earth particle. Bricks – The brick made from field earth is the best and it is greyish in colour. The buyer should avoid buying bricks made of hill cut earth, as it has a lot of gaps within the brick. The consultant also added that old Assam type structures are the best for earthquake resistance, but it is not possible to build these nowadays because of constraint of space or land and scarcity of timber. Das added that people who do not consult experts avoid the vital matter of soil testing before starting any construction. Soil test is very important for new constructions as depending on the soil status, the structural engineer decides the type of foundation and also decides how tall a building can be on a particular piece of land.

Experts say Guwahati buildings are mostly safe because they are designed to withstand earthquakes up to 8 on the Richter scale Most injured people lived in unplanned houses which were not designed according to IS codes and which collapsed Builders should purchase the construction materials under expert supervision

Guwahati’s vulnerable places

Expert also says that no building can ever be earthquake-proof

moderate-to-high intensity earthquake rocked northeast India on Monday at 4.37 am, leaving at least nine people dead and over 100 injured in the state of Manipur. Measuring 6.7 on the Richter scale, the earthquake had its epicentre at Tamenglong district, bordering Assam, in Manipur. Though powerful tremors were felt across the region, Manipur suffered the maximum damage in terms of human lives and property. In Assam, it injured around 30 people and affected 40 buildings, mostly in Guwahati. Now what if the epicentre was in Guwahati? With high rise buildings coming up every second day, the strength of the city buildings is a question to ponder over. G Plus talks to some construction experts and tries to find out if the city buildings are truly earthquake resistant.

No building is earthquake proof According to a city-based comprehensive consultancy service provider for building construction, no building is earthquake proof but after the Indian Standard codes were reviewed subsequent to the massive Gujarat earthquake of 2001, the codes have been revised to suit the present

condition so that the buildings are as earthquake resistant as possible. City based architect Ranel Kumar Das said, “No building can be built in laboratory conditions as it is humanly impossible.” Das further said that as lay people do not know what and how to construct, they should always consult experts or a consultant which can supervise the construction according to the design given by the structural engineer. Das further added that in the recent earthquake, the people who were most injured lived in small houses which were not constructed as per required design. The

structural engineer designs the building including the columns, beams, slabs, foundation, etc. depending on the soil condition of the site after proper and scientific soil testing. The consultant supervises the entire construction depending on the design prepared by the structural engineer. Therefore, Das said, all the designed houses in Guwahati are mostly safe and earthquake resistant but the small houses or some old houses which were not constructed with proper and expert design or supervision are not that safe. A city-based structural engineer,

Bhabananda Sarma said, “Designed houses in Guwahati are mostly safe as the buildings are designed to withstand earthquakes of up to 8 on the Richter scale.” He further said that houses which are not “designed” have a stronger possibility of collapsing. Again some of the designed structures might develop cracks or might tilt due to some human errors during the time of construction. But chances of collapsing are minimal. Rest of course, depends on God.

What to use? The quality of a building depends on the quality of the products used in its construction like steel, cement, sand, gravel, bricks and so on. Talking to construction expert Ranel Kumar Das, we got a fair idea of how one can choose the best quality product. The criteria on which construction materials should be bought are: Cement – All cements are good these days; the buyer should preferably avoid buying old cement and the cement should be seal-packed during the time of purchase. Steel – Rods should be of reputed brand and with IS seal. Gravel/Chips – The colour of the gravel should preferably be greyish or

Another city based structural engineer, talking to G Plus, said that the designed houses are mostly safe in Guwahati but there are places in the city where some constructions are not well designed and those areas are vulnerable to earthquake. Fancy Bazar according to him is a very vulnerable area as the construction of buildings there are such that there is no space for the public to evacuate during emergencies. He also said that even the areas surrounding Fancy Bazar like Lakhtokia, Pan Bazar, Aathgaon etc. are most vulnerable because of the space constraint but the designed buildings even there are mostly safe. He said that there are many old buildings in these localities which might be a reason of concern. Whatever may be scenario, earthquake is a natural calamity and its intensity on the Richter scale depends on nature. But to be safe, houses with proper structural designs are compulsory and today, most of the buildings of Guwahati are safe and earthquake resistant. Be that as it may, it is important to remember that earthquake itself does not kill people as does the collapse of poorly designed buildings. Also, as on date, there is no technology that can predict earthquakes and any predictions to this end needs to be ignored so that there is no panic being unnecessarily spread. rahul.chanda@g-plus.in

G PLUS JAN 09 - JAN 15, 2016

50% citizens get set-top boxes installed by 31st December, 2015 The cut off date has been extended by two months for Guwahati city so that people get a further chance to install the set-top boxes to get uninterrupted services

In The News

Juthika Baruah

The cut-off date for installation of settop box extended by another 60 days The objective of installation of set-top box is to make cable transmission digital The Ministry of Information & Broadcasting has made digitalization mandatory People will not get the benefits of satellite channels without the installation of set-top boxes

he citizens of Guwahati stand to be deprived of television entertainment if they do not install the mandatory set top box within the next two months, according to Greater Guwahati Cable TV Operators Association (GGCTOA). The Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Government of India, had formulated a rule whereby people mandatorily had to install the set-top box and the Ministry had set the deadline as 31st December, 2014. This deadline had been extended to 31st December, 2015. With the expiry of this new deadline and starting of the new year, fears abounded that the people of Guwahati and other parts of the state will not be able to watch their favourite programmes as the cable line will be withdrawn. Speaking to G Plus, General Secretary of GGCTOA Swarupananda Bharali said, “Although Multiple System Operator (MSO) in Guwahati was digitalized in 2008, only 30% the people had installed set-top boxes till 31st December, 2014 and therefore the time was extended by one year. The Government had taken the decision to make cable transmission digital through which they would be able to get information on how many households are having cable connection. The Government would collect entertainment tax accordingly and the pay channels would also get the advantage

out of it. The pay channels would get to know how many households were viewing which channels and accordingly they would revise their rates. Through the old cable system they used to get a bare minimum amount but after it is digitalized they will be able to charge fees according to channels from the public and from the MSO and the MSO in turn will charge from the cable operators. In Guwahati, 50% of the people have installed set-top box till 31st December, 2015 and the cut off date has now been extended by another two months.” The digital system is being put into place but after the installation of the set-top box people are complaining that many channels are not being received. Replying to this Bharali said, “According to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), there are two systems - analogue control room and digital control room and some channels are included in the analogue system. These channels are received on the TV sets without the STB. Others which are not available are in the analogue system are the digital channels which mandatorily require the STB. Now, the MSO is responsible for it for the digital channels not being received despite installation of STBs. We subscribe from MSO where the channels are not available and if there are any problems we consult the MSO. If

people are not getting some channels, the MSO has said that the digital boxes are not working properly and resultantly the channels are not available,” said Bharali. People are also facing different problems as many customers do not get all the channels from the cable operators although they are giving the same rates. “In the analogue system it happens that as the distance of the cable extends people do not get the benefit as the wires cannot be extended to a long distance. With the digital system such problems will be solved and people will get all the channels. The state government had fixed the rate two years ago but now the operators are charging different rates in different places but the average rate that is charged is Rs. 250 per month,” informed Bharali. He further informed that the government’s objective is to provide quality service and after it is digitalized there will be a package system and the MSO will do that. So the customers will be able to choose the package and accordingly the rate will be charged. There are also some people who will not be able to afford the set-top box and for such people the operator can provide the set-top box at a minimum rate as a personal concern. After two months however, if people do not mandatorily install the set-top box they will not be able to get the cable connection.

Adviser of GGCTOA Sanjiv Narain said, “Installation of set top box which has been made mandatory by the government is a good step as people will now be able to get quality pictures and more channels. In analogue system there are only a few channels but with the installation of the STBs people will now be benefitted with more than 400 channels. And for the people who can’t afford the STB they will be provided with a chance to get it on instalments. Every household has cable TV connection or the DTH

and for the connection of DTH they have to pay the same amount. But to install the STB, the cable operators will give them a chance to acquire the box in instalments.” In order to avoid the last hour rush, GGCTOA has extended the cut-off dates for transmission of analog signals of cable TV service by another 60 days with the cooperation of the district administration through an order issued on 2nd January, 2016. juthika.baruah@g-plus.in

G PLUS JAN 09 - JAN 15, 2016

City

Juthika Baruah

Road Safety Week will be observed from 10th to 16th January

Road Safety Week to be observed from 10th January in the city

Mobile clinic should be made available for providing the primary treatment/first-aid to the accident victim

“A one-week programme is not sufficient to curb the menace of road accidents and strict laws and rules should be implemented with the coordination of different departments to reduce accidents.” Gautam Das, DTO, Kamrup (M)

Road safety will be included in the course curriculum of SEBA as per the instruction of the DTO Common helpline number should be given so that the concerned department could reach the accident spot immediately RSW will be observed with various programmes to create awareness among people about road safety

n order to reduce road accidents and to create awareness among people regarding the rules of driving, Road Safety Week (RSW) is observed every year and this year it will be observed from 10th to 16th January in the city by the District Transport Office (DTO), Kamrup (M). The theme for 27th RSW is ‘Time for Action’ and it is observed with an aim to sensitize people about the need of safe road travel by applying just a few simple rules. Speaking to G Plus, DTO (Registration & Licensing) Gautam Das said, “A week is not sufficient to promote awareness among the people and to curb the menace of road accidents. All the concerned departments like Health, Education, PWD, Excise, Traffic are equally responsible. The roads should be constructed in such a way that accidents do not occur. They should have proper signage system and should be scientifically constructed and the construction activity should be monitored well.” Das said, “This year, with the request of the transport department, the education department has included the road safety chapter in

Cases of Multi Tone Horn (MTH), Sound Pollution April 2015-December2015

Total Case -

803 numbers Fine imposed - Rs. 20,07,500 Revenue Target for 2015-16 - 2.40 crores Revenue Achieved for 2015-16 (April-December) - Rs. 1,75,34,277 the curriculum so that the children are made aware from the school level itself about road safety. During the RSW, an art competition will also be held among the school children so that they can learn about safe road usage from the very beginning.” He also said that there are many factors for which accidents occur and

therefore every department should be concerned in order to reduce the percentage of accidental deaths. “Mobile clinics should be available so that the primary treatment can be administered to the victims as many people die on the way to the hospital because of lack of first-aid. An accident victim faces the most

Month

No. Of Cases

November December Total

37 48 85

Spot Fine without helmet

Rs. 45,500

crucial time on the way to hospital as they do not get the primary treatment after the accident which takes away the life of a person. Another important thing is that a helpline number should be available so that the accident can be quickly or immediately reported to the police, health, MVI, etc. to check the cause of the accident. This could save a person’s life which is very essential. Only after such things are in place can accidents or deaths be reduced,” said Das. Das further informed that if a person is tested to have consumed more than 30% alcohol he can be termed drunk. The Supreme Court has given an order that any person who can be termed drunk would have their driving licence suspended for 3-6 months and will be levied a penalty of Rs. 2000. After the stipulated period their license will be reissued but if they repeat the offence their license will be suspended for life. On 10th January, Chief Secretary to the Government of Assam, V.K. Pipersenia will formally declare the Road Safety Week which will be observed throughout the state. The

RSW will constitute Bike Rally, Car Rally, Street Play, Video film for road safety awareness, training of drivers (hazardous goods vehicles) at T.O.P. Betkuchi, enforcement checking cum awareness program, breath analyzer test, health check-up camp at DTO office premises and training of bus drivers at ISBT. On 10th January, the rally will start from Shraddhanjali Kanan in the Greater Guwahati area and from 11th January, the rally will kick off from DTO. There will also be a car rally for women. The art competition will be held on the topic ‘Road Safety’ in two categories. Group A will be from Class V to Class VII and Group B will be from Class VIII to Class XII. Each of the three winners from the two groups will be awarded with a trophy, a certificate and a cash prize of Rs. 5000, Rs. 3000 and Rs. 2000 respectively. On the other hand, DTO had taken the initiative of breath analyzer test in the city and the number of positive cases for the period of November-December, 2015 was 85. juthika.baruah@g-plus.in

G PLUS JAN 09 - JAN 15, 2016

Crime

City witnesses first mystery death of 2016 Body of BCCI-affiliated score-keeper, Anupam Das, recovered under suspicious circumstances from girlfriend’s place

Anupam Das (30) was found dead under mysterious circumstances with his throat slit on Monday afternoon in the Santipur area Anupam who hails from Azara was a BCCIaffiliated scorer and had been in a relationship with Rimjhim Das since past several months

ust four days into the New Year the city received the news of a tragic incident. BCCI affiliated scorer Anupam Das (30) was found dead under mysterious circumstances on Monday afternoon with his throat slit. His body was recovered from Hillside, Santipur at around 4 pm on 4th January. While the grievous incident claimed the life of Anupam, it also raised several questions about the demise of Anupam.

The incident According to reliable information, Anupam who hails from Azara, was deployed at a cricket event on Monday at the Judges’ Field and had left the venue handing over charge to his associate at noon. It was around 4 in the afternoon that his body was found on the ground floor of the building at Hillside, Santipur, in which Rimjhim Das has been

residing as a tenant for around a year now. Rimjhim, who originally hails from Tinsukia, has been in a relationship with Anupam for several months. According to reports, Anupam arrived at Rimjhim’s place at around 3:30 pm. The couple fell into an argument after Anupam’s arrival. Police arrived at the spot at around 4:30 pm and recovered Anupam’s blood-stained body. Apart from Rimjhim, there were two other girls present in the room who live as paying guests in a nearby apartment in the area. Owner of the residence, Pompy Chakrabarty, told G Plus that it was the first time that she came to know about Anupam visiting Rimjhim’s place. “I informed police as soon as I learned about the incident. It was for the first time that I learned about Anupam visiting her place,” Chakrabarty stated.

KALYAN DEB

According to Rimjhim, Anupam had slit his own throat following an argument Staggering, Anupam apparently fell down the stairs and was recovered by police at around 4:30 pm Rimjhim has been taken into custody and police is investigating the matter Police has also recovered a knife from the balcony of Rimjhim’s apartment Anupam’s body and the knife recovered from the balcony have been sent for forensic assessment and reports are awaited

3 2

Twist in the tale While the evidence and the body being found under suspicious circumstances points towards murder, Rimjhim, in her statement to the police, said that Anupam had slit his own throat following the argument. As stated by Rimjhim, Anupam was possessive about her and asked her to marry him. However, Rimjhim rejected him for reasons which she did not disclose. The two fell into an argument following which Anupam slit his own throat with a kitchen knife that he found on the study table at Rimjhim’s house. Anupam, while on his way back from Rimjhim’s apartment, fell down the stairs and his body with its face facing the ground was recovered by police. A backpack was also recovered from the spot, which contained a sports kit belonging to Anupam.

Police have arrested Rimjhim along with the two other girls who were present when the incident took place and is carrying out an investigation. Police have also recovered the knife from the balcony of Rimjhim’s apartment. Meanwhile, the body of Anupam and the knife recovered from the balcony have been respectively sent for postmortem and forensic tests. The sporting fraternity of the city has demanded a thorough probe into the incident. Although investigation is underway the incident certainly raises several questions about the incident like why the police was not informed by Rimjhim herself and if it was a case of suicide, what led Anupam to take the drastic step that claimed his life. More mysteries will only unfold after the forensic and post mortem reports arrive. kalyan.deb@g-plus.in

G PLUS JAN 09 - JAN 15, 2016

Concern

Vested interests suspected in war memorial construction blockade

Juthika Baruah

he proposed war memorial at Dighalipukhuri which was to be inaugurated on 26th January, 2016 has been put on hold as a section of people have opposed the construction saying that it has damaged the eco-system and the “heritage” site. The war memorial which is being constructed on the north bank of Dighalipukhuri with the consent of the Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) and Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) has been stopped as the Chairman of GMDA said that he is not aware of the project. Also a section of people has opposed the project. “The war memorial was proposed to be constructed in memory of the martyrs who had sacrificed their lives for the state and being a Navy man myself, I don’t want to hurt the sentiments of the people. Also, being a resident of Dighalipukhuri, I don’t want to hamper the park. Earlier, there was a disused fishery office, a GMC office and a storehouse and it was also a filthy dumping site. All the offices have been dismantled and we have constructed the memorial on the government land as it was a government approved project,” said Commodore K.C. Choudhury, Director of Sainik Welfare, while speaking to G Plus. Choudhury said, “A war memorial committee was formed in 2014 and the project had been started with the approval of the GMC and GMDA as per a proper government notification. The war memorial will have the statue of Bir Lachit Barphukan and we also proposed that we will join the existing concrete pathway with the war memorial so that people could take a round of walk throughout the park. People will get to know about the history of Assam as many people do not know of the real heroes of the state who sacrificed their lives. There will be a tiger hill, a tank and an aircraft and children would have gained knowledge out of it.” The project was slated to start long back but it was delayed and the government had approved it in 2014. Thereafter, the government had given a time-frame of six months for completion of the project. The ex-servicemen took up the project on a warfooting and was about to complete it in five months so as to inaugurate it on coming 26th January keeping in mind the significance of Republic Day. Patriotic People’s Front Assam (PPFA), who is in support of the war memorial also urged the State Government to complete the construction of the proposed war memorial. The forum, while supporting the arguments of the All Assam Ex-Ser-

Construction of war memorial at Dighalipukhuri has been stopped The budget of the project is Rs. 7.5 crores and work worth Rs. 3.5 crores has already been completed

The construction of the war memorial has been put on hold as a section of the public has opposed it saying that it will damage the eco-system of the pond and that the heritage site has been hampered; fact remains that Dighalipukhuri has not even been declared a heritage site. vicemen Association that the project would, in no way distort the heritage appeal, aesthetic beauty and ecological sanctity of the historic water body, also appealed to the section of the citizens who are opposing the endeavour not to hinder its early completion. It may be mentioned that a citizens’ body led by noted academician Dr. Hiren Gohain has opposed the project arguing that the concrete structure has violated norms concerning preserving of heritage site and water body besides impacting the tank’s ecology adversely. However, Col (retired) Rabin Das, who is the secretary of the exservicemen association said, “It’s unfortunate that some citizens have raised objections to the construction of the proposed war memorial on the portion of the land which has been lying absolutely disused with a dilapidated Assam type house. The memorial has been constructed on the available vacant land in the northern bank of Dighalipukhuri and not over the water body to disturb the aquatic animals and ecology of the historic pond.” Moreover, Choudhury stated that the proposed war memorial would comprise the statues of Lachit Borphukan with other soldiers in the Battle of Saraighat, an Amar Jawan Jyoti reverse rifle with a helmet on top, a uniformed soldier with his rifle reverse arm salute and also relevant murals depicting various battles of post and pre-independent period. The PPFA reiterated that a war memorial in the city was a long standing

demand from the patriotic people of this alienated region and hence the project must not be made to suffer at its final stage of construction. The forum also urged the political parties and civil society groups to avoid using the southern bank of Dighalipukhuri as their frequent protest demonstration venue. According to sources it has also come to knowledge that there are parties who want to use the place for commercial purposes rather than as a historical site. The estimated budget for the project is Rs. 7.5 crores and works worth Rs. 3.5 crores has already been completed. “People know

the concept of the war memorial and hampering the ecology is just an excuse. Rather, the issue has been made political as there are people who want to open another restaurant or a commercial complex. The war memorial has not at all touched the water of the pond; rather it has been constructed on the vacant land. Earlier, the area was so filthy and isolated that females couldn’t pass by it as many untoward incidents used to take place. But with the construction of the memorial the place is already looking beautiful and it might well turn out to be a tourist destination,” as informed by the source.

Hatigaon IVF and Infertility Clinic completes one year

Construction was undertaken on a war footing so that the memorial could be inaugurated on the coming Republic Day The civic bodies opposing the construction say that it is hampering the eco-system of the pond and their stance has unequivocally jeopardized the whole project Vested interests allegedly looking to use the site for commercial purposes like opening a restaurant or a commercial complex juthika.baruah@g-plus.in

aa, an IVF and Infertility Clinic and Advanced Laparoscopy Center recently completed a year of operations on the 31st December. The clinic which specialises in gynaecological surgery and test tube babies is located in the Hatigoan area of the city. According to the founder Dr Amar Dewan, the clinic’s main motto is to provide treatment at lower costs. “We have cut down the prices from all the sides so that all classes of people can avail the benefits of the treatment. Generally such treatments cost around Rs 1.5 lakh, but we charge around Rs 70 – 80k. We do not have any tie up with any other hospital.” There are also plans to open two other clinics in Shillong and Nagaland.

G PLUS JAN 09 - JAN 15, 2016

ne of the oldest bus terminus of the city today lies in a deplorable state due to ignorance and negligence of the authorities. The Adabari bus terminus is a major depot for buses connecting the capital city with the towns of lower Assam. Every day, people from places like Bongaigaon, Barpeta, Nalbari, Dudhnoi, Boko, Chhaygaon, Rampur, Palashbari, Darrang, Sipajhar, Kharupetia, Mangaldai, Dumunichaki, Bezera etc., gather at the Adabari bus terminus of Guwahati and similarly, thousands of people embark on daily journeys to parts of lower Assam boarding buses from Adabari. However, the bus terminus has been in a sub-human condition for a prolonged period of time.

Deplorable condition of the terminus The terminus provides parking to over 170 buses on a daily basis and the rush begins as early as 6:30 am every morning. The number of passengers travelling to and from the terminus will be no less than 10,000. However, the infrastructure of the terminus is pathetic. There are no shelters for the thousands of passengers let alone other facilities. The road within the terminus lies in a devastated condition. While, one part of the passage and the divider was constructed around three years ago the other side remains neglected till date. “With monsoons just months away, the terminus will literally be-

Adabari bus terminus aching for renovation

KALYAN DEB

In a late conversation with G Plus today, Commissioner of GMC, Narayan Konwar, informed that an estimated Rs. 600 crore proposal is awaited for approval following which the Adabari Bus Terminus will undergo a facelift. “80% of the procedural work has already been completed and the RFP has already been forwarded to the government. We are working to get it approved before the election,” said the commissioner. “The empowered committee meeting, which approves projects of several other department apart from GMC, is awaited. It is understood that the project is estimated to be of Rs. 600 crores,” the commissioner added. come a hell for the passengers in the days to come. The problem is likely to intensify because the terminus is dotted with crater-sized potholes. Besides, the waiting sheds have also outlived their utility and are in need of urgent renovation,” Rajesh Deka, a government employee who travels from Adabari to Hajo every day, said. “There are innumerable passengers who travel from the terminus every day but the facilities given to them are negligible. The pathetic condition of the terminus speaks of the indifferent attitude of the authorities,” Deka added. Besides the passengers, the buses also face major problems during monsoon as the unconstructed part of the terminus gets submerged under rain water that gets logged in the area due to lack of an outlet. “There have been several occasions when the road has been temporarily filled with soil but no permanent measures have been taken so far. During monsoon it becomes very difficult for buses to ply through the road as the road gets muddy once the water

dries up. It also takes several hours for the water to dry up due to the lack of a proper outlet,” said an official of Adabari bus terminus.

Traffic in the area While the number of buses travelling from the terminus reaches up to 170, there are even more buses that, rather than picking up passengers from Adabari, go directly to Jalukbari developing an impromptu bus stand in the area in the process. Although it is illegal the passengers are allowed to board the buses in

connivance with a few traffic officials. “The number of buses taking passengers from Jalukbari is double of those parked in the terminus. There are several reasons that passengers prefer to board a bus from Jalukbari. One is that there are no proper facilities in the terminus and then, they can easily gain access to buses travelling toward their destination right on the road itself. This not only creates massive traffic congestion in the area but also encourages the buses to break the norms,” the official informed, adding, “The parking charge for buses in the terminus is merely Rs.

Governance 40 which is way less than what they pay the traffic officials as bribe but they prefer paying a larger amount as most of the passengers wait by road side itself.” Earlier in 2013, expressing concern over the deteriorating condition of the bus terminus, the Save Guwahati Build Guwahati (SGBG) had asked the then State PWD minister Ajanta Neog to initiate measures to reconstruct the bus stoppage for public convenience. Lamenting the fact that the Adabari bus terminus has been neglected by the authorities for a prolonged period of time, the NGO had said that road journey is the lifeline for the people coming to Guwahati from most of the areas of lower Assam and the bus is the chief mode of transport for them. The terminus is spread over an area of 60 bighas and most part of this land remains unutilized. The GMC had earlier proposed to develop the bus terminus creating various facilities. However, nothing has materialized so far. The GMC is responsible for the upkeep of the bus terminus. However, last year in April, in a tender, the parking responsibility was given to M/S Saraighat Active Firm. While the departments struggle for the lack of vending zones the vacant land can be utilized in several ways. This bus terminus was earlier located in Machkowa, but with the initiative of then Assam Governor, Devi Das Thakur, it was shifted to the present location to ease traffic congestion in the heart of the city. kalyan.deb@g-plus.in

G PLUS JAN 09 - JAN 15, 2016

Buzz

Bipasa Saikia Kashyap

Agri-Horti show sees international participation

Agri Horti show organized in the city Over 200 international delegates participate in the spices meet NE comes together to showcase its exotic and rare spices

he Department of Agriculture, Government of Assam, in association with the Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC), the Assam Agricultural University and the Assam Horticulture Society came together to present the 3rd International Agri Horti Show 2016. The four-day event started on 6th January, 2016. The buyer-seller meet was organized exclusively to lay out a platform for the spices grown, cultivated and sold in the northeast. The event was hosted at the College of Veterinary Science playground, Khanapara. This was a first ever marketing and market linkage platform for spices and spice products from the region and was set to the theme “Spectacle Spices of the North East.” Over fifty organizations that were mostly spice growers and their societies and processors from the northeastern region, participated in the meet. Exporters and traders from different corners of the country also took part in the event. The NE which is a fertile ground of exotic spices came out in full fervor on the occasion. A showcase of rare spices like the lakadong turmeric from the Jain-

Casio Showroom opens in Guwahati

tia Hills of Meghalaya, cardamom from Arunachal Pradesh, varied types of nadia ginger and the bhoot jolokia were laid out for the public. A variety of black pepper from the tea plantations of Assam and the Garo Hills of Meghalaya were also up for display and sale. A total number of about 200 delegates participated in the 3rd Assam International Agri Horti Show. Around 100 farmers, delegates from Nepal, China, Myanmar and Canada attended the event. This was one of the State’s major events that brought together different industries like horticulture, floriculture, agriculture, food processing and technology onto the same forum. The event, hosted in the heart of the city, is also considered to be one of the State’s major annual B2C cum B2B events. The Centre’s animal husbandry

asio India Private Limited inaugurated their exclusive store (the city’s second outlet) at Guwahati today in Central Mall. The new showroom promises a unique shopping experience to customers. The exclusive outlet will stock full range of key Casio Product categories predominantly watches, clocks, electronic musical instruments, & calculators. The store was inaugurated by Mr. Kulbhushan Seth, VP, Casio India.

commissioner and the animal husbandry directorates of the eight northeastern states laid out a roadmap for policy development and investment opportunities in the region, an ICC statement said. It also said the ICC has received an “expression of interest” from several companies to invest in the agriculture, poultry and dairy processing sectors in Assam. The statement also added that that the ICC has been encouraging foreign investors-buyersimporters to participate in the show and enter into partnerships with the state government. For this year, the ICC had arranged for 35 international stalls representing China, Netherlands, Myanmar, Canada, Nepal, Bhutan, Italy, Taiwan and Bangladesh. bipasa.saikia@g-plus.in

On the occasion he said, “Casio with its broad product line aims to expand its reach in Indian market by launching exclusive stores in different cities. In line up to the same, the brand has launched its second outlet in Guwahati to cater to the youth-oriented demand for stylish, classy, sporty and colorful watches. Guwahati is a fashion-forward city and the brand looks forward to leverage the market potential for watches in the region.”

G PLUS JAN 09 - JAN 15, 2016

Buzz

The 12th South Asian Games is scheduled to be held from 5th to 16th February As part of the preparations for the games several venues across the city are undergoing development

City gears up for 12th South Asian Games Infrastructure development process in full flow with SAG just around the corner

KALYAN DEB

The main entrance of RG Baruah Sports Complex is also being renovated with the SAG just around the corner The event will have 23 disciplines of which Guwahati will be hosting 16 at 9 different venues The opening ceremony will be held at Indira Gandhi Athletics Stadium, Sarusajai on 5th February So far a budget of Rs. 90 crores has been allotted with more commitments from other contributors

uwahati’s sporting scenario got a boost when it was announced that the city will be co-hosting the 12th South Asian Games (SAG) along with Shillong. With the announcement, preparations are on in full swing for the multi-disciplinary sporting event. The games will kick off from 5th February and will have sporting events in 23 disciplines, 16 of which are scheduled to be held in Guwahati and seven in Shillong. The Games will go on till 16th February. The duration of the games was increased by a day and the Games will start a day earlier than was scheduled as the organisers re-jigged the competition schedule. The participating countries are Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka besides hosts India. Nearly 3,500 athletes and officials are expected to take part in various sporting disciplines. At a meeting in Chennai on 11th October, the member countries of South Asian Olympic Council had decided that tennis would be a new addition to the existing 22 disciplines. The 22 disciplines are archery, athletics, badminton, basketball, boxing, cycling, football, handball, hockey, judo, kabaddi, kho kho, shooting, squash, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, triathlon, volleyball, weightlifting, wrestling and wushu. Meanwhile, Guwahati is all geared up to welcome the event and the sportspersons from other countries as several facelifts are being provided to the different venues around the city. The Games will be held in cooperation with the central government and other stakeholders.

The organising committee has divided the responsibilities into sixteen divisions viz. accommodation, accreditation, transport, venue development, ceremonies, communications, sports, volunteers, marketing, co-ordination, medical & dope, procurement, security, finance and office administration.

Venue development Guwahati has nine venues that will host events of different disciplines; meanwhile the upliftment of the venues in different parts of the city has certainly grabbed the atten-

tion of many. The entrance of the R G Baruah Sports Complex, Ulubari, is undergoing renovation and will have a completely different appearance prior to the kick off. Along with the main entrance several developments are being made to the sports complex. Maulana Md. Tayabullah Hockey Stadium is also undergoing several renovations. The boundary wall of the stadium is being upgraded among the several other changes being made to the infrastructure of the venue. The venues were inspected by a team of BAI officials during which several necessary changes were warranted to be made for smooth func-

tioning of the games. Earlier, the badminton event that was to be held at SAI Sports Centre at Shillong’s North East Hill University, which is a multipurpose indoor stadium, was shifted to Guwahati due to inadequate facilities at the proposed venue of the Meghalaya capital. The organisers decided to shift badminton event, which was to be held from 6th to 10th February in Shillong, according to the competition schedule, to Guwahati. It was reportedly found not suitable by the BAI officials owing to poor lighting and lack of wooden flooring on the warm-up courts. Shillong was to host eight disciplines, including badminton, during February 5-16, but now the city will host just seven. “The badminton event was shifted to Guwahati due to some issues in the NEHU venue. Although, Meghalaya was not very happy about it, the step had to be taken in favour of the players. We cannot afford any kind of injuries due to the inadequacy of the venues and the decision was taken after the technical team had thoroughly inspected all the venues,” said a member of the organising committee. Even the relevant venues in Guwahati bore doubts over the feasibility of hosting hockey and shooting events due to the huge sum of money that needed to be expended for the renovation of the facilities here.

Volunteer Program On Wednesday, Union Minister of State (independent charge) for Sports and Youth Affairs, Sarbananda Sonowal, inaugurated the

Volunteers’ Training Programme for the 12th South Asian Games. Addressing the meet, the Minister has appealed to everybody to work as a team to make the event a grand success. Sonowal pointed out that volunteers have to play a major role during the Games as they will serve as crucial guides for all the participants. He said the volunteers are to work as a bridge between the people of the region and the Games and the volunteers’ force will create a sense of participation for the people of the region.

Opening Ceremony The opening ceremony of the Games is scheduled to be held on 5th February and will be conducted by a Mumbai-based agency. The event will be held at Indira Gandhi Athletics Stadium, Sarusajai. “We are very ambitious about the opening ceremony and the preparations are on in full swing. The infrastructure development is a major priority and it is expected that within a week or ten days’ time the venues will be handed over to the organising committee,” said an official of the organising committee. It was also informed that Shillong will also have an opening ceremony according to the competition schedule. So far a sum of approximately Rs. 90 crores has been allotted by the government. However the exact amount is yet to be declared as several other committed contributions are yet to come in. kalyan.deb@g-plus.in

G PLUS JAN 09 - JAN 15, 2016

Politiking

Mahagatbandhan virtually ruled out in Assam polls

rahul chanda

With the AIUDF-Congress verbal battle and the expected BPF-BJP alliance, a Bihar like alliance strategy might not be possible

ith the 2016 election battle having been kickstarted in Assam, there is plenty of brainstorming going on about who would ally with whom. With politicos formulating various strategies, people are also wondering if there will be a Bihar type mahagatbandhan in Assam, or whether the national political parties like Congress and BJP can form the government on their own. Recently, according to reports, AIUDF chief Badruddin Ajmal filed a Rs. 125 crore defamation case against APCC president, Anjan Dutta for alleging that Ajmal had accepted Rs. 150 crores from BJP for a secret understanding between AIUDF and the saffron party. So are there any secret understandings between any political parties? Will there be a grand pre-poll alliance?

and can alone form the government, Bora further slammed BJP president, Sarbananda Sonowal, for spreading rumours that Congress will ally with AIUDF.

The other group

Alliance strategy Nothing can be predicted in politics and politicos obviously have a strategy before any alliance during polls. When long time rivals, JDU chief Nitish Kumar and RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, can become allies just to defeat BJP, even in Assam things are possible. But the Congress-AIUDF alliance before polls is next to impossible analysing the poll strategies that both the parties are adopting. A highly placed source in the Congress party, talking to G Plus, said in anonymity that once upon a time, all the AIUDF voters used to vote for Congress and therefore in the AIUDF stronghold areas like Barak Valley, Barpeta, Goalpara, Dhubri, Nagaon, etc. even the Congress party has powerful candidates. So allying with AIUDF before the polls will not be a good idea as it might lessen the seats for Congress in the overall results. But AIUDF might have been wanting an alliance as the party chief, once while talking to the media, said that there might be a mahagatbandhan in Assam to

block BJP from coming to power. According to reports, Badruddin Ajmal met Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar in New Delhi recently and explored the possibility of having an electoral alliance with secular parties ahead of the 2016 assembly polls in Assam. A party insider said that the meeting was basically a courtesy call and Ajmal had congratulated Kumar for the resounding victory of the mahagathbandhan in the Bihar election. He said there were of course talks on how to go about with secular parties in the poll-bound Assam in order to check BJP. Ajmal’s meeting with Nitish Kumar came after former Assam chief minister, Prafulla Kumar Mahanta, met the Bihar chief minister. Mahanta denied political issues being

discussed during the meeting. But soon after Ajmal talked to the media regarding possible gatbandhan between all the secular parties, observers started analysing that Congress and AIUDF together might form the government. But with

the current war of words between Congress and AIUDF, the alliance between Congress and AIUDF will not be possible at least before the polls. Congress spokesperson, Mehdi Alam Bora, said Congress will contest in all the 126 seats independently

Interestingly, according to media reports, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to address a rally in Kokrajhar on 19th January. He is also likely to announce a Rs. 2000 crore special package for Bodoland and will also formally announce a pre-poll alliance with Hagrama Mohilary-led BPF. BPF has 12 MLAs in the 126-member state assembly. Earlier, it had an alliance with Congress. BPF leader Hagrama Mohilary is known to be very close to Congress turned BJP leader Himanta Biswa Sarma, and the alliance between BJP and BPF is almost final. A BJP insider also said that BJP is trying to ally with all the tribal belt parties. AGP is tight lipped till now about its alliance with any political group as they may still be hopeful of returning with a big result. But analysing all the strategies, a Bihar like mahagatbandhan in Assam looks remote as in Bihar, Congress was one of the allies. In Assam, Congress will not go for any alliance at least before polls. AIUDF has chances of playing the role of kingmaker after the polls and the Congress-AIUDF war at present may just as well be a poll gimmick to puzzle BJP and the voters. BJP on the other hand denies any kind of alliance with AIUDF which proves at least one thing that there will not be any mahagatbandhan in Assam.

Weather report for the week SAT 9 January

SUN 10 January

MON 11 January

TUE 12 January

WED 13 January

THU 14 January

FRI 15 January

More sun than clouds.

Mostly sunny.

Sunny

10 / 21 °C

9 / 21 °C

8 / 21 °C

6 / 21 °C

6 / 20 °C

9 / 22 °C

G PLUS JAN 09 - JAN 15, 2016

Ward Watch

WARD NO

Concentrated area kRISHNA nAGAR, cHATRIBARI Councillor Rajkumar Tiwari Phone number 9435112493 Sub division 9 (b) Problems Encroachment of Sarusola Beel that leads to flood

Long awaited facelift upgrades Krishna Nagar KALYAN DEB

fter years of being in a reasonably shabby state and facing problems of flood, Krishna Nagar in Chatribari area finally gets a facelift. The ongoing construction of the road after completion will provide relief to the residents of the area. The construction is being carried out through Flood Disaster Restoration Fund and is scheduled to be completed within a week to ten days’ time. The area has been in an average state for the past 15 years. However, the condition began to get worse after the installation of GMDA/JICA water supply pipeline. As stated by locals, the condition of the road was very bland, although there were problems of flood during monsoon. However, it was the pipeline project when the road was dug and left unrepaired that the condition deteriorated.

“It is a welcome initiative that the construction of the road is being carried out and as a local resident I hope it will help in reducing several problems faced by the people of the area. The road had faced problems of water-logging and has also witnessed several accidents in the past as it is used by all kinds of vehicles. During the construction, speed breakers have also been constructed which, if does not help in reducing the number of vehicles plying through the area, will certainly help in preventing accidents,” said Jnanen Deka, a local resident. Krishna Nagar located adjacent to Hotel Rajmahal is a connecting road to A.T. Road and K.C. Choudhury Road in Chatribari and despite being a residential area sees large number of vehicles plying through the area.

Brihattar Chatribari Unnayan Samiti The organization, which strives towards the development of the area, has been operating from the last three decades. The main concern of the Samiti is to free the wetlands from encroachment and it has been fighting against the same since the past 28 years. It was because of the Samiti along with the efforts of eleven other such bodies that the Wetland Act 2008 was passed.

Root cause of the problems: Although the problems of Krishna Nagar have recently been addressed, in the bigger picture the entire Chatribari area has been a victim of similar conditions. K.C. Choudhury Road in Chatribari submerges under water after a few minutes of showers. The root cause remains unresolved. It is to the encroachment of the Sarusola Beel which causes floods in the entire area. “The drainage system of the entire area is connected to the Sarusola Beel and due to its encroachment the silt in the drains flows back to the road. Krishna Nagar has been a victim of similar problem. The Brihattar Chatribari Unnayan Samiti along with two other organizations had forwarded a memorandum to the Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) that fresh encroachments have started on the Sarusola Beel wetland and demand immediate steps to free the wetlands from encroachment,” asserted Hemen Lahakar, president, Brihattar Chatribari Unnayan Samiti and a resident of Krishna Nagar area. Following the memorandum, a massive eviction drive was carried out in the Chatribari area and the wetland was freed from encroachment. “Such steps are necessary to keep a vast area of the city free from flash flood. The Sarusola Beel wetland system has been a playing major role in storing storm water and maintain-

ing the ecology of a vast area of the city. However, the K. C. Das Commerce College, which is located in the area, still stands over the Beel,” Lahakar added. It has also been alleged that the 70-feet wide outlet of the Sarusola Beel has now been narrowed down to a mere gutter. A vast area of this outlet has now been converted into a road for the convenience of the encroachers. “Areas such as AT Road, Fancy Bazar, Lakhtokia, which has around five to six lakh residents are dependent on the Sarusola Beel and until the entire Beel is freed from encroachment there will not be a permanent solution to the problem of floods in the area,” Lahakar stated.

Problem faced by surrounding areas: Although the Krishna Nagar area is getting a facelift, the K. C. Choudhury Road remains in a sub-standard state. The road vastly covered by commercial establishments all throughout connects to A. T. Road, Athgaon, Sharabhatti and several surrounding areas. The condition of the road from its entrance by the well-known Himatsingka petrol pump at Athgaon lies in devastated condition. After a few hours of rainfall the area submerges in knee-deep water. Despite having the residence of Ramen Deka, Member of Parliament, no initiative has been taken for the development of the area so far.

Says the concerned authorities: The Chatribari area falls in the sub-division ‘b’ of Ward No. 9 and due to the unfortunate demise of the area sabha member, Rahul Goswami, the responsibilities are partly looked after by Nabal Kishore Mour. Talking to G Plus, Mour said that due to the upcoming South Asian Games that are to be held in the city, the government has sanctioned several roads which are expected to undergo development in the near future in the Chatribari area. “Recently I got news that funds will be sanctioned prior to the beginning of SAF Games following which I had written to the Chief Minister. Several roads of Chatribari and surrounding areas will be constructed through the fund. However, the funds that were scheduled to have arrived by November are still awaited,” Mour asserted. While Krishna Nagar is currently undergoing development the surrounding areas of Chatribari still remain under the cloud of uncertainty. Meanwhile, the long-standing demand of the eviction of the encroached part of the Sarusola Beel seems to be the immediate step that the authorities should take prior to the monsoons. kalyan.deb@g-plus.in

G PLUS JAN 09 - JAN 15, 2016

G Talk

Curses at work D

“Obnoxious little weed…!” Now where had I heard that ticklish phraseology before? Ah yes! It was from the cricketing world of Australia; a remark by the redoubtable Mathew Hayden offering his opinion on Harbhajan Singh that sparked outrage across the cricketing world. Hayden was gentlemanly enough to apologize if I remember right but I marvelled at his honesty and was sympathetic to his inability to articulate his opinions. Percolating down all cricketing levels to our very own state and with the current “popcorn munchable” action occurring at the Assam Cricket Association headquarters in Guwahati city, it becomes exceedingly difficult for me to apply the same phraseology to a purported gentleman whose obnoxious “cricketing” behaviour (off the cricket field though) somewhat justifies the same simply because Bikash Baruah is not weedy. Rather he is or has been amazingly strong. By no stretch of imagination is he “little” even though he is short. As for obnoxious…well… perhaps the correct word is “brazen!” My philosophy of life disallows me from hitting a guy when he is down but this one has always piggybacked his way to the top, hasn’t he? So, is he down at all? The couple of personal interactions I had had with Bikash Baruah were similar to watching Mr. Bean in action - too foolish for his own comfort; foolish enough to regard public property as his personal fiefdom. Perhaps Bikash Baruah was, all

this while, catching the tiger by its tail. Letting go had just one drastic consequence – getting mauled and eaten. Hiding and then “forgetting” about cheques to the tune of Rs. 60 lakhs meant for the players? Is that laughable, sinister or does that speak volumes about the extreme inefficiency of a person who happened to be the Secretary of the state’s cricket association? The foolishness is not this but came thereafter when he brazenly announced that he would reimburse the lost amount from his own pocket. Morphing photographs with celebrities and publishing the same in prominent newspapers? The insufferable part came thereafter when the chance of a dignified apology to the public was missed forever. And these are just the tips of an iceberg, which, if scraped thoroughly, will surely expose the spanking new Barsapara Stadium off all its sheen. Bikash Baruah represents that blundering breed of people who simply fail to understand that Newton’s law of physics holds true morally as well – every action has an equal and opposite reaction. In plain English, it is written as “As you sow, so shall you reap.” What exactly makes people like these so shameless that they continue their recklessness earning the ire and curses of all around them in the process? Beats me truly but I do understand that curses work.

Swapnil Bharali Executive Editor

Prioritizing Prerogatives

Sidharth Bedi Varma

ome countries choose development and strive for progress while some just love controversies. No matter how futile, pointless or irrelevant, India has been a hub for the latter. It’s either some politician or an actor or a law who is mired in controversy. And this time, it is the Babri Masjid once again. Recently, Union Minister for Culture, Mahesh Sharma raked up the Ram temple issue. The ‘Minister for Culture’ claimed that the Central government is committed to the construction of the temple in Ayodhya where the Babri Masjid was demolished back in 1992. The government has been accused of polarizing the issue once again and undeniably, this is exactly what is happening. Personally, our elected officials need to attend dispute management classes. The utter nonsense that spews out of their mouths is just too much to bear. Dispute Settlement 101: Take the decision for common good. All India United Democratic Youth Front (AIUDYF) staged a protest at Dighalipukhuri the other day (which is apparently the ‘hot spot’ for any protest in the city) demanding the rollback of Rs. 170 crores, a sizeable amount that has been

sanctioned by the central Government for a ‘Ram Van Gaman’ Project which is a fancy way of saying ‘Hindu Zone’ here. The minister called it a ‘non-political’ issue and will apparently wait for the court’s order which we all know is the epitome of all judgements in the country. The SC asserted their position in the democracy with their decision on LGBT minorities and Salman Khan case but let’s not drift away. Now for a country that stresses on secularism, every time someone opens their mouth there is a communal issue that seems to surface. The AIUDYF however has made a sensible demand this time and has asked for the erection of a world class hospital or a university so that a couple of months down the line they will ask for reservations in that very university. What a mess, right? I have one thing to say. We have enough temples in the country and I do not see the point of so much money being sanctioned for another ‘Ram Van Gaman’ project unless the asset provides for the millions of hungry people in the country. The Government seems too thick headed to understand something so elemental.

Has the city’s law and order situation improved after one year of the police commissionerate?

fter a long wait, Guwahatians witnessed a major change in the police system of the city with the formation of police commissionerate in the month of January 2015. As soon as the commissionerate was formed, the people who always loved to blame police started to evaluate whether the police commissionerate was working effectively or not. It slowly became difficult for many to continue blaming the police simply because the policing of the city began to seriously improve after the formation of commissionerate. There are many senior police officials deputed as DCPs, ACPs, etc. and even the commissioner of police is of the rank on ADGP. The police district divisions in the city have allowed the senior officials to supervise all the police stations improving the police-public relationship cutting down corruption in the process. The police preparedness has also improved as interestingly, in this year’s New Year eve, not even a single untoward incident was reported with police generating huge amount of revenue as fines from drunken drivers. The police investigation has also improved as in some police districts all registered cases were solved. There were some cases where criminals were nabbed from places like Bagmara, Goalpara and even Chennai in a span of two days. The phone numbers of DCPs and ACPs are displayed in all the police stations so that public can easily access and contact them if a junior level officer is not responsive enough. Also the traffic scenario has drastically improved from before with the traffic police taking new initiatives every second day and very recently it was decided that the driving license of drunken drivers will be suspended for a span of three months from 10th January, 2010. There is a section of people who enjoy blaming and slamming the police for any reason but the commissionerate has proved that city is safer and the law and order situation is well under control.

KALYAN DEB

he formation of police commissionerate may sound very sophisticated and the so-called intellectuals who back the police stress that policing has improved in the city. But the fact remains that there has not been much change in the city policing system. For the first six months, the commissionerate was headed by an officer who is known as one of the most honest officers in the Assam police. But just after six months he was transferred. The government took around eight years to form the commissionerate and they transferred the head of the commissionerate in just six months for reasons best known to them. This essentially means that so long police officers are appointed by the government, the police is set to be biased towards the politicians in power. During the recent Rajiv Bhawan clash, the BJP members alleged that the police was biased towards the Congress because it is in power. In the aspect of policing too, there has not been much of a difference as the city traffic is still chaotic. The city still witnesses crimes like vehicle theft and burglary. The Crystal Bar incident has proved that women are still not safe in Guwahati and similarly the crime rates have not decreased drastically. It’s just because the senior officials now know the skill of public relations and so the image of the police may look better. The police is skilled enough to handle the media now. A high profile crime happens and it gets solved because of the involvement of the senior officials. But if anything happens to the poor, the case remains unsolved for ages. In fact the formation of commissionerate has created a difference between the police’s treatment towards the rich and the poor. Further, the commissionerate is yet to put the fear of the law in the minds of the criminals. On that front, it has failed so far.

Juthika Baruah

Interactive Hello sir,

Our open area in VIP Road is very much polluted now a days (after the FCI stopped the trucks or whatever) by endless dirty trucks with their dirty black smoke which stand in queue and start their engines, and keep them running to warm up etc. They show no consideration for old people taking walks and children walking to their schools. There is also very heavy congestion creating traffic chaos and wasting our precious time in the process. It is indeed a very sad scene. Please save us O Traffic Department. Please have mercy. Travelling in AC cars does not solve pollution problem.

Rajen Rajkhowa

Dear Sir,

Letter to the Editor

The new segments added to your weekly is making for some good reading in terms of additional information. The snippets of information that have been added to this particular page are general things that we have forgotten. The Yon Gyan, though a daring move, is an excellent idea for addressing sexual problems and issues that we need to discuss and I, as a reader, am glad that we now have a paper with this kind of a column. The vaastu shastra information has helped me rearrange the space in my home and seems to be a promising column for Guwahati. The recipes are all excellent and a couple of them have also been tried by my folks at home. All in all, a great effort. Keep it up!

Adil Rehman Hazarika via email

G PLUS JAN 09 - JAN 15, 2016

As a tourist destination how would you rate Assam and what are the areas that can be improved? The tourism department is taking some proactive steps with exhibitions and road shows and also arranging a lit fest showcasing Assam in its efforts to promote tourism - the only industry with potential to thrive. Do suggest rooms for improvement especially in #Guwahati, since it is the gateway to the region.

. Railways: We already have good railway network. Why can’t we make best use of it? Let’s make them luxurious, so that we can attract a huge number of tourists in this region. Tourism is nothing but providing a luxurious trip for the tourists at their budget. 2. Competition on Documentary Making: Expose the beautiful places of Assam by making documentations/free online videos/galleries on social networking sites to mark its presence. But who will make those videos? Youth in this region of the country are interested in making short films and photography as we could make out from the huge response to “Guwahati Through Your Lens” contest. Let’s divert them to expose Assam in a much better way. Conduct competitions and award them with prize money. YES, Assam is beautiful.

or a vibrant and tourist friendly city, the government should pay attention to the prepaid taxi counter at the arrival lounge of our Guwahati airport. The taxis provided are run down and old. Many tourists don’t know about private operators plying in our city. My suggestion is to allow another counter to be run under one association for private operators like Prime, My Taxi, Pristine, Uber and Ola to provide their services so as to enable the tourist to have a decent ride to their respective destination. It is imperative that the first impression of the tourist landing into the city is good which currently is not. He should at least feel welcome to the city and one way to do that is through the above suggestion.

Satyajit Chakrabarty

Siddharth Borooah

Bonita Dutta

Chandan Chakravorty

eepor Beel, one of the famous wetlands with migratory birds flocking during the winter, is a beautiful place to visit. However, on a recent visit we noticed that it was not well maintained, dirty and polluted. It’s a scenic landscape and can be improved tremendously. For tourism to thrive, it is of paramount importance that the scenic spots of and around the city are well-maintained as are the other in the rest of Assam.

es I agree that Assam has got immense potential in tourism and could be transformed in to one of the best in the country. But while trying to do so we shouldn’t forget that human beings are not the only creatures in this world. When I look around and try to analyse what we achieved in the name of development, I see only economic gain at the cost of our ecology and environment. Very few people are seem to be aware of that. A great effort is required in finding a balance between these two. A proper deliberation among the stake holders, experts and environment specialist is what I think is the need of this hour.

would suggest improving the Rhino Land Park near Jakhalabandha and making it a better tourist destination. Once it was in a good condition but today it is not.

Subhankar Banerjee

Nibir Bhuyan

ll existing and current firms and companies have failed miserably. So, the government should throw them out and involve new and innovative people n companies. I have got numerous ideas but I guess I would first patent them and then submit it to the Government.

Meet Meet Meet

In Focus

Chandrani Sarmah

Candle Maker

Providing the mesmerizing aroma of jasmine, seven flowers, rose, lemon grass and several fragrances, scented candles are an essential part of urban home décor. Chandrani Sarmah has made quite a difference to the candlemaking scenario. Chandrani started her career in candle-making and came up with a brand of her own named Earth Song Candles. However, her association with candle-making began way back when she was in the 7th grade and she had developed a keen interest in the art, learning the same from one of her school teachers, Mrs. Damble. Over the years she has become a well-known personality and has developed a flourishing candle-making business. Born in Tezpur, Chandrani belongs to a family of four and is the elder of two siblings. At a very tender age during her school days at St. Joseph, she became fascinated by the art of candle-making. “When I was in 7th grade, we had a very good crafts teacher called Mrs. Damble. However, candle-making could not be taught in school since it required the use of fire but she called me to her place. One Sunday I visited her place and that is when my passion for candles was ignited,” Chandrani mentioned in a conversation with G Plus. Chandrani then came to Guwahati and did her masters in Economics and also got into a job but it was not too long when she realized that being in a job was not her cup of tea. Chandrani then decided to take the leap and that is when she came up with her own brand of candles named Earth Song. “I always believe that profession and passion should go together and chose candlemaking as my career option. We all have our own choices and chances. While my job was by chance, making a career out of candle-making was a choice I made. I was also inspired by my husband, Puberun Sarmah, who is also an artist and my critic at the same time. We used to sit together whenever he had time and he helped with my candles. We always tried to come up with something new and have come up with over 200 designs of our own,” the artist said. A twist in Chandrani’s career came when her work was noticed by Siddharth Jalan of Sohum Shoppe, Guwahati who gave her an offer to make candles that would be showcased and displayed in Sohum’s outlets in Guwahati and other towns of the state. Since then Chandrani has never looked back and to this date she is identified by her work. She also became associated with NEDFI and has been part of several projects. In one of the projects in 2011-12, she developed a brand named Namchi Designer Candles for Sikkim government and in the process came across several women who are associated with the art and feed the family though the same. Chandrani meanwhile, did not confine the art to herself and shared her knowledge with many who now are her co-artists. Chandrani who started candle-making from her kitchen now has a workshop of her

own in Chandmari and Gorchuk. Chandrani’s candles are sent all across the country and were also exhibited in Africa’s Big Seven in Johannesburg in 2012. However, it was never easy to pursue a career in a field that was alien to all back when she started and Chandrani has witnessed the dramatic change in the market and the people’s preference of candles as a home décor item. Moreover, the raw material was not easily available in the markets of Guwahati which posed another hurdle in the way of chasing her dream. The wax of Digboi Refinery, which is considered as one of the best waxes in the world, was rarely available in the Guwahati markets back then. However, its importance has been underlined and Numaligarh Refinery has also started producing wax now. Chandrani also believes that the people of the northeast have a different taste when it comes to art. “People in Assam have a different approach towards art. We see cottages that cannot be seen in other parts of the country. The sense of home décor and candles are well accepted by the people. So, as a career option, people have a great opportunity here. I and my husband are also working towards making candle-making as one of the many crafts of northeast,” Chandrani asserted. Chandrani is also working with the government of Assam and the Industries & Commerce Department, conducting training workshops and providing the market linkage in order to provide exposure to several candle makers of the state. The Green Craft Festival that recently concluded in Kaziranga and Crafts Carnival that takes place in the city are initiatives by the artist in association with NEDFI to provide a platform to the aspiring artists.

G PLUS JAN 09 - JAN 15, 2016

Lifestyle

yon gyan

Diabetes, Sex and You

gnorance is Bliss. One of the most unasked questions of a Diabetic is about erectile dysfunction. Diabetes is a leading cause of sexual health issues in people, along with hypertension, high cholesterol, and smoking. It can affect nerve function and blood flow to any place in the body. One area that can often be affected is the genitals. In men, this can commonly manifest as erectile dysfunction. Men with poorly controlled diabetes are more likely to have sexual issues than those in good control. Men who have good control of their diabetes can still have issues, but they are more likely to be mild and responsive to therapy.

Diabetes Complications and Sexual Health The biggest cause of sexual issues among men is nerve and artery damage in the genital area, which disrupts blood flow and can cause erectile dysfunction. Erectile dysfunction is known to occur in over one-half of men who’ve had diabetes for 10 years. Studies have shown that men with erectile dysfunction and diabetes are also more likely to have heart disease, because the risk

factors for erectile dysfunction are the same as for coronary artery disease. The same problems that lead to decreased blood flow in the arteries in the genitalia, lead to blockages in the arteries of the heart.

Other sexual health issues can include:

• Decreased libido (reduced sexual desire) • Premature/delayed ejaculation

Maintaining Sexual Health with Diabetes Complications and sexual issues can be avoided by taking proper care of your diabetes. Keep your diabetes, blood pressure, and cholesterol under control. Seek treatment early once you start noticing problems rather than waiting until they become severe. Early problems are much easier to treat and are more successfully treated. In my view, if your sex life has gone to the cleaners then your wealth accumulation may not be able to compensate for the vacuum in your personal life. Please see a specialist, if you have a problem. Do not suffer in silence.

Dr. Mithun Bhartia MRCC UK, SECSM Amsterdam CCT Diabetes and Endocrinology UK advicesexologist@gmail.com

VAASTU SHASTRA

VAASTU ASPECTS ON THE Southern SIDE

MOTHER TERESA ROAD (ZOO-NARENGI) UPTO GEETA MANDIR

his is a quite spacious area of Guwahati with the main road being pretty wide and having adequate drainage system. But these drains cannot accommodate the flood waters during the rainy season and often water-logging is seen from the Geetanagar Police Station to Hatigarh Chariali which is slightly low lying in comparison. Some examples are cited here without naming the owners or the exact locations. The Zoo-Narengi Road starts from the RG Baruah (Zoo Road) Road Tiniali towards east for about 100 metres and then curves left. It again curves from the Geetanagar Police Outpost and runs straight towards east almost up to the Geeta Mandir area. The inhabitants in this area must make use of the Magnetic compass properly before arriving at any conclusion regarding Vaastu directions. We see that the shops which are situated at the western side of the M.T. Road from the Tiniali area are doing better than their counterparts on the opposite side. This is because they are blessed to face north with a large opening towards north. Apart from a few ignorant shopkeepers, who are facing west while dealing with customers, most of the other shops are doing reasonably well. The shops and houses on the main road should have their main entrances at northeast or exclusive north. They should take care not to have any water body like the well, pond or septic tank at the back, i.e., the south. Those, who have done so, must shift them to east or north or else take appropriate remedies. There is an interesting story regarding a house in this area. It had its main gate at Northern northwest which brings instability, enemies and lot of problems for the womenfolk. The house was built in the southeast

quadrant of the plot leaving the southwest area vacant. Moreover, there was a well at southwest, one of the worst vaastu defects. Needless to say, this property was full of negative vibes and inhabitants claimed it was a haunted one. Later on, these vaastu defects were rectified and now this place is very peaceful. The present Geetanagar Police outpost is facing southwest with its main gate facing southwest. The north and the northeast area is blocked with the office building and toilets. This Police Station is facing lot of problems in functioning including waterlogging. There are several wedding halls with large compounds in this area. One near Narikalbari has large opening at east and north with the main entrance from western northwest and is doing pretty well. There is another with a large vacant area at south and the main entrance at southwest which is not getting a very good response. The Zoo Narengi Road has several linking roads going in towards the south. The houses facing east on the western side of these by-lanes should have their main entrances at northeast or central east. The source of water must be at northeast, east or north only. The houses or shops facing west on the eastern side of these by-lanes should have their main entrances at western northwest or exclusive central west.

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

PORK WITH MUSTARD GREENS

Ingredients

FROSTED ICING

recipe of the week

Pork is an all-time favourite of the people of the northeast. There are countless pork recipes pertaining to the culture and ethnicity of the hundreds of tribes in this region. Today I am sharing a very simple but tasty recipe with you all. Pork is best when made with very few ingredients. I am sure you will love this recipe.

500 gms Pork cut into small pieces 1 Tablespoon ginger paste 1 Tablespoon garlic paste 2 Cups water 3 Bunches of Mustard Greens chopped Salt to taste

ut pork and salt in pressure cooker without the lid and let it boil. There is no need to put any oil. When water evaporates and the pork fat melts add ginger/garlic paste. Keep frying for five minutes. Add two cups hot water and pressure cook. One whistle on high and one on sim. Put off gas, when lid opens on its own, add the chopped Mustard Greens and boil for two minutes. Serve hot with plain rice.

PROCESS KULKUL RAHMAN Entrepreneur, mother and a passionate cook

G PLUS JAN 09 - JAN 15, 2016

BEST TIME FOR CARDIO TRAINING

he debate goes on – is it better to lift weights and then do cardio, or is it better to do cardio first and then lift weights? Well, I would argue that it’s best to combine both at the same time with cardioacceleration! That way you save time and you maximize fat burning and recovery while you get bigger, stronger and leaner. But cardioacceleration may not be for everyone. Some still prefer to keep their cardio and weight lifting separate. In that case, I typically would argue to lift weights first while you are at your strongest and not fatigued so that you can lift with more strength and intensity. Plus, there is some evidence that doing cardio after weights may aid fat burning better. But even that’s debatable, since the true fat-burning benefits of cardio come after the workout is done (especially with HIIT). And some like using cardio as a warm-up session to increase their body temperature, which, evidence shows, can help to increase muscle strength, especially during colder months. This can also be done with my Power HIIT. You may have read online that suggests that doing Cardio first thing in the morning is better for muscle growth. But before you believe what the study concluded and what the media may be telling you, let’s take a closer look at the study. Researchers from Brazil tested the testosterone response in weight-trained men when they did a weight-lifting workout followed by 30 minutes of moderate cardio (on a stationary bike) or when they first did the 30 minutes of cardio followed by the weight workout. Their main finding was that when the subjects lifted weights first and then did cardio immediately after, their testosterone levels peaked during the weight-lifting, but then dropped during the cardio. However, when they did the cardio session first, testosterone rose during the cardio workout and then continued to rise during the weight-lifting workout that followed. These results have made many “experts” jump to the conclusion that doing cardio before weight lifting is the better option for

muscle growth because the anabolic hormone testosterone continues to rise throughout the entire workout. And when they lifted weights first, their testosterone levels peaked during the weight lifting but then dropped during the cardio. That’s not good, right? Actually it may be very good that blood levels of testosterone decreased. Measuring testosterone levels in the blood only tells you how much testosterone is in the blood. Yet, testosterone does not do much in the blood other than travel to the tissues it is going to influence like muscle fibres. It’s in the muscle fibres that testosterone boosts muscle growth, not in the blood. Research shows that weight training increases the amount of androgen receptors in your muscles. Androgen receptors are the receptors in muscle cells that testosterone binds to instigate muscle growth. With more androgen receptors in your muscle, there will be more testosterone entering the muscle cells. And if more testosterone enters the muscle cells, it means that testosterone levels in the blood will drop. In fact, the Brazilian researchers explained that the testosterone levels may have dropped after the weight lifting session during the cardio session due to a greater uptake of testosterone by the muscles. So it’s hard to know what the real take-home point of this study is without seeing what is going on in the muscle cells. Yet the researchers did not look at that piece of the puzzle. The bottom line is to do cardio whenever you will get it done. If that’s before, after or during your weight-lifting session, it probably won’t make much of a difference, as long as you get it done. But yes, if you do cardio during your weightlifting (i.e. cardioacceleration), it will dramatically enhance the amount of fat you lose because of Excess Post-exercise Oxygen Consumption (EPOC) not to mention it may also enhance your muscle strength and endurance, as well as save you a ton of time. BIBHU MONI SINGHA, Fitness Expert & Sports Nutritionist Gym Manager, Training & Nutrition Head, SFL Fitness, Guwahati

Lifestyle

Cool Couture

MEN’S WEARHOUSE Part 1 OK, men, it is time to put away your monochromatic basic styles and give your closet an electrifying makeover this new year. The magic of the white shirt So what is the most dress-up or dress-downable thing in a man’s closet? What is the most versatile item? Obviously it is the humble white shirt. In a way, your entire wardrobe can be built around one or two really good white shirts. So it’s worth tracking down the best. There are several factors to consider. Given that silk could be a bit pyjama-y, the shirt has to be cotton and, because grotty yellow armpits are such a no-no, lightweight. In a further effort to prevent excessive sweating and staining, it’s always safe to go for a classic rather than a slim fit. It’s important not to go too far the other way, though – a billowy, relaxed fit will make you look like Percy Shelly, minus the opium (hopefully). Traditionally if you’re going to wear a suit or blazer over your shirt it should probably have French double cuffs – the fiddly ones without a button that require cufflinks and above-average dexterity. There is then the vexing question of the collar. I personally like button-down Oxford shirts, but a simple collar is the safer, smarter option. There was one day when I wore an Oxford shirt untucked and unbuttoned (not too far, of course) with dusty pink shorts and off-white espadrilles, and I think it looked OK. Later that same day I wore it under a light-grey suit with a pale blue tie. If it wasn’t for the creasing, I would have slept in it. That’s the beauty of the white shirt.

A suit that fits I ogle people in suits. I assess the cut, the fabric, the size of the lapels. My eyes are greedy for suit information. My name’s Shyamant Hazarika and I am a suit pervert. Basically I am now counting down the years until I can wear a suit every day. If it was good enough for Einstein, it must be far too good for me. Of course the thing with suits, even more so than with other clothes, is that cheap examples are a false economy. They look cheap; they hang cheap; you won’t wear them very often. So it’s definitely preferable to have a single,

dynamite suit over several ill-fitting, walletfriendly ones. To that end, also avoid suits that are particularly on-trend or, to use a made-up fashion word, directional. They will date horribly. Go for a classic cut. Slim but not skinny, and nothing too outlandish in terms of cloth or colour. Also, don’t buy trousers that are stomachclenchingly tight. You will not lose inches. A wonderful and able alternative to a suit is a Bandhgala. It’s classic and there are a very few pieces of clothing in history that can match the regal flair that a well-cut bandhgala brings to the wearer. Given that bespoke is too damned expensive you’ll want to go off-the-peg. The trick then is to take your new purchase to an alterations place. Get a few nips and tucks done. For a few extra rupees that you might have already saved in the sales, you’ll have a suit that fits you like a full body glove. I’ve used the word “suit”, or variations thereof, 10 times in this column. Sorry, but someone needs to come up with a synonym – and fast.

Invest in a good coat It’s that time of the year that I am able to start my annual leering of other people’s winter coats. As ever, the range of choices is bewildering. In a good way. What I really like is when I clock a guy wearing a coat that you know will work with a suit and shoes as well with jeans and sneakers. A good example is a bold herringbone overcoat that does the job perfectly. Flicking the collar up, gives them a more casual feel and keeps your neck warm. There are loads of high-end examples of this sort of coat, but also plenty around that won’t make your bank manager sweat. The belt gives shape – shape that you might not have, but no one needs to know that. Another thing I have had my beady little eye on is shearling. Damn that stuff looks cozy. Shyamant Hazarika Designer/Entrepreneur: ‘The Closet Case’

G PLUS JAN 09 - JAN 15, 2016

Reviews Cast: Farhan Akhtar, Amitabh Bachchan, Aditi Rao Hydari Director: Bejoy Nambiar

vie Mo view Re

wo talented people like Vidhu Vinod Chopra and Abhijat Joshi work on the script of this film and you wonder how can they go so wrong. The basic plot of Wazir is actually quite interesting but lack of careful detailing ruins it. In most of the scenes that are expected to suck you into the story and make it gripping, the writers fail to build the anticipation as they lay their cards face up. Other than a major twist in the film that comes towards the end, the makers could have made sure to keep Izaad Qureshi’s character a little mysterious too. He is a baddie and we know it right at the start. Other loopholes in the story are quite evident such as in spite of being suspended, Danish has the powers to call for a ‘Nakabandi’ or even facilities such as phone tapping etc. Another flaw would be Danish posting a letter to Ruhana from Kashmir, explaining his

actions. I mean come on, what generation is it? What is fascinating about the story on the other hand is the way it keeps making references to Chess. Whether it is the mysterious character of ‘Wazir’ or the way the writer’s explain the behavior of their characters, as if they are pawns in this larger game of life. When it comes to characters, the layering that Danish’s character has, is certainly impressive. He is vulnerable, honest, loving and broken all at once. Danish Ali ( Farhan Akhtar) is an ATS cop who is grieving his daughter Noorie’s death after she gets shot in a gun-fire exchange between him and some terrorists. Burdened with the guilt, Danish even contemplates suicide. His wife Ruhana (Aditi Rao Hydari) too blames him for losing their daughter and distances herself from him. Thanks to his reckless act as a father as well as a cop,

Danish is suspended for a span. In the meanwhile, he meets an interesting personality, former chess master Omkarnath/Panditji ( Amitabh Bachchan). He is a wheel-chair bound Chess champ who has lost the game of his life. Panditji’s wife is killed in an accident where he loses his legs but his fate gives him a bigger jerk when his young daughter Nina dies a mysterious death. Panditji soon approaches Danish to look into his daughter’s death case. She is claimed to have died after falling from the staircase at Welfare Minister Izaad Qureshi’s residence. Panditji suspects that it is a murder and soon Danish hops onto this investigation. During this investigation, Panditji is attacked by a mysterious man called Wazir. Who is Wazir and will Danish be able to track him down and uncover the truth behind Nina’s murder is what the story further unfolds into.

Chota Bheem Himalayan Adventure

fter the success of Mighty Raju Rio Calling, Chhota Bheem and the Curse of Damyaan and Chhota Bheem And The Throne of Bali, the makers of Chhota Bheem are back with yet another entertaining film in the form of Chhota Bheem Himalayan Adventure. The film begins with the evil Hidambak terrorizing the kingdom of Manali by plundering the villagers and attacking the King’s army. Hidambak has four associates including his nephew Ghatto. His five-men army has mastered the art of skiing and they are also equipped with advanced weapons.

Meanwhile, oblivious to all this, Chhota Bheem and his gang of friends – Chutki, Kalia, Raju, Dholu-Bholu, Indumati and Jaggu, decide to take a trip to Manali to enjoy the snow. However, when they reach Manali, they are stopped by the guards, as post Hidambak’s attacks, the King passes an order to not allow any outsider inside Manali. One of the king’s guards Dhiru, overhears them and sends them to his father Sardar Negi, who not only hosts them but also teaches them to ski. Director Rajiv Chilaka has done an outstanding job and certainly deserves a pat on his

NOW SHOWING

Anuradha Cineplex

Noonmati 03612656968, 9954544738 Wazir 11.00 AM, 5.00 & 8.15 PM Chota Bheem Himalayan adventure 2.00 PM

PVR Cinemas

Dona Planet. GS Road 08800900009 Bajirao Mastani 5.30 PM Wazir 10.30 AM, 3.00 & 8.30 PM Chota Bheem Himalayan adventure 1.00 PM

back for coming up with another cute yet engaging story. Right from capturing the scenic beauty of Himalayas to making his characters do those heart-winning antics, he has done an outstanding job. The kids, who were present at the screening, just couldn’t stop laughing and cheering for their favourite superhero while watching the movie. The film’s music is one of its highlights. While the background score helps lift the screenplay, the songs will make you tap your feet. One look at the film and you know that Indian animation studios are now at par with their Hollywood counterparts.

Fun Cinemas

HUB, GS Road 9864800100, 9864800200 Wazir 9.30 AM, 2.15, 6.15 & 8.45 PM Chota Bheem Himalayan adventure 4.15 PM Star wars: the force awakens 11.30 AM

Apsara Cinema Ulubari 0361 2541335

Album:

Artist:

The Power of your Subconscious Mind

R. Kelly

obert Kelly remains driven as ever to take a metaphorical theme to a comedic extreme and then deviate from it in direct and explicit fashion. He does so from the start of The Buffet, an album released almost exactly two years after the thin Black Panties. In the voice-only “The Poem,” he sets the tone -- make that table -by announcing that he’ll be “toasting your juices all night.” If that doesn’t get the point across, he makes a slurping sound, for five seconds, that could make Hannibal Lecter

Wazir 11.00 AM, 2.00, 5.00 & 8.00 PM

Book:

The Buffet

u Yo LD OU N SH ISTE L shudder. The following “Poetic Sex” involves a sweetened plea, “Baby, feed me,” and a defiant punctuation of “My lyrics got a big dick and I just fucked the shit outta y’all.” Anyone who has heard more than a handful of Kelly hits could accurately predict what a song titled “Marching Band” entails, and the pied piper comes through with what’s easily the set’s silliest and catchiest song. With recent R&B hits from younger peers increasingly blunt with lines like “eat the booty like groceries” and “so big it’s like a foot is in your mouth,” Kelly’s

form of lewd lyricism is decreasingly distinctive. He gets by here, as he always does, on his regenerative inventory of frisky melodies, and even teams up with some of the artists who have either headlined or assisted the more explicit end of pop-R&B. Jhené Aiko appears on the Aaliyah-jacking slow jam “Let’s Make Some Noise,” and though she was recorded in a studio far from Kelly’s Chicago-based Chocolate Factory, the duet partners don’t hesitate to make like they’re beneath the sheets with one another.

GOLD Cinema

ASTC Complex, Paltan Bazar 9854066166

Author:

Bajirao Mastani 11.30 AM & 5.30 Wazir 11.00 AM, 2.00, 5.00 & 8.00 PM Dilwale 2.30 & 8.30 PM

Joseph Murphy

u Yo LD OU d H S rea

ne of the pioneering voices of affirmative thinking, Dr Joseph Murphy will unlock the truly staggering powers of your subconscious mind. In this remarkable book, Dr Murphy combines spiritual wisdom and cutting edge scientific research to explain how the subconscious mind influences every single aspect in your life. By understanding

GOLD Cinema and harnessing its powers, you can control and improve the quality of your daily life. From getting that promotion you deserve to overcoming phobias and bad habits, strengthening interpersonal relationships and increasing your wealth, The Power of Your Subconscious mind will open a world of success, happiness, prosperity, and peace for you.

Salasar Building, Lakhtokia 9854066166 Bajirao Mastani 2.30 & 8.30 PM Wazir 11.00 AM, 2.00, 5.00 & 8.00 PM Dilwale 11.30 AM & 5.30

GOLD Cinema

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

G PLUS JAN 09 - JAN 15, 2016

Entertainment

The Year

that was

he year that passed was not an eventful one for Assamese cinema as, out of just a handful of releases, only one could make its presence felt at the box office while the rest were washouts without leaving a mark. Ahetuk, a film by Bani Das who has the credentials of directing three successful movies earlier – Moharathi, Mon and Kadambari, was the curtain raiser last year having been released on 2nd January. It received good response from the public and critics alike. Based on a true story of a financial scam, the film could aptly depict the plot wrapping the necessary ingredients of a commercial potboiler in a well-balanced proportion

which made the entire presentation worth viewing. The central role played by Gunjan Bhardwaj, an upcoming face amongst the new breed of actors on the silver screen and who appeared in Mridul Gupta’s “TRP aru ... ” the year before, was definitely an eyecatcher whose performance contributed to a large extent for the movie’s ultimate success. The other characters played by Tapan Das, Prithiraj Rabha, Rajib Kro, etc. besides debutant Amrita Gogoi and Shayan Chakravorty were well essayed. The music by Poran was another highlight of the film and Zubben Garg, Kalpana Patowary & Pompy Gogoi’s playbacks went on to be chartbusters - especially Meghar

Jalanga, with the beats of ethnic folklore. Aarohi by noted director Arup Manna, and released in the same month on 16th January, too was critically praised though its commercial business did not justify its quality. With an impressive cast of Raag Oinitom and Chandana Sarma as also a child artiste in the lead, the film revolved round the on-going trend of excessive brainwashing of the growing kids for survival in the competitive world of higher studies and subsequently to the job market which has been the key stone of measuring one’s success. Love in Bangkok, released in the

The Fantastic ‘Fanatics’

mong the rock bands flourishing in Assam, most of them are based on music rooted in the western nations. In this race, a band of teenagers hit upon a novel idea of adopting the creations of a Sufi poet and recently created a buzz in the musical arena of the state. With the launch of their first Sufi rock album, “Bull E Shah” on December 30, 2015 at the New Padmashree Club Playground, Kahilipara Colony, Guwahati, the band named “The Fanatics” paid tribute to the great poet. The album has been produced by UK based producer Mr. Harish Patel and released by Mr. Krishnanjan Chanda, Principal, South Point School, Mrs. Madhuchanda Dey, Municipality Councillor, Ward No. 17, the producer himself, the members of the band and many more among a huge gathering. It was fol-

lowed by an open air cultural extravaganza. The music of the album has been tuned by Bishnu Sarma and recorded at the Studio Spectrum in Guwahati. The album has seven numbers namely, “Ishq Kamaal, “Uth Jaag”, “Hum Gum Huwe”, “Sambhal Ke Nehu”, “Mainu Kaun”, “Tauba” and “Ki Jana.” Though all the numbers have the touch of divinity in general, the song “Mainu Kaun” has a different appeal particularly in music arrangement. So far as the tune and compositions are concerned the album is enriched with several elements to cherish, but the vocalists need to work more on their pronunciations and expressions. This young brigade, “The Fanatics,” comprises of six members, namely Sayantan Paul (Lead Vocalist) of Star Plus aired “Chhote Ustaad” fame, his elder sister

Sudeshna Paul (Vocalist), Mandeep Kumar (Lead Guitarist/Composer), Simanta Bhattacharjee (Rhythm Guitarist), Anupal Deka (Bassist) and Kushal Singh (Drummer). Among the accolades they have received till date include the title of Second Runner-Up in “Chhote Ustaad” by Sayantan, winner’s title in “Acoustic Energy” in January 2015 by Mandeep and the band in general was adjudged the best in the North East Book Fair Band Competition in 2013 and 2014 consecutively. On the evening of the release, the band performed popular chartbusters from Bollywood as well as folk fusions along with the numbers from the album itself. Apart from the band members, the other artists who graced the evening were Debarati Choudhury (Kathak), Sudip Biswas (Hindustani Classical), Ridismita Bhattacharjee (mod-

middle of the year and directed by choreographer Ashim Baishya, sank without a trace and not without reasons. While the story of a struggling orphan making it big in a foreign land by sheer hard work and determination is otherwise appreciable, the movie could not deliver the goods entirely as mere exotic locations and extravaganza alone cannot carry a movie to commercial or critical success. Khel directed by Ashok Kumar Bishaya, under the banner of his home production house Lakhsmi Narayan Films and released towards the end of the year, too could not find any space at the cash counter. It will be pertinent to mention here that it was this man who made the impossible possible and turned the entire scenario overnight towards a healthy trend when the entire industry was passing through it driest phase ever with his directional venture Jouboney Amoni Kore in the late nineties. He followed it up by another blockbuster Bukur Majot Jole. Apart from these there were releases like Anuradha, Zazabor, Khawoi etc. which however could garner little attention from the critics as apparent by the reviews in the media. Though there are perennial problems relating to this industry for long, there are still a sizeable amount of viewers of regional cinema who still hold in-

terest and wishes for its prosperity. As for the year ahead, there are a number of big budget projects lined up. Pulak Gogoi’s long awaited Surya – the power starring Utpal Das in the lead, Doordarshan – eta jantra directed by Rajesh Bhuyan and starring Prasenjit, Utpal, Munmi & others scheduled to be released soon, much talked about Kathanadi by Bhaskar Hazarika starring Kopil Bora and Zerifa Wahid, Munin Barua’s long announced PathUpapath which however still has to take off on the floors, Zubeen Garg’s much speculated Mission China with himself in the lead, Abdul Mazid’s Sat Nambarer Sandhanat, another Zubeen starrer Gane Ki Ane which has been kept ready for release since months, besides Manchal, and the newly launched Ruf & Tuf with Gunjan in the lead and Love in Tawang to name a few. To summarize, there are still enough opportunities open to get over the current crisis the industry is passing through. With a committed and promising team of dedicated and ever emerging new faces - be it in production, direction or on-screen - the trend is good enough and there is every possibility to do wonders in the days to come.

ern songs), Chandan Sikder (Manna Dey Classics) and dance numbers choreographed by Manoj Das and performed by students of South Point School. The evening became much livelier due to the elegant anchoring by Debojyoti Dasgupta, who brought many humorous moments both on the stage as well as

among the crowd. The most important thing about the event was that it got a foreign encouragement for the budding stars which has opened up new windows of opportunities for the industry in general and artists in particular.

Dibyendu Goswami dibyendugoswami21@gmail.com

Subhrajit Roy

G PLUS JAN 09 - JAN 15, 2016

Art

Subhrajit Roy

Elegance of

Silence

mong the senior shutterbugs of Assam who excel in low light photography, the name Anjan Deka is among the front runners. From the technical point of view, such photography needs immense patience and an example of such perseverance was visible among the displays exhibited recently (December 28, 2015 to January 2, 2016) at the State Art Gallery, Rabindra Bhawan, Guwahati. In the solo exhibition named “Aura of Silence” the ace photographer presented a wide range of collection where photographs captured in low light were displayed. The graceful hands of four Odissi dancers which formed the capture called “Lotus” was one of the best in this collection. In the picture named “Messiah,” the religious dimension of human civilisation could be observed. Two different features of urban nightlife were found in the photos named “Blues” and “Shower.” Childhood got a rejuvenated status in this exhibited collection. Named “Blessings,” the picture carried the essence of motherhood where a mother kisses her new born baby’s feet. This particular picture in black and white also projected the innocence of the baby in a very close up frame. Another such picture which framed a baby’s little hand projected the beginning of life. Similarly, in the picture “Heavy Catch,” four village kids with a fishing net were found to be

in the mood of merrymaking, while the picture “Life Style” showed the negative side of the society in which four beggar kids were visible on a city footpath in a deplorable condition. The motherly care among the animal kingdom could also be visible in the capture named “Care” where baby monkeys were in deep slumber under the care of the mother monkey. Among the landscapes displayed, the picture “Rays” showed the beauteous game of cloud and sunrays over a river in black and white. The moment of sunrise in the picture “Day Break” could be visible where a farmer takes his cows for grazing under a big sul which

seemed to welcome them. The exhibition had some excellent macro shots among which the capture named “Flame Kissed” presented the wavy tongue of a snake. A bunch of caterpillars spreading over leaves formed the capture called “Design.” The macro captures named “Majestic” and “Floral” brought two different views of grass hoppers. The different colours of human lives could also be visible through the captures of Anjan Deka. Be it a portrait or an activity, all got a lively touch through his lenses. The picture named “Balance,” on one hand, presented the result of immense practice by a circus professional in a regular fair in India, while on the other hand, showed the skilled hand and experience of the photographer in imagining this composition. The picture named “Canvass” showed the canvas of human life where an old man was shown with his artificial limb. Portraits named “The Smile”, “Stay Blessed” and “Engrossed” were parts of this collection, all of which glorified the tendency of human beings to smile. The pictures named “Convergence” and “Frames, describing the design of the staircases of a multistoreyed building and the ceiling of the exhibition hall of the State Art Gallery respectively, were worth a round of applause. The exhibition had a collection fifty seven frames, most of which were captured under low intensity illumination. But all had an appeal, though silent, as all these frames were elegant in telling the story behind each of them.

G PLUS JAN 09 - JAN 15, 2016

fbb Femina Miss India 2016

Days

Events

January 9th to January 15th

he auditions of fbb Femina Miss India 2016 audition concluded in the city with infinite oomph and glamour. The audition held at Kiranshree Portico received an overwhelming participation of over 80 young girls to claim the crown. Among many participated Aradhana Buragohain, Swati Jaiswal, Divya Rashmi Devi and Rajkanya Baruah were chosen as the finalist who will compete in the zonal round to be held in Kolkata. This year the pagent traverses across 18 cities and three regional finals to be held in Delhi, Bangalore and Kolkata. This all culminates into the final round of audition in Mumbai.

Events

JAN 9 COLLEGE OF VETERINARY SCIENCE PLAYGROUND, GUWAHATI

(L-R) Aradhana Buragohain, Swati Jaiswal, Divya Rashmi Devi, Rajkanya Baruah along with judge Vaishali Saikia (C) pose on the ramp.

Ustad Zakir Hussain

abla maestro Ustad Zakir Hussain and Flautist Rakesh Chaurasia performing at ‘Pritir Enajori’, a musical evening at GMCH auditorium in #Guwahati on Thursday

ASSAM INTERNATIONAL AGRI HORTI SHOW 2016 THE 3RD ASSAM INTERNATIONAL AGRI-HORTI SHOW IS THE 3RD INTERNATIONAL EXPOSITION IN ASSAM FOR INNOVATION AND INSPIRATION IN HORTICULTURE, FLORICULTURE AND ALLIED SECTORS AFTER IMMENSELY SUCCESSFUL 1ST & 2ND SHOW. HINDUSTANI KENDRIYA VIDAYALAYA(HKV SCHOOL), BHANGAGARH AT 10:00 AM

UDAAN-2015 1. DRAWING COMPETITION (AGE5-15 YEARS) 2. FANCY DRESS COMPETITION (AGE: 5-15 YEARS) 3. POST CHRISTMAS & NEW YEAR CELEBRATIONS 4. TALENT PERFORMANCE 5. DANCE COMPETITION(SOLO & GROUP)

Metropolis 2016

urban winter festival is underway

NEHRU PARK, PANBAZAR AT 10:00 AM

ACOUSTICA - UNPLUGGED COMPETITION 2016 9TH JAN: PRELIMS 10TH JAN: FINALS PRIZE WORTH RS. 18,000/REGISTRATION LINK: WWW.INDIANMUSICMUG.COM/ACOUSTICA16

COCKTAIL LOUNGE, G. S RD AT 11:00 AM

DECATHLON SPORTS CARNIVAL WITH FREE NIKON PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP

DEC 10 DON BOSCO SCHOOL PAN BAZAR AT 05:00 PM

FUN CARNIVAL 2016 (FUND FOR CHARITY) JAGRITI AND NAV JAGRITI LADIES CLUB PRESENTS FUN CARNIVAL. THE BIGGEST EVENT DEDICATED TO KIDS AND FAMILIES

G PLUS JAN 09 - JAN 15, 2016

Citypedia

EMERGENCY NUMBERS

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

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

Cancer

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

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

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

Virgo

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

Scorpio

Libra

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

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

Capricorn

Sagittarius

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

Sudoku

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

Pisces

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

A Sudoku puzzle consists of 81 cells which are divided into nine columns, rows and regions. The task is now to place the numbers from 1 to 9 into the empty cells in such a way that in every row, column and 3×3 region each number appears only once.

last week solution

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

AMBULANCE

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

BLOOD BANK

HOSPITALS

Arya Hospital, Ulubari (2606888, 2606665) B Baruah Cancer Institute (2472364/66) Brahmaputra Hospital Ltd (2451634/678) Chatribari Christian Hospital 0361-2600051, 92070-44374 Downtown Hospital 2331003, 9864079366, 9435012669 Guwahati Medical College (2529457, 2529561) Guwahati Medical College Emergency (2263444) International Hospital 0361-7135005 Mahendra Mohan Choudhury Hospital (2541477, 2543998)

Marwari Hospital & Research Centre 0361-2602738/39 Marwari Maternity Hospital 0361-2541202/01 Nemcare Hospital 0361-2528587, 2455906, 2457344 Pratiksha Hospital 0361-2337260, 2337183/84 Basistha Military Hospital (2304617/0351) Railway Central Hospital Casuality (2671025) Redcross Hospital (2665114) Sri Sankardeva Netralaya 0361-2233444, 2228879, 2228921 TB Hospital (2540193)

Wintrobe Hospital 0361-2519860, 98647-77986 IHR-Institute of Human Reproduction 0361-2482619, 098641-03333 Dispur Hospital Reception 97070 20370 82539 99124 361-2235759 (Landline No. / Fax) Hayat Hospital

8011003110 GNRC Hospital 1800-345-0022 (Toll Free) GNRC Ambulance 1800-345-0011 (Toll Free)

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

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

GMC helpline number for garbage collection

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

Vigilance and anti corruption toll free number

8811007000

1800-345-3767 police station

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

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

G PLUS JAN 09 - JAN 15, 2016

Catching Up Most shared story of the week Visual Appeal: Guwahati Traffic Police in an effort to increase road safety and to highlight the side effects of drunk driving, installed and barricaded an overturned car with the caption ‘DON’T DRINK AND DRIVE’. People appreciated the concept and the post was well received by Guwahatians.

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Guwahati

GYAN

Did you know?

Shankardev Gotanagr Satra

New

Chic

on the block

jahnabee bhatacharrya About Me

Hi everyone, I am Jahnabee Bhatacharrya. I was born and raised in this beautiful city of Guwahati. I consider myself a smart, confident and down to earth person. Being a girl, I love to go shopping and very passionate about dancing. I was a part of the winning Bihu Husori at Bordoisila back in 2012. I was also one of the top 10 finalists of Miss India North East and also participated in the International Trade Festival, 2011.

Mojo

My parents are my source of positive energy in life. To become someone respectable and to never disappoint them is what drives and guides every decision I take.

ituated amidst a calm and peaceful environment and surrounded by greenery, the Simanta Shankardev Gotanagr Satra is a heritage site known to the locals of Maligaon. Located in Nambari, Railway Colony in Maligaon, the history of the Satra dates back over 200 years but no inscription could be found that could identify the date of inception of the religious site. Although to this date the Satra is commonly known as Gotanagar Purnadhariya Gosaighar and Gotanagar Naamghar, the primeval name of the Satra was Gotanagar Hasanga. It was in 1972 that the name was changed to Sim-

anta Shankardev Gotanagar Satra. Myth has it that the hasanga was earlier situated near Deepor Beel. Though the functioning of the Satra is bestowed upon a committee, in the present time the Satra has submerged into its surrounding greenery due to ignorance of the members. One can see the Satra covered with large bushes and vines growing around the walls of the naamghar. Although the existing building is an upgraded picture of the Satra that was initiated several years ago, the basic requirements of the heritage site such as maintenance, a secured boundary wall and a gate are yet to be provided.

Route in the Woods

Like every aspiring model, I dream to be in Bollywood someday. I am taking baby steps right now, but I know I won’t stop. Here’s hoping I make it to the big leagues! Cheers everyone!

PIC OF THE

Ka m u r of the week

WEEK

ust when Guwahati was literally gathering firewood to light bonfires, the winter chill seems to have bid adieu to the city. Well, at this rate, the winter season will have a longevity of a week and we will be left with creating artificial freeze-zones for the future generation to understand what winter feels like.

WHAT DID I JUST HEAR?

009 not out! A batsman’s score in one single innings! Did I hear that right? The bowling opposition must have been utterly toothless. A bit of research and I learnt that the batsman rattling up that score was a “big” 16 year old and the hapless bowlers were young 14 year olds. Now that is one sweeping gesture of bad sportsmanship I In Association have ever come across. In cricket, no team needs to win by an innings and over 1000 runs to stamp its superiority.

with Make hay while the sun shines

Photo: Adib Zamali

G PLUS JAN 09 - JAN 15, 2016

Society

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