G Plus vol 5 issue 10 by G Plus

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Volume 05 | Issue 10 Dec 30, 2017 - Jan 05, 2018 Price `10

Ghy records 590 cases of cruelty by husbands and relatives in 2017

Guwahati on way to becoming the Sporting Capital of India

10 sensational crimes of 2017 in the city

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Post-NRC publication:

Over 10 sensitive zones identified

Extra security forces have been deployed in the city ahead of NRC draft publication | G Plus Photo

Rahul Chanda rahul.chanda@g-plus.in

ore than ten zones have been identified by the police as areas that require “extra vigil” after the first draft of the National Registration of Citizens (NRC) is declared on December 31. “These areas can be described as sensitive zones,” a police official said, adding, “Steps have been initiated to ensure that there is no law and order problem.” Additional Commissioner of Police (ACP) of Guwahati East, Moushumi Kalita said that Hatigaon and its adjacent areas have been identified as sensitive zones. Another official informed that Azara, Kahikuchi, Maligaon, Fatasil, Kotabari, Dhirenpara, Panjabari, Satgaon, Baghorbori, Nijarapara (Noonmati), Bonda and Panikheti were also areas in and around the city where the police would be on alert.

Some of these areas in the city mentioned by police officials are incidentally inhabited by people believed to have migrated from Bangladesh. Some officials are of the opinion that there could be residents in these localities whose names may not find mention in the NRC. But the police are not taking any chances with other areas as well. Police Commissioner Hiren Chandra Nath said, “Even though the sensitive zones have been identified, law and order incidents might occur at a place not considered as a sensitive zone. So the police are prepared for any kind of situation anywhere in the city.” He spoke about the possibility of agitations erupting in the post-NRC phase for which adequate measures have already been initiated. Talking about security preparedness Nath said, “There are three security

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Lead Story

G PLUS | DEC 30, 2017 - Jan 05, 2018

Over 10 sensitive zones... Continued from page » 1 sections that the city police are working on,” adding that the first is the security of the NRC

headquarters at Bhangagarh followed by the security of the Nagrik Seva Kendras (NSKs) and the verification teams. There are a total of 78 Nagarik Seva Kendras (NSK) in the city.

Security personnel including home guards, armed branch police personnel and CRPF have already been deployed in all the sensitive zones. All the police stations have been instructed

70% NRC verification completed in Guwahati

ut of 11.49 lakh applicants who had applied for the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Guwahati only around 70% verification has been completed till 22nd December 2017. Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) of Kamrup (Metro), Khitish Pegu said, “We had completed 99% verification earlier but because of the district magistrate’s investigation many documents are yet to be verified.” The ADC explained that after the applicants applied for

NRC verfication under process NRC online and submitted their details about the family tree, the administration had conducted a house-to-house verification and 99% verification was complete. Subsequently, a probe was

begun into cases that were ambiguous and lacked details. Pegu explained that there were some documents not being accepted by the NRC software. So the DM is expected to visit the households, verify the documents and submit the report to the NRC headquarters which is taking time. He added that there were verifications which would be completed only after receipt of information from other states. Nagaland has been one state in the northeast that has promptly furnished the details sought by n the NRC Secretariat.

to keep vigil on the “bad characters” and potential trouble-mongers. Police have also involved nagorik committees and village defence groups for conducting

nightly rounds with the patrolling squads at night and in the morning. A drive against illicit sale of liquor has also been launched by the police to prevent untoward incidents. n

Guwahatians need to recall old ward numbers to check NRC list

s the first draft of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) would be published on 31st December, Guwahatians would have to recall their old ward numbers to check their names in the list. State NRC coordinator Prateek Hajela said, “The public of Guwahati, while checking their names in the list at Nagrik Seva Kendras (NSKs), will have to remember their old ward numbers,” adding that these details would not be required if checked online.

Guwahati was previously divided into 60 wards but reduced to 31 in 2013. People who do not visit the NSKs can check their names online or by sending a message to 9765556555 with the application receipt number (ARN). Hajela said that people should not panic if their names are not on the list since it is a draft and the second draft would also publish the names of Indian citizens. The date for the publication of the second draft will soon be laid down by the n Supreme Court.

Emergency ambulance calls expected to rise to 1500 on New Year Saumya Mishra saumya.mishra@g-plus.in

he total number of calls received by the 108 ambulance service’s emergency call centre is expected to rise to around 1500 calls per day on December 31 and January 1. It currently receives an average of 1275 calls per day, informed officials of the Emergency Management and Research Institute (GVK-EMRI) which manages the service. Keeping in view the usual rise in the number of accident cases at the beginning of the New Year, the 108 ambulances in the city will be placed at strategic locations from December 30 to January 2, said an official. “People are usually in a mood of celebration and revelry before and during the new year. With our experiences from the past few years, we have seen that there has been a sudden rise in the number of emergency cases during this time and have therefore increased our preparedness,” said Vice President (Operations) of GVK-EMRI,

Sanjay Kuhave idenmar Jha. tified a few He “high-risk added that zones” from plans have where maxbeen firmed imum road up to optitraffic accimize the dents were manpowreported Health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma during the er in the last year. launch of new 108 ambulances | G Plus Photo emergency These incall centre for tackling various clude Beherbari, Six Mile, Borcases. bari, Ganeshguri and near the The Assam government had inter-state bus terminal (ISBT). pressed into service 95 new amA few ambulances will be stabulances in this month taking tioned at these locations. the total to 475 under the 108 According to the data proservice and another 316 ambuvided by GVK EMRI officials, the lances operational under 102 total number of calls received service. between April and November Officials informed that they for 108 Mrityunjay ambulanc-

108 Mrityunjay Service Emergency Types

Since inception till Nov ‘17

Emergency calls Medical emergencies Emergencies served Trauma vehicular Pregnancy related Suicide and poisoning Acute abdomen Respiratory Cardiac Delivery assisted TOTAL

46,88,310 32,46,192 30,53,445 2,84,539 12,09,557 46,527 4,88,541 96,239 1,19,417 36,328 1,32,69,095

es were 3,12,741 and 5,552 lives were saved. Moreover, 89,757 pregnancy cases were attended to and 3,536 deliveries were as-

sisted in 2017. Further, the 108 ambulance service attended 54,724 critical cases this year till November. n

In 2017, the Mrityunjay 108 ambulance emergency call centre on average received per day

Mrityunjay 108 ambulance from1st April 2017 to 30th Nov 2017

Emergency calls: 1,275 Road traffic accidents: 78 Assault cases: 14 Drug/Poisoning cases: 20 Acute abdomen cases: 75

Total calls received: 3,12,741 Total no of lives saved: 5,552 Pregnancy cases attended: 89,757 Total deliveries assisted: 3,536 Number of critical cases attended: 54,724 Number of new ambulance replaced: 95

G PLUS | DEC 30, 2017 - Jan 05, 2018

Look Back 2017

G PLUS | DEC 30, 2017 - Jan 05, 2018

Ghy records 590 cases of cruelty by husbands and relatives in 2017 G Plus presents an overview of the crime scenario in the city in 2017; the diminishing patterns provide an encouraging picture Saumya Mishra saumya.mishra@g-plus.in

he police registered the maximum number of cases this year against cruelty by husband and relatives with 590 cases being filed in Guwahati till October 2017. This was the highest among all categories of cases under violence against women. According to the data provided by the crime branch, this year saw a slight increase in the number of cases of cruelty by husband and relatives as compared to 2016. A total of 507 cases were registered under this category in 2016. Cases against domestic violence or cruelty by husband and relatives were followed by cases of kidnapping and

abduction under which as many as 433 cases have been registered. However, officials in the Crime Branch revealed that some cases under these two categories also turned out to be false cases. “In some cases, women falsely accuse their in-laws if they do not want to live with them under the same roof and wish to live separately with their husbands,” said Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) - Crime, Pahari Kowar. Officials informed that these cases are a result of family disputes and domestic matters where the police can intervene at a later stage and can do little to prevent them apart from creating sensitisation. Even in cases of kidnapping and abduction under which second highest number of cases

were registered in Guwahati, sources in the crime branch said that elopement cases constituted a considerable number of these cases.

Police to add more power to Veerangana in 2018

No cases of eve teasing in Guwahati in 2017

n the contrary, indicating towards an improved scenario for women on the streets in the city, no cases of eve teasing were registered with the police up to October this year. Police officials feel that this has been the result of extensive police patrolling and vigil. Commissioner of Police, Hiren Chandra Nath said that one of the most important steps in this regard has been control over bars and wine shops. A total of 13 eve teasing cases in Guwahati were registered in 2016. “Throughout the year, we have especially concentrated on increasing police presence outside wine shops and bars since many harassment cases are usually reported from outside these places. We do not allow them to operate till late in the night as cases of eve teasing and drunken driving will increase,” said Nath. He added that in order to keep a check on eve teasing on the streets, extensive checking of bikes and two-wheelers was also conducted across the city

since most of these crimes are committed by youngsters riding two-wheelers. Further, during 2017, the police also came down heavily on drunken driving in Guwahati, informed officials. In case of serious offences, police officials also seized licences. Until October 2017, close to 4,000 licences were seized and were sent to the transport department for cancellation. Out of these, 2,000 licences have already been cancelled. However, senior police officials also gave credit to conscientious citizens and people’s participation. “Good sense has been prevailing over the youngsters. The younger generation is like a clay pot, the way you shape them, they will take that shape. So it is the responsibility of the society to shape the future generation to be responsible citizens of society,” said the commissioner of police. Further, in 2017 the police registered three cases for human trafficking, no cases for dowry suicide, while 138 cases were registered for molestation. n

“We have seen that a large number of youngsters aged between 15 and 18 years usually elope to different districts and sometimes even to the

neighbouring states. But their parents register the cases as kidnapping,” said a senior police official. However, kidnapping cases have seen a decline from 2016 when 514 such cases were registered in the city as compared to 433 this year. The police also registered 66 rape cases, 11 dowry death cases and 14 murders this year. As per the recently launched report of the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) ‘Crime in India 2016’, altogether 20,869 cases of crimes against women were registered last year in Assam. This included 157 dowry deaths, 5,339 kidnapping or abduction, 1,779 rapes, 370 attempts to commit rape and 3,378 assaults with intent to outrage a woman’s modesty. n

Veerangana commandos during a parade drill | G Plus Photo

fficials informed that in 2018, the women commando unit will be strengthened and at least 30 more women will be added to strengthen the force. “We will be revamping the works of the Virangana force and will increase their number,” said officials. The women commando unit of the Assam Police was formed in 2012 with a view to tackle eve teasers. Dressed in black, these girls have been trained in martial arts, silent drill, horse riding and bike riding. Further, the department will also train its personnel in

soft skills apart from further intensification of the existing drives. “We will sensitise police personnel in soft skills and the trainings will be conducted by Skill India.

We will also organise some workshops and seminars in order to increase awareness among the common citizens as well as the younger sections,” said Nath. In cases related to domestic violence, officials said that the department will review all the cases and will expedite the investigation and try to charge sheet maximum number of cases. n

Crimes against women in Guwahati Types of crime Murder

Cases registered in 2016 14

Cases registered in 2017 14

Kidnapping & Abduction 514

433

Rape

Dowry death

Dowry suicide

Rape with murder

Molestation

151

138

Cruelty by husband and relatives

507

590

Eve teasing

Immoral Traffic (P) Act

Look Back 2017

G PLUS | DEC 30, 2017 - Jan 05, 2018

GMDA completes only 1 project in 2017 Rahul Chanda rahul.chanda@g-plus.in

hile a number of projects under Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) are “ongoing” in Guwahati, the developmental body was able to complete only one project in 2017. Chief Engineer of GMDA, Debojit Das said, “We were able to complete the construction of the multi-level automated car parking lot at Shraddhanjali Kanan only,” adding that other projects are ongoing and the completion timeframe cannot not be given at the moment. The Shraddhanjali Kanan parking facility has been completed at a cost of Rs. 14.33 crores. The parking facility has the capacity to accommodate 302 four-wheelers and 27 two-wheelers. It consists of six levels of over-ground

ith the commencement of 2017, the Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) had claimed that it would take up many new projects within the year. But it has been found that no new projects were started by the

puzzle parking with moveable pallets which is manned by trained staff. The parking lot was inaugurated by the chief minister of Assam, Sarbananda Sonowal on 17th October 2017. Talking about the other projects under GMDA, a source said that the expected completion dates of all the other projects have been delayed. The Guwahati water supply project was expected to be completed by the end of 2016 which got extended to April 2017 and now the officials are not sure about the completion timeframe. Similarly, the Brahmaputra ropeway work was started in 2008 and was expected to be completed by 2012 which did not happen as the GMDA was not allowed to continue the work. In 2015, the city developmental authority received the permission for resuming the work and the senior officials at that time claimed the ropeway will be prepared by the

end of 2017. Now again, the date of completion has been extended

to February 2019. The metro rail

detailed

project report (DPR) is being reworked. n

No new projects in 2017 by GMDA authority this year. Chief engineer of GMDA, Debojit Das said, “We are busy with all the past projects and nothing new was started in 2017,” adding that a few new projects will start next year. In the beginning of 2017, chairman of GMDA, Dhiren Baruah had said, “We have

Swachh Survekshan 2018 launched wachh Survekshan 2018 was launched on Thursday by Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) at Gauhati Town Club. Administrative dignitaries like Mrigen Sarania, GMC Mayor, Monalisa Goswami, Commissioner GMC, Kopil Bora and Sagarika Goswami, renowned cine actors were present at the event. The event began with the lamp lighting ceremony by the Hon’ble Mayor, followed by speeches from the dignitaries present. The Government of India is conducting Swachh Survekshan 2018 as a part of the Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban) to encourage cities to improve their urban sanitation. The objective of Swachh Survekshan is to encourage largescale citizen participation and awareness creation among all sections of the society about the importance of working together

The completed multi-level parking facility at Shraddhanjali Kanan | G Plus Photo

towards making towns and cities a cleaner and better place to live in. In her keynote address, Monalisa Goswami, Commissioner GMC said, “We have been taking several initiatives to make Guwahati the cleanest city. In this regard we have launched an application called Swachhata App, with the help of which citizens can register their complaints and the authorities will immediately look into it within a specified time frame.” She also mentioned that now locals and tourists in the city can locate toilets from any location using Google Toilet Locator. It was also announced that a city-based survey will be conducted by Guwahati Municipal Corporation to assess the cleanest school, hotel, hospital, market association and resident welfare association (RWA) in the city and recognize the winners in the said categories. n

taken up three projects construction of an alternative channel to divert f lood water coming from Meghalaya, setting up a sewage treatment plant on the Bahini River and setting up a seal tape on the Bharalu River at Sarabhatti to check f lash f lood problems. These projects are expected

to be completed within this year.” A GMDA source said that the projects did not start even as the proposals remain pending with the government. Similarly, the old jail campus at Fancy Bazar was expected to be converted into a world class botanical

garden but sources said that a Singapore-based company is still studying the prospects and work has not yet started. The foot over-bridges in the city were expected to be developed with installation of lifts or escalators. Sources revealed that this project is still under tendering process. n

Look Back 2017

G PLUS | DEC 30, 2017 - Jan 05, 2018

GMC spends over Rs. 22 Cr in repairing 108 city roads/lanes in 2017 G Plus does a cross-check on the various maintenance and repair works undertaken by the GMC in 2017 in making Guwahati continue to be liveable Rahul Chanda rahul.chanda@g-plus.in

he Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) repaired and constructed 108 city roads and lanes in 2017. A source in the GMC said, “Around Rs 22.71 crores was invested to repair 108 roads,” adding that the work of many such roads are still ongoing. According to the details availed from the chief engineer’s office of GMC, repairing work of 79 roads and lanes stand

Construction work in progress of a city road | G Plus Photo

GMC incurs expenditure of Rs 6.8 crores to clean major river channels

he Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) claimed that it spent around Rs 6.8 crores to clean and de-silt the major river channels in the city in 2017. A GMC source said, “Five major river channels of the city (Bharalu, Bahini, Lakhimijan, Basistha and Mora Bharalu) were cleaned this year,” and added that even masonry guard walls worth Rs 13.78 lakhs were constructed near some river channels. Rs 1.73 crores was spent to clean and de-silt the Bharalu River this year. Rs 1.08 crores was spent to clean Bahini River,

Rs 84.30 lakhs on Lakhimijan River, Rs 1.39 crores on Basistha River and Rs 13.78 lakhs was spent to clean the Mora Bharalu River. The GMC source said that for this year, 100% cleaning and de-silting works of these rivers have been completed; next year again the rivers will be cleaned if required. Talking about masonry guard walls, the source said that in Bharalu and Basistha rivers the work has started and some stretches have been covered. Gradually the walls will be constructed for other rivers too. n

Rs 1.8 Cr spent in Anil Nagar and Lachit Nagar

ccording to the details availed from the Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC), Rs 1.8 crores was spent for constructing sump wells at Anil Nagar and Lachit Nagar. Rs 42.50 lakhs was spent to construct a sump and raised platform at the junction of Anil Nagar main road and Anil Nagar By-lane No 1. Rs 99.70 lakhs was spent to construct the RCC drain and for

improvement of Lane No 1 under Ward No 20. GMC also constructed the RCC drain, one sump well and a retaining wall at Kanaklata Path, Lachit Nagar. Two sluice gates at Kanaklata Path were also repaired and the budget for all these constructions was Rs 43.59 lakhs. The local residents said that in spite of these developments the area still reels under urban floods during the monsoon season. n

complete whereas the repair work for the rest of the roads and lanes are in progress. The funds were sanctioned by the urban local body after the ward councillors submitted reports on the roads that needed repair in their respective wards. The repair works included construction of protection walls in some areas, lane and road improvement, some guard wall constructions, improvement of RCC covered box drains near some lanes, construction of drains, construction of culverts and RCC slabs, construction of steps adjacent to some lanes and

construction of underground drains in some areas. Commenting on the speed of the work, councillor of Ward No 27, Jona Rabha said, “The problem is that the funds are not sanctioned on time by GMC which slows down the developmental works of every ward.” He explained that as soon as he became the councillor in 2013, a request listing around 121 roads and lanes for improvement from his ward was submitted to GMC but very few roads have improved in almost four and a half years. n

Rs 8.97 Cr spent for flood mitigation in 2017

fter identifying the areas which get affected by urban floods during rainy season, the Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) spent Rs 8.97 crores for flood mitigation works in 2017. Rs 83.62 lakhs was spent to improve the drainage system from Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) pipeline to Lakhmi Jaan under Ward No 29. The work is 50% completed. Rs 27 lakhs was spent to construct 3 silt chambers at Panjabari Road near Military Can-

tonment under Ward No 31. The work is 60% completed. Rs 30 lakhs was spent to construct 7 approach culverts and railings over Juripar Drain. The work is 55% completed. Rs 15 lakhs was spent to construct cross culvert at Apsara Cinema Hall by-lane with drain. Similarly, Rs 2.57 crores was used to widen the storm water cover drain at Sree Nagar Road including construction of RCC box cell at GG Road near Lal Ganesh. It is almost complete. Rs 85 lakhs was used to construct RCC silt trap at Noonmati

refinery channel nearby AIDC campus for mitigation of urban flood; 60% of the construction work is completed. Rs 19.05 lakhs will be invested to construct a roadside drain on the right hand side of GS Road near Dakhin Gaon Road junction point for mitigation of urban flood. As the major cause of urban floods during monsoon season is blocked drains stopping smooth water flow, Rs 3.63 crores was spent for cleaning and de-silting various drains in the city this year. n

Other GMC projects in 2017 pending completion Project

Budget

Work Status

Extension of garbage transfer station at Bhangagarh

Rs 9.94 lakhs

Work allotted, to be completed in next two months

Ganeshguri multi storied market building

Rs 2 crores

65% completed

GMC Zonal office building at Super Market

Rs 1.40 crores

55% completed

Garbage transfer station at BK Kakati Road near RK Mission bridge

Rs 24.06 lakhs

20% completed

Construction of art garage at Basistha

Rs 5 crores

55% completed

Ulubari multi storey market building

Rs 3 crore

55% completed

Fatasil market building

Rs 2 crores

30% completed

Rupnagar market building

Rs 3 crores

20% completed

Extension of Betkuchi fish market

Rs 80 lakhs

85% completed

Look Back 2017

G PLUS | DEC 30, 2017 - Jan 05, 2018

Guwahati on way to becoming the Sporting Capital of India after the team, which is currently at the bottom of the table, managed only one draw and one win in its kitty out of six fixtures.

Avishek Sengupta avishek.sengupta@g-plus.in

hough the road to ‘Sporting Capital of India’ tag for Guwahati is still long, 2017 witnessed a plethora of national and international sporting events that has put the city on India’s map as one of the most promising host cities for sports. The South Asian Games last year had revived the city from eight years of drought of major sporting events since the National Games in 2007 and this year, it

Premier Badminton League

Moments from India-Australia T-20 match at ACA Stadium ACA Stadium at Barsapara and the crowd went gaga about it. The match got an overwhelming response with the 40,000-seater stadium jam packed and more

es, were booked faster than the other six venues, but when the matches were held most of the seats remained empty. According to football critics, the city met all the expectations as a host and the management of the matches were also of international standards. But due to lack of proper promo-

Action moments from PBL match in Guwahati Like Kabaddi league matches, the badminton leagues too could not manage to get major fan

India Gold Medal winning Pugilists posing for a photo hosted the FIFA Under-17 World Cup, AIBA World Youth Women’s Boxing Championship and an India-Australia T20 match among international events besides hosting matches of the ongoing male adult football franchise Indian Super League and Premier Badminton League. Here is a brief look back at all the major sporting events that the city witnessed in 2017:

crowds waiting outside for just a glimpse of their favourite cricketers. India eventually lost the match here on October 10 but won the series as it won the first match at Ranchi on October 7 and the succeeding match at Hyderabad on October 13 got cancelled. The defeat, however, did not dampen the spirit; the stone hurled by an irate youth at the Australia team bus did.

Action moments from ISL match in Guwahati tions it failed to attract crowds. The major dampener however was when the FIFA LOC decided to change the venue for the semi-final fixture between England and Brazil. This snowballed into a case at Basistha police station.

AIBA World Youth Women’s Boxing Championship: This was the most successful sporting event for both the city and the country. With five gold medals in different weight categories of which, Assam’s own Ankushita Boro clinched one in the 64 kg weight category, this is the nation’s best performance in an international boxing event. The winning spree was complemented by a surge of boxing enthusiasts coming down to the city to witness the championship which was held between November 19 and November 26.

India-Australia T20 Match: The second T20 match of Australia’s tour to India this year was the first international match at the newly built state-of-the-art

following in the nation. But the league got a fairly good response in its fixtures at the Karmabir Nabin Chandra Bordoloi AC Indoor Stadium at Indira Gandhi Sports Complex here. Four

Players of France (white) and New Caledonia (red) during FIFA match

FIFA Under-17 World Cup

Indian Super League

The Under-17 World Cup was touted to be the most coveted football event that the northeast has seen. The city was awarded nine matches of the tournament including one semi-final clash between October 8 and 25. The local organising committee (LOC) claimed that the tickets for the matches, sold in four phas-

The fourth edition of ISL, which started from November 17 and will go on till March 4, could not live up to the people’s expectations. Even though nine matches have been slotted in the city, it could not attract much crowd except for the few die hard Northeast United FC supporters. This too seems to be dampening

ties, each having five clashes between the eight participating teams including one between Northeastern Warriors and Hyderabad Hunters were played here. Even though the home team lost the clash 2-5, several flocked to the stadium to watch Olympic medallist PV Sindhu and Saina Nehwal on the inaugural day. Organisers said that the country’s good performance in the Olympics has made people more aware of the sport and it will soon catch up with other n sports.

Look Back 2017

G PLUS | DEC 30, 2017 - Jan 05, 2018

10 sensational crimes of 2017 in the city Arrest of senior officials in several corruptionrelated cases, updating of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) and spells of devastating floods kept Assam constantly in news in 2017. G Plus recounts the incidents that took place in Guwahati in 2017 that lead one to wonder how safe the city really is.

Olivia Dutta Choudhury bank fraud A deputy manager, Olivia Dutta Choudhury of Bhangagarh branch of the IndusInd Bank, who had decamped after allegedly siphoning off about Rs 3.70 crores from bank accounts of at least four customers, was arrested in Uttar Pradesh by a team of Guwahati Police in August 2017.

Stone pelting incident Civil Service (ACS) and Assam Police Service (APS) officials of the 2015 batch in November 2017.

Labour commissioner scam

MP Jewellers robbery

Four armed robbers looted more than 8 kgs of gold jewellery from MP Jewellers, ABC, GS Road, at gun point in May 2017. All the four accused hail from Manipur.

The Australian cricket team’s bus was attacked after the second T20I match in Guwahati. The attack took place while the bus was ferrying team members back to their hotel from the stadium after the match, which the visitors won by eight wickets. Gorchuk Police Station soon detained two youths, namely Pabitra Khyatriya and Rakesh Hazowari in connection with the incident.

Theft at Titan showroom

APSC ‘cash for job’ scam

In yet another case of lack of security in the state, a prominent watch store “World of Titan” in Christian Basti, GS Road, was robbed on the night of 6th June. Reportedly, watches worth 20 lakh rupees was looted from the store.

With the former APSC chairman, Rakesh Paul, arrested the previous year, his interrogation and investigations lead to the arrest of 25 Assam

Himanta Biswa Sarma’s e-mail account hacked

Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had filed a complaint on July 20 citing that his email ID was hacked by unscrupulous elements who have been sending emails seeking financial aids in his name.

Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) interrogated the KV Principal, investigated the Principal’s room and checked all documents available there. A search operation was also carried out at the Principal’s residence on the night of December 19.

In yet another scam investigated by the Chief Minister’s Vigilance Cell, senior IAS official and former commissioner of the labour department Chohan Doley along with a contractor was arrested in connection with the Rs 121 crore printing scam in the Assam Building and Other Construction Workers’ Welfare Board.

Sweta Agarwal murder case Sweta Agarwal, a 5th semester student of KC Das Commerce College, who had topped the 12th standard boards of the state in 2015, was killed and burnt by her boyfriend Govind Singhal on December 4, 2017. Govind, his mother and sister were taken into police custody, police started to carefully collect all evidences; they even made Govind demonstrate the entire

Fake note racket busted incident and confess to the murder.

KVK principal arrested for Bribery Rajesh Dhawan, Principal of Kendriya Vidyalaya Khanapara (KVK), had been arrested for taking bribe and the CBI got

involved in the case because KV is a central school. The

In an operation undertaken by Fatasil police, a fake note racket was busted in Dhirenpara, Guwahati. The operation was initiated by ACP Pranjal Bora which led to the apprehension of two men involved in the racket and the recovery of bundles of 2000 fake denominations worth rupees 26 lakh. The two men arrested have been identified as Julhaz Bhuyan and Shahjahan Ali of Barpeta’s Kawaimari and Jania respectively. They were reportedly running the fake note racket from a rented house in n Dhirenpara.

Look Back 2017

G PLUS | DEC 30, 2017 - Jan 05, 2018

Education infrastructure, scenario shows marked improvement in 2017 G Plus takes a macro look at the education scenario in the city and the state and finds that the effective measures undertaken by the government are bringing in the desired change Saumya Mishra saumya.mishra@g-plus.in

he state government recruited around 14,000 teachers in 2017, according to education department officials. The recruitments were conducted in

two phases in which 8,000 posts of additional teachers were filled up in the first phase and another 6,000 teachers were recruited during the second phase. Authorities said that teachers’ recruitment was a top priority for the state education department in order to ensure quality education.

The department will continue filling posts of primary teachers during the next year as well. In December 2016, state education minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had set a target of recruiting over 13,000 teachers to fill maximum number of vacancies all over the state in 2017.

Over 20 lakh students evaluated under Gunotsav till now

ne of the biggest programmes undertaken by the state government to improve the overall quality of education in government schools this year has been Gunotsav under which over 20 lakh students have been evaluated from over 31,000 government schools. Students between classes 2 to 8 of primary schools were assessed under the initiative. The results of the second phase were released recently. In the second phase, 18,811 schools and over 11 lakh students participated and the percentage of participation went up from 80% in the first phase to 92% this time. Further, in the second phase, 9% schools were graded A+ as compared to 6% in the first phase. A total of 29% schools secured the A grade and 32% scored B while this was 19% and 25% in the first phase. On the other hand, the number of schools which got C and D grades was lower this time. In total, 19% and 10% schools scored C and D respectively this time while 27% and 23% schools were given C and D in the first phase. While declaring the results, the education minister said, “Looking at the data, we can see that Gunotsav has been instrumental in bringing academic excellence and in improving the overall education scenario in the state. We hope to completely eliminate schools scoring C and D grades from the next phase onwards.”

Further, officials informed that a total of 1,977 schools across the state were found to be having either zero or less than 10 students, but in these schools at least three or four teachers were employed. The Right to Education (RTE) Act mandates a student-teacher ratio of 30:1 that is, there should

be at least one teacher per 30 students. In order to balance out the student-teacher ratio, Sarma said that it has been decided to transfer students from these schools to other schools in the vicinity within the district. He further added that most of these schools were provincialised in 2012. n

35,000 new classrooms, additional facilities on the agenda for 2018

ith the results of the Gunotsav, officials said they have been able to identify different needs in schools. Approximately, 35,000 new classrooms are needed all over the state. “We will set aside allocation in the budget for the next year to build classrooms, partitions and for other additional facilities like electricity, fans, sports and music equipments,” said Sarma. Further, in the second phase of Gunotsav results, it was found that 7,522 teachers are in excess while there a shortage of 7,079

teachers was found. The excess teachers will be transferred soon to schools facing shortage of teachers, said officials. Additionally, 652 schools were found to be operating with a single teacher—these schools primarily received C and D grades. In these schools, one additional teacher has already been deployed. The education minister also said that government school students will receive free textbooks by January 5, 2018, mentioning that the government also plans to introduce uniforms in schools n by March next year.

Students in a govt school classroom | G Plus Photo In the first phase in April, Gunotsav was implemented as a pilot project in eight districts namely Kamrup (Metro), Barpeta, Chirang, Dhibrugarh, Hailakandi, Lakhimpur, Morigaon and Karbi Anglong (West). The second phase, conducted in October, covered 12 districts while a total of 13 districts were covered in the third phase in November. However, around 75% primary schools in Kamrup (Metro) District scored low grades in the first phase of Gunotsav. According to data provided by the Assam Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan Mission (ASSAM), a total of 708 elementary schools in the district were evaluated under the scheme, out of which 534 schools scored C and D grades. Additionally, only 18 schools were graded A+, while 14 scored the A grade and 142 schools were given B grade. As many as 54,837 students were evaluated in the

district on their academic as well as extra-curricular performance. In order to bridge the gap in the learning and teaching process, the government has introduced remedial classes for students whose performance was not found up to the mark. “These classes have begun in Kamrup (Metro) since August as per the individual need of every child. The teachers have identified each student’s weak areas and the subjects in which he or she would require additional support,” said Kamrup (M) district elementary education officer, Buli Gogoi. Officials feel that if implemented effectively, Gunotsav can be instrumental in decreasing the dropout rate, increasing the accountability of the school authorities and bringing about holistic development in students of Guwahati as well as of the state. n

Total no of schools evaluated in phase 1: 12320 Total no of schools evaluated in phase 2: 18811 Total no of students evaluated in phase 1: 9 lakh Total no of students evaluated in phase 2: 11 lakh

Guntosav results Phase 1 Grade

No of schools

Percentage of schools

A+

777

2323

19%

3106

25%

3302

27%

2778

23%

Guntosav results Phase 2 Grade

No of schools

Percentage of schools

A+

1672

5480

29%

6047

32%

3638

19%

1974

10%

Concern

G PLUS | DEC 30, 2017 - Jan 05, 2018

60% of JICA aided water supply project completed in five years Aspirations of Guwahatians towards getting supplied water 24/7 by 2017 have gone up in smoke. In this edition, G Plus presents a reality check on the South Central Guwahati water supply project; the other two projects will be followed up in the forthcoming editions Avishek Sengupta avishek.sengupta@g-plus.in

nly 60% work of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) assisted South Central Guwahati Water Supply Project, the physical work of which began in the first half of 2012 and was slated to be completed in 28 months, have been completed after six years. “There are four major parts of construction for the entire project which are 1) building intake wells in the Brahmaputra River, 2) building of the water treatment plant, 2) reservoirs and 4) the outlet network. While 66% of the outlet network has already been completed and the primary reservoir has also been completed, 45% of the work on the treatment plant has been completed; the intake well’s work has started recently and

Under-construction water treatment plant of the JICA aided water supply project at Kharguli is going on a war footing. To sum up almost 60% of the work is done,” said S Venkatesan, managing director of Guwahati Metropolitan Water and Sewage Board under the Guwahati Jal Board that is looking over the completion of the project.

Project overlay

Out of 1,200 kms of the entire pipeline network in south central Guwahati, 800 kms of pipe laying work has been completed so far. The project has missed two commissioning dates in 2015 and December 2017 and now is

targeted to be completed by 2019. Construction of pipelines and reservoirs began in early 2010 and work on the treatment plant was commenced in October 2012. The project, that had a total budget of Rs 1636.28 crores – Rs 1363.28 crores being a loan from JICA and the rest Rs 273 crore coming from the state government – was touted to provide 191 million litres of potable water daily in south central Guwahati and 38 million litres daily (MLD) at North Guwahati through two separate water treatment plants. Venkatesan said that 70% work on the intake wells on the river will be completed before monsoon next year. “Workers are working 20 hours a day in the intake point construction. It needs to be completed before monsoon as after that, the water level will rise in the river and it

Intake point

Water treatment plant Pumped water will go through four stages of filtrations – aerated filtration, coliform flitration, filter beds and chlorinator. In the aerated filtration, iron content of the water will be eliminated. In the coliform filtration, bacteria content will be stabilised while passing through filter beds of sand and different filter rocks, alum will be added and sediments will be separated and in the chlorination, remaining bacteria and microbes will be neutralised.

A well is being dug into the Brahmaputra River which will be fitted with 1500 milimetre wing length turbines run by 2707.7 mts pump sets that will pump out water from the river and transport it to the water treatment plant in the Kharghuli.

Reservoir The water will then be transported to a 2.18 crore litre capacity water reservoir built at Ramsa Hill, the highest vantage point of the city, to be stored and then distributed to seven other reservoirs in the city.

won’t be possible to undertake construction works then. If it continues at the current pace, 70% of the work will be completed,” Venkatesan said. In the Assam Legislative Assembly session of September, the Guwahati Development Department minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, replying to a query, said that the project is likely to be completed by 2019 and the delay is caused due to soft padding of Dispur during the opposition Congress’s tenure. Venkatesan said, if not by 2018, the project will be completed by the first half of 2019. The project is being expedited jointly by Gammon India Ltd, M/S IVRCL Infrastructure and Project Ltd, Viswa BRCCPL (Jevi), JWIL Renhill (Jevi), Zindal Show Ltd, Electro Steel Casting Ltd, APDCL and NJS Consultant Company Ltd. n

Outlet Network The outlet network consists of seven reservoirs spread across south central Guwahati – Ramsa Hill II (3 lakh litres), Geetanagar (11 lakh litres), Lichubagan (45 lakh litres) , Amiya Nagar (65 lakh litres), Narakasur (1 crore litres), Sonaghuli (2.05 crore litres) and Geetanagar – II (75 lakh litres). The construction of the first three is already completed and of the 1,200 kms network of water pipelines 800 kms is complete. From these reservoirs, filtered water will be distributed through pipes into households.

Weather report for the week Guwahati

SUN

MON

TUE

WED

THU

FRI

Mostly Sunny

Sunny

Mostly Sunny

Shower

Partly Cloudy

Sunny

26°/14° C

26°/15° C

24°/14° C

23°/12° C

23°/11° C

SATURDAY Sunny

27°/14° C

G PLUS | DEC 30, 2017 - Jan 05, 2018

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G Talk D

G PLUS | DEC 30, 2017 - Jan 05, 2018

Igniting the sporting spirit

city is often characterized by its receptiveness towards sporting activities. Through 2017, Guwahati has undergone a marvellous transformation thanks to the huge number of international sporting events that the city played host to. In fact, for a city as modest in its size and infrastructure as Guwahati is, it has been a remarkable host indeed. A look back at the year brings to the mind the sheer variety of international sporting disciplines that the city hosted right from cricket and football (being the two most popular disciplines in India today) to other international events in badminton and boxing. It is a clear-cut change for the better and this change is palpable. A walk in the evening hours within the RG Baruah stadium complex allows the encouraging sight of teeming youngsters accompanied by eager parents hustling to their respective practicing venues. In fact, it quite appears that contact sports like tae-kwondo, wushu and boxing are preferred disciplines. And further, slightly hidden away from immediate sight is a fairly large population that practices roller skating in the ground floor parking area of

the Deshbhakta Tarun Ram Phookan Indoor Stadium. Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal had envisioned making Guwahati the sporting capital of India and this dream seems well on its way to realisation. But while the calendar was filled with sporting events right through the year, the good turn of it all was instilling the sporting temper and keenness among a whole generation of youngsters which otherwise seems to be fast converting into gizmogeeky-zombies with very little physical activity. If at all this is a pointer to a healthier city in the future, so be it. Beyond this, the most heartening aspect perhaps is the parents’ realization that pursuing a sport and excelling in it might pave the way for a lucrative career in it. After all, a sport provides a number of avenues to be gainfully employed and not just as a player. The CM’s sporty vision has borne fruits to a great extent this year and given Guwahati’s experience and responsiveness to each event, things can only get better from here. Without doubt, Guwahati, as the sporting capital of India, has truly arrived. Swapnil Bharali Editor

Bhakts stronger than parody

‘H

umans of Hindutva’, a Facebook page that debuted sometime in April in 2017 had found its way into one of my pieces in the past few months. I was an avid follower of this page because this page chose to talk about a very sensitive topic in the lightest manner possible. To put it otherwise, it spoke of the strategic growth and progress of right wing nationalism creeping into the country, laden with satire and parody. As I write this, ‘Humans of Hindutva’ has ceased to exist as a publisher, proving that in the real world, Goliath defeats David while also threatening David for his and his family’s life and safety. It is very evident that BJP wants to stay alive and relevant on social media and that they have deployed a large social media team of bhakts and bots alike that tidies up anything against the Government in power; kudos to their Online Reputation Management team! While deaths of Gauri Lankesh and Afrazul Khan captured national headlines about BJP snuffing voices that were raised against them, it calls for an evaluation of where publishers actually stand. Will publishing stories that do not favour the government get you in the radar? Will writing this piece open up a can of worms for the writer or a publication? As we move into 2018, we should be looking at increased political liberty and the ability to voice opinions freely, but this ends the year on a sour note. As for Guwahati, Happy New Year! SIDHARTH BEDI VARMA

The danger of the “Water Bomb”

f media reports are to be believed, three massive artificial lakes holding enormous volumes of water have formed on the Yarlung Tsangpo River near the Great Bend above Arunachal Pradesh following an earthquake last month which triggered a landslide now believed to have been the cause behind the turbidity of the Brahmaputra waters. Now the danger is from the possibility of a lake burst which could lead to devastation of life and property in the hill state of Arunachal Pradesh and the valley below including all the human settlements on the banks of the river. The possibility cannot be denied given the incident in the year 2000 when a similar lake in the same region in Tibet broke open causing flash floods and immense destruction in both the states of the Northeast. China, however, has said it would maintain communication with India to deal with the phenomenon. But can Beijing be trusted to do that? Ideally, the strategy should be to draw out the water from the lakes through a controlled mechanism and constant monitoring of the structures. But there are problems that

could hinder such an approach and cooperation. China has not been keen to share information on developments in that region as the recent incident has once more demonstrated. Beijing came out with a statement only after the Indian media carried stories about the formation of the artificial lakes. Next, there is hardly any initiative by the mandarins in the South and North Blocks that could be defined as proactive or forwardplanning. And why should they? Their concerns revolve only around their careers and acquiring annual confidential

Beijing came out with a statement only after the Indian media carried stories about the formation of the artificial lakes. The author feels that this lack of transparency in future can be disastrous for the lower riparian states of India even as the mandarins in North and South Blocks of New Delhi continue pretending to remain oblivious to the situation. reports from the seniors that would pave the way for the extension of their deputation in the capital. The joint secretaries in charge of the Northeast in the concerned ministries like home affairs and water resources should have held brainstorming

rWelcome decision to ban picnics at Deepor Beel

O p i n i o n Rajeev Bhattacharyya

sessions by now and evolved a strategy to come to grips with the development across the border. Bangladesh and even Bhutan could have been taken into confidence for a combined effort to approach and convince China for sharing information and possibly for framing a strategy to offset the damage from the artificial lakes. For, in all likelihood, such incidents could occur in the future as well. New Delhi must wake up and realise the gravity of the situation. Above all, both India and China must stop their grand designs on the rivers in the Himalayan region. The region is highly seismic and extremely fragile geologically. In China, a consensus is yet to be forged on the diversion of water from Tibet and there are experts who have underscored the adverse ecological consequences if such a scheme were to be implemented. In India, of course, an influential lobby comprising bureaucrats and business magnates who cannot see anything beyond constructing jumbo hydel projects which they feel ought to be executed at the earliest to counter China’s designs. They live in Guwahati, New Delhi, Haryana and Gujarat and will never be impacted by a water burst of any kind. Their motive is to earn a few crores of rupees in the name of “national interests” and it does not matter to them if the ecology turns topsy-turvy and the lives of millions are endangered. The Himalayan and sub-Himalayan regions are best left undisturbed and should not be envisaged as n zones of exploitation.

Letter to the Editor

he city police’s decision to ban picnickers from flocking to the Deepor Beel Wildlife Sanctuary and disturbing the ecology of the place comes as a much-needed one especially at the time of new year when people are in a mood of fun and revelry. I believe that the imposition of Section 144 will prove to be a relief to the rare birds and the natural atmosphere of the place. Being a long-time resident of Guwahati, I have seen the place develop and change but at the cost of causing damage to the fragile ecosystem of the city. Siddharth Borooah, Guwahati

rGoogle toilet locator sounds good only on paper

uring the recently held Swachh Survekshan programme by the Guwahati Municipal Corporation, the GMC commissioner said that now locals and tourists in the city can locate toilets from any location using Google toilet Locator. I would like to draw the attention of the authorities towards the pathetic condition of public toilets in the city. Before launching the programme, the government should first make the existing toilets useable by the residents which currently are a stinking mess. Radha Rajeswari, Guwahati

Corrigendum: The last issue, i.e., Vol 5 Issue 9 carried the Issue Number wrongly as Issue No. 8 whereas it should been written as Issue No. 9. The error is regretted.

In Focus

G PLUS | DEC 30, 2017 - Jan 05, 2018

Year-end 2017: 4 Biggest Newsmakers of Guwahati

As we herald in 2018, here’s a look at the faces and stories which left an indelible mark on us. The year 2017 wouldn’t have been the same if it weren’t for these personalities and many more.

Rima Das

Rajlakhshmi Borthakur

Assamese filmmaker Rima Das made major headlines in 2017 for her second feature film, “Village Rockstars.” After premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival in September, Village Rockstars won the Best Indian Film and two other

She is the CEO and Founder of TerraBlue XT. Borthakur made headlines when she was felicitated by Ivanka Trump at Global Entrepreneurs Summit for her invention T-Jay, a digital glove, which can predict epilepsy attacks and helps track the patient. For her creation, Borthakur was earlier felicitated at Digital India challenge in 2016. Interestingly, she is also recognised as one of the 12

women transforming India by the UN as well as NITI Aayog. TerraBlue XT (previously Studio Blue Dot) is an award-winning healthcare startup, dedicated to using technology to make the lives of people with chronic disorders better. This is huge stride in providing a sense of security to epileptic patients, who, during seizures, are rendered incapable of taking care of themselves.

Riyan Parag Ankushita Boro If any boxer from Assam has garnered the maximum attention after world championship medallist Shiva Thapa, it has to be 17-year-old Ankushita Boro. A tribal girl hailing from the nondescript Meghai Jarani village in Sonitpur district of Assam captured the imagination of thousands of sports lovers in Guwahati, where she became one of the five Indians to earn a gold medal in the world youth women boxing championship. A good show resulting in a bronze medal in the national youth championship earlier this year gave Ankushita the key to unlock her future. She collected silver medals in exposure trips such as the Ahmet Comert international tournament in Turkey and the Balkan youth international tournament in Bulgaria to stake her claim for a spot in the national squad. In the AIBA Women Youth Boxing Championship, Ankushita won the Gold in the Women’s lightweight category and the Best Boxer award. She has recently been declared as the Bodoland Sports Ambassador.

There is a need to produce more coaches from Assam. Now we have coaches from other parts of the country; but when we have a local coach, it is easier to communicate and adjust during practice.” - Ankushita Boro

A name that has been creating a lot of buzz around the state, Riyan Parag is the talented new cricketer who has given Assam the occasion to rejoice in celebrations. This young man of 16 was a part of the under-19 cricket team of India, which played two four-day matches against England in June 2017.

prizes at the recently concluded Mumbai Film Festival where it drew comparisons with Satyajit Ray’s “Pather Panchali.” “When I started out, my dream was for my film to travel to every corner of the world,” says Das. Her journey to international acclaim and Village Rockstars’s winning ways are proof that dreams do come true. Das not only wrote and directed Village Rockstars but also filmed it, did the production design and edited it single-handedly. Her only assistants were a group of six pre-teens whose story she tells in the film, which is now being screened in film festivals across the world. The film opened this year’s Smile International Film Festival for Children and Youth (SIFFCY). It was screened in Cannes Film Festival 2017 and has been submitted for Kerala International Film Festival (International Competition) 2017 category. The movie was officially selected for Toronto International Film Festival (Discovery Section) 2017 and San Sebastián International Film Festival (New Directors Competition) 2017. Recently, the film won three awards at the Olympia International Film Festival for Children and Young including Best Director and Best Special Jury Prize Feature Film.

A Requiem to

Ajay Chetia

Riyan also made news when he scored a century in the cricket match between India Red vs India Green in U-19 Challengers Trophy this year. He then got selected for the ICC U-19 Cricket World Cup which will be held in New Zealand from January 13 to February 3 next year. Riyan is all prepared to bring laurels to his country and also his state and will hopefully join the national cricket team eventually. He dreams to play in the senior team within the next five years and believes that the opportunity to join the U-19 team has taken him a step closer to his ambition. Riyan is a student of South Point School, Guwahati to the credit of the school, allows him liberal time to pursue his sport away from his academics.

peek through the usually open door of my cabin at my workplace had, so far, allowed me the wholesome sight of four young minds busy peering into their monitors, mouse in hand, at what we term as the creative/layout desk. It had become a habit with me and one of them missing from his chair would invariably make me raise questions about his whereabouts. But today, this same habit of mine struck home rather grievously because I somehow know the whereabouts of Ajay Chetia and yet I absolutely do not. If I am to ever question the sense of equity and justice of God, it is now. That Saturday of revelry, at the picnic, turned into the ultimate tragedy and we lost Ajay to the uncertain vagaries of nature only to fish his lifeless mortal remains out from the rivulet where, moments ago, he had gone for a swim with his other friends in the mellow afternoon sunshine at Hahim. For all that I had observed of Ajay during the last 4 months or so that we have been associated as colleagues, he came across as a fine young man naturally empowered as a great graphic designer. He presented the cleanest of designs; and each presentation had its own jaw-dropping elements. His flyers, hoarding designs, brochures et al had that unmistakable and inimitable Ajay Chetia touch across our various internal campaigns and client work. And yet, young Ajay was humility personified to the point of being apologetic about his endowments. All he did was spread good cheer within the office through his work rather than with his utterances. Today, as we at Insight Brandcom wish him good bye for his better space in this universe, and with a sense of regret that I couldn’t get these lines flowing earlier given the shocking nature of the incident, all I can do is quote a line from a band that Ajay and I were mutually so fond of, The Scorpions: Ajay, there’s no one like you! Swapnil Bharali

Look Back 2017

G PLUS | DEC 30, 2017 - Jan 05, 2018

15 Headlines that affected Guwahati in 2017

2017 witnessed a large number of Breaking News. Here’s a comprehensive recollection of news that had Guwahatians highly affected this year. While some were maliciously sensational and led to widespread discussions, others were pragmatic and raised our sense of well-being as citizens. The State Government turns Hotel Brahmaputra Ashok into a state guest house

The city witnessed the shutting down of Hotel Brahmaputra Ashok on 1st September 2017. The hotel has been converted into a state guest house because Assam CM Sarbananda Sonowal has converted the Brahmaputra guest house to CM residence.

MG Road converted into walking zone

Roads renamed Among many roads that were renamed, lifeline of Guwahati, GS Road was renamed after Mahapurush Srimanta Sankardeva (Vaishnavite saint), the road from Ganesh Mandir via Kahilipara to Lalganesh was renamed as Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya Path. AT Road (Bharalumukh to Paltan Bazar) was named after Vashnavite saint, Mahapurush Damodar Dev. The road from Kharguli to Noonmati was named after music maestro, Late Dr Bhupen Hazarika.

Green corridor for smooth movement of ambulance for 8 year old Citizens and police person-

Guwahati’s logo for FIFA U17 selected

Bishnupur Puja committee makes 100-foot tall bamboo idol of Goddess Durga

nel of Guwahati came together to create a green corridor to help a critically-ill six-monthold reach Delhi in time for treatment. The incident occurred on 3rd September, when traffic came to a standstill at the city’s 30-km long stretch from Pratiksha Hospital on VIP road to Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport.

Mission China release Zubeen Garg’s Mission China released on September 8 this year gave Bollywood makers a run for their money. Being the highest budget Assamese film ever, it became the biggest blockbuster in Assamese film history.

Traditional attire (Khadi) for government employees With the aim to enter the Guinness Book of World Records, the Bishnupur Puja committee set out on its mission to create a 100-foot tall bamboo idol of Goddess Durga. The idol was designed by art director Nuruddin Ahmed.

On the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti, State Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced to provide Khadi gifts - 2 shirts for men, 2 sarees for women - every year to more than 4 lakh government employees of Assam.

Mercedes Buses to ply in Assam In a significant development, the Assam State Transport Corporation (ASTC) signed an agreement with German company Mercedes Benz for operating around 175 buses in Assam under a PPP model.

Amchang eviction In the recently conducted eviction drive that took place on 27th and 28th November in parts of the Amchang Wildlife Sanctuary, more than 700 families were rendered homeless. Logo designed by one Nibir Das of Guwahati was selected as the logo for the Guwahati venue of FIFA U-17 World Cup. The logo was selected via a competition organised by government of Assam.

New uniform for city traffic police

The government authorities have converted MG Road from Sukreshwar Temple point to Bharalumukh into a Walking Zone from 4 PM to 10 PM every Sunday, for people to enjoy the beauty of the Brahmaputra riverfront.

position in alcohol consumption among women in the country as revealed by a World Health Organization (WHO) report.

On May 22, Guwahati traffic police introduced new uniforms and 200 additional personnel to assist its existing 218 constables. The new uniform comprises light blue shirt and dark blue pants.

GMC declares city open defecation-free under Swachh Bharat Abhiyan Guwahati Mayor Mrigen Sarania declared Guwahati as an open defecation-free city. Sarania said that the declaration was made after receiving relevant reports from schools, ward members and citizens.

Awesome Assam TV Commercials The Priyanka Chopra starrer Awesome Assam TV commercials created a lot of buzz across the state this year. The video, which has made many fall in love with the state, showcases the state’s uniqueness and beauty.

Assam records 4th highest position in terms of alcohol consumption Towards the end of 2017, Assam recorded the 4th highest

President Ram Nath Kovind visits Kamakhya Temple President Ram Nath Kovind visited Guwahati on 21st Nov, as part of his two-day programme in North East India. n

Trotter

G PLUS | DEC 30, 2017 - Jan 05, 2018

Domino’s employee quits after winning Rs 9,43,49,014 on smart phone during break

ihaan Patel, 27, from Ballari considers himself a simple man. He has a normal job and a loving wife. Just like any day, Vihaan showed up for his morning shift at Domino’s, but what happened on his break has changed his life forever. While browsing Facebook on his break, Vihaan came across an online casino site giving away 150 free spins. With nothing to lose and 15 minutes of free time, he decided to try his luck. What transpired 10 spins and 9 minutes later would change his family’s fate forever. In one single spin, Vihaan won the progressive jackpot at Grand Mondial Casino, cashing out on Rs 9,43,49,014 in a matter of 5 seconds. Having won more than enough to instantly retire in a single spin, his fast food job came to an abrupt end. Next morning, Vihaan realized that he could now finally travel to surprise his wife Aan-

ya who has been working long distance for nearly 7 months. Grand Mondial Casino’s free spins for Indians promo. Since the promotion began last month, over 240 players in India have won money from playing. However, it appears the giveaway will be soon ending as the company has already paid out over Rs 1,00,00,00,000 in total winnings this last month.

Vihaan said, “The look on the salesman’s face when he saw it was me was priceless. He recognised me instantly.” Vihaan said he spoke with the manager and told him what happened and the manager assured him this was not the kind of employee they need working at the company and he will be “dealt with appropriately.” (Source: ndtv)

‘Moonwalking’ traffic cop turns heads in Indore

e is inspired by Bollywood and has a Freddie Mercury-style moustache but it is the Michael Jackson dance moves of traffic cop Ranjeet Singh that grabs the attention on Indore’s chaotic streets. Heads turn and drivers cannot fail to notice when the 38-yearold moonwalks across busy intersections, avoiding rickshaws and trucks in the centre of Indore, a city of two million people. “I have been a Michael Jackson fan for years and copied his moonwalk step to halt traffic 12 years ago,” Singh said. “Initially, people

were surprised, but it worked wonders over the years and has gained popularity. It’s a tiring task maintaining traffic amid noise pollution and reckless motorists but moonwalking amuses commuters and drivers,” Singh added, after another tiring day of seemingly gliding backwards across the street. Singh has become a social media phenomenon with nearly 50,000 people following his activities on Facebook while spectators add videos to sharing platforms every day. Singh claims the number of traffic violations at the high court intersection where he

spends most days has fallen over the years. An Indian university is studying his methods to see whether he has cut traffic jams too. India’s city streets are notorious the world over for gridlock. Drivers, already battling crater-pocked roads and faulty traffic signals, often take out their anger on police who are trying to keep cars moving and pedestrians safe. Singh said some of India’s younger drivers have paid for their recklessness with their lives. “I have picked up the bodies of over 40 youngsters after accidents over the years and I feel terrible,” he said and added, “I just want youngsters to stay safe and follow rules.” Singh’s colleagues were initially apprehensive when he used moves popularised by the late king of pop to attract attention and manage traffic but they have since warmed to his unorthodox tactics and he now gives moonwalking lessons to fellow officers. “My parents are very proud of me for doing my job with extreme passion and with an innovative twist that includes Michael Jackson’s steps,” he said. (Source: theworldvibe)

Kerala man smashes 122 coconuts in a minute with bare hand

erala’s Abheesh P Dominic broke open over a hundred coconuts with his bare hand to set a Guinness World Record. A video of his feat was uploaded on Guinness World Records’ official YouTube channel recently. Dominic managed to crack the previous record of 118 coconuts. A video of the feat shows 140 coconuts laid out in a long line on a low wall. A group of enthusiastic supporters gather at a distance to cheer Dominic on during his record attempt as he waits for his time to begin. Going at a speed of two coconuts a second, Dominic brings his right fist down with force each time. The 60-second attempt ends successfully with 122 smashed

coconuts. “I decided to break this record because I am from a remote village and Guinness World Records is only a dream for any one of us,” Dominic told the organisation. “I am a man of strong determination and I strongly believe in the willpower of human beings.” (Source: indianexpress)

Florida man thrashes ATM for giving him too much cash

Florida man was charged with criminal mischief after he reportedly beat up a cash machine last month. The reason: It gave him too much money. Michael Joseph Oleksik, of Merritt Island, was arrested after a three-week investigation into a disturbance that took place November 29 at a Wells Fargo branch in Cocoa. Surveillance video shows Oleksik repeatedly punching the ATM’s touch screen. Witnesses told police that Oleksik, 23, called the bank a short time later and told a manager he’d punched the ATM. Oleksik

reportedly said he was “angry the ATM was giving him too much money and he did not know what to do.” He then apologized for damaging the ATM and said he was in a hurry for work. Despite the apology, Wells Fargo chose to press charges against Oleksik, who was arrested on Thursday and booked at the Brevard County Jail. He was released a short time later after posting a bond, according to the New York Daily News. The episode marks a continuation of the sometimes uneasy relationship between mankind and ATM-kind. (Source: huffingtonpost)

Driver mistook monkey’s red backside for traffic light

woman was rear-ended at an intersection in China when she stopped for an unusual reason - she mistook an escaped circus monkey’s butt for a red light. The woman said that she glanced at the pole over the intersection in Zunyi City, Guizhou Province, and slammed on her brakes when she saw a flash of red that she mistook for a red stop light. The abrupt stop led the wom-

an’s car to be rear-ended by the car behind her. The woman said she looked back at the pole after the crash and realized the red she had seen was actually the rear end of a golden monkey perched next to the light. Police discovered the monkey had escaped from a nearby circus. A circus manager agreed to pay for the cost of the damage to the vehicles involved in the minor crash. (Source: upi)

G PLUS | DEC 30, 2017 - Jan 05, 2018

Review

Cast: Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Jack Black, Karen Gillan, Nick Jonas, etc Director: Jake Kasdan

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Jumanji

hris Van Allsburg’s 1981 children’s book Jumanji spawned a weirdly saleable 1995 movie in which Robin Williams escaped from a board game pursued by rhinos, elephants, monkeys and lions which then ran amok in Brantford, New Hampshire. This “continuation of the story” smartly inverts the premise of the original, welcoming us to the jungle as we follow four young players into the game, where they must meet various next-level challenges to secure their safe passage home. This reboot of the 1995 Jumanji is said to be a tribute to the beloved star of the old movie.

Dwayne Johnson is refreshing to watch as a scared nerd with no confidence. He shines in the comic scenes. Karen Gillian is decent. Kavin Hart and Jack Black supplies most of the great comedy in the film and they are too good at it. However, Bobby Cannavale’s villain is quite generic and bland. Due to lack of proper character development, his villain never seems like a threat and that is definitely amongst the weakest links of the film. ‘Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle’ won’t become a classic like the original Jumanji, but as long as family entertainment during this holiday season goes, this is a functional movie. n

Cast: Hugh Jackman, Zac Efron, Michelle Williams, Rebecca Ferguson, etc Director: Michael Gracey

he Greatest Showman is a period musical drama based on the life and times of 19th-century showman PT Barnum, who founded the famous Barnum and Bailey Circus. After the fantastic ‘Logan’ in the beginning of this year, Hugh Jackman is back in a completely different role and film. As befits an origin story for legendary American entrepreneur P.T. Barnum and his troupe of talented oddballs and outsiders, ‘The Greatest Showman’ tells an uplifting story in the old fashioned way of musicals. The debutant director, Michael Gracey, delivers a feature

film with sincerity and buoyancy in good measure. There is a solid cast and they all do fine, particularly Jackman and Rebecca Ferguson. Hugh Jackman plays the title role of Barnum and he is no stranger to singing in the film. Rebecca Ferguson as popular Swedish singer leaves a solid mark in a small role. Zendaya and Michelle Williams are good. It was amazing to see Zac Efron doing a sober role after a long time. ‘The Greatest showman’ is all about entertaining you with bright colours and it’s all about making your foot tap, while at the same time celebrating human spirit and diversity which are the things everyone can relate to. n

Gadget Review

Asus ZenFone 4 Selfie

sus launched its ZenFone 4 series in India earlier this year, with the ZenFone 4 Selfie Pro, ZenFone 4 Selfie Dual Camera and the ZenFone 4 Selfie all aimed at selfie-loving buyers. And now the company has released the entry-level model, ZenFone 4 Selfie. This smartphone is the entry point into Asus’ latest series and is priced at just Rs. 9,999.

Design The Asus ZenFone 4 Selfie carries the family look and has a familiar design. In fact, the ZenFone 4 Selfie, Zenfone 4 Selfie Dual Camera and the ZenFone 4 Selfie Pro would look

the same to a casual observer. Asus offers this model in Deep Sea Black, Rose Pink, and Sunlight Gold.While the body of the smartphone is made of plastic it does look and feel premium. The 5.5-inch IPS display has 2.5D curved glass. The phone has curved sides and rounded edges which makes it comfortable to hold.

Specifications Asus has equipped this phone with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 processor, which is efficient and is found in the likes of the Nokia 6 and Moto G5S. The processor has four CPU cores clocked at 1.1GHz and another four clocked at 1.4GHz.

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The Greatest Showman The Zenfone 4 Selfie also has 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage which can be expanded by up to 2TB using the dedicated microSD card slot. Asus has packed in a 3000mAh battery which is the average capacity we expect from most smartphones today. You get a 7W charger in the box, which takes over two and a half hours to charge the battery fully. Asus ships the ZenFone 4 Selfie running Android Nougat with Zen UI 4.0 on top.You can also enable a one-handed mode by doubletapping the Home button, which shrinks the contents of the screen such that it is easier to reach everything with one thumb. The phone lets you run two instances of several apps, and has a mode called Game Genie which

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Camera and Selfie performance The Asus ZenFone 4 Selfie sports a 13-megapixel camera with phase detection autofocus

at the back, and a 13-megapixel selfie camera with an f/2.0 aperture at the front. The camera app has shortcuts for HDR, Portrait mode, the timer, and the flash. There are multiple modes including panorama, timelapse, beauty, pro, and super resolution. Pro mode gives you complete control of the camera which includes the ISO, shutter speed, exposure, white balance, and focus.

Verdict The Asus ZenFone 4 Selfie is accessible to a lot of people. Users get a decent front camera and live beautification mode can be useful if you are into vlogging or doing Facebook Live videos. For the price, the ZenFone 4 Selfie has decent hardware, but the performance of the rear camera is below average. n

G PLUS | DEC 30, 2017 - Jan 05, 2018

Entertainment

Achievement of ‘Chor’ at Haryana fest

Kalyan Kumar Kalita

full-length Assamese feature film titled ‘Chor’ (The Bicycle), produced by Sanjive Narain under the banner of ‘AM Television Productions,’ in association with ‘Ramdhenu Films’ and ‘White Flower,’ and directed by Khanjan Kishore Nath, won four awards at the 2nd Haryana Interna-

tional Film Festival (HIFF 2017). It won awards for Best Children Film, Best Cinematography, Best Screenplay and Special Mention Child Actor. The film is written by the director himself. The film’s story revolves around a few kids and their attraction towards a bicycle. The bicycle changes their friendship, love and relations as well as their life. The key roles in the film

have been essayed by Amoya Hazarika, Jiten Bora, Sachin Nath, Gunjan Saikia, Raktim Gayan, Abhilasha Kakoty, Seema Baruah and Purabi Saikia among others. The film’s cinematography has been done by Jayanth Mathavan, music has been scored by Anurag Saikia whereas its songs have been rendered by Nahid Afrin. The film is edited by Bikash Dutta, sound designer is Manas Protim Goswami, sound mixing has been done by Hengul Medhi and Di-colorist is Bikash Dutta. The film’s co-producers are Suraj Gunjal, Krishna Upadhya, Lalit Saikia, Pradip Nath, Devabrata Das, Ashwini Doley and Jatin Nath, assistant director is Dipak Borah, production designer is Nayaran Pradhan and poster designer is Hirak Jyoti Pathak. The film was also already selected for Goa Film Bazaar organized by International Film Festival of India 2011 and also invited to Producer Lab, Cinemart organized by International Film Festival of Rotterdam 2012. This is the first film in Assamese which has been invited to Producer Lab, Rotterdam. Among the 23 projects in Goa Film Bazaar, only 4 projects were invited to the Lab and ‘Chor’ is the first project for that. This full length Assamese children film will hit the theatres very soon. n

Assamese beauty Rewati Chetri to make Bollywood debut

emina Miss India 2015 finalist, the stunning Rewati Chetri from Assam, is all set to make her Bollywood debut with ‘Khatoon.’ Born in Haflong, Assam, Rewati graduated from Lumding College and is currently pursuing LL.B at NEF Law College, Guwahati. Rewati participated in the Femina Miss India 2015 where she was a finalist, and went on to participate in the Senorita India pageant where she won the title of Senorita Miss International India 2016. She represented India at Miss International 2016

held in Tokyo, Japan. She has also been crowned Miss Asia at the World Miss University 2016 pageant, held in Beijing. The model turned actor is making her Bollywood debut with the film ‘Khatoon’ directed by Ram Ramesh Sharma where she will play the lead opposite Bigg Boss 6 contestant Santosh Shukla of ‘Jai Ho’ fame. Khatoon depicts the love story of a valiant 1962 Indo-China war Indian soldier. Earlier, Rewati played an important role in ‘Gangs of Northeast’ - a bilingual film directed by Rupak Gogoi. n

Title track of ‘Calendar’ released full-length Assamese feature film named ‘Calendar’ has recently released its soulful title track ‘Jibone Umole Jamole’. The song has been penned by Santanu Rowmuria, its

notes down her monthly activities in a calendar gifted to her by Hitesh on New Year. She encircles every event in that calendar mentioning the name of the event. But she also marks a few dates with circles without mentioning anything which leads to the emergence of a different devastating tale for Hitesh

rendering has been done by Siddharth Hazarika and the music for the song has been scored by Tarali Sarma. The film, produced by Himjyoti Talukdar and Dikhit Das, under the banner of ‘Enajori Talkies’ and directed by Himjyoti Talukdar, is now ready to hit theatres. The film’s screenplay has been penned by Himjyoti Talukdar, Santanu Rowmuria and Jhulan Krishna Mahanta. The story of the film revolves around Hitesh Kakati, a retired teacher who lives with his wife Manorama Kakati happily in a small town. Their son, newly married Arunav, stays in Delhi with his non-Assamese wife. Both the son and daughter-in-law are very dear to Hitesh and Manorama and they too love their parents a lot. But, the situation gradually changes when Arunav comes home during Magh Bihu and tells Manorama about a major problem which he is facing in his professional life. Manorama becomes tense after learning about Arunav’s crisis and plans to help him in her own way. At the same time, Manorama always

Kakati. The key roles in the film have been essayed by renowned actors of Assamese cinema like Arun Nath, Malaya Goswami with popular actor Gunjan Bhardwaj and Rimjhim Deka among others. The cinematography of the film has been done by Dikhit Das, music has been scored by Tarali Sarma, and sound designer is Debajit Gayan. The film’s co-producers are Subhas Bora, Arunav Gogoi, Jyotirmoyee Shree, Dambarudhar Das and Trinayan Bora, associate director is Jhulan Krishna Mahanta, executive producers are JP Nath and Partha Mahanta, costume designer is Rimjhim Deka, makeup is by Tibra Jyoti Boiragi and the assistant director is Dimpy Deka. According to the producer, the film will hit theatres on February 9 next year. He also added that another song of the movie will be released in December last and one New Year calendar will be distributed among the people of Assam as a part of the movie’s promotion. The production team is very hopeful n about the film.

Kalyan Kumar Kalita

Fun

G PLUS | DEC 30, 2017 - Jan 05, 2018

Horoscope of the week Even though this is a holiday week, there’s a rather intense focus showing up. This could be when you’re considering key decisions and perhaps the idea of letting go of anything that no longer serves your best interests. All of this can take up a lot of energy. You might be more than ready to distract yourself with an inspiring movie, the latest novel, or a relaxing duvet day, especially around midweek. New Year’s Eve could be a lot of fun, though!

There are plenty of options this week for social events, getting out and about, and generally enjoying life. You might need to plan some alone time just to gather your thoughts. You could find December 27 to be a very enjoyable day, because an opportunity to indulge a heartfelt and soulful desire could show up. This could leave you feeling very positive and nurtured. New Year’s Eve could bring the best of both worlds – a quiet night at home in good company.

The coming week could seem like all work and no play. You might feel duty bound to get everything organized, especially with three planets newly in your sector of work and routine, including sobering Saturn. It might be just as well to delegate certain tasks and give yourself more time to enjoy whatever is going on during this holiday week. A relaxing link between feisty Mars and ethereal Neptune on December 27 could encourage you to indulge a desire for peace and quiet.

You could be busy, but a lively focus on your leisure sector suggests that you’ll enjoy every moment. This holiday week can bring a lot of good times your way, which you’ll be delighted to share with friends and family. Still, the presence of practical Saturn in this same zone could see you planning your next big project. An encounter, particularly around December 27, could spark your imagination, and this could lead to the potential for a creative collaboration in 2018.

With a major focus on your home and family sector, this coming week could see you busy with family affairs and entertaining friends and loved ones. You may go out of your way to make sure that everyone has a fabulous time. However, with a potent aspect between stirring Mars and dreamy Neptune, you could take this too far and do more than is necessary. Don’t be afraid to delegate and ask others to help. You deserve to have an enjoyable time like everyone else.

Social events could be a major theme over the week ahead, and you may be entertaining family and friends and being entertained in return. All kinds of get-togethers and networking events could show up that you should thoroughly enjoy. You might also want to invest some time in quieter pursuits, especially if they’re creative. A budding liaison may call out to you, and you might feel moved to explore it further, especially as dynamic Mars aligns with romantic Neptune midweek.

With sobering Saturn, lovely Venus, the sun, and potent Pluto in your sector of finances and resources, the coming week could see you thinking very carefully about such matters. If you have overspent in recent weeks, you might want to get your accounts in order and get spending back under control. The cosmos is also encouraging you to take time out for meditation and reflection, as doing so can help you take stock and prepare for 2018.

With a dynamic focus on your sign, you could be organizing and running the holiday show. However, with lovely Venus aligning with practical Saturn on December 25, there could be a bit of a formal atmosphere showing up at a family event unless you lighten it with your special brand of humor. Doing so could change the occasion into one that’s very memorable. The coming days could also encourage you to reach out to others in a more charitable and compassionate way.

Your spiritual sector is very much in focus, which could encourage you to reflect on life. After some enjoyable holiday events, you might be glad to get back home and find the time to deeply relax mind, body, and soul. You could also have opportunities to let go of any niggling issues, and this can be a real relief. New Year’s Eve looks pleasantly upbeat, with lively lunar ties to chatty Mercury and electrifying Uranus helping you ring in the new year in style.

The coming week can be very sociable, and you should thoroughly enjoy it. There might be times when you feel duty bound to attend an event even when you don’t want to. Take it in good humor, because someone may appreciate you spending time in their company. A lovely tie between dynamic Mars and dreamy Neptune in your sign on December 27 could encourage you to make your escape. A short break or trip to a local spa could leave you refreshed.

What was first arranged by Adolph Ochs, the owner of New York Times in 1907, and was designed by Artkraft Krauss?

Which dream city of the modern times was earlier known as Lutetia?

Daily Sudoku: Thu 21-Dec-2017

hard

last week solution 9 8 7 2 5 3 7 66 38 2 8 1 5 7 4 9 6 4 5 1 6 3 5 8 23 99 41 3 4 3 51 15 67 7 9 2 4 8 1 9 3 7 5 4 2 5 79 26 3 4 6 4 2 6 8 1 8 6 9 1 7 6 2 17 43 5 9 Daily 8 Sudoku: 1 Wed 9 27-Dec-2017 7 4

4 19 27 41

1 94 82 26

3 47 39 75

6 55 18 67

82 63 28 6 79 52 75 48 11 53 35 94

94 31 89 72

98 17 86 43 3 5 6 very2hard

Daily Sudoku: Thu 21-Dec-2017

hard

Word of the week Pinguid adjective [ping-gwid] Fat; oily

curio-city

It can either be lemon, tomato or sour spinach or the more exotic elephant apple, roselle leaves or garcinia. What are we talking about? Which famous boxer was nicknamed ‘Brown Bomber’?

Which two famous characters were introduced to each other by a military doctor called Stamford in 1880?

3 2 3 1 9 9 4 6 2 4 3 75 4 3 8 8 15 7 8 8 9 7 7 6 9 2 5 4 1 9 2 1 72 1 7 5 6 17 4 Daily Sudoku: Wed very2 hard 9 27-Dec-2017 3

http://www.dailysudoku.com/

1. The New Year’s Eve Times Square Ball Drop at New York 2. Paris 3. The souring agent of Masor Tenga 4. Joe Louis 5. Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson 6. Vijay Sekhar Sharma, founder of PayTM on the left and Jack Ma, the founder of Alibaba on the right

curio-city

Sudoku

It could be that you’re spending this week on vacation and thoroughly enjoying yourself. Whatever you’re doing, you’ll be relishing the chance to get away from your everyday routine. December 25 could be a little more formal than usual, as lovely Venus aligns with sobering Saturn. If you’re having guests over, you might need to make a conscious effort to relax. The ability to chill will be far easier around December 27, which is something you should certainly take advantage of.

Identify both the giants in the field of e-commerce.

Dr. Soubhadra Chakrabarty This quiz has been brought to you by Brain Jam, a property of Priya Communications

Cathy by Cathy Guisewite

You might decide to use this holiday week to explore your plans and goals for 2018 even though others may be making the most of this chance to relax. You might even find that parties and social events provide a way to meet people who are on your wavelength and perhaps able to help you accomplish your most important plans. Meanwhile, a soothing alignment between dynamic Mars, your personal planet, and dreamy Neptune on December 27 can be a call to completely relax.

Crossword Across

Down

1 Road transport (7) 8 The coining of new words — eg loony (anag) (7) 9 Italian gents (7) 10 Mischievous sprite (7) 11 Small open pies (5) 13 Place selling things for boats (9) 15 Parasitic shrub for Christmas (9) 18 Small firework (5) 21 Unbearable pain (7) 22 One of a pair to sleep on (4,3) 23 Cultivation of the soil (7) 24 Periods of the Madness of King George when the Prince of Wales took over (7)

1 Come to see (5) 2 More immense (5) 3 Comparing different patterns of social behaviour (5-8) 4 Mystery (6) 5 Wearing of clothes designed to give an impression of authority (5,8) 6 Scottish sheepdog (6) 7 New South Wales capital (6) 12 Not in favour (4) 14 Raja’s wife (4) 15 Change in basic nature (6) 16 (Of a cry) piercing (6) 17 Wobble on the brink (6) 19 One of eight popes (5) 20 Close friend (5)

Last week’s solution

G PLUS | DEC 30, 2017 - Jan 05, 2018

Lifestyle

5 Ways to Make Meditation More Fun es, we’ve heard a lot about meditation. And yes, it’s an important practice to do in our

lives. Yet, sitting everyday for twenty minutes with eyes shut is a little tough and as I’d like to admit – a bit boring. When I shared this with a friend, she shared some suggestions. I liked them and thought that I could share them here.

Find a Buddy

The company (sangha) that we maintain is important in keeping us feeling positive and inspired. Find a friend, who is as passionate as you about meditation. Let there be an understood decree between you two that you can pull each other anytime if either one slips in their practice. And of course, treat yourselves if the practice has been regular. Your buddy and

you could also meditate together, participate in a yoga rave, and go for a really nice Ayurvedic meal together. The sangha will grow stronger and so will you.

Try a New Location

The best part about meditation is that it can be done anywhere – on top of a mountain, on a beach, in a train and even in the middle of a traffic jam. And the experience could be different each time. So go ahead and try a new location sometimes. It could be in a garden, change the setting in your room – continue your practice during your family holiday. Just do the meditation and take it wherever you go.

Get Some Guidance Sometimes,

helps

Tips to organise a house party this new year

t’s time to bid goodbye to the year gone by because a brand new year is knocking at our doors. If venturing out in winter is not your thing, there’s always a house party to organise. Although you may feel inclined not to take the onus upon yourself and head out for dinner and drinks instead, a house party is perhaps one of the safest places to be at midnight on 31 December. Here are some easy party ideas that will help you throw an electrifying house party: Try Some Unique Themes Colours such as gold and silver as a part of the decor are preferable if you want an element of glamour in your party. Otherwise, if you’re looking for a lowkey affair like say, a pajama party, then ensure your decoration theme is in accordance to what you desire. Trick guests into coming early You know friends who are punctual, and then you know friends who aren’t. If you use a word-of-mouth invitation, then there’s no harm in tricking them into believing that the party starts a little earlier than the intended time. This way you can expect them to land up at the desired time. Throw in some interesting

get a new experience during meditation and here is where a guided meditation can step in. Light instrumental

games One major requirement at a party is to give your guests ample things to do besides socializing and small talk. Adding games is the perfect way to break out of those forced conversations that people tend to undertake because there’s nothing else to do. So keep your friends entertained and occupied by introducing games such as beer pong, jenga, a deck of cards, or even karaoke in your New Year party itinerary. Your New Year playlist matters The best way to ace it is to have a friend volunteer to curate that playlist and keep the party going. Music is one of the most important elements that make or break a party and it requires someone to take control. If you yourself are planning to take up the responsibility, then throw in some classics and jazz into the pop and electronic centric playlist. Your food and drinks menu should be on point When people go to parties, they’re expecting to be well fed from start to end. From starters and appetizers to a main course meal, make sure you’ve got that arranged beforehand because a New Year’s Eve party usually tends to carry on until wee hours of the morning. n

music is always a welcome and some pieces have been especially composed for meditation. There are several guided meditations – Blossom in your smile and the Aura meditation are my personal favorites. You might also want

to include some yoga postures. There are several videos that guide you through simple sequences.

Play On

The rules of meditation are simple. For the twenty minutes that you meditate, resolve: I want nothing, I need nothing and I will do nothing. Train yourself to think of this as a challenge – can you do this for 2 days, a week, a month? The process is not to make you feel anxious. Just think about it before your practice and let it be. Move with the flow of your meditation. Challenge yourself to follow these for 30 days and watch a new dimension of practice coming up.

The next time you’re meeting with friends or planning to hang out with them – remember to take a guided meditation with you. Do one with your friends and see the difference. The fun that you were planning with them will only double. That’s because the mind will feel fresher and you will be able to enjoy the moment more. If you don’t have a guided meditation handy on you all the time, it’s alright. Just close your eyes and observe your breaths. When you do this a few times – whether at a park, coffee shop, or even at a mall – you will realize the relaxation it bring to you and your friends. Also, you’re adding to the love and joy around.

shri shri ravi shankar

Founder- Art of Living Foundation.

Spread The Joy

Vaastu tips for New Year

reparations are on all over the world, China being an exception, to welcome the New Year. The Chinese New Year starts from 16th February this year. There are parties, events, food festivals, picnic, sightseeing etc being planned by people. Some of them are great success while some are not and just become a drab affair. By following some Vaastu rules and by adding certain items, the chances of success for these celebrations can be augmented several fold.

Place a mirror in your dining room to make your table appear larger. Put a wind chime on the ceiling in your work area to attract wisdom and good energy. Place all your valuables such as your jewellery boxes, safes, or piggy banks in the far left corner of the bedroom. In your living room, hang a clear, round crystal on an 18 inch red cord in the far left corner to give your wealth a boost. Just by changing the position of your bed, the energy pattern in the room can be changed. Place your bed in a Commanding Position. The Command Position is when the position of the

bed provides the widest view of the room and is supported by a solid wall. The more you can see, the safer you feel. Celebrate the positivity in your life. You can even enjoy the small things in life without necessarily going for the big ones. People can be happy with very little provided they are positive. Focus on your relationships. Con-

centrate on the areas which aren’t working and focus on those that are. Our thinking and behaviour are very powerful and a little change here and there is enough to change the quality of your relationship. We must be grateful. Write an affirmation focused on gratitude and appreciation on a lovely piece of paper and then plant that paper in the soil of a plant, preferably in an open

area. When you water that plant, visualize the positive in your life growing stronger, more resilient and abundant. Give some quality time to yourself. Treat yourself during this special time to a massage, a dress which you have been wanting to wear, maybe a nice dinner or something exclusive just for you. Making a wish or resolution is highly recommended in the New Year. Burn a candle if you’re home on New Year’s Eve. Blow it out, close to midnight, with your wishes and intentions for the New Year in place. Keep the main door open for time to usher in the fresh energy of the New Year. Open the front door at midnight or just before you go to bed. It may be cold but allowing the new energy to flow in at the most auspicious time is a must. It travels through the house and energises everything else that you have done. Hemanta Kumar Sarmah Engineer, Businessman, Advanced Pranic Healer and Su Jok Acupressure specialist.

Buzz

G PLUS | DEC 30, 2017 - Jan 05, 2018

National Youth Leadership Camp

he 23rd National Youth Leadership Camp was inaugurated on December 24 by Lt Gen DS Ahuja, GoC of 101 Area, at the Army Public School, Narengi. A total of 500 youths – 300 boys and 200 girls – in the age bracket of 14 to 25 years, are participating in the camp which will conclude on December 31. Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal also visited the camp on the inauguration day and appreciated the effort. The aim of the camp is to impart discipline, punctuality and mutual cooperation and develop a sense of national unity by interacting with youths of other states and regions and also to imbibe a healthy lifestyle. Training is being imparted to the youths on leadership, drill and physical training, yoga, sports and group games, first aid and introduction to important vocations as opportunities in

Former President of Asom Sahitya Sabha, Kanak Sen Deka, along with other dignitaries releasing a book titled “Crime Desk” during a book release function held at Guwahati Press Club on Friday.

self-employment. Seminars on climate change and pollution, popularisation of science, Indian culture and traditions and career guidance are also being held during the camp. “The camp seeks to instil interest among the youth in culture as well as in science”, defence spokesman, Lt Col Suneet Newton said. While encouraging the youth to generate interest

towards science, Lt Gen DS Ahuja said old and rudimentary traditions which are impediments to growth should be shed. However, in the race to embrace technology, the youths should not lose sight of the country’s great cultural ethos. The youths should aim to master technologies and not become its slave and hence, over reliance on gizmos and immature handling should be avoided, he opined. n

City school’s Brass Band team to take part in Delhi Republic Day parade

he Brass Band team of Bengtal Don Bosco Higher Secondary School, Chirang left for Delhi on December 27 to participate in the ensuing Republic Day functions under the command of Col Javinder Singh of 1st Assam Battalion NCC. City Police Commissioner Hiren Chandra Nath gave the participants a warm send-off on behalf of Assam Police at Guwahati railway station on Wednesday morning, before they set off on their journey to New Delhi by the Sampark Kranti Express. Commissioner of Police, Hiren Chandra Nath, while con-

gratulating the team members for being the first ever school band from Assam to be selected for the prestigious Republic Day function in New Delhi, lauded the patronage of the Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, DGP

Mukesh Sahay and Father VM Thomas. The meeting was attended by Father Siby John, Principal of the school, Smt Hira Narzary, the teacher in charge of the team, Suprotive Lal Barua, ACP Panbazar and Iftikar Ali, DSP Railway Police among others. The team underwent 10 days’ training at the Narengi Army camp. It will undergo further conditioning and other training in Delhi for 20 days before final participation. Each of the participants was gifted with a gamocha, flowers, woollen cap, a pair of tracksuits, chocolates etc. n

Noted writer Homen Borgohain (centre) and writer Atanu Bhattcharjee (2nd R) releasing two books titled “Gullu” written by Dr Saurav Kumar Bhuyan and “Iswarar Soite Esanj” written by Prasanta Kumar Borah during a book release function held at Guwahati Press Club on Sunday.

City hosts 31st Guwahati Book Fair

he 31st Guwahati Book Fair was officially inaugurated in the city on Friday, December 22. Eminent Sri Lankan author Deshamanya Jayaratna Banda Dissanayake, publication board vice chairman Sumanta Chaliha and the chief minister’s media

adviser, Hrishikesh Goswami attended at the inaugural ceremony. The book fair, organized every year by the Publication Board of Assam, is being organised from 22nd Dec to 2nd January, at Assam Engineering Institute Playground, Chandmari. During the event, novelist Atulananda Goswami will be conferred the Lifetime Achievement Award. A total of 75 book shops and publishing houses are taking part in the book fair this time. 19 book shops from states outside Assam, including Delhi, West Bengal and Jharkhand are also taking part in the fair. n

Bisitro Bhraman Bisitro Abhigyata – a travelogue

r. Aparajita Borkotoki, retired Head of Zoology Department, Gauhati University, launched her book “Bisitro Bhraman Bisitro Abhigyata” on December 25, at Vivekanda Auditorium in Ujanbazar. The book is a compilation of Borkokoti’s travelogues and consists of the author’s experiences and anecdotes about different places she has

travelled to. The book, published by Purbanchal Prakash, was launched by renowned media personality Ajit Bhuyan, eminent literateur Lilabati Saikia Bora, President Assam Science Society Dr. Soneswar Sarma and Professor Nandita Chaliha. The launch was attended by a gathering of about 120 people from different walks of life. n

Events

G PLUS | DEC 30, 2017 - Jan 05, 2018

Christmas celebrations in City Soaked in the spirit of festivity, Guwahati celebrated Christmas along with the rest of the world, with holy prayers in the churches and sound of carols reverberating in the air. The festival started with special midnight masse s in the churches on the night of December 24 as Christmas Eve turned into Christ mas. The devout Christians attended the morning prayers in the churches and greeted each other on the occasion. Christmas carols added to the festivity with individ ual artistes and gospel bands enthralling crowd s with popular numbers like ‘Jingle bells’, ‘O come all’, ‘Silent night holy night’, ‘Joy to the world’, etc.

Fr VM Thomas (L) & Fr Seb astian Mathews at Don Bosco X-Mas celebr ations

December 31 Hop-Hop-Hop-Hoppy New Year Vivanta by Taj 8PM onwards December 31 Embrace 2018 Hotel Novotel 7PM onwards December 31 Dance your way to 2018 Hotel Radisson Blu 8PM onwards December 31 New Years Eve 2018 ft. DJ Varun NYX, Hotel Palacio 7PM onwards December 31 Guess who is turning 2018 Terra Mayaa 8PM onwards December 31 The White Party Kiranshree Portico 7PM onwards

Event: PBL Opening Ceremony Date: December 23, Saturday Venue: Sarusajai Stadium Soaked in the spirit of festivity, Guwahati celebrated Christmas along with the rest of the world, with holy prayers in the churches and sound of carols reverberating in the air. The festival started with special midnight masses in the churches on the night of December 24 as Christmas Eve turned into Christmas. The devout Christians attended the morning prayers in the churches and greeted each other on the occasion. Christmas carols added to the festivity with individual artistes and gospel bands enthralling crowds with popular numbers like ‘Jingle bells’, ‘O come all’, ‘Silent night holy night’, ‘Joy to the world’, etc.

ELESS MANI

. SHAM sic Carnival ft u M r te in W t: Even er 22, Friday Date: Decemb otel Palacio Venue: NYX, H

December 31 Midnight Madness 1.0 Bulls n Beers 8PM onwards December 31 New Years Eve Topaz 2.0 8PM onwards December 31 New Years Eve ft. Herfun Mola Underdoggs Sports Bar 8PM onwards December 31 New Years Eve ft. DJ Mani Madiza 8PM onwards

ival Winter Carn nd edition of co se r ei th o is back with ! Hotel Palaci with a bang rdinary the New Year e m co you an extrao ve gi to wel to up at started on ed th ck al de iv l rn al is Ca The Hotel lacio Winter Pa i performing el an ot M H s e es Th with Shamel experience. nd December 22 lude Live will conc 1. The y ar nu Ja on this extravaganza time is bigger ith and better w es more surpris g tin ci ex d an offers.

December 24, Sunday Jingle Nite Terra Mayaa 7PM onwards December 31 New Years Eve Unlock The Socialite 8PM onwards December 31 31st Eve Celebration Hotel Shoolin Grand 8PM onwards

Event: Christmas Brunch Date: December 24-25 Venue: Vivanta by Taj

December 31 NYE Bollywood Nite XS - The place to be 7PM onwards

December 31 NYE 2018 Minutes to Midnight O2, Panjabari 7PM onwards

December 31 NYE Party 2018 Hotel Dynasty 9PM onwards

December 31 Boat and Island Party Opposite ITA Machkhowa 7PM onwards

December 31 Under the Night Sky Celebration I Nature, Chandrapur 6PM onwards

December 31 New Year 2018 Shahi Darbaar Open till midnight

G PLUS | DEC 30, 2017 - Jan 05, 2018

Printed & Published by Sunit Jain on behalf of Insight Brandcom Pvt. Ltd. and Printed at Janambhumi Press (P) Ltd., Kalapahar, Guwahati and Published at 4A, Royale Arcade, Ulubari, Guwahati - 781007, Editor: Swapnil Bharali. Phone: 0361 2522444, Email: info@g-plus.in, RNI No: ASSENG/2013/52641