G Plus Vol 5 Issue 11 by G Plus

@guwahatiplus www.guwahatiplus.com

Inside

Volume 05 | Issue 11 Jan 06 - Jan 12, 2018 Price `10

ASTC suspends 500 employees, terminates 450 in 2017

What will Guwahati get from GMC in 2018?

DTO targets Rs 180 Cr in revenues by April 2018

PG 04

Over 70 kgs gold seized in 2017

File photo of gold smugglers arrested by GRP from Guwahati Railway Station

ver 70 kilograms of smuggled gold was seized in Guwahati last year indicating an increasing trend in the illegal trade believed to be sourced from neighbouring countries. The confiscation also resulted in the arrest of 23 persons involved in the rackets. A source in the customs office said, “Smuggled gold worth Rs 21.9 crores was seized last year at Guwahati Railway Station.” There was only one case of recovery of gold jewellery at the Guwahati airport but it is yet to be known if the seized items were smuggled. The maximum recovery has been made from railway stations by the Government Railway Police (GRP). The customs source revealed

that most of the recovered gold was imported from Myanmar through Moreh in Manipur and Champhai in Mizoram. “Guwahati is the transit point and this explains why smugglers have to assemble at this city for transporting the items to other destinations like Delhi, Kolkata and Chennai.” A source in the GRP said that the modus operandi of the smugglers keep changing from time to time. Previously the gold used to be carried only in the luggage, but now gold biscuits and bars are carried below the seats and sometimes even in train toilets. Smugglers also use rectum gold carriers and female private parts for smuggling gold, the source revealed. n

Related stories on PG » 2

Month-wise data of smuggled gold seized and persons arrested in 2017 Month

Approximate quantity of gold seized

Approximate Value

People arrested

MAR

5.9 kgs

Rs 1.78 crores

APR

22.34 kgs

Rs 6.50 crores

MAY

20 kgs

Rs 5. 90 crores

OCT

1.6 kgs

Rs 48.25 lakhs

NOV

828 gms

Rs 25.53 lakhs

DEC

20 kgs

Rs 5.99 crores

Total

70.7 kgs

Rs 21.9 crores

PG 05

PG 10

NRC the result of Pradip Kumar Bhuyan’s backing of APW to move SC Rahul Chanda rahul.chanda@g-plus.in

Guwahati-based senior citizen, Pradip Kumar Bhuyan (85), is the man who coaxed Assam Public Works (APW) to approach the Supreme Court (SC) to enumerate the Indian citizens living in Assam. President of APW, Abhijeet Sharma said, “Pradip Kumar Bhuyan is the backbone of APW and it is because of him that we approached the Supreme Court.” Narrating the story, Sharma explained that in January 2009, APW discussed the illegal foreigners issue in Assam with Bhuyan and his wife Banti (75). Pradip Bhuyan suggested APW to move SC and assured all the help required. Accordingly, Bhuyan drafted the petition and consulted an advocate Arvind Kumar Sharma. The advocate was shocked seeing the quality of the petition which was better than many petitions that are usually filed by senior lawyers. On 25th May, 2009 APW filed the petition in the SC. The same was registered on 20th July 2009 in the court of Chief Justice P Sathasivam (Case number 274/2009). In the petition, the first

prayer was to regularise all the East Pakistan people who were accepted as Indians through the Assam Accord. The second prayer was to scrap the voters’ list of 2006 as 41 lakh illegal voters were registered in that list according to APW. It was also prayed that a new voters’ list be prepared where only Indians can vote for an Indian. After many hearings, on 23rd February 2011, the Apex Court decided to pass a judgement on the matter but the advocate, Arvind Kumar Sharma, suggested not taking the judgement and rather requesting the court to monitor the case. “Luckily on 2nd April 2013, the matter went to the court of Justice HL Gokhle and Justice Ranjan Gogoi which was the turning point,” said Abhijeet Sharma. On 8th May 2013, the state and central governments, in their affidavits, said that they will prepare the National Register of Citizens (NRC) and delete the names

illegal voters. It was the beginning of the NRC process; on 25th October 2013, Prateek Hajela was appointed the NRC Coordinator and the work started accordingly. Sharma said, “It is because of Bhuyan that on 31st December 2017 the first list of the draft NRC was published.” More NRC Stories on Pg » 2

Photo Credit: Bhaskar J Barua

Lead Story

G PLUS | Jan 06 - JAN 12, 2018

Many Guwahati citizens left out of Draft NRC Rahul Chanda rahul.chanda@g-plus.in

any well-established residents of Guwahati could not find their names in the draft NRC published on December 31 last. A resident of Jyotikuchi, Kedar Nath said, “My ancestors are from Guwahati and all the documents of my family members were gathered from the offices in the city. Why was the NRC Secretariat not able to verify them when they were all from the same city?” Similarly, Bhupen Deka and his family, who have been living in the city for several decades, were confused with the published list since the name of only his three year old daughter figured in the list. He said that some documents were yet to be verified by the NRC Secretariat. Deka echoed many other residents including former

Guwahatians checking the NRC list at an NRC Seva Kendra | G Plus Photo chief minister Tarun Gogoi who was of the view that the NRC Seva Kendras were yet to accomplish 90% of the work allotted to them. He questioned how the ULFA chief-of-staff, Paresh Baruah’s name, entered the draft list while Guwahati-based journalist, Wasbir Hussain’s was excluded. Kamrup (Metro) deputy

commissioner Dr M Angamuthu however clarified that noninclusion of names of genuine citizens was due to the failure to complete the procedure essential for compiling the list. He said that the second phase of verification work had started on 5th January for which 281 verification teams have been constituted for completion of the verification process. n

Over 1000 kg gold lying at customs godown since many years

Central govt offices yet to reply to NRC Secretariat

he Kamrup (Metro) district administration was able to publish the names of 7.5 lakh applicants in Guwahati out of a total of 11.49 lakhs Prateek Hajela during the release of the 1st NRC draft | G Plus Photo since docuPAN card, employment certifiments could not be verified cates and identity cards, passby many central government ports, birth certificates and so offices. on which could establish the A senior official of the adrelation in the family tree. ministration said that 25% of He said that these docuthe documents were yet to be ments submitted for legacy verified by the central governwere sent to the issuing aument offices whose number is thorities in and outside the around 700 in the city. “Some state. of these offices are located Offices under central govin the city and others are at ernment ministries like railsome far-off locations. Receipt ways, external affairs and of replies from them would be finance have not sent the veressential for inclusion of more ification status in spite of renames in the NRC.” peated reminders which has He described that while delayed the process. applying for the NRC, two sets So far only the government of documents were submitof Nagaland has responded ted. In List A, documents of promptly to the NRC secretarcitizenship before 24 th March 1971 and in List B the family iat’s requests for verification legacy documents were subof documents. Other states mitted. like Meghalaya, Bihar and For family legacy, people West Bengal have been slow in submitted documents like sending their replies. n

Rahul Chanda rahul.chanda@g-plus.in

ver 1000 kilograms of seized gold has been stacked at the godown in Shillong owned by the customs department. An official indicated that the confiscated items ought to have been auctioned many years ago as per the existing norms for such seizures. “Only State Bank of India (SBI) is authorised to auction the smuggled gold recovered by the customs, but this has not happened since the last 5 to 6 years,” the official said, expressing the hope that the auction would soon take place. After the approval from

I File photo of gold biscuits recovered from Guwahati Railway Station the customs, the state-owned bank will begin the elaborate process to auction the gold with a concession of 0.5% of the existing market rate. It is reliably learnt that the

customs has expressed dissatisfaction over SBI’s policy of selling the confiscated gold at the market rate since lesser number of buyers would be encouraged to buy the item. n

No kingpins of gold smuggling rackets arrested yet

nterrogation of smugglers has failed to provide leads that could help nab the smuggling kingpins. A senior official in the customs department was of the opinion that the smugglers were hardly aware about the source of the items and the key players in the racket. “The smugglers have hardly come into contact with the kingpins who continue to remote control the entire illicit trade,” an official of the customs department informed. The transporters are hired over the phone and all the

instructions are given without meeting them. The illicit trade is planned and executed through a network of people in different railway stations. The official claimed that the carriers are provided with tickets for the train journey, cellular phones and details about the destination where the gold has to be delivered. “In many cases the arrested persons did not even know that they were smuggling gold. For every assignment the smugglers receive Rs 5,000 - Rs 15,000,” the official informed. n

In The News

G PLUS | Jan 06 - JAN 12, 2018

Prices of 7 essential commodities go up this year Saumya Mishra saumya.mishra@g-plus.in

rices of at least seven essential commodities in Guwahati showed an increasing trend in 2018 when compared to the previous year. As per the data provided by the directorate of food, civil supplies and consumer affairs, tomato and onion saw the most drastic increase in their prices this year. The retail price of tomato more than trebled from Rs 18 per kilo on January 1, 2017 to Rs 55 per kilo in January, 2018. The cost of onion more than doubled this year from Rs 18 per kilo in 2017 to Rs 48 this year. Further, other essential com-

modities which are proving to be costlier for the consumers this year as compared to the last year include sunflower oil, tea, jaggery, rice and wheat. The price of tea rose by Rs 50, from Rs 150 per kilo to Rs 200 in 2018. Further, jaggery and wheat saw a slight rise of Rs 2 and Re 1 respectively. While jaggery was priced at Rs 45 per kilo in January 2017 and stood at Rs 47 this year, wheat was priced at Rs 25 in 2017 and costs Rs 26 now. Similarly, the retail prices of sunflower oil and rice went up by Rs 15 per litre and Rs 4 per kilo respectively. Authorities have attributed the rise in the costs to an increase in retail prices in other parts of the country from where commodities are brought into

Guwahati. “Since Assam is a deficit state and does not produce adequate amount of vegetables, it is dependent on other states to meet its requirements. A lot of factors determine the pricing of a commodity, the biggest of which is the production of a commodity in a particular year and also the transportation costs,” said Jyotish Das, an official at the directorate of food, civil supplies and consumer affairs. He added that most of the vegetables like onion and tomato are brought to Guwahati from places like Patna, Nasik, Rajasthan and Indore. However, officials have informed that the prices of onion and tomato have started to decline now. n

Price of pulses and oils decline

Rice grains for sale at a local shop | File Photo

n the contrary, prices of five types of pulses have reduced from 2017. These include Urad Dal (black gram), Arhar Dal (red gram), Masoor Dal (red lentil), and gram pulses which saw a decline in 2018. These pulses saw a decline of Rs 50, 30, 15, 33 and 55 per kilo respectively. Further, costs of vegetable oil and soya oil also went down by Rs 10 per litre each. At the beginning of 2017, the cost of vege-

table oil was Rs 90 which came down to Rs 80 per litre in 2018, while the cost of soya oil became Rs 100 from Rs 110. Officials say that food habits of the citizens also play a role in determining the prices of essential commodities. “In winters, consumption of vegetables increases and that of pulses goes down as people usually prefer eating vegetables more during this time,” said an official. Authorities at the directo-

rate of food, civil supplies and consumer affairs informed that they have a mechanism to check prices of commodities if they increase considerably. Apart from review meetings which are conducted every three months, the department also has area field officers who work in collaboration with the district administrations in every district. They verify the retail and wholesale prices of different commodities by checking and verifying the purchase memos from sellers. “Enforcement activity increases when there is a steep rise in prices of certain essential commodities. The department does voluntary fixation of prices where the upper limit of the commodity’s price is fixed in presence of members of chamber of commerce, wholesalers, retailers and the district administration,” said an official of the department. Under this, the price of a commodity is capped for a week or two in order to provide relief to the consumers. n

Retail price (per kg/per litre) of essential commodities in Guwahati Name of commodity

2017

2018

Rice

Wheat

Gram dal

125

Urad dal

120

Arhar dal

100

Masur dal

Moong dal

Atta

Onion

Potato

Mustard oil

110

Vegetable oil

Soya oil

110

100

Sunflower oil

100

115

Milk

Sugar

Tea

150

200

Salt

Tomato

Jaggery

City

G PLUS | Jan 06 - JAN 12, 2018

ASTC suspends 500 employees, terminates 450 in 2017 Rahul Chanda rahul.chanda@g-plus.in

ssam State Transport Corporation (ASTC), in 2017, suspended and terminated quite a number of employees for various reasons. Managing Director of the corporation, AP Tiwari said, “500 employees were suspended and 450 were terminated from their services,” adding that the employees belonged from all grades. The action was taken against the employees for misappropriation of funds, negligence in service and rash driving. Officers of the rank of Chief Personal Officer and senior engineers were also terminated. Tiwari said that the

File photo of the ISBT terminal in Guwahati recruitment process done in the past has created a chaotic

situation in the department. According to him, almost all the

ASTC earned over Rs 1 crore by selling advertisement space in 2017

ssam State Transport Corporation (ASTC) earned over Rs 1 crore from bus branding itself in 2017. A source in ASTC said, “By leasing out properties for advertisement space the corporation is trying to improve the revenue collection,” adding that many companies purchased advertising spaces available on ASTC run buses. Also, to generate revenue, ASTC signed agreements with Mercedes, Scania and Volvo for procuring high-end buses. Advertising spaces will be created even on those buses.

ASTC is procuring 175 Mercedes buses which will come within the next four months. Five Mercedes highend buses will reach Guwahati in January. 5 Volvo buses have already reached and will be launched soon. Scania is yet to decide on the number of buses which will be given to ASTC. The project has been undertaken on a 90:10 public private partnership (PPP) model where ASTC will get 10% of the revenue generated from the buses. In addition, the ad space revenues will be also calculated at the same

ratio. The cost of each bus is more than Rs 1.5 crores. The source revealed that the corporation has also leased out advertising space at various ASTC properties like Inter State Bus Terminus (ISBT) and small bus stations across the state to advertising agencies through proper tendering process. The revenue earned from the other properties is yet to be calculated. TV screens will be installed in all the ASTC buses to further create advertising space in a public private partnership (PPP) model. n

drivers entered the service after giving a bribe of minimum Rs

60,000 for contractual jobs. He said that 600 drivers were hired in 2015 out of which, according to the tests recently conducted, 342 drivers were not eligible for the posts. He said that he has requested the vigilance department to conduct an enquiry into all past anomalies in ASTC and the letter at present is with the home department. He added that many employees of ASTC were exploited since long therefore salaries were also hiked last year. Now no one gets less than Rs 8,500 as monthly salary in ASTC. Salaries of people drawing Rs 7,000 per month were hiked to Rs 10,500, Rs 8,000 was increased to Rs 12,500, Rs 10,000 was increased to Rs 15,500 and Rs 12,000 was n hiked to Rs 17,000.

ASTC staying digital since 2017

o develop the infrastructure of Assam State Transport Corporation (ASTC), the body started many digital projects in 2017. ASTC MD, AP Tiwari said, “As the corporation was failing to generate revenue because of various loopholes, e-vigilance of ticketing system, vehicle repairing and rent collection was required.” Bus break down management system started in October where entire inventory of repairing vehicles is managed online. It has started on a trial basis but will be mandatory from April 2018. The drivers are expected to submit the vehicle parts repairing requests online by sending messages from their mobile phones; the request is

processed online which helps in monitoring the expenses incurred in repairing vehicles. Similarly, online ticketing started and passengers can book tickets online through yatra.com and other travel websites. Works for smart ticketing has also started where the conductors of buses will be provided with a ticket printer and a smart card swipe machine. Every ticket will be connected with infra ray based unique identification number, the number of tickets sold can be easily identified. The tender was floated in mid 2017 and the process is in the final stage. 200 technical experts will be hired in January 2018 and by the middle of 2018 the project will start in all the ASTC run buses. n

Weather report for the week Guwahati

SUN

MON

TUE

WED

THU

FRI

Sunny

Mostly Sunny

Partly Cloudy

Sunny

22°/12° C

21°/11° C

23°/12° C

24°/14° C

SATURDAY Sunny

23°/11° C

City

G PLUS | Jan 06 - JAN 12, 2018

What will Guwahati get from GMC in 2018? Rahul Chanda rahul.chanda@g-plus.in

Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) claims it has initiated many projects this year which will improve the civic amenities for the public in Guwahati. Some of the projects which will be started and completed in 2018 are: tion – within 2018

As all streetlights are being maintained by the GMC in Guwahati, all the non-LED streetlights will be converted into LED streetlights within this year with a budget of Rs 10 crores.

Solar illumination of flyovers

File photo of the GMC office

Waste segregation at source To start from January 2018

From January 2018 the waste will be segregated at source and the 58 non government organisations (NGOs) are directed to collect dry and wet garbage separately from households. On Tuesdays and Fridays dry waste will be collected and transported to scrap yards and the scarp dealers will recycle it. On the other days the wet garbage will be collected and taken to the Boragaon compost plant. The compost plant has an intake capacity of 100 tonnes per day and manure production capacity of 10 tonnes per day.

Biomethanation plant at Chatribari Budget – Rs 1.5 crores Estimated date of completion – 31st March 2018

A biomethanation plant will be constructed at Chatribari near Borsola Beel for which the work order has been issued to a Hyderabad based company, Green Power System. The plant will convert all the hotel waste collected from the city into bio gas which will be used for generating electricity. The plant is expected to have an intake capacity of 5 tonnes per day. The budget of the project is Rs 1.5 crores and will be completed by 31st March 2018 according to GMC sources.

Organic waste converter at Bhangagarh Budget – Rs 48 lakhs Estimated date of completion – 28 February 2018

An organic waste converter will be constructed at Bhangagarh near Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) morgue to convert the organic wastes into manure. The intake capacity of the converter will

be 500 kg per day and manure production capacity will be 50 kg per day. The budget of the project is Rs 48 lakhs and is expected to be completed by 28th February 2018.

Bio-digester public toilets at Bhangagarh and Panbazar Budget – Rs 50 lakhs each Estimated time of completion – To start working within two months

The GMC, in a public private partnership (PPP) model, is constructing two bio-digester toilets with Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) designed digester tanks. NGO Akhil Bharatiya Evam Gramin Vikash Sanstha is assigned with the task. The project will be launched within two months as the work is ongoing. A few other public toilets are being constructed under corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative of Indian Oil at Six Mile, Jalukbari, Paltan Bazar and Fancy Bazar riverside. The budget of each toilet is Rs 30 lakhs according to a GMC source.

Air conditioned bus shelter at Panbazar Budget – Rs 40 lakhs Time of completion - within 2018

In another PPP model a company, Mahalakshmi Groups, is constructing an air conditioned bus shelter at Panbazar near Pani Tanki opposite Sukreswar Temple. There will be rooms for lactating mothers in the shelter. GMC is also identifying other spots in the city where similar bus shelters will be constructed.

LED streetlights Budget – Rs 10 crores Time of comple-

Budget – Rs 3 crores Time of completion – within 2018

Flyovers located at B Baruah Road, Panbazar and AT Road will be illuminated with solar powered streetlights under a PPP model. The firm, Maa Kamakhya, will complete the project and get advertising rights at the

flyovers.

De-siltation of city drains and river channels Budget – Rs 75 crores

To reduce artificial floods all the drains and river channels of the city will be de-silted before April 2018. The project will continue for three years with the budget of Rs 75 crores. n

City

G PLUS | Jan 06 - JAN 12, 2018

Traffic police cracks whip against errant drivers Avishek Sengupta avishek.sengupta@g-plus.in

n a crackdown against rash and drunken driving, the city traffic police have made a case for the cancellation of as many as 4,619 driving licenses which have been forwarded to the District Transport Office (DTO). This is over three times higher than the number of driving licenses forwarded for cancellation last year which stood at 1100 licenses. The demand for the cancellation of the driving licenses of recurring offenders and inebriated drivers had been a long pending demand from various civil societies over past few years. “This year, the traffic department was very strict against mixing drinking with driving, rash driving and usage of mobile phones while driving. These are the kind of cases, especially the rash driving in which the young men have met their end. The department had to be very strict to bring down those cases,” Amanjeet

Several police checkpoints were set up in the city on New Year’s eve running breathalyser tests | G Plus Photo Kaur, Kamrup (Metro) deputy commissioner of police told G Plus. Kaur claimed that usage of mobile phones while driving has gone down significantly although the total number of cases registered against

drunken and rash driving has increased. “More than 2000 mobile phone users were fined this year while almost 90% of the fourwheeler drivers fasten their seat belts while driving,” Kaur said. In the last five days

during the Christmas Eve, the department had apprehended 295 drinking and driving cases. However, according to a source in the DTO, not a single driving license has been cancelled so far in 2017. “Licenses have only been

suspended,” the official said. In terms of other traffic parameters such as fall in accident rates to collection of fines, the department has shown positive trends. The department registered a drop of 8% in terms of accidents in the city while fine collection saw a rise of 11% this year till November. Till the last month, there were 881 accidents out of which, 231 were fatal in which 254 persons died. In the rest of the 650 non-fatal cases, 677 persons were injured. In 2016, 1042 accidents occurred out of which, 258 were fatal that caused the death of 272 persons. In the rest 784 non-fatal cases, 821 persons got injured. In terms of fine collection, the department realised Rs 3,82,11,750 till last month which is a hike over last year’s figure of Rs 3,43,24,500 in 2016. This was realised through a total of 1,58,554 vehicles – 1,26,631 spot fine cases and 31,923 court cases. Out of the total cases that were fined, 5,792 were for drunken driving. Last year, the department had apprehended n 5,554 drivers.

Major Improvement in Traffic Management: DCP

he introduction of 200 additional personnel to assist its existing 218 constables last May has been a major boost in traffic management and enforcement of rules, DCP Amanjeet Kaur said. The department saw two other developments this year – introduction of friends of pedestrian programme and optimum utilisation of parking spaces. “Manning the various programmes has become easier

Not a single driving license has been cancelled so far in 2017. Licenses have only been suspended” DTO source

with the introduction of 200 youths in the department,” Kaur said. In the friends of pedestrians programme, traffic personnel assist people to cross roads in the locations with heavy vehicular movement. “On the roads, pedestrians are most prone to accidents. Also, in Guwahati, due to lack of many designated road crossing zones, it becomes necessary for the traffic personnel at some points to assist people while crossing. This initiative was started this year and has become a major hit among the people,” Kaur said. Regarding the regulation of parking lots, Kaur said, “The department had found out that several parking lots on the roads and shopping malls were charging extra from the people. We have divided the parking lots into divisions and assigned traffic personnel to check on the

File photo of Amanjeet Kaur, DCP, Guwahati Traffic Police parking lots regularly.” There are plans to introduce e-challans next year which had been in the pipeline since the last two years. “We have sent the proposal

to the state home department for introduction of e-challan system and it has been approved. We are hoping to introduce the system by 2018,” DCP Amanjeet Kaur said.

The e-challan is an electronic format of a regular challan, which is basically a receipt for payment or delivery. Besides enabling traffic offenders to pay fines by swiping debit or credit cards on the spot or online, it will also help the traffic police to maintain a database of traffic violations and keep track of habitual offenders. For e-challan, the department plans to begin with a few machines on trial basis. Currently only cities like Chennai, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Delhi, Vijayawada, Jalandhar, Mumbai, Chandigarh and Pune have the system. Envisaged as part of modernisation plan for better control of traffic in the city, the proposal to introduce the system was mooted in 2015 before the police commissionerate came into being. n

Ward Watch

G PLUS | Jan 06 - JAN 12, 2018

VIP Road: the ‘disconnected’ chunk of Guwahati Avishek Sengupta avishek.sengupta@g-plus.in

he rapid expansion of the city notwithstanding, residents living in the localities along the VIP Road feel “disconnected” due to lack of adequate transportation facilities. Only about 7-8 buses make their rounds every day from Narengi Tinali to Six Mile compelling a majority of the residents to take recourse to share taxis. The problem is most acute in the Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) Ward No 25, about three kilometres from Six Mile. “We need to wait at least 15-20 minutes every day for a public transport vehicle to travel to either Narengi Tinali or Six Mile. Despite having a fairly good road, there are very few vehicles, much lesser than the actual requirement, for this route. If one doesn’t possess a personal

People waiting for public transportation on VIP Road | G Plus Photo vehicle, going to the major hubs of activity where people from here need to commute for jobs is very difficult,” Sayantan

Debnath, a student residing at a rented house in Magzine, a locality of the area, said. The two-lane VIP road, that

Basic GMC amenities lacking: residents

hough repair works big trucks coming from the have started on the highway cause traffic jams here. VIP Road, patches are This has nothing to do with very often found with the well-being of the residents potholes resulting in diversion of traffic in the affected areas to a single lane, the residents Concentrated Area: VIP Road (25 B) complained. They also feel that GMC has been Ward No: 25 “reluctant” to provide Population of the Ward: 68,000 the basic enmities to them. Voter Population: 26,700 Their complaints include lack of potaPopulation of VIP Road: 7,350 ble water distribution, streetlights and Ward Councillor: Niranjan hazarika irregular garbage collection – the three basic services the department is supposed to provide. here. We are still battling for “The roads are being basic amenities,” Sudeep Nath, constructed because the a resident in Magzine said. He

added that while they are solely dependent on deep tube-wells, several houses have to purchase water regularly to meet their needs. Another resident, Swapan Medhi said “There are few areas along the VIP road where there are working streetlights. Most of the road remains dark except for the densely populated areas which again are mainly lit from the lights of roadside shops. But in the by-lanes, pitch black darkness descends at night.” Both Medhi and Nath said that residents have to dump the garbage at the GMC dustbin themselves due to the absence of a collection mechanism by the GMC. n

starts from Six Mile in Ward No 31 after passing through Chachal area enters Ward No 25 and then meanders through

the newly populated Borbari, Magzine, Vishu Nagar and Pathar Quarry. The road is linked to Mother Teresa Road at Narengi Tinali. But share taxis also have their own problems, as Suheli Choudhury, a student living in Vishnu Nagar, said. “Often, the share taxis remain overcrowded. They are supposed to ferry two persons in the front and eight more behind. But, quite often, these taxis are over-loaded.” The share taxi drivers, however, are of the view that they cannot afford to offer the service without ensuring that all passengers are on board. “Sometimes, we don’t find any passenger on the way. We cannot take the risk of getting more passengers on the way as we run on a low profit margin. So, seats only clear up if someone gets down along the way,” Munna Deka, a share taxi driver said. The fare for covering the eight kilometre stretch of VIP road per passenger is Rs 10. n

Councillor pitches for intervention of district administration

ouncillor Niranjan Hazarika alleged that the connectivity issue has been brought to the notice of the district administration. He was hopeful that more buses would soon be allotted on the route. “This had been a long pending demand of the residents. GMC is not concerned with the vehicular movement and so we want the district administration’s intervention,” Niranjan Hazarika, councillor of Ward No 25 said. On January 2 this year, the district administration had decided to revaluate the bus and share taxi routes in the city and to provide more vehicles if necessary to provide better connectivity throughout the city. Hazarika, a councillor of the

ruling BJP in the GMC council, however admitted that despite making several attempts he was falling short of providing basic amenities. “The NGOs are reluctant to go door-to-door as it is not a very densely populated area and they have to cover wider distances to collect garbage,” said Hazarika, adding that he had moved the council several times for installation of street lights. n

This had been a long pending demand of the residents. GMC is not concerned with the vehicular movement and so we want the district administration’s intervention” Niranjan Hazarika, councillor of Ward No 25

Look Back 2017

G PLUS | Jan 06 - JAN 12, 2018

Rest in Peace Notable people we bade Goodbye in 2017 Nehal Jain

iju Phukan (Actor) - The man who epitomised the expression of on-screen romance with his smile, left for his heavenly abode on 22nd November 2017. Celebrated Assamese cinema actor Biju Phukan passed away at a city hospital following a cardiac arrest. A legendary figure of Assamese cinema, Biju Phukan had played various roles in more than 80 films. His film journey started with Assamese thriller Dr Bezbarua in 1969, after which there was no looking back for him. He not only acted in Assamese films, but Bengali films as well. He was also a known name in stage acting. As the evergreen actor moved to a better world leaving behind a void that can never be filled, his contribution to Assamese film fraternity will certainly remain the roots that the upcoming generations will hold on to as ‘Axomiya’ identity.

bdul Majid (Film personality) – Veteran Assamese film and theatre personality Abdul Majid passed away on 24th September at the age of 86. Majid, a veteran actor, director and playwright, was admitted to the hospital on September 23. He died following a heart attack at GNRC hospital. Popularly known as Majidka, he was a prolific dramatist who performed a kaleidoscope of roles in over 200 plays and worked for promoting new talent. While Majid had made seven films in a span of 48 years, he also made over a dozen short films and documentaries, the most significant being one on Bahadur Gaonburha (real name Sheikh Bahdil). Majid, who had last served as Cultural Officer with Assam State Electricity Board (ASEB), also directed over 100 plays on the amateur stage and about 50 plays for mobile theatre groups, apart from acting in about 30 films and 200 stage plays.

idisha Bezbaruah (Actress) – Assamese actor and singer Bidisha Bezbaruah was found dead at her residence in Gurugram on 18th July. Bidisha, who was a well-known name in the Assamese film industry, was lauded for her brilliant performance in Xanto Xisto Hristo Pusto Mohadusto. She even anchored a few stage shows and shared the stage with popular singer Angarag Papon Mahanta during a Radio Mirchi event. A native of Assam and an alumnus of Indian Institute of Mass Communication, Bidisha had also featured in several TV shows, acted in plays and made a small appearance in a song sequence in Jagga Jasoos.

ima Sharma (Journalist) - In a tragic accident, journalist of a leading news channel, Rima Sharma passed away after a speeding truck hit her on GS Road in front of Dona Planet in Guwahati on the midnight of 26th August. Local people immediately rushed her to Guwahati Medical College Hospital (GMCH), but the team of doctors declared her dead soon after seeing the condition. While the truck fled the scene after hitting Sharma, it was identified and seized a week after the incident and the driver Golap Thakuria (38) was arrested by Bhangagarh Police. Prior to her last rites being performed at Navagraha, Rima was paid rich tributes at her work place and Guwahati Press Club. Various media organizations along with a number of civil society groups and individuals expressed shock at her tragic death.

adhika Mohan Bhagawati Bhagawati, veteran editor of Dainik newspaper, passed away Author of over including Raktajaba, Phool, he had translation other awards National Media Bhattacharyya Journalism Award Borooah Lifetime the first Republic the Assam government Media Trust, successor to of Journalism in Assam.

2017 was an emotional year of saying goodbye to beloved history makers from the worlds of entertainment, literature, journalism, politics and sports. As the year comes to an end, G Plus remembers the famous faces of Guwahati who passed away this year and looks back at their lives, careers and the lasting memories they left behind!

(Journalist) – Radhika Mohan Guwahati-based journalist and Asam, oldest Assamese daily on 30th September this year. a dozen Assamese books Ejan Raja Asil and Banariya won the Sahitya Akademi award in 1991, apart from like the Shiva Prasad Barooah Award (2009), Birendra Kumar Award (2009), the ‘Sadin’ (2015), RN Borooah & Pratibha Contribution Award (2016) and Day Journalism Award instituted by (2017). Bhagawati was also chairman of the Committee for Celebration of 150 Years

run Sarma (Writer) – Renowned Sahitya Akademi Award-winning Sarma died on 27th March at a in Delhi after a brief illness. Sarma, who was born in 1931 district, had written more than 50 in his career. He also won a including Padma Shri, Sahitya Assam Valley Literary award. Sarma was one of Assam’s playwrights, particularly known for his In 2005, Sarma designed, scripted and (sound-and-light show) describing the played daily at the Sankardeva Kalakshetra

playwright and novelist Arun private hospital in Dibrugarh plays and books number of awards, Academi award and contemporary unconventional plays. executed a son-et-lumiere history of Assam which is in Guwahati every evening.

olly Das (Folk singer) – Dolly Das, the globally renowned Assamese folk singer and researcher from Assam, passed away on December 13 at the age of 67. The noted singer had represented Assam on several international platforms. A great envoy of the folk music and culture of Northeast India to the outside world, Das specialized in ‘Kamrupiya Loksangeet’, ‘Gowalpariya Loksangeet’ and ‘Deh Bisar Geet’. Apart from having 75 audio and video folk music cassettes to her credit, Das has also written five books. Moreover, she was a regular artist at the Doordarshan Kendra, Guwahati and Doordarshan Kendra, Dibrugarh. Das was also actively associated with various social and cultural societies. Last October, the versatile singer was also conferred with the Vayashreshtha Samman Award by the Ministry of Social Justice and Employment. The award was presented by the President of India, Ramnath Kovind.

In The News

G PLUS | Jan 06 - JAN 12, 2018

New development initiatives for Govt schools on the cards ceived information about the schools which lack infrastructure and which have teacher shortage. We will be resolving these issues at the earliest,” said Gogoi. 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. Students between classes 2 and 8 of all primary schools in the district were assessed under the initiative. In Kamrup (Metro), only 18 schools were graded as A+, while 14 scored the A grade and 142 schools were given B grade. As many as 54,837

Saumya Mishra saumya.mishra@g-plus.in

ith the beginning of the New Year, schools in the city are set to see the implementation of a slew of development initiatives to improve the overall education scenario of government schools in Guwahati. According to some officials, government schools will see an increased focus on supporting differently abled children, capacity building of teachers through training sessions and improving the quality of education by focussing on the results of Gunotsav.

Differently-abled students to be provided with additional support

The government has decided to conduct continuous medical assessment camps for differently abled students in Guwahati. It is estimated that the programme will cover a total of 916 differently abled students between the ages of 6 and 14 in the district. Further, in order to emphasise on inclusive education, teachers’ training on “curriculum adaptation” will be conducted by March this year which will involve preparing and teaching the school curriculum with a balanced approach to include all learners in the classroom. The objective would be not to leave out any student for their disabilities. Kamrup (Metro) district resource person for inclusive education, Suranjana Goswami said, “Teachers need to be made more aware about the learning needs of differently abled children. For this, all teachers across the district will be trained in Braille. They will also learn to develop suitable study material for all students.” She added that parents’ communities and special support groups have also been constituted for differently abled students. Officials further informed that at present there were a total of 15 resource persons for inclusive education for providing home support to children with special needs.

The TC School building in Guwahati Club lying in shambles| G Plus Photo In terms of infrastructural development for differently abled students, all schools in Kamrup (Metro) have been equipped with ramps and handles. The infrastructure work would be reviewed regularly and upgraded as per the need, said officials.

Strengthening of special residential training centres

The government has plans to strengthen the existing 128 non-residential special training centres (NRSTC) in the city. In addition to the NRSTC, the district (Kamrup Metro) has one residential special training centre (RSTC) at Hatigaon with a capacity of 100 students. These centres provide formal education and support to children aged between 6 and 14 years, who are not enrolled in schools comprising mostly of child labourers and orphans. “There are a lot of children who either drop out of school or have never been enrolled in one. For this, we are planning to add more students in these centres and increase their capacity,” said Kamrup (Metro) district elementary education officer, Buli Gogoi. After receiving education in these centres for a year, students are then enrolled in government schools. Further, the department has also decided to build the capacity of teachers by conducting a three-day non residential teachers’ training on “learning outcomes” in January. Under this, resource persons will cover every subject in order to improve the quality of teaching in schools.

Total differently abled students in Kamrup (M)

The facts in figures

916 2847 168 708 128 Total primary teachers in Kamrup (M)

Teachers recruited after Gunotsav

Total primary schools in Kamrup (M)

Total non-residential special training centres

Schools to focus on Gunotsav result

After the result of the first phase of Gunotsav was announced for Kamrup (Metro) district, officials said that they have been able to identify the deficiencies in the different schools. Around 75 per cent primary schools in the Kamrup (Metro) district have scored low grades in the first phase of Gunotsav which is an initiative of the state government which aims at improving the overall quality of education in primary schools. Officials informed that remedial classes were conducted for students who had scored C and D grades. “Through Gunotsav, we re-

students were evaluated in the district on their academic as well as extra-curricular performance. The second phase of the initiative will be conducted in the district in March and the authorities are hoping to attain a better result in this phase. Officials also said that after the first phase, it was found that 61 primary schools were running on single teachers in the district. However currently out of these, 42 schools have been provided with one additional teacher. Further, 168 primary teachers were appointed in the district after the first phase of Guntosav, taking the total primary teachers in Kamrup (Metro) to 2847 in 708 schools. n

City

G PLUS | Jan 06 - JAN 12, 2018

DTO targets Rs 180 Cr in revenues by April 2018 Avishek Sengupta avishek.sengupta@g-plus.in

he District Transport Office (DTO) is hopeful of earning at least 90% of the targeted revenue of Rs 200 crores by the end of the current financial year. The DTO is upbeat since it has already earned Rs 113.06 crores till November which amounts to 56% of the target. “Even if the department earns at an average rate of Rs 14.13 crores per month, by the financial year end, we will earn around Rs 170 crores. We are hoping to boost the numbers by another Rs 10 crores to achieve Rs 180 crores this year,” Prasant Kumar Ghosh, District Transport Officer of Kamrup (Metro) told G Plus. The revenue comes from motor vehicle tax of both commercial and personal

Breakdown of DTO revenue collection under various heads in 2017-18 and comparison with last year Motor Vehicle tax Month

Commercial vehicle

Private vehicle

Road Safety cess

Fees

HSRP Royalty

Dealer Point Collection

Total collection (2017-18)

Last year month wise collection

April

6,07,48,171

1,63,20,671

2,83,401

87,23,987

6,92,503

34,008

7,43,65,956

16,11,68,697

12,27,65,263

May

2,52,21,111

1,47,93,887

2,10,245

91,19,165

21,27,297

24,627

7,36,54,151

12,51,50,483

10,59,92,894

June

3,89,23,486

1,02,30,672

1,46,439

85,37,580

18,72,482

27,292

8,89,61,056

14,86,99,007

11,74,69,507

July

4,52,83,369

99,61,636

1,15,750

97,11,455

80,083

21,866

6,82,04,393

13,41,09,652

12,14,20,673

August

2,33,68,964

97,47,337

1,22,059

1,02,15,790

4,80,591

22,728

7,22,77,959

11,62,35,428

8,91,72,570

September

2,75,00,422

57,26,036

1,02,992

76,45,895

3,80,853

22,719

10,94,79,965

15,08,58,882

12,06,45,316

Oct

4,67,24,079

65,25,473

1,21,880

91,07,909

5,77,297

19,189

8,49,62,965

14,80,38,168

11,18,46,661

Nov

3,61,08,382

1,20,48,984

2,06,997

1,20,45,190

5,35,281

25,049

8,53,91,553

14,62,61,436

8,04,08,818

Total

30,38,77,934

8,53,54,696

13,09,763

7,51,06,971

74,77,487

1,97,478

65,72,97,374

113,06,21,753

86,97,21,702

vehicles, arrears on motor vehicle tax, road safety cess, arrear tax, royalty for high security registration plates, fees on driving license and collection from dealer points. While the department

earned the highest revenue through collection from dealers which stood at Rs 65.72 crores, followed by Rs 30.38 crores from motor vehicle tax from commercial vehicles; tax from personal vehicles yielded

Cracking the whip on brokers

n a bid to thwart the interference of brokers in the registration and licensing process in lieu of commissions, the department has made registration strictly for “applicants only.” “Now, only the applicant will have to apply for registration. If somehow the applicant cannot come, he can send a representative but that person can only make one application. Earlier, the middlemen used to submit two or three forms and earn commissions. This has gone down to a large extent,” Ghosh said. Like several other government departments, the DTO used to be a breeding ground of brokers who would claim to have “connections” within the DTO and get the registration done at a lot lesser time. Biswajit Daimary, a city-

Arrear tax

DTO office Guwahati | G Plus Photo based businessman, said that he was once cheated by the brokers off Rs 3000 for registering his vehicle. “I was told that normal procedure will take more time and I need to grease the officials to get the registration done. I had no other option but to believe and apply. But recently, when I came for a family member’s vehicle registration, it was completed within three days without any pay off. The only hassle was to stand in the queue,”

Daimary added. According to sources in the DTO, the cases of change of registration name of a vehicle on the occasion of second hand car purchase are the most lucrative situations for the brokers. “They (brokers) put a scare into those who want to change the registration name saying the car is not of good condition to be registered or the prospective owners don’t have the required documents. These activities are still happening in the office,” the source said. When contacted, the DTO said that he is aware of the phenomenon and will take action very soon. “The DTO will be a completely broker-free department by 2018. We are planning on taking a number of initiatives to ensure the same this year,” Ghosh said. n

Rs 8.53 crores. It earned Rs 7.51 crores as driving license fees, Rs 1.97 crores through HSRP royalty, Rs 74.77 lakhs as arrear tax and Rs 13.09 lakhs as road safety cess. “If the target is met, this

would be the highest revenue collection by the department so far. Also, the department will become the third highest revenue earning department following the tax department n and excise,” Ghosh said.

Lesser vehicles registered

he surge in the revenue collection however is not at the cost of adding more vehicles on the already congested city roads. In the current financial year, there was a drop of about 6 percent in the purchase of vehicles to 40,054 from the previous year’s 42,665. In the last financial year, a total of 62,281 vehicles were registered by the DTO of which 8,057 were commercial vehicles. The decrease was attributed to lesser registration of commercial vehicles. “The department had found out that of the city’s major traffic load, most are commercial vehicles. We wanted to check that and provided the commercial registrations very judiciously,” Ghosh, said.

887 commercial cars that include the app operated vehicles and the share taxis were registered this year. “Off the registered, most are share taxis that replaced the outdated trekkers in the city. These don’t add much to the traffic as these ply on a definite route. App operated taxis didn’t see much surge as the roads are already overburdened with them,” Ghosh said. The number of heavy vehicles such as goods carrying trucks and buses, however, has gone up from 1,428 in the last financial year to 1,654 in the first eight months of this year. Out of the total registered this financial year, the city saw a surge of personal vehicles. 23,542 light motor vehicles (LMV) and 11,427 motorcycles were purchased. n

G PLUS | Jan 06 - JAN 12, 2018

City

G PLUS | Jan 06 - JAN 12, 2018

Tourist spots see surge of visitors, but lack proper maintenance Like every year, major tourist spots across the city saw a surge in the number of visitors on January 1 this year. However, many tourist attractions in Guwahati are ill-equipped in terms of infrastructural facilities and lack proper maintenance Saumya Mishra saumya.mishra@g-plus.in

Assam State Zoo cum Botanical Garden

The zoo is one of the key tourist attractions in the city and draws a large crowd throughout the year. However, the footfall of visitors increases manifold during the first week of January. According to the zoo authorities, this year 15,174 people visited the place on January 1 and the total revenue collected was Rs 4,36,360. The authorities are expecting the number of visitors to further increase throughout the next week and during the weekend. However, the number of visitors declined this year as compared to the previous year’s figure of 20,280. In 2017, in total revenue of Rs 5,55,700 was generated on January 1. The zoo authorities attributed the comparatively lower crowd this year to the first draft of National Register of Citizens (NRC) which was declared on the same day. However, locals feel that the place needs better maintenance. “I have been living in Guwahati since my childhood and have visited here numerous times. But now the number of animals has gone down and with the constant rise in the number of tourists, the place is not being maintained appropriately,” said Sanjay Dey, a student and resident of Guwahati. However, zoo officials in-

NRC Dispur, the first super-speciality hospital in North East India, observed the 32nd anniversary of its establishment and mission of caring for the community at its campus on January 5, Friday. To commemorate the occasion, Dr Nomal Chandra Borah, Chairman-cum-Managing Director of GNRC, elucidated steps taken by him and his team to address the multi-dimensional challenge of providing quali-

Srimanta Sankardev Kalakhetra, Regional Science Centre and the Assam State Zoo (L-R) were packed on 1st January | G Plus Photo formed that renovation and infrastructure works have been planned and will begin soon. “We will begin different infrastructural development projects very soon for which the state government has already sanctioned funds. Under this footpaths will be made, renovation of quarters will take place, toilets and barricades will be made,” said botanist and public relations officer of the zoo, Aparajita Borbora. She further added that the authorities take the help of some local NGOs and Scouts & Guides in order to manage the steep rise in the crowd during the first few weeks of January every year.

Srimanta Sankaradeva Kalakshetra

Srimanta Sankaradeva Kalakshetra is a cultural institution which showcases the cultural heritage of Assam and the Northeast, and it is frequented

by hundreds of tourists on a regular basis. This year on January 1, the institute saw a total footfall of 9,698 visitors. Further, Rs 2,59, 620 was generated as revenue on that day. Authorities said that they have seen an increasing trend in the total tourists every year in January. In 2017, as many as 7,461 people visited Kalakshetra on January 1 while Rs 1,98, 630 was collected as revenue. However, the stinking and ill-maintained toilets in the campus have marred the overall aesthetics of the place. “It is a beautiful place to visit in the city but more efforts should be made to maintain the washrooms. I could not enter the washroom because of the strong stench and water which was continuously flowing from the tap of the sink,” said a visitor, Nikhil Kumar. On the other hand, admin-

istrative official at Kalakshetra, Jaleshwar Barman, said that the toilets are cleaned twice a day and the institute has hired four sweepers for the same. Authorities put the blame on the increasing number of tourists and say that they need to have a better sense of hygiene and cleanliness.

Regional Science Centre

The regional science centre situated in Khanapara saw more than 9,000 visitors on January 1 this year as compared to 8,000 in 2017. The total revenue collected on January 1 this year was Rs 1,86,000 in comparison to Rs 1,80,000 the previous year. Speaking about the preparations to manage the upkeep of the place, Basudev Mandal, in-charge of the museum said that they start preparing for the maintenance and repair works well in advance.

“Since we usually expect a large number of people in the first week, we begin painting works at least a month in advance. We also ensure that all the facilities inside the science centre are in working condition,” he said. He added that people don’t just visit the science centre for educational purpose, but also from the point of view of entertainment and the authorities have to cater to both the needs of the visitors. The regional science centre is a popular tourist destination among the locals of the city. It offers a wide variety of experiences for science enthusiasts and also for students and tourists. It houses several attractions such as the digital planetarium, science magic show, 3D show and sky observation. Officials said that apart from local visitors and students they see many tourists as well throughout the year. “Tourists from West Bengal or South India who come to Guwahati, especially to visit Kamakhya Temple, also visit the science centre.” The authorities have recently developed a picnic spot inside the premises where people from nearby areas can come for a picnic and avail the facility. It can accommodate up to six picnic groups at a time. The spot is equipped with cooking facilities, running water, garbage dumping and other facilities. n

GNRC celebrates 32nd Foundation Day ty healthcare - providing humane intent, equitable practices and building trust. He also welcomed and felicitated the guests of honour - eminent senior journalist Prakash Mahanta, renowned TV personality Maini Mahanta and prolific writer Manikuntala Bhattacharya. The event also witnessed the launch of the 2018 calendar, profiling individuals treated at GNRC hospitals along with the screening of video testimonials of 12 patients. These individuals

narrated their experiences at the hospital. On the occasion, Dr Borah also felicitated the best employees of the hospital. He added, “I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to all my colleagues, media in Assam and every member of the community in helping us progress towards our vision. This journey would not have been possible without the continuous efforts and dedication shown by the entire GNRC family.” n

Feature

G PLUS | Jan 06 - JAN 12, 2018

Resolutions 2018 Siddhartha Bhattacharya, MLA, Guwahati East My resolution for this year is to resolve the pending grievances of the people of the state.

Mukesh Sahay, DGP, Assam My resolution is to serve the nation, state and its people tirelessly with a smile. I wish everyone a happy, safe, healthy, peaceful and prosperous 2018.

Monalisa Goswami, GMC Commissioner I want to put my efforts to give a clean and better city to everybody. I dream of a city which people from outside would like to visit again and again. On my personal front, I would like to release my stress a little this year and concentrate more on my physical and mental health.

Rajib Prakash Baruah Director, DIPR My one point agenda is to clear up all the controversies about DIPR and streamline the department. I also want to improve the relation of the department with the public and build a rapport between the government and the public.

Wasbir Hussain, Chief Editorial Advisor, North East Live This year I want to come up with a good and credible media channel that would fill the void of a professional English media house in the region. I look forward to build a channel that could be the voice of the entire North East region.

Nishant Bordoloi, Fitness Trainer for Ranji Trophy team My resolution for this year is definitely to give shape to the Nishant Bordoloi Sports and Fitness Centre for the differently-abled in Guwahati. This had been a long pending dream of mine to see youths from Assam participating in the Paralympics. Even though they have the talent, most of them cannot compete mostly due to lack of confidence and training. I hope that I come up with this project by this year and give wings to their dreams.

Mrigen Sarania, Mayor, GMC Cleanliness and beautification of Guwahati city is one of the prime aspects I am working on this year. To ease the problems faced by the citizens as well as commuters who visit the city, public toilets will be constructed at locations where no such facility is available.

Hiren Nath, Commissioner of Police My resolution this year is to make the police more responsive and increase police-public interface. I need to improve infrastructure of police stations.

Partha Sarathi Mahanta, SP, Kamrup (R) My New Year resolution is to GO GREEN. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve never experienced a warmer 31st night. I shall motivate people to plant as many trees as possible.

Prateek Hajela, NRC, State Coordinator My resolution is to complete the verification of remaining applicants and come up with an error-free NRC.

Miguel Das Queah, Founder, UTSAH Child Rights Org 2018 sounds exciting as there are a lot of new projects and collaborations in the offing. I plan to scale my work, upgrade organizational support services and reach to more and more vulnerable children all over Assam. Personally, I have decided to control my anger issues, keep up with my social commitments, and be more patient as a person.

Zublee Baruah, Singer I would love to be a part in doing anything and everything for the betterment of our people and society. Wishing all my well wishers the most positive and peaceful year ahead. Be blessed with wisdom, love, happiness and prosperity.

14 E

G Talk D

G PLUS | Jan 06 - JAN 12, 2018

Being NRC +ve and -ve

The man of the week is of course Prateek Hajela, Coordinator of the National Register of Citizens or NRC as we have become used to saying. A task of gargantuan proportions that was assigned to him has finally seen the light of the day. Yes, it is woefully incomplete to the extent that some “verification pending” situations have turned out to be comical. For example, the ever potent CM threat, Badruddin Ajmal, is missing from the NRC. That’s at the top political rung. On our more familiar terra firma, a lady who happens to be a former DIGs daughter married to an established businessman is the single person missing from the 8 other family members of her husband. Yes, to her embarrassment, her sister-in-law (husband’s brother’s wife) figures in the list too. Only her verification is pending. Fun apart, the NRC publication process has been an astounding exercise in sincerity and dedication. Given the limited evidence in terms of legacy data and family trees available or that could be provided by the various “citizens”, the publication of the draft NRC is a laudable step. However, the timing of

its publication, or rather its first draft, appears to have been an error if not a blunder especially with just 60% of the work being complete. Certain affected (read NRC negative people) quarters are understandably filled with anxiety and speculation over their future is rife. After all, citizenship has long been a very sensitive issue in Assam. Also, we must not forget that the state government has been virtually bulldozed by the Supreme Court into publishing the part draft; something that it was not quite keen to do fearing repercussions. The NRC updation process has been done in the letter rather than the spirit of the rules laid down which is obviously the correct thing to do and has been purely based on document verification. This might just be the reason why some of these well known citizens have been left out. The “My name is not there – what now?” factor is one thing that will prove worrisome and it would be prudent for the government to tread cautiously in the days to come exercising its public relations with compassion. Swapnil Bharali Editor

Living in Media in 2018

f you thought women were the only ones ‘faking it’, think again. Turns out that mainstream media hit an all time high for faking it in 2017. The year gone by and the years to come will be the most exciting times to live in and work in the mediascape. I would not choose for a better time to be in media because, one, the number of publishers have grown exponentially, independent and large organizations both. There are publishers with 100 year old legacies who are getting into digital publication and then are people operating out of a basement with a smartphone and a 4G connection. Second, is that new publishers are not shying away from clobbering each other in big bold headlines. For instance, alternate media houses like The Wire, The Print and Alt News have set their eyes on mainstream media like Republic TV, Aaj Tak, India Today, Times of India, Zee News among other channels and this has gained massive attention from the readers at large. Readers always were fed up of Aaj Tak’s stories about supernatural discoveries and ghosts, but they had no option because there was no other source of content. But alternative media has shown the way forward. The third point is that, creating and curating content has become much simpler. There is no distinction between ‘news’ and ‘content’ because the end goal for both is consumption. News had moved from Print to TV and now from Facebook and Twitter, has trickled into Instagram and WhatsApp. This also comes from the fact that creating content has changed from an industrial set up to a smartphone and a selfie stick set up. Publishers have discovered that there is an audience everywhere; all it needs is the right direction. SIDHARTH BEDI VARMA

Passion, dedication and patriotism

ainters of all hues and shades paint this earth in their own individual styles and leave behind a plethora of impressions – some loud and some subtle, some bright and some dark, some temporarily touches our sensibilities, some leave a deep impression in our minds and society. In Assam, since the late seventies, our paint canvas has been splashed with the color of nationalism in various shades and doses, quite often than not, catapulting the smart (but not necessarily the best) painters into a different league altogether- a league for the privileged few, a league which is characterized by sycophancy, opaqueness, corruption, greed and vice. These painters managed to hog all the limelight and the masses blindly lapped them up, without ever realizing that the very canvas in which the colors were sprayed was weak, thin and transparent – unable to hold up the colors for long, that it would fade fast and leave behind only a sore patch. Unfortunately these very painters became the standard to emulate for the young brigade of upcoming painters who had no qualms

to achieve what they wanted, often stampeding the weak and basking in borrowed fame. However, amidst all the gloom, there were off course a negligible few painters who had the intellect, the ability, the passion, the perseverance, the dogged determination and above all an immeasurable pride in the state, who painted in permanent canvases, who took their time to paint masterpieces which would stand the test of time. One such silent painter successfully conquered various styles of painting with his bold and sometimes audacious strokes. He happens to wear many hats – an educationist, a brilliant engineer, an environment crusader, a social worker, a dog lover, an entrepreneur

O p i n i o n Bhaskar J Barua

interests of the downstream areas of the river and which would preserve and nurture the ecological balance. He gleefully parted with most of his fortune which he had accumulated over the decades through his entrepreneurial abilities, to thwart of the imminent threat to the river and the people of Assam - never once bowing down to the immense pressure tactics and financial prowess and might of the Government. His firm conviction on his own ideals and his indomitable spirit managed to ward of all obstacles on the way. This man however is not one to rest on singular laurels. Simultaneously, he and his trusted lieutenants took up the cudgels on behalf of the state in the Supreme Court on the issue of the NRC and fought tooth and nail over an extended period of time to ensure that the entire process (sought to be hijacked and defaced by the political parties) was executed under the supervision of the highest court of the land. It is only due to the vision, wisdom and dedication of this man that today the entire state is basking in the glory of the publication of the first list of NRC. There are many unfinished canvases in his gallery that are eagerly awaiting his final strokes before they are made public to the audience. Till such time, let us all salute this giant n of a man – Mr PK Bhuyan.

Bhuyan and his trusted lieutenants took up the cudgels on behalf of the state in the Supreme Court on the issue of the NRC and fought tooth and nail over an extended period of time to ensure that the entire process was executed under the supervision of the highest court of the land.

par excellence and above all a true patriot. This young man of 85 years of age, a graduate in Structural Engineering from IIT Kharagpur, had the audacity to prove to the world that the battery of engineers employed by a large PSU like NHPC had erred in designing the mega dam over the Lower Subansiri which would spell disaster for the people of Assam. He successfully fought in the Green Tribunal and presented an alternate design for the dam which would be in the larger

r‘No eve teasing case’

Bhaskar J Barua is an engineer turned wildlife photographer, birder and wildlife tour operator. He operates the Agoratoli Resort at Kaziranga.

Letter to the Editor

t was recently reported in your esteemed weekly that no case of eve teasing was registered in the city. It is great to see the city taking strides in the right direction. At a time when the newspapers and channels remain flooded with crime-related news especially with respect to women, it is heartening to witness Guwahati proudly showing the way to metropolitan states in respecting women. The police needs to be commended for its continuous initiatives in this regard for achieving this feat which probably makes Guwahati the first city in the country to register no complaints against eve teasing. However, we must not forget that other crimes against women in the city as well as the state still need to be controlled and the citizens, police and all stakeholders must work together to achieve this. Surekha Chakraborty Gandhi Basti, Guwahati

In Focus

G PLUS | Jan 06 - JAN 12, 2018

Sabuj Saikia

Innovator

abuj Saikia is a prodigious young innovator from Guwahati whose innovations have gained him international recognition at a very young age. Born in Golaghat, Assam, Sabuj started his preliminary education from Sacred Heart Montessori School, Tezpur after which he shifted to Guwahati for further education. He’s currently a Class XII student of Maharishi Vidya Mandir Senior Secondary School, Silpukhuri where he’s pursuing Science stream. Ever since childhood, Sabuj has had the urge to innovate but he got the push to pursue it as a career after he was awarded the first prize at a science exhibition conducted at school. Sabuj Saikia, along with his friend Kaustav Moni Malakar, was recently bestowed with the Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Ignite Award 2017 for developing a ‘Foot operated tea making machine for the speciallyabled’ in a bid to make life of people with upper limb paralysis

or injury easier. Talking to G Plus about the ideation of the foot operated tea making machine, innovator Sabuj said, “We noticed that there are quite a few assistive aids to help the specially-abled to move around, but hardly anything to equip them financially. Since tea is widely consumed in Assam and generates income for many, we came up with a mechanical design of a tea making machine that can give full freedom to the speciallyabled to control each and every step required to make tea starting from washing the utensil to cleaning the residual tea leaves left after making tea.” He further informed that the current prototype has the facility to prepare two varieties of tea for the customer and they’re planning to disclose the final product by the end of 2018, when it shall be made commercially available. He’s hopeful that the government would extend support to enable people with disabilities to live with dignity.

Earlier, he invented an energy producing device which requires just 0.4 litres of water that was recognised by the research

by reputed institutes, including IDEATHLON 2017 that further led to his selection for Nobel Prize Series conducted by Ministry of Science & Technology in the same year. Sabuj informed G Plus that there are a lot of projects in the pipeline. “Currently, I’m working along with a friend on the drainage system to find out a permanent solution to problems leading to flood in the State.”

Sabuj Saikia receiving the IGNITE 2017 award from former President of India Pranab Mukherjee

associate of IIT GHY fuel cell department and made him win many prestigious national level science exhibitions conducted

Sabuj is also associated with robotics and has won laurels in the sector. The young robotics enthusiast won the national level

of World Robotics Championship 2016 and represented India at the international level in Open Senior High category under the theme ‘Rap the Scrap’. He also won in 20kg Robowars conducted by SMIT recently. He feels that he has found his career path since innovating is where his interest truly lies. He says, “Innovation doesn’t require educational qualification. Rather, it requires an understanding of the problems and keen interest in finding its solution.” He also wishes to do research works in the field of Physics and Energy and open a start up to showcase his innovations. Talking about the difficulties and challenges along the way, Sabuj told G Plus, “The biggest challenge that people of my age face in the field of innovation is the harsh criticism from the society. Mental support is the most important thing needed to excel in fields that are different from the mainstream and people need to understand that.” Sabuj considers ace innovator Uddhab Bharali and Elon Musk as his greatest inspirations. He wishes to achieve more success in the coming years by working towards the betterment of the society and the environment we live in at the same time.

Given Guwahati’s chaotic traffic and seeming lack of traffic from all and sundry will the No-Horn campaign help in making the situation better? Suraj Kr Singha Not only the riders or drivers of Guwahati but also the common public/ pedestrians should also know some basic traffic rules like when to cross or how to cross a road. Only then it becomes a no-honking situation in true sense. The level of noise pollution it creates is one of the important concerns. Recently the government has put up a fence of tin on the middle of the highway and as usual people jump from there and cross the fence and it becomes rarely visible at night for a person driving to see if a person is crossing or not, and sometimes people jump from nowhere and it becomes a big trouble that’s where we need to constantly honk. And recently a Scooty rider died because of that. So immediate measures should be taken there also for safety concerns. MonalisaChakravarty Baruah This is the one thing that is a must need for the city. People in Guwahati stand in traffic as if some party is going on and the riders are seen enjoying. When someone is given a driving license please ensure that they get proper traffic maintenance training also. Guwahati’s traffic is horrible and proper management needs to be done immediately. One should go through the number of accidents that happen every day and the number of people who lose their lives. Prasun Shome More than the Government it’s the mentality of the Guwahatians that has to change which to me looks like a difficult task. Difficult but not impossible though. People should understand the problems of other people by keeping themselves in others’ places. Hoping at least one section of the society tries rising up to the occasion. As for me, whenever I am in Guwahati next, will try to honk less than I generally do.

Manas Protim Its totally wrong decision without looking at all parameters. It has come out of some silly mind who thinks ‘No Honking’ will help. First mend the things which lead to honking; after that is resolved go for “no-honking”. It’s just an eye-wash rule put in place. People don’t even know when to use upper and dipper and if no honking is imposed then I feel people will face more difficulty in driving. Nirupam Deka Only keeping horn off will not work, people should know where to walk and where to stand by near a busy road. People should be aware of other vehicles on the road too. We cannot brake every second to let people walk one by one in the middle of a busy road. People should also have common sense and act accordingly so that no incidents happen in a busy road especially in evening time in city. Tridib Dutta Good initiative by the government. But how are you going to warn the morons who cross the road at their own whims and fancies irrespective of the speed of the vehicle on road. People have become so fearless that they jump in front of any moving vehicle without any fear. My request is please ban high beams within city limits; 90% of Guwahati drives with high beam on and it makes driving difficult. Kartik Nath This is a good move by government. The government should take more such steps and some strict action against people who break them because Guwahati is expanding very fast and if strict action is not taken it will be a horrible situation in future. I support this!

Feature

G PLUS | Jan 06 - JAN 12, 2018

Mothers Old Age Home – A happy resort for the neglected elderly G Plus covers the grand social work being done by young Utpal Harshvardhan and Monica Sharma, the selfless care-givers at Mothers Old Age Home in lighting up the greying years of the region’s elderly homeless Chandrika Das

drive through Pub Jyotinagar, Bamunimaidan leads one to perhaps the happiest “home” in the city – Mothers Old Age Home - a last resort to many elderly people. The three storey building, which otherwise is ‘just another house’ in the lane, has over the years become the home for many aged people. They have been coerced by circumstances of life to live away from their family environs; some are plain destitutes while others have raised children to be successful NRIs. Among these ageing faces are two youngsters, Utpal Harshavardhan and Monica Sharma, who have devoted their lives to provide this home to their “grandparents or aitas and kokas.” 36-year-old Utpal and 27 year-old Monica are the humble but sturdy pillars of the old age home; they are virtually family to the aged residents and are living epitomes of patience. To give up on the luxuries of life and to leave behind jobs that fed well not only requires courage but also humanity. Monica is currently pursuing her Masters and Utpal devotes his full time to the old age home. Before starting the shelter home, Utpal was temporarily employed with Gauhati Medical College & Hospital. Mothers Old Age Home was established on 21st June 2012, with one elderly male inmate. The old age home was first opened at Jayanta Nagar, New Guwahati, and then shifted to Ganesh Nagar of the same locality. With space falling short, the old age home had to be further shifted to Pub Jyotinagar. “Lack of space is

the biggest problem that we are facing. We have faced many hard days, with these elderly people on board. We need to vacate the house whenever the landlord asks us to. Shifting places with these ailing old people is very difficult,” says Monica. With most of them shunned and abandoned by their families, the senior citizens face the prospect of a lonely death. Often, these people are reluctant to go back to their homes which they built for their children. “People pray to be blessed with children only to face

neglect during their twilight years,” say the residents in unison. The old age home tells a sordid tale of neglect by families, the lack of care and affection faced by parents who have outlived their utility to their children. Hudu Rabha was left on the streets of Guwahati by her own son who had brought her on the pretext of showing the city’s puja celebrations. He left her behind on the streets. When asked of her memories of her son, she said, “I consider that my son is no more in my world.” Dulal Dutta of Majuli has another heart-wrenching story. Dutta was temporarily employed with India Post. As life transpired, he lost his farms to floods, his land and property was taken away by his relatives and his forced him out of his own house. For lack of a better option, he took shelter

in a public toilet near Majuli Satra and spent one year of his life there. With a sparkle in his eyes that reflected his zeal to live and as he happily held Utpal’s hand, Dutta said, “It is a rebirth for me here. This place is now my home till my death.” For yet another story, the son (who is a doctor in Dubai) of an elderly lady from Ambikagiri Nagar, Guwahati

refused to take care of his mother and sent her out of home. Her daughterin-law even warned her not to contact her son for any requirements. There are situations however, where life plays strange games and Mothers Old Age Home has worked out as temple of survival. A lady with Alzheimer recently lost her husband; their only son who has long been an NRI with strings attached to his adopted country that simply cannot be snapped, had no other option but to place his widowed mother in the Home. Last seen, the mother was glowing with happiness in her new surroundings. Well, dejection seems to be a thing of the past for these

elders. It is only unpretentious happiness that pervades. Mothers Old

Age Home has its residents placed in two different buildings in close proximity to each other. One is primarily occupied by people suffering from dementia, Alzheimer, diabetes, blood pressure etc. “We need to keep a lot of patience with the ill residents here. We need to keep an eye on them round the clock. The Alzheimer patients do not understand anything, they will even eat a soap believing that its’s a sweet,” Monica

said. A normal day at the Home would find the aged inmates having tea together, basking in the sun while reading newspapers over conversations and having meals together as they all grow older within their large family miles away from the families they’ve raised.

Today, the Home has a decent existence with cooperation of the people and the blessings of the elderly. Lions Club of Guwahati and Rotary Club of Guwahati are two organisations that extend regular financial help to the Home. 11 families out of the 66 inmates donate regularly.

Shankardev Netralaya and Guwahati Eye Hospital take responsibility of the inmates with sight problems. All eye surgeries, if required of these inmates, are done free of cost in these two hospitals. Dr Munin Medhi of Mangaldoi Civil Hospital and Dr Ramen Talukdar of Guwahati Medical College have also taken responsibility for the treatment of the inmates. When asked about government help, Utpal said, “We do not get any such help from the government. A former social welfare minister once donated Rs 3 lakhs by a cheque but it bounced due to insufficient funds.” Over the years, Mothers Old Age Home has seen as many as 30 deaths. Giving yeoman service to the society with selflessness of divine intensity, Utpal and Monica are like a ray of hope and are asked by the residents to perform the last rites of the dead. The two strongly believe that it’s the love and blessings of the aged people that the Home is a cheerful place today. The journey which once seemed toughhas smoothened out. n

Trotter

G PLUS | Jan 06 - JAN 12, 2018

Tired of waiting, passenger uses emergency exit, sits on wing

he passenger of a Ryanair flight from London to Malaga in southern Spain, apparently tired of waiting inside the plane on arrival, got out and sat on the wing, a

witness and the airline said Wednesday.”We had been waiting around half-an-hour to get out of the plane,” Fernando del Valle, another passenger, told of the incident on Monday evening. “The man calmly went to the emergency exit, pulled the mechanism to open the door, looked out, came back to get his backpack and went out on the wing.” Del Valle filmed the incident and posted it on his Facebook page. His footage reveals a man walking on the wing, putting his backpack down and sitting next to the bag.

“The captain was stunned and he asked who had got out on the wing,” said del Valle, a Spaniard who was coming back from London on the flight which left an hour late but arrived around 20 minutes after the planned time late. The man, whose age and identity have not been revealed, was immediately arrested, Ryanair said in a statement. A spokesman for Spain’s Guardia Civil police force, meanwhile, said the captain had asked them to intervene, adding they had reported the passenger to air safety authorities. (Source: telegraph.co)

27-year-old Indian man commits suicide due to persistent hair fall

rustrated with his hair fall problem, a 27-yearold software engineer committed suicide in the Indian city of Madurai on the first day of 2018. The man, identified as R Mithan Raj, had been working at a tech firm in Bengaluru. According to police, Raj was suffering from a skin problem on his scalp due to which his hair was falling. Despite experimenting with many medicines, nothing prevented

the hair fall. Raj later began his career at a local firm in the Indian state of Chennai and then joined an IT company in Bengaluru last year. His mother had been looking

for a suitable life partner for him but in vain. Meanwhile, Raj’s worry about his hair loss deepened. The Indian, who was on holidays before he died, appeared depressed in the last few weeks. On Sunday, Raj’s mother found him hanging from the ceiling of a room. He was later rushed to a local hospital with the help of neighbours, where Raj was declared dead. The police have registered a case. (Source: timesofindia)

Barber snips customer’s ear, also gives him a terrible haircut; arrested

ll of us have had the misfortune of suffering a bad haircut at some point in our lives but nothing tops what happened to a man in Wisconsin, USA. The 22-year-old wanted a new haircut for Christmas but ended up with the middle of his head totally shaved and a bloody ear.The man went to a salon and asked for the sides of his head to be sculpted with a number 2 clipper. He also requested a trim off the top using scissors. But he sensed something was off when he sat down on the barber’s chair and the stylist began twisting his ear while accusing him of moving too much. And then disaster struck. The stylist snipped the man’s ear with the scissors and using a Number 0 attachment of the electric razor, shaved the middle of his head. The man told cops that the stylist did all of that intentionally.

When the bleeding customer got up to leave, the stylist shouted, “You want a zero right?” Well, he didn’t. He informed the police who arrested the stylist, identified as 46-year-old Shabani Khaled, for mayhem and disorderly conduct while armed. The barber denies the customer’s claims and says it was all an accident. As for the disastrous haircut, the customer shaved his entire head to even things out on his head. (Source: ndtv)

In sea sickness and in health: Couple stage underwater wedding

Flight out of California cancelled when rat boards the plane

plane scheduled to depart from a California airport was grounded when a rat was seen boarding the aircraft shortly before take-off time. Oakland International Airport spokeswoman Keonnis Taylor said Alaska Airlines Flight 915 had been scheduled to depart for Portland at 9:15 a.m. Tuesday, but the plane was evac-

uated when the rat was spotted. “An Alaska Airlines aircraft departing Oakland International Airport was cancelled today due to reports of a mouse in the cockpit of the aircraft,” Taylor told the San Jose Mercury News. “The flight’s 110 passengers are being accommodated as appropriate by Alaska Airlines flights from San Francisco and San Jose airports.” Alaska Airlines said the rodent was not a mouse, as the airport reported, but rather a large rat. The airline said the animal was first seen about 8:30 a.m. “That’s when a rat was spotted jumping from the jet way to inside the aircraft,” the airline said. “Any passengers on board the aircraft were

deplaned.” Passengers were put on other flights, with some able to be accommodated and others waiting until 3rd January. “The plane is currently out of service,” Alaska Airlines said. “It will be returned to operations once it’s certified rodent-free by a professional exterminator. The aircraft will also be thoroughly inspected to ensure no damage has been done.” Passengers chronicled their misadventure on social media. Passenger Ginger Hintz said passengers were given word at about noon that the flight was officially cancelled. She said she was given a $12 food voucher and a ticket for the flight. (Source: cnbc)

British army sergeant and a former diving instructor have taken the plunge for an underwater wedding. Thomas Mould, from Leicester, and American Sandra Hyde staged the unusual ceremony in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. The couple, who have been together for four years, used an underwater tablet to exchange wedding vows beside Molasses Reef off Key Largo. They had planned a summer wedding

in an old English church but decided an underwater ceremony would be more appropriate and more costeffective. Thomas met Sandra in 2013 while on a dive trip with the Army in the Florida Keys, where she worked as an instructor. The pair stayed in touch and visited each other a number of times in the US and UK. The couple are on honeymoon in Florida and will return to England to live. (Source: sky.news)

G PLUS | Jan 06 - JAN 12, 2018

Review

Cast: Lin Shaye, Leigh Whannell, Angus Sampson, Caitlin Gerard, etc Director: Adam Robitel

W vie Mo view e R Insidious: The Last Key

ith 2018 comes the turn of a franchise that has been good for exactly an hour across four movies. James Wan’s original film was a creepy little movie, with an exciting premise, but little ambition to do much with it. For its fourth go-around, series’ writer Leigh Whannell crafted an origin story of sorts. Elise Ranier, the demonologist plagued with visions of a ghostly realm she likes to call The Further, is called upon for help by a man living in an old house in New Mexico. The majority of this film is essentially watching Shaye spout emotional and narrative exposi-

tion to no one in particular, and she is the only real reason to see this one. The problem with The Last Key is that it simply doesn’t have the slightest enthusiasm to muster up something fresh for its fans. Nothing about the manner in which it is directed, or shot, or scored; or the way in which its scenes are constructed and they way in which its characters interact with each other is effective in the least. Anyone with even the most basic understanding of horror movies could safely predict not only the next twist, but even certain characters’ replies. To be fair, Insidious was never quite as generic as it has now become. n

Cast: Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson, Brittany Snow, etc Director: Trish Sie

o matter how close you are to your team, t here comes a day when you have to car ve your ow n niche and fol low your dreams to make it bigger and better i n l i fe. Pitch Perfect 3 is exact ly t hat. T he new f i l m doesn’t add any t hi ng revolutionar y to t he Pitch Per fect formu la but adds on to what made it a franchise 5 years ago. T here’s drama, humor, catchy numbers, commitment and also a bit of action. In one way or anot her, t he franchise is al l about t he glor y of show i ng of f sk i l ls and w i nni ng i n t he end, and

t he Bel las do it from t he star t when t hey per form Sia’s Cheap T hri l ls, spi nni ng around in red-and-white striped halter tops, ti l l t he last number where t hey declare t heir ‘Freedom’ from t he group. In t he end, when Bel las go on stage for t he last t i me toget her, doi ng a percolat i ng rend it ion of George Michael’s Freedom’ 90, it appears as a f itt i ng end to t heir journey as a group of women who kept it real and f unny, i n t he land of cheek y ‘chick-f l icks’. T he Bel las and t he franchise had a good r un and it’s on ly justice to stop it here. n

Gadget Review

Best Budget Smartphones of 2017

inding the very best smartphone under Rs. 15,000 in the crowded smartphone market is difficult. While the likes of the Samsung Galaxy S8, iPhone 7, LG G6 and HTC U11 steal show around the world, there’s a lot of intriguing options available in the world of budget phones. If you’re looking to save money on your next smartphone upgrade, here are some of the best budget phones of 2017: 1. Xiaomi MiA1 - Google has tied up with the chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi, and the re-

sult is Xiaomi Mi A1. Xiaomi Mi A1 looks a lot like OnePlus 5, especially due to the placement of the dual rear camera and the antennas. The smartphone comes in a metal unibody design with chamfered edges to provide stronger grip. It comes in three colour options Rose Gold, Black and Gold. 2. LG Q6 - Unofficially titled the “LG G6 mini”, the Q6 is an impressive midrange phone on its own. While it lacks certain flagship features, the FullVision display and rear-facing camera are stand-out inclusions

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hardware capabilities on an affordable handset. It looks and feels much more solid, with

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an attractive good-looking aluminium build, smooth performance and great battery life. Its camera is capable of taking decent shots and the fingerprint sensor works really well. 5. Honor 7X - The Honor 7X brings 18:9 aspect ratio to the mid-range segment, along with dual-camera setup. Other than that, the camera onboard the 7X is a pretty good snapper while the slick metal unibody makes it feel like a premium smartphone. It comes in two storage variants 32GB and 64GB. Only the 32GB variant falls under the 15K category. It is still a good choice for those who like playing with smartphone cameras but can’t afford more expensive phones. n

G PLUS | Jan 06 - JAN 12, 2018

Entertainment

Assam boy as a re-recording mixer in Majid Majidi’s ‘Beyond the Clouds’ Kalyan Kumar Kalita

ssam-born Debajit Changmai, a wellknown sound designer and re-recording mixer, is currently involved in a Bollywood film titled ‘Beyond the Clouds’ directed by an Iranian film director, film producer and screenwriter, Majid Majidi as the re-recording mixer. Changmai, a well-known name in Bollywood film industry, is popularly known for working in films like Dangal, Kaabil, Judwa 2, Baahubali 2, Krrish 3 and Kick, to name a few. Majid Majidi the makers of cult film like ‘Children of Heaven’, ‘The Color of Paradise’, ‘Baran’, ‘The Willow Tree’, ‘The Song of Sparrow’ etc is making his debut in Indian Cinema with ‘Beyond the Clouds’. The film maker revealed that the movie dwells on the adoration of love, life and nuanced human relationships. Talking about the film, Majidi said, ‘Filmmakers like Satya-

jit Ray, whose works I adore, have represented India’s culture, rich heritage and the lives of common people to a global audience. These visions and images have stayed in my mind for years and cajoled me to make a film in India. Finally, I’m in Mumbai with a lovely team to narrate a story woven around the lives of common people.’ The key roles in the film have been essayed by Ishaan Khattar, Malavika Mohanan and GV Sharada. Ishaan, who is the younger brother of Shahid Kapoor, is making his debut in Hindi cinema through this film. Debajit Changmai shared

his feelings by saying that, ‘For the first time, Majid Majidi is doing his post production work in India and I got the chance to mix his film. It’s a huge honor for me to get a chance to work for this world famous director. I am also thankful to Shajith Koyeri for this wonderful opportunity. After Mira Nair’s ‘The Reluctant Fundamentalist’ this is my second collaboration with a world known director.’ The first look of the film has been revealed and the film will release in three languages, including Tamil. The music of the film has been scored by A R Rahman whereas cinematography has been n done by Anil Mehta.

Assam’s Urmila Mahanta in Upcoming Bollywood Movie Pad Man

rmila Mahanta, an Indian actress hailing from Assam is playing a pivotal role in Akshay Kumar’s upcoming movie ‘Pad Man’. Directed by R Balki, Pad Man is slated to hit the theatres on January 25. The film will depict the life story of a Tamil Nadubased social activist Padmashree Arunachalam Muruganantham, who revolutionised the concept of menstrual hygiene in rural India. Urmila will share the screen with leading Bollywood artists Akshay Kumar, Sonam Kapoor and Radhika Apte in the biopic that aims to remove stigma around periods in India. In the film, she will don the hat of a real life character who supports pad-man in his initiative.

A student of the Film and Television Institute of India, Pune, Urmila has been acting in plays since her childhood and has won many awards. Earlier, Urmila has acted in films like ‘Beyond the Clouds’ directed by Iranian filmmaker Majid Majidi, ‘Akiri’ starring Sonakshi Sinha, ‘Manjhi-the Mountain Man’ and Assamese feature film

‘Kothanodi’. She has appeared in various plays, short films and television series, before making her feature film debut in the critically acclaimed 2012 Tamil crime thriller Vazhakku Enn 18/9. She has acted in Hindi, Assamese, Bengali and Malayalam films. n

Assamese film selected for Bangladesh Film Festival

ssamese movie Xhoixobote Dhemalite (Rainbow Fields) has been selected for the prestigious 11th International Children’s Film Festival to be held in Bangladesh in January. The film, made by national award winning director Bidyut Kotoky, deals with the trauma of children growing up in the turbulent era of Assam Agitation. The festival is scheduled to be held between January 27 and February 2 in the competitive panorama of the International Film Competition. “I’m happy to see my film getting acceptance in different places across the globe. As a filmmaker, it feels great if my film reaches the maximum number of viewers,” Kotoky said. In a letter to Kotoky, the

festival director Abir Ferdous Mukhar said, “The selection committee worked very hard to select the top films from a huge submission of over a thousand films in the international film competition section this year. Please accept my personal appreciation for your outstanding accomplishment as the director of the film.” Jury of the festival Juanita S said the film offers an inside look at children growing up during a violent period in Assam and shows how they are affected. The film - starring Victor Banerjee, Dipannita Sharma, Nakul Vaid, Naved Aslam, Nipon Goswami and Nikumoni Barua amongst others - is slated to release in theatres of Assam on 16 January 2018. n

Zublee launches MAATI – The Folk Factor

ublee Baruah launched her latest album, MAATI – The Folk Factor on the December 29 at Rudra Baruah Auditorium, Jyoti Chitrabon. MAATI – II is the sequel of MAATI, released in 2014 and gained lot of appreciation, love and popularity among the people of Assam and the nation as it was nominated at Global Indian Music Awards (GIMA) in the Best Folk Album category. After almost four years of sheer hard work, the team has come up with MAATI – II. Speaking about MAATI - II, Zublee told G Plus, “Folk music of Maati - II mostly depicts the rooted elements of nature, love, humanity, devotion & emphasize on the simplicity of existence. The purity of every folk song included in MAATI - II, has enhanced the beauty of my creation to a different level. Each song has a story/ message to narrate. The uniqueness of each song makes it different from the previous ones.” MAATI – II comprises seven melodious tracks, effortlessly blending traditional folk tunes with contemporary compositions. The first track “Jadobo Rai” starts with a Ghuxa, which is the signature of the song. This is followed by “Saheb Jai”, a popular traditional Zikir. The third one “Ohori Hoiya” comprises of a

Karbi folk. The next track “Shankar Guru” includes a Kamrupi Lokogeet, which was popularised by two most renowned & respected artists of Assam, Late. Rameshwar Pathak & Smti. Dhanada Pathak. Following this, is “Bagurumba”, a beloved Bodo folk. “Bhekli Maate” which is the next track, comprises of a Bahurangi Rabha folk. The concluding track, “Tauling Porota”, is a well-known Tiwa folk. For this album, Zublee has collaborated with many artists from Assam as well as noted musicians of India including singer Zubeen Garg, renowned stroke player Tapas Roy, popular guitarist Sanjoy Das (Bapi) and eminent flautist Paras Nath. “Collaborating with such talented artists was like a dream come true and the best part is that, they all loved working in my project,” said Zublee. Zublee informed G Plus that the entire team of Maati – II is very hopeful that their music will feel like the breath of fresh air coming from the land of Red Rivers and Blue Mountains and touch the hearts of all music lovers. “People are very attached to their folk music and it’s our dream to make folk music of Assam reach global audience. So, we hope to get positive response from the listeners as our dream can only be achieved with their love and support,” she added.

Fun

G PLUS | Jan 06 - JAN 12, 2018

Horoscope of the week Although the January sales may beckon, 2018 could get off to an expensive start if you decide to splurge. Therefore, go easy if you’re shopping, and keep track of all receipts. Visions of what might be possible can reveal themselves, and this could influence you to try harder and perhaps set yourself a few goals that are outside your comfort zone. However, you also need to be practical. Having said that, the influence of fiery Mars on January 6 might inspire you to take a leap of faith.

With a full moon in your sign on January 1, the year could get off to an emotional yet very nurturing and satisfactory start. You’ll enjoy being with family and close friends as 2018 gets underway. Your thoughts could also linger on opportunities to get away from your everyday routine and perhaps enjoy a short break or longer vacation. If you have the chance, go for it. At the same time, a connection between fiery Mars and lucky Jupiter could coincide with a fortunate encounter.

The full Cancer moon in a more secluded sector of your chart encourages you to forget about work or duty for the day and take time out to celebrate the new year. You’ll have plenty of opportunities to get back into the swing of things during the rest of the week. In fact, this could be a particularly busy time of year for you, so making chances for relaxation is very important. There is also dynamic activity on the home front, which could lead to positive change.

The year 2018 gets off to a very lively start with a full Cancer moon in your social sector encouraging you to enjoy any New Year’s celebrations. At the same time, you could be busy with creative projects or enjoying a budding romance. You may find someone’s company very inspiring over the coming days, particularly as luscious Venus ties with ethereal Neptune. Remember, however, that they are only human and will likely have flaws. Feisty Mars could encourage you to ask others for assistance with a bold idea.

You might have bold ambitions as 2018 gets underway, and it could be a very positive experience to contemplate all you hope to achieve. However, there is also a very strong focus on home and family affairs that could last for some time. As luscious Venus aligns with nebulous Neptune, you might find yourself offering to help out and get more involved in general. At the same time, feisty Mars and expansive Jupiter hint that you might be eager to revamp your home by making some exciting purchases.

A part of you may wish you were traveling as the new year gets underway. However, a very potent focus on communication and your local environment suggests that you could be kept very busy in your own area. There might be some creative opportunities you can turn your hand to. As the glowing sun aligns with ethereal Neptune, one encounter could prove fated and might even enhance your reputation. You could be feeling bold as the red planet in your sign encourages you onward and upward.

Although you might have expenses from the holidays to handle, January 1 and beyond could still see you eager to splurge, especially if you’re tempted by items in the post-holiday sales. Say yes to such purchases as investments, and try to make them as wise and useful as you can. Be sure to keep the receipts just in case. At the same time, with feisty Mars aligning with expansive Jupiter in a spiritual sector of your chart, helping others can bring rewards even though you expect nothing.

With a full moon in your sector of relating, January 1 could be a very heartfelt and soulful occasion. You may feel a connection with family and loved ones very acutely, and this could leave you quite emotional. At the same time, you’ll be eager to get key projects underway and be very excited at the possibilities open to you. Your social life positively sparkles. When dynamic Mars aligns with jovial Jupiter on January 6, an encounter could prove very beneficial to you.

If you can lighten your schedule on January 1, consider doing it. The full Cancer moon encourages you to ease off the accelerator and listen to your feelings. With a major focus on your spiritual sector, you might need time to reflect on issues and perhaps resolve them. If you can talk about them with a close friend, it might help you let them go. Relieving yourself of any emotional baggage can help get 2018 off to a positive start.

Your social life seems to be extremely lively, and the full Cancer moon on January 1 adds to this. The year 2018 gets off to a boisterous start, and this could fuel your intention to make it the best year ever. At the same time, you could be eager to explore new paths and ready to move out of your comfort zone. There’s no need to do this alone, though, as there are friends who may be willing to join you. Whether you are traveling or studying, sharing the experience can make it more enjoyable.

Who or what was referred to as a Jawbreaker in the Wild West in 19th century USA?

Which central Indian city is famous for its different types of Poha, a common breakfast and evening snack?

Which famous Indian litterateur also wrote some poems under the pseudonym of Bhanusingha?

Which film producer holds the record of winning the most number of Oscar Awards as an individual?

Identify this star badminton player of India, said to be the first student of P Gopichand. Dr. Soubhadra Chakrabarty This quiz has been brought to you by Brain Jam, a property of Priya Communications

Cathy by Cathy Guisewite

curio-city

1. Shashi Kapoor. 2. A dentist 3. Indore 4. Rabindranath Tagore 5. Walt Disney 6. Sai Praneeth

By what name is Balbir Raj Kapoor more famous to us Indians?

4 1 34 6 6 2 1 9 1 7 6 8 6 4 64 7 57 3 5 4 4 3 1 86 2 9 8 7 5 3 6 9 1 5 9 2 5 1 7 9 5 2 6 2 Daily Sudoku: medium 4 Thu 4-Jan-2018 7 7

Daily Sudoku: Wed 27-Dec-2017

very hard

last week solution 2 6 7 3 8 2 5 99 88 37 1 6 6 3 2 8 1 1 5 4 9 7 6 3 64 75 21 8 4 3 8 52 49 94 6 2 5 1 6 7 9 3 1 8 5 5 4 83 97 58 4 3 7 2 3 4 6 4 2 1 7 5 1 7 78 36 69 2 1 Daily 1 Sudoku: 4 Thu 5 4-Jan-2018 9 2

4 45 92 73

1 12 46 29

5 34 73 91

9 67 58 85

1 68 57 27 34 86 6 97 22 58 83 19

73 42 11 96

39 55 48 24 8 7 6 medium 3

Daily Sudoku: Wed 27-Dec-2017

very hard

http://www.dailysudoku.com/ http://www.dailysudoku.com/

curio-city 1

Sudoku

As 2018 gets underway, the full Cancer moon on January 1 in your sector of communication suggests that you’ll be busy interacting with others and having a fabulous day. You might also find yourself dreaming of travel and other adventures, especially those that are a little bit out of your reach. But as chatty Mercury aligns with innovative Uranus, insights into your mindset could encourage you to move out of your comfort zone and perhaps venture along new paths to see what is possible.

The full moon at the start of the week could see you enjoying time with family and friends, as well as looking ahead to your plans for the future. Try to give yourself a reduced schedule on January 1. The full Cancer moon says make the most of this opportunity for fun and relaxation. However, other aspects this week could alert you to new possibilities. With fiery Mars aligning with expansive Jupiter in your sector of shared resources, a business idea could be potentially lucrative and worth investigating.

Word of the week Whoop-de-do noun [hoop-dee-doo] lively and noisy festivities; merrymaking

Crossword Across

Down

1 Short musket with a flared muzzle (11) 9 Increase fourfold (9) 10 Sis’s sibling? (3) 11 On a moving ship? (2,3) 13 Aromatic herb — Tim can’t (anag) (7) 14 Front row rugby forward (6) 15 Swallow completely (6) 18 Most favourable (7) 20 Old Mexican (5) 21 Cereal grass — Sussex Cinque Port (3) 22 Barely (4,5) 24 Wise guy (6-5)

2 Field (3) 3 Give a detailed account (7) 4 Regard something as probable (6) 5 Naval base in Brittany (5) 6 Nickname (9) 7 Walled racket sport arena (6,5) 8 Express one’s opinions pompously (11) 12 Temporary (5-4) 16 Horseshoe, American and Bridal Veil Falls, collectively (7) 17 Showy (6) 19 Army officer (5) 23 Anything in Yorkshire (3)

Last week’s solution

G PLUS | Jan 06 - JAN 12, 2018

Lifestyle

Four Obstacles to Meditation

here are four obstacles to meditation. This is in relation to the obstacles once we sit for meditation rather than the obstacles in sitting to meditate.

Iccha

This means desire. It refers to the desire to do something and includes planning and intentions. When you’re in the grip of iccha, it feels like there is a rock in your head. For most of us, this will be the primary disturbance in meditation. Wants (including hankering for enlightenment and deep meditations), work, family, or social commitments and the associated planning will tend to bombard the mind for many meditators.

Dwesha

This means aversion, hatred, or enmity. This also feels like you have a rock in the head and you’re unable to meditate. This is why the Knowledge Point to “accept people and situations as they are” is so vital to meditators. If you sit with the intention of meditating when you are in the grip of dwesha, and keep holding on to it, you’ll really appreciate the truth of the teaching, “it is we who suf-

itating is dispassion. If you treat the invasion of thoughts like a big problem and raise a hue and cry about the need to get rid of them, then you’ll be in more trouble, as that will just add to your agitation.

In this context, this means too much excitement. If you’re feeling really happy and high, that feeling doesn’t allow you to meditate.

So the first thing to do is to be totally okay with whatever comes up in your mind – welcoming all mental activities as they are, without entertaining them or fighting them. Noticing that you’re

In both dukha and sukha, the feeling is like steam— boiling, unsettled. It’s like you’re in a pressure cooker and there’s this huge pressure from the steam.” All four of these mental obstacles will definitely come up for most of us at different times in our meditations. Dispassion, or letting go and dropping them, is the key to deepening your meditations. But here’s the rub – you often won’t be able to let them go unless you really feel that they’re not at all useful or interesting, that is, unless you’ve already developed some dispassion. Hence, there’s the need for knowledge. It’s not the arising of desires and plans that is the problem— it’s the mind holding on to them because it has a vested interest in them. And this stops the mind from settling. Having no vested interest in thoughts when med-

fighting with them or entertaining them and being okay with that is also dispassion! Remember, don’t try to alter or correct anything that happens in meditation. Then the second thing is letting go. Letting go is not something we do or “work on” in meditation, because that would bring in effort. Letting go is not a skill that is acquired and practiced volitionally during meditation. It’s a happening arising from understanding or from the sinking of the mind to more subtle levels. What will be very helpful, and

fer when we don’t accept others”.

Sukha

Dukha or sadness

Financial Planning for your Travel Plans Vaishali Lohia

acations with family and friends act as a much required break from the lives which are full of work pressures, deadlines, stress etc. Indians are increasingly opting for holidays more than once in a year. Such vacations can range from a package ranging from Rs. 20,000 to Rs. 30,000 per person within India. Similarly, international destinations can start from as low as Rs. 40,000 per person and it can stretch to any extent as per the destination. While travelling around the world is definitely in the bucket list of many, the money factor does not allow most of them to

travel to the destinations they desire. While the affordability factor is indeed an issue, it is more about managing the trip efficiently so that you get the best value out of your money. Travel planners can be categorized into different categories from starting to plan for holidays much ahead of time and may be a few also being the last-minute planners after seeing their friends’ vacation pictures or hearing it from someone. As such, the financial planning for vacations needs to range from very short term to long term. Mutual funds are the best options to financially plan your holidays as it offers a flexibility to invest

as well as withdraw the money as and when required with a potential for better returns. For example: Rohit loves to travel and goes for a

family vacation within India once in a year and abroad once in 2-3 years. His travel budget for the entire trip

really the only thing you can take from this discussion and directly practice in your meditation, is to make a decision at the start of your meditation that you are not going to have anything to do with whatever arises in your mind. That is, you’re not interested in thinking anything, working anything out, planning, or using any of your senses. In other words, you are renouncing the world for 20 minutes. Without that decision, the mind is likely to reel in thought. With that decision, you are more likely to notice when you’re getting caught up, and to effortlessly let go. Of course, sometimes you will still get caught up, but that is fine. Whatever happens, this decision will certainly help. There are three little statements or Golden Keys - they are a beautiful and powerful way to bring dispassion into your meditation. Entertain them before meditating and then drop them. Before sitting to meditate, say to yourself, “for the next 20 minutes, I want nothing; I do nothing; I am nothing”. Entertaining the feelings that you want and do nothing at the start of meditation will set the stage for an effortless letting go of iccha—the desires, planning, and subsequent activities in the mind—as they arise. Feeling that you are nothing gets to the core of dwesha, sukha,

of three members within India is Rs. 1,00,000 and approximately Rs. 2,00,000-3,00,000 while travelling abroad. How can he best utilize his money to plan a great vacation for his family within his budget? Since his vacation plans are both near term and medium term, he can resort to the following plan: When travelling in shorter period of time, he can park his vacation fund in liquid funds. These are the funds which enable the investors to park their corpus of any number of days, may be 1 day, 3 days, 7 days or a month. It provides an annualized rate of 5.5-7% return, better than the currently prevailing interest rates on savings accounts. At the same time, it provides almost similar liquidity than parking the money in savings account. When travelling within the next 2-3 years, Rohit can park his vacation funds in a balanced fund, a category of funds which invest in a mixture of debt and equity

and dukha, which are also forms of feverishness that are ultimately based on a misperception of our identity. Sometimes, people find “I am nothing” to be a scary thought. However, you actually are “no thing”. Any “thing” that can be conceived of or perceived can’t be you. You’re the subject that is aware of these “things”, which include all our self-concepts, identifications, and perceived limitations. Another way of looking at this is that meditation is the letting go of “I am something” and returning to the simplest form of awareness—”I am”. When you’re in the grip of enmity towards someone or you are overexcited or sad, the innocent recognition that behind that there is a little thought-based “me”, will bring a joyous letting go. The statements are just to be very gently brought to awareness at the start of meditation, and then they have served their purpose. Just like we wash off the detergent after it has removed the dirt from a garment. If you use the Golden Keys during your meditation to calm the mind, it would be introducing effort. Trying to cultivate dispassion during meditation so you can have deeper meditations would only show that dispassion hasn’t yet dawned! shri shri ravi shankar

Founder- Art of Living Foundation.

securities. These funds provide higher return potential embedded in equity coupled with the safety embedded in debt instruments. As such, these funds provide a better risk adjusted returns. Similarly, Rohit can also start an SIP to accumulate funds for his dream vacation. Investing consistently and steadily across a period of time helps in averaging the cost and making the most of the market volatilities over the investment period. With small savings on a periodical basis, Rohit can indeed accumulate a healthy corpus. As such, what seemed nearly impossible till yesterday seems closer and reachable by consistent savings.

So whether it is a domestic destination like Udaipur or Munnar or an adventure safari in Dubai, the way to do it in a planned manner is to choose the right class of funds and save smartly - depending on the time horizon and your risk appetite.

Buzz

G PLUS | Jan 06 - JAN 12, 2018

Guwahati girl bags KIIT NanhipariLittle Miss India 2017

hiolina Boro from Guwahati was crowned with KIIT NanhipariLittle Miss India 2017 at the 17th Nanhipari-Little Miss India talent beauty pageant, which concluded at KIIT International School, Bhubaneshwar. Jita Mohapatra of Chennai and Anoushka Singh of Patna were crowned first and second runners up respectively in the grand finale which concluded on December 30. The top three were awarded with a cash prize of Rs 3 lakh, Rs 1 lakh and Rs 50,000 respectively, along with silver crown, trophy and certificates. In addition to the cash prize of Rs 3 lakh, the

winner would be given 100 per cent academic fee waiver subject to a maximum of Rs 18 lakh for studying in any discipline

in KIIT University. The first and second Runners Up would also be given 50 per cent academic fee waiver subject to maximum of Rs 9 lakh for studying any discipline in KIIT University.

Thirty young girls between 13-16 years who were shortlisted for semi final round from regional auditions from Guwahati, Lucknow, Kolkata, Patna, Bhubaneswar, Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Srinagar and Hyderabad faced several competitions during the two-day event. Nanhipari is a talent show for teenage girls between the age group of 13-16 years. It had a modest start in 2001 in a remote and small tribal town of Kendujhar District of Odisha. In a short time-span of just 17 years, it has become a national event of repute, known as the ‘Little Miss India’ competition. n

Dr Kalam award to city students City students develop foot operated tea making machine for specially abled

abuj Saikia and Kaustav Moni Malakar, both Class XII students of Maharishi Vidya Mandir Senior Secondary School, Silpukhuri, have been bestowed with the Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Ignite Award 2017 for developing ‘Foot operated tea making machine for the specially abled’ in a bid to make life of people with upper limb paralysis or injury easier. Sabuj and Kaustav received the award from former

President of India, Pranab Mukherjee at a function held at Ahmedabad, Gujarat on December 22. The foot operated tea

making machine invented by the duo works manually and does not require electricity. It was among the top 29 projects that were selected for the award from 65,000 entries nationally. Earlier, the duo had also represented India in the World Robotics Championship 2016 at the international level. Besides, Sabuj, who had won the Ideathlon 2017 competition, was invited for the Nobel Prize n Series 2017.

2018 marks the silver jubilee year of Assam Jatiya Bidyalay

ew Year 2018 marked the beginning of Assam Jatiya Bidyalay, Noonmati’s year-long silver jubilee celebrations. The foundation day celebrations started on the morning of January 1 with floral tributes paid to the departed founder members of the management committee and founder teachers. A total 25 flags were hoisted to mark the

occasion. The Principal of the school gave a welcome speech after which 25 students performed a Borgeet. The chief guest of the programme was literary figure Dr Lakshmi Nandan Bora, who was felicitated during the event. The Rector, Ranjit Narayan Deka, distributed birthday cards among the students born on January 1. The State Anthem of Assam was also sung by everyone present. As part of a new initiative from the Assam Jatiya Bidyalay Education Council (AJBEC) for registration of different Jatiya Bidyalays of the state, 25 such schools were formally offered registration certificates in the first phase. Secretary of the

management committee, Dr Narayan Sharma, in his speech, dwelt on the journey of Assam Jatiya Bidyalay from 1994 to 2018. He thanked and remembered the contribution of those involved with the genesis of the Assam Jatiya Bidyalay movement. A cultural procession was taken out from the school campus to Guwahati Club Rotary. Hundreds of ex-students and guardians took part in the procession. The entire school campus was illuminated with earthen lamps at 5 pm. The program ended with a performance of Nagara Naam by renowned folk artist Ramcharan Bharali and his team. n

Assamica, a book on Assam Tea released

ssamica, a handbook on different varieties of Assam tea and their making, written by Rakhi Dutta Saikia, a tea planter of Golaghat, was released by celebrated author Arup Kumar Dutta in a solemn function held at the Guwahati Book fair on Sunday. Dutta praised the effort of the writer in documenting many details and different aspects of Assam tea. He said that though tea’s Chinese origin gave it its

scientific name Camellia sinensis, the independent qualities of Assam tea were responsible for the world scientists to name it Camellia assamica. As such, the naming of the book was appropriate, he said. Former chairman of North Eastern Tea Association Bidyananda Barkakoti, lamented that despite tea being designated as the State Drink of Assam, no steps to give it its due status at the official level have been initiated. Partha Pratim Hazarika, the assistant editor of a city based newspaper, stressed the need to translate the book into English for a broader spectrum of readers. Author of Assamica, Rakhi Dutta Saikia, who recently came to limelight for making yellow tea from the tea buds of her own plantations in Golaghat, said that it was time to diversify in producing different kinds of tea from Assam tea to consolidate our presence in the world tea market. n

DAAA to Organise ‘Imagining Axom’

elhi Alumni Association of Assam (DAAA), a not-for-profit organisation set up by former Assam students of Delhi-based colleges, universities and other educational institutions, is organising its first convention, ‘Imagining Axom’ at Vivanta by Taj, Guwahati on January 6, 2018. Governor of Assam, Jagdish Mukhi, will inaugurate the cultural and reunion programme at 6PM and address a gathering of DAAA members that comprises of academicians, civil servants, lawyers, policy makers, bankers, journalists, entrepreneurs et al. The event highlights include an audio visual presentation in memory of Jnanpith Award winning writer Dr. Indira Goswami (Mamoni Raisom Goswami), who volunteered to be a guardian of every student from Assam during her tenure at the University of Delhi. A souvenir titled ‘Imagining Axom’ will be launched during the occasion, along with the release of a report on Red River

and the launch of the website ‘www.assamfloods.org’. The plenary session will be held from 3PM to 5PM which will include two technical sessions on ‘Imagining Axom’ and ‘Red River’. The prominent speakers in these sessions will include distinguished alumni like Arup Kr Dutta (eminent author), Kula Saikia (Author), Krishna Sharma (lawyer), Mukul Gogoi (consultant) and Dipannita Jaiswal (entrepreneur) among others. This will be followed by a cultural evening comprising of local folk dances, a textile show by Vikram Rai Medhi and Alakananda Das and a live performance by popular singer Mayukh Hazarika, also an alumnus. Instituted in January 2017, DAAA is a non-profit organisation formed with the primary purpose of working for Assam’s social and economic progress, and preserving the state’s rich heritage. It is a unique and exceptional body of a talent pool of professionals. n

Events

G PLUS | Jan 06 - JAN 12, 2018

Partying our way into the

New Year

January 1-7 Jeevan Kite Festival Rajaduwar Ghat, Near Sukreswar Park 10AM onwards

New Year’s comes but once a year, so it’s worth it to make the festivities memorable. On the eve of New Year 2018, Guwahatians partied like there’s no tomorrow to welcome the New Year!

Grand parties were hosted at multiple restaurants, clubs, lounges and resorts of Guwahati. From epic firework displays, to beach side fun and crazy dance parties, all sorts of celebrations were organised across the city! Date

December 31, Sund Event

018 Dance your way to 2 Venue

ra Baram perform International DJ Of Blu on New on ing at Hotel Radiss Years Eve

Hotel Radisson Blu

ram Rai Restauranteur Vik ds en Medhi with fri

January 6 It’s a Trap Club XS 8PM onwards January 6 Bollywood Night Topaz 2.0 7PM onwards January 7 Crude Oil Beat Contest Sector 2 Playground 10AM onwards January 7 Roohdari Chapter 3 The Basement Cafe 6PM onwards

Date December 31, Sunday Event New Years Eve Venue Dunkin Oza A group of friends partying at Dunkin Oza

January 6 Bolly Commercial Night Terra Mayaa 8PM onwards

Russian Belly Dancers performing in Guwahati

January 7 Swachh Bharat Run 2018 Nehru Stadium to Khanapara Veterinary Field 5:45AM onwards

Date December 26, Tuesday Event Michael Jackson Tribute Night Venue NYX, Hotel Palacio

Date December 31, Sunday Event Boat and Island Party Venue Opposite ITA Machkhowa Michael Jackson Tribute Night with Final Touch during Winter Carnival at NYX

Catching Up

G PLUS | Jan 06 - JAN 12, 2018