G Plus vol 5 issue 14 by G Plus

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REPUBLIC DAY SPECIAL

Inside

Volume 05 | Issue 14 Jan 27 - Feb 02, 2018 Price `10

RSS Jumbo Rally in Guwahati Congress rally to counter RSS

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Over 3000 investors register for Advantage Assam

CM Sarbananda Sonowal taking a stock of the preparations for Advantage Assam at Sarusajai Stadium | G Plus Photo

Rahul Chanda rahul.chanda@g-plus.in

ill 25th January, over 3000 investors have registered to participate in the upcoming Global Investors’ Summit (publicized as “Advantage Assam”) scheduled to be held on 3rd and 4th February in Guwahati. Top investors of India like the Ambanis, Tatas, Birlas, Mittals, Premjis and Adanis have already registered for the summit, a source in Advantage Assam revealed. There are many local investors from the state who have also registered for the summit. Some local start-ups were concerned on whether they would be able to participate

or not. The source said that registration can be done by clicking on the registration link available on the website – www. advantageassam.com. Registration is open for business persons, non business persons and media persons. An interested investor can apply as business person and anyone who just wants to participate can apply as non business person, the source informed. Talking about international investors, the source informed that many international investors from ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations) have registered their participation. A senior official Continued ON page » 8

Students caught between re-affiliation of colleges to GU

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Irked by builders, Guwahatians seek refuge in consumer court

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Lead Story

G PLUS | Jan 27 - FEB 02, 2018

RSS Jumbo Rally in Guwahati Avishek Sengupta avishek.sengupta@g-plus.in

n a blatant display of its strength and exuberance, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) assembled a large gathering of volunteers and supporters in the biggest ever rally of the Hindutva organisation in this region at Guwahati. The rally - Luitporiya Hindu Samavesh (Brahmaputra Valley Hindu’s conclave) - held at the Veterinary Field in Khanapara, saw the participation of 35,000 volunteers and as many as 20 titular tribal kings from all over the northeast, Xatradhikars of Assam and chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal along with his cabinet. “The rally’s goal was to demonstrate the real ideology and the culture of RSS,” Sankar Das, RSS spokesperson for Assam, said. “We want to change the wrong image of the RSS. We respect the difference in the cultures of the northeast. RSS’s main concern is the

betterment of the rashtra (nation) through community works.” In the event, around 5,000 swayamsevaks participated from the city. The rest gathered from different parts of the state and neighbouring Meghalaya and Nagaland. In the crowd were also children as young as 6-7 years old waving the flag and dressed in the traditional white and khaki of the RSS. The rally was held almost a month ahead of the assembly elections in three states of the northeast – Tripura, Meghalaya and Nagaland – where the BJP’s presence is weaker than Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. But the party has clearly spelt out its goal to capture power in the entire region and has gone about stitching alliances with regional parties. The event took off with a prayer and a song, “Luitporiya Hindu Aami” (We are the Hindus of Brahmaputra Valley) which was followed by a speech by RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat.

RSS cadres going through yoga motions during the rally | G Plus Photo While reiterating that Hindutva and Bharat were “inseparable,” the chief clarified that the Sangh’s strength was not to scare anyone or

Congress rally to counter RSS India is a secular country and RSS is doing all this with the objective of political motivation and polarisation.” Congress spokesperson Gaurav Somani referred to Maulana Badruddin Ajmal who had to suffer for mixing politics with religion. “Whenever someone tried to do politics based on religion, the people of Assam have ousted them from power. The same will be the fate of BJP. Assam is more secular than they think and we will aim at raising the awareness among the people through the rally,” Somani said. n

File photo of Rahul Gandhi during a rally in Assam

attled by the RSS muscle show in Guwahati, the Congress has firmed up a plan for a rally in the city in April to counter the “communal disharmony” being spread by the RSS. The congress rally is expected to be headed by the party president, Rahul Gandhi, and would see participation from party workers and supporters from all the states in the northeast including Sikkim. “The RSS has threatened the social fabric of this region

through its Hindutva agenda. We need to rid this region of the communal ideology of the RSS,” Pradyut Bordoloi, APCC spokesperson told G Plus. He clarified that the goal of the meeting would be only to “save” the region and it has no links to the forthcoming elections. The APCC president, Ripun Bora, earlier on the RSS rally said, “RSS has named the rally as Hindu samavesh which means that it was only for Hindus and not for other religions. But

The RSS has threatened the social fabric of this region through its Hindutva agenda. We need to rid this region of the communal ideology of the RSS” Pradyut Bordoloi, APCC spokesperson

dominate anybody but it stood for social causes. He said, “Don’t just remain a spectator or a sympathiser. Try to come down and learn the culture of

the Sangh. Mothers and sisters need to send their sons and brothers to the shakhas so that they can understand our vision.” n

Karbi king desperate to check Christianity

arsing Roghang was one of the Karbi kings from West Karbi Anglong who participated in the massive RSS rally held in Guwahati on January 21. He has pinned hopes on the RSS as a bulwark against Christianity’s rapid advancement within his community. Ronghang informed that around 70 percent of the Karbi tribe has already converted to Christianity. He underscored the urgent need to preserve the local beliefs and customs and made out a case to check the spread of the new religion. He told G Plus, “People have converted to Christianity mostly to avail the community services. But the converts have continued to pray to the indigenous gods and paying tribute during important occasions.” Like many tribes in the northeast, the Karbi people are nature worshipers or

Karbi king Harsing Ronghang during the RSS rally animists. The king was of the opinion that the indigenous Karbi religion had greater similarity with Hinduism than Christianity. He added that the RSS has assured community services and non-interference with the local beliefs and practices. He said that about 300 people from the community who had earlier converted to Christianity have joined RSS. n

G PLUS | Jan 27 - FEB 02, 2018

Concern

G PLUS | Jan 27 - FEB 02, 2018

Verification process of city police remains sluggish Rahul Chanda rahul.chanda@g-plus.in

ven as the chorus for smart policing is growing louder in the country, the pace of police verification in Guwahati continues to be embarrassingly sluggish. A city-based entrepreneur revealed that it took the city police around two months to reply to a verification request sent by the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), Kolkata.

The entrepreneur said, “I am trying to open an art gallery at Kolkata airport along with a partner from Bangaluru. As it is a sensitive zone, the security agency required our verification.” The verification of his partner, who is based in Bangaluru, was completed by the Bangaluru police within seven days, whereas in Guwahati, the entrepreneur was not even informed for around 20 days that he had to submit his documents to the local police for verification. The verification request from BCAS was received by the office of the commissioner of

police on 13th November, 2017. It was sent to the local police station for verification on 20th November. On not receiving any calls from the police station, the entrepreneur himself contacted the police in the first week of December and only then he was asked to submit certain documents. The local police sent the verification report to the office of the commissioner of police on 22nd December 2017. After a few days the verification was sent to the Special Branch headquarters at Kahilipara and finally the verification was dispatched through registered post to BCAS on 10 th

January 2018. A source in the Assam Police Special Branch headquarters said that they do not have the budget to send verification reports through speed post. Similarly, there are many passport verification requests pending with various police stations in the city and in some cases the police take around two to three months to complete the verification. A source in the state team of Crime and Criminal Tracking Network & Systems (CCTNS) informed that the police are expected to complete verification for passports

within 15 days which is not happening. After the Ministry of External Affairs requests a case of passport verification to the commissioner of police, the request gets uploaded in the CCTNS system and the required local police needs to contact the applicant and verify the details. The source said that if the senior city police officials monitor the verification status regularly, only then the system will improve. But the senior police officials always have an excuse of low manpower in the police stations for expediting such matters. n

CCTNS fails to serve its purpose

he Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems (CCTNS) portal was launched by the Assam Police in January 2016 with the purpose of reducing public footfall at police stations. After two years of the launch the public is unaware of any such system. A source in the CCTNS state team said, “In the last two years we have received zero requests from the public.” During the launch it was claimed by police officials that the public could request for tenant verification, domestic help verification/employee verification, character certificate, protest or strike request, procession request and event performance request through CCTNS. The request would be processed within 10 to 45 days. After two years now only two services are available through CCTNS (tenant and employee verification). During the launch in January 2016 it was also said by the police

department that within a few months the public would also be able to lodge complaints through the system which never started. The source said that the awareness level among the people is low because of which the police department is getting poor response from them. The CCTNS team had asked for a budget from the state government for an awareness campaign but the file is pending with the finance department, the source revealed. State nodal officer for CCTNS, Asst Director General of Police (ADGP) AK Jha said, “The public is not using the system because tenant verification is not mandatory in the state.” He requested the public to use the system for tenant verification which is important for investigating crimes. Talking about mandating tenant verification, DGP Mukesh Sahay said, “Mandating everything is perhaps not the answer, but we will examine this.”

Screenshot of CCTNS website The Bhubaneswar and Kolkata commissionerate mandated tenant verification

as soon as the commissionerate was formed there, but after three years of commissionerate

formation in Guwahati, tenant verification is yet to be mandated. n

Weather report for the week Guwahati

SUN

MON

TUE

WED

THU

FRI

Mostly Sunny

Partly Cloudy

Mostly Sunny

Partly Cloudy

22°/12° C

23°/13° C

24°/13° C

25°/15° C

24°/15° C

SATURDAY Sunny

23°/12° C

Concern

G PLUS | Jan 27 - FEB 02, 2018

Students caught between re-affiliation of colleges to GU Saumya Mishra saumya.mishra@g-plus.in

ates of several students hang in balance as they have been caught in the mess of colleges being re-affiliated to Gauhati University (GU). Recently, as many as 23 colleges were re-affiliated to GU from Bodoland University (BU) causing confusion among students regarding their semester examinations. Authorities said that as per an inspection, it was found that the BU did not fulfil certain criteria to be granted university status after which the decision was taken to de-affiliate 23 colleges from it and affiliate them with GU again.

Ranjit Kumar Narzary, principal of Bengtal College in Bodo Territorial Area Districts (BTAD), which is one of the colleges to be affiliated back to GU said, “BU does not fulfil 12 (B) criteria as per the UGC Act 1956.” 12 (B) states that no grant shall be given to a university which is not declared fit to receive such grants. When Bodoland University was set up, it became an affiliating university and many colleges within its geographical area were de-affiliated from GU and were affiliated to BU, informed authorities. BU has a different syllabus

Several colleges being granted MA permission sans criteria

source at GU informed on the condition of anonymity that many colleges nowadays now want to begin post graduate courses in various subjects

without meeting due criteria and some of them are even being allowed to do so by the university. “There are certain benchmarks for meeting the criteria

source. The semester examinations which are usually scheduled in December will now be held during the third week of February or in March. The students will continue with GU from the next semester and will have to follow its syllabus. A senior professor of GU told G Plus that they will have a tough time coping than GU and the students of these 23 colleges will now have to follow the syllabus of GU. The students are currently not being allowed to sit for the semester examinations at BU, said a

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to start PG courses including that the college must have a certain number of teachers who have PhDs but most of these colleges do not meet that criterion.” Teachers from GU conduct inspections and physically verify if the colleges meet the criteria for MA courses. n

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up because GU syllabus is relatively difficult. She added that ever since the colleges have rejoined, the situation has become very chaotic. “We will now have to set questions from their syllabus and the examinations will also be delayed,” she said. On the other hand, deputy director of the higher education department, Jayanta Thakuria, said that the state government does not have any say in the matter as the decision has been taken at the university level. n

In The News

G PLUS | Jan 27 - FEB 02, 2018

Fake chit fund in police net Avishek Sengupta avishek.sengupta@g-plus.in

midst various microlevel chit funds operating amok in Guwahati, a city-based chit fund cooperative society running deposit-collection scheme and which allegedly cheated people off about Rs 10 crores has fallen into the police net. The office of Subhasakti Thrift Credit Co-Operative Society Limited at Odalbakra was sealed on January 23 while four persons -- Chandra Das (39), Paritosh Mandal (52), Paresh Basak (42) and Prakash Saha (48) – were arrested. Of the four arrested, Mandal, Saha and Basak were taken to Dispur police station on the evening of January 20. Das surrendered on Sunday morning. Police said that Das of Odalbakra was the founder and secretary of the society while Mandal of Odalbakra was the chairman. Basak of Lal Ganesh and Saha of Barpeta Road were members of the board of directors. They were arrested under Sections 420 (cheating and dishonesty), 406 (criminal breach of trust), 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance

of common intention) of IPC and Section 5 of Prize Chits and Money Circulation Schemes (Banning) Act (penalty for other offences in connection with prize chits or money circulation schemes). They were presented before the Kamrup (Metro) Chief Judicial Magistrate on January 22 and were sent to five days’ police custody. The four were arrested after a complaint signed by 48 clients of the society was filed in Dispur police station after they stopped receiving returns on their investments and the collection agents could not be reached on phone. “Based on the address on the clients’ passbooks, police raided the society’s head office on the second floor of Bandana Bhawan on Odalbakra Main Road and sealed it. Police also seized three computers, hundreds of pass books, cheque books and other investment papers which have been sent to the Bureau of Investigation (Economic Offences) for further analysis,” police said. Police sources said that the raid revealed that the society was currently handling more than 300 accounts and have, over a 13 year time span till the time that account details were available in the office, have duped more than 5,000 investors in and around the city. (See modus operandi in box)

The four arrested in the chit fund case | G Plus Photo Das is learnt to have confessed to the police that the society was running at loss and had a cash deficit of Rs 10 crores. “He said that the board of directors of the society consisted of 15 more members who have gone into hiding after the police raids. He also alleged that he doesn’t have a penny

Clients demand return of their investments

he 48 investors of the chit fund society who had filed the case have raised a demand for the state government to realise the assets of the society to return their investments. Haripad Saha of Sreebhumi Nagar under Odlabakra outpost of Dispur police station, who was the lead signatory of the complaint, said that the society was paying good returns until recently. “I have been a client of the society for the past 13 years. All four members of my family are clients too. In my locality there are around 200 to 250 clients of the society. They have many savings plans where one can deposit from Rs 20 to Rs 200 daily through agents. All was well but since the past week, the agents did not come to our houses to collect the money. Their phones were switched off and their of-

fice closed,” Saha said. Saha further added that with the society getting sealed, he has Rs 80,000 still stuck. “I am not the only one. From among those I know money worth at least two to three crores is stuck with the company. This is just the residents of my vicinity. There are several others who had invested,” Saha said adding, “The society had been giving high returns for the last 13 years and that is why, there must be assets of the company through which it was getting high returns. If the state government can realise those assets and return our money, then it will be very convenient for us.” According to the Chit Fund Act, 1982, a chit fund business has to be registered and regulated only by the respective state governments. In case of failure of a chit fund business, the responsibility for winding up such

a business also vests with the respective state governments. Moreover, the prize chits and money circulation schemes are illegal and are banned under the Prize Chits and Money Circulation Schemes (Banning) Act, 1978. Powers of investigation under this Act are vested with the concerned state police authorities. However, the Subhasakti Thrift Credit Co-Operative Society Limited was registered as a co-operative society and not under the Chit Fund Act due to which, all their operations are considered illegal. Also, the society is booked under Prize Chits and Money Circulation Schemes (Banning) Act, 1978. “According to the law, the police are taking the enforcement activities but compensation is not in the police’s hand,” the police said. n

of the money with him, but we don’t believe that. On receiving the court’s order, we will raid his house. Meanwhile, police is in search of the other board members who, according to Das, have fled with all the investors’ money,” the police said. Though Das claims that the amount of money

misappropriated is somewhere around Rs 10 crores, according to the clients’ claims, it is somewhere near Rs 26 crores. The society was registered as a cooperative society in 2002 with a small office in Maligaon and later shifted to Odalbakra under Lal Ganesh Police station in 2012. n

Crackdown on chit funds

ccording to a top cop in the Bureau of Investigation (Economic Offences), the city police commissionerate has been asked to launch a combing operation to check any chit

funds operating in the city. “If there are any such funds operating, we will check their documents and see its solvency. Any discrepancy in the documents will lead to shut down of such companies,” the cop said.

Modus operandi

he chit fund society operates in depositcollection scheme which means, the interests are provided on the basis of the deposits it receives and not through any investment plan. This is how most co-operative societies perform, but this society was providing more interest rates than normal. According to the investors, the rates are as high as 50 percent to the investments.

The cooperative had long term and short term plans. It returned to the short term plans which keep on recurring from the long term investments and keeps the rest of the money with the cooperative as and when the long term investors lay a claim. According to Das, the secretary, the company was having a cash deficit of Rs 10 crores which means it was in no position to return to any long term investors.

G PLUS | Jan 27 - FEB 02, 2018

Cover Story

G PLUS | Jan 27 - FEB 02, 2018

Over 3000 investors register for Advantage Assam Continued from page » 1 of industries & commerce department said, “Invitations are being sent to all potential investors in many countries but the main focus is ASEAN because Assam can become a trade capital for all ASEAN countries.”

During every sector session of the summit (there will be 10 sessions according to the targeted industrial sectors) special emphasis will be given on how trade could be linked with the ASEAN countries and Assam. Advantage Assam will target investors from as many as ten different sectors who could

invest in the state. The summit will target investors from the pharmaceuticals, plastics and hydrocarbons, petroleum, information technology (IT), tourism, healthcare and medical equipments, power, agriculture and food processing, inland water transport and port townships, and civil aviation.

All departments asked to beautify city for summit

The participants will be staying in major hotels like Radisson Blu, Taj by Vivanta, Novotel and The Lily. Several ministers of different countries in charge of industry and commerce are expected to attend the summit which will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Many union ministers will

also participate in the summit. “50 per cent of the expenses will be borne by the Centre,” said commissioner and secretary of the industries & commerce department, Ashutosh Agnihotri. The budget of the summit is Rs 30 crores.

Advantage Assam is a ‘mela’ to sell Assam: Akhil Gogoi

rishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS) leader Akhil Gogoi, during a press conference, al-

he Kamrup (Metro) deputy commissioner, M Angamuthu, has divided the city beautification work among different departments. A source in the district administration said that in a meeting with the respective departments and other city authorities, the work has been divided accordingly. Public Works Department (PWD), National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC), Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) and Assam Power Distribution Corporation Limited (APDCL) have been asked to clean and beautify all the medians of the national highway and refurbish the roads from LGBI Airport to Jalukbari rotary point. GMDA is expected to beauti-

City beautification work in progress | G Plus Photo fy Jalukbari intersection but the money will be given by NHAI. GMC has been asked to clean and remove all the garbage silts from across the city. APDCL is expected to repair and replace the non-functional streetlights. ATDC, GMDA and ITW have been asked to clean and illuminate their respective parks and decorate the bank of the river with ornamental lights. The forest department is expected to trim and prune the trees on the river banks and both sides of national highways and arterial roads. GMC has been asked to remove unauthorised signage, hoardings, banners, posters from the medians and footpaths. Northeast Frontier Railways has been asked to clean and illuminate the old Saraighat Bridge, Kamakhya Railway Sta-

tion, Guwahati Railway Station, all along the roadside boundary wall of NF Railway headquarters, Kamakhya Gate at Shantipur point, Bharalumuh railway crossing and the approach road to Guwahati railway station from the Reserve Bank of India. All the bank managers have been asked to illuminate their respective bank branches and ATMs. Royal Global University will clean and decorate the Balaji flyover. All the foot over-bridges and flyovers will be illuminated by GMDA. All the business establishments will be illuminated by the respective owners under the supervision of Kamrup Chamber of Commerce. All the temples will be decorated by the respective temple authorities. n

leged that Advantage Assam is a ‘mela’ to sell the state. Slamming the current government, Gogoi said that the whole concept of Advantage Assam to bring in industrialists and capitalists to invest in Assam will severely harm the state. “In the name of Advantage Assam the government is calling for personal benefits as Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, Himanta Biswa Sarma, and Chandra Mohan Patowary have internal connections with the industrialists,” said Gogoi. In the name of tax subsidy the state government will give Rs 2,250 crores to the external investors. Instead it could have been used to provide Rs 1 lakh each to 2,20,000 unemployed youths of the state, expressed Gogoi. He said that instead of giving away 1,26,061 bighas of land to the industrialists for setting up industries, the government land could be given to 5 lakh homeless people of Assam. Giving away this land also means wastage of 1,26,061 bighas of agricultural land. BJP government has not announced any policies for the small scale industry of the state, Gogoi said. n

In The News

G PLUS | Jan 27 - FEB 02, 2018

Is the coal syndicate fracas stemming from a political rivalry? Rahul Chanda rahul.chanda@g-plus.in

ith the arrest of the main broker, Kuldeep Singh, for running a coal syndicate in the ByrnihatKhanapara area, it has been observed by the investigating agency that there might be a political rivalry that has led to the recent controversy and action against the syndicates. A police source revealed that the business has been continuing since a long time and two groups, both headed by a politician, were running the syndicate. Currently however, only one group is receiving the commissions irking the other group which had, all these days, been getting the cuts. The media was accordingly informed by the other gang to raise the issue. The police was inert till 5th January 2018 in interfering with the coal-laden trucks. Senior police officials had asked the local police not to interfere

File photo of a coal truck being loaded at Meghalaya in the matter as it is under the jurisdiction of the transport department.

Surge in the number of trucks carrying coal

ven as the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has banned coal mining in the northeast region, there is a surge in the number of trucks carrying coal from Meghalaya to Beltola. “Before the NGT ban was implemented, around 150 coal-laden trucks used to come to Guwahati every night. But after the ban around 200 trucks carrying coal come to Guwahati every night,” a transport department source said. The Ri Bhoi district administration and police are facing a tough time curbing illegal transportation of previously mined coal out of the state following a Supreme Court order last year. The Ri Bhoi district police have detected 488 coal-laden trucks flouting rules since the apex court extended the transportation deadline for four months last November, a Meghalaya based regional media reported. Normally, an overloaded truck has to pay a fine of Rs 2,000 and an additional Rs 1,000 for each tonne exceeding the permissible limit of 9 tonnes.

Challans are produced for only a fraction of the total trucks that pass the area. The personnel at the gates are managed by the brokers in collusion with transport officials The trucks, after crossing the main Meghalaya check gates at Seven Mile, Umling and Byrnihat, enter Guwahati through Jorabat. The registration number of the trucks is provided to the Byrnihat police two days before the trucks reach Byrnihat. The trucks then dump the coal at coal depots with the help of middlemen and thereafter the coal becomes legal to be supplied across the country. Additional Commissioner of Police, Basistha, Moushumi Kalita said, “There are strict instructions from senior police officers to eradicate the illegal coal smuggling for which a battalion has been deployed at Khanapara after 5th January 2018.” A police source said that prior to 5th January only a few patrolling parties used to check transportation and coal laden trucks used to be checked only by the transport department. n

The source said, “On 5th January, a high-level meeting between the transport

department and the police decided that the syndicate has to be broken and the trucks

freighting coal to Guwahati have to be enforced to follow all norms.” Since then, 7 brokers have been arrested and many more are on the run. Kuldeep Singh is considered to be one of the kingpins who, all these days, had managed the syndicate. The brokers have links with the transport officials and tax department officials. The officials get the commissions and a portion is sent to the political leader who heads the syndicate. Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS) leader, Akhil Gogoi, filed a complaint with the Basistha police seeking an inquiry into the alleged role of the police, transport department officials and politicians in the coal syndicate. Gogoi alleged that a syndicate of police, transport department officials and political leaders were collecting money from overloaded trucks despite existing laws. The police have not yet filed a case as, according to them, they are still inquiring into the matter. n

Safe Corridor to bring respite to Ward No 1 Avishek Sengupta avishek.sengupta@g-plus.in

esidents of Jalukbari in Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) Ward No 1 are hopeful of the Safe Corridor Demonstration Project to solve the problem of illegal parking of buses and share taxis along the Mahapurush Damodardev Path. The state government has recently given its nod to the project that aims to provide a comprehensive solution to the city’s traffic problem by setting up traffic control rooms and making other changes to prevent errant buses from stopping randomly along the 23 km long Jalukbari–Bharalumukh–Ulubari–Khanapara stretch. These errant buses that ferry commuters from Guwahati to Kamrup (Rural) and other districts of lower Assam have been a menace for the traffic personnel and residents of the area for over a decade. Also, massive traffic jams are also a regular problem for the people there. “Whenever we have to travel to other parts of the city, we keep at least one and a half hours in hand because we are never sure

File photo of Jalukbari Rotary when we might get stuck in traffic jams. This is mostly caused due to the inter-district buses and the vehicles to the Gauhati University which tend to double park or suddenly cut into lanes,” Auninda Dasgupta, a resident there said. The safe corridor is expected to end these problems. According to the detailed project report (DPR), traffic will be channelized through various detours at certain junctions to reduce conflict points and the entire stretch will be monitored by traffic controls that will keep surveillance of the offenders and also control the signals. Automatic Over Speed Detection systems will be installed at 12 locations, besides 31 CCTVs

and vehicle management systems. For pedestrians, there will be footpaths and designated spots for crossing the roads that will be 150-200 metres apart. The bus bays at Kamakhya, Bhootnath, Bharalumukh, Ulubari, Bhangagarh, Ganeshguri, Dispur, Six Mile and Khanapara will be relocated. Sukur Ahmed, the ward councillor who is from the opposition Congress in the council, too welcomed the move and said, “This was decided during the time of Congress to modernise the stretch to control traffic woes of the ward. It is good that the government is finally implementing it.” n

Concern

G PLUS | Jan 27 - FEB 02, 2018

Irked by builders, Guwahatians seek refuge in consumer court Saumya Mishra saumya.mishra@g-plus.in

ed up of false promises of builders, customers are increasingly approaching the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (DCDRC) seeking to settle their disputes, said authorities. The DCDRC sees a high number of cases against builders comprising defaulting by them on various grounds. These range from not providing proper water supply or electricity connection after giving possession, improper parking facility, floor area measuring less than as mentioned in the agreement and not completing the construction work on time, among others. President of the DCDRC, Mohammad Sahadat Hussain, termed these cases as “new

File photo of District Consumer Court, Guwahati type of cases” and informed that they were not so frequent till around five years ago and their numbers have increased

over the past two years. Officials said that in a recent case, a builder had started casting the fourth

Delay in possession

dditionally, there are several such cases in which the builders do not deliver the flats within the stipulated period. “We received a case in which the stipulated period for handing over the possession of the house was six months, but the builders had delayed it for two years even after the entire amount was paid by the buyer,” said Archana Deka

We received a case in which the stipulated period for handing over the possession of the house was six months, but the builders had delayed it for two years even after the entire amount was paid by the buyer” Archana Deka Lahkar, Member of the DCDRC

Lahkar, member of the DCDRC. Authorities said that they are continuously disposing off cases filed against real estate developers. Further, delay in possession make for a majority of cases registered against builders and customers seek compensation for harassment. Usually buyers win the cases against real estate developers and are provided with compensation as decided by the DCDRC. Sometimes the builders and the complainants even reach a compromise over the matter, said an official. In most cases where a partial amount has been paid by the buyers against the house, the DCDRC directs the builders to return the money to the buyers with a 12 percent interest per annum. In addition to this, they are also directed to pay compensation for causing mental harassment and agony to the consumer which range between Rs 40,000 and Rs 50,000. “The customers also receive the cost of the suit including fees paid to the counsels and the expenditure incurred in attending the forum.” A lot of cases also go on for around three or four years before being disposed off, said authorities. n

floor of the apartment which was being constructed in the city. He was also paid the first instalment for the house

by the complainant who had purchased a flat on the fourth floor. However, the builder didn’t have the requisite permission for building flats up to the fourth floor and ultimately the Guwahati Municipal Corporation demolished the fourth floor. He was also deceiving buyers by telling them that he had the permission to construct the building. “When the builder refused to return the instalment money, the buyer filed a case with the forum. After the judgement of the case, the builder was asked to shell out the money along with interest and compensation,” said Hussain. Consumer courts are meant to handle cases related to consumer grievances and disputes in order to protect consumer rights. According to officials, at least two cases are filed against real estate developers on an average in a month. n

Duping people under fake banners

File photos of apartments in the city

n a few cases, buyers have also encountered fake builders who have duped them of lakhs of rupees under a fake banner of a builder. “It has also happened that sometimes builders collect some money as down payment or a few instalments for the flats after which they are nowhere to be found. This is total duping of customers and leaves them in a big mess and they approach the consumer court,” said Hussain. In an example, a city-based couple had deposited Rs 10 lakhs to the ‘builder’ for starting the casting. They later found that the casting was not done even after several months and the

builder was absconding. In other cases related to real estate developers, at times parking facility is not provided after agreeing to it. Sometimes the boundary is given as per the agreement or painting and other woodwork is not up to the mark. The district consumer forum deals with dispute cases whose value is up to Rs 20 lakhs. Statelevel cases with a value of more than Rs 20 lakhs and up to Rs 1 crore are taken up by the state consumer disputes redressal commission. And finally, the national consumer disputes redressal commission is the apex body which looks after disputes where the total claim and compensation amount exceeds Rs 1 crore. Other kinds of cases which are being filed increasingly at the DCDRC in the recent times are against airline companies. Recently, the DCDRC received a few cases when even after possessing confirmed flight tickets, the passengers were refused boarding on no legitimate grounds. “Sometimes the airline authorities tell customers that the seats are full even after they booked the ticket in advance or they are told that they arrived late when they have already completed their security check

well within time.” In such cases too, compensation has been paid to the customers after the judgement passed by the court. n

G PLUS | Jan 27 - FEB 02, 2018

Snippets

G PLUS | Jan 27 - FEB 02, 2018

Nominations invited for Guwahati Food Awards 2017

uwahati Food Awards initiated in 2015 is aimed at bringing together the best in the food fraternity and recognizing the top performers who have set benchmarks in the city’s food & beverage segment. Nominations are now invited for the awards which shall honour top restaurants, cafes, lounge bars, bakeries, fast food eateries and even the best chef across the city in a gala awards ceremony scheduled on 18th March 2018. This one-of-a-kind award provides a unique platform to both established and emerging players to make their presence felt within the industry and nominate themselves in the different categories. With over 24 categories, the award will cater to the entire spectrum of the eating-out space and the 4th edition of the G Plus Guwahati Food Awards 2018 promises to be an even bigger and more engaging event this time around with over 300

food joints in the city. The winners shall be selected via a two-stage process comprising an independent consumer survey, i.e., voting through the G Plus app, website and mobile platforms followed by jury selection. The fourth edition of the Guwahati Food Awards has been announced with nominations invited from all quarters of the city. Speaking at the announcement, Sunit Jain, Director & Publisher, G Plus said, “Given the success of

the last three years, we at GFA believe that the F&B landscape is fast evolving in the city and hence would like to encourage even higher standards for the awards this year. We would also like to applaud the exceptional efforts made by the industry members who are becoming examples and setting benchmarks through innovation. The 4th season would definitely triple the excitement of all involved.” Guwahati Food Awards 2018 also invites nominations from home bakers this year. Guwahati Food Awards is an initiative of the city’s leading English weekly – G Plus. Interested food enterprises can nominate themselves for the awards by visiting the website www.gfa.guwahatiplus. com or can also download the nomination forms from http://www.guwahatiplus.com/ engage/food-awards and can reach out to the organizers at 8486002313/ 8486002320. n

Govt to confer Republic Day Journalism Award 2018 to Kanak Sen Deka

he Government of Assam has decided to confer the prestigious Republic Day Journalism Award, 2018 to senior journalist, former President of Assam Sahitya Sabha, and Chief Editor of “Dainik Agradoot”, Kanak Sen Deka honouring his lifelong and immense contribution in the field of journalism in the state. Deka will be the second recipient of the award. He will be awarded with an amount of Rs 1 lakh, a citation, a memento, a xorai, and an angabastra. It may be noted that the ‘Republic Day Journalism Award’ has been instituted under the

Information and Public Relations Department to honour persons of eminence in the field of journalism. Deka has authored “Natun Puruse Juktir Adharat Natun Samaj Garhak”, “Youth in Turmoil: Assam”, “Amar Yuba Samaj Biswa Bijay Koriboloi Olai Ahok” among others. He was the recipient of “National Citizenship Award -1993”. Besides this, he was conferred “Dr Ram Manohar Lohia National Award” for outstanding contribution in the field of journalism. He was also awarded the highest honour of the state, “Srimanta Sankardev Award” in 2016. n

Assam Women Entrepreneurs’ Conclave to be held in city

n entrepreneurship conclave for the women entrepreneurs of Assam is being organised in Guwahati on 29 and 30 January. The Assam Women Entrepreneurs’ Conclave, that’ll bring together women from all sectors and segments of society under one roof, would address issues and challenges in entrepreneurship, scale up innovative business ideas and document profiles of women entrepreneurs of Assam. It will provide a platform for learning the best practices, knowledge sharing, promoting business and building connections. “Most of the women entrepreneurs from Assam are engaged in conventional sectors like handloom and handicraft, food processing and beauty and wellness. Exposure is necessary for our women entrepreneurs in other sectors as well, so that they can cross barriers and open their minds towards different business ideas,” Sriparna Baruah, organiser, told G Plus. The conclave would focus on breaking the stereotype and venturing into other sectors such as tourism and hospitality, media and entertainment, education, agri-horticulture, social entrepreneurship, Information Technology, online business, branding, packaging and printing along with

logistics and transportation. Speaking to G Plus, Sriparna expressed the need for more women entrepreneurs saying, “Women constitute about 50% of the total population and so, we as a country cannot really grow unless women start contributing to the economy.” She also informed that there will be a separate room dedicated to bankers. Officials from various banks that offer financial schemes for women and business will be seated there and interact with the audience. These bankers will also assist the budding and established women entrepreneurs of the region in their financial problem as finance is the most integral part of an enterprise. With the upcoming Advantage Assam Summit and Northeast India being seen as a gateway to Southeast Asia, she believes that the entrepreneurship scenario of Assam is looking at expansion and growth. n

ASTC launches luxurious buses in Guwahati

Central Govt releases Rs 50 Cr for construction of Tech City near Guwahati Airport

hief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal along with State IT Minister Keshab Mahanta inaugurated the Directorate of Information Technology, Electronics and Communication at Janata Bhawan on Wednesday. Speaking on the occasion, Sonowal emphasised the use of IT in the smooth functioning of the state, and also announced that a communication corridor will open up gates of new opportunities for the region. Sonowal also said that he envisions Assam as a state

where information technology would act as a bridge between people and technology across all the districts of Assam. The Central Government has released Rs 50 crores out of a total of Rs 119 crores, for the construction of Tech City near LGBI Airport. Earlier, IT minister Keshab Mahanta said that the state government, which did not have a communication department as of now, will now have nodal officers from central communication ministry to monitor the implementation of the government projects. n

ssam State Transport Corporation (ASTC) on Wednesday launched the luxurious VOLVO bus service at ASTC head office, Paltan Bazar. The service was launched by state transport minister Chandra Mohan Patowary at the ASTC head office, Paltan Bazar. A total of five buses have been launched in the first phase. Speaking on the occasion,

the minister said, “ASTC currently is running short of money to own buses, which is why the department has launched the luxurious bus service with VOLVO in a PPP mode.” The minister also went on to say that unlike the former government, the BJP government will not follow any regulations to chuck out employees and will carry the department’s functions. n

City

G PLUS | Jan 27 - FEB 02, 2018

City police announces traffic diversions for Republic Day Khanapara Rotary and NH 37 or via Assam Rifle building (IG Prison office gate) point and park at the earmarked places.

G Plus News

CP Traffic, Amanjeet Kaur has announced a diversion in traffic, and parking management on 26th January 2018, around the Veterinary College Field, Khanapara on the occasion of Republic day celebration. Diversion of vehicles During the programme, movement of all heavy commercial goods carrying vehicles coming towards Guwahati through National Highways 31 and 37 will be regulated as and when necessary on the following places for the safety of the general public on the roads: Khetri, Sonapur, Byrnihat and Jorabat Jalukbari, Amingaon and Bongara (City border) Diversion around the venue:

No vehicle shall be allowed entry from the Research Gate point or Koinadhara point to Museum point. From Science Museum point to Koinadhara point, only the vehicles with “RED passes” will be allowed entry. Commercial goods carrying vehicles shall NOT be allowed to ply on GS Road from Khanapara to Sixmile. Vehicles with “RED, BLUE and YELLOW passes” shall be allowed to move upto Koinadhara point either via GS Road,

The public coming by vehicles “WITHOUT VEHICLE PASS” to attend the function from Dispur, Beltola, Noonmati, Narengi side will be allowed to park vehicles

either at on roadside from Khanapara flyover ending point towards Greenwood Resort or to bring vehicles via Sixmile and Joyanagar chariali point upto Assam Administrative Staff College Gate. The public coming by vehicles from Basistha Chariali side to the venue may move via NH–37 upto Koinadhara point and park on southern service road of NH 37. No Parking: The stretch of the National Highway 37 from Koinadhara point to Khanapara rotary From Koinadhara point to I.G. Prison office (Assam Rifle building) point. From the AASC Gate to the Research Gate point. GS Road, B. Barooah Road,

GNB Road, KLB Road and MG Road. Parking arrangements for vehicles of invitees, media, public etc. in and around the field: Main cars of the Invitees / Pass Holders will be parked at the earmarked place. Vehicles of police officers / security personnel / parade contingents / cultural troupes etc. are to be parked on the road along Veterinary College campus wall or on the road from the AASC gate to Joyanagar. Vehicles of public (WITHOUT PASSES) will be parked from the AASC gate to Joyanagar, Ganesh Mandir Indoor Stadium complex and Khanapara Point, Service Roads on National Highway 37.

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G Talk D

G PLUS | Jan 27 - FEB 02, 2018

Selfies and provocations

hah Rukh Khan’s prowess as a public speaker is unparalleled. His humility is legendary. A judicious combination of the two was recently on display as he delivered his speech at Davos upon receiving his award at the World Economic Forum. He touched upon a variety of topics in his 5-minute speech but the mainstay of it was his concern and condemnation of one of the most treacherous acts of crime – acid attack. As per SRK’s own admission, actors are “renowned narcissists” who desperately do not want to believe in external beauty and yet are obsessed by it in one way or another. Disfiguring this beauty by an acid attack is “one the basest, crudest acts of subjugation imaginable.” Now, to think about it, in this selfie age, there is no dearth of narcissists. More so in Guwahati! The obsession to click oneself and seek public adulation over social media, especially by females, is nothing but narcissism. The fallouts are disapproving eyes, jealous minds and serious provocation leading to abetment of crime. Young morality zealots, mostly jilted in love, seek to “teach a lesson” to the unabashed narcis-

sist and the easiest weapon available seems to be acid. Mainland India has seen enough of this to have SRK so worried. And so, it comes as a sense of relief that Guwahati – a city almost as cosmopolitan as say Mumbai or Delhi – has a proud low record of such a crime. The one case of recent vintage which happened in 2016 was where an advocate of Gauhati High Court was attacked by unknown miscreants. The victim, till date, has no idea of the provocation though and could not pinpoint a probable culprit. Staying safe is of utmost importance and Guwahati today can indeed be termed as a safe place. The docile Assamese society of Guwahati has, on very few occasions, been as brutal and cruel as to have acid attack cases in large numbers. And yet the selfie and flaunting culture that seems to have caught on to the point of no return makes concerns erupt given that a powerful voice like SRK is harping on narcissism and acid attacks in the same segment of speech on a world platform. Swapnil Bharali Editor

A society of half baked nobodies

his week, two photos kicked up a storm on the internet – one published by a certain journalist showing two women photographed while ‘possibly’ purchasing alcohol. The second - a counter to the first – had a girl, feeling empowered, wanting to make a statement and standing outside the same liquor store, holding two containers of whiskey. She wrote why it was okay for her to consume alcohol; if the society disapproved she couldn’t care less. In fact, in my opinion, no woman should. First, it is not like men reserve the right to purchase and consume alcohol. A recent report stated that women in Assam recorded the highest levels of alcohol consumption (largely because of consumption of desi daaru). Nevertheless, because we feel we are concerned about our image as a society, we take small instances, conjure up some godforsaken interpretation, take a moral high ground, and blow it out of proportion. As a society, we are hypocrites in the truest sense. This pseudo intellectual, moral-high-ground taking, spineless-society that we pride ourselves to be living in, comprises journalists, intellectuals, social figures, academicians, entrepreneurs et al all of whom are nothing but half-baked. The first step to evolving as a society is letting people free with their ideas, without pelting stones at a new interpretation every time. In other words, you need to mind your own business. I say, if there’s someone of legal drinking age let them drink, let them explore their boundaries. People have been kept confined for far too long. If this continues, it won’t be long before we crumble as a society with individuality getting lost and the world gets filled with half-baked nobodies. Sidharth Bedi Varma

Boosting tourism opportunity in Majuli, a spiritual abode

hile in Majuli, what do tourists do? It’s mostly Satra hopping, watching mask making at Samaguri satra and feasting on traditional food and beverages. As the spiritual and religious hub of Assam, Majuli had 65 satras. The tourists need to be apprised of the great vision of Srimanta Sankardeva ably followed by Shri Madhabdeb. While the origin, history, glory, achievements of each satra should be highlighted, the essence of Gurujona also needs to be adhered to at all times. Raas enactment should be a big highpoint of Majuli for it transcends language barrier. For revenue generation, copies of Xaasipaator Puthi should be made for sale to tourists instead of handling it by the satra inmates everyday for photography. The museums could be modernized with grants from Central government agencies and its upkeep could be from gate revenue. The satras must be more vibrant all the time and tourists should be able to view prasanga everyday. This is possible if satras have different schedules for prasangas and tours to satras are coordinated accordingly. Entry to satras should be by a ticket to augment upkeep. Mats and handicrafts like cane fans need to be made and sold to fill the coffers of the satra or its inmates (bhakts & aaldharas). Small sized khols, cymbals or even doba (drum) can be items for sale. The most irritating aspect of satra visit is the insistence to enter barefoot. The satras are dirty and dusty with the sandy

soil of Majuli. Walking around barefoot thoroughly soils the feet. While tradition is sacrosanct, the tourist’s interest is also important. A marriage of convenience can be achieved by renting wooden footwear (khoroms) at the gate of the satra which again enhances revenue, curiosity value and also gives bhakts a new skill to work on. Alternatively, disposable shoe covers could be used too. Inside the satra, regular hands-on workshop of simple maati akhara, satriya dances or mask-making can be tourist attractions. Amongst the satra hopping, the mask-making of Samaguri Satra is undoubtedly the biggest draw of Majuli. Alas, it is far from being professional, woefully short of its potential. ATDC has realized the potential of mask-making and is even incurring a huge cost to make a mask centre. Majuli can, if worked upon properly, match the Venetian or Chinese mask industry. At present, an average tourist doesn’t get enough of the Vaishnavite or Satriya traditions of Majuli. All the satras can get together and work out a schedule so that there is an ankiya bhaona or any abridged form of it is enacted every evening in one satra or the other. With that, a tourist will be able to see it on any given day and satras shall have additional earnings.

The author offers his ideas and suggestions towards making Majuli more tourist-friendly in this second and concluding part of the artice It is worthwhile remembering that Satriya isn’t the only attraction of Majuli. Tribal living heritage and culture can be equal, if not a bigger draw. Trips to Mishing areas with heritage villages, food, traditional dances and the quintessential varieties of Sai Mod (rice beer)

rDismal performance of Assam cricket

O p i n i o n Dr Navanil Barua

can be arranged. A traditional meal in stilt houses of Mishings or Deories can make a tourist very happy. The sale of tribal handicrafts can change the economy of these backward, rural, flood damaged areas. For the Christian tourist, the small cathedrals and churches of Majuli could be a great attraction. Accommodation in the form of typical hotels is not necessary but stilt bamboo and wooden cottage type resorts with all ultra modern facilities should continue. The “Deka chang’’ at Majuli is a very good example of what is needed. It needs to add value with a raised and covered swimming pool and a bar. Alcohol is a sensitive issue in Majuli. Being promoted as a centre of Shankari culture, free and rampant alcohol would be inappropriate. What could be done is to allow bar sales only in resorts and promote local rice brews packaged nicely. Additionally, the satra guest houses with traditional vegetarian food could be another form of accommodation if maintained professionally. It will also be a major revenue earner for the satras. Further, for a new dimension, there are innumerable small islands in and around Majuli, traditionally known as Sapori. These could be hubs for dirt biking, quad-biking, aero sports etc. Daytime picnics and night camping can also be arranged for. Temporary heritage parks can be made and tourists could travel by boats. House boat stay can be added around these small islands. Majuli is incomplete without mentioning Jadav Payeng’s forest although it’s not in mainland Majuli. One has to go there from Nemati. Yet, overnight stay out there could be very attractive for the tourists. Beyond these inputs of mine, which are by no means exhaustive, I hope some fresh minds try these out, add more to them and change the economy of Majuli. Dr Navanil Barua is a neurosurgeon by profession and a socio-political activist by choice; he is a resident of Guwahati.

Letter to the Editor

he performance of the state cricket team in important national tourneys in the current year is pathetic. In the prestigious Ranji Trophy, the senior team just managed to earn a draw and that too in a controversial manner. In the ongoing Syed Mustaq Ahmed T20 tournament, the state team again put up a dismal performance losing to minnows Tripura. After the removal of the tainted Bikash Baruah and his gang from ACA, it was expected that some positive would come out but going by the present trend it is nowhere to be seen. May I, through your esteemed weekly, ask the chairman of the selection committee of ACA, Bimal Bharali, a worthy cricketer of the state of yesteryears, the reasons behind the dismal performance of the state cricketers in the national circuit? The only silver lining is the selection of Riyan Parag in the Indian team for the ICC U-19 cricket world cup in New Zealand. Himadri Chekanidhara, Bihpuria, North Lakhimpur

In Focus

G PLUS | Jan 27 - FEB 02, 2018

Dr Sriparna Baruah

Educational entrepreneur

r Sriparna B Baruah is a pioneer in introducing Management Education in northeast India and is presently heading the Centre for Industrial Extension at the Indian Institute of Entrepreneurship (IIE). Born in Guwahati, Sriparna did her schooling from St Mary’s High School and went to Cotton College (now Cotton University) for graduation. She further pursued MBA (Master of Business Administration) for post graduation from Gauhati University and did her PhD in Training Effectiveness. From the beginning itself, her focus was on creating enterprising students. Sriparna has been associated with the field of education for more than 25 years now. She started her career with Management Education, teaching HRM and Personal Effectiveness at the Assam Institute of Management in 1989. Since then, she’s been associated as a visiting faculty with the management department of various educational institutes like Gauhati University, Tezpur University, Kaziranga University, Girijananda Institute of Management and Technology etc among various others. Currently, Sriparna teaches social entrepreneurship at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS). She’s also been associated with Indian Institute

of Entrepreneurship for around 19 years. Speaking to G Plus about pursuing a career in the field of education, Sriparna said, “It was mainly because of my primary interest in education that I decided to pursue a career in the field. But, I feel that education is something that I got into by default. I was more interested in management consultancy, but when management education first came in the region in the late 1980s, I took it as a challenge to impart the knowledge that I had gained in the field because when we talk about management education, the challenge is to focus on personality development as a part of education, and that was my core thrust.” Having been associated with the field of education for so long, Sriparna says that the educational scenario of Guwahati has undergone major transformation over the past couple of years. “I think there’s a lot of awareness amongst students. Their mindset has also changed and I see a lot of confidence and drive to achieve their dreams and excel in whichever field they opt for. Earlier, students were very unsure about their careers but the new generation is very focussed and sure about what they want to do,” she said. In the same vein, she pointed

out that educational quality and internet have had a huge role to play in this change. “In our times, we had access to pretty limited information, but today there is an overflow of information. On hindsight, today’s generation doesn’t have in-depth knowledge on any one issue since they can easily Google the answers of any question. So the reading habits and attention span has really changed.” On being asked whether Guwahati is at par with the rest of the country in terms of educational quality, she said that Guwahati cannot be called an educational hub like Delhi and Mumbai. This is because education has become a business now. There are a number of private institutions that have come up that market themselves very well. But the quality of education cannot be measured by that. Sriparna aims to reach out to a wider section of people in the northeast region and help, inspire and motivate more entrepreneurs. With time and

experience in the entrepreneurship development sector, Sriparna says that the entrepreneurship space in the region has undergone a lot of changes in the past 4-5 years, particularly because northeast India has achieved stability now. With various government schemes, support systems and policies like Start up India, Stand up India along with incentives, people have now started looking at Assam and the whole of northeast as a region of opportunities and possibilities. Sriparna has three messages for Assam’s women who wish to become entrepreneurs – think big, be sure about what you want and why you want it, and have a neversay-die attitude. To carry the message forward, she’s organising the first Assam Women Entrepreneurs’ Conclave in Guwahati on 29-30 January. The conclave, that’ll bring together women from all sectors and segments of society under one roof, would address issues and

challenges in entrepreneurship, scale up innovative business ideas and document profiles of women entrepreneurs of Assam. It will provide a platform for learning the best practices, knowledge sharing, promoting business and building connections. “Most of the women entrepreneurs from Assam are engaged in conventional sectors like handloom & handicraft, food processing and beauty & wellness. Exposure is necessary for our women entrepreneurs in other sectors as well, so that they can cross barriers and open their minds towards different business ideas,” Sriparna said. Sriparna expressed the need for more women entrepreneurs saying, “Women constitute about 50% of the total population and so, we as a country cannot really grow unless women start contributing to the economy.”

Guwahati witnesses furore about ignorance and moral policing by Journalists on Saraswati Puja after a photograph of women purchasing alcohol went viral Abhishek Purkayastha The issue isn’t with the girls buying booze. The issue isn’t with the journalist either or his brand of journalism. The issue lies with the society at large, where the norms are assumed to be different for both genders. It would be commendable if G Plus can lead a campaign against such unwritten, outdated norms that goes against the basic principles of human equality. Let us all try to emulate the guy behind the counter. He doesn’t discriminate/judge anyone on the basis of sex, caste, community, creed or colour. Booze for everyone, that’s equality in the real sense. Amit Kumar Dash It seems journalists are the best people and they drink only milk. Hello, please go and check behind the scene what journalists are doing. They are not there to solve public issues. They will even make our lives hell believe me and that’s a fact no can deny. Also, nowhere is it written that only a boy can be seen near a wine shop and can purchase the same. It’s an equal right for a girl also who has crossed 21 years of age. Please stop this nonsense and solve the general public issues of crime etc. Stop making a scene out of everything. Dibakar Sharma I don’t know what is wrong if a female goes to purchase in a wine shop. I have seen written “Not for sale to minors” but nowhere on the bottles is it written “Not for sale to female.” I don’t find any harm and most important why would someone take a photograph of a girl without her consent and what are they trying to prove? The culture? The traditions? Sorry but nothing’s proven. These people are a disgrace to society.

Tanushree Das The most judgemental nature is the cheap aspect among journalists. They actually forget the ethics of journalism. I think the progressive vibes of unemployment make them restless or the weak salary make them anxious. That’s why they show this kind of news and circulate it on media. Now media is no more influential according to me because they are attacking only what they want to show us and eliminate the facts behind the incidents or reality; especially the Assamese news channels. The reporters think that they are social media celebrities and whatever they post, people are going to follow blindly. Digvijay Changkakoti The Constitution provides every citizen the right to equality under Art 14 and protection of life and personal liberty under Art21. So it shouldn’t be anybody’s business unless one is encroaching upon the rights of others. In other words “JUST GROW UP.” Both boys and girls can go to a liquor shop to buy alcohol and it’s totally normal. The problem lies with the people of Guwahati. Their mentality should be broadened. First people should see men women with equality. Secondly, mekhela has nothing to do with wine shop and thirdly the journalists of Assamese news channels should immediately stop posting nonsense for the sake of TRP.

Feature

G PLUS | Jan 27 - FEB 02, 2018

Falling in love with Vientiane Kashmiri Nath Foodie, owner at XOXO cupcakes, food blogger, recipe developer and expert on Assamese cuisine.

Lao cuisine is served with élan and style, be it at a street vendor or in fancy restaurants. Almost all Lao meals are accompanied with numerous dips and sauces, chilli sauce and sweet sauce with garlic and bits of chilli in it. Meals in Laos are authentic, earthy and a pleasure to eat.

ientiane is the capital of Laos, one hour away from the bustling city of Bangkok by flight. It is breathtakingly beautiful, by the Mekong River and dotted with French colonial architecture and Buddhist temples. Broad boulevards and tree lined avenues form the cityscape. Food is distinctively local and delicious. There is a sense of serenity and calm after the vibrant energy of Bangkok city, it is like finding a slice of Paradise, somehow untouched, where people still live by tradition and culture. In Laos, food is one of the most important activities and for any foodie it is like finding the Holy Grail! People in Laos greet each other by asking, “Have you eaten Food? Kin khao laeo bor.” That’s how passionate they are about food. My taste buds were in heaven. We landed in Laos during the Lao New Year or Pii Mai. The city was bedecked in bright yellow spring flowers, Labrunum and people playing with water and drinking beer as if there was no tomorrow. Hailing from India, what caught our attention was the lack of chaos; instead a very friendly atmosphere prevailed everywhere. Throwing water at each other is the ritual and everybody came prepared with water guns and water pistols, amidst music and some more beer. Our culinary journey in Vientiane began at the Kongview Restaurant, located by the Mekong River and where we sat under the mango trees with colourful lanterns and green mangoes hanging, vying for our attention. It is a gem of a place to watch the river flow

languidly and be caressed by a gentle breeze, while enjoying a scrumptious meal. Rose wood deck under the feet and fans move the air around while quietly efficient girls take down orders. We ate local food and with young Hyder, our friend’s son, guiding us through, we knew we were in excellent hands. Lunch comprised Fish Laab, sticky rice, Tam Mak Houng (papaya salad), chicken with cashew nuts (Gai Phat Met Mamuang) and stir fried Morning Glory green (Kalmou Saak in Oxomiya). Although, the dishes are similar to Thai Dishes, Loa cooking is different from Thai food, as it leans more towards sour, spicy and bitter than sweet as in the Thai cuisine. Sticky rice comes in a small bamboo woven basket and always eaten with hands, while other dishes are eaten with either fork and spoon or chopsticks. The fish had me completely bowled over; the sweet river fish, the crunchy mint, cilantro all dressed in a tangy and spicy lime juice was out of the world. Laab or Larb is the national dish of Laos and can be made with pork, chicken, lamb or duck. It is a refreshing and a delicious dish; there is a slight crunchiness which comes from the roasted and powdered rice grains. Chicken with cashew

and certainly not overcooked. Dishes are cooked with minimal oil and the use of spices is there to enhance the natural flavour of the ingredients. Eating around in Laos has only reinforced my belief that we share more common similarities than differences. Walking around Vientiane made me feel at home, people are warm, welcoming with a ready smile. French influence is clearly evident everywhere,

or chicken which they call Khao Jee Sandwich and topped with chilli sauce. A strong cup of filter coffee is what goes well with it. Lao cuisine is served with élan and style, be it at a street vendor or in fancy restaurants. When in Vientiane one can’t miss eating at Khop Chai Deu Restaurant. Housed in a French colonial building with a variety of Lao and Thai dishes, this is a must visit place for sampling Lao dishes. Almost all Lao meals are

was a balanced dish of sweet, spicy and savoury with plenty of bell peppers. I loved the morning glory green stir fry which was a great accompaniment to the sticky rice. Vegetables are tender, fresh and very lightly sautéed, retaining the crunchiness

you get amazing coffee whether on the street side or tony cafes around the city. Cafes and bistros serve food which is a melange of Lao and French cuisine; Baguettes are sold as street food with Lao style fillings of fresh vegetables, pork

accompanied with numerous dips and sauces, chilli sauce and sweet sauce with garlic and bits of chilli in it. String beans and tender bamboo shoots are served as crudités. Meals in Laos are authentic, earthy and a pleasure to eat. Fish is fresh

water fish from the Mekong River, so it is sweet and divine. Sticky rice is a staple and at every meal sticky rice is served. It is similar to our sticky rice, yet quite different. The grains are longer and more fragrant. The spicy green Papaya salad, known as Tam Mak Hoong, is a very popular dish in Lao cuisine and called Som Tam in neighbouring Thailand, is actually a Lao invention, although most people think it to be a Thai dish. Simplicity is the core of Lao food, balance and flavours are brought about by the use of herbs, greens and spices. We ate plenty of Pho which is similar to Vietnamese Pho. Noodles called Mee are popular in Lao cuisine. Both wet noodles in a broth and dry noodles are eaten. Most hotels have an array of western breakfast along with a wide variety of local dishe. So don’t be surprised to find soft cooked rice (Maar Bhaat) with crisply fried anchovies (Saru Maas) or local porridge sitting elegantly alongside corn flakes. Most of the desserts are made of coconut milk and Taro flour. I tasted tender Taro roots boiled and served with cool coconut milk and served at breakfast. It was such a refreshing dish, mildly sweet and very delicious. Cupcakes which are made of Taro root flour and frosted with coconut cream. It is easy to connect in a country even if one does not speak the language, one can connect with their food and flavours. Every time, I discovered a similar fruit or vegetable or green, I went into raptures with joy and felt an instant kinship and belonging. ‘Laos you have won my heart and I hope to see you soon again!’ n

Trotter

G PLUS | Jan 27 - FEB 02, 2018

Poop fallen from plane mistaken for Dead Buddhist monk ‘smiles’ as his body is rare material at Gurugram

strange turn of events unfolded in Fazilpur Badli village of Gurugram. Villagers, who confused frozen toilet waste leaking from a flying aircraft for some rare mineral, not only took a piece of it home, but also stored it in their fridges. According to a report, it all started when farmer Rajbir Yadav, who went to the field for his morning ritual, saw something really unexpected. He witnessed a large piece of rock coming straight from the sky and hitting the earth with a loud noise.

Not sure about what it could be, he called other people from the village, and they suggested that the rock could in fact be a piece of a meteor. So, the teams from India Meteorological Department and National Disaster Management Authority were called. But unlike what everyone was expecting, they revealed that the material was ‘blue ice’, the term used for toilet waste in planes. A resident said, “Villagers who kept it (blue ice) inside their refrigerators are disappointed and are now busy

exhumed after two months

cleaning their houses.” That’s messed up to say the least. (Source: scoopwhoop)

Job ad for graphic designer leaves internet amused

obs these days have become increasingly difficult and competitive for the applicants as well as for the employers who try new ways and perks to lure fresh talent to their organization. In a similar bid, a hilarious and unique posting for the position of a graphic designer by the City of Los Angeles-government jobs was posted on social media which made everyone laugh out loud. The Twitter users were highly amused at the job posting and many replied in a similar fashion. The City of Los Angeles- government jobs posted the requirement of a graphic designer on Twitter with an image created by using Microsoft Paint. It was not only creative but also left Twitterati

highly amused. Most of us follow Facebook groups or LinkedIn groups to land our dream jobs whereas the recruiters are also finding people on social media to fill up vacancies in their organization.

However, City of Los AngelesJobs shared a post for the position of graphic designer with the only requirement being that the person will have to work from their office. They used Microsoft Paint to showcase and establish the point that the vacancy is for a designer. Twitterati came up with their own versions of images and graphic designs. The reactions to the job vacancy were as hilarious as the ad for recruitment. We must say even though the City of Los Angeles-government jobs might be requiring a graphic designer they do have some solid brains working in the copywriting and strategy department, not to mention the human resources. (Source: scoopwhoop)

n incredible image shows a ‘smiling’ deceased Buddhist monk being exhumed by his dedicated followers two months after he died. Revered monk Luang Phor Pian died on November 16 last year in Bangkok, Thailand when he was 92 years old. Originally from Cambodia, Pian spent the majority of his life serving as a well-known spiritual and Buddhist guru in Lopburi, central Thailand. When he died, his body was returned to the temple where he served for burial. This week his followers removed his body from his coffin as part of a traditional Buddhist ceremony. But they were shocked to discover the corpse had barely decayed and he appeared to have a ‘smile’ on his face. Amazingly, Pian appeared to be smiling when his masked follows paraded him through the crowd. Spectators snapped pictures of the incredible moment and shared the photos on social media. Reports said the monks had

removed Pian’s body in order to fit him with new, clean robes. His body appeared in a state consistent with somebody who had been dead for no more than 36 hours, local media reported. Pian’s peaceful state has been described as a sign that the monk has truly reached nirvana. The monk’s followers will continue to pray for him until a final resting ceremony is held on the 100th day of his death. (Source: mirror.co)

Canadian man gets parking ticket for ‘car’ made of snow

Camel beauty pageant bans Botoxed animals

audi Arabian camel herders are going to extraordinary lengths to make sure they have the best-looking animals in the business by injecting them with Botox to make them more ‘handsome.’ The widespread practice has resulted in over a dozen expulsions from a recent camel beauty contest, Reuters reports. The unscrupulous entrants were thrown out of the competition by suspicious authorities who have pledged a crackdown on the growing practice. “Camels that are found with drugs in the lips, shaved, dyed in any parts of the body, or with changes from natural form are not allowed,” authorities warned last year. The beauty contest is part of the King Abdulaziz festival taking place outside the Saudi capital this month, with hundreds of

thousands of visitors expected to attend. The month-long festival is big business and millions of dollars are expected to change hands during the course of the event. Prize money of 213 million riyals (£4m) has been made available to those entering their animals into races which attract thousands of spectators. Auctions are also scheduled later this month and the most attractive animals can command high prices. “The camel is a symbol of Saudi Arabia. We used to preserve it out of necessity, now we preserve it as a pastime,” said chief judge Fawzan al-Madi. Camels are especially revered by members of the nation’s Bedouin tribes. These often nomadic desert people have used camels for generations of trade and commerce.

Authorities in the kingdom are keen to emphasise this aspect of Saudi culture as they embark on major social reforms in the country. Women are now able to attend musical and sporting events, while a widely-criticised ban on female drivers will finally be lifted later this year. The modernising drive is part of plans to diversify the country’s economy which has grown rich on its reserves of crude oil. “The vision is for the (festival) to become a global, pioneering forum for all classes of people to come for entertainment, knowledge and competition,” Fahd al-Semmari, a Camel Club board member said. 300,000 people have made the 90-minute trip from the Saudi capital to the festival, an increase from the same point last year. (Source: huffingtonpost)

Canadian man made a fake car out of snow and got a real parking ticket. Montreal native Simon Laprise crafted a Back to the Future-style Delorean on the side of his street as part of a prank and he got the results he expected. “It was a beautiful day,” Laprise told. “So I decided to do something out of the mountain of snow, to do a little joke to the snow guys, and have fun sculpting a car. It’s not my first one, just the first I did on the street on snow removal day.” Laprise sculpted the Delorean to look like a life-

size version of Marty McFly’s ride had been parked throughout a snow storm for days. He even added indentions for the wheels and windows and then threw a spare windshield wiper he found lying around for a special touch. The snow car looked real enough that when police came around to look for cars parked on that side of the road during a snow plowing hours, they wrote a ticket and left it on a windshield made of snow. Larpise had his last laugh as he posted the photos to Facebook. (Source: indianexpress)

G PLUS | Jan 27 - FEB 02, 2018

Review

Cast: Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone, Shahid Kapoor, Jim Sarbh, etc Director: Sanjay Leela Bhansali

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Padmaavat

ll those agitating over how Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Padmaavat would trample all over Rajput pride, you may rest easy: the director didn’t need a memo from the Karni Sena and all the other self-styled ‘armies’ on keeping it ‘sanskaari’ – his entire film is a relentlessly opulent, magnificently-mounted paean to Rajput ‘aan baan shaan’. Death by beauty – it is possible, we are assured by art, fiction and poetry. It is the guiding principle of Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s beautiful-looking but bloodless Padmaavat. Every inch of Bhansali’s 163-minute period drama about the sacking of Chittor is perfectly framed; every character is symmetrically arranged, in coordinated colours; every bauble is of extreme

elegance; every line of dialogue is momentous; every wound spurts just enough blood to ensure that it is in perfect balance with all the other elements on the screen. Through a simplistic and conventional chronicle of domestic calm ruined by foreign invasion, Bhansali explores his pet predilections and gives his current muse, Ranveer Singh, the role of a lifetime. Deepika is an epitome of grace and she delivers a knockout performance as a Rani yet again. Her portrayal of Padmavati is all things ethereal and keen. Shahid does a controlled act of the righteous king and does full justice to his part. With kohl-ed eyes and an impressive build, he looks the part. Jim Sarbh, with his accent and peculiar mannerism, shows us the different facets of human bonding. n

Gadget Review

dread that the harsh, sublime, inhumanly scaled landscape is said to invoke in those who weren’t born to it. He’s lousy at giving us our bearings from scene to scene, and his battle scenes are nearly impossible to follow. Credit where credit is due, unlike most movies about the war in the Middle east, the American patriotism is less flashy here. Beyond the obvious trope of a gunslinger riding horseback in search of the bad guy and justice, the movie does carry with it themes of brotherhood and bravery from that genre. But after a thousand Westerns with those themes overdone to the level of parody, there's a reason that genre died. n

Samsung Galaxy A8+

amsung Galaxy A8+ (2018) is officially the company’s first phone for 2018 with flagshiplike specifications. Samsung usually starts the year with the Galaxy A series launched, and around Feb-March, the new S series flagship is revealed. The current Galaxy A8+ gets features from the previous year’s flagship as has been the trend in the past. For starters, there’s the Infinity Display, the face recognition feature. However, unlike Galaxy Note8 which had a dual-rear camera, Galaxy A8+ sports a dual camera on the front.

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Galaxy A8+ (2018) with Android 7.1.1 which is disappointing in 2018.

Display and design

As its name suggests, this is one large phone. Samsung hasn’t launched the smaller Galaxy A8 (2018) in India, which is a pity, because the A8+ (2018) can be a bit of a handful. It’s relatively thick and heavy at 8.3mm and 191g. Samsung has listed two colour options for this phone, black and gold. The power button is on the right, and the phone’s single mono speaker is positioned right above it - an unusual position, but one that Samsung has been using on multiple models of late. On the left, there’s a volume rocker and a tray for the primary Nano-SIM. The second Nano-SIM as well as a microSD card fit in another tray that slides into the top. There’s also a USB Type-C port and a 3.5mm audio socket on the bottom.

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Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Michael Shannon, Michael Peña Director: Nicolai Fuglsig

2 Strong Is an Underwhelming Tribute to the ‘Horse Soldiers’ of the Afghan War - it is the newest ode to the American warriors which follows a dozen Special Forces soldiers who are surreptitiously choppered into northern Afghanistan less than two months after 9/11. The movie, based on the terrific book Horse Soldiers by Doug Stanton, is only so-so, but it moves at a fair clip and fills in a lot of details about the early successes of the Afghanistan War. The main problem with 12 Strong is location, and not just because the film was shot in New Mexico and California. The director, Nicolai Fuglsig, has no feel for the mythic

Cinepolis

Camera

Specifications

The Galaxy A+ (2018) uses Samsung’s brand new Exynos 7885 SoC, which has two highspeed 2.2Ghz ARM Cortex-A73 cores and six supplementary 1.6GHz Cortex-A53 cores, plus an integrated ARM Mali-G71 GPU. There’s 6GB of RAM and 64GB of storage, of which about 51GB is available to users.

MicroSD card support goes up to 256GB. Because of Samsung’s unique 18.5:9 aspect ratio, the screen resolution is 1080x2220, giving you a tiny bit more height than the 1080x2160 that you get at 18:9. The Galaxy A8+ (2018) also features dual-band WiFi 802.11ac, Bluetooth 5, NFC, GPS, and 4G with VoLTE. But, Samsung has shipped the

This phone and its smaller siblings are Samsung’s first to feature dual front cameras. There’s one with a 16-megapixel sensor and another with an 8-megapixel sensor, and both have f/1.9 apertures. The rear camera is a 16-megapixel unit with an f/1.7 aperture. Surprisingly, video recording tops out at 1920x1080. There’s also no optical image stabilisation for any of the cameras.

Early verdict

The Galaxy A8+ (2018) is in a bit of an awkward position. It isn’t very convincing when seen next to the OnePlus 5T (Review) and Honor View 10 (Review), especially because of the features and capabilities that Samsung still reserves for its flagships. n

G PLUS | Jan 27 - FEB 02, 2018

Entertainment

Kopil Bora & Company to roll out with Arun Sarma’s Aahaar R enowned Assamese actor Kopil Bora launched his production house ‘Kopil Bora & Company’ on January 8, Monday. The Chief Guest for the event was Padma Shri Jahnu Baruah, renowned Indian film director and one of the pioneers of Assamese art cinema. The event took place at Pragati Silpi Sangha, in presence of various dignitaries of the Assamese entertainment industry including Partha Sarathi Mahanta, Avinash Sarma, Florence Handique, Dr Asha Kuthari Choudhuri and Dr Padmini Boruah.

Speaking to G Plus about the inception of ‘Kopil Bora & Company’, Kopil said, “I’ve been associated with theatre and cinema for a long time now. Having worked for and alongside various noted film personalities, I felt that it was time to share my experiences with the world and showcase the kind of stories that I want my audience to see.” He further added that although the production house is currently focussing solely on theatre production, there are expansions plans and a film project is in the

New Assamese film ‘Krodh’

ccording to a survey, approximately 92 women are raped in India every day. Rape has become a common crime against women in India according to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB). While more than 15,000 women have been raped in Assam in the past 10 years, over 2,78,886 rape cases have been reported across India over the same period of time. Now, a full length Assamese feature film has been made based on the high incidences of rape in the present society. The film, directed by Monnoj Baishya and produced by Pankaj Dalani under the banner of ‘Shakti Films’, has been named ‘Krodh.’ The story-screenplay and dialogues have been penned by the director himself. The key roles in the film have been essayed by Debasmita Benarjee, Poran Kamal, Dwiban Kr Baishya, Bipul Das, Lanny, Anurupa Dekaraja, Udayan Duarah, Mukul, Satyan Sarma,

Dipak Bania, Vivek Anand, Ripamoni Saikia, Manik Bora and Pinaki Mitra among others. The film’s music has been scored by Deep Rajbangshi. The cinematography of the film has been done by Biren, vfx is by Vivek Anand whereas editing has been done by Tutul. Recently, the film launched its official trailer on social networking sites. According to the producer, the film will hit the theatres on 23 March all over Assam.

Kalyan Kumar Kalita

pipeline for later this year. Bora informed G Plus that the word ‘company’ in ‘Kopil Bora & Company’ doesn’t mean a commercial business; rather, it means the presence of various people associated with the production house. Dignitaries from various walks of life are associated with it, including Dr Jayanta Das, Professor Dr Asha Kuthari Choudhuri, Editor Swapnil Bharali, Lawyer Pallavi Chumki Baruah, Entrepreneur Sunit Jain and Actress Zerifa Wahid, to name a few. The production house is set to showcase Arun Sarma’s ‘Aahaar’ as its first play on February 2425 at Srimanta Shankardeva Kalakshetra, Guwahati. Aahaar, the first Assamese play from the genre of ‘theatre of the absurd’, will be directed by noted theatre director Avinash Sharma, with one female and three male characters. The lead characters will be essayed by noted actors of the Assamese film and theatre industry, Zerifa Wahid, Ranju Boruah, Partha Hazarika, Suruj Kalita and Kopil Bora himself. What is to be noted about the play is that the female lead character, i.e., Zerifa Wahid will be essaying four different roles. Nilangam Sarma is the music director for ‘Aahaar’. Kopil Bora’s production house is not just for established

personalities in the field of acting, but also for those who’re enthusiastic about the field. Talking about budding artists of the region, Kopil said, “Theatre acting is all about patience and perseverance. You should take it up as a profession only if you’re really serious about it or are enthusiastic theatre workers.” For those who want an exposure and are keen on being a part of the entertainment industry, ‘Kopil Bora & Company’ is a great place to learn the nuances of theatre production as it focuses on building a company/group of like-

Nehal Jain

minded artists of the region who’re enthusiastic about taking the art of theatre production forward. Kopil Bora is an Assamese actor, theatre artist, anchor and All India Radio voice artist. He debuted in Bidyut Chakravarty’s 2002 Assamese film Gun Gun Gane Gane and most known for his performance in Mon (2002), Ahir Bhairav (2008), Jetuka Pator Dore (2011) and Dwaar (2013). He’s been bestowed with many prestigious awards including the Best Actor award at Filmfare Awards East for the movie ‘Dwaar’.

Music and video launch of Parijaat

he audio and video of a new Assamese music album ‘Parijaat’ was launched on January 23 at Hotel Palacio. The event was attended by many dignitaries of the entertainment industry, including Tarali Sharma, Diganta Bharoti, Biman Boruah, Bibhuti Dutta and Ujjal Hazarika. The album, produced by Rishiraj Borkotoky under the banner of RB Productions, features renowned singer Zubeen Garg along with Ankita Goswami and Bidyasagar. The album comprises two solo songs by Ankita Goswami, two duet songs of Ankita and Zubeen Garg, one solo by Zubeen Garg and another solo by Bidyasagar. Guwahati’s Ankita Goswami is the highlight of the album. This Assamese singer based out of New York, USA, started learning to sing at the age of 8 and completed

Tarali Sarma along with other dignitaries releasing the album

her sangeet visharad in Hindustani classical music from Bhatkhande University, Lucknow. The music for the album has been composed by Tarali Sharma, Diganta Bharati, Tarun Tanmay, Ashok Sinha and Papu, music has been produced by Rishiraj Borkakoty and the title song’s video has been directed by Dipankar Saikia. The distribution rights for the

album have been given to TIMES music, which will officially release the album in the first week of February. RB Productions has a vision of launching new talents, not just in the field of music but also motion pictures, short documentaries, etc. They have a lot of projects involving new artists in the pipeline currently. Talking to G Plus, Rishiraj Borkotoky said, “My idea is to introduce the unique and the unseen. This album established my presence; gradually I and my team will come up with some more exciting projects.”

Fun

G PLUS | Jan 27 - FEB 02, 2018

Horoscope of the week You might want to keep your thoughts yourself, particularly early in the week while you’re mulling over a decision. However, once you’ve made it, there’s no problem letting others know what you’ve decided. In fact, as lively Mercury aligns with Jupiter, doing so could hasten a positive conclusion. On another note, with the sun and lovely Venus in your travel sector, thoughts of a vacation or short break could be very appealing. It’s certainly something to consider.

If you need to make any promises this week, give them careful thought. Be guided by your instincts as to what your next move should be. However, with inquisitive Mercury making a positive aspect to expansive Jupiter, it would be no bad thing to put your needs first. On another note, fiery Mars moves into your lifestyle sector on January 26 for a six-week stay, which could encourage you to think about your health and how you might improve it.

With both the sun and delectable Venus in your sector of relating, friendships and close bonds can be upbeat and empowering. The coming weeks can provide an opportunity to smooth over any difficulties, and perhaps find a compromise. However, if you’re involved in a new romance, this blend of energies can be a positive force in the development of your relationship. At work, though, listen to your instincts when trying to decide on a course of action. Logic may not be enough.

Although you might want something early in the week, you could have different thoughts about it by week’s end. As important as it might seem, lively Mercury’s link with potent Pluto could push you to act too quickly to satisfy a desire. If you can wait, things could look very different later, and you might realise you’re better off without it. On another note, feisty Mars enters your home zone on January 26, which brings a great opportunity to clear out any clutter.

After a busy time with family, a focus on your leisure sector could see you taking time out for yourself. And while you might have one pending issue to deal with on the domestic front, it can probably be quickly resolved if you trust your instincts. This could be a purchasing decision or something else related to finances, and, in this instance, logic may not be all that helpful. With feisty Mars entering your communication sector on January 26, networking and marketing could fuel your success.

You could find yourself deep in thought early in the week as key influences encourage you to study a matter in depth before you take it any further. Nevertheless, if you intuitively sense that all will be well, this may be enough. You’re also entering a natural phase when the cosmos encourages you to step back from life and indulge in some self-care. The focus on your domestic sector can be an opportunity to spend time with close ones, as well as nurture and pamper yourself.

You may be guided by a soulful and very spiritual influence to make a decision that can be very beneficial to others. If you do, you could feel a great sense of satisfaction, which can be a clue that you have done the right thing. However, the big news for you is that stirring Mars moves into your sign on January 26 for a six-week stay. This can boost your vitality and encourage you to exercise more or kick-start a bold idea.

If you need to decide something, asking your friends for their advice could be helpful. If you attempt to make the decision on your own, you could overthink it, which might not be very helpful. On January 26, fiery Mars moves into a secluded sector of your chart for a six-week stay, which could stir up your psyche. It might make your dreams more vivid, and it could bring buried issues to the surface. This might be your opportunity to resolve them and let them go.

With the sun and lovely Venus now in your sign, you could feel a surge of energy and well-being. The coming four weeks can be excellent for getting ahead with plans and projects that have been sitting on the back burner, as well as for initiating social events and making new connections. You might also feel moved to change your image. Your social life also picks up the pace. Dynamic Mars in this zone could bring more opportunities for good times your way.

You are now in a natural phase when the cosmos is encouraging you to take life a little more easily. The focus on thoughts, feelings, and inner issues could also encourage you to do some emotional housecleaning and release any baggage that may be holding you back. However, with dynamic Mars hiking into the topmost sector of your chart, activity on the goals and career front might increase. You’ll be eager to act on your biggest plans, and your determination could help you succeed.

Who are the only two siblings to win the Oscars for a leading role?

curio-city

The famous Shakespeare play ‘Romeo and Juliet’ is based in which Italian city?

4 Who made his debut as an actor in the 2000 film ‘Tumi Mur Matho Mur’? 5

What is the French word for ‘Twice Baked’?

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

Non Sequitur by Wiley Miller

9 34 9 2 1 7 1 5 4 3 48

9 6

6 4

3 74 8 4 3 5 hard 6

Daily Sudoku: Thu 18-Jan-2018

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last week solution 8 1 3 2 7 6 7 75 24 61 1 5 9 3 6 1 5 5 9 4 6 3 4 3 98 52 87 3 6 8 2 63 46 24 7 8 7 1 8 3 9 1 3 7 9 4 7 4 42 75 59 8 2 6 8 5 9 1 3 6 9 5 5 6 21 87 12 4 9 Daily 4 Sudoku: 9 Wed 3 24-Jan-2018 2 8

4 89 28 91

6 34 81 57

9 98 47 62

5 23 72 14

15 73 51 52 48 25 6 19 33 47 22 74

99 66 81 38

3 95 86 47 7 6 1 5hard

Daily Sudoku: Thu 18-Jan-2018

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http://www.dailysudoku.com/

Word of the week 1. Yodelling of Kishore Kumar 2. Olivia de Havilland and Joan Fontaine 3. Verona 4. Zubeen Garg 5. Biscuit 6. Rani Padmini or Padmavati of Chittore

He was inspired in doing this by Danny Kaye but some say he far surpassed Kaye in his skills What are we talking about?

3 2 7 7 2 1 9 9 6 2 8 4 3 6 2 8 2 7 8 9 1 4 7 5 5 9 5 1 5 Daily Sudoku: 9 Wed 3 24-Jan-2018 8

http://www.dailysudoku.com/

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Sudoku

With lovely Venus and the sun putting the focus on your sector of responsibility, you can make use of your charm and diplomacy to help further your aims. You might also find yourself in the limelight, and this could provide an opportunity to showcase your skills and influence certain events. It’s also possible that you’ll have to make a decision that could be legally binding. As chatty Mercury aligns with dynamic Pluto, it might pay to think before you decide.

With the sun now in your social sector with lovely Venus, you may feel more inclined to get out and about and make new connections. These could be especially valuable over the coming weeks as you push ahead with new ideas and opportunities. There is also a romantic focus here, which could make the coming week or so excellent for dating and meeting that special person. With feisty Mars moving into your sector of adventure, though, it’s best not to commit to anything that might hold you back.

Quodlibet noun [kwod-luh-bet] A subtle or elaborate argument or point of debate, usually on a theological or scholastic subject.

Crossword Across

Down

1 Rich man with a much younger partner (5,5) 7 Female character in The Rivals who uses words wrongly (8) 8 Drooping cheek (4) 9 Ditch (4) 10 Factory for casting metal (7) 12 State of weightlessness (4,7) 14 Satirise (7) 16 Crow (4) 19 Persuade (4) 20 Horse race, first run in 1780 (3,5) 21 Any of the 99 numbered points that divide a set into 100 equal parts (10)

1 Piece of broken glass (5) 2 Syntax etc (7) 3 Unusual (4) 4 Blessing (8) 5 French mustard city (5) 6 Standard typewriter keyboard (6) 11 Doubter — coatings (anag) (8) 12 Person militant about a cause (6) 13 From Nazareth? (7) 15 Sprite (5) 17 Part of a wall under a ridged roof (5) 18 Sharp (4)

Last week’s solution

G PLUS | Jan 27 - FEB 02, 2018

Lifestyle

Three Essential Tips That Could Help Budding Lawyers Become Successful

e all might secretly admire and look up to that one favourite lawyer we wish to be like. Their accomplishments amaze us and inspire us to strive to be as successful as they are. Isn’t success dear to all of us? Often, we have too high an ambition, little energy, and very little time to fulfill our ambitions. With an aim to achieve all our ambitions, and keeping the time factor constant, can we increase our energy and be able to complete our work in lesser time? Isn’t this every student’s dream? It is, and it is possible too. With a tool called meditation. So, here is a sneak peek into how this powerful yet simple technique of meditation can do wonders to your life, especially when you are just about to embark on an extremely important phase of your life!

Enhancing Your Communication Skills

How amazed are you when you see an experienced lawyer present a case in the court with absolute precision

and flawlessness? While solid preparation on your case is important, that in itself isn’t sufficient. How brilliantly you present the case matters just as much. Having said that, as a budding lawyer, it is imperative that you develop exceptional communication skills, for it is important to project your client’s case in the best manner possible. Meditation can hone your communication skills by helping you attain this clarity in thoughts along with a relaxed mind and body, which is conducive to effective communication. Not only will you be able to present your case well, but you will also be able to improve communication with your client, team members, and others in general.

Handling Pressure With Ease

You have meetings lined up, extensive researches to be done on your client’s case, your seniors have been giving you a lot of work, and there are deadlines to be met. How easily

will you be able to manage all of these without getting stressed and feeling pressurized? As a fresher, numerous circumstances will arise where you might have to face a lot of pressure due to your work, from your client, and sometimes from external sources as well that might affect you mentally and physically. In such conditions, how can you manage work effectively? Practicing meditation for a while everyday can give you that much-needed peace of mind and give you the energy you seek to do away with all the pressure and stress you feel. Multitasking is no more a burden but something you can manage with a smile!

Honing Your Analytical & Critical Thinking Capability

Don’t you think a lawyer’s job is an intellectually challenging one? A strong analytical mindset is required to present your case with perfection. Analyzing your client’s case in every way possible with precision

is important. Apart from this, having a critical approach towards the case is crucial for a lawyer, for it helps you figure out all the strong and weak points of the case, and your part of the arguments in particular. Meditation can help you develop an intuitive mind, which is helpful in sensing the possible strengths and weaknesses of your case. It also sorts the clutter of thoughts and clears stressful

impressions, which gives you the sharpness of mind to cut through the extraneous details that every case brings along with it and focus only on the substance, which is infinitely helpful while working on any case.

shri shri ravi shankar Founder- Art of Living Foundation.

Savings Superhero: Debt Funds or Fixed Deposits? Vaishali Lohia Service manager, Brand new day Contactus@salasarcapital.com

ndia has always been a country of savers. Savings are the income which is set aside after meeting the expenses. This habit indeed helped the nation overcome the times of global recession which followed the subprime crisis in the United States. However, majority of the savings in India find their way into bank and post office deposits. Even amongst the traditional investment options, fixed deposits have been superhero for savings so far as it is seen as a conservative product with fixed returns with flexibility to invest across time periods. However, with the interest rates falling, it makes sense to look for further investment options giving better returns. With the evolution of financial markets, debt funds are emerging as an interesting alternative to fixed deposits. Debt Funds are a similar kind of fund

which is offered by the Mutual Fund industry having traits such as: higher rate of annualized return, ease of liquidity, paperless

investment, etc. Debt funds invest your money in fixed income products and hence the rate of returns can therefore be predicted to some extent. The professional fund managers also try to maximize the returns by taking benefits of the interest rate changes. People had been saving money in high volume in fixed deposits because of its safety and

guaranteed returns, but when it comes coupled with better tax

debt fund if investment is retained for a longer period

options and finds the following difference:

Particulars

Debt Funds

Bank Deposits

With Indexation

Without Indexation

Amount of Investment (Rs.)

10,00,000

Post Expenses Yield (PA)* (CAGR)

7.50%

5.75%

Tenor (in years)

5.00

Amount at the end of investment period ( Final Pre-Tax Maturity Amount)

1,435,629

1,322,519

Gain

435,629

322,519

Tax Rate

20.60%

30.90%

Tax

50,390

99,658

Post Tax Gain

385,239

222,861

Total Amount Realized

1,385,239

1,222,861

rates, it indeed becomes easier for an investor to decide. While the interest from fixed deposits is taxed at maximum marginal rates of tax applicable to the taxpayers, benefits of indexation and preferential rates of tax are available to the investors in

(i.e. more than 3 years). The illustration below will help you better in understanding the better of two: Mr. Ram has Rs. 10 lakhs as savings and he wants to invest the same either in bank FD or in Debt Funds. He compares the two

Therefore, with better yield and preferential taxation, debt funds indeed emerge as a clear winner in the race to become the savings superhero. Hence, it’s time to invest your savings smartly with Debt funds.

Buzz

G PLUS | Jan 27 - FEB 02, 2018

Mongolian dance troupe performs at city school

from Indian Council for Cultural Relation (ICCR) under Ministry of Cultural Affairs. Prior to the performance, the senior dancers of the troupe lighted the ceremonial lamp in presence of various dignitaries. The audience present cheered the dancers enormously. Pranaame Bhagawati, Regional Officer, ICCR, felicitated the artistes in presence of Krishnanand Chand, Principal, South Point School after the show. n

tugen Mongolian folksong ensemble, an 8-member dance troupe, performed at South Point School, Guwahati on January 11. This dance troupe from Mongolia performed to their folk numbers, with a focus on Mongolian rural life and their local cultural mores. The troupe, which is touring India, has already performed at the 8th International Dance and Music Festival following an invitation

Mini marathon to promote unity and nationalism spirit

ed Horns Division of the Indian Army conducted ‘Rashtriya Ekta Mini Marathon’ at Nehru Stadium, Guwahati on 21 January 2018, to promote the spirit of ‘unity and nationalism’, in the run up to Republic Day. The event was a huge success and witnessed participation by citizens from all walks of life and belonging to various age profiles. A total of 1,130 men, 368 women, 1,112 students and 70 senior citizens participated in the event.

The mini marathon, that started from Nehru stadium and went along GS Road till Ganeshguri flyover and then

back to Nehru stadium, was conducted in four categories viz. Men (16 to 50 years) - 10 kms, Women (16 to 50 years) - 5 kms, Students (8 to 15 years) - 4 kms and Seniors (above 50 years) - 2 kms. The run was flagged off by Major General Arun Kumar Verma, GOC 51 Sub Area, Pabitra Khaund, Director of Sports and Youth Welfare, Govt of Assam, Ranuj Borkotoky, Joint Director of Sports and Youth Welfare, Govt of Assam and PVSLN Murty, Chief General Manager,

Assam students excel in Kala Utsav

our teams from Assam, which participated in the national-level Kala Utsav, held at Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, from January 3 to 6, brought laurels to the state. The team from Jorhat secured the first position in music, while the team from Sivasagar secured the second position in the dance competition and the team from Kamrup (Metro) won the second prize in the theatre competition. Kala Utsav is an initiative of the Ministry of Human Resource Development

to promote arts in education by nurturing and showcasing the artistic talent of school students at the secondary stage in the country. In the Kala Utsav, competitions amongst secondary level school students are held in four categories – music, dance, theatre and visual arts. The best teams from the districts are selected to participate in the state level competition. The best teams of the state level Kala Utsav go on to participate in the national level Kala Utsav. n

North East Circle, State Bank of India. Sportspersons of international repute were invited for the gala event; prominent among them were Arjuna Awardee Jayanta Talukdar, Archery and Arjuna Awardee Bhogeswar Baruah, Athletics. The prizes included cash prizes and trophies to the winners of first three positions in all four categories. Apart from this, a medal and certificate was presented to each participant. n

Assam Jatiya Bidyalay organises annual sports meet

ssam Jatiya Bidyalay, Guwahati is organising its annual sports meet. The event began today with hoisting of the school flag by its Principal Ghanashyam Medhi. The sports flame was lit by Kaushik Das and Aastha Bora, the best players from the previous year. The annual sports meet of the school is scheduled to conclude on January 29. Dr M Angamuthu, Deputy Commissioner of Kamrup (Metro), attended the first day of the program. Addressing

the teachers and students, he said, “Assam Jatiya Bidyalay is now representing the greater Assamese culture as its functioning has been reflecting all the ethnic and traditional values of this north-eastern state.” Dr Angamuthu also inspected the guard of honour presented by the Scouts & Guides squads of the school and commended the way in which the school has been performing in all spheres. He urged the Assam Jatiya Bidyalay students to excel further sticking to

the principles of leading a disciplined life, reminding them of the importance of discipline, punctuality and perseverance in one’s bid to shine in life. The first day’s ceremony was attended by Rector Ranjit Narayan Deka, president and secretary of the school management committee Dilip Kumar Dutta Choudhury and Dr Narayan Sarma respectively, academic officer Narendra Mohan Goswami, all the teaching and non-teaching staff and guardians. n

Members of Assam Police Daredevils showcasing their skills while rehearsing for the upcoming Republic Day function, at Veterinary College Playground, Khanapara in Guwahati on Tuesday.

Events

G PLUS | Jan 27 - FEB 02, 2018

Date: January 19-21 Event: Rongali Festival Venue: Srimanta Sankardeva Kalakshetra The fourth edition of Rongali Festival, which celebrates the vivid colours of Assam, began on Friday. The three-day fest showcased the culture of communities of the north-eastern state and gave a platform to musicians, fashion designers, doodle artists, magicians, housewives who exhibit their culinary skills, cyclists and more to showcase their talents. The line-up of this year consisted of performers like Nucleya, Zubeen Garg, Papon, The Raghu Dixit Project, AsWeKeepSearching and The Local Train among several others. Other attractions of the carnival were - traditional boat race, tourism cycle rally, and traditional nao-khel geet. Rongali is organised by Trend MMS — a socio-cultural organisation of northeast India — which also hosts the North East Festival in Delhi. The festival, an extravaganza of art, music, food, including various competitions and talks on entrepreneurship, proved to be a crowd-puller in its 4th season as well.

January 28, Sunday Farhan Akhtar LIVE Hockey Stadium, Bhetapara 7PM onwards

Date: January 17, Wednesday Event: Ladies Night Venue: NYX, Hotel Palacio The models and organisers of East India Fashion Week and t2 Glam face celebrated the grand success of the fashion week at the after party. Renowned fashion designer and former president of Northeast India Fashion & Design Council, Medha Saikia, graced the occasion and posed with the gorgeous models.

Event Pretir Enajori 2018 A Concert for Cancer Care - A musical evening with Papon Date 20 January, 2018 Venue ITA, Machkhowa

January 27, Saturday Terra Mayaa Lateral ft. DJ Jawed 7:30PM onwards January 17-31 The Kebab Festival Legacy, Hotel Palacio January 26-31 Momo Fest ‘18 Culina the Kitchen January 26, Friday 69th Republic Day Ride Guwahati Blind High School 7AM onwards January 27, Saturday Northeast TSD Rally Nehru Stadium 9AM onwards

Catching Up

G PLUS | Jan 27 - FEB 02, 2018