G Plus vol 5 issue 15 by G Plus

@guwahatiplus www.guwahatiplus.com

Inside

Volume 05 | Issue 15 Feb 03 - Feb 09, 2018 Price `10

Pandu to be a multi-modal port terminal

24x7 flight service in LGBI from March

GMC fails to identify vending zones even after 4 years of the Act

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Over 50 MoUs to be inked during Advantage Assam

Development will not be at the cost of ecology, claims Chandra Mohan Patowary

Rahul Chanda rahul.chanda@g-plus.in

In an exclusive interview to G Plus, Assam State Industries & Commerce Minister, Chandra Mohan Patowary, spells out details about the Global Investors’ Summit, the strategy of industrial development, the advantages of the state and the safeguards planned to be incorporated

ill there be investments in Assam after the Global Investors’ Summit? The government is confident and claims that over 50 memorandums of understanding (MoUs) would be signed during the two-day mega event. Commissioner & secretary of the department of industries & commerce, Ashutosh Agnihotri said, “There are around 100 proposals of MoUs with us, but we will sign them only if the investors have a business plan of Rs 50 crores or more during the summit.” He added that there were at least

50 investors who would be able to meet the criterion. State minister of industries & commerce, Chandra Mohan Patowary, informed that in the first investment summit in Gujarat, 74 MoUs were signed and similarly the investors’ summit in other states like Jharkhand, West Bengal, Rajasthan and Maharashtra also witnessed similar agreements with the respective state governments. He expected a “huge investment” during the conclave. A city-based chartered accountant said, “Signing of MoUs is just an indication of interest.” Few months ago, an MoU was inked between Assam and Singapore to develop the old jail campus at Fancy Bazar

and link all the green areas of Guwahati. Enquiring about the status of the work, a source in Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) revealed that after the signing of MoU nothing much had happened. Similarly, there are many such MoUs pending with the state government, admitted an official. But in spite of these drawbacks, the government has rolled out the red carpet to a host of dignitaries and business leaders with the hope of clinching more agreements. Many MoUs with Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, Cambodia, Bangladesh and Bhutan are expected to be inked. Patowary said that an MoU could be signed to construct a gas pipeline from n Barauni to Assam.

Assam ranks 3rd in Ease of Doing Business Rahul Chanda rahul.chanda@g-plus.in

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oing business in Assam is expected to be easier after the state climbed up to the 3rd position in the Ease of Doing Business (EoDB), as per an assessment conducted by the Centre and the World Bank. The new findings come just a day ahead of the Global Investors’ Summit which will be attended by dignitaries from several countries and business magnates. “Coming from 24th to 3rd is no mean achievement and the ranking will also help the global investors’ summit as it creates the right kind of effect for the state,” Commissioner & Secretary, Department of Industry & Commerce, Ashutosh Agnihotri said. The report was compiled by the ministry and a group of the World Bank. Business observers started

questioning the result as Agnihotri had, on 1st February, shared a post on his Facebook page which showed Assam at the 5th spot in the assessment. Clarifying the doubt, Agnihotri said, “It is a dynamic process of evaluation. Our documents which we submitted had not been evaluated,” adding that the ranking of the state has gone up after the latest evaluation. The assessment studied the extent to which states across the country had implemented ministry’s 340 point business reform action plan (BRAP). The BRAP includes recommendations for reforms on 58 regulatory processes, policies and practices. Data for the assessment was collected from state governments on the BRAP portal, where the governments had to submit the evidence of the reform. The submissions were reviewed by the World Bank team and validated by DIPP’s team to study whether they met the objectives of the BRAP. The

portal allowed for collaborative dialogue between DIPP and the state governments in finalising the evidence submitted. A source in the industry & commerce department said that the ease of doing business was an initiative taken in 2011 by the Tarun Gogoi government and a website was also launched. The source revealed that the state can attain the top position but certain departments are not cooperating. The source said the assessment had certain parameters. For instance, a certificate has to be given to the assessment committee by the power distribution agency in the state to prove that power is supplied to an applicant within 15 days. The official however said that in Assam the agency has defaulted in meeting the norms which is unlike the scenario in Karnataka (ranked 1st) and Haryana (ranked 2nd) where the power departments were found to be more efficient. n

Lead Story

Traffic movement diverted in city for Advantage Assam

CP, Traffic Amanjeet Kaur has announced diversion in traffic in and around Sarusajai Stadium on 3rd and 4th February, for Advantage Assam.

Regulation of vehicular traffic on the National Highway 37:

All the goods-carrying vehicles coming from Upper-Assam side towards Guwahati will be stopped at Jagiroad, Khetri, Sonapur and Jorabat Tiniali and goods carrying vehicles coming from Meghalaya side will be stopped at Burnihat and Jorabat from 5.00 am onwards till the programme is over and final dispersal of all the VVIPs, VIPs, Invitees, from the Sarusajai Main Stadium. The request shall also be made to all neighbouring districts to restrict trucks in their boundaries. The same will be applied to all the goods carrying vehicles from lower Assam side. They will be stopped at Goalpara, Barpeta, Rangia, Nalbari, Changsari till the programme is over and final dispersal of all the VVIPs, VIPs, Invitees, from the Sarusajai Main Stadium.

Parking of vehicles:

All the Pilot / Escort vehicles coming through Lakhra Chariali will be cut off at Lakhra cutting and will be directed to park at Bihutoli Field near Lakhra Chariali. All the Pilot/Escort vehicles coming from Basistha Chariali side will be directed at Rongmon point to go to Bihutoli Field, near Lakhra Chariali for parking.

No Parking:

No vehicles shall be allowed to park on the road from Hockey Stadium tinali point to Saukuchi tinali point, from Saukuchi tinali point to Lakhra Chariali point, on both side of the NH-37 including service road from Lakhra Chariali to Khanapara Rotary, on both side of the NH-37 including service road from Lakhra Chariali to LGBI Airport, on GS road from Sixmile fly over to Khanapara rotary, on the road from Prison gate to Kendriya Vidhalaya point.

No Parking:

Only vehicles with blue car pass allowed through Saukuchi tinali point towards gate No.2 and through Hockey Stadium tinali point/Nalnapara tinali point. No vehicles shall be allowed between Koinadhara Point to Assam Science Museum Point. Entry of vehicles from Prison Gate to Assam Science Museum point, from AASC to Assam Science Museum point shall be restricted. No vehicles shall be allowed entry from Research Gate Point.

G PLUS | FEB 03 - FEB 09, 2018

Summit starts today G Plus encapsulates the various highlights and sidelights that are going in towards making the Global Investors’ Summit of Advantage Assam a moment of reckoning for the state Rahul Chanda rahul.chanda@g-plus.in

he Rs 32 crore Global Investors’ Summit (Advantage Assam) will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi today with some of the top industrialists of the country attending it. The state government claims that 2,000 domestic and international industry leaders and representatives will participate in the summit and 4,800 investors have registered in total. Industry leaders like Ratan Tata, Tata Group; Mukesh Ambani, Reliance Group of Industries; Dilip Shanghvi, Sun Pharmaceuticals Industries Ltd; Anand Burman, Dabur; Subhash Chandra, Essel Group and ZEE; Amar Abrol, Air Asia India; Rashesh Shah, Edelweiss; Sushil Goenka, Emami Group; Sanjiv Puri, ITC Limited; Harshavardhan Neotia, Ambuja Neotia Cements; Naresh Trehan, Medanta- The Medicity; Subhash Ghai, film producer and Balakrishan Goenka of Welspun Group will participate in the summit. Over 17 countries will participate in the summit. The

Advantage Assam preparation in progress | G Plus Photo Prime Minister of Bhutan, HE Dasho Tshering Tobgay, along with some of his ministers has already arrived in Guwahati. Delegations from Bangladesh, Canada, Cambodia, Czech Republic, Germany, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Korea, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Netherlands, UAE, USA and Vietnam will also participate in the summit. Many union ministers including Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways, Shipping and Water

Strict security vigil across Guwahati

s the top business leaders of the country and international guests are visiting the city, the security forces have tightened security vigil across the city. A senior police official said, “The city is under strict security vigil - especially the venues where the guests will be staying and visiting.” Talking about the venue, 10 companies of armed police personnel have been deployed in and outside the venue. There are three layers of security at Sarusajai Stadium: outside the stadium, inside the stadium and inside the hangers where the events will be organised. 200 newly recruited constables have been trained in arms and soft skills. They have been deployed inside the venues and the VVIP lounge where the Prime Minister will inaugurate the summit. Sniffer dogs of the

army, crime investigating department and special branch have been deployed at the venue. The special protection group personnel have already taken over the security plan for the Prime Minister’s visit. There are security personnel deployed at all the entry and exit gates at the venue. Commandos are patrolling all the areas near the venue. The security personnel have also been deployed outside the hotels where the guests will be staying. The local police have been instructed to ask the local residents to report all suspicious activities. There are check gates made at all the entry and exit gates of the city. The railway station, airport and bus stations are being thoroughly checked by the security personnel on an n hourly basis.

Resources; Suresh Prabhu, Union Minister for Commerce & Industries; Ravi Shankar Prasad, Union Minister for Electronics & Information Technology, Law and Justice; Smriti Zubin Irani, Union Minister for Textiles and Information & Broadcasting; Dharmendra Pradhan, Union Minister for Petroleum & Natural Gas and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship; Jitendra Singh, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for the Ministry of Development

of North Eastern Region and Kiren Rijiju, Minister of State for Home will take part in the proceedings of the summit. There will be 12 business sectors where the investors and the state government will try to find out investment opportunities. The summit will be held at Sarusajai stadium where hangers have been constructed for business to business discussions with the investors. The guests will be accommodated in top hotels like Vivanta by Taj, Novotel and Radisson Blu. Various state government departments have constructed stalls at the venue where the investment options of the state will be showcased. The summit aims to project Assam as India’s expressway to the Southeast Asian nations. The government claims that Advantage Assam is the largest ever investment promotion and facilitation initiative by a government of the state. Besides, the summit will showcase the opportunities offered by the state in terms of export-oriented manufacturing and services to ASEAN and BBN countries. The objective of the summit is to position Assam as India’s exn pressway to ASEAN.

Summit useless without new policy: Congress

he opposition has attacked the state government, slamming it for organising an investors’ summit without any new investment or industrial policy. State Congress leader Pradyut Bordoloi said, “The state government has failed to persuade the Centre to announce a new investment policy. The summit will only waste public money.” Even the former chief minister of Assam, Tarun Gogoi, said that the Advantage Assam is a flop show by the BJP government without the policy. Many local entrepreneurs feel that the summit without a policy is of no use. A city-based chartered accountant said, “In the last one year, there have been

many companies which have wound up their businesses in the state because of the lack of a policy.” In order to accelerate the overall growth of the northeastern region the Centre announced the North East Industrial and Investment Promotion Policy (NEIIPP), 2007 with a validity of 10 years. The policy expired last year in March and since then investors are continuing to wait for a policy. State industries & commerce minister, Chandra Mohan Patowary, reacting to the allegations said, “In this connection we have held a series of talks with the Centre.” He informed that he has been assured that very soon there will be an industrial policy exclusively for the state of Assam to attract more investments into the state. n

City

G PLUS | FEB 03 - FEB 09, 2018

Pandu to be a multi-modal port terminal Promises made during Namami Brahmaputra of integrated port terminals and containers treading to neighbouring countries are about to materialise with work already having commenced Avishek Sengupta avishek.sengupta@g-plus.in

he Pandu port will be developed into a multimodal port terminal connecting road, rail, air and water ways under the World Bank funded project to modernise the transport scenario in the state. The work of last mile connectivity - rail track laying and diverting roadways to the port - is already nearing completion according to the Assam Inland Waterways Transport (IWT) which is looking after the implementation of the project. “We are now looking into how to connect the port through road and waterways with the Guwahati Airport. Road works and laying of the rail tracks from Kamakhya railway station, about 1.5 kms away, is completed. There will be dedicated roads from Maligaon to the port for the passengers and cargoes that will be transported through waterways,” Bharat Bhushan Dev Choudhury, director of IWT told G Plus here. The Pandu port is going to be one out of the 12 ports in the country to have last mile connectivity which are included in the Central government’s

File photo of Pandu port proposed company for developing port connectivity, Port Infrastructure Vikas Nigam Ltd. The aim is to build the port terminal as per the standards of the airports in the country, Choudhury added.

“Brahmaputra level rising during monsoon season is a major problem here due to which, we need floating jetties – an approach channel for the vessels. The state government has been sanctioned 15 such floating jetties by the Inland

Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) and 56 more have been promised in the coming days to develop all the ports in the state with floating jetties. Those are being constructed at Cochin. Once the Pandu port is equipped with these jetties, we

will start the terminal works,” Choudhury said. The port, built over a mere 7 hectares of land, currently has two jetties – low and high – to operate both when the water level rises and falls. The floating jetties will rise or fall along with the water-level. Besides the already existent two godowns, the port will have modern storage units equipped with automated loading and unloading facilities. If the infrastructures are set, the port will be able to move at least 3,000 metric tonnes (MT) of cargo every month. Since January, 800 MT cement has been sent through the waterways and it is now planning to send 1,200MT every month from Pandu here to Dhubri on the Brahmaputra. The first lot of cargo left the Pandu port on December 29 last year with 400 MT of cement divided into two barges - RPL Krishnai and RPL Junbili - to Dhubri, about 223 kms from Guwahati on waterways. “The Guwahati to Dhubri route is navigable and at least 7 to 8 firms have shown interest to transport their products through waterways to Bangladesh via Dhubri. Most of them are interested to transport stone from Bhutan to Bangladesh,” n Choudhury said.

Integrated strategy to be completed by October

he Assam Inland Water Transport (IWT) is expected to complete an integrated strategy for multi-modal connectivity funded by the World Bank for developing a well planned road, rail, air and water transport network by October this year. The World Bank, on being requested by the Centre had cleared a loan of estimated $150 million last year for the modernisation of connectivity, especially the waterways, in the state last August and had already sanctioned $15 million as part of its payment for the first phase. “The aim of the project is to include waterways as a popular and affordable means of transport along with road, rail and air ways and to build an integrated business viable network. In the first phase, we are making strategies for development plan and business plan which will be

completed by September or October,” Bharat Bhushan Dev Choudhury, director of IWT told G Plus here. The state government, through international bidding have assigned the London-based PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) as a general consultant for overseeing the strategy. “We have also floated international tenders for building the strategy of the infrastructure to be developed to link waterways along with other modes of transport. A separate integrated law that will bind all the road, air, water and rail rules and regulations will also be formed. The National Law University has been assigned to do so,” Choudhury said. The aim is to invite private players to invest in the different business opportunities such as ferry service, luxury cruise service, stalls in the terminal, floating

lodges etc while the role of the government would be to provide the infrastructure and act as a regulatory agency. “At least 15 terminals will be built including Pandu along the Brahmaputra and Barak River. Our main concern would be ensuring proper navigation and safety of the passengers. Night navigation, which had been a major concern for a long time will be addressed by setting up floating light towers on the river,” Choudhury said. Seven port towns will be built in Biswanath Chariali, Nimati Ghat, Dibrugarh, Silchar, Jagighopa and Pandu. Post Namami Brahmaputra in March last year, the centre had decided to tap into Assam’s waterways network. The state has the largest network of navigable waterways (approximately 1,980km) in the country, of which the Brahmaputra and the Barak are the most important for transport purposes. Ferry

services on the Brahmaputra and the Barak carry nearly 7.5 million passengers annually, more than 6,50,000 motorised vehicles, nearly a million bicycles and carts and around 40,000 tonnes of goods and livestock. The state government has designated 97 ferry routes but there are numerous other routes licensed by the local (village) and district councils. “The state government had moved centre with an estimate of $120 crore for the project. The union transport ministry approached the World Bank with the same estimate which after evaluating has earmarked $150 million for the same,” Choudhury said. The directorate of economic affairs, which holds the sanctioned $15 million, that amounts to Rs 24 crores approximately, has released Rs 14.4 crores in two instalments – Rs 1.4 crores in the first and Rs 13.4 crores in the second. n

Governance

G PLUS | FEB 03 - FEB 09, 2018

Is Jaitley’s budget merely 2019 election oriented? G Plus does a reality check on the budget 2018-19 presented by Union Finance Minister, Arun Jaitley and its impact or lack of it on Guwahati Rahul Chanda rahul.chanda@g-plus.in

he Union budget 201819 is the first post the commencement of the Goods & Services Tax (GST) regime and the last by the present NDA government before the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. After its announcement it is being assumed that the budget this year is more election-oriented than people-oriented. Principal of KC Das Commerce College, Dr Ghanshyam Nath said, “There is no change in the tax structure for the general public, especially the salaried class. However, prices of some items will increase,” adding that this will only decrease the value of money making things costlier for the general public. Even some Guwahati-based tax consultants and chartered accountants felt that the Union finance minister tried to play it safe this time. “The recent fall in the GST revenue on the one hand and the upcoming 2019 elections on the other had put the finance minister under tremendous

pressure and he balanced both the issues without taking any risk,” said city-based chartered accountant, Manoj Nahata, adding that there is no “big bang change” and the budget is a routine one. In July 2017, Rs 92,283 crores was generated as revenue from GST in the country, in August it came down to Rs 90,660 crores which further came down to Rs 86,703 crores in December. Nahata said that without revenue increase major reforms cannot be planned and with the upcoming elections, wooing the voters is vital. Eyeing the elections the Union government reduced the tax slabs for the business class by reducing corporate tax from 30% to 25% for companies with a turnover of Rs 250 crores. The business class was upset with the government for its moves like GST and demonetisation, said a city-based businessman, Kedar Nath. The finance minister also tried to woo the rural voters by announcing the direct benefit transfer system for availing agricultural subsidies. The government even announced to fix the market selling price

Arun Jaitley before presenting the budget (MSP) of agricultural products at 1.5 times the market rate. To woo the schedule tribes, the government proposed

Middle & lower middle class sidelined, feel many

he Union budget 2018-19 might have tried to woo the poor, rural and the corporate sectors but the middle and lower middle class did not get much. City-based social activist, Ajoy Dutta said, “The government only thought of the rich and the poor, the middle and lower middle class are suffering from unemployment.” The finance minister, in his budget speech, said that 70 lakh more jobs will be created but how it will be created was not explained. The salaried people are the tax payers and mostly middle and lower middle class are the salaried people. Nothing

good was announced for them. Rather the health and education cess was increased to 4%. A city-based chartered accountant said that most of the salaried people these days invest in mutual funds but the government proposed to introduce a tax on distributed income by equity-oriented mutual funds at the rate of 10%, reducing the interest gained by the investors. The budget also announced merger of 3 insurance companies (Oriental Insurance Co Ltd, National Insurance Co Ltd and United India Insurance Co Ltd). The decision might further hassle the employees as after the merger, downsizing

might be expected, opined a city-based tax consultant. All in all, it was an unassuming budget that neither attracted praise n nor criticism.

The government only thought of the rich and the poor, the middle and lower middle class are suffering from unemployment.” Ajoy Dutta, social activist

Eklavya schools for places inhabited by tribal population. Claiming to upgrade rural villages digitally, 5 lakh Wi-Fi

hotspots are proposed to be n set up in rural areas.

“Guwahati and NE ignored”

eacting to the budget 2018-19, the Congress party and some Guwahatians slammed the BJP government for “sidelining Guwahati and the northeast” in the budget. State Congress leader, Pradyut Bordoloi said, “BJP is only good in creating hypes but they actually are sidelining Guwahati and the northeast by not announcing any project for this region.” Bordoloi said they (BJP) have only announced an underground tunnel at Sela in Arunachal Pradesh and nothing else. He said that Guwahati and Assam should have received special mention in the budget. Except for smart city dreams there is nothing the BJP government has given to the city and the state. Talking about what

Guwahati requires, social activist Ajoy Dutta expressed that the city importantly requires a second rail bridge over the Brahmaputra River. Dutta said, “I am glad that they are giving importance to air connectivity but none of the governments (state and nation) have ever thought of underground drainage and sewerage system in Guwahati.” Dutta said that the Centre had claimed that the unemployment issue will be resolved but after the BJP came to power no major employment drives have been witnessed. Rather empty vacancies have been cancelled. In this situation, the state budget that will be presented later is what will hold serious attention to see how far the mega projects announced for n the city will be taken up.

In The News

G PLUS | FEB 03 - FEB 09, 2018

24x7 flight service in LGBI from March The Civil Aviation ministry has finally announced a plethora of boons starting from round-the-clock flight service, construction of a new terminal, UDAN RCS and refurbishment of the existing terminal prior to Advantage Assam Avishek Sengupta avishek.sengupta@g-plus.in

he Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi International (LGBI) Airport in Guwahati is all set to begin 24X7 flight services from next month in a development expected to give a big boost to air connectivity in the region. The target is March 25 when at least three flight operators – AirAsia, Indigo and Spicejet – will enhance their operations at the airport with night service as well. The Airport Authority of India (AAI) has gone into an overdrive to don the new mantle and has been ramping up the airport’s infrastructure for the new role. So far, Indigo has booked two parking bays for providing the service. “This will help the airport better manage its air traffic as

Union Minister for Civil Aviation Ashok Gajapathi Raju & CM Sarbananda Sonowal laying the foundation stone of the new integrated terminal building of LGBI Airport | G Plus Photo late-night flights mean the runways and bays will remain clear early in the morning,” DK Kamra, regional executive director of Airport Authority of India (Northeast Region), said. “The airport has all the equipment to provide 24x7 services and it was launched for a brief period earlier too. But the flights ran with very few

LGBI facelift is for Advantage Assam: AAI Chairman

he LGBI Airport, which had been struggling to manage passengers due to lack of space over the past couple of years, got a major expansion on February 1, two days prior to the Global Investors’ Summit - Advantage Assam. AAI Chairman, Guruprasad Mahapatra, said that in view of the summit being organised by the Assam government on February 3 and 4, the present airport terminal has been extended by another 4,000 square metres to cater to the passenger inflow during the summit. “We have seen the present terminal becoming crowded during peak hours. So we have expanded it by spending Rs 28 crores. All toilets and drinking water facilities have been renovated for the convenience of the people coming from different parts of the country and abroad for the summit,” Mahapatra said. The two-day summit is expected to be attended by 4,800 people, including top industrialists like Mukesh Ambani and Ratan Tata, and nearly 700 people from 17 countries have so far confirmed their participation. The present 16,800 square metre terminal had a capacity of handling 3.5 million

passengers per year whereas, in 2016-17, it had received a footfall of 3.8 million passengers. Two drop-off bays – where vehicles with passengers drop at the terminal gate – have been included as part of the airport terminal to expand its area. A long standing objection of the passengers was the condition of the toilets which have been addressed and resolved. “We have upgraded at least 22 toilets of the airport including the ladies’ ones regarding which we had received several complaints. Those have been upgraded as per international standards,” AAI regional executive director, DK Kamra, informed. “The extended parts of the terminal will be used for systematic check-in counters and security checking spaces. The security checking bays for passengers just before going to boarding lobby will be expanded to avoid congestions. Also, the check-in counters for tickets will also be expanded,” Kamra said. Besides, the AAI is also building a Rs 1,243 crore worth New Integrated Terminal, refurbishing the runway with Rs 44.78 crores and upgrading the Airport Traffic Control cum Technical Block with more Rs n 168 crores.

passengers due to which it was stopped after a short while. The scenario, however, has changed over the last one year and the airport has seen massive footfall. So, it was decided to expand the service to 24x7,” Kamra added. The LGBI Airport saw a surge of 37.2 percent growth of passengers in 2016-17. This was

about two times higher than the national average growth rate of 17 percent. In terms of revenue income too, the LGBI Airport has seen over two-fold surge of Rs 90 crores revenue in the financial year 2017-18 as opposed to Rs 40 crores in 2016-17. AAI Chairman, Guruprasad Mohapatra, who was here on January 29 to inaugurate a Rs 5-crore worth cargo facility in the airport said, “The LGBI airport is now a thriving airport. Guwahati being the hub of the northeast, the AAI has decided to develop this airport aptly to not only handle passengers from ASEAN countries but also a massive amount of freight.” “At present, the airport handles only three tonnes of cargo daily but we want to boost the numbers higher. I have asked the officials here to prepare a detailed project report within three months on how to increase capacity for cargo moven ment,” he added.

Assam to contribute Rs 100 crores for UDAN: CM

he Assam government will contribute Rs 100 crores every year as part of its 20 percent share in the UDAN Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS). The RCS scheme of UDAN - the second phase of which kicked off recently and includes Assam and the Northeast - is the central aviation ministry’s scheme to provide affordable air connectivity to backward areas of the country. The scheme includes building up of mobile terminals at backward area and affordable tickets at fixed base fares. 80 percent of the cost burden will borne by the central government while the rest 20 percent will be compensated by the respective state governments. “To make UDAN a grand success in Assam, the state government has earmarked Rs 100 crores for the first year. Connectivity had been a big impediment for this region and due to its terrains it is difficult to reach several parts of the northeast. With affordable air connectivity, that hurdle can easily be crossed,” Assam chief minister, Sarbananda Sonowal, said during the foundation laying ceremony of the New Integrated Terminal of LGBI Airport near SOS Village here

on January 28. Union civil aviation minister, Ashok Gajapathi Raju, who was also present during the ceremony, said that for flights of 500 kms, the cost will be Rs 2,500. “According to a survey by AAI, about 1.71 percent of the passengers have to pay exorbitant rates due to the dynamic fares. That is why, under RCS, 2 percent of the total tickets of each aircraft will be reserved for RCS,” Raju told the media here. “If the RCS quota is raised from 2 percent, then it will affect the rest of the passengers as under the dynamic fare format, it will show lesser tickets available for higher number of people and the burden on other normal riders will be high,” Raju further explained. Under RCS, at least 19 destinations in the northeast, including five cities in Assam, are proposed to be connected. The destinations include eight airports and helipads in Arunachal Pradesh, five in Manipur and one in Sikkim. In Assam, the airports and helipads proposed to be connected are Jorhat, Lilabari, Rupsi, Tezpur and Nagaon. This being the case, as and when it happens, Assam will n be truly well-connected.

SNIPPETS Subhash Ghai to establish film school cum studio in Guwahati

enowned filmmaker of India, Subhash Ghai, is in Guwahati to attend Advantage Assam. Ghai was invited last month by Chief Minister of Assam, Sarbananda Sonowal to explore the northeast region and make a movie focussing on Assam. Ghai said that he wants to make Assam a technically high standard state, with its rich cultural heritage. He is keen to develop the state in terms of creative arts. “What I like about the current government of Assam is that they do not want to develop the state; rather, they want to transform it. I can see huge developments taking place in Assam in the near future. This will happen because the people of Assam are hungry for change,” he added. Subhash Ghai plans to set up a school cum studio in Guwahati by this summer and plans to bring the philosophy of Whistling Woods in this new institute. The institute will bring opportunities which can be availed by students of all classes without finance posing as a bar for those who want to learn. For the record, Whistling Woods is one of the country’s premier film schools and is located in Mumbai. A brainchild of Ghai, Whistling Woods has been churning out talented and qualified filmmakers who are working all over the globe. n

One arrested for smuggling elephant tusk

ity police have seized an elephant tusk in Dispur, Guwahati and have arrested one man in this regard on Thursday. The man has been identified as Md. Rafikul of Sonitpur who was trying to smuggle the tusk from his rented house in Panjabari to Ulubari. Police nabbed him in Dispur n while he was on his way.

Governance

SNIPPETS Governor releases postage stamp in memory of Dr Talimeren Ao

G PLUS | FEB 03 - FEB 09, 2018

GMC fails to identify vending zones even after 4 years of the Act With an estimated 12,000 street vendors swarming the city, official vending zones have become a necessity even as the GMC has failed to take a step in this direction despite being armed with a street vending act since the last 4 years Rahul Chanda rahul.chanda@g-plus.in

overnor of Assam, Prof Jagdish Mukhi, released a postage stamp as a mark of respect to the legendary footballer Dr Talimeren Ao on the occasion of the centenary year of his birth anniversary at a function held at Sports Authority of India (SAI) complex playground at Paltan Bazar, Guwahati on January 28. It may be noted that Dr T Ao, an ace footballer who was born on January 28, 1918, was instrumental in popularizing football in Assam. He was captain of the Indian Football Team in their first official match in the 1948 London Olympics. Paying his rich tributes to this legendary footballer on the centenary celebrations of his birthday, the Governor said, “Dr T Ao was the man behind promoting and popularizing football in India and more particularly in Assam.” He also said that besides being a footballer, T Ao was a doctor by profession who worked as an assistant civil surgeon. Taking a bow of reverence, Prof Mukhi termed Dr T Ao as an extraordinary personality in whom the Almighty had intertwined a talented footballer and a genius physician. He also congratulated SAI for having organized the birth centenary celebrations in honour of Dr T Ao. At the same time, the Governor also reiterated his government’s commitment in transforming Guwahati into a sports capital of the country. He also hailed the state government’s efforts in organizing international sporting events successfully in Guwahati and called upon the younger generation to emulate the sporting talents like Dr T Ao and bloom their sports acumen inherent in them by using the sports infrastructural facilities available in the state. MLA Shiladitya Deb, Chief Post Master General, Arundhuti Ghose, former footballer Gilbertson Sangma, athlete Toybun Nessa, Director Information and Public Relations, Rajib Prakash Baruah and a host of other dignitaries were present on the occasion. n

ven after four years of the formation of Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014, the Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) has failed to identify the vending zone locations. The Act mandates a survey of the street vendors in all the cities, registration of such vendors and identification of locations to provide fixed vending zones to the vendors. GMC commissioner, Monalisa Goswami however said, “We will soon conduct a joint survey with the traffic police to identify the vending zones.” The commissioner has called for a town committee meeting on 9th February to discuss the issues related to street vending zones. After the Street Vendors Act was passed in March 2014, a town vending committee was formed in Guwahati which was headed by the GMC commissioner and the members were from various sectors like NGOs, 40% members from vendors, banks and the police department. GMC officials had then claimed that the vending com-

File photo of GMC office mittee had identified various zones like south zone, west zone, east zone, Lokhra zone and Dispur zone. The zones might have been identified but they were never notified, a GMC source said. The source added that in the past nothing much had happened and therefore now, the urban local body has decided to identify the zones at an early date. After the Act was passed, a survey was completed in April 2015 to identify the vendors and as per the results there were 7,182 street vendors in the city.

At that point in time, there were 497 food vendors, 727 cloth vendors, 661 fruit vendors, 2,044 vegetable vendors, 194 fish vendors, 82 meat vendors, 1,163 paan/tamul vendors, 183 chana/ puchka/bhel puri vendors and 1,631 others. The source said that a new vendor identification survey might start soon. All these vendors were expected to get vending zones with legal papers which has never happened. GMC had even declared a space opposite Gauhati Medical College & Hospital

(GMCH) as a vending zone in 2015 and claimed to have provided amenities to the vendors. However, after the BJP came to power in the state in 2016, the vendors were evicted from the same vending zone in violation of the Street Vending Act. According to the Act, vendors can be evicted only after they are provided an alternate vending zone. A source in the GMC said that a survey to identify the zones was conducted earlier but the traffic police department was not agreeable to the results. n

“Eviction by authorities for Advantage Assam illegal”

Street vending nexus increasing in city

s soon as a big event like Advantage Assam is hosted in the city, the vendors on various streets get evicted and they return after the event is over. But the vendors claim that such eviction is “illegal.” A cloth vendor and member of Guwahati Street Vending Association said in anonymity, “The eviction which is going on for the Advantage Assam event is illegal as no notice was served to any of the vendors 30 days prior to the eviction.” According to Street Vending Act 2014, vendors cannot be evicted if a vending zone is not identified for them and if an eviction is necessary, a notice has to be served 30 days prior to the eviction with valid reasons.

File photo of eviction of roadside vendors A source in GMC revealed that around 3 dumpers full of vending merchandize were filled up after the evictions from the streets since 27th January. The GMC officials however claim that the vendors were informed about the n eviction beforehand.

he last survey to find out the exact number of street vendors was completed in 2015. It threw up a figure of 7,182 vendors in total. The number has now increased to an estimated 12,000 because of various vending nexuses operating in the city. “There are many gangs involved in bringing people from outside Guwahati and allotting them vending spaces in Guwahati,” a source in the Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) said, adding that these gangs are resourceful enough such that when the GMC acts against them, they take stay orders from the court. Siddhartha Bhattacharya, Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA), Gauhati East,

said that in Fancy Bazar the vendors have to pay a certain amount of money on a daily basis to sit on the streets to do business. A resident of Fancy Bazar said that new vendors are gradually inundating all the streets in the area. A fruit seller started selling fruits at Lakhtokia recently after paying Rs 10,000 to a local resident who allotted him an empty space. He further has to pay Rs 30 daily to the same person. Similarly, places like Ulubari, Lal ganesh, Chandmari, Beltola and so on are witnessing a huge increase in the number of vendors and in all these areas someone or the other is taking money to allot n vending space.

City

G PLUS | FEB 03 - FEB 09, 2018

Guwahati gets a new look ahead of Advantage Assam

ssam Government is all set to host Advantage Assam - Global Investors’ Summit at Guwahati with the help of GMDA, GMC, PWD (NH), PWD (R), Forest, APDCL, IWT, SDRF, NHAI, Airport Authority of India, Railway and other government agencies. A large number of initiatives for beautifying Guwahati city were taken up over the last two months as a prelude to hosting Advantage Assam on 3rd and 4th February at Sarusajai Stadium. In order to achieve efficiency, various departments belonging to both Central and State governments pooled in resources to ensure that Guwahati looks clean and beautiful. Illumination: Electric poles (approx 2,200, within the city and bypass) along the entire stretch of the road starting from LGBI Airport, Guwahati to Khanapara, and major arterial roads within Guwahati city have been made attractive by using bi-coloured LED strips. All non-functional streetlights have been repaired. City landmarks like Guwahati Railway Station, Saraighat Bridge, Kamakhya Temple, Umananda Temple, Northbrook Gate, Dighali-

Dighalipukhuri sporting a decorated look for Advantage Assam | G Plus Photo pukhuri, LGBI Airport, Janata Bhawan, Lachit Statue at Fancy Bazar, Kamakhya Temple rotary, Bhupen Hazarika Samadhi etc have been illuminated. Cleanliness: All roads and wards are being cleaned regularly using manual labourers and mechanized equipment. Trees have been pruned along roads and shrubs and mud have been removed. Hoardings and banners that are redundant have been removed. Construction material and other debris have been removed. All major and minor

drains have been cleaned. Paintings: Road dividers, medians, zebra crossings, edges of roads have been painted. Work of painting of flyovers, foot over bridges, underpasses, walls of buildings, parks etc has been completed. After the completion of painting work, anyone is found guilty of littering or spitting at the art/painting works, will be prosecuted and this is clearly being monitored with the help of CCTV cameras. Repair of roads: Service roads and main roads have been repaired and edge-to-edge

blacktopping of roads is done. Reflectors have been fixed on roads. Road dividers have been repaired/freshly constructed wherever necessary. Art works across Guwahati: Art students have been deployed to paint the walls with iconic and symbolic features of Assam. Locations at Khanapara, Jalukbari, ISBT, Airport, Sixmile, Kachari, and important landmarks like Raj Bhawan have been decorated with art works and paintings. Structures using bamboo and depicting art forms, including one near the airport, Jalukbari and the medians across the highway, have been erected. The newly constructed flyover near the LGBI Airport has been given a fresh look by the young doodle artist of Guwahati, Santanu Hazarika and bamboo artist, Luwab Khan. The duo has been working on beautification of the flyover, mainly the pillars, to showcase the rich elements of the Assamese culture. They started their work on 24th January. “We have put in a lot of effort to beautify the city. I request all the citizens of Guwahati to help us keep the city clean, and not spit anywhere and everywhere,” said Santanu.

The otherwise ordinary Sixmile flyover now looks like a scene right out of some culturally rich Assamese movie. The team members behind the beautification of the area are - Ashok Das, Nayan Kalita, Prantik Dutta, Chandan Deka, and Maidul Islam. Nayan Deka, speaking to G Plus, said, “Our theme was Assamese culture. We have crafted hand painted murals of ‘Axomiya Jaapi’, ‘Bihu dance’, ‘Axomiya Gamusa’, and the face of ‘Ravan’, which is a special attraction during the ‘Bhaona’ of Majuli.” The street walls opposite the DC Court at Kachari, Pan Bazar, now depict the glorious battles of Assam. The team has worked on the chronological history of various battles of Assam and wonderfully showcased these in paintings. The members, who are students and professional artists, have been working for hours every day to give a bright look to that part of the city. The members are Anupam Chakroborty, Suman, Nilam, Rashika, Shayantika, Mirza, and Divyanshu. Signage: Directional and locational signage have been installed at various places by n GMC and ATDC.

Business

SNIPPETS SK Barua takes over as NRL MD

G PLUS | FEB 03 - FEB 09, 2018

25th edition of IGTF kicks off in Guwahati Guwahati is set to witness the silver jubilee edition of the IGTF from February 2 to 18 with participation from global buyers and traders

Saumya Mishra saumya.mishra@g-plus.in

K Barua has taken over as Managing Director of Numaligarh Refinery Ltd (NRL) with effect from 31st January 2018. Barua was selected by Public Enterprise Selection Board and the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) approved the same on 24th January, 2018. With 33 years of rich and varied experience in the Indian oil and gas industry, he was serving as the Director (Finance) in NRL prior to being appointed as the Managing Director. He joined NRL as its first permanent employee in 1993, the year that the company was established. Over the last 24 years in NRL, he has garnered vast experience of setting up a grass root mega project starting from its conceptualization, implementation, commissioning and operations thereafter. He has in-depth knowledge in areas of finance, treasury management & corporate finance, business development, commercial and legal, JVs and pipeline projects, corporate communication, administration and liaison. Barua is the current chairman of Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Assam since 2015 and also the member of Regional Committee - EFP Assam. He was awarded Best CMA-CFO 2015 by Institute of Cost Accountants of India. NRL achieved its best ever financial performance during his tenure as Director (Finance) owing to the strategic initiatives taken by him. A resident of Dibrugarh, Assam, Barua did his schooling and college from Dibrugarh before proceeding to Delhi to pursue Cost Accountancy. He started his career in Indian Oil Corporation (Assam Oil Division) in 1985. Subsequently in 1987, he joined the Refinery and Petrochemical Division of Government of Assam to identify and develop new oil and gas projects in the state, more particularly to implement the Assam Accord Refinery, thereafter named Numaligarh Refinery Limited. He was also a key team member in conceptualization of the prestigious Assam Gas n Cracker project.

he 25th edition of the International Guwahati Trade Fair (IGTF) kicked off on February 2 at the Maniram Dewan Trade Centre. Organised by the Industries and Trade Fair Association of Assam (ITFAA), the silver jubilee edition of the trade fair this year will see participation from close to 400 traders from across India and other different countries. Commerce and industry minister, Chandra Mohan Patowary, inaugurated the fair on February 2 in the presence of other dignitaries. The IGTF, which will conclude on February 18, will see participation from around 40 different countries including Thailand, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Singapore, Afghanistan, Phillipines and Malaysia among others, according to the organisers. Various artisans from across the northeast will also showcase their products all under one roof. “We have participants from different southeast Asian countries like Bangladesh and Thailand to which the central government is also giving a lot of importance at the moment,” said Rajesh Das, vice president of ITFAA. The organisers informed that their major objective is to provide a platform in Guwahati which will serve as a gateway to northeast India and also Asia for the local entrepreneurs to interact with foreign buyers and traders. Further, in a boost to the local small-scale entrepreneurs

Rajesh Das, vice-president of ITFAA, along with his team, cutting a cake to mark the silver Jubilee year of IGTF | G Plus Photo in the state, the National Small Industries Corporation Limited (NSIC) pavilion will host around 80 local entrepreneurs participating in the fair out of which 50% of the entrepreneurs belong to scheduled castes and scheduled tribes. Das added that for the past 25 years, the IGTF has been bridging the gap between the local entrepreneurs from the northeast and the rest of the world and also the country. Officials said that that ITFAA was the first organisation to bring in foreign traders to Assam for the first time in 2000, before which there were no foreign businessmen participating in

any trade exhibitions in Assam. Apart from showcasing products, the IGTF will also host a cultural extravaganza which will witness several colourful performances. It will feature artists like Zubeen Garg on February 9 and a mega fashion show will also be held on February 11 featuring some of the prominent designers of Assam like Meghna, Kunal Kaushik, Prasantt Ghosh, Garima Garg and Adityam Saikia. Apart from these programmes, other events like rock shows, acoustic music competition and art competition n will be held.

Research Conclave at IIT-G to open new opportunities for young innovators

IT Guwahati will be organising the fourth edition of Research Conclave ’18 from March 8 at its campus in Amingaon in an attempt to help young innovators turn innovations into viable start-up businesses. About 600 participants including schools and colleges from in and around Guwahati, Barpeta and Nalbari have registered for the three-day

conclave. “The conclave will be a platform for the innovators to showcase their research works, through posters, oral and model presentations. Several experts will be present during the conclave who will be able to give suggestions on how to develop those innovations, make those market-oriented, cost-effective and build a startup business based on it,” Prince

Kumar Baranwal, convener of the conclave told media here. Among the various business organisations approached by the institute, Numaligarh Refinery Limited has affirmed its participation. Among experts, Author of Concept of Physics H.C. Verma, former ISRO Chairman Padma Shri A S Kiran Kumar, Senior Vice President of Reliance Technology Group Raksh Vir

Jasra and Yuji Iwahori from Japan’s Chubu University will be participating. Last year, the conclave saw participation of about 5000 students from various schools and colleges who made more than 400 presentations including 50 model presentations. “This year, we are expecting close to 600 participations,” n Baranwal said.

Health

G PLUS | FEB 03 - FEB 09, 2018

Hospitals, clinics flout bio-medical waste disposal norms

Wastes at the Bio-medical Treatment Plant near GMCH | G Plus Photo collecting, receiving, storing, treating, disposing or handling of bio-medical waste. The absence of valid authorisation by the PCBA means that hospitals not following mandatory norms related to proper treatment of bio-medical waste could lead to such hazardous waste being mixed with the regular municipal waste, say health experts. It could also result in the

PCBA lax in enforcing norms

s the sole authority vested with the responsibility to enforce disposal of bio-medical waste, the PCBA is required to conduct regular monitoring of hospitals and health care establishments (HCEs). However, the CAG audit found that only 9 per cent HCEs were monitored by the PCBA in the state. The PCBA authorities however has a different take on the problem. Officials explained that disposal of bio-medical has never been a problem either in the city or in other parts of the state. “The overall situation is not so bad and many hospitals also adhere to the rules. Even though there are a few problems, they are being looked into by the board,” said an official of the PCBA. As per the bio-medical waste management rules 2016 issued by the ministry of environment, forest and climate change, the waste should be segregated

SNIPPETS Conference on “Building a Better Healthcare Ecosystem”

Saumya Mishra saumya.mishra@g-plus.in any hospitals and health clinics in the city are yet to evolve a system for the safe disposal of bio-medical waste since most of them lack authorisation from the Pollution Control Board of Assam (PCBA). According to a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) in 2016, only 17 per cent of the hospitals, clinics and nursing homes in the state have obtained authorisation from the PCBA. Out of a total of 1,014 health care establishments in Assam, merely 178 have applied for authorisation from the PCBA which is a clear violation of the mandatory norms. Bio-medical can be infectious since they consist of discarded drugs, sharp waste, microbiological and biotechnological waste, human anatomical waste and animal wastes among others. As per the bio-medical waste rules 2016, every healthcare institution treating 1,000 or more patients in a month, has to obtain authorisation from the PCBA for generating,

into different coloured bags which must be bar coded. Authorities at the Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) which receives thousands of patients every day informed that they have a bio-medical waste disposal system in place. “We keep the waste properly segregated and divided into biological and non-biological waste and follow all the norms as laid down by the central pollution control board (CPCB),” informed GMCH superintendent Dr Ramen Talukdar. He added that they also have their own sewage treatment plant in place. “As the hospital is quite big, we take special care to treat bio-medical waste. We will face a lot of problems if we don’t manage bio-medical waste properly and in an efficient manner,” said Talukdar. Whatever be the case, it has become imperative that the city's wastes are taken more seriously and n disposed off safely.

absence of records with the hospitals for the generation of day-to-day bio-medical waste. PCBA officials acknowledged that there were still many hospitals which haven’t applied for authorisation. “We are aware of the fact that several hospitals lack authorisation and we have been pressurising them from time to time. It is absolute necessary

and in everyone’s interest to follow all norms as bio-medical waste can lead to fatal infections,” DN Das, chief environmental engineer at PCBA told G Plus. Section 15 of the Environment (Protection) Act 1986 provides for a jail term of up to five years or a fine up to one lakh rupees for failing to comply with the provisions of n the act.

Advisory committee yet to be formed

n another violation of the bio-medical waste management rules, the state government is yet to form an advisory committee which will monitor implementation of the rules to ensure proper handling and disposal of bio-medical waste. The advisory committee is supposed to have an official of the state pollution control board as one of its members along with representatives of other departments. “The advisory committee should hopefully be constituted within this year,” said Das. The CAG report in its recommendation to the state government said, “The government must ensure that no HCEs, veterinary institutions and animal houses operate without authorisation of the PCBA so that the lives and health of humans and animals are not endangered.” n

ntegra Ventures will hold an annual healthcare symposium on 17 th February, 2018 in Guwahati with an objective focused on excellence in healthcare delivery mechanism with the theme “Building a better Healthcare Ecosystem” to showcase innovation and bring changes to the healthcare system. Thought-provoking panellists, medical practitioners and thinkers from both public and private sectors who focus on cross-disciplinary issues in healthcare will be gathering for a series of talks, panels and discussions. Realizing the evident gap in demand and supply of quality healthcare services in the region, Integra Ventures started its journey in northeast India with a team of multi-disciplinary professionals including hospital planners, administrators, hospital architects, engineers and quality management consultants to provide professional healthcare consultancy services. The team works in cohesion to render services in the areas of healthcare facility developmeant, quality & accreditation (NABH, NABL, ISO) and public health consulting. Presently, Integra Ventures works in various scopes, both in the government and private sectors in the north-eastern states of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Nagaland (apart from other n Indian states).

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Health

SNIPPETS Advantage Assam is a flop show by BJP : Tarun Gogoi

n a press meet held in Guwahati on Wednesday, former Chief Minister of Assam Tarun Gogoi said that the Advantage Assam - Global Investors’ Summit is a flop show by the BJP Government. Gogoi even raised questions about the celebration of Me-Dam-Me-Phi by Sonowal and his officials, which this year was organised at Srimanta Shankardev Kalashetra. Previously the Me-Dam-Me-Phi celebration used to be held at Notboma. “RSS has compared Swargadeo Chaolung Sukapha with Modi, which is an insult to our culture and heritage,” said Gogoi. The former Chief Minister also said that “Advantage Assam is a flop show performed by the BJP Government. It is a failure, and even digital budget planned by the government n will be a failure.”

National Handloom Expo inaugurated in city Assam Handloom and Textile Minister Ranjit Dutta on Monday inaugurated the National Handloom Expo 2017-18 at Guwahati. A total of 12 states have participated in the event which will continue till 11 February. The event is sponsored by Development Commissioner Handloom, Government of India and organized by ARTFED. A total of 130 stalls have been set up. Dutta said that various measures are being taken for the development of Handloom sector. Commissioner Secretary of Handloom department Mukti Gogoi, Director B K Bora among others attended the ceremonial inauguration. n

G PLUS | FEB 03 - FEB 09, 2018

Child health indicators improve for Assam; still behind national average G Plus takes a look at the child health indicators in Assam which have registered an encouraging trend in the past few years but the authorities feel they still have a long way to go in bettering these markers Saumya Mishra saumya.mishra@g-plus.in

hild health indicators in the state have shown a consistent improvement over the years according to a survey by the Sample Registration System (SRS). A survey by SRS in 2016 revealed that infant mortality rate (IMR) in the state went down from 47 deaths in 2015 to 44 in 2016. However, it is still much higher than the national average of 34. IMR is the number of deaths of infants under one year of age per 1,000 live births

Representative image in a year. In the state, the neonatal mortality rate, which is the number of deaths within the first 28 days per 1,000

live births, also dropped marginally from 25 in 2015 to 23 in 2016. However, deaths of children under five years of age or the under-five mortality rate showed the most drastic decline of 10 points in 2016. The under-five mortality rate stood at 62 deaths in 2015 and went down to 52 in 2016. Further, the statistics also revealed that since 2013, the under-five mortality rate showed the most significant drop of 21 points. But this indicator too remains considerably higher than the national figure of 39. On the other hand, Assam’s perinatal mortality rate (PMR)

stands at 20 which is lower than the national figure of 23. PMR is defined as the number of deaths within the first week of birth per 1,000 live births. Recently, the state health and family welfare minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma, had tweeted a comparative table showing five year rates of IMR, under-five mortality, neonatal mortality and perinatal mortality rates. He wrote, “I take personal pride in these impressive figures on key social indicators. While we have achieved much we’ve miles to go and the BJP government is committed to constantly improve n these indicators.”

Initiatives to improve indicators Hilly terrain, ignorance major challenges

fficials at the National Health Mission (NHM) said that several initiatives are being implemented to ensure better results in the state on child health indicators. Dr Narayan Sharma, consultant child health at NHM informed that one of their major focus areas is to emphasise on maximum number of institutional deliveries. “A number of complications can be avoided if only the mothers deliver in a hospital with skilled staff. Even in home deliveries we are focussing on skilled birth attendants. Also after delivery, essential newborn care plays a vital role,” said Sharma. He added that special newborn care units (SNCUs) in all district hospitals and medical colleges are playing a major role in newborn care. These are meant to provide intensive care to newborn babies.

In addition to SNCUs, paediatric intensive care units have also been recently established in three medical colleges till now, said officials. Further, in a new intervention to improve maternal and child health, Kangaroo mother care (KMC) units are being established in SNCUs. This concept bases itself on skin to skin contact of the baby with the mother, considered especially beneficial for babies born with low birth weight or for premature babies. Authorities said that six KMC units have been established till now and plans are firmed up to set up more such units across the state. However this practice has already begun in all district hospitals even without these units, they said. Continuous training programmes are also being conducted for capacity building of frontline workers, paramedical staff and doctors, n informed an official.

uthorities say that a major challenge faced by them in bringing down the mortality rates has been overcoming the geographical barriers to make health services accessible in remote areas. “It becomes difficult for the ambulances to reach a few places due to the hilly terrain and poor condition of roads. In such cases making the services available to people becomes an issue,” said Dr AC Baishya, executive director at NHM. Further, officials informed that in tea garden areas, the social habits and customs also play a major role in determining the overall health of the community members. “For instance, they have a practice of consuming excessive salt with all the meals including tea. High salt intake leads to hypertension which is also one of the reasons for high maternal mortality rate in the tea garden areas,” said an official. Further, officials informed that in tea garden areas, there is

also lack of awareness and misconception regarding the health practices as they do not prefer to go to the hospitals during ailments. In some places, manpower shortage has also hampered delivery of services. Dr Baishya added that IMR and MMR reduction is an outcome of a comprehensive system comprising better ante natal care, qualified nurses, accessibility to n vaccines, immunization.

Weather report for the week Guwahati

SUN

MON

TUE

WED

THU

FRI

Sunny

Mostly Sunny

Sunny

Mostly Sunny

Sunny

Partly Cloudy

21°/12° C

22°/13° C

24°/14° C

22°/11° C

24°/13° C

25°/12° C

SATURDAY Sunny

22°/11° C

Concern

G PLUS | FEB 03 - FEB 09, 2018

Prolonged link failure disrupts work at DC Court Saumya Mishra saumya.mishra@g-plus.in

ink failure at the registration department of the Deputy Commissioner’s (Kamrup Metro) office at Kachari in the city hit services for the second continuous day on Thursday. It left several people in the lurch as they were asked by the officials to wait indefinitely for the link to be restored.

ing after a week to finish his work. A notary official at the DC Court told G Plus that the network has remained disrupted since 1 pm on Tuesday. She informed that due to this all their work has come to a standstill. “We are also waiting for the link to be restored but there is no certainty as to when that will happen. A lot of work has piled up for us,” she said. A city resident, Shashwat

People swarming the corridors of DC Court in expectation of the link to be restored | G Plus Photo The corridor of the registration department was swarming with disgruntled people as they waited impatiently to get their work done on Thursday. Due to the technical glitch, all official work such as the registration of documents related to various land deeds at the department remained hampered. Fiftyyear-old Debajit Das, who had come with his wife from Silchar to Guwahati especially for registration of a deed said, “We had come to the office two days ago and were told that there has been some problem with the server. We are facing a lot of trouble as the problem has not been solved even till today.” He added that he was unaware about the network issue and is now thinking of return-

Kalita, waiting outside the registration department said that

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Ola to start river taxi service in the city

he State Inland Waterways department is expected to ink an MoU with Ola to start river taxi service in the city. Chandra Mohan Patowary said that it will take 12 minutes to reach Palashbari and 15 minutes to reach Guwahati Airport by river taxi. “The taxis are being made by private players who are using technologies of Singapore and Netherland,”

Patowary said. “Numbers have not been ascertained yet as once the MoU is inked, a limited number will be used during the initial stage,” Patowary said. The taxis will have night navigation and will be equipped with all other modern technologies. One such container is providing ambulance service under 108 of National n Health Mission.

his important registration work will now get delayed due to this. The link problem has persisted since Tuesday and Wednesday was a government holiday. Even now, there is no certainty regarding the registration, he said. “On one hand the government is organising large-scale events like Advantage Assam in Guwahati and on the other, local people have to suffer for days even for things like registration,” said Kalita.

Tired of waiting for the link to be re-established, some people also returned home. Further, even the senior officials did not seem to have any information as to when the network would return. Senior sub registrar, Nirhandra Thaosen informed, “Even we do not know when the problem would get solved. We use the internet services of NICNET by National Informatics Centre (NIC) which is controlled by the state NIC

office in Dispur.” He added that at times, such problems arise when there is a failure in one of the links or when there is a software upgradation of the server. Sometimes link failure also occurs as a result of low signal from the server. “We have sent a mail to the helpdesk at the NIC office asking them to restore the service at the earliest. We hope that we are able to carry out the works soon,” said Thaosen. n

In Conversation

G PLUS | FEB 03 - FEB 09, 2018

In conversation with Chandra Mohan Patowary... Rahul Chanda rahul.chanda@g-plus.in

What is the competitive edge of Assam for an investor to invest their money in the state? Similar summits are organised by all states across the country. Why should they invest in Assam? The state of Assam has the unique advantage of being strategically located closer to the growing ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations) economies, making it an ideal destination for doing business. With a strong connectivity network, Assam can become India’s expressway to the South-East Asian nations. The maiden Global Investors’ Summit, 2018 will attempt to portray these advantages to potential business partners and what makes Assam the ideal staging ground for businesses aiming to cater to the ASEAN and BBIN (Bangladesh, Bhutan,

The Government of Assam has invited business delegations and ministers from as many as 20 countries in the ASEAN and the region overall. Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, Lao PDR and Myanmar are expected to join. In addition, Czech Republic, Germany, Japan and Nepal are to be represented by their respective ambassadors. Moreover, Vietnam is going to be represented by a business delegation. Business delegations from other countries like USA, UAE are also expected to take part in the GIS. At this moment, expectations are high and we are hopeful about a positive outcome of the Summit.

India and Nepal) markets and will also showcase the various infrastructural initiatives taken up for the purpose. The Government of Assam conducted 14 road shows across 6 domestic and 8 international locations to showcase the business potential and investment opportunities in the state. This collective effort has helped in garnering a huge response for the summit.

What are the key policy advantages for investors across industries in Assam? The Government of Assam has instituted some very attractive, sectoral policies apart from the Industrial Policy like the Assam Start Up Policy 2017, Information Technology and Electronic Policy 2017, Tourism Policy 2017, etc, which will help in transforming Assam into a competitive destination for investments. In line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision to enhance the ease of doing business, the Government of Assam has declared two dedicated industrial zones for development of industries in the state. The state government has earmarked areas on both sides of NH 37 from Jalukbari to Kukurmara and another extending beside NH 31 from Jalukbari to Tihu, excluding tribal belts and blocks, wetlands, notified forest land, VGR and PGR lands as industrial zone for the purpose of assessment of land revenue at enhanced rate as may be applicable.

What are the initiatives and advantages for local entrepreneurs and industrialists? The Industries & Commerce Department has launched a new scheme called Chief Minister’s Start-up fund ‘Sarothi’. In this regard, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed with Assam Gramin Vikas Bank (AGVB). The basic objective of the scheme is to provide financial assistance in the form of loan with interest subvention. The loan so availed by the beneficiaries will be supported by the state

government through interest subvention @ 5% per annum. To encourage the employment generated by the small tea growers, the government has formulated a cess utilization policy for development and welfare of small tea growers of Assam by providing financial support, subsidies, setting up of tea factories, etc. These are a few of the various steps undertaken by the government to facilitate investments by local entrepreneurs and industrialists.

What are the measures being taken to improvise Single Window Clearance and help “Ease of Doing Business”? To fast track the industrial growth of the state, our government passed the Ease of Doing Business Bill, 2016, in the first assembly session. Now, registration for setting up of industries and clearances can be obtained online through single window clearance system. At present, the single window mechanism offers 270 G2B (Government to business) services online under the Ease of Doing Business. It is noteworthy that Assam is the first state to implement the GST (Goods and Services) Act. To make the business environment investor-friendly, land banks have been created to boost industrial growth in

the state. Land was allotted to Patanjali at Balipara, Sonitpur district within a week’s time. A new land pooling scheme is also being considered. Infrastructure creation is another major objective of the current government to attract investment. A World Trade Centre will be constructed in Guwahati for projecting it as a modern city. Besides, a food park, tea park, bamboo park, pharma park, textile park will be soon made operational.

Assam has been traditionally a state where businessmen have been looked down upon. Is Advantage Assam part of the poribortan that this government is trying to bring in? Assam can be a natural choice for investors for it’s from here that South East Asia begins. Located in between the Indian mainland and the huge markets of South East Asia, Assam, with Guwahati as the commercial hub, is well poised to be a launching pad of investors looking to capture the South East Asian markets. Other industriallyadvanced states of India have already reached a point of saturation. New investments in these states may not be as high as those in unexplored markets with promising prospects. Assam in particular and the North East markets in general

are full of potentialities and probabilities. And Assam’s proximity to the SAARC nations, and its own large domestic market, has created a new huge market of over 400 million households. Since May 2016, after we came to power, more than 25 industries have invested more than Rs. 5,000 crores enabling employment opportunities for 30,000 youths. This is a remarkable achievement in the history of Assam. It reflects the good governance, conducive business environment and sense of security among industrialists – a change brought about by the present government. The Global Investors’ Summit will open the doors to a beginning - a new industrial era in the state.

Why was the state government not able to persuade the Centre to announce the new investment policy before the summit? When will the Centre announce it? We are formulating a new state industrial policy keeping in mind what the state has to offer to potential investors. In this connection we have held a series of talks with successive Union Ministers for Commerce & Industry of the Government of India. I have also personally met them to push for announcing the

In Conversation

G PLUS | FEB 03 - FEB 09, 2018

investment policy. I have been assured that very soon we will have an industrial policy exclusively for the state of Assam to attract more investments into the state.

With emphasis on industries like plastic, gas and pharmaceutical, don’t you think the environment of the state will be affected? During the Global Investors’ Summit, business seminars on 12 focus sectors will be held over the two days. These sectors are agriculture and food processing including organic cultivation and

tourism and other less pollution sectors like handicrafts, silk etc? Assam already has a tourism policy in place. Advantage Assam will be the largest ever investment promotion and facilitation initiative undertaken by the Government of Assam. There are several potential business sectors in this land of natural resources. The climate and general environment of Assam is well suited for sericulture. The state offers good potential for development of some major industries on silk, medicinal plants and herbs, plywood, pharmaceutical industries, etc. Besides, there are sectors like horticulture, food processing,

The Government of Assam has invited business delegations and ministers from as many as 20 countries in the ASEAN and the region overall. Bangladesh (led by Minister of Industries), Bhutan (led by Prime Minister of Bhutan), Cambodia (led by Minister of Tourism), Lao PDR (led by Minister of Culture and Tourism), Myanmar (led by Minister of Commerce) are expected to join the meet. In addition, Czech Republic, Germany, Japan and Nepal are to be represented by the respective ambassadors to India. Moreover, Vietnam is going to be represented by a business delegation as well as eminent specialist speaker for the start up business session. Business delegations from

SNIPPETS Special drive by NF Railway to get rid of malpractices

File phot of Guwahati Railway Station

n order to get rid of any malpractices involving public interface, a special 72-hours drive has been launched by NF Railway since 6 PM of 31st January. All concerned officials and officers of Commercial, Traffic, RPF and Vigilance department have been launching surprise checks in all public interface locations while interactions with rail users have also been continued. Decoy checks are planned and have been carried out besides ‘Samvaad’ with staff to sensitize them so as to present clean image and take a pledge to rid any kind of malpractices. All divisions have also launched all out concentrated drive for 72 hours so as to send a message to the staff that rail-

A Swachh Bharat stall of PHE in readiness for the Advantage Assam summit | G Plus Photo bamboo, handloom, textile and handicrafts, logistics, river transport and port township, IT and ITeS, pharmaceutical and medical equipment, plastics and petrochemicals, power, tourism, hospitality and wellness, civil aviation, petroleum and natural gas and startups innovation. Of these, the majority are non-polluting sectors. In other sectors, the emphasis will be on adopting green initiatives and low emission technologies which are being adopted all over the world as part of sustainable development initiatives. Development will not be at the cost of the ecology. We will focus on adopting a balanced approach.

There are states like Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Sikkim who are doing good only by developing their tourism sector. Assam has so much of tourism opportunities, so why not focus only on

IT& ITES which we will lay thrust on. As I have mentioned earlier, more focus is being laid on less polluting sectors in the business sessions during the Global Investors’ Summit.

What is your expectation from the summit? What amount of money will be pumped into the state by investors according to you? The focus of the Global Investors’ Summit is to create a congenial atmosphere for business and portray Assam as India’s expressway to the ASEAN countries. We want to attract considerable investment into the state that will amp up the industrial scenario and boost other tertiary sectors as well. Registration for the Summit has neared 5,000 which shows that several investors have expressed their interest to come and explore the possibilities in the state.

Advantage Assam is a maiden attempt made to change the industrial scenario and promote Assam as the next investment destination of the country. With the cooperation from various government departments and with public support, we were able to overcome all such challenges. The Government of India has also extended considerable support to make this n event possible.

way will not tolerate any kind of malpractices. Surprise night checks at booking counters, windows, reservation counters, parcel office, left luggage office, TTE’s office and train checks have been carried out. Almost 42 different locations checks were carried out along with the RPF personnel. N F Railway has put up some phone numbers of responsible officers i.e Chief Commercial Manager / Passenger Marketing (9957550951), Deputy Chief Commercial Manager / Passenger Marketing (9957550962), Deputy Chief Vigilance Officer / Traffic (9957550061) and Help Line No. 9957550959 at public interface locations along with the social portal and other complaints n redressal windows.

Noted writer & historian Kumudeswar Hazarika passes away

other countries like United States of America, UAE are also expected to take part in the Global Investors Summit. At this moment, expectations are high and we are hopeful about a positive outcome of the Summit.

What are the challenges you faced to organise such an event in Guwahati? Are you satisfied with the performance of other organising partners?

oted writer and historian of Guwahati city, Kumudeswar Hazarika passed away on Thursday. Hazarika was 84 when he breathed his last. He was best known for his

knowledge about Guwahati, and was often considered as a ‘living repository’ of the city. Hazarika was born on 16th July, 1938. A former Principal of Sonaram High School, he studied the history and development of Guwahati like no one else. Two of the most popular books written by Hazarika are - ‘Itihaxor Saa-Puhorot Puroni Guwahati’ and ‘Mur Chinaki Guwahati - Koto Jan Koto Kotha.’ Hazarika was also associated with Guwahati n Sports Association.

Free Wi-Fi inaugurated in LGBI Airport for Advantage Assam

ree Wi-Fi service by BSNL has been inaugurated at Guwahati Airport, on Thursday, for the convenience of the visitors, organisers, and delegates who will visit Guwahati for the Advantage Assam - Global Investors’ Sum-

mit 2018. The service has been jointly provided by BSNL and Airports Authority of India (AAI). Airport Director B.K Tailong and General Manager of BSNL, Pankaj Das inaugurated the n free service.

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G PLUS | FEB 03 - FEB 09, 2018

Batting for 1951

midst the current brouhaha of Advantage Assam in our awesome Assam, the Supreme Court of India is set to deliver a vital verdict on 6th February that might just create a massive population of “new foreigners” with figures in the teeming millions. News filters in that a completely revamped bench of judges (read one that does not have Justice Ranjan Gogoi on it for whatever reasons) will decide whether the much deliberated cut-off year for illegal migrants would remain 1971 as per the provisions of the Assam Accord or 1951 to keep parity with the rest of the country. To keep things logical, the cut-off year just has to be 1951 simply because 1971 does not have the requisite credentials to be so important. An accord signed as a culmination of a 6-year long agitation between an association of students and the home ministry that never had legal sanction of the Indian parliament amounts to being just a memorandum of settlement more than any piece of law. An armistice, so to say. The accord has not been of much use to Assam and its nonimplementation has been cause of much heartburn among debating circles on

AV media. Yes, we did get our refinery and universities but more than that, the accord has done nothing more than shape a few spectacular political careers. What essentially I want to offer is a perspective from a logical standpoint. 1951 would mean that the Indian Constitution and law, always glorified to be equal for all Indians, would guarantee this factor. Just one state from the whole Indian union – Assam – having a different cut-off date purely to pander to historical blunders of earlier regimes, would actually necessitate a separate constitution by itself for the state for the simple reason that the law would not be the same for us. The worrisome fallout of this verdict would obviously be the teeming millions (estimated at 80 lakhs) who would suddenly become foreigners and would necessarily have to be driven out from the state. This would mean huge human displacement that would tantamount to uprooting well-entrenched trees. Given such a Catch-22 situation, the Supreme Court faces one of its most ticklish verdicts even as a lot of us bat for 1951. Swapnil Bharali Editor

Shout and be productive...

uwahati is on overdrive – a pace every metro city should be on. It is encouraging to see so much positivity around the city, whether it is in terms of beautification, volunteer work or public announcements about performance indices, one of which includes Assam ranking 3rd in the Ease of Doing Business rating. While it is fantastic that Guwahati is getting decked up on a war footing, ready to hit another milestone by hosting Advantage Assam, what should’ve also shaken the city up was a certain murder in the middle of the road last week. The murder of businessman Shantilal Jain, only a few days after Republic Day, while the city was still preparing for Advantage Assam, throws light on two things: One, how secure is the public really? While lack of CCTVs, better surveillance and efficient policing continues to plague us, how long is the public supposed to sit with hands on their head, waiting for justice? The larger concern however was the public ignorance during the murder. The CCTV footage revealed that there were about 5 male bystanders, who rightly lived to the description ‘bystanders’. As Shantilal Jain was assaulted and shot, every single person kept ‘standing by’. Not a peep, no shouting, no hullabaloo about witnessing a murder. There should have been echoes of, “Oi dhor taak, murder korise!” That should have effectively made someone grab the assailants on the motorbike and instant justice would have been delivered. However, the sheer ignorance of the public as seen on the CCTV footage is concerning. Do we really care about human lives or it is all just showbaazi? Our loud and effective public policing comes more on Valentine’s Day and against public-display-of-affection. Only if the public could start shouting a little more productively... Sidharth Bedi Varma

“Balanced approach” to development

he minister for Industries & Commerce in the government of Assam, Chandra Mohan Patowary, has said that development in the state would not be promoted by hampering the ecology and a “balanced approach” would be followed. The statement assumes importance with the Global Investors’ Summit being held in the state to attract investment and the environmental degradation being witnessed in Assam and the neighbouring states. Assam, it may be mentioned, is a biodiversity hotspot in the world and one among two such zones in the country (the other being the Western Ghats). It is not yet known if the minister actually meant what he said. And it also cannot be said with certainty that he would implement these ambitious goals given the track record of the BJP-led government in the state in the last one-and-a-half years. As it seems now, the slogan of “Jati, Mati and Bheti” was only meant to garner votes and nothing beyond. Of course, it cannot be denied that that the appalling level of corruption witnessed during the previous Congress regime has reduced but most of the ministers are confused and at the mercy of bureaucrats since they were

rFlag code

hardly acquainted with the art of governance. In some ways, the predicament that the AGP bumpkins found themselves in during 1985-1990 can also be seen with the present government in Dispur. Patowary cannot be expected to be a Manik Sarkar or Manohar Parikkar and keep the interests of the state and the local community above his own or the party’s. Nonetheless, he would do well to bear in mind certain unavoidable facts that require his urgent attention. First, the recent findings of a research conducted by a group of committed individuals and retired government officials on the condition of the forests in Assam is terrifying to say the least. The percentage of dense forests is alarmingly decreasing

A “balanced approach” to development is indeed necessary for a state that is geologically and environmentally hypersensitive. But it raises concern when such statements come from ministers who may not have any inkling about the ground reality… every year in the state which the department of environment and forest may not accept easily. But the report is being prepared in such a manner that the department may not have easy answers to some questions supported by maps and official data. If the minister is committed to maintain the ecological balance, he ought to sit down with the department’s officials, get acquainted with

O p i n i o n Rajeev Bhattacharyya

the ground reality and then firm up a strategy to check the deteriorating situation. But will he go to such an extent? Second, the idea about Assam reaping the benefits as a result of its unique location as the bridge between South and South East Asia has been heard at regular intervals. We wish to know if these statements are based on imagination or the findings of a study conducted on the subject. We would also like to know what Assam and the Northeast can export in the event of a burgeoning trade with South East Asia. In the same vein, what is the government strategy to check the influx of cheap Chinese goods that have already flooded the market? All these are not to suggest that we must resist connectivity with the neighbouring countries. But it must have a realistic roadmap that takes into account the prevailing circumstances in the region and it should not be dictated by the ruling party in New Delhi and fundamentalist outfits. A “balanced approach” to development is indeed necessary for a state that is geologically and environmentally hypersensitive. But it raises concern when such statements come from ministers who may not have any inkling about the ground reality and about the larger and long-term implications of creating jumbo projects. Assam is more akin to Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand than Haryana or Gujarat which will be accepted by almost everybody. There can also be other sensible strategies to create avenues of employment. For this, commitment and vision are required which is sadly missing in Assam and most of the states n in the northeast.

Letter to the Editor

here is a term called flag code in our constitution which allows every single Indian irrespective of religion, caste, creed or race to unfurl our national tri-colour on two special days namely, Republic Day on 26th January and Independence Day on 15th August. This practice is continuing since our nation became a republic and every Indian takes pride in unfurling the tri-colour on these two important dates. But in the Leftist ruled Kerala, the state government tried to impose a ban on a particular leader affiliated to an organisation from unfurling the tri-colour on this year’s Republic Day. By doing so, the Leftists have again exposed themselves in front of the nation and showed their loyalty to their bosses residing in China. Dr Ashim Chowdhury, Ambari, Guwahati.

In Focus

G PLUS | FEB 03 - FEB 09, 2018

Aanjum Elahi Disk Jockey

anjum Elahi is an Indian DJ popularly known as DJ Blue. Known for spinning out groovy tracks to party folks, this Guwahati-based DJ started off his journey as a disk jockey in 2007 and hasn’t looked back ever since. In a very short span of time, his tunes managed to make a mark in the music and entertainment industry. Born in Lakhimpur district of Assam, Aanjum did his schooling from Dehradun and went to Delhi to pursue engineering for graduation. Aanjum has had an interest in music since a very young age, but it was during his graduation years in Delhi that he came to know about DJ as a profession and soon his interest in the field grew. After graduating with a degree in electronic and communication engineering, Aanjum landed a job at TCS Chennai. He shifted to Chennai where he also pursued DJing alongside his job. Soon, he left his job to be a full time DJ for better name and fame. Speaking to G Plus about breaking the news to his parents, who are both professors by profession, Aanjum said, “I had a regular desk job

earlier, working at TCS Chennai. But I soon got bored with it and decided to call it quits. When I broke the news of taking up DJing as a profession to my parents, they were completely against it. But over the course of time, they started to understand the prospects of a career in the music and entertainment industry. It took quite a lot of persuasion and discussion to make them understand.” He started his career as DJ Blue in 2007, but switched his stage name to “Dee J Blue.base on you face” in 2012 when he started DJing professionally. With support and encouragement from his friends, Aanjum is a self taught DJ who learnt mostly by watching videos on YouTube. Aanjum started his career as a DJ at a popular club in Guwahati. After performing as the resident DJ for the club for a few months, he shifted to Delhi where he started working independently. Widely known for enthralling the crowd with his tunes, DJ Blue has made a mark in the party circuits of Guwahati as well as metropolitan cities like Delhi, Mumbai and abroad.

When asked about what inspired him to take up DJing as a profession, he said, “My biggest inspiration is DJ Goa Gil, who is around 65 years old and still going strong. Specialising in Trance music, his undying passion for music and his ability to make the crowd go crazy with his skills continues to inspire me throughout my journey.” Being associated with the industry since 2012, he has performed with various artists like Zubeen Garg, Nikhil Chinappa, Dallas Candy and Darshan Rawal to name a few. He has also done live shows with the Dance India Dance famed actor/dancer, Raghav Juyal. He has performed at some of the most popular and renowned clubs of the country including Kitty Su, Privee, Raasta and Mafioso. He has also performed at various events like the Electric Mahadev Festival of Kasol. Speaking about the DJing scene of Guwahati, he says, “The music and DJ scene of Guwahati and northeast as a whole has always been top-notch, and it’s only getting better with time. There are some really

amazing disk jockeys in Guwahati currently. More and more youngsters are now looking at DJing as a professional career and are doing their best in the field.” While Aanjum has a knack of playing any musical instrument and is open to all kinds of sounds, he’s mostly interested in progressive house, electronic music and Bollywood. One of the most sought after DJs of the country, Aanjum’s DJ sessions are adrenaline pumping and high on energy. On being asked for a message to the aspiring DJs, DJ Blue said, “If you really want to be a noted DJ, then do it professionally and start producing your own music. Do not be a DJ in order to get free drinks in clubs or to

get along with girls. Become successful, and these things will come to you automatically.” Currently, Aanjum is well settled in Delhi where he often performs. He has also been travelling to a lot of places for shows and is focusing on producing his first album. He considers his patience and controlling powers as his biggest strengths as a disk jockey and says patience is the key to achieve all goals.

Guwahati’s facelift for the Advantage Assam Summit apart, red spit stains on newly painted surfaces adds to the angst of civically conscious citizens Binayak D. Purkayastha This is impossible so far as our city is concerned. You can’t go for two opposite things simultaneously. Paan and tamul will be there but expecting people not to spit after consuming it is simply not possible. Either you have to stop its supply at the source or you should be ready to go along with the present scenario. No way out! It is as simple as that.

Mayuri Nath I saw artists painting the walls near Vivanta by Taj and a middle-aged man standing nearby peeing on the wall. That’s the irony! I can see no development in this city. The government should impose strict action on these people and keep track on CCTV footages. Painting the walls before Advantage Assam will not help anyway.

Chinmoy Borah The painting road, wall, streetlights etc are warning bells for welcoming some VIPs. I don’t understand why the government can’t make the same effort half yearly or quarterly to maintain the same decorum. All such beautification of the city always happens just before a major event takes place in the city. Also until these local people stop spitting on the roads nothing is going to happen. Our government neither takes strict action against these people nor will the people ever learn.

Pushpenfra Tripathi With the upcoming Advantage Assam: Global Investors’ Summit, the pride of Guwahati is on the line. But Guwahatians still have a long way to go in learning basic civic manners. One can find almost every second or third person spitting on the road, footpaths, entrance of a building, in the lift, staircases or just about anywhere for that matter. So many public places get ruined and have turned red because of this terrible habit of the locals. It is all well and good to conduct beautification drives throughout the city right before the upcoming mega events, but the major challenge still remains to maintain our public spaces even when these events are over.

Anurag Chakraborty Lack of civic sense and social behaviour are amongst worst treated epidemic in our nation. Unfortunately parents and our education system have greatly failed to cure this menace! I feel disgusted to see these “uneducated” people on the streets spitting and urinating. Don’t people feel shame to do such things in public? Do they really love their city? Of course not! Lack of education is one of the major reasons for this. Also there is no point of city beautification until and unless the people take such things seriously. I just have one request to all the citizens: kindly stop spitting on the roads and urinating in public areas.

Darshana Deka One of the major problems with the city is that a large number of people consume tobacco, paan masala and betel leaves. Even health experts remain concerned about the rising tobacco addiction among residents - especially among the younger population. Apart from posing obvious and fatal health risks to people, it is also damaging the aesthetics of the city. A sense of responsibility among children towards their city should be instilled from a young age itself. For this, special lessons on moral ethics should be taught at the school level so that children grow up to be conscientious citizens.

Feature

G PLUS | FEB 03 - FEB 09, 2018

Changing Guwahati, one building at a time: the young and dynamic Architects of Guwahati

uwahati’s fast developing skyline tells us that architects have long sought to communicate their craft through their buildings. Architecture as a science tells us that there is more to space than just cementing building blocks together. The profession of architects was once-enviable, but now clients question as to what they can bring to the table beyond four sturdy walls and a roof. In this quest, we feature some of the most young and dynamic architects from Guwahati who, in their prime, are working their way one-building-at-a-time, to make our ‘space for living’ more exciting.

Mamta Bagree Architect & Interior: Designer Mamta Bagree graduated from Smt. Manorama Bai Mundle Department of Architecture, Nagpur in 2008. She began her independent practice in Guwahati with her husband Ar. Sumeet Bagree and established Avant Garde Architects in Guwahati in 2010. She has led various projects varying from institutions (govt. & private), residences (bungalows, apartments & villas) and corporate and residential interiors. Her prestigious projects include Police Academy (Dergaon), Police Stations across Assam (MOITRI scheme), Library Building (Assam Rifles, Shillong) and various other residences in and around Guwahati.

Vidushi Singh A B. Arch. from Guwahati College of Architecture in 2011, Vidushi interned with Abhikram, Ahmedabad, a firm specialising in preservation, conservation and restoration of heritage sites in India. She acquired experience in Guwahati and India as part of design teams on various projects before pursuing Masters in Landscape Architecture at University of Sheffield, United Kingdom in 2015. Vidushi has worked on diverse projects that range from private residences, restoration projects to community buildings and offices & interiors. She worked on the new façade design of the iconic The Assam Tribune building with Planning Consortium – a leading architectural firm in Guwahati and conducted access audits of various government buildings and Gauhati University for Accessible India Campaign with Sishu Sarothi.

Bidisha Das A student of St. Josephs’s Covent in Tezpur, Bidisha received her B. Arch. (2008) from Piloo Modi College of Architecture in Cuttack. Bidisha is the co-founder of Studio Korner Stone in Guwahati. She has over 10 years of experience with reputed firms across Guwahati and Delhi-NCR and has worked on several prestigious projects with clientele varying from government organisations to private enterprises.

Indesh Kumar Agarwal A graduate from MNIT, Jaipur in 2005, he established his architectural firm Simplex Architectures in 2008. Indesh had worked with Banka & Associates in Guwahati in 2005 for about 3 years. He has completed more than 150 projects and around 100 other projects are currently under construction. Some of his major projects include Shine Heaven (Associate Architect), Spring Dale International School, Aditya Tower, Golden Woods Halt etc. Some of his projects under construction are Shine Sansar (1,100 flats), Piya Exotica (250 flats), Uttarayan Ville (350 flats), ABG International School, Guwahati Metro Hospital and Shanti Valley.

Nikhil Pasari A graduate from Guwahati College of Architecture (2011), Nikhil has worked in Delhi on a few bungalows and residential interiors. In 2015, he started his firm, Nikhil Pasari Design Studio (NPDS). He has the experience of working on private residences/bungalows, commercial establishments, corporate offices and residential and commercial interiors. He has projects currently underway in Guwahati, Siliguri, Rajasthan and Delhi.

“Architecture is a visual art and the buildings speak for themselves” - Julia Morgan Aditya Sharma

A graduate from Guwahati College of Architecture, Aditya is the founder of AAD (Aditya Architects+Designers). After completing his undergraduate studies, he trained and worked as an architect with Lotus, one of the leading architectural practices in India. In the course of his career, he has worked in the northeast, Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Kolkata among other cities. Aditya has worked on several projects for a variety of public and private clients throughout Guwahati and northeast. A few of the successfully handed over projects include the bungalow of the Governor of Arunachal Pradesh, Vidyanchal Academy, Nalbari, Studio Segments, Guwahati, Gold’s Gym, Tinsukia, Live Studio-PRAG News, Guwahati, Eco Resort, Itanagar and others.

Anuj Bhajanka The Principal Architect of Bhajanka Associates, Anuj is also a Project Management Consultant and a Midcap Real Estate Developer. With about 8 years of experience the industry, Anuj is presently working on projects across the northeast and Guwahati, some of which include Achyut Nest at Radhanagar, GS Tower in Chatribari, Nexa showrooms/workshops across northeast, Mahindra showroom/workshop in Nagaon and Ajmal Nursing Institute in Hojai among others.

Sukanya Das A B. Arch from PMCA Cuttack in 2013, post graduate in Urban Planning and Development (2016) and a second post graduate degree in Environment and Sustainable Development (2017), Sukanya is working in Rajkhowas Aarchi as an Architect and Urban Planner since 2013. She has also been a Member of the editorial board for IIA - Assam Chapter since 2015. With over 4 years of experience, she has worked for the BIS Office - Guwahati, Gandhi Ashram – Sualkuchi and Hotel Prism – Jorhat. Currently, Sukanya is working as the Project Architect under Rajkhowas Aarchi for the development of Umananda Temple, Guwahati and Gandhi Udyan, Hengrabari.

Aditya Garodia Aditya received his B. Arch. degree from the Malviya National Institute of Technology in 2011. He is the founding partner of ‘727 Architects’, Guwahati. He has been active since 2013 and has worked on several projects which include commercial and residential (interior/architecture) buildings in Guwahati. He is currently working on the office interiors for AIWTD Society, Ulubari, and renovation of the Pragati Manor Hotel, Guwahati and Cygnett by Trendz at Itanagar.

Akash Vishal Das Akash received his Bachelor’s Degree in Architecture from Priyadarshini College of Engineering & Architecture, Nagpur. He worked as a consultant on various projects that include commercial buildings, spa & resorts, hotels and school projects. Akash pursued a professional career in Mumbai in 2001 with Ar KD Makhijani, Ar Narendra Mehta and Ar R Laxmi Narayan. He established AVD Associates in 2005 where he is the Principal Architect. His projects in Guwahati include the Maruti showroom for Poddar Car World, Khanapara, Royal Regency at Bamunimaidam among others.

Trotter

G PLUS | FEB 03 - FEB 09, 2018

Couple gets married in women’s bathroom

New Jersey couple that didn’t want to flush away their wedding dreams when the groom’s mother fell ill opted for another venue in which to tie the knot: the bathroom. Brian and Maria Schulz were set to get married at Monmouth County Courthouse when the groom’s mother thought she was having an asthma attack, the Monmouth County Sheriff’s

office said. Police officers administered oxygen to the mother in the women’s bathroom and waited for an ambulance to take her to the hospital. “The couple was clearly upset about the mom and having to postpone their wedding, in which they would have to wait another 45 days for a new marriage license to be processed,” the sheriff’s office wrote on Facebook.

But Officer Leonard Maxfield had another idea -- have the wedding in the courthouse bathroom. It wasn’t the ideal wedding venue the Schulzes were hoping to get, but it would prevent them from waiting another gruelling month-and-a-half. “The future Mr and Mrs were on board and so was the Hon Judge Katie Gummer who performed the rather unusual ceremony,” the Facebook post said. The wedding ceremony was captured on video with the groom, wearing a blue suit and tie, and the bride, wearing a trench coat, exchanging vows by the towel dispenser as Gummer stood across from them. The couple shared a kiss as family members watched. The groom’s mother is reportedly “doing great” and has recovered. (Source: mirror.co)

Blind GPS follower drives jeep into icy lake

man blindly following his GPS app drove an SUV with two passengers on board into an icy lake in the northeaster state of Vermont, local police said. The trio - friends from out of state driving a borrowed car - escaped unharmed, local media and police in the city of Burlington said in their report. The unnamed driver of the Jeep Compass “followed the GPS directions, which advised to go straight, and upon following this he went down the boat ramp onto the ice,” the report read. The vehicle initially slid, but the ice on the surface of Lake Champlain quickly cracked and the Jeep sank.The officer who wrote the report said he believed the driver was not under the influence of alcohol or drugs at the time of the incident.

The only visible portion of the vehicle was its rear bumper as the rest of the car was submerged, the report said. It added that at the time of the accident there was a heavy rain and slight fog in the area. “I was speechless,” vehicle owner Tara Guertin later told WCAX-3 local CBS affiliate television. “My first thing was, ‘Is everybody OK?’ Because this

could have had a very bad ending, and luckily everybody was alright.” The Jeep was pulled out from the water later. Guertin told local reporters that the driver was using the Waze app, which uses user-supplied data to help people find alternate routes to avoid traffic jams or speed cameras. Google, the internet giant that owns Waze, could not explain how the app directed the driver into the lake. “Waze maps are updated with millions of edits to adapt to real time road conditions daily, often making them the most accurate available,” Google spokesperson Julie Mossler said. Mossler sagely advised drivers to keep their eyes on the road and use all environmental information available to them to make the best decisions as they drive. (Source: ndtv)

Plane with 60 plumbers on board turns around after toilet breaks down

espite the presence of over 60 qualified plumbers, a Norwegian Air flight had to turn back midway during its journey because of toilet troubles. The Norwegian Air flight took off from Oslo in Norway and was heading to Munich in Germany. The flight, already running behind schedule, began experiencing issues with its lavatory while flying over the Swedish border. But it never made past it. “It is true that DY1156, that was to fly from Oslo to Munich,

had to turn to Oslo again when they found a mistake in the toilets on board. The plane had to circulate over Hedmark to get rid of fuel so it was not too heavy to land,” the airline’s communications advisor Fatima Elkadi said. Ironically, 60-70 passengers on the 186-seater plane were plumbers! The plumbers, belonging to Norwegian plumbing company Rorkjop, were travelling to Munich for a company trip along with other officials. But they didn’t prove to be of much help. Company CEO, Frank

Olsen, told Dagbladet that they would have liked to help but it had to be done from the outside flying at 10,000 metres. “There was a good atmosphere in the plane, with the irony about the broken toilets,” Olsen said.The plane returned to Oslo 65 minutes into its two-hour-long journey after briefly hovering over Norway’s Glomma River. At Oslo airport, engineers repaired the toilet and the passengers continued their journey in a later flight the same day. (Source: dailymail)

Woman calls ambulance service... for a cracked egg

woman recently called an ambulance service for some advice about eggs. The East Midlands Ambulance Service from Nottingham, UK, released a recording of an unnamed woman calling about a cracked egg. “I have a box of eggs in the fridge. One of them was cracked so I moved the eggs into the lid of the box. And the box has been open in the fridge overnight,” the woman can be heard saying in the recording. “Can you keep a box of eggs open in the fridge?” she asked. The East Midlands Ambulance Service released the strange recording in an attempt to educate people about the right use of emergency services. “Recently we received a 999 call about a broken egg in a fridge. This is NOT the right 999 call. The service is here for emergencies only,” they wrote. The recording left many listeners stunned. It has been heard by over 91,000 people and shared over a thousand times on Facebook.

“That sort of stupidity is appalling,” wrote one person in the comments section. “People like that should be fined every time they call 999 and waste their time!” said another. The call about the egg also prompted East Midlands Ambulance Service to talk about other inappropriate calls they have received. Some of these include a person who wanted someone to make them breakfast and a person pouring milk over their body - as part of an art installation. (Source: ndtv)

Michigan dog approved for unemployment benefits

n a mix-up at the Michigan unemployment office, a dog was approved for unemployment benefits. Attorney Michael Haddock said that he received a notice from the Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency in the mail that said “Michael Ryder” will receive $360 a week. But there is nobody named “Michael Ryder” at Haddock’s address. “Ryder,” however, is the name of Haddock’s German Shepherd and Michael is his first name. So Haddock assumed the notice was for his dog. “Not sure what he is going to do with the money, but it should be interesting,” Haddock said. “I knew he was clever, but he surprised me this time.” Unfortunately for Ryder, he

won’t get a chance to cash those checks after the UIA got word of the mix-up. “I know first-hand it is rare for ‘man’s best friend’ to contribute financially to the household and that will continue in this instance,” said Tim Kolar, the state administrator of investigations at the UIA. Chris DeWitt, the spokesman for the Talent Investment Agency, which is a division of the UIA, told the Detroit Free Press that the supposed mix-up could be an example of fraud. “It’s important to note that no money was paid out,” DeWitt said adding, “Criminals get hold of people’s personal information like name, address and social security numbers and file a false claim. This is a crime.” (Source: washingtonpost)

G PLUS | FEB 03 - FEB 09, 2018

Review Cast: Dylan O’Brien, Kaya Scodelario, Thomas Brodie Sangster, Giancarlo Esposito, etc Director: Wes Ball

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Maze Runner: The Death Cure

he third and last installment in the series, Maze Runner: The Death Cure takes off with the Gladers — Thomas (Dylan O’Brien), Frypan (Dexter Darden) and Newt (Thomas Brodie-Sangster) on a dangerous mission to save one of their friends, Minho (Ki Hong Lee) and, of course, the world from a terrifying end. Among the last few to have remained immune to Flare, the deadly virus that has laid siege on a majority of the world’s population, the Gladers are running against time to find a cure. As they attempt to sneak into the Last City, they encounter a series of obstacles that threaten their very existence. There are several fast-paced

action sequences in the film that will keep you engaged but only till a certain point. The interminable length of the film stretched to over two hours is a dampener. It ensures that your mind keeps meandering and eventually makes it difficult to keep up with the incessant twists and turns in the plot. Shot on a fairly lavish scale, the special effects deserve a mention for their superiority. However, you wish director Wes Ball had gone with a more measured screenplay, which would have made the film enjoyable even for those who haven’t watched the previous two installments. The film also suffers a bit because it tries to juggle too many plot lines without being able to balance n them well.

Gadget Review

Moto X4

otorola has had quite a few successes in recent years, with its G series dominating the budget segment while its Z series has been popular in the mid-range and highend markets. Last year, the company revived its X series with the new Moto X4 slotting in between the G and Z series. The phone launched in India in two storage and RAM variants, and now, Lenovo has launched a third one, with 6GB of RAM.

Design and build

The new Moto X4 might lack the more fashionable 18:9 style of display that other companies are adopting, but that’s okay. The phone still looks and feels every bit as premium as any of

The script benefits greatly from Churchill’s well-documented wit. One flaw in the film is that it shows none of Churchill’s. This was a man wracked by doubt; one whose track record was certainly not unblemished. Reflecting some of the flaws in the protagonist would have strengthened the film. The director even concocts a fictionalised encounter on the London underground between the prime minister and a handful of common folk. The subsequent eureka moment is facile. The ever-reliable Kristin Scott Thomas is the standout among the supporting cast, as Churchill’s stoic wife. If only for Gary Oldman’s Oscar-calibre performance, Darkest Hour mern its a trip to the multiplex.

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Cast: Gary Oldman, Kristin Scott Thomas, Lily James, Ben Mendelsohn Director: Joe Wright istory looks back on Winston Churchill as a gifted orator who inspired his nation to victory over Nazi Germany in World War 2. However, as enigmatic and powerful as his speeches of victory were, that decision to put his nation into potential peril and not negotiate with Germany was not an easy one or one that had the wide support of his political colleagues. Especially at a time when over 3 lakh British soldiers were left stranded on the beaches of Dunkirk and facing near-certain demise. The Darkest Hour showcases these defining days for Churchill which started with him being chosen as Prime Minister of Britain and rallying the support he needed to fight the war.

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Darkest Hour today’s premium offerings.The metal frame is thick enough to offer good grip, and the slightly rounded back helps with aesthetics. However, the glass back is big fingerprint magnet and has the tendency to slide off surfaces if you’re not careful. The capacitive fingerprint sensor works well for unlocking the phone, and it can also be used for UI navigation.The 5.2inch display is decently large and you get a full-HD resolution as well as Gorilla Glass for protection.

Specifications

The new Moto X4 has only one change in its specifications sheet, and that’s the 6GB of RAM. It still uses the Qualcomm Snapdragon 630 mobile platform and has 64GB of storage. The 6GB version of the Moto X4 has Android 8 Oreo out-of-the-box with features such as notification dots, auto-fill, and other functional conveniences.

Camera

X4 packs a dual camera setup featuring a 12 MP camera sensor with an f/2.0 aperture and an 8 MP camera sensor with wide-field of view on the back. The back camera setup is equipped with phase detection autofocus and a dual tone flash unit. Motorola has also added a 16 MP camera sensor on the front of the device with an f/2.0 aperture and an LED flash unit. It comes with a 3,000 mAh lithium-ion battery that supports TurboCharge for faster charging.

Verdict

The 4 GB RAM variant of the X4 with a price of Rs 22,999 is quite a reasonable option. At Rs 24,999, the 6 GB RAM variant does justify its price just for the hardware, however, given that a user will not notice any difference in performance, I don’t think it’s worth bothering n with this variant.

G PLUS | FEB 03 - FEB 09, 2018

Entertainment

‘Ishu’ going to Bangladesh and France, ‘Memories of a Forgotten War’ to MIFF Kalyan Kumar Kalita

hildren’s Film Society, India (CFSI) produced Assamese feature film ‘Ishu’ and Subimal Bhattacharjee produced 2nd World War documentary ‘Memories of a Forgotten War’, both directed by Utpal Borpujari, continue to make Assam’s film industry proud. ‘Ishu’, the debut fiction feature by national award-winning film critic-filmmaker Utpal Borpujari, has been selected in competition sections of the 11th International Children’s Film Festival, Bangladesh to be held from January 27 and the 6th Toulouse India Film Festival, France, to be held in April. On the other hand, ‘Memories of a Forgotten War’ will have a special screening at the 15th Mumbai International Film Festival

(MIFF), India’s biggest festival for documentary, short and animation films. Adapted from Manikuntala Bhattacharjya’s novel of the same name, ‘Ishu’ has earned wholesome praise from viewers at Canada Kids’ Film Festival, 23rd Kolkata International Film Festival (where it received Best Film and Best Director nominations in the Indian Languages competition), 3rd Smile International Film Festival for Children and Youth (SIFFCY) New Delhi and 3rd Eye Asian Film Festival Mumbai. It was also screened at the 10th International Guwahati Film Festival organized by the Gauhati Cine Club. ‘Memories of a Forgotten War’ too has been appreciated for its in-depth research and depiction of the lesser-known events during the battles of 2nd World War in Manipur and Nagaland by viewers

at the prestigious Indian Panorama sections of the 47th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) Goa, the Normandie 2nd World War Film

Jahnu Baruah’s new movie to give Assam an international audience

‘U

nread Pages,’ a movie by Jahnu Baruah, is the first Indo-American co-production of a story from Assam for the international audience. This is the first film to be made under the new Assam Tourism Policy announced by the Government of Assam. This movie will be the first international film of Jahnu Baruah and will be released in 2 languages – English and Assamese. The movie will revolve around a happy family that is torn apart due to some unfortunate incident. Following those traumatic events and having been estranged from his land and culture, the protagonist returns to Assam to redeem himself. The film, made under the new tourism policy, aims to showcase the beautiful

locales of our state on the international screen, Chairman of Assam Tourism Development Corporation (ATDC), Jayanta Mallah Baruah said. “The idea is to attract film projects to Assam, let people know about the unexplored beauty of Assam, its land, culture and people,” he added. The policy has been designed on the lines of those implemented in the European countries, combining the potential of cinema with tourism, for increased inflow of visitors. The cast of the film will consist of actors from Assam and international cinema. The story is mostly set in Assam and New York and the shoot for the film is expected to begin soon.

Festival in France, the Fragrances of the North East Film Festival in Pune and the 5th Woodpecker International Film Festival in New

Delhi where it won the Best Film on North East India award. While ‘Ishu’ takes a look at the inhuman practice of ‘Witch hunting’ that is prevalent in parts of Assam as well as some other parts of India, through the eyes of an innocent child whose favorite aunt is branded a ‘witch’ by the evil village ‘Bej’ (quack) who conspires with another aunt to do so, ‘Memories of a Forgotten War’ depicts the extreme valor, sacrifice and sufferings of thousands of soldiers and local people in the Northeast Indian theatre of World War II. The film brings the story alive through reminiscences of a number of war veterans from Japan, Britain and India as well as war witnesses from Manipur and Nagaland, where some of the most ferocious battles of World War II took place during 1944 climaxing with the famous Battle of Kohima.

Assam youth releases EDM version of the National Anthem

xl Hazarika, an Assamese experimental artist recently paid a heartfelt tribute to Indian legend Rabindranath Tagore with a special EDM rendition of ‘Jana Gana Mana’. Rabindranath Tagore was a Bengali polymath who reshaped Bengali literature and music, as well as Indian art with contextual modernism in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. “Glad to share my EDM rendition of Rabindra Nath Tagore’s ‘Jana Gana Mana’ as a mark of respect to his works and our motherland. Jai Hind!” Axl Hazarika wrote on a Facebook post. Axl Hazarika is an experimental music

artist from northeast India. He recently became the first and only Indian artist to rank in SoundCloud Top 10 Global Trance music chart. He is credited with the making of the first Assamese experimental/ avant-garde electronic music video, also referred to as folk-EDM, titled ‘Goru Bihu Song’, released in May 2016. Axl Hazarika is also currently involved in a lead role in developing northeast India’s largest governmentrun digital archive - Jyoti Chitrabon Digital Archive - that aims to store and preserve for posterity archival materials of all kinds including music, videos, films, documentaries, texts and photographs.

G PLUS | FEB 03 - FEB 09, 2018

Fun If you find it difficult to see eye to eye with a family member, this could be due to the lunar eclipse. You may feel strongly about an issue and not want to back down. If you can put yourself in his or her shoes, you might see things differently. You don’t have to completely agree, but making an effort can encourage a compromise. Later in the week, chatty Mercury enters your sector of ambition, so it might be time to discuss your plans with someone who can help you.

Be careful about what you commit to or promise this week, because the lunar eclipse in your sector of talk and thought could make it hard to follow through. You might have one plan, but the cosmos might have another, so you could have no option but to go with the flow. This eclipse can bring an unexpected opportunity your way or news out of the blue. It’s also possible that a door may close. If so, know that another one will open for you very soon.

Money matters might need extra care at this time, because the lunar eclipse in your financial sector could stir things up and bring an ongoing issue to the surface. If this is something you’ve tried to ignore, you may no longer be able to do so. Events could encourage you out into the open where you might be forced to deal with it. As difficult as this may be, it could also be a tremendous release and relief for you.

The week ahead could be a turning point for you, because the lunar eclipse in your sign could ring in changes regarding certain relationships. Feelings may intensify over the days ahead, with the midweek eclipse perhaps coinciding with a decision that affects the future of a key bond. If your relationship is strong, this can be a positive change. However, if things have been going downhill for you, you might decide to move on. If so, don’t feel guilty.

An issue that has been buried could come to the surface around midweek as the lunar eclipse stirs up your feelings. It might show itself in your dreams or perhaps in a general unease that you want to investigate. It might help to take some time out and lighten your schedule. Doing so could allow you to connect more deeply with this matter, understand where it comes from, and figure out what you can do about it. You might feel much better as result.

There could be a few alterations to your social life, because the lunar eclipse in your friendship zone could ring in key changes. A friend could move out of your social circle, or you might have to make new friends, perhaps because of a move. It’s also possible that your time with a certain group or club has come to an end and it’s time to move on. If so, this is all part of the rich tapestry of life. New developments will follow shortly.

You could find yourself in the spotlight this week, so it would be just as well to showcase your skills and be seen in the best possible light. However, with a lunar eclipse in your sector of goals and ambitions, this might be easier said than done. A goal or opportunity that you’d counted on may not come to fruition. If you handle this with grace, others will be inspired by your example. Stay calm and confident, though, as something better may be on its way.

Travel or study plans could be thrown into jeopardy, because this week’s lunar eclipse in your sector of far horizons could put your schedule in doubt. It’s even possible that you might have to postpone your plans until another time. However, this could work in your favor. You could find that an even better opportunity shows up and that you’re glad you were delayed. The weekend looks particularly buoyant and delightful, so make the most of it.

This could be a week of radical change, because the lunar eclipse in your sector of transformation is encouraging you to let go of the past. Your instincts may be telling you that if you want to move ahead, you’ll need to release any conditions and situations in your life that no longer serve your best interests. It’s also likely that you know exactly what these are but are reluctant to let them go. This is natural. There’s no hurry. The intention to act can be a positive start.

Key bonds could go through some changes this week with a lunar eclipse in your sector of relating. An issue that has been bugging you could come to the surface for resolution. If your relationship is strong, this turbocharged full moon will allow you to clear the air and restore harmony. However, if you haven’t been getting on very well with someone, the coming days could bring the realization that perhaps it’s time to let go.

Try to lighten your schedule this week if you can. This is because the lunar eclipse in your sector of lifestyle and wellness could see your energy level dip. You might reach a point where you need to make decisions about your overall health and how to ensure that you stay fit going forward. The focus on a more secluded sector of your chart suggests making time for reflection, because deeper patterns may be at work. Acknowledging these can allow you to feel revitalized.

What is the old French word for a leather pouch?

What are you having if someone serves you amlori toop?

curio-city

2 4

Which play by Srimanta Shankardeva is considered as one of the first open air theatrical performances in recorded history in India?

Which famous 19th century novel has the alternative title-A Modern Prometheus?

Identify this pioneering female, the first female music director of India. Dr. Soubhadra Chakrabarty This quiz has been brought to you by Brain Jam, a property of Priya Communications

Doonesbury by Garry Trudeau

1 3 2 7 2 9 5 97 4 9 9 8 6 16 5 6 8 1 2 1 6 3 9 2 87 1 5 7 5 6 9 9 6 5 Daily Sudoku: Thu 1-Feb-2018

3 7 2 48 99 35 4 81

3 5

hard

Daily Sudoku: Wed 24-Jan-2018

hard

last week solution 4 78 87 95 59 36 11 64 23

3 11 22 79 65 84 53 47 96

5 63 96 4 18 2 37 85 79

8 3 2 5 1 2 6 7 3 4 7 9 1 8 6 5

9 2 7 6 5 8 3 3 6 1 8 4 7 2 5 1

1 4 97 85 19 56 2 63 78

2 68 41 16 74 35 87 99 23

6 99 83 71 22 17 58 35 44

7 55 34 23 48 99 66 12 81

2 8 1 4 9 3 5 6 7hard

Daily Sudoku: Thu 1-Feb-2018

Daily Sudoku: Wed 24-Jan-2018

hard

http://www.dailysudoku.com/

Word of the week 1. Steven Spielberg 2. Bougette, which gave rise to the term budget 3. Red Ant Chutney 4. China Yatra 5. Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein 6. Jaddan Bai

Sugarland Express is the debut movie of which famous Hollywood director?

http://www.dailysudoku.com/

curio-city 1

Sudoku

The lunar eclipse in your leisure sector could dominate events, so this could be quite an emotional week. This eclipse can be like a turbocharged full moon, so you could see changes occurring in your social life and in the way you spend your leisure time. If you find yourself falling in love, it might be helpful to step back. Relationships begun at this time can have a fated quality and may not work out as you hope. In general, though, your social life looks pleasantly spicy.

Horoscope of the week

Flakelet noun [fleyk-lit] A small flake, as of snow.

Crossword Across

Down

1 Mountain climber’s staff with a metal point (10) 7 Having more weight (7) 8 Distressed (5) 10 Rain heavily (4) 11 Male singer with a high-pitched voice (8) 13 Ma (6) 15 Smiles contemptuously (6) 17 Old Sin City by the Dead Sea (8) 18 Work-shy (4) 21 Add up (5) 22 Fragrance (7) 23 Child’s game involving fingers and string (4,6)

1 Astonish (5) 2 Prude (4) 3 Scandinavian country (6) 4 Baiting (8) 5 Series of small waterfalls (7) 6 Good spelling? (5,5) 9 Old red (10) 12 Waste matter (8) 14 Vegetables and seafood deep-fried in batter (7) 16 Prattle (6) 19 Bright blue (5) 20 100p (4)

Last week’s solution

G PLUS | FEB 03 - FEB 09, 2018

Lifestyle

Vaastu secrets disclosed

y saying Vaastu secrets, we are not disclosing anything new. There are certain Vaastu ways and means which are already known to people but we are ignorant about their effects and whether they are positive or negative. We read about them, we see them and we hear about them from others but our subconscious mind does not register them. Only when we see their miraculous effects, we start believing. Our brain is a physical part of the body which is visible and responsible for all nervous system and memory. But our mind is part of the invisible, transcendent world of thought, feeling, attitude, belief and imagination. The mind is not just confined inside a skull but it can expand into

the entire universe and perhaps more. People who reflect, think about new ideas, plan, and philosophize should never stay in a closed space. This is also true for people who worry a lot; otherwise staying in closed rooms might cause them various diseases. Sunlight brings fresh energy and destroys stagnant energy. Students should not stay in rooms where there is not much sunlight otherwise their capabilities will decrease. People who get easily irritated or are irritable or full of anger should sleep in the north area of the house. They should sleep so the feet are at north and the head is at the south. They should have fresh air and sunlight in the room to lower their anger. Such people should never have

bright colours like bright green, bright yellow, and blood red as the colour of the walls or in the form of curtains or bed sheets. Bright colours are very potent and the excess energy may not be good for many people. People who are always angry, tensed, irritated or lazy due to stress should make use of cotton fabrics in their rooms. The colours can be light blue, white or pink. Don’t use any other colours in this room. Don’t put iron objects in the room at all. You can use wooden or glass items. People who have anxiety, in depression, lack enthusiasm in life, have problems with heart and head, such people should have pay attention that their room is always in the North. While sleeping the head should be in

Two Ways of Letting Go Meditation & Sleep B

eginner meditators often feel that they are sleeping during their meditations when in fact they have entered the meditative state. This is quite natural because, until we are familiar with meditation, we associate deep relaxation mainly with sleep. Of course, sometimes we do fall asleep in meditation, but that is fine. It is important to not be vigilantly guarding against falling asleep during meditation. Take sleep and dullness in meditation to be the release of fatigue and stress. For some of us, it will be necessary to go through a lot of sleep and fatigue during meditation, and sometimes even after meditation, but know that it is a very beneficial clearing process. If you have an overwhelming feeling to lie down and sleep during meditation, then do that, and when you wake up, sit up and meditate for five minutes or so. Your system would have cleared some backlog of fatigue and so even a short meditation after waking will be very useful (don’t lie down unless you feel you absolutely have to!). After a few meditations, it usually becomes clear that sleep and meditation are quite distinct states. Coming out of sleep, one feels a little dull, but emerging from the deeply settled “no mind” state, one basks in clarity, feels peaceful, and is often joyous. Also, the breathing pattern during deep sleep and meditation are quite different. Deeper states of meditation are associated with very feeble breath

or even suspension of breath, whereas in sleep, respiration does reduce, but to a lesser extent. The key distinction between meditation and sleep is the presence of alertness in meditation and its absence in sleep. But meditative alertness is of a different quality to that of the waking state. To understand that distinction, and also how meditation and sleep are different, we need to consider how the four modes of consciousness— mind, intellect, memory, and ego— operate in the waking, dreaming, and sleeping states and also in the fourth state of consciousness, which is experienced in meditation, traditionally called the turiya state. In the waking state, the mind, intellect, memory, and ego are all functioning to some extent. In the dream state, only memory (chitta)

is functioning. In deep sleep, all four are in abeyance—the consciousness is devoid of any activity. In the meditative state, the mind, which receives input from the senses, is in abeyance. Ego is also not active, but the intellect and chitta are functioning subtly. Meditation is is very like sleep, but with a subtle idea or trace of intellect and, in turiya, a spontaneous perception of our real nature. Basically, there are two types of letting go. One is where everything is dropped and you sink into an unconscious state—this is sleep. It is a tamasic state, where knowledge is not available. The other type of letting go is where you completely relax, but with a trace of intention or feeling that very subtly continues to be—that is meditation. Meditation and sleep are both hypo-metabolic states, that is, breathing and other parameters of body activities decline. Both release stresses, but the rest that meditation gives is much deeper than that provided by sleep, and so deeper rooted impressions or samskaras are removed from the system. Wakefulness and sleep are like sunrise and darkness, while dreams are like the twilight in between. Meditation is like the flight to outer space, where there is no sunset, no sunrise—nothing!

shri shri ravi shankar Founder- Art of Living Foundation.

the South. Such people should have sunlight in their room. Putting a picture of your guru or some inspiring person should be placed in the room so that his/her face is seen all the time. People who have anxiety, are irritable, depressive, have headaches should also have a small area for meditation in the southeast side of the room. The best

time for this meditation is between 8 pm and 11 pm. A candle should be lit in the south eastern corner. There is no need for any picture of God or your guru. Hemanta Kumar Sarmah Engineer, Businessman, Advanced Pranic Healer and Su Jok Acupressure specialist.

How to become an Instagram Star?

nstagram started as a social media platform for sharing memorable snapshots for its users. But soon, the platform outgrew this impression and has now become a serious content marketing, networking and audience-building tool for both individual users as well as brands. Owing to high engagement rates, Instagram has become the new hub to gain huge popularity in lesser time. Here are some of the real-life hacks to gain followers and become popular on Instagram: 1. Upload an artful profile picture - If possible, make it a creative photo of yourself (instead of an object) so that people can put your face to the name. If you want to be famous, you should not mind putting a few personal things on Instagram. 2. Set your theme - You obviously want to stand out and not be another indie lifestyle blogger, food lover or world traveller. So, always try to stick to a certain colour pallet or photo style. Don’t copy it from someone, but think about what you love and how can you make your feed look unique. 3. Promote your dedicated hashtags - Hashtags act as blood in the veins of social media messages. They “circulate” the users’ content throughout the platform in an integrated manner. To gain followers, use and promote such hashtags to other media platforms also like website and emails. 4. Write descriptive caption - People, in a bid to gain more followers, make mistakes of using jargons in their captions. Use descriptive ones instead to bridge a connection between the visitor and your content. People love storytelling which in turn generates engagement and sharing. 5. Interact with top influencers -If you haven’t initiated it, get started right now! Interact with top influencers engaged in your own space and try every possibility to gain their trust & become their favourite people or brand. Social Media Influencers are most helpful for content, brand and name promotion.

Buzz

G PLUS | FEB 03 - FEB 09, 2018

39th Jyotirupa one act play competition takes place in city

he 39th Jyotirupa Annual Northeast One Act Play Competition was conducted at the District Library auditorium, Guwahati from January 28-31. The four-day competition that gives a platform to budding talents from different parts of the state was inaugurated by acclaimed actor Sadhan Hazarika. While inaugurating the event, Sadhan Hazarika lamented the declining audience base for such art forms like one act plays. “There was a time when theatre in general and one act

plays in particular, enjoyed a distinct place in the hearts of the people of Assam. But, for various reasons, a very limited number of younger people now embrace this segment of the theatre,” he said, while lauding socio-cultural organization Jyotirupa for its untiring efforts to give a platform to the new generation. A souvenir commemorating the occasion and works of Jyotirupa was also released at the inaugural ceremony. The souvenir has been edited by Bhuban Lahkar.

On the conclusion of the event, socio-cultural organisation, Jyotirupa, accorded a special felicitation to veteran actor-director and artist Pulak Gogoi for his lifelong achievement in the field. The winners of the 39th Jyotirupa North East One Act Play Competition and the 32nd Kishore Thakuria Memorial One-Act Mono Acting were also honoured on the occasion. The jury of the competitions comprised Prabhat Goswami, Purnima Saikia Pathak and n Subheswar Das.

GTC hosts chess grand prix after 1 year gap

auhati Town Club Chess Foundation, after a gap of one year, resumed its monthly chess tournament the ‘GTC Chess Grand Prix’ at its premises from January 28, Sunday. This monthly tournament was first started in 2013. This year, a few changes have been made to the format by adding the Under-15 category and converting the Under-19 category to open category. The Under-9 category remains the same as before. Also, the time format has been changed to 20 mins + 5 sec increment from move 1. Altogether 7 rounds are being played in each edition. However, the inherent principle of Grand Prix remains and the points of each player in each edition (total 12 editions in 12 month) will be carried over to the final edition in December and the top player with the highest score will be crowned the overall Grand Prix champion and will earn an opportunity to play a tournament anywhere in

India sponsored by GTC Chess Foundation. A total of 80 players participated in the event held on Sunday. The tournament was conducted by Padma Gogoi as the Chief Arbiter, assisted by Ravi Kant Tiwari as the Deputy Arbiter. The next edition of the tournament will be held in February 2018. In the Open Category, Dhrupad Kashyap emerged as the champion and Arunabh Gohain as the runner-up. The

Flag down ceremony for Assam para-cyclist

ssam para-cyclist, Rakesh Banik, arrived in Guwahati on Sunday after completing a 3,500 km ride from Bangkok-Guwahati on cycle. Rakesh was joined by around 40 cyclists from Guwahati who turned up at Khanapara to ride along with him to the flag down ceremony at Nehru Stadium. On December 24, Rakesh started his expedition from Bangkok to campaign against the menace of one-horned rhino poaching in Assam. He covered more than 32 cities of Thailand, Myanmar and India for his ‘Ride for Hope 2: Save the Rhino’ campaign. Banik, who lost his right leg in an accident back in 2012, has undertaken many such ambitious trips to campaign for causes and spread social awareness among the masses. In 2016, he had cycled to In-

champion of Under-15 Category (Mixed) was Prangovinda Parasar Kashyap, in Under-15 Category (Girls), it was Susmita Deury, and in the Under-11 Category, it was Karnav P Deka. Further, in the Under-9 Category (Boys), Himanish Kumar Sarma was adjudged the champion while Afsheen Afsha Zaman won the Under-9 Category (Girls). The Under-7 Category (Boys) was won by Abhirup Saikia, with Hridika n Das winning in Girls’.

AEC observes foundation day

he 63rd foundation day of the Assam

Engineering College (AEC) was celebrated at its Jalukbari playground, Guwahati on January 25. Organised by the AEC authority in association with the college student union and the alumni association, the foundation day programme began with the hoisting of the college flag

at 9 am, followed by a colourful march-past by the hostel inmates. The annual merit awards of the college were also presented to last year’s toppers

of all the semesters of different engineering disciplines. On the occasion, a limited-over cricket friendly was also held between the Principal’s XI and the Alumni XI, which saw the participation of many past Ranji Trophy players. The foundation day was attended by the alumni, students, faculty members, and well-wishers of the college who took part in the programme and made n it a success.

Glimpses of Republic Day celebrations held the Veterinary Field, Khanapara. From top: Governor Jagdish Mukhi offering his salutes to the National Flag, the march past and motorcycle daredevilry

dia Gate in Delhi on his ‘Ride for Hope’ campaign to ask the central government for a financial package for the flood victims of Assam. In the same year, he also cycled from Manali to the highest motorable road, Khardung La. With rhino poaching being one of the major challenges that Assam is facing at the moment, the 31-year old para-cyclist from Ambagan of Kaliabor in Nagaon district decided to embark on a herculean journey across the Southeast Asian n countries this time.

Events

G PLUS | FEB 03 - FEB 09, 2018

irector, screenwriter, producer, actor, playback singer, television host and a complete rockstar, Farhan Akhtar performed in Guwahati recently! Imperial Blue Superhit Nights organised Rock On Farhan Live at Maulana Md Tayabullah Hockey Stadium, Guwahati, on Sunday January 28 2018. Farhan Live is a nationwide concert across cities including Indore, Mangalore, Lucknow, Ahmedabad, Delhi, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad to name a few. The band is one of Indiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading rock acts fronted by the multi faceted Farhan Akhtar and comprising of some really talented artists. The band performed in the city amidst enthusiastic audiences and got tremendous response from the crowd.

Date January 31, Wednesday Event Celebrating Northeast Venue Hotel Radisson Blu

Date January 29-30 Event Assam Women Entrepreneursâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Conclave Venue NEDFi House

Date January 28, Sunday Event Farhan LIVE Venue Hockey Stadium, Bhetapara

ikram Rai Medhi presented the 11th edition of Celebrating Northeast on 31st January 2018 at Hotel Radisson Blu, Guwahati. On the occasion, grand plans of taking northeastern fashion to Dubai were also announced. The evening saw scintillating performance by Mrinmoyee Goswami and Stuti Choudhury featuring the Bands- Mo & The Shooting Stars and Drift. The main attraction was a grand fashion show directed by Vikram Rai Medhi with ensembles designed by Nandini Borkataki and Jyoti-Kashmiri. A total of around twenty-six models, with Triveni Burman as the show stopper, walked the ramp on the lavish set created for the occasion.

Catching Up

G PLUS | FEB 03 - FEB 09, 2018

BUDGET 2018

Highlights

Mobile phones set to become costlier Health and education cess increased to 4 per cent. For senior citizens, exemption of interest income on bank deposits raised to Rs 50,000 Introduction of tax on distributed income by equity oriented mutual funds at 10 per cent Standard deduction of Rs 40,000 for salaried employees Companies with turnover of up to Rs 250 crore to be taxed at 25 per cent Automatic revision of emoluments of Parliamentarians every five years, indexed to inflation. 5 lakh WiFi hotspots to be set up in rural areas Government to take steps to eliminate use of cryptocurrencies Govt announces Amrut program to focus on water supply to all households in 500 cities Airport capacity to be hiked to handle 1 billion trips every year. 4,000 km of new railway track will be laid down by 2019. All railways stations with footfall more than 25,000 to have escalators The govt will undertake redevelopment of 600 major railway stations Government to contribute 12 per cent of EPF contribution for new employees in all sectors Target of Rs 3 lakh crores for lending under PM Mudra Yojana

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