G Plus Vol 5 Issue 7 by G Plus

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Volume 05 | Issue 07 Dec 09 - Dec 15, 2017 Price `10

Inside

Flat purchasers deprived of possession despite 95% payment

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KC Das topper killed ‘accidentally’, burnt within 4 hours by alleged boyfriend Rahul Chanda rahul.chanda@g-plus.in

5th semester student of KC Das College, who had topped the 12th standard boards of the state in 2015, was allegedly killed and burnt within 4 hours of finishing her exams on 4th December 2017. According to the confessions made to the police by Govind Singhal, the boyfriend, a police source said, “Govind Singhal con-

tacted Sweta at around 12.14 pm.” He added that she was killed at 2 pm accidentally, and burnt by around 4.15 pm. The source said that according to the confession, Govind was at Chandmari flyover at 12.14 pm. Travelling through a massive traffic jam, Govind reached Chatribari at 12.45 pm and both went to Govind’s house located at JP Agarwal Road, Bharalumukh.

Continued ON page » 4

ACA fails to honour payment commitments to Barsapara stadium contractors

File photo of ACA Stadium at Barsapara

Avishek Sengupta

avishek.sengupta@g-plus.in

ontractors who helped Assam Cricket Association (ACA) renovate the ACA Cricket Stadium at Barsapara prior to the India-Australia T20 match held in October last have alleged that they haven’t been paid their dues by the association yet. Kula Talukdar, proprietor of Indigo Flame, a store of kitchenware and electrical goods in Bamunimaidam, told G

Plus that the delay of two months in paying the dues have put his brother (the contractor) in a huge debt. Requesting that his brother’s identity not be revealed, Talukdar said, “He had taken a contract of Rs 1.20 crores to supply lighting equipments for the ACA stadium. To procure the goods, he had taken loans from money lenders and now he is in a huge debt. It’s been two months since the match was held and he has not

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International Tourism Mart: State to get greater connectivity to boost tourism

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Govt launches 95 new ambulances under 108 Mrityunjoy service

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Lead Story

G PLUS | DEC 09 - dec 15, 2017

ACA fails to honour payment commitments to Barsapara stadium contractors Continued from page » 1 been paid a paisa.” “My brother has been hiding from “loan sharks” since then. He has changed his number and has not returned home for almost three months. Even we are not being able to contact him. He was supposed to

be paid once the ACA earned through the ticket sales,” he said. The ACA Stadium, the foundation stone of which was laid in 2004 and started hosting Ranji Trophy matches since 2009, needed several major renovation works to be eligible as per standards laid down by the Board of Control for Cricket

in India (BCCI) to hold the international T20 match. The ACA had tendered several contractors to construct practice fields, parking lots, replace damaged bucket seats, put in a surveillance system and other minute tweaks. Talukdar’s brother had set up four floodlights of 852 lux or 1,22,338 Watts for the practice

Chances slim for debt-ridden ACA to pay soon

he T-20 match was more of a means to plough back profit to settle old accounts of the already debt-ridden ACA, a source in the association said. “Several responsibilities of the association, such as funding the district cricket associations to hold cricket matches and support the meritorious players besides conducting practices for the Ranji players and junior state teams were hampered due to debts. Those areas need major uplifts,” the source said. The debt has accumulated due to two major reasons - past anomalies allegedly con-

ducted by Bikash Baruah and non-sanction of funds by BCCI for not implementing the Lodha Committee’s recommendations. According to a governing body meeting of ACA convened in March this year, the audits conducted by BCCI post the surfacing of the alleged anomalies by former secretary Bikash Baruah, had revealed at least 47 cases of financial irregularities. “Owing to the various anomalies during Baruah’s regime and because BCCI stopped sending funds, the ACA, as on date, has a cumulative debt to the tune of Rs 65 crore,” a

source in the ACA, under condition of anonymity, said. By February 4, 2016, the Supreme Court made it compulsory for the BCCI to implement the recommendations of Justice RM Lodha Committee following which, on February 23, the Committee of Administrators (COA), running the BCCI, had written to all state cricket associations to submit compliance reports. ACA, however, chose to wait and has not complied with the recommendations yet leading to non-sanction of funds from BCCI as instructed by the Supreme Court last October. n

field. Another contractor, maintaining anonymity, said, “The match was a huge success and the entire stadium had a jampacked audience. It is time that they paid our dues. We are neck deep in debt. We will have to take some drastic steps if not paid soon.” Talukdar, who had supplied

electronic goods too to the ACA, lost about Rs 8 lakhs back in 2007 when Bikash Baruah was the secretary of the ACA. “Later Baruah got caught in money swindling scams in the association and was banned from the association. Along with it went down my brother’s faint chances of getting paid,” Talukdar said. n

All debts will be cleared by April: ACA

CA secretary Pradip Borgohain, when contacted, said that all the debts will be paid by

April. “It is obvious that it will not be possible to pay off the entire amount of the debt by holding just one international match. But the renovation of the stadium was not done to hold just one but several more such matches in the future. We are still doing the counting of money and proper expenditure of the same on an urgent basis. All

the stakeholders will be paid by April,” Borgohain said. The ACA had taken loans to the tune of Rs 14 crores from several banks which, according to sources, were meant to be paid back after the T-20 match. “The majority of the T-20 match earnings, after paying off the BCCI, were already spent on paying past and more pressing debts. We are expecting a breather of Rs 15 crores from the government. Once we receive that, all debts will be paid n off,” Gohain assured.

Flat purchasers deprived of possession despite 95% payment Avishek Sengupta avishek.sengupta@g-plus.in

ork on Saroj Establishment, an apartment complex at Jalukbari, was stopped after the former land owner, despite selling the land to the promoter, obstructed in the construction process. This caused a delay of about six months in completion of the building leading to extra waiting period for the f lat owners, who had already paid 95% of the cost. Last September, the buyers had lodged a First Information Report (FIR) at the Jalukbari police outpost against the promoters, Banajit Talukdar and Dinesh Raja, who are partners in Saroj Establishment Private Limited. “We signed a deed of agreement in 2013 and it was supposed to be completed by August. On reaching here, we saw that several basic facilities such as electricity, lifts, water and construction of septic tanks were not completed till then. When we asked, they said that they won’t be able

The building that is yet to be completed with the land owner’s banner to complete the construction. That’s why we filed an FIR asking for police intervention into the matter,” Dr Khanindra Pathak, one of the buyers said. Dr Pathak was promised a 3-BHK f lat on the fourth f loor of the building, but only 80% of the work was completed. He is one among seven other f lat owners. When police finally started investigation into the case, it came to light that the ob-

structions were caused by the former land owner, Atulananda Goswami and the delays were not due to the laxity of the promoters. “We could not complete the building because Goswami threatened our workers against entering the land. He had illegally encroached the half constructed building and had put up banners of a private school inside. He wanted to use the building for commercial purposes which he

cannot do legally without the consultation of the f lat owners’ society,” Talukdar said. When a G Plus team went to check the matter out, it found a banner of Sankardev Shishu Niketan, Jalukbari installed in a f lat on the second f loor of the complex. According to the deed of agreement between Goswami and Saroj Establishment, Goswami would be paid Rs 8 lakhs and provided two apartments in the complex against the two-thirds of his 1 Bigha plot of land. The promoters, however, alleged that they had carried out renovation works worth Rs 13 lakhs in Goswami’s existing house on his part (one third of the plot). “Now that he owes us Rs 5 lakhs, he has started avoiding us, hindering in the construction activities and threatening the residents,” Raja, the other partner said. Another f lat owner, under condition of anonymity said, “On December 3, when I visited my f lat to take possession, Goswami set his pet dog on me. The dog tore my shawl and scratched my neck. Despite paying upfront, I did not

expect to get involved in such a mess.” When contacted, the Jalukbari outpost police said, “Goswami was called by the police more than thrice, but he never showed up. We have checked all the documents and agreements. Goswami cannot encroach the land after selling it. He has two apartments in the complex, but that does not give him right over the entire land. Also, he will have to inform and take prior permission from the complex’s society before using it for commercial purposes.” On December 4, police had asked all the f lat owners and promoters for an outsidethe-court settlement to which both the parties reciprocated and decided to take the possession of their respective f lats. “Even though we have not taken any steps against Goswami as there is no formal complaint filed against him, we are keeping him under close watch. We have warned him that if found inf licting any harm upon the owners or promoters, he will be booked under a suo moto case,” the police said. n

In The News

G PLUS | DEC 09 - dec 15, 2017

400 cases pending for disposal as AHRC operates with only one member Saumya Mishra saumya.mishra@g-plus.in

ssam Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has been operating without a chairperson for the past one year, leading to non-disposal of around 400 pending cases. The AHRC registers cases involving violations of human rights from all over the state. The commission also takes suo moto cognisance in various cases. However, the AHRC is functioning with only one member

at present. The commission is required to have a chairperson who should be a retired Chief Justice of a High Court, a non-judicial member and a judicial member. The post of the chairperson has been lying vacant in AHRC since November 2016. On the other hand, the non-judicial member retired in 2013 and the post is yet to be filled. Due to this, around 400 cases are pending for posting before the division bench for final disposal, said AHRC officials. The commission receives cases related to custodial deaths, any form of violation of human

Suo moto cognisance of Amchang evictions

ora said that the commission has taken suo moto cognisance in the eviction drive which was carried out by the district administration and the forest department at the Amchang Wildlife Sanctuary in Kamrup district. The eviction drive which was carried out on November 27 and 28 rendered more than 700 families homeless. A school

was also demolished during the eviction. After protests by the settlers, the police had resorted to lathicharge, tear gas shells and firing of rubber bullets to disperse hundreds of protestors. Bora informed, “We have asked for the report in the Amchang case regarding relief and rehabilitation of those displaced and education for their children. The report will be submitted af-

rights and medical neglither, 217 cases of custodial gence among others. deaths were registered be“It becomes very diftween 2013 and 2017. ficult to function without Additionally, the total a chairperson. There are number of cases disposed several cases in which I over the years has seen a have called for reports afsteady decline. In 2014, a ter registering the case, but total of 418 cases were disthey cannot be disposed off posed off while 2015 saw without a chairperson or 309 disposed cases. In 2016, the non-judicial member,” 282 cases were disposed said member of AHRC, and only 38 in 2017. Naba Kamal Bora. The commission can He added that the AHRC also give suggestions in receives around 25 cases on different cases regarding Office of the Human Right Commission | G Plus Photo an average every month. departmental proceedings As per the AHRC data, 2013 and November 2017 and against the accused or recthe Commission registered a took suo moto cognisance in 109 ommend for compensations to total of 1603 cases between cases during this period. Furthe victims or their families. n

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yy ter due inquiry is conducted.” The AHRC will also observe Human Rights Day on December 10 in Nagaon this year, said

officials. Various awareness programmes on human rights will be held between different stakeholders.

Further, continuous awareness programmes will also be organised in different districts from January onwards. n

Crime

G PLUS | DEC 09 - dec 15, 2017

KC Das topper killed ‘accidentally’, burnt within 4 hours by alleged boyfriend Continued from page » 1 Reaching Govind’s house 15 minutes later the two, for the next half an hour were having tea and discussing various issues. At 1.45 pm a heated argument erupted between them. The argument went on to become a scuffle. At 2 pm Govind banged Sweta’s head on the wall and she collapsed. She started bleeding from her head and Govind panicked, said the police source. Commissioner of Police Hiren Nath said, “Govind tried waking Sweta up but she was not reacting,” adding that her body was then taken to the bathroom where Govind poured water on her even as she continued to bleed. Govind thought she was dead according to his confession, Nath said. Between 2 pm and 2.45 pm, Govind packed her body in a sack and tried disposing it off. He carried the body on his bike and even reached the Bharalu-

G Plus takes a comprehensive and detailed look at the sensational and gruesome murder of Shweta Agarwal, a topper student of KC Das College, at the hands of her boyfriend. The murder was “accidental” and clearly done in a fit of rage. The attempted cover-up blew the lid off the case. mukh sluice gate. He was apprehensive that if he disposed the body there he could get caught. He returned home with the body and reached before 3 pm

where he kept the body in the bathroom. A Bharalumukh police source said, “According to the confession and the evidences collected, Govind’s sister, Bhawani Singhal, reached the house at 3 pm. The sister, after getting to know the facts, informed their mother Kamala Singhal who rushed to the spot as well.” The trio (Govind, his sister and mother) then decided to cook up a different story. Between 3 pm and 4 pm, the trio tried destroying the evidences, poured kerosene on Sweta’s body and tried to burn it. By 4.15 pm Sweta’s body was burnt. At around 5 pm Govind’s sister called the police and informed that there was a burnt dead body lying inside the bathroom of their residence. From the confession made by Govind as narrated by police sources, Sweta met with her gruesome death within 4 hours of being contacted by her boyfriend. n

Govind is very possessive: Police

olice revealed that both Sweta Agarwal and Govind Singhal started having differences mainly because of Govind’s possessiveness. Commissioner of Police, Hiren Nath said, “Sweta was very good in her studies while Govind failed in the last exams,” adding that Sweta took up a coaching class without

Govind which irked him. Since February 2016 both were into a relationship as both were pursuing their chartered accountancy (CA) articleships together in a CA firm, said Nath. In February 2016, Govind had proposed to her. Sweta accepted the proposal in May 2016, said a police source claiming Govind has confessed to all

these issues. Govind was even upset when Sweta recently visited Shillong with her family. Hiren Nath said that Govind was mostly affected when Sweta started going for a coaching class without him. Govind’s family was planning to shift to Siliguri which was another reason for the quarrel. n

Police collecting evidence carefully

he police are being very careful about the evidence that they are collecting and claimed that they will file the charge sheet soon. A police source said, “Police is collecting both actual and circumstantial evidence very carefully.” To make sure that the accused do not change their version in the court, police is collecting all the evidence and preserving the details, said a Bharalumukh police source. The statements of Govind and his sister and mother are not exactly matching, so the interrogation is ongoing. The ante mortem and post mortem reports will help the investigation, said Hiren Nath. The police was not able to find Sweta’s mobile. Police even used drones to check if other

Police taking Govind’s mother and sister into custody | G Plus Photo possessions were disposed off in the Bharalu River near the sluice gate. The police have already received the post mortem report, according to the source. Foren-

sic science laboratory report is awaited. Meanwhile various organisations are seeking fast track trial in the case and demanding justice. n

From exam to death The Timeline 12.14 pm

Govind contacted Shweta after her exams

12.45 pm

Both met near Chatribari

1.10 pm

Both reached Govind’s house located at Bharalumukh

1.20 pm

Started having tea and various discussions

1.50 pm

Govind banged Shweta’s head on wall

2.00 pm

Sweta died according to the confession of Govind

2.15 pm

Govind started packing Shweta’s body in a gunny bag

2.30 pm

Govind tried disposing the body and carried it till the sluice gate but returned

2.50 pm

Govind returned to his house with the body

3.00 pm

Govind’s sister reached the spot

3.40 pm

Govind’s mother reached the spot

4.00 pm

The trio decided to burn the body

4.15 pm

Shweta Agarwal was totally burnt

5.00 pm

Police was informed by Govind’s sister

Parents, teachers equally responsible for such incidents: KC Das College Principal

lamming the parents and teachers for not giving importance to the students, the Principal of KC Das College, Ghanashyam Nath, said that the students do not stay within limits these days. Nath said, “The girl made a mistake by going to her friend’s house,” adding that it is a mistake by both the girl and the boy, parents and even teachers. Nath said, “We are too liberal these days,” adding that students should adhere to some discipline which is not the case these days. According to the principal, Sweta was a very good student and could have contributed to the society and it is a tragedy that she is no more. But he said that as the parents and teachers (including him) do not give enough time to the students, the students do not know what to do. According to him, the students should be admonished and beaten if required, which

File photo of Ghanashyam Nath does not happen these days. If a father scolds his child, even he might a face a legal action these days, said Nath. He said that after Sweta’s murder, he will ensure that 75% attendance is made mandatory in the college. If not observed the students will have to face strict action. Finally, Nath said that unless parents and teachers are not scared to take action against students to show them the correct path, they will keep choosing the wrong path. n

GUWAHATI SAT, 30th Dec SARUSAJAI STADIUm

City

G PLUS | DEC 09 - dec 15, 2017

Assam Maheshwari Bhawan operating without permission Rahul Chanda rahul.chanda@g-plus.in

aheshwari Bibah Bhawan – a marriage hall - located on KC Das Road, Chatribari, organises wedding functions despite an order issued by Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) constraining its use for residential purpose only. A source in the GMC said, “Maheshwari Bibah Bhawan was sealed last year,” adding that the hall was unsealed thereafter but only for residential purposes. “It does not have the permission to organise marriage functions,” the source said. The source further said that the marriage hall did not have provisions for organising wedding functions. A G Plus team visited the

hall posing as a prospective customer and the manager of the marriage hall, Praveen Thakur said, “The rent of the marriage hall area at the ground floor is Rs 35,000 for one day.” Thakur said that if the hall is booked for 500 people, car passes for only four vehicles can be given and these can be parked in the hall’s parking lot. The rest of the vehicles coming for the function have to be parked on the KC Das Road. A senior GMC official said that a marriage hall should have a parking lot that can accommodate at least 50 vehicles. A local resident of Chatribari said, “The marriage functions organised at Maheshwari disrupt traffic flow. Crackers are burst till late into the night and the music is a huge disturbance at night.” n

Maheswari Bhawan at Chatribari | G Plus Photo

GMC to act against illegal marriage halls

here are many marriage halls which do not have permissions but are continuing to organize wedding functions commercially. Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) has vowed to identify such halls and take stringent action against them. A GMC source said, “Only 85 marriage halls were identified out of which around 22 have been sealed. Therefore, only 63 are functional,” adding that many building owners convert their buildings into marriage halls without the necessary permissions.

The source said that GMC is conducting a survey to identify all the illegal marriage halls and accordingly, the wedding halls will be disallowed permissions to function as marriage halls. There are provisions like parking facility, cracker bursting deadlines, garbage disposal mechanism and many other criteria which marriage halls should adhere to. Except marriage halls like Jashn Grand, Bhabendra Alay and Brindaban Garden very few marriage halls follow all the provision requirements.

After 2014, marriage hall permission could be accorded to only those halls applying with a plot size of 1 bigha 2 kathas, with the road leading to the hall venue being at least 9 metres broad. A GMC source said that earlier marriage halls started operating without any permission. But after the Gauhati High Court order in 2014, all marriage halls needed to have the minimum requirements. The halls established earlier could operate as residential establishments but couldn’t function as halls organising marriage functions. n

Most wedding halls flouting GMC norms

hile the GMC, as revealed, does not have enough manpower to keep an eye on all the marriage halls, it feels that most marriage halls are f louting all norms. A GMC source said, “Maximum marriage halls are f louting norms as they allow playing of loud music and bursting of crackers after 10 pm, which is not allowed.” The source claimed that most marriage halls do not

have proper parking facilities and have been operating this way since many years. The source also added that in most cases, whenever GMC takes action against marriage halls, the hall owners secure a stay order from the court. Some marriage halls, after being sealed, plead with the GMC to allow the premises to function as a residence, but after being unsealed, they continue to operate as marriage halls. n

Weather report for the week Guwahati

SUN

MON

TUE

WED

THU

FRI

Mostly Sunny

Sunny

28°/19° C

28°/18° C

27°/18° C

27°/17° C

27°/16° C

SATURDAY Partly Cloudy

28°/17° C

Ward Watch

G PLUS | DEC 09 - dec 15, 2017

Garbage menace aggravates RK Mission Road mess G Plus delves into the problems faced by the residents of Birubari due to unregulated garbage dumping at RK Mission Road and how it is escalating diseases Avishek Sengupta avishek.sengupta@g-plus.in

he Birubari area of the city has turned into a dumping ground for all the garbage collected by the NGOs of the entire Ward No 18. The locals complained that garbage is being dumped at least thrice daily at the Ram Krishna Mission Road, about 20 metres from the Ram Krishna Mission. Ward No 18, one of the most populated wards of the city, comprises Rupnagar, Bhangagarh, Simantapur, Birubari Bazar, parts of Ulubari, Rehabari etc. A total of three NGOs function there and the garbage of the majority of the ward are being dumped there despite there being two more garbage bins at Ulubari within a distance of 200 metres. “I think, as this area is a bit far from the main roads and Ulubari being near the Assam Police headquarters, it has become a common dumping ground. Garbage from all the areas is not dumped here,

(L) Garbage lying strewn around at Birubari and (R) roadside vendors in their illegal market | G Plus Photos but I am sure it comes from Rupnagar, Simantapur, entire Birubari area and Bishnupur. It is being dumped at least thrice daily – early morning, around noon or before and

Garbage escalating diseases: Residents

he Birubari area, which is already plagued by mosquito-borne diseases such as malaria, Japanese encephalitis and dengue for having water bodies in the vicinity, is staring at a graver situation due to disposed garbage remaining uncleared. “We can say that the garbage disposing has attributed to a rise in the mosquito related diseases for sure because, almost every household in the vicinity of the dumping area has caught dengue this year,” Biren Saha, member of Birubari Pragati Sanmilan, an unregistered citizen’s organisation working for the locality said. According to the National Vector-Borne Diseases Control Programme under the National Health Mission, this area is one among the eight highest dengue-prevalent wards of the city and second in terms of ma-

laria incidences. Last year, it recorded highest cases of Japanese encephalitis in the city. “Mosquito infestation had been a long pending problem in this area of the city. This is caused mostly due to the marshes around. Several rounds of fogging were conducted by both the residents and the GMC which bore no result. It can only be solved if the marshes are filled up. On top of that, the uncleared garbage is breeding more such mosquitoes. This year, the cases have seen an unprecedented rise,” Saha added. The RK Mission Road, that crosses over the Bharalu River and cuts across marshes on both sides, was a marshland till the early 1900s before the population explosion in the city occurred with the shift of Assam capital from Shillong to Dispur. n

in the evening,” Kamalendu Deb, a constable at Assam Police headquarters living in Birubari said. According to Pranab Majumdar, another resident who

lives in the same locality, the garbage problem has aggravated due to unregulated dumping by the vendors in the Sarabhatti Bazar that has extended towards the Birubari

area almost up to the gates of the Ram Krishna Mission in the last couple of years. “After closing down the market, these roadside vendors dump all their garbage into the Birubari dustbin. Earlier, this area received only the Sarabhatti Bazar’s wastes, but with the market growing, so has the quantity of the wastes. It is high time that the Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) finds a solution. Either they close the market or find a better waste management solution for the region,” Majumdar said. The Sarabhatti Bazar is famous among Guwahatians for its variety of fish coming directly from the Assam Fishfed located in the vicinity and is growing larger with growing demands of the people. “The foul stench can be smelt from about hundred metres away. Passing by the garbage area is a challenge we face on a daily basis. The Ram Krishna Mission Road connects with the GMCH Road which is a major artery connecting the AK Azad Road with the Gauhati Medical College & Hospital,” Majumdar added. n

Councillor passes buck on GMC

he garbage piles up and marshland to one of the most having any information about pollutes the entire area populated areas of the city. it. He also declined from comdue to negligence of the This is because of the high livmenting if any formal permisGMC workers and not ing standards I strived to prosion was issued for the expanthat of the NGOs, Abir Patra, vide under my limited capacision of the market into the RK councillor of the ward said. ty. The scenario has changed Mission road. “Isn’t it obvious? The work now.” GMC refuted Patra’s alleof the NGOs is to colgations and lect the garbage said that the from the residents garbage acConcentrated Area: Ramkrishna Mission Road (18 B) and dump those cumulation in the GMC dustis due to the Ward No: 18 bins from where unregulatGMC regularly ed dumping Population of the Ward: 55,000 clears and dumps of garbage Voter Population: 30,700 those at the Borby the sellagaon dumping ers of the Population of Ramkrishna Mission Road: 5,250 site. The pile up is market. not because of the “We Ward Councillor: Abir Patra NGOs but irreguwill very lar clearing by the soon start GMC,” Patra, former an eviction Mayor under the Congress re“Besides regular cleaning, drive on the roadside vengime who was replaced by Mrithe area is also suffering from dors there. They are operating gen Sarania after the change of lack of fogging and irregular without any permission. These garb last year, said. water supply,” Patra, added. vendors are the reason why deHinting negligence by the However, when asked spite several attempts to keep BJP-led GMC council, Patra about the unregulated garbage the area clean, GMC is unable said, “This particular area of dumping by the sellers of the to do so,” an official of the GMC the ward developed from a Sarabhatti Bazar, Patra denied told G Plus. n

Business

G PLUS | DEC 09 - dec 15, 2017

International Tourism Mart: State to get greater connectivity to boost tourism Saumya Mishra saumya.mishra@g-plus.in

he state is set to receive increased air connectivity domestically as well as internationally to aid in the development of its tourism sector. This was decided in the International Tourism Mart (ITM) which was held in Guwahati from December 5 to 8. During the inauguration ceremony of the ITM, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Tourism, K J Alphons assured that the central government will do whatever possible to increase the air connectivity of Assam and other north-eastern states. “Assam is a beautiful state with a lot of untapped tourism potential. It has a rich cultural heritage and exquisite landscape. The state has a lot to offer from textiles, music to cuisines and wildlife. There is a need to market the tourism products of the northeast across the world,” said Alphons. The event was inaugurated by the Governor of Assam, Jagdish Mukhi, on December 5.

Other dignitaries present during the occasion included Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, Union Tourism Secretary, Rashmi Verma and Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh, Pema Khandu among others. On the second day of the event, Union Tourism Secretary, Rashmi Verma, informed that 92 new routes have been chosen in the northeast under the UDAN scheme. Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik (UDAN) is a scheme by the central government for regional airport development and connectivity. “A meeting was conducted with officials from the Airport Authority of India in which we received a very good response. 92 sites have been selected in the region for connectivity and the financial bids are now going to be opened. So within six months, we will see more flights coming to the region,” said Verma. In the sixth edition of the ITM, a total of 67 foreign delegates participated from 29 countries including China, Germany, USA, UK, Fiji, Singapore, Thailand, Spain, South Korea and Japan among others. Further, 42 tour operators,

Governor of Assam Jagadish Mukhi inaugurating the International Tourism Mart | G Plus Photo seven international travel writers and 19 media personnel from international media houses had also taken part in the event. Additionally, 103 buyers took part from the northeast

Emphasis on adventure and eco tourism

fficials emphasised that Assam and the northeast has rich flora, fauna and other invaluable resources which should be explored to develop eco tourism in the region. The ITM focussed on developing trade and tourism ties among Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries and the northeast region with the point of view of international tourism. Another area which needs promotion is the scope of adventure tourism in this region, felt authorities. Verma said that there was a need to market these tourism products in a better manner to make maximum people aware about them. She added that the states should develop a calendar and engage in aggressive promotional campaigns for tourism. She also stressed on the need to have better synergy between private sector and other stakeholders to achieve maximum tourism potential in the northeast. Officials informed that two development projects for Assam worth Rs 190 crores have been sanctioned by the

central government. Further, one project for upgradation of Kamakhya Temple under the Prasad scheme has also been sanctioned. According to authorities, Assam saw 30,000 foreign tourists in 2016. Further, 1.38 lakh foreign tourists visited northeast in 2016 and the region saw a growth of 5.2% from 2013 to 2016 in foreign tourist inflow. Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said that the state government is developing its

yy yy yy yy yy

heritage without affecting the ecology or destroying the environment. “At a time when pollution has become a global threat, our biodiversity is our biggest asset and we should work towards promoting it,” said Sonowal adding that in the coming days, Assam will be developed as a major sports hub. It has already hosted major international and national sporting events this year and will play host to more in the future. n

states and 29 domestic tour operators from different parts of the country excluding the northeast were also present during the tourism mart. State Tourism Minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma said,

“With the government of India’s renewed focus on the northeast and keeping in the view the Act East Policy, we are confident that we will see a huge tourist inflow in the state in the coming years.” n

One-on-one business sessions

Korea. I am looking forward to bringing ne-on-one tourists One of the from Korea major highto Assam lights of the and other ITM was states in the the one-tonortheast,” one busi- JC Han, the tour operator from Korea at the International said Han ness sesadding that Tourism Mart | G Plus Photo sions which he is a spewere held between international cial interest tour operator and as well as domestic buyers and deals especially with cultural sellers. and historical tours. A number of tour organisers Additionally, stalls were set and travel operators attended up by each state from the norththese sessions from India and east displaying their handicraft abroad. and traditional products. A tour Talking to G Plus, a tour opcoordinator from Manipur, Maierator from Korea, JC Han, said bam Prabin Singh, said that he that this was his first visit to Asreceived a great response as sam and he found the state very many people expressed their inunique in terms of its cultural terest in visiting Manipur. customs, natural beauty and genSeveral deliberations and eral atmosphere. panel discussions also took place “During the business sesbetween buyer and seller comsions, I got a chance to interact munities within the course of with several in-bound tour opfour days to attract international erators from India and had talks as well as domestic investors and with them to organise tours from other stakeholders. n

Health

G PLUS | DEC 09 - dec 15, 2017

Govt launches 95 new ambulances under 108 Mrityunjoy service Saumya Mishra saumya.mishra@g-plus.in

fter receiving a number of complaints regarding the poor services of 108 Mrityunjoy ambulances in the state, the Assam government launched 95 new ambulances on December 5. State Health and Family Welfare Minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma, flagged off the new ambulances from Srimanta Shankardev Kalakshetra in Guwahati. The new fleet of ambulances will replace the older ones which have become worn out. A total of 380 ambulances were operational in the state prior to this. With the new fleet, Sarma wants to bring down the average response time of ambulances from the current 25 minutes in Assam to 10 minutes in

urban areas and 15 minutes in rural areas. “Since their launch in 2008, many ambulances had become old and their life span was getting shorter since they were operating on bad roads and remote areas. We also noticed that more than 100 ambulances were lying off the road. So we took the decision to rejuvenate the services,” said the minister. The state has received new ambulances after a gap of four years. Officials said that they will add another 150 new vehicles over the next two months. Principal Secretary of the department of health and family welfare, Samir Kumar Sinha, said that the ageing fleet and limited number of vehicles were two major issues due to which the time taken by the ambulances to reach the destination had increased and services suffered. n

Health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma during the launch of new 108 ambulances | G Plus Photo

‘108 Ambulance arrived after 45 minutes’, alleges Guwahatian

File photo of Mrityunjay 108

city resident, Varun Vohra, has alleged that the 108 Mrityunjoy ambulance service took 45 minutes to reach his house when he called the emergency helpline to seek immediate medical help for his grandfather. Vohra’s 96year-old grandfather was battling cancer and died on November 30. After undergoing treatment at a city hospital for a few days, his grandfather was brought back home. On the morning of November 30, Vohra’s family found

that his grandfather was not breathing. “We were desperately trying to confirm whether he was alive or had passed away. It could also happen that he was in a state of coma. He needed immediate medical attention from a professional,” said Varun. He added that it was then that he contacted 108 Mrityunjoy ambulance service seeking help. “The officials told me over the phone that in the whole of Guwahati only two ambulances were available and all

the rest are not in working condition. They said that if I could wait, then they would send the ambulance,” said Varun. He added that the ambulance finally came from Basistha and reached after 45 minutes. “If this is the condition of the 108 ambulance service in the city, then it is pathetic. There are several serious medical cases all over the city in which patients need immediate medical assistance. The government should do something about this immediately,” he said. Mrityunjoy is an advanced life saving service with in-built medical facility in ambulances which was first launched in Assam in November 2008. Programme executive at National Health Mission (NHM), Reshma Chhetri, informed that they keep relocating the ambulances as per the requirement. “We do not keep ambulances at fixed locations; our aim is to render maximum service to the people. Sometimes there might be only a few ambulances available in Guwahati at a given time, but that does not reflect the total number of ambulances.” n

Skill development of technicians crucial: officials

nother factor affecting the quality of emergency ambulance services is the lack of technically trained manpower, according to officials. The authorities stressed on the need of continuous skill development of technicians. Officials informed that the quality of manpower of the Emergency Management and Research Institute (EMRI) - which provides the ambulance service - has deteriorated over the years. “The pilots and technicians need continuous training. A training module should be evolved where they should be provided a refresher course every six months. National Health Mission (NHM) officials should randomly call around 15 technicians and ask them to demonstrate the workings of the ambulance and essential skills. They should then be certified by doctors, only then we can improve the service,” said Sarma. Health officials said that sometimes the technicians do not even know how to administer oxygen to patients in the ambulance which is a matter of serious concern and should be looked into. They said that basic equipment and medicines available in every ambulance will also be checked on a regular basis. According to authorities, Mrityunjoy 108 response centre handles 20,000 calls per day on an average. It has also served over 12 lakh pregnancy related

emergencies since inception. Further, a grievance redressal mechanism will be set up in every district which will involve all stakeholders including NHM officials, general public and other district health officials. n

In The News

G PLUS | DEC 09 - dec 15, 2017

Anganwadi workers to intensify protest Saumya Mishra saumya.mishra@g-plus.in

round 1,900 Anganwadi workers of Kamrup (Metro) District are set to intensify their protest next month if the government fails to fulfil their long-standing demands. Anganwadi workers of Guwahati said that they have given an ultimatum to the government till December 15 after which they will call a three-day strike in the state from December 19.

Their major demands include increase in their honorarium and a one-time financial assistance at the time of retirement as part of their pension benefit. The Anganwadi workers currently receive Rs. 4,000 per month while the helpers who assist the workers get Rs. 2,000. “This amount is extremely low and it gets difficult for us to run our households. How will we be able to survive on this meagre sum?” said Indira Newar, an Anganwadi worker and secretary of Assam State Anganwadi Workers’ and Help-

ers’ Association (ASAWHA). She added that they were demanding a hike to Rs. 6,000 for workers and Rs. 4,000 for helpers every month. There are 700 Anganwadi centres in Kamrup (Metro) district out of a total of 62,153 in the state. They were started in 1975 by the central government with a view to combat malnutrition in children and to provide care for pregnant women. They provide mother and child care and are run under the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) programme.

Most Anganwadi centres lack infrastructure, facilities

Students inside an Anganwadi centre | G Plus Photo

resident of ASAWHA, Tapan Sarma, said that a majority of Anganwadi centres in Kamrup (Metro) and other districts lack basic infrastructural facilities. “Almost 80% of Anganwadi centres are in a deplorable condition without proper buildings and furniture. Some are even forced to operate under trees or other community spaces,” he said. Workers also alleged that sub-standard materials are supplied to the centres. They say that very few centres are supplied with medical kits which contain essential items like folic acid tablets and iron tablets for pregnant women and Oral Rehydration Salts (ORS) for children. The workers have also demanded proper management of

Anganwadi centres including RCC building, regular supply of medical kits and other materials including furniture. In this regard, the government has made a plan for renovation of centres and will also construct 10,000 new Anganwadi centres. These workers have also alleged that the authorities engage them in other external government duties for which they are not paid additional money. They said that they did not mind working more but they have made a case for extra wages in such situations. “On paper, the Anganwadi workers are supposed to work for four-and-a half-hours every day but the duties allotted to us consume at least eight hours of work,” claimed Sarma. n

File photo of Anganwadi workers protesting “We will sit on a dharna and will block the entrance of the Directorate of Social Welfare if our demands are not fulfilled,” said another Anganwadi worker from Guwahati. The workers say that they

are not provided with any pension provisions or health benefits. They have asked the state government to pay the workers Rs 2 lakhs and helpers Rs 1.5 lakhs as one-time payment in lieu of their pension. n

Several rounds of talk with govt yields no result

File photo of Social Welfare Minister Naba Kumar Doley he Anganwadi workers and helpers said that they have been voicing their demands since January and have also held protests across the state. “We have remained patient for a long time and have conducted several rounds of talks with the education minister, principal secretary and officials from the social welfare department. The chief minister has also been apprised about our grievances, but no concrete steps have been taken till now,” said Newar. She added that she has been working at the Sonapur Anganwadi centre for the past 28 years and now the government should spare a thought about them and should at least announce a time limit for consideration of their demands. Talking to GPlus, a senior official in the directorate of social welfare said that the government is taking the demands of the Anganwadi workers “seriously” and the talks were on with senior officials to increase and fix their honorarium. He however said that a decision about the pension was yet to be finalised. n

Concern

G PLUS | DEC 09 - dec 15, 2017

Helmets mandatory for pillion riders; riders unaware Rahul Chanda rahul.chanda@g-plus.in

hough the city traffic police claimed that helmets are mandatory for pillion riders, many riders in Guwahati are unaware of the rule. A two-wheeler rider, Akash Bora said, “I was slapped Rs 100 as fine because the person sitting behind me was not wearing a helmet.” He added that he has been riding a bike for many years in Guwahati and was unaware that pillion riders have to wear helmets. Similarly, many riders in the city are unaware of the rule.

Guwahatians continue to flout city traffic norms | G Plus Photo

Reacting to the issue, DCP (Traffic) Amanjeet Kaur said, “The Supreme Court Committee on Road Safety has made it compulsory for both riders and pillion riders to wear helmets since 2015.” The DCP also said that as per Motor Vehicle Act the rule is clearly mentioned on the bike registration certificate and driving license. In 2017, from January till October, 27,495 cases of riders not wearing helmets were reported. The traffic department generated Rs 24,49,400 from fines between January 2017 and October 2017 from riders not wearing helmets. 80 people were killed be-

tween January 2017 and October 2017 in two-wheeler accidents, out of which 26 were pillion riders. Deputy Commissioner of Kamrup (Metro), M Angamuthu, in a recent meeting of the Regional Transport Authority (RTA), ordered the traffic police to act against riders not wearing helmets. He also asked the transport department and the traffic police to jointly prepare a strategy to make sure that everyone in the city wears helmets while riding bikes. The traffic department will soon carry out a huge campaign to inform the riders that helmets are mandatory for both the rider and the pillion rider. n

4,020 licenses suspended till Oct for drunken driving & mobile phone use the cases of drunken driving are reducing but Guwahatians hardly witness any checking at night. A city-based party goer said, “I had to go to Vivanta by Taj for a party recently and my driver was absent.” He added that while returning he was fairly tipsy and was driving to Kharguli with the fear that he

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Police using breathalysers to check drunken driving | G Plus Photo

he traffic police suspended 4,020 driving licenses for drunk driving and using mobile phones while driving. A source in the traffic department said, “The licenses are suspended for six months,”

adding that the drivers need to update the license after six months from the District Transport Office (DTO). For six months the drivers cannot drive. The source claimed that drunken driving cases are

gradually reducing in the city but mobile phone use while driving is increasing. Till October end this year, 1,595 cases of mobile phone use while driving were detected. The police might claim that

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would be caught by the police for drunken driving. He said, “From Six Mile to Kharguli I did not encounter a single policeman or patrol party around 1 am.” Similarly, many party goers feel that the police keep a check on drunken driving only during festivals, VIP visits and Independence/Republic day. n

City

G PLUS | DEC 09 - dec 15, 2017

Narcotics gang war suspected behind Pakhi Miyan shoot out Rahul Chanda rahul.chanda@g-plus.in

fter unidentified miscreants shot at drug kingpin, Samsul Haque Talukdar, alias Pakhi Miyan, police is suspecting the reason to be stemming from a drug mafia gang war. Additional Commissioner of Police (ACP), Basistha, Moushumi Kalita said, “The narcotics gang war angle is suspected but we cannot confirm it till the case is solved,” adding that the police is probing all possible angles. Commissioner of Police, Hiren Chandra Nath, said that all circumstantial evidences are being collected to find out

File photo of Pakhi Miyan all the people he had talked to and all the places he had visit-

ed on 6 th December. A source at Basistha Po-

lice said that the driver who was driving the vehicle was quizzed but he did not narrate any story of enmity. A senior police official said that Pakhi Miyan is a known drug kingpin who was at the helms of a gang which was ruling the drug smuggling network a few years back. The official said that after Miyan’s arrest and the trial, there have been other gangs which have cropped up in the state, creating a competition between the gangs. Pakhi Miyan is out on bail at present. Moreover, Miyan is ageing which might be another reason for his decline in the business and the rise of other gangs, felt the official. A source in the Basistha

Police said that Miyan was not carrying any mobile phone on the day he was shot at near Keraikuchi Hockey Stadium. Miyan was arrested several times in the past by the police in various cases. He was arrested in April, 2008 in West Bengal by Barrackpore Police with 10 kgs of ganja, 200 gms of heroin, 21 SIM cards and some documents. He was later handed over to Assam Police. When he was shifted to Gauhati Medical College & Hospital (GMCH) while in judicial custody in 2008, he managed to escape by allegedly drugging the policemen engaged to keep an eye on him. He was again arrested in Durgapur, West Bengal, police sources said. n

Bullet which injured Pahki Miyan recovered from a different car

he bullet which pierced Pakhi Miyan’s left hand was recovered from a Scorpio parked at Keraikuchi near the hockey stadium. A source in Basistha Police said, “Two miscreants on a bike shot at Pakhi Miyan,” adding that the bullet pierced Miyan’s left hand and then reached an adjacent Scorpio parked at Keraikuchi. Miyan was travelling in a Maruti Gypsy and was returning from a motor garage in Nalapara. He entered Keraikuchi from Beharbari. Two miscreants (both wearing helmets) overtook Miyan’s vehicle from behind and signalled him to stop.

Miyan’s vehicle slowed down as it reached a spot where a Scorpio was parked on the left, and the pillion rider of the bike took out a 9 mm pistol and shot at Miyan from the driver’s side. Miyan’s driver immediately increased the speed of the vehicle and rushed towards Guwahati Medical College & Hospital. The bike also immediately fled from the spot, police said. The incident occurred at around 7.30 pm on 6 th December. Police claimed that sufficient security was provided in the hospital as the threat still remained. A case under sections of attempt to murder and arms act was registered at Basistha police. n

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Athgaon fire damages 2 Haldi Gali godowns partially 10th International Guwahati Film Festival to be held from 11th Dec

he fire which broke out at around 10 am on 7th December damaged two godowns located between Haldi Gali and Plastic Balti Gali in Athgaon. A source in Bharalumukh Police said, “Royal Marketing and Om Trading were partially damaged in the fire,” adding that the cause of the fire has not been ascertained. Around 7 fire fighting vehicles were pressed into service to combat the fire but not all the vehicles were required, a source in the Fire and Emergency Department said. Royal Marketing stored

plastic and electronic items whereas Om Trading stored spices, dry fruits etc. An employee of Om Trading said that a portion of around

25% of the godown was burnt in the fire. Similarly, even Royal Marketing was partially damaged. There are around 8 to 10 godowns located adjacently in the area. Fire department sources said that because the Haldi Gali Lanes was wide, it was not difficult for the fire fighting vehicles to reach the spot. Controlling the public in Athgaon area was a tough job as the area is a wholesale business hub, said the police. Few days earlier, another fire incident was reported from the Athgaon area. n

uwahati Cine Club is organizing the 10 t h International Guwahati Film Festival from 11t h to 17 t h Dec 2017. The festival which was earlier known as ‘Festival of World Cinema’ will successfully complete its 10 t h edition this year. The festival this year will have a European films categor y where the films such as ‘The Public Works’ (The Netherlands), ‘A Comedy of Tears (Slovenia), ‘Sanctuar y’ (Germany), ‘The Judgement’ (Bulgaria), and ‘Three Hearts’

(France) among several others will be screened. Films like ‘Jagat’ (Malaysia) and ‘Ziarah’ (Indonesia) will also be screened in the festival besides films nominated by Indian Panaroma such as ‘ Yojimba’, ‘Fench Cancan’, and ‘Last Year at Marienbad.’ Utpal Borpujari’s ‘Ishu’ and Swantana Bordoloi’s ‘Maaj Ratir Ketek i’ will also be screened in the festival. This year’s film festival is a tribute to renowned film maker of Assamese film industr y, A bdul Majid. n

Snippets

G PLUS | DEC 09 - dec 15, 2017

2 self-styled ‘Supari’ killers arrested People of the city will have access to safe drinking for ‘conspiring’ to kill Himanta

adara Police arrested 2 persons - Fakruddin Ali and Pawan Ali - for allegedly conspiring to kill State Minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma. Dadara Police Station Officer-in-Charge, Ashok Singh, talking to G Plus said, “Taking a suo moto case police investigated with specific information that the duo, inviting supari worth Rs 5 crores, had contacted former chief minister Tarun Gogoi and other

Congress leaders like Assam PCC President, Ripun Bora, legislator Rakibul Hussain and Dulu Ahmed through SMS from the phone number 9613143878.” In the message they asked to be paid Rs 5 crores and they would complete the job using bombs. The duo was presented in front of the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Kamrup and was remanded 14 days’ judicial custody. n

Student commits suicide after teacher asks him to bring guardian

17-year-old student of science stream studying in the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) Kendriya Vidyalaya (KV) at Amerigog allegedly committed suicide on Thursday night after his class teacher, Shayed Abdul Alim, caught him doodling slangs on his desk. The student, who was studying in Class-XI in the school had put on a Whatsapp status hinting about committing suicide and hung himself at his residence in the city. “The parents came to know after a friend of his told them about the status and to check on him. On finding him hanging from the ceiling, they called the police,” a police official said. He was immediately rushed to the Pratiksha Hospital at Borbari but doctors declared him brought dead. Teachers said that the student’s grades were dropping and he was asked several times to bring his parents to school as

ringing much relief to the citizens of Guwahati, Mayor Mrigen Sarania, on Friday, assured that the citizens will have access to safe drinking water. He assured that people of Guwahati do not have any reason to worry about the quality of drinking water and the rising problem of the Brahmaputra waters. “GMC will take necessary precautions to provide safe drinking water to the residents of the city,” said Sarania. Water samples have been despatched to NEIST Jorhat

and IIT Guwahati for further examination. n

One arrested for blackmailing friend’s wife with objectionable photos

O Students of KV, CRPF staging a protest against the teachers of the school | G Plus Photo the teachers of other subjects too had complaints against him. “On finding him making those doodles during the class last Monday, Alim gave him an ultimatum to bring his parents for a teacher-parents meeting or face consequences. There was no excessive threatening,” said a teacher defending Alim. Following his death, however, many students from the school started protesting

against the teachers claiming that they were pressurising him too much and that compelled him to take this step. A protest against the teachers was carried out by the students of Class XI and XII against the teachers today afternoon in the school premises. The school authorities have initiated an internal investigation into the matter and have sent the concerned teacher on a n week’s leave.

Himanta assures financial help of Rs 5 lakhs to Guwahati patient

tate Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, over a tweet, assured financial help of Rs 5 lakhs to Subrata Barman, a young man who is undergoing multiple treatments at Apollo Hospital.

water, assures Mayor

The matter was brought to the notice of the minister over a series of tweets by the patient’s wife, Mousumi Barman, where she pleaded with the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi to help her husband. According to the tweets, the

patient, Subrata Barman was diagnosed with septic shock with multi-organ dysfunction syndrome, sepsis induced dic, MDR Klebsiella Bacteria, and Cholagio-Hepatitis and Cholelithiasis. Soon after the news reached the State Health Department, Himanta Biswa Sarma over a tweet announced, “We are with Subrata at this juncture. Assam Govt will provide Rs 5 lakhs as our humble contribution for his treatment. Further, we have taken up the matter with Apollo Hospital. They have assured us of 10% discount as of now. I appeal generous contributions for this cause.” n

ne Ajay Dey of Chatribari has been arrested by Dispur Police for blackmailing his friend’s wife. Allegedly, Dey was blackmailing one of his friend’s wife with some objectionable photos. He was also repeatedly extorting money from the woman for the said photos. A case has been registered against Dey at Dispur Police Station under case number 3314/17/U/S420/376/354 (c) of

IPC. The apprehended claims to n be running an NGO.

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G Talk D

G PLUS | DEC 09 - dec 15, 2017 T

Unwarranted Activism

murder most foul, a crime most heinous! Something straight out of the popular television show, Crime Patrol, and Guwahati has lost one of its brightest students. Guwahati, unlike the metros, is almost peace-laden when it comes to crimes of passion. And so the Sweta Agarwal murder case is a shocker in its true sense. If we look at the timeline of the crime, it took place on 4th December and Assam Police (kudos to them), responding to the situation with promptness and alacrity, solved it on 5th December putting the killer, Govind Singhal and his accomplices – his mother and sister – behind bars. Justice, neither delayed nor denied, was delivered almost instantly so to say. As I write this on 8th December, I recall G Plus putting up pieces of news on its digital portals post the murder – photographs of massive protests demanding justice for Sweta who hailed from the Manipuri Basti locality. And so, on 5th December, locals of Manipuri Basti staged a massive road block for the cause of justice throwing the perennially marauding traffic of the area further out of gear sending schedules haywire. Ok fine, the anger, in the

immediate aftermath of such an incident, is understandable and a belligerent demonstration of it is also acceptable. But a similar demonstration on the 7th again? Under the banner of Mohila Congress with a prominent political leader of the city leading from the front? All this after the culprit and his heartless accomplices had been arrested? Was this activism warranted? All I can derive from this is the footage freakiness that seems to overwhelm our society these days, the pathological need to be photographed by the media. If we are to take home any learnings from poor Sweta’s case, the concern should be about the safety of our children. They need to be taught the difference between infatuation, love and lust, all of which are part of their hormonal transformation that comes with age. And all this begins pre-emptively at home. After all, they are grown-ups and their round-the-clock supervision is just impossible. The public activism post a crime is no solution unless there is a deficiency of justice. In Sweta’s case, it was unwarranted. Swapnil Bharali Editor

A Hundred Thousand Responsibilities

here are times that I talk about local issues, national issues and other trending issues. However, this time, I choose to digress and talk about a 4 year long exercise. G Plus recently turned 4 and in the last week, also touched 100,000 organic fans on Facebook. Now this number is very significant for us mainly for two reasons. The first is the fact that this number has come to us over a period of 4 years, thereby telling us that this is not just an ‘accumulation’ or ‘purchase’ for us. These are fans that reposed their faith in us as a leading publication in the city; fans who made us tell stories about what the city aspires to be. The second is the expanding digital space that we are currently living in. In my short tenure, I have attended several workshops on digital publishing, each teaching us that the scope for a digital publisher is large and particularly sensitive. Consumers often feed off the headlines and never go through most stories. Consumption is largely visual, what attracts the eye. Misleading headlines, sensitive photos and incorrect information is something that digital publications have done in the past in a race to stay ahead in numbers. However, for us to arrive at this point, slowly and steadily, talks of how careful we have been at every point. This piece is not to chestbeat, but to tell our readers that it is very important of what you consume on the internet. Discerning right from wrong is something we as a publication are very careful about and we hope that our fans are equally careful from where they consume. Lastly, a big shout out to each and everyone who helped us reach this number as we feel privileged that we are responsible towards hundred thousand different lives. SIDHARTH BEDI VARMA

Demonetisation: Curbing black money and corruption

ovember 8, 2016 saw was perhaps the boldest decision taken by any government in 21st century India – the announcement of transformational demonetisation of 500 and 1000 rupee notes circulating in the market. The decision was taken mainly to curb black money and corruption, to make fake currencies ineffective and to destabilise terror-funding. I quote Prime Minister Narendra Modi from his demonetisation announcement speech, “To break the grip of corruption and black money, we have decided that the five hundred rupee and thousand rupee currency notes presently in use will no longer be legal tender from midnight tonight, that is 8th November 2016. This means that these notes will not be acceptable for transactions from midnight onwards. The five hundred and thousand rupee notes hoarded by anti-national and anti-social elements will become just worthless pieces of paper. The rights and the interests of honest, hard-working people will be fully protected” As we know that black money is that part of income on which taxes are not paid. The increasing amount of black money resulted in the establishment of a parallel economy which served its own interest in contradiction to the national interest of the country. It is a serious threat to the growth and stability of the economy. It is also the contributor of economic and social inequalities in the society. The root sources of black money are mainly concealment of income from tax and corruption in the public system. India is rapidly increasing in terms of growth but we are ranked 76th in Global Corruption Perception ranking by

r Not a ‘strong man’

the Transparency International. The demonetisation exercise has brought back around 95% of the cash in circulation in the market. It has greatly increased the number of persons using active bank accounts. This information will be useful in identifying the number of people having high value transactions. Those who have deposited unaccounted money in banks are liable to pay additional tax and are under the scanner of the government. Post-demonetisation has witnessed substantial amount of revenue growth with greater tax compliance. Deposits in banks will boost GDP growth and help in cutting lending rates of loan by banks and other financial institutions. Due to the collection of additional taxes fiscal deficit will certainly come down and formalisation of the economy will result in greater financial inclusion. The crackdown on black money will also prevent people from parking their unaccounted income in physical assets such as real estate and will bring down real-estate pricing to help genuine buyers.

India remains the fastest growing economy in the world - economic fundamentals are strong, and reform momentum continues” World Banks Report dated 29th May, 2017

Economist Arvind Virmani reportedly said that demonetisation is a useful method of flushing out black money, given that a large percentage of cash holding is in these two denominations. The manner in which it was implemented is not surprising - such actions are always secret till announced, so that insiders do not take advantage of the information at the cost of the outsiders. Studies say the demonetisation has paralysed the terror

O p i n i o n Kumar Padmapani Bora

funding through hawala channels in Kashmir, North-East and naxal affected areas of the country to a great extent. It has also made Pakistan’s strategy to destabilise Indian economy by circulating counterfeit currency ineffective as the old high denomination notes have become useless. The World Bank has rightly said in its May, 2017 report that in the long-term, demonetisation has the potential to accelerate the formalization of the economy, leading to higher tax collections, and greater digital financial inclusion provided measures such as increased use of property taxes is taken in the areas of tax policy and administration, and share of the population with access to the internet and digital means of payments are increased. The government has launched “Operation Clean Money” - an e-platform to analyse large cash deposits soon after the announcement of demonetisation. The basic aim of this mission is identification of cases with large cash deposits/purchases during the period and to bring such cases into the tax net by detecting black money generation. The drive of “Operation Clean Money” aims at reducing the compliance cost for the taxpayers while optimising the resources of the revenue department. Such initiative will certainly help in eliminating black money and widen the tax base in the country. The advantages of demonetisation are far reaching and they are in the long term interest of the country. The positive impacts of the demonetisation are quite visible and for India to emerge as global economic super power in the near future such impacts and advantages will work as a drive engine. Finally, to achieve such status, every true Indian needs to take the following oath. “I’ll file my Income Tax Return on time, I’ll show correct income in my Income Tax Return, I’ll pay all due taxes on time.” n Kumar Padmapani Bora in an officer in the Indian Revenue Service. His views are personal and not in any way represent the government.

Letter to the Editor

eteran leader and former defence minister in the Narashima Rao government, Sharad Pawar, is often referred to as ‘Maratha Strong Man’ in Indian politics. The title of Maratha Strongman was conferred on him by his own people in Marathwada region in Maharashtra which is a known sugar hub of India. In 1999, after Sonia Gandhi was elevated as AICC president, Sharad Pawar quit the Congress and formed a separate party named NCP along with former speaker PA Sangma. That move created quite a ripple in the national political circle as NCP under Sharad Pawar was considered as an alternative option in political fiefdom. Soon the veteran leader betrayed his people and his colleagues by joining hands with the Congress and he even dumped his trusted buddy PA Sangma as NCP allied with the Congress-led UPA government at the centre. Great Maratha warrior and ruler Chatrapati Shivaji is also known as Maratha Strongman but is it justified to compare an opportunistic Sharad Pawar with Great Shivaji? Sharad Pawar’s contributions cannot be compared to that of Great Shivaji as the veteran leader has always considered his personal benefits more important than the people’s interest. In fact it is an insult to compare a person like Sharad Pawar with the Great Shivaji. Dr. Ashim Chowdhury, Ambari, Guwahati.

In Focus

G PLUS | DEC 09 - dec 15, 2017

Priyanka Bora – Journey from Splitsvilla to Awesome Assam TVC

riyanka Bora, ex-MTV Splitsvilla contestant and supermodel was recently seen in the Awesome Assam TV commercials. This Assam born actor/model has also been part of ALT Balaji’s immensely successful web series Ragini MMS Returns, featured in commercial ads, and participated in modelling shows such as Miss Puberun, Miss North-East and among many others. She is currently a part of a daily soap ‘Siddhi Vinayak’ which is being aired on &TV. Born in 1994 in Gauripur (Dhubri), Priyanka did her schooling from Kendriya Vidyalaya, Panbari and shifted to Guwahati where she completed her higher secondary education from South Point School. Currently, Priyanka is pursuing graduation in Commerce from Mumbai. Talking to G Plus about finding her calling as an actor, Priyanka said, “I never planned on becoming an actor or a model, it kind of just happened. Honestly, it was only a year back that I started to accept these fields of work as my career because until then, I was very unsure about whether I’ll be able to survive in the entertainment industry.” She further pointed out, “I love my work. Getting to play so many different characters gets me really

excited!” On being asked about her experience working alongside Priyanka Chopra for the Awesome Assam TV commercial, Priyanka said, “It really was one of my best experiences. Not only did I get to work alongside my role model, the better part was that it was for my home state – Assam.” Along with Priyanka Chopra, she also considers Nawazuddin Siddiqui as her role model and wishes to work with him in the near future. Like most others artists in the Hindi entertainment industry, Priyanka too has been faced with multiple challenges and obstacles in her journey. Talking about the biggest challenge that she still continues to face, Priyanka informed G Plus, “It is still challenging to convince the industry people to trust my work. There’s so much competition and so many talented artists. But I believe in myself and feel that a day will come when I wouldn’t have to give my introduction to anyone - people will know me for my work.” Priyanka started her career as a freelancer, and she soon started getting offers to work for commercial advertisements. But she rose to fame with Splitsvilla. “MTV Splitsvilla proved to be

a big platform for me and I am glad that I started my career with it. I am highly obliged to have received the chance of being part of such a wondrous show.” she informed.

Talking to G Plus about her take on the present situation of the Assamese entertainment industry, Priyanka said, “I believe that we have an abundance of talent, and yet the Assamese en-

tertainment industry hasn’t been able to grow at a fast pace. A little push from the government could really help the industry reach its peak and make it an asset for the region.” Priyanka recently started her career as a cabin crew member in an airline company and continued her studies as well. She is also trained in classical music and is a professional dancer. Besides that, she also practices singing, reads novels and watches movies on Netflix. Speaking on her experience as a cabin crew member, she said, “Aviation has made me a better person and for that, I’ll forever be grateful to my instructors, seniors and colleagues.” Priyanka is quite the go getter and says her motto in life is “Never give up on your dreams.” She further added that she always believed in moving ahead and never giving up on her dreams, no matter how hard the road gets. She’s also associated with various social welfare programs and always believe in doing her bit towards the wellbeing of the society. “I believe life has been very good to me and I insist on making it the same for others,” she says.

By Nehal jain

Sweta Agarwal’s murder and the purported activism thereafter in the name of demanding justice brought in some sharp reactions. Here are a few opinions of Guwahatians Tonmoy Nanda After the perpetrator of this heinous crime has been nabbed and that too by his own confession, these dharnas and morchas are an insult to the departed soul and a mockery of many more such victims. He will burn and justice will be harsh and swift but these fabricated mahila morchas are an eyesore even to a blind person.

Kajal Kiran I used to be so proud of my state when I used to hear people from other parts of our country that we are one of the dowry-free states as here we don’t differentiate between a girl child and a boy child. Also here we respect women and we give them freedom to voice their choices. Here, sons are raised to be dignified with thoughts of respecting diversity. On the other side I heard this today and I am so ashamed.

Bhargav Kr Bhuyan My condolences to the victim’s family and friends. And no offense to the victim/ her family and their well-wishers. A thought has come to my mind which I would like to share. These kinds of situations or accidents are avoidable only if the young generations understand what they are doing. As the police said, the victim was proposed several times after which she was ready for a relationship with the guy. But if the victim could have taken some action then by letting her parents know about it she would have been there with us now. Our parents are there for our good. But we being young think that they do not know anything, they are outdated. But honestly, we are wrong. Guys, there is no harm in falling in love with someone. But we go too far and forget our limits. We think we are modern and we are allowed to do whatever we like. The result is not always fruitful.

Harishaa Patodia This heartless monster doesn’t deserve to live. He doesn’t even have humanity, or else he would have taken Shweta to a hospital but this animal literally killed that innocent girl and that too so brutally. The only fault of this innocent girl was that she made that b******her friend. Was this mistake so big that it led her to such a painful death? Girls need to walk away from abusive relationships. God knows how many innocent girls are there who are bearing such pain in the name of romantic relationships. May Shweta’s soul rest in peace! Sourav Jyoti These mahila mandals and all, if you don’t have any work then sleep at home. Investigation is almost finished within 2 days, the person is arrested and he has confessed also. What do you want now? Let the judiciary do its work and kindly show women empowerment by doing something constructive rather than barking in the streets. Dipankar Bhuyan The accused is arrested and he will get punishment according to law. Why the Congress is doing all these things? Everywhere politics is bad. If the Congress has no work at least they can spend some time in old age homes or engage themselves in some social activities. In this case it is serious and deeply shocking. Please do not politicize the tragedy. Priyasmi Parijat Uzir Full justice should prevail. And the perpetrators of the crime should be socially boycotted. They are already training in burning women, even at such a young age. God knows what demons will unleash when they grow up. They should be socially boycotted by the people.

Feature

G PLUS | DEC 09 - dec 15, 2017

The science and history behind the influence of nature in our lives Parthajeet Sarma

ecember is one week down already. The picture on the right, captures the December early morning view from where I usually write these articles. It is my favourite spot when it comes to right brained, creative work. A view of nature augments cognitive abilities in connecting seemingly unrelated ideas. A ‘good view’ is often used by property developers, hoteliers and clubs as a hook to sell at a premium.

There is enough science to prove that medical patients who have access to nature, heal faster than those that do not. We are in the midst of a project wherein we are defining the basis for conceptualization of multiple 500-600 bed hospitals in Guwahati and across India for a large American brand. This involves synthesis of primary and secondary data. Such synthesis and its results will be later used by the business owners, architects and consultants in setting up the hospitals. While doing case studies, we have come across several modern day hospitals allowing day patients a view of the outside while undergoing processes like dialysis, giving inroom patients a view of nature and also incorporating various facets of nature into the hospital design where patients can go for a walk or be taken for a stroll on wheelchairs. n fered protection and a view of the surroundings, kept us alive. Brain imaging studies show that pleasure centres of the brain light up when views of nature are seen, indicating that although we are no more cavemen, humans cannot help but feel happy when viewing landscapes, especially from a point of safety.

Brain imaging studies show that pleasure centres of the brain light up when views of nature are seen, indicating that although we are no more cavemen, humans cannot help but feel happy when viewing landscapes, especially from a point of safety.

hat is it about a good view of nature that makes us feel good? There are two aspects here. Firstly, the scientific reason. When the human skin gets sunlight, the body releases nitric oxide, and this dilates blood vessels and reduces blood pressure. Given the complexities of the 21st century, life in general is stressful, especially at work. Much has been spoken about the relation between stress and spikes in blood pres-

A hospital set in the midst of nature sure. Studies have shown that at the workplace, those with a view of the outside are more productive at the same task, when compared with those that do not have a view of nature. To understand why workers near a window tend to be more productive than others, it is important to understand the second aspect. Humans have certain behavioural traits ingrained in them from their ancestors. For the caveman, the vantage point was a cave at an

elevated point, which allowed safety as well as an unhindered view of the surroundings. This allowed man to keep track of any impending dangers, from the safety of the cave. Similarly, when Indian kings built forts, many of these were strategically built at an elevated spot to keep an eye on enemy soldiers. Similarly a ‘machan’ in the jungle offers a view of dangerous animals and offers protection at the same time. Over thousands of years, situations, which of-

It is interesting to note how modern day behavior is shaped by ancestral inheritance. During the prehistoric era, the man in the house used to hunt whereas the woman used to tend after the household. Inside a cave, it was the man’s duty to keep an eye on the entrance to the cave, to keep his family safe from predators. Cut to modern day workplaces, and one can observe that in a boardroom, men in general prefer a view of the door, whereas women are more open to sitting with their back to the door. Similarly ma-

fia movies show the mafia lords sitting facing the door, and at home the man at the head of the dining table prefers a view of the door. In a hospital or in the modern day workplace, with a flurry of emails and meetings, stress comes free. The conscious mind is at work managing such stress. On the other hand, the subconscious mind, evolved over thousands of years, adapts to its surroundings automatically and determines the way thinking takes place. Think cruise control. Such adaption, picked up as a behavioral trait over generations, keeps the conscious mind free to handle more important worldly tasks. When the sub-conscious mind senses a feeling of safety, more cognitive resources are made available, and the ability to connect seemingly unrelated points, enhances creativity. Think of the last time you had a Eureka moment. Where were you at that moment? Chances are high that you were not staring at a computer screen. Access to nature opens up the mind, reduces stress and enhances creativity. I plan not to give up the spot from where I write and think anytime soon. Parthajeet Sarma, a Chevening scholar from Oxford Univ, is an innovation consultant who relies on data synthesis to understand human behavior, in the conceptualization of products, spaces and services. He can be reached on parthajeet.sarma@idream.in n

Trotter

G PLUS | DEC 09 - dec 15, 2017

Man steals Ferrari, arrested after he was seen begging for petrol money

thief learned the hard way that when he stole an expensive car, he should have also stolen enough money to fill it up. Israel Perez Rangel was appre-

hended in Santa Ana, USA after he was found begging for petrol money to fill up a Ferrari he was driving. He also didn’t appear to know how to put petrol into the car.

Police approached the man after figuring out something wasn’t right when they saw him asking for money to put petrol in a Ferrari 458 Spider. As it turned out, the $300,000 (almost Rs. 2 crore) Ferrari had been reported stolen from a service centre two weeks ago. Eadweard York, whose girlfriend owned the vehicle, said that they had dropped the car to get it serviced. But when he went to pick up the expensive car the next day, it was nowhere to be found. York’s girlfriend received a check from her insurance company and has bought a new car. (Source: mirror.co)

Turkish Airlines plane diverted, Wi-Fi hotspot named “Bomb on board” to blame

Turkish Airlines flight from Nairobi to Istanbul was diverted after the detection of a WiFi network called “Bomb on board” that alarmed the passengers, the airline said. In a statement, Turkish Airlines said the flight made an emergency landing at the Khartoum airport in Sudan, but the flight was safely resumed after security inspections on all passengers and the aircraft. “Experts said the Wi-Fi network in question was created on board. No irregularities were seen after security procedures were carried out, and passengers were brought back on the plane once boarding restarted,” Turkish Airlines said. Individuals can create per-

sonal Wi-Fi networks on devices such as mobile phones and name them what they want. The airline said all 100 passengers were brought back on board the

flight, but did not say whether authorities had identified the passenger who had created the Wi-Fi network. (Source: dailymail.co)

Man on bus to Delhi arrested for stinky socks

ndian police arrested a man whose stinky socks caused a showdown on a bus as his fellow passengers protested the pungent odour, an officer said. The man removed his shoes and socks on a bus going from

the Himalayan state of Himachal Pradesh to New Delhi and put them near the aisle, police said. Other passengers protested and asked the man to put away the offending socks or throw them out.

The man refused sparking a heated confrontation that forced the bus driver to stop at a police station in Una District of Himachal Pradesh. Una Police Chief, Sanjeev Gandhi, told that the bus stopped several times because of the smelly chaos before they came to the police station. “He was arrested on charges of causing public nuisance and later released on bail,” Gandhi said. Gandhi said the accused had threatened other passengers and caused a disturbance at the police station. The man in turn filed a complaint against his fellow passengers and the bus crew for harassment and insisted his socks did not smell, the officer said. He left the area in another bus a day later, police said. (Source: newindianexpress)

Amazon delivery worker drops off package, then poops on customer’s yard

hen Nemy Bautista, resident of California, USA, returned home, he found something unpleasant on his driveway. It appeared to be dog poop. To identify the dog’s owner, Nemy went through surveillance footage but was shocked to see that a dog wasn’t responsible for the mess outside his house. It was a human. A woman delivering a package for Amazon got out of the truck, relieved herself behind the passenger door and left the faeces on his driveway, the horrified homeowner told. Nemy Bautista got on Facebook and lodged his complaint about the stinky “package” left behind. He also shared a photo for Amazon to see. “Amazon.com Why is your driver squatting in-front of my house? Let me give you a hint ... he/she is not tying their shoes. I have it on video!” he wrote in the post. The delivery woman worked for a third-party

contractor of Amazon, CBS Sacramento reported. Hours later the worker’s supervisor arrived “unprepared” to clean up the dump site. “He was in shock when he saw the size of ‘it’. He ended up scooping it up with a plastic bag, but didn’t want to take it with him (it smelled really bad). Guess the garbage can will smell like s**t for the next few days. I also had to hose down the gutter/sidewalk area after he left,” a disgusted Bautista told. He also got a call from an Amazon customer care executive who apologised for the unpleasant package left behind and even compensated him with a gift card. In a statement, the e-retail giant said, “This does not reflect the high standards we have for delivery service providers. This individual is no longer delivering Amazon packages and we’re in direct communication with the customer.” (Source: ndtv)

Denied hotel room, man blasts receptionist with fire extinguisher

hotel receptionist from China was left covered in a cloud of foam after a man sprayed her with a fire extinguisher. He was furious for being denied a hotel room. The man was reportedly livid after an argument with the front desk executive. The man had called the hotel to book a room but was turned down after he refused to reveal his name. Angry, he abused her over the phone causing her to hang up on him.

Incensed, the man then drove all the way to the hotel and attacked her. Footage of the incident caught on surveillance camera showed the man shouting at the woman and then attacking her with the fire extinguisher. A security guard tried to pacify the man as the woman cowered behind her desk covered in white froth. She covered her eyes while making a call. The incident took place in Xi’an city in China’s Shaanxi province. (Source: theworldvibe)

Reviews

G PLUS | DEC 09 - dec 15, 2017

Cast: Kenneth Branagh, Penélope Cruz, Johnny Depp, Josh Gad, etc Director: Kenneth Branagh

vie Mo view Re Murder On The Orient Express

oaded with mysterious intentions, cheeky humour, clever repartee and an ensemble cast that comprises some of cinema's biggest names, Murder on the Orient Express makes for an intriguing watch. Classics in any genre of fiction inevitably find readers across generations. And so, the temptation to interpret them with a new perspective is high. 'Murder on the Orient Express' serves as a tribute to revered British crime

novelist Agatha Christie and it's also actor-director Kenneth Branagh's interpretation of the novel. One of the key aspects that work for the film is the director's own take on Poirot's character. He doesn't resemble Poirot's typical description. Instead, this Poirot is outgoing, effortlessly funny and comfortable with people around him. These aspects make the film pacy and present the character with a touch of contemporariness. The

film also successfully recreates the '30s in captivating visuals, adding to a sense of nostalgia. However, this dangerous train ride has its own delays if not derailment. While Kenneth Branagh manages to infuse the necessary underlying tension, awkwardness and silence between his characters, he and his dramatic moustache and accent struggle to make this retelling of 1930s whodunit, appeal to the contemporary audience. n

Cast: Pulkit Samrat, Varun Sharma, Manjot Singh, Ali Fazal, Richa Chadha, etc Director: Mrighdeep Singh Lamba

unny, Chuchcha, Zafar, Laali and Bholi Punjaban are back. They are as nutty as they were the first time we met them in 2013’s sleeper hit Fukrey. Back then, however, the refreshing naturalness with which Mrighdeep Singh Lamba portrayed them and the director’s own evident understanding of middle-class Delhi were good enough reasons to forgive that thoroughly enjoyable

film its slightness. In retrospect though, Fukrey feels profound in comparison with Fukrey Returns. The novelty has worn off by now, and Lamba is so busy sitting on his laurels that he does not bother to come up with a semblance of a credible plot for the sequel. Since his sense of humour remains intact, what we get is a hollow film that feels like a series of hilarious jokes strung together. The story re-

volves around the premonitions encased in Chuchcha’s dreams. Add a powerful politician (Rajiv Gupta) to that mix, a zoo, a tiger and a tiger cub, and the result is a motley assortment of ingredients that do not at any point come together as a smooth blend. Fukrey Returns tries too hard to go the thriller way. It’s much more ‘heroic’ than what the audience expected Chu Cha and his group to n be.

Game Review

Lachit the Warrior

comes alive again - this time in the cyber world

s the state celebrated the 395th birth anniversary of Lachit Borphukan on Friday, November 24, the Ahom commander-in-chief known for his role in the Battle of Saraighat got a mobile game app of his own. Jiten Das, traffic in-charge of Gorchuk Police Station, Guwahati, along with three of his friends developed a game named ‘Lachit – the Warrior’ that launched on the occasion of Lachit Divas observed in the state on November 24 every

year. Lachit - The Warrior brings the fighting genre to the whole new technological level. Colourful animation, realistic physics and effects create a picture of Assam's history like you've never seen before.

Game Features – Smooth animation and lively physics. Spectacular graphics Lots of movement

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The app is totally free and available on Google play store and the makers are currently working on its second version, expected to be launched in 2018. The game has received over 5000 downloads and has an average rating of 4.8. "Lachit the Warrior is an app with a character named Lachit. Users can be part of the Saraighat battle between the Mughal and Lachit's armies. It's the first version of the app and we shall soon launch another one with other historical wars of the era," Jiten said. The Battle of Saraighat was fought in 1671 between the Mughals and the Ahoms along the Brahmaputra. The Ahom general defeated the invaders with his tactical skills. Das said, "Three months ago, when I was posted at Panbazar police station, one evening I was at Machkhowa where the 35-foot statue of Lachit Borphukan is located. I noticed a small boy with his father, pointing to-

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wards the statue and asking its name. The idea of the app came to my mind. Our aim is to popularise Lachit Borphukan among the youth." Jiten has done the animation

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for the app, the designing by Hirak Deka and Biki Das and programming and developing by Pankajanada Deka. The app was launched after the team worked n on it for three months.

Entertainment

G PLUS | DEC 09 - dec 15, 2017

Assamese filmmaker Rima Das’ film to open SIFFCY

ssamese filmmaker Rima Das’ award-winning “Village Rockstars” will open the Smile International Film Festival for Children and Youth (SIFFCY) this year. Over 100 films from over 30 countries will be presented at the third edition of the movie gala, which will run through December 11-17. The fest will showcase feature, non-feature, shorts and documentaries, and films made by children during

its run. Other films in the line-up include, “The Day My Father Became a Bush”, “Cloud Boy”, “Junod”, “Nafas”, “Glasses”, among many others. Twenty-five short films made by children from across the globe will be screened in the “Take One” section. Talking about this year’s gala, Festival Director, Jitendra Mishra said, “This edition is going to treat the audience with recent hand-picked quality films, with assortment of various top-

ics starting from gender equality, environment, family values, friendship, aspirations, dream, self-confidence and importance of education from across the globe. This year SIFFCY will have a special focus on Dutch cinema, for which the top-10 Dutch movies have been curated. These films will be presented by Gert Herman from the European Children’s Film Association at the festival. Santanu Mishra, executive trustee of Smile Foundation and chairman, SIFFCY said, “SIFFCY plays an important role to sensitize children and youth through the medium of infotainment and create a lasting impact in their minds.” “We strongly believe that films represent much more than entertainment; this is the most powerful medium to depict the reality and emulate values,” He further added. The week-long movie gala will be held at Siri Fort Auditorium, New Delhi. n

New Assamese film ‘Tur Mur Phokotiya Love Story’

Jitu - Tapan: Rongote Naase Pokhili

n honour of Jitu-Tapan, the famed music director duo, ‘Rongote Nase Pokhili’ programme was organised under the aegis of socio-cultural organisation, Jyotirupa, at the District Library, Guwahati on Thursday, December 7. Speaking on the occasion, Jitu-Tapan narrated numerous stories from the past. The duo’s foray into the musical world was mainly because of Jitu Sarma’s father Darpanath Sarma, himself an acclaimed musician. Giving music to several popular Assamese films, the musical duo did not limit their talents to the musical podium of Assam, and gave their music to Hindi, Gujarati and Bhojpuri films and a number of TV serials, telefilms, documentaries, videos and numerous other projects. It was nostalgia when the memories of Manab Aru Danab were revived as the film’s music directors Jitu-Tapan, lead

actor Nipon Goswami and actor Dinesh Das portraying the role of a villain in the movie got together at the event. It was the first film released with Jitu-Tapan as music directors. ‘Ei Shaharar Mastana’, a popular song from the film, written by Nurul Hoque was presented by the singer Dwipen Barua. The musical evening that started with the presentation of ‘Asomire Sotalote’ by Aman Ahmed continued with other heart-warming renditions like ‘O Madhumita’ by Rupanjali Barua, ‘Muloi Tumar Baru Morom Kiman’ by Padmanabh Bordoloi and Abhishritu Bezbarua and ‘Jodi Kahaniba Surbor Shesh Hoi’ by Cultural Affairs Director, Deba Prasad Misra among others. Earlier, Jyotirupa’s General Secretary, Naren Hazarika, delivered the welcome speech and one of the Vice Presidents of the organisation, Dilip Barua, read out the citations given to both the artistes. Music director duo, Jitu Sarma and Tapan Bhattacharya, have given music to nearly 37 Hindi films. Their memorable Assamese films include Manab Aru Danab, Adalat, Megh, Tyag, Deuta Diya Biday among others. n

After IFFI, Rainbow Fields to screen at US Fest

Kalyan Kumar Kalita

new Assamese fulllength feature film has been made for the audience of the new generation. The film’s shooting has been recently completed and it is presently on undergoing editing. The film, directed by Indrajit Kakati and produced under the banner of Drasta Entertainments, is named ‘Tur Mur Phokotiya Love Story’. The film’s story-screenplay and dialogues have been penned by the director himself; assistant producers are Nimi Kashyap, Barbie Kashyap and Aryan Kalita. The film’s story revolves around four love stories from different castes and religions. Antara is a highly educated girl who meets a local goonda named Anuj; Pritam works at a call-centre and falls in love with the sister of a police inspector; junior Prince falls in love with a senior student Ragini of the same college; and Muslim boy Imran falls in love with a Hindu girl named Ganga. The love stories face a lot of problems and the film revolves around how they overcome these problems. The film’s main theme is that every love story has a happy beginning, but dreams are hard to chase.

The key roles in the film have been essayed by Nimi Kashyap, Barbie Kashyap, Dolly Mihirayan Bordoloi, Jharna, Madhusmita, Kongkona, Minu, Juri, Sabita, Dipti Barua, Jeni, Nilanjana, Nirvinistha, Rose Haque, Bibek Deka, Tapan Pathak, Kulendra Raychoudhury, Ramacharan Haloi, Amarendra Deka, Utpal Nandi, Jiten Das, Hira, Taijur, Pranab, Saddam, Himangshu, Suprabhat, Pankaj, Simanta, Rahul, Jiyarul, Harsha, Manash Gogoi, Aryan Kalita and Indrajit Kakati. The music of the film has been scored by Rideep Das. The

film has three songs of different flavors which have been penned by Jhankar Gogoi, Indrajit Kakati and Manash Mayank, and rendered by Satya Sundar Sandil, Rideep Das, Vivek Seal, Ranjana, Tulika Gitam and Mumpy Dutta. The film’s cinematography has been done by Abhijit Das, and it has been edited by SK Biswa. The film has recently released its official poster, teaser and music. The film is expected to hit the theatre on 1st June next year. The producer of the film has added that Assamese movie lovers will find all kinds of entertainment in ‘Tur Mur Phokotiya Love Story’. n

ssamese Filmmaker Bidyut Kotoky’s ‘Xhoixoboite Dhemalite’ (Rainbow Fields) has been officially selected for the maiden edition of Catoosa Country Film Festival in the US. While Rainbow Fields has been selected in the semi final, Bidyut’s documentary, ‘Guns and Guitar’ has been selected in the final of the festival. The film - starring Victor Banerjee, Dipannita Sharma, Nakul Vaid, Naved Aslam, Nipon Goswami and Nikumoni Barua amongst others - revolves around children growing up in violent places witnessing brutality around them. ‘Xhoixobote Dhemalite’ is about children growing up in violent places of Assam in the 1980s, witnessing brutality around them and how it affects them deeply, leaving an indelible mark on their growth. It has an emotional depth that cuts across geographical barriers. The film’s story idea was with Kotoky for quite a while. But the birth of his daughter propelled him to put it down in the film. “I am under no illusions that my films will change the world – but at least it will allow me look at the eyes of my daughter unflinchingly,” said the director. He further added, “Art has a

healing quality to humanise us and to give us the optimism to trigger change, however bleak the odds appear.” Earlier, the film was appreciated at the screening at International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa. It also won the best foreign film award in the Hollywood International Cinefest. Rainbow Fields is the second feature film of the national award winning filmmaker Bidyut Kotoky, after ‘As the River Flows’ or ‘Ekhon Nedekha Nadir Xhipare’. n

Fun

G PLUS | DEC 09 - dec 15, 2017

Horoscope of the week Someone may have made a promise, but it’s possible they might have to break it. If so, try not to take it personally, because it can be linked with interactive Mercury’s retrograde phase. The best way to handle this might be to go with the flow. You could be very busy in terms of your efforts to stay fit and well. Energizing Mars moves into your wellness sector on December 9, which can encourage you to work out or walk and enjoy doing so.

With lively Mercury aligning with prudent Saturn, the coming days could be a little trying, especially with Mercury presently retrograde. If you have any deals or contracts in the pipeline, it might be just as well to hold fire for now and wait to see how it all pans out. When it comes to leisure time, dynamic Mars enters Scorpio on December 9, and this could inspire you to organize fun events and get involved in holiday and creative projects.

You’ll be in the mood to enjoy yourself, and with a delightful blend of energies showing up, it will be worthwhile to make the most of any available opportunities. As inquisitive Mercury continues retrograde, a romantic bond could seem promising but might not be smooth sailing for a while yet. But there is lots of fun to be had at home. As feisty Mars enters this zone on Saturday, you might feel ready to remove clutter and get your place shipshape.

This week’s blend of energies encourages you to get your house in order, both literally and figuratively. Get busy with important DIY projects and handle any family disputes carefully. Entertaining could be a lot of fun, despite one or two obstacles to contend with. Once energizing Mars enters your sector of communication on December 9, you may be ready to focus on a project that brings a lot of satisfaction. In addition, learning and study can also gain in importance.

Warm, tender feelings are enlivened this week, encouraging you to reach out to friends or family members you haven’t seen or heard from in a while. A very lively focus brings opportunities to convene with neighbors or support charities or other organizations in your neighborhood. Even though lively Mercury hints that you could encounter a few delays, an optimistic outlook can make all the difference. Go easy with your cash, though, as stirring Mars in your money zone can encourage you to shop.

Finances get a boost this week, but not before you might have to scramble to tackle one or two problems. Delays to money coming in or going out might be a cause of frustration, but it’s nothing you can’t resolve. As Mars hikes into your sign on Saturday, you’ll be motivated to get moving on key ideas, which could include earning extra cash. More than this, though, you could feel energized and eager to move ahead with a personal project that moves you deeply.

The week gets off to a pleasant start as friends and associates are likely to be in touch. Enjoy the company of a special partner or love interest, as the opportunities for romance are yours for the taking. Since chatty Mercury continues retrograde, try not have too many expectations. It’s best to go with the flow if you can. With dynamic Mars entering a more private sector of your chart, you could find that your dreams are more vivid and perhaps worth noting.

The focus on your spiritual sector could encourage you to take a short break to relax and recharge. If you can spare an hour or two to enjoy a massage or beauty treatment, you could find this very soothing and healing. It’s time for a pampering session and a chance to nurture yourself with a little tender, loving care. Stirring Mars heads into your social sector on Saturday, enhancing your involvement in all kinds of fun events. Get ready to party!

Friends are in touch and want to have fun. Romantic opportunities continue to flourish, although it’s best to go with the flow for now rather make any firm commitments. The more willing you are to network and interact, the more options you’ll have to take life to new and exciting levels. When Mars zips into your sector of career and goals on Saturday, you’ll be in the mood to get organized. You could even become a tad competitive about impressing those in authority.

Travel and educational pursuits could hold a lot of appeal, particularly as you may be itching to expand your horizons. It’s a good time to let your curiosity lead you on to new and exciting adventures. You might have a few doubts to contend with, too, causing you to hold back. This is likely due to inquisitive Mercury’s retrograde phase. The words of a wise friend might be helpful here, inspiring you to have a go anyway.

Which hill station is nicknamed the Switzerland of the East?

Francis Ford Coppola’s classic movie ‘Apocalypse Now’ is based on which early 20th century novella?

What is the Portuguese word for fish?

Which Delhi landmark took 6 years to build and was inaugurated on 18th January, 1927 by the then Viceroy of India, Lord Irwin?

Identify this famous singeractress from the early years of Bollywood who migrated to Pakistan following the Partition? Dr. Soubhadra Chakrabarty This quiz has been brought to you by Brain Jam, a property of Priya Communications

Garfield by Jim Davis

curio-city

8 57

6 9 2

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1 5 2 6 6 76 1 7 1 2 5 4 4

7 1 2 8 29 6 1 4 4 9 1 8 7 8 6 3 7 5 64 Daily Sudoku: 6 Thu 7-Dec-2017 3 8 9

Daily Sudoku: Thu 30-Nov-2017

last week solution 8 1 6 5 3 7 6 92 79 24 8 8 7 6 9 3 4 5 3 2 9 2 4 75 83 1 9 5 6 9 34 28 5 4 8 6 2 7 1 5 6 4 9 7 1 4 8 59 31 43 6 2 7 5 8 3 2 1 9 7 8 1 23 64 79 1 4 Daily 1 Sudoku: 6 Thu 2 7-Dec-2017 5 7

7 14 51 82

9 55 17 74

2 83 48 66

4 31 26 93

76 31 27 3 82 95 29 68 51 45 96 14

19 48 77 62

68 23 79 55 9 4 3 very8hard

Daily Sudoku: Thu 30-Nov-2017

medium

http://www.dailysudoku.com/

1. Jinder Mahal, the WWE wrestler. 2. Halflong in Assam 3. Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad. 4. Pomfret 5. Parliament House or Sansad Bhawan. 6. Noorjehan

By what name is Yuvraj Singh Dhesi better known in the world of sports?

6 2 9

http://www.dailysudoku.com/

curio-city 1

Sudoku

Issues associated with shared finances and business matters could capture your attention over this week. However, don’t rush to make any big decisions or sign anything important. With interactive Mercury presently in its retrograde phase, it might be wise to hold back for now, because things could change over coming weeks. On another note, relationships come into focus as energetic Mars enters Scorpio, starting things up and offering a chance to clear the air. Negotiations can be fruitful if entered carefully.

If you’ve made any decisions recently, it wouldn’t be surprising if you had second thoughts now. With interactive Mercury presently retrograde and linking with sobering Saturn, other factors could come into play that encourage you to think again. This might not be a bad thing if it allows you to explore new options, because these might work out better over the long term. On another note, your focus could shift to business and financial affairs, as well as making key changes in your life.

Word of the week Xanadu noun [zan-uh-doo, -dyoo] A place of great beauty, luxury, and contentment.

Crossword Across

Down

1 Seat mounted on curved supports (7,5) 9 Member of the Native American people, once occupying the Missouri valley (5) 10 Interjection of surprise (3,4) 11 Make stitches? (4) 12 Recommendation to consult a professional (8) 14 Over there (6) 15 Agreement (6) 18 Simple way to secure two rope ends (4,4) 20 Swiss hotelier, creator of a chain of elegant hotels, d. 1918 (4) 22 Feed (7) 23 Yet — hushed (5) 24 Drunk (4,4,4)

2 Formal speech (7) 3 Maintenance (4) 4 Lump of precious metal (6) 5 Lenience (8) 6 Loathe (5) 7 Showy display (6-6) 8 Large spanner with one adjustable jaw (6,6) 13 Men’s formal accessories (8) 16 Hole in the head, perhaps? (7) 17 Sixth book of the Old Testament (6) 19 Peer (5) 21 Nordic capital (4)

Last week’s solution

Lifestyle

G PLUS | DEC 09 - dec 15, 2017

Freedom and Discipline – the Razor’s Edge

reedom and discipline are opposites but complimentary. Freedom without discipline is absolute misery and discipline without freedom is suffocating. They go hand in hand. Discipline protects freedom. Freedom without discipline is like a country without defense. Fences should exist but a fence cannot be built everywhere on your property. If

your fence is everywhere, how can you build a house? On the spiritual path, knowledge is your freedom and also your defense. Fear of losing freedom also brings defense and the purpose of defense is to eliminate fear. Love and fear are two possibilities that put you on the track. A child gets all of the mother’s time and love–the child has

no fear. At a certain age, nature induces fear in the child. As the child grows to be independent, it becomes cautious. With freedom, the child starts walking carefully. We must make discipline free and freedom disciplined. Orderliness is monotonous and chaos is stressful. People who are free regret that they do not have discipline. They keep promising that they will become disciplined. People who are disciplined look for the end of it. However, discipline is not an end in itself, it is a means. Those who are surrounded by people all the time, look for the comforts of solitude. Those who are in solitude feel lonely and want to be with people. Those who are in a cold place want to be in a warm place and vice-versa. This is the dilemma of life: everyone is looking for perfect balance. Perfect balance is like the razor’s edge. It can be found only in the Self.

shri shri ravi shankar

Founder- Art of Living Foundation.

Some basic rules of Vaastu for Apartments

aastu and apartments, the most basic rule is that the main door of the house should not face south. But in some south facing houses it is unavoidable. In such cases, the main door must be kept at central south or towards east, i.e. the southeast. A mirror should be placed over the main door to reflect the negative energy. A statue of white Ganesha can also be placed outside over the door. Whenever there is a door at south, a compensating door or window must be provided at north too. Similarly, if a verandah or balcony is at south, there must be another verandah or balcony at north. The same rule applies to west also, i.e. if there is a verandah or balcony at west, a balcony or verandah must be provided at east. The verandah or balcony at south and west must NOT project out but should be internal. It is auspicious to keep the verandah at east and north at a lower level than the main floor. Never keep the verandah at southwest at a lower level than the main floor of the house. Windows and doors should be

located in such a way that natural sunlight comes inside the house. Feng Shui recommends a crystal ball be hung in the window so that it disperses sunlight into the house. The staircase can be located anywhere but the northeast. The number of steps should be odd i.e. 11, 23, 25 etc. It should not end in a zero like 10 or 20. There should not be any toilet, kitchen or bathroom under the stairs. It should not be converted into a store room either but certain light items can be kept in a neat way. To increase positive energy in the house, keep fresh flowers in a vase and change them regularly. Dried flowers and leaves are forbidden as they symbolise death.

Religious symbols and energisers over the main door bring positive energy. It can be a swastika , OM sign or 786 (for Muslims). Vaastu Dosh (defect) Nivaran Yantra should be installed at north on a Wednesday or Thursday which nullifies most of the Vaastu defects. Guest rooms should be located at northeast or northwest only. Toilets are best at west or south. In no way, they should be at northeast. The toilet seat should face north or south only. The wash basins and showers should be provided at northeast, east or north only. Elderly people should use light yellow coloured bed sheets and curtains in their room. Students should go for light green. Writers, artistes and intellectuals should use light blue more. Married couples should use light pink bed sheets in their room. Hemanta Kumar Sarmah Engineer, Businessman, Advanced Pranic Healer and Su Jok Acupressure specialist.

Miss Carlyle It seems Miss Carlyle’s time has come, She cannot get up from her chair Or even look towards the sun, She sits quietly, Do you know what she is thinking? Her hair is brown still, Maybe into herself she is sinking. ‘I remember the times I climbed the slopes Of snowy mountains where streams eloped. There I met Old John who followed me home. Is he still in the kitchen looking for scones? And what about Aunt Eliza who I found in a village looking for her shoe, She wore my heels and sneakers too, Is she still around to try the travelling boots? I think I like little William most, He doesn’t make a mess like the other ghosts, He’s quiet and shy, like I found him first alone Sitting in this rocking chair.’ thought she, gazing at the floor. ‘Alas! I’ll soon be still and cold, I wouldn’t want to haunt lives, if I may be so bold, I’d like to walk among the grassy knolls, Maybe lie down and hear some words untold.’ It is strange indeed how life plays its game, Then leaves it to death the soul it tames Some fear the word, some go insane. Miss Carlyle though, had a more twisted fate. With a sudden jerk she lifts her head, She hears new sounds audible to the dead, A warm air surrounds her as she leaves the shell, And walks into the halls of silent spells. She climbs the stairs of her manor grey The souls in sight look at her in a mournful way ‘Was this always such a haunted place?’ She wonders as she stops at her bedroom, pale. A certain presence had stopped her feet. She walks inside, and there she kneels, No time for prayer, this she could feel, Under the bed, she saw, the creature was real. Her thoughts of travelling this world beyond Life and death, seem all but lost Looking at the ghost she long forgot She realizes it was here waiting all along. Now she understands why William, Eliza and John Never entered the room, even if she was gone. There were whispers of it all along, It wasn’t the wind singing in the manor’s hall. She sees the ghost that haunted her dreams, Peeked from the closet, scratched her bed till it made her scream. It lies quietly, Do you know what it’s thinking? Its eyes smile still, Maybe into revenge it is sinking. Sanjali Dixit BA Part 3

Buzz

G PLUS | DEC 09 - dec 15, 2017

River Brahmaputra Art Festival organised

Artists take part in the River Brahmaputra Art Festival 2017, in Guwahati on Saturday

three-day River Brahmaputra Art Festival was organized in the state for the first time. The

festival took place on December 2-4 and witnessed participation from over ten countries. The participants showcased their paint-

ing skills and cultural heritage on the bank of the Red River. SMD organization, the organisers of the festival, said that the purpose of organizing such an event was to exhibit northeast’s rich culture while mixing it with other countries. Participants from Turkey, Cyprus, Iraq, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Lebanon, Qatar and many other places took part in the River Brahmaputra Festival. On the highlights of the festival, Mintu Deka, Founder of SMD Organization said, “We are focussing on the culture of Sri Lanka and its artistes performed on all three days. We are planning to organise the festival on a much bigger scale next year so that people from all parts of Assam are made aware of it.” n

Guwahati lad selected for India’s ICC U-19 World Cup Squad

uwahati’s Riyan Parag has been selected for the ICC U-19 Cricket World Cup which will be held in New Zealand from January 13 to February 3 next year. Riyan will be a part of the preparatory camp that will be held in Bangalore from December 8 to 22 to prepare the youngsters for the marquee tournament. Assam Cricket Association secretary, Pradip Buragohain, and all the members of the cricket body congratulated Riyan for his inclusion in the squad for the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup.

Riyan proved his calibre when he scored three fifties in

four innings during the tour of England in July. Under tough batting conditions at Worcester and Chesterfield, Riyan scored 8, 52, 68 and 50. The U-19 squad comprises Prithvi Shaw (captain), Shubman Gill (vice-captain), Manjot Kalra, Himanshu Rana, Abhishek Sharma, Riyan Parag, Aryan Juyal (wicket-keeper), Harvik Desai (wicket-keeper), Shivam Mavi, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Ishan Porel, Arshdeep Singh, Anukul Roy, Shiva Singh, Pankaj Yadav. The stand-by players are Om Bhosle, Rahul Chahar, Ninad Rathva, Urvil Pan tel and Aditya Thakare.

Children’s event on inclusive education organised

hishu Sarothi, the lead advocacy partner of the Regional Action on Inclusive Education (RAISE), North-East, celebrated a children’s event on inclusive education at the Dighalipukhuri Park, Guwahati on December 5, Tuesday. RAISE NE is a programme that runs with 15 NGO partners across five states of North East India to complement the inclusive education component of the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan. The daylong event, organised to include children with disabilities in education included panel discussion, slogan competition, cultural programme by children, letter writing, live advocacy, besides a host of other activities underlined with the theme ‘Include Us, Include All’.

The event saw participation of children from SSA schools and other regular schools besides officials of the education fraternity, representatives from civil

society organisations and other stakeholders. The partner organisations of the event were Prerona, Mrinaljyoti, Montfort, Sacred Heart and Alfanso School. n

Assam players shine in Wushu meet

ssam girls emerged as the overall champion in the U-17 category of the 63 rd National School Games Wushu Championship for U-17 and U-19 Girls which concluded on December 5 at the Bhogeswari Phukanani Indoor Stadium, Guwahati. The four-day championship was organised by the Directorate of Sports and Youth Welfare. Delhi walked away with the second best team title in the U-17 category. In the U-19 group, Manipur became overall champions while Punjab got the silver medal.

In the closing function, Sanjib Gohain Baruah, Secretary Sports Department was the chief guest. Director of Sports Pabitra Ram Khound along with officials Jatindra Nath Borchetia and Muztaba Piar, among others, were also present on the occasion. Earlier, the championship was inaugurated by Joint Director of Sports, Partha Pegu on December 2. Altogether 13 states took part in the meet. While 90 players participated in the U-17 group, in the U-19 category, 89 players were in action. n

Kolkata Team wins Brain Jam 2017

he 12th edition of the mega quizzing event, Indian Oil Servo Brain Jam National Quiz 2017, was held at the Gauhati Medical College Auditorium on Sunday, December 3. The mega quizzing programme was conducted by quiz legend Barry O’ Brien. The theme of the quiz this year was “Apne Desh Ko Jano.” Brain Jam 2017 commemorated the legacy of Professor Dilip Kumar Barua, the late quiz doyen of Assam. Altogether 141 teams from the northeast participated in the prelims held in Guwahati, out of which six teams qualified for the finals. The two champions from the region – D-Generation X and Gauhati University – were awarded cash prizes of Rs 20,000 and Rs 10,000 respec-

tively along with gift hampers. Both the teams qualified for the grand finale and locked horns with the national teams that arrived from Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Bangalore. Out of the six teams that went through to the national finale, Team Kolkata emerged champions, followed by Mumbai. The winners were awarded a to-andfro air ticket to any Indian city of their choice and a stay there for three days and two nights. Minister of State for Power, Pallab Lochan Das, attended the function as the chief guest. General Manager, Indian Oil, PK Kakati was present as the guest of honour. Among the participants were World Quiz Champion Vikram Joshi and Ace Quizzer Arul Mani. n

Events

G PLUS | DEC 09 - dec 15, 2017

9th Dec to 15th Dec

Event Evolution 4.0 Ft. Skazi Date December 3, Saturday Venue Residency Resort Skazi, the Israeli psychedelic trance DJ, recently came to India for a three-city tour. On the night of the last leg of his India tour, he performed at Guwahati. The DJ enthralled the crowd full of psy-trance lovers!

December 9, Saturday SANAM Live Nehru Stadium 4PM onwards Event Luxury Night Party with DJ Brahmin Date December 3, Saturday Venue Dunkin Oza

December 9, Saturday Zubeen Garg Live Shilpgram Ground 7PM onwards

December 9, Saturday We are connected Preparty Terra Mayaa 7PM onwards

Colt Silvers

Event – French Rock Bands (Colt Silvers and Last Train) Date – December 2, Saturday Venue – Cafe Hendrix

Last Train French rock bands Colt Silvers and Last Train performed at Café Hendrix, Guwahati during their Bonjour India Tour. The bands delivered an electric mix of rock, pop and electro.

December 9, Saturday Zero Decibel: Silent party Underdoggs 8PM onwards

December 10, Sunday 10th International Guwahati Film Festival District Library, Guwahati 10AM onwards

Event - Gold’s Gym Ganeshguri Football League 2017

December 10, Sunday

Date - December 2, Saturday, Venue - Judges Field

Time out Pre-Party | DJ

Goan Food Festival at Hotel Gateway Grandeur Hotel Gateway Grandeur has launched a Goan Food Festival from 8th Dec, Friday, as a curtain raiser to usher in the New Year. The 10-day long festival will bring up front mesmerizing aromas of authentic Goan dishes. Patrons can pamper their taste buds with a array of authentic and vibrant Goan dishes from the elaborate menu. Goan cuisine consists of regional foods particularly in Goa, an Indian state located along India’s west coast on the shore of the Arabian Sea. Rice, seafood, coconut, vegetables, meat, pork and local spices are some of the main ingredients in Goan cuisine. Goan food today is a fusion of many cuisines and in many ways it brought the colonizer and the colonized closer.

Gaurav Mehta Topaz 8PM onwards

December 15-16 Hammerfest ‘Battle of Bands’ O2, Panjabari

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