GPlus Vol 4 issue 22 by G Plus

5 from Guwahati fall victim to burglary in ATDC Tourist Complex PG 04

In Conversation with Jayanta Malla Baruah, Chairman, ATDC

New Chick on the Block Nizum Boro PG 12

PG 24

VOLUME 04 | ISSUE 22 MAR 25 - MAR 31, 2017 PRICE `10

people set NGO, Miss Indiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 3tolakh throng stance on child Namami abuse irks city Brahmaputra police

Rahul Chanda

Singer Papon (2nd L) and CM Sonowal (5th L) at the theme song launch | G Plus

T Commissioner of Police Hiren Nath (L) and Miss India Priyadarshini Chatterjee (R)

urrent holder of the Miss India title, Priyadarshini Chatterjee, recently raised an issue related to sexual crimes against a child by writing to the state Chief Minister, Governor and the Chief Justice demanding immediate arrest of Dr. Dhrubajyoti Kalita (a veterinary professor accused in a sexual abuse case of a child), suspension of his bail and an action against the Dispur Police on the grounds that it will set a progressive precedent on cases of child sexual abuse in Assam. On 1st February, reacting to an anonymous call, Childline Guwahati and Dispur Police res-

cued a 13-year-old girl child from the residence of Dr. Dhrubajyoti Kalita (House No. 3, Bye-Lane 3, Juripar, Panjabari, Guwahati, Assam). Later, on 21st February, a case of sexual assault was filed in Dispur police station by the NGO, UTSAH, against Kalita and on 22nd March, Miss India, Priyadarshini Chaterjee, had to raise her voice as Kalita continued to be out on bail and the minor victim went on with her life in a shelter home bereft of justice. What exactly happened and why is there an allegation against the police for inaction? Did the police work efficiently in the case? Why

did an NGO take up the case and not the Child Welfare Commission (CWC) given the mandate that any child on being rescued is first produced before the CWC? G Plus delves into the matter.

The allegation UTSAH, the NGO, said that there was statutory deviation by the police with regard to accepted behavioural norms while recording the statement of the girl. The NGO said that on 21st February, Dispur Police had taken the child victimâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s statement u/s 161 CrPc in the afternoon. According to the NGO, the Assistant Commission-

Continued on page 2

he state government is busy organising its maiden river festival Namami Brahmaputra scheduled from 31st March to 4th April in 21 districts of Assam. Guwahati being the main venue people are eager to know what exactly the festival is all about. Who will be the revered guests at the festival? What is the budget of the event? Will the public have to purchase tickets to visit the festival? What are the events scheduled during the festival? G Plus visited the venue in Guwahati set on Brahmaputra River bank next to Sukleshwar temple and talked to the officials organising the event to get the details of the festival.

Purpose and meaning of Namami Brahmaputra The nodal officer of the festival in Guwahati, IPS officer AP Tiwari, talking to G Plus,

said that 4th April is Ashok Asthami. Namami is a Sanskrit word which means pranam remembering and showing respect to something. So Namami Brahmaputra is a festival to pay tribute to the Brahmaputra River. He said that the festival is to apprise everyone about this rich and strong geographical feature of the state and inform the masses about the positivity of the river. During the launch of the theme song the transport minister Chandra Mohan Patowari had said that the Namami Brahmaputra festival has been planned in a way so that people across the world will understand that Assam has such a powerful river which has multidimensional uses. He said that the state government has talked to the central government about dredging the river from Sadiya to Dhubri and to further con-

Continued on page 5

G PLUS MAR 25 - MAR 31, 2017

Lead Story

NGO, Miss India’s stance on child abuse irks city police

Continued from page 1

Police slams NGO, Miss India for reaching out to the supreme authority of the state without knowing the facts and without even consulting the commissioner of police about the process and status of investigation

Miss India Priyadarshini Chatterjee at an UTSAH programme | G Plus Photo

er of Police of Dispur led a team at 10 PM to the children’s home to take another statement from the child victim. The NGO said that this procedure was unnecessary as it defied the principle of “best interest of the child.” According to the General Principles of the Model Guidelines, 2013 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012 (issued by Ministry of Women and Child Development, Government of India), every child has the right to have his/her best interests given primary consideration. Section 2(9) of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act 2015 defines “best interest of child” as the basis for any decision taken regarding the child, to ensure the fulfilment of its basic rights and needs, identity, social well-being and physical, emotional and intellectual development. Young children generally sleep early, especially in Child Care Institutions (CCI). Therefore, the basis for wanting to take the statement of a child at 10 PM was unwarranted. The NGO stated that additional help was sought from the all-women police station in Pan Bazar. It had come to the notice of the NGO that the interview methods applied by the officer from the all-women police station, while recording the second statement, were seemingly unfriendly, almost hostile. For

example, while interviewing the child victim at the CCI, the Investigating Officer (IO), Nebha Keot, repeatedly asked the child victim questions like, “Are you telling the truth? If you are not telling the truth, the situation might turn against you.” The NGO said that this interviewing process violated vital guidelines of the Act. The NGO, talking to G Plus, said that the police was just serving notices to the accused and did not immediately arrest him which allowed the accused enough time to approach the court and secure an anticipatory bail. Recently, the NGO was informed that the accused had taken anticipatory bail and thereafter the NGO discussed the matter with Priyadarshini Chatterjee, who talking to G Plus said, “I am associated with UTSAH since quite some time and I thought that my title would help in raising such issues. Therefore, I asked the chief minister and other authorities to look into the matter.” She further said that she will follow the case and see what action the government takes as the chief minister had assured her of speedy action and if required she will keep visiting Guwahati to pursue the matter. In her letter to the chief minister she had written, “Sir, cases of child sexual abuse in Assam is on a rising trend. According to National

Crime Records Bureau, Statistics Procuration of minor girls have gone up from 303 in 2014 to 1303 in 2015 and cases under Protection of Children from Sexual Offences(POCSO) Act have gone up from 311 in 2014 to 731 in 2015. These are just the cases that have been reported. Owing to the taboo attached to sexual abuse most girl children fail to report. Sir, without your direct intervention this culture is not going to change. Despite several requests, the entire police system has failed to arrest Dr. Dhrubajyoti Kalita. Non-arrest of perpetrators of Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) sets a poor precedent and encourages crimes against children in the state. Also, the trend of easy bails, BY COURTS, to perpetrators of child sexual abuse can turn the society into a haven of abusers.”

The police G Plus talked to the police officials to know their response. Lady police in-charge of the case, Nebha Keot, talking to G Plus, said that the police went searching for Kalita after the case was filed but he was absconding and now as he has taken anticipatory bail; it is the court which has given the bail and not the police. State DGP Mukesh Sahay, talking to G Plus, said that he had already spoken to the commissioner of police who is personally supervising the case

and the bail was granted by the court. G Plus also talked to Commissioner of Police, Hiren Nath who said, “It is an outrageous action on the part of the social activist and the Miss India to go on social media and talk against the police without knowing the facts.” He said that the activist never approached him or even called him but now the NGO and the Miss India are reaching out to the state’s supreme authority alleging that the police did not act. He said that the day the complaint was registered there was no lady police officer at Dispur police station and therefore the commissioner allotted a lady police officer from the all-women police station so that the victim would not face any problems in recording her statements. He also said that no one checked how many times the commissioner had called up the Dispur police and the lady police officer to follow the case sincerely and investigate the matter speedily. He said that Kalita was absconding and later he took anticipatory bail. He questioned that if the activist was so concerned, he should have at least gone to the commissioner who attends his office even on non-working days. Meanwhile, Miguel Das Queah, the head of UTSAH (the NGO which registered the case) said that Kalita was in his college the very day after the FIR was lodged but the police did not arrest him. Meanwhile, the CWC before whom the child was produced after being rescued by the Childline, also did not register any case against the accused and it was the shelter home which informed the NGO about the matter after which the NGO registered a case 20 days after the child was rescued. The NGO said that on 1st February the child was rescued, on the 2nd she was produced before CWC and was sent to the shelter home. On 15th February, the shelter home sent a mail to UTSAH and because its office was in retreat UTSAH saw the mail only on 20th February and registered the case on 22nd February. Under POCSO, people failing to report any such case can also be punished. Given this, will there be any action against CWC or the

District Child Protection Officer (DCPO) who did not report the matter to the police? Also there are past cases where people easily secure bail after being booked under POCSO. Hence, the NGO has questioned the judiciary process in which the accused easily get bail from the court. yy

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rahul.chanda@g-plus.in

G PLUS MAR 25 - MAR 31, 2017

Crime

How did police arrest Subodh Biswas?

ssam Police recently arrested the “most wanted” mastermind of the Silapathar violence, Subodh Biswas, from West Bengal and brought him to Guwahati. The special team of Assam Police lead by ADGP (Law and order) Mukesh Agrawal arrested him along with a close aide who was identified as Subhash Biswas in the wee hours of 21st March from the 24 Parganas District. He was arrested from an area about three-four kms away from the India-Bangladesh border and Assam police sought a transit remand to bring him to the state. He is now being interrogated in 4 APBN. It may be recalled that Subodh Biswas was the mastermind behind inciting violence at Silapathar that led to damages in the AASU office there. G Plus details in on the process of arrest.

The hunt Police sources said that all the neighbouring states were informed and a reward of Rs 1 lakh was announced for infor-

Rahul Chanda

mation on Subodh Biswas. A special police team was formed and people were sent to neighbouring states. As the police were tracking all the people contacted by Subodh through his cell phone, it came to light that he was hiding somewhere in West Bengal. APS officer Mrinal Deka and Guwahati Crime Branch SI Debojit Das were already in Kolkata contacting the senior officials of Bengal Police to help them locate Subodh. On 16th March, with the help of technical and ground intelligence, the duo received information that Subodh was hiding in Ishapore area of Nadia District in West Bengal. They immediately informed ADGP Mukesh Agrawal who went to West Bengal with a team. The special police team members were Mukesh Agrawal, Mrinal deka, Debojit Das, Karimganj Additional SP Jagdish Das, ACP Noonmati Purabi Majumdar, CID Inspector Bipin Medhi and the IO of the Silapathar case. In the meantime, Subodh had changed his location requiring

the police team again to track him again.

The arrest According to the source, on 20th March, the police received information that Subodh was hiding in Biyara Village under Bagda police station in West Bengal which was located in 24 Parganas District. ADGP Mukesh Agrawal requested West Bengal police for an additional team and also asked for the suspected house to be placed under scanner. The Assam police team reached Bagda police station at 2 am. The house was located 15 kilometers away in Biyara Village. Conducting the operation, the police zeroed in on the house of one Krishna Biswas and arrested Subodh and his close aide Shubhash Biswas. The source said that Krishna is a very prominent person of the village and was initially unwilling to help the police; eventually he crumbled under the police pressure. Subodh and Subhash were hiding in the 1st floor of the two-storey

building located just few kilometres away from Indo-Bangla border. The source also said that the area was Hindu Bengali dominated and Subodh knew the area very well. Also he was a prominent leader there and it was important for the police to leave the area with Subodh immediately. The source said that Subodh even tried to flee but could not. Mukesh Agrawal, talking to G Plus said, “This is a great achievement for Assam Police and was possible for ground and technical intelligence.” He said that the West Bengal police was very cooperative and it was a united operation. He said that it was one of the toughest inter-state operations where even a small mistake could have led to failure. Meanwhile AASU has asked state police to book Subodh under the National Security Act (NSA) for instigating communal tension in the region even as massive protests continued across the state demanding action against him.

G PLUS MAR 25 - MAR 31, 2017

Crime

5 from Guwahati fall victim to burglary inside ATDC Tourist Complex

Kalyan Deb have been inside the room from the time when the extra bed was put in place. “It must have been from the time when we asked for the extra bed and someone must have been hiding in the room all this while. Such an incident raises a major concern towards the security of the tourists. The thief must have been surely equipped with some kind of weapon and had anyone of us woken up, anything could have happened. There were three of us – all males - and we perhaps could have defended ourselves but what if a family had encountered the thief ? There were possibilities that worse things could have happened,” Bora added.

a person uses the phones we will be able to trace the location,” said Santosh Sahu, officer in charge Chariduar police station. He also added that given the timings when the incident took place it is unlikely for an outsider to come to the place and execute such a crime and there were no traces of an outsider entering the complex. Either it is someone from the staff or someone was already in the room. We have been interrogating the staff members and our sources have been engaged,” Sahu added.

The Suspicion File photo of the Bhalukpong Tourist Complex

e see the internet flooded with articles and stories on travels that extol the excitement of grabbing your backpack and hitting the road. There can certainly be no better hobby than travelling but in doing the same a tourist is dependent on several aspects that are not quite within his or her control. And among the lot, safety tops the list. Whether the final destination or the place of overnight halt is safe enough is something that a visitor is usually unaware of as the daily affairs of the particular area remain unknown. This is a major concern because when a person locates a place for an overnight halt they stake their safety into the hands of their hosts or the hotel. Now, a single incident where the security of a tourist is threatened can put a question mark on the authorities, the local administration, the government, and everyone else who has been in the proximity of the incident. Such an incident transpired last weekend raising concern about the safety of 5 tourists who, with the hope of having a relaxed weekend, visited the charming place called Bhalukpong but ended up being victims to a classic case of night burglary.

The incident The small town of Bhalukpong is the entry point of Arunachal Pradesh and is a mesmerizing place for wildlife enthusiasts as

it is close to the Pakhui Wildlife Sanctuary, the pristine Kameng River among other attractions, that makes it a perfect destination. It is also an ideal transit point for Tawang bound travellers. The town is a major attraction for tourists and with the mammoth tourism campaign of Assam Tourism Bhalukpong is quite likely to get a boost when the tourism heat turns on fully. However, a recent incident now puts Assam Tourism authorities in an accountable position when five people from Guwahati, hoping for a lazy weekend away from the bustle of the city life, visited the town only to end up being burglarized right inside the resort they were staying in. It was on 18th March when five residents of Guwahati viz. Rajeeb Bora, Rajiv Dutta, Bimal Bharali, Anupam Choudhury and Bhaskar Hazarika decided to spend the weekend amidst the natural splendour of Bhalukpong. After reaching the town the five decided to spend the night at Bhalukpong Tourist Complex, which is a property of ATDC (Assam Tourism Development Corporation) being run on lease by a private party. They had booked two cottages and asked for an extra bed in one of them. The five, after having a late dinner disbanded for the night and retired to their respective cottages. Bharali and Hazarika occupied one cottage while Dutta, Bora and Chowdhury went to sleep in the other. Little did they foresee the shock that awaited them the next morning.

“The cottages are designed in such a way that there is a living room, and next to it is a bedroom with an attached bathroom. Since there were three of us, we had asked for an extra bed in one of the cottages. We were not in the room when the extra bed was placed and we asked them to close the door after they leave,” Rajeeb Bora said while elaborating the incident to G Plus. “It was at around 1 am when the three of us went to the room with the extra bed and continued our chat in the room. By the time we slept it was around 2:30 am. At around 6 am, Rajiv Dutta woke up to go to the washroom and on coming out, he looked for his two mobile phones. He searched for a while but could not find them. But he did not think anything would be amiss and so went back to sleep. Then I woke up at around 7 am to go to the washroom and looked for my mobile phone which I had put for charging but instead saw just the charger hanging from the power socket,” Bora said. After searching for a while he woke up Dutta and Choudhury and together, they looked for their belongings only to discover that the mobile phones of Dutta and Bora and Bora’s wallet and luggage were missing. It soon came to their notice that the front door was unlatched. The whole episode instantly brought in a sense of unease and insecurity among them. They suspected that the burglar must

Meanwhile, it was also informed by the five that the needle of suspicion points directly towards the staff members of the tourist complex. The tourist complex has two night security guards and the doors to all the cottages open onto a lawn which makes it next to impossible for an intruder to escape. The victims of the theft also expressed dissatisfaction at the response of the management. “The response of the management was very poor and the manager himself took around 45minutes to arrive. It could be learnt that although the property belongs to ATDC, it had been leased out to a third party who is responsible for the management. It could be identified from their attitude that the management was least bothered about the incident,” said Rajiv Dutta who lost his new iPhone in the incident. There were apparently no such reports from any of the lodges earlier and this was the first time that such an incident had taken place. This opinion was also echoed by the Chariduar police. “There was this one time when an incident had taken place within the vicinity of Chariduar. However, that was from a picnic spot where hundreds of picnickers were present. This is the first time that a theft has been reported from a lodge in the area and I am personally looking into the matter. The place receives tourists from all parts of the world and such an incident puts their safety at stake. We have placed the requisition of tracing the mobile phones and the moment

kalyan.deb@g-plus.in

G PLUS MAR 25 - MAR 31, 2017

3 lakh people set to throng Namami Brahmaputra

Buzz

Continued from page 1

With a budget of Rs 11 crores the state plans to make Assam the industrial hub of southeast Asia with the help of the river festival; MoU with centre to be inked for dredging the Brahmaputra from Sadiya to Dhubri and to connect it with Chittagong Port during the festival song which included only the cost of the production as the celebrities who featured in the song did it for free.

The controversy

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Preparations in progress on the bank of Brahmaputra River for the Namami Brahmaputra festival | G Plus Photo

this happens Assam will become one of the trade hubs in Asia and people will be compelled to come to Assam for business. The nodal officer for the entire festival across the state, IAS officer Ashutosh Agnihotri, said that during the festival an MOU will be signed between sate government and Inland Water Ways Authority of India for dredging the Brahmaputra. So basically, the purpose of the festival is to promote Brahmaputra and Assam across the world so that new opportunities are opened up for the development of Brahmaputra River as also trade and commerce in the state.

The budget yy

nect it to Chittagong Port in Bangladesh after which the waterway will be cleared and water transportation will be used leading to a lot of savings. He said that after

Talking about the budget of the festival Agnihotri said that it is a five-day festival and the approximate budget for the festival is Rs 11 crores out of which the state government has given Rs 7 crores and rest of the funds are being generated through sponsorships etc. He said that the event budget is Rs 5.9 crores and the publicity and branding budget is Rs 5.4 crores. Agnihotri said that branding has been done in the entire country through various advertisements, road shows, branding at many airports across the country, advertisements in national magazines and newspapers, TV promos on many national TV channels etc. A source said that there were transparent tendering processes for the events and also for the publicity; Encompass was selected as the events organizing agency and Square Communications was appointed

for publicity. AP Tiwari said that the exact budget will be known only after the event is completed but it will not exceed Rs 13 crores. Agnihotri added that the district administrations of 21 districts are also organising events and they have been partially backed by the transport department financially to organise the festival. Regarding the budget of the theme song, Agnihotri clarified on the same saying that Rs 20 lakhs was given to Papon for composing the theme

As the theme song was launched on 21st March by the chief minister of Assam in the presence of the composer Papon, social media had many opinions on the song with some people liking it and others opining that the song was not able to project Assam in totality. The tribal sangha of Assam sought a ban on the song saying that it had hurt the sentiments of the indigenous people as the song did not project the tribal culture of Assam. Some people also said that while the budget of the song was huge the corresponding production was of poor quality. The transport minister immediately circulated a press statement saying that the controversy on the song is uncalled for since the theme song has been widely appreciated across the country. He said that there are imaginary figures being circulated about the cost of the song. The expenditure on it is limited to logistics and production

cost only. He said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;We cannot demean an honest effort made with honest intentions just by spreading incorrect facts.â&#x20AC;? He urged the people to dissuade from controversies and criticism and appealed for their active cooperation to make the festival a grand success. There were also people saying that the publicity campaign was given to an agency who made pathetic advertisements for Awesome Assam campaign. Whatever the controversy, people are eagerly looking forward to the festival and only its success will prove the governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sincerity in organising the event against it being just another money-making scheme for the authorities. Meanwhile, the police has pulled up its socks for the security of the people during the festival. Sources said that the police has chalked out a fool-proof security plan for the festival. The district administration has meanwhile ordered removal of all the disfigured hoardings from the city as these will project an ugly look to the city in front of the visitors. rahul.chanda@g-plus.in

G PLUS MAR 25 - MAR 31, 2017

Governance

District admin to take strict action against errant private school buses

Juthika Baruah

22 new bus stoppages will be constructed on NH 37 on the Khanapara-Jalukbari-Khanamukh route; private schools furnished with notification to allot parking space to park school buses

A city school bus on the streets of Guwahati | G Plus Photo

he Kamrup (M) district administration will inspect the school buses of the private schools to check whether the schools have followed the rules and regulations that they have been instructed with earlier for the safety of the children. Chairman of RTA, Dr. M. Angamuthu said in terms of safety norms RTA will follow the Supreme Court directions as students’ lives are involved and within 30 days the transport department will inspect all the school buses. In this context onus is on the principals of the concerned schools. Speaking to G Plus, Secretary of Regional Transport Authority, Bapan Kalita said, “The school buses of private schools should be parked within the school campus for which space should be allotted within the campus itself. No buses should be parked by the roadside and it should pick up the students from the parking lot itself and not from the roads. And the parents who come to pick and drop their children should be allotted specific areas so that no traffic congestion can occur on the roads.” In terms of city buses also, RTA has taken various steps and certain routes have also been changed. Kalita said that most of

the buses ply on GS Road and RGB Road but meet at a common point. Therefore, some routes have been changed and notification has been issued to the bus owners’ association that the buses that will ply from Khanapara will be routed via Hatigaon to Paltan Bazaar. Another route will be from Khanapara via Lakhra-Paltanbazaar-Bharalumukh to Jalukbari. Another will be from Gorchuk-Fatasil Ambari-Bharalumukh to Jalukbari and a fourth from Boragaon via Maligaon-Adabari to Jalukbari. Sixmile to Narengi will be another route. Kalita also said if the drivers of any commercial vehicles are involved in any accident then either his driving license or the permit will be cancelled subject to the provisions of the MV Act and Rules. “The RTA has also taken a decision that no diesel auto-rickshaws will ply on the city roads. For the convenience of the public, 22 bus stoppages will be constructed on both the sides of the NH-37 from on the Khanapara-Jalukbari-Khanamukh route,” said Kalita. The city buses create chaos on the roads and due to rash driving many accidents occur for which regulation of city buses are important. And although the trans-

port authority and the traffic department have set various routes for the city buses to ply on, the city buses don’t adhere to these

allotments. Replying to a query, general secretary of Guwahati Metro Transport Association, Bipul Ch. Kalita said, “The routes are prepared without the consent of the city bus association or the owners and on some routes buses do not run as they don’t get enough passengers. As we run private city buses we cannot run the buses on losses. There are many expenses like instalments, fuel, etc. and we also have to run our families through this income. But we have to bear losses if we do not get passengers. The routes where trekkers ply, commuters don’t want to catch a bus but prefer the trekkers as it consumes less time. We cannot fight with them as they also have to earn their livelihood.” He also said that the route should be furnished after discussion with the owners and on such routes, ASTC buses should be given as those are government run buses. As the ASTC buses are government owned they don’t have to bother about the income and the buses can ply with minimum passengers. They even get subsidies but the private buses do not get such offers and if the income is not sufficient the owners have to bear the loss. The route should be given after it is surveyed for economic viability. The Mother Teresa Road and Bhetapara Road are full of trekkers and so the city buses do not get passengers. Almost 300 school buses have been seized by the transport department as the life of the buses has expired. Parking place for these school buses have to be provided by the school authority and a time of 60 days has been allowed to the school authorities to identify the pickup and dropping place for students for the parents who come to pick and drop their children by their own vehicle. In a meeting held with Deputy Commissioner, matters have also been discussed with regard to the plying of e-rickshaws. It was decided that e-rickshaws will be allowed to ply as last mile connectivity. It was also decided that all e-rickshaws must be registered within 30th May.

Assembling of foreign made e-rickshaws is also to be inspected by transport department as per the instructions of the Deputy Commissioner. In this context, the DTO (Enforcement) also asked to convene a meeting with e-rickshaw association dealers in the next week. The DC also ordered the DTO to take initiative for route plan and permit regulation process for e-rickshaw. The rapid growth of e-rickshaws in several parts of the city has raised concern among the commuters and it has added another threat dimension to the life of the commuters as the increasing number of e-rickshaws ply on various busy roads and also in bye-lanes without any registration or approval of the government authority. There are around 2000 e-rickshaws plying on the roads of Guwahati and there are 15 dealers of such vehicles. Therefore the dealers have been asked not to sell any new vehicles until and unless the registration of the existing vehicles is complete. If anyone is found violating the norms their license will be cancelled. The battery-operated e-rickshaws, which run at a fair speed between 25 and 40 kilometres per hour, are neither registered, nor do their drivers need to obtain any kind of licence, making it even more risky for those who board them. At present, more than 100 e-rickshaws are plying in Guwahati, especially in Narengi, Rupnagar, Hengrabari, Satgaon, Maligaon and Bhetapara areas. The Chairman of RTA ordered GMC officials to display the bus number, route number with the city bus stops in the city. He also discussed about regulation of city bus and ordered the DCP Traffic to take strict action against the city buses that violate rules in the city. He also informed in the meeting that the State Transport Authority has decided not to give more permits to share taxis and city buses from 1st April. juthika.baruah@g-plus.in

G PLUS MAR 25 - MAR 31, 2017

Ward Watch

Natural water sources come to the rescue of metropolitan Guwahatians

Kalyan Deb

A section of metropolitan Guwahati actually survives on natural water sourced from streams and brooks flowing down the Nilachal Hill where the Kamakhya Temple is located

City residents collecting and using water from natural sources at Maligaon | G Plus Photo

nd March every year is all about taking action to tackle the impending water crisis. The day is observed to bring focus and attention on the importance of freshwater and advocating for the sustainable management of freshwater resources. It is an international observance and an opportunity in learning more about water related issues, being inspired to tell others and taking action to make a difference. However, the question is, how much do we learn? Today around 1.8 billion people use sources of drinking water with faecal contamination putting themselves at risk of contracting cholera, dysentery, typhoid and polio. The sustainable development goals, launched by United Nations in 2015, include a target to ensure everyone has access to safe water by 2030 making water a key issue in the fight to eradicate extreme poverty. After years of independence and with a massive population flowing into Guwahati the problem

of sufficient resources of drinking water still remains a problem. The haphazard growth of the city has resulted in a chaotic situation giving rise to circumstances not favourable to its residents in more ways than one. Amongst these, drinking water is the most crucial problem confronting the residents. Although, several measures are being taken in order to mitigate the problem and offering a concrete solution to provide round the clock drinking water, the dream still remains far from turning into reality.

The prime source

a massive township has developed on the hillock with the resident population only increasing every year. Apart from local residents, there are several tenants, business owners and transport services that add on to the buzz of the hill’s population. Water being a basic requirement, the residents of the hill are dependent on the water supplied by Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC). Being a temple of mythological significance, Kamakhya requires a huge quantum of water not only for drinking purposes but also for performing rituals. The GMC addressed the problem of the requirement and adequate water was supplied every alternate day till 2008. Today, the temple’s alternate source of water is through a motor that pulls water up to a height of 650 to 700 feet raising severe concern; any kind of interruption or outage would cut off water supply to the area.

Lighter and faster

There are some corners of the city where nature has mercifully addressed the problem and provided an alternate solution. The Nilachal Hill which is around 800 feet above sea level, apart from housing the mythical Kamakhya Temple, which according to historians was built in 1665 by King Naranarayan of Cooch Behar, houses several residences. Over the years,

Scan the QR code

Get the G Plus app The natural alternative Mercifully, apart from the wa-

ter supplied by the municipal corporation there are a large number of small streams in the various nooks and corners of the hill. The scenario in Nilachal Hill differs from most of the high-lying areas of the city that suffer from drought-

local resident. Most of the tenants and the various business establishments are today dependent on these streams. With the increasing population of the area, many apart from the indigenous people reside in the

like situations every winter. According to reports, there has been a perceptible depletion in the ground water level during the last 10 to 12 years affecting 79% of households in the city. The problem is far more acute for those households which have either dug a well or bored a deep tube well for a source of potable water. However, the people in the Nilachal Hill have a natural alternative where they find themselves sustained by the numerous natural streams flowing through various chasms of the hillock. One can see people from the various lower walks of life either collecting water in a bucket, taking a bath or washing clothes and vehicles. The list of uses goes on. For many the streams are the only source of water for survival. “The problem of water supply was truly massive between the late 1980s and the late 1990s when there was no sustainable source of drinking water. Although we had water supply, we only got the utilities once in three to four days and most of the time relied on the several streams. However, the scenario is much better today as we have regular water supply from the numerous streams running down the hillock,” said Ananta Nath a

area and due to the limited amount of water provided by GMC, the tenants rely on the streams where this water is considered to be in its purest form. “We don’t need to filter the water before consuming as the downward flow of the stream from the top of the hill purifies the water. Before reaching the various outlets the water passes through greenery and rocks which is very similar to the vintage form of filtration where sand, rock and coal are used. Moreover, we have been directly consuming the water for several decades and have never fallen ill from it,” said Dilip Das, a resident of the area. Apart from those residing in the hillock, the streams – specially the one beside AT Road - are a major source of water for people of the surrounding areas. It also provides a pretty convenient car wash for the vehicles plying to and fro the Kamakhya Temple. No matter how unhygienic the water might actually be, there are many who have been surviving on the same without caring to complain or ask for better.

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kalyan.deb@g-plus.in

G PLUS MAR 25 - MAR 31, 2017

City

City dabbawalas come of age; homely food delivered at your doorstep

Juthika Baruah

Dabba ventures, inspired by the Mumbai dabbawalas, are on the rise in the city and the target consumers are from the corporate sector and hostels that get homemade food at affordable prices Sigma Performance Levels – One to Six Sigma Sigma Level

Defects Per Million Opportunities (DPMO)

690,000

308,537

66,807

6,210

233

3.4

Real-world Performance Levels Situation/Example

Dabbas collected at a city commercial establishment (L) and a service provider at work (R) | G Plus Photo

he city tiffin service which has started with clear inspiration from the Mumbai dabbawala service is slightly different from the Mumbai scenario where the dabbawala delivers the lunch from the clients’ own homes while the city service is delivered from the kitchens of service provider. The Mumbai dabbawalas follow the six sigma which has not yet come to the city. Here the dabbawala provides service to the office goers, students and working people from their own kitchen. The food is good as homemade. “We have started the tiffin service for the people who work in the private sector as they have to reach office early morning. If they bring lunch from the home in the morning the food does not remain hot making it tasteless to that extent and therefore we have thought of providing service to those people who want homemade food at affordable prices,” said Shankar Chetri, Founder of Food Box while speaking to G Plus. Chetri said that they started operations 11 months ago and the target customers are office goers, working women and students to whom they can provide healthy and homely food at locations convenient to them whether it is in office, home or educational institutions. They are catering to both

corporate offices and domestic households as well. “In the food industry it is easy to provide taste but it is difficult to provide health and hygiene. But our motto is to provide healthy, hygienic and homely food and therefore we take care of hygienic part very seriously and

practice Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for hygiene in our kitchen,” said Chetri. Food Box offers a meal from Rs. 70 onwards and the menu keeps on changing as per occasions and also on daily basis as they do not repeat the same food daily. Chetri said that currently they are delivering at GS Road (from Paltan Bazaar to Khanapara), Zoo Road, Narengi and Latasil, Ambari. “People from across the state come to Guwahati for jobs, business purposes and studies and as they stay away from their home they want homely food so that they do not feel that they are away from their homes and miss the home made food. And as we offer that kind of food by maintaining the quality people are very much interested to subscribe to our service; in fact the response has been overwhelming. We have 88% repeated customers, family members and corporate organizations,” said Chetri. Another dabba service, Make My Meals, also provides meals to the people at affordable prices. “Our clients are corporate officers and individuals and we deliver at GS Road, AT Road and Zoo Road and we provide only lunch. Presently we have more than 200 clients,” said Mahesh Mohan, Founder of Make My Meals. He said that as people don’t like to eat same kind of food daily they

In 1 Sigma In 3 Sigma In 6 Sigma World World World

Pieces of your meal lost 1,106 per year [1,600 opportunities per year]

107

Less than 1

Number of empty coffee 470 pots at work (who didn’t fill the coffee pot again?) [680 opportunities per year]

Less than 1

Number of telephone 4,839 disconnections [7,000 talk minutes]

467

0.02

Erroneous business or- 172,924 ders [250,000 opportunities per year]

16,694

0.9

have the facility of delivering the different cuisines of North India, South India, Assamese and Bengali. “Presently we have a small set up in our own house itself from where we prepare the food and give delivery but we will soon have a separate kitchen after which we will also start delivering it to house parties, office parties, hostels etc. We will also start an e-commerce platform where people will be able to order online. Our staff is from the hospitality industry and therefore we maintain hygiene and provide healthy and hygienic food,” Mahesh said. He said that as the city is full of working professionals, tiffin service has become one of the most important services as people are concerned about their health. “Now-a-days, people do not get organic vegetables and as the employees work in offices staying away from their homes they want quality food at low prices and do not prefer to go to restaurants for

having lunch because of the oily food that is generally served there. Therefore, the tiffin service provides homely food at affordable rates maintaining the feeling that they are eating food from home,” Mahesh said. Moreover, while the rules of six sigma have not reached the city dabbawalas, they are registered with the Food & Health department. Jyoti Khataniar of Lakhsmi Tiffin Service said that the six sigma is not followed here in the city and unlike the Mumbai dabbawalas who only deliver the home made food to the clients here in the city the dabbawalas serve food prepared in their own kitchens. When learning about Six Sigma, it may help to consider these charts, which detail how sigma level relates to defects per million opportunities (DPMO), and some real-world examples. juthika.baruah@g-plus.in

G PLUS MAR 25 - MAR 31, 2017

Health

HIV/AIDS patients to get their rights as RS passes bill

Juthika Baruah

Although Assam is said to be a low prevalence state for HIV/AIDS Kamrup (M) nevertheless witnesses the highest incidence with 38% victims No. of Clients tested for HIV and detected positive (as on 31st Oct, 2016) (national figures): Indicator

General Clients

Pregnant Women

Total

No. of Persons tested at 1090478 ICTC

1708918

2799396

Number of Persons detect- 11682 ed HIV Positive

1012

12694

Rate of positivity (per 10.71 thousand)

0.59

4.53

No. of clients under ART (Antiretroviral Therapy) services (as on 31st Oct, 2016) (national figures):

he HIV/AIDS patients have always been deprived off their rights but now that the Rajya Sabha has passed the HIV and AIDS (Prevention and Control) Bill, 2014, the patients will get the benefits from the government and nobody would be denied treatment for AIDS in the country. Health and Family Welfare Minister, JP Nadda, said in the Parliament that test and treatment policy with regard to AIDS has been adopted by the government and will ensure that nobody is denied treatment. The bill seeks to prevent and control the spread of HIV and AIDS and prohibits discrimination against persons affected with the disease. It was first introduced in the Rajya Sabha on 11th February, 2014, by the then Health & Family Welfare Minister, Ghulam Nabi Azad. “All types of pro-active measures have been taken. Special care is being taken to deal with the affected,” he said, adding that care is also being taken to ensure that the virus does not get transmitted through mother to child. The minister said that Rs 2,000 crores has been allotted to the National AIDS Control Programme (NACP) for the next financial year. “Blood banks across the country are also being upgraded to end spread of the virus through blood transfusion,” he said. Assam is categorized as a low HIV Prevalence state with an estimated adult HIV Prevalence of 0.06% which is lower than the National Prevalence of 0.26%. However, the adult HIV Prevalence in the state has increased from

0.04% in 2007 to 0.06% in 2015. It is estimated that Assam had 928 new HIV infections in 2015 (NACO Technical Report 2015). The report also states that Assam had an estimated 12,090 people living with HIV (PLHA) in 2015. Assam is also a highly vulnerable state for HIV transmission because of the following reasons: 1. It is the gate-way to the northeastern states. 2. It is surrounded by three high prevalence states - Manipur, Mizoram and Nagaland. 3. Large number of young population from the state is also going to large cities for employment and gets involved in high-risk behaviour. 4. Assam has a large private health sector which caters to all the northeastern states. 5. Large number of female migrants from other northeastern states, West Bengal, Nepal who have come to Assam for employment and education get involved in risk behavior favorable for HIV transmission. The HIV epidemic in the state is concentrated among the high risk group populations of female sex workers (FSW), men having sex with men (MSM) and injecting drug users (IDU). The HIV sentinel surveillance data of the 2010-11 and 2015 rounds show that HIV epidemic in the state is concentrated among high risk groups - IDU (1.46%), MSM (1.40%) and FSW (0.46%) while HIV prevalence among ANC clinic attendees, considered proxy for general population, is low at 0.18%. However, as there are no migrant or trucker

Indicators

Number

No. of clients registered on ART

9243

No. of clients ever started ART

6026

No. of clients alive and on ART

4352

No. of clients reported died

1519

HIV Sentinel site in Assam, there is no available data from HIV sentinel surveillance on the bridge population and its possible role in the spread of infection from the high risk groups (HRGs) to the general population. The cabinet has approved the National Health Policy 2017. It is a huge milestone in the history of health sector in the country. The health ministry has formulated the

nomic, technological and epidemiological landscape. The policy has also assigned specific quantitative targets aimed at reduction of diseases and achieve global target of 2020 which is also termed as target of 90:90:90, for HIV/AIDS i.e.,- 90% of all people living with HIV know their HIV status, 90% of all people diagnosed with HIV infection receive sustained antiretroviral therapy and 90% of all people re-

National Health Policy 2017, under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The last National Health Policy was framed in 2002. So, this policy has come after a gap of 15 years to address the current and emerging challenges necessitated by the changing socio-eco-

ceiving antiretroviral therapy will have viral suppression. Analysis of the National AIDS Control Programme (NACP) data among ICTC attendees and PPTCT attendees shows a stable trend of HIV Positivity (%) among the General Clients while a rising trend is

noted among the Pregnant Women. Kamrup (M) has reported to have the highest number of HIV positive cases with 38% as most of the people are migrants from other places and Guwahati being the hub of the northeast people pass through the city making it vulnerable to HIV proliferation although the state is said to have low prevalence. The analysis of the major causes of death by the socio-demographic characteristics shows that in the 18 - 34 years age group, Tuberculosis and AIDS related complications were the major causes of death whereas in the 35 years and above age group, multiple infections and wasting syndrome were significant contributors along with Tuberculosis. Among males, Tuberculosis (30%) and AIDS related complications (11%) were the leading causes of death whereas in females, Tuberculosis (23%) and wasting syndrome (16%) were the major contributors. Among regular alcoholics, Tuberculosis (35%) was the leading cause of death although for a significant proportion (46%) of deaths, the cause was unknown. Among past-alcoholics, Tuberculosis (26%) followed by multiple infections and wasting syndrome (18% each) were significant contributors of death. juthika.baruah@g-plus.in

G PLUS MAR 25 - MAR 31, 2017

In The News

Banking Ombudsman organises awareness camp for senior citizens

Kalyan Deb

“I am here to assure every senior citizen that what the bank gives you is your right. You need to be secure that you have every right to demand good service that the bank has to offer,” - Anindita Bhattacharya, Banking Ombudsman, Reserve Bank of India

Banking Ombudsman Anindita Bhattacharya (C) addressing the session | G Plus Photo

anking and senior citizens never go hand in hand and it is the elderly who usually fall victim to every possible inconvenience. There are problems of having to stand in queues, moving from one window to another, falling prey to fraudulences and phishing mails and not being used to technological upgrades. However, the Banking Ombudsman of Reserve Bank of India has taken an initiative of mitigating their grievances to some extent and make the elderly aware about preventive measures that can come in handy in keeping their money safe. In an interactive session in the presence of Anindita Bhattacharya, Banking Ombudsman, Reserve Bank of India, AK Chand, Deputy General Manager & Chief Financial Officer, State Bank of

India and KP Sahu, Deputy General Manager, UCO Bank in presence of members of pensioners’ association and several elderly people, the Banking Ombudsman threw light on issues that lead to inconveniences of the senior citizen. Addressing the senior citizen, Bhattacharya said that on many occasions the elderly people hesitate to file a complaint against any irregularities that cause them inconveniences. “Due to various reasons such as lack of awareness, the senior citizens are reluctant to complain against the irregularities in the banking services. Sometimes the elderly think that the bank might cause them trouble with their transactions. I am here to assure every senior citizen that what the bank gives you is

your right. You need to be secure that you have every right to demand good service that the bank has to offer,” Bhattacharya said. “The banks are selling you their products and please be sure before making any kind of trade. The banks are prohibited from selling products which are not suitable to the customer’s profile. A pensioner should not be sold anything which has more of equity because you do not need the fluctuation of the stock market,” Bhattacharya added. The Banking Ombudsman spoke on topics such as KYC (Know Your Customer), pension, Pension Payment Order (PPO) status, basic infrastructure of a bank. Talking about KYC forms, the Banking Ombudsman said that on several occasions there

are people sitting at the desk who themselves do not know about KYC. Information such as opening a bank account wherein, as per Reserve Bank of India rules, only one proof of address, one identity proof and one passport size photograph is enough to open an account. The proof of identity and address can also be provided with a single document. In case of difference in current and permanent address a self declaration is enough. The interactive session also witnessed active participation where it was suggested by one of the attendants that on several occasions the senior citizens are not aware of the use of debit or ATM cards and suggested organising a camp through which the elderly can learn about using ATMs, other e-banking methods, etc. On the same, Chand has assured that such a camp will be held in association with the pensioners’ association. Issues such as banking fraudulences were also discussed during the interactive session during which a recent phishing mail came to light. Sahu mentioned that a message is being circulated on Whatsapp which asks the reader to do a recharge of Rs. 10 through which one can continue the free calling and data provided by Reliance Jio. “The message asks for Rs. 10 recharge to extend the plan and on further processing through the message it asks for your password and once they get access to your account they can easily make any transaction as per their wish,” Sahu informed. There are several complaints made on internet banking. Peo-

ple fall prey to phishing activities either through mails or phone calls or messages where the account holders are asked for their account details. “Those making such calls somehow manage the contact details of the account holders through the transaction receipt that the people throw in the trash bin in the ATMs. So people should be very careful about such activities. No bank will ever ask you for your account details through a phone call. Anyone who receives such calls please disconnect the call and do not even waste your precious time entertaining such calls,” Bhattachaya said while addressing the senior citizen. The interaction also discussed about the problems that the pensioners have to suffer while submitting their life certificate. To provide their life certificate to the authorised pension disbursing agencies like the bank is one of the main requisites for the pensioners, following which their pension gets credited to their account. It was informed that a person can submit their life certificate at any branch anywhere in the country. Some of the senior citizens also insisted on putting up a system in place where the culture of making a pensioner or a senior citizen move from one window to another and introduce separate windows for senior citizens in branches that lack the same. The introduction of help desk and ramps for the physically disabled were discussed during the session. kalyan.deb@g-plus.in

Weather report for the week Guwahati

SUN

MON

TUE

WED

THU

FRI

Partly Cloudy

Sunny

Partly Cloudy

Storm

Rainy

Storm

30° / 20° C

33° / 21° C

32° / 22° C

31° / 22° C

27° / 21° C

25° / 20° C

SATURDAY

Storm

27° / 19° C

G PLUS MAR 25 - MAR 31, 2017

Snippets

ASHA convention at District Library

Roundtable Seminar on Inclusive SMART Cities G Plus News

seeks to create an opportunity and a knowledge base among relevant stakeholders through sharing and learning. The substance of the discussions at the Roundtable revolved largely around the urgent need to raise awareness and to gather insights, knowledge, tools, standards and perspectives through sustained engagement with persons with disabilities and the aging communities as well as accessibility experts at all levels so as to create a greater focus on accessibility in the SMART Cities Mission including digital inclusion. Participants included repre-

sentatives from various departments of the state government like IT, PWD, Social Welfare, Transport, GMDA, accessibility experts and professionals like architects, academia, civil society, disability sector leaders and corporate and media representatives. Among the panellists were international accessibility expert and Vice-President, Global Initiative for Inclusive Information and Communication Technologies (G3ict), James Thurston who heads the global campaign on ‘Accessible Smart Cities’ at G3ict; Shwetank Dixit, Head of Accessibility Innovations and Research, BarrierBreak; Rama Chari, Director, Diversity and Equal Opportunity Centre (DEOC); Sweta Patnaik, WASH Specialist, UNICEF, Assam; and Dorodi Sharma, Disability Rights Specialist, UN India. The inaugural session was presided over by Ravi Capoor, Addl. Chief Secretary, S.S.Meenakshi Sundaram, Director, Social Welfare and Manvendra Pratap Singh,Managing Director, Guwahati SMART City Development Agency Ltd.

turbidity in water. Speaking about the technology, Iftak said, “The detection technology is based on fluoride’s reaction with zirconium dye, which forms a colourless complex anion. As the fluoride concentration increases, it tends to bleach the dye to make it progressively lighter in colour. A specific wavelength from the LED flash is allowed to

interact with the reagent treated water sample. The optical signal transmitted from the sample is detected by the ambient light sensor and the LED flash of the smartphones. An android app has been developed to convert the ALS response into readable data. The interface of the app is simple and so easy to use that anyone can handle it.”

G Plus News

Convention of ASHA was organized by District Health Society, Kamrup Metropolitan District and held on 23rd March last. The convention was conducted at District Library, Guwahati, in the presence of Sri Siddhartha Bhattacharjee, MLA, Gauhati East, Dr. M. Angamuthu, Deputy Commissioner, Kamrup Metro, Smt. Barnali Sharma, District Development Commissioner, Kamrup Metro District, Dr. Ganesh Saikia, Joint director of Health Services, Sri Hemchandra Pathak, DIPRO, alongwith 482 Urban ASHAs and many health officials. The convention was basically organized to motivate the Urban USHA and to encourage them. Welcoming the ASHAs Dr. M. Angamuthu, Chairman, District Health Society, informed that the ASHA

workers are the major pillars of the health system. He further said that the district administration along with District Health Society is grateful for their unconditional support and their dedication for health services in the community. Siddhartha Bhattacharjee, MLA, praised the ASHA for their hard work and thanked them for their contribution towards betterment in health scenario in the urban zones. In the convention programme, Best ASHA Award was also given to 11 ASHAs, based on their field level performances, as acknowledge for their dedication towards health services in the community level. During the event the grievances of ASHA were also asked for and the Joint Director apprised that all their grievances will be reviewed for betterment.

o design and emphasize the need for a more inclusive and accessible approach to Smart Cities, a Roundtable was organised in Guwahati, on 24th March, 2017 by National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People (NCPEDP) and Shishu Sarothi in collaboration with Guwahati Development Department, Government of Assam supported by Mphasis to further, stress on the importance of integrating elements of Universal Design right at the design and development stages. The ‘Roundtable on Inclusive SMART Cities and Accessibility for Persons with Disabilities’,

6 from northeast to participate in Miss India finale You can now detect water contamination with G Plus News your phone G Plus News

ftak Hussain, a research scholar of Tezpur University, has invented a low cost and user friendly way to detect the level of fluoride contamination of water by using a smartphone. Iftak has also bagged the prestigious BIRAC-SRISTI Gandhian Young Technological Innovation (GYTI) Award 2017 for the technology which can also detect the level of

or the first time since the inception of Femina Miss India, the pageant created a platform where every state from the northeast has an assured spot for the grand finale to be held in June in Mumbai. This ensures that every north eastern state is represented in this prestigious and pioneering beauty pageant of the country that had given the world some of the amazingly beautiful and talented women. The 2017 gala finals will witness six of the region’s most gorgeous, talented and promising aspirants vying for the title, and crowned as Miss India, who will eventually represent the nation at an international platform. Winners names:1. Triveni Barman- ASSAM 2. Kaheli Chophy- NAGALAND 3. Soibam Kanchan- MANIPUR 4. Rinky Chakma- TRIPURA

5. Kiran LaishramMEGHALAYA The girls from each state were judged over three rounds, until three from each state were shortlisted for the finals. The pageant also, for the first time, opened itself to an audience poll, which added to the excitement of the event. The contestants of the east zone were mentored by Dipannita Sharma, who herself is a renowned model from Assam. The panel of judges included Natasha Grover, Director Femina Miss India; Designer Nandini Baruva; and Colin Jacob Rajan, Mr India 2016 Top 10 Finalist. The conceptualisation and execution of the event was headed by Chow Poran Gogoi and the event was wonderfully captured in frames by Deepak Das, Kakali Das, and Prabal Das.

G PLUS MAR 25 - MAR 31, 2017

In Conversation

“Assam is only famous for the onehorned rhino, we want to change that” - Jayanta Malla Baruah, Chairman, ATDC

Rahul Chanda

now? If their contract has expired then normal tendering process will be done.

There are many upcoming young creative people in Assam who have awesome ideas. But whenever the government floats a tender, there are qualifying criteria like 10-15 years of work experience, yearly turnover of around Rs 20 to 40 crores and many such things. Don’t you think this way it would always be the old players or the national agencies who would continue getting opportunities of work with the government and the young agencies or people will always lose out?

orn in Tihu, Nalbari District in 1971, Jayanta Malla Baruah studied in Tihu High School and completed his higher secondary from Patacharkuchi Vidyapeeth. He graduated from B. Borooah College, Guwahati and then studied in Gauhati University. During his college days he was the general secretary of B. Borooah College Students’ Union. He was introduced to state politics by the then chief minister Late Hiteswar Saikia and started his political career working with the Youth Congress. He served the Youth Congress in various capacities and in 2011 he got the ticket to contest for the MLA post from Nalbari constituency. He won the elections but after joining the BJP he did not get a ticket in 2016. Recently, he was appointed as the Chairman of Assam Tourism Development Corporation (ATDC). He talked exclusively to G Plus explaining how he will develop Assam tourism considering that the department is currently embroiled in various controversies.

of the party and I delivered my responsibilities accordingly. I did not feel bad.

How did you feel when you did not get the ticket in 2016 as you were the sitting MLA of Nalbari then?

After you became the chairman did you take stock of what went wrong? Like who made that advertisement which came in for severe criticism from all sections?

In political parties, leaders and the leadership decides what my role should be. When I joined BJP the national and state BJP leaders decided my role as a spokesman

As a young chairman how are you going to change ATDC as it is embroiled in controversies? In other states or other nations, Assam is only famous for the onehorned rhino. That is our image and we want to change that image. While we have the one-horn rhino we also have Surja Pahar. We have so many tourist destinations in the religious sector. We should be promoting tea tourism. We should pro-

mote adventure tourism. So that is our plan.

One group, that is Square Communication, was appointed through a proper tendering pro-

cess, to create advertisements and at some levels they were criticised. But all such advertisements are creative works. What in my opinion may be creative may not be the same in your opinion.

Did you like the advertisement personally? At the time when our tourism logo was launched, I saw it. In my opinion it is a good logo. It reflects Assam with the rhino, tea leafs and so it reflects Assam. When I came to know that it was stolen from somewhere I felt bad. But the logo

is otherwise good. Same thing with the advertisement. There was so much criticism, but from one angle “naturally wild” does not mean that we are wild; it is an invitation to the tourists to enjoy the natural wildlife. If you think on these lines, the advertisement is good. But if you think that Assam is wild then it is a negative thought.

So will the agency be changed

Actually the guideline was decided by our experts who have been in the organisation for the last 10 to 15 years; they formed the guidelines comparing other states and organisations. So, if we feel or the government feels that there should be some changes it will be done.

In tourism department you can feel and make changes right? I have just joined recently and am trying to understand the work process. I hope after one month I will be clearer about the whole scenario. By then I will take the necessary steps.

As you said that “naturally wild” can have many interpretations, and keeping the negative interpretations mostly in mind have you thought about some new campaigns and slogans? For creative works there is a committee chaired by the managing director. We are thinking of reforming the committee. We want to involve some journalists and other people who are related to Assam and know the pulse of Assamese people and their sentiments and take advice from them to do the future works.

As the government is planning to promote Assam and as a young chairman how are you planning to build Assam as a brand? If we want to attract tourists to Assam, there should be sufficient

infrastructure, sufficient communication and connectivity. In Assam, the connectivity near Guwahati is good. But if you want to go to say Umrangshu, you require 7 to 10 hours. This longish journey is a deterrent for the tourists. We are considering developing the connectivity. Our chief minister has talked to the aviation ministry for 5-6 helipads at various places where tourists can go to. If there is a helipad in Umransgshu people can easily go there from Guwahati by helicopter. Then that place can be developed truly for tourism. Our first plan is to develop the parks nearest to Guwahati – Deepor Beel, Chandubi etc. We have already developed Chandubi and put Swiss tents etc. there. We are planning to develop Deepor Beel as also Pobitora. If people can see the rhino within a one-and-a-half hour journey from Guwahati, then why not visit Pobitora? We have already started the work on ropeway from Kamakhya Station to Kamakhya Temple. We are planning a tour circuit. People can visit Kamakhya, Umananda and other temples in a circuit. People can stay here for one or two days which will help generate revenues. With such revenue generation there will be employment generation. So we are planning things that way. And firstly and importantly, we are planning to develop all the neighbouring areas of Guwahati.

As Priyanka Chopra is the brand ambassador what are the plans that will involve her? We have already made the agreement with her with an aim to attract foreign and international tourists. We feel that she can easily attract foreign tourists which our local actors cannot. Like Amitabh Bachchan promoting Gujarat, we are planning things on similar lines. She will be shooting here for some short films as also for photography stints. We want her to visit Kaziranga and hopefully opportunities will be there for some original shots with the rhino so that there is no controversy.

What is the status of the Kaziranga controversy after the BBC documentary? If someone is showing our state in a negative manner we have to ban that. The BBC projected that

G PLUS MAR 25 - MAR 31, 2017

In Conversation

in Kaziranga our forest guards kill innocent people to protect the rhino. This is factually incorrect. So our state and central government banned the channel. If there is a conflict between BBC and Assam the Hollywood or international stars take their stand with BBC. This is similar to there being a conflict between Nalbari District administration and Pratidin in which case I will stand by Pratidin. That is the reason.

Apart from tourism, many students of Assam leave the state to study or work. Are

you planning to do something to stop this brain drain and also attract students from outside to come to the state?

eration and providing them financial support to develop their homes to provide 3-star or 5-star facilities. ATDC is connected to so many tour operators through whom the houses will be booked. Before providing subsidy we are planning to train them. So through Amar Alohi there will be huge employment generation. We are plan-

ning to generate employment in many other ways so that

local people do not go out.

Last question: if in 2021 you do not get the MLA ticket what will be your stand? I trust that if I have the capability the party will give me the opportunity to serve the people. In 2021 if the party feels I should represent the public I will do that. If they think I should remain doing party work I will do that.

In the tourism sector, our main plan is self-employment of the young generation. We are starting a scheme called “Amar Alohi” which is home stay. We are giving subsidies to people in some areas. We have already identified 12 places like Kaziranga, Manas, Sivasagar, Barpeta, etc. In these areas we are selecting some entrepreneurs from the younger gen-

Citizens to get relief from artificial floods this monsoon

Juthika Baruah

GMDA has taken measures to make the city free from floods and has constructed RCC drains along both sides of the Bahini River to drain out the excess water into Deepor Beel

Water pump at Anil Nagar ready for operations | G Plus Photo

he state government has tried its best to make the city free from artificial floods with the Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) constructing a 3 Km RCC drain from Bahini River to divert the rain water to Deepor Beel. The city has been experiencing urban flooding since 1998-99 and since the last few years the situation has gone from bad to

worse. As of now the GMDA seems to have found a permanent solution to the problem under the supervision of the Additional Chief Secretary MGVK Bhanu. “It has always been alleged that the government has not taken any step to make the city free from artificial floods, especially in the areas of Anil Nagar and Nabin Nagar which are the most vulnerable to floods. The administration has al-

ways tried to drain out the excess rain water through pumping. The rain water coming from Meghalaya needs to be diverted and as Anil Nagar and Nabin Nagar are low lying areas it is not possible to make the area completely free from floods. However, the excess rain water can be drained out within a short period of time. For this, a permanent solution is necessary which the GMDA is work-

ing on presently and which will be completed before the onset of the monsoon of 2017,” said Chairman of GMDA, Dhiren Baruah, while speaking to G Plus. According to the Chairman, the situation of floods has become worse due to indiscriminate/unplanned development of the city, inadequate drainage network, absence of separate sewerage system and inadequate garbage management. As natural water exit channels – Bharalu, Mora Bharalu, Bahini and Basistha rivulets take the additional burden of storm water, the drainage system often collapses due to heavy siltation, illegal encroachment, garbage dumping, etc. GMDA has also written to GMC, APDCL, PWD, Water Resource Department and Public Health Engineering seeking NOC for the alignment of the proposed drain so that it can bring about a permanent solution of the urban water flood in the city. The Chairman informed that the water of Chandmari will be diverted to Silakhati at Brahmaputra by taking it through Chandrapur. The state government has sanctioned Rs. 2 crores for the construction of the RCC drain from Bahini River, the work of which

will be completed before the onset of the impending monsoon. The height of the guard walls in Anil Nagar has also been raised and the pumping capacity has been increased by 100 times to pump out more water. The Chairman said that the department has tried its best to provide relief to the people of those areas and this year it might not be completely free from floods but in next two years, the problem of artificial floods will be completely solved. He further said that the state government has done a tremendous job to control the flood in the city and he also thanked Bhanu for taking the initiative to solve the long pending problem. Other long term measures to be introduced in the city include a comprehensive drainage project in greater Guwahati, including pumping stations, silt pits, development of water bodies apart from gradient drainage network to tackle the storm water flooding of Guwahati city. A new sewerage system, comprehensive wetland development and comprehensive garbage management mechanism would also be introduced to deal with the water-logging problem of the city.

G PLUS MAR 25 - MAR 31, 2017

Art

Coming out of the closet...

Theatre review by Subhrajit Roy

Mona Ambegaonkar during her performance | G Plus Photo

hat happens when, in a shocking revelation, an Indian mother gets know that her son is gay? Primarily, a shadow of shock overlaps the mind followed by the question of acceptance. The protagonist, Vai-

jayanti, a middle aged, divorced, Mumbaikar mother of three sons encounters such a situation when an anonymous caller informs her in a threatening voice that her gay son is responsible for being the reason of his son’s suicide.

Shattered by the news, keeping all her ethics aside, she searches all the personal belongings of her three sons and finds some clues like photographs of men hidden under the mattress and a pendant chain bearing the name of a certain Manish in the bedroom of Deep, the youngest who happens to be closest to her. She faces a calibration in her mind and with fear, dilemma and courage she confronts her 21 year old college-goer son during his home coming over the weekend. Within all such emotional turbulences, Deep understands Vaijayanti’s disturbed psyche and thus he does not deny declaring his preference to his mother. Rather, he gives her a pen drive containing his personal diary that he wants her to read. On reading it she finds that her son has scripted and shared all his feelings and emotions in that which were already addressed to her. His confession contains a tale of how he tried to cope with the situation and tried to alter his orientation, be it through psychiatric treatment or following

religious belief. On further reading she comes across the pain that her son had faced for being so-called ‘different’. The emotional yet sensitive saga of mother-son relationship and acceptance of homosexuality, “Ek Madhav Baug” is a pioneering work of Marathi playwright Late Chetan Datar which had several presentations across the nation over the last seven years. This time, ‘The Humsafar Trust’ of Mumbai, a leading NGO working on LGBT issues, in association ‘Xukia-Assam’ presented the 87th show of the play in reading at the Satyanath Borah Hall in Guwahati on 5th March, 2017. Directed by Vijay Kenkre, the mono act was enacted by renowned actress Mona Ambegaonkar, who left the spectators spell bound as she narrated the story portraying the emotions of the different characters. With voice modulation and in and out of characters in this hour long Hindi narrative, Mona kept the audience captivated. Though the conflicts arose in a mother’s mind, being one of the prime objectives of this

soul stirring narrative, it had also shown the solutions to achieve happiness within. The heart-rending depiction of reality got even livelier with sudden transitions of emotions, dilemma, empathy-antipathy, outcry and sadness leading to a happy climax. In a predictable climax, it was considered that the son may commit suicide, but here the protagonist challenged the creator that her son should not die. Rather following the rule of ‘a play within a play’, she dared to bring a climax where her son would live a happy life with his partner and she would witness and support him in his every step. Being unique and unconventional in its content and moral, the play was an eye opener for many who consider homosexuality a disease. The play compels people to reconsider their attitude towards the LGBT community. The play also initiates scope for positives dialogues when someone faces such a situation. Above all, the play advocates family members to tackle the situation sportingly and open up doors of acceptance.

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G PLUS MAR 25 - MAR 31, 2017

Snippets

Ration Card Management System to become electronic soon

G Plus News

Kamrup (M) to form society for preservation of historical landscapes

G Plus News

(Image - Sahid Hussain)

he Assam government, on Tuesday, had undertaken the decision to launch a pilot project to transform the existing Ration Card Management System to Electronic Public Distribution System. The government has already shortlisted 50 ration shops to implement the project. The initiative will be implemented by the Department of Food and Civil Supplies which will consider training the owners of the ration shops. The ration shops have to be enabled with POS ma-

chine facility. The training program is likely to be conducted within the next seven days after which the initiative of Electronic Public Distribution System will be launched in those 50 ration shops across the city. Ratul Duarah, Secretary, Dept of Food and Civil Supplies; Dhiraj Kalita, Director; Nabadeep Pathak, Additional DC, Kamrup (M); and other officials of Assam Government were present in the meeting.

he Kamrup (M) administration has announced the formation of a society for identification and preservation of cultural and historical land-

Bird boxes installed at Dighalipukhuri G Plus News

Gold worth crores seized at Guwahati Railway Station

cting on a tip-off the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) busted an international gold smuggling racket and seized gold bars worth crores of rupees at the Guwahati Railway Station on

G Plus News

Friday last. The DRI sleuths seized 6 kg gold worth Rs 1.75 crores, smuggled from Myanmar via Manipur. Three persons including a woman were arrested in connection with the incident.

n the occasion of World Sparrow Day, ‘Help Earth’ in association with the Kamrup (M) District Administration installed small and colourful

AASU demands ban of migrants group in Assam

G Plus News

he All Assam Students Union (AASU) and 28 other groups have demanded that the state government declare the Nikhil Bharat Bangali Udbastu Samannay Samiti (NBBUSS) as a prohibited organization within Assam

after the Silapathar incident that stirred anger within the whole of Assamese community. In a meeting held on Friday, the groups said they would urge the Centre to adopt steps to safeguard the interests of the indigenous peo-

scapes in Guwahati. The society will comprise officials of the district administration and other government agencies, and representatives of the

ple of Assam. While the NBBUSS has been spearheading a country-wide movement seeking citizenship for Hindu Bengalis in Assam, AASU has staunchly opposed to any such rights for ‘foreigners.’ “In the first week of April, we will meet union ministers and urge them to rid Assam of illegal migrants. The government has failed to arrest Subodh Biswas, the prime accused in the Silapathar incident,” Chief Adviser, AASU Samujjal Bhattacharyya had said prior to the recent arrest of Biswas. On 1st April, the organizations will stage a protest in Guwahati to highlight their demands of withdrawal of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016, implementation of the Assam Accord and completion of the National Register of Citizens update at the earliest.

boxes in different parts of the city. The move was initiated to conserve urban biodiversity with prime emphasis on birds. The initiative was formally inaugurated by Dr. M. Angamuthu, Deputy Commissioner Kamrup (M). He stressed on the need of conservation of urban biodiversity and encouraged citizens of Guwahati to take steps to protect and conserve plants and animals around them. “Guwahati has the potential for becoming a model city in India in terms of urban biodiversity conservation with its wide range of habitat types along with its geographical position,” he said.

civil society who will be responsible for identification of the historically significant monuments and antiques within greater Guwahati. Speaking about the initiative, M. Angamuthu, DC Kamrup (M) said, “On the basis of reports submitted by the committee, we will take steps to preserve the historical sites and landscapes of the city.” The DC also said sites like Chandrapur, Narakasur Hills, and outskirts of Guwahati which are best known for their scenic beauties and historical sites will be taken into consideration under this initiative.

60,000 kg ganja seized at Guwahati Railway Station

G Plus News

he Guwahati Railway Police, on Tuesday, seized an amount of 60,000 kg of ganja from down Rajdhani Express at Guwahati Railway Station on Tuesday. Two people, viz. Ranjit Kumar Srivastav and Papu singh have been apprehended by the police in connection with the incident. The market value of the seized ganja will approximately be Rs 2 lakhs.

G PLUS MAR 25 - MAR 31, 2017

Fun Horoscope of the week

Relationships continue to be a major focus for you and something that you may relish over the weeks ahead. This could be because there’s a chance of a reunion or a heartfelt conversation with someone you parted from in a difficult situation. A healing could occur if you make the time to talk. However, when it comes to family members, you might need to tread with care, as their opinions could conflict with yours on a key issue.

The current blend of energies could encourage you to consider whether you are better served by sticking to your present agenda. In fact, if everyday busyness has overridden your deeper purpose in life, this could become very clear to you at this time. Getting your priorities in order might mean letting go of certain activities in order to focus on something that nurtures your soul. A dazzling piece of information could lead to an opportunity this week.

There may be fun and games on the agenda, as the planetary picture suggests you’ll be in the mood to enjoy yourself. And anything goes so long as it involves some kind of adventure. Nevertheless, you could feel a little bit guilty about the cost involved in one escapade. If there is a cheaper way to have the same experience, this could be an alternative. If not, perhaps you should just go ahead. A social event could have quite an impact on you.

The people you connect with over the course of this week can be a source of delight and optimism. Nevertheless, it’s possible that you could overreact to a conversation when nothing personal was meant. This might stem from childhood experiences, and this may be something to reflect on that now needs to be released. On another note, you may feel ready to clear out clutter at home and in the office, which can boost your energy level.

With Venus continuing retrograde in your personal financial sector, you may feel moved to pare back spending in order to save for something really special. But buying one or two small luxuries could help you make up for any lack in this department. On another note, it helps to put a little bit aside for unexpected expenses, as it’s possible that something could crop up. On the other hand, you could have a small windfall to look forward to as well.

Picture Perfect

Connect these landmark films...

4 9 8 4 3

8 7

2 6

3 1 49 85 1 5 34 6

6 6 9 2 3 25 6 8 1 9 3 6 8 1 4 9 2

5 3

6 8 9 1

Daily Sudoku: Thu 16-Mar-2017

Daily Sudoku: Thu 23-Mar-2017

3 9 4 3 6 78 91 85 12 27

7 1 8 8 4 4 2 51 97 36 65

2 5 6 2 3 9 7 96 45 18 81

4 9 8 2 7 5 1 1 7 8 6 4 27 3 33 8 92 6 54 1

1 6 3 5 9 35 48 62 77 94

6 7 2 7 5 23 84 41 38 69

Throttlebottom

Picture Perfect

The only 3 movies to win the Best Five at the Oscars, Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress and Best Screenplay.

curio-city

5 3 9 4 8 61 56 17 94 82

8 4 1 9 2 1 9 73 62 55 37

6 5 2 9 4 3 Daily Sudoku: Thu 16-Mar-2017 very hard 8 4 9 3 5 2 1 7 6 1 5 3 7 6 8 9 http://www.dailysudoku.com Word of the week2 4 7 6 2 4 9 1 5 3 8

Daily Sudoku: Thu 23-Mar-2017

1. Ian Fleming himself. He was a member of the naval intelligence and served with repute in the WWII. 2. White winged wood duck 3. To commemorate the fact that Jesus Christ died at the age of 33 years. 4. Meryl Streep. 5. Bob Dylan

You have a chance to think more deeply about business or financial matters and make some key decisions. But with Venus continuing retrograde in your sector of shared assets, you may need to take care when closing various deals or considering borrowing money or any other financial moves. A soothing focus could see you enjoying some downtime in the form of new experiences that give you much food for thought. Over the weekend, it helps to expect the unexpected.

6 5 7

The desire to explore new territory and expand your reach can be emphasized from this week as the Sun moves into your sector of far horizons. If you’re up for a spring vacation, this is the time to go for it. The cosmos is encouraging you to leave behind your everyday environment and immerse yourself in new experiences. You could feel a tad guilty for abandoning certain responsibilities, but try not to let it worry you. Just do what you need to do.

7 2 4 9

The Sun’s move into your sector of ambition may have you moving into the spotlight over the coming four weeks. But for now you might want to consider your present position and where your priorities lie. Certainly, with Venus retrograde in this sector, it might not be wise to rush ahead with key deals. But if you’re prepared for a change of plan along the way, go for it. You may enjoy mixing and mingling this week, as friends can prove great company.

Family matters seem to be at the top of your agenda, which may not be such a bad thing. Getting together can encourage discussion. If a certain matter is causing bad feelings, a heart-to-heart chat may be all it takes to sort things out. On another note, a positive focus on your leisure sector could see you enjoying a sensual spa treatment or massage that helps you unwind after a busy period. Some time out can be very good for you.

Sudoku

Your social life could dominate this week, with a key event being something that will evoke many happy memories in the months to come. With the Sun dancing into this same sector early in the week, you have an opportunity to take stock and consider what you can do to improve matters in this area. You could take offense at a chance remark that isn’t meant to be personal. Giving the other person the benefit of the doubt may be your best bet here.

Subtler elements may influence you over the course of this week, perhaps a dream or intuitive hunch. And even with Venus, your personal planet, presently retrograde, you can find this connects you more closely with your feelings. Try not to dither too much, though, as there could be certain opportunities that come your way that need to be grabbed immediately. If you wait for just the right time, you could miss them. Finally, a reunion could prove a delightful occasion.

last week solution

As the Sun enters your sign, its radiant glow can enhance vitality and give you the confidence to move ahead with plans and projects that have been on the back burner. Links to Venus enhance your popularity and make you a winner on the social scene. However, try to avoid getting into a spat, as the present picture reveals that it won’t do either side any good. You’d be better off focusing on building constructive relationships rather than involving yourself in needless conflict.

hard

noun [throt-l-bot-uh m]

A harmless incompetent in public office. http://www.dailysudoku.c

Crossword

curio-city 1

According to Ian Fleming, who was the inspiration behind the super spy, James Bond?

What is the state bird of Assam?

Why does Gabriel Jesus, the 19year old Brazilian sensation at Manchester City wear jersey no.33?

Which perennial Oscar favourite’s debut film was Julia in 1977?

Who wrote Tarantula, a collection of experimental prose-poetry in 1965-66? Dr. Soubhadra Chakraborty (Quizmaster from Kolkata) This quiz has been brought to you by Brain Jam, a property of Priya Communications

Dilbert by Scott Adams

Across

Down

1 First showing of a film (8) 6 Fool (3) 9 Abate (3,2) 10 Colonist (7) 11 Ridiculous pretence (7) 13 Synthetic fabric (5) 14 Whitening chemical (6) 15 Brigand (6) 18 Broadcasting medium (5) 20 Pseudonym (3,4) 21 First (7) 22 Subject, topic (5) 23 Express (3) 24 Extend (8)

2 Go over again (7) 3 Chart (3) 4 Festival in spring (6) 5 Divert (9) 6 Mixture of metals (5) 7 Fortified (12) 8 Bramble fruit (12) 12 Hermit (9) 16 Local language variation (7) 17 Handsome Greek god (6) 19 Make into a god (5) 22 Sudden abrupt pull (3)

Last week’s solution

G PLUS MAR 25 - MAR 31, 2017

Snippets Apollo Ambulance service launched in city

pollo Hospitals Guwahati on Monday, 20th March launched its Apollo Ambulance Service as an extended healthcare initiative for the people of Guwahati. The ambulance is an Advanced Cardiac Life Support vehicle which is equipped with advanced facilities to deal with seriously ill patients. The ambulance is also fully equipped with Ventilation,

G Plus News

Oxygen, Bipap, Syringe Pump etc. Basic Life Support trained drivers will drive the ambulance that assures safety of the patients. Along with these, an emergency doctor will be available in the ambulance to take care of the patients. People can easily avail the service by dialling 1066. The number is accessible 24x7 for all emergency patients.

of Assam. The story appeared in www.nezine.com. “In his efforts to highlight the role of women in eco-conservation, Abdul Gani is awarded the Laadli Media and Advertising award for gender sensitivity,” read the certificate. The award ceremony was held at Chinmaya Mission in New Delhi on Thursday evening. The award carries a certificate and a trophy. “It’s always great to get your works recognized. I’m happy especially because of these wonderful women. They set an example for thousand others across the country and beyond. I dedicate this honour to these women. I would also like to thank Purnima Devi Barman for her support,” said Gani.

All Assam Tribal Sangha seeks ban on Namami Brahmaputra Theme Song

G Plus News

GS of AATS, Aditya Khaklary

ll Assam Tribal Sangha has demanded ban on the official theme song of Namami Brahmpautra and alleged that the theme song has hurt the sentiments and feelings of the indigenous people.

Guwahati-based journalist wins Laadli Media award

Aditya Khaklary, the General Secretary of the Sangha said the actual history of Assam and the northeast has been distorted in the song. “It has shown utter disregard to cultural harmony and tribal culture and history. The cultural history of Assam-Arunachal Pradesh has not been showcased at all,” he said. He demanded a ban on the song and said, “If anyone can pronounce the word Brahmaputra, it does not mean he or she is well versed in the history, identity and glory of the Brahmaputra and its contribution towards the civilisation’s development.”

IIT-Guwahati students build car to promote safe racing

G Plus News

uwahati-based journalist, Abdul Gani, was conferred the prestigious Laadli Media award on Thursday, 23rd March. The 8th edition of the Laadli Media and Advertising Awards for Gender Sensitivity (Northern and Eastern Region)

was given to Abdul Gani for ‘best web feature’ in English language. The web feature ‘When All Become One’ focuses on the efforts of a group of women villagers led by Purnima Devi Barman to conserve the endangered Greater Adjutant Stork in Kamrup District

tock nal s nsitio on a r t C on tivati No IT ithout ac w

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usines Attention !! Attention !! GST a s without ctivati on Last Chance For GST Activation & Enrollment for Existing Dealers

Last Date Extended up to 31st March, 2017 1) Login to www.tax.assam.gov.in for obtaining GST Provisional User id & Password for enrollment under GST. For details, refer to Circular no, 16/2016 dated 23-11-2016 available on the said website. 2) Dealers who have already been allotted GST Provisional User id and Password (available at www.tax.assam.gov.in) must initiate GST enrollment process in GST Portal (www.gst. gov.in) by submitting required information and uploading supporting documents. 3) It is mandatory for all dealers to activate their GST Provisional User id and Password on or before 31' March, 2017 by submitting information and uploading documents even without eSign / DSC in GST Portal (www.gst.gov.in). Otherwise, they will not be able to do any transaction and avail ITC on transitional stock under GST regime. 4) Please remember that activation of GST Provisional User id and Password and submission of all information and documents even without DSC or eSign is required to be done within 31st March, 2017 without fail. The dealers can use 'Submit" button on the GST Portal for this purpose.

o promote a weekend culture of racing in a safe environment, a team of IIT - Guwahati students has built a racing car that zooms off from 0 to 60 km/ hour in 5-6 seconds. Christened ‘Tachyon’ after the hypothetical concept of particles that move faster than light, the fabrication of the sleek black car involved a team of 27 mechanical engineering students who participated in the design and manufacture process that began in October 2015. “There is no culture of formula racing in India. Most of the people enthusiastic about racing take

to the streets. So, we wanted to promote a weekend culture of racing in a safe environment,” said one of the members of the team. It was also mentioned that the basic motive was to learn the engineering aspects and thus they manufactured the vehicle themselves. The vehicle is powered by a 600 cc petrol internal combustion engine. It has a top speed of 110-120 km/hour. The thrust is on acceleration. Tachyon recently grabbed the second spot in a category of the Formula Bharat engineering design event that was held in Coimbatore.

5) The dealers, who are unable to login with GST Provisional User id and Password in the GST Portal, are requested to contact their jurisdictional unit office immediately for redressal. 6) Help Desk has been created in all unit offices / GST Cell at Anex Office for assistance of GST related work. In addition, the Help Desk will facilitate the dealer in changing their GST Provisional User id and Password in GST portal for completion of the activation and enrolment process. Commissioner of Taxes, Assam Guwahati-6 ________________________________________________________________________ For any clarification, please contact : Commissioner of Taxes, Assam, Kar Bhawan, G.S. Road, Dispur, Guwahati-781006. Phone : 0361-2232661, 0361-2232664. JANASANYOG/2619/16

G PLUS MAR 25 - MAR 31, 2017

G Talk E

Prospects par excellence

he desire to see an Assamese cricketer in the Team India playing XI often overpowers me. It would be something akin to my own son bringing glory to the family name. But when the BCCI recently published the list of its Grade A to Grade C cricketers to bracket their remunerations, I began to wonder at the daunting task that lay ahead for our prospects. Phenomena like Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Karun Nair and Yuvraj Singh are bench warmers today; their chances of featuring in the playing XI come few and far between. Suresh Raina who? A sick Wriddhiman Saha makes way for Parthiv Patel who plays some match-winning knocks only to go back to the benches. Talented Dinesh Karthik is nowhere in the picture. I wonder when Rishabh Pant will get a shot at donning the keeper’s gloves. As for the bowlers, mercurial wicket takers like Mohd. Shammi, Bhuvaneshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah find no place in the Test team. Such is the benchstrength of the Indian cricket team that a triple century in the last test is no guarantee of a spot in the next. Well, from the looks of it, prodigies have no chances any more for an early start to an international cricketing career. The last of these was Sachin Tendulkar a quarter of a century ago. “Grovel your way up, boy,” is the requirement. And yet, Assam has two Guwahati-bred prodigies – prospects par excellence.

Riyan Parag Das and Aditya Baruah are eminently gifted teenagers who are determined to break into the Indian Team (be it any format) and their focus on their game currently is exemplary. Riyan is younger and practices in the local city cricket circuit. Aditya is now Chennai-based; his parents have risen to the occasion with the requisite financial support to provide the best possible opportunities to him. And yes, both are scoring runs heavily. Aditya, I believe, also takes wickets – an all rounder. Under the circumstances of what must be loud poundings on the selection committee’s doors by young cricketers from all around the country, it is only sustenance and tenacity that will get Aditya and Riyan any closer to the reckoning. MS Dhoni’s story is one huge case study by itself. He made the Indian team at a “ripe old” age of 25 and had a short test career of just 10 years rewriting history in the process. But it was his dogged determination, silent resolve and patience which eventually paid off. The Indian cricket cap is the biggest deal in Indian sports today and to acquire it needs loads of fortitude from any youngster. For Riyan and Aitya, it would be their tenacious belief in their abilities plus the desire to persevere without crumbling to the pressures of age, impatience and de-motivation that would hopefully make them taste success.

Palm top critics

Swapnil Bharali Editor

riticism is of two types - constructive and destructive. Unfortunately, with the power of social media in everyone’s palms, making or breaking people has become fairly easy if not a favourite pastime. The Assam government’s effort to conduct Namami Brahmaputra has elicited varied opinions but the ones that stand out are the negative ones that seek to trample the government’s initiatives through a mere briefly or long worded paragraph. The criticisms have come for its implementation, creative work, what it is trying to achieve. The domino effect of such things is what needs to be monitored and possibly, stopped. The more the negative opinions float, the more the purpose is defeated without even the event actually taking off. Social media activists have criticised the Namami Brahmaputra so much that it is creating a ripple effect among people. Such negative vibes that are being floated will only discourage people participation and thus defeat the purpose of the festival. The case however would be different if people attended the festival and then air their expert opinions. With the ability to write extra long opinions, opinions are losing their value. It will be interesting when social media sites like Facebook follow the Twitter trend and introduce a cap on the number of words people can use. Facebook will certainly have less gyaanis. The ‘gyaan part’ on social media however should be monitored with some mechanism. The day there’s a Facebook cap do take note of how happy things will be around you. Not everything is undergoing its doomsday. Opinions on the internet have become sort of recurrent and every issue, however trivial or grand, is being critically analysed by self proclaimed ‘social media analysts, activists and critics who at the smallest hint of ‘real world troubles’ become fazed and dazed. This is me not praising the Government by pazing the ones with an overrated thumb. SIDHARTH BEDI VARMA

Why Poetry?

World Poetry Day, as declared by UNESCO, is celebrated worldwide on 21st March. Given the general apathy of publishers towards publishing poetry on the grounds of commercial unviability, Dr. Bibhash Choudhury explores this phenomenon and tries to find conducive grounds for the poet and the publisher of the region

raft and the articulate responsiveness of poetry offer readers worlds that are not merely the ones we live in and know, but it also envisages possibilities that are in the realm of the imagination, and in the process of becoming. How much of this is realized by the publishing industry here in Guwahati remains a pertinent question, one which has occupied poets and readers for the last several generations. Assam’s publication culture has had a newspaper and magazine-centric history, with writings in the print media garnering the audience in different ways. With such a tradition, there is obviously the attendant danger of ‘now in/now gone’, for the shelf life of a published piece in such media is so very limited. Whether in the vernacular, or in English,

Opinion

Dr. Bibhash Choudhury

poetry has always had a niche audience, but the issue is not with the readership; rather it is the unavailability of a conducive platform that calls for urgent attention. The ones who pen poems and those who read them are a sensitive flock, and to see them just as any other collective is indicative of a closure that does not quite address the nature of the craft. Poetry needs nurturing, and it is high time that it is given its due. There are worlds that await fruition, and forms of articulation which cannot be marked by any other frame find their just expression in poetry. It is not necessary for poetry to conform, not at all. Political, or aesthetically engaging, the craft of poetry offers ways of envisioning which open wide vistas for an eager readership. Just as the platform for poetry needs to be given its space, we need to cultivate a culture of poetry-reading here. This is an imperative that we can no longer ignore. Not all tasks have to be functionally driven. The reading of poetry provides great joy, connects the reader to the experience of coming to terms with knowledge which isn’t accessible otherwise, and in the process a conversation takes place, rewarding and enriching unlike any other. There is a lot to be done for poetry here in Guwahati. We need a robust publishing programme that would not just provide fillip to the genre, but would also carve out a readership whose loyalty and understanding would enable growth in multiple ways. We need visionary leadership in the field of publication, for poetry cannot be marked out for some obscure space at the margins of society; poetry is the record of the voice which tells through its silences, by means of a weave that textures the form to manifest the possibilities of language. There is a scattering of voices out there, as is the eager reader; what we need is to facilitate a forum for the generation of these voice to reach out

in ways that show the creative potential that lies latent here. What, then, should we look forward to? For one, the march of fiction as the primary narrative form needs to be set as one whose equal corollary could be verse—this is the task that we must chalk out well. Poetry is not a media for dreamers, but people who have concerns and ideas that are as strong and rich as those that find expression in other literary forms. Second, there is a need to make poetry-reading popular, not quite through some kind of publicity blitzkrieg, which has never been its province, but means of a sensitization process whereby the negative narrative about is adequately countered. Third, we need poetry festivals to bring the reader and the poet together, to make the exchange a fruitful one, and carry this conversation from the page to the reader, irrespective of whether the page is a digital one or in print. And then, we need to bestir ourselves of that mindset which beset some who look at poetry in nonprint media as to be qualitatively of another order. That is never the case. The platform where poetry appears does not affect the impact it can and does have on the reader. Given the limited shelf life of the newspaper or the magazine, poetry that is published online across multiple fora makes it possible for revisitations, and hence ensures greater visibility. The mode in which it appears or the platform it finds its space in is hardly a matter of contention today. In fact, poetry can find simultaneous publication in both print and digital media and such a presence would make it possible for the reader to engage in a dialogue with verse without any difficulty. The onus, then, is on us to make this living vibrant genre find its space in our world, one which awaits us now. Dr. Bibhash Choudhury is a scholar of English and teaches the subject at Gauhati University

Letter to the Editor r Low interest benefits to government employees

am a regular reader of your newspaper and I find your coverage of the city very articulate and comprehensive. I am writing to you for the first time just to express my appreciation and also to bring to the attention of the public a certain new development that is discriminatory in nature and seeks to benefit only government employees. SBI has recently signed a MoU with the state government whereby the state government employees would be able to avail housing and other loans at interest rates that are far lower than market rates. There are two things here. One is, how come government workers are so special and we who slog it out in the private sector contributing much more to the economy by way of taxes are not? Secondly, how would SBI recover its interest which the government is providing at subsidized rates to its employees? Would it go from us tax payers as always? I would request you to follow up on this matter and present us with a clearer picture. Aparupa Barbaruah Sixmile, Guwahati

G PLUS MAR 25 - MAR 31, 2017

In Focus

Banti Bhuyan Educationist

The Namami Brahmaputra song ... bouquets and brickbats On 21st March the Namami Brahmaputra theme song was launched by the Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal. Singer Papon said that the song was sung by prominent Bollywood figures like Amitabh Bachchan, Sonu Nigam, Arijit Singh, Shreya Ghosal, Kailash Kher etc. G Plus lists some reactions to the song and the video Jaiswal Sanjivv

Criticising every creation has become a fashion among people. People have access to Facebook to voice their opinion and now everyone is criticising NAMAMI BRAHMAPUTRA, the song and the visual. Instead of criticising the song that released, please suggest how you could have done better. Criticising is a good aspect but not just for the heck of it.

Roopa Barua

Let’s get real. This is only the theme song for a tourism campaign. Agreed it is not the best or most representative piece of work on Assam but then a campaign is only a campaign. The biggest tourist draws of the world like London, Paris or Greece did not become what they are because of a song by celebrities. In fact they probably have none. The onus is on us Assamese people to create and project a culture and history coupled with safety for tourists. That is when Assam will attract tourists. Whether Amitabh Bachchan sang or not is absolutely not important in the grand scheme of things. Let’s take this campaign for what it is and let it be relegated to an eternity in the infinite corridors of YouTube. Nothing more.

Wasbir Hussain

Hope it turns out to be a fest to remember. If anyone thinks I am sounding cynical, it is only because of the experience with the average nature of some of the government-initiated fests in the past. Rather disappointed with the theme song video. Despite Papon’s soothing composition, I found the shots on the great river uninspiring. I have problems with the resolution of the visuals and many shots are simply burnt out. Big singers are superimposed. A line from maestro Bhupen da’s many songs on the great river would have been only appropriate. And the video should have had some symbols of life along the Brahmaputra, like the Rhino for instance, grazing along the swirling grey waters of the river along Kaziranga. Has no one taken any shot of the playful river dolphins found in the river? This is not to take away the credit from Papon’s lilting creation. Wonder if the organizing officialdom has any view on this. Oh yes, I am not expecting a consensus on my views! Just my thoughts.

Radha Borooah Panesar

I don’t expect 70% of people to agree with me. But Namami Brahmaputra fades with the lack lustre vibe, poor visuals, horrendous croma against the high energy of Namami Gange. Not to undermine Papon or any other artist, but it’s simply bad conceptualisation and equally bad execution. It does not even depict the river, the land, our people, their lives, aspirations and doesn’t say anything about the State which we are trying to promote. It is not inclusive of our population and looks like a hurriedly done job and personally, I do not feel proud. Wasn’t the Naturally Wild fiasco enough?

Nibir Bhuyan

The Namami Brahmaputra song turned out to be a very good song in terms of music. Now there is a controversy around everything musicians do these days. Even my band’s latest song will face criticism I know. I found the tune to be pretty good and perfectly executed. Having said that, the video isn’t too satisfactory. The execution on that video isn’t too impressive. I have even compared the video of Namami Gange with ours and found it to be lacking on various aspects. The green screen concept wasn’t executed properly. We all feel proud when the entire country is coming together to represent our state but when the output isn’t impressive, people get irritated. However, I am hopeful that future projects will be more satisfying in all aspect - both musically and visually. My best wishes to each and everyone who are involved with the project and my words should be taken as words for improvement and encouragement and not as a rant because I understand the pain and hard work that goes behind producing a song and a music video.

here is no second opinion that education is the key to success in one’s life and teachers make a lasting impact on the lives of their students. It is the teacher who moulds a child to grow into a responsible citizen and a good human being. Banti Bhuyan is one prominent name in the sphere of educationists who has dedicated her life towards grooming her students. Banti comes from a family background that was pervaded by prominent educationists. Names like Padma Shri Dr. Surya Kumar Bhuyan, noted writer, historian and poet who was her grandfather and Indra Kumar Hazarika, her father, both of whom played a vital role in the introduction of technical education in the state had, through their life’s work, inspired Banti to adopt the extremely noble business of education for a career. Having acquired most of her education in Shillong followed by graduation in English from Lady Keane College, Banti preferred to pursue further education even after having tied the knot with Pradip Kumar Bhuyan in 1963 obtaining a masters degree in the process. Banti’s flagship venture, Faculty Higher Secondary School, dates back to 1982 when there were merely a handful of schools apart from the missionary ones and when it was a mighty challenge for children to get admissions due to limited number of seats. In order to open more avenues for the students of Guwahati to get access to quality education Banti conceptualised Faculty High School. However, the school as it exists today was vastly different from the institution that was established more than three decades ago. The inception of the educational institution was very humble; started on 2nd January 1982 it was housed in a small but well-equipped Assam-type structure at Ambari – just opposite Rabindra Bhawan. But within that modest campus a wonderful standard of teaching was dispensed along with the idea of all-round development of students and the teaching was backed by elocution classes. “Back when we started, we never visualised that the school would reach the stature that it has achieved today. It was only a dream that I was following but with time and everybody’s co-operation things started to fall into place for the better. We had rented a house that was owned by a doctor from Jorhat,” Ban-

ti Bhuyan mentioned during a conversation with G Plus. A major change took place in 1992 when the school had to be shifted to North Guwahati in order to meet the criteria for Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) affiliation. The school was moved to 20 acres of idyllic land, located by the north bank of river Brahmaputra. However, the transformation came with its own challenges as parents of the students studying in the school objected to the move. “It was a very difficult move that carried the baggage of huge financial constrains. Parents opposed the decision and several students were taken out due to the distant location of the school. However, we wanted to retain the teachers who were so dedicated towards their job and in order to pay their salaries, we had to take loans from the market. The struggle went on for a year or two but after a certain period we could meet the challenges because the school had created a reputation for itself and the guardians trusted their students being with us. Just for that, credit goes to everyone associated with the school,” the educationist said. The institution, along with its challenges, only kept growing in the times to come and on this date it is equipped with all indoor facilities that include laboratories, one of which is a well-developed biotech lab, conference facilities, libraries and activity areas just to name a few. The institution, in one of its current projects, aims at replacing regular electricity with solar power and the planning process for the same stands completed. A major addition was made with the establishment of the city branch of Faculty High School in the vicinity of the city on Mother Teresa Road. This is a sister concern of FHSS and was started by Banti’s son Joydeep Bhuyan in 1999. Meanwhile, the educationist has passed on the responsibility of FHSS to her daughter Loya Sinha and has currently retired from the noble profession. “I feel so proud of the students who have passed out from this school. I can more or less say that each and every student has passed out from the school with an ideology and it gives me gives me sheer pleasure when a student shows up just to say ‘Hello!’ This is a satisfaction that no one can take away from me,” the educationist concluded.

G PLUS MAR 25 - MAR 31, 2017

Review Cast: Emma Watson, Dan Stevens, Luke Evans Director: Bill Condon

ill Condon’s take on “Beauty and the Beast” is almost overwhelmingly lavish, beautifully staged and performed with exquisite timing and grace by the outstanding cast, many whom are seen on-camera only in brief moments, given they’re playing household objects and furniture and the like. It’s a story of damning sorcery, furry princes and how true love can save an empire. Dashing fairy tale material, propelled by animation to recreate personified objects and one reclusive Beast. Emma Watson stars as Belle, the small-village girl who finds herself imprisoned by a wretched creature, “The Beast” (Dan Stevens). It turns out that the Beast was once a prince with extravagant tastes, but his superficial desires bring upon a horrible curse. If the Beast doesn’t find – and share – true love before a magic rose loses all its petals, he and his trapped caretakers will cease to exist. Belle’s presence is a beacon of hope for Lumiere, Cogsworth (Ian McKellen) and the other talking objects, who push two destined lovers together. Before long, Belle starts to notice sweetness behind Beast’s eyes – could she save her untamed host and all who reside in his castle? Or will

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Gaston (Luke Evans) ruin the day by hunting his competition for Belle’s hand in marriage. Those of you fluent in Disney prose shouldn’t expect any surprises by way of narration, much like how songs rarely differentiate from classic tunes. It’s a faithful adaptation with every step inside Beast’s castle, honouring 1991’s hand-drawn masterpiece through steady recreation. Parts are well-enough casted and production erects a massive mansion – there’s nothing wrong with Condon’s retelling. Fans will be serviced with charming live-action appeal, much like how previous live-action efforts have rehashed the depth of Disney lore for new generations. For starters, animation doesn’t exactly glisten like Favreau’s awe-inspiring rainforest rendering. Don’t expect practical makeup on Dan Stevens. His flowing locks, fangs, even fancy dress clothes are created on computer screens, making for a less-than-fluid inclusion. As Belle dances with Beast, there’s noticeable rigidness between woman and monster. Mainly because one of them doesn’t actually exist in reality, and Watson has trouble selling her flat-faced counterpart.

Cast: Gallagher Jr., Tony Goldwyn, Adria Arjona, John C. McGinley, Josh Brener, Michael Rooker, etc Director: Greg McLean

game-of-death entry into the developing subgenre of workplace horror films, The Belko Experiment sees director Greg McLean leave behind the serial-killer turf of his Wolf Creek franchise for a scenario in which just about everyone will wind up with blood on his hands. The “experiment” in question, in which office workers are locked up and told they must choose co-workers to kill, is ripe for satire, but McLean (using a script by Guardians of the Galaxy writer-director James Gunn) mostly forgoes such opportunities in favour of vicious, mostly satisfying action. Genre fans will be appreciative, but mainstream appeal is limited. Belko appears to be an organization helping American companies outsourcing jobs to South America. With offices near Bogota, Colombia, it’s unsurprising the corporation takes rather extreme security precautions, going so far as to plant tracking devices under each employee’s skin in case of kidnapping.

Album Heartless By Pallbearer

lesser band might buckle under the high expectations foisted upon Pallbearer, who despite being only three records into their career are already a darling of the metal world. But Heartless, apropos of its two predecessors, comes encumbered by nothing outside of its complex and at times serpentine composition. If Pallbearer feels the eyes of the metal world upon it, it does a damn good job not showing a lick of sweat. Heartless continues the successes of Sorrow and Extinction and Foundations of Burden, while also incorporating familiar but tasteful sonic flourishes from adjacent genres. The lonely, clean-toned guitar style of post-rock (especially Godspeed You! Black Emperor) crops up on the open-

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But those implants aren’t tracking devices. They’re tiny bombs, like the one used to keep Kurt Russell in line during 1981’s Escape From New York, and Belko’s staff is about to learn that the ugly way. The 80 people inside are to choose two people to kill within half an hour. If they don’t, four will die via those little head-grenades. Given a cast of this size, characterizations are predictably thin, though strong character actors like John C. McGinley and Michael Rooker ensure some viewer engagement with Those About to Die. While a few actors are conspicuously underused (Melonie Diaz, for instance), Gallagher gets the lion’s share of screen time, playing the audience’s surrogate as he struggles to find a decent way to behave in this no-win scenario. Good luck with that, sir: Though it isn’t as inventive in the means-of-death department as one might wish, Belko Experiment soon ensures that anyone hoping to live will have to kill at least one person, and likely many more, to do it.

ing of “Dancing in Madness” and the midsection of “Thorns”. Psychedelic, almost Floydian guitar accents the mammoth closer “A Plea for Understanding”. In this way, Heartless walks a tricky tightrope that can only be navigated by bands of a particularly high caliber. Neither reinventing itself nor playing its cards close to the vest, Pallbearer choose subtle and gradual change to their established formula, and the consistency remains admirable. Anyone who has tracked with the band up to Heartless will recognize the cavernous expanses of “Dancing in Madness” and “A Plea for Understanding”, but this is not to say that Pallbearer has lost its edge. Familiarity need not be the enemy of quality.

ndromeda is an expansive action role-playing game with a few great moments that recapture the high points of the landmark trilogy that came before it, and energetic combat and fantastic sound effects create a potent sci-fi atmosphere. But without consistently strong writing or a breakout star in its cast to carry it through the long hours and empty spaces, disappointments like a lack of new races, no companion customization, and major performance problems and bugs take their toll. This reboot offers a lot in the way of pure content, but as the hours drag on, there is a sense of repetition and obtuse busywork

Phillauri 11:45 AM 05:30 PM Beauty And The Beast 02:15 PM Ruff & Tuff 08:15 PM gold mine 7d 10.00 AM haunted house 7d 01.00 PM 04.00 PM Forest Adventure & Aero Bike 7D 03.00 PM 07.00 PM

PVR Cinemas Dona Planet 08800900009 Beauty And The Beast 10:00 AM 09:20 PM Phillauri 10:15 AM 03:25 PM 08:50 PM Katamarayudu 12:55 PM Life 01:05 PM Kong: Skull Island 03:55 PM Ruff & Tuff 06:15 PM Badrinath Ki Dulhania 06:30 PM

Galleria Cinemas HUB 097069 89143 Phillauri 10:30 AM 01:10 PM 05:55 PM 09:00 PM Life 03:50 PM

Grande Cines Paltan Bazar 09854017771

Game Mass Effect: Andromeda Platform PC, Xbox One

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Anuradha Cineplex Noonmati 03612656968

Phillauri 10:00 AM 03:30 PM 06:15 PM 09:00 PM Beauty And The Beast 10:15 AM 03:00 PM Ruff & Tuff 12:35 PM Badrinath Ki Dulhania 12:45 PM 05:30 PM Kong: Skull Island 08:15 PM

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rather than a sense of purpose. Everything feels slightly more generic and slightly less interesting compared to its namesake trilogy, although some strong level design helps the overall impression to a certain degree. The game can’t escape its shortcomings, but patient explorers can still find a few stars shining in the darkness. Overall Andromeda provides an interesting premise and story, but is let down by poor combat, excessive padding, and over-complication. It’s one step below the original trilogy, but even so it manages to improve on it in certain aspects and offers a gigantic, overwhelming adventure, with plenty of interesting stories.

Apsara Cinema Paltan Bazar 0361 2541335 Phillauri 11:00 AM 05:00 PM 08:00 PM Ruff & Tuff 02:00 PM

Pragjyoti Cinema Maligaon 0361 2570777 Phillauri 11:00 AM 05:00 PM 08:00 PM Ruff & Tuff 02:00 PM

GOLD Cinema Lakhtokia 0361 273 5367 Phillauri 11:00 AM 02:00 PM 05:00 PM 08:00 PM Badrinath Ki Dulhania 11:15 AM 02:15 PM Ruff & Tuff 05:15 PM 08:15 PM

G PLUS MAR 25 - MAR 31, 2017

Lifestyle

The Key To Being Happy

spoke about the 4 points, and one of them was happiness (santosha). That we need to cultivate, “Come what may, I am going to be happy”. This is what it is. A strong powerful person is one who is happy, not one who has a lot of money. If someone says, “I have millions of dollars”, ask them, “So what. Are you happy?” Ask this question, “Are you exuberating happiness? Then I call you a real millionaire - no, in fact a trillionaire. Otherwise you’re good for nothing”. It is because some negativity or unhappiness has crept into your subconscious mind, you say, “I don’t like this, I don’t like that”. Who asked you what you like and what you don’t like? You go on declaring to everybody, “I don’t like this, I don’t like this”, and you look very foolish. Someone looks at you and thinks, “Oh my god, this guy is a little off”. Nobody is interested in what you like and what you don’t like. You don’t need to declare your likes and dislikes. You declare to

yourself, “I am going to be happy, come what may. Nobody can disturb or take away my happiness”. You don’t need to say it out to anybody, but you have to have this conviction. Then you feel the inner strength coming up, and a smile in you that stays on forever. In the beginning it may not stay forever, but it is there most of the time, that is good enough. This can become another problem, “Oh I wanted to be happy all the time, but I became miserable sometime”. Never mind. Don’t become unhappy because you became unhappy. That becomes a chain reaction. You know, like you didn’t want to be angry... Often this happens with young mothers. They don’t want to be angry at their kids, so when they get angry at the kids, they get angry with themselves because they got angry at the kids. “Oh I am so Kasturi BorKotoKi bad, I am Kasturi angry at myself is a palette knife artistbecause and paints floral Come designs on! I got angry atimpressionist the in oils. She hailskids”. from Guwahati. Blog: Sometimes it kasturiscanvas.blogspot.com is alright to be angry at the children. It’s okay. Mother’s KasHmiri natH anger is like a vaccination for kids. Foodie, owner at XOXO cupcakes, food blogger, recipe developer and Mother’s scolding is like a vaccinaexpert on Assamese cuisine. tion, so that they become strong. Then they can sustain the anger KuLKuL raHman they face from society their Entrepreneur, mother -andfrom a colleagues,passionate fromcook. other kids in the school. Otherwise children may become soHemanta vulnerable and so weak Kumar sarmaH Engineer, Businessman, Advanced when we bring them with that Pranic Healer and Suup Jok Acuprestendency. sure specialist. sHri sHri ravi sHanKar Founder- Art of Living Foundation.

Apple launches red iPhone 7

esterday, I spoke about the 4 points, and one of them was happiness (santosha). That we need to cultivate, “Come what may, I am going to be happy”. This is what it is. A strong powerful person is one who is happy, not one who has a lot of money. If someone says, “I have millions of dollars”, ask them, “So what. Are you happy?” Ask this question, “Are you exuberating happiness? Then I call you a real millionaire - no, in fact a trillionaire. Otherwise you’re good for nothing”.

It is because some negativity or unhappiness has crept into your subconscious mind, you say, “I don’t like this, I don’t like that”. Who asked you what you like and what you don’t like? You go on declaring to everybody, “I don’t like this, I don’t like this”, and you look very foolish. Someone looks at you and thinks, “Oh my god, this guy is a little off”. Nobody is interested in what you like and what you don’t like. You don’t need to declare your likes and dislikes. You declare to yourself, “I am going to be happy,

come what may. Nobody can disturb or take away my happiness”. You don’t need to say it out to anybody, but you have to have this conviction. Then you feel the inner strength coming up, and a smile in you that stays on forever. In the beginning it may not stay forever, but it is there most of the time, that is good enough. This can become another problem, “Oh I wanted to be happy all the time, but I became miserable sometime”. Never mind. Don’t become unhappy because you became unhappy. That becomes a chain reaction. You know, like you didn’t want to be angry... Often this happens with young mothers. They don’t want to be angry at their kids, so when they get angry at the kids, they get angry with themselves because they got angry at the kids. “Oh I am so bad, I am angry at myself because I got angry at the kids”. Come on! Sometimes it is alright to be angry at the children. It’s okay. Mother’s anger is like a vaccination for kids. Mother’s scolding is like a vaccination, so that they become strong. Then they can sustain the anger they face from society -- from their colleagues, from other kids in the school. Otherwise children may become so vulnerable and so weak when we bring them up with that tendency.

“7” At Vivanta By Taj pays homage to Thali Meals.

, the coffee shop at Vivanta by Taj has launched soul satisfying and quick Thali Meals during lunch hours. No mulling over what to eat and pouring over the menu card when the stomach is growling. I love the way,

Thali meals work out, quick and easy, a little of everything just as Mum would have served you. Of course Mum won’t be here, you have to do with a smiling polite attendant but the meals will more than make up. I had a taste of both the Thalis that have been thoughtfully put together by Chef Sovan along with Chef Jana. Chef Sovan now heads the Vivanta kitchen in Guwahati and along with an excellent team, the fine nuances

of his cooking finds expression in the dishes. The meal started off with a welcome drink of Lassi, light, frothy with a hint of rose and a sprinkle of pistachio, a soothing drink. One also has a choice of an Assamese or an Indian Thali. My plate arrived looking radiant and appealing with the white mound of rice speckled with jeera and surrounded by bowls of various curries, bhajis, dal and nan roti. Such balance of colour on the plate, creamy white kofta curry, green from the spinach, indeed a graceful plate. The dal was uncommonly fresh where I found myself paying attention to all the flavours of ginger, garlic and chilli under the blanket of cream and butter, a completely new experience for me. The mutton was slightly chewy but the gravy again was done well. The kofta curry stood out head and shoulders over

the others, rich and intensely aromatic sauce of cashew and yogurt. Paneer was prepared with onion-tomato gravy and none of the dishes were nosily spicy. This Thali wins arguments by persuasion rather than by force and one realises that Chef Sovan actually paid attention to make it easy, so several dishes can be enjoyed at once. Basic staples like the Jeera Rice and Nan Roti were really good! After a mammoth meal, I surrendered to a Sweet Gulab Jamun and honestly I’m glad I did not resist. It was heavenly. The Assamese Thali came with the ubiquitous ‘Khar’, a mixed green and ‘Aloo Bhaji’, a ‘Meeholi Bhaji’, ‘Aloo Pitika’ and ‘Mati Mahar Dal’. This Thali was a little dull, the Khar was done well no doubt, but it lacked the punch. The mix ‘Saax Bhaji’ was subtle and done well. The Meeholi Bhaji was a letdown but the saviour of the day was the humble

“Masoor Dal” Mota. The smooth lentil paste came into a glorious harmony along with the salt, spice and the intensity of the mustard oil. You do have a choice of mutton or chicken or fish but I would definitely expect something more than what was served. I was a little disappointed. Maybe, an addition of fritters of brinjal or pumpkin was needed to enhance the experience. The meal ended with a bowl of Black rice pudding, as always it is a mood lifter, with its earthy nutty flavour, slowly simmered in milk and delicately sweetened. This introduction of Thali or pre-set meals is a boon during busy lunch hours and when one is hard pressed for time. Priced at Rs 1000/per person, this Thali is a robust hearty meal. Kashmiri Nath Foodie, owner at XOXO cupcakes, food blogger, recipe developer and expert on Assamese cuisine.

G PLUS MAR 25 - MAR 31, 2017

Entertainment

Village Rockstars to be screened at Cannes Celestial Way’s Hepahor Bihu G Plus News

KALYAN KUMAR KALITA

ssamese filmmaker Rima Das, whose debut film ‘Antardrishti – Man with the Binoculars’ was screened at Cannes and the Mumbai Film Festival last year, has already found similar success with her new venture ‘Village Rockstars’. This full length Assamese feature film has been written, directed,

cinematographed and produced by Rima Das under the banner of ‘Flying River Films’. The story of the film revolves around Dhunu, a free spirited 10 year old girl who lives with her mother in a remote village of Assam. She dreams of owing a guitar and learning how to play music. Dhunu fights the local stereotypes of what a girl should be doing and forms a band with a group of local boys and christens themselves the ‘Rockstars’. However, as the initial enthusiasm dies down, her friends get distracted and drop out of the group. Dhunu continues to stay focused and fights for her dream. The film is based in Kalardiya village near Chaygaon in Kamrup (Rural) district. The key roles in the film have been essayed by Mallika Das, cousin of director Rima Das, and local village boys and girls. Everything in the film has been shot under real conditions like the activities of the young girl Dhunu and the band of boys she hangs out with and their mischief was shot during real rains and floods. According to the director,

‘the way they are living, their lives make them rock-stars.’ She also added that, like Dhunu, girls in the village are facing several restrictions due to their gender once they undergo puberty. Once menstruation happens at the age of 11 or 12 girls become very restricted. They have a lot of things they can’t do which they were allowed to before, like boys. The entire film was shot, directed and produced by Rima Das without any help from professionals. Even the sound, she said, she had to record on her own, and she used mostly natural lighting due to the lack of a lighting crew. The film was already praised across various festivals. ‘Village Rockstars’ was officially recognized by ‘Hong Kong – Asia Film Financing Forum 2017’ and also got the ‘White Light Post-Production Award’ (WIP Lab Project). This 85 minutes limited budget Assamese feature film was also got the official selection to feature at the ‘70th Cannes Film Festival’. ‘Village Rockstars’ is one of the four films selected to feature at the Cannes.

ith the season of Bihu setting in, it’s time to get your groove on. Celestial Way, a Guwahati based band released their latest single titled Hepahor Bihu, on YouTube, SoundCloud and other social media channels. This song is Celestial Way’s original debut track. Celestial Way is a 5 member band with Nibir Bhuyan (Guitar/ Vocals), Queen Hazarika (Vocals/ Piano), Prasanta (Bass), Jayanta (Synth and Keys) and Tinkle (Drums and Percussion) who are one of the city’s most popular musicians Speaking about the song, the jazz and the spring elements in the song is what makes it stand out from the others. This beautiful number by Celestial Way has a little bit of ecstasy, a little bit of tripping, a lit-

tle happiness and a whole lot of fun. The guitar of course stands out in terms of its use and soul and everyone knows that Nibir Bhuyan is the right man for the job. The song has both Assamese and English in it and talks about the magnificent beauty of spring. Celestial Way started as Celestial Doom during the late 90’s and after its disbanding in 2006, the band revived itself with a few new members and a fresh approach in music and thus renamed it’s project as Celestial Way. Celestial Way is a folk-fusion band working on funkyblues music with jazzy overtones experimenting with soul-rock music. The band also covers popular mainstream songs with their signature style and flavour.

A look back at Assamese Classics- A series of old movies for the readers with a story, its origin, its cast and its relevance to contemporaries. Synopsis

few untoward incidents at the village, out of jail and starts to search for his he story revolves around Sewali Jeevan finds himself in the hospital, son. With time, Sewali’s health deteriwho is orphaned at the age of 10 seriously injured. Sewali however has orates but still keeps searching for her and takes shelter at the house of to flee and finds herself at the hut of son. The search ends at a scene where mouzadar Ratnakar. A lucky girl, Sewali Kartik who is a handicap. Sewali dis- Sewali is on her deathbed. Ratnakar gets love and care at their house. Rat- covers that she is pregnant and Kartik finds his son; Jeevan finds his son; but nakar’s wife loves Sewali like her own gives her shelter after he finds out the Sewali is no more. In our lives, we often take decichild. They have a son, Jeevan and entire story of the hardships she had both the kids spend their childhood to- to survive. Sewali gives birth to a son, sions for ourselves and our families. gether. Time goes by and their friend- Sonti and Kartik toils hard to feed the The movie sends out a message that we have to be logical and ship blossoms into love. Meanwhile, thoughtful while doing it Ratnakar’s wife passes away and afFilm: Xorapaat – 1956 (B/W) because one wrong step can ter completing 4 years of education in Banner: Anowar Films shatter the lives of the peoGuwahati, Jeevan returns home only ple around us. to find that he now has a stepmother. Story, Screenplay, Produced and Directed by: Director Anowar HusRatnakar marries a lady named, SavAnowar Hussain sain was only 21 when he itri. In a series of events that unfold, Cinematography: Subodh Banerjee directed this movie, makto establish her authority at home ing him one of the youngSavitri stands as a barrier between Music: Mukul Barua est directors in India. But Jeevan and Sewali. Savitri not only Cast: Phani Sarma, Girish Choudhury, Jnanhow many of us knew that? exerts her dominance at home, but adha Kakoti, Anupama Bhattacharya, Durgesh- Assamese cinema has a also eyes the family property. war Borthakur, Dhiru Bhuyan. rich history and a glorious Adding to the plot, Savitri develpast which is unknown to the ops an illicit relationship with her forpeople in the country. In fact the first mer lover Hemen. One day Ratnakar mother and son. One day while working at a con- Assamese film was released exactly a catches both of them red handed and shoots Hemen and Savitri. Ratnakar, a struction site, Sewali discovers that year after Sati Sulochana. Who do you think is responsible for victim of a crime of passion, ends up in her son is missing. On the other hand jail. But the seed of conspiracy sowed Jeevan spends half his life searching this unawareness about the Assamese by Savitri has a grave impact even af- for Sewali after he comes out of the films? Aren’t we? ter her death. After going through a hospital. Meanwhile, Ratnakar is also

Mirza Arif Hazarika

G PLUS MAR 25 - MAR 31, 2017

Trotter

Metal Detecting leads to finding an amazing Piece of History

Behold The Big Bend - the incredible U-shaped New York skyscraper

hat this boy in Denmark came across while metal detecting with his father is on another level. Fourteen-year-old Daniel Kristiansen was out with his dad, Klaus, when his metal detector indicated that something was hiding just beneath the surface. He was doing research for a school project and what he and Klaus dug up has attracted global attention. The objects behind Daniel are actually parts of a World War II German Messerschmitt aircraft. What’s shocking, however, is that the pilot’s remains and personal effects were found inside. When Klaus was a boy, he recalled a story his grandfather told

that he believed to be just a tall tale before finding the craft. He told him that a plane had crashed at the current dig site in 1944 and that German occupying forces had gotten rid of it. Apparently, it was buried. Along with plane fragments and bones, excavators found food stamps for the canteen, the pilot’s wallet, three unused condoms, his hat, and Danish coins. Researchers believe that they’ve determined the pilot’s identity but that information has yet to be released. The father and son who found the airplane just hope that this information gets back to his family so that there can be a proper burial. (Viral Nova)

he race to build the world’s most spectacular skyscraper has reached new heights - and taken a turn in direction. Designs for ‘The Big Bend’, a slender tower that would transform Manhattan’s skyline, have been unveiled. Described as the ‘longest building in the world’, the project’s concept drawings reveal a skyscraper reaching an apex then curving back down. And featuring an elevator system that can travel in curves, horizontally and in loops. In a bid to work around the challenges of New York’s zoning laws, design studio Oiio has imagined an innovative concept to straddle Billionaire’s Row on 57th Street. The studio explained: ‘New York city’s zoning laws have created a peculiar set of tricks through which developers try to maximise their property’s height in order to infuse it with the prestige of a high rise structure. But what if we substituted height with length? What if our buildings were long instead of tall? ‘If we manage to bend our structure instead of bending the zoning rules of New York we

No more wine dripping from your bottle

cientists have created the perfect bottle of wine to prevent ever spilling it on the tablecloth again. While there are already products available to prevent wine dripping when it’s poured, these require putting a device in the neck of bottle. The newly engineered wine bottle has a circular groove just below its lip that prevents wine from dripping, allowing it all to fall off the bottle immediately into the wine. Dr Daniel Perlman, a wine enthusiast, inventor and biophysicist at Brandeis Universi-

ty in Massachusetts, solved the dripping wine bottle problem. He came up with the circular groove solution during a three-year long process of studying the flow of liquid across the wine bottle’s lip. Although products to prevent wine dripping already exist, Dr Perlman didn’t want people to have to take an extra step after they’d bought a bottle of wine. He said he thought that if he figured out the physics behind the problem, he might be able to build a drip-free wine bottle. To help him study the phenomenon, he stud-

ied slow-motion videos of wine being poured. Streams of wine have a tendency to curl backward over the lip and run down the side of the glass bottle because glass is hydrophilic, which means it attracts water. To make the dripfree bottle, Dr Perlman worked with engineer Dr Greg Widberg to create to create a circular groove around the neck of the bottle just beneath the top. With this design, a drop of wine that would normally run down the side of the bottle encounters the groove, but can’t move across it. Instead, it immediately falls off the bottle into the glass with the rest of the wine. When a full or nearly full bottle of wine is poured, it’s held at a slightly upward angle in relation to the glass. But for a drop of wine to go across the circular groove, it would have to travel upwards inside the groove against the force of gravity, or have enough momentum to jump from one side of the groove to the other. The wine bottle designs of today date back to the early 1800s and haven’t changed much since then. (Source: Daily Mail)

would be able to create one of the most prestigious buildings in Manhattan. The longest building in the world.’ Stretching 4,000ft-long, the glass-lined tower would need to feature an elevator that goes far beyond all current designs. The team explained: ‘What was once

considered to be the greatest challenge in elevator history, is finally becoming reality: the elevator that can travel in curves, horizontally and in continuous loops. ‘The innovative track changing system allows for the horizontal connection of two shafts on the top and bottom to create a continuous loop.’ The team’s press release states: ‘There is an undeniable obsession that resides in Manhattan. It is undeniable because it is made to be seen. There are many different ways that can make a building stand out, but in order to do so the building has to literally stand out. ‘We have become familiar with building height measurements. We usually learn about the latest tallest building and we are always impressed by its price per square foot. It seems that a property’s height operates as a license for it to be expensive. ‘The Big Bend can become a modest architectural solution to the height limitations of Manhattan. We can now provide our structures with the measurements that will make them stand out without worrying about the limits of the sky.’ (Source: Daily Mail)

This ‘Smart Condom’ tracks how you perform

o you ever wonder how many calories you’re burning during sex? Are you curious about your thrust speed and velocity in comparison to other sexually active humans? Well, then today is your lucky day. Condoms just had a lovechild with a Fitbit to make the iCon Smart Condom, essentially a fitness tracker for getting your freak on (and then analyzing it). A new wearable device called the i.Con Smart Condom monitors all kinds of data related to your sex life and performance in the sack. The i.Con — which isn’t exactly a condom, but an adjustable ring that sits over the base of the condom — will keep the recorded data anonymous, unless you choose to make it public to other i.Con users via a smartphone app. Here’s a complete list of the stats that the i.Con can track, according to its manufacturer, British Condoms: Calories burnt during sex Speed of thrusts Number, speed and average velocity of thrusts Frequency and duration of sessions

Girth measurement Positions used (in beta testing) Average skin temperature Presence of STIs The thought of sharing your bedroom data with your partner and friends might intrigue or seriously disturb you. If you’re an exhibitionist, you’ll be thrilled to share the frequency and duration of your sex sessions. On the other hand, your friends might really not want to know that info. For better or for worse, this product is in its final stages of testing and will be available for purchase in 2017 at a cost of £59.99, according to the British Condoms website. If anything, having a wearable device that immediately alerts you to the presence of STIs is undeniably useful. “The ring has an ‘antibodies filter’ that sends an alert to the app when it detects proteins or antigens found in STIs,” according to Medical Daily. Can’t wait to purchase the i.Con Smart Condom? Just hope your sex stats don’t get leaked and become part of the public record. (Source: Livestrong)

G PLUS MAR 25 - MAR 31, 2017

Catching Up Most shared story of the week

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GYAN

he release of the Namami Brahmaputra song was met with both positive and negative remarks. However, the theme song managed to create ripples around the state. One of the most controversial reactions however came from the All Assam Tribal Sangha who demanded that the song be banned as it supposedly hurt the sentiments of the ingenious tribal people and has shown disregard to tribal history and culture.

Did you know?

Shaikh Brothers Bakery

rguably the oldest bakery in the city that came into existence way back in the late 1800’s Shaikh Brothers enjoys a legacy close to 130 years. Shaikh Ghulam Ibrahim established this bakery way back in the late 1800’s and it became one of the most preferred bakeries

not only for the locals and the British but also for Jawahar Lal Nehru and Indira Gandhi. During Jawaharlal Nehru’s visits to Guwahati, cheese straw from this bakery was invariably served on Nehru’s breakfast table as he had a liking for it. From 1905 onwards, special boxes for the Governor House were daily dispatched to Shillong from this shop in horse-drawn carts. The bakery is famous for its cakes, desserts, breads, cookies, pastas, patties, pizzas as well a special paratha-like preparation known as Bakar-Khani.

WHAT DID I JUST

NIZUM BORO

New

Chick About Me

on the block

Hello everyone. I am Nizum and I am currently pursuing my B.Tech in Biotechnology at Guwahati University. I believe in enjoying each and every moment of my life to its fullest and love to discover myself in every way possible. And that is why I push myself in trying different things out of my comfortable zone. I find myself fortunate enough to be crowned Miss Gauhati University(Under Graduate) this year.This is a motivating beginning which makes me look forward to new opportunities and chances that might put me into lime light bringing me fame and glory. Mojo I keep a keen interest in music and admire dancing. I have been trained in classical music during my childhood. I have been always fascinated by the fashion industry and it is overwhelming for me to step into it. Route in the Woods I am a firm believer in both hard work and destiny. My motivation urges me to put my 100% in achieving my goal. And I am confident that this will surely make me successful on the road towards it. Photography by: Deepranjan Baishya

HEAR?

hiv Sena did not criticize the action of their party MP. “Aam aadmi ho ya mantri ho kisi ka bhi gussa phut sakta hai agar uske saath galat hua hai (Anybody can lose their temper if they’ve been wronged, be it a common man or a minister),” Shiv Sena spokesperson Sanjay Raut said. The spokesperson said, “We’ll find out who’s responsible for this. So what if an FIR has been registered? Hum dekhlenge kis par FIR honi chahiye.” Gaikwad, the Lok Sabha MP from Maharashtra’s Osmanabad seat, reportedly abused and hit a 60-year-old Air India duty manager R Sukumar with his sandal when the official persuaded him to disembark after the plane landed at the IGI airport.

Kamur

of the week

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henever elections or any major event is organised in the city by the government, the babus already have a pre-cooked excuse of that particular event for not clearing any file. The Namami Brahmaputra river festival is slated to be celebrated from 31st to 4th April but the government officials already have this excuse that they are busy with the festival and many denizens of Guwahati are asked by the babus to visit offices after Namami. The excuse makes it the kamur of this week.

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Level crossing malfunction | Photo: Surajit Sharma Printed & Published by Sunit Jain on behalf of Insight Brandcom Pvt. Ltd. and Printed at Arkashish Publications (P) Ltd., Katahbari, Garchuk, Guwahati and Published at H/No. 34, K. C. Choudhury Road, Chatribari, Guwahati - 781008, Editor: Swapnil Bharali. Phone: 0361 2737737, Email: info@g-plus.in, RNI No: ASSENG/2013/52641