Vol 4 Issue 28 by G Plus

Will lal batti ban end VIP culture completely?

The newfound fervor of graffiti and street art catching up in the city PG 14

PG 07

New Chic on the Block Pompi Borah PG 24

VOLUME 04 | ISSUE 28 MAY 06 - MAY 12, 2017 PRICE `10

Fancy Bazar Vested interest battling open suspected substance abuse in Ambari T inferno Kalyan Deb

kalyan.deb@g-plus.in

hey do the dirty work of the society and yet we disregard them normally loathing their presence around us. It is the rag-pickers who collect the filth of our society and try to make a living out of our waste. Often seen with large sacks over their shoulders they rummage through the roadside garbage bins for items such as plastic bottles or any other material that might earn them their slice of bread. Howev-

er, in the process of trying to make ends meet they continue being the most neglected section of the society. Meanwhile, the little ones don’t get a better life either as the poverty stricken kids have no other option but to follow the footsteps of their progenitors. However, their shady habits and practices in dark allies have now spilled over to the crowded streets of the city’s premier business hub. In several instances adolescents are seen in crowded market places walking down the streets in a totally disoriented state. While rummaging through garbage filling their large

sacks with plastic and other “valuables” they carry a piece of cloth that they keep sniffing during every short pause. This is not the only sight that one can see. Such scruffy teenagers can also be seen in groups sidewalk corners and inhaling substances from either a piece of cloth or plastic bags. These are some shocking sights that that we unwaveringly see and yet ignore. The adolescents’ exposure to drugs is certainly a major concern for our fast developing city. It is the need of the hour to bring such practices to a halt and retrieve such children from their affliction so that they can live a Continued on page 2

Will RERA help end the real estate recession in Ghy? Rahul Chanda rahul.chanda@g-plus.in Fire fighters dousing the inferno at Ambari| G Plus Photo

Rahul Chanda rahul.chanda@g-plus.in

n a devastating incident in the heart of the city at GNB Road, opposite Guwahati Press Club at Ambari, around 40 thatched houses were gutted destroying property worth lakhs of rupees. The fire started at around 7.30 pm on 2nd May and lasted for around four hours gutting all the thatched houses constructed on an area of around 2 katha land owned by two

people. As soon as the inferno started people were barred from entering the road because the authorities were apprehensive of the fire spreading to a petrol pump located barely 150 feet away from the spot of the incident. Later, the authorities claimed that there were no injuries or loss of life but the incident has raised certain questions on safety. The slum settlement which was gutted is popularly known as Bihari Basti. What triggered the fire? Was it an accident or did someContinued on page 4

nationwide on 1st May this year even as most states are yet to submit their notified rules. The RERA Act is aimed at addressing the grievances of property buyers and is being touted as a pro-consumer law. But will it help to stop the current slide of the real estate market in Guwahati? Are the builders and the consumers happy about the Act in Guwahati? Is the RERA Act coined with the consensus of the people of this region? When will the Assam government notify the act? Will the clauses in the act help the industry in any way? G Plus tries to explore.

High rise apartments in Guwahati | File Photo

o bring transparency, accountability and efficiency to the country’s real estate sector, the

central government implemented the long-pending Real Estate Regulation and Development Act (RERA Act)

The act The Indian real estate sector involves over 76,000 companies across Continued on page 5

G PLUS MAY 06 - MAY 12, 2017

Concern

Fancy Bazar battling open substance abuse

Lack of coordination among administration, health department, police and NGOs cause of failure in elimination of such practices people,” the shop owner added. Several business owners of the area opined for the removal of the slum areas near the railway track. It was mentioned that most of these people are immigrants and if the department stops entertaining their requirement of shelter, which they have illegally occupied, such problems will cease to exist. It was also mentioned that indulgence in such activities only defaces the society.

the cooperation of the NGOs will play a vital role in spreading awareness and educating the children. Miguel Das Queah, founder of the Universal Team for Social Action and Help (UTSAH) opined that good NGOs are always ready to undertake initiatives on drug

Police’s say

A substance abuser in Fancy Bazar | G Plus Photo

Continued from page 1 better life.

The onlookers’ observation Apart from several other areas of the city Fancy Bazar has become a hub of such practices. The aforementioned picture can be easily seen in the commercial hub as one takes a stroll down the various lanes. There is no second opinion that the root of such activities is located at the railway gate numbers 3 and 4. A property of NF Railway the area has transformed into a slum over the years and is the location of several illegal activities. Several business owners of the area have expressed displeasure over the adolescents’ indulgence in substance abuse in the crowded market place. It could be learnt that a group of teenagers would occupy a corner of the street or the frontal of a shop and indulge in such activities. “I was at a stationary shop the other day when a kid comes in, hands over a twenty rupee note to the shopkeeper and buys a tube of ‘Dendrite.’ Firstly, these children consume such substances in

the open - at the market place and secondly, they even harass the passersby. A few days ago some of these children started chasing a few foreigners and harassed them for money. The children started running after them and chased

them until the foreigners reached safety within the premises of Hotel Dynasty,” mentioned a shop owner in the Fancy Bazar area under conditions of anonymity. “It is a regular sight where the young people who consume such substances and then pes-

ter women for money. They keep persisting and won’t go away until you hand over some money. Even the police do not take any action against them. I even called up CRY (Child Rights and You) but there was no response from them

as no one wants to get their hands dirty. The police should take them to juvenile homes and educate them but even they are helpless. If such activities are not eliminated people will stop coming to the market place which is the source of bread and butter for lakhs of

While approaching the local police station for measures taken to eradicate such practices, even the men in khaki expressed inability. Despite having knowledge of rise in such activities the measures taken by police remain cramped and bear no fruits. “Whenever they see our men in uniform even the ones who are in a disoriented state of mind start fleeing from us. On several occasions we have taken them into custody but the police alone cannot do the correction. The street kids and children are easy prey and the police is very much aware of the same. On practical grounds it will require efforts from all the departments. It will require the coordination of the administration, police department, health department and the NGOs and only with a collective effort of all the departments such problems can be eradicated,” said an official of the Fancy Bazar outpost. It could also be learnt that on several occasions such children are also found to be involved in theft from areas such as the railway station and other busy areas such as bus-stops. However, the police have to work within boundaries and have to scrutinize several factors before arresting or sending a child to judicial custody as the future of the child is at stake. The men in khaki seek the participation of the NGOs to save the street children and help in rehabilitating them.

Theory of the NGOs In such alarming situations and in the absence of a concrete measure by the government the NGOs are the only salvagers. Thus,

G PLUS MAY 06 - MAY 12, 2017

Concern abuse prevention and rehabilitation. “Convergence is anyway a good practice. The simple co-operation of the government and the law enforcement agencies can help these organizations address the issue more effectively. Currently, there is a disconnect between the NGOs and the government. For example, we had initiated a Child Rights Programme in the Fancy Bazar Gate No 3 recently, which had a major drug abuse intervention component. However, recurrent demolition drives by the Railways have forced us to stop our intervention. Under such circumstances, A shot of the crowded Fancy Bazar | G Plus Photo the problem would only education, children have been increase. For any social issue to be addressed more sustain- pushed into the labour market to earn for survival. Children ably there should be dialogue between all the stakeholders. “working on streets” or “living Knee-jerk reactions can do on streets” undergo various levels of psychological stress. more bad than good,” Miguel These stresses come from insaid. The child rights activist ter-parental conflict, low levmentioned that children in els of attachment, lack of care, slum areas grow in severe re- physical, mental and sexual source constrained settings abuse at work, peer pressure, (RCS). Due to abject poverty, re- hunger etc. Easy accessibilisulting in the lack of interest in ty of psychoactive substances

encourages children to take to drug-dependence as a means to relieve stress. Most often, the parents or elders of such children are also drug users. “The state should take necessary action to collect accurate database of the exact number of children living in slums or street conditions and the magnitude of “drug-dependent children” in the city. Once there is an idea of the number

of children and the hotspots, targeted interventions can be planned by the civil society in collaboration with the government (Health and Social Welfare). These interventions can range from awareness drives to establishment of more serious charitable rehabilitation centers for victims. The law enforcement should crack down on drug mafias like Jhonny (from Manipur), Shankar (Gate No.6 Bamunimaidam) and Rina (Fancy Bazar Gate 3). Interestingly, the police have knowledge about this nexus but refuse to act. I hear some are in fact beneficiaries of the profit,” Queah said, adding that most importantly, the issue of slums and street children need to be addressed. Recurrent evictions without rehabilitation plans in place can only increase stress levels in children and can compound the drug problem in the city. n

G PLUS MAY 06 - MAY 12, 2017

Lead Story

Vested interest suspected in Ambari inferno

The land which is believed to be in dispute had around 40 thatched houses which were gutted but the exact reason of the fire is not known; DC orders inquiry, report to be submitted in 7 days

Approximately 40 houses were gutted in the Ambari fire | File Photo

Continued from page 1 one deliberately burn the settlement? Is the land disputed? Who are the owners? Will the owners rebuild the thatched houses or will the land be given to some builder now that it has been vacated? G Plus takes a look.

The incident Talking to eye witnesses while trying to understand the exact cause of the fire, people offered different views. A driver, Swapan Biswas, talking to G Plus said that he had lived there for the last 35 years. On 2nd May, he was near the settlement and incidentally saw a small fire within the bamboo enclosure of one of the thatched houses. He came running towards the settlement and as he almost reached the cylinder inside that thatched house blasted engulfing the surrounding thatched houses in flames. Thereafter, there was a succession of cylinder blasts from one room to the next. According to him the fire tenders reached a trifle late and people started panicking as the fire was beginning to spread. The adjacent concrete buildings were at risk and there was a petrol pump located just 150 feet from the spot. As soon as the fire vehicles reached the spot, the fire-fighters climbed on top of the adjacent buildings and started

pouring water from all sides. The driver said that the exact cause of fire would be difficult to determine as at that time there was no one in that particular thatched house where the fire started. Another eye witness said that a child burnt a paper egg-tray to chase away mosquitoes and then left to play. This fire then caught a bamboo enclosure of a thatched house and gradually it grew bigger blasting the cylinder inside and thereafter all other thatched house were gutted. Special DGP, AP Rout, talking to G Plus said that the exact cause of fire is yet to be known as the area should not have had more than 8 to 10 houses, around 40 thatched houses being there was basically throwing all safety norms to the winds. Some eye witnesses, talking to G Plus, said that there are two owners of the land and there is some land dispute going on. So there might be some other angle to the cause of the fire.

The owners One of the owners, Senehi Begum, talking to G Plus said that in 1977 her brother Saifudin Ahmed, who owned the land, was not well and had asked her to take care of the property. He also accordingly made a will. She said that she was not interested in the property but because her brother forced her she agreed to take care of the property. She also said that there

are other family members who were not in favour of the decision and ever since, because of their greed towards the property, they kept spreading rumours. On being asked why there was a thatched settlement on such a prime piece of property, she said that the land where the thatched houses were is low lying and high rise buildings cannot be sustained there. Moreover, she also said that the daily wage earners have been living there since ages and therefore she never thought of getting the land vacated. She said that she will reconstruct that thatched houses for those people. Senehi Begum owns one side of the burnt area which is around 2 kathas of land. The other burnt area is owned by Nasiruddin Ahmed who is another family member of Saifudin Ahmed. Nasiruddin, talking to G Plus, said that the cause of the fire is not exactly known but there might be some vested interests as the fire started from a house where no one was present. He said that the land is under dispute as adjacent to his land - towards Lamb Road - there is a vacant plot belonging to a lawyer practicing in Gauhati High Court named Prashanta Choudhury. Ahmed said that Choudhury had registered a case in the court long back claiming ownership of Nasuridin’s land. Ahmed said that all these years Choudhury has not been

able to show any evidence in the court justifying his claim and the case is still going on. Nasiruddin also said that Prashanta has given his vacant land to a builder and the builder has approached Nasiruddin several times asking him to give the land for development whereby he would get the required share for the property. Nasiruddin said, “I had asked the builder to ask his party (Prashanta) not to revive the case every time it gets dismissed.” Ahmed added that earlier as well, there were two major fire incidents in the area, and therefore he will not make anymore thatched houses in the area. If necessary he will sell the land if he gets good money. Nasiruddin believes that there might be some vested interest in the fire incident. Meanwhile, the people staying in that settlement said that they will not go anywhere and if the owners do not reconstruct the thatched houses, there they will themselves construct the same with the help of the administration.

The administration Kamrup (M) Deputy Commissioner, M Angamuthu ordered a detailed enquiry into the incident and a report to be submitted within 7 days. Circle Officer, Guwahati has to submit the report within 7 days. Also, administration sources said that adequate arrangement for temporary accommodation of the fire victims were made in Assam Textile Institute and in the office of the Directorate of Handloom & Textile, Assam. Deputy Commissioner, Kamrup (M) sanctioned Rs. 10,000 each for the house damaged victims’ families as immediate relief. In this regard, a total of Rs. 4.6 lakhs was already sanctioned for the affected families. After the completion of damage assessment full payment to the affected families will be made. Sufficient food items, drinking water and medical assistance were made available by the district administration. Local police also said that the exact cause of the fire is yet to be known and they are investigating the matter. Whether it was an accident or the incident has a vested interest angle, around 46 families living in small thatched houses were affected. These people had

been living there in pathetic conditions since ages devoid of electricity and proper drinking water. Incidents like these make it clear that there are many hidden slums in the city that are prone to accidents and the government acts only after a gruesome incident takes place. n

G PLUS MAY 06 - MAY 12, 2017

Governance

Will RERA help end the real estate recession in Ghy?

With the Assam government yet to notify RERA, experts feel the Act will not help the industry much in the city and hope that the government will discuss the Act’s various clauses before notifying the same

A bird’s eye view of Guwahati skyline | File Photo

Continued from page 1 the county. Some of the major provisions of the Act, besides mandatory registration of projects and real estate agents, include depositing 70% of the funds collected from buyers in a separate bank account for construction of the project. All developers are required to disclose their project details on the regulator’s website and provide quarterly updates on construction progress. In case of project delays, the onus of paying the monthly interest on bank loans taken for under-construction flats will lie on developers unlike earlier. RERA also states that any structural or workmanship defects brought to the notice of a promoter within a period of five years from the date of handing over possession must be rectified by the promoter, with-

out any further charge, within 30 days. If the promoter fails to do so, the aggrieved allottee is entitled to receive compensation under RERA. Other clauses of the Act are imprisonment of up to three years for developers and up to one year in case of agents and buyers for violation of orders of appellate tribunals and regulatory authorities. RERA is expected to increase transparency in the sector and boost the confidence of both domestic and foreign investors. All said and done, will the Act benefit Guwahatians?

Guwahati real estate market ARIEDA president, PK Sharma talking to G Plus said, “We are reeling under unprecedented recession.” According to many builders and architects the real estate market is in a very bad shape

in Guwahati as construction has almost stopped and flats are not getting sold easily. According to Ranel Kumar Das, an architect practising since the last 42 years, the real estate industry in Guwahati is on a downfall. He narrated that 10 to 20 years ago the cost of a plot of land in Guwahati was very low and therefore people used to easily obtain land. Initially, the land owner used to get 18% of the built up property and because of lack of accommodation people used to jump to buy flats. He said that most of the builders used to take advance from the clients and only GMDA and GMC permission money is what they used to spend from their pockets. He said that as the business looked very profitable, people started jumping into the business and everyone wanted to be a builder. Big players also entered the business. Small build-

He said that just 3 years’ imprisonment for poor design is not enough. The practice of the builder should be banned forever as getting out of jail on bail for big builders is not all that difficult. He said that 70% deposits is not a good idea as it will discourage new builders. He said that instead of depositing in banks, the builder can purchase construction products in advance with that money. He questioned when the government will release the funds and on what condition? He questioned whether 70% is the builders’ profit margin. Similarly, he questioned as to who will decide the punishment and who all will be in the regulatory board. He said that before coining RERA, the views of the experts should have

been taken. Similarly, many other builders, talking to G Plus, said many clauses are coined in favour of the builders in Guwahati, as in Guwahati construction takes time because of weather conditions and other technological constraints. ARIEDA president PK Sharma said that Assam already has a similar law - Assam Apartment (Construction and Transfer of Ownership) Act, 2006. Some clauses of RERA are different. He also said that regulating the old constructions will create some issues as the older projects are already calculated and all the paper works are done. In new ones, there won’t be much problem. But he reiterated that ARIEDA wishes that there should be a discussion before the state government notifies the act. He also said that RERA will not help in a huge way to solve the recession issue of the real estate market in Guwahati. A source in AIDC, talking to G Plus, said that the state is soon planning to notify the act but before that the government will discuss the issue with all the stakeholders. A flat owner in Lal Ganesh, talking to G Plus, said that RERA is pro-consumer, as earlier, after the booking a flat, builders would keep delaying the construction process. But after RERA, the builders will be liable to complete projects on time and they will be registered with the regulatory authority so there is less chance of fraudulent practices. So it seems that the Act is consumer-friendly but looking at the slide that the industry in Guwahati is going through, it will be important to observe whether the Act will help improve the scenario.

of June 2017. RBI has approved 164 branch offices spread across 9 states, including 8 states from northeast and West Bengal. The 164 branches will be opened in a phase-wise manner. These 164 branches also include interior areas of BTAD, Karbi Anglong, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Manipur, Mizoram, Meghalaya and Tripura, which are presently out of reach of the bank-

ing network. The bank is planning to achieve a business of Rs. 1,100 crores by March 2018 and ramp up to Rs. 2,000 crores of business in 2 years’ time. NESFB has planned for various liability products including daily/weekly deposit accounts, fixed deposit accounts, savings account, current account, etc. with competitive interest rates for the benefit of the region. n

ers went for small buildings with 9 to 16 apartments, and big builders started making societies. For a few years permission was also stopped, but later it again started. He said gradually there were many apartments coming up in the city and now the situation is such that many flats are lying vacant or unsold. He said that on the national highway there are around 600 to 700 flats lying vacant. Now builders offer deals like 33% built up area to the land owner and in the process, to avoid loss, the quality of the building suffers. He said there are so many vacant apartments but there are hardly any buyers as there are lack of heavy and IT industries in and around Guwahati. He then said that as the industry is already suffering Acts like RERA should be very carefully implemented.

The RERA analysis

Northeast to get its first micro finance bank G Plus News

eserve Bank of India (RBI) has approved and given the license to set up the “North East Small Finance Bank” making it the first small finance bank from northeast India. The bank is named “North East Small Finance Bank” and will be operational by the 1st week

G PLUS MAY 06 - MAY 12, 2017

Ward Watch

Kharguli’s pathetic road condition to persist for four more months

Authorities assure completion of water supply project by September; urge people’s cooperation

Kalyan Deb kalyan.deb@g-plus.in

or over eight months now residents of Kharguli area have been grovelling for survival under severely piteous conditions. Lack of drinking water that was once provided by Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) has complemented the worst road conditions imaginable raising serious concern among the locals of the area. It is the JICA-funded water supply project that has created the troublesome situation in one of the pristine localities of the city. Around 200 meters of the already narrow road of the Kharguli area was ploughed through creating several manholes from 22nd September 2016 due to the ongoing water supply project. As per the project, pipelines are to be installed through a 900-metre stretch of which a major part has been completed. However, the non-completion of the whole project has created several inconveniences for the residents of the area. Apart from the civic issues honking cars stuck in long queues for most part of the day has become a daily affair.

The resident’s plea The process began on 22nd September last following which the already narrow road of Kharguli was sliced off its major half leaving only a confined space for vehicles to commute. The congestion begins from Uzanbazar and extends up to as far as 400-500 meters into Kharguli. Among the lot, the most affected are the locals of Malibagan in the area. Along with witnessing the day-long traffic congestion for the past eight months the residents are also victims of water scarcity. Further, the dusty environment has created a severe health hazard for the local shopkeepers of the area who have to man their shops for the whole day. It was also mentioned that the

The dilapidated condition of the new Dr. Bhupen Hazarika Road, Kharguli | G Plus Photo

condition of this road significantly deteriorated after the excavators were deployed and also damaged the existing water pipe lines. “It has been months that the residents have remained deprived of drinking water. The installation of pipelines has caused several damages including breakage of the existing GMC water supply pipelines and till date, the pipelines have remained unmanned. There are many residents who are dependent on wells which exist only in only a few households,” said Dimbeswar Deka, a resident of Malibagan and president, Latasil Nagarik Committee, during a conversation with G Plus. Another local echoed similar views and stated, “On several occasions we tried to mend the damage at our own expense but the plumbers refused to work as the pipelines belong to the municipal corporation. There are around 200 residences in this particular area that have been suffering from severe scarcity of water for the past several months.” Water scarcity is complemented by the problem of traffic congestion that adds to the distress of the people. Vehicles lined up one

after another is a regular sight for most part of the day apart from a few hours in the afternoon. Due to the installation of pipelines a major part of the road was excavated which, till date, remains unrepaired leaving only a minimal part of the road commutable. “The work has been halted for the past few months and the concerned people have left the road unrepaired. Along with traffic congestion there were also incidents of a few minor accidents. In one incident, a truck almost turned turtle due to the uneven road. Prior to the installation of the pipelines the road condition was near perfect,” said Jitendra Kumar, a local resident. It was also mentioned that the road condition makes it troublesome for pedestrians to walk due to the emanating dust. For the first phase of the water supply project, work on one side of the road was initiated and this concluded just over a year ago. Meanwhile, the latest project is being carried out under the supervision of IVRCL which is a public limited infrastructure company. In an approach made earlier it was informed by the contractor that

the petty expenses such as repairing the damages in pipelines have added to the cost of the project. The lack of cooperation from the locals and instances of manhandling of some labourers by the locals was also mentioned. However, the locals have denied any such uncivil behaviour.

The authority’s say From what could be learnt from the officials of Jal Board, the future of the Kharguli road remains uncertain for another four months. Along with the in-progress pipeline project another installation of pipeline will be carried out in the near future. In the next phase, the mid-portion of the road will be excavated where a gridline of 700 mm diameter will be installed. The water reservoir in Ramsa Hill, which has a capacity of 2,34,00,000 litres, will be connected to West-Guwahati reservoir through this pipeline. “There is no second opinion about the lethargy of the contractor and the public has to suffer for the same but there were several hurdles in the installation of the pipelines. The pipelines installed in the area are of 1700 mm diame-

ter and another problem we faced is that the road had rocks underneath that are as hard as granite. We could not deploy any blasting process due to the residential establishments and so it consumed more than the estimated time. Meanwhile, there were other challenges during the initiation of the project in the area. Among several other problems the installation of pipelines could only be carried out at night. However, we urge the people’s co-operation and patience for a few more months until the completion of the project,” stated an official of Jal Board. It was also informed that the restoration process is carried out in three phases. In the first phase, which is called GSB (Granular SubBase), larger stones are placed. The process is followed by a process of laying smaller stones known as WBM (Water Bound Macadam) and the road has to be given some time to settle before the bitumen filling is done. All this is a time consuming affair. However, officials of Jal Board have assured that along with the restoration of the road the residents of Kharguli will be provided with 24X7 water-supply by September this year. Two companies are working in the Kharguli stretch where GAMMON India had installed pipelines on one side of the road and the other is being carried out by IVRCL. A locality situated in south bank of river Brahmaputra, Kharguli is a riverside residential area with hilly terrain on one side and sloping land on the other. The area of Kharguli has marked significance as it is one of the oldest civilisations of the city. However, the settlement of residents took place only after the establishment of Assam Tannery by the East India Company. During the initial days, the area had ten to fifteen residences since the business of tannery was carried out from Kharguli. However, the scenario soon transformed with the settlement of several other residences. n

Traditional dress code for govt officers and employees G Plus News

he Principal Secretary, Government of Assam, PK Borthakur (IAS) (Personnel, AR&Trg) in a letter to PK Tiwari (IAS) Principal Secretary (General Administration Department), Government of Assam, asked him to formulate a proposal asking government officials to wear traditional attire on 1st and 3rd Saturdays of the week on a voluntary basis.

This letter came in after the Chief Minister of Assam, Sarbananda Sonowal had asked government officials to dress up in traditional attire for Civil Services Day, 2017 celebrations and was widely appreciated. The dress code was appreciated by the public and was highlighted in the media. The Chief Secretary is also of the belief that coming to workplace in traditional dresses induces feelings of enthusiasm within everyone and Ashutosh Agnihotri (L) and AP Tiwari (R) in tradiwill stimulate better work culture in government offices. n tional attire | File Photo

G PLUS MAY 06 - MAY 12, 2017

In The News

Will lal batti ban end VIP culture completely?

In Assam, sirens cannot replace the red beacon on VIP vehicles as sirens can be used only during emergencies by law enforcing agencies. G Plus explores if the move is likely to end the VIP culture in Assam

Red beacons that have been banned | File Photo

Rahul Chanda rahul.chanda@g-plus.in

ecently, speaking during the radio programme “Mann Ki Baat,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he wasn’t just removing the red beacons from cars but also ensuring that the VIP culture is removed from the minds of the VIPs. From 1st May, the red beacon or the VIP culture came to an end and following the footsteps of the centre, Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal instructed all the Ministers, MLAs, bureaucrats and other officials to remove the red beacons from atop their cars. In Assam, who were the people using the red beacons on their cars? Who can use it now? Is there any other alternative to the lal battis? G Plus does a reality check.

Who all were using? According to a notification put

out in 2014 by the state Governor in pursuance of powers under Clause 1 (iii) of Provision to Rule 108 of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, red light with flasher, anywhere in the state of Assam while on duty, could be used only by the Governor, Chief Minister, Chief Justice of Gauhati High Court, judges of Gauhati High Court, Speaker of Assam Legislative Assembly, cabinet ministers of Assam, leader of opposition in Assam Legislative Assembly, chairman of Central Administrative Tribunal, deputy speaker of Assam Legislative Assembly, ministers of state, parliamentary secretaries, Lok Ayukta, Assam, Upa-Lok Ayukta, Assam, Chief Secretary, Assam Police DGP, chief executive members of the 6th schedule autonomous councils, advocate general of Assam, state election commissioner, chief information commissioner and state information commissioners. Talking about

blue light with flasher inside the state, the vice chancellor of a university, additional chief secretaries of the state and the principal secretaries to the government of Assam were allowed. Within a district, the DCs, divisional commissioners, district and session judges and SDOs could use blue lights under their jurisdiction. Ambulances, transport officials on enforcement duty, police escorts, patrol cars, fire tenders could use multi-coloured lights with flasher while on duty and could also use sirens while discharging their duties. The notification also said that the lights on the vehicle would be covered with a black cover when they are not occupying the vehicle or are not on duty. So what will happen now?

Now what? The ban, effective from May 1, doesn’t exempt even vehicles of the country’s top dignitaries such

50 kg gold seized in 4 months at Guwahati Railway Station

as the President, Prime Minister and the Chief Justice of India. However, as per the rule, ambulances and vehicles of the fire service, police and army will be allowed to use blue flashing beacons to cut through traffic. A source in the transport department, talking to G Plus, said that in Assam there is not a single vehicle now which is installed with a red beacon. According to media reports, the great Indian jugaad has found a way to get around the beacon ban with netas replacing the VIP light with sirens at least in two states viz. Madhya Pradesh and Telangana. Is it happening in Assam? The transport source said that even sirens can be used only with a purpose. The source said that in Assam only ambulances and law enforcing agencies like police, fire tenders and army vehicles can use sirens but it can be used only during emergencies. City police Commissioner Hiren Nath, talking to G Plus, said that sirens can be used only when there is a law and order situation. So in Assam the leaders

cannot use the siren in place of the red beacon. A traffic constable, talking to G Plus in anonymity, said that usually whenever there is a VIP movement the police receive the information and the traffic on that particular road is managed accordingly. So when the VIPs (without red beacons) pass through a road it is known beforehand and the road is cleared accordingly. Also to meet any minister, the normal citizen or the voter has to anyway talk to a lot of secretaries giving reasons for the meeting, and finally get an appointment to meet the leader for a minute or two. It is true that the leaders are usually busy with meetings and development plans, but can the red beacon ban end the VIP culture completely? None of the state’s ministers have any fixed timing in a week where the general public can meet them without taking prior appointments from the secretaries or close associates. So how does it matter they move in a red beacon vehicle or not? n

RE-INVITING REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (R.F.P) Deputy Director, Town and Country Planning, Dispur, Guwahati-6, Assam, invites sealed Request for Proposals (RPF) in two bid system (Technical and Financial bids) in two separate envelops from experienced and reputed consultants / firms for preparation of GIS based Master Plans for Jagiroad & Rangia, Assam, which will be received up to 1.00 p.m. of 16.05.2017. Earnest money of Rs. 10,000.00 (Rupees Ten Thousand) each only in the form of Fixed Deposit/NSC/Call Deposit duly pledged in favour of the Deputy Director, Town and Country Planning, Dispur, Guwahati-6, will have to be deposited along with each Technical bid for each Town. Individual/Separate Technical and Financial Bid have to be submitted for each Town. Technical bid will be opened on 16.05.2017 at 2.00 P.M in presence of intending bidders or his authorised representatives. If any date specified in the Schedule of RFP process or this notice happens to be holiday, then the next working day will be considered for the activity / event and the time will remain same. The major scope of the works for the consultants / firms will be to convert the Master Plan maps and Cadastral maps (Revenue maps) along with other details to web ready GIS format. Detailed bid documents may be obtained from Office of the Deputy Director, Town and Country Planning, Dispur, Guwahati-6, during office hours from 10.30 A.M to 4.00 P.M. upto 15.05.2017 on payment of Rs 200.00 ( Rupees two hundred) only for each Town in the form of De mand Draft in favour of Deputy Director, Town and Country Planning, Dispur, Guwahati-6, which is non – refundable.

G Plus News Time of completion of the work is 6 (Six) months from the date of issue work order.

uwahati Railway Police on Friday morning seized 20 kg of gold from Tripura Express. Four women who boarded the train at Badarpur Station and were carrying the smuggled gold to New Delhi have been arrested in connection with the incident. It is suspected that the gold came from the Myanmar border. The market value of the seized gold is expected to be approximately Rs 6 crores. It is to be noted that in the past four months, approximately 50 kg of gold has been seized at Guwahati Railway Station. n

All payments are subject to availability of fund. All other details can be seen in the RFP document.

S/d Deputy Director Town and Country Planning, Dispur, Guwahati-6

Janasanjyog/84/17

G PLUS MAY 06 - MAY 12, 2017

Governance

Steps against noise pollution: DA declares Silent Zones in city The district administration declared some areas of the city as Silent Zones; includes places near hospitals, educational institutions, religious places and courts Juthika Baruah

Rules 2000.

juthika.baruah@g-plus.in

Consequences of any violation in silence zone/area Whoever, in any place covered under the silence zone/area commits any of the following offence, he shall be liable for penalty under the provisions of the Act: whoever plays any music or uses any sound amplifiers whoever beats a drum or tomtom or blows a horn either musical or pressure, or trumpet or beats or sounds any instrument whoever exhibits any mimetic, musical or other performances of a nature to attract crowds. whoever bursts sound emitting fire crackers whoever uses a loud speaker or a public address system.

oes the city have so much noise pollution that the district administration had to declare some areas as ‘Silent Zone’? This was done recently in exercise of the power conferred to the state government vide Rule 3 (2) of the Noise Pollution (Regulations and Control) Rules 2000 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 within Kamrup Metropolitan District. The district administration has declared silent zones in and around not less than 100 metres radius of all educational institutions, all private and government hospitals, Gauhati High Court area and all religious places. It is B Barooah College (L), Cotton College (C) and GMCH (R) have all been decalred as ‘silent zones’ | G Plus Photo acceptable that the silent zones Responsibility as to enforceGuwahati Municipal Corporation have been declared in the areas Ulama Fazlul Karim Qasimi said, measure the level of sound to be ment of noise pollution control used in the particular places? It (GMC) to impose restrictions near hospitals and educational “If the district administration has while issuing NOC for construc- measures is not only in front of the temples declared the areas as silent zone institutions but how will people which will bring a fruitful result or mosques or churches or near tion purpose that the builders/ The noise levels in any area/ react to the order that also seeks zone shall not exceed the ampromoters shall not use or operwe don’t have any problem. But hospitals that they should declare to be implemented in areas close bient air quality standards in if we find any problem in our re- silent zones but it has to be im- ate sound emitting construction to religious places? There was a respect of noise as specified in plemented on the roads as well equipment during night time ligious ceremonies in due course recent controversy of Bollywood the Schedule. from 10 PM to 6 AM. Moreover, singer Sonu Nigam who had up- of time we will protest against as the people unnecessarily blow while issuing trade licenses or The authority shall be responhorns on the roads. Many laws the decision. The administration loaded a video in which Azaan sible for the enforcement of renewal of trade licenses GMC is which declared the areas near re- have been implemented which could be heard after which he noise pollution control measrequested to ensure that no loudligious places is only for political are not effective and making of publicly spoke out against the ures and the due compliance purpose. General public do not such laws is useless. Rather they speaker, public address system, disturbance caused by the use of of the ambient air quality should try to implement the exist- microphones, crackers are used loudspeakers for religious pur- feel any disturbance due to the standards in respect of noise. by the hosts or guests of the funcing laws with utmost importance religious purposes and therefore poses and captioned the video as tion at marriage halls from 10 PM The respective State Pollution so that crimes which occur can be nobody complained against such ‘Good Morning India’ since Azaan Control Boards or Pollution to 6 AM. It has also been instructis given early in the morning be- issues. But it is the political lead- prevented.” Control Committees in conThe Deputy Commissioner of ed to the Pollution Control Board ers who welcomed such a move fore sunrise. sultation with the Central Kamrup (M) M. Angamuthu also of Assam (PCBA) to collect, comWill such controversy affect due to political purpose.” Pollution Control Board shall Qasimi added, “This is com- instructed the PWD Department pile and publish technical and the district administration’s decicollect, compile and publish statistical data relating to noise pletely irrelevant as it is not to install the necessary signage sion to come up with silent zones technical and statistical data possible to make the area com- and the Deputy Commissioner pollution and measures devised in front of religious places like relating to noise pollution and mosques, temples, churches, gu- pletely silent. It is not possible to of Police, Deputy Commission- for its effective prevention, conmeasures devised for its effecmaintain the instructions given er of Police (Traffic) and District trol and abatement under the rudwaras etc.? Commenting on tive prevention, control and the decision of the administration, by the administration or by the Transport Officer will strictly en- Section 4 (3) of the Noise Polluabatement. tion (Regulations and Control) force the same. The DC also asked Secretary of Assam State Jamiat, concerned department. Who will n

Himanta Biswa Sarma focuses on ‘Mission Flood-free Guwahati’ G Plus News

ith an endeavour to build a flood-free Guwahati, Minister of Guwahati Development Department (GDD) Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday addressed a high level meeting with Mayor, DC, Addl CS, CP, councillors, officers of GMC, at Circuit House. Addressing the meeting, the

minister said that all the drains of the city would be cleaned within the month of May to clear the drainage system, ahead of monsoon. The minister also said that new and scientific equipments and methods to clear drainage systems would be implemented very soon, to keep Guwahati flood free during

the upcoming monsoon season. The minister took stock of the current development works in each wards of the city, and also apprised the councillors of Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) of the works that need to be executed to make Guwahati a better city. He also ordered the counsellors to make sure that all the 15,383 streets lights of Guwahati are lit well, and maintained properly. n

G PLUS MAY 06 - MAY 12, 2017

New people –old attire!

Guwahati’s new roads

Photo Feature What it was Six Mile to Narengi VIP Road Where you’l l be goin Mahapurush Madhabde g v Path

Ten of Guwahati’s major routes had their names changed after the State Government made a major announcement on Wednesday last. Most of the previous names were generic and now to keep the names of certain personalities alive, the Government has renamed the roads accordingly. Here’s what you’re going to tell the cabbie next time you want to take a ride around town! What it w GS Roadas Mahapu Where you’ll rush Srir be manta S going ankarde va Path

aon was What itNH via Hatig o t Mandir Ganesh ing ’ll be gov Path u o y e r e Whe ush Harid ur Mahap

Hengra bari RoWahat it was d to Cha chal VIP point Where y Khagen ou’ll be going Mahant a Path

was What itoad R T A e going you’ll b dar Dev Path e r e h W Damo urush Mahap

KharghWhat it was uli to No onmati Where y Dr. Bhu ou’ll be goin pen Haz g arika Pa th

was ry What itTraffic Rota b u l C i t a Guwah ing wk ’ll be goezbaroa Cho u o y e r Whe minath B Laksh arathi Sahity

sh was algane What ithilipara to L ia Ka andir v M h s e Gan e going th you’ll b adhyaya Pa e r e h p W U l aya Deend Pandit

What Sijubariti was Path

Wher Chaolune you’ll be goin g g Sukap haa Pat h

it was a Road What n par a Kh a Beltola oing u’ll be g ath o y e r e P Wh n Fakir Pir Aja

G PLUS MAY 06 - MAY 12, 2017

City

Guwahati ranked 134 in Swachh Surveksan contest th

Guwahati, which was ranked 50th out of 78 cities in the Swachh Surveksan Contest in 2016, has dropped to 134th out of 500 cities this year. While the drop in rankings seems to look bad for the city, the overall performance out of 500 cities keeps it above New Delhi, Mumbai and Bangaluru Juthika Baruah juthika.baruah@g-plus.in

uwahati is said to be the gateway to the northeast but neither any of its states nor any of its cities has figured in the list of Top 50 of the Swaach Surveksan contest. Guwahati has been placed at 134th position even though it came 50th in 2016. As a prelude to encouraging cities to improve urban sanitation, the Ministry of Urban Development (MoUD) had conducted a ‘Swachh Survekshan-2016’ survey for the rating of 73 cities in January 2016. In a bid to scale up the coverage of the ranking exercise and encourage towns and cities to actively implement mission initiatives in a timely and innovative manner, MoUD this year proposed to conduct its second survey to rank 500 cities (with a population of 1 lakh and above) under Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban (SBM-U).

A Swachh Survekshan run being carried out in the city | File Photo

been appointed in every ward for promoting public hygiene and sanitation in their respective wards apart from fulfilling their compulsory duty of registering complaints of residents and taking swift action on them. Speaking to G Plus, Mayor Mrigen Sarania said that the rank has not dropped down; rather it is better than most cities. “Last year we got 50th rank among 78 cities and this year the city has been

on their phones and help us make we started late we were not able it to the top for the next phase of to do much for the city. But this Swachh Surveksan. For instance, year we will focus more on it. The city has a problem with its dump- if a person comes across any area littered with garbage, he can click ing ground for which the rank has dropped a bit but otherwise it is a picture and upload it on the app. Public participation plays a vital better. We have not received the public feedback but in Nagaon role in taking the city to the top the public feedback was good,” of the list. Thus, I want to appeal to all citizens to download the said Sarania. "We want Guwahati to feature "Swacchta App" and upload the photos of the areas where work among the top 10 cleanest cities in the country and for this the (cleanliness) needs to be done.

Score Summary of the cities of the Northeast (Swachh Surveksan website) The objective of the survey is to encourage large scale citizen participation and create awareness amongst all sections of the society about the importance of working together towards making towns and cities a better place to live in. Additionally, the survey also intends to foster a spirit of healthy competition among towns and cities to improve their service delivery to citizens, towards creating cleaner cities. Swachh Bharat stressed on creating awareness among people regarding keeping their own surroundings free from garbage and other wastes and Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) has created an online account for monitoring the various activities under the mission. Sanitary Supervisors/Swachh Bharat Mission Officers have

Citizen Feedback

National Rank

City

State

Overall Score

Municipal Self Declaration

On site Observation

122

Imphal

Manipur

1192

530

346

316

134

Guwahati

Assam

1169

580

273

315

161

Nagaon

Assam

1086

362

319

405

208

Kohima

Nagaland

970

417

278

275

216

Itanagar

Arunachal Pradesh

953

464

251

238

276

Shillong

Meghalaya

839

248

320

270

277

Dimapur

Nagaland

838

273

319

246

280

Silchar

Assam

833

237

251

345

290

Agartala

Tripura

806

334

232

240

297

Dibrugarh

Assam

798

234

267

296

ranked 134th among 500 cities which is far better. And most importantly, Guwahati is above Delhi, Mumbai, Bangaluru, etc. We could have improved more but as

public will have to cooperate with the state government, district administration and civic bodies to keep it clean. I request the public to download the Swachhta app

Also, after the work is completed, do reply with a feedback and help in keeping the city clean,” the Mayor added. In order for segregation of

waste at source, GMC has initiated a project for purchase of dry waste from the citizens. Accordingly, one Waste Purchase Centre with Transfer Station has been constructed near Rajdhani Nursery on RG Baruah Road and under Athgaon Flyover, Guwahati. Other transfer and dry waste collection stations will be constructed at Hatigaon Chariali, near GMCH, BK Kakati Road near RK Mission Bridge, behind Adabari Bus Stand and Chabipool. In the Transfer Station, auto tippers and tricycles ascend a ramp and unload the garbage into a dumper and compactor directly. There is adequate facility of water for cleaning and measures are taken for sanitization inside the station along with the provision of leach ate treatment facility. Since the functioning of the transfer station, adjoining areas around the station have been declared as dustbin-less area. The survey was carried out by the Quality Council of India, which had deployed 421 assessors for on-the-spot assessment of 17,500 locations in 434 cities and towns. Another 55 people regularly monitored the survey process in real time. The criteria and weightages for different components of sanitation related aspects used for the survey were solid waste management including door-to-door collection, processing, and disposal, ODF (open defecation free) status etc. These carried 45% of the total 2,000 marks, citizen feedback carried 30% and independent observation carried 25%. n

G PLUS MAY 06 - MAY 12, 2017

An Ode to a Teacher...

Special

The city lost its luminary teacher – Professor Dilip Kumar Baruah - recently. His name was taken with so much reverence that his day of death turned out to be one of the saddest days in the Assamese society in general and the education fraternity in particular. G Plus offers a page of homage to the great soul with tributes from three of his admirers.

t seems every single person I know have been, at one point of their lives, a student of Professor Dilip Kumar Barua whom everybody fondly referred to as DKB sir! My earliest memory of him dates back to 1984 as a Pre-University student of Cotton College Arts Faculty when I had Economics as one of my subjects. Being totally Arts-oriented I was petrified of anything remotely connected to Mathematics and was apprehensive of the Economics class since somebody mentioned that Economics had something or the other to do with Maths. But of course it was only later that I became aware that preliminary knowledge of Economics did not require any Maths. So with much apprehension I had entered the Economics class only to realise that it requires a competent teacher to make any dreaded subject so easy and interesting! DKB sir taught Economics with so much clarity that we all took to it like a duck does to water and you would have to really squeeze into a bench to get a seat in his class if you happened to be late - such was the popularity of his class! One of the huge classrooms in N Block was our Economics classroom and it would always be packed when DKB Sir took his. I remember being one of the participants of the first batch of students in the IAS coaching classes started in Cotton College in 1988 by former Chief Secretary Haren Das and Professor Dilip Kumar Barua. We were waiting for our Degree Final Year Results and so the training was designed to suit our time. Every evening we would attend the classes and it was an exciting experience for all of us. Although I was very keen to appear for the IAS exams I must confess I dreaded the thought of facing an interview board and also

about not clearing the examinations at the first attempt. I was also toying with the idea of doing my Masters and then after that maybe sit for the exams. In the meantime I was already working as a casual announcer for DDK Guwahati in their makeshift Pan Bazar studio. At that same year I happened to be crowned the Miss North East and a small photograph of mine was published along with the news in The Telegraph newspaper from Calcutta. The day after the news came out I ran into DKB Sir in the corridor of our college and he stopped me and said I saw your photograph and the news. I almost died. I thought, “Oh My God! He must be thinking I am not serious

about the exams!” I mum-

bled something and ran. Later on, I confessed to him about my fears on the uncertainty of the IAS exams and that I wanted to complete my Masters. He did seem disappointed I think but wished me luck in my new endeavours and smiled. My all time favourite memory of him will always be his soft spoken words, his calm disposition, his kindness and his ever smiling visage. ~ Bobbeeta Sharma A gentleman to a fault, always with a reassuring smile, Prof. Dilip Kumar Baruah was one of the last of his generation. With his impeccable

persona and amiable disposition, he was an epitome of decency, propriety and social commitments. I would rate DKB Sir, the human being even greater than DKB Sir, the teacher though he was one of the best teachers Assam has ever seen. When we were young, there were quite a few people like him around us, strengthening our belief in the goodness of mankind. The cruel hands of time have snatched them away from us one by one. The going of Baruah Sir leaves us extremely saddened, for someone like him with his rare qualities cannot be replaced. I was blessed to be his student right from my PU days, and fortunate enough to be his colleague during his tenure in Cotton College as a professor and then as its Principal. A man of few words, he practised the good values of life without preaching, as some of us tried to imbibe these qualities from him. Never one to show off his knowledge, he could explain the most difficult concepts of economics in simplest of words, drawing examples from our day to day lives. Even the weakest student in the class could follow and remember what he taught; that was the greatness of his teaching. But his aura extended far beyond the classroom or department. His humility, calmness in face of adversity and a rare belief in mankind affected us to a great extent. His conviction of not bowing down to administrative red-tape and injustices, not seeking personal favours from anyone in authority was exempla-

ry. He was never bothered by negative thoughts, exuding a positivity to all those around him. His going marks the end of an era in Cotton College and in the Economics fraternity of Assam. Assam has lost a pioneer in quizzing and debating, a great teacher, a great economist and above all a great human being. He was what an ideal teacher should be. Such teachers are rarely born. No high API scores, no PhDs from famous universities can make such a teacher. If we can imbibe some of his qualities, our careers and lives would be worthwhile. Be happy wherever you are Sir, with that smile full of understanding and compassion. We will always cherish you with fond memories. ~ Padma Sharma Goswami, Associate Professor, Deptt. Of Economics, Cotton College, Guwahati. Prof Dilip Barua was our senior at the St Anthony’s College, Shillong. We lost contact with each other after he left Shillong to pursue his higher studies in Guwahati. Destiny wanted us to meet again. I got posted as the Chief Manager (Public Relations & CSB) at State Bank Head Office in Guwahati in the Nineties and very often we would invite him to conduct the quiz programmes that the Bank organised at different places. He was always obliging. Later on, we started meeting each other at seminars and other academic events. We became good friends. Last we met on 5th February, 2017 while attending a school function at the Tirupati Balaji Mandir Auditorium. He was not keeping good health, but when I requested him for a selfie, he obliged with a smile. A true gentleman, above all narrowness and bickering, Prof Dilip Barua’s demise is a big loss for all of us. ~ Nurul Laskar

G PLUS MAY 06 - MAY 12, 2017

Snippets

Car rental service makes Assam Don Bosco University concludes Shout Out To Green World Exhibition entry into Guwahati

T Chandan Deka

ne of India’s best car rental portals has made its way to Guwahati – Zoom Car. Zoom Car Services were already available in other places like Kolkata, Chennai, Himachal Pradesh, Bengaluru, Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad etc, and now it has been launched in Guwahati. For those, who are not familiar with Zoom Car services: it is a car rental portal which allows cars to be rented for self-driving. A wide variety of cars are available. Zoom car is beneficial for those people who cannot afford to buy a car; they can rent a car through Zoom Car services and travel to any part of the country. Besides, there are various luxury cars like BMW, Mercedes, Audi etc that are available and one can get the experience of driving a BMW, Audi, or a Mercedes Benz at a very low cost. As Zoom Car is new to Guwahati, they have introduced only a few varieties of cars to gauge the response of the

people. And now that it has been received well by the people, they intend to introduce a few other car variants in the near future. The following is a list of all the cars currently available under Zoom Car Services in Guwahati:

Cars Swift/Figo I20 elite Eco sport Scorpio

Start at Rs 70/hr Rs 90/hr Rs 90/hr Rs 95/hr

he final year students of Mass Communication, Assam Don Bosco University, successfully organised a Media Exhibition as part of their E-Event in Don Bosco School, Panbazar on 2nd May, 2017. Dr Basil Koikara, Registrar of Assam Don Bosco University was the chief guest of the event and Fr. Sebastian Mathew, Principal of Don Bosco School, Panbazar Guwahati was the guest of honour. The event marked the conclusion of the (online) e-event celebrating “World Earth Day”,

an initiative to help the environment and make positive changes in the community around us. The participants and followers have been from different countries like Thailand, Italy, Bolivia, Nigeria, Sri Lanka and India. The E-event was a success because of the participation of these countries. The winners for the different

competitions were as follows: 1. For the Photography Competition, the most popular likes on Facebook was won by Tamolwan Saelow. 2. Best Photograph – JudgeBased was Bob Evans Sawkmie. 3. For Miniature Effects Creation - most popular likes in Facebook was Chonticha Saelow 4. Best Miniature Photograph was won by Aunshalee Wuymae. 5. Winner for Best Short Film was Pixel Plus Pictures. 6. Winner for Best Jingle was Purna Rai. 7. Winner for Best PSA was Surisa Tiankaew 8. Winner for T-Shirt Design for Most popular likes on Facebook was Chonticha Saelow. 9. Best T-shirt Design Judge Based was Akash Mizar. “Our event has been dedicated to “Giving back to nature” and we are glad that in our own small but consistent way we have been able to keep this message alive” said Labynta Rynjah, a team member. n

Sishu Sarothi celebrates 30th Foundation Day

ishu Sarothi is a non-governmental organization (NGO) established in 1987 for the The desired car can be booked rehabilitation of the disaon their official website at www. bled. It is an award winning NGO which works with chilzoomcar.com or by using their app which is available on the Android dren with disability. It is a Play Store. The booking procedure centre for rehabilitation and is fairly simple and requires a driv- training of multiple disabiler’s license and a small security ities, which is situated opposite Ramkrishna Mission Road, deposit which is refunded when the booking ends and the car is Birubari, Guwahati. Sishu Sarothi received the National Award for returned. The company has also come up with a variety of booking ‘Best Institution’ from the President of India in 2004 and also the State packages to suit the various usage requirements of the customer. The Award for ‘Best Community Service’ from the Chief Minister of Assam cars have all India permits and can be driven in any part of the coun- in 2007. It works on various departments which include education, try. n

livelihood, rehabilitation, health etc. It works for the protection of rights and legal aid for children. Sishu Sarothi campaigns for a better world where human rights are enjoyed by all. Sishu Sarothi celebrated their 30th foundation day on 1st May. It was a huge event with games, food,

music and lots of fun and amusement. There were several games which were enjoyed not only by the children but also by the adults. Talking to G Plus, Mr. Arman Ali said, “We work with people with all kinds of disabilities and work for their rights and inclusion.” When asked about the foundation day celebrations he said, “We celebrate with lot of fun and try to convert this place to a place of happiness and inclusion.” He added, “Our mission is to promote mainstream of disability and also that people live with equal rights on equal participation and on equal basis with others”. n

Weather report for the week Guwahati

SUN

MON

TUE

WED

THU

FRI

Cloudy

Mostly Cloudy

Storm

30°/22° C

33°/23° C

32°/23° C

32°/22° C

32°/23° C

31°/23° C

SATURDAY

Storm

29°/22° C

G PLUS MAY 06 - MAY 12, 2017

Is Uber, Ola taking its cab drivers for a ride?

City

With Uber and Ola having a fleet of 13,000 cabs running on the city’s streets, the drivers and owners of such app-based cabs are beginning to feel the pinch of lower and delayed incentives and other remunerations

Kalyan Deb kalyan.deb@g-plus.in

he introduction of the appbased cab services in the city has been one of the most welcomed moves. However, the taxi aggregators have been entangled in several discords with the cab owners and the drivers. In yet another incident, the All Guwahati Cab Owners/Drivers Association has thrown light on incidents where the cab drivers are deprived of their remuneration - especially in those situations where the customers activate a promotional offer against which they get a discount of a particular percentage in their rides. It could be learnt that on several occasions that the amount paid by the customers after activating a discount is much lesser than the aggregated fare and the amount is supposed to be remitted by the cab aggregators. However, it has been alleged that the cab drivers or the owners are deprived of the discounted amount. “We have been striving against such moves. When the aggregators provide a promotional offer to the customers the baggage of the offers has to be hauled by the cab owners and not by Uber or Ola. Meanwhile, several drivers’ online payments have not been transferred to their accounts for the past several days. In one such incident, a cab driver made around 92 trips in the past seven days of which 18 were paid online but the amount has not been transferred yet. On such occasions, the drivers lose track of the online transactions and the service providers take advantage of the same and keep the drivers deprived of the amount paid online,” said Ismail Ali, president, All Guwahati Cab Owners/ Drivers Association. Meanwhile, the association

has also furnished an application to both the service providers (Uber and Ola) that states several demands. The application reads that the aggregators, rather than fulfilling their demands towards the service providers, have been taking steps to the contrary instead. The association also opposed the step of reducing their incentives. The association has also mentioned several other demands. Considering the price hike of daily utilities and fuel, the fare of the cabs should be increased. The incentives should be increased as it was earlier. Along with congested roads the flow of trips for the cabs has lessened; thus the companies should not enrol further cabs. It should be made mandatory that the customers phone the cab driver post booking. The driver should not be harassed on grounds that the customer has left any item in the cab. The process of rating should be made transparent. The one-sided decisions of the authorities of Uber and Ola will not be accepted. The association also mentioned about the cab aggregators providing cabs under their direct scheme against a sum of Rs 27,000. “Our demands should be fulfilled because our earnings have dropped. Their commitment has proved to be a ruse. They had assured us that they will not take vehicles on lease but recently a text message has circulated where one can be the owner of a cab for Rs 27000. If they take vehicles on lease there what will be the fate of our cabs? Moreover, their commitment was Rs 75,000 per month but we are hardly earning Rs 10,00015,000 with which we can’t do anything. They should immediately stop getting cars and the scheme

should be terminated,” Ali mentioned to G Plus. The association had also protested against the move with the drivers of Ola and Uber cabs going on a 36-hour strike as both companies had acquired more cars which would result in lesser incentives. Over 12,000 cabs had gone off roads. The drivers’/owners’ association has been protesting against their employers as they will give preference to the cabs that have been leased. They allege that the drivers who take cars on lease do not have to comply with the ‘minimum business guarantee’ agreement which significantly reduces their cost of operation while drivers who attach their cars directly to the taxi-hailing firms do not enjoy that benefit. The leased vehicles are provided by Xchange Leasing India Pvt Ltd as a result of a partnership with Uber. It was when Uber launched its car leasing programme for its drivers in December 2015. It could also be learnt that Uber works with the car leasing service in US and South Africa as well. The leasing of vehicles by the ride-hailing companies has resulted in widespread protest across the nation. In July last year, cab drivers in Mysore called for a threeday-long strike against the alleged exploitation by the firm. The drivers of Ola and Uber in Delhi-NCR protested against

non-payment of incentives and other expenses. Meanwhile, several partners of the ride-hailing companies have mentioned that the incentives provided by the aggregators were only a promotional move and one cannot expect to keep earning. “It was during the initial days when the companies were newly introduced in Guwahati. The aggregators provided several promotional incentives over the manifest fare after deducting the taxes and the incentives cannot be considered as one’s actual earning as the incentives will diminish at one point of time. Meanwhile, the

amounts, after the discounts, are reimbursed to the driver’s or the owner’s account after a period of one week in case of Uber and on a daily basis in case of Ola. However, their step of leasing out more vehicles will not be welcomed,” said Manoj Laskar, a partner with Uber. There are close to 13,000 cabs running within the vicinity of the city of which 8000-8500 are registered with Uber and others with Ola and other existing cab services. While the cab drivers await their demands to be fulfilled, enrolling of more cabs will certainly take a toll on the city streets and the traffic situation. n

Art

G PLUS MAY 06 - MAY 12, 2017

The newfound fervor of GRAFFITI and street art catching up in the city Authorities assure completion of water supply project by September; urge people’s co-operation Ria Mazumder

any a time, we might have passed by a certain bland wall and not even noticed what we left behind as we continued with our regular lives. But art being the potent entity that it is makes us take note of something as mundane as the walls surrounding our city streets. Graffiti and street art for the said purpose have been an extremely pleasant introduction into our lives. Guwahati has recently been colored and beautified by the upsurge of many a talented artist who has joined the movement for providing a touch of vibrancy to the streets of the city. Gone are the days when graffiti was considered to be a form of vandalism which smeared and befouled the walls of the city. For nowadays, both the administration and the public alike have taken a liking to this new art form. The various artists spread around the city, now find their canvas wider and their art more accepted among the general populace. The artists armed with their spray cans and paint, in the dead of the night, adorn the walls of the city with the strokes of their colors and myriad ideas and concepts. In the last few years even the local authorities have understood the aesthetic value of such art. So much so, that the artists are nowadays being provided with the opportunity of painting up the walls of school and college campuses, government establishments and parks alike. The cool quotient of the graffiti

art form has also made it possible for such artists to get contracts for painting and conducting the décor work for many local restaurants, pubs, bars, cafés and retail stores. The city boasts of a number of crews and artists who indulge in graffiti

making and street art. G Plus recently had the opportunity to get in touch with Neelim Mahanta, a 25 year old visual artist who made many such paintings and street art. When reached for comment Neelim said, “What I think about street art, or the art that is done in a public space is that, it could be a painting, script of literature, instal-

lation of sculpture, a play or anything possible. And everything inputs some sort of data in different degrees to all, so I must say art definitely has an impactful role but depends how people see it. The streets are more reachable to people in contrast to the art works in the galleries. I believe art is for all, devoid of any political, economic, social, religious,

national boundaries. It’s a universal matter. Great art is always with humanity, shaping people’s perception. Art makes us realize, it influences, evokes emotions and balances our imbalanced states of mind.” He is a little skeptical when it comes to the art scene in Guwahati, but is anyways hopeful that there will be even better things done in the near future towards improving it. He is further planning to put forward some bigger steps regarding this factor. Two other visual artists, who are students from the Guwahati College of Architecture and NID, have also left their mark in this field. Both Amalendu Kaushik and Chiranjit Bhowmick have made a debut of their street art project named ‘inkZEN’ through which they are trying to pass positive and thoughtful messages to the public. Their art work can be seen on the walls of the Kamrup Academy in Guwahati Club. Yantra is another group from Guwahati who are settled in Delhi. They paint mostly in biometric form, which is the concept of art surrounding machineries and futuristic motifs. G Plus also interacted with one such artist who is deeply involved in the current graffiti scene in the city. Sitting in the small yet bright and colorful quarters of his tattoo parlor in

G PLUS MAY 06 - MAY 12, 2017

Art Silpukhuri (Black needle tattoos), should be kept simple so that the message is easily conveyed to the Mac or Prasenjit Kumar Deka people. He said that the graffiti talked to G Plus of his experience scene is rising gradually out here as a graffiti artist in the city. He paints along with his crew and the artists should make sure known as the ‘SPOTLES GRAFFI- that the art is eye catching and TI’ which comprises of Mac him- attractive enough to open up the self, Jahidul Islam, Ankur Jyoti public more and more to it. He further said that his singular moDas and Prashant Jain. His art is a mixture of psychedelic, spiritual tive is to make the city beautiful and he does not care about being and realistic elements. Mac and his crew mostly funded or not but he does think paint late at night to avoid the the traffic and crowd. He says, “Gu- that wahati is pretty new to the con- ‘Smart City cept of graffiti but if the art is decent it is definitely supported by everyone around.” He further added, “When it comes to art, the city is lagging behind in contemporary ideas and also the spectrum for success as an artist is not very high in here.” Mac is further planning to devise new methods of contemporary art through the techniques of recycling of plastic bottles and using neon paints. One such neon graffiti work of his can be spotted in Café Bob Marley in Khanapara. He believes that to make good art one has to have patience and a vision. It takes atleast 6-8 hours Profor his crew to design a particular ject’ project. He is of the opinion that which the art that is done on the streets was has been should not be too abstract. It introduced in

Guwahati will surely help the budding artists around here. He feels that a canvas

can be created anywhere, espe-

cially the filthy walls with red paan stains, urine stains

and bird droppings all over. Or a wall mutilated by the excessive pasting of posters and bills. He feels that the street artists are at times heavily misunderstood and as a result he wants to break such stereotypes and taboos through his art. He passes on safety and empowerment messages through his work.But, he is strictly against vandalism done in the name of graffiti and wants the aspiring artists to go through proper knowledge of the concept and only then paint pro-

fessionaly. The effects of such street art can also be felt on the people around the streets. When asked about the matter the local vendors and public alike were of the opinion that they like all the art work they notice in the streets around them. It especially helps the vegetable sellers and such roadside vendors who set up shops near graffitis as they are not spat or urinated on and are relatively cleaner than most of the regular city walls. In his concluding statement Mac said that he, as an artist, feels that the graffiti scene in Guwahati will be on the next level really soon. He has really high hopes for the up and coming artists in the near future. He even conducts workshops and tutorials once a month for the propagation of more such activities. His art projects are all well documented in his youtube channel under the name of ‘SPOTLES GRAFFITI’. n

SC’s 13 questions to decide the fate of Assam Accord Rahul Chanda rahul.chanda@g-plus.in

amiat Ulama-e-Hind recently said that it will defend the Assam Accord in the Supreme Court. Addressing a press conference recently, the organisation alleged that some groups with vested interests had filed cases in the Supreme Court, claiming that instead of 1971 being the cut-off year, the base year to decide the citizenship of people of Assam should be 1951. These very groups also have challenged the validity of the Assam Accord claiming it as unconstitutional and they want the National Register of Citizens (NRC) to be updated with 1951 as the base year, said the body. As the issue was related to one-third of Assam’s population, the organisation decided to defend the Assam Accord and Section 6(A) of the Citizenship Act of 1955. They also said that they are also opposed to the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016. G Plus had reported that a self-proclaimed indigenous organisation, Assam Sanmilita Mahasangha (ASM), had expressed concern over the ongoing updating process of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) saying that the exercise would only ensure citizenship

for 70 lakh odd illegal migrants residing in the state besides facilitating dual citizenship for 1.5 crore legal and illegal citizens.

The recent status G Plus had reported that according to a political analyst and citizen of Assam, Mridul Bora, the Supreme Court has constituted a constitutional bench to hear Section 6(A) of the Citizenship Act and the hearing will take place from 11th May to 18th May. The bench will be presided over by Justice Madan B Lokur, Justice RK Agarwal, Justice Prafulla C Pant, Justice Ashok Bhushan and Justice DY Chandra Chud. 7 petitions are pending before the court related to this issue. Some

of the petitioners include Assam Sanmilata Mahasangha, All Assam Ahom Associaton, Dr Deepak Nath, Assam Sahitya Sabha and others. Bora said that all the petitioners have questioned the legal validity of section 6(A) of the Citizenship Act which was inserted because of the Assam Accord. Bora recently has again said that the Supreme Court has posed 13 queries regarding the legalities of the Accord and on the basis of these 13 queries which are to be addressed, the SC will deliver its judgement.

The questions The first point as per Bora: according to the Assam Accord a different cut-off year was created by

including Clause 6(A) of the Accord into the Citizenship Act. Does this contravene Articles 10 and 11 of the Indian Constitution? The second point is does it contravene Articles 325 and 326 of the Constitution regarding protection of rights of the indigenous people? The third point is that does the presiding of the Accord infringe upon Article 29 (1)? The fourth point is does it contravene Article 355? Query number 5: does it adversely contravene Article 40? The most important point is whether this Accord will affect Article 21 which is the right to life. The next: can it be considered a deviation from Article 32? Can any relief be given to people living illegally all these years? The 9th point is do these people enjoy citizenship in some other country also? The 10th point: is the section 6(A) which is included in the Indian Citizenship Act 1955: does it contravene Articles 5(1) and 5(2) of the Citizenship Act itself? The 11th point is whether illegal migrants belong only to erstwhile East Pakistan or Bangladesh or are there other nationals as well? As per Bora’s knowledge, a sizeable chunk of illegal Nepali migrants are also present here. The 12th point being: does Section 6(A) offend the rule of law or infringe on the laws of the country as a whole? Finally,

the 13th point is, since there is no definite mechanism to identify the people living in Assam, does Clause 6(A) inserted in the Accord affect the basic rights of the inhabitants of Assam? These are the 13 points which will be considered on a pointto-point basis and it is based on 7 petitions not only of Mahasanga, but also Assam Sahitya Sabha and other parties. Seven petitions have been verified and the apex court had given 1st May as the last date of submission of any representation on the Accord. On 8th May the preliminary hearing will take place and the 5-member constitution committee will sit from 11th May to 18th May. In case the judgement isn't delivered by 18th May, the same will delivered by June or July latest. So the expected judgement dates are from 11th to 18th May. He said that Article 10 of the Indian Constitution states that if citizenship is provided to anyone then the continuance of citizenship will be protected by the constitution. Meanwhile, there is a feud between some sections that support the Assam Accord and the other sections who want the cutoff year to be 1951. The Supreme Court judgement will finally define whether the Accord is legally valid or not. n

G PLUS MAY 06 - MAY 12, 2017

Fun Horoscope of the week

A friend or loved one could spring a surprise on you, particularly midweek. If a plan has seemed set in stone, things could change over the days ahead and require you to be flexible. With Mercury pushing ahead in your sector of relating, there will likely be fewer misunderstandings and more chances for constructive exchanges. Much as you may want to reach out and help others, you’ll need to be firm if you need time to recharge your batteries.

Be prepared for one or two disruptions this week that could actually work in your favor. An unexpected event could jolt you out of your complacency and encourage you to get moving in order to salvage an opportunity or embrace an idea that has positive consequences for you. With Mercury pushing forward as of May 3, you may find that delays at work or concerning computing equipment gradually sort themselves out, enabling you to get on with the job.

A surprise invitation could encourage you to explore new leisure options, and if they include a dash of danger and some thrills and spills, you’ll be even more enthused. With Mercury dancing forward as of May 3 you could find that a relationship that seemed to have stalled now begins to look livelier. You and another could have great chemistry, but at this stage it might be best to keep things lighthearted. Finally, comfort food could call out to you, so go easy.

The Sun continues through your leisure sector, encouraging you to take the time to explore your hobbies and passions. A lovely blend of energies this week could also encourage a new romance. And, if you’re willing to make the first move, a first date could be delightful. In addition, with Mercury pushing forward in your domestic sector, any delays related to your home or family may now begin to ease. When it comes to staying healthy, exercise that keeps you flexible is key.

With a focus on your home and family sector, you may feel like taking a step back from life and enjoying a little self-care. This can be very good for you, as you’ve probably had a very busy few weeks and need this chance to unwind. In addition, Mercury turns direct midweek, which can allow you to push ahead with any projects that have been on the back burner. At the same time, an exciting opportunity could open up for you.

Although Mercury, the planet of talk and thought, forges ahead midweek after its retrograde phase, it might be just as well to avoid splurging and impulsive spending, particularly over the next two weeks. A lovely aspect could encourage you and another to draw closer, perhaps as a result of confiding in each other. Whether this is a friendship or romance, you could find that something special develops between you that leads to a strong and supportive bond in the future.

Rabi-Al-Awwal, Rabi-Al-Thani, Jumada-Al-Awwal, Jumada-Al-Thani, Rajab, Shaban, _______, Shawwal, ZulQa’dah, Zul-Hijjah

3The person who opened USA’s first birth control clinic in 1916 alsopopular-

ized the term ‘birth control.’ She was of course promptly raided by the police and sent to jail. Who?

4This chocolate cake,typically made with cherries, gets its name from a

mountainous and forested region in Germany. The Germans who like long complicated names call it “SchwarzwälderKirschtorte.” What do we call it?

5Which celebrated adventure novel was originally published as The Sea Cook in the magazine Young Folks over a period of several months from 1881 to 1882?

Anustup Datta, Bengaluru This quiz has been brought to you by Brain Jam, a property of Priya Communications

Doonesbury by Garry Trudeau

Lemur, from lemures

This creature derives its name from Roman mythology where it means ‘ghost-like’ or ‘spirit-like.’ Name it.

62 7 46 1 64 9 9 3

5 1

77 9 1 1 6

8 9

Daily Sudoku: Thu 27-Apr-2017

4 2

3 4 8

Daily Sudoku: Thu 4-May-2017

6 9 2 9 1 58 63 15 34 87

5 7 1 1 9 7 6 44 22 86 39

8 4 3 3 2 2 7 57 68 91 14

7 1 6 5 4 8 6 5 3 4 9 2 15 6 89 9 32 7 23 4

3 2 9 8 8 14 97 51 75 66

4 8 6 5 7 35 22 63 91 19

9 3 7 7 6 91 88 44 52 25

2 1 5 4 4 6 3 91 73 68 87

2 8 3 7 4 5 Daily Sudoku: Thu 27-Apr-2017 hard 1 4 5 6 8 2 7 3 9 6 2 8 9 7 3 4 http://www.dailysudoku.com Word of the week1 5 9 7 3 5 1 4 8 6 2

Minatory

Daily Sudoku: Thu 4-May-2017

medium

adjective [min-uh-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee]

Menacing; threatening. http://www.dailysudoku.c

Picture Perfect

2Fill in the blanks: ________, Safar,

curio-city

Which future US President resigned as Assistant Secretary of the Navy to help organize a cavalry unit called ‘The Rough Riders’ for the Spanish-American War?

1. Theodore Roosevelt 2. Muharram, Ramadan – these are the months of the Islamic calendar 3. Margaret Sanger 4. Black Forest cake 5. Treasure Island, by RL Stevenson

Picture Perfect

2 8

1 36 4 8

Though you know you should be careful with your money, a lively blend of energies could encourage you to spend the cash anyway. And with Mercury turning direct and forging a link with innovative Uranus, you might be attracted to a new gadget that could revolutionize your life. However, if it really is on expensive side, it likely won’t hurt you to wait. On a tender note, the middle to the end of the week can be perfect for a delectable date.

7 7 1

A powerful lunar phase midweek can be an opportunity to make a decision about a key ambition. If this is something you’ve put off recently, events could act as a catalyst, motivating you to step outside your comfort zone. And with Mercury forging ahead in your sector of travel, go easy for a few more days. Delays can still occur for a little while after Mercury turns direct. On another note, you may have a very tender spot for a co-worker.

A Quarter Moon can encourage you to move in new circles, even if your values and ideals differ widely. Opening your mind to new ideas can lead to new friendships and opportunities you may never have considered before. At the same time, with Mercury pushing forward in your sector of career and ambition, you may find that the pace speeds up regarding a business venture or career plan. Even so, it would be just as well to expect the unexpected around May 3

curio-city

Sudoku

This week’s good news is that your ruler Mercury pushes forward on May 3 in your sector of friendship and community. This could coincide with an unexpected opportunity that you may have turned down earlier, much to your chagrin. It seems that it may come around again for you, and this would be the time to grab it. On another note, listening to your intuition or dreams could bring guidance on a career matter, especially if you’re facing more than one option.

As Mercury pushes ahead on May 3, it could coincide with a jolt of awareness that enables you to come to terms with an issue that has confused you for some time. This revelation could lead to inner change and a chance to transform thoughts and feelings so that they’re aligned more closely with the outcome you desire. Also, a lovely link between the Sun and Neptune can be perfect for a first date or rekindling the flame of romance.

last week solution

Your social life looks like it will be very busy at this time. Reaching out to others can encourage you to get to know certain people better, whether in terms of a business relationship or a budding romance. Also, you might feel moved to make a decision regarding a creative venture. If you’ve already put this off for too long, this could be the week you get started. Finally, a shimmering blend of energies midweek could be perfect for romance.

Crossword Across

Down

1 Mixed (8) 6 Mongrel (3) 9 Intended (5) 10 Taking a break (7) 11 Invigorate (7) 13 Path of a planet (5) 14 Cheap and showy (6) 15 Former name of Iran (6) 18 Hangman’s loop (5) 20 Amaze (7) 21 Not artificial (7) 22 Shin bone (5) 23 Consume (3) 24 Imperil (8)

2 Lacking depth (7) 3 Frequently (in poetry) (3) 4 Seat of power (6) 5 Deceitful (9) 6 Ascend (5) 7 Indispensable aide (5-4,3) 8 Cheek (12) 12 Bones of the spinal column (9) 16 Trip (7) 17 Posted (6) 19 Composition for eight performers (5) 22 Metallic element (3)

Last week’s solution

G PLUS MAY 06 - MAY 12, 2017

Trotter

Parents who “Pranked” their kids On YouTube lose custody of children

Model’s photos piss off an entire Nation

Two children were taken from the couple behind the YouTube “prank” channel DaddyOFive after their biological mother won temporary custody.

her children on Friday. he Maryland couple behind “It was very heartbreaking and the viral YouTube “prank” disturbing to see my kids being channel DaddyOFive have lost temporary custody of two of abused,” Hall said in the video, their children after a recent “kids adding that the children were doing good and “getting back to their prank” video sparked outrage and playful selves.” Hall said Cody allegations of child abuse in the “had a difficult time” when officers YouTube community. were taking him away from the The Frederick County Sheriff’s Martins. office on Friday took two of Mike Cody, the youngest child in the and Heather Martin’s children away to be placed in the tempo- group, was a frequent target of his parents’ pranks and appeared to rary custody of their biological be the most resistant to them, acmother, Rose Hall, Maj. Tim Clarke of the sheriff’s office told BuzzFeed cording to popular YouTube commentator Philip DeFranco, who News. Hall’s attorney, Tim Conlon, argued that DaddyOFive’s most recent video amounted to possible said in a video Monday that the Frederick County Circuit Court child abuse. In that video, Heather had granted her an emergency or- hurled obscenities at Cody after der for temporary custody of Cody falsely accusing him of pouring ink and Emma Martin “so that they’d on his bedroom carpet. In the vidbe safe.” Conlon said the sheriff’s eo, Cody was seen crying hysterioffice assisted Hall in “retrieving” cally and denying the accusations

while his parents called him a liar. The videos have now been deleted from their YouTube account. In another “prank” clip, Cody is seen being shoved into a bookcase. Mike and Heather Martin expressed remorse for their actions in a video last month. “This has been the absolute worst week of our life and we realized we have made some terrible parenting decisions and we just want to make things right,” a tearful Heather said in the video statement. “We went from something that wasn’t so bad and then we kept going more and more for the shock factor versus reality to see what could get more views,” Heather said. “And the kids feel like some of it is their fault, and it’s not their fault. We’re the parents and we should have made better decisions,” she said. (Source: Buzzfeed)

Her pics atop a sacred mountain have caused uproar. f you look at former Playboy Playmate Jaylene Cook’s Instagram, you’ll see that she’s no stranger to shedding her clothes and posing in some of the most exotic locations around the world but a recent picture of her baring all on the top New Zealand’s Mount Taranaki has sent the Kiwis into a tizzy and not in a good way. After explaining that she had researched the mountain and didn’t think the excursion or photo would anger the locals, the model and her boyfriend scaled

the mountain - presumably while wearing clothes - before shedding them for a photo op at the summit. The local Maoris disagreed, saying that Jaylene didn’t just disrespect their beliefs by posing nude but that simply climbing the mountain was enough to draw their ire. This is Jaylene’s first time being accused of insensitivity due to her choice of backdrop for her risqué pics. Her Instagram account is full of photos of several globetrotting adventures but, presumably, she hasn’t ever angered other locals with them until this point. (Source: Maxim)

pected to be in the early parts of September when the top European leagues will be in the initial stages of the 2017–18 season. The Indian Super League 2017 is normally held for three months annually from October. Howev-

er, with the Under-17 World Cup eating up most of October 2018, the ISL will probably start from November this year, after the release of FIFA 18.

ISL in FIFA 18 league inclusion vote

ndia’s annual league competition, the Indian Super League, is leading the race to be included in FIFA 18. What’s the story? The Indian Super League is winning the race to be included in the next iteration of EA Sports’ FIFA video game ahead of the Chinese Super League. In the ongoing voting process at Fifplay. com, the Indian league is leading the Chinese league by more than 500 votes. The other leagues that are in contention to be part of FIFA 18’s roster of worldwide leagues are the German third division, the Greek League and the Iranian League, all of whom have garnered more than 50,000 votes so far. The context The FIFA franchise of football games is one of the most popular video game franchises in the world, and every year, they add to their impressive collection of licensed leagues and players. This

(Source: Sportskeeda)

A Contest for doing nothing in South Korea

year as well, FIFA will release its next iteration around September. Expect to see some new leagues added to FIFA 18, possibly the Indian Super League. The heart of the matter At the moment, the Indian League, the Chinese League and the German third division have an equal percentage of votes received, but on the basis of the number of votes received, the Indian Super League is slightly

ahead of the rest with 172,211 votes so far. The Chinese League follows close behind with 171,451 votes while the German third division has got 170,796 votes so far. The other competing leagues are lagging far behind with none of them crossing the 100,000 vote mark. Fifplay.com will submit the results of the voting process to Electronic Arts. What’s next? FIFA 18’s release date is ex-

The rules bar participants from sleeping, talking, laughing or checking their phones competition with a difference – a contest in South Korea requires participants to do nothing. Literally! The ‘Space Out’ competition held annually in capital Seoul involves sitting and doing nothing for 90 minutes. The idea may seem simple but people can’t use any electronic device, eat, sleep, laugh or talk during the contest. That’s 90 minutes without your phone! The competition was started in 2014 by a local artist to encour-

age mobile-addicted people to disconnect. In a video released, the contestants did (or not) do anything. Then how are the winners decided? According to Mashable, participants’ heart rates are checked every 15 minutes. The person with the most stable heart rate is declared the winner. What does the winner get? Lots of inner peace and the realisation that the world doesn’t come to an end when you don’t check your WhatsApp for a few hours! (Source: NDTV)

G PLUS MAY 06 - MAY 12, 2017

G Talk E

Worried!

es I am worried! Not as Shakin’ Stevens was when he wondered if she would let him down even if he crossed the million oceans just to be with her. Nay, this is a fairly basic earthly worry about my living space being tampered with by people whom I have respected, even eulogized. A number of worries, actually. I am worried about the Assam Accord because of the paradoxical questions and issues that are lately beginning to surround it. While the AASU general secretary has expressed great happiness at the tripartite talks being constituted and the central government’s sudden keen interest to implement the Accord in letter and spirit, political commentators have all but admitted to the Accord’s inconsistency with the times, declaring it grossly outdated, questioning its legal sanctity and its deviation from the migrant laws of the rest of the country where the law should be equal for all. I am worried that while the Accord seeks to detect and deport illegal foreigners from our soil, the frenetic craze to implement it seems in total disparity with the current political compulsions of the ruling regime. I further have enough indications to reiterate all over again that the opinion of the nation’s Judiciary is entirely contradictory to the Executive’s latest manipulations – the Accord is set to be scrapped. Closer home are other people whom I had voted to power; hope was the defining reason for that

vote – not worry. And yet today, the cosmetic touch-ups being done on my city that is actually suffering from far more serious ailments is really worrying. And I am not the lone one with furrowed brows here. Public opinion has long been quite vocal questioning the government’s infatuation with its own electoral showcase. I am worried about the very roads that the government has suddenly chosen to rename rather than repair. As worried I am about the Namami Brahmaputras, the MindRocks and all such events that dip deep into the exchequer when my road has been crying for some bit of topping over the last 10 months and my water tap continues to drip and not flow. And if that is not despairing enough, I am worried about the deep foreboding that seems to be pervading the society, its educational institutions, government departments et al. It is worrying that I am being told what to wear and what to eat. And Sirs, these cosmetics are definitely not what my city or my state need at the moment and it is worrying that the powers-thatbe have an oddly warped perception of “development.” Intravenous treatment is the requisite of the hour to repair that skeletal base. And so long the treatment is far removed from the diagnosis my brows won’t have the least chance of losing the furrow. Yes, I am worried! n Swapnil Bharali Editor

GUWAHATI ADDA Naam-karan Dude: Hey, why is your publication named G Plus? Me: Yeah, so G is for Guwahati – basically, Guwahati Plus. Because we are Guwahati’s spot *winks* Dude: Haha! So why not Guwahati Plus man? Would be good right? Me: We feel ‘G Plus’ is uber cool. Short and crisp! Feels right. It’s like you say ‘lol’, or ‘lmao’ or ‘btw’. It came into existence and became a ‘thing.’

Britishers, Bengalis, Muslims and Bihu

ongali Bihu, the queen of all our Bihus, has had a long history of twists, turns and controversies – a fact seen even today. How Bihu originated is a difficult question to answer but Late Dr Prafulla Dutta Goswami believed it was brought to Assam by the Mongoloid tribes migrating from different parts of south-east Asia. While its origins were the paddy fields and celebrated by the masses, it first gained acceptance of the gentry when Swargadeo the British annexation, English Rudra Singha introduced it as system of education, industry, a festival to be viewed from the the import of Bengali babus etc. ramparts of Ranghar. This gave rise to the Huchori tradition. created a new class of local arisSince Bihu and similar sounding tocrats who were different from Bwisagu, Busu etc. were preva- the aristocracy of the Ahom era. lent amongst other non-Ahom This class believed in the British tribes, hence it is concluded and Bengali supremacy and were more keen on mainland and that Bihu should be at least a thousand years old, if not older. Bengali culture. They were more Rongali Bihu marks the first sev- “Aryanised” compared to the genen days of the Assamese New try of independent Assam and started loathing the local existing Year. Being essentially related to forces of nature, religion always cultures and traditions. Gradually, Bihu to them sounded like a cultook backseat in Bihu. Since the spring heralds new crop begin- ture of the lowly people - full of nings, people prayed for a bump- filth and utterly sexual in content. er crop and associated fertility of “When the dancing wake high the dancers, both men and womsoil to human fertility. Thus the force of life – EROS, prevailed. en, become frenzied and behave The dances and songs had de- very indecently…this notorious scription of the female form, of Bihu greatly demoralizes the sexual attraction and an invita- Assamese, especially the lower tion to marry and start family class…,” thus wrote Bhuddhilife. For eons it continued that nath Dilihial Bhattacharya in an way in the pre-medieval stage. article titled, “The Assamese Bihoo” in the ‘The National GuardWith the neo Vaishnavite Era of ian’ in 1898, where he appealed Shrimanta Sankaradeva, Bhakti Rasa also entered Bihu, espe- to the British government to pass an act in order to ban Bihu. cially the huchoris. Thus, both traditional pre-medieval as well The efforts of these new classes of educated urbane Assamese as medieval Bihu flourished side by side. One specialty of Bihu was aristocrats, ably incited and the lovers addressing each other helped by the Bengali babus, as Kokaiti (elder brother) and saw the British issue an orBhoniti (younger sister), which der banning the observance of was sacrilege in mainland India. Bihu from the 1898 Bihu season. Bihu continued in its plebeian In a place called Chalchali, in forms with elite patronage even Puranigudam area of Nagaon through the Burmese invasion District, the ban saddened a very expert Bihu dhuliya (drummer) till 1826 when the British came and annexed Assam to India. Post called Maimat Tatinga. He was a

Opinion

Dr. Navanil Barua

dhuliya of repute and with his sister Seni Gabharu - an expert Bihu dancer – they formed a formidable pair. Although like them, many others were saddened by the ban on their dear Rongali Bihu, none thought of doing anything about it. But not Maimat and Seni! After much deliberation, they decided that something has to be done. They got hold of one Ananda Das from that area and sailed forth to Guwahati. Here, they managed to get an appointment with the British administrator and displayed the real Bihu. Oza Maimat played the Dhol like a man possessed; Seni Gabharu put her life and soul into her dance and Ananda Das sang and explained it all to the British Saheb Bahadur. The cultured British officer saw no hint of obscenity in the whole act; he rather enjoyed the aesthetics and gay abandon of Bihu. The ban was immediately rescinded. Victorious in their efforts, the trio went back home and decided to celebrate Bihu in the monsoon amidst rains. The British officers, on coming to know of it, set sail on the Kolong River towards Chalchali to watch Bihu. Thus, it is only for the efforts of Oza Maimat Tatinga and his sister Seni Gabharu, aided by Ananda Das, that we Assamese are still enjoying the dances, music, flavours and abundant joys of Bihu. Had it not been for them, Bihu would have been a word in history books or an item in the museum. However, the most remarkable fact of this story is not the lifting of the ban. The most remarkable fact is MAIMAT AND SENI GABHARU WERE OF MUSLIM FAITH! So, it was a Muslim brother and sister for whom we Assamese are still celebrating Bihu, a testimony to our great secular traditions of Sankar Azan. We shall continue to celebrate Bihu as long we remain Assamese, the day we degenerate to being Hindus and Muslims, Bihu shall cease to exist.

Dude: Speaking of which, are you saying the government is wrong in trying to give Guwahati roads new names? Me: Give it any damn name you want. They’re still the same places. It’s like this – GS Road was ‘cool.’ You want to go on a drive on a GS Road, but not on an MSS Path (Not an RSS derivative I hope!). Infact, these are old roads, now with even older names. Naamkaran se accha hota kaam-karan. Dude: You are such a pessimist, you should welcome such a change so that the younger generation is more aware of our nation’s great personalities. Me: The younger generation? You mean the Millennials who are ‘Beliebers’ of rumours that are ‘Just-in’? They don’t look at signboards man, only landmarks. And if roads get better, that’s a landmark they’ll look forward to and post photos on their millennial apps. Go digital, leave the analogue age. SIDHARTH BEDI VARMA

r Pathetic condition of roads

Letter to the Editor

he condition of the roads in Assam has touched nadir. All the NHs of the state are in pathetic condition. Daily travelers are the worst suffers. Even the arterial roads of Guwahati are no better. But Sarbananda Sonowal government is nonplussed. Recently, they organized Namami Brahmaputra at the cost of the state exchequer with much fanfare. Now the government is about to complete a year but they have failed to do the basics. Even in tourism sector they have appointed Priyanka Chopra as its brand ambassador but they have failed to identify that roads and infrastructure are the most important aspect in the tourism sector. Namami Brahmaputra should have been organized later after doing the basic works. It is time for the chief minister to wake up and take stock of the prevailing situation.

Aparna Chowdhury, GNB Road, Guwahati.

G PLUS MAY 06 - MAY 12, 2017

In Focus

Ritrisha Sarmah Singer

Was renaming the city’s roads a worthwhile exercise by the government? The recent exercise of renaming the city’s roads by the government has excited Guwahati’s populous. Guwahati seems a bit worried with the new names as to how it will affect their daily lives from communication on official documents to changing signages and telling cab drivers where to go. Here’s what they had to say. Pritam Bordoloi

Let’s not improve the condition of the roads. Let’s not solve the growing traffic problems in the city. Let’s not solve the water logging problem but let’s rename our roads. Great initiative!

Amit Sravan

Wow! How shrewdly they put BJP’s founder Pandit Deendayal Upadhyai’s name in between. Now how is he a ‘Mahapurush’ of Assam? It’s understandable that whatever BJP does, at the end of the day all they care is saffronization, nothing else. Period!

Jimmy Gabrial

Yeah please rename everything and keep the roads in the same condition. Our government is really working for us. The potholes on the roads are meant for our safety as no one can drive fast which, in turn, will save many lives. Hats off Sir! Really winds of pativartan are blowing across Assam benefiting everyone from Assamese to our dear Bangladeshi brothers.

Jordan Xatan Kaulitz

GS Road- MSSP Road, AT Road- MDP Road, VIP Road- MMP Road, Ganesh Mandir To NH Via Hatigaon- MHP Road, Guwahati Club Circle- LBC Road, Ganesh Mandir Via Kahilipara to Lal Ganesh- PDU Road, Kharguli-Noonmati - Dr. BH Road, Hengerabari-Chacal - KM Road, Beltola-Khanapara- PAF Road, Bharalu-Jalukbari- DS Road.

Sajid Iqbal

Who will see all these comments? Does it really matter to anybody? The persons who are sitting in the office laugh at us reading these Facebook comments. To build a bridge you need 10 years. To make a flyover you need 7 years. To make parking space you need 15 years. It doesn’t matter who is ruling but you are same sheep of that flock. If you really have guts to change something, than frame a map and change the scenario of the city. Change how you deal with flood, change your garbage collecting methods, change parking space, build more natural parks and plant trees. Improve the roads, look at the transportation system. Most importantly, first change yourself.

Joonak D Apporba

I believe this is a great initiative taken by the state government. Now the people (given importance to the young generation) who do not have much knowledge about the long forgotten heroes of this land, thanks to our education system, would be curious enough to find out who Mahapurukh Haridev (even I was ignorant of this noble soul) was and the role Laksminath Bezbarua and the likes of Dr. Bhupen Hazarika played in the upliftment of the Assamese culture.

Indrani Laskar

Am getting confused! Wonder if I can ever remember all these names, certainly not having lived half of my life with the previous names. Let there be proper street lighting, especially if women’s safety is of any concern and no digging of roads by another department after being repaired by another department and also better public transport in interest of all.

Deepak Asangbam Which means we “citizens” have got another work to change the addresses in all documents whichever we have submitted till today. Instead, why doesn’t the government work on street lights? Besides, there should be a punishment or a fine on whoever drives with their head light upper even in the areas where the street lights are available. And even those who blow their horns unnecessarily. God! So many problems in this city.

buoyant girl next door, who would never let a moment die in silence, has been sharing stage with maestro Zubeen Garg for the past two years. Ritrisha Sarmah has performed on several stages alongside Zubeen and has made her presence felt in the Assamese music industry. Life indeed took a massive turn for the Jorhat-grown girl in 2016 and Zubeen Garg was the man behind it. Born in Duliajan to Manabi Sarmah and Majit Sarmah, young Ritrisha had to move to Jorhat at the age of 2 and had spent a major part of her life there before shifting to Guwahati. The singer obtained her graduation from Jorhat Kendriya Mahavidalaya and moved to Guwahati to pursue her post graduation in Mass Communication and Journalism. A lesser known fact about Ritrisha is that she had been a freelancer for an Assamese daily in 2014. She is also a trained Sattriya dancer and passionate about art and Bihu dance but she found her calling as a singer when she was in the 5th grade. Zubeen, being her inspiration and role model, also happens to be her uncle. He is a first cousin to Ritrisha’s father. “We used to visit Zubeen Da’s place very frequently when I was of 3-4 years old and the reason I address him as ‘Da’ is because he was never an uncle-like figure. We used to imagine uncles with a moustache and being much elderly people. But he was more like a brother-figure to me. So I used to call him ‘Goldie Da,’ Goldie being his pet-name. I used to rush to his room every time I visited his place. The interior of his room was adorned with musical instruments and posters of rock bands which always fascinated me. It is Goldie Da who inspired me to take up singing and luck has been on my court ever since,” Ritrisha mentioned during a conversation with G Plus. Young Ritrisha underwent training in classical singing for fourteen years under the guidance of Sibani Baruah Phukan. By the age of 14 she was determined to develop a career in singing. The singer considers herself lucky to have been rewarded with accolades in the numerous competitions that she took part in. Little did she know that several turn of events would lead her to a dazzling future that awaits her just around the corner. However, prior to this success, the singer had to overcome several hurdles. Ritrisha

and Zubeen’s paths crossed after a gap of several years when the young singer was taking part in a singing reality show that was judged by Zubeen and where the musical maestro was taken aback to see a grown-up Ritrisha. Since then, Zubeen had witnessed many of her performances including the ones where she was a part of SKD, a well-known rock and western music entity of the city. “Goldie Da was surprised to see me perform with a rock band. In January 2015, he asked about my plans for Bihu that year and I told him that I’ll be singing alone or will tag along if someone asks me to, otherwise I’ll be at home. That is when he asked me to join him. I was overwhelmed with happiness and the journey has been continuing ever since,” the singer said. It was the same year when singer Zublee had decided to go solo after sharing stage with Zubeen for several years and meeting the standards set by the former associate was a mammoth task for Ritrisha. The budding singer had to face disparaging criticisms from people. “Zublee Ba had been his associate for twelve years and filling her shoes was a massive task for me. Meanwhile, the leap from 8 to 10 monitors to 30 to 35 monitors on stage left my ears numb. I just could not hear anything. It became a challenge for me to hold the right notes. It would not be wrong to say that I was disastrous in my first year and I am still trying to improve. Moreover, justifying the people’s love and respect for my singing also brings immense pressure. A duet is supposed to be between two equals and sharing stage with Zubeen Da comes with its own challenges. However, he and the musicians have been very supportive and have given me the much needed positive energy. They would cheer me up whenever I am upset,” Ristrisha mentioned. Along with the laurels that came following being an associate of Zubeen, the budding singer also expressed her desire to release a music album of her own. Ritrisha also mentioned about her desire to work with some of the prominent names in the music industry. She however refused to mention their names. Along with the passion for music the singer is a huge movie buff and greatly enjoys intense Arabian and Bengali movies.

G PLUS MAY 06 - MAY 12, 2017

Reviews Cast: Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, Michael Rooker, Karen Gillan, etc Director: James Gunn

iven the relatively homogenous Marvel Studios style, it’s surprising how many of the studio’s sequels have diverged significantly from their predecessors in tone and look. Typically, the best of these (Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Iron Man 3) have explored more serious terrain than their preceding films, offering more sober glimpses at the consequences of superhero antics. Writer-director James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy, however, is the first instance of a Marvel sequel bettering what came before simply by escalating the scale of its action. Like a live version of one of the classic rock tunes that fill the soundtrack, the film rarely deviates from what came before, and in some cases might even be a bit sloppier, but it offers enough added volume and energy to improve on the original. The soundtrack, as it did in Guardians of the Galaxy, shapes the film not only in its mu-

vie Mo view Re

sical beats but its narrative ones. Gunn largely structures the film as a mix tape. The frivolity of the action is laid bare in the opening scene, in which the camera remains focused on a dancing Baby Groot (Vin Diesel). Other sequences largely act as ways for Gunn to experiment with how to shoot a large-scale blockbuster, and the freedom exhibited by these scenes is striking other sequences of Marvel productions. In short, the same slipshod quality that gives the Guardians of the Galaxy series its irreverent tone can also actively undermine the material with repetitive jokes and an aggressively cutesy vibe. Nonetheless, Gunn’s unique action scenes and the palpable chemistry of the lead actors continues to make this Marvel’s most entertaining franchise, and a final act that delves into the relationships and hang-ups of numerous characters marks the finest sustained act of emotional storytelling to grace one of the studio’s films.

Cast: Charlie Hunnam, Robert Pattinson, Sienna Miller, Tom Holland, Edward Ashley, Angus Macfadyen, etc Director: James Gray

ne of the quiet triumphs of James Gray’s The Lost City of Z is how it posits artillery officer, archaeologist, and explorer Percy Fawcett (Charlie Hunnam)—who disappeared along with his son, Jack (Tom Holland), in 1925 while searching for a fabled civilization in the Amazon rainforest—as a kindred spirit of The Immigrant’s Ewa Cybulski. If the exact nature of Fawcett’s obsession with Z remains frustratingly ineffable, that’s by design, as Gray understands that the explorer sailed toward a new world, not unlike many immigrants who arrived in America around the same time, in chase of a dream that would remain just that. Fawcett “seemed to approach each journey as if it were a Buddhist rite of purification,” Gray brings Fawcett’s story to a culmination, the mystery of the man’s demise is exalted as a moment of transcendence: of a mind being

Album Motionless In White By by ‘GRAVEYARD SHIFT’

rue horror is an elusive thing. You can spew as much blood, guts and gristle as you like onto a page or screen, but when it comes to carving out a lasting impression – to really shaking people – it takes something deeper, something closer to home. Pennsylvania’s own princes of darkness Motionless In White have been walking a tightrope between those two approaches for more than a decade now, and though there’s still an uneasy, Jekyll And Hyde quality to this fourth album, Chris Motionless’ skeleton crew are more adept than ever at sending chills down our spines.

freed from the shackles of obsession. The Lost City of Z is a film of phantasmagoric forms, as currents of emotional discord are ever lapping against the corners of its stolid and painterly surface. Fawcett to make his first journey to South America as a neutral third party to mark the border between Bolivia and Brazil. Tellingly, Fawcett must work to make his presence known to these agents of empire, even though they need him more than he needs them. And Fawcett’s spirit of adventure seems ignited by a calling that’s less higher than spectral, as one of the men, pointedly out of focus behind him, blurts out that this is the explorer’s chance to redeem the legacy that his father drunkenly squandered. It’s the first of many gestures that point to Gray’s understanding of Fawcett as a wanderer in the bush of ghosts.

Game Prey Platform PS4, PC,Xbox one

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Instead of a radical overhaul, ‘Graveyard Shift’ takes the ghoulish thrills of 2013’s ‘Infamous’ and cranks them up a gear. While the shadows of Marilyn Manson, Slipknot and Nine Inch Nails continue to loom large and there’s still quality to some of these 12 tracks, head-stomping metal core raggers like ‘Soft’ and ‘570’ are certainly effective Yet for all its strengths, ‘Graveyard Shift’ carries over many of the issues that have long dogged Chris and the gang. Sometimes the knowing winks and nods to their influences spill over into something more – the opening riff of ‘Necessary Evil’ is a whisper away from Korn’s ‘Blind.

he Prey series has been through many changes over the last decade. Originally released in 2006, and then slated for a sequel in 2011 before getting canned by Bethesda it’s seen multiple teams of developers attached to the name, when finally it was revealed last year at E3 that Arkane Studios would be taking the reigns to completely re-imagine the IP. Arkane had proven themselves in 2012 with Dishonored and then again last year with a follow-up in the sequel, Dishonored 2 There’s a lot to explain here, but Prey takes place in an alternate history where the Space Race of the 60’s leads to more technological advances. Flash forward to the 2030’s and Morgan Yu, your playable character,

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is aboard a giant spaceship known as the Talos 1. The Talos 1 is infested by aliens known as Typhon, and the story dips and dives around the ultimate goal of trying to wipe out this alien race.There are a lot of parallels between Bioshock, its storytelling and game play mechanics, and Prey Like Dishonored. The fantastic visuals and audio stand out for sure at first glance, but the depth of the game play, the customization options, and breadth of the campaign come together in a really incredible way for a cohesive experience. Barring a crash of the game on the Xbox One, which is unusual to say the least, I didn’t have many complaints about this game at all. It’s not perfect, but as far as action adventure in the first person its quite good.

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G PLUS MAY 06 - MAY 12, 2017

Lifestyle

VAASTU SHASTRA

What are Chakras? Part-I

he human body actually has 109 nerve centres, but among those, nine centres are important, and even in those nine, seven centres (Chakras) are of primary importance. When there is no joy in our life, then we come a step below and experience anger. From anger springs hatred and aversion. This further leads to a sense of fear. Fear as it grows gives rise to jealousy and envy, which in turn gives rise to lust, feverishness and obsession. And lust and obsession bring us into the trap of inertia and negativity. This is the downward flow of the same consciousness or Kundalini energy. It is called Adhogati (retrogression or degeneration). The opposite of this is Urdhvagati (upward rise or progression). What is the pattern of Urdhvagati? You experience enthusiasm, then creativity blossoms, there is generosity and contentment, which in turn give rise to love. Love takes you to gratitude, which helps to bring awareness and wisdom (Prajna) and ultimately leading you to Bliss. This upward or downward flow of energy keeps on happening very naturally and spontaneously in life all the time. Every Chakra is connected with a specific element or principle in

creation. For example, the Muladhara Chakra is connected with the Earth element. The Swadishthana Chakra is connected with the Water element. The maximum amount of water resides around the Swadishthana Chakra. The Manipur Chakra is connected with the Fire element. The digestive fire here helps with digestion. In the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna has said, “Aham Vaishvanaro bhutva praaninam deham ashritaah. Prana-Apana-samayuktah paachami annam chatur-vidham.” Lord Krishna says, “I am manifest as the hunger in the bellies of all living beings. I am the digestive fire that helps to digest all food which is consumed”. The Heart Chakra is connected with the Air element. Where is the greatest proportion or presence of air in the body? It is present in the

lungs, in the chest region. Next we move upwards to the Vishuddhi Chakra. This Chakra is connected with the Space element. Moving upwards into the Ajna Chakra, the consciousness manifests as wisdom and awareness. Ultimately the energy moves to the top of the head into the Sahasrara Chakra. Even scientists today accept and agree to this fact. These seven Chakras or seven nerve centres are connected with different glands in the body. In scientific terms you can say thyroid gland, or the adrenalin glands, pituitary gland, pineal gland, etc. Science also agrees how these glands are responsible for exKasturi BorKotoKi Kasturi is a palette knife artistThis and is periencing various emotions. paints impressionist floral designs oils. ancient She hails from Guwahati. something inour Rishis knew Blog: kasturiscanvas.blogspot.com since thousands of years ago. They mentioned KasHmiri all this natH in the scriptures. at XOXO cupcakes, When Foodie, theownerConsciousness food blogger, recipe developer and moves to expert the ontop of cuisine. the head, Assamese then one experiences only bliss. There is nothing else. You feel KuLKuL raHman Entrepreneur, mother a with totally connected and and one passionate cook. everything. You feel so blissful. (This is a part of Sri Sri Ravi Hemanta Kumar are sarmaH Shankar’s article - “What Chakras Engineer, Businessman, Advanced Pranic Healer and Su Jok Acupresand how do we cleanse them?”) sure specialist.

sHri sHri ravi sHanKar Founder- Art of Living Foundation.

How good are Indian Single Malt whiskeys?

Digvijay Mazumdar

obra beer and Amrut Whisky were the first Indian-made spirits to serve notice abroad. But now, there are many more that are following suit – so much so that you have a tough time finding them. A recent development is the emergence of quality products from India in the International arena. Amrut Distilleries’ Amrut Indian Single Malt brand, which was launched in the whisky capital — Scotland — has joined the global bandwagon of single malt and has won several global awards - its ‘Amrut Fussion’ bagging the world’s third finest whisky Award in the Whisky Bible, UK’s Authority Book on Whisky. The Amrut Intermediate Sherry Cask Whisky is set for its Indian launch after its success in the west. It will sell alongside the existing Amrut Indian, Amrut Fusion and Amrut Peated whiskies in India. Radico Khaitan, which has just

launched the newest whisky on the

block, Rampur Single Malt Whisky, acknowledges the debt to Amrut. After all, it was Amrut that blazed a trail for Indian whisky in the European and American markets and, more importantly, perhaps gave other Indian companies the confidence to take on Scotch. Between Amrut and Rampur comes the Paul John single malt from the house of John Distillers. Paul John is distilled and

bottled in Goa, where

DISTURBED SLEEP DUE TO VAASTU PROBLEMS

peaceful sleep of at least 6 hours is essential for everybody to rest the body and the mind and to rejuvenate oneself. But certain factors in the room or the house distort the energy pattern of our bodies and as a result, one has disturbed sleep. This can give rise to several physical and mental disorders which may prove fatal in the long run. Many a time, people do not realise that Vaastu defects are ruining their sleep. So whenever you have a disturbed sleep pattern, look for these defects. These things can disturb your sleep: Do not sleep with the head towards the north. Positive energy comes from the north and sleeping with the head to north will make one over energised depriving the physical rest. While sleeping, the legs should not be directly in front of the door. Needless to say, one should never sleep under a beam. It will disturb the sleep. The bed or the mattress should not be heavier towards the east or the north. Lot of people have this habit of keeping a jar or bottle of drinking water at night. Do not keep this at southeast. It will lead to lack of sleep. If there is a false ceiling, care should be taken so that it is not very heavy as they can exert energy pointing downwards like a beam. A room must be square or rectangular. Do not sleep in a room with five corners. The colour of the bedroom should be light and soothing. The east and the north of the bedroom should not be heavy. For example, keeping heavy almirahs, suitcases or racks at north or east will make them heavier. The door should not make any creaking noise while opening or closing. A noisy door will disturb a sleeping person always. The Swastika The swastika is a very powerful symbol and it is used over main doors or gates for protection and positive energy. But many people do not know how to draw this swastika. If it is not drawn properly, the desired effects may not be there. The Swastika should always be drawn in the clockwise direction. At first, the horizontal line should be drawn from left to right. Then, the vertical interKasturi BorKotoKi secting line should be drawn from top to bottom. Then should Kasturithe is aside palettelines knife artist and be impressionist floral that, designsfour drawn from the top in clockwise manner as shown inpaints the sketch. After in oils. She hails from Guwahati. Blog: short lines at 45 degrees should be drawn from any ofkasturiscanvas.blogspot.com the arms in clockwise manner. There are four dots in the middle which denote the four gods Brahma, KasHmiri natH be put inside a Vishnu, Maheswar and Lakshmi. After that, the Swastika Foodie, should owner at XOXO cupcakes, food blogger, recipe developer and circle drawn in clockwise manner without touching the circumference. expert on Assamese cuisine. The Swastika can be drawn in different colours for different purposes. Usually, it is drawn in red with sindur, haldi and oil. But a green Swastika is good KuLKuL raHman for wealth while a white one is for peace and harmony. These should be drawn Entrepreneur, mother and a on the southern wall of the house. The background passionate of the wall cook.does not matter and they can be drawn side by side or one on top of the other. There should not be a mirror in front of the swastika. Hemanta Kumar sarmaH Engineer, Businessman, Advanced Pranic Healer and Su Jok Acupressure specialist.

its two initial editions, Edited and Brilliance, are made. In last year’s edition of Whisky Bible, both variants got the Liquid Gold Award. A common factor across the single malts from Indian companies — John Distillers, Amrut and Radico Khaitan — is the eschewing of an age statement. This is a smart move, given that the world over, large-scale shortage of aged whisky has led to several brands either dropping age claims on existing brands or replacing them with new brands that don’t have an age claim (what is now known in the whisky trade as NAS whiskies, or No Age Statement).

sHri sHrithough ravi sHanKar Impressive it may be to Founder- Art of Living Foundation. see the emergence of Indian single malts, celebrated by both critics and consumers, inconsistency dogs the desi single malt. However, these companies are aggressively working the travel retail market, hoping to plug the gap for the overseas traveller looking for a spirits product with a strong Indian provenance. “The arrival of Indian whisky will act as a wake-up call for the Scotch whisky industry. If these guys in Bangalore and Goa can produce exceptional, world class whisky, why can’t Scottish distillers who have been around for 100 years or more? So next time you are travelling to a metro make sure to get your hands on either of these bottles of liquid sunshine and bring back home to relish the dram with your near and dear ones.

G PLUS MAY 06 - MAY 12, 2017

Entertainment

Assamese feature film ULKA under production

Dikchow Banat Palaax receives National Film Award

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LKA is a 2017 Assamese drama movie based on a fictional story which has relevance with a real life incident. Ulka is directed by Pranab Vivek and produced by Bhaskar Upadhyaya under the banner of Eastern Green Pictures (EGP). The entire movie is being made keeping in mind the need for introducing satirical comedy in today’s new age Assamese film industry especially admired by our youth. The entire notion of the movie has been handpicked and delivered with reference to the incidents, and to give hue of crucial self-reflection and realization in our day to day lives. Prominent Bollywood singer and heartthrob of the region Angaraag Papon Mahanta sang the theme song of Ulka, penned by Ibson Lal Baruah. The lead character of Ulka includes award-winning actor Rupam Chetia who is seen in a completely new avatar. Director Pranab Vivek reveals that Rupam’s character in the film would bring a very fresh concept and a mark in the history of Assamese film industry. Veteran actors like Minu Bania, Baharul Islam, Nipon Goswami,

Arun Hazarika, Satyen Sharma, ficial nomination in the 6th Dada Ashim Krishna Baruah, Kabindra Saheb Phalke Film festival and 16 Das and Ruma Kalita will also be International Film Festival, Jaipur. seen in the star cast. Amit Kumar “The team behind this film is a Borah, Please Stone Ingti, Pankaj mixture of experienced and young Mahanta, Allismita Goswami and enthusiastic generation with zeal Papari Kalita have portrayed the of showcasing a film full of enercharacters of university students gy and entertainment. It’s for the in this film. Dilip Khanal, Tapash first time a very young team has Borah and Madan Talukdar are come together to produce a youth part of the cast. Bhargav Das has related movie and the whole film also made a special guest appear- unit is very excited about their ance in Ulka. maiden project,” said producer The movie’s director Pranab Upadhyaya. Vivek recently directed one of the The story and script is written most popular Assamese mega se- by Manas Sagra. Sagra’s short film rials ‘Abhimaan’, under the banner ‘Little Hearts’ was much appreciof EGP for Jonack channel. Pranab ated and won the 2nd runners-up Vivek has been long associated accolade in the recently concludwith regional and national tele- ed in 4th Brahmaputra Valley Film vision industry having worked in Festival in Guwahati and was also national projects like Roomies for adjudged the Best Children Film Channel V, Ramayan for NDTV in Woodpecker International Film Imagine, Sasural Genda Phool for Festival, 2016. Amiya Ranjan Das Star Plus and Subh Kadam for Sa- is the director of photography of hara One. Ulka. Ulka is also the debut comThe first phase of shooting was mercial Assamese feature film done at Gauhati University camof young and dynamic Producer pus and hostel, while the second Bhaskar Upadhyaya whose direc- phase was completed in a village tional debut short film “Tez” was outskirts setting of Guwahati near critically acclaimed and was cited Barihat, Mirza. The third and final in the short film catalogue, under phase of shooting is going on full the Short Film Corner section at swing within the city at various lo69th Cannes International Film cations and more than 90% shootFestival, and had also received of- ing has been completed. n

Zubeen Garg voted No. 1 among Top 10 male Indian singers G Plus News

n a survey conducted by The Top Tens, a globally acclaimed survey website, the very popular singer and heart-throb of Assam, Zubeen Garg has been voted as No. 1 among the Top 10 Male Indian Singers. As of 4th May, Thursday, Zubeen had received 4518 votes, and is proudly standing ahead of many other renowned Bollywood singers including Sonu Nigam,

Arijit Singh, Benny Dayal etc. While Zubeen has managed to be at the top most position in

the list, Sonu Nigam has grabbed the second position with 164 votes. n

ritically acclaimed Assamese feature film “Dikchow Banat Palaax,” which released in September 2016, has been awarded the Nargis Dutt Award for Best Feature Film on National Integration at the 64th National Film Awards in New Delhi on Wednesday by President Pranab Mukherjee on the 104th anniversary of Indian cinema. Information and Broadcasting Minister, M. Venkaiah Naidu and MoS Col. Rajyavardhan Rathore, were also present on the occasion. Produced by Assam Film (Finance & Development) Corporation Ltd and Utpal Kumar Das of Canvascope, Dikchow Banat Palaax was written, scripted and directed by national award winning filmmaker Sanjib Sabhapandit. After receiving the award from the President of India, Utpal Das, executive producer of Dikchow Banat Palaax, said, “I really feel proud that Assam could bag 6

national awards. I believe that in the coming years, Assamese films will excel not only in India but in the international arena as well; my sincere gratitude to the Assam Film Finance Development Corporation for their cooperation in this regard. Hope many more good films will be done in the near future with the help of Assam Film Finance and Development Corporation.” Dikchow Banat Palaax explores the relationship of a freedom fighter and a Naga woman through decades of separation. Set in 1946, the film portrays the journey of a young Assamese man, who is banished from his home district by the British Empire, as he wanders to the Naga Hills. Love blooms and a Naga damsel gave him a few coins for his sustenance. But the love birds get separated until the protagonist recollects memories of his past in the year 2000, when he decides to revisit the place just to return those coins to the lady. n

New single from Rain in Sahara G Plus News

uwahati’s own Rain in Sahara, a conscious hiphop fusion outfit, is beginning to make a mark in the music scene. Having recently released their debut music video, Black Water, a couple months ago Rain in Sahara have bagged several national and international awards, performed their original music to over 17,000 people and reached over 75,000 views. From having an official premiere of their work in the USA to winning Best Music Video at the Indian Music Video Awards 2017, Rain in Sahara is excited to release their new single soon and continue to bring their conscious music to audiences around the region.

Accomplishments: Best Music Video: The Monthly Film Festival (UK) Audience Award Winner: The Monthly Film Festival (UK) Best Music Video: Indian Music Video Awards 2017 (India) Outstanding Achievement Award Winner: Calcutta International Cult Film Festival (India) Semi-Finalist: Hollywood Screenings Film Festival (USA) Official Selection: Canton Film Festival (USA) Official Selection: The ModCon London Film Festival (UK) Official Selection: Voices from the Waters Film Festival (India) Next festival concert: May 19, 2017. Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh: Papum Pare Music Festival. n

G PLUS MAY 06 - MAY 12, 2017

Events

Rajen Gohain, Railway Minister of State and President of Assam Baseball Association giving it a full swing

Exposure Baseball Championship Venue: Judges’ Field Date: 29th April Assam Baseball Association gave celebrities and media houses of the city an amazing experience where both parties played Baseball at Judges Field under the floodlight! An amazing feeling to have experienced a new sport in the city; Baseball needs to make way for the masses and needs full exposure! Here’s glimpse of the match where Media defeated the celebrity team 4-3

DGP Assam Police Mukesh Sahay (L) in a conversation with MoS for Railways Rajen Gohain (R)

Actress Prasuti Parashar seen in action

Pair This! Mr. Abhay Kewadkar, Business Head and Chief Winemaker of Four Seasons Wines visited Vivanta by Taj, Guwahati for a wine pairing session with Fine Pan Asian cuisine at the hotel’s oriental kitchen, Umami. A man known not only for his vast experience, but he holds the honor of being the first Indian Wine maker to have shaped the Indian commercial wine industry in a large way since the country’s Independence.

Mr. Abhay Kewadkar, Business Head and Chief Winemaker of Four Seasons Wines

The Brand New Harley-Davidson Street Rod 750 makes its way to Guwahati in a launch at Brahmaputra Harley-Davidson

G PLUS MAY 06 - MAY 12, 2017

Catching Up Most shared story of the week

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he viral story of the week had to emerge from State Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s press meet where 10 of Guwahati’s major roads were renamed drawing massive response from Guwahati’s populous. GPlus was one of the first portals to have given the news to the public and thus attracted thousands of reactions

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Guwahati Medical College and Hospital

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Greetings to all the readers of GPlus I am Pompi Borah. I was born and brought up Tezpur, and currently residing in Guwahati. I am completed my education from Darrang College, Tezpur. I pursued media studies in the Department of Media Technology, from PVTI, Guwahati. I am a simple girl, who has an ambition of achieving recognition in the world of media. I am also a freelance photographer. I do wedding and fashion photography. I am associated with Junbiri, a wedding photography team that covers weddings across Assam. Mojo My passion is all about seeking for and unraveling the beauty in every tiny thing oblivious to the world. That’s what makes me inclined towards photography. I have also been a part of some of the Assamese serials, and I am currently on still photography for some Assamese movies.

here is no second opinion that the GMCH is the most sought hospital when it comes to treatment or making a career as a doctor. However, the history of the institution has several twists and turns. The state government in 1959 headed by BP Chaliha, the then chief minister of Assam, along with several other leaders decided to have a second medical college in Assam after Assam Medical College in Dibrugarh. On 26th April, 1960 it was decided to start the Gauhati Medical College from August the same year in the vacant Ayurvedic College buildings and the Physical Education Training buildings at Jalukbari. On 20th September,

Kamur

1960, the Gauhati Medical College was formally inaugurated and the foundation stone of the hospital at Narakasur Hill was laid. However, the construction had to be abandoned as stone breaking and clearing would incur massive expenditure. The state government decided to shift the hospital construction to the foot hills of Narakasur. The foundation stone was laid on 15th August, 1975 by Sarat Ch. Sinha, the then Chief Minister of Assam and National Building Construction Corporation (NBCC) was entrusted with the responsibility for construction of the hospital building. The new hospital, at this permanent site, started functioning in 1984.

Route in the Woods I love kids. I want to work for the betterment of the unprivileged kids with my hard work.

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he government might have decided to combat urban floods in the city but this week the water logged roads in many places in the city were the most irritating kamur. With some heavy rains the city was jam packed with traffic as many vehicles faced tough time plying smoothly through the submerged roads. The season of rickshaw surge pricing | 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