MP Jewellers heist remains a mystery despite two arrests
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VOLUME 04 | ISSUE 29 MAY 13 - MAY 19, 2017 PRICE `10
Rs 1175 Cr sewerage project to eliminate septic tanks from city households PG 05
New Chic on the Block Mayuri Bhuyan PG 24
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G PLUS MAY 13 - MAY 19, 2017
Lead Story
MP Jewellers heist remains a mystery despite two arrests
The police might have arrested the security guard Prem Singh and his associate on suspicion but the robbery incident remains a mystery as the link between the guard and the incident is not getting established
Nil Kamal Singh and Prem Singh at Bhangagarh Police Station | File Photo
Rahul Chanda rahul.chanda@g-plus.in
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recent robbery case in the heart of Guwahati city has raised questions about the safety and security of the city in general and of the jewellery shops of the city in particular. A gang of four robbers burst into a prominent jewellery store, MP Jewellers, located on Srimanta Sankardev Path, at round 6.45 pm on 9th May and decamped with jewellery worth Rs 3.5 crores at gun point. The whereabouts of the robbers continue to remain unknown as no one saw them coming or going in any vehicle. The incident has raised several questions. What were the security measures in place at the jewellery shop? Who exactly were involved in the robbery? Was it staged to claim some kind of insurance money? How quickly did the police respond to the incident? Who have been arrested so far and what is their involvement? G Plus tries to look into the matter.
The incident On 9th May, at around 6.45 pm, four masked men entered MP Jewellers showroom located at Post Office, Srimanta Sankardev Path and looted jewellery worth Rs 3.5 crores. The robbers had arms and one of them fired in the air thrice from a pistol to put a scare into the people present in the shop. The gang broke the display counters with hammers, took out the jewellery and put them in bags before easily making their escape. The robbers ordered the employees and
customers to herd at one side. According to the police, the duration of the entire incident was around 6 minutes as found from the CCTV footage installed in the shop. The Bhangagarh police received a call about the incident at around 7.10 pm and immediately a team reached the spot and took control of the situation. Interestingly, that day there was no security guard at the jewellery store. The police started enquiring about the security guard came to know that he was on leave.
The follow up The Bhangagarh police registered a case (80/17 under section 394 IPC read with section 25(1)(a)/27(2) Arms Act). The police, after investigation, came to know that the private security guard of the jewellery shop Prem Singh was absent that day. The police then tracked the guard to Hojai, his native place. Police arrested Prem Singh and his close associate Neelkamal Singh from Hojai and they were brought to Guwahati and interrogated in the Crime Branch. One Basanta Singh, a relative of Prem Singh, was also picked up but later Prem and Neelkamal were forwarded to the court which sent them to 5-day police custody. Rumours abounded initially about Prem Singh being the mastermind of the robbery as his mother-in-law is not well and he was in desperate need of big money. So, is Prem Singh involved and have the police solved the case?
The suspicion On understanding that Prem Singh was the guard and he was
on leave since three-four days prior to the incident, the police automatically suspected that he might be involved in the case. Accordingly, he was tracked and arrested from Hojai. His associate Neelkamal Singh was also arrested as both of them used to live together in Guwahati and both were working as security guards in different places. Basanta Singh, a relative of Prem Singh, was also picked up but highly placed sources in the police said that nothing much could be extracted from them. On 11th May, after being produced before the court, Prem Singh and Neelkamal Singh were sent to 5-day police custody. But a highly placed source in the police said that given the initial investigation, the police are not being able to link Prem Singh to the robbery. The source said that the CCTV footage images of the robbers do not match Prem Singh or his associate even as people assumed that Prem is one of the robbers. Also, the source said that Prem Singh is denying any kind of involvement in the robbery and has not opened up about the crime. Sources said that the guard was arrested on suspicion but now again the police is clueless as the links are not getting established. The source said that the faces of the robbers as seen on the CCTV footage shows they were of tribal origin but the physiques of the robbers captured on the CCTV do not match Prem Singh’s or his associate. The source also said that after the incident, the OC of Bhangagarh police station was transferred and former Hatigaon police station OC Bipin Medhi was appointed as the new OC of the Bhangagarh Police Station. The Crime Branch is also helping the Bhangagarh police in the investigation but so far nothing concrete has been derived. So it seems that the guard was arrested because of public pressure but his involvement in the robbery is yet to be ascertained. G Plus tried to talk to MP Jewellers who remained tight-lipped about the incident. Now there were also rumours that the authorities of the jewellery store might have planned the robbery to claim insurance money. G Plus talked to the jewellery association to understand this possibility and also
asked about the safety measures the association is taking to ensure the safety of the city’s jewellers.
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The jewellers Nikhil Assam Swarna Shilpi Samiti secretary Prasanta Roy, talking to G Plus, said that the incident does not seem to be a claim for insurance as it is for the first time that an incident like this has occurred in the city and from the description of the incident the robbers seemed to be professionals. Even the police sources said that the robbers were professionals and it cannot be ruled out that some rebel group might have been involved in the robbery. The secretary said that in other states and countries jewellery shops have alarms which are connected to police stations so that in times of emergency the alarm could be used but in Guwahati there is no such option. Roy said that after the incident, the entire jeweller community of the city is feeling insecure and they have discussed the issue with the police. The police meanwhile have asked the security agencies to train the guards to tackle any kind of emergency. Roy said that talks are on with the police about the possibility of home guards being deployed at jewellery shops if possible instead of security guards as home guards are better trained than the private guards who are trained by the security agencies. Roy also said that it was also careless of MP Jewellers that if their regular guard was on leave, they should have had a replacement. But they had no such options. Police sources said that the police is also quizzing all the staffs of MP Jewellers one after the other to find out if there could be anyone else in the shop who is involved in the incident as according to police sources the robbery was pre-planned and it is difficult to believe that there is no involvement from the inside in the robbery case. There continue to be many assumptions but the fact remains that the robbery case has so far been a mystery which the police is yet to solve. But the sensational robbery has raised several doubts about the safety and security of the city’s jewellers. n
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G PLUS MAY 13 - MAY 19, 2017
What will tax payers gain from GST? Rahul Chanda rahul.chanda@g-plus.in
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n a move to woo the BJP high command and especially Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Assam Assembly recently passed the Assam Goods and Services Tax Bill, 2017 paving the way for the much-hyped GST Act that is expected to put into place a uniform tax regime for goods and services across the country. Finance minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma, asserted that the act would result in a win-win situation for both the state and the central government and also for consumers and the traders. But will the GST help all? Who all will be benefitted to the maximum by the new tax system? G Plus talks to experts.
The mix According to a city-based tax consultant, there were around 18 types of taxes previously but he said that with the introduction of GST there will be only one tax across the country and the traders and the consumers will not be taxed at different
points. GST will put an end to multiple taxations at various source and transportation levels. Assam government is abolishing five taxes including VAT, entry tax, etc and the centre will have to abolish seven taxes for the purpose. So basically Goods & Service Tax or GST will be levied on goods and services. It will replace all the various taxes and bring them under one umbrella to make compliance easier. It will replace the following taxes: Taxes currently levied and collected by the Centre: Central Excise duty Additional Duties of Customs (commonly known as CVD) Special Additional Duty of Customs (SAD) Service Tax Taxes currently levied and collected by the State: State VAT Central Sales Tax Entertainment and Amusement Tax (except when levied by the local bodies) Taxes on lotteries, betting and gambling Why are we getting 3 taxes viz. State GST, Central GST, Inte-
grated GST? India is a federal country where both the Centre and the states have been assigned powers to levy and collect taxes. Both the levels of government have distinct responsibilities to perform, as per the Constitution, for which they need to raise resources. A dual GST will therefore, be keeping with the Constitutional requirement of fiscal federalism. According to an accounts consultant Rajesh Poddar, the Centre and states will be simultaneously levying GST. 3 taxes will be implemented to help tax-payers take credit against each other thus ensuring one nation one tax. The state and the centre will share the revenue generated in some ratio; the ratio is not yet clear according to the consultant, but SGST, CGSY and IGST are the taxes in which the state and the central share will be decided.
The slabs According to the consultant the tax slabs will be fixed depending on the importance of the commodity and the service. He said that essential commodities like rice and dal will have 0%
tax levied, whereas 5% tax will be levied on basic use commodities like oil, soap, ghee, shoes etc. Some taxes like service tax etc will be levied at 18%. 28% tax will be levied on luxurious items like vehicles, smart phones, laptops etc. Also, unlike earlier, the tax will not be levied at multiple points but only once. The consultant said that the GST will help keeping one price of any product across the country and the price will not fluctuate from state to state. But many traders are still confused about the move and fear that the tax slab will be increased on many items other than essential commodities which, according to them, is not fair. A person earns and has to pay income tax, then buys a car and has to pay vehicle tax. Similarly, a person is taxed on each and every thing directly or indirectly. But other than roads and flyovers etc what else can the government provide to the tax payers? Why is the tax slab getting increased every now and then? Will GST help the tax payers in any way or it is another revenue generating scheme of the government? n
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In The News
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G PLUS MAY 13 - MAY 19, 2017
Concern
APDCL loses Rs 43 Cr monthly to avoid load shedding
The power distribution company claims that there is no load shedding these days and power cuts are a result of line fault which can be resolved with modern technology, but so long the company keeps incurring revenue losses, the issue will remain difficult to tackle stations also. The source said that power cannot be stocked. It has to be consumed as generated. The source said that Assam requires at the maximum 1600 MW during peak hours, and including the state power generations and central power allocation, sometimes it is around 1800 MW. So there is no question of load shedding but there are issues of line faults which lead to power cuts. The source said that after the power is generated at the generating stations - which normally get generated at 11 KV and thereafter the voltage gets increased and the power is distributed APDCL Power grid at Japorigog | G Plus photo through grid line - the APDCL then steps down the voltage from 220 V electricity more during summers as Rahul Chanda to 33 KV and there is a requirement fridges, fans and air-conditioners rahul.chanda@g-plus.in are virtually kept running day and of grid substation. In Guwahati there night. The source said that usually are four grid substations, the locathe city requires 192 MW of power tions being Sarusajai, Khanapara, very year during the summers there is the huge problem of during winters, but the requirement Kahilipara and Narengi. So the powload shedding in Guwahati, increases to 240 MW during winters. er gets distributed initially from the Interestingly, the source said that grid substations. From there it might and every time there is a storm, the electricity gets cut for hours, some- these days there is no load shedding go to a 33/11 KV substation which is usually a transformer. So there might in Guwahati. The source said that in times even for a day or two,” said a be a fault in the main substation of resident of Hatigaon, talking to G entire Assam there is almost no issue 33 KV, or in the transformer, or the Plus. When the new government of load shedding these days. If there DTR or the low tension line. As such, is no load shedding why are there was formed in Dispur, the leaders there are many points which could power cuts? The source firstly shared claimed that load shedding issues will be resolved soon. Has that hap- the power demand and supply cal- be faulty and pin-pointing the fault location takes time. The source said pened? Recently, when there was a culation for Tuesday’s peak hour. that people believe Assam produces storm in Guwahati, many areas had less electricity and therefore there to suffer power outages. Was that Peak hour power requirement in is load shedding or power cuts but because of load shedding or was Assam on 2nd May 2017 APDCL has to pay even to the state it some other issue? Assam Power generators. So it really does not matDistribution Corporation Limited Total Demand – 1488.48 MW ter if the power is taken from state or (APDCL), since ages, has been runLine fault – 133 MW central generators. Load shedding ning on losses. What is the scenario Net demand – 1355.48 MW is usually done to cut costs and this now? Will Guwahati be able to shed State power generation – 168.99 used to happen earlier. But now its load shedding problems ever? G MW power flow is not disconnected to Plus takes a look. Central power allotment – save money as the central genera1170.79 MW Load shedding tors and the state generators supply Shortfall – 15 MW power according to the demand. The A source in APDCL, talking to source said it is because of line faults The source said that these days G Plus, said that electricity cannot that the power gets cut these days. be stored; it has to be consumed there is hardly any shortfall as the power supply always meets the deas soon as it is transmitted and the Solution requirement of the electricity is on mand but there is mostly line faults because of which power gets cut. the basis of the usage of various The source said that whenevequipments that run with the help er it rains or there are storms, line Line fault of electrical energy. Comparing the fault becomes a major problem and requirement of a cold place like finding the location of the fault takes The source said that there are Shillong, the source said that in state sector power generators like time. The transformers, the lines, such places electrical consumption Karbi Langpi power station, Namrup the connections etc., anything can increases during winters as people get affected during rains, winds or power station, etc. which generate use equipments like room heaters around 250 MW electricity. Simi- storms creating line faults. He said more. In summers the consumption larly, there are many central sec- that if lines are laid underground of electricity is less as fans, air-condi- tor generating stations like NHPC, there will not be any such problems tioners and fridges are hardly used. NTPC, NEEPCO, etc. which also as water, wind etc. cannot affect the So, Shillong faces maximum load have adequate allotment for Assam. line then. But the problem is there is shedding during winters. In Guwa- The source said that APDCL has no defined underground route. The hati however, households consume source said that the GS Road line will to purchase from state generating
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Financial performance of APDCL in 2016-17 Revenue types
2016-17
Monthly
Revenue principles
Rs 3768 crore
Rs 314 crore
Subsidy receipts for GOA
Rs 302 crore
Rs 25 crore
Rs 3782 crore
Rs 315 crore
Rs 800 crore
Rs 67 crore
Total expenditure
Rs 4582 crore
Rs 382
Cash deficit
Rs 512 crore
Rs 43 crore
Power purchase & transmission charges Operations and maintenance expenses
be taken underground and talks are on with all departments to get a dedicated route. He also said that if all the wires are covered with insulators, faults will lessen. But according to the source there is not enough money which could be used to resolve the issue. He said that the equipments or the wires, connectors, transformers etc. are old and need to be replaced with modern equipments which would require money. He said that APDCL utilises 78% of its money for purchase of power, 18% on salaries, and only around 4% on repairs and maintenance. So power cut problems now can only be solved if the connections, equipments and the technology is modernised. This being the case, what is the monthly calculation of the electricity bill payments and revenue generated etc.? Where does the money go?
talking to financing sectors like Asian Development Bank to finance projects where underground wiring and insulators in all lines can be installed. The efficient lines, equipments and technology could only help in the process. The government is also planning to start one more power plant at Margherita. The source also said that power theft and use of more electricity is also a concern for which the state will soon get pre-paid meters and a control room which could monitor where the fault line is and where pilferage is taking place. n
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Money matters The source said that revenue-wise the performance of the company is very poor as it only eyes public satisfaction and not profit generation. The source described that in any business anyone buying more has to pay less, and whoever buys less has to pay more. But in Assam, the big industries which utilise huge amounts of electricity have to pay more, whereas people using less electricity even get subsidies. Effectively, the company can never earn. He said that APDCL loses Rs 512 crores yearly and Rs 43 crores monthly. The source said that among all the circles, there is loss of revenue in many of them but Guwahati gave a profit of Rs 271 crores. This essentially means that the city is a profitable market to the company and therefore APDCL cannot even think of load shedding in the city. Guwahatians face power cuts only because of line fault and the government is
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G PLUS MAY 13 - MAY 19, 2017
Rs 1175 Cr sewerage project to eliminate septic tanks from city households
City
An ambitious automated sewerage project is on the anvil and if successfully implemented will render septic tanks unnecessary as household wastes will be channelized directly to a modern waste management system The Initiation
A representative image of a modern sewerage treatment system
Kalyan Deb kalyan.deb@g-plus.in
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s the monsoon arrives in all its fury, residents of Guwahati take to praying, hoping for the best, hoping that the river will not flood its banks again inundating large parts of the city, flooding roads and turning people in areas such as Anil Nagar into refugees overnight. The story is old and remains unchanged despite several efforts as the problem of artificial flood still continues. The story could remain the same this year as well. Lawmakers have opined that water-logging is the most challenging hurdle for the city. Meanwhile, the households, commercial establishments and several other sources add sewage to the city’s present drainage system that blocks the drains and consequently, creates water-logging. People of the city are dependent on regular de-siltation in order to find relief from situations of floods. The problem is severe and the need of the hour is a concrete plan that can eradicate or at least reduce the problem of floods in the city to a considerable extent. Guwahati produces 460 million litres of water; while 80% of this is consumed by humans, the rest go down the drains as waste. As unhygienic as the case may be,
the waste water also contributes to the flood situation of the city. Given all of the above, the city will soon witness the initiation of a new sewerage system. Funded by JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency) in collaboration with Guwahati Metropolitan Drinking Water and Sewerage Board, the project will help in better management of household wastes in the city through a systematic process. The Rs 1,175 crore project will help in carrying waste liquids from toilets, baths and kitchens to the proposed 120 bigha Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) to be set up at Boragaon in the city. The pipelines will cover approximately 600 kms and the pipes will be of different diameters.
The Blueprint The project will be initiated in three different phases as the city has been divided into three zones viz. Zone 1, 2 and 3. Zone 1 will cover the eastern parts of the city - the areas from Khanapara to Bharalumukh. Zone 2 consists of areas of the western part of the city that extends up to Borjhar and Zone 3 covers the areas in North Guwahati. In the first phase the project will be initiated in Zone 1. Through the project the waste from the toilets, baths and kitchens of each house will be taken out through a pipeline to a chamber.
The waste will be taken out with the help of gravity as the pipelines will be sloped down to a stream. Meanwhile, 56 pumps will be positioned at different points to clear possible clogging. The pumps will push the liquid waste to a mainstream that will lead to the STP in Boragaon which will have a capacity of collecting 187 mld (million litres per day). As per the design, the pipelines from the households will be sloped down to a depth of 8 metres and prior to reaching the STP; a lifting station will be positioned in order to pump the waste to the main pipeline. Meanwhile, in order to eradicate the foul smell of the sewerage plant, a process of Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) will be put in place. BOD is the standard method for indirect measurement of the amount of organic pollution (that can be oxidized biologically) in a sample of water. BOD test procedure is based on the activities of bacteria and other aerobic microorganisms (microbes), which feed on organic matter in presence of oxygen. While the foul smell produced from the STPs due to presence of faecal matter may vary from 40 to 60 BOD, the authorities said that with a system in place, the level of pollution will reduce to 20 BOD. The waste will then be dumped 8 to 10 kms downstream in the Brahmaputra River.
Meanwhile, the residents of the city will have to go through a long hiatus prior to the initiation of the project. As per the loan agreement of JICA, a project management consultant will be hired through a tendering process that will be floated later this year. The project is expected to be initiated by the later part of 2018. Moreover, following the operation of the sewerage plan, each household including the residences in apartments will be charged a nominal amount against the service. However, the project might become a reason for sufferings of people yet again as most of the roads will be excavated for the pipelines to be placed. It was also informed that in areas where the roads are more congested trenchless technology will be used. The technology allows for the installation or renewal of underground utility systems with minimum disruption of the surface. “The project will change the face of the city. The requirement of drains will only be limited to draining out storm water and an immediate benefit will be that the households will no longer require septic tanks. It has been seen that once the septic tanks get filled the residents have to suffer a lot. Thus, with the operation of the project, the area or space used for a septic tank can be utilised for other productive purposes,” mentioned an official of Guwahati Metropolitan Drinking Water and Sewerage Board. “We have already surveyed various parts of the city about what diameter of pipelines will be placed and the connections. However, more details will unfold when the plan is initiated,” the official added. Sewerages are considered as a promising wastewater treatment system where the quality of life and the hygienic conditions in the areas where the system operates are substantially improved. It is seen in cities with sewerage systems that the operation of the system helps in relieving people to a great extent from previous problems that were caused by the continuous emptying of cesspools. The sewerage system provides a healthier and more appropriate way to manage liquid wastes. Similar projects were announced by the previous Congress government in 2014 as well but re-
mained to be implemented.
Advantages of the Sewerage plan Requirement of drainage system will only be for draining out storm water Septic tank in households will no longer be necessary With lesser amount of silt dumped in the drainage system it will help in creating a more hygienic environment in residential areas Diseases caused from mosquito bites and other insects will be brought down Problems of flood and water logging will be brought down to a significant level
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G PLUS MAY 13 - MAY 19, 2017
City
From Eviction to Beautification: GMC bulldozes street vendors Despite identifying 58 locations as possible vending zones by the street vendors’ association, GMC has not made the necessary allotments; rather eviction drives carried out on unauthorised zones have disrupted their lives
Bhangagarh eviction in progress | G Plus photo
Juthika Baruah juthika.baruah@g-plus.in
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ach time the district administration or the Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) carries an eviction drive, the street vendors have to face the problem and have to suffer heavily as they are thrown out from the places which they occupy to earn their livelihood. Rather than allotting vending zones to the street vendors they are evicted by the administration and the GMC. This time the Working President of the Street Vendors’ Association of Assam, Debajit Senapati, has been arrested without
any cause under Section 353 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). “It was on 4th May that the officials of GMC, along with the Mayor and Circle Officer Lakhinandan Saharia, reached the Bhangagarh market and carried out the eviction drive without any prior intimation. It was said earlier that the market which was in existence in front of the Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) would be shifted below the Bhangagarh flyover but the GMC officials went ahead and evicted the market without giving any notice. According to The Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation Street Vending) Act, 2014, the street vendors should be notified with a time of 30 days at
least to shift the market,” said the President of the Street Vendors’ Association, Nayan Rajbongshi. Whenever it comes to allotment of vending zones, GMC takes the plea of lack of space being the reason why they cannot allot vending zones but the street vendors’ association has identified 58 locations which do not present any problem for allotment as vending zones. Yet the GMC has not proceeded. “There are 7,183 vendors and a Town Vending Committee was formed in 2014 which conducted the survey of the vendors in 2015. According to the Street Vending Act, a city should be allotted with 2.5% vendors according to its quantum of the population,” said Rajbongshi. Certificate of vending is to be issued to all street vendors and every street vendor identified under the survey who has completed the age of fourteen years or such age as may be prescribed by the appropriate government, shall be issued a certificate of vending by the Town Vending Committee, subject to such terms and conditions and within the period specified in the scheme including the restrictions specified in the plan for street vending but no such step has been taken so far. An official of GMC said that the Street Vending Act states that the vendors should be rehabilitated in the area where they run their busi-
nesses itself which is difficult to adhere to in the city. “A street vendor who is running his business in Ganeshguri cannot be rehabilitated in Six Mile. But the problem is the vending zone cannot also be allotted in the particular places as there is not enough space. Some places have been identified so far but have not been decided because the traffic department should also conform to the places to ensure smooth flow of traffic,” the official said. In the eviction drive that has been carried out at Bhangagarh, 80 unauthorised shops, kiosks, restaurants, fruit and vegetable markets have been removed. The official of GMC said that the eviction has been carried out so as to free up the traffic movement. The GMC has taken the action after the stretch from Bhangagarh flyover to the rotary at GMCH emergency entry point was declared “Protected Area” by the district administration. The GMC would also undertake a beautification project in the area along with proper cleanliness around the GMCH area in which a PSU will be approached for assistance. Every time the administration and GMC carry out an eviction drive, the vendors and encroachers return to the place after a certain period of time and therefore the GMC will ensure proper monitoring so that no further encroach-
ments can occur hereafter. “Apart from being unhygienic, the unauthorised constructions that had taken the shape of a market, had also become a hub of anti-social activities, and we had been receiving several complaints from the common people and also from the GMCH authorities. Also, due to the rush of people, the movement of doctors, patients and ambulances to the GMCH was being obstructed. The eviction would definitely ease out traffic movement in the area,” the GMC Mayor Mrigen Sarania said. n
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Free diagnostic services programme inaugurated at MMCH
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hief Minister’s Free Diagnostic Service Programme (CT Scan services & X-Ray services) was ceremoniously inaugurated at Mahendra Mohan Choudhury Hospital (MMCH) on Thursday, through video conferencing along with 16 district hospitals/regional diagnostic centres simultaneously throughout Assam. As the state launching was done at Assam Administrative Staff College by Chief Minister of Assam, Sarbananda Sonowal in presence of Minister of Health & Family Welfare Dept. Govt. of Assam Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma, likewise at MMCH it was ceremoniously inaugurated through video conferencing by District Development Commissioner Kamrup (M) Barnali Sharma in presence of Addl. Dy. Commissioner
P. P. Bora, Suptd. of Gauhati Medical College & Hospital Dr. R. Talukdar, Dy. Suptd. of MMCH, Dr. M. Rajbanshi, Joint Director of Health & Family Welfare Dr. G. Saikia, Dy. Director Health & Family Welfare Dr. U. Phukan, District Information & Public Relations Officer H. Pathak and several distinguished guest. Through Chief Minister’s Free Diagnostic Services, general public can avail free CT Scan services at MMCH and free X-Ray facility will be available at Pandu FRU, Capital SD, Khetri CHC & Dhirenpara Maternity & Child Welfare Hospital from 11th of May, 2017. It has been another path breaking initiative of Health & Family Welfare department, Govt. of Assam and will be very beneficial for the general public. n
G PLUS MAY 13 - MAY 19, 2017
7
Health
Rising depression cases raise questions about Guwahati’s mental health In India 1 in 20 people suffer from depression and according to a WHO report depression has increased to 18% in 2015 from 2005 While prevalence of mental illness is higher among males (13.9%) as compared to females (7.5%), certain specific mental illnesses like mood disorders (depression, neurotic disorders, phobic anxiety disorders etc) are more in females.
How to overcome depression or stress
(Representative image)
Juthika Baruah juthika.baruah@g-plus.in
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e talk about various ailments like diabetes, blood pressure, heart disease etc which should be treated on time but does anyone realize how much the society is suffering from mental health disorders which lead to depression and stress? According to a survey 1 in every 5 people suffer from depression in humanitarian emergencies. Mechanical life has put people in so much stress that they forget to enjoy their life despite earning handsomely. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the number of people living with depression has increased by 18% from 2005 to 2015 which is the largest cause of disability worldwide and more than 80% of the disability is in lower and middle income countries. “We have dealt with many such patients who have mental disorders and depression is the most common among the working class people as they are most stressed due to job pressure. It is not only due to work stress that people are suffering from depression but also students and housewives are depressed due to various factors. Everything is related to each oth-
er. For example, if a married woman does not get support from her family or husband in her professional life then she goes through depression that also affects her professional life. So this is a cycle which affects both personal and professional life due to which they suffer from depression,” said psychiatrist Dr. Anweshak Das, while speaking to G Plus. The doctor said that the total number of people living with depression in the world is 322 million. Depression is more common among females (5.1%) than males (3.6%). In India almost 1 in 20 suffers from depression and it is reported to be higher in females in the age-group of 40-49 years. High rates of depression are also reported in the elderly (3.5%). By 2020, depression will be the most common disorder overpowering cardiac disorders and diabetes. So it is time that depression is given importance as a major heath concern in today’s world. “One very fortunate thing we should all keep in mind that depression is not only preventable but also curable. And for people living with depression, talking about it is the first step towards recovery. One should also know how to overcome work pressure in order to prevent depression,” the doctor said.
Concerned over the growing problem of mental health in India, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences had conducted a survey in 2014 which covered all important aspects of mental illness including substance abuse, use of alcohol disorder, tobacco use disorder, severe mental illness, depression, anxiety, phobia and post traumatic stress disorder. The survey had a sample size of 34,802 individuals. The overall current prevalence estimate of mental disorders was 10.6% in the total surveyed population and significant variations in overall morbidity ranged from 5.8% in Assam followed by 14.1% in Manipur. Assam, along with Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat reported prevalence rate less than 10%. “Depression is a serious illness, not a sign of weakness or a character flaw. So the first step towards prevention and treatment of depression is the removal of this roadblock of stigma. Talking about depression, whether with a family member, friend or medical professional; in larger groups, for example in schools, the workplace and social settings; or in the public domain, in the news media, blogs or on social media, helps break down this stigma, ultimately leading to more people seeking help,” Dr. Das added.
Depression is a common disease now-a-days and it needs to be overcome in order to maintain a balanced work life. There are different ways by which people try to overcome depression or stress. If someone opts for exercise and yoga, some others travel for relaxation so that they can keep both their personal and professional lives unhampered. Bibhumoni Sinha, Gym Manager, Training and Nutrition Head of SFL Fitness Gyms, Guwahati, while commenting on the increasing number depression cases, said that exercise is most important in order to get rid of stress and depression. Too much of exhaustion, sleeplessness and sluggishness are the reasons for depression and therefore workout has to be done in an optimum manner for stress-free life. “People do come for different types of exercises and also for yoga. Yoga is basically 70% spiritual and mental and 30% physical but any kind of physical exercise - be it a dance form or lifting weights, martial arts which people enjoy, are helpful. I have a good number of clients who come to improve their sleep and there are people who tend to overeat and depression and stress is the reason for gaining weight. Now-a-days people tend to eat sweets, salty things or fried stuff and they do it out of stress. Another reason for stress is adrenal fatigue. If we also have a good night’s sleep we feel fatigue throughout the day and also have mood swings,” said Sinha. He said that there are also pathological and physiological issues for depression and stress. Most of the people suffer from thyroid disorder and hypothyroidism is also the cause of stress. Vitamin D and Vitamin B 12 deficiency is also another reason for which people suffer from depression and stress. “There are many factors for which people
suffer from depression and 90% of the people get rid of it through exercise. We have clients from different professions like doctors, engineers, students, corporates who, after working for the whole day, come to the gym on a regular basis and this can only happen as they exercise regularly,” added Sinha. If a section of people exercise to get rid of depression and stress, another section of people go on holidays so that they can relax for a few days in order to maintain a good work balance. “As I work in the corporate sector I face many problems and there is a lot of work pressure but we have to maintain it well as this has been my career. I definitely suffer from stress and depression sometimes and contemplate quitting my job and start a business of my own. But this is not the right way to get away from your problem. Therefore, I go on vacations twice a year which really helps me to regain my energy to get my work done properly. Going on a vacation refreshes your mind and at the end of it we can get back to work with renewed vigour. Travelling also helps in meeting new people from whom one can get many ideas on how to deal with the professional and personal life equally. Therefore, I go on vacations with my family by which both my personal and professional life finds balance,” said a highly placed official in a leading private company. n
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G PLUS MAY 13 - MAY 19, 2017
Health
State govt denies proposal for adult vaccination for JE in Kamrup (M) Japanese Encephalitis (JE) has taken one life in the city; fogging and spraying not effective for vector-borne diseases and unless the city maintains a healthy environment the threat of JE looms large
Fogging being carried in Guwahati | G Plus photo
Juthika Baruah juthika.baruah@g-plus.in
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he season of Japanese Encephalitis (JE) has not yet started but the city has already witnessed one death from the disease due to the lackadaisical monitoring by the Guwahati Municipal Corporation even as the measures which mandatorily need to be taken in order to keep the city free of mosquitoes have not been taken by the concerned department. One Rupa Devi (49) from Madhabdev Path (erstwhile VIP Road) died of Japanese Encephalitis. “This year one case of JE has been reported from Kamrup (M). The virus comes from infected mosquitoes and therefore the government has started the
immunization process for children. We have sent a proposal to the government to start the vaccination for adults as well but the government has denied the proposal for Kamrup (M) while it has been started in some of the districts in the state,” said Epidemiologist of Kamrup (M) under Joint Directorate of Health Services, Dr. PC Hazarika while speaking to G Plus. The first dose of vaccine for children has to be given between 9 months and 1 year and the second dose between 16 and 24 months. “We tried to make people aware about taking the vaccination as it provides a lifelong protection against getting infected with JE. We therefore proposed the government to start the adult vaccination as well which might be available from next year,” Dr.
Hazarika said. On being questioned whether the vaccines are totally efficient or not, Dr. Hazarika said that it can reduce the germ up to 90%. “We can’t say
that it works fully as these are prepared in China and we have to see whether the vaccines are brought in cold storage or not. There are many factors here in our state or in the city. Like, due to insufficient electricity, the
medicines do not get proper stor- do not fog on regular basis. The age as these should be kept in fogging and spraying drives are cold storage. The nurses take the taken up from the month of April vaccines to the camp or hospitals till December but the question without any proper maintenance is how effective these drives are. and therefore sometimes it does “People have a wrong concept that not give the proper effect but fogging and spraying will help to it works more than 90% of the prevent JE or other vector-borne time,” said Hazarika. diseases. As fogging and spraying He further informed that last is bad for health we try to unyear 16 cases of JE had been de- dertake such drives as less as we tected out of which 6 patients can so that it does not harm the had expired. He said that in case people. These drives are taken to of JE there are more chances satisfy the public and it should of death while in dengue there be limited as it contains harmful are no death cases as it can be chemicals,” the official said. prevented or cured. 33 cases of The official said that the Acute Encephalitis Syndrome breed of mosquito which can (AES) have been detected till 6th cause dengue is different and it bites only in daytime and thereMay out of which one case is of JE. AES is the syndrome which af- fore we used to do fogging during the day before 5 pm. This breed fects the brain and it can be due to JE, Dengue, Malaria or other of mosquito is seen to take birth in clean water and people are not disease which damage the brain. The cases of JE and Dengue aware of it and think that it is only through fogging that the mosquiare more in the city due to its unhealthy environment and be- toes will be reduced. People have cause of extensive use of plas- the concept that the mosquitoes that fly in the evening, which are tics and disposable items. The mosquito menace is more as of a smaller breed, can lead to the drains are uncovered and dengue whereas those mosquitoes are not at all harmful. the concerned departments do n not take any measures in order to curb the mosquito menace. “In other cities and states it yy has been seen that there are no mosquitoes and the drains are underground but here in the city, the environment seems to be unhealthy with garbage dumped by yy the roadside here and there. The JE mosquito lays eggs in dirty places and therefore the cases are more in urban areas,” Dr. yy Hazarika added. It is the sole responsibility of the GMC to carry out fogging but yy the department does the same only on basis of complaints. According to an official of GMC, the smoke of fogging is injurious to human health and therefore they
Weather report for the week Guwahati
SUN
MON
TUE
WED
THU
FRI
T-Storms
T-Storms
T-Storms
Scattered T-Storms
T-Storms
T-Storms
29°/23° C
31°/23° C
28°/22° C
30°/23° C
31°/24° C
32°/24° C
SATURDAY
Scattered T-Storms
29°/23° C
G PLUS MAY 13 - MAY 19, 2017
9
Governance
Govt drafts population policy; 18.34% growth in Kamrup (M) The Government of Assam has prepared a draft population & women empowerment policy for the state in order to control the birth rate and also to empower the skills of women
Himanta Biswa Sarma (L) and a snapshot of the Draft State Population Policy Assam (R)
Juthika Baruah juthika.baruah@g-plus.in
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he Government of Assam perceives the next decade as a defining one with respect to the transition of Assam as a progressive and emerging state of the Indian Union and therefore proposes a policy that incentivises families to optimize family size and allows them the freedom to aspire for higher standards of living. The population of Assam has increased by 17.07% as per Census 2011 and Kamrup (M) witnessed a growth by 18.34%. With one of the most complex demographic scenarios in the country, Assam is facing a demographic challenge on today’s date. The population of Assam increased to 3.12 crores according to 2011 census. This figure was 2.66 crores as per 2001 census. Although there is a decline in the decadal growth of population the rate of increase of 17.07% is at an unsustainable level. The state’s population density is 398 as per 2011 census as against 340 in 2001. In 2013, Assam recorded a Total Fertility Rate of 2.3 against a target for replacement level fertility rate of 2.1 and some districts have specially recorded very high
birth rates according to the annual health survey of 2011-12. The government of Assam has prepared a Draft Population & Women Empowerment Policy of Assam in order to control the birth rate and to bring about the advancement, development and empowerment of women. “Assam’s average family size is 5.5 which is above the national average. The state’s Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR) ratio is the worst amongst all states in India at 300 in 2013 and the Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) is also considerably high with 54. Assam also tops the chart amongst the states of India with 73 per 1000 live births against the national average of 49,” said state health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma while addressing the media. Sarma said that although the incidence of child marriage in the age group between 7 and 10 years is not prominent in the state, there are high incidences of marriage in the age group between 14 and 16 among girls and between 16 and 20 among boys which are more prominent in the char areas and tea garden areas. The unemployment rate in Assam is 61 per 1000 as against national average of 50 in 201516 according to the Ministry of
Labour and Employment, government of India. The UN programme of action on population and development stresses that the empowerment and autonomy of women and the improvement of their political, social, economic and health status is highly important in itself and necessary for the achievement of sustainable human development. Minister Sarma said that special focus will be given on population control which will be provided through school textbooks within the school curriculum course and a proper class on sex education will be given in order to control the birth rate. The government of Assam also proposes to initiate an effective and intensive campaign on multi-media, village and block level door-to-door outreach and community meetings to encourage awareness among the population of the state. Intensive and sustained campaigns will be launched especially in 11 districts where population growth is more. The districts are Dhubri (24.44 pc), Morigaon (23.34 pc), Goalpara (22.64 pc), Darrang (22.19 pc), Nagaon (22.00 pc), Karimganj (22.90 pc), Hailakandi (21.45 pc), Barpeta (21.43 pc), Bongaigaon (20.59 pc), Cachar (20.19 pc),
Kamrup (M) (18.34 pc). In order to mobilize beneficiaries for family planning at the grass-root level, special additional incentives will be provided to the ASHA workers and Aanganwadi workers in the 11 highly focussed districts to encourage adoption of family planning and spacing methods by eligible couples. The state government will also review the legal framework for protection of women’s rights which include review, enforce and change laws and practices that discriminate against women. The older widows and women would be protected by law to ensure that they are not duped of their property rights. There will be provisions for pension for widows (in addition to the existing ones), there will be schemes for divorcees and single women to ensure they can live their lives with dignity and without economic persecution. There will be provisions for skill upgradation of Muslim women divorcees (triple talaq) to help in gainful employment. In the interim period such divorcees will be provided dependency/allowance pension. In case any women belonging to this category fail to get employment they may be granted pensions by the government. The government of Assam has also made a provision that candidates having two children only will be eligible for government jobs; government servants shall strictly follow the norms of two children family to serve as role models for the society. The health minister, further adding to the norms, said that the two children norm will be relaxed in exceptions where there is birth of twins or triplets or in special circumstances on a case-to-case basis. As for example he said that if anyone having two daughters or two sons staying abroad and do not have the chance to look after their parents will be able to go for the third child by informing the respective department where they will work and should continue the process through proper channel. In addition to the two children norm, the government may bring in minimum educational qualifications as eligibility criteria for contesting elections to panchayats and urban local bodies. n
11 top population growth districts (percentages) as per Census 2011 Dhubri: 24.44 Morigaon: 23.34 Goalpara: 22.64 Darrang: 22.19 Nagaon: 22.00 Karimganj: 22.90 Hailakandi: 21.45 Barpeta: 21.43 Bongaigaon: 20.59 Cachar: 20.19 Kamrup (M): 18.34 yy
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G PLUS MAY 13 - MAY 19, 2017
Snippets
Zoomcar service officially launched in Guwahati Assamese traditional drink
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fter Kolkata and Siliguri, Zoomcar has finally opened up its gambit of services in Guwahati. Within a few days of operations in Guwahati, Zoomcar has witnessed over 150 bookings with average trip duration of 8 days. Speaking at the official launch of Zoomcar, Greg Moran, Co-Founder and CEO of Zoomcar said, “Guwahati is opening the corridors to the North-east. We have seen a huge number of
travellers hitting the road to Shillong, Dawki, Cherranpunji and Tawang. The positive sign also being adoption of our services for business travels to Jorhat, Tezpur, and North Lakhimpur.” With untapped areas like Mawlynnong and music festivals like Zero and Hornbill, the company expects Guwahati to play an important role in creating the self-drive eco-system in the region and looks to ramp up to 100 cars by the end of this year.
Zoomcar holds the distinction of being India’s first 100% selfdrive car rental company. It allows users to rent cars by the hour, day, week, or month. Founded in 2013 and head quartered in Bangalore, its services are presently spread across 20 cities - Bangalore, Pune, Chandigarh, Chennai, Mumbai, Delhi NCR, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Mysore, Mangalore, Ahmedabad, Vishakhapatnam, Kochi, Surat, Ludhiana, Siliguri, Coimbatore, Jaipur and Vijaywada. Its vehicle catalogue offers a wide and extensive variety of cars for self-drive in India, ranging from hatchbacks to SUVs to luxury sedans. Users can book vehicles starting as low as Rs.70/hour inclusive of fuel for a 5 Km/hour fuel package or choose from more flexible options of 10 and 15 Km/hour. All the Zoomcar vehicles are GPS enabled and have All-India permits, complete with taxes and insurance. One can book a vehicle within minutes via the website www.zoomcar.com or the mobile application and zoom out. n
Guwahati boy Subrata Patowary wins Red Bull Doodle Art 2017 India
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he young doodle artist of Guwahati Subrata Patowary has won the India leg of Doodle Art 2017, and is all set for the next level of the competition. Red Bull Doodle Art has inspired people around the world to try and take their creative doodles to a new level. Following the footprints of Santanu Hazarika, who won the competition in the year 2014, Subrata has brought laurels to the city, by being the winner of the competition this year.
“I learned about Santanu winning this competition in 2014 and I have been keeping an eye out for Red Bull Doodle Art ever since then. Santanu and I come from the same area and so I wanted to compete in this competition as well. Luckily, a friend tagged me in a Facebook post for this year’s contest and I applied,” said Subrata. Subrata has been sketching since he was a kid but really got into doodling a little bit later in life. It wasn’t until the 12th standard that Subrata really started
putting some doodles together. His doodle stands out from the crowd for a myriad reasons but Subrata claims that he has been trying something new for a while now. Talking about his winning doodle, Subrata says, “For a lot of people, doodles are cute, funny and cartoony. I wanted to bring a different element to my doodle, which is why I have gone with this theme. I wanted to show the effects global warming is having on our world. In movies, you usually see a family unit like a mother, father, baby and dog living a regular life. I wanted to show that they all want to wear masks because of the nature of global warming.” Subrata will now compete for the finals of Red Bull Doodle Art 2017. He will compete against the winners of 27 regions from around the world. The final doodles will be done in virtual reality. “It is a competition, and not just regular drawing, so I will do my best to win,” said Subrata. n
gets ’heritage’ tag
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lcoholic beverage made from fermented grain or fruits by using traditional starter cake have got the “heritage” tag in Assam. The brew, however, should not contain more than 12% alcohol volume by volume. The objective is to standardize Assamese traditional brew in terms of quality control as well as to give it an identity on the global platform. According to a senior officer in the Excise Dept, strict quality control measures will be enforced to ensure that the brew is not harmful for health. “The manufacturer must ensure that there is no mixing; only the traditional ingredients are used. It will have to have the quality of heritage, particularly in terms of ingredients,” the official said. From now, the excise department will give license to establish heritage alcoholic beverage
manufactory, while the license to establish microbrewery or a retail shop will be given by the deputy commissioner with the previous sanction of the Excise Commissioner. The license fees for retail outlet, microbrewery, wholesale and manufactory will be Rs 5,000, Rs 10,000, Rs 15,000 and Rs 25,000 respectively. The manufacturer will have to ensure use of transparent white glass, PET bottles and also proper cleaning, washing, rinsing, sealing, labelling and packaging “to the satisfaction” of the Excise Commissioner, according to a gazette notification.” There will be provisions to affix security holograms or adhesive tapes or shrink sleeves or any other distinguishing mark on the bottle. Samples from each batch will be chemically tested and their fitness for human consumption analysed. n
Garbage Transfer Station launched at GMCH campus
Free UPSC & APSC coaching centres at Guwahati
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n what came as a good news for all the aspiring candidates of UPSC and APSC 2017, Sarbananda Sonowal on Thursday announced the launch of free UPSC and APSC coaching centres, in various parts of the state. Sonowal announced the initiative during a meeting held at
Shrimanta Shankardev Kalakshetra. The free coaching centres for UPSC will be launched at Guwahati, Diphu, Dibrugarh and Silchar. On the other hand, coaching centres for APSC will be launched at Guwahati, Dibrugarh, Diphu, Lakhimpur, Jorhat and Silchar.
The coaching centres will start its services from the month of June. Speaking about the initiative, the Chief Minister said that the services of the coaching centres will be transparent to one and all, and the candidatures for the civil service examinations will be considered only on merit basis. n
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rigen Sarania, Mayor at Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) on Wednesday inaugurated the Garbage Transfer Station at the premises of Guwahati Medical College and Hospital. The initiative is expected to be of great
help to the people of Guwahati in keeping the city clean, and contributing towards Swachh Bharat Mission. Speaking on the occasion, the Mayor said that it’s the responsibility of every citizen to keep the city clean, green and healthy. n
G PLUS MAY 13 - MAY 19, 2017
11
Ward Watch
Ramsa Hills development set to uplift Noonmati and Kharguli Tucked away in a corner of the city is a sprawling piece of hilly property that has remained free of encroachment and aching for development since a number of years. G Plus checks out the latest situation and finds that the biggest township of the northeast in being planned on Ramsa Hills convention centres, hotels, theme parks, entertainment parks, water parks, nursing homes, exhibition centres and a club house.
The Blueprint
Ramsa Hills, Noonmati | File Photo
Kalyan Deb kalyan.deb@g-plus.in
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ith a legacy of human habitation close to a century, the Ramsa Hills in the city is probably the only hilly terrain that has remained free of encroachment. Located by the banks of Brahmaputra River at Noonmati, the hill covers an area of 750 bighas and is spread across three different localities of the city viz. Kharguli, Clearance Ground and Rajabari. According to family members, it was Rai Bahadur Krishna Choudhury who first settled in the area sometime in the 1920s and his legacy has lived on till date. While the city has been dogged by problems of massive encroachment, the great-grandchildren of the Rai Bahadur have indeed done well to preserve the family heritage. On 12th February, 1982 three brothers Ashok Choudhury, Dipak Choudhury and Ranjan Choudhury started the first ever poultry business in the area in order to safe guard the property from encroachers. Under the aegis of Manas Products Protein Pvt. Ltd. the trio formed the biggest
poultry farm of the north-eastern region. “While the Sunsali area was suffering from massive encroachment, I and my brothers, in order to safeguard the hill, started the business. Through the poultry farm we supplied goods all over the northeast and Bangladesh. In the meantime, we started floriculture that did take off well but we faced a lot of difficulties,” said
ani of Guwahati. The area consisted of a village called Chapaidang which was often frequented by the police as it was considered as a refuge for criminals. With recent favourable developments, the hill will undergo a massive development project as the northeast’s first private sector integrated township has already been started. The Shristinagar Township, developed by Shristi
Ranjan Choudhury, one of the founders of Manas Products Protein. Prior to the initiation of the poultry farm the area comprised a tea garden. However, undisciplined rainfall affected the quality of the tea. A lesser known fact about the area is that during 1980s it was commonly known as Kalap-
Housing Development Ltd., is a first-of-its-kind township project that will spread over an area of 250 acres at Ramsa Hills, along the Brahmaputra. The spadework for the project started in 2013 with demarcation of the land. The project will comprise residential villas, multi-storeyed buildings, row houses, educational institutions,
In the project, Shristi Housing will also construct roads, provide street lighting, undertake waste water recycling through the installation of sewerage treatment plants, introduce rain water harvesting systems and develop the drainage system for the entire township. The project will have ground coverage of only 33% and the balance 67% will remain open and green. The storm water drainage has been designed to take care of the catchment rain water by adopting rain water harvesting techniques and hence enable the township to be self sustainable. Shristinagar will cater to the housing needs of all sections of the society i.e., EWS, LIG, MIG, HIG, senior citizen homes, etc. Social infrastructure like school, hospital and EWS housing will also come up. The project will be developed in phases. “The master planning of the township that will be constructed on an area of 687 bighas of land has been done by international town planners, Stantec, USA who have ensured that all construction is integrated with the natural landscape and topography. As it is a planned development, the aim of the township for its future residents and users is to create the necessary infrastructure which would mitigate the common problems of flooding, congestion etc. being faced by the residents of the city today. The project will generate significant amount of revenue for the government exchequer and also create employment for local people during construction and for maintenance of the township,” Choudhury said. He added, “The township will have villas, apartments and several other constructions but the project will take at least 10 to 12 years of time to be completed. Another development is that according to the Guwahati Master Plan 2025 the entrance zone of the township will also have connec-
tivity to the Noonmati area. It is a unique piece of land and all these years we did not face the problem of erosion, the reason being the base of the hill is solid rock.” The decks for the project were cleared after the Ministry of Environment & Forests granted environmental clearance in August, 2009 and awarded ‘silver’ grading to the project. The GMDA approved the township plan in June, 2010. Subsequently, Pollution Control Board, Assam granted the consent to establish to Shristi Housing in September 2013. What the township will do is create a landmark sustained environmentally sensitive dwelling area to all its residents which would complement the vision of the city of Guwahati to be one of the most admired state capitals of India, as gateway to the northeast, with a unique image of its own. The designers look forward to incorporate parks with a healthy dose of greenery as the township will be laced with specific vehicle and pedestrian routes and secure open spaces for families. Institutional and leisure zones such as hospitals, schools, resorts and club are also being implemented in the township. Shristinagar is designed to maximise solar orientation and wind direction and to effectively reduce the storm water runoff thereby offering a safe environment for its inhabitants. In the past years, Ramsa Hills has often played hosts to exclusive picnics and outings and it was a preferred destination for such day-long revelry among various people of the city. The undulating terrain starting from the river bank and going up to the hills added to the beauty of the place. Picnics included boat rides on the river and such rides offered a panoramic view of the city of Guwahati from the middle of the river. The sprawling property had its own share of problems and it is to the credit of the family that the property has remained intact all these years and is on its way to development holding the promise of becoming one of the greatest landmarks of not only the city but the entire north-eastern region. n
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G PLUS MAY 13 - MAY 19, 2017
Special
Mom away from Mom
A doll house, a small library, colourful walls, age appropriate toys and loads of activities keep children busy and help them utilize their time productively. Leading up to Mother’s Day, G Plus checks out the 10 leading crèches of Guwahati
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he day-care centres and crèches are home for many toddlers these days. With the culture of working parents sprouting more than ever, and people being less willing to compromise on their professional front, these crèches and day-care homes are providing all the love to the little ones. The staff that tends to these kids all day long, are no less than parents away from home. With love, trust and care, they are helping build relations which are beautiful in every way. Caring and well experienced day care employees ensure safety of the child and put in their best effort to give children a homely feeling. Here are some of the crèches and day-care centres which are making their way to the hearts and lives of the parents of the city:
Tender Petals Crèche Address: Zoo Road Contact number & person: +919864233332/ Vasavvi Acharya Number of kids: 10kids Number of Employees: 3 Facilities: Day care and food (food should be provided by parents) Timings: 8:45 am- 6:00 pm Activities held: Regular classes, art craft active, dancing and singing.
Bachpan - A school playschool and crèche Address: Beltola Contact number & person: +919954040399, +919577165091 / Nilufa Afroza. Number of kids: 80Kids Number of Employees: 14 to 15 Facilities: Day care and food (food should be provided by parents) Timings: 9:00 am to 2:00 pm Activities held: Hide and seek bubbles, singing, dancing, audio video games and drawing.
Euro Kids crèche
Bright Beginning Preschool and Crèche
Address: Rehabari Contact number & person: +919435044840/ Tanushree Das. Number of kids: 30 Kids Number of employees: 3 teachers and 2 aiyas Facilities: Day care and food (food should be provided by parents) Timings: 9:00 am to 5:00 pm Activities: Fun activities, which comes under their own norms
Address: Nizarapath, Bortila Lichubagan, Hengerabari. Contact number & person: +919864265396/ Jyotisiman Bora Number of kids: 160 kids Number of employees: 20 Facilities: Day care and food (food should be provided by parents) Timings: 9:00 am to 6:00 pm Activities: Art & craft, quiz, puzzles, handwriting session and rhymes.
Kidzee Day Care
Little Child Care
Hello Kids Crèche
Address: Maligaon Contact number & person: +919864018576, +919954704919/ Vijainti Jain Number of kids: 15 to 20 kids Number of Employees: 4 Facilities: Day care and food (food should be provided by parents) Timings: 8:30 am to 5:30 pm Activities held: Day care and food (food should be provided by parents) milk & health drinks provided by crèche Activities: Hand lapping, puzzles, quiz, pencil and papers games.
Address: Sijubari, Hatigaon Contact number & person: +919678931925/ Nupur Dutta Number of kids: 3 kids Number of employees: 2 Facilities: Day care and food (food should be provided by parents) Milk, health drinks, and snacks provided by crèche Timings: 8:00 am to 8:00 pm. Activities: Study activities, puzzles, quiz etc
Address: Tarun Nagar Contact number & person: +918876537902, +919864501527/ Sushmita Bajaj. Number of kids: 30 kids Number of employees: 7 employees Facilities: Day care and food (food should be provided by parents) Timings: 10 am to 5 pm Activities: Dance, stories telling, rhymes, hand craft and art craft.
Rainbow Crèche Address: Six Mile Contact number & person: +919435102263/ J. Rahman Number of kids: 6kids Number of employees: 3 Facilities: Day care and food (food should be provided by parents) Timings: 10:00am to 6:00pm Activities: Drawing, quiz, handcraft and games.
Kidigent Crèche Address: Down Town Contact number & person: +918011000439/ Karabi Bora Number of kids: 15 kids Number of employees: 3 Facilities: Day care and food (food should be provided by parents) Timings: 8:00 am to 6:00 pm Activities: Video games, rhymes, drawing, handwriting and handcraft.
Little Star Crèche Address: Zoo Road. Phone number: 98640 86358 Number of kids: 8kids Number of employees: 2 Facilities: Day care and food (food should be provided by parents) Timings: 9:00 am to 6:00 pm Activities: Rhymes, handcraft, drawings and handwriting.
G PLUS MAY 13 - MAY 19, 2017
13
Special
MOM – just an inverse reflection of WOW
The second Sunday of May is observed a Mother’s Day worldwide. This year, it is on 14th May & G Plus approached three illustrious daughters of three illustrious mothers to pen their thoughts on Mother’s day. Minati Khaund & Sunita Khaund (Musicians)
Dr. Manjumala Das & Dr. Srutimala Duara (Educationists)
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have not kept aside one special day in a year for my Ma (Dr. Manjumala Das). Every day is Mother’s Day for me. I am what I am today because of her. If today I can write and have published novels and short stories in Assamese as well it’s because of Ma. She taught me to write Assamese when I was in the lower classes of St. Mary’s Convent telling me that just because I was in St. Mary’s I shouldn’t say I couldn’t read or write my mother tongue. She introduced me to the world of Assamese literature, giving me short stories and novels to read when I was in high school. Even today after I write any story in Assamese I show it to her first for her approval. Then again, I learnt recitation from Ma and became interested in recitation, today having recited in many CDs and videos. She is known in Assam for her recitations and as a radio artist. People remember her role as Bai Saheba in the radio serial of the 1980s. I followed her footsteps and became a radio artist acting in more than 50 plays. Throughout my school and university days as a student Ma was the one who constantly kept in touch with my studies, my syllabus. Her field is Assamese literature. And mine is English. Yet she would come to my room asking what I had studied, what reference books I was using. She persuaded me to do my Ph.D. immediately after my Masters. I chose to become a college teacher inspired by Ma. She retired as the head of the Department of Assamese, Handique Girls’ College. I had been to Handique College since I learnt to walk. I would go on college weeks, teachers’ picnics with Ma. And seeing Ma, I too aimed to teach in Handique Girls’ College some day and yes, today I teach in Handique Girls’ College. Ma is a very strong influence in my life. Being the only child I am very close to my parents. She is my closest friend with whom I talk about everything under the sun. I have no secrets from Ma.
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here are three distinct dynamics that I share with my mother. First, it’s the umbilical cord which I feel never ever gets detached from the mother. And, like all moms, she is the one who is always concerned about me, prays for me at every step, and waits to hear from me no matter in which part of the world I am. Next, she’s my Guru. She’s the one who taught me my craft because of which I have my identity in this world. Last but not the least, we are partners on stage. We constantly collaborate on getting the fine balance of tradition and modernity to music and the violin. But more often than not the DNA of our relationship is that of mother and daughter, so much so that she still gives me tips on how to behave with my in-laws, what not to say in public and the universal advice on what to wear though I myself am a mother of a 17 year old.
Queen Ojha & Maitreyee Ojha (Entrepreneurs)
have been given the task of writing an ode to my mother but I am not so much of an Ode person. So, I’ll stick to what I am good at and that’s writing a tribute. Ma, as I begin to write about you, I am at a loss for words and so full of them, both at the same time. I mean, what do I tell you Ma, and what not? I’ll begin by thanking Ma for always putting our needs before hers, for all the sacrifices she has made for giving us the best possible lives, for making our dreams come true, even when it meant comprising her dreams. As I was growing up, I didn’t even realize that all the things that were falling in place in my life was because of her. It was she who made sure that everything in my life was going right, even making me realize that she contributed to everything. Despite the fact that she has responsibilities outside the family, she still makes sure that her household runs in an impeccable manner. Her care is obvious even in the mundane gestures, like having my favourite dish set on the table, without me even asking for it. She would sometimes leave a vase full of flowers beside my table just because it brought smile on my face. Ma, you’re one of the strongest, most fearless, kind, compassionate, forgiving human being I’ve ever known. I am full of gratitude to have you as my mother. I am blessed to be born as your daughter, and I pray in all earnestness that you be blessed with life’s best, always.
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City
G PLUS MAY 13 - MAY 19, 2017
Is skill development enough to tackle city’s job scarcity?
Office of the Industrial Training Institute for Women, Guwahati at Rehabari | G Plus Photo
Ria Mazumder
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nemployment has always been a huge issue when it comes to the overall development of the state. The Modiled government has launched a number of campaigns to address the unemployment scenario country-wide. One such campaign is the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY), which is a skill-based training scheme under the terms of which youths are trained for a particular skill related course which enhances their opportunities for employment. When it comes to Assam, the problem of unemployment has not seen much difference over the past few years. The Tarun Gogoi led administration, according to a 2012 report published in ‘Business Standard,’ planned the setting up of multi-disciplinary skill training centers in all the 219 blocks across the state within the current 12th Five Year Plan period (2012-17). Further, the current administration under Sarbananda Sonowal has also promised to deal with the social and financial challenges thrown up as a result of unemployment. To assess the current standard of employment based skill training programmes in the city G Plus visited the Directorate of Employment & Craftsmen Training and the ITI for Women’s Cell in Rehabari, Guwahati.
Industrial sewing training section at ITI, Rehabari
Mr. Krishna Bania, the current superintendent of the ITI Women’s Cell elaborated on the various courses offered at the centre. The long term courses are Basic Cosmetology (1 year), Secretarial Practice (1 year), Mechanic Electronics (2 year), Draughtsman (Civil) (2 years), Hotel Management course sponsored by Café Coffee Day (1 year). Other short term courses are Professional Beautician Course in collaboration with Lakme (3 months), Industrial Sewing Machine Operating (3 months) and Driving Course, which includes learning through a process called simulated driving (1 month). For the courses offered here, the students are mostly enrolled through online registration and the process of admission remains merit based. Most of the courses seemed to have a full capacity of students, and the cell boasts of
100% placements. Giving a tour of the various skill workshops and training facilities, senior faculty member Mr. Pramod Das said that the beautician course, which is in collaboration with Lakme, and the basic cosmetology course (which is under National Council for Vocational Training), provides training in hair styling and in various skin treatments, makeup and spa treatments. A past student enrolled under the basic cosmetology course stated that the courses are very professional and provides good experience in the field. The industrial sewing machine operating course offers basic training in sewing technology. The students will be provided with personal sewing machines after the completion of the course. The course further enables them to start a business of their own.
The Café Coffee Day outlet under such circumstances the fact remains that the cell has been provides training under the hotel management sector and the stu- continuously striving to churn out more skilled female drivers at dents, after the completion of the course, are mostly employed out low costs. When talking about the curof northeast. And the ones who rent scenario of the youth and do not wish to be employed in the said field opt for BBA and MBA economy along with the issue of employment generation, Mr. courses. Talking to a few students from Prithwiraj Rabha, Joint Director the ITI Cell it was understood that of Employment Exchange said, they are mostly satisfied with the “When observed properly, it seems pretty evident that the youth and course curriculum but they did the working population are pretty mention that the courses which are certified under the NCVT clueless and lacking in motivation. The parents and adults these programme are much better in providing employment opportu- days must take up the responnities rather than the ones under sibility for providing the correct direction to their children and the the SCVT programmes. Another striking feature of young in their respective families.” He further added, “If we don’t the whole facility was the section consisting of the simulated comprehend the inclination of a driving programme. The tech- certain child and only push them towards what we feel is right, it nology of simulated driving has will be the end of their ambitions been introduced recently in the Women’s ITI section. This tech- and careers. To make sure of the success of children these days, we nology uses computer graphics have to understand their hopes and motion sensing to teach the basics of driving. After a ten day and aspirations first and do away training through this technique, with the preconceived stereotypes that only certain specific the women are provided with real cars to further continue the driv- jobs and streams can make your children successful.” ing course. As the employment problem Lakshi Devi, the driving inhas been on a continuous rise, it structor who has been teaching is us, as residents of not only this there since a year, in a discussion city but the state, who have to with G Plus said, “This technique take up collective responsibility has been of great help for the to address this menacing issue. women who have been showing great enthusiasm for it. The stu- Also, a proper check on the government facilities and advancedents are finding it really simple ments on the said matter should to learn how to drive due to the inclusion of this programme in also be kept. We have to be alert and responsible. When it comes their curriculum.”
A driving simulator at ITI, Rehabari
The ITI Cell further facilitates the free learning of the driving course if a student is already enrolled under the ITI. However, due to the various norms, the ITI Cell cannot provide official driving licenses to the students but only the learner’s permit. Even
to employment, it is not only basic education but also proper counseling that the child requires to get a sense of the correct career path for them. It is high time that misguidance and archaic conceptions regarding jobs and careers be halted for good. n
G PLUS MAY 13 - MAY 19, 2017
Guwahati’s new ODI venue
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Sports
FSDL invites bids for new teams in ISL
F Photo of the Barsapara Cricket Stadium | Source: Facebook
Pallabi Roy and Chandan Deka
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he Barsapara cricket stadium also known as Dr. Bhupen Hazarika Stadium has finally been approved as an international venue. Recently, a two-member team of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), comprising Secretary In-charge Amitabh Choudhary and General Manager Operation MV Sridhar, visited the Assam Cricket Association’s (ACA) stadium at Barsapara. The BCCI members were here to take stock of the present condition of the newly constructed cricket stadium in order to recognize it as an international centre so that international cricket matches can be allotted to this venue. After visiting the stadium, the BCCI officials expressed their satisfaction with the ground, galleries and other infrastructure. But they advised the ACA officials to complete the press gallery and dressing room within three months so that the stadium can be approved for this season’s ODI series versus Australia. They were confident that the rest of the work would be complete within the next two months and the stadium will be ready for the upcoming home season which commences after the Champions Trophy. G Plus takes a look at the newest International venue of the country. The Barsapara cricket stadium is set to become the host venue for cricket in the northeast. The foundation stone of the stadium was laid by the then Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi in June 2004. The stadium is spread over an area of 59 bighas. The stadium is owned by the Assam Cricket Association and it is also the home venue of the Assam Ranji team. It has regularly hosted Ranji and domestic matches from 2013. The capacity of the stadium is 60,000. In 2010, Assam Cricket Association changed the stadium’s name in memory of late
Dr. Bhupen Hazarika. Earlier, the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium used to host international cricket matches in the city. It was the only outdoor stadium present in the city. Hence, various sports like football, cricket etc was played in the stadium. So the pitch and the outfield had to be re-laid at various times leading to the condition of the same deteriorating. It was not up to the standards set by ICC. Subsequently, it lost its status as an international venue. The ACA decided to build a state-of-the art stadium that had all the modern day facilities and met the standards set by the ICC. The intention was to build one of the best cricket stadiums in the country. The state government, then headed by Tarun Gogoi, also approved the project. The cost of the building and the whole stadium is believed to be somewhere around Rs 100 crores. The 60,000-capacity stadium is one of the finest in the country having all the modern facilities. Besides the cricketing arena with covered seating all around, the stadium also has necessary infrastructure such as indoor practice wickets, swimming pool, gym, etc. There are four grandstands, including the players’ pavilion and a state-of-the-art media centre. The ground’s 24-hour water sprinkling facility is also available. Besides this, the stadium also has a world class drainage system. The region is subject to very heavy precipitation, so the subsoil drainage system is designed to withstand cloudbursts such that play can start within minutes of a rain stoppage. The main field has eight pitches on the wicket square, and there are ten pitches on a separate practice wicket area covering more than 2000 sq. m. The curators of
those are Mr. Barsamangal Barooah and Mr. Mukut Kalita. The stadium also has a large press box and gallery which is believed to be one of the largest in the country and it can accommodate more than 200 media persons. This is great news for all the cricket lovers of the city. They have waited for a long time to witness the Indian cricket team in action from close quarters. And if everything goes well, the wait will soon be over, and they will get their dose of international cricket when the home season starts. n
ootball Sports Development clarified that in case of the city of Limited (FSDL), organisers Kolkata being awarded to the winof the Indian Super League - ning bidder, the respective team a city based football league plans shall hold its home games outside to invite bids from interested par- Kolkata for the next two consecuties to enrol and participate in tive Indian Super League Seasons the Indian Super League from its (2017/2018 and 2018/2019) All bidding parties will need to fourth edition to be staged in year 2017-2018 and will be floating the fulfil the eligibility criteria and othtender through ‘Invitation To Bid’ er requirements specified in the (ITB) to be available on working ITB including but not limited to days starting 12th May 2017 to 24th summary of plans to operate their team in the league, including the May 2017. Bids are invited from prospec- business model and plan to develtive team owners in respect of op the sport at the grassroots level. 10-cities ie, Ahmedabad, Bengalu- The Bid documents must be subru, Cuttack, Durgapur, Hydera- mitted on Thursday, 25th May 2017. bad, Jamshedpur, Kolkata, Ranchi, Eight Teams currently particSiliguri and Thiruvananthapuram. ipate in the Indian Super LeagueUnder and subject to the ITB, Atletico de Kolkata, Chennaiyin one (01) to three (03) new win- FC, Delhi Dynamos FC, FC Goa, ning bidders shall be enrolled and FC Pune City, Kerala Blasters FC, awarded the right to participate in NorthEast United FC and Mumbai the Indian Super League. It being City FC. n
Deteriorating conditions of Judges Field raise concern
File photo of Judges’ Field Cricket Pavilion at Guwahati
Ria Mazumder
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he Judges Field, just like any other heritage spots of Guwahati, has a lot of nostalgia and importance attached to it. It is, till date, a go to destination for the local sportsmen and sports enthusiasts who find it an ideal location for practising and enjoying a variety of sporting activities. However, the once-upon-atime home to numerous sports tournaments has been losing its charm of late due to the lack of maintenance and attention. Judges Field was managed by Gauhati Town Club initially for a span of
three years but later on the reins of its management went into the hands of the GMDA. Currently, it is under the jurisdiction of the DC’s office. The field being a melting pot for all kinds of sporting activities in the city attracts a lot of attention. But on a recent visit to the field, G Plus learnt of its current deteriorating conditions. To begin with the field’s maintenance crew is understaffed. The entire field is maintained by just two men who are on the payroll of the DC’s office. Speaking to G Plus, they said that they find it very difficult to maintain the pitch,
clean the pavilion and guard the location all by themselves. They further face intrusions from people who enter the ground purely to loiter around and litter it; they cannot ask anyone to leave the premises because they have not been provided with proper employee identifications. The pavilion of the field is also quite filthy as the changing room is dusty and covered with paan stains and unwanted pieces of furniture which makes it even more congested. The pitch is in bad shape, has thick ferns, unkempt grass and shrubs growing all around it. The gym inside the pavilion also looked quite dysfunctional and dusty and lacked the proper amenities. Such deplorable conditions of one of the premier sporting spaces in the city raise a huge concern in the minds of the general populace and athletes alike. The authorities should start taking proper measures for improving the current conditions of the field as it is not only a historically important location but also a place on which rests the hopes and ambitions of a lot of budding and potential athletes of the city. n
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G PLUS MAY 13 - MAY 19, 2017
Snippets
A multitude of problems plague Gauhati University Pallabi Roy
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auhati University, located in Jalukbari, Guwahati was established in 1948. Presently, there are approximately 326 colleges under this university. The university has been awarded a “B” Grade on a four point scale, the score point of the Gauhati University (GU) being 2.91 by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) of UGC. However, the university is currently bogged down by various problems. G Plus takes a look at the issues, complications and problems faced by the students of different departments. Many students complained about the delay in the announcement of results and the consequences thereof. A student from the engineering department said, “If we want to apply for an internship or training or a job, we are not able to do so as we cannot show our mark sheets because of the delay in results. Effectively, we lose the oppor-
tunity.” Another student from the University Law College (ULC) said, “Delay in results affects us a lot. We have been suffering from this problem since our very first semester and we get our results just prior to the final semester results which hampers our preparation for the present exam.” Along with this, students also commented on the re-evaluation and betterment results. Apparently, they never get back their re-evaluated answer sheets and so it becomes difficult for them to assess their marks. The university’s Krishna Kanta Handique Library has also left many students disappointed. One of them said, “There are a lot of books in the library but they are old and don’t meet our requirements. They need to be updated. Also the previous year’s question papers should be available. This updation has not been done since 2007.”
Change of guard at FICCI FLO NE Chapter
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ICCI FLO North East Chapter has a new beginning with Ms. Prabidita Bharati taking over as Chairperson for the year 20172018 on 2nd May, 2017. FLO is the women’s wing of Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, which is a 90 year old business organisation and is a strong industry voice for policy change. This year it’s going to be the 10th year of the North East Chapter and as such different programs and events have been lined up with the objective of FICCI FLO being entrepreneurship development and empowerment of women across all levels. Chairperson Ms. Bharati will be taking forward all the national initiatives of FLO like SWAYAM, Skilling
and WE in non-traditional sectors, e-commerce etc. There would be different events towards members’ engagement and learning though workshops, seminars, fellowships, outbound retreat etc. There would be various activities towards CSR like cervical cancer awareness, general health camps and in Swachh Bharat. Issues in gender parity will also be taken up through the newly launched Gender Parity Index by FLO at the national level. The new committee members are Sarita Sikaria, Senior Vice Chairperson, Dr, Srutimala Duara, Vice Chairperson, Juhie Saboo, Secretary, Deepa Hazarika, Treasurer, Meghali Das, Joint Secretary and Geetashree Barua Joint Treasurer. n
washrooms are not clean and hygienic and the absence of water in the washrooms is a major problem. Also, there is no drinking water in the whole campus. Another alarming issue is the conditions of the roads which make them prone to accidents. One student who had met with an accident said, “The roads need to be improved and a traffic personnel should also be there to prevent accidents.” Speaking to G Plus, the General Secretary (GS) of the Gauhati University students’ body, Mr. Matiur Rahman said, A few students from the University Law College also complained “Gauhati University has not been that they couldn’t pursue honours able to adopt all the UGC rules acsubjects because of shortage of fac- cording to which results should be announced within 45 days; classes ulty members. Apart from the academic hur- should be of only 90 days, etc. The dles the students also go through reason behind its failure is that other problems. One such problem there are more than 350 affiliated is lack of proper sanitation. The colleges under the university and
there isn’t sufficient manpower to complete the tasks on time.” But he also added, “Maybe the university is not able to declare the results of other semesters on time but it definitely declares the 6thsemester results within 45 days so that the students don’t face any problems in pursuing higher studies.” Regarding the problem related to roads he said, “Gauhati University is an open campus and so problems of accidents, traffic jam etc arise. But we are trying to solve the matter with the help of the Public Works Department (PWD).” He added, “On national level ranking Gauhati University is at 43rd rank. This is a good indication and the university will try its best to develop and move forward. If the government intervenes and lessens the number of affiliated colleges the university will be balanced and would be able to follow all the UGC rules”. n
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G PLUS MAY 13 - MAY 19, 2017
Fun Horoscope of the week
You may have been stirred to action regarding a goal or ambition and made a lot of headway recently. However, it pays to tread carefully over the days ahead. A powerful blend of energies could distract you from further progress. If you feel like you’re falling in love at the time of the midweek Full Moon, hold back if you can. Other factors could cause you to be impulsive and misjudge a situation. Getting the advice of a close friend can be crucial.
Your work/life balance could be a topic of discussion, especially if family members disagree with what you’re doing. It might be better to postpone any discussion until later. You may find that whatever you say seems to arouse strong feelings in others, and you might not fully understand your situation. In addition, they may be tempted to do or say things that cause further issues. It will be far better for you if you can steer clear of such conversations.
While you can agree among close friends, there could be others with whom you can’t see eye to eye on an important issue. Tempting though it may be to say exactly what you think, it might be better not to, as the Full Moon in your sign could only make things worse. If you can avoid such conflicts this week, you may be able to reach a compromise next week. On another note, enjoying a spa treatment could be very good for you.
The week ahead may have a few twists and turns that need to be navigated with care. And this may be partly due to a Full Moon in a quiet sector of your chart that leaves you feeling more vulnerable than usual. If you can reduce your schedule, this might enable you to take some time out where necessary. Yet others could be eager for you to get out and about over the weekend, and you may enjoy the chance to let off steam.
Even if you aren’t admitting it to yourself, you may be eager to secure a top spot regarding an ambition or career move. This week, compelling influences could encourage you to make a bold move whether or not it would be wise to do so. In addition, with a Full Moon in the topmost sector of your chart on Wednesday, you could find yourself in the spotlight. For this reason, it helps to be very aware of your decisions and any potential consequences.
A desire to explore new territory could bring some interesting experiences your way and introduce you to a new subject that you become quite passionate about. Furthermore, a trip or vacation could take a different or unexpected turn, perhaps introducing you to a culture or philosophy that fascinates you. Finally, it would help to keep your wits about you, as some things may not be quite as they seem. If in doubt, get advice from a source you trust.
2What word can be - 1) a kind of
QWhich global TV
franchise do these ads from Northern Ireland Tourism refer to? A large part of the franchise was actually shot at locations there.
alcoholic spirit flavoured with juniper berries, 2) a version of the card game rummy, 3) a mechanical device (this meaning is associated with the Industrial Revolution) and 4) the act of separating seeds from cotton using the mechanical device mentioned above?
3Who held the title of Minister-President in Norway from 1942 to 1945 and has since become a noun?
4What connects: a big wine or champagne bottle that holds 15 litres and an
Assyrian king noted for the construction of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon and the destruction of Jerusalem’s first Jewish Temple?
5Known as Skapti and Skafti in Icelandic, Tajniak and Jawniak in Polish,
Kadlec and Tkadlec in Czech etc., how are these familiar to us in English? Anustup Datta, Bengaluru This quiz has been brought to you by Brain Jam, a property of Priya Communications
Non Sequitur by Wiley Miller
Game of Thrones, from HBO
The Adi Purana by Jinasena is believed to have been written in the ninth century A. D. It deals with the life story of Rishabhadeva, the first Tirthankara, and the struggle for power between his sons Bharata and … who?
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Daily Sudoku: Thu 4-May-2017
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Daily Sudoku: Wed 10-May-2017
2 8 3 1 7 34 25 71 86 69
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3 6 2 4 7 5 8 8 9 5 1 2 43 3 64 8 99 7 51 1
very hard
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5 3 2 7 6 69 11 57 44 28
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6 7 4 1 5 9 Daily Sudoku: Thu 4-May-2017 medium 2 9 1 5 6 8 3 4 7 8 5 7 4 2 3 9 http://www.dailysudoku.com Word of the week6 1 3 4 6 1 7 9 8 5 2
Holus-bolus
Daily Sudoku: Wed 10-May-2017
very hard
adverb [hoh-luh s-boh-luh s]
All at once; altogether.http://www.dailysudoku.c
Picture Perfect
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Picture Perfect
curio-city
1. Bahubali 2. Gin 3. Vidkun Quisling (quisling now means a traitor) 4. Nebuchadnezzar 5. Thomson and Thompson
It might be just as well to issue a passion alert this week, as a blend of energies could encourage feelings to flow and even sizzle. Much of the week is influenced by Pluto, which can mean that powerful emotions drive your decisions. This and an edgy link between Mars and Neptune hints that you may find it hard to think rationally at times, likely just at those crucial moments. Therefore, a pause for thought could save you from future difficulties.
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(c) Daily Sudoku Ltd 2017. All rights reserved.
It might help you to lighten your schedule, as a potent blend of celestial forces could lower your vitality. The present backdrop could pull you in a number of different directions and expose you to events that occur out of the blue. In order to handle them, it’s best to cut out unnecessary activities. At the same time, you might need to refuse certain invitations, especially if you need some alone time and a chance to think. The weekend should be fun, though!
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(c) Daily Sudoku Ltd 2017. All rights reserved.
As someone who is very sensitive to feelings, this week could prove overwhelming at times. With a potent Full Moon in Scorpio midweek, it might seem like everyone is going through some kind of drama, and they expect you to be there for them. However, an awkward aspect between Mars and Neptune suggests you should tread carefully. This is one time when all that glitters may not be gold. Look to the facts, as these can be your guide when things seem too confusing.
Sudoku
(c) Daily Sudoku Ltd 2017. All rights reserved.
There are reasons why it would be best to tread the middle path this week. Powerful celestial forces could encourage you to go to extremes, and this is something to avoid. Indeed, the Full Moon midweek could see you making a spontaneous decision that you later regret. It might be better to wait until the end of the week, or even later, before making an important choice. However, the weekend offers some fun and lighthearted outings that you should enjoy very much.
(c) Daily Sudoku Ltd 2017. All rights reserved.
Don’t be surprised if you feel emotional this week. With a Full Moon in your sector of relating, feelings could run high. In addition, you might be tempted to act on impulse or make a blind decision, either of which may not bode well for you. However, you can make a success of the days ahead if you think before you act and assess any decisions very carefully. Get advice if you need it, but be sure it’s from a reliable source.
last week solution
You might need to keep your feet on the ground this week as a compelling blend of energies could encourage you to make an overdue decision. However, it also helps to consider your motives here, as doing so can enable you to see if what you’re doing is in your best interests. A powerful Full Moon could bring potent emotions to the surface, but it might be better not to act on them. Finally, an opportunity that seems perfect may not be, so go easy.
Crossword Across
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1 Measured quantity of medicine (4) 3 Languid, apathetic (8) 9 Rider’s footrest (7) 10 Plunder (5) 11 Fertile tract in a desert (5) 12 Handsome youth (6) 14 Immeasurably small (13) 17 Derived from milk (6) 19 Not in any way (5) 22 Countries (5) 23 Equilibrium (7) 24 Seasickness (3,2,3) 25 Optical glass (4)
1 Tyrannical (8) 2 People of Switzerland (5) 4 Not feasible (13) 5 Forbidden (5) 6 Self-centredness (7) 7 River of Hades (4) 8 Jail (6) 13 Perfect (8) 15 Face-cloth (7) 16 Unmarried (6) 18 Flavour (5) 20 Therefore (5) 21 Lose weight (4)
Last week’s solution
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G PLUS MAY 13 - MAY 19, 2017
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Papa Don’t Preach...!
uwahati’s slick hangouts are often verbal battlegrounds – places where angst is aired against all and sundry. These battlegrounds have amused spectators, watchers and listeners who often remain mute or venture an opinion or two just to keep the tirade up. I am of the mute variety and while I find most of the discussions too trivial for the heat that they generate, one recent rant by a friend seemed to hold a lot of water. He is an avid movie-watcher and his favourite cine joint in the city was the Cinemax at Dona Planet. And suddenly tragedy struck him when the GMC sealed the mall shut because of parking norms violations despite the fact that the mall had space for around 50 cars in its basement. Eventually, on a petition filed by the shop owners’ association, the Hon’ble Gauhati High Court ordered the mall’s management to create more parking spaces so that the arterial GS Road remains free from congestion created by vehicles parked in front of the mall. This was on April 27, 2012. Solid judgement thought my friend but for the fact that the Hon’ble High Court was preaching what it certainly did not practice. The diatribe against the Court continued and oh - was he so justified! The new court building built adjacent to and just across the road from the old High Court building has minimal or no parking facilities. This building was
inaugurated on August 17, 2013 – by no less than the Chief Justice of India – more than one year after its defining Dona Planet judgement. Today, the situation around the court’s vicinity, with the roads teeming with parked cars all belonging to the law-keepers of the city, is such that it makes the traffic-laden GS Road look like an airport runway. For a government building as new as the Gauhati High Court, it is a pitiful manifestation of social hypocrisy that all visitors to this hallowed temple of justice cannot expect to park their vehicles within the Court’s premises or its basement, but on the road simply because there is no provision for parking! Also, it has been long since words like “differently-abled” have been in use to refer to those dignified people, who despite handicaps and having to be in wheelchairs, prefer not to be assisted by others and manage independently with provisions like ramps and elevators in buildings. It is an insult to such people that this ‘new’ building never considered providing a ramp and has only a long, steep staircase in place. Who should my ranting friend blame for this? The Court’s building planners obviously, I ventured. He was not impressed and preferred to sing Madonna’s “Papa Don’t Preach” with unspeakable lyrics of his own. As for me, I ordered my next cup of coffee. Swapnil Bharali Editor
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Restructure to Reform
he Education Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s move to bring Madrassa’s under the purview of SEBA as a part of his plan - ‘restructure to reform’ might be a move to reform, but it is being perceived as a plan to abolish a certain minority institution. While many saw this as an attack on minority, a major section has also seen this as a move against ‘politics of appeasement’; something the Congress government was always accused of employing. However, the main problem with this entire move is whether it will translate into actual results and affect real growth in the education sector. No government jobs for those with more than two children, pension scheme for triple talaq victims and disbanding Madrassas have been a few of the highlights for the government in power in Assam. However, it is clear that Himanta now commands a clout that most ministers don’t – a direct engagement with his followers. He has managed to shake the entire nation with just his tweets. However, in the past, Himanta also faced a lot of heat when he wanted to open Madrassas on Fridays as it hampered with regular education. The idea of reform however should be initiated with other boards only when SEBA gets its own act together. Delayed results, misplaced and leaked papers have always helped SEBA make the headlines. So it is expected that the Education Minster stays on his toes because diplomacy will only get him so far. Putting the house in order – that is the real challenge. SIDHARTH BEDI VARMA
Importance of marks moderation
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he matriculation examinations conducted by Board of Secondary Education (SEBA) are a revered moment in Assam’s annual education calendar being the first major examination of a student. In the recent past however, SEBA has been in the news for all the wrong reasons and its reputation has taken a beating. Education Minister, Dr Himanta Biswas Sarma opened the Pandora’s Box recently by declaring that HSLC results have been manipulated since 2001 and hidden marks are given to students to inflate the pass percentage. This otherwise good deed of the minister has caused a lot of turmoil amongst students and the general public. Moderation of marks and grant of grace marks has always existed in SEBA, CBSE and other state boards. Moderation refers to giving extra marks in certain papers if the questions are deemed to be difficult while grace marks are awarded to ensure that a student clears an exam if he or she needs a few marks to do so. The main reason why many boards practice moderation in an open and transparent manner is to bring uniformity in the evaluation process and to ensure that no student loses out on account of differences in the class experience and pedagogy. In SEBA, the grace marks given is also recorded in the mark sheet. Dr Sarma’s contention is not about these grace marks but hidden marks that are given and added by SEBA to the marks which have been actually given and certified by the Head Examiner. Further, in SEBA the pass percentage has increased
from around 22-23% in the 1990s to almost 60% in the early 2000s and has hovered there till now which, considering the facts that have come to light, is perhaps actually a manipulated number. The burning question: “Is it only happening in Assam or is it something that is observed across the country?” For this, we would need to look at the data of other state boards and CBSE. The overall trend has been that the pass percentage of various states and CBSE has seen an upward swing in recent years, both for the 10th and 12th standard. For example, the overall pass percentage in West Bengal Board this year is 81.8%. CBSE throws up a pass percentage above 90%. Interestingly, the number of students scoring 95% and above in the CBSE Class 12 examinations rose by 23 times in 6 years from 384 in 2008 to 8,971 in 2014. CBSE has not hidden its moderation practice; perhaps it is the same with many other state boards given the high pass percentage. So perhaps it is not only Assam where it is happening. The other significant point: whether this moderation of marks done by SEBA is essential or not and the impact on our students if the moderation is not done. Moderation of marks has its pros and cons. While it may help students get admission for higher studies, artificial spiking of marks may sometimes mislead impressionable young people about their own capabilities pushing them to opt for a course for which they might not have the aptitude. Also, many of our students, after clearing their 10th and 12th Board examinations, would look for Grade III, Grade IV and junior level jobs in the private sector. For them, these marks would be important the SEBA students would have to compete against students of other boards for employment. Eligibility for certain loans also requires a minimum degree. These critical issues will need to be kept in mind when the Assam government and SEBA come up with any new moderation policy.
r Delayed ministerial expansion
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Opinion Arindam Garg
Interestingly, while the debate has just started in Assam, CBSE recently, in a major decision, has scrapped the moderation policy under which grace marks are given to students in exams for difficult questions and it has requested the HRD Ministry to urge state boards to scrap the policy of moderation. In a meeting initiated by the Ministry of HRD on 24th April 2017, the CBSE, ICSE, National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) and all state Boards had agreed to implement a roadmap proposed by the union government. I am sure that representatives from Assam must have attended this meeting and are aware about the developments. So the timming of the announcement of the Education Minister about forming a committee comprising a group of Vice Chancellors to look into the moderation policy is appropriate and perhaps inevitable. It is true that if moderation is discontinued, only the truly deserving candidates would score very high percentage. But it is equally important that any changes that are brought in should ensure that students from underprivileged conditions and the interior areas do not lose out in the overall context. We have to keep in mind that what may apply as a yardstick for the developed states of India should not be blindly accepted as a norm for Assam and the other north-eastern states. Finally, it is important that academic organizations like SEBA, AHSEC etc need to maintain their autonomy and be free from political interference. This is only possible if you have people at the helm who have relevant educational administration experience and the will to stand up to the political class. Decisions have to be taken in the interest of the students and the state and not because the political class so desires. Arindam Garg is the Head, Department of Management, Rajiv Gandhi University (A central University) and a renowned career counselor of northeast India
Letter to the Editor
he long awaited state cabinet expansion is getting delayed for unknown reasons. Whatever maybe the reasons it has surely impaired state’s development. Now naturally the oppositions are pointing all their guns on Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal. The current bunch of ministers of the state cabinet is overwhelmingly overburdened. As a result nothing significant has occurred in the last one year. If one minister is allotted 4/5 portfolios, one can imagine how much time that minister can devote to each department. It is time the top brass of BJP and Chief Minister Sarbanada Sonowal wake up from deep slumber or else writings are very much written on the wall. Dr. Ashim Chowdhury, Ambari, Guwahati-1.
G PLUS MAY 13 - MAY 19, 2017
19
In Focus
Swapnanil Talukdar Innovation Scholar
Is the government’s proposal of traditional dress code a welcome step towards the state’s development? Principal Secretary, PK Borthakur (IAS) (Personnel, AR&Trg) in a letter to PK Tiwari (IAS) (General Administration Department) 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 Jazper Jack
This attire is useless. First, give the employees personality classes, make them learn what is empathy, how to deal with customers, how to sit properly in a chair, how to be humble under pressure in spite of 38° humidity outside. We want novel people, good people. We want care and concern because there are thousands of sufferers everyday in government offices. Those errors have to be erased off. We are in 21st century; using smart phones doesn’t make one smart. In this era money is rolling in every ones’ pockets. Even a class 10 pass out earns in lakhs. Barbers have got BMWs. In this generation money is not the matter. It matters who has got the money. Hundreds of Apple users don’t know about Steve Jobs. Hundreds of BMW owners don’t know that BMW stands for Bravarian Motor Works. It’s all about personality. We want to make a better India but the system here doesn’t want us to.
Hrishikesh Gohain
Only by wearing dhoti kurtas doesn’t mean people are cultured. The government should try to eradicate the bad work cultures prevailing in the government offices of Assam. Rather than concentrating on dress code you should concentrate on providing service to the public. Those who are following the dress code before order have been passed as just showing off, nothing else.
Gargisha Saikia
This is a good initiative. As a woman, I feel good. We always almost every day have to wear mekhela chador or saree to an official workplace. So why can’t a man wear a dhoti for a day?
Swaraj Saikia
Good humour, Mr IAS! Instead of just lazing around, let’s change some clothes just so that our salaries are justified. I guess if you teach your officers the basic etiquette of how to talk to people, it would be better than all these jazz. First teach the IAS and ACS officers what public servant means. Secondly, the car allotted to them is actually given to them for official use not for PVR visits and Big bazaar shopping. And ask them to respect their PSO, they are appointed to protect the officers on duty, not to carry their vegetable bags and children. They amuse me, these educated 1st class officers. A daily dose of entertainment is watching them at a mall and shopping place never missing the opportunity to tell people, “I am the one.”
Swapnali Chetia
The order of the State Government and its implementation state-wide by the state government employees is commendable. But the government should concentrate more on making the government officials honest, sincere and dedicated and the government offices more efficient and transparent in its working. I am a government school teacher but still we face difficulties in other government offices because a few officials are still holding their habit of taking bribes.
Jitendra Doley
They are taking the country forward. They are celebrating cultural fashion week show with this dress code. Adhering to a dress code will not fulfil a country’s requirements. What is the fate of Assam? All officers need to concentrate on the development of Assam. If you are really keen to work for the development of Assam, go to the interior villages of the state and look the conditions there. You will weep. But what’s the point in saying all this? All are experts at creating drama. Joi Aai Axom!
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t is said that necessity is the mother of invention but here is one story where an innovator found his calling in his laziness. For one who is lazy or at least considers himself one, the general expectation is to get work done by someone else. However, it was this lethargy that inculcated this gentleman to create a device that would get a particular variety of work done for him. As interesting as the story sounds, it is also motivating at the same time. A 21 year old engineering student, Swapnanil Talukdar has made his presence felt when it comes to doing something exceptional. Born to banker father Debajit Talukdar and homemaker mother Nirmali, Swapnanil is the proud innovator of a foot operated manual page turning machine. “The innovation is a result of my immense laziness and every time I tell this story, I try to relate two sides. I did my schooling from Don Bosco. So as a catholic school, we had a strictly disciplined school life and being good at management I could manage 1,000 students at a time. But after I joined Maharishi Vidya Mandir in Barsajai for my higher secondary, I felt like an alien among several aliens. So I got the opportunity to make a name for myself which came in the form of a science exhibition during the National Cultural Celebration in 2014. Although I had raised my hand to take part in the science exhibition I did not have any idea about what kind of project I will work on as I have the habit of delaying things to the last minute,” Swapnanil mentioned during a conversation with G Plus. It so happened that one fine evening when Swapnanil sat down to study and also think about an idea for his project it occurred to him that there should be a book stand where one can place several books at the same time and could also be able turn the pages without using one’s hand. In the meantime, it was informed to him about copyrighting and registering his idea at Vigyan Bhawan. However, his first model was the electrical page turning machine which, he later came to know, had already been invented. Thus, he incorporated the idea of creating a machine that can be manually operated. “The basic idea was while studying one
does not feel like taking one’s hand out of the pockets especially during winters but we can always wear socks. When I presented my innovation in the exhibition and explained that it was invented, no one believed me. But they opined that it could be used for the physically challenged. Although this thought had crossed my mind these are very serious and sensitive issues and I did not have the resources to implement such an idea while I had manufactured the prototype at a blacksmith’s workshop,” the young innovator said. The innovation can also be used by many other physically disadvantaged persons as well. The device which works on manual foot controls not only won the first prize at the science exhibition but earned him laurels at several national and international platforms. He also bagged the IGNITE-14 AWARD by former President of India Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, the National Competition for Ideas and Innovations organized by National Innovation Foundation at IIM-Ahmadabad. The 21 year-old innovator also got the opportunity to showcase his innovation at Rashtrapati Bhavan in the Festival of Innovation. He also got the opportunity to stay at the Presidential house for two weeks. Swapnanil bagged the Ninth National Grassroots Technological Innovation and Tradition consolation award in the recently held Festival of Innovation 2017 at Rashtrapati Bhawan. It must be mentioned that Swapnanil is also working on Sustainability Development Goals by United Nations in different Forums (World Youth Conference Delhi, Global Initiative Symposium – Taiwan, Youth to Youth Initiative – Dubai). He is also the co-founder of Finder Bridge and a startup adviser in several forums. The innovator-scholar also launched a venture ‘Finder Bridge’ in order to uplift the tourism sector in the northeast India. Finder Bridge is a socio progressive tourism venture with the vision to highlight tourist spots in north-eastern region and promote eco-tourism throughout the world with the aim to help global travellers explore the region. The innovator has also been invited to several youth conferences across the globe. “Getting to be a part of such conferences gives exposure to a sea of knowledge and opportunities to develop our skills. Moreover, coming from a middle-class family it was not easy for me and my family to bear the expenses of travel. Moreover, I have been invited to be a part of a program in Sweden but it remains doubtful as financial constrains still remain a problem,” the young innovator shared with G Plus. The innovator is also working on a concept where different data of pharmaceutical companies and medicines such as chemical components of the medicines will be available under one roof. The innovator mentioned that availability of such data in one domain will help people get a better understanding of medicines.
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G PLUS MAY 13 - MAY 19, 2017
Reviews Cast: Amy Schumer, Goldie Hawn’ Director: Jonathan Levine
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he movie does not take it easy. Director Jonathan Levine (“50/50,” “The Night Before”) has skill, but broad visual gags aren’t really his strength. Screenwriter Katie Dippold wrote “The Heat,” the one with Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy (sequel coming), which pulled a successful variation on a familiar odd-couple theme. “Snatched,” more about victimhood than women running their own show, is funny here and there, but in ways that make the bulk of the formulaic material all the more frustrating. Stiffed by her boyfriend (Randall Park) on the eve of their nonrefundable Ecuador getaway, directionless, hard-drinking Emily (Schumer) invites her cat-obsessed suburban shut-in of a mother (Hawn) on the trip instead. Mother Linda’s fears of abduction come true soon enough, though Emily’s too smitten by the flirtatious Englishman (Tom Bateman) on vacation to sense trouble. “Snatched” engineers ways to get Emily and Linda in danger and then out again, evading their kidnapper (Oscar Jaenada, stereotypical
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swarthy menace incarnate) as best they can, while back home Emily’s agoraphobic brother (Ike Barinholtz) nudges a skeptical U.S. State Department in the rescue of his family. If you’re going to write a movie like this one, you’re going to try to invent ways and means of pushing the story forward without your audience getting that weary, back-to-the-kidnapping-stuff feeling. I had that feeling a lot during “Snatched.” You sense the relief on Dippold’s behalf every time she gets the chance to ditch what’s “required” and focus on what’s amusing, or offbeat. Wanda Sykes and Joan Cusack make for entertaining side players as a couple of vacationers who come in handy plotwise; Christopher Meloni scores a laugh or two as a would-be adventurer who serves as Emily and Linda’s guide through the jungles of Colombia. “Feel free to drink from any puddle you see,” he says at one point. “All water in the jungle is safe.” The jokes are sardonic 21st century variations on “Don’t Drink the Water,” sometimes literally.
Cast: Adrian Bouchet, Aidan Gillen, Annabelle Wallis, Astrid Berges-Frisbey, Charlie Hunnam, Daniel Stisen Director: Guy Ritchie
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ou can’t really fault the logic of letting Guy Ritchie bring some mayhem to the traditionally chivalrous world of King Arthur. Back in 2009, when Benedict Cumberbatch’s modern- day consulting detective was yet to usher viewers into his Mind Palace, Ritchie’s first Sherlock Holmes film proved a gleefully incendiary revelation, delivering unexpected thrills (and a $524 million box office hit) by splicing the deductive spirit of Arthur Conan Doyle’s stories with the Snatch director’s trademark visual brio and unwavering devotion to shirtless fight scenes. Those opening scenes are exhilarating. The giant, marauding pachyderms are part of an extended prologue which serves us some backstory amid scenes of Dark Ages carnage. In ancient England, we’re told, ordinary men are at war with ‘mages’ (mystical beings with the power to control animals). During a key
Album DAMN. By Kendrick Lamar
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t needs to be stated up top that just because Kendrick Lamar has brought Mike Will Made It and U2 and Rihanna and Greg Kurstin (of Adele fame) into the fold doesn’t automatically make his music any less worthy than it did on To Pimp a Butterfly. It just means it should be approached differently is all. Or, put another way: instead of asking yourself if oranges are worse than apples, ask yourself if DAMN. accomplishes what it sets out to do as successfully as To Pimp a Butterfly or Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City accomplished what they set out to do. The first proper song, “DNA.” should’ve immediately squashed any reservations, with Kendrick Lamar letting ridiculous statements about hiphop being worse for African Americans
conflict, heroic reigning monarch King Uther (Eric Bana) makes a pivotal intervention with his magical sword, Excalibur, but the victory seems to come at some vague mystical cost — Jude Law’s Vortigern, Uther’s brother, has a suspicious nosebleed, for one thing — and soon treachery comes to Camelot. This middle portion of the film, where it barrels along like a cross between Robin Hood and Ocean’s Eleven, is undoubtedly its highpoint. But it also underscores one of its biggest failings. Even in an unexpected setting, Ritchie’s tropes — East London slang, fistfights, Tarantino-ish narrative trickery — still feel hopelessly dated. And then there’s David Beckham. Following a brief cameo in Ritchie’s previous film, The Man From U.N.C.L.E., Becks effectively puts himself forward as the Ritchieverse’s answer to Stan Lee, with a beefier appearance as a villainous soldier.
Game Card Thief Platform iOS
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than racism fuel him in a track that rivals “The Blacker the Berry” in terms of visceral anger. As if the first beat weren’t good enough (it sounds great in the whip, just like a Mike Will beat should) or Kendrick Lamar’s flow on said beat weren’t impressive enough (check out the double rhymes in each line during the last stretch), he goes absolutely breathless during the beat switch, with Mike Will jerking the beat underneath him to enhance that effect. Regarding “YAH.” that follows, I confess I wanted something more out of the beat given Sounwave (likely responsible for the starry run that caps off the lines about his niece) and DJ Dahi on deck, but the beat’s appropriately washed-out for a track that serves as “DNA.”’s cool down.
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ard Thief offers up a tutorial, which teaches you the basic elements of the game separately, but it really requires you sitting down and playing a few sessions of the game in order for it to all click. This is because all these systems work together in a complex way. You have stealth points, and these are used to undertake certain actions while also serving as health. Get detected by an enemy when you have 0 or fewer stealth points, and it’s game over. But, you can swap positions with enemies without killing them, and still do things like put out torches without any stealth points. And yes, lighting plays a role as to whether you’re seen, and if an enemy can see you. And then the enemy cards and traps have their own rules
Anuradha Cineplex Noonmati 03612656968 Baahubali 2: The Conclusion 09:15 AM 05:15 PM 08:30 PM Sarkar 3 12:15 PM Meri Pyaari Bindu 02:45 PM gold mine 7d 10.00 AM haunted house 7d 01.00 PM 04.00 PM Forest Adventure & Aero Bike 7D 03.00 PM 07.00 PM
PVR Cinemas Dona Planet 08800900009 Baahubali 2: The Conclusion 09:00 AM 12:10 PM 02:40 PM 06:00 PM 08:40 PM Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 09:30 AM Alien: Covenant 12:05 PM Meri Pyaari Bindu 03:30 PM 09:20 PM Sarkar 3 06:00 PM
Galleria Cinemas HUB 097069 89143 Baahubali 2: The Conclusion 09:30 AM 02:45 PM 08:45 PM Meri Pyaari Bindu 12:30 PM Sarkar 3 05:55 PM
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that they play by, that also interact with light and stealth points. Why do some cards suddenly get very high values with stealth points in a turn? Well, it has to do with how violating the rules of stealth, like drawing an enemy’s attention, makes cards attain higher values. But, this can also be used to your advantage, as it’s possible to stealth-kill some enemies without using stealth points, but you have to play your cards just right. Literally. This is a game that becomes a real battery-killer if you give it a shot. Also, because on my (shockingly old!) iPhone 6 Plus, the game drains battery quickly. It might not click right away, but it will click eventually, and there’s so much of a rewarding experience here, with new content to unlock.
Alien: Covenant 08:30 AM Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 10:20 AM Baahubali 2: The Conclusion 10:45 AM 02:10 PM 05:30 PM 09:00 PM Sarkar 3 01:00 PM 06:00 PM Meri Pyaari Bindu 03:35 PM 08:35 PM
Apsara Cinema Paltan Bazar 0361 2541335 Baahubali 2: The Conclusion 10:30 AM 02:00 PM 05:30 PM 08:30 PM
Pragjyoti Cinema Maligaon 0361 2570777 Sarkar 3 11:00 AM Baahubali 2: The Conclusion 01:45 PM 05:00 PM 08:15 PM
G PLUS MAY 13 - MAY 19, 2017
21
Lifestyle
How can we cleanse our Chakras? Part-II
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ach of the seven Chakras were depicted in the forms of a lotus or different petal flowers. Why is this so? This is because when you go deeper in meditation, the consciousness becomes very subtle, and your mind becomes fresh like a flower. It becomes fresh, alive and soft. In such a delicate state of consciousness, you experience the rise of energy in the system. Lightness is connected with subtlety. Grossness is connected with inertia and negative sensations; negative feelings. When you are negative, when you are rude or rough in your behavior, there is a certain inertia, a certain heaviness in the system. When you feel all the positive sensations, you feel a sense of lightness. When the energy moves upwards, then from inertia it transforms into enthusiasm, then creativity. From creativity wells up joy. When you are happy, you are naturally generous. Then the energy moves up further into the heart chakra where you only feel love for everybody around you. When you feel so much love, you feel so much gratitude and from gratitude comes alertness. It brings total awareness, and this awareness leads you to bliss. But do not misunderstand this and try searching for some snake or some kind of flowers. People make
so much effort to find something that they try to imagine something or the other to achieve this, and they go crazy in doing so. You should not do all that. For God’s sake, do not try awakening your Kundalini by force. It is a natural phenomenon. You can meditate only when your Kundalini is awakened. Whenever you meditate, you find that scintillating energy flowing all over your being. That is what Kundalini is. When you do the Sudarshan Kriya, every cell becomes awake and alive. The awakening of energy happens very naturally. We should go through the natural manner only. Do not try all this by force, otherwise you lose sleep. If someone approaches you and tells you, “I will help you awaken your Kundalini Shakti” , simply thank them with respect and move away. See, when a banana ripens on its own without any outward force,
then it is naturally sweet. Isn’t it? If someone forcefully tries to ripen the banana, then it no longer remains fit for eating. Got it? So if someone tries to awaken the Kundalini Shakti by force, there are high chances that one may lose their mental balance. Only those who have years and years of practice of Yoga and deep knowledge about this are able to really practice these techniques properly without any side effects. Unfortunately, today people do not follow this sanctity. Someone or the other learns a few techniques from here and there and they start teaching it to others. They try to awaken theKasturi energy by these techBorKotoKi is a palette artistrather and niques but Kasturi it does not knife help; paints impressionist floral designs in oils. problems. She hails from Guwahati. it creates more Someone Blog: kasturiscanvas.blogspot.com loses their mind, they become deranged; or they arenatH unable to sleep. KasHmiri Foodie, XOXO cupcakes, Such people areowner no atlonger able to food blogger, recipe developer and function properly in society. We expert on Assamese cuisine. should not do such things at all. It is like how theKuLKuL fuseraHman blows up inside a and a bulb (due toEntrepreneur, excess mother and unchecked passionate cook. surge of energy). (This is a part of Sri Sri Ravi Hemanta Kumar sarmaH Shankar’s article - “What are Chakras Engineer, Businessman, Advanced Pranic Healer and them?”) Su Jok Acupresand how do we cleanse sure specialist.
sHri sHri ravi sHanKar Founder- Art of Living Foundation.
VAASTU SHASTRA
VAASTU ASPECTS OF THE NABAGRAHA TEMPLE
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he famous Nabagraha Temple in the heart of Guwahati was built on top of the Chitrasal Hills in the late 18th century by Ahom King Rajeswar Singha who embraced Hinduism like his ancestor Suhungmung (Dihingia Raja). This temple was built to worship the nine planets and celestial bodies which are supposed to influence our lives according to astrology. These celestial bodies are Surya (Sun), Chandra (Moon), Mangala (Mars), Budha (Mercury), Brihaspati (Jupiter), Shukra (Venus), Shani (Saturn), Rahu (North Lunar Node) and Ketu (South Lunar Node). According to Vaastu, every shrine must be constructed facing east with its entrance in the same direction. East is sacred in Vaastu because sun, which the sole energy giver and symbol of light, rises from this direction. The Nabagraha Temple is also built facing east. As per Vaastu, a temple is best situated on a hill, sea or mountain and lies in east or north direction. The mighty river Brahmaputra is on the north of the Nabagraha Temple. A Few Vaastu Precautions And Suggestions At Northeast: 1) It is excellent to have an open space at the northeast in the form of a verandah or balcony. This can be a sitting area to enjoy the morning cup of tea or spend in leisure in the evening. But any sort of argument, quarrel or fights should be avoided while sitting in the northeast otherwise the owner will have very bad luck. 2) There is a tendency to increase storage space by enclosing the north-eastern balcony. This results in the closure of the northeast which will block opportunities. Kasturi BorKotoKi 3) The north-eastern balcony or verandah shouldKasturi never used is abe palette knifefor artistkeepand impressionist floral designs ing shoes, brooms, waste materials or waste bins. paints in oils. She hails from Guwahati. Blog:earthen kasturiscanvas.blogspot.com 4) However, one can keep a potted Tulsi plant or an pot filled with water in the northeast. The Tulsi plant is very auspicious in the northeast. It natHTulsi plants in has the power of purification. It is recommended toKasHmiri have two Foodie, owner at XOXO cupcakes, food blogger, recipenot developer and the house with at least one in the northeast. Care should be taken to leave expert on Assamese cuisine. the Tulsi plant unwatered. Southeast: KuLKuL raHman We know that it is best to have the fire lit at southeast in the form of the Entrepreneur, mother and a kitchen. Whenever the kitchen is located elsewhere, apassionate red lamp should be lit at cook. the south eastern corner of the house. There should be no storage of water Hemanta Kumar sarmaH in the southeast; may it be a water puriEngineer, Businessman, Advanced Pranic Healer and Su Jok Acupresfier or water filter. This leads to ill health sure specialist. besides danger of fire accidents. sHri sHri ravi sHanKar Founder- Art of Living Foundation.
6 Ballygunge Place
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hen 6 Ballygunge Place appeared in the Guwahati dining space, the city was already acquainted with Bengali Cuisine. For every Assamese, the first tryst with big city lights is usually Kolkata. So, Bengali cuisine is close to the Assamese palate. 6 Ballygunge Place brings flavours to a city that favours the cuisine. Who can turn their backs to Daab Chingri after all? Stepping into the interiors brought in a bit of Bengal with the art on the walls. Menus are written in Bengali and English. Waiters are dressed in specially designed jackets. The staff is cordial and helpful. I was duly informed that there would be no Illish or Bhetki available, due to logistical issues. Bhetki and Illish have
to come from Kolkatta. There were again large enough to feed 4 adults as enough other choices to have my fill a starter. Since, Illish and Bhetki was of Bengali fare. We settled down on Bengali Fish not available, we settled for Pabda Fry and Afghani Chicken Cutlet to Jhal, Dab Chingri, Chitol Maccher start our meal. These are crumb fried Muthia and the quintessential Kaboneless fillets of fish, marinated with mildly spicy green chutney, crumb coated and fried crisp to perfection. It came along with Kashundi which was just out of the world, giving me the right kick. I only wished the fish was not Basa. This variety of fish actually did nothing to such a brilliant preparation otherwise. The next dish that wowed us was the Afghani Chicken Cutlet. Don’t be mislead by the name; this again is a very Anglo-Indian dish stuffed Average meal costing : sha Mangsho. To this, with finely Rs 500/we added the pristine diced onions patch of white rice or and other spices between two fillets of chicken, Bhaat. The Pabda in mustard gravy or crumb coated and fried. It is similar to the Bengali Fried Fish. The Pur Bhara soshe bata was creamy and had a balAchari Lonka sounded devilishly de- anced heat from the mustard oil. The licious. The Afghani chicken Cutlet is Pabda is almost boneless, mild flesh
pulls away from the spine and goes well with the vibrant mustard gravy. The Chitol Muthia in a red mildly hot, tomato onion gravy with more power added with cumin and coriander, was delicious. The Muthia was
well cooked but not over done which made it chewy. The chef here seemed to have got it right. I had the Kosha Mangsho with Luchi. Kosha Mangsho comes with a kind of dry gravy, which is just so right to mop off the plate with Luchi. Unfortunately, the Kosha Mangsho did not
live up to its expectation. It was rather tough and chewy. The Dab Chingri is always a novel and a joy with mild flavour of tender coconut and the smooth creamy texture of the gravy. The prawns were a tad over done; I personally like them more succulent and juicy. The desserts simply wowed us. The Noler Gurer Ice Cream was out of the world with distinct flavour of palm jiggery, creamy and balanced sweetness and we had the ice cream in combination with Baked Sandesh a kind of desi baked cheese cake, the texture a little grainy from the sweet cottage cheese. They came in little earthen bowls, so it did feel very local. The perfect end to an overall brilliant meal. 6 Ballygunge has a lunch buffet with chicken and fish and all the possible vegetarian preparations at Rs 500/- That is indeed a steal and one must definitely give it a try. Kashmiri Nath Foodie, owner at XOXO cupcakes, food blogger, recipe developer and expert on Assamese cuisine.
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G PLUS MAY 13 - MAY 19, 2017
Entertainment
Papon-Rajdweep write together for MTV Dewarists
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opular Indian music and entertainment channel ‘MTV’ recently telecast one Assamese song on the fifth episode of its popular musical show ‘The Dewarists.’ Mumbai based renowned Assamese singer Angarag Papon Mahanta collaborated with another popular singer Nucleya in this song titled ‘Memories’ which blends traditional Assamese lyrics and electronic music into a smooth confluence. It is a song inspired by Hampi’s ancient history and the voices of the past that bring alive passion to the present. The song’s lyrics was penned by Papon and youth storyteller-cum-lyricist-cum-journalist Rajdweep and composed by Papon and Nucleya. The song’s
Kalyan Kumar Kalita music was scored by Nucleya and was beautifully rendered by Papon. The song was mixed and mastered by Nucleya. Before this, Papon had collaborated with Rabbi Shergill for the song ‘Khule Da Rabb’ and with Shantanu Moitra in the song ‘O Megh’ in the first and fourth episode of ‘The Dewarists’ respectively. Both the songs were highly praised
by music lovers. This time, ‘Memories’ was also highly viewed and listened to by the music lovers on social networking sites like YouTube, Facebook etc. The lyricist of the song, Rajdweep feels very happy with the love and interest that people showed for the song and said that it was a great honor to be a part of this huge project of MTV and now he is very happy that everyone has accepted this song. The Rajdweep-Papon pair started with the song ‘Pokhi Pokhi Mon Mur’ from the Assamese movie ‘Rowd’ and after that this pair gave some massive hit numbers in Assamese music. Recently they worked together for an Assamese album of Papon which will hit the market very soon.
‘Antareen’ rakes in good reviews Mirza Arif Hazarika
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ntareen, an Assamese feature film produced by Manabendra Adhikary under the banner of Artha Films and released on 5th May 2017 is based on a story written by Dr. Rita Choudhury. The story revolves around ‘Torali’, whose life is a quest for refuge away from her father’s loveless and selfish world. It is about a girl who finally lands up at the mental asylum. Dr. Samiran Barua, whom she meets in the same asylum, tries to help her out and bring her to normalcy by delving deep into her case. The film follows a nonlinear style of storytelling. The screenplay is penned by Monjul Barua who made his debut as a director with this film and it will leave the audience glued to their seats till the end. The suspense created in the film is exceptional. The story has a new and different angle every time challenging the audience’s anticipations. Each and every angle is so delicately handled and designed by the director that it gives a delightful and fascinating experience to the audience. Each aspect has been given minute attention, even
Prag Cine Awards 2017 to be held on 17th - 18th June
G Plus News
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he prestigious Prag Cine Awards 2017 is scheduled to be held on 17th and 18th June 2017, at Kokrajhar, to increase the sense of unity among the people of the region and to promote cultural activities in the BTC region. Instituted since 2003, with undiluted efforts on the part of the first television Channel of the Northeast, Prag News, the cine couture encompasses cinema from the entire Northeast, clubbing the seven sisters within one roof and to encourage and boost the cinema industry. This year, the award will have
thirty five (35) movies, in twenty three (23) different categories on the parameters of Performa and Perfection. Adding to the cluster, are awards comprising the Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor (Male and Female). The coveted Lifetime Achievement Award for the year 2017 will be conferred on veteran film director Munin Baruah, for his contribution to Assamese cinema. The awards also hopes to combine a plethora of performance from the artiste from both the novel and old golden days in an attempt to bring the veterans and the freshers together in one platform, celebrating Assamese screen craft since 1935. n
Brajanath Sharma Memorial Inter-State Drama Festival from 9th September Kalyan Kumar Kalita
the cactus and the sound of the stretchers at the end. It is a skillful presentation and Monjul Barua has proved himself in his very first attempt. Boloram Das, who played the important role of Dr. Samiran in the film, was earlier seen in many episodes of Sony TV’s Crime Patrol. He was also an important part in the Akshay Kumar starrer “Gabbar is Back.” His flawless performance and powerful deliveries were fabulous in the film. He did total justice to the character making ‘Dr. Samiran’ an unforgettable character. Veteran actor, Arun Nath effortlessly did full justice to the role of a doctor who selflessly serves his patients. His helplessness at going the
extra mile for ‘Torali’ is exceptionally portrayed. Urmila Mahanta, the protagonist ‘Torali’, is phenomenal. Her spectacular performance cannot be described in words. She is undoubtedly one of the finest actresses that the industry of this region has seen. It felt like the character of ‘Torali’ was indeed written for her by Dr. Choudhury. The music of the film complemented the story beautifully. Be it the back ground score, the songs and the vocals, Tarali Sharma stole the show. She is definitely a master of her craft and the music acted as the backbone of the plot. Team Antareen deserves a grand applause for this brilliant masterpiece. This is a film which no one should miss.
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AMAHAR Natya Gosthee has announced that it is going to organise the 11th Annual Brajanath Sharma Memorial Inter-State Drama Festival in September this year with participation of theatre groups from across Assam and outside. The seven-day festival, which has been supported by Government of India’s Ministry of Culture and Assam Government’s Cultural Affairs Department, will begin from 9th September, 2017 at Rabindra Bhawan in Guwahati. In a meeting at its office, SAMAHAR has formed the organising committee for the theatre extravaganza, which has become a landmark festival in the hallowed memory of the father of Assamese Moving Theatre and firebrand freedom fighter – Brajanath Sharma. Among others, the committee has a
few prominent personalities as advisors viz. lyricist Kirtikamal Bhuyan, social activists Abani Sutradhar and Uddhab Kakoti, music composer Bibhuranjan Choudhury and veteran theatre personality Bimal Jyoti Choudhury. The theatre group’s President Lalit Sarma will be the President of the Committee, while renowned theatre personality and filmmaker Dr Sitanath Lahkar will function as the General Secretary. As part of the procedure that is being followed every year, different groups will be invited to perform at the festival depending upon the quality of the plays and standard of performance. For that, SAMAHAR has opened invitations for the script of the play and participants can send CDs and DVDs of their latest performances to their postal address or can also check out their Facebook page for more details. n
G PLUS MAY 13 - MAY 19, 2017
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Trotter
4-Year-old Indian origin boy invites Queen Elizabeth on his birthday
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ids these days are really smart and way ahead than what we used to be. It was only yesterday when we learned that a 12-year-old beat Einstein with her IQ score and left us stunned with her achievements. But now we know that kids, who endure larger than life dreams
start early. Unlike most 4-yearsold, Shaan Dulay did just that. Not settling for a casual birthday party with a huge cake and confetti, Shaan ended up inviting the Queen of UK to his birthday party. Shaan’s letter: “Dear HRH Queen Elizabeth, I think you are the best Queen in the world. I re-
ally like your crown and the red cloak you wear; it’s like a superhero. I love horses just like you. I wish I could come and see your horses. That would be so amazing. When I grow up I am going to be a pilot. I would like to fly your planes. Mummy said to be kind and help others. When I am big I am going to help the poor children like mummy does. Can you make everyone help the children as you are the Queen and everyone must listen to you? Can you please come to my house for my birthday? It is on June 25. I need to talk to you about horses, planes and the poor children. I can even make horse shaped biscuits for us to share. Pretty please. Love Shaan Dulay. Age 4”. And the Queen not even just acknowledged but even wrote a cute reply to his letter. Shaan was planning for his party on June 25 and asked his mother Baljinder to arrange a meeting with 91-yearold Queen so that she can arrange a trip to his home in Sandwell, West Midlands in England. (Source: Indian Express)
Was Bieber lip syncing at the Mumbai concert?
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n his maiden concert, Canadian-singer Justin Bieber left many of his fans disappointed who believed that the pop singer lip synced to most of his songs during the concert. Justin Bieber’s first ever concert in India was hugely received by his fans who turned up in hordes at Mumbai’s DY Patil Stadium. Most of them were spotted singing and dancing along every song on the
play list. However, there were some who weren’t impressed with the 23-year-old’s performance at all. They not just called it a “low on energy” show, but also observed Bieber lip syncing to many of his songs, which was quite a turn off. “It’s like he [Justin] is playing it straight from his CD. I cannot believe that he is pulling this off. It’s quite clear that he is not singing these songs,” said Amit sarkar, who
had been waiting for his concert since February. Amit wasn’t the only one who noticed Bieber’s lip syncing. Tina Joshi, another young fan present at the concert was disappointed that Bieber looked out of shape. “May be it’s the heat and he is not used to it. It’s disappointing to see him perform like this. I expected him to sing LIVE, but he just sounds like his songs on my play list,” she said. While some were disappointed that Bieber did not sing LIVE, some were heartbroken that their favourite pop singer did not sing some of his popular hits. “He did not sing I’m the one!!” retorted a fan, Anurag Dixit, when asked what the low point of the concert was. “It’s such a nice song and it’s my favourite. I don’t know why he didn’t sing it,” he added. Bieber’s dance troupe was flawless as observed by the audience. “I think dancers [on stage] were the only saviours. Honestly, it was a bit underwhelming from him considering that it was his first show here [in India]. Although he has promised to come back, I am keeping my fingers crossed for the next time,” Siddharth Arora told us. (Source: Hindustan Times)
Old man wearing shabby clothes ignored at store, shocks everyone with a Harley!
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hat’s an old saying which reminds us that we should never give our judgment to a person based on his/her physical appearance. This stereotyping usually happens inside a mall, convenient store, boutique and etc. However, this old man proved earlier that one should never judge a person by his looks. This old man who’s wearing a shabby oversized T-shirt, grey pants and a pair of flip-flops took the internet by storm over his shocking and unbelievable acquisition. Based on an article published by Elite Readers, the elderly man from Thailand earlier went to several motorbike dealers in his town. However, he was ignored. But when he came across the motorbike dealer where he purchased his Harley Davidson, he
stayed there for a while and after 10 minutes, he made up his mind to finally buy one which cost a whopping 600,000 baht or 17,351.076 US Dollar or approximately 866,599.49 pesos. Meanwhile, the story of the elderly man is currently making rounds online particularly on social networking site, Facebook after his elder sister posted it on social media. In a Facebook post, the elder sister named the humble man as Lung Decha. According to her, Decha has partially retired from work as a mechanic. The post noted that he doesn’t have any vices such as smoking, drinking or gambling. Decha has been working for his whole life and what he bought is just a reward for himself which he has been dreaming. (Source: Phil News)
Pepsi’s latest flavor sounds like heartburn
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o your taste buds prefer a little heat? Then you might be excited to hear about Pepsi’s new limited-edition cinnamon flavor called “Fire.” The soda company is testing out the new product in select 7-Eleven stores in Michigan, according to Grubstreet. But even there, you’ll only find it as a flavor of Slurpee — it’s not available in can form, at least for now. Food Instagrammer Eric Koenreich who runs the account @poweredbyicecream taste-tested the drink, but wasn’t too impressed. He likened the flavor to Fireball Cinnamon Whisky. “I’ve had a lot of bad memories with Fireball Whisky,” he said. “And unfortunately this tastes very similar to Fireball Whisky, albeit
without the booze. It’s not something I want to drink sober, anyways.” He gave the Slurpee a five out of 10 rating. Others weren’t into the drink either. Instagram user @tim_fizz gave the drink four thumbs down, but said he has high hopes for a canned version of Pepsi Fire. While the cans are not confirmed, some have spotted them in foreign markets like Mexico, Singapore and the Philippines. According to Grubstreet, rumours are swirling that the U.S. might be next. One Instagram account even posted a picture of what appears to be the prototype and hinted that the cans could come in 2017’s third quarter. Whatever the date, Pepsi Fire sounds like heartburn to us. (Source: Today.com)
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G PLUS MAY 13 - MAY 19, 2017
Catching Up Most shared story of the week
New
Chick on the block
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he hot topic of debate in Assam has been the proposal for government employees to wear traditional attire on 1st and 3rd Saturdays. G Plus’ viral post with the photos of government employees dressed in their best was a nationwide highlight with photos being circulated everywhere!
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GYAN Raj Bhawan
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he Raj Bhawan of undivided Assam at Shillong was constructed over a century ago. However, with Meghalaya getting bifurcated from Assam in 1972, and Shillong becoming part of Meghalaya, a new Raj Bhavan had to be constructed for Assam, at its new State Capital in Guwahati. For the first decade and more after Meghalaya State comprising the Khasi and Jaintia Hills districts of erstwhile Assam came into being, the two States had a common Governor, who resided at the Raj Bhavan in Shillong. A suite of rooms at Guwahati Circuit House was kept permanently reserved for the Governor’s stay during his visit to Assam’s new capital. This was not found to be a satisfactory arrangement and it was decided to have a Raj Bhawan at Guwahati. For reasons of economy, an austere Raj Bahwan was constructed by 1980. However, since the two States continued to have a common Governor, who normally stayed at Shillong, the Guwahati Raj Bhawan grew like a Governor’s camp. It was only in 1989 that Assam again started having an exclusive Governor of its own. A decision was taken in view of the scenic beauty of the mighty Brahmaputra from Kharghuli and also the fact that it would be more economical to develop the existing Raj Bhawan than construct a new one. The permanent Raj Bhawan of Assam came into existence at its present site. n
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Did you know?
An aspiring artist, Mayuri Bhuyan, is born and brought up in Guwahati, and is currently pursuing her graduation from Gauhati Commerce College. She is, at once, a trained classical dancer, a bronze medalist in state gymnastics, and holds a diploma in fine arts. She has also acted in ‘Upolobdhir Anugrahak’ - a serial on Doordarshan and performed at a national level theatre ‘Chitrangada’ in Kolkata. Mayuri has undergone her training from Nataraj Kala Kendra, and also under the guidance of various other renowned artists of the state, and considers her elder sister to be her biggest inspiration. Her modelling career picked up after she won the Best Hair and Miss Most Liked in Pink Villa Beauty Pageant. She wants to explore her talent in education, dance and art to achieve greater heights in life and bring good name for the state. We wish Mayuri All The Best for her future endeavors!
Mayuri Bhuyan
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