GPlus Vol 4 Issue 33 by G Plus

Passengers illegally charged for using waiting rooms at Ghy Rly Station PG 09

VOLUME 04 | ISSUE 33 JUN 10 - JUN 16, 2017 PRICE `10

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s ults, G Plu ndary res e form o c e S r e n th High ckoner o Post the tes in the a ready re provides and admission da n y. submissio ing colleges of cit lead

s ’ t n e d u t s A e h t o t e d i u g t n a t r o p m i s e t a d n o i admiss y t i c s s o r ac PG colleges

GMC bungles in starting PMAY ‘housing-forall’ scheme PG on time 02

Merit only criterion for admissions, city colleges call off cut-off marks PG 06

Rising cost of stone chips hits real estate industry hard

PG 05

G PLUS JUN 10 - JUN 16, 2017

Lead Story

GMC bungles in starting PMAY ‘housing-for-all’ scheme on time

The government’s tall claims about development over the last one year apart, the GDD minister’s department, GMC, is unaware about the PMAY Urban projects which is a promising scheme to provide housing for all by 2022; out of 97 ULBs across the state it was only GMC that failed to commence the demand survey on time slum family. In the matter of proper identification of the slum dwellers the central government has given flexibility to the state governments to fix a year within which the dweller had started living in the particular area. As Assam has a major issue of illegal migration, identifying the slum dweller is the responsibility of the state government and accordingly the ULBs will identify the dwellers. A 30 sq. m. concrete house with required amenities like bathroom and kitchen will be given to one family. Such a family basically consists of husband, wife and unmarried children. The family is economically weaker and its income per month is not more than Rs 25,000. The private party will develop the area and provide houses to the identified slum dwellers and the rest of the area will be developed as commercial space such as malls, etc.

Affordable housing in partnership

Office of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, at Lakhtokia | G Plus Photo

Rahul Chanda rahul.chanda@g-plus.in

n 6th June, one Beni Madhab called up G Plus to inform that he was facing problems in submitting the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna (PMAY) Urban application form to the Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC). Apparently, after visiting all the branches of GMC, he was informed that he could submit the form only at the GMC Lakhtokia branch which had a dedicated team working on the PMAY project. He said that he visited the office but found no one there and the solitary person present had simply no idea about the PMAY project. A G Plus team immediately visited the office. Besides a caretaker, there was no one authoritative enough from the GMC to issue or receive the PMAY application forms. There were many other residents of Guwahati who had gone to submit application forms concern writ large on their faces as, according to them, the last date for submission of the forms was 7th June.

So what is this PMAY project all about? Who will gain from the project? How is GMC involved and why was the GMC not able to process the requests of the applicants? G Plus analyses the situation.

PMAY project A source in the PMAY State Mission Director’s office (the SMD is the in-charge of the mission for implementing the project in the entire state), talking to G Plus, said that Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna (Urban) is a mission which aims to provide housing for all in urban areas. It was flagged off on 21st June 2015 by the central government. He said that the primary objective of the mission is to provide concrete houses to the economically weaker sections residing in urban areas. There are 97 Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) in Assam:

the GMC and 96 other municipal boards and town committees. He said that the mission seeks to provide houses in four verticals viz. In-situ Slum Redevelopment, Affordable Housing in Partnership, Credit Link Subsidy Scheme, and Beneficiary Led Construction & Beneficiary Led Enhancement.

In-situ Slum Redevelopment In this vertical the slums of an area under the ULB will be identified and with a private partnership, the slum dwellers will be relocated till the slum is ful-

According to the source, there are many families from other districts working in Guwahati or vice versa. These families do not have their own plot of land, they do not have their own house and they live in rented houses. So under this project they are also entitled for a 30 sq. m. house if they satisfy the parameter of earning less than Rs 25,000. As such, under this vertical according to the source, the state government will tie up with some private partners and will construct apartments on some government lands. In every project there will have to be a minimum of 250 houses and out of these 250 houses, 35% will be reserved for economically weaker sections (monthly family income less than Rs 25,000). For such projects the government will help the private parties and even the building byelaws will be tweaked so that the private builders do not face prob-

G Plus talked to the commissioner Monalisa Goswami on 8th June but even she was unaware of the status and did not make any comments saying that she will find out why the demand survey was not started. ly developed. Basically the ULB along with the private party will develop the slum area and allot 30 square metre houses to every

lems. Thus, 35% of the houses in the apartment will be of 30 sq. m. each and the rest will be according to the saleable areas at rates fixed by the private partners which they may sell to other people. Now, how will the economically weaker sections (EWS) avail these 35% houses? They will be given Rs 2 lakhs in their accounts; Rs 1.5 lakhs will be given by the centre and Rs 50,000 by the state government. After they are allotted a 30 sq. m. house, Rs 2 lakhs will be given by the government (centre and state together) and the rest of the money will have to be arranged by the applicant. Sources also said that these 35% houses must necessarily have a cap as decided by the government so that the EWS can procure the house for approximately Rs 3 lakhs, where Rs 2 lakh is given by the government and rest comes from their own arrangement. Understandably, if the cap is large, the EWS will not be able to afford it.

Credit link subsidy scheme According to the source, this is a 100% centrally sponsored scheme and through it the EWS families can avail huge subsidies from banks to build or buy houses. Under this scheme EWS families having family income less than Rs 25,000 per month can get up to Rs 6 lakhs in loans from any bank at an interest subsidy of 6.5%. The loan has to be repaid within 20 years. People who earn between Rs 25,000 and Rs 50,000 - considered as Lower Income Group (LIG) - are entitled for a 60 sq. m. house and can avail a loan up to Rs 6 lakhs at 6.5% interest subsidy. The contention is that this section of people will go for a larger flat of around 60 sq. m. or more but they will get interest subsidy on only Rs 6 lakhs because that is the money required to make a 30 sq. m. house which the EWS are getting. So whatever loan they take the interest subsidy will be on only Rs 6 lakhs. Under this scheme there is a special offer given till 31st December 2017 where two more income groups can gain some benefits. Families earning between Rs 50,000 and Rs

G PLUS JUN 10 - JUN 16, 2017

Lead Story 1 lakh (Middle Income Group 1 or MIG-1) can avail a loan subsidy of 4% up to Rs 9 lakh loan from any bank. The next middle income group or MIG-2, where families are earning between Rs 1 lakh and Rs 1.5 lakhs can avail loans from bank up to Rs 12 lakhs at an interest subsidy of 3%. Under credit link subsidy scheme loan takers have to refund the loan within 20 years. For MIG-1 and MIG-2, the offer is open till 31st December 2017 only and sources said that this move has been taken just to boost the real estate industry.

Beneficiary led construction & beneficiary led enhancement Only EWS families are entitled for this vertical and according to the source, if a family has a plot of land under ULB area but there is a financial constraint to construct a house, such a family can get Rs 2 lakhs in their account (Rs 1.5 lakhs from the centre and Rs 50,000 from state) to construct a house. The source said that PMAY has five approved house designs from which the highest costing design is of Rs 2.99 lakhs and the lowest costing house design will require Rs 2.35 lakhs. The source

said that the PMAY mission will provide Rs 2 lakhs as a subsidy to the applicant and rest of the money has to be arranged by the applicant to construct the 30 sq. m. house. The source claimed that the construction will be monitored thoroughly and the money will be released in instalments: Rs 20,000 first, Rs 30,000 next and so on considering the progress of construction. The source said that all the beneficiaries will be accordingly trained on how to construct the house within the calculated budget. Many people have concrete houses which are not complete due to poor financial conditions. So for EWS families, enhancement subsidy of Rs 2 lakhs will be given for only a 30 sq. m. extension. Now can a beneficiary apply for all the verticals under PMAY?

The guidelines The source said that an applicant can apply for one vertical only. Whoever applies for the scheme needs to have a myadi patta plot of land. Encroached or aek sania plot owners cannot apply under the scheme. The source also said that the applicant applying for the new house cannot have any other concrete house

anywhere in India. The source also said that geo-tagging of the construction work will be monitored and people not using the money fruitfully will not get any further instalments. The source said that the entire process will be hassle-free and the applicants only need to provide self declaration about their income details. But when is the last date and how is GMC involved?

GMC in the dark The state government might make claims about various developments in the last one year but the GDD minister Himanta Biswa Sarma is not being able to ensure that the departments under his ministry are functioning efficiently. The source in the state mission director’s office, talking to G Plus, said that applicants were expected to submit their applications to the ULBs between 1st June and 7th June in the whole of Assam and out of the 97 ULBs and town committees, except for GMC, all other district authorities were able to issue and receive forms on time for conducting the demand survey. But the GMC officials, in spite of attending many meetings were not able to commence the demand survey

on time. The date for the survey in all other ULBs was extended for seven days, which basically means that people can submit their application forms till 14th June. But GMC has not even started anything yet. G Plus being a publication for the people of Guwahati wanted to know what was the last date for the people of Guwahati to submit their forms and from when they can start submitting the forms as also what will be the commencement date for conducting the demand survey. G Plus talked to the joint and the additional commissioner of GMC who were completely unaware about the project till 7th June. Moreover, as the commissioner was on leave on that day, we were asked to talk to her on 8th June. G Plus talked to the commissioner Monalisa Goswami on 8th June but even she was unaware of the status and did not make any comments saying that she will find out why the demand survey was not started. She asked our team to talk to the additional commissioner. She even said that all the officers in the department being new they will have to check with the others. In the evening the additional commissioner said that it was just on that day that he was

appointed as the project manager for PMAY schemes and he would be able to inform about the dates in a couple of days. Sources in the GMC, talking to G Plus, said that after S Viswanathan and Narayan Konwar, the new commissioners are not being able to implement or even start any new project in the city. This is a perplexing situation for Guwahatians. Sources in the state mission director’s office said that for Guwahati the survey will commence on 12th June but the last date is yet to be decided as the GMC remains uncertain as to when they can complete the survey. Also sources said that starting the project in Guwahati is a risk as most EWS people in Guwahati do not have myadi patta land which will exclude many people from the scheme. The GMC is just not being able to complete any project successfully as even the garbage collection project looks like a failure with people waiting for almost a week for the NGOs to collect their garbage. PMAY seems to hold a lot of promise in its quest to provide housing for all in the city, but the GMC’s inefficiency in handling their projects raises doubts about its successful implementation. n

G PLUS JUN 10 - JUN 16, 2017

Crime

GS Road robberies question police ability to solve such cases

Even after one month of the MP Jeweller’s robbery case police have failed to locate any clue about the robbers and with the recent watch showroom theft case all eyes are on the police’s efficiency at solving such cases 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, relative of Prem Singh, was also picked up. Later Prem and Neelkamal were forwarded to the court which sent them to 5-day police custody. Initially, there were rumours that Prem Singh was the mastermind of the robbery as his mother-in-law was not keeping well and he required big money urgently. But later all these contentions were found to be untrue. The Bhangagarh OC was transferred after the incident and a new OC was brought in. It’s been one month now and the police are yet to find any clue about the culprits.

Why is it so tough? The Titan showroom at Christianbasti | G Plus Photo

Rahul Chanda rahul.chanda@g-plus.in

he new target for daring robberies seems to be the big retail counters on GS Road. In another shocking incident, a prominent showroom of watches on GS Road was robbed by some miscreants in a predawn operation recently, raising concerns for Guwahatians as not too long back the hitherto unsolved MP Jeweller’s robbery case had already raised questions on the efficiency of the city police in solving robbery and theft cases. What is the status of the MP Jeweller’s robbery case? How many people entered the World of Titan showroom to steal the watches? Will the police be able to solve the recent theft case as the MP Jeweller’s robbery case continues to remain unsolved? Why are the criminals targeting the shops and showrooms on GS Road of late? G Plus tries to analysis.

The recent incident On 7th June, at around 11 am, the Christian Basti area on GS Road was packed with police

and media as at around 10.30 am the Dispur Police was informed that some miscreants had broken the lock of the shutters of the watch showroom and stolen watches worth Rs 75 lakhs the previous night. The police team, headed by the DCO (East), Mohneesh Mishra, entered the showroom, closed the shutter of the shop and started investigations. The employees of the showroom were also waiting outside the shop and they were called in one by one for enquiry. Gradually, the forensic experts, CID finger print experts, and the sniffer dogs were also called for further investigation. After a long time, the DCP came out of the showroom but did not say much to the waiting media. He merely said that there were CCTV cameras in the showroom and it seems two people had entered the shop and carried out the theft. He added that the police are taking the investigation seriously. In the evening, the police team left the showroom and according to the employees it was confirmed that watches worth Rs 75 lakhs were stolen. A case was registered in the Dispur police station (case no.

1429/17 under section 461/380 of IPC) and the police picked one Raju Basfor from the Solapara area. Police sources said that Basfor was working in the showroom as a house-keeper and hadn’t reported for work for two days prior to the incident. The case in-charge said that Basfor had not been arrested but only detained and similarly many other employees of the showroom are being questioned. The situation was no different with the MP Jeweller’s robbery case as well.

MP Jeweller’s robbery case On 9th May, at around 6.45 pm, four masked men had entered the MP Jewellers showroom located at Post Office, Srimanta Sankar Dev Path (GS Road) 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 inside the shop. The police, after investigation, came to know that the private security guard of the jewellery shop, Prem Singh, was absent that day. The police tracked the

While the police does have a huge network and set of sources to track culprits, a highly placed source in the city police, talking to G Plus, said that it is very easy to blame the police but the police are trying their best to nab the culprits; they are just not being able to get any clue. The source said that it seems the robbery and theft planners are bringing people from outside to commit the crime and so police informers in the city are not being able to provide any hint of the criminals. The source also said that the tower location of the criminals’ phones during the MP Jeweller’s incident could not be tracked as innumerable mobile phones were logged in the same tower at the time of the crime. Similarly, police quizzed many people after the crime from within and outside the showroom but did not get any clue even after a thorough investigation. So it seems the police are not being able to find any trace of the criminals. Moreover, while there have been discussions on social media that the crime might have been triggered from the inside to claim insurance money the police source said it is difficult to presuppose that angle as unless the case is solved the motive and

the modus operandi behind the crime cannot be assumed or ascertained. The source said that after these two incidents patrolling and security measures on GS Road have been beefed up. n

G PLUS JUN 10 - JUN 16, 2017

Concern

Rising cost of stone chips hits real estate industry hard

With sudden stoppage of stone chip mining in Meghalaya rates of stone chips in the city have virtually doubled; ARIEDA is in talks with government given the “alarming” situation prices in Guwahati are witnessing unprecedented inflation taking a toll on the construction business with flats, apartments and commercial spaces not getting sold out. The very recent nail in the coffin is the increasing price of the stone chips which is a vital ingredient for construction with the rates of the same almost doubling overnight.

Rise in stone chip price

Stone chips in front of a residence under construction | G Plus Photo

Rahul Chanda rahul.chanda@g-plus.in

n the month of January, G Plus had filed a report exposing how the green cover around the city is gradually decreasing

with the rampant cutting of hills along the Assam-Meghalaya border and filling earth being smuggled illegally with the suppliers having a nexus with the police stations and the forest department. G Plus has also, many a time, reported that the real estate

A stone chip dealer located in Lokhra, talking to G Plus in anonymity, said that the rate of stone chips has gone up dramatically with stone chips becoming a rarity these days. He said that previously stone chips used to come in big trucks from hills bordering Meghalaya but very recently the Meghalaya government has stopped the mining of stone chips and other hilly materials. He said that these days the chips come from places like Tangla, Rani etc and because the chips are mined

illegally there are no challans for the chips. Therefore, it comes in small auto vans secretly making it costly. He said that earlier one cubic meter of stone chips used to cost Rs 1400 to Rs 1600 but now one cubic meter costs Rs 2600 to Rs 3000 in Guwahati. He said that the location of the receiver is the decisive factor of the price as further the location is more people need to be “managed” on the way. He said that because there are no challans while transporting the chips the police and the forest department people have to be managed which further increases the price. Many builders talking to G Plus said that this is an alarming situation as people are not being able to engage in construction activity because of these reasons. So what is the solution?

The solution ARIEDA president, PK Sharma talking to G Plus, said that according to his information all the

stone quarries in Meghalaya have stopped mining. For Guwahati the stone chips used to come mainly from the hills of Meghalaya as Guwahati does not have enough stone quarries to meet the city’s demands. He said it is an alarming situation as builders are not being able to procure stone chips. He said that anyone making a small two-room house might not have a problem getting chips in auto vans but for big builders it is a difficult situation. He said that ARIEDA is in talks with the government and finding out ways to solve the predicament. But he asserted that the issue is very critical and requires immediate response as the real estate industry is already witnessing a huge decline in the city. For information of readers, G Plus will keep following this story in its next issue and will check if the government is at all keen in trying to find an early solution to the problem. n

G PLUS JUN 10 - JUN 16, 2017

In The News

Merit only criterion for admissions, city colleges call off cut-off marks Students are likely to face admission jitters in the city’s colleges as both CBSE and SEBA scores in the last examinations are high enough

File photo of a city college admission | G Plus Photo

Juthika Baruah juthika.baruah@g-plus.in

hile scoring high marks in the High School Leaving Certificate (HSLC) and Higher Secondary (HS) examinations has been a challenge for the students, they now have to face tougher times in getting admitted to the better colleges as the percentages of both the Central Board of Secondary Examinations (CBSE) and Board of Secondary Education, Assam (SEBA) are almost the same and the colleges are to follow certain guidelines issued by the state government in their admission procedure. In 2014, the government issued a notification to all the colleges of the state which stated that the government was actively considering formulation of a uniform policy of admission for students at degree level colleges of the state since sometime and had now come out with a set of rules and regulations which the colleges need to follow. Any college which would deviate from the guidelines will be viewed seriously and will invite disciplinary action. The policy stated that admission process should adhere to the merit list prepared by the respective colleges on the basis of marks obtained by the candidates in the

qualifying examination (for respective subjects) held by the college and according to the government reservation policy. Another instruction was that maximum of 5% seats could be earmarked for outstanding sportspersons, NCC cadets and students with proficiency in cultural

detailed guidelines for filling up these (5%) seats could be finalised by the colleges’ respective governing bodies. 1. Speaking to G Plus, registrar of Cotton University, Shikhar Kr Sharma said, “This time we have upgraded the procedure for applying in the higher secondary

“We have upgraded the procedure for applying in the HS course. The cut-off marks have been given in the website and accordingly the students will be called. The students who will not be selected will be informed early so that they need not come on the day of the admission and face unnecessary disappointment.” Registrar of Cotton University, Shikhar Kr Sharma activities and for the wards of college employees. The breakup of the 5% is: 2% for sportspersons who have to be recognised by IOA or SAI and have also represented the district or the state, 1% for wards of the college employees, 1% for NCC/scouts/ guides and 1% for students who have significant achievements in the cultural field. It said that the

course. Students have applied online and the cut-off marks have been given in the website itself and accordingly the students will be called. The students who will not be selected will be informed early so that they need not come on the day of the admission and face unnecessary disappointment.” Sharma also said that the ad-

mission dates for degree courses have not yet been declared as many students who do not get a chance in Delhi University or in other places come back to the city and get admitted in the city colleges. Therefore, the admission procedure for degree course will start in July and the forms will be given from third week of June. The number of seats available for HS Science day shift is 360 and it is 150 for the evening shift. There 160 seats in the Arts stream. “We have also made the online application process easy so that students don’t have to provide any kind of documents and photographs during the application process. It is only on the day of the admission that they have to bring the documents for verification and there is no application fee for filling up the forms,” said Sharma. In B Barooah College also the admission will be on merit basis. “Many students, who secured good marks apply here but do not turn up during admission because they get admitted to other colleges in the city. As a result, many seats remain vacant. This is the reason why we do not issue cut-off lists. During admission, names will be called out according to merit. If anyone does not turn up the next candidate in line will get the seat,” said the principal of the college, Satyendra Nath Barman. The principal said, “There is no separate cut-offs of other boards like CBSE or ICSE. Students with 54% have also got admission in the college in Arts stream. There are 440 seats for Degree Science and 460 for Degree Arts. For HS (Science) the number of seats is 240 while for Arts it is 300 and Commerce, 120. For B.Sc. (IT) there are 30 seats and for BBA, 40.” In Handique Girls’ College also the procedure remains the same as they have not set the cut-off marks and the admission will be conducted on merit basis. “Earlier the system was smooth and there were fewer colleges. Students studied in those colleges as they did not have any other option but still they came out with flying colours. But now-a-days, students have many options and parents also search for the best colleges for their children. Choice of colleges has become a competition among

the students rather than procuring a good result. A student’s result does not depend on the college; rather it depends on the hard work of the students,” said the vice principal of the college. The vice principal said that many students come and want to study here as it is a historic college but it is not possible to give admission to all the students as there is a limit on seats. The admission will be conducted as per the percentage scored by both CBSE and SEBA students and it will be stopped as soon as the seats get filled up. “Moreover, college is not important; rather it is the students’ hard work which will give them good results in the future,” the vice principal said. Gauhati Commerce College (GCC) will also continue the process of admission on merit basis and there is a reservation of 25% for CBSE students. Last year, the cut-off marks ended at 85% for CBSE board and 75% for Assam Higher Secondary Education Council board in B.Com. In higher secondary, the cut-off ended at 8.8 CGPI for CBSE and around 73% for AHSEC board. The number of seats available in B.Com. course is 600 and for Higher Secondary it is 450. n

G PLUS JUN 10 - JUN 16, 2017

City

GMC mulls reviving Project Jyoti on Rs 25 crore budget Despite a lukewarm response, GMC’s ‘Project Jyoti: Own your Streetlight’ scheme had managed to install 10,000 streetlights across the city; the corporation hopes that the scheme’s revival and proper publicity will help in illuminating the city better Kalyan Deb kalyan.deb@g-plus.in

ack of streetlights has been a major issue in most parts of the city. Come sundown and a major chunk of the city submerges into darkness facilitating illegal activities of various kinds that pose threat to women, especially those who have to work late. Lack of street lights is also a major reason for road accidents on many roads. Motorists and pedestrians face problems especially in the various connecting roads that lead to accidents resulting in grievous injuries. The absence of streetlights in some areas has also been tagged as a reason for rampant incidents of snatching and robbery. Broken streetlights add to the difficulties of motorists in spotting other vehicles and potholes on the roads. It is especially dangerous for road users who are unfamiliar with the place. The same has also been mentioned at several discussion forums taken under the initiative of G Plus which are termed “Ward Talks.” Given all of this, Guwahati Municipal

Corporation (GMC) is now working on reviving their ‘Project Jyoti’ scheme to illuminate the city better.

The original Project Jyoti scheme In 2015, the GMC formulated ‘Project Jyoti: Own Your Streetlight’ with the aim of illuminating the city streets but it received lukewarm response from residents. The municipal corporation’s scheme had initially planned to install 10,000 streetlights across the city after it received applications from individuals and business establishments against a one-time fee of Rs 300 and average monthly expense of around Rs 25. The scheme came in for criticism from a section of residents on the grounds of having to pay extra for well-lit streets. Several residents opined that their taxes should cover a basic amenity like properly illuminated streets. A senior GMC official however attributed the poor response to lack of publicity. “A section of residents had welcomed the initiative but due to lack of publicity, people did not

respond the way we had anticipated. We had discussed the project with NGOs and others to let residents know about the details.” The application amount of Rs 300 was later reduced to Rs 100 in order to attract more citizens to come forward in making the project a success. This was decided in a general meeting held among the councilors and the mayor in February 2015. It was also mentioned by officials of the department that the sum of Rs 200 would be refunded to those who had applied for the streetlight when the one-time free as Rs 300. In the earlier process, installation and maintenance of the streetlights was carried out by Simoco Telecommunications (South Asia) Ltd. after an open tender procedure was offered by GMC where 8 companies were selected for the final bidding out of 26 companies who came forward. The GMC had a target of installing 10,000 streetlights which they claim they had achieved. However, there are still several areas in the city that remain in darkness. Thus, the municipal corporation has mulled

Skill development program under project “Swabalamban” of OIL

Sanjit Raaj Choudhry Director of Pragati Edutech presenting memento to Dilip Kr Bhuyan DGM Public Affairs at Pragti Edutech on 6 June

uwahati: A function to inaugurate a skill development program sponsored by Oil India Limited (OIL) under their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative took place today at Pragati School of Management, Guwahati on 6th June. The program is being implemented by Pragati Edutech and is carried out under the banner of “Swabalamban.” Pragati, founded and managed by a set of local professional entrepreneurs, is engaged in providing job-centric education in NE region. Pragati had signed an MOU with OIL in 2016 to implement skill development programs which lead

to sustainable employment for the educated unemployed youths of NE region. 500 students with minimum HSLC qualification were selected in 2016-17, and all the students came from socio-economically disadvantaged background including MOBC, SC, ST and tea tribes. The program was a resounding success, with 465 students getting successfully placed, and most of them in many MNC hospitality brands all over India such as, Marriott, Taj, Oberoi, Crown Plaza, Ramada, ITC etc. Looking at the success of this program, OIL has decided to sponsor 800 students during this FY

(2017-18) in the hospitality domain under the same project. The inaugural programme for current year with the first batch of 100 students was held at its campus on 6th June. Dignitaries of OIL, Mr. Dilip Kr. Bhuyan (DGM, Public Affairs) and Mr. Tridiv Hazarika, Chief Manager, (CSR & CC) along with Santanu Choudhury, MD of Pragati , Sanjit Raaj Choudhry, Director of Pragati and other officials of Pragati welcomed the students and apprised them of the features of the program, along with future job and long term career prospects in the hospitality industry. Pragati aims to provide placement to all the students in reputed “star” category hotels and resorts across India by March 2018. In the same program the second edition of “Alokor Baat (Road to light…)” was also released. This book highlights the success stories of the students who were trained at Pragati under the same program and are now working successfully in India and also abroad. This programme was attended by representatives of different hotels like Vivanta by Taj, Radisson Blue, Novotel, etc apart from many other dignitaries. n

the idea of reviving the project.

The revival The revival of the project will be carried out in a similar manner where a tender will be floated and the final tender of installing and maintaining the streetlights will be done just like last time. The initiative will be carried out with a budget of Rs 25 crores. “The company which is selected following the tendering process will also be responsible for maintenance of the streetlights. However, a lot of details are yet to be covered such as the fee against which the streetlights will be provided and creating awareness among the people to avail the facility. We will soon carry out the tendering process and explore several other details,” a GMC official informed adding that publicity will play a vital role in the success of the project. It was also claimed that the GMC had been able to achieve the target of 10,000 streetlights in its earlier effort of illuminating the city streets. Meanwhile, the success of the

revived project will depend vastly on the cooperation of the people. The amount of money to avail the facility will also play a vital role. In the earlier process, a section of residents had complained about having to pay extra for well-lit streets which turned out to be a major reason for the lukewarm response of the people who seemed to be apathetic during the initial stages. According to them, their taxes should cover a basic amenity like properly illuminated streets. Also, there was a section of residents who had welcomed the move as most applications were received from areas such as Zoo Road, Dispur and Jalukbari. The councilors of all the 31 wards of the city will also have a major role in spreading awareness among the residents and disseminating details and information. The earlier installed streetlights were low-energy consuming 16W, 15-fthigh LEDs which were installed within the premises of the applicant’s building while the minimum distance between two streetlights was 25 meters. n

G PLUS JUN 10 - JUN 16, 2017

Ward Watch

Chatribari continues to languish with civic inadequacies Densely populated Chatribari which houses several educational and health institutions besides residences is reeling under civic limitations that is making life a tough act to follow of the children studying in the institutions here,” another resident opined. It was also informed that the traffic stretches all the way to AT Road on one side and up to Sharabhatti on the other side and lasts for several hours creating a hazardous situation for the locals of the area. However, the authorities are yet to wake up from their slumber. Moreover, locals are also irked by the condition of the garbage dump located near Goshala in the area. The overfull garbage bin and garbage spilled all over the road

the deputy commissioner and the traffic department on several occasions in order to find a solution but to no avail,” Lahakar said.

have been a regular sight for years. Locals mentioned that the situation remains the same for most part of the day. “Whether one visits the place at 8 am or at 9 pm the scenario remains the same. The situation gets worse whenever there is a function in the marriage hall as all the leftovers are dumped in the garbage bin and sometimes on the road itself,” a local informed. Hamen Lahakar, President, Brihattar Chatribari Unnayan Samiti, mentioned that the road condition is a serious concern for the locals of the area. It was mentioned that the last construction process was carried out over two decades ago and even after filing several petitions and approaching the officials no initiative has been taken for the development of the area. “We have approached the local MLA. Interestingly, KC Choudhury Road, despite having the residence of Ramen Deka who is a BJP member of parliament, has not seen any initiative for development so far. It is the ward with the largest number of tax payers and yet the area remains under total disregard. Moreover, we have approached

cial establishments which lead to the spill over of the garbage bin. “There are garbage compactor trucks of GMC that visit the area twice to collect the garbage - once in the morning and once in the evening. But because it is the only dumping station in the densely populated ward there is a lot of pressure on it. Also, the infrastructure of the marriage hall was constructed over two decades ago and the truck being stationed in the area adds to the problem. We have tried to come to a solution on several occasions but due to heavy traffic in the area no concrete solution could be reached. Meanwhile, even the residents park their vehicles on the road itself which eats up even more space,” said Rajkumar Tiwari, councillor, Ward No 9. However, the councillor mentioned that the an initiative will be taken to allot parking space during any kind of function in the open space in the premise of the office of the district inspector of schools. He also mentioned that it will require the co-operation of the visitors who can consider walking few steps when they visit the area for any function. n

Councillor’s say On being approached by G Plus the councillor mentioned the lack of options to move the dumping station from the area. It was informed that the dumping station is shared by two wards that include Ward No 8 and is the only dumping station in Ward No 9. The dumping station is used by several residential apartments as well as commer-

Heap of garbage at Chatribari area | G Plus Photo

Kalyan Deb

the locals are facing an even more serious concern that supplements the road condition of the area.

kalyan.deb@g-plus.in

locality situated in the north-western part of the city, Chatribari is a hub of educational institutions. Some of the city’s reputed educational institutions such as Nichols Higher Secondary School and KC Das Commerce College are located in the area along with other health hubs like Marwari Maternity Hospital and Chatribari Christian Hospital. The area also houses the office of the District Inspector of Schools and a lower primary school. However, the area has been facing several distressing situations over the past few years that have totally hampered its peace and ambience. The stretch of KC Choudhury Road is strewn with both commercial establishments as well as residential complexes. A connecting road to areas such as AT Road, Athgaon, Sharabhatti and several surrounding localities, the condition of the road right from its entrance beside the Himatsingka petrol pump lies devastated. However,

The concern A worried resident of Chatribari threw light on an issue faced by the locals of the area which stems from haphazard parking of vehicles. A marriage hall in the area has been creating a problem situation with the groomsmen and others who arrive there to witness

be parked inside; rather these are required to be parked on the road itself. Moreover, there are several organisations that are in the transport business and their vehicles are also parked by the roadside for loading and unloading of goods. The activity begins from 8-8:30 pm and continues throughout the night the whole year round. Although it is understood that they have their personal building but it does not mean that one can park their vehicles on the road and create this hassle throughout the night. This activity is a continuous disturbance for residents and passers-by,” said a concerned local of the area. “These irregularities not only create problems for the public but it is also a matter of serious concern. There is a hospital in the area and at times it becomes next to impossible for even an emergency ambulance to make it through. If there is such traffic congestion so close to a hospital, it holds a mortal threat to the people. In the meantime, there are several educational institutions and the heavy traffic also creates pollution which poses a threat to the health

“Despite having a parking space, the owners of the Assam Maheshwari Bhawan do not allow the vehicles of their visitors to be parked inside; rather these are required to be parked on the road itself.” marriage ceremonies parking their vehicles by the roadside further narrowing down the already narrow KC Choudhury Road. “Despite having a parking space, the owners of the Assam Maheshwari Bhawan do not allow the vehicles of their visitors to

G PLUS JUN 10 - JUN 16, 2017

Passengers illegally charged for using waiting rooms at Ghy Rly Station

City

In a G Plus investigation, it has come to light that passengers are being charged for entry into the air-conditioned waiting rooms in the name of maintenance. The practice is being apparently carried out by the agency employed for maintaining the waiting room lavatories

The ticket counter outside the air conditioned waiting hall at Guwahati Railway Station | G Plus Photo

Kalyan Deb kalyan.deb@g-plus.in

he busiest railway junction in the region, the Guwahati station gets a footfall of around 35,000 per day and those who are a part of the train travelling multitude retire and rest in various corners of the platforms of the station even as they wait for the arrival of their train. In order to deliver a hassle-free environment to the commuters, the Northeast Frontier Railway has provided several facilities. Retiring rooms or waiting rooms is one such room that each passenger can rightfully opt for. The waiting rooms are divided into two categories viz. air-conditioned and non air-conditioned. As in Guwahati Railway Station, they are usually located on Platform No. 1 in most of the major junctions of the country. These facilities are free for any passenger who holds a valid ticket and they can wait for as many hours as they want in these retiring rooms until the arrival of their train. While the non air-conditioned waiting rooms are meant for those passengers travelling in the non-air-conditioned coaches, the air-conditioned waiting rooms may be occupied by those trav-

elling in air-conditioned coaches. The air-conditioned waiting rooms also have the facility of lavatories that can be used on payand-use basis. However, certain irregularities have surfaced in the Guwahati Railway Station where passengers are charged a particular sum of money prior to entering the air-conditioned waiting rooms. It has come to light that the passengers are being charged a sum of Rs 20 prior to their entry for availing the facility of waiting rooms. The amount is apparently taken as maintenance charges for using the toilet in the waiting room. This is basically against the norms of Indian Railways. The rules explicitly state that one is liable to pay the amount only if a bona fide ticket-holding passenger uses the toilets. In Guwahati Railway Station things are running the other way around as people are charged right at the entry itself and immaterial of their toilet usage. The maintenance of the toilets of the air-conditioned waiting room has been given to a private sector company following a tendering process. Anandlok Foundation, a Bihar-based NGO, has the responsibility of the waiting room lavatories of the Guwahati Railway Station and the tender was

renewed around three months ago. On being investigated by G Plus, it was found that the officials of the NGO had placed a counter just outside the waiting room and were charging Rs 20 from each passenger as maintenance charges and for using the toilet which is illegal as per the norms of Indian Railway. Passengers can enter the waiting room free of charge and be there for as long as they want until the arrival of their train. However, one is liable to pay an amount only against the use of the toilet. On being asked by G Plus, the official mentioned that the amount is returned to a passenger if one does not use the toilets. This so-called practice raises the question: how can one know about a passengerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s toilet activities when the person charging the entry fee has his counter outside the waiting room? Senior Station Master, Paresh Kalita mentioned that collecting any amount from a passenger is not at all legitimate.

It was also mentioned that strict action will be taken against the responsible party if any such activity comes to notice. The senior station master immediately asked the counters where the amount was collected from the passengers to be moved inside the waiting room so that a passenger only pays the amount prior to using the lavatory. Moreover, this is not the first time that such irregularities have surfaced in the Guwahati Railway Station. Another party who was collecting money through similar means had to lose its contract as a punishment. The emergence of similar illegal activities may unearth large scams and with a footfall of around 35,000 each day, Guwahati Railway Station surely provides ample scope for scamsters to rob people of their hard earned money. It also requires people to be aware of such illegal practices so that they resist being gullible when using the good and convenient railway facilities. n

G PLUS JUN 10 - JUN 16, 2017

Feature

City’s old age homes: epitomes of kindness

Elderly people who have been abused by their children find shelter in a few old age homes of the city where they are offered a better and more dignified life as compared to the situation in their own homes Sarma said. One of the inmates, Amrita Mangal Paswan from Mumbai, who is now an inmate of the old age home, said that she was thrown out of a train by some miscreants while she was travelling. “I came here six months ago. I was travelling in a train when some miscreants looted my money and jewellery and threw me out of the train. I somehow managed to reach Guwahati and thereafter Meghalaya. The Meghalaya police handed me over to this home and now I have been here ever since. As I don’t have any contact with my family members and they have not been able to find me, I have to stay here. But now I like staying here with the other member and sometimes we do have fun,” said Paswan. Another inmate Adou Rabha who hails from Tamulpur was abandoned by her son after being brought to Guwahati during last year’s Vishwakarma Puja. She was

A photo of the residents of the old age home | G Plus Photo

Juthika Baruah juthika.baruah@g-plus.in

s it a fault to become old and thereby be neglected by one’s own children after all the effort that parents put in to make their children capable of living in this world? Do the parents define their children’s personalities only to suffer in their old age to the extent that they get thrown out of their own houses and have to seek shelter in an old age home? Most elderly people have experienced some kind of abuse or the other - usually from family members and especially from sons and daughters-in-law. Earlier in the city of Guwahati there was no concept of old age homes where such parents could be sheltered with the responsibility being passed to someone else. Whatever the situation was the children had to live with their parents or look after them. But now-a-days it has become a trend to keep parents in the old age homes and the trend stems from various reasons. If someone has to go abroad or outside the hometown for reasons of career enhancement, they tend to keep their parents in old age homes. Also, there are many cases in which daughters-in-law misbehave with their mothers-in-law forcing them to leave the house and find other alternatives of shelter. Mercifully today, there exist some people who are taking the responsibility of such unfortunate souls voluntarily by

opening old age homes to provide shelter to the abused elderly. At present there are four old age homes in the city which have been providing shelter to the elderly. One such home is “Mother Old Age Home” situated in Bamunimaidan. The home has 48 inmates most of whom are destitute. “There are 48 people at present and only 10 of them have guardians who occasionally visit them or help us with some kind of assistance. The rest are all destitute who have been brought from the roadsides and whose children or family members had left them on the streets. 18 of them are Alzheimer patients and they need utmost care,” said founder secretary of Mother Old Age Home, Monalisa Sarma while speaking to G Plus. With children leaving their parents on the streets, it is such old age homes which come to their rescue. It is not an easy task to run such a home as arranging the finances becomes an onerous task especially given the fact that the inmates do not have guardians who can provide them with the basic necessities and food. In such a situation, it is akin to blessings from God that they have been able to run the home with the help of the people who donate money or the required groceries. “To run the home we need sufficient money and we are thankful that people help us in many ways. We have ten people whose guardians visit us and give small amounts of money but the rest don’t have anyone visit-

ing them to provide for the expenses. These expenses are borne by many individuals. If someone gives the groceries for the entire month, some help us by providing the medicines for the people. As there are many Alzheimer patients we need a lot of medicines. Every day we need 30 tablets for blood pressure, calcium tablets, iron tablets, tablets for neurology etc. which are donated by people. We have to pay the house rent of Rs 45,000 and there are miscellaneous expenditures which amount to Rs 70,000 to Rs 80,000 in total per month,” said Sarma. She further informed they also celebrate the birthdays of the inmates with the help of the people who assist them financially. “In the leisure time they play carom, ludo etc. to keep busy so that they don’t ponder about their life thereby making matters more stressful,”

left in the streets for three days until she managed to find the home through the help of some people. Since then she has been in a state of depression and at times talks in a deranged manner. Several efforts were made to find her native place but to no avail. Another member of the home, Dulal Dutta from Majuli, was brought to the home after he was left abandoned in a public toilet more than three years ago. “He had met with an accident but his family members did not provide him the treatment required. Rather they abandoned him. As he didn’t get treatment on time his left leg was damaged. Now he cannot walk and moves around crawling. As most of the inmates do not have any guardians, the in-charge of the home, Utpal Harshvardhan, does all the rituals when a death occurs. There are six staff members

in the home who cook food for the members and take care of the inmates. With the prevalent Alzheimer the inmates are prone to forgetting things and sometimes even go out of the house. The staff then has to bring them back to the home. Another old age home, “Amar Ghar” Ambikagiri Memorial Old Age Home, situated in Pattharquarry, was founded in 2001 in an Assam-type house. In 2005, a 3-storied RCC building was constructed with a few single seat and double seat rooms that had attached bathrooms. The home also has a conference hall, career consultancy room, a library cum reading room, a family counselling room, a doctor’s chamber and two sick rooms. The inmates are provided with occasional outings. Different cultural, social, literary and NGO groups visit the home and entertain the inmates with songs, dances, cinema shows etc. to keep them busy with a cheerful lifestyle so that they can keep themselves away from stress, tension and loneliness. The inmates are provided with weekly health check-ups by a qualified doctor. Weekly physiotherapy of the inmates is done by Helpage India. The Lunar Health Care and Diagnostic Clinic occasionally conducts pathological tests etc. Other local social welfare institutions also arrange health check-ups of the inmates with the help of medical experts. n

G PLUS JUN 10 - JUN 16, 2017

Snippets

Hastakshar Art Gallery invites participation from artists

astakshar, a fine arts platform, in support with the Assam Tourism Development Corporation Limited, will be organising an art exhibition titled ‘Drops of Divinity’ from 23 - 25 June 2017 at ITA Machkhowa Art Gallery. The exhibition aims to celebrate the aura and significance of Ambubachi Mela. The art exhibition is aimed to showcase the vibes of Ambubachi Mela, through forms of art that seeks to include paintings and sculptures. The art exhibit will be open for public display, as well as for sale. The initiative is undertaken to give the artists of the region an opportunity to display their craftsmanship, while highlighting the significance of Ambubachi Mela – the biggest tourism event of the city.

Interested artists are requested to call 8724030634 for more details and confirm their participation in the art exhibition. The artworks need to be submitted on or before 15 June 2017. Hastakshar’s vision is to revolutionise the role and impact of visual arts by creating a diverse and widespread platform that enables artists in India to easily reach a wider art-loving audience. Hastakshar is a curated platform that seeks artists who create original artworks from multitude of disciplines by engaging ourselves with art scenes around India. Hastakshar currently operates art spaces at Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi Airport and Vivanta by Taj in Guwahati, Goa International Airport and at The Park Hotel, Visakhapatnam. n

5th Balipara Foundation Awards to be held in Guwahati

alipara Foundation Awards proudly presents the Eastern Himalayan NaturenomicsTM Forum, 2017 and 5th Balipara Foundation Awards to be held in Guwahati on 2nd and 3rd November, 2017 at Vivanta by Taj. The theme of the event will

be Community Conservation and Botany. The Forum will explore the role of Botany and Communities in the Conservation of ecosystems through the lens of NaturenomicsTM, Innovation and Information addressing the challenges of social inequality through the concept of

Re-ruralisation. The Eastern Himalayan NaturenomicsTM Forum, 2016 announced the launch of a unique virtual platform, Elephant Country - Asian Elephant Secretariat - a robust platform of authentic data and shared resources for peer to peer flow of information and education for community and elephant conservation. This year’s Forum seeks to provide a platform to explore the importance of conservation in our world of botany, to understand the role of the Guardians of Creation and how they are engaging in conservation in a way that supports their local economies and livelihoods and, exploring reforms required in governance and policy that can have an impact on making conservation more participatory and hence, more effective. n

G PLUS JUN 10 - JUN 16, 2017

Special Feature

Handique Girlsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; College Class

Date of issue of forms

Last date of submission of forms

Date of Admission

HS (Science)

05.06.2017

15.06.2017

20.06.2017

HS (Arts)

05.06.2017

15.06.2017

20.06.2017

TDC (Science) & BCA

05.06.2017

15.06.2017

21.06.2017

TDC (Arts)

05.06.2017

15.06.2017

22.06.2017 & 23.06.2017

h t e v a S

Dat

West Guwahati Commerce College Class

Last Date of Submission of forms

Date of Admission

HS 1st Year (Commerce)

10.06.2017

14.06.2017

B. Com 1st Semester

12.06.2017

16.06.2017

cond e S r e h g i H Post the dy reck a e r a s e provid nd adm a n o i s s i subm olle leading c

Dispur College Class

Date of Issue of Form

Last date of Submission of form

Admission Date

HS 1st year Arts

05.06.2017

17.06.2017

20.06.2017

BA 1st Semester (Section A & B)

05.06.2017

20.06.2017

22.06.2017

HS 1st year Commerce

05.06.2017

17.06.2017

21.06.2017

B Com 1st Semester (Section A & B)

05.06.2017

22.06.2017

BBA 1st Semester

05.06.2017

BCA 1st Semester

05.06.2017

Arya Vidyapeeth College Class

Date of Issue of Forms

L S

23.06.2017

TDC-I (Science) Day Shift

05.06.2017

23.06.2017

TDC-I (Arts) Day Shift

05.06.2017

24.06.2017

TDC-I (Arts) Morning Shift

05.06.2017

HS-I (Science)

05.06.2017

HS-I (Arts)

05.06.2017

HS-I (Commerce)

05.06.2017

TDC-I Commerce

05.06.2017

Gauhati Commerce College Class

Date of issue of forms

Last date of submission of forms

Date of Admission

B.Com 1st Semester

02.06.2017

10.06.2017

21.06.2017

BBA. 1st Semester H.S. 1st year (Commerce)

02.06.2017

20.06.2017

23.06.2017

02.06.2017

10.06.2017

17.06.2017

RG Baruah College

Pandu College Class

Date of Issue of Forms

L s

H.S 1st Year Science

03.06.2017

Class

Date of issue of forms

Last date of submission of forms

Date of Admission

B. Com 1st Semester

05.06.2017

10.06.2017

19.06.2017

B.A. 1st Semester

05.06.2017

10.06.2017

16.06.2017

B.Sc 1st & 2nd Semester

03.06.2017

HS 1st year (Arts)

05.06.2017

10.06.2017

20.06.2017

H.S 1st Year Arts & Commerce

03.06.2017

HS 1st year (Commerce)

05.06.2017

10.06.2017

22.06.2017

B.A 1st & 2nd Semester

03.06.2017

B.A & B.Com 1st & 2nd Semester

03.06.2017

BCA 1st & 2nd Semester & B.Sc Biotech 1st semester

03.06.2017

G PLUS JUN 10 - JUN 16, 2017

Special Feature

Cotton University

Class HS 1st year, Sc (Day shift) HS 1st year, Sc (Evening shift) HS 1st year, Arts

G Plus , s t l u s e r dary e form h t n o r e kon es in the t a d n o i s mis ity. eges of c

Date of Admission

15.06.2017

19.06.2017 & 20.06.2017

15.06.2017

21.06.2017

15.06.2017

22.06.2017

15.06.2017

23.06.2017

15.06.2017

24.06.2017

15.06.2017

24.06.2015 28.06.2015

Last date of submission of forms

Date of Admission

13.06.2017

15.06.2017

13.06.2017

Date of issue of forms (online)

Last date of submission of forms (online)

Admission date

05.06.2017

08.06.2017

11.06.2017

05.06.2017

08.06.2017

12.06.2017

05.06.2017

14.06.2017

17.06.2017

B. Barooah College Date of issue of form

Last date of submission of form

Date of Admission

05.06.2017

12.06.2017

13.06.2017

B.SC 1st Semester (Day)

05.06.2017

12.06.2017

14.06.2017

B.Sc 1st Semester (Afternoon)

05.06.2017

12.06.2017

15.06.2017

B.A 1st Semester (Day)

05.06.2017

14.06.2017

16.06.2017

B.A. 1st Semester (Afternoon)

05.06.2017

14.06.2017

17.06.2017

05.06.2017

16.06.2017

19.06.2017

05.06.2017

17.06.2017

20.06.2017

B.B.A 1st Semester

05.06.2017

19.06.2017

20.06.2017

B.Sc IT 1st Semester

05.06.2017

19.06.2017

20.06.2017

Class H.S 1st Year, Sc (Day & Afternoon)

H.S 1st year, Arts (Day & Afternoon) H.S 1st year, Commerce Day & Afternoon)

Last date of Submission of forms

24.06.2017

16.06.2017 17.06.2017

13.06.2017

19.06.2017

13.06.2017

20.06.2017

13.06.2017

21.06.2017

S B Deorah College Class

Date of Issue of Form

Last Date of Submission

Date of Admission

HS 1st year Arts

10.06.2017

19.06.2017

21.06.2017

HS 1st year Commerce

10.06.2017

23.06.2017

24.06.2017

10.06.2017

21.06.2017

23.06.2017

10.06.2017

20.06.2017

22.06.2017

B.A. 1st year (Semester I & II) B Com 1st year (Semester I & II)

KC Das Commerce College Class

Date of Issue of forms (online)

Last date of submission of forms (online)

Date of Admission

HS 1st Year

04.06.2017

10.06.2017

15.06.2017

B.Com 1st Semester

04.06.2017

12.06.2017

17.06.2017

BBA 1st Semester (Self Financing Course)

04.06.2017

20.06.2017

23.06.2017

BCA 1st Semester (Self Financing Course)

04.06.2017

20.06.2017

23.06.2017

M.Com/PGDCA 1st Semester(Self Financing Course)

Form will be given after declaration of BA/B.Sc/B.Com final examination result

G PLUS JUN 10 - JUN 16, 2017

Art

Taste of Shakespeare at RGS

“Not marble nor the gilded monuments/Of princes, shall outlive this powerful rhyme,/But you shall shine more bright in these contents/Than unswept stone, besmeared with sluttish time.” ― William Shakespeare Disha Thakuriya

rue. The Bard of Avon’s words are true and none can dispute the fact as 400 years of Shakespeare’s works were celebrated. When it comes to Shakespeare’s legacy, it seems safe to conclude that “what’s past is prologue”. A William Shakespeare-inspired Tuesday evening of June 6th 2017 brought Royal Global School students on stage to perform the long-gone writer’s

word taken from Latin and it means ‘talking by oneself.’ It’s a device that dramatists – and Shakespeare to great effect – used to allow a character to communicate his or her thoughts directly to the audience. The character may be surrounded by other characters but the convention is that they can’t hear the soliloquy because it is essentially a piece in which the character is thinking rather than actually speaking to anyone. Audiences in Elizabethan times took the conven-

spectives, styles of performance, and devised work,” explains theatre ace Sattyakee D’com Bhuyan, who is the Mentor, Theatre Studies, Royal Global School and Founder Director of D’ Passion Collective. He was instrumental in coaching the students and curated, designed and directed the play. Students came forth and performed on a set that was devoid of the usual auditorium layout as the production was on the lines of free improvisation. We tried our best to showcase Shake-

“Signior Antonio, many a time and oft” - Piniyadrith Tarafdar as Shylock; “Blistered be thy tongue” - Vanessa Nameirakpam as Juliet; “But, soft, what light through yonder window breaks?” – Imkongnukshi Longkumer as Romeo; “The raven himself is hoarse” - Ananya Bhushan as Lady Macbeth; “Romans, countrymen, and lovers, hear me for my cause, and be silent, that you may hear.”- Khyati Chetri as Brutus; “Blistered be thy tongue” - Yakeen Jain as Juli-

speare’s iconic characters under a light of our modern times. The event began with a performance of Chopin’s Nocturne by a guest artist and friend who happens to be a student of music (piano and western classical vocal) Gyaan T’mok Bhuyan, setting the ambience of Shakespeare’s time. Then, came in our actors who enraptured our minds by their performances. The performers: “To be, or not to be, that is the question” – Aryan Goenka as Hamlet;

et; “The quality of mercy is not strained” – Ananya Khaund as Portia; “To bait fish withal; if it will feed nothing else, it will feed my revenge.” – Piniyadrith Tarafdar as Shylock and “Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears!” – Imkongnukshi Longkumer as Mark Antony. The background music was provided by Adrita Borthakur

and Gyaan T’mok Bhuyan while I, Disha Thakuriya, was the Voice of the evening. The performance ended with Gyaan T’mok Bhuyan singing a soulful Italian opera “Aria” by Mattinata Ruggiero Leontavallo. The Principal of Royal Global School, Ms. AnubhaGoyal said, “It was fantastic. An evening well spent. Those who didn’t see it missed something. Looking forward to many such performances.” The teacher of English language - Ms. Angshurekha Choudhary said, “The setting, though casual, yet it could take us back to the Elizabethan era. Those familiar with Shakespeare’s works were thrilled as the students wonderfully brought his defining characters back to life. But the true beauty of the entire event was that even those who have never read Shakespeare’s plays could connect to it.” The Chairman, Shri AK Pansari, the Vice-Chancellor of Royal Global University, Prof Dr. SP Singh,

The team of the performing artists with the director and principal at RGS

soliloquies. The Theatre club of the school, “Backstage,” put up a 60-minute performance which was a result of work from more than 15 students and their influence on live theatre today. This ‘Taste of Shakespeare’ is a great introduction to a large cross-section of Shakespeare’s work, and one does not have to be a connoisseur/savant to recognize some of his most famous lines and characters. Moreover, a soliloquy is a

tion for granted. But today, the modern playwrights use a whole range of devices to communicate the thoughts of a character to the audience as the soliloquy has become old fashioned. Modern audiences generally expect something more realistic, although they relate to the soliloquies when they attend performances of Elizabethan plays. “We are excited to view Shakespeare through as many lenses as we can: cultural per-

Principal, Ms. Anubha Goyal along with teachers, students and invited guests graced the occasion. n

Weather report for the week Guwahati

SUN

MON

TUE

WED

THU

FRI

T-Storms

Rain

Scattered T-Storms

T-Storms

32°/26° C

29°/25° C

31°/25° C

SATURDAY

Scattered T-Storms

32°/26° C

G PLUS JUN 10 - JUN 16, 2017

Cottonian scores 94 in a paper he didn’t write incident, Arnab said, “The board officials are risking the careers of the students and it is their duty to be more careful on such matters.” In yet another incident, a girl from Silchar who appeared for the Maths paper was marked absent against the subject. After re-checking, the board rectified the mistake and the girl managed to secure 8th position in the region. While it is really upsetting to see such blunders on the part of AHSEC, Arnab’s honesty make one feel elated. n

Green Home Awards up for grabs

green spaces within their homes and to make them interested in saving these green spaces. Deputy Commissioner, Kamrup (M), Dr M Angamuthu announced this “Green Home Award” on Monday last in a meeting at Umananda Temple premises on the eve of World Environment Day. This award has been announced to create

District Administration’s eviction drive kills 1

awareness amongst the residents of Guwahati. Private household, apartment, government schools, offices and NGOs can participate in this competition, he said. ADC Pulak Mahanta, in his speech, said that if 4.5 lakh residents of the city plant at least one sapling in their respective house it would be helpful to save the city’s environment. n

ne roadside vendor had to embrace premature death on Tuesday near Kamakhya Gate due to brutal atrocities and

opinion that if the students were provided with the twenty minutes per hour extra time as per the central government rule for the disabled, the students would have done better in the exam. However, three of them still managed to secure first division, while two bagged second division. The students were from Jorhat Blind School and Moran Blind School.

By Papli Gogoi

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The voluntary organization also further alleged that besides the non allotment of time, the students were also provided with scribes from Standard VIII, who were unaware of many terminologies, signs, symbols and formula that are mostly used in science and mathematics in Class X. In HSLC exam, generally students from Standard IX and X are allotted to disabled candidates.

of KYC, Exercising Credit Discipline, Grievance Redress and Going Digital in line with the prevailing economic environment. The messages have been selected from a common man’s perspective and the ultimate goal of creating awareness on these themes is consistent with the broad objective of improving financial behaviour of people which will ultimately result in meaningful financial inclusion. n

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idea is to focus certain key messages across all available channels with the intention of reaching out to the masses. The concept of Financial Literacy Week was introduced in the year 2016. Starting this year, one particular week (5th-9th June, 2017) has been decided to be observed as Financial Literacy Week and the activities will be common across the country to maximize the impact. This year RBI has selected the themes

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By Papli Gogoi

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Financial Literacy Week organised by RBI hri BK Mishra, Regional Director for the north eastern states, inaugurated the Financial Literacy Week in the Reserve Bank of India, Guwahati on Wednesday. The inaugural session was attended by the controlling heads of all major banks in Guwahati. In order to create awareness on a large scale on key topics every year, RBI has decided to observe one week in a year as Financial Literacy Week and the

violation in the name of eviction drive by the district administration, GMC and Guwahati police. The victim was identified as Anwar Ali who was a footpath vendor and the source of his family’s income. The victim, to save himself from the harsh eviction process, ran across the railway track and met with a gruesome death when a train ran over his body. Anwar was instantly taken to Gauhati Medical College & Hospital by GRP where doctors declared him dead. n

FASHION BLOOM

Visually impaired students denied extra time in HSLC exam city-based NGO, Shishu Sarothi, who works for the empowerment of the disabled in this region, alleged that five visually challenged students were not provided the extra 20 minutes per hour by the invigilators. The NGO held invigilators responsible for the poor performance of the five students who appeared in the HSLC exam in February. They were of the

port office and seized 32 cartons of cigarette manufactured in Myanmar. The consignment was suspected to have been smuggled into the country through the India-Myanmar border either in Manipur or Mizoram. n

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he Kamrup (M) District Administration, in association with Help Earth, has come with the concept of Green Home Awards (www.greenhomeguwahati.com). The main aim of the award is to promote green homes in Guwahati. This is a web-based initiative where people are encouraged to register their home for the award. The format of Green Home Awards is as follows: 1. Registration at www.greenhomeguwahati.com, 2. Fill up Questionnaire, 3. Survey of the property by volunteers, 4. Preliminary screening of the entries by a panel of experts, 5. 5 top houses to be selected from all the entries, 6. These houses shall be open for public voting. Home with highest votes gets the green home award. The initiative has been taken to make people aware on the need of

leuths of the Customs department on Wednesday seized foreign brand cigarettes valued at around Rs 30 lakhs from the Gopalthan Transport at Lokhra in Guwahati. Acting on a tip off, the customs officials raided the trans-

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Cotton College, secured 9th position in the Class 12 board examinations but was shocked to see excess marks of 94 against a Mathematics paper which he didn’t appear for. He took Maths as his fourth subject; it is not compulsory to appear for the fourth subject exam as per the norms of AHSEC. Arnab scored a total of 473 marks out of 500 in the board examination. Arnab, after receiving the results, went to the Council’s office and informed that he was awarded excess marks. Speaking about the

Snippets Cigarettes worth Rs 30 lakhs smuggled from Myanmar seized in Guwahati

ime and again the state education boards of Assam have been in controversy for its goof-ups. The Assam Higher Secondary Education Council (AHSEC) has once again been in the news lately after a student of Class 12 was awarded 94 marks in Mathematics – a paper which he didn’t appear for. With good marks the student, Arnab Kapil, secured 9th position in the state’s board examination 2017, the results of which were declared on 29th May. Arnab, a science student from

8638132959

G PLUS JUN 10 - JUN 16, 2017

Fun Horoscope of the week

Venus sashays into your sector of travel and exploration on Tuesday, so opportunities for romance could appear when you’re traveling. They might also show up if you’re studying in a group or learning a new skill. Professional matters are also important this week, and you could feather your nest by making some vital connections. Indeed, gathering information and getting advice can help further your business or career. You’ll also be eager to connect with friends and enjoy some downtime.

Your love life could take a new and sensual turn as Venus dances into Taurus, a more passionate sector of your chart, on Tuesday. The coming weeks could provide an opportunity to draw closer to that special person and bond more deeply. Also, the travel bug may bite, stirring a desire to explore options for short trips or exotic vacations. Your professional life and responsibilities may also demand attention, so it will be vital to get your work/ life balance right.

If there have been any issues between you and another, the move of Venus into your sector of relating can bring a chance to smooth things over. This delightful influence can also have a persuasive and alluring side, so if you want to impress a special someone, it should be a lot easier now and in coming weeks. Also, the focus on your sector of resources and business could see you eager to cost out new ideas and consider your profit margins.

If some friends have made a lifestyle change that is proving effective, you might want to follow suit. Hanging out with them at the juice bar or exploring healthy ways to eat can help you feel fresh and revitalized, especially if you decide to integrate such habits into your own life. Also, Friday’s Full Moon in your sign can be a great opportunity to throw a memorable get-together. However, a tactful approach in conversations would be wise.

Food and cooking could be something you enjoy doing at home as Venus moves into the nurturing sign of Taurus and your family sector. In fact, this could provide an excuse to bring everyone together and enjoy playing host. Other pleasure options are also in the cards, and you may find cultural activities appealing, especially exhibits, concerts, or anything that speaks to your creativity. Jupiter pushes forward this week, too, and a friendship could mature into something very worthwhile.

Romantic options could increase this week and in the coming weeks as Mars moves deeper into your sector of leisure and pleasure. You may become more proactive about dating or seeking that special person. There could be an element of competition involved, although this could make things a little stressful. Other factors indicate that just being your natural self is all you need to do to attract the right person. Finally, a conversation could set the stage for a fruitful opportunity.

Mars moves farther into your sector of relationships, where it could stir up feelings that may have lain dormant for a while. The coming weeks can provide an opportunity to clear the air. And if you both have different ideas or plans, there is a greater likelihood of compromise. Romance looks possible as lovely Venus dances into your romance zone on Tuesday. This is a chance to enjoy sensual delights with your loved one and make the most of any free time.

curio-city

Ghila pitha is a type of pancake Rice flour of Bora saul, one kind of glutinous rice or any common rice is used in it. A paste made of rice flour and jaggery is prepared first and then fried in cooking oil at a certain quantity. Salt is also used instead of jaggery to make salty Ghila pitha. It is generally prepared and served in Bihu in Assam. Why is it so named?

1. Ghila pitha is a type of pancake so called because of its knee cap sized shape. Knee cap is called Ghila in Assamese. 2. The Brindavan Garden 3. Numaligarh after princess Numali 4. Jayram Das Doulatram conferred the title “Lokopriya” to Gopinath Bordoloi.

Which Industrial town in Assam was named after this local princess?

Gopinath Bordoloi was the first Chief Minister of the Indian state of Assam, and also a leading India independence activist. He was a follower of the Gandhian principle of non violence as a political tool. Due to his unselfish dedication towards Assam and its people, the then Governor of Assam Jayram Das Doulatram did something special for him and we still continue to do so .What? Abhra Das; Ace Quizmaster of Assam This quiz has been brought to you by Brain Jam, a property of Priya Communications

Big Nate by Lincoln Peirce

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1 4 5 7 61-Jun-2017 4 Daily Sudoku: Thu 7 2 9

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6 2 5 9 8 3 Daily Sudoku: Thu 1-Jun-2017 hard 4 9 3 1 8 7 6 2 5 1 5 8 6 4 2 7 http://www.dailysudoku.com Word of the week9 3 7 2 6 3 9 5 1 8 4

Bellyache

Daily Sudoku: Fri 9-Jun-2017

very hard

verb [bel-ee-eyk]

To complain; Grumble. http://www.dailysudoku.c

curio-city

Krishna Raja Sagara, also popularly known as KRS, is the name of both a lake and the dam that creates it. It is located close to the settlement of Krishnarajasagara. The dam is across Kaveri River, in Mandya District near Mysore in Karnataka state, India. As a part of beautification of the dam site, Sir Mirza Ismail conceived a plan of developing what?

This week has a special sparkle with the Sun continuing its journey through your social sector. And Mercury’s move into this same zone could encourage you to seek groups of interest or connect with like-minded others. There is also much to be gained from nurturing contacts in the business world or associated with your professional life, as they could have tips or opportunities to share with you. From Friday, all the hard work you’ve put into a plan could bear fruit.

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Mars is now moving through your sign, so your natural courage could surface. This might be a call to take a proactive approach to a lingering situation. Also, the move of Venus into your social zone is going to spice up your social life and pave the way for some lovely romantic dates. Time for reflection may also be very fruitful, as it can help you to put key aspects of your life in perspective and ring in changes as a result.

Sudoku

As Mercury, your guide planet, enters your sign on Tuesday, you could find your natural curiosity is piqued by new ideas and opportunities. You may also be eager to look further into your finances and find ways to make your money work harder for you. But feelings can also amp up on Friday, as a Full Moon in your sector of relating encourages emotions to come to the surface. Go easy, as you could say or do something you later regret.

Crossword Across

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1 Fabric stiffener (6) 4 Counting-frame (6) 8 Lithe (5) 9 Group of soldiers (7) 10 Provider of refreshments (7) 11 Clergyman’s residence (5) 12 Abstained (9) 17 Trembling poplar (5) 19 Blow up (7) 21 Pariah (7) 22 Representative (5) 23 Vocalist (6) 24 Sea between Greece and Turkey (6)

1 Grab (6) 2 Airman (7) 3 Free from obstructions (5) 5 High-caste Hindu (7) 6 Old five-shilling coin (5) 7 Scorched (6) 9 Not temporary (9) 13 Flourish of trumpets (7) 14 Bishop’s district (7) 15 Christmas songs (6) 16 Vanquished (6) 18 Insert (3,2) 20 Freedom from war (5)

Your personal planet Venus enters your sign on Tuesday, where she feels right at home. This influence can help you feel good about life and be able to enjoy everyday pleasures. There is also a lively influence that could see you eager to make new friends but in a way that highlights your caring, nurturing side. The focus on your home zone could also encourage you to do more entertaining or think about getting your place in shape.

last week solution

New brooms sweep clean with Mars now powering through your home and family zone, encouraging you to clear out the hot spots. This week could also see you ready to pamper yourself and indulge in a few luxuries. You’re unlikely to miss a bargain either. With Mercury hiking into Gemini, you’ll have all the latest info on prices at your fingertips and be ready to grab the best deal. A sense of adventure could encourage you to book a vacation.

Last week’s solution

G PLUS JUN 10 - JUN 16, 2017

Trotter

Munnar picked as best destination for romance

8-year-old girl, mistaken to be a boy, banned from soccer game

mid controversy over the land encroachments in Munnar, the hill station has brought some glory to Kerala Tourism by winning the ‘Best Destination for Romance’ category in the Lonely Planet Magazine India Travel Awards, 2017. Tourism director P Bala Kiran received the prestigious award from Bollywood actress Diana Penty at the sixth edition of Lonely Planet India Travel Awards held in Mumbai. “It is overwhelming to know that Kerala has been gaining popularity as India’s most preferred destination among the Indian travellers. The tourism department will continue to keep up the positive

momentum,” the tourism director said after receiving the award. Such awards, he said, will inspire other travel enthusiasts to visit and experience unexplored destinations in the state. Moreover, as India’s greenest state, Kerala has been witnessing constant progress in foreign as well as domestic tourist arrivals since 2011, he added. Munnar won the award for its cool weather, mist-covered mountains, tea gardens, green valleys and waterfalls. The recent years have witnessed the state, with luxurious hotels, resorts and exotic beaches, emerging as a preferred wedding as well as a honeymoon destination. With these recognitions, the

state will now become a trendsetter for foreigners’ and NRIs’ weddings, tourism officials said. International as well as domestic vacationers adore the wide range of state’s tourist spots from idyllic beaches to backwater resorts, spa and Ayurveda centres, hill stations, wildlife and houseboats, they pointed out. “As a matter of fact, both foreign and domestic tourist arrivals in Kerala have increased by 6.23% and 5.67% respectively in 2016. There has been very good growth in tourism infrastructure development as well and the state is now all poised to come up with the new tourism policy,” Bala Kiran said. (Source: TOI)

Climber completes the most dangerous rope-free ascent ever

enowned rock climber, Alex Honnold, on Saturday became the first person to scale the iconic nearly 3,000-foot granite wall known as El Capitan without using ropes or other safety gear, completing what may be the greatest feat of pure rock climbing in the history of the sport. He ascended the peak in 3 hours, 56 minutes, taking the final moderate pitch at a near run.

At 9:28 am PDT, under a blue sky and few wisps of cloud, he pulled his body over the rocky tip of the summit and stood on a sandy ledge the size of a child’s bedroom. Honnold began his historic rope-less climb - a style known as “free soloing” - in the pink light of dawn at 5:32 am. He had spent the night in the customized van that serves as his mobile base camp, risen in the

dark, dressed in his favourite red t-shirt and cut-off nylon pants, and eaten his standard breakfast of oats, flax, chia seeds, and blueberries, before driving to El Capitan Meadow. For more than a year, Honnold has been training for the climb at locations in the United States, China, Europe, and Morocco. A small circle of friends and fellow climbers who knew about the project had been sworn to secrecy. But those pioneering climbs pale in comparison to El Capitan. It’s hard to overstate the physical and mental difficulties of a free solo ascent of the peak, which is considered by many to be the epicenter of the rock climbing world. It is a vertical expanse stretching more than a half mile up - higher than the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai. From the meadow at the foot of El Capitan, climbers on the peak’s upper reaches are practically invisible to the naked eye. (Source: National Geographic)

ili has been playing soccer since she was five and is so talented that she now plays on the 11-year-olds’ team, her 15-year-old brother, Cruz Hernandez, told BuzzFeed News. After winning two out of three games on Saturday, Mili was looking forward to competing in the finals the next day. Instead, Mili’s family was told she was banned from the game and her whole team would be disqualified - because the organizers thought she was a boy. “She tried to keep her composure, but you could see it in her face that she felt really bad about the whole thing,” said Cruz. Her father, Gerardo Hernandez, told WOWT 6 News, “They made her cry.” The soccer club did not immediately respond to BuzzFeed News, but told WOWT 6 News on Monday that Mili’s disqualification was due to a registrar’s typo that listed her as a male. “Listing a male player on a girls’ team roster is a violation of state and tournament rules,” said the soccer club. However, Mili’s family is sceptical, considering another official form, which came from a tournament organizer, said she was a girl unsurprising, considering she plays

on an all-girls’ team. Gerardo even showed them Mili’s insurance card, which lists her sex. It didn’t help. “We tried to convince the organizers that she was a girl and what they were doing was wrong, but they didn’t listen,” said Cruz. “They didn’t even want to meet Mili.” “They just said that the president who runs the whole tournament said she was a boy and that was final. There was nothing else that could be done about it,” he said. (Source: BuzzFeed News)

G PLUS JUN 10 - JUN 16, 2017

G Talk E

“B

No beef please!

elieve me I am not being communal when I tell you not to eat beef,” said a close friend of mine who happened to be a Muslim. Given his muscularly-challenged, wiry physique I knew he was not joking. But given his devout “Muslimness” I thought he was. Given the huge brouhaha over beef consumption in the country, Himantada’s (who also happens to be the convenor of the BJP-led North East Democratic Alliance) clarification comes as a sweet breath of relief. Beef ban is not going to be imposed in the northeast and so the beef-eaters among us can relax. After all, we value our traditions and customs and our rich culinary heritage is important to us. But hark back to my friend Rahman’s utterly non-communal advice and I initially wondered what “beefed” him up to offer that sweeping piece of advice. Well, he gave me plenty of good reasons that had nothing remotely communal about them. Red meat is after all among the best inciters of cardio-vascular diseases. Too much protein there for one’s comfort. As for proteins, excessive accumulation of the same in the brain may disrupt nerve cells or kill them – a fine situation for Alzheimer’s disease. Rahman was seemingly on a health lecture trip. He showed me written evidence which stated that a certain study in the USA conclusively indicated that consumption of

large amounts of red meat in the age group of 50-74 substantially increased the chances of being afflicted with colon cancer. Among his other arguments against beef consumption was increased risk of Type 2 diabetes which comes with eating too much beef. Also, the meat nowadays might just not be all that natural any more with strong possibilities of cows being injected with hormones and other injectibles that enhance meat mass. And then, Rahman’s final argument seemed to make a lot of sense when he added that in this blazing heat of Guwahati, beef might just not be the most delectably comfortable item to digest. Chicken was any day a better option. I had to agree. I am not a great beef eater myself but given his line of reasoning from a pure health perspective, I was convinced that beef is just not great as a food item around here. But then each to his own, I guess and the government is not likely to interfere at all. A medium-rare sirloin steak, after all, is one of the most popular dishes in the world and then, each meat-eater comes with one’s own unique body chemistry and digestive capacity. So Rahman’s arguments cannot be construed as the gospel for the entire humanity. As for me personally, I have always considered the cow as a nice “guy” - too kind an animal to be slaughtered and eaten. Swapnil Bharali Editor

GUWAHATI ADDA Be Serious! So here’s what’s getting everyone creative with their words – a BJP legislator’s call for ban on Momos has pissed everyone off and this is how Guwahati is dealing with the crisis Simanta: The government has lost it. Health ke naam pe they’re banning everything. Zardananda: It’s the MSG and Ajinomoto content in the food that is being questioned, which is also considered hazardous. Simanta: Dude, even Maggi has MSG in it which is why it is considered unsafe for kids. But, heisob baad de, jarda, tulsi, Shikhar ban nokori Momo’or pisot kele porise if health is so important to Arora sahab? Zardananda: ... Simanta: Look, setting hygiene standard is something else and using the word ban is another. If it all you need to ban something, please be done with veg momos. It’s the biggest lie in the democracy after Manmohan Singh’s tenure as the PM. Zardananda: Or the promise of “acche din aayenge!” But, leave all that. You should actually be happy that ban ke naam pe Northeast ke taraf focus toh aaya. We haven’t been reduced to ‘dog meat eating people up near China.’ Simanta: Nepal’s biggest contribution to us don’t you think? Travelling to North India and taking momos with them? SIDHARTH BEDI VARMA

Among the dirtiest in South Asia?

nbelievable but true! Guwahati, the gateway to the Northeast, is undoubtedly one of the dirtiest cities in South Asia. I have travelled extensively in Bhutan, Nepal and parts of Bangladesh but nowhere have I come across a filthier city than ours. I had imagined that the cities of Bangladesh would be no better than Guwahati given our experience with the illegal migrants and their habits. But I was awfully mistaken. Except for Akhaura on the border with Tripura where specks of dirt and litter can be found lying here and there, there was hardly any other place in this neighbouring country of ours that can be termed grubby. Nowhere did I find heaps of garbage as we find them in Guwahati which incidentally happens to be not only one of the most ancient cities in the subcontinent but also among the most scenic. And have we not been seeing the muck-filled oblong containers for over a decade now everywhere in the city? Shouldn’t something have changed for the better by now especially if Guwahati is to be converted into a smart city? It is true that disposal of garbage has become a more regular affair since the past couple of years. But then we also occasionally hear of the trash being dumped perilously close to Deepor Beel – a Ramsar site wetland whose ecological

r Humble request

significance to the city does not require any elaboration. Long ago we had heard that the previous Congress regime had firmed up an agreement with a firm for a recycling plant at Bora Gaon. Quite predictably, there were also media reports that the contract was a sham. On 4th June last, Facebook carried some posts showing chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal sweeping the road at Usha Nagar in Agartala. He has learnt the art of political marketing quite well from Prime Minister Narendra Modi but it is time he spared a few minutes to these aspects in Guwahati (and other cities in the state). The fault lines run very deep - we lack character and we are ourselves to blame. The government and our leaders are simply our reflections. We have a dirty mindset which we don’t accept and which is reflected everywhere. We are simply not bothered and given a chance we would even encroach upon the public roads and other public property. Only I and my family need to survive; our children need to settle in the metropolises. Let the world go to hell. We would also throw polythene and paper at all vacant spots near our houses and the beautiful streams rippling through the city. Why bother to travel some distance and deposit the garbage at the designated places? After all, nobody will penalise us for such actions. I am still groping for answers as to why and how we have degenerated to such low levels. This would undoubtedly be a terrific case study for psychologists and sociologists. I have myself been observing and seeking to gauge the mindsets of the city’s inhabitants. All outsiders who visit Assam are awestruck by the cleanliness of the villages. The same holds true for the Khasi-Jaintia Hills in Meghalaya where the inhab-

Opinion

Rajeev Bhattacharyya itants have an exceptional sense of hygiene. This is exactly the opposite of what I noticed in some regions of north India. In Haryana, the villages are dirty but the cities cleaner whether it is Ambala, Bhiwani or Rohtak. So what is it that makes the rural folk in Assam’s villages think differently than us urban folks? Garbage is also generated in the villages but I don’t ever remember seeing heaps of dirt anywhere in these areas - whether in lower or upper Assam or in the hill districts. I have wanted to solve this riddle for a long time and have often posed queries to scribes, administrators and academics for an answer. Perhaps it requires research and deeper understanding of the mindset of Guwahati’s citizens which may also provide answers to many questions. The fact remains that filth and dirt lead to diseases. Bad ones! The frightful bubonic and pneumonic plague that broke out in Surat, Gujarat in 1994 is still fresh in the mind and it happened purely because Surat was, at that point in time, an extremely dirty city – an abode of rats that thrive in filthy conditions. There were 52 deaths and almost a quarter of the population fled the city for fear of being quarantined. Surat cleaned itself up after that but the cost was heavy. Today, Guwahati seems headed in that direction and an epidemic breaking out would not be surprising, especially given our floods. And in such a situation, what would be really unfortunate is that we saw it coming, knew it would happen and we just blatantly ignored the warnings. We refused to clean ourselves and our living space despite all our education and so we deserved what we got. I am just hoping such a situation does not come to pass. Yes, there is still time and cleaning up requires minimal effort if you think about it. n

Letter to the Editor

fter going through the debates in two of the leading news channels of the nation namely Times Now and Republic TV regarding the Kashmir issue, I, being the son of the soil, do humbly request the so called secularists, intellectuals and politicians in particular to migrate to Pakistan so that they can live in peace and let others in India to live peacefully. In fact our country is overburdened with these quislings like Mani Shankar Aiyyer, Sitaram Yecchury, Farooq Abdullah, Arvind Kejriwal, etc to name a few. These people are enemy within the nation and are trying to drive home full mileage from the word “Secularism” for their own political interests. Dr. Ashim Chowdhury, Ambari , Guwahati.

G PLUS JUN 10 - JUN 16, 2017

In Focus

Anindita Paul Singer

familiar name in the Assamese music scene, Anindita Paul is all set to make her presence felt in the Bollywood music industry. From her playback singing in Assamese for Prembhora Sokolu in 2001, Anindita Paul rose to fame with songs like “Bilot Tirebirai Podumor Pahi Oye” and “Kor Ejak Hopun Jen” among several other classic Assamese songs which have been well received, nay acclaimed, by discerning listeners helping her carve an identity for herself in the Assamese music industry. The singer is now part of a project called “My Country My Music” - a dream project of Shankar Mahadevan that will include a world tour later this year featuring a fabulous number of shows. The singer has already been part of concerts and shows that were held in Pune and several other cities in India. Along with Anindita, the contingent comprises artistes like Maame Khan (Rajasthan), Manikka Vinayagam (Tamil Nadu) and noted flautist cum vocalist, Rasika Chandrashekhar. The singer mentioned that the project is a conglomeration of the folk songs of India along

with several other forms where the artistes have been exploring Rajasthani Folk, Kashmiri Folk, Bihu, Punjabi Folk, Thumri, Kajari, Bhajan and other genres. The evolution of this talented singer has certainly been a result of her passion and persistence for music. The singer’s journey had begun at a very young age when classical music had grabbed her fancy. Young Anindita used to hum to the tunes of her mother Shyamali Paul’s singing. It was at the age of four when Anindita heard a singer crooning the famous Indian classical number “Laaga Chunri Mein Daag” during a jalsa organized by a family friend. It left Anindita enthralled and she asked for an encore. The singer remarked on her discerning sense of music and advised Anindita’s mother to facilitate a proper education in music for her. Anindita’s musical pursuit began at the age of 10 when she, as a girl from Guwahati, started training in classical music. In tandem to her training she participated in several competitions and often claimed the top spot. Her passion for singing got a major boost after

she had to move to Nagaon due to the official transfer of her father Amal Kanti Paul. At Nagaon, she got the opportunity to record a few songs of Kamalananda Bhattacharyya which she had the

Jaipurwale who had taught her the technicalities and also gave her the knowledge of music. Anindita went on to be a part of several other projects some of which included her association

opportunity to learn from his son, Vivekananda Bhattacharyya. Ever since, Anindita never looked back and honoured every opportunity she got to learn from people such as Shri Dwipen Roy, Pandit Ajoy Chakrabarty under whom she had trained in Shrutinandan from 1999 to 2003 and Shri Bhavdeep

with NK Production and Zubeen Garg among several others. Soon after attaining her post graduation in English Literature from Cotton College Anindita moved to Mumbai to pursue her dream of making a name for herself in the film industry. “Shifting my base from Gu-

wahati to Mumbai made me realise that Bollywood is altogether a totally different ball game but I am fortunate enough that my parents were so supportive. When I first landed, I was taken aback by some of the harsh realities of life. But Mumbai has never failed to fascinate me,” Anindita mentioned during a conversation with G Plus. Moving her base to Mumbai not only gave her the opportunity to explore her avenues but she also crossed paths with her eventual spouse Dibyajyoti Nath who shares the same passion for music as Anindita. A well-known musician, Dibyajyoti has been a bassist with Shankar Mahadevan for the past seven years and is also part of the band “Farhan Live” besides lending his talent and skills to several major projects. “While being my partner he is also my greatest critic and that is what pushes me to do better,” the singer shared. Along with her album “Tumar Prashangshat” in 2010, the singer had also penned a song called “Naina” in 2016 that has caught the attention of many. She is also working on a project with Anuradha Sarma Pujari and a Bihu song parallel to it. Apart from music, the singer enjoys reading. Her favourite is Khaled Hosseini. She is also a part of the Shankar Mahadevan Academy as a faculty.

Regular breakthroughs in the APSC ‘cash-for-jobs’ scam with opposition and other organizations seeking for a CBI probe, Netizens have various views on the ongoing APSC scam probe conducted by the Assam Police Toufique Ali It is nothing but a war between two political parties. This is what we get. There is no intention of wiping off the wrong practice once and for all. Now BJP want their man in the chair, want their people to have fun and will catch those dealing during INC time. The same will happen when INC comes to power. They will then unearth some bribery and illegal placements in office, suspend the officer or may be jail the one who is right now in the post. Being common people we just get to watch all this. The truth is never established, justice is never served. Please if you have a real intention pass some circular or may be some law to make APSC and any other recruitment procedure fully transparent, accountable and true. Tafiq-ul Malik Kudos to the effort made by present government and officials. Hopefully the numbers will increase and all the guilty will be terminated from their jobs with immediate effect and given minimum 15 years imprisonment with a fine. Debojit Paul Great effort by the government. There is no such state where PSC is corruption-free. If the present government can make APSC corruption-free, then it will be a big achievement for the government as well as for the people of Assam. I am very thankful to the Assam government for trying to wipe out corruption.

Deepak Choudhury What about the list of those recruited 2-3 decades back ruining the administration and flaunting their power and position? They had morally destroyed the society. Phwjwngsar Goyary All these are related to combined competitive exams (APSC) only. What about the thousands of other recruitments/appointments in various departments by APSC beyond CCA during “Paul Regime” or since the “Big Days” of Tara Prasad Das? Jitu Dutta Kudos to the government for this step. I hope the media remains alert so that the other big fishes that are still free cannot twist and turn government procedures for their own benefit at the expense of the lakhs of unemployed Assamese people (translated from the comment written is Assamese). Jhulan Deka Ha ha ha! Saw on TV the other day that some APSC selected candidates were made to clean toilets and bathrooms in the name of pre-training by Bhanu Sir! That’s laughable. He surely must have known something (translated from the comment written is Assamese).

G PLUS JUN 10 - JUN 16, 2017

Reviews Cast: Sushant Singh Rajput, Kriti Sanon, Jim Sarbh Director: Dinesh Vijan

o we’re told that Shiv (Singh Rajput) is a ladykiller. But the next girl he lays eyes on, Saira (Sanon), will kill his long streak. She talks to herself in the mirror and tells us, by its way, that she’s been experiencing weird tribal nightmares. As they get infatuated and verbalize to each other that it’s all happening too soon, Saira starts feeling the same connection with Zack (Sarbh) - another blast-from-way-past. We’re then told that in a previous lifetime, Zack and Saira were in love, until a savage warrior seduced her away. Writers Siddharth-Garima and debut director Dinesh Vijan’s conviction isn’t questionable, but it doesn’t quite translate to the screen. Even though the movie is technically sound and looks great, it is missing the raw passion required to sell a love story. Especially one that’s been brewing for 800 years! There are too many obvious influences: the saccharine first half is full of walk-and-talks in a beautifully shot European city (Before Sunset); the

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tribal past is right out of Game Of Thrones — Dothrakis are replaced by Murakis and astronomy is given similar importance; a scene towards the end is a forced throwback to Titanic. As much as you can force influences into a love story, you can’t force love itself. Neither with good-looking actors flirting with chocolates and flowers. Nor with an ambitious flashback that adds years as opposed to maturity to the plot. But Raabta relies on this kind of forced love rather than the force of love. Sushant Singh Rajput is a fine actor but lacks the casual charm required to make the self-important Shiv lovable. Jim Sarbh’s dialogue delivery is painfully awkward; he doesn’t have the gravitas required for spouting those evil-genius kind of lines in Hindi. Kriti Sanon surprises. She looks good and seems to have honed her acting skills. If sparks flew more organically, it would have been easier to make a connection with this epic tale of love.

Cast: Tom Cruise, Sofia Boutella, Annabelle Wallis, Jake Johnson, Courtney B. Vance, Russell Crowe Director: Alex Kurtzman

om Cruise manages to stay fit at the age of 54 because he spends a lot of time running in his action movies. He also endures copious amounts of physical abuse, ranging from getting beaten up to thrown around; all for our viewing pleasure, while he gets a hefty paycheck in return. It’s a fair trade for the most part - these are popcorn blockbusters that are mindless fun, and everyone is reasonably entertained. So it’s hardly a shocker that Cruise ends up going through his tried and tested ‘Mission Impossible’ motions in ‘The Mummy’. Unfortunately, the entertainment value in this franchise-building reboot is thinly spread, leaving you feeling deprived if not cheated. This is a shoddy stab at merging action, mythology, horror and comedy resulting in conflicting tonality. Even the occasionally surprising, massive set pieces with elements flying at you in 3D, are interspersed between two-dimensional characters who exist merely to cater to movie tropes.

Cruise’s protagonist is his version of a lovable rogue, in the same vein as Indiana Jones, making some seriously questionable decisions throughout the movie. Annabelle Wallis wanders around as the damsel-in-distress in need of constant rescuing. Russell Crowe hams it up as a Nick Fury-ish leader with ambiguous motives spewing campy exposition. There’s even the sidekick (Jack Johnson) whose weary sense of humour brings out eye-rolls, amongst even more exposition. If there’s one character your eyes will be glued to, it’s Sophia Boutella. Adequately mesmerising as Ahmanet a.k.a. the mummy, she transitions from a creepy, violent monster to a seductive goddess with ease, but her impact is reduced by the screen time devoted to convincing us of Cruise and Wallis’ love angle, even though that’s devoid of any chemistry. There’s enough gruesome eye candy, and inyour-face action to enjoy in ‘The Mummy’ if you ignore the plot holes and frustrating characters.

Anuradha Cineplex Noonmati 03612656968 The Mummy 03:15 PM 10:15 AM

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Album Capacity By Big Thief

apacity is both a logical successor to Masterpiece as well as a great leap forward for Big Thief. The chemistry that Lenker and her band have established on album number two is extraordinarily strong, but no matter how good they get, her songwriting seems as though it will forever be raw to the core. From Capacity emanates a maturity and refinement that sounds of a group of musicians truly hitting their stride. It’s a resounding reinforcement of Big Thief’s special connection and distinctive spirit through songs that sink in, disrupt, and last. There’s plenty more heavy material to uncover (including a song called “Coma”), though it’s all

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wrapped in a captivating musicality that combines the power of folk storytelling, poetry, and rock angst. In the case of Capacity, it’s a quiet power. Lenker doesn’t always do pretty things--she can most certainly craft a beautiful song, but she’s canny enough to know that the ways in which we subtly alter our lives to be more aesthetically appealing often obscure a far more interesting truth. The catchy songs are catchier; the melodies are tighter; the peaks and troughs dip higher and lower. ... If crossover hits were still a thing in the indie game, ‘Watering’ would be the low-key bridge to a more post-punksavvy crowd. But other moments just fail to pop, like the title track that’s blown out and unfocused.

Game What Remains Of Edith Finch Platform PS3, PS4, and PS Vita

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here is so much I want to say about What Remains of Edith Finch. So many thoughts I have about every single character, every single lovingly crafted room in the dusty, abandoned halls of the Finch house. Every single feeling it evoked in me that I didn’t expect to feel, and every thought I have about being made to feel these things so strongly after such a long time. What Remains of Edith Finch reminded me why I love video games. For the past few months, I’ve been in a bit of a slump and haven’t enjoyed too many games. What Remains of Edith Finch changed that. I love video games because they have

the ability to tell stories no other medium can tell, at least not in the way What Remains of Edith Finch does. I could see this game as a book but I truly don’t believe it would carry the same emotional resonance that it would in that form. The stories are told in such unique ways, and even though this particular title falls into the genre of a “walking simulator”, it manages to be one of the best video games I’ve played in a very long time. What Remains of Edith Finch may not be a very challenging game, but the story it tells is one which will undoubtedly resonate with players in ways they may not expect.

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G PLUS JUN 10 - JUN 16, 2017

Lifestyle

VAASTU SHASTRA

EFFECT OF VAASTU ON HEALTH 1. If the northeast is kept heavy with a big construction or toilet, the natural energy for all round development is blocked. Some mental problems, insomnia, tension and general illness may affect the inmates. The head region of the Vaastu purush falls on the northeast. 2. We know that the southeast is the direction of fire. If the bedroom is placed here, high blood pressure, mental tensions, and restlessness will be there. If a water body is kept in the southeast, it will affect children’s health and cause kidney problems. A defective southeast is also bad for the heart. 3. Sleeping in the north-western room will cause insomnia and flatulence. A water body in the northwest causes mental tensions, anxiety and premature ageing. 4. If the west is kept lighter and va-

cant, the physical body is weakened and chronic diseases set in. 5. If there is a construction or water body in the centre or the brahmasthan, then there will be stomach problems and tensions besides insomnia. 6. A water body in the west affects virility and causes unsteadiness. It affects the health of the male members. 7. A water body in the south causes health problems for the ladies and mental tensions. 8. An extension or a water body in the southwest will affect the owner and his/her eldest son’s health.

Hemanta Kumar Sarmah Engineer, Businessman, Advanced Pranic Healer and Su Jok Acupressure specialist.

Whatsapp will soon allow you to ‘recall’ messages

Question: Why does illness come and how does it pass away? Where is the beginning of illness? In the mind? S.S.R.S.: Illness is violation of natural law or imposed by nature or it is a release of past impressions or karma. There are three causes for illness. One is due to the karma of the previous lives. Karma means impressions in the consciousness. They get released through some illness. Another is you violating the laws of nature. Like you know what you should not eat and you eat that. And you know you should not overwork your system you have overworked. Our senses have got limited capacity to experience its objects. When we over do it, then we get sick. When there is an imbalance between the food intake, exercise, rest. Proper exercise, proper rest and food intake, perfect balance of this will keep the health. Suppose you eat and you don’t do the exercise for a month then tummy becomes bigger and you put on weight, and then a little problem here and there starts. Okay, you exercise lot and if you don’t rest then also system is shaken. If you only rest and don’t do the exercise the also the system is shaken. If you do exercise and you rest but don’t eat proper and right type of food then also system is shaken. So the system is shaken by these three things, and then the fourth one is inflicted by the nature. Like a flu comes and sweeps the whole area. You are living according to the laws of Nature, but suddenly there is cold in the air and everyone catches cold. Like in Ethiopia where everybody is suffering from some yellow fever or malaria or something like that. This is inflicted by Nature. Three causes for illnesses happen. And then, the Nature itself provides the cure for it. What is it? Revert back to the Nature. If you have cancer, it’s because you have eaten things which are not supposed to be eaten. Something wrong with the food.

“WhatsApp has added in beta the possibility to edit messages that you already sent. It is actually disabled by default and it’s under development,” an earlier WABetaInfo’s tweet read. The users will be able to edit only recent messages and not the old ones. With 1.2 billion monthly active users, WhatsApp is available in more than 50 different languages around the world and in 10 Indian languages. WhatsApp currently has 200 million monthly active users in India. The Facebook-owned platform is also believed to be considering bringing back the old contacts list that vanished with the arrival of ‘Status’ but only for iPhone users. (Source: Business Insider)

Founder- Art of Living Foundation.

Cutting Edge Art: Painting with a palette knife

ext time you send a message intended for your girlfriend mistakenly to someone else on WhatsApp, just chill. You may have soon a five-minute window to revoke such misdirected messages. According to WABetaInfo, a fan site that tests new WhatsApp features early, the mobile messaging platform has moved closer towards introducing a ‘Recall’ feature. With this feature, the users will be able to recall or unsend texts, images, videos, GIFs, documents, quoted messages and even status replies within a five-minute window. This was reported by The Independent on Tuesday. The messaging app will enable ‘Recall’ in version “2.17.30+” of the app. The current version of WhatsApp is 2.17.190.

And some conflicts in the consciousness, in the mind. So what do you do? Meditate well, let go the conflicts, do pranayams, have proper food. When it is timely detected all these things come to help. And many people get better after. And notice one more thing that health and illness are part of the physical nature. So you should not worry too much about it. When you worry about illness, you are giving more power to the illness. So our attention should be on the health. Because you are a combination of health and illness. A little bit illness is there and there is health. So when you keep that in mind and have a positive state of mind, then illnesses, you know, they change. Because everything in the body is changing. Your body is changing and changing and changing. Every cell in your body changes in one year. Every DNA in the body changes in one year. So when change is happening there, we do not consciously encourage “Oh, I am sick, I am ill, I am ill”. Rather have an attitude: okay, some illness has come up, it will be over. So, move ahead. And of course there are herbs and things like that. Taking all those things, proper food will all help. Just believing that consciousness has more power to heal and to cure. And it does. It does happen. Not just superficially thinking about it, but from a depth feeling it, believing it, knowing it. Consciousness has made this body can it not heal it? Will heal. That deep faith should come in one selves. That definitely makes a big differshri shri ravi shankar ence.

have been painting with a palette knife for quite a few years now. Most artists use brushes to paint and I did too until I moved to the knife. As promised in my last column, today I shall write about painting with a palette knife. What is a palette knife? What is it used for? Why paint with it? A palette knife is a spatula made of steel, which is usually used to mix colours on the palette or spread colours on the canvas at times. Usually artists who use thick paints to paint use palette knives on parts of their painting and a few artists use the knife for the entire painting. Firstly, let me highlight the fact that you can use a knife to paint only if you paint with acrylic or oils as the approach is to use thick paints here. I would say, if you’re a lazy painter, you are fit to use palette knives! A regular layer to layer style takes a lot of time. But if you use knives to paint, all you have to do is: 1. Make an initial drawing with a brush. Mix colours on the palette with a palette knife. There is a variety of knives available. I use one or two knives for all my work. Broad ended brushes are easy to spread colour on bigger portions on the canvas while painting areas like – sky, fields or water. 2. Use colour in ample quantity. The very idea of using a knife to pile on paint is to give a blatant and flamboyant look to your art. The piling of colours will give Kasturi Borkotoki Kasturi is a palette knife artist and your work paints impressionist floral designs a three-diin oils. She hails from Guwahati. Blog: kasturiscanvas.blogspot.com mensional

look. The trick in producing a good knife work is in mixing the range of colours very well on the palette. 3. There is no need of a medium. Pile colours, mix on the canvas and wipe and use another colour. A little turpentine to dilute or wash the knife is enough. 4. A few rags or tissue paper are essential to wipe the knives. Steel knives are sturdy and do not bend with pressure. 5. One should be careful while highlighting one colour above another. In that case you need to put thicker paint for the highlighted item. For example, if you want to highlight lemon yellow streaks in the sky, which is of a pale blue colour, use thicker dollops of the yellow. Those of who are reading this and have never painted before, do not dismiss this as a highly technical writeup. I can assure that you too can try a painting using palette knives. A few tubes of acrylic paints, a small palette knife and a canvas are all you need. You can choose a simple object like a vase or an apple and try to paint it with a knife. Try it!

G PLUS JUN 10 - JUN 16, 2017

Entertainment

The man making the right noise!

An Interview with David Koch – Music promoter and Band manager - by Sidharth Bedi Varma

avid Koch is well known and familiar name in the music scenario of the entire region. To his credit, he has managed several bands and is an organizer of concerts in Guwahati. He talked to G Plus about the scene and what goes behind arranging concerts.

A little about the man himself I was born and brought up in Dibrugarh. That’s where I started to organise rock gigs; I was in the 9th standard then. After that, I left for Delhi in 1999 to pursue a career in the Indian Army. But things did not materialise in Delhi. So, I got back to Guwahati and started Rockarolla Cafe/Events. Under this banner, I organized FIREBALL in 2008. That was the beginning of my career as a music promoter. I was passionate about joining the Indian Army, but now I am totally into adventure sports and of course, rock and roll.

“Why do you (people) think you can watch a concert for free? If you were a singer or actor, would you perform for nothing?” David Koch

Tell us something about your big projects? Till now, Rockarolla has brought many international acts to Guwahati. To name a few, there were Eric Martin (Mr Big), Guthrie Govan, Jeff Lomis (Arch Enemy), Suidakra (Germany), Gilby Clark (GnR), Nervo Choas (Brazil), Dawn Demise (Denmark) and Cypher 16 (London). Apart from these, I also had the honour of hosting the India audition of Wacken Open Air, which is the biggest Metal fest in the world, held in Germany. There are some other plans in the bag too. We are getting Benighted from France, accompanied by the Rockarolla Music Awards, and also Fireball 2017.

What exactly goes behind getting big bands to perform in small cities? It takes a lot of planning and patience in getting big acts to come to smaller cities. Along with the financial support of sponsors

gotten any easier.

Are audiences willing to pay good money in cities like Guwahati (or neighbouring cities) for a concert?

and investors, its takes a lot of hard work too. Of course, without audience support, things cannot fall into place. So audience support is an added necessity.

Tell us something about the finances involved and sponsors? When it comes to rock music in India, it is a tough job to find sponsors and investors. I have been dealing with this hardship for the last ten years and it’s not

That would be a big no. Though people are interested in rock gigs, they are reluctant to buy the tickets. Great live music costs money: travel, accommodation, sound and lighting systems, transport, hiring the venue, marketing, phone calls and so on. Experiencing a concert is itself worth paying for. There is a huge demand for the music concerts but there is a large section of people who don’t want to buy tickets. In the past five years, I have been constantly dealing with requests from people to give them free entry. People would go to the venue and demand free tickets claiming to be the guest of someone; they even hate to pay a meagre entry fee of Rs. 200. Why do you think you can get in for free? If you were a singer or actor, would you perform for nothing? A lot of hard work goes into organizing a show. People

Papon releases his new album “Notun Puhor”

fter a gap of seven long years Angarag Papon Mahanta has released his new Assamese album. The album which has been named as “Notun Puhor” was released online for the listeners today. Prior to it, this leading Assamese singer had two popular albums – “Jonakai Rati” and “Sinaki Osinaki” to his credit. After the release of his second music album back in 2009, the music lovers have got his third album after seven years. Speaking on “Notun Puhor” Papon said, “All the songs have

been presented in a new way. The musical taste of many countries can be found in these songs. I hope

the listeners will love and enjoy the songs as all the aspects have been covered while composing them.” It can be mentioned that the music and composition of all the songs have been done by Papon. Along with him, the lyrics of the songs have been written by eminent lyricists Rajdweep and Manmoth Baishya. The album has been released only online and the songs can be downloaded from leading websites like Saavn, iTunes, Gaana. com, Wynk Music, Hungama.com and others. n

need to understand that the tickets are contributing to promote the music scene, without which it would be impossible. You can’t have music for free; if bands would perform for nothing, then you wouldn’t need a promoter. If you want bands to play, you have to pay! I am trying to raise a point that I will do everything that is in my power to let music happen, but people need to support the practice of buying tickets.

You have mostly tried getting International artists; is getting them more lucrative than Bollywood artists? Not at all; my main motive is to promote the Indian rock scene. I actually want to see an Indian band making it really big in the International circuit.

What are the major challenges in arranging for shows? One of the major challenges that I mostly face is getting appropriate investors and sponsors.

Tell us the good side of this endeavour? What’s in it for you? I am living my passion. I have been fighting for the last 10 years to change the Indian rock scene. It will give me immense satisfaction and happiness if I can take the rock music scene to a next level, where the deserving Indian bands can get a chance to perform and be seen at large festivals across the globe. n

Priyanka Chopra’s Sikkimese film in post-production phase

aakhi A. Tyrewala, director of Priyanka Chopra’s Sikkimese production “Pahuna”, says the shoot of the project is complete and the movie is in post-production stage. “We have already completed shooting of the film. We are now in post-production stage,” Paakhi said at a special screening of her short film “Kajal” on Tuesday. The screening was attended by Vishal Bhardwaj, Rekha Bhardwaj and star cast of the film. Asked about directing Priyanka herself, Paakhi said: “I wish I get a chance to direct her.” Paakhi, who has worked with John Abraham in “Jhoota Hi Sahi,” directed by her husband Abbas Tyrewala, also spoke

about “Kajal” which is all about a woman in a man’s world. “It’s a story about ordinary woman who just wants to be herself in her life and she wants her own identity in society,” Paakhi said. “We don’t want to restrict our film to film festivals. We want to take this film in schools and colleges because it’s a conversational point.” Paakhi said, “Today’s girls are really career oriented and they think that if they are successful in their career, then all is good. But that is not the case. Through this film, we want to appeal to females to do what they want to do in their lives and listen to their hearts.” “Kajal” was premiered at 17th Annual New York Indian Film Festival (NYIFF), 2017. n

G PLUS JUN 10 - JUN 16, 2017

Events Passionate and fierce, Executive Chef of Hotel Palacio Snehashis Sinha is bringing yet another festival for the foodies of Guwahati - the South Indian Food Festival!

South Indian Food Festival At Hotel Palacio Date: 10th June to 30th June

Neha Kakkar performing at the MTV Bollyland music festival in Guwahati

MTV Bollyland Live enthralls Guwahati!

Arjun Kanungo taking selfie with fans at Guwahati

The crowd at MTV Bollyland in Guwahati

`India’s Biggest Bollywood Dance Music Festival, MTV Bollyland, amped up the party fever in Guwahati`. The multi-faceted Neha Kakkar, as well as nation’s pop heartthrob Arjun Kanungo belted out their hit compositions like Kala Chashma, Ladki Beautiful Kargay Chull, Badrinath ki Dulhaniya , Tu cheez badi hai mast mast, while Arjun Kanungo sang his famous tracks like Baaki Baatein Peene Baad. Sukh E who got famous for his track, Jaguar also gave a rocking performance. The electronic mixes that were played by the DJ’s made the spectators swoon to the beats. The excited crowd witnessed the energy filled EDM music beats of DJ Akbar Sami and DJ Anshul and danced, sang and jammed to every song.

DJ Anshul

Pumping the evening with endless electronic fervor DJ Akbar Sami

G PLUS JUN 10 - JUN 16, 2017

Catching Up Most shared story of the week

New

Chick About Me

nshu Jansempa from Arunachal Pradesh unfurled the Indian tricolour for a record fourth time on Mount Everest. This is the first time an Indian mountaineer has scaled the peak for the fourth

time

facebook.com/guwahatiplus twitter.com/guwahatiplus

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GYAN

Did you know?

Pandunath Temple

on the block

Greetings to the readers of G Plus. I’m Pinki Patowary, a resident of Guwahati. I am currently pursuing my graduation in Economics (Honors) from Pandu College. I’m a professional model, and have worked for various portfolio shoots in the city. Acting and dancing are my passion, and I wish to pursue it in the coming future. Mojo I believe in hard work and right attitude in life. With determination and patience, I have overcome the hurdles of my life and I want to carry the same outlook at all stages of my life. Route in the Woods I want to contribute to the Assamese society and bring good name to the state. I want to pursue my passion and make all those the ladder to success while taking the name of the city and state ahead. Photography by: Kakali Das

Pinki Patowary

he Pandu area of the city has been associated with many significant events in the history of Assam and it is said that the area got its name from the Pandunath Temple. It was in 1586 when Raghudev Narayan, the Koch king rebuilt the temple. The Ahom king Gourinath Singha also donated land for the temple in 1785 AD. It is said t hat a ll t he great dy nasties and rulers of Kamrup have paid homage to Lord Pandunat h in t his ancient shrine. The histor y of Pandunat h Deva laya has been narrated in a number of epics and t he Puranas beginning from t he Ma habharata. It is believed t hat from t he beginning of creation, Lord Vishnu was a lways liv ing in t he hills of Nilacha l. That is t he reason t hat Pandu became a sacred place in t he Vedas and Puranas. n 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