Vol 4 Issue 40

Deaths in city’s zoo; immediate replacements not expected PG 06

Risky C-section delivery increasing accounting for 35% of all childbirths PG 09

Mismanagement leads to pandemonium at Job Mela 2017

PG 10

VOLUME 04 | ISSUE 40 JUL 29 - AUG 04, 2017 PRICE `10

Guwahati gradually Official communications on turning into a public domains is violation crime capital of IT Act: CID source With incidents of rape, attempt to murder for dowry, daylight robbery, fraud and so on the city remains vulnerable to crimes; tenant verification still not mandatory and most of the crimes are committed by gangs formed by outsiders who visit Guwahati in search of livelihood

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he past week the city witnessed a number of crimes raising questions on the safety and security of Guwahatians. With rape, attempt to murder for dowry, bank fraud, daylight robbery, drug smuggling and so on, city folks came under the threat of various criminals. What were the crimes? Were the police able to nab the criminals? With the city turning into a crowded metro, is it also becoming a hub of crime?

The city had also recently witnessed major heists at stores like MP Jewellers and Titan showroom.

What is the status of in-

vestigation in those cases? G Plus checks out the latest crimes of the past week and also the crime scenario of Guwahati.

Crime against women In an incident of “Delhi” proportions, a girl was raped in a moving vehicle in the city. Gorchuk Police arrested two persons related to the incident. Police sources said that a driver and a conductor of a local share taxi were arrested for allegedly abducting and raping the girl in the city. The victim who lives in Bihar had come to meet her mother. According to the police, she had gone out with her mother but later got lost. She waited for a vehicle and the taxi offered her a lift. The police source said that the two accused, Mainul Haque (29) and Sonabor Ali (22), allegedly raped the victim later.

The police sources said that the victim was left confined in the taxi for one whole day and the next night the accused were apprehended by a constable at Jalukbari. They were taken to Gorchuk Police Station.

In another heinous crime reported in the city recently, a 3-year-old-girl was raped by a daily wage labourer in the Lokhra area.

Police arrested the accused and he was booked under the POCSO Continued on page 3

After the state’s most powerful man’s email got hacked, the question that arises is why are the government officials and policy makers not using official email accounts even as the city registers 32 cyber crime cases every month which means 1 case every day?

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ecently, cabinet minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, considered to be the most powerful man in Assam, got his

email hacked.

Similarly, the city keeps witnessing cyber crime cases pretty often. But if the finance minister of

the state is not safe from cyber criminals what is the safety scenario of the general public of the state? Did the police register the minister’s case? Should the minister be using a public domain or a private/official domain for communication? Are the cyber crime cases getting solved and disposed by the police? What are the new trends of cyber crime in Guwahati? G Plus takes a look at Continued on page 2

Are Bajrang Dal, RSS providing arms training in Assam?

With the state DGP ordering an enquiry to check if Bajrang Dal is providing arms training to its cadres, Bajrang Dal Guwahati chief says cadres take training in Danda Prahar, Talwar and air gun; 200 Bajrang Dal cadres ready 24/7 in Guwahati for any kind of situation

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ecently, some NSUI activists led by Mariani Congress MLA Rupjyoti Kurmi, locked the gates of Mariani College at Mariani town under Titabar Civil Subdivision in protest against the holding of a training camp at the college. Sources said that the training camp was sched-

uled from 20th July to 28th July. Later, the police and the local administration opened the gates and defused the situation. The NSUI, while opposing the holding of the training camp by RSS terming it as a “communal organisation,” submitted a memorandum to the Jorhat district administration. Af-

ter this incident, many Congress leaders slammed the organisations like RSS and Bajrang Dal and levelled a number of allegations against them. What are these allegations? What kind of training do these organisations provide and specifically, do they provide Continued on page 4

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G PLUS | JUL 29 - AUG 04, 2017

Lead Story

Official communications on public domains is violation of IT Act Rahul Chanda

rahul.chanda@g-plus.in Continued from page 1 the cyber crime scenario in the state.

Himanta’s case Himanta’s Hotmail account was hacked and financial demand notes were circulated to people. When the minister came to know about the incident he posted about the same on his Facebook page. According to a highly placed source in the CID, a case was registered on Friday evening.

The CID officials have already written to the Hotmail officials to provide the details of the offending IP address and the URL which could help the agency to further investigate the matter. According to the source, they are presently awaiting Hotmail’s response. Do the servers located outside the country provide such information to the investigating agencies?

The CID source said that it is not all that easy. The source described that most of the servers are located in the US and they have a different law there; the privacy laws in that country are very strict. The source said that whenever a case goes to them, the CID has to specifically explain the reasons for the details.

In most of the hate speech cases, they provide the details quickly. The source said that many a time CID had written to them in cases where people where trying to disturb communal harmony.

Facebook especially responded immediately. The source said that in cases of pornography also they provide the details very quickly. In other cases they conduct their own investigation

first and after they feel that the information can be provided, they provide. Enquiring about hacking cases, the source said that if it is a genuine hacking case, they do provide the details.

He said that in many cases people feel that their account has been hacked whereas in reality, it has not been as the complainant might have shared password details with people known to them and who might have used them officially or just playfully.

Regarding Himanta’s case, the source said that it is a genuine case of hacking and the Hotmail officials

use such domains. He said that only official mails should be used which is not in a publicly used domain and the server is located locally. However, he added that in many government departments people are still communicating on Gmail, Hotmail and other portals which are located outside the country and it is a pure violation of the IT Act. Talking about policy makers and ministers, the source said that even they are a part of the government and so if they do not have government email ac-

Assam 2016 – 693 cases 56.9 cases every month 1.89 cases every day 2017 (up to April) – 226 cases 56.9 cases every month 1.89 cases every day

Guwahati 2016 – 230 cases 18.90 cases every month 0.63 cases every day

should provide the details. The source also said that unless the information comes from the server located outside, the investigation cannot be completed. The source also said that in higher levels the government is planning that all the servers should have branches in India, and a mechanism might be created so that information can be extracted as early as possible. But can a public figure or a government employee use a public domain website for his/her mails?

Government officials can only use government emails The source in the CID said that government employees cannot use Gmail or any other public domain for sharing information as it is a violation of IT Act. The source said that in government communications many confidential issues are communicated. So, using a public domain website and the server of which is outside the country is not safe.

Therefore, it is not advisable to

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overnment employees cannot use Gmail or any other public domain for sharing information as it is a violation of IT Act - Source, CID

counts, they can always create as not even the most powerful man of Assam has any control on the server which is located outside. He further said that there are various kinds and new trends to cyber crimes witnessed in the city and state.

The present trends of cyber crime in Guwahati A source in the city police crime branch said that recently, a very new trend of cyber crime is being witnessed in the city.

The criminals usually target middle-aged women and cheat them. Narrating a case, the source said that a middle-aged woman from Guwahati met a foreigner and started a relationship over the internet. She started chatting with the foreigner over the internet and fell in love. After chatting for around a month, the foreigner said he will send some gifts to the lady. After a few days the lady received a call from the “customs department” saying there is a parcel for her in which there are some very expensive products like 4 iPhones, diamond jewellery, some currency in dollars and so on. A supposed custom official asked her to deposit Rs 2 lakhs as customs fees. After confirming from her foreigner friend she deposited the amount into a designated bank account. Later, she again received a call saying

2017 (up to 26th July) – 192 cases 32.1 cases every month 1.07 cases every day the source said many URLs start the amount of dollar currency is huge she has to pay currency ex- with only “http” and there is no change tax. She did that as well. “s.” Also people do not change their passwords; passwords have Later, she received a call from the airport saying her friend had to be changed every one or one come and he had brought many and a half months. The source also said that it is imperative that products for her which can be cleared by the customs depart- official confidential communiment only if a certain amount is cation should be done only over paid as a tax. She again spoke to official mails and not through her internet lover and paid that Gmail, Whatsapp or any other amount as well. In this manner domain which is located outside she paid around Rs 7 lakhs. Later, the country. it came to light that she had been badly conned and when she went The cyber crime count to the police, it was found that Across Assam in 2016, 693 cythe accounts into which she had ber crime cases where registered deposited the money belonged which means that 56.9 cases get to someone who did not exist. registered every month and 1.89 According to the police, there cases get registered every day. are other similar instances in Similarly, in 2017 till April, 226 the city where other city women cyber crime cases were regishad got trapped into such fraud- tered in the state, which means ulent schemes and got cheated.

56.5 cases got registered every Other crimes include bank month and 1.88 cases every day. frauds, where ATM numbers Talking about Guwahati, in 2016, are taken by the criminals and 230 cyber crime cases were regforged and online purchases istered which means 18.90 cases and transactions are made. The got registered in the city every CID source said that pornogra- month and 0.63 cases every day. phy, account hacking etc are also In 2017 till 26th July, 192 cases of increasing. The source said that cyber crime were registered in for any financial transaction, if the city which means 32.1 cases the site does not start with the got registered every month and URL “https,” then it’s not safe, as 1.07 everyday this year. n

G PLUS | JUL 29 - AUG 04, 2017

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Crime

Guwahati gradually turning into a crime capital

A gang of robbers arrested by city police on Wednesday, who were involved in the day light Rs 1 lakh robbery case in a bus | G Plus Photo

Rahul Chanda rahul.chanda@g-plus.in Continued from page 1 Act. The incident created a law and order situation in the area but later the police brought the situation under control and the accused was arrested immediately. Similarly, a girl has also filed a molestation case against some people who were under intoxication at the Zoo Road Tin Ali area. So, crime against women was a matter of serious concern in the city this week.

Fraud In an act of fraudulence, an ICICI bank official and another former bank worker were arrested

by Fancy Bazar Police for fraudulently robbing around Rs 10 lakhs from the account of one Gayatri Sahu who happens to be an NRI living in Hong Kong. According to the police, Rajat Agarwal, an ICICI Bank official of AT Road branch along with one Ricky Gupta, a former bank sales person, opened a fake account in Karnataka Bank under the name of Khagendra Burman. Gayatri Sahu had an account in the Fancy Bazar Branch of ICICI Bank and the duo, Rajat and Ricky, forged all the documents of Gayatri Sahu and transferred Rs 9.57 lakhs from her account to the account of Khogendra Burman through RTGS. The transfer happened on 12th July. The victim, after getting the information and on scrutiny, filed a complaint with the Fancy Bazar Police on 15th July. Police investigated the case and finally found that Khagendra Burman was none other than Ricky Gupta himself. Police said that Ricky is a resident of Kalapahar while Rajat Agarwal originally hails from Agra but stays in Bhangagarh in Guwahati. The incident has raised concerns about how secure bank accounts are, as

according to police sources, the money has not yet been recovered.

That being the case and if the money is not recovered at all how will the victim be compensated? Will the bank take the responsibility?

Attempt to murder for dowry In another shocking incident that has little precedents in Guwahati, a husband hired contract killers to kill his wife. Bijoy Burman of Kahilipara told his wife Deepika Burman that he will take her to his sister’s place in Chandrapur. Both of them, along with their two and half year old child, started travelling towards Chandrapur. According to ACP Noonmati, Purabi Mazumdar, when they reached a place called Gobardhan, the husband pretended that something was hurting his feet and stopped the bike after crossing a wooden bridge. He asked his wife to check his injury. Suddenly, two people rushed in from behind and threw Deepika into the water. The wife managed to cling to a log in the water and started screamed even as nearby residents rushed to the spot. As soon as the villagers reached the spot the two miscreants fled and the villagers informed the police. The police reached the spot and after questioning the husband, it came to light that he had hired the contract killers to kill his wife. According to the police, the husband had, on many occasions, demanded money and other things from the wife but as his demands were not met he decided to kill her. The police are hunting for the contract killers who will be nabbed soon, they claimed.

Daylight robbery in Guwahati Recently, a man Sukesh Saha of Silchar had visited Guwahati for medical treatment and on Monday last he boarded a bus from ISBT to Paltan Bazar. While getting down

from the bus on reaching Paltan Bazar, one unknown person blocked his way, two others caught him from behind rendering him immobile and another person took away Rs 1 lakh from his pocket. As soon as the bus started moving the culprits fled and Saha rushed to the Paltan Bazar Police Station to lodge his complaint. A case was registered (case number 693/17 under section 392 of IPC) and the police started investigating the matter. According to sources, since a few days, many people have complained of various snatching cases in the Paltan Bazar area but most of these complaints were not reported to the police. Post the Rs 1 lakh snatching case, police started investigations and on Wednesday 8 persons including one woman were arrested. Ravi Ali, Ruhul Ali, Ajay Biswas, Deepak Kalita, Raju Satnami, Durga Devi, Gathiya and Shyam Kumar Singh were arrested by Paltan Bazar Police. Five of these were arrested from Kachari Basti and the remaining three from Aathgaon. The police said that they are still investigating the case and there might be other cases also where this gang is involved.

The police said that the gang used to target people coming from oth-

er stations in the bus itself and after travelling along with the target, commit the crime at Paltan Bazar.

In another case of daylight robbery, on Wednesday, two miscreants on a bike snatched Rs 7 lakhs from a businessman, Anand Halotiya, from Beltola Chariali. A case is registered in Basistha Police Station and police is investigating the case. The businessman, a transporter, was coming out from the bank when the miscreants snatched the money and fled from the spot. Again in another instance, there was a failed attempt of daylight robbery at Maligaon on Thursday as miscreants on a bike tried to snatch a bag from a businessman but failed in the attempt and fled the spot. With all these crimes happening in the city within a week, hackles are obviously raised about safety in the city.

Crime scenario A highly placed source in the city police, talking to G Plus, said that as the city is growing a large number people come to the city looking for work opportunities.

Many people often fail to find such work opportunities and after several frustrating days, form small gangs and then commit such

crimes. The source said that the problem arises from the fact that immediately after committing the crime they flee to their native place and because all the house owners do not keep proper details of their tenants, it becomes difficult to track the culprits sometimes. The source said that in most of the crimes happening in the city, the culprits are from outside Guwahati. The source said that even in the MP Jewellers and Titan showroom thefts it just might be that the culprits came from outside the city, committed the crime and disappeared. The source said that as the city grows, it might just turn into the crime capital of the state after maybe 10 years. But the source also said that along with the criminals even the police are becoming more efficient and many cases have been cracked quite early. He said there are some cases which take time but these also will some way or the other be solved.

Whatever the police may have to say, the fact remains that tenant verification is not mandatory, the city still does not have complete CCTV surveillance and the police are perennially short of manpower.

So, how the scenario will improve is a point to ponder over. n

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G PLUS | JUL 29 - AUG 04, 2017

In The News

Are Bajrang Dal, RSS providing arms training in Assam? pray and discuss about local and national issues. He said that in Guwahati they have 80 Shakhas.

So, RSS claims that they do not provide arms training. What about Bajrang Dal?

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Bajrang Dal

Activists of Bajrang Dal burning Pakistan flag during a protest in Guwahati | File Photo

Rahul Chanda rahul.chanda@g-plus.in Continued from page 1 any arms training? How many members do these organisations have in Guwahati and Assam? Is police investigating what training they provide? G Plus talks to all the stakeholders to understand their operation.

The allegations The state Congress president, Ripun Bora, recently said that he had urged Home Minister Rajnath Singh to take action against the Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) for imparting arms training to their workers in the state. Bora said that he had written to Rajnath Singh to demand a high-level enquiry into what he called the unlawful activity of the two organisations that were dangerous for the people of the state. He demanded steps to prevent such training in future in the state. In his letter dated 26th July, released to the media, Bora said that the Bajrang Dal and VHP, as part of their organisational work in Assam, recently imparted arms training to their workers at Nalbari and Hojai violating the law. Bora said he had also sent a video footage of arms training imparted to Bajrang Dal volunteers and women volunteers of ‘Durga Vahini’ of the VHP. He said that the footage had since been aired on electronic media in Assam but the state government had not taken any action. Similarly, other Congress leaders like former chief minister Tarun Gogoi, talking to the media, slammed the organisa-

tions like RSS and Bajrang Dal and said that that these organisations are spoiling the peace and harmony of the state.

The police Assam police DGP Mukesh Sahay, talking to G Plus, said that he has already ordered an enquiry to find out if any organisation in the state is imparting any kind of arms training. He said that the enquiry would take time as the police have to thoroughly investigate that what types of training are being imparted and what kind of gun is being used as air guns do not require license and anyone can use them. Sahay said that a team has been constituted that is investigating and if any unlawful activity is going on, action will be taken accordingly. So are the organisations like RSS and Bajrang Dal providing any training, and if yes, what kind of training?

RSS RSS Guwahati Samparka Pramukh, Ranjib Kumar Sharma, taking to G Plus said, “Congress has lost their ground in Assam and especially in tea garden areas. People rejected them and therefore Congress is raising unnecessary issues to divert attention from the real political issues of the state.” Enquiring whether they provide any training to their members, Sharma said that they provide 4 kinds of training to their members. Firstly, Prathamik Varga, which has no age bar and this training is at district level spread over seven days. He said in Prathamik Varga there are 40 camps created in Assam twice a year.

So, in total, there are 80 camps.

He said that in Mariani College this Prathamik Varga was going on and all the camps are created in government schools or colleges during vacations. Sharma said that after Prathamik Varga, people get selected and they get trained on a state level platform which is known as Pratham Varsha Varga which is a 20-day training organised twice a year. In April, people in the age group of 16 to 25 participate in this training and in July, people within the age group of 25 to 40 participate. After Pratham Varsha Varga people are selected for Dwitiya Varsha Varga which is a 20-day training that happens once a year and people within the age group of 16 to 40 participate. He said that this training happened in Hojai. The fourth training is the Tritiya Varsha Varga which is a national level training organised once a year at Nagpur in May. He said that in this national level training people in the age group of 16 to 40 participate and it is a 25-day training programme.

He said that in RSS training camps they only provide training in Hindu philosophy and yoga. He further denied that any arms training is provided in their camps and said, “I challenge the Congress to prove that arms training is provided in RSS camps.” Enquiring how many RSS members they have in Guwahati and Assam, he said that in Guwahati there are 10,000 active members and in Assam they have around 50,000 active members. On being asked how people get themselves enrolled in RSS, he said that for the organisations, all Hindus are sangh sevaks and can visit any of their Shakhas where, in early mornings, they exercise,

Guwahati Bajrang Dal Zila Sangjujak, Deepjyoti Sharma, talking to G Plus said that Bajrang Dal cadres are trained at four levels, Prathamik Varga (once a year, district level), Prantya Varga (state level, once a year; this year it was in Nalbari in July where 384 cadres who were selected from Prantya Varga participated), Khetriya Prashiakshan Varga (one training camp in 10 states, once a year where special cadres are trained who can further train others in future; for this side it is Guwahti Khetra which includes the north-eastern states, West Bengal and Odisha) and Akhil Bharat Shikshak Prashikshan (national level training where 10 cadres from each state participate every year; this year it was in Bokaro, Jharkhand in February).

Sharma further said that in their training there are four sectors Bodhik, Danda, Nijukha and Talwar.

He said in Bodhik, organisational training along with knowledge about Hindu religion is imparted to the cadres. In Danda sector Danda Prahar is taught to the cadres. Nijukha means self defence and martial art is taught to the cadres. Talwar means sword and the cadres are taught to use the sword. Enquiring if they provide any arms training, Sharma said they do not provide any rigorous arms training but they provide air gun training to the cadres at three levels, not in the initial level. He said air guns are not illegal and they provide such training to the cadres so that during emergency the cadres can help the country’s army in combating the enemy. So, a little bit of an idea about guns should be there. Enquiring why they require sword and air gun training because these are used for violence, Sharma said that Bajrang Dal is a social organisation which is always prepared for the protection of Hindus and the country. Hence, they take such training so that they can use it if ever required to protect Hindus and the country. He said that there are 1,200 active Bajrang Dal members in Guwahati and 15,000 members in Assam. He said that in Guwahati 200 Bajrang Dal members are ready 24/7 for any kind of situation. He said that the organisation is fighting against love jihad, western culture like Valentine’s Day, Friendship Day

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etc and this year, during Diwali, they will make sure that no one is selling any Chinese product.

While RSS claims that it does not provide any arms training, Bajrang Dal admitted that they only provide sword and air gun training. It is now up to the government to decide what training can be provided by these organisations while the police should submit an unbiased report and make matters clear. n

G PLUS | JUL 29 - AUG 04, 2017

5

Crime

Former GMC cashier arrested but corruption nexus not busted yet After the arrest of former GMC cashier Madan Bahadur Chetri, sources said that many such scams still exist in the department and deeper investigations are required to break the nexus

Madan Chetry, the main accused in the GMC misappropriation case seen at Panbazar police station, in Guwahati on Thursday after apprehended from a lodge in Byrnihat, Meghalaya | G Plus Photo

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he Pan Bazar police recently arrested one Madan Bahadur Chetri from a lodge in Byrnihat and brought him to the city. According to police sources, Chetri is a former employee of Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC).

G Plus had reported a few days back on its digital platform that GMC had filed a case against a former cashier. Interestingly, Madan Bahadur Chetri is the accused former GMC cashier who, according to sources in the GMC, had siphoned off huge amounts of money while discharging his role. How much and how did he siphon off the GMC money? Was he alone or were others involved? Did the police recover any money from him? G Plus checks the case.

The allegations A senior official, talking to G Plus in anonymity, said that an internal enquiry was conducted by some officials of the GMC to check the anomalies occurring in the cash section of the department. The official said that according to the enquiry conducted by GMC it was found that Madan had siphoned off around Rs 5 crores between 2011 and 2016. The official said that he used to collect revenue money from

various GMC branches but the money was never deposited in the bank. Rather, the money was siphoned off by him. Accordingly, a case was registered with the police (case number – 357/17 under section 409/420 of IPS read with 13(2) of PC Act).

The investigation The police immediately started investigating the matter but Chetri went absconding for many days. Finally the police caught up with him and he was arrested on 27th July from a lodge located in Byrnihat (Meghalaya). Police sources said that investigation is on and Chetri remaining in police custody for a few more days will shed some more light on the matter. He was forwarded to the court on Friday, the same day that G Plus talked to the police. Police sources till then had said that they had not recovered any money from the former GMC cashier but further investigation is on. So is it that the former cashier single-handedly took away Rs 5 crores from the GMC revenues or is there a nexus?

Is there a nexus?

A highly placed source in the GMC said that it is not the first time that an enquiry has

been mounted against the former cashier. The source said

that even in 2014 an enquiry was ordered regarding the anomalies in the cash department. The source further said that the enquiry was then conducted and a report was also submitted against the cashier but nothing happened. In spite of this his tenure as a cashier got extended. The source said that the cashier finally retired in February 2017 and again an enquiry was conducted and the present enquiry in-charge submitted the report and the action was taken accordingly.

The source further said that there are many such anomalies that have been going on in the department since a long time but things do not get highlighted because there is a huge nexus working in the department that has been siphoning off money since a long time. The source also said that even to get absorbed in the post of cashier a bribe of around Rs 50,000 has to be paid to the nexus.

The source said that there is corruption still existing in the department on various platforms like building permission etc, but no one can act against the lobby. The source said that many commissioners come and go but even they cannot stop the malpractices as they do not even get information about such matters and things happen at the lower levels. The source said that the garbage collection process is another big scam which requires thorough investigation as the GMC never earns anything from the process whereas the NGOs are expected to collect money as well from door to door every month. The source said that GMC is full of scams and this is just one incident where the department has acted.

Today, GMC might be claiming that they have acted against one anomaly but various other anomalies are yet to be detected and acted upon. n

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G PLUS | JUL 29 - AUG 04, 2017

City

Deaths in city’s zoo; immediate replacements not expected The state zoo is one of the five largest zoos in the country and yet visitors are unfortunate to not be able to see a zebra or a giraffe

A veterinary doctor examines the carcass of a full grown Royal Bengal Tiger named Lachit who died of infection in its closure, at Assam State Zoo and Botanical Garden in Guwahati | G Plus Photo

Juthika Baruah juthika.baruah@g-plus.in

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eing one of the largest zoos in the country and among the five large zoos in the country, Assam State Zoo cum Botanical Garden today does not have a zebra or a giraffe, animals which are usually the main attractions for visitors. It is due to the non-availability of proper enclosures that some animals have not been brought to the zoo for years.

The Central Zoo Authority has divided the zoos of the country into three categories viz. large, medium and mini. A zoo is considered large when it has 75 species of animals. Medium zoos should have 50 species and mini zoos should have at least 20 species. The Guwahati Zoo has 113 species; resultantly it is considered as a large zoo and one of just five large zoos in the country.

“There is a footfall of 6 lakh visitors every year and the number is more during vacations and in the winter months of December and January.

The visitors’ main attractions are the large animals other than birds and smaller exotic species of animals. Right now we do not have zebra and giraffe as the enclosures need to be renovated. We have sent the proposal to reconstruct

the enclosures and after that we will bring some new animals. This will take another one year,” said Divisional Forest Officer of Assam State Zoo cum Botanical Garden, Tejas Mariswamy, while speaking to G Plus.

Mariswamy said that proposals have been sent for construction of enclosures for birds and other animals and a nocturnal house is also under construction. “The en-

trying to bring some animals after the enclosures get repaired,” said Mariswamy.

The Central Zoo Authority receives funds as per the central budget session which is then divided among all the zoos across the country while a fund is also released by the state government which is decided through a similar process. The zoo receives a maximum of Rs. 5 crores from the Cen-

“

The present manpower (160 includes staff) is not sufficient to look after the zoo and we have sent a proposal to increase the same. It is difficult to look after this large zoo with so less people but still they meet expectations when it comes to maintaining the zoo.”

- Divisional Forest Officer of Assam State Zoo cum Botanical Garden, Tejas Mariswamy closures are beyond repair and it becomes difficult to keep the animals without proper enclosures.

The enclosure for tiger has been built newly in such a way that it looks like a reserve forest. We are

tre which addresses the requirement of food for the animals.

The death of some animals also becomes a reason that visitors do not get to see the animals they would like to as the zoo authority

fails to replace the dead animals quickly. A few days ago, the oldest tiger in the country, Swati, died at the Assam State Zoo due to ill health. Born in Mysore Zoo in 1998, Swati was brought to Guwahati in 2005 even as she had already given birth to five cubs there. In Guwahati, the Royal Bengal Tigress gave birth to six more cubs, of which Birina – also a tigress - is currently in the Assam State Zoo here. While two others born in Guwahati had died in the past few years, one each is currently in the Tata Zoological Park in Jamshedpur and the Nandanvan Zoo in Raipur (Chattisgarh), said Mariswamy.

While WWF India has put the average life span of a Royal Bengal tiger in the wild between 14 and 16 years, those in captivity have an average life span of 18. Guddu, a Royal Bengal tiger that had passed away in the Kanpur Zoo in 2014, however is known to have lived up to 26 years.

Among older animals, the state zoo currently has one rhino and one hippopotamus which are 43 years and 45 years old respectively and these animals normally survive up to 45 years which means they are lined up to breathe their last within a year or so. Otherwise, there are five rhinos at present in the zoo, two white tigers, two normal tigers along with 113 other species of animals. Some visitors have alleged that after the death of an animal the zoo authorities do not replace it with other animals and therefore the number of animals gets less after a certain period of time.

Chimpanzees, zebras, ostriches, giraffes, a panther, a jaguar, a llama from South America and kangaroos from Australia were some of the animals that were once accommodated in the Guwahati zoo making it one of the best and the most complete zoos in India. The large numbers have dwindled and the significance of the zoo today is virtually lost. The demise of many animals has led to empty cages and replacements have been hopelessly inadequate.

The concept of the state zoo was conceived in 1957. During the 64th session of the Indian National Congress held in Pandu, the organizing committee put up

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an exhibition with a few animals and birds for the entertainment of the delegates. The star attraction among the delegates was a female leopard cub. After the meeting ended, the necessity of a zoo to house these animals was felt. These animals were shifted to Jalukbari and then to Panbazar after which the current location near Japorigog in the Hengrabari Reserve forest which has an area of around 1.3 sq kms, was created to facilitate and house these animals.

Thus, the Assam State Zoo was established and was opened to the public in 1958. The total number of animals and birds at the time of its launch was 42 (22 species) and 236 (31 species) respectively. Over the years, the zoo expanded to house a huge number of exotic animals.

In 1959, a forest division was created as Assam State Zoo Division and the zoo was put under this division. The zoo also included a museum with a vast collection of priceless trophies, unique specimens, mounted skins and forest produces gathered from all over the region which gave opportunities to visitors to get an idea on the biological opulence of this globally acclaimed biodiversity hotspot. n

G PLUS | JUL 29 - AUG 04, 2017

7

Ward Watch

Bishnu Rabha Road, Panjabari: a picture of neglect Concentrated area – Panjabari Ward no. – 31 Population of the ward – 35000 Voters – 8000 Problems – Poor road condition, Unavailability of water, Artificial flood, Health facility Area Sabha Member – Naba Kumar Dutta (9859257657) Councillor – Swapan Das (9864067152)

Current condition of Bishnu Rabha Path at Panjabari | G Plus Photo

Nehal Jain jain.nehal@g-plus.in

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he stretch from Botahghuli LP School in Panjabari to Garo Basti, recently rechristened as the Bishnu Rabha Path, has been in a dilapidated condition for years now. While the area is a mere 4 kms away from the Assam Secretariat, and just around 6 kms from the residence of former Chief Minister of Assam Tarun Gogoi, it seems to be a patch of paddy field that is miles away from the main city.

The area suffers from major issues, giving it a neglected feel from every angle possible. The major issues prevalent on Bishnu Rabha Road includes poor road condition, water accumulation, unavailability of drinking water, inadequate health facility and unsystematic distribution of electricity just to name a few.

“There is no problem in the world that we’re currently not facing – be it water, electricity, road or law and order,” said Lio Sengrang, a resident of the area. “The road on which we have to travel is in such a poor state that it becomes almost impossible for us to commute on a vehicle. No ambulance comes to our rescue because of the road condition. Our area comes under Aamching Gram Panchayat; even the president and other members of the panchayat have to travel via

the same road. Yet the condition remains the same. Whatever part of the road has been developed so far, it has been done by us, the locals, with no help from the government.”

He also informed about the unavailability of water and how they have to build pipes, etc. be-

long distance and the additional time that the police might have to take to reach the crime spot because of the pathetic road conditions.

Satgaon Urban State Dispensary is the only health institute in the area. “Until a few years ago, there wasn’t a single clinic

“

There is no problem in the world that we’re currently not facing – be it water, electricity, road or law and order” - A resident of the area

tween the hills wherever there is a flow of water because the government fails to provide them with safe drinking water. “Because of the unavailability of safe drinking water, many diseases are prevalent in our neighbourhood. People die every year suffering from water-borne and vector-borne diseases.”

Bishnu Rabha Road comes under Satgaon police station which is nearly 10 kms away from the area. How, then, are the residents supposed to feel safe? They feel serious deficiency in security, and on the law and order front. Before the police can reach the location in times of crisis, the situation can get way out of hand because of the

or chemist shop in our neighbourhood. The Satgaon Urban State Dispensary was set up very recently. But we still face a lot of problems as the dispensary is not well maintained or stocked. Regular medicines for cold and fever such as Nise and Crocin are also not available sometimes. And on top of that, to get to the local pharmacy, I have to cross 2 hills,” Sengrang said.

“Because of the terrible condition of the road and drainage system in our area, water gets accumulated very easily. The water stays accumulated for hours and even days sometimes, making it very difficult for us to so much as move from one location to the oth-

er. It badly affects our business,” a shopkeeper of the area asserted.

Local residents of Bishnu Rabha Road also informed that their electricity requirements are not fully met. There are very few electric poles while the number of households in comparison is much more. Regular power cuts are more the rule than the exception.

Councillor’s say With the change in government, a lot has changed for the area. With the state under BJP rule and Ward no. 31 being a Congress-dominated ward, there are a lot of differences in the policies that are leading to further dilapidation of the area. The main reason behind the negligence in addressing the problems seems to be the differences prevailing between the two parties – Congress and BJP. The residents of the area do not feel content with the performance of either party, saying that both have done nothing for the area. Even after much persuasion, the parties do not shy away from blaming each other.

The main cause behind the terrible condition of the road is the poor drainage system in the area due to which water rushes down the hills easily, eroding the road with great pressure. “There is no repair work being done to the road currently because of the policies of our current government. They are more focussed on changing names of the road than working on their development,” exclaimed the ward councillor Swapan Das. He further added, “Earlier, 50

lakh rupees used to be provided to PWD as annual repairing fund.

But now, the government is not granting enough funds.”

Poor road condition is a very common problem in a lot of areas of Guwahati - a topic that has been discussed time and again. But water is the very basic necessity of life without which no one can survive; the residents of Krishna Nagar are indeed unfortunate to be denied such a necessity. Talking to G Plus about the problem of water supply on Bishnu Rabha Road and other areas of Panjabari, the councillor said, “The previous government provided water in four areas of Panjabari, which was not enough, considering the huge population residing in these areas. So, the current government has taken up long term project regarding water supply in the area, but it doesn’t look like anything is happening.”

“The Meghalaya water rushing downhill into Panjabari is the reason behind artificial floods in the area. But the water generally drains out within an hour and no long term damage is done,” he informed regarding the flood scenario, entirely contradicting the opinion of the residents.

The ward councillor also informed that more electricity can be supplied to the households that have such requirement, but they have to pay the security deposit for it. For example, if a person wants to consume 3 KW electricity per month has to pay a security deposit to seek permission for the 3 KW. The amount of security deposit depends on the amount of electricity consumption. n

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G PLUS | JUL 29 - AUG 04, 2017

Health

Comprehensive action plan devised to tackle vector-borne diseases

Nehal Jain jain.nehal@g-plus.in

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he monsoon season has led to the spread of vector-borne diseases in Kamrup (Metro) district, as also in other parts of the country. With Guwahati and nearby areas witnessing a number of cases of dengue, malaria, Japanese encephalitis (JE) and chikungunya, the government has instructed the Health Services Department of

Assam to devise plans to reduce the spread of such diseases in the state.

In the past one year more than 5,400 cases of Type 1 dengue have been reported in Guwahati city.

While dengue mosquitoes are mostly prevalent in the months of September to December, Guwahati witnesses multiple cases of dengue round the year. The rising numbers have now forced the administration to frame and implement a comprehensive action plan to prevent further spread of

these diseases.

Speaking to G Plus, Joint Director of Health Services, Dr Ganesh Saikia, said there have been reports of periodic cases of vector-borne diseases from many localities in the city as well as from nearby rural areas. As a result, a comprehensive action plan has been drawn up and it’s being implemented all over Kamrup metropolitan.

“The health department, district administration, Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) and other line departments are part of the project. It involves covering each of the 31 wards of Guwahati through a series of exercises including fogging, holding public meetings and other awareness campaigns, and making an effort at source reduction to prevent spread of such diseases in the district,” informed Dr Saikia.

The campaign has been launched in wards 17 and 21 and covers two wards every day over a period of 15 days. Then the process repeats, ensuring that each GMC ward is covered at least twice a month. The medical officers, zonal officers, ward repre-

Zublee Foundation’s “A Ride to the Unexplored” to create mass awareness

sentatives, and other administrative officers attend the meeting at the different wards each day from 7 am to 10 am. Awareness programs along with fogging exercises are undertaken, along with the distribution of leaflets, banners, posters, etc.

“This morning, I was myself busy attending meetings to sensitise people regarding vector-borne diseases and on ways and means to prevent them as well as on steps to be taken in case anybody contracts any such ailment,” said Dr Saikia. He further informed that medical camps are being set up during the daytime to check fever cases and diagnosed patients are being admitted to hospitals.

Dr. Saikia stated, “Fogging exercises are performed in each selected ward after 4 pm every day.

GMC has 25 fogging machines at its disposal while another ten are with the district health department. While fogging isn’t 100% effective as a method, it does have a social impact. And that is our main concern – to spread awareness.” For more assistance, two city hospitals viz Guwaha-

Guwahati to host National Handloom Day celebrations

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verything Outdoor NE and Zublee Foundation had organised “A Ride to the Unexplored” on Sunday, with the message to create awareness among the masses through the young riders.

The Cyclothon was held on 23rd July and started at 7 am from Sonaram High School. The cyclothon was flagged off by actor

Diganta Hazarika and popular singer of the region, Zublee Baruah. The motive of the combined effort was to promote a healthy lifestyle among the city people and equally create awareness among them about organ donation.

The event saw the participation of cyclists, volunteers and other members from Zublee

Foundation and Everything Outdoor.

The route of the cyclothon covered approximately 70 km starting from Sonaram Field to Borbaka, North Guwahati via Mandakata and returning to Sonaram Field via Dirgheshwari Temple. It took almost 7 hours for the cyclists to complete the route. n

ti Medical College & Hospital (GMCH) and Mahendra Mohan Choudhury Hospital (MMCH) provide free of cost diagnostic for vector-borne diseases, including dengue and malaria.

A novel vaccine for dengue fever has been approved and is commercially available in a number of countries. But it’s still not available in India. Dr Saikia informed, “There’s no vaccine or specific treatment for dengue right now.”

Dengue fever is caused by a family of viruses that are transmitted by mosquitoes that spread in water stagnant areas. So the only way to prevent dengue is to spread awareness about its cause and to inform people of the hazards caused by stagnant water.

The figures for dengue cases remain very high; however, there have not been many JE or chikungunya cases in Kamrup (Metro) in the past one year. And not many know that Uttar Pradesh is contributing towards much more cases of JE than Assam. The humid climate of Assam lead to faster spread of vector-borne diseases. n

or the first time, Guwahati will host the National Handloom Day celebrations on 7th August. With this event, the union government hopes to accord due acknowledgement towards the northeast by exhibiting the rich art and craft culture of the region.

The ceremony will display handloom products crafted by artisans from all the north-eastern states through a fashion show and an exhibition.

Showing the distinct handloom products from the region bearing Geographical Indication status, a film made by Muzaffar Ali,

director of the cult movie Umrao Jaan, will also be screened during the exhibition. Union Textiles Minister Smriti Irani and Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal will also be present in the event.

Speaking on the event, Shantmanu, Development Commissioner (Handlooms) said, “The focus will be on the seven north-eastern states, so that each and every state is given due recognition by displaying their handloom and silk products.”

The event is being coordinated by the office of the Development Commissioner (Handlooms). n

G PLUS | JUL 29 - AUG 04, 2017

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Health

Risky C-section delivery increasing accounting for 35% of all childbirths

According to an order of the Union Health Minister, private hospitals should display their numbers of caesarean and normal deliveries as the number of C-section deliveries has seen a sharp increase

Representative image of a C-section delivery

Juthika Baruah juthika.baruah@g-plus.in

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ll private hospitals will now have to display the data of caesarean and normal delivery as per the order of the Union Health Minister to gauge the actual percentage of C-section deliveries in the hospitals as the number of C-section deliveries is increasing to more than 50% of all childbirths in certain places and which ideally should be around 10-15% according to World Health Organisation (WHO).

The number of caesarean deliveries in the city has also increased and this is a concern as the risk factors in C-section is more. The increasing number of C-section deliveries has come

to light with Women & Child Development Minister, Maneka Gandhi, pointing out the high percentage of C-section deliveries in hospitals. “The order has been given by the union health minister to decrease the rate of

ing to implement the same in the government hospitals and will try and resort to C-section deliveries at night only as the emergency cases come at night and need to be operated through C-section,” said Joint Director of Directorate

and WHO guidelines, caesareans are only supposed to be chosen over the other option when there are considerable complications in the delivery that can jeopardize the health of the mother or the child. Until 2010, caesarean or C-sections were limited to 8.5% of all deliveries in the country which was just under the recommended level of 10-15%, according to a World Health Organization (WHO) report. The WHO guidelines take into account the number of C-sections needed for complicated births and curbing maternal mortality rates. So, even too few procedures are a problem.

“The C-section deliveries are gradually increasing more in private hospitals than in government hospitals due to various reasons. Firstly, in terms of normal deliveries, doctors don’t want to take the risk if there is any complication at the time of normal delivery and secondly, there are patients who are very adamant and only opt for caesarean delivery as they cannot bear the pain of normal delivery. There are also many complications during pregnancy now-a-days due to change in lifestyle for which deliveries need to

Data of C-section and Normal delivery of NHM, Kamrup (M) Year

Total Delivery

C-section delivery

Normal delivery

2016-17

37,013

17,848

19,165

2017 (Apr-June)

7,812

3,743

4,069

C-section deliveries but it is difficult to follow the norms in all the states, especially in Assam, as the rate of deliveries is higher in the state and there are many areas where people are not aware of the sterilization process. We are try-

“

The C-section deliveries are gradually increasing in private hospitals than in government hospitals. There are also many complications during pregnancy now-a-days due to change in lifestyle for which deliveries need to be done through the caesarean process” - Dr Alaka Goswami, Gynaecologist

of Health, Ganesh Saikia while speaking to G Plus.

President of Marwari Maternity Hospital, Sarat Jain, said that now-a-days most of the patients go for caesarean delivery which increases the risk factor but in Marwari Maternity Hospital, doctors try and convince the patients to go for normal delivery and it is only in rare cases which come with complications that they suggest caesarean delivery.

“It is due to the changes in lifestyle that complications are more during pregnancies and now-adays women can’t bear the pain of normal delivery for which they opt for caesarean. The ratio of caesarean to normal delivery is 2:1,” informed Jain.

According to medical rules

be done through the caesarean process,” said gynaecologist Dr Alaka Goswami.

Dr Goswami further informed that the complications in pregnancy are more as the number of infertility cases is more and people have to give birth artificially. “The natural process of getting pregnant is quite less now-adays due to changing lifestyle and people choose artificial processes like test tube baby, In-Vitro Fertilization etc for which the complications are more and therefore the deliveries need to be done through caesarean process. Normal delivery is undoubtedly good as it keeps both the mother and baby healthy. We try to convince the patients to go for normal delivery if there is no complication

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but young ladies who cannot bear the pain go for caesarean rather than normal deliveries,” Dr. Goswami said.

In the last two decades there has been an 800% increase in caesarean deliveries nationally. While the same accounts for 10% in government hospitals, in private hospitals it accounts for 300%. According to studies, women who go for surgical birth without actually requiring it have to be admitted 10 times more in ICUs than mothers who give normal birth. According to doctors, people also opt for caesarean births to time with special occasions like father’s birthday, mother’s birthday, on Lakhsmi Puja, Durga Puja etc.

There are lifestyle factors at play too. Lack of activity, late conception, babies conceived through assisted reproductive techniques resulting in twins or triplets are also contributing to the rise in the rate of Caesarean sections in the urban population according to experts. “More affluent women are opting for the surgery because of late pregnancies and lifestyle conditions such as diabetes or high blood pressure,” experts say. n

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G PLUS | JUL 29 - AUG 04, 2017

Concern

Mismanagement leads to pandemonium at Job Mela 2017 The government organized Job Mela at the Maniram Dewan Trade Centre turned out to be an exercise in mismanagement disappointing thousands of job seekers who had gone there with a lot of expectations

Job seekers thronging the Job Mela braving the harsh weather | G Plus Photo

Nehal Jain jain.nehal@g-plus.in

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kill, Employment and Entrepreneurship Department, Govt. of Assam organized the “Job Mela 2017” at Maniram Dewan Trade Centre on 26th and 27th July last. The fair was inaugurated by the department minister Chandra Mohan Patowary on the morning of 26th July. Additional Chief Secretary of the Department, KV Eapen, Commissioner and Secretary Ashutosh Agnihotri, Mission Director AP Tiwari and Director, Employment & Craftsmen Training, Ritu Raj Bora were present on the occasion.

Around 35 industrial establishments (companies) participated in the Job Mela and more than 20,000 youths got registered in the two-day job fair organised by the state government.

Addressing the Job Mela, Minister for Skill, Employment and Entrepreneurship, Chandra Mohan Patowary expressed satisfaction at the positive spirit and enthusiasm of the youth and hoped that they would find their ideal jobs and excel in life.

He added that a similar Job Mela would be held in Dibrugarh in August and will soon cover all

districts of Assam.

Patowary further stated, “The employment exchanges in Guwahati and Jorhat will be converted into model career centres which will facilitate online registration and career counselling as well.”

The Directorate of Employment & Craftsman Training invited applications for jobs in various sectors including manufacturing, healthcare, finance and security. Job seekers in huge numbers reached the venue with much anticipation and excitement only to witness the heated situation between people present and the management. Job seekers from around the state gathered at the trade centre ex-

ue as the aspirants congregated, braving the scorching sun in the forenoon and heavy rains and a storm in the afternoon hours.

The aspirants complained of slow registration process since morning and as time progressed and the pace failed to pick up, they grew impatient. With heavy rains adding to their woes, the youth broke through a police barricade and entered the main venue, vandalizing the registration desks and other property.

The absence of any official to pacify the agitated job-seekers and provide information on the Job Mela added to the pandemonium.

Although there were some reputed companies present at

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round 35 Industrial Establishments (Companies) participated in the Job Mela and more than 20,000 youths got registered in the two-day job fair.

pressed unhappiness over lack of proper management in the event.

Mayhem broke lose at the Maniran Dewan Trade Centre on the first day of the Job Mela as thousands of job aspirants lined up for registration. Long queues were seen outside the main ven-

the Job Mela like Vivanta by Taj, Radisson Blu, Bharti Airtel and HDFC, most of the companies that were present at the Mela were very mediocre. Further, most companies were offering jobs in the sales department; very few were for other sectors.

And so, the pay being offered by these companies was also very low. There were very few companies that conducted interviews or offered jobs during the course of the Mela. Others only collected résumés of the aspiring candidates and some just asked them to apply online. The aspirants had to face a very confusing situation.

“Chaotic scenario prevailed in the fair, and the venue virtually turned into a ‘war zone’ with people pushing each other in the long queues for form submissions. Nothing was systematised and the management was very poor. We weren’t being able to even walk; rather we were just moving along with the crowd.

Further, there were no separate queues for girls which made it even more difficult for us. Many of us could not get to the desks meant for job seekers,” alleged a job aspirant.

Some of the job aspirants who attended the Job Mela informed G Plus that the companies were not showing much interest in hiring people and their behaviour towards the job seekers was also deemed to be rude.

Probably because they hadn’t expected such a huge number of aspirants to visit the fair, the management wasn’t prepared to handle the rush and the chaotic situation that prevailed on the first day. The Mela was supposed to go on till 5 pm, but the entry gates were closed way before time, at 4pm.

On the second day of the Job Mela, things were a little better.

Some semblance of management and discipline was seen in the fair and the number of companies that had come was also more than the previous day. The aspirants who visited on the second day seemed a little happier with the overall management and organisation of the event.

“On the first day of the Mela, our résumés were collected at the entrance gate itself and we were informed that the résumés would be sent to the companies that we’re eligible for. And I still do not know what happened to my résumé post the collection and if it at all reached any company. But on the second day, we were at least allowed to carry our résumés along and ourselves

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apply for the companies present.

Although, even then, there was so much rush that it’s hard to say to whose hands our résumés were being passed,” informed Jeet, who visited the Mela on both days.

An aspirant expressed her disappointment post the Job Mela saying, “The Mela seemed to have been organised for the underprivileged and not the well educated. I went to apply in a company for operations since I am an MBA graduate and my interest lies there, but I was informed that I am overqualified for the position.” n

G PLUS | JUL 29 - AUG 04, 2017

11

Governance

Bamboo Development Agency in Lankeshwar turns into no man’s land Opened in 2006 by the then forest minister Rockybul Hussain, the BDA which was set up with the objective to promote the growth of the bamboo sector was closed down within 2-3 years of its functioning

(L) The inauguration plaque and (R) Bamboo products gathering dust at the BDA in Lankeshwar | G Plus Photo

Juthika Baruah juthika.baruah@g-plus.in

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amboo has played a major role in the socio-economic and cultural life of all the north-eastern states of the country. As Assam has a huge resource of bamboo, a Bamboo Development Agency (BDA) was established at Lankeshwar, Guwahati in 2006 by Rockybul Hussain, the then forest Minister. The agency was established with an objective to promote the growth of the bamboo sector but it is very unfortunate that the agency has been closed down as the NGOs that were given charge to implement the project failed to complete the assignment.

It has come to light that recently 20 NGOs have been disqualified from various bamboo-related projects as they have failed to implement the projects in the respective districts and the funds that came from the World Bank were misused by them. “The department of forests is full of scandals and it is only due to the negligence of the department that the agency has been closed down. The State Me-

dicinal Plants Board and Bam- imparted training from BDA, are now well known bamboo artists boo Development Agency were inaugurated by Rockybul Hus- who participate in the trade fairs sain. Particularly, the BDA was across the world with their baminaugurated to promote market- boo handicrafts,” the source said. He also said that although ing and export of bamboo and there are huge resources in Asbamboo-based handicrafts to different places through various projects. The projects had been divided among the NGOs and initially it was a 700 crore rupee project which was funded by the World Bank. But the NGOs, rather than utilizing the money in the projects, used the money for their personal requirements,” said an official source of BDA while speaking to G Plus.

The source further said that the minister was also equally responsible as the fund was divided between the minister and the members of the district committee which was formed to develop the sector. The district committee included the DFO, Deputy Commissioner and Dis- sam, especially in the rural aretrict Agricultural Officers and as, people do not know the use of bamboo for which the abundant the fund was divided in the ratio bamboo remains unutilized. of 60:40 for which the work could never be completed on time. “At “In rural areas every household has bamboo plants but these first the youths were trained in remain unutilized. The youths making bamboo crafts and two of the artists, Manabendra Deka could also earn their livelihood through bamboo products if and Hiranya Das, who had been

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he agency was established with an objective to promote the growth of the bamboo sector but it is very unfortunate that the agency has been closed down

they know and understand the great utility of the product. They crave for jobs but if they can make proper use of bamboo they can earn more than an employee who works in a private sector company,” the source added.

In order to undertake large scale plantation on forest land as well as non-forest land, planting stock of good quality and right species is a must. Therefore, the central as well as de-central nurseries are proposed to be raised by the Joint Forests Management Committees (JFMCs) under forest development agencies and self help groups under the District Bamboo Development Agency. Assam has a long tradition of using bamboo as building material, in construction and for various household products including furniture.

Bamboo can substitute wood for making furniture. Bamboo boards can be used to make school, office and showroom furniture, table tops and other surfaces that require high durability. The bamboo products including furniture and other value addition products are in nascent stage in Assam, though it has the potential to grow. The different bamboo bazaars in the state under BDA facilitate marketing of bamboo products.

The production centre named Pragjyotish Handicrafts Training & Production Centre is located at Lankeshwar and the centre was opened with the purpose to train bamboo artisans for various bamboo crafts and bamboo furniture. The centre also used to provide facilities to the artisans to make bamboo products and sell the products through Pragjyotish Bamboo Retail Outlet. But now the outlet has also been closed down due to non-availability

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of money. The museum in the premises of BDA is lying disused and the bamboo products of the artisans that had been displayed in the museum are now lying engulfed in dust due to lack of maintenance. The museum was established for showcasing the various bamboo products and the traditional uses of bamboo of the north-eastern region. The museum was opened to provide an opportunity for the bamboo based industries to display the innovative bamboo products in the museum for general awareness and for promoting their sales. But now the museum is kept locked and the products are lying lifeless in another blatant instance of wastage of public money.

The Bamboo Seasoning and Treatment Plant placed inside the centre enables the artisans to prepare the bamboo furniture out of treated bamboo for greater longevity and the artisans are skilled to use modern tools for bamboo handicraft and bamboo furniture production to reduce repetitive works on bamboo. All of this innovativeness and good intention has gone in vain. n

Weather report for the week Guwahati

SUN

MON

TUE

WED

THU

FRI

T-Storms

T-Storms

T-Storms

T-Storms

T-Showers

T-Storm

32°/26° C

32°/26° C

31°/26° C

31°/26° C

31°/26° C

31°/26° C

SATURDAY

T-Storms

32°/26° C

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G PLUS | JUL 29 - AUG 04, 2017

Centrespread

The Busi Snap Fitness, Silpukhuri Location - Goswami Complex, Goswami Service Station, Silpukhuri Membership strength – 4000+ Age Type – 16 to 65 years Years of operation – 4 years What does it cost? - Rs. 13,000*/year

The fitness industry has seen ness whether it is in terms or the number of people c membership. Joining a gym your “New Year’s resolutions some of the city gyms that h few years and should help

Aerofitness Location - 1st floor, Ambika Mansion, Hatigaon Road, Near Oil Pipeline, Guwahati- 781038.

Age Type – 18 – 75 years Years of operation - 11 months What does it cost? – Rs. 9,999*/year Special features – In house doctors, aerobics, Zumba, locker facility, imported equipments, qualified trainers

Gold’s Gym, Ganeshguri Location - Monal Tower, GS Road, Opp. State Secretariat Membership strength – 1000+ Age Type – 30 - 45 years Years of operation - 9 years What does it cost? – Rs. 20,000*/year Special features – Imported equipments, certified trainers, group exercises like Zumba, aerobics, kick-boxing, yoga and pilates

Talwalkars Better Value Fitness Ltd Location - FFort Building, 1st floor, GS Road, Ulubari, Near KFC Membership strength – 1200+ Age Type – 20 - 65 years Years of operation – 6 years What does it cost? – Rs. 26,000*/year Special features - Nu form (EMS work out), Zorba (Zumba & yoga), massage, reduce (home based weight loss program), kick-boxing

*Conditions Apply

FITN

iness of

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n a massive surge in its busiof opening up of new gyms choosing to opt for a gym m is no longer just a part of s”. So, G Plus takes a look at have spawned over the past you decide your next gym!

G PLUS | JUL 29 - AUG 04, 2017

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Centrespread

Bidang MMA & Fitness Gym Location – DD COMPLEX II, 2nd Floor, RG Baruah Road, Sundarpur, Guwahati Membership strength –500+ Age Type – 18 - 36 years Years of operation – 3 years What does it cost? – Rs. 14,000*/year Special features – MMA fitness, weight management, diet nutrition

Studio Fitness Location – RG Baruah Road Membership strength –500+ Age Type – 8 - 65 years Years of operation – 4 years What does it cost? – Rs.18,000*/per year Special features – Specialized freehand training, Zumba, training modules

Biofit Location - Ganeshguri and Bharalumukh Membership strength – 500+ Age Type – 18 - 40 Years of operation – 1 year What does it cost? – Rs. 15000*/year Special features – Imported equipements, certified trainers, professional dietitian, physiotherapy, zumba, steam, showers, lockers, valet parking

Chisel Location - Dighalipukhuri Membership strength – 300+ Age Type – 30 - 45 years Years of operation – 1 year What does it cost? – Rs.12000*/year Special features –Group Classes like ABS Blast, Bolly Fusion, Yoga, Move It, Tabata, etc

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G PLUS | JUL 29 - AUG 04, 2017

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North East Time Zone – Merits and Demerits

Unwanted baggage

wo significant occurrences in the nation’s recent political landscape have given me an uneasy feeling of being hustled into a lop-sided variety of democracy that is slowly but surely creeping into the Indian governance system. One is not exactly the installation of Ram Nath Kovind as the President itself as much as the speech that he delivered during the Presidential installation ceremony. He equated BJP’s ideologue, Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhaya with the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi despite the known fact that Upadhaya and Gandhi had divergent views with vastly different ideologies. Now, I am sure a man of Kovind’s faculties and political experience would have been well aware of this and yet he chose an opportune moment to ruffle a lot of feathers with his remarks.

Next of course is Nitish Kumar’s masterstroke in joining hands with the BJP and delinking himself from Laloo Yadav thereby prompting Laloo, in Bihar, to label him an opportunist and sparking off café conversations, in Guwahati, about how all politicians are nothing but opportunists. Actually, if you think about it, why get personal here at all? If the universal practice for an entrepreneur is to maximise his profits and thereby do everything within the law to facilitate the same, then the same for a politician is to remain in power by tweaking every available loophole in the law and constitution simply because a politician without power is akin to a jockey without a race-

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horse, a non-entity.

Add to this is the third situation of the Assam government’s continued rhetoric and determination to absorb the overspill of persecuted Hindu Bangladeshis within the state thereby upsetting the demographic applecart completely. No amount of protest so far seems sufficient to offset the BJP off its petulance on this front.

All of the above considered, one cannot help the sneaking suspicion that the BJP’s stranglehold over the nation is nearing completion and is coming way sooner than expected. This would surely spawn the extremely rigorous RSS mentality that would swamp other ideologies from its fold. This would be something totally new for Assam, liberated as we were historically from religious extremism. I am not offering an opinion on whether this would right or wrong, good or bad for us Guwahatians. That kind of deciphering and discerning is best avoided in these times of change. The point of concern, however, is whether this is what we had bargained for when we sought a change purely to usher in good governance as a much needed respite from the failings of the erstwhile regime? No, we had not. We had neither asked to be bullied and dictated to about our lifestyles, nor had we bargained for this level of extremism.

This unwanted baggage is not desirable in the Guwahatian way of life and may ‘kindly’ not be thrust upon us!

Swapnil Bharali

‘Content with a cause’

Editor

f you are someone who’s checked out Facebook over the past week; you have seen 2 things – one, RJ Malishka’s video slamming BMC (Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation) highlighting the potholes on the roads and second, the Testony App updates.

On my recent trip to Mumbai, I witnessed the condition of the roads and then understood why the content she created was so successful.

This ‘pothole song’ echoed with Mumbai – ‘content with a cause’. BMC then chose to slam the RJ with a defamation case and have alleged that her residence is breeding dengue mosquitoes - something they did because they had no other means of hitting back.

My point of telling this is twofold. First, yes, there is a way to get the administration to respond. Even if they fail to address your problem, you will not be left unnoticed. The song echoed with lakhs of Mumbaikars and despite not understanding Marathi, the song was accepted across the country.

The second observation is that on my trip to Mumbai, I chose to stay updated about Guwahati using Facebook which was flooded with something called the Testony App (which by the way was a masterstroke to earn some money using Pay Per click advertisements while entertaining people).

The point I’m making is that a city chose to act against its problems by making sure that the voice spread out until it became national news.

Unfortunately, our people have only complained about things – whether it is inadequate funds, or Testony App or why Assam flooding is not National News while they themselves choose to flood their timelines with a Facebook App. I for one am not against this Testony App because it was a marketing masterstoke and you rarely get to see these from this region. And yes, there’s a reason why RJ Malishkha’s content is viral. She genuinely cares, while you’re just looking for shares. Think about it.

SIDHARTH BEDI VARMA

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very place in the world has a natural local time. It is calculated by multiplying the longitude by 4 minutes. However, time zones are decided by DST standards, international and national conventions. In India, both the westernmost Gujarat (68°E) and the easternmost Arunachal Pradesh (97°E) observe the same standard time zone. India accepts longitude (82.5°E) as the Indian Standard Time - UTC+5:30 (Coordinated Universal Time) - which is the world time standard since 1972.

It is successor to Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). GMT is a time zone and UTC is a time standard. In the ideal world scenario, the time difference between Gujarat and Arunachal Pradesh would have been around 2 hours. India followed one time zone since independence, although Kolkata and Mumbai retained their own local times until 1948 and 1955 respectively. Now IST is used in aviation industry, meteorology and to synchronize time across internet networks.

Northeast India is closer to Dhaka, which is 30 minutes ahead of New Delhi. Like the northeast, western states are also falling trap to the single time zone. India would have saved 2.7 billion units of electricity every year by shifting the IST meridian eastward from 82.5°E longitude in Uttar Pradesh to 90°E near the Assam-Bengal border. Gujarat pushed back office and school timings by an hour. Even nationalised banks follow state government guidelines.

Surprisingly, Rajasthan went ahead with half an hour. Even the British introduced ‘bagan time’ (tea garden time) which started at 6 am - one hour ahead of IST - to make the most

Kamal Baruah

of daylight. The Plantation Labour they advocated a 30-minute adAct 1951 allows setting local time for vancement of IST. Our lifeline – the a particular area. railway system – is not automated.

The delay over availability and Collisions of US trains in 1853 led usability of daylight and dark hours to the setting up of the general time has resulted in massive losses for NE convention, i.e., Railway Time. A region. Definitely, there is a loss of ship would use nautical standard energy and workable hours. A per- time upon leaving its territorial wason is fresher in the morning, but by ters. However, it is unlikely that In10 o’clock he loses that energy. This is dia will go ahead with different time one major reason why people living zones. in the west of the time meridian are Today, all nations use standard more productive, progressive and time zone and some follow halfprosperous than the people living in hour/quarter-hour deviations from its east. Despite eastern India being standard time. Also, many countries blessed with an abundance of min- adopt DST by advancing clocks by eral wealth, its productivity is low, an hour at the start of spring and infrastructure poor and employ- adjusting back in autumn. NE must ment opportunities meagre. Overall, reset the clock an hour or two ahead the perception is that people of east- of IST to save energy and increase ern India are lazy and unproductive. productivity. Even 5-day week will And we are forced to observe UTC bring not only improvement in pro5:30. Being placed in the extreme ductivity but also save electricity east, our daylight differs with the consumption. Our tourism industry national time zone. Even daylight will surely get a boost. International saving time (DST) was used by the sporting events often suffer for lack military during the Indo-China war of knowledge of outsiders about our of 1962 and Indo-Pak wars of 1955 region. Neighbouring Bangladesh and 1971. Two time zones will ben- offers quality manpower at comefit eastern as well as western states petitive prices. Is it because of UTC of India.

06:00? Many other central governIn ancient times, the irregular ment departments like railways, dedaily movement of the sun was puz- fence have their own working hours zling to make a proper perception as per regions. The United States of time. Progression to solar tables observes four different time zones. and the value of obliquity were done Australia has three and Russia has during medieval and renaissance nine. But being a big country China periods. The 17th century pendu- has only one time zone - Beijing time lum brought significant change; - to enhance national unity. The Unitthe clock became reliable. In 1980, a ed Kingdom is not on GMT all year; it uses British Summer Time (BST), team of researchers proposed three time zones but the recommenda- which is one hour ahead of GMT, during the summer months. In Arations were not adopted. In 2006, the bia, people stay inside during dayPlanning Commission said having two time zones would lead to sub- time to avoid the extreme heat. Even stantial energy savings in a country schools open in the evenings there. that frequently suffers power out- Our neighbouring Bangladesh folages, but the central government lows 5-day week to save power. Hope rejected the plan. Scientists from India will give a serious thought to the National Institute of Advanced examine the merits of resetting IST to save precious DST for the northStudies in Bengaluru studied the problem and concluded that sepa- east as well as the western region. n rate time zones would cause chaos and might not lead to substantial Kamal Baruah is a resident of energy savings. On the other hand, Guwahati and works in SBI, Dispur it has several disadvantages. Instead, Branch

r Commendable achievement

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Opinion

Letter to the Editor

he Indian women’s cricket team had a dream run in the recently held ICC women cricket world cup in England. Apart from a minor hiccup in the middle period of the league format where they lost two matches consecutively to put them under a spot of bother, their performance otherwise was mind blowing. Generally, rather unfortunately, people tend to ignore or pay less attention to women’s cricket. But this time it was special as all the matches were televised live on TV which helped in creating an interest among the public. But the most important thing is the way our players played in the championship. Harmanpreet Kaur’s knock in the semi-final against the Aussies was simply brilliant; out of this world! That innings paved the way for the team’s summit clash against the hosts. The team was in fact in a commanding position to create history in the final but unfortunately they somehow succumbed to the pressure and bit the dust. Taking nothing away from the tremendous effort of the entire team I feel, had they crossed the final hurdle, it would have taken women’s cricket to an altogether different league. The players too know and rue that they had missed a huge opportunity. Anyway, that was destiny and let us hope the second place finish in the championship propels and inspires the next generation of women cricketers in India.

Gaurrav Chowdhury

GNB Road, Guwahati

G PLUS | JUL 29 - AUG 04, 2017

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In Focus

Srijani Bhaswa Mahanta Sattriya Dancer

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orn in Dergaon, Assam to a family of artists, Srijani Bhaswa Mahanta strides across two opposing worlds — the academic and the artistic. Balancing her passion for dance, music and cinematography with preparing for civil services examination, Srijani fits the role of an icon for the current generation.

Having spent her childhood in five different districts across the state because of the nature of her father’s job, Srijani moved to Guwahati when she was six years old.

After studying in St. Mary’s English

High School till 6th standard, she moved to Sarala Birla Gyan Jyoti for further education. “I still believe that has been one of the best decisions taken at just the right time.

I felt at home in my new school mainly because it provided a tremendous creative space for me to explore my interests,” Srijani said.

For her graduation, she pursued Political Science from Lady Sri Ram College, Delhi. “After graduating in 2015, I thought of giving the UPSC Civil Services Examination a shot.

Apart from that I’m still in a conversation with self regarding what ex-

actly that I want to be doing in life; I know I want to do real good work, be happy, make people happy.”

A trained musician, Srijani felt her calling in the Sattriya dance.

Belonging to the Borkhatpar Sattra, Sivasagar, she was naturally initiated into the world of Sattriya tradition. “I began my formal training at the age of six. Guru Ghanakanta Bora Borbayan and Late Dr Jagannath Mahanta are the two people who have moulded me into the dancer that I am today,” Srijani said.

Srijani credits her parents - Swapnali Mahanta (a poet) and Bhaskar Jyoti Mahanta (an IPS officer) – as the inspiration behind her passion for the art.

Expressing her concern about the future of Sattriya, an ancient genre which ironically was the last to be bestowed the classical status, Srijani expressed, “A great number of people, surprisingly even practitioners of other dance forms, are unaware of the existence of a form called Sattriya. Even if some do know, they have several misconceptions. Sattriya got recognised as an Indian Classical Dance in 2000, the most recent to be declared so.

But it is the only living art tradition of the country, continuing ever since its inception in the 15th century. Although the ‘othering’ attitude

did bother me at times, I took it up as my duty to try and do my bit through lecture demonstrations and casual conversations to spread the spirit and essence of Sattriya.”

Apart from the classical status, Srijani expressed concern about Majuli, the largest river island of the world and India’s first river island district. “Majuli is the epicentre of the Sattriya tradition. But sadly, it is slowly sinking and shrinking. We need to address this issue urgently.”

Srijani is closely associated with the film industry of Assam, mainly through her mother’s production house - Srijoni Productions. She has acted in a couple of movies and short films including “Yugadrashta The Visionary” and “Dwaar.” Srijani debuted as an assistant director for “Rebellion Bejeweled,” a documentary film on an ULFA terrorist who reformed and took to social engineering and community consultation. Apart from this, she has also acted in a couple of plays.

Her work has gained recognition far and wide. She has given performances at various venues across the nation. She is an empanelled artiste of Indian Council for Cultural Resources, Ministry of Eternal Affairs, and a Centre for Cultural Resources and Training scholar. Reviews and analysis of her performances have also featured in national dailies like The Hindu and The Telegraph.

Her perseverance to pursue her passion doesn’t stop at giving performances and walking away with

accolades. “I want to create awareness about this deep rooted dance which is the pride of Assamese culture,” she informed. “Dance has always served many purposes all at once - art form, therapy, exercise routine, entertainment, religious function, socialisation. The journey so far has been very rewarding both in terms of my personal growth and getting recognised for my work. It is a magical feeling to be sharing a piece of you with the world through movement; words aren’t always enough.”

In a recent case, Srijani took to Facebook to express her grief at being denied entry to the Batadrava Than Naamghar. On being asked about her experience, she said, “I believe an individual’s relationship with her God is a very personal one; you don’t need a facilitator or a mediator. My question was from where does my devotion emanate - my heart, my clothes, or the food I consume? Culture is a way of life and it is about the values by which you lead your life. You practise culture; you do not “wear” it. A dress code was arbitrarily imposed two years ago at Batadrava in the name of preserving tradition. But we should all remember that tradition does not imply rigidity. Yes, we need to look back in order to look forward, but not to the point that the lines between preserving and making it altogether redundant are blurred.”

In response to her Facebook post, many people came forward and shared similar experiences.

Does northeast India require a Separate Time Zone?

The demand for a separate time zone has surfaced again as supporters state that there’s a difference of 90 minutes between Guwahati and Mumbai

Swaraj Saikia If there are multiple time zones then we will induce a big problem of economic integration, many industries have to adjust to multiple zones. If the industries are ready to cooperate, then it’s a very good idea. Majorly, the time zone thing will help in saving a plethora of electricity. In sectors like tea garden and petroleum they are already maintaining a different time standard, it’s one hour ahead of IST. Our sun is up early and sets earlier than the rest of India. Now the bright side of this is I guess near about 2 billion units of electricity would be saved which is a huge amount. I don’t understand when countries like Russia, America, Germany and UK praise us so much about our solar power technologies why can’t we invest more on them and also implement the time zones that can keep us ahead of the game and we can save double. India has got kick-ass solar power tech. We are actually big fools to shun that idea.

Korobi Sarma Northeastern region may benefit if we follow a separate timezone.. a huge part of the morning hours are wasted.. they can be made use of benefiting us from the electricity side and saving us from over work in the later part of the day.. however it might create problems in some sectors like railway timings.. pros n cons duo exist.. will require a proper propaganda Mrinmoy Baruah Nope we don’t want a different time zone.Otherwise after establishmnt of a different time zone ,we will face many prblms including in tourism,import & export and all

Sumit Biswas I don’t think we should have a separate time zone for North East...since India is a vast country, there will always be time gaps from place to place... Having a separate time zone will lead to many problems in sectors which operate all over India. An unified system (IST for that matter) is much better in maintaining uniformity in any sector....we can’t just be demanding for separate time zones keeping in mind the greater interest. I would like to say that we have already divided India into states n more states n more and more states....let the time zone stay at least b uniformed :) Navneet Ringania First let us change the office timings of our State govt offices.

This would really be a progressive step in the direction and we won’t even need to beg the central government for this.

There are many countries around the world which have multiple time zones. In fact Germany adjusts it’s timing during winter to increase daylight saving.

Naobi Maibam Yes, of course we should have. In my opinion, this is must for a better future of the region. We will be more lively and humane, though not sure about those intoxicant lovers, blind imitators and retards obsessed with unauthenticated knowledge.

Atreya Barua Yes we require different time zone.. We r losing out on valuable day light because of Dillis indifferent attitude towards South and East India!

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G PLUS | JUL 29 - AUG 04, 2017

Snippets

Students of Assam should not pass out without learning Assamese, says Himanta

Prisoner under trial escapes Guwahati Central Jail

Huge amount of valuables looted during armed robbery at Narengi

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he state education minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma, on Wednesday inaugurated the Royal Global University.

Speaking on the occasion, the minister focused on including Assamese and Sanskrit in the higher educational institutions of the state.

Speaking on the occasion, the minister said, “Universities should spare some time to impart knowledge on Assamese and Sanskrit. It will help us to re-invent our state. A student should not pass out from the state without getting familiarized with the

Assamese alphabets.”

Emphasizing on the Sanskrit language, he said, “Sanskrit is our classic language. This language has been laid down to the generation from the knowledgeable ancestors. The students of the region should know the language and the significance it holds.”

Himanta further appealed to the people of the state to stand up to the expectations as the state is all set to see huge changes once it starts acting as the prime connection between India and rest of South East Asia. n

World’s smallest pacemaker successfully implanted on 60 year old

n a shocking incident, an under trial prisoner has escaped the Central Jail, Guwahati, by jumping over the campus walls on Thursday night. The prisoner has been identified as Manowar Hussain.

He was accused of stealing mobile phones.

The incident has raised a question on the security elements of the Central Jail, the walls of which could easily be scaled by an under trial prisoner.

A case has been registered on this regard at Basistha Police Station, and police is investigating the matter.

eportedly, a case of armed robbery has taken place in a residence in the Narengi area of the city. The incident took place in the house of one Anwar Hussain.

It has been reported that a group of 6 armed robbers entered the house of the above mentioned person on Monday night. The robbers looted a huge amount of gold and cash along with other valuables from the residence. An FIR has been lodged by the family and police is currently investigating the matter. n

ADMISSION INTO M.Sc. NURSING COURSES IN THE REGIONAL COLLEGE OF NURSING, GUWAHATI FOR THE SESSION 2017 Applications are invited from candidates intending to undergo M.Sc. (Nursing) Courses in the Regional College of Nursing, Guwahati, for the session 2017 in prescribed form, to be obtained from the office of the Principal. Regional College of Nursing Guwahati from 1 st August, 2017 to 10 th August, 2017 during office hours on deposition of Rs.200/- (Rupees two hundred) only in the form of Bank Draft/ Banker’s Cheque drawn in favour of “Srimanta Sankaradeva University of Health Sciences” payable at “SBI, GMC Branch, Guwahati”. The last date of submission of filled in Application Form at the Office of the Principal, Regional College of Nursing. Guwahati is 14 th August, 2017 (upto 4:15 PM).

An amount of Rs.4800/- (Rupees four thousand eight hundred) only shall have to be paid in the form of Bank Draft/ Banker’s Cheque drawn in favour of “Srimanta Sankaradeva University of Health Sciences” payable at “SBI, GMC Branch, Guwahati” as Examination Fees and shall have to be submitted along with the Application Form The Entrance Examination is going to be held on 27 th August, 2017 (Sunday) at Regional College of Nursing, Guwahati from 10.00 AM to 1.00 PM. The Entrance Examination shall consist of 100 (one hundred) Multiple Choice Questions. There shall be no negative marking.

Applicants or their duly authorized persons will have to collect the Admit Cards from the office of the Principal, Regional College of Nursing, Guwahati on 21 st and 22 hd August, 2017 during office hours. Eligibility Criteria: The eligibility criteria for the said course are as follows: 1. Candidates who passed B.Sc. Nursing Degree or equivalent from the Nursing Colleges of the state of Assam or any other University recognized by Indian Nursing Council.

2. T he candidate must be a citizen of India.

3. T he candidate must be a Permanent Resident of Assam. This will not be applicable for son/daughter/husband/wife of employees of Govt. of Assam.

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he world’s smallest pacemaker has been successfully implanted for the first time on a 60 year old man at Hayat Hospital, Guwahati. The pacemaker was implanted on Taleswar Hazam who was suffering from intermittent heart block.

The pacemaker implanted is just the size of a vitamin capsule, which is one-tenth the size of a traditional pacemaker and the pacemaker has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The leadless pacemaker also incorporates a retrieval feature to enable retrieval of the device when possible but the device is designed to be left in the body.

4. Must have R.N./R.M. or equivalent certificate with State Nursing Council.

Dr Chinmoy Majumdar, Interventional Cardiologist from the hospital said, “Tests like ECG and Echocardiography revealed problems with his heart rhythm and confirmed the necessity of a permanent pacemaker. The pacemaker was implanted in 60 minutes and the patient is doing well.”

Traditional pacemakers require creating a pocket under the skin below the collarbone to place the pacemaker but the patient being of a very lean frame couldn’t have supported a pacemaker pocket.

The patient has responded well after the surgery and has resumed his daily activities. n

5. The candidate must have a minimum 1 (one) year of work experience after Basic B.Sc. Nursing or, minimum 1(one) year of work experience prior or after Post Basic B.Sc. Nursing.

6. Must have secured minimum of 55% aggregate marks in B.Sc. Nursing / B.Sc. Hons.

Nursing / Post Basic B Sc. Nursing and there will be 5% relaxation of marks for SC/ST candidates.

7. In case of N.E.C. candidates the Permanent Resident Certificate of Assam will not be required.

The Application form must be forwarded by the Secretary/ Authorized Representative of N E.C. and should also authenticate the caste of the candidate. They will also be required to appear in the Entrance Examination.

The distribution and reservation of seats shall be according to the directives of the Government of Assam. Admission shall be made by DME, Assam.

Janasanyog 1064/17

Registrar & Controller of Examinations (i/c) Srimanta Sankardeva University Health Science

G PLUS | JUL 29 - AUG 04, 2017

17

Trotter

Taxi driver caught driving with just his pants on

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Labour councillor, Gurpal Atwal, was banned from working as a taxi driver after he was caught behind the wheel wearing just his ‘pants.’

A court also heard Cllr Gurpal Atwal, 45, swore and made racist comments to a man as well as using unlicensed drivers to ferry children to school. Atwal, councillor for Oadby and Wigston in Leicester, was denied a licence to run a taxi firm in Leicester after a court heard a string of allegations.

Loughborough Magistrates Court ruled the Leicester City

Councillor was “not fit and proper.”

Addressing Atwal’s legal team, Borough licensing enforcement officer, Tracey Aldwinckle, said, “I was told your client is using unlicensed drivers on school runs and then he sat in his pants outside a swimming pool because he believes that’s acceptable.”

Further alleged misdemeanours were outlined to the court last Friday, including claims of racism and that Atwal swore at a man.

(Source: mirror)

WhatsApp hits 1 billion active users every day, Facebook reaches 2 billion monthly active users

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hatsApp last year announced that it has reached one billion monthly active users and now the chat app has hit another landmark of having one billion active users daily.

The chat app has revealed that it now has 1 billion daily active users and there are 1.3 billion monthly active users of the app.

The company further revealed that on an average 55 billion messages are sent per day. The chat app now supports 60 languages

and users exchange 4.5 billion photos per day. Also, 1 billion videos are shared on WhatsApp every day.

“Today, we are excited and proud to share that one billion people around the world use WhatsApp everyday to stay in touch with their family and friends. Whether it’s sharing personalised photos and videos, connecting through video calling, or keeping friends updated throughout the day with status, communicating on WhatsApp has never

been easier or more personal. We are humbled that so many people are using these new features to connect with one another in their own special way,” the company said in a press statement.

WhatsApp’s status feature that is pretty much the same thing as Snapchat’s Stories has 250 million daily active users whereas Snapchat itself has only 166 million daily users of the entire app.

It is not just WhatsApp that has released its numbers. Facebook, which now owns WhatsApp, has also announced that it now has 2 billion monthly active users.

The company also reported heavy profits in the Q2 2017. “We just announced our quarterly results and gave an update on our progress to bring the world closer together. Our community is now more than 2 billion people, including more than 1.3 billion people who use Facebook every day,” Mark Zuckerberg wrote in his Facebook blog post. On an average, 2 billion messages are sent between people and business each month on Messenger.

(Source: The Times of india)

Smriti Irani trumps PTI

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n 18th July 2017, textile minister Smriti Zubin Irani had been given the additional charge of information and broadcasting (I&B), after M. Venkaiah Naidu resigned from the post, following his nomination as National Democratic Alliance’s vice-presidential candidate.

Her first attack on PTI came through an act of public name shaming in Twitter. This

happened when PTI tried to post photographs of 2015 Chennai floods as the 2017 Ahmedabad

floods; the picture was even featured in a National Daily (print version).

This new tactics employed by the I&B minister had an immediate effect. PTI have profusely apologized on Twitter, not once but twice. Is this form of public shaming a newly employed tactic by the Modi Government? If so, it is really working and ensuring that there is accountability from these media houses. n

Five-star hotel sued for ‘poo floating in pool’

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group of seriously ill holidaymakers are suing a five-star hotel after allegedly seeing poo floating in the swimming pool.

Among the travellers taking legal action are newlyweds Jessica and Andrew Whittington whose ‘trip of a lifetime’ honeymoon ended in ‘vomiting, diarrhoea and an IV drip.’

The furious tourists are suing top travel firm First Choice after getting sick at the Jaz Aquaviva Resort in Egypt. Among the 26 travellers taking legal action are Jessica, 35, and Andrew Whittington, 39, who were enjoying a week-long stay for their honeymoon in June when they say they were struck down with severe vomiting and diarrhoea.

The couple from West Sussex travelled with their two children,

Max, 12, and Mia, 5, said the trip of a lifetime was “ruined.”

Two days into her honeymoon, newlywed Jessica began to suffer from excruciating stomach cramps and was eventually put on an IV drip. She claims she has video footage of chefs handling raw meat, cooked meat and salad all while wearing the same gloves.

First Choice spokesperson said, “We’re sorry to hear about these customers’ experience during their holidays earlier this year.

As we understand this is now subject to legal proceedings and we are unable to comment further at this time. We closely audit all resorts to which we operate to ensure that health, hygiene and comfort levels are maintained in line with industry standards.”

(Source: mirror)

Cyberattack Hits Ukraine Then Spreads Internationally

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omputer systems from Ukraine to the United States were struck on Tuesday in an international cyberattack that was similar to a recent assault that crippled tens of thousands of machines worldwide.

In Kiev, the capital of Ukraine, ATMs stopped working. About 80 miles away, workers were forced to manually monitor radiation at the old Chernobyl nuclear plant when their computers failed. And tech managers at companies around the world — from Maersk, the Danish shipping conglomerate, to Merck, the drug giant in the United States — were scrambling to respond. Even an Australian factory for the choco-

late giant Cadbury was affected.

The outbreak was the latest and perhaps the most sophisticated in a series of attacks making use of dozens of hacking tools that were stolen from the National Security Agency and leaked online in April by a group called the Shadow Brokers.

The Ukrainian government said several of its ministries, local banks and metro systems had been affected. A number of other European companies, including Rosneft, the Russian energy giant; SaintGobain, the French construction materials company; and WPP, the British advertising agency, also said they had been targeted.

(Source: nytimes)

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G PLUS | JUL 29 - AUG 04, 2017

Art

Straddling the Ancient and the Modern Two Performances dedicated to Arun Sarma

Asha Kuthari Chaudhuri

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he last long conversation I remember having with Arun Sarma (Arunda for most of us) was when we had gone to invite him to come to the inaugural play of the first G Plus Guwahati Theatre Festival in September 2016.

He received us with his usual affable demeanor, and after having watched the play, (Rajat Kapoor’s Hamlet the Clown Prince) he was all smiles with the fact that Guwahati was getting to see some great plays; he was also enthusiastically looking forward to some of the forthcoming productions of his own work.

Among his most difficult undertakings must have been the translation of Sudraka’s Mricchakatikam (The Little Clay Cart) which is among the most performed extant Sanskrit plays that continues to enthrall audiences globally. Arun Sarma’s Assamese version was first staged by a mobile theatre group in 1983, and is recalled as a unique event.

The play is set in Ujjain, around the 5th century BC, and is replete with romance, politics, intrigue, and sometimes ribald comedy. It is based on a fictional situation – something of a rarity in Sanskrit drama; we also have the unique situation of authorship: Sudraka was a king, but also a Sudra. This actually problematizes a whole host of issues that emanate from the play and the colour that it will tend to assume depending upon the staging and interpretation. Zerifa Wahid Productions’ Mricchakatikam that Arun da was so looking forward to, therefore needed to straddle many worlds and ideological

spaces.

Pruning down a fourhour long magnum opus to 150 minutes; mounting opulent sets, light design and costume; a mammoth ensemble of actors; music design that had to carefully refer to the time – these were but a few of the challenges undertaken by Abinash Sarma. Kopil Bora and Zerifa Wahid essayed their roles with attention to detail. Every bit the enticing courtesan Vasantsena, Zerifa breathed life into her role, and Kopil played the brooding Charudutt – not a very easy role to play, because of the various nuances that were required.

But as usual, both delivered with their usual panache.

Individually and as parts of the gorgeous period spectacle, replete with dance and song, comic interludes and satire that the play evokes, all of the members of the cast entertained and made the audience think for a whole two and a half hours – an achievement in itself.

Many of the spectators

who are familiar with the film version of the narrative – Utsav – had probably expected to watch a love story with star-crossed lovers. But what actually came through in this production was something so much more. Mricchakatikam after all means ‘the little clay cart’, and uses this as the core metaphor to speak about the uneven distribution of wealth (and thereby power) in its time. Sudraka’s deliberate references to the marginalized sections of the citizenry, the

haves and the have-nots, the politics of power, the space occupied by women in the social milieu of the time, the impending sweep of Buddhism, and most importantly, the representation of justice and governance are what form the spine of the text, and happily, this production was able to address and engage with most of them.

This is really what resonated loud and clear – we live in similar times, and deal with these issues on a day-to-day basis.

Arun Sarma was a fairly experimental writer in terms of form and content and in that sense, was a modernist, and many of his plays are powerful explorations of mental and physical states of being.

Apart from benchmark plays like Sri Nibaran Bhattacharyya, Kukurnechia Manuh and Ahar, plays like Buranjipath (1980), Baghjal and Siyor (1984) are discernibly Marxist in their ideological orientation. His handling of mental and physical violence, of politics and contemporary society is deft, and calls to mind the work of Arthur Miller and O’Neill. The power and resonance of his dialogues and scenarios comes out of his nine year stint as a radio broadcaster and renders them alive on the stage.

Siyor, in particular, immediately recalls plays like Death of a Salesman and All My Sons – it is a critique of post-industrial, consumerist worlds that we continue to exist in. This was the second play by Arun Sarma that was performed for Guwahati audiences and both are the best tributes that our theatre community can possibly accord to him.

The demands of ‘success’ in a society where money plays such a vital role eats into our ethical moorings, as it does into our conscience.

Amar Baruah is such a protagonist – his conscience

lies dormant, like “a rusted sword” as Sarma points out in his extensive footnote to the play. This is a role that some greats of Assamese theatre, such as the late Ishan Baruah have performed; it requires extraordinary mobility of expression from the actor to display the cringing, niggling self-awareness of one’s own follies, even as he hurtles towards holocaust. It also squarely places the onus of the blame on the protagonist who is trapped in a space of his own making. Not at all an easy range of emotions to portray – but performed with remarkable élan by Manash Das, in a virtuoso act – his role enhanced by the overall design of the production.

Abinash Sarma’s visualization was exceptional – the set was dominated by a giant Rubik’s Cube suspended centre-stage. The eerie and surreal atmosphere that was evoked through adept and skilful lighting managed to create in the audience the sense of foreboding (the use of Edvard Munch’s The Scream on the flyer was apt) about the human condition. All of the scenes were set pieces that built up to the terrifying climax, and each actor performed with consummate ease, especially in the small comic scenes that every now and then relieved the tension.

It has been some time since Arun Sarma left us. But his spirit straddles across both ancient and modern worlds that come alive on the stage as plays like Mricchakatikam and Siyor hold Guwahati audiences rapt. n

G PLUS | JUL 29 - AUG 04, 2017

19

Entertainment

Catching up with the actors of Raag Desh – Kenny Basumatary and Vijay Varma

Kenny Basumatary and Vijay Verma during production of Raag Desh

Chandrika Das

T

igmanshu Dhulia’s period drama ‘Raag Desh’ that speaks volumes about the historic trial of three Indian National Army soldiers in Delhi in 1945, was released on 28th July last.

The movie is a detailed break-

down that shows how vulnerable the British regime had become during that time.

In an exclusive interview, G Plus met two actors of the movie - Kenny Basumatary and Vijay Varma - who play significant roles in the movie. Guwahati-based Kenny, who rose to fame with Local Kung

Fu, would be seen in flashback scenes in the character of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose. On the other hand, Vijay plays the role of a journalist who is more of a spy and who investigates the details of the trial case.

Speaking about the movie and its significance in the current times, Kenny and Vijay said, “The movie is not like a Bollywood masala movie. It has rich Indian history and depth. Although Indian audiences have always been drawn towards spicy stories, Raag Desh is one we are keeping huge expectations from. Unlike bland historical dramas, this movie is something that is a blend of modern elements and historical epoch.

And we are very confident that the movie would be appreciated by one and all.”

The movie that is based on the Indian National Congress Army set up by Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose and the war to liberate India from the British government has Kenny in short but important

flashback scenes. “When people learnt that I was playing the role of Netaji, they had a misconception that the storyline is based on him.

But that’s not true. The movie deals with a famous Indian historical court martial that has Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose and his contributions,” clarified Kenny.

Tigmanshu Dhulia’s narrative is an incredibly interesting anecdote from the Indian freedom struggle, and Kenny is proud and thankful to have been a part of the movie in a character that has brought him recognition and fame.

Kenny, who had previously worked with Tigmanshu, was called for auditions for the movie and was given a ‘Yes’ in the first round itself.

The strong character that Kenny had to play did not come to him easily. Kenny had to learn and understand the time and the incident to dive into the character. He had to understand the socio-political climate of the Indian independence. “Whenever we would see him, he’d have a book of history in

hands. He read it all to understand his character. And he did a brilliant job,” commented Vijay on Kenny’s performance. Kenny said, “I am glad to be part of the movie, and even more, to play the particular character. I have learnt a lot and devoted my best to the character. I hope the audience likes it.”

The two actors cherished their experiences of working with Tigmanshu. The two said that Tigmanshu, being a student of history, has vast knowledge. The two also appreciated how painstakingly Dhulia recreated the pre-independence era with researched costumes, sets and multiple languages.

On Sunday, 23rd July, Raag Desh became the very first film to have its premiere at Rashtrapati Bhawan. Kenny Basumatary was also present along with the lead cast and crew at the screening which was graced by outgoing President Pranab Mukherjee, Vice President Hamid Ansari and Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman PJ Kurien.

From Jorhat to the Oscars – Journey of an Assamese Guy

Amrit Pritam has worked in the productions of some successful Bollywood movies like Ghajini, RA-One, Robot, Blue, Highway, A Rainy Day etc

Chandrika Das

F

rom Jorhat to Guwahati and then to the Oscars, Amrit Pritam is a name every Assamese takes with pride today.

Born to renowned freedom fighter Late Deva Prasad Dutta and Sattriya Danseuse Nalini Bala Dutta, Amrit had culture, art and heritage rooted in him since birth. Amrit was born and brought up in Jorhat, where he had lived his childhood and completed his graduation from JB College, Jorhat, in 1998. Later he moved to Guwahati, to join Jyoti Chitrabon Film & Television Institute in 1999 and completed Sound Engineering in

2002. One of the four siblings in the family, Amrit grew up in an environment which was richly artistic.

Amrit Pritam, who was initially a Nuclear Physics aspirant, happened to connect with sound engineering by destiny. His roots in sound production date back to 1999 when his elder brother Bhagawat Pritam, who is an actor by profession, asked him to appear for an admission in Jyoti Chitrabon Film & Television Institute. A destiny’s child, Amrit never looked back in his journey ever since. With accolades and achievements in his bag, one after the other, he has proudly made his name to the world’s most coveted awards – The Oscars.

For the young aspirants of the region who want to study applied fields like sound/light/cinema in general, Amrit suggests that Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SRFTI), Kolkata and Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), Pune are currently the best institutions for the fields.

Amrit has recently been selected as one of the significant jury members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (Oscar Academy). Amrit will share the prestigious position with renowned Bollywood artists such

as Aamir Khan, Priyanka Chopra, Deepika Padukone, Salman Khan, Amitabh Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan among others. Amrit, being a member of the Oscar Governing Body, will have exclusive powers to vote for the best of the best names in movies, music, sound etc. “Every vote matters in the Oscars. The names fail to make it to the success for just one or two votes at times. I am glad to be one of the members in the list whose votes will count and make a difference,” said Amrit.

He further said, “Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences (Oscar Academy) consists of close to 7000 members from all over the globe which includes actors, directors, screenwriters, cinematographers, sound mixers and sound designers and other professionals and academic people who have won Academy Awards or been nominated for Academy Awards or have made outstanding contributions in the field of cinema globally.

These illustrious artists are given voting rights by the Academy to choose films and technicians to nominate every year for the Oscars, and then vote for them again to choose the Oscar winners.”

Being a sound producer, Amrit

looks for elements like dialogue, FX, ambience, foley, final mixing and overall design of the entire sound to make sure the final product is good.

Speaking about the innovations in sound technology, Amrit said, “Technology of sound for film making has been changing and upgrading with time. Initial-

ly only MONO sound was used in film, but gradually use of sound changed from Stereo to 5.1 & 7.1 surround sound and now finally Dolby Atmos. It’s a huge change from mono Sound to Dolby Atmos within just 30 years. Dolby Atmos sound technology can be termed as revolutionary for the present generation.” n

Achievements: 63rd MPSE Golden Reel Award Los Angles Hollywood in 2016 for the documentary film “India’s Daughter”

The APSARA Award (The Film And TV Producer’s Guild Award, Mumbai) For Best Sound Design for RA-One in 2012

National Award ( President Award of the Republic of India) for the best Sound Design for the Malayalam film Kerela

International Indian Film Academy Award (IIFA) 2009, for the best Sound Design for the film “Ghajini”

Maharashtra State Govt Award for the best Sound Design for the film A Rainy Day in 2014

Amma Award 2009, in Dubai for Best Sound Design for the Malayalam Film “Pazhashi Raja”

GOA State Govt Award for the best Sound Design for the film A Rainy Day in 2014 Zee Cine Award for Best Sound Design for Shah Rukh Khan’s RA-One in 2012 International Indian Film Academy Award (IIFA) 2012, for the best Sound Design for the film RA-One

APSARA award for the Best Sound Design for the Film BLUE in 2009 Worked as an associate Sound Mixer with Oscar Winner Resul Pookutty on location shooting of the BAFTA & Oscar Winning Film, “Slumdog Millionaire” directed by Danny Boyle

20

G PLUS | JUL 29 - AUG 04, 2017

Reviews Cast: Anil Kapoor, Arjun Kapoor, Ileana D’Cruz, Athiya Shetty, etc Director: Anees Bazmee

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vie Mo view Re Mubarakan

ou are most definitely not in original territory here nor is there anything terrible smart going on in Mubarakan. The premise of twins causing chaos has been infinitely supreme in movies like Ram Aur Shyam, Golmaal, Angoor, Seeta Aur Geeta, ChaalbaazandevenJudwaa.ButAnees Bazmee who has made a career of dishing out gags and funny one-liners, goes at this one again with gusto. And you do find yourself amused at times.

Director Anees Bazmee, story writers Rupinder Chahal and Balwinder Singh Janjua and dialogue writer Rajesh Chawla, take a bow for making a clean film that is an out-and-out entertainer! They don’t serve comedies this size no more. But to say that about Bazmee’s Mubarakan shouldn’t make you feel that one is taking the credit

away from a stellar star cast.

Arjun Kapoor, who doubles up as Karan (the smart guy) and Charan (the duffer); proves a point with this madcap. This is Arjun Kapoor’s second double role after Aurangzeb, and he rocks.

Ileana D’cruz is coming into her own in comedy films and while Mubarakan gives her a solid platform, she doesn’t let her fans down. As Sweety, the hot-headed Sardarni, D’Cruz looks like a million bucks too.

Athiya Shetty’s Binkle is hardly there in the first half of the film and when she does get a chance in the latter half, she too walks into your hearts with ease. Pavan Malhotra, who plays an upcoming, egotistic hotel tycoon, leaves a lasting impression and at times gives everybody else in the film a run for their money. n

Cast: Kirti Kulhari, Tota Roy Chowdhury, Anupam Kher, etc Director: Madhur Bhandarkar

I

ndu Sarkar is a prime example of why there cannot be a truly trenchant political film made in India: regardless of the government in power, there is simply no way that an authentic true-to- its-time-and-place film can be made and put out there, because almost all ‘netas’, cutting across party lines, have the thinnest skin, and the ability to take offense at the slightest opportunity.

You dare name someone, and the wrath of the Almighty is visited upon you, and your film is skinned and slaughtered till there’s almost no meat left.

That’s the problem with Indu Sarkar. The inherent constraints of the Bhandarkar style of story-telling could have been ignored, if the film had chosen to be a close analysis of the events

T

here is little secret that I’m going to share with you today.

Tucked into the busy lane of SRCB Road, Fancy Bazar, is a cute little place which doles out some delectable sweet nothings, cakes and macaroons. Take the flight of stairs in the same building as D’River View and one can’t miss Style O Cake, more because you least expect a little place with sugar and spice and all that’s nice in the midst of the hustle and bustle.

Once you enter the tiny, fairy tale pink world of Style O cake, you will be enticed by the cakes, cookies and the pastries, all laid out in a pretty row. Cookies in jar with a bow, ready to woo someone, macaroons with fillings, tea time cakes to adorn a tea

that led up to one of India’s most turbulent periods, and its consequences. But it is reduced to an overwrought story of one woman called Indu Sarkar and her fight against the excesses of the Emergency. The big picture is subsumed, so much so that it almost vanishes.

Indu Sarkar is set during the Emergency, and shows us the horrific violation of freedom put into motion by then prime minister Indira Gandhi, aided and abetted by her younger son Sanjay: insiders say he coerced her into a declaration, because if the formidable Mrs G had a weakness, it was Sanjay. The forced sterilization (nasbandi), the breaking up of ‘jhuggi-jhopris’, the sweeping up and arrest of all those in opposition, and the entire system being suborned and subverted: it’s all there. n

table and a few savoury dishes too, in case you craved for something salty.

Brainchild of Sheena Rathi, a trained pastry chef and supported by her two sisters, the trio brings to Guwahati the fine nuances of French pastry.

Delicate, high on flavour, using only pure chocolate and fine ingredients, Sheena hopes to woo the taste buds of Guwahatians.

Macaroons are the quintessential French delicacy, made of almond flour and egg whites, this light as air confection is delightful. I tasted a coffee with a chocolate filling, which was rather nice. Crisp on the outside with a chewy centre, they were blissful.

Their hottest selling dessert is 5 Texture Mousse Cake with different layers of chocolate ranging from

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Eating Out: Style O Cake

Sugar, spice and everything nice amidst hustle and bustle white to dairy to dark. Not too sweet, it is a perfectly balanced light dessert.

The brownies are decent and moist with a chewy texture and Nutella one was my favourite; it was fudgy although not quiet gooey.

There was also a salted caramel but I could not really taste the salt in it. Be-

cause that’s what sets it apart, the intensity of the Caramel toffee flavour offset with a

robust taste of salt and doing magic in the mouth.

The cookies are divine, buttery, crisp and perfect with a cup of tea or coffee. Go for the Millionaires cake; it is rich and deeply chocolaty. It is a cross between a chocolate brownie and short bread. It is decadently delicious.

The Carrot Cake was a total let down. The texture was great but one could taste baking soda in the after taste and that was a complete no no. The Financier cake was lovely, light and crisp; the French almond cakes are a great

accompaniment at tea time.

We also savoured some great Sable; these classic French chocolate cookies are crumbly and tender and coated in chocolate are out of the world.

The range available is still ongoing, as they have opened their doors just a few weeks ago. So Sheena tells me that they are still working on the taste and flavours of the city.

Style O Cake promises to be a great stop for cakes, cookies and other confections. They also have their in house artisanal chocolates. Mostly hits with a few misses, Style O Cake is a place to watch out for. Prices are on the higher side starting with Rs 90 for a small slice of brownie. n Kashmiri Nath Foodie, owner at XOXO cupcakes, food blogger, recipe developer and expert on Assamese cuisine.

G PLUS | JUL 29 - AUG 04, 2017

21

Lifestyle

5 Secrets of Success

VAASTU SHASTRA

DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS AND VAASTU DEFECTS

V

aastu speaks of some well defined directions and rules in a residential house that could cause various problems due to defective placement of certain rooms. Here are 9 serious Vaastu defects that need attention and rectification.

1. If there is a cut or underground tank/well in the southwest, then the lady of the house will suffer more. There will be block in finances. Health problems like kidney stones or failures, leg pain and accidents may happen. The legs of the Vaastu purush lie in this direction.

2. When there is a toilet in the northeast of the house or there is a cut in the northeast, it will cause problems for the youngest son. Once the Vaastu purush’s head lies in this region, there may be problems like migraine, mental disorder, problems of the brain or insomnia. There will be financial difficulties, educational problems besides marriage and infertility problems.

3. When the southeast of the house has a cut or there is an extension or presence of a water or septic tank, it will create problems for the eldest daughter. There will be marriage related problems. Health problems like knee problems, infertility and abortion may be there. People living in such a house will be always angry.

4. If there is a water tank, cut or extension in the northwest, the father will face problems. There will be legal and court-

room battles. There may be lung problems because this is direction of the air element.

5. A cut in the north or a toilet in the north will create problems for the middle son. There will be financial problems and health problems of blood, kidney and eye.

6. A cut or extension in the south will pose problems for the middle daughter.

There will be delay in jobs and financial losses. There may be legal problems and even police entangles. Heart and eye problems may arise.

7. A cut or storeroom in the east will create problems for the eldest son. He will have problems with the elders. There may be heart and uterus problems for the residents. Desired recognition will not be achieved.

8. Big openings, cut or extension in the west will make the youngest daughter suffer. Finances will melt away causing poverty. There may be respiratory and chest problems.

9. If the brahmasthan or centre of the house has a kitchen, toilet or water tank, there will be stomach and spine problems.

People will fall sick regularly and finances will go down the drain.

S

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

uccess is an attitude, not a phenomenon.

Business and spirituality are complementary like the in-breath and out-breath. When you breathe in, that is passion; but you cannot hold it for too long; you have to breathe out, and that breathing out is dispassion. Tough situations come in every business and every organization, and you need skills to handle them. All this comes from our inner space which I call the Spiritual Space. Here are 5 ingredients for success.

A congenial atmosphere: Peace and prosperity are interlinked. You need to function as a team. The prerequisites for growth are patience, perseverance, clear intention, clarity of purpose and flexibility to accommodate errors. Have a sense of respect for all team-members, and not indulge in blame games. Furthermore, team leaders need to create an atmosphere of celebration, trust, cooperation and a sense of belonging.

Nothing can last if it focuses only on productivity and net result. Only inspiration and motivation are effective tools.

Skill in action: The whole essence of the Bhagwad Gita is to act without being attached to the fruit of the action. If you can manage your mind in the worst scenario or a situation like war, then you can manage any situation. This skill in action is called Yoga. In life, it is this wisdom of Yoga that transforms one from arrogance to self-confidence; from meekness to humility; from the burden of dependence to the realization of interdependence; from a limited ownership to oneness with the whole.

Be a lion: Have a dream and passion but not with feverishness. With feverishness, desires and

cravings your mind loses clarity, and you don’t get right ideas, thereby reducing your ability to perform. Whatever you need always comes to you.

When you don’t crave for abundance, it comes to you. There is a saying in Sanskrit that says, “Great wealth comes to one who has the courage of a lion and who puts in all his efforts.”

An atom of Luck: If all this is needed for prosperity is one’s own effort, then why are there so many people who put effort but don’t become prosperous? This area which we don’t know is what spirituality is about. The whole material world is run by a certain vibrational world which is subtler than what we see. Spirituality enhances Intelligence and intuition. Intuition is the right thought at the right time, and it is an important component for success in business.

Meditation: The greater responsibilities and ambitions you have, greater is the need for you to meditate. Today’s stress and tension also calls for meditation. Meditation not only relieves you of stress and strain, it also enhances your abilities, strengthens your nervous system and mind, releases toxins from the body and enhances you in every way. We are made up of both matter and spirit. The body (matter) has some material needs and our spirit is nourished by spirituality.

You obviously can’t reduce your work load, or increase the time, but you can increase your energy level. With higher energy level, you can do the job easily. shri shri ravi shankar Founder- Art of Living Foundation.

What is the best option for you to save Taxes?

A

ditya, an IT professional, is an expert in advising clients on various system issues. However, when it comes to tax saving, he follows his father who has been religiously saving tax every year using Public Provident Fund (PPF).

It was only last week that Aditya’s notion of PPF being the best tax saver was broken when he met his childhood friend Rajesh, a chartered accountant.

With return filing season round the corner, their discussion turned towards tax planning. Rajesh asked him to consider Equity Linked Savings Schemes (ELSS) or tax saving mutual funds, as they are commonly referred to, for the purposes of tax savings.

Read on to know how ELSS is the best

tax saving solution: 1. Tax Benefits – Both ELSS and PPF are eligible under Chapter VI-A of the Income Act 1961 for tax benefits.

Any amount invested in ELSS and PPF is exempt from income tax, subject to amaximum ceiling of Rs. 1,50,000 per year across all the eligible deductions.

As such, one can be indifferent towards ELSS or PPF on the basis of this criterion only.

2. Performance – Returns on PPF account are fixed by Govt. of India on a quarterly basis and hence guaranteed in nature just like fixed deposit interest. The rate currently notified for PPF accounts for the quarter ending 30th September 2017 is 7.8% per annum.

On the other hand, the returns

from ELSS depend on the performance of the stock markets during the invested period. Accordingly, it can vastly vary. However, equity markets tend to perform well over the longer term. Though not guaranteed, a tax saving mutual fund has the potential to deliver superior returns as it invests in equities. Highlighting the historical outperformance of ELSS category of mutual funds over PPF, here is how it has performed over various time periods against PPF:

3. Taxability of Returns – Interest received on PPF Account is exempt in the hands of the account holder as per the provisions of Income Tax Act 1961. Similarly, the gains accruing from investment in ELSS are also exempt from tax since ELSS comes under the category of equity oriented funds. As such, the consideration for both the investment avenues on account of taxability of returns also should be neutral.

4. Lock-in Period – A PPF ac-

Time Period

Returns given by ELSS

Returns given by PPF

1-year

19.70%

7.90%-8.10%

3-year

11.30%

8.10%-8.70%

5-year

12.80%

8.70%-8.80%

count has to be operated for a minimum period of 15 years. On the other hand, ELSS comes with a lock-in of 3 years, which is the lowest among the category of tax eligible investments.

Further, in case you wish to remain invested, you can still choose not to redeem your investments as per your convenience. As such, ELSS provides you with the flexibility and liquidity, after the preliminary 3-year lock-in period.

With the lowest lock-in period and the potential for better returns, ELSS indeed emerges as a wise investment choice when compared to PPF. Pallav Bagaria CEO, Brand New Day – one of Northeast’s leading Mutual Funds Investment Consultancy and Portfolio Management Services

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G PLUS | JUL 29 - AUG 04, 2017

Fun Horoscope of the week

You are in that phase of the year when the cosmos encourages you to step back and take time out to reflect on your life.

Although you continue to be busy, making time for yourself could be the key to success over the weeks and months ahead. Seeing things in perspective and considering your priorities can be very helpful in planning future goals. This is also a good time to clear out any emotional baggage that might be holding you back.

Your social scene looks particularly lively this week and in coming weeks, with plenty to keep you busy. You’ll very much enjoy mixing and mingling with friends and meeting new people. However, early in the week you might find it difficult to take on board someone’s suggestion if it seems unrealistic. Talking things through can encourage a compromise. As Mercury eases into a quieter section of your chart, the cosmos suggests that reflection on a personal issue can be helpful.

You could find yourself in the spotlight this week and in coming weeks. The Sun and Mars in your sector of ambitions are encouraging you to showcase your skills and abilities and let others know what you can do. But you’ll also be in a dynamic frame of mind and willing to push for what you want.

If there have been obstacles to your success over recent weeks, you’ll feel confident enough to brush them aside and forge ahead to your goal.

With a focus on your sector of far horizons, you may enjoy this and coming weeks very much. The stellar backdrop encourages you to indulge to the max your love of travel and new experiences.

If you haven’t been away in a while, the coming days could see you booking a vacation, heading out for a trip, or perhaps enjoying a walk on a hiking trail. This is the time to embrace fresh opportunities and new adventures, as you’ll benefit greatly by doing so.

If you’re viewing life more intensely, this might be because the Sun and Mars have just entered a more emotional sector of your chart. Your attention may be drawn to financial matters and how you can make your money work harder for you.

You could also be aware of deeper currents that encourage you to work through issues that have been on the back burner for some time. Discussing these with the right person could help you make a dramatic shift in your life.

Relationships of all kinds could rise to the top of your list of priorities as a powerful focus in your sector of relating encourages greater interaction. You may be busy with meetings, a collaboration, or sorting out personal matters with those closest to you. At the same time, you’ll be ready to compromise and create a plan that works for everyone. This is also an opportunity to clear the air, as doing so can help a key bond move forward.

You may be ready to implement certain lifestyle changes as the Sun and Mars enter your wellness sector. These stirring energies can inspire you to commit to a diet or exercise routine that leaves you looking and feeling much better. The key to feeling good may lie in taking a closer look at your everyday routines and doing away with those that no longer work for you.

Introducing activities that you love to do can make a positive difference.

curio-city Legend suggests that two sisters from heaven once decided to come down to earth. One day both the sisters made their way to Meghalaya. But unfortunately both of them could not reach the earth together. Only one of the two sisters could reach Meghalaya. Therefore the sister who reached the destination cried her heart out for the loss of her other dear sister. What happened next?

1. The Umiam Lake in Barapani of Meghalaya which is said to have been formed from the tears of the lonely sister.

2. Rabindranath Tagore.

3. Loktak Lake (Lok: stream and tak: the end). The only Floating Lake in the world due to the floating phumdis (heterogeneous mass of vegetation, soil and organic matters at various stages of decomposition) on it is located near Moirang in Manipur state, India.

4. Jawaharlal Nehru.

1

2

curio-city

The Ujjayanta Palace is a former royal palace situated in Agartala, the capital of the Indian state of Tripura and also served as the meeting place of the Tripura Legislative Assembly until 2011. Ujjayanta Palace is a tourist attraction of Agartala. The name ‘Ujjayanta’ Palace was given by which famous Indian?

3

The Manipuri word for ‘stream’ and ‘the end’ is very close to the hearts of millions of nature lovers. Why?

4

Rani Gaidinliu was a Naga spiritual and political leader who led a revolt against British rule in India. At the age of 13, she joined the Heraka religious movement of her cousin Haipou Jadonang. The movement later turned into a political movement seeking to drive out the British from Manipur and the surrounding Naga areas. Gaidinliu was arrested in 1932 at the age of 16 and was sentenced to life imprisonment by the British rulers. Which well known Indian met her at Shillong Jail in 1937 and promised to pursue her release and later gave her the title of ‘Rani’ (Queen)?

Abhra Das; Ace Quizmaster of Assam This quiz has been brought to you by Brain Jam, a property of Priya Communications

Cathy by Cathy Guisewite

5

6 4 9 7 6

5 6 3 3 7 4 69 2 8 88 12 57

5

2

9

9 1 7 8 96 8 1 5 49 7 4 8 7 9 1 5 6 9 5 2

5

6 5

8

(c) Daily Sudoku Ltd 2017. All rights reserved.

You’ll be in your element this week with both the Sun and Mars inspiring you to great things. This and coming weeks could see you taking dynamic action in the direction of your dreams and enjoying the process immensely. Later this week, Mercury enters your financial zone, which can be an opportunity to get organized, especially if you’ve lost track of your money. The presence of Venus in your social sector can be excellent for making new friends and enjoying lighthearted encounters.

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9

(c) Daily Sudoku Ltd 2017. All rights reserved.

Your financial picture looks fairly dynamic this week and going forward. You might be inspired to follow a plan that helps you increase your income, whether that means finding a new job, starting a business, or asking for a raise. The more creative you can be about your financial picture, the more satisfying it will become. The only point to watch out for is a tendency toward extravagance. The cosmic picture suggests that the most expensive items aren’t necessarily the best.

Sudoku

Daily Sudoku: Thu 20-Jul-2017

1

9

7

Daily Sudoku: Thu 27-Jul-2017

3 1 4 2 5 18 62 46 87 99

7 2 6 7 4 5 3 94 86 11 53

9 8 5 4 6 3 7 19 25 47 31

4 2 6 5 7 1 5 9 8 2 2 6 38 7 53 3 84 9 16 4

8 3 9 1 1 65 74 27 96 82

1 7 3 6 2 74 16 89 25 48

5 9 2 8 7 41 58 94 33 76

6 4 8 3 3 9 9 52 11 26 75

9 8 3 7 5 2 Daily Sudoku: Thu 20-Jul-2017 very hard 4 7 9 2 1 5 3 6 8 6 5 2 8 7 3 9 http://www.dailysudoku.com Word of the week1 4 1 3 8 6 9 4 5 2 7

Autarky

Daily Sudoku: Thu 27-Jul-2017

(c) Daily Sudoku Ltd 2017. All rights reserved.

The focus on your sector of communication could inspire you to share your message with the world. The coming week is a great chance to make new connections that might help you accomplish your goal. Early on, though, a disagreement could lead to feelings of reticence unless you’re willing to reach out and resolve this quickly. In the main, you have a way with words and should have no difficulty in sorting out any issues that might arise.

hard

noun [aw-tahr-kee]

The condition of self-sufficiency, especially economic, as applied http://www.dailysudoku.c to a nation.

Crossword Across

Down

1. Going without food (7) 5. Coercion (5) 8. Bind (3,2) 9. Quiver (7) 10. Make better (7) 11. Make into a god (5) 12. Twenty-one shillings (6) 14. A depth of six feet (6) 18. Faint-hearted (5) 20. Disrobe (7) 22. Inhabitant (7) 23. Pick-me-up (5) 24. Give way (5) 25. Biased (7)

1. Appropriate (7) 2. Chimney cleaner (5) 3. Entreat (7) 4. Assemble (6) 5. Devil (5) 6. Garbage (7) 7. Sorrowful poem (5) 13. Huge (7) 15. One who checks accounts (7) 16. Play or film with songs (7) 17. Root vegetable (6) 18. Toy bear (5) 19. Stupefied (5) 21. Boredom (5)

(c) Daily Sudoku Ltd 2017. All rights reserved.

You could experience delays with financial matters at the start of the week, but this phase is temporary. Things should be back to normal within a few days. Care with spending might be helpful, though, to enable you to stay on track. A focus on domestic matters could inspire you to get your place looking fabulous. This is a good time to reorganize your home so that it becomes a place of tranquillity as well as a place in which you enjoy entertaining.

last week solution

If the week starts on an awkward note, don’t let it stop you. Someone may refuse to listen to your suggestions, but they may come around to your way of thinking if you can be patient. Even so, creative ideas can flow, and you may find the coming days helpful for kick-starting a new project or business enterprise. Cultural activities could also inspire you. If you visit an exhibition or concert, you might get ideas you can apply to your own art or craft.

Last week’s solution

G PLUS | JUL 29 - AUG 04, 2017

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Buzz

CM Sonowal inaugurates university

CM Sarbananda Sonowal unveiling the plaque during the inauguration

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hief Minister of Assam, Sarbananda Sonowal, unveiled the Assam Royal Global University plaque on 27th July during the two-day inauguration ceremony of Royal Global University. A cheque of Rs. 5 lakhs was also donated towards the Chief Minister Relief Fund for the flood victims of Assam from the management, faculty and staff of the university.

Sonowal wished Royal Global University while unveiling the plaque and expressed his best wishes for centuries to come.

He also wished the university to grow and make a mark in the higher education sector of the

northeast region.

State Education Minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma, and Ram Madhav, Guest of Honour, inaugurated the first Orientation Programme of Royal Global University (RGU) on 26th July, 2017 in the presence of AK Pansari, Chancellor, RGU, AK Modi, Pro-Chancellor, RGU, Prof (Dr) SP Singh, Vice Chancellor, RGU, Prof (Dr) MK Chaudhuri, Former VC, Tezpur University, Prof (Dr) OK Medhi, Former VC, Gauhati University, Prof (Dr) PK Goswami, Former VC, ASTU, distinguished guests, students, faculty and parents.

Himanta Biswa Sharma

said that he was amazed by the fact that massive changes have come along in the field of higher education with the advent of a number of medical colleges, engineering institutes and private universities.

Ram Madhav, National General Secretary, BJP, stressed on the fact that the burden of higher education should be shared with the government and in relation to this he appreciated the efforts of RGU. He applauded the administration and management department of the institution for setting up such a fantastic futuristic arena for the students.

AK Pansari, Honourable Chancellor, RGU pointed out the problem of exodus of the students from the state and emphasized that one should act east, study east, work in east and be a contributor to the state. He spoke about employability, academic excellence and out of box thinking.

Prof (Dr) SP Singh, Vice-Chancellor, RGU spoke about the various facets of RGU which included the syllabus (basket courses and minor tracks), the committed faculties, about the placements and the conducive academic environment. He wrapped up his motivational speech with a Saraswatislok and a couplet in Hindi to give a boost to the morale of the students. n

Guwahati guy scores 2nd Fastest Fifty in Youth Tests

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uwahati guy Riyan Parag scored the 2 nd Fastest Fifty in the Youth Test Match in the 2 nd Innings of India U-19 1st Test against England U-19. He hit this landmark when he scored 50 runs in 33 balls with 4 fours and 4 sixes.

India Under-19 extended

their lead over the home team England Under-19 in the first of the 2-match Test series at Chesterfield. India posted a huge total of 519 in their first innings and bundled out the England U19s to a total of 195 and bagged a 323-run lead. Riyan Parag Das, who was batting

on 9 off 16 balls when Prithvi departed with the scoreboard ref lecting 118/5, decided to go for the big shots as he hit 3 fours and a six in Henry Brookes’s over. He struck two sixes in the following over by Amar Virdi and eventually completed his half century off just 33 balls but got out on the very next ball in Virdi’s bowling. Riyan hit 4 fours and 4 sixes in his 50-run knock which came in just 34 balls to power his side’s total to 173/6 after which they declared the innings to set a 497-run target in front of England U19s.

Among the games for which the data is recorded, Riyan’s 33-ball fifty stands at No.2 in the fastest fifties in Youth Test cricket. The fastest fifty is in the name of the current Indian captain Virat Kohli who took 32 balls for his fifty against Sri Lanka in 2007. Kohli remained unbeaten on 94 in that innings off just 54 balls. n

Snapdeal joins hand with Ketto to raise funds for Assam and Manipur flood

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napdeal, India’s largest “We urge people to come forward e-commerce site has an- and contribute to this generous nounced its partnership cause and help the flood affected with Ketto, an online crowd victims and rebuild their livelifunding platform to raise mon- hoods.”

The online campaign encourey for the flood affected people in Assam and Manipur. Aiming ages people all over the world to come forward and extend their to raise Rs 5 lakhs through the support. Last year, Ketto raised a campaign, the amount will go total amount of Rs 15 lakhs for the to Oxfam, an NGO that is on the flood affected people of Assam. ground providing critical relief to Commenting on the same, the people affected by the floods Varun Sheth, CEO of Ketto said, in Northeast.

Through this campaign peo- “We have been witnessing floods in Assam every year now. It is exple are requested to come forward tremely sad and breaks our heart and contribute by purchasing a to see innocent people suffer. product of their choice from the list of products selected by Ox- Therefore we try our best to raise fam. Oxfam in return will further maximum funds and support them in every possible way”. distribute these products to the The death toll in Assam floods flood affected victims. Alternately, consumers have the option of climbed to 75 while nearly nine lakh people remained affected in contributing towards the cause directly by going to the link on 16 districts. The current wave of floods has also badly affected anthe website and clicking on the imals and poultry in the affected “Donate Now” button.

A Snapdeal spokesperson said, districts. n

The Triumph Street Triple S was officially launched at Mukesh Hyundai, Ganeshguri on Sunday.

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G PLUS | JUL 29 - AUG 04, 2017

Catching Up Most shared story of the week

New

Chick on the block

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n a special drive against bikes fitted with noise enhancing modified silencers, Guwahati Traffic Police, had carried out an inspection drive and detected 56 bikes and imposed legal action and fines. G Plus covered the drive with elaborate photographs that went viral and the GTP was showered with accolades.

5.9K

395

facebook.com/guwahatiplus twitter.com/guwahatiplus

Poll of the Week Why do you think there is lack of professional courses in Guwahati colleges, making students move to other cities to pursue higher education?

0.4% Lack of student interest 31% Lack of qualified teachers 24% Government negligence 41% Lack of job opportunities *The poll was conducted by @guwahatiplus on Twitter. Be sure to follow and take part in everyday polls

About Me Greetings to the readers of G Plus!

I am Shreshtha Choudhury, a resident of Guwahati and a student of Gurukul Grammar School. I am a trained dancer, and also keep an interest in anchoring. Fashion industry appeals to me a lot, and I’ve been a part of many modelling shows till date. I was the winner of Dress To Impress contest, which was held in 2013, at Shilpagram. I am an avid reader, and Nicholas Sparks is my all time favorite author.

Mojo I consider my parents and photographer Unique Borah as my inspirations. They have stood by me at every step of my life. My mother who is a fashion designer, motivates me to take Assamese culture and dress to the bigger platforms, through various modelling initiatives. Unique Borah, on the other hand, is someone I trust. He brings out the best in me through amazing photos, which boost up my confidence every time.

Route in Woods I am planning to pursue further education in MBA, and want to join my mother in her business and spread the beauty of Assamese Mekhela Chador worldwide. I will keep on being a part of the fashion industry, as it is my passion. I don’t think I will pursue it as a profession.

Shreshtha Choudhury

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