G Plus Vol 5 Issue 18 by G Plus

G PLUS | FEB 24 - MAR 02, 2018 @guwahatiplus www.guwahatiplus.com

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Volume 05 | Issue 18 Feb 24 - Mar 02, 2018 Price `10

Chick PG 24

Students involved in vandalism will be suspended: AEC principal

NIA links with ‘fraudster’ Rishiraj Kaundinya alleged

Party drugs rock city nightlife Devil’s Breath in the city

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‘Affectionate’ Papon lands into massive controversy Chandrika Das

on the block

enowned singer from Assam Angarag 'Papon' Mahanta, on Thursday, landed into a massive controversy after a video in which he was seen planting a kiss on one of the contestants on The Voice India Kids Season 2, went viral on social media. The act, conceived “inappropriate” by several individuals, was being posted on Facebook

walls and was termed “shameful.” Advocate Runa Bhuyan, who gave her address as 14, Lawyers Chamber (Old), Supreme Court of India, has filed a complaint to the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), against the singer for his “inappropriate act” of showing affection to a girl who is a minor. The complaint reads that the content of the video where Papon was seen planting a kiss on an adolescent girl who is a contestant of the show “Voice of India Kids” has “objectionable” content. In the complaint, Runa Bhuyan said, "I am shocked to see the behaviour of the said singer Angarag Papon Mahanta towards a minor girl where he is seen to be applying colours on a minor girl and inappropriately kissing the said girl. On seeing the

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Lead Story

SNIPPETS Present govt only after publicity and festivals, and not real work: Tarun Gogoi

ormer chief minister of Assam, Tarun Gogoi, has once again raised questions on the current government and this time he slammed the BJP government during the Assembly session. Gogoi said that the current government is run by the bureaucracy and is for the bureaucrats only. They have utterly failed to stand on the expectations of the common people and the promises they made in the name of ‘paribartan.’ He alleged that the MLAs are not being able to carry forward any development task properly and it is not their fault. The government is to be blamed as they are not implementing and executing anything properly. “The current government is only into festivals and celebrations. Be it Advantage Assam or Namami Brahmaputra, their works are only on papers and meant only for fake publicity,” he said. Slamming chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal, Gogoi said, “The chief minister is always roaming and enjoying his trips. He will understand the problems of the common man only if he sits in his chair for 2 days properly.” He further added, “Cases of women molestation have gone up in the last two years, and the government has no answers on the status of the two paper mills which are on the verge of getting closed.” It is sad that both the historic paper mills of the state are getting closed during the tenure of the BJP government, he said. n

G PLUS | FEB 24 - MAR 02, 2018

Students involved in vandalism will be suspended: AEC principal Rahul Chanda rahul.chanda@g-plus.in

he students of Assam Engineering College (AEC) who were arrested for vandalism at a marriage ceremony are to be suspended for a few weeks. “Entering a marriage house at night is not acceptable and all the students found guilty will be suspended for some period of time,” AEC Principal, Dr Atul Bora said. He informed that a committee has been formed in the college to enquire into the episode and suggest disciplinary action against the students. The

video, I am seriously concerned regarding the safety and security of minor girls participating in reality shows across India." Speaking to G Plus on Friday, Runa Bhuyan said, "I have only filed the complaint. The commission is yet to take action and file a case in connection with it." According to her, the commission will take a few days to inquire into the incident before filing the case. "I will follow up with the commission in the next few days’ time and make sure the correct action is taken," she added.

Arrested AEC students at Bharalumukh Police Station | G Plus Photo

We were beaten up first: AEC students

Vandalism exposes anomalies in AEC

ome colleagues of the students who were arrested for vandalism are of the firm opinion that the locals were to blame for beating up their friends who were in the marriage party. “Our boys were going to Jalukbari to have food when the road was blocked by the people celebrating a marriage party. They even misbehaved with our students,” said an AEC student of hostel number 1 adding that they were stopped, pulled out from the car and thrashed when they were returning to the hostel. As the college week is going on, the function ended late on 20th February and the hostel kitchens were closed. The students alleged that 5 students were in the car and they dispersed after they were beaten up by the “locals” of Sundarbari. Subsequently, other hostel in-

‘Affectionate’ Papon lands into... Continued from page » 1

final decision will also be based on the findings of the probe by the police. The same has not yet been completed. A police official did not rule out the possibility of more students being arrested on the same charge from the college. So far, nine students have been arrested. Bora made a case for more security personnel in the college and added that a proposal would be sent to the government for improving the infrastructure of the college. The principal felt that the hostel warden was above any blame since he could not lie awake the whole night. n

Miguel Das Queah, a child rights activist from Guwahati who is also the founder and chairman of the NGO UTSAH, condemned the act, and said to G Plus, "Without doubting the intent, for the sake of considering the protection concerns of a child, it is always advisable that adults, biologically unrelated or emotionally distant to a child, desist from expressing affection through the use of intimate hugs or kisses. People at large do not understand ‘child protection’ and subsequently sights of odd men cuddling innocent children is taken as an accepted form of culture. Since children, by reason of

mates reached the spot to help their injured friends. The students defended their move saying that they carried sticks and wood because the “locals” were carrying sharp knives. The family of Banikanta Baruah (bride’s father) said that the students were drunk and entered the marriage venue to create a disturbance. “They misbehaved with females, snatched gold chains and even thrashed many people,” claimed Baruah’s family members. n

eading academics have questioned the role and efficacy of the AEC authority after the arrest of the students. Principal of KC Das College, Ghanashyam Nath said, “It is the responsibility of the authorities to restrict the students. Why were they allowed to exit the hostel at night?” In the same vein, vice chancellor of Gauhati University, Dr Mridul Hazarika said, “The students lack guidance and counselling these days and the authorities should provide it.” After the incident, it has come to light that the AEC campus does not have a boundary wall. The road passing through the campus is the property of the Public Works Department (PWD) and is always open for the public. The warden of Hostel No 1, Biswanath Dekaraja said, “I

was sleeping when the incident happened and I was not aware that our students had gone there. I should have been informed by the security personnel when they found the students leaving the hostel.” He made a case for upgrading the infrastructure and deployment of more security personnel. Some students of the college said that dumpers keep plying throughout the night but the authorities have never bothered to take any action. Another professor who did not wish to be named blamed the education department since several proposals for improving the infrastructure of the college have been gathering dust. Many students lamented the lack of orientation or counselling programmes unlike other institutes in the country. n

age, cannot differentiate between intimacy and abuse, it can lead to serious violation of their protection right. As adults, we should use our discretion to ensure that, intentionally or unintentionally, we do not transgress a child's right to a personal safe space." However, there were also people who took the whole issue as “just another way of showing affection” without terming it wrong in any manner. A lawyer at Gauhati High Court, in anonymity said, "I personally don't see anything wrong in the whole issue. I am sure Papon had no bad intentions in doing this and the fact that it was a LIVE video from his official Facebook page, states that very clearly. We also kiss our nieces and nephews on cheeks and lips;

people are making it a big issue just because it's Papon." On the other hand, Partha Gogoi, manager of Papon, while speaking to G Plus, said that the act was not meant to hurt the sentiments of any individual and that it was not wrong in any manner which is why they see no reason to pull down the video from the official Facebook page of Papon. Amidst all the controversies, Papon's fan club, known as Paponist, has filed an FIR against 40 such social media accounts, which took it to the internet blaming foul name against the artist. While several termed the act as “inappropriate,” Papon’s fans say that it's a pre-planned conspiracy to defame the artist. n

Papon issues apology today

The vandalised marriage hall

he singer in response to the controversy, issued an apology on his official Facebook page, where he said, “I might have done it spontaneously but in today’s environment, to touch a girl child, however innocent your thoughts are, is not advisable. I am sorry for that. Please do accuse me of being naïve and stupid even but please do not call me all those disgusting names.” n

In The News

G PLUS | FEB 24 - MAR 02, 2018

After RCom, now 5 lakh Aircel customers stranded without network In a strange development, mobile telecom service provider, Aircel’s network has suddenly deteriorated to the extent of prompting speculation about the company continuing its services or closing down Rahul Chanda rahul.chanda@g-plus.in

fter Reliance Communication (RCom) ended its services in November 2017, a similar situation has arisen in Guwahati. 5 lakh Aircel customers in Guwahati have

team is trying to solve the issue.” The official said that the customers facing such issues can log on to BSNL as through intra circle roaming (ICR) arrangements with BSNL, Aircel customers can use the 2G network for emergencies till the Aircel network returns to normalcy. Customers however are not being able to use the network

File photo of people standing outside a closed Aircel store suddenly stopped getting Aircel network signals since the last few days. An official of the company said, “Due to some technical issues, the customers are facing congestion and the technical

even after logging on to BSNL. Many customers are switching to different numbers but some complained that they were unable to use the mobile number porting facility due to network issues.

Will Aircel end its services?

n a scenario when the senior officials of Aircel are not commenting on the issue, experts in the industry feel that the company will end its services by March. A telecom industry source said, “Aircel is set to end its services as many of its employees are already hunting for new jobs,” adding that the company is in debt of around Rs 15,000 crores. The network of Aircel is barred because the vendors have disconnected the services due to non-payment of dues. A top official of Aircel has also sent an email to its employees asking them to be prepared for tougher times. Last year, Aircel and Reliance

Communications had planned to join hands but the deal did not materialise, an industry expert said. The company is considering filing for bankruptcy with the National Company Law Tribunal, media reports said. The employees however have refuted all the rumours of closure saying that they are getting their salaries on time and hence they are still working. “It is just that the network has been disrupted for a few days due to technical issues which would be resolved soon,” said an employee working with Aircel for the last 10 years, adding that they have not been served with any notice about the closure of the company. n

For mobile number porting (a process of shifting to a different operator keeping the same mobile number), customers need to provide a unique porting code (UPC) which can be obtained after messaging PORT (space) mobile number to 1900. But as there is no network on the phones, customers are not being able to send the message.

An Airtel outlet manager said that many Aircel customers do not have network on their phones and are not being able to receive the UPC. So Airtel is manually requesting for the codes taking the help of the SIM card serial numbers. It takes around 15 days to receive the code. The customers are furthered irked with the company as

they do not know whether the company will resolve the network issue or end its services. Even the customer service centre is not responding to the calls made by customers. There are 40 lakh Aircel customers in Assam and around 65 lakh customers in the entire northeast who are all facing the same problem. n

Crime

SNIPPETS Priyanka Chopra’s photo in Assam Tourism calendar sparks controversy

G PLUS | FEB 24 - MAR 02, 2018

NIA links with ‘fraudster’ Rishiraj Kaundinya alleged A G Plus exclusive report on the surfacing of allegations against recently arrested alleged fraudster Rishiraj Kaundinya, his modus operandi of defrauding people and the latest situation of the crime Rahul Chanda rahul.chanda@g-plus.in

riyanka Chopra, who is the brand ambassador for Assam Tourism, has landed in a controversy for a recently launched calendar featuring her, with the issue getting discussed in the state assembly. Congress members, viz, Rupjyoti Kurmi, MLA from Mariani, Roseline Tirkey, MLA from Sarupathar, and Nandita Das, MLA from Boko, have jointly demanded Assam Tourism to remove Bollywood actress Priyanka Chopra from the role of Brand Ambassador of Assam Tourism. The members of the Congress party have stated that Priyanka is seen wearing ‘minimal clothes’ in the Assam Tourism calendar and hence this has brought a bad name to culture of Assam. They want her removed as the brand ambassador. According to reports, the Congress members have also returned the New Year calendar which was presented by Assam Tourism. However, Jayanta Malla Baruah, Chairman of Assam Tourism Development Corporation (ATDC) has rebutted the Congress’ comment on removing Priyanka Chopra as the brand ambassador. The ATDC Chairman has questioned the Congress on whether the authorities should use the photos of Priyanka Gandhi instead of Priyanka Chopra to appease them. According to him, none of Priyanka’s photos in the calendar are revealing. “The calendar was made to promote Assam internationally. It has also been sent to prominent international tour operators and dignitaries,” said the ATDC chairman exclusively to G Plus. “Priyanka Chopra is an international figure and her presentation in the calendar has not diminished Assam’s culture in any way,” he added. Prior to this, Priyanka was seen in several photos and hoardings across the country draped in muga mekhela chador which has been widely appreciated. Assam tourism minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma, commenting on the whole issue, said that Congress members are seeking cheap publicity. n

urky details about Rishiraj Kaundinya are tumbling out weeks after he was arrested by the police at a resort in Kaziranga on the charge of duping a businessman. A former National Students Union of India (NSUI) leader from Nalbari, Dewaprakash Bhagawati has alleged that Kaundinya had even forged links with an official of the National Investigating Agency (NIA) which mainly probes cases related to terrorism. “Rishiraj used to work closely with the union home ministry for ceasefire related issues of the rebel groups. He has good links with an official of the NIA who had helped Rishiraj acquire huge amounts of money when rebels surrendered,” Bhagawati said and gave lurid details about his modus operandi. According to Bhagawati, whenever rebels surrender with weapons, the union home ministry provides a fund that Kaundinya used to siphon off with the assistance of a few officials in the capital. “He used to deposit only old “maal” (arms), and keep the new maal (arms) with him. I have myself seen around 20-25 pieces of firearms (pistols and rifles) in Kaundinya’s flat located at Alok Apartment, Six Mile in Guwahati,” alleged the former student leader.

Kaundinya was arrested along with Jayanta Nath in connection with a case filed by Haryana-based businessman Praveen Kumar Solanki who was allegedly duped off Rs 41 lakhs with the promise of schemes worth Rs 320 crores. The project was meant for the supply of solar lights in Dima Hasao. But Kaundinya was suave, diplomatic and none dared question him for failing to deliver on his commitments. According to an official, he was always surrounded by armed security personnel carrying AK-47s who were dressed in commando outfits. Later, as Bhagawati learnt, these were surrendered rebels masquerading as commandos. Bhagawati further alleged that Kaundinya had firmed up links with many high profile politicians of Assam and he was the officer on special duty (OSD) when Niranjan Hojai was elected as the chief executive member (CEM) of North Cachar Hills Autonomous Council (NCHAC) in the hill district. Bhagawati was even introduced to Niranjan Hojai at Hotel Lily in Guwahati by Kaundinya. According to Bhagawati, Lok Sabha MP Kamakhya Prasad Tasa used to visit Kaundinya often and Kaundinya carried photographs with Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal, BJP president Amit Shah and many other such prominent figures which he would display very often. Bhagawati’s tryst with Kaundaniya began in 2015 after the lat-

Rishiraj Kaundinya (C) in police custody, (inset) Kaundinya’s business card | G Plus Photo ter offered him contracts worth crores of rupees in Dima Hasao. A ration supply work worth Rs 77.77 crores was the first offer in Dima Hasao for which some amount had to be paid as a commission in advance. He had also introduced many businessmen including Ranjit Chakravorty, Sanjay Alom and Rajesh Shah to Kaundinya who promised work worth crores of rupees to all the contractors in return for which he took commissions in advance. All the contractors paid around Rs 15 lakhs to Rs 20 lakhs in 2015 to Kaundinya. Rishiraj issued some fake work orders promising that the bills would be raised within three

months and payments would be issued without any work being executed. Irked at the delay Rajesh Shah threatened to commit suicide in Bhagawati’s house in July 2016. Kaundinya later promised to return the money but when Rajesh Shah, Bhagawati along with two other persons visited his residence at Six Mile for refund of the money, they were arrested by the police on charges of extortion. “Kaundinya even placed an old pistol in my vehicle with the help of his guards, which the police thought was mine,” claimed Bhagawati adding that he was even booked under the arms act. n

Probe to take time as police did not get Rishiraj’s custody

lmost after one month of Rishiraj Kaundinya’s arrest, the investigating agency is not being able to solve the matter and establish his links with others because the police did not get his custody from the court. Kaundinya was handed judicial custody. “He was arrested in Kaziranga at 2.30 am on 25th January and at around 9 am we brought him to Guwahati. After resting for a while the case diary was prepared to forward him to the court,” said a police source add-

ing that the police prayed for his 10-day-custody. But he was sent to judicial custody. Nine mobile phones, all with dual SIM cards were recovered. A number of ATM cards were also seized and the police took time in entering all the data in the diary. With some special provisions the police are allowed to interrogate in the jail when a person is in judicial custody. But police sources said, “In the jail he (Rishiraj) does not give any details and even we cannot undertake proper interrogation

methods.” The police feel it will take time to investigate and solve the case. Kaundinya still claims to be the officer on special duty (OSD) in North Cachar Hills Autonomous Council (NCHAC) and a city police team is mulling visiting Dima Hasao to verify his claims and also investigate his links. While he was arrested for just one case filed in Dispur police station, the police, after his arrest, have been receiving many other complaints of fraud against Rishiraj. In one case filed after

his arrest in Dispur police station, it has been alleged that a supply order was given to a Delhi-based company to supply 90,000 blankets to Mising Autonomous Council. Blankets worth Rs 8 crores were supplied for which an acknowledgement receipt was also issued by Rishiraj. But after his arrest the company thinks it was a fake receipt. Police is receiving complaints against Rishiraj on a daily basis and at present police is hunting for Biju Das, a close associate of Rishiraj. n

Concern

G PLUS | FEB 24 - MAR 02, 2018

Party drugs rock city nightlife G Plus presents a realistic picture of the drug scene that has become an important component of the city’s nightlife and party scenario Avishek Sengupta avishek.sengupta@g-plus.in

uwahati, which had developed into a transit point for narcotics over the last five years, has now emerged as a market for party drugs along with the rapidly growing nightlife in the city. The party or club drugs are specially designed from narcotic or chemical drugs by synthesising those in laboratories to induce psychedelic or psychoactive effects and are mostly used in clubs and discotheques. According to sources in the anti-vice cell, ephedrine and pseudo-ephedrine drugs such as Speed, Devils Dust, Ya Ba and WB have found its way into the pubs and discotheques that operate mainly at night in the city. “We have marked at least five such nightclubs in the city where, according to our informers, such drugs are being distributed. With the growing city nightlife more pubs are emerging in the city and these pubs and bars are indulging in such activities to pull in

customers,” the source said. Talking about the modus operandi, the source revealed, “So far, no pub or nightclub has been found directly involved in distributing the drugs which is why we cannot raid them. They allow the peddlers inside who then conduct the dealings. We are still unsure if the clubs take any cuts from these peddlers.” That is why the drug busts that are going on in the city are mostly confined to apprehending peddlers and no raids in pubs or nightclubs have been conducted yet, In a raid last week, the crime branch had arrested as many as 18 persons from different parts of the city – Panbazar, Paltan Bazar, Latasil, Noonmati, Basistha, Hatigaon, Khetri and Sonapur – and seized large quantities of heroin, brown sugar, cough syrups, syringes, more than 5 kg ganja and illicit liquor. In one such raid at Fancy Bazar, police recovered about 8 millilitres of Number 4, an injectable form of heroin. It is considered one of the Schedule-I party drugs along with LSD and Ecstasy. n

Smugglers opt for train network to transport drugs

ith regular trains running between Guwahati and Barak Valley and Tripura, the narcotic route has also shifted from Nagaland to Mizoram, revealed sources in the narcotics control bureau. Though a lot of the narcotics such as brown sugar, cocaine and heroin still come through the through Moreh (Manipur)Dimapur (Nagaland) route from Myanmar, party drugs and the synthetic drugs mostly take the Mizoram route. “Tablets containing ephedrine and pseudo-ephedrine are illegally transported from Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh to Manipur and then smuggled to Myanmar. In the illegal factories of Myanmar the party drugs are prepared which then again finds its way into Guwahati and other parts of the Golden Triangle – the drugs, arms and prostitution network in Afghanistan, Myanmar and Thailand that covers parts of China and northeast India,” the source said. On December 2015, the first broad gauge train to Silchar was flagged off while in January 2016, the first broad gauge

File photo of Morphine seized from Rajdhani Express at Guwahati Railway Station train to Tripura started. With the inclusion of these regions in broad gauge network, there are now six trains to Silchar in Barak Valley and four trains to Agartala in Tripura plying from different parts of the country via Guwahati. “After the introduction of broad gauge, the narcotics traffic has increased a lot. Most of the peddlers are arrested from trains coming from Barak Valley and Tripura. From what we have apprehended, we have found that the bulk of marijuana comes mostly from Tripura and North Cachar Hills while heroin, brown sugar and morphine comes from Silchar. In most of the cases, these are being freighted from Mizoram,” Utpal Kumar Das, officer-in-charge of Government Railway Police told G Plus. n

SNIPPETS WIPS National Meet held in city

The Party Drugs in the city: Ephedrine drugs are actually medicinal drugs mostly used as a high potent stimulant to prevent low blood pressure during spinal anaesthesia and are also used for asthma, narcolepsy and obesity. The following are ephedrine drugs designed to be party drugs: Ya Ba: A mix of methamphetamine and caffeine. It falls under Schedule – II drugs and is considered as having high potential for abuse with use potentially leading to severe psychological or physical dependence. WB: It is a hormone stimulant and falls under a cheaper variant of party drugs. It is a Schedule- II drug. Speed: The street name for amphetamine is Speed. While it is commonly confused with methamphetamine, Speed has a lower potent and at times is also prescribed by psychiatrists. Falls in Schedule - III drug. Devil Dust: It is a variant of cocaine, an opium product. The Devil Dust is only confined to the affluent class of the society as it is costly. The American drug finds its way into Guwahati from Mumbai and Delhi mostly. It’s a Schedule - II drug. LSD: Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), also known as acid, is a psychedelic drug known for its psychological effects and is one of the common party drugs. Here, however, it is not that popular due to its high cost. LSD is a Schedule - I drug.

Devil’s Breath in the city

he seeds of Datura are considered psychedelically pious among Hindu god Shiva’s worshippers. But in the wrong hands, it can become “The Devil’s Breath,” which according to anti-vice sources is making its way into the city from Nepal. “We’ve had information that in very small quantities, these are being smuggled in from Nepal. The route into Assam, according to our informant, is through Darjeeling and North Bengal. But, as far as its commercial sale through the peddlers’ network goes, it is not available here yet,” the source said. Hyoscine, also known as scopolamine, is a white powder like substance which is extracted from Datura that is otherwise used as a medicinal stimulant to treat motion sickness and postoperative nausea and vomiting. In its potent state, the powder is considered worldwide as one of the most dangerous drugs that inflict effects like lack of motor functioning and free will, memory loss, muscle spasm and even death if overdosed. First developed in Colombia, the drug is called Zombie drug there due to the impact it has on those who consume it. Police sources fear, if not for addiction purposes, the drug might be used by criminals to spike people.

“According to various reports from worldwide, we have found that the drug sends the person who consumes it to a state where he/she loses free will. There were incidents of raping and robbing of people in intoxicated state worldwide. What is more worrisome is that even if the drug is thrown at someone or if someone inhales it, the effect still remains. Datura is a plant that grows widespread in tropical countries like Colombia, India and Nepal. Among the worshippers of Shiva (Pashupati in Nepal), the consumption of Datura is considered holy. Unlike weed, which is widespread among saints and monks, Datura seed – also illegal in both the countries – is considered in trusted groups. The Devil’s Breath, according to international reports, is being synthesised by Nepal’s Maoist banned organisations. “The reports of smuggling here came after the Darjeeling unrest in June last year,” the sources said. n

First developed in Colombia, the drug is called Zombie drug there due to the impact it has on those who consume it

he 28th National Meet of Forum of Women in Public Sector (WIPS) took place in Guwahati on February 1213. Inaugurated by Chief Minister Sarbanada Sonowal, the theme for this year’s Meet was ‘Women Leaders: Insight to Commitment, Creativity and Collaboration.’ The inauguration ceremony was attended Dr UD Choubey, Director General, SCOPE in the presence of Kirti Tiwari, President-Apex (WIPS), Anju Gupta, General Secretary (WIPS) and a large number of women employees in public sector enterprises. Choubey, in his address, applauded the contribution of women employees in spite of their dual responsibilities of home and work. He advised them to work for the upliftment of women in rural India. The two-day national meet saw eminent speakers deliberating on important subjects related to Women at Workplace. Aya Maatsura from International Labour Organisation dwelt on the subject of ‘Promoting Gender Equality and Women in Business and Management’; Dr Reena Ramachandran, Ex CMD of HOCL and Shukla Mistry, CGM (T) and Unit Head of IndianOil Digboi Refinery shared their experiences on how women could discover and maximize their potential and create their own road to success. Surendra Kumar, IPS, IGP, CID Assam shared important insights on legal/cyber security while Amanjeet Kaur, IPS, DCP (Traffic), Guwahati spoke on the subject of breaking gender stereotypes and how women could drive transformation. Eminent neurologist, Dr Monalisa Goswami, shared important tips on managing commitment to self. The technical sessions were followed by a colourful cultural program by women employees of OIL, MCL, CIL, NEEPCO, IndianOil AOD and Bihu by IndianOil Guwahati Refinery. Over 800 women delegates and officials from public sector units across the country attended the meet, which has been held in Guwahati for the first time. WIPS, with its strong network of women professionals, has been functioning since 1990 under the aegis of Standing Conference of Public Enterprises (SCOPE), the apex body of Public Sector Units to promote the growth and development of women in PSUs. At present, 83 central PSUs and nationalised banks are corporate life members of WIPS and about 15,000 women employees of PSUs across the country are individual members. n

Ward Watch

SNIPPETS Power dept employees to celebrate ‘Power Day,’ follow uniform dress code

G PLUS | FEB 24 - MAR 02, 2018

Six Mile – Narengi VIP Road bogged down by prolonged pipeline laying works In this week’s Ward Watch, G Plus checks out the difficulties being faced over a long period of time by the residents of VIP Road in Ward No 25 Avishek Sengupta avishek.sengupta@g-plus.in

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n a meeting with the officials of the power department, chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal stressed on the necessity of branding the power department and introducing a uniform dress code for its field area employees. Sonowal said that a pilot project for the same can be started from April 2018. The chief minister also brought up the idea of motivating the employees of the department by incentivising good work by instituting awards and dedicating a day exclusively for the department which would be termed as ‘Power Day.’ The chief minister has asked the department to prepare an action plan for decorating Guwahati more with illuminating lights. The meeting also discussed elaborately on online payment of bills and smart prepaid meters, rural electrification and Swabhagya programme and different other projects for generating power. The department has been asked to see the possibilities to engage local youths for the implementation of power projects in the state. n

Traditional swayamvar held in Guwahati for senior citizens

nubandh Foundation, on Sunday, organised a traditional swayamvar for several senior citizens. The event saw participation of over 60 senior citizens from several states including Assam, Bihar, Maharashtra, Gujarat, and New Delhi. The elderly people visited Umananda Temple and took blessings before they embarked on a new journey of life. The couples, who got married in the function, seemed happy to have found a new partner in life. n

he VIP Road that connects Mother Teresa Road with Six Mile has been going through construction in several instalments and patches for the last five years throwing the lives of the residents of Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) Ward No 25 out of gear. The four-lane road that passes through two wards – 25 and 31 – had been dug-up and reconstructed at several locations due to the ongoing Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)-aided South Central Guwahati Water Supply Project. “The roads are being diverted without any prior notice. They select a patch of one side of the road and divert the entire traffic of one side of the lane to the other side. This not only causes confusion but traffic jams as well as one side of the lane already gets occupied,” Debashish Saikia, an employee of the Pratiksha Hospital that lies on the stretch of VIP road, told G Plus. The VIP Road starts from Narengi and after passing through Patharquarry, Magzine, Borbari, Sachal and Vishnu Nagar meets Six Mile. Another resident, Pranjal Baruah, of the Magzine area said that after digging the roads, the

File photo of VIP road open surface remains untended for a long period of time. “About a 100-metre stretch on the left side of the road from Six Mile at about 500 metres from Borbari, the road was dug up and tunnels of pipes were installed there. After that the road remained closed for more than a year. The traffic was diverted to the right side of the road which made it difficult for us to

commute. Most of the traffic jams along the road occur at both ends of the diversion,” Baruah said. Now, another stretch of 100 metres is being dug at Magzine on the right side of the road from Six Mile. Commuting has become a challenge for the share taxi drivers too, said a cab driver Dilip Das. “This is the reason why very

few share taxis ply on this route. The route otherwise acts as a short-cut to Six Mile for those residing in Noonmati and Chandmari but is seldom taken by them due to the pathetic condition of the road. A lot of cab drivers have quit after they found that the cost incurred for repairing their vehicles is higher than their profit margin when plying this route,” Das said. n

Potable water to houses remains a scarcity

Councillor asks residents to be patient till project is complete

he residents along the VIP Road, a newly developing part of the city, feel that they had been facing the brunt of water pipeline laying for much too long with no sign of relief visible in the immediate future. “It is ironic actually. We had been facing immense problems commuting on a daily basis due to the construction of water supply system but we have not received any water from the government since the beginning,” Pramod Talukdar, who shifted there about six years ago, said. Talukdar is not the only one complaining as several people in Magzine and Vishnu Nagar complained of no water supply from the GMC. “When we brought the plot of land, we were told from the beginning that we will not get any

water now. But when the water supply projects are completed we will be provided water regularly. So, we dug a tube well while constructing the house. The promised water supply has not come and we are not hopeful either,” Ekhlas Ali, a resident of Vishnu Nagar, who settled two years back, said. Besides water crisis, the residents’ complaints include lack of public commutation facilities and streetlights besides irregular garbage collection as well. “We need to wait at least 15-20 minutes every day for a public transport vehicle to travel to either Narengi Tinali or Six Mile. If one doesn’t possess a personal vehicle, going to the major hubs of activity where people from here need to commute for jobs is very difficult,” Suheli Choudhury, a resident there said. n

ouncillor Niranjan Hazarika, when contacted, said that the water supply project is a state-funded project and will be completed very soon. “We have raised this issue to the state government and during the council meetings too. The government assured that the construction work is going on a war footing and will be completed very soon,” Hazarika, who is a BJP councillor, said. He further pointed out that the progress of the project has picked up pace after the BJP came to power in May 2016. “True that the project was taken during the Congress’s time but it has picked up pace during the BJP era. Almost 60 per cent of the work is already complete. It had been delaying for the past six years. One more year and the

residents will get both good roads and regular water,” Hazarika said. On the other issues faced by the residents, he said, “The garbage collection NGOs are reluctant to go door-to-door as it is not a very densely populated area and they have to cover wider distances to collect garbage. But I will keep monitoring this from now onwards.” n

Concentrated Area: VIP Road (25 B) Ward No: 25 Population of the Ward: 68,000 Voter Population: 26,700 Population of VIP Road: 7,350 Ward Councillor: Niranjan Hazarika

In The News

G PLUS | FEB 24 - MAR 02, 2018

10 questioned but police remain clueless about Hatigaon murder case Rahul Chanda rahul.chanda@g-plus.in

he police have questioned 10 persons with regard to the Hatigaon murder case but continue to remain clueless about the main culprit or even the motive. In the incident, unidentified motorcycle borne assailants shot dead a young businessman, Hemant Chosaria, at Kailash Nagar in

Hatigaon area at around 8.30 pm on 21st February triggering panic in the locality. Chosaria was proceeding towards his home at Kailash Nagar area in Hatigaon when the assailants shot him dead. The lane connecting Hatiagaon and Beltola has several twists and turns and the incident occurred at a blind curve. A local police source said, “We have questioned 10 persons including present and former

employees of Chosaria’s shop.” The police are yet to talk to the family members minutely to find out if there are other angles to the murder. The family members continue to be in a state of shock and will take some time to recover. Chosaria’s friends have denied any rivalry angle as, according to them, the trader was a very simple man and just could not have any enemy. The traders in the Hatigaon

Hatigaon under strict vigil after the incident

atigaon and the adjacent areas are under strict police vigil after the incident. A local police source said, “There are small gangs com-

ing up in the area and areas like Sijubari are under strict police scanner.” Last year there was a sensational kidnapping case in Hatigaon and the kidnappers were from Si-

jubari. There are new faces coming to Sijubari everyday and getting a house on rent is very easy and cheap in the area. People can live for a mere Rs 100 per day in some of

market area have become anxious after the incident. They are of the view that the incident might have occurred with the motive of looting. There are many incidents of snatching in the area these days, said the traders. The crime branch and criminal investigating department (CID) have also been pressed into the investigation; the scientific and technical evidences are

being minutely analysed. The locals of the lane are irked at the authorities for not installing street lights in the area. A local resident Shahrukh Husain said, “All the lanes in Hatigaon area are devoid of streetlights and security is a matter of concern.” The local police have written to Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) many times on the issue but haven’t got any response, said a police official. n the houses located in Sijubari. Police sources said that the recent cases of snatching reported in Hatigaon, Beltola and other parts of the city, is the handiwork of some gangs who are from a different place but have come to the city looking for employment. Failing to get employment, these people form gangs, commit crimes and flee the city. n

City

SNIPPETS IPWE hosts international seminar in Guwahati

G PLUS | FEB 24 - MAR 02, 2018

CAA offers to install air pollution monitoring system in Guwahati While Guwahati’s air quality is still not alarmingly polluted, monitoring and dissemination of information on the same has become imperative for the better health of the city Saumya Mishra saumya.mishra@g-plus.in

nstitution of Permanent Way Engineers (IPWE), India organised their international seminar on “Leveraging developments in Monitoring Technology for optimizing Track, Bridge and Tunnel Maintenance” at Guwahati on February 23, Friday. Considering the present scenario, when Indian Railway is on the path of unprecedented process and cultural reform, consolidation and expansion mode, the topic proves to be of great significance. Inaugurated by Rajen Gohain, minister of state for railways, the seminar was attended by delegates from all over India and overseas belonging to Permanent Way fraternity who shared their personal experiences and stories. Member of Engineering Railway Board, MK Gupta, additional members, general managers of different zones, retired railway board members, representatives of technology firms from India and abroad and engineers from all over Indian Railway across different ranks also attended the seminar. Inaugurating the seminar, Gohain said, “Such deliberations play a very crucial role in the context of the renewed thrust on technology to bring about a paradigm change in railways. Track engineers play the most crucial role in ensuring safety.” During the seminar, deliberations on monitoring technology for maintenance of track, bridges and tunnels also took place and thought provoking papers supported by extensive field data were presented. The seminar provided an opportunity to the railwaymen from the north-eastern region to participate in large number and garner latest information and knowledge. It was informed that inductions of new technologies to reduce human dependence are being done by the Indian Railways. Road map for complete mechanisation of track maintenance has already been drawn which is expected to be completed by 2024. Due to these initiatives, over 750 large track machines are to be inducted in next 3 years’ time against the existing fleet of 850. To improve safety, in the year 2017-18, a target of 3,600 kms of track renewal with an unprecedented outlay of Rs 9,305 crores had been fixed. n

nternational non-governmental organisation (NGO) Clean Air Asia (CAA) has proposed to set up a low-cost system to monitor air pollution in Guwahati and make the data accessible to all, according to officials.

would help the residents to become conscious about the air quality in their city and to be able to take action. During our meeting, GMC officials had also emphasised on the need for sensitising people with regard to the air quality index in the city,” said CAA’s India director, Prarthana Borah. With this monitoring system, city residents would have the in-

air pollution since the knowledge and awareness among people is still not adequate. Guwahati has been chosen to implement the air action plan initiative under which several measures will be undertaken by the GMC to improve the air quality index. Authorities informed that Guwahati was one of the 30 cities across India where an assessment was done based on the guidelines as prescribed by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) of India with regard to air quality levels. Further, Guwahati was chosen to implement the air action plan since it did not meet all of the CPCB’s guidelines. For the air action plan initiative, CAA was entrusted with the responsibility to prepare a

draft road map with concrete measures to curb air pollution, informed GMC officials. The NGO has now submitted its final proposals and currently discussions are ongoing between GMC and CAA officials regarding the implementation of various measures. Further, an agreement finalising the proposals will soon be signed between the two parties. “If we get some donors to support the project, we can help set up a low cost monitoring network, then assess the data and use it for public engagement. We can help the GMC to use the data in a proactive way,” added Borah. CAA, with its headquarters in Manila, works in the field of bettering air quality in Asian cities and began its operations in India two years ago. n

yy Clean Air Asia offers to set up low-cost system to monitor air pollution in Guwahati yy This would make the data accessible to all Air pollution by a city bus in Guwahati | G Plus Photo This has been done with a view to encourage public engagement with respect to air pollution data. The Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) has partnered with CAA to tackle the menace of air pollution. “The monitoring system

formation on the quality of air on a day-to-day basis and would know if they should avoid going out on a day with particularly poor air quality index. A GMC official told G Plus that they have emphasised on involving the public for action on

Links between waste management and air pollution

ince solid waste management has been a primary cause of concern for the GMC for long, it is another focus area where CAA would be aiding the municipal corporation. In their report to the GMC, CAA officials have also looked at the connection between air quality and waste. “We have studied the quality and type of waste which is generated in the city and its link to the environment and pollution. We can see the links between air quality and waste and maybe help the GMC through capacity building and other measures,” mentioned Borah. The city generates close to 500 metric tonnes of solid waste per day. The civic body has leased out the responsibility of

primary garbage collection and street sweeping in all 31 wards to different NGOs. New tenders were issued in August end last year after the term of previously working NGOs had expired. The NGOs were chosen after the fresh tenders and took charge from the beginning of September. However, due to lack of coordination between the NGOs and GMC, waste collection has been irregular in certain localities. Further, the burning of garbage is also a contributor in worsening the air pollution scenario. Apart from the focus areas of public engagement and waste management, CAA has also proposed a long term three-year plan with scientific studies from the perspective of policy for bringing down air pollution. n

yy The residents would be able to see the air quality index on a day-to-day basis yy Officials say this would encourage public engagement with respect to air pollution yy The GMC has partnered with CAA to tackle the menace of air pollution yy An agreement between GMC and CAA will be signed soon yy CAA will also help GMC in looking at links between air quality and waste and provide solutions yy CAA has also proposed a long term three-year plan with scientific studies

Need participation from all stakeholders: Experts

xperts working in this field are of the opinion that even though Guwahati’s pollution levels have not reached an alarming stage yet, it is imperative to take measures to maintain a good air quality index especially keeping in mind the fragile ecology of the place. “We need to take continuous measures to keep air pollution in check. Since pollution affects every citizen, participation from all stakeholders is required for effective implementation of policies,” said DN Das, chief environmental engineer at Pollution Control Board of Assam. According to a report by the

Assam Science Technology and Environment Council (ASTEC), the air quality monitoring station at Bamunimaidam revealed the presence of respirable suspended particulate matter (RSPM) and suspended particulate matter (SPM) well above the prescribed limit since 2008. The presence of sulphur dioxide and oxides of nitrogen was, however, within the permissible limits at all the monitoring stations. The report goes on to say that Guwahati has one of the highest black carbon pollution levels in the country which is due to rapid urbanization and poor environment quality control. n

Health

G PLUS | FEB 24 - MAR 02, 2018

Newly-renovated TB hospital to become operational soon Saumya Mishra saumya.mishra@g-plus.in

fter lying in shambles for more than a decade now, the renovation work of the Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi Tuberculosis (TB) hospital in Kalapahar is finally on the verge of completion. In a relief to TB patients in the state, the new hospital would become functional soon, according to authorities. Inaugurated in 1954, the hospital was the first-of-its-kind facility in the state. However, it remained in a dilapidated condition over the years with improper services for the patients and poor infrastructural facilities. To add to this, the hospital was also reeling under shortage of manpower and was in a dire need of a facelift. Hospital authorities had raised the matter with the state government in 2012, after seeing

File photo of TB hospital at Kalapahar the woes of the patients and the pathetic state of the hospital. Dr N J Das, state TB officer who was also the superintendent of the hospital at the time, approached senior officials with the request of construction of a stateof-the-art hospital for TB in place

of the existing one. He had also submitted a detailed plan with suggestions to the state government for the renovation of the hospital. Following this, the central ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER),

sanctioned Rs 52 crores in September 2012 for the construction of the new hospital. Currently, the construction is ongoing and the renovated TB hospital will soon become functional. “Once completed, it will provide a lot of benefit to the people living with TB in Assam and the entire northeast region,” said Das. The new hospital will have 200 beds and will be equipped with all modern facilities including CT scan, a full-fledged laboratory, CBNAAT machines, and conference hall for training, X-ray and ultrasound facilities, informed authorities. TB is an infectious disease which is caused by bacteria and usually affects the lungs. It can, however, affect the brain and the spine too. Some of the common symptoms of the disease include chronic cough, blood-containing sputum, night sweats, fever and weight loss. n

1224 TB patients living in Kamrup (M) Zubeen Garg to

s per the official figures, there are 1224 TB patients living in Kamrup (Metro) district and 39,109 in Assam. Assam was the first state in the country as well as in Asia in the public health sector to introduce the Bedaquiline (BDQ) drug in 2016. This drug, also popularly known as the ‘miracle’ drug, was released to combat multi drug resistant (MDR) TB which does not respond to two powerful anti-TB drugs. Further, three TB patients in Kamrup (Metro) and 51 in the state have benefitted till now from the BDQ drug. Additionally in 2017, as many as 6,934 suspected TB patients were examined out of which 471 were found to be MDR patients. Officials informed that the BDQ drug is not given to every TB positive patient and there is a long verification process involved. “It is only given to a patient after a laboratory test is conducted and if the patient is found to be MDR and extensively drug resist-

ant (XDR). Further the physical condition of the patient is also assessed and then patient’s consent is taken before giving the BDQ,” informed Das. Officials of the state Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme (RNTCP) informed that they have undertaken several new initiatives with a view to combat TB. These include introduction of CBNAAT machines. These TB testing machines have been recently introduced in 16 districts while they will be installed in all other districts by March. “By conducting a single test, the CBNAAT machines can tell whether the patient is TB positive or negative and if they are drug resistant TB cases. The drug resistant cases are then sent to multi-drug resistant (MDR) TB wards for treatment,” said an official. Apart from the presence of these machines in various districts, the health and family welfare department has also made a mobile van installed with the machine operational for remote areas. The department also conducts various sensitisation programmes on a regular basis. Last year from July to October, they had launched a special initiative called ‘active case finding’ among high-risk populations. “Under this, the department had conducted a house-to-house survey in four slum areas of Kamrup (Metro) to detect TB patients.

Now this initiative is also being carried out in tea garden areas which are prone to TB. During this drive, sputum test for the residents is also conducted,” Dr P Bordoloi, state IEC officer (TB) told G Plus. He added that awareness programmes for school students is one of their ongoing initiatives. For undertaking these measures, the union health and family welfare ministry had awarded them for best innovation in 201516 and 2016-17. The RNTCP authorities have also been working closely with all stakeholders including the private players to combat the disease. Private hospitals have started notifying the government about the number of TB patients received by them. This will help the government to get to know the number of TB patients in the state. “If the private players want, the government will also provide them with free medicines for TB and will also help the private doctors to conduct tests for their patients using the CBNAAT machine,” informed Bordoloi. However, it is also proving to be challenging since the private practitioners think that if they notify, the government authorities will take away their patients. “We only want to have accurate data about the prevalence of the disease in Assam and we can guide the private doctors,” said an official. n

become brand ambassador for TB awareness

uthorities told G Plus that they have roped in composer, singer and actor Zubeen Garg to create awareness about the disease in the state. “Like Amitabh Bachchan has been doing great work at the national level for TB awareness, we had requested Zubeen Garg to work with us in improving our reach of awareness keeping in mind his popularity in Assam,” said RNTCP official. He added that Garg has agreed to lend his support for the cause and is currently in the process of writing a few songs on the same. n

SNIPPETS Betkuchi ID Complex in to have 20 storey twin towers & 72 directorates

oosting coordination and leveraging effective management of administrative activities, construction of the proposed Integrated Directorate (ID) Complex will start from 1st May at Betkuchi in Guwahati. Senior officials of General Administration Department informed this to chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal during a review meeting which was held in the chief minister’s conference room at Janata Bhawan on Tuesday. To be set up with a financial outlay of Rs. 471 crores in an area of 31.4 bighas, the complex will have twenty storey twin towers and will house 72 directorates. Aiming to be completed in three years, the complex will have state-of-the-art convention centre, library, yoga centre, auditorium and other modern infrastructure. The officials also informed that a decision has been taken to inaugurate the newly built Assam House in New Delhi on April 15. While chairing the review meeting, chief minister Sonowal directed the GAD officials to ensure timely construction of the ID Complex with all modern amenities giving due importance to its aesthetic appeal. During the course of discussion, the GAD officials further informed the chief minister that enrolment for Aadhaar Card will roll out in large scale in the state from March 27. Presently, work for Aadhaar Card is going on in 141 selected banks of the state. Moreover, to expedite Aadhaar Card work and to make it more extensive, the government of Assam has divided the state into 10 different zones and the deputy commissioners have been designated as the Head of the Enrolment Agency. There will be enrolment centres at district, sub-division, circle and block level, the GAD officials informed the chief minister. n

Virendra Mittal new DC, Kamrup (M)

irendra Mittal who earlier served as the Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Jorhat has been appointed as the new DC of Kamrup (M). Speaking to G Plus, Mittal said that he is likely to take charge on 26th February, Monday. Virendra Mittal is an alumnus of National Institute of Technology, Kurukshetra. n

In The News

SNIPPETS GTC Chess Grand Prix (Feb edition) concludes

G PLUS | FEB 24 - MAR 02, 2018

SEBA steps up security after alleged question paper leak Saumya Mishra saumya.mishra@g-plus.in

he February edition of the Gauhati Town Club Chess Grand Prix 2018 was held at the Gauhati Town Club. Altogether 72 players participated in the Under 15, Under 9 and Open Category events. The tournament was conducted by Padma Gogoi as the Chief Arbiter and he was assisted by Ravi Kant Tiwari as the Deputy Arbiter. Nandan Buragohain was the tournament director of the event. Shahil Dey clinched the championship in the Open Category by scoring 5.5 points out of 6 rounds. On the other hand, Pran Govinda Parasar Kashyap and Afsheen Afsha Zaman clinched the championship in the under 15 & under 9 category respectively. The next edition of the tournament will be held in the month of March, 2018. n

Huge quantity of cough syrup seized in city

ity police on Tuesday seized approximately 900 bottles of cough syrup and arrested two persons in connection with it at Jorabat. The apprehended have been identified as Osman Ali and Bapuram Brahma. Police also seized a four-wheeler from the possession of the apprehended two. n

econdary Examination Board of Assam (SEBA) has stepped up the security measures at High School leaving Certificate (HSLC) examination centres across the state after the question paper was allegedly leaked on the first day of the examination, according to authorities. SEBA officials informed that one person from Cachar has already been arrested in connection with the case. However, the Controller of Examinations at SEBA, Nayan Jyoti Sarmah, maintained that the question paper was leaked after one and a half hours of the commencement of the examination. “As per our information, the question paper was circulated after the examination had already begun. So it cannot be called a paper leak as the students did not have access to the examination questions before the commencement of the paper,” said Sarmah. According to sources, the question paper was widely shared on Whatsapp after halfway

As per our information, the question paper was circulated after the examination had already begun. So it cannot be called a paper leak as the students did not have access to the examination questions before the commencement of the paper” Nayan Jyoti Sarmah, Controller of Examinations, SEBA

Students at an examination centre during the ongoing HSLC exam | G Plus Photo through the examination. Close to four lakh students have appeared in the 10th board examinations which began from February 16. Sarmah added that now all the district officials have been asked to increase their vigilance efforts and they are hoping that such incidents are not repeated. Facing controversy on the day of the first examinations itself, the SEBA authorities have since strengthened their security and have alerted examination authorities in all districts to keep an eye on any kind of malpractices used in examinations. Further an official informed that as many as 150 students from various centres have been expelled till now for using unfair means, with 50 students being expelled on the first day itself. “Apart from students, four invigilators have already been relieved from their invigilating duties,” said an official. In added security measures, the invigilators have also been banned from using their mobile phones at the

examination centres. Additionally, following the ‘paper leak’ scare, the authorities have changed the questions of the subsequent examinations. In a new development this year, the students have also been instructed to use differentcoloured inks for core and elective answer sheets. Further, in order to clear any confusion about discrepancies regarding questions, in all question papers in multiple languages, the English version will be considered as the authentic one, said a SEBA official. SEBA has set up 852 evaluation centres for evaluating answer scripts for the HSLC examination this year. For the second consecutive year, the board will conduct digital evaluation of its mathematics papers for which 11 digital evaluation zones have been set up. “Forty percent of the total answer scripts have reached our godowns and scanning of these papers will begin from February 24,” said an authority. n

yy SEBA increased security at centres after alleged question paper leak yy SEBA officials say that the paper was leaked halfway after commencement of examination yy 150 students from various centres have been expelled till now for using unfair means yy 50 were expelled on the first day itself yy Four invigilators have already been relieved from their invigilating duties yy Evaluation of mathematics paper to begin from February 24

Weather report for the week Guwahati

SUN

MON

TUE

WED

THU

FRI

Mostly Sunny

Partly Cloudy

Sunny

Mostly Sunny

Partly Cloudy

30°/18° C

27°/17° C

29°/19° C

30°/19° C

30°/20° C

30°/18° C

SATURDAY Sunny

28°/17° C

Governance

G PLUS | FEB 24 - MAR 02, 2018

SC deadline on Aadhaar set to put Assam in a Catch 22 situation With the umpteenth shift in the date of the enrolment process for Aadhaar, confusion prevails on when and how citizens would be able to procure the mandatory card

SNIPPETS ‘Technology Meet’ to realize Hydrocarbon Vision 2030 for northeast India

Avishek Sengupta avishek.sengupta@g-plus.in

ssam is set to face a paradoxical situation with regard to linking of Aadhaar with various core services after the Supreme Court refused to extend the deadline beyond March 31. The state has not yet begun the process of gathering data for Aadhaar except at a few places which was done earlier. On February 23, a five-judge bench led by Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra rejected a plea filed by senior advocate Shyam Divan seeking extension of the deadline. Divan has been engaged in a number of legal battles pertaining to Aadhaar in the apex court. The state government had already informed the apex court via Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) about not being able to meet the deadline. “The Assam government has already intimated the Supreme Court through the UIDAI (about not being able to meet the deadline). So, there is no need to panic (for linking the Aadhaar card),” parliamentary affairs minister, Chandra Mohan Patowary told the Assam Assembly on February 21. He informed that 92 per cent of the population in the state were without the card. Patowary was replying to a

A People standing in queue to fill up their Aadhaar Card forms at an SBI branch in the city | G Plus Photo question raised during the zero hour of the Assam Assembly on behalf of chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal, who is also holding the General Administration Department portfolio – the department responsible for Aadhaar. The issue was raised by the All India United Democratic Front MLA, Aminul Islam, who pointed out that the people in the state are apprehensive about various

services like bank accounts and LPG connections getting frozen as the process of Aadhaar card distribution will begin only from March this year. Aadhaar is a 12-digit number issued by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) to all citizens. The biometric data like thumb impression, eye scan and a photograph will be collected from the applicants. The appli-

cants will also have to submit proof of age, address and identity for an Aadhaar number. Once the Aadhaar cards are allotted, the details will be linked with bank accounts, mobile phone numbers, government welfare schemes, etc. Patowary further assured that the Income Tax Department has already excluded Assam from linking Aadhaar by March 31. n

Missing deadlines since December 1

n Assam, where the Aadhaar linking process was delayed due to the update of the National Register of Citizen (NRC, the enrolment was slated to start from December 1 but the process has been jumping dates since then. The process has been delayed thrice – from December 1 to January on to the second week of February and now, as informed in the Assembly, to March 15. “The government has identified 1,241 locations to set up ‘Aadhaar Kendras’ for starting the process of Aadhaar distribution in the state and they will be ready to offer services by March 15,” Patowary said. Patowary said the delay was caused because the UIDAI has cancelled the distribution of Aadhaar cards through its

empanelled enrolment agency. “The distribution process of Aadhaar cards was expected to begin from December 25 last year by a UIDAI empanelled enrolment agency. But on December 4, UIDAI informed the state government of scrapping the process to give the cards through the agency,” he added. Since the biometric data of the applicants are security issues, the Supreme Court had instructed that the process should be conducted by the government departments and not any private agencies. After that, the process was delayed and was expected to start from second week of February. According to Ranjan Chakraborty, secretary of GAD, the further delay to March 15 has been due to the delay in finding

government agencies for the task. “Deputy Commissioners of all the districts have been asked to start the Aadhaar process and locate government offices that can be used as “Aadhaar Kendras” for the enrolment purposes. They have also been instructed to appoint government employees as ‘verifiers’. But the selection process is taking time as such government establishments are limited in number with its officers remaining busy with regular work. But the work will start soon,” Chakraborty said. Meanwhile, the process has already begun in the banks as per the UIDAI directive to involve banks and post offices that handle KYC (Know Your Customer) approved savings accounts. “We have already started

distributing forms to KYC account holders on the basis of basic identification proofs, and have given them dates when their biometric data will be collected. The dates will be after May,” a public relation officer of State Bank of India said. In 2004, the enrolment process was carried out in three districts - Golaghat, Nagaon and Sonitpur - as a pilot project and an office was also set up in Guwahati. A total of 24,05,286 persons (7.1 per cent) of the total 3,40,68,394 population were enrolled but further enrolment had been halted. Assam falls at the bottom of the chart on Aadhaar in the Northeast. Meghalaya with 14.3 per cent completion is above Assam while Tripura tops the list with 89.2 per cent enrolment. n

s a strategic way forward to realize the Hydrocarbon Vision 2030 for North East India, as envisaged by the Government of India and to realize Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Vision of 10% import reduction in energy sector by 2022, ONGC organized ‘Technology Meet’ at Guwahati on 17–18 February, 2018 with the objective of induction of cutting-edge, next-generation technologies to enhance oil & gas production from northeast. Conceptualized by ONGC Assam Asset and ONGC’s New Technology Initiative Group (NTIG), the two-day meet was chaired by VP Mahawar, Director (Onshore), ONGC. About 170 delegates participated in the meet which included participants from ONGC, Oil India Ltd, other private sector exploration & production (E&P) companies operating in northeast viz. GeoEnpro, HOEC and delegates from 20 technology-providing companies across the globe. SD Maske, Asset Manager, ONGC Assam Asset, along with senior executives of ONGC’s various work-centres, participated in the meet. Mahawar, delivering the keynote address at the Technology Meet, emphasized that the northeast holds immense potential and for enhancing oil & gas production, improved collaboration among the oil & gas companies, both public & private sector, and technology-providing companies is required as a way forward to realize Hydrocarbon Vision 2030 for northeast. The meet is organized to bring all these companies on one platform for a greater synergy, he stressed. The two-day meet witnessed several presentations and panel discussions by experts and technology providers, encompassing almost all aspects of E&P industry, with the objective of finding solutions to exploration & production related challenges specific to the region, through induction of cutting-edge, next-generation technologies for enhancing oil & gas production from northeast. n

Concern

SNIPPETS Supreme Court orders completion of all NRC work by May 31

he Supreme Court, on Tuesday, refused to extend the deadline for publication of the final National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Assam and directed the Centre to complete the work by May 31. The apex court has also directed the NRC authorities to publish the final draft of NRC by June 30. A bench comprising justices Ranjan Gogoi and RF Nariman said that it would monitor the progress of the NRC work in Assam after 30 days. The bench also made it clear that the upcoming panchayat and local body elections in Assam, which are scheduled to be held in the months of March and April, 2018, will be conducted by the state election commission and the state government. “The work of holding panchayat and local body elections in Assam will not be at the cost of upgrading and preparation of NRC and the NRC work will continue as before with full deployment,” the bench said. n

State govt to invest Rs 75.78 Cr to clean city drains

s part of a 3-tier process, Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) will utilize an amount of Rs 75.78 crores to clear the drainage system in and across Guwahati to solve the monsoon water-logging problem. Like previous years, this year also, the amount will be released by the state government. “We are planning to begin the drain cleanliness process from the first week of March,” said Mrigen Sarania, GMC Mayor while speaking to G Plus. “We along with GMDA and Water Department plan to clean as many as 355 drains in the city,” he added. GMC will also constitute a public forum in every ward which will be responsible for the evaluation of the whole cleanliness programme. The team will monitor the de-siltation and garbage disposal process on a regular basis. GMC also plans to outsource the drainage process to a third party in the second phase which will look after the technical developments. n

G PLUS | FEB 24 - MAR 02, 2018

Closure of paper mills hits Guwahatians hard G Plus checks out the impact of the closure of the Nagaon and Cachar Paper Mills on several Guwahatibased employees who have not received their salaries for months together Chandrika Das

he untimely and unexpected closure of the two historic paper mills of Assam, Nagaon Paper Mill and Cachar Paper Mill, under the Hindustan Paper Corporation Limited (HPCL) has brought gloomy days for several Guwahatians, along with people from rest of the state. Employees of the Nagaon Paper Mill have not been paid their salaries for 14 months and those at Cachar Paper Mill have been deprived off their salaries for the past 16 months. The government plans to revive the paper mills through involvement of the private sector but the decision is yet to see execution. The profit making industries had to face massive losses after the National Green Tribunal imposed a ban on the mining and transportation of coal to Assam from Meghalaya. From poor infrastructure to unfeasible communication and political agendas, the reasons leading to the closures are many. The Nagaon Paper Mill at Jagiroad has 630 regular employees and 200 casual employees out of which approximately 15-20 regular employees are residents of Guwahati. The closure of the paper mill has brought uncertainty in their lives and the children of many such unfortunate employees have

been forced to discontinue their studies due to lack of money. “Production in both the units has stopped; we have been surviving without job and money for months now. We don’t have the age that we can go and hunt for new livelihoods,” said a senior official of Jagiroad Paper Mill, who is a resident of the city. During a meeting held in August last year, chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal requested union finance minister, Arun Jaitley, to release Rs 1,800 crores so that the two paper mills could be opened at the earliest. Sonowal also had a meeting with Nripendra Mishra, principal secretary to the Prime Minister and discussed with him about the early finalisation of a new industrial policy on lines of the now-defunct North East Industrial Investment Promotion Policy (NEIIPP) for maximising the growth potential of the state. “The revival amount that the CM proposed was considered till September 2017. It’s already 5 months past September. Even if the money is released till September, there has been no discussion on any of the payment post September,” said an employee in Guwahati, who will retire from his job on 31st May 2018. The revival amount includes salaries of the employees and infrastructural costing. Supriyo Bhattacharjee, General Secretary of Centre for Indian Trade Union, speaking to G Plus said, “We, on behalf of the employees, are currently sticking

File photo of the Nagaon Paper Mill at Jagiroad to just one thing – revival of the mills under the public sector. Hundreds of employees’ lives are at stake. These employees have given their years to these organizations.” Bhattacharjee has also demanded that if the governments, both state and central, are confident that there are scams going on, they should produce evidences to the employees rather than closing the mills. He further alleged that neither chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal nor state minister Chandra Mohan Patowary has been able to give any strong statement on the whole issue. Public, Private or PPP … what will help? While the employees of

Woes of the children of employees

2 year old Himakshi had never bargained for such a sudden slump in her education and career at large. Himakshi, daughter of Rana Borthakur, who is an employee of HPCL, Guwahati office, had her career plans sorted until destiny chose to treat her harshly. Himakshi completed her BCom from Gauhati Commerce College and wanted to pursue a CS course from a reputed institution in New Delhi. However, after her father’s salary was stopped starting October 2016, her dreams crashed big time. Himakshi had to compromise with her ambitions to a large extent for the sake of her younger sister who is a Class 10 board exam candidate. Himakshi and her family stay in rented accommodation at Guwahati which calls for several additional costs per month. “We have never seen the harsh side of poverty.

Parishmita Buragohain Our parents have never allowed us to see that. But now we know what it feels like to have lost all dreams. I could not continue my studies like the rest of my classmates. I had appeared for interviews in private companies, but the salary they offered

wouldn’t suffice any day. I am currently unemployed. More than financial deprivation, it’s the emotional breakdown that has affected the entire family. Our lives are not easy now and do not seem to be getting easy anytime soon,” Himakshi told G Plus. Parishmita Buragohain, a 2nd semester student of Physics at Handique Girls’ College, in the recent Assam Assembly session, took the whole issue to the chief minister of Assam. The student, who broke into tears during assembly session, shared the painful times that she and her family members have been going through. “Our parents won’t tell us anything, but it’s sad to see them being emotionally broken every day for long 16 months,” said Parishmita. She further requested the chief minister to find a solution and help all the families come out of the tough time. n

the two paper mills have been strongly advocating for the revival of the two organizations under the public sector, a senior official at HPCL paradoxically told G Plus in anonymity that there can never be a full-fledged revival of the mills under the public sector. The attitude of the employees would always act as a barrier in the revival of the mills. “It’s good if the revival happens under public sector with employees being paid the amount in whole till date. I personally don’t prefer the PPP mode for such an organization. But I am very sure if the revival happens under private sector, there will be a massive development and revival of the paper mills as well as the Guwahati office of HPCL.” n

Public, Private or PPP … what will help?

hile the employees of the two paper mills have been strongly advocating for the revival of the two organizations under the public sector, a senior official at HPCL paradoxically told G Plus in anonymity that there can never be a full-fledged revival of the mills under the public sector. The attitude of the employees would always act as a barrier in the revival of the mills. “It’s good if the revival happens under public sector with employees being paid the amount in whole till date. I personally don’t prefer the PPP mode for such an organization. But I am very sure if the revival happens under private sector, there will be a massive development and revival of the paper mills as well as the Guwahati office of HPCL.” n

City

G PLUS | FEB 24 - MAR 02, 2018

Charitable trust invites applications for BPL students’ scholarship with a number of schools across the state and have already sent the application form to more than 600 schools. “There are several talented children who are often not able to pursue their education due to

Saumya Mishra saumya.mishra@g-plus.in

luster of stars, a city-based NGO, has invited applications to provide scholarships for pursuing free education to children belonging to below poverty line families. The charitable trust will give scholarships to five boys this year, informed authorities. Apart from the education, the scholarship includes free lodging, food and clothing for the selected candidates. “We will encourage and sponsor the chosen students to pursue whichever field they like, be it medical, engineering, CA or MBA. They can also attain up to whatever level of education they desire,” said Chanchal Nag, managing trustee of Cluster of stars. He added that the beneficiaries of the scholarship will be chosen on a merit basis according to their score in a test. “A male child of the northeast region whose family income is below Rs 60,000 and has passed Class 6 or has appeared for it, is eligible to apply for the scholarship,” informed Sanjay

Chanchal Nag of Cluster of Stars addressing a press conference at Guwahati Press Club Kumar Barjatiya, executive director of the charitable trust. He added that an original certificate of BPL, income certificate and Class 6 mark sheet is mandatory for being selected. Students can opt to appear for the test in Assamese, Hindi, English and Bengali. The questions will be multiple choices in mathematics, science, general knowledge and aptitude test. Established in November last year, the trust is still in its nascent stage. Officials said that

since it is the first year of their scholarship scheme, they have decided to sponsor five male children this time. However, they are planning to increase the number of beneficiaries in the coming years and to extend it to girl students. The authorities have also constructed a hostel in Adabari for hosting the students. The test will be held on March 25 while the last date for receipt of application is March 15. NGO officials have tied up

lack of means. It will be society’s loss if they drop out of schools,” said Nag. He added that they are also planning to extend the scheme for drop out students in the future. n

14 E

G Talk D

G PLUS | FEB 24 - MAR 02, 2018

Vandals as hostellers

wo reports in this issue – both related to youths of the city – bring to the mind that clichéd question: Whither are you bound, dear children? One is of course the much maligned Assam Engineering College (AEC) fracas – a revolting example of muscle flexing, mob rage and taking the law into one’s own hands. What kind of provocation might turn a bunch of engineering students into such hooligans as to ransack a marriage ceremony causing grievous public injury leaves me truly pondering. This brings me to the other story which gives a realistic picture of the drug scenario and Guwahati’s nightlife. Without doubt, the youths of the city, party-goers or otherwise, have a high level of intoxication (drug or alcohol induced) running through their blood streams – reason enough to not be in control of their faculties and good sense. Mind you, I am not yet trying to reason that the AEC hostellers’ rampage was intoxication induced. But the unpardonable extent of hooliganism that resulted in the total disregard of the sanctity of a marriage ceremony allows doubts to creep in. Interestingly for the city, such incidents of mob rage

seem to be perpetrated more by the hostellers of the city’s institutions. Rather, to be specific, hostellers of Cotton College/University in incidents earlier and now the boarders of the hostel of AEC. Whatever the provocation in all of these incidents, going berserk in public and damaging the city’s property by such “outsiders” cannot be justified. While it is the onerous task of the authorities of the respective institutions to offer appropriate counselling to their boarders about decent behaviour especially given the social freedom that they acquire being away from their homes and parents’ control, the city administration cannot shirk away from its responsibility of inculcating a sense of love and belongingness for the city in these visitors. Further, it gives one the shivers that this latent restlessness among these youths might just be manifesting itself so drastically and in such damaging manner because of the intoxication kicking in given the easy availability of alcohol and drugs in the city. After all one shouldn’t forget that engineers are creators and are not supposed to be v andalising destroyers. Swapnil Bharali Editor

Papon’s tryst with the Skeletons in the Society

To Papon, It has come to my attention that you recently made the headlines because of ‘objectionable’ behaviour on a Facebook live video that went out from your page. ‘Objectionable’ because you kissed a minor female contestant on her lips (or so it looked because of the camera angles) possibly by mistake, for which I believe you have been called several heinous and hurtful words. I for one am appalled at the language that was used to talk about you and to judge you. This entire incident once again proved how poorly the public jumps to conclusions without having lived the moment or having heard all sides of the story. Although it is demanded otherwise of them, the public continues to be most uninformed entity of the society. I understand that the public has proudly put people on trial in the past, but this has gotta change. I mean no one would have the guts to say things to your face. Their courage comes after they sit miles away from you with a keyboard. This is not to say that I am in support of you displaying affection for a child in the manner you did, but you have to understand that you are under the scanner all the time. You are responsible not just to yourself, but also to your family, your fans and the society at large. It has taken you years to build an image and reputation for yourself. Don’t squander it away. Such actions may be innocent, but can be misconstrued for malintent. I have met you, interviewed you and watched you perform and I can say that you are a genuine person who does not deserve such hate. I don’t know about you, but our people certainly need to do better and need to think about the lives that they affect when they spew venom sitting behind a keyboard and a screen. Hope this tiny message shines some light into the putrid dark matter that is our society. Sidharth Bedi Varma

English as a Lingua Franca for NE

he phenomenon of linguistic globalization has brought enormous changes that influence every aspect of our lives. The growth of English and the emergence of the internet have enabled instantaneous global communication nowadays, thanks to the rise of social media and 4G data that allow the rapid cross-pollination of ideas and innovation. In the information society of the globalized world, there is a pressing need for a common language of communication. People are becoming more and more serious about language learning in their highly networked professional world. The English language has turned into a widely accepted means of international communication and has become the Lingua Franca in 21 st century. It is spoken by one in every four people worldwide (1.75 billion). The British colonisation has made it possible for English to be accepted as the world’s common language. The British Council creates international opportunities for the people worldwide in educational opportunities and cultural relations. English is becoming a core criterion in determining employability worldwide. It makes a significant contribution to sustainable global development in trade and business. India’s northeast is not far behind. It is one of the most linguistically diverse regions in India. English, as a language of convenience, has dramatically connected a hundred languages of the north eastern people. For its area, it is pretty good to have more than 25 English newspapers circulating daily. An English news channel has recently been

rNadir

launched. The biggest music festival at Shillong makes it the rock capital of India. The world was dancing to the tunes of NE Bands at the Alcheringa festival of IIT Guwahati recently. Ziro Music Festival, Orange Festival, Hornbill Festival are other important events. Its ubiquitous influence is felt by our young generation and NE culture is moving towards something of a renaissance. Despite road infrastructure bottlenecks coupled with misery and suffering across states, NE cities/towns have well nourished educational facilities in English as well as vernaculars mediums. Our children have a right to a quality education; the constitution has given the fundamental right to every child of free and compulsory education or Right to Education Act (RTE). Now they are able to

The author points out the strong utilities that the English language carries vis-à-vis the modern world of internet usage and stresses that learning the language is an opportunity not to be missed by NE India earn a name for themselves in education, sports and cultural arena. A number of FM radio stations are transmitting from our land. Mizoram and Tripura are among the most literate states in our country. Christianity plays a very important role in the daily life of the Mizo community. I wonder how school goers can easily sing along in accompaniment to the tune of popular English numbers. The roman script is followed by many NE languages.

O p i n i o n Kamal Baruah

Its only saving grace is the internet. All these ingredients have helped us to adopt English as a common language in the northeast. The article, “Content is King,” was written by Bill Gates in 1996. He emphasized that long-term winners were those who delivered content based on information and entertainment. The huge vocabulary of English language is influenced by French, Latin, Greek and Germanic languages (German and Dutch). English has more words than most comparable world languages today. English is also very ready to accommodate foreign words and it shares grammar and basic vocabulary with other languages. Also English was a language of the ruling class Norman French and its Churches. “Baidu” is Google’s counterpart in China. In spite of Chinese learn English to capture the world job market. So does Japanese for choosing English as international lingua franca in education. ESL industry is booming in China. Chinese parents care for their children and are obsessed that they learn English. Is China the wild west of the teaching world? The Indian republic has been de facto divided into two states on the basis of language. The government is trying to impose and promote Hindi as rashtra bhasha. But South India and NE India do not understand Hindi. However, in the constitution, Hindi was declared as an official language and not a national language. Under Article 343, official language of the Union has been prescribed, which includes Hindi in Devanagari script and English. Since Hindi failed to become a pan-Indian language, English slowly capitalised on it. Parents have lost faith in vernacular schools even in the remotest areas of the NE states. More numbers of English medium private institutions are coming up to cater to the demand in the market. Now, in the age of the Internet and supremacy of English, the future of other languages looks bleak to students. Is the future of a mother language at stake? Do they get little attention? English has indeed become the de jure king of Global Lingua Franca (EGLF). n

Letter to the Editor

he very word ‘Nadir’ in English means the lowest point. The same word can be presently associated with Assam cricket as the state team finished the last season which concluded recently with a taste of victory in both first class cricket and List A cricket. The margin of those defeats was quite big. This performance gives a clear picture of the standard of cricket in the state. My adopted grandson, when asked to compile a sentence using the word ‘Nadir’, promptly replied “Assam Cricket team has touched its nadir.” Definitely all is not well with ACA. Dr Ashim Chowdhury, Ambari, Guwahati

In Focus

G PLUS | FEB 24 - MAR 02, 2018

She started her career as a lecturer in the Political Science department of Diphu Government College in 1989. Later, in 1991, she joined Cotton College, Guwahati as a lecturer and became a senior lecturer in the same college in 1996. She has been working as an

Dr Rita Chowdhury Author, poet, professor

ahitya Akademi Awardee writer, Rita Chowdhury, was recently conferred the Assam Valley Literary Award. Born in Nampong in the Tirap District of Arunachal Pradesh, she is a celebrated poet, novelist and an educationist. She’s currently the director of National Book Trust, India. Rita did her schooling from different schools due to the transferable nature of her father’s job but she finally passed HSLC examination from Margherita Public Higher Secondary School located in Margherita, a small town in upper Assam. Rita has been writing since the 1980s. Although she initially started writing poetry, she slowly graduated to writing novels, finding it a more suitable form to tell her stories. Her debut novel, Abirata Jatra (English: Incessant Journey) was released in 1981. Speaking to G Plus about Abirata Jatra, Rita recalled, “I wrote my first novel when I was an absconding activist during the Assam Movement. The Asom Sahitya Sabha announced a competition for unpublished fiction manuscripts. The subject

happened to be the Assam Movement itself. I completed the novel, sent it to Asom Sahitya Sabha and won the first prize. The news was announced when I was in Dibrugarh jail. So I was not allowed to receive the prize. My mother received it on my behalf. The novel became popular and it gave me the identity of a novelist. Hence began a new journey as a novelist.” After Abirata Jatra, Rita never looked back. She has to her credit several novels including Tirthabhumi, Jala Padma, Deo Langkhui, Makam and Chinatown Days. She’s currently working on another novel about forced migration. Rita was bestowed the prestigious Sahitya Akademi Award for Deo Langkhui which she calls “a novel of epic proportions about the glorious Tiwa Kingdom of Assam.” She said, “Deo Langkhui is based mostly around oral traditions. I decided to write a novel about it because the subject and its history moved me.” Rita was an activist during the Assam Movement. Her life has been deeply impacted and influenced by two experiences –

the death of her elder sister at a very young age and seeing her father train the Mukti Bahini freedom fighters of what was then called East Pakistan. When the Assam Accord was signed, she got married to a co-activist who later went on to become a minister in power. When she started to feel that her identity was getting confined to that of a minister’s wife, she decided to get a dignified space for herself and soon applied for a job in the field of education which she got without any recommendation.

associate professor in the Political Science department since 2001. Rita shared her thoughts on the school days of her time and the difference that she sees today saying, “My school days were simple. There was no TV, internet or mobile phone. The neighbourhood was like an extended family. But in our present time, I notice how individualistic people have become and thus also very lonely.” She feels that social media has provided an open platform to writers and a door to creativity.

Not only does the internet help writers learn more easily, it also lets them interact with readers at a more honest level, she says. When asked about the challenges for writers from this region, Rita said, “I don’t think there are any challenges that writers from this region face because of being from this region. For me, it is only the quality of writing that matters. But for regional language writers, the biggest challenge is first finding a dependable translator and then a good publisher.” She further added that although there are fewer opportunities for new writers in comparison to established ones, at the end it is the quality of content that matters the most. Rita had made headlines recently for a controversy relating to her being conferred the Assam Valley Literary Award. Many claimed that she had received the award because of her husband’s political influence. Clarifying on the issue, she told G Plus, “I received a letter that mentioned I am one of the joint winners of the award and I gladly accepted it. I started getting targeted solely because I am married to a politician and predictable inferences were being drawn. I have been writing longer than I have been married but it seems that the so-called guardians of our society cannot recognise a woman as an independent individual.”

The recent hooliganism by students of Assam Engineering College at a marriage ceremony came in for sharp criticism on social media. Here are some sober and constructive comments on the issue Bornav Bhagawati It has become a trend in recent times that if a college student is found involved in any offensive situation the entire college union comes to support that fellow and make it a college vs outside world thing which should not be the case. Don’t support people who do wrong even if they happen to be from your own circle. Because of such incidents the reputation of the whole college goes down. In this case, a few students created a scene and now the whole media and the local people are blaming AEC as a whole.

Darshana Garg As far as I know the AECians they will never trouble you until and unless you poke them. Such a shame that people react without even knowing the whole truth. Why did those people from the marriage beat up those 4 AECians in the first place? It’s very easy for a girl to cry and register a case against any guy. And for information I’m not an AECian, but I am seriously feeling disgusted by the posts that are getting viral on social media. Only one part of the story is shown. I request all the media houses to kindly go to the depth of the story and find the exact reason of the incident.

Ishan Das This is not new in Guwahati. Many such cases happened before but till date no action taken except assurances. Hope this time a strong message will be given to the student community who misuse the hostel unity power and turn it for the cause of hooliganism thereby breaking the law. I am waiting for a strong response from the authority. But the college management is 100% responsible for these things. Action should be taken against them too. Such incidents tarnish the reputation of a college and in future parents will think twice before sending their wards to such institutes.

Koushik Talukdar “GundaGiri is the best pride.” When hopeless people are unable to achieve anything they get frustrated which leads them to showcase their pride talent. The above line is not related only to a fixed organisation/institution but almost all hopeless/arrogant/proudly civilized people out there. The acts done by these AEC students should not be tolerated and strict action should be taken against them. As we all know this is not the first time that such an incident has happened in Guwahati. Earlier, Cotton College students got into such cases. So just because they are students doesn’t mean they no action should be taken.

Pranjal Sutradhar Completely belligerent and unionised behaviour! Whatever the blame game or the situation is, I believe there was a more matured way of handling this from both sides. I cannot blame anyone here but the situation could have been avoided by both the parties. Yes, the AEC students’ behaviour and the acts they did at the wedding was something which is not at all acceptable.

Udangshri Basumatary I heard there is another side of the story too. I hope proper investigation is done before delivering any kind of justice to whichever side. And those who have stayed in the area of Jalukbari know the bitter truth that has been faced by some of the students because of some locals. Can’t blame anyone now.

Feature

G PLUS | FEB 24 - MAR 02, 2018

Top Interior Designing Products and Trends to Look Out For in 2018

he holidays are now behind us and we’re wondering how to get back the magic and spruce things up again. One of the most effective ways to do this is to invest and integrate some design trends into our homes. That being said, if you’re planning to buy a new apartment or refurbish the old one, you should be aware of the current interior designing trends to give your house a classy look. The bold, eccentric and expensive decorating ideas of the previous years are now gone. Reasonably frugal, practical, eco-friendly and comfortable are the design trends of 2018 that can help create utilitarian and pleasant interiors. So here are the top interior designing trends to look out for in 2018:

durability and are recyclable. Guwahati-based businessman, Anuj Joshi, who is also an exclusive dealer of MCM Phomi, a clay cladding product said that clay cladding is currently in major demand. “People use clay cladding for

from a stunning range of the most exotic veneers inspired by nature’s spectacular canvas casting mystical shadows or breezy and cheerful with a calming touch to your house. “Since veneer is natural wood, it Wooden Flooring

Clay Cladding

Clay bricks are one of the oldest and most trusted of construction materials. Whether you’re building a new home, a commercial building or just renovating an old one, clay bricks can be used anywhere – on the ground or on the wall. Clay bricks have emerged as a very useful and beneficial green building construction material and its usage is growing exponentially. Made from modified soil, these flexible bricks provide the benefits of fire resistance, breathability, non-toxicity,

Ceramics, glass & metal Terracotta, ceramic vases, home accents and art are modern trends in decorating. Glossy tile designs, glass, and metal elements are set to bring elegant shine into modern interiors in 2018 and make rooms look stylish, exclusive, and bright.

Veneers

Earthen Vases

Wooden Flooring

This time, go for wooden flooring instead of tiles or marble flooring. Wood is a common choice as a flooring material and can come in various styles, colours, cuts, and species. It is not only cheaper and easier to install, it also has a softer surface and is a low maintenance product. Laminated wooden flooring has been gaining huge popularity for its resistance to stain and wearresistant layer.

fans, a lot of high-end products are now available in the market and they’re here to stay. You can choose from a variety of designer fans which are available for all types of home interiors.

A designer fan by Fanzart at Studio Segments by Balaji Udyog

Bold colours Bold colours have made a comeback in 2018. A movement to intense colours and blending them with pastels and neutral colours of natural wood, stone and metals is excellent news for bright colour lovers. Bright room colours reflect energetic personalities, and intense hues relate to dynamic, fast paced lifestyle. Beautiful shades of green, yellow, turquoise, and purple hues are in for 2018!

Textures MCM PHOMI Clay cladding on display at Studio Segments both interior and exterior work for both offices and residences and this versatility is what is exciting for builders and designers,” said Joshi.

Earthen Luxury

As our lives become more hectic and reliant on technology, our desire to reconnect with nature and to return to a simpler way of life gets reflected in the

design and style of our homes. Organic materials and traditional handcrafts, such as rustic lanterns, and earthen vases will continue to gain momentum.

Designer Natural Veneers Veneers are natural decorative covering of fine wood, applied to a coarser wood or other material. You can choose

Laminates

imparts a warm and a natural wooden look to the surfaces on which they are used. This can be used for furniture and panelling of all kinds and are considered a great option for residences,” said Joshi.

Designer Fans

Guwahati has recently seen a flux in the range of designer fans. From chandeliers hanging off the fans to Bluetooth enabled

2018 is going to be the year of leather and velvet. Velvet is billed to be the fabric of choice for statement soft furnishing. As for leather, it’s all about bedrooms think upholstered headboards and quilted chairs.

Show-stopping doors Time to stop thinking of interiors as just inside... Designer doors are on their way up. Whether the doors are painted with a neon hue, framed by decadent bay trees or has a message mat in front of it - people aren’t skimping on outdoors. n

Trotter

G PLUS | FEB 24 - MAR 02, 2018

Uttar Pradesh man chews off snake’s head in revenge Shawarma do us apart: Woman ends 40 day marriage over wrap

“

I’ve never seen such a case in my life,” Hardoi’s Dr Sanjay Kumar said after treating a farmer who bit a snake to take “revenge.” The doctor says he’s amazed the man survived even after biting the snake. The farmer, identified as Sonelal, reportedly chewed off and spit out the snake’s hood af-

ter it bit him. He was rushed to a nearby clinic after he was found unconscious in Uttar Pradesh’s Hardoi. However, the doctors treating him failed to find any bite marks on the farmer’s body. The state-run 108 ambulance service at Madhoganj community health centre received a call to rush to the nearby Shuklapur

Bhagar village where a farmer had fallen unconscious. When he regained consciousness, he was asked to explain what happened. “The snake bit me, so I held its head and chewed it off. It died,” Sonelal said. “Then I brought it back to the village. I tore off its head again.” Eyewitnesses also say they saw him ingest part of the snake, identified by some villagers as a python. However, doctors at the health centre said that they failed to find any bite marks on the farmer’s body. Still, Sonelal’s survival after biting a snake has left the doctors and the villagers amazed. “He chewed off half the snake’s head and yet was fine. I haven’t seen something like this in my lifetime,” a puzzled Dr Kumar said. (Source: ndtv)

Woman dries underwear under AC vent in flight

he internet is no stranger to nightmare air travel stories and ghastly co-passengers. The constantly crying baby or the child who keeps kicking the seat from behind - there’s no dearth of such horrid tales. In yet another horrifying mid-air instance, passengers were subjected to an unappealing sight on a flight to Moscow. A woman was filmed drying an underwear under the AC vent on what appears to be a packed flight. The dreadful viral video was taken aboard a Ural Airlines flight heading to Moscow after taking off from Antalya, Turkey. The clipwas sent to Russia’s ‘The First Tula’ website that shared the clip on YouTube. The video, presumably shot by a passenger sitting several shows behind, shows the uni-

dentified passenger holding up a white underwear and drying it under the vent. According to The First Tula, despite the shocking sight, fellow passengers didn’t take up the matter with the woman. They just kept quiet. “People looked with surprise and bewilderment, but all were

silent,” The First Tula quotes an anonymous eyewitness. Eyewitnesses also said the brazen woman wasn’t even slightly embarrassed as she continued to air the knickers for the next 20 minutes. The bizarre incident comes just days after an elderly passenger’s uncontrolled flatulence led a flight to make an emergency landing. The plane flying from Dubai to Amsterdam was forced to make an impromptu stop in Vienna after an in-flight scuffle broke out because the passenger wouldn’t stop farting. According to multiple reports, two passengers made several pleas and even complained to flight crew about the gassy situation but it fell on deaf ears as the elderly flyer continued to fart. When he allegedly refused to stop, a fight broke out. (Source:timesnownews)

n Arab woman has decided to ‘wrap’ up her marriage of 40 days and the cause of the divorce is shawarma... well, sort of. According to a report that quotes Masrawy, the couple had had several arguments over the husband’s stinginess. While on an outing more recently, when he refused to buy his wife a shawarma because he had bought her juice, it was the final straw that led the woman to take the drastic step. “We had a traditional arranged marriage. I knew him for only two months before the wed-

ding and never noticed how stingy he was,” the woman identified as Sameeha said. “During the first week of our marriage, he told me that he hates going out anywhere because that would be a waste of money.” The final fight ensued after Sameeha suggested that her husband buy her a wrap during an outing. He not only refused her request but also accused her of ‘exploiting his wealth’ by asking for a wrap after the juice. Sameeha has filed for divorce and decided to move back with her family. (Source:theworldvibe)

Woman accompanies handbag through X-ray machine

Fight breaks out on plane as passenger wouldn’t stop farting

low-cost Dutch airline plane flying from Dubai to Amsterdam was forced to make an emergency landing in Vienna after a fight broke out mid-air, forcing the crew to intervene. According to multiple media reports, the reason for the fight was a passenger who wouldn’t stop farting. The Daily Mail reports that a Transavia Airlines flight made the unscheduled stop in Austria after two Dutch men objected to a flatulent co-passenger. Despite their pleas and complaints to the plane’s crew, the man reportedly continued to fart. It’s unclear whether the passenger had a medical condition that caused

the flatulence. When he allegedly refused to stop, a fight broke out. That’s when the pilot decided to land in Vienna, reporting “passengers on the rampage.” Austrian police entered the cabin on landing and escorted four passengers off the plane. According to The Mirror, a police spokesperson confirmed that “a passenger suffering from wind who was not attempting to restrain himself” was at the centre of the matter. The spokesperson also said that two women sitting in the same row as the two angry Dutchmen were escorted off the plane. It’s unclear what happened to the passenger who was farting. Local media quotes a spokes-

O person for Transavia Airlines as saying that the four passengers were banned from the airlines and would have to make alternate arrangements to get from Vienna to Amsterdam. (Source:ndtv)

fficials at a Chinese railway station are asking passengers not to crawl into X-ray machines after a woman who refused to part with her handbag did just that. Staff at the Dongguan Railway Station in the southern part of the country said a woman traveling during the Lunar New Year rush attempted to take her purse with her through the security scanner, but she was told the bag would have to go through the X-ray machine with the rest of

her luggage. Security camera footage from the station shows the woman place her bag on the conveyor belt before crawling into the machine after it. The footage shows a security guard laughing in surprise as the woman climbs out of the machine and continues on with her luggage. Station officials said they want to remind passengers not to enter the machines as the radiation can be harmful. (Source: upi)

Review

G PLUS | FEB 24 - MAR 02, 2018

Cast: Kartik Aaryan, Nushrat Bharucha, Sunny Singh, Ishita Sharma, Alok Nath, etc Director: Luv Ranjan

T vie Mo view Re

Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety

he name of the film may be a bit of a tongue-twister, but there’s nothing complicated in the world according to director Luv Ranjan. His fourth feature is as simplistic and sexist as it has been right from his first: the guys just wanna get laid, the gals are scheming, conniving and silly, and between a toss-up of ‘dosti’ and ‘ladki’, no prizes for guessing who, or which wins. BFFs Sonu (Aaryan) and Titu (Singh) are cutting a merry swathe through the ‘chicks’, fully immersed in the dating scene, pulling back just in time when things threaten to turn serious, until there arrives, in their midst, the perfect Miss Sweety (Bharucha). Sweety cooes and cooks and organizes ‘mataa ka jagrans’. Titu is mush. So is Titu’s large fam-

ily, comprising father, mother, grandmother, uncles, retainers etc. Everyone loves Sweety except for Sonu, and right there is your triangle—Sonu ka Titu yaaaaaaaa uski Sweety? In this film, Ranjan is too busy making low-rent jokes about ‘sex’ and ‘shaadi’ and ‘barbaadi’. Apart from the ‘hum saath saath hain’ note, a ‘saas-bahu’ thread is bunged in, presumably to attract the ‘family audience’, as opposed to the strictly ‘chhada’ (bachelor boys) army, but the vibe remains the same. Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety is breezy enough, and provides some laughs, some of which escape involuntarily. But it also leaves you wondering. Can Ranjan grow up his callow characters? Of course he can, because he has the smarts (remember Pyar Ka Punchnama?). n

Cast: Diljit Dosanjh, Sonakshi Sinha, Karan Johar, Riteish Deshmukh, etc Director: Chakri Toleti

irector Chakri Toleti in his Hindi directorial debut takes viewers behind the scenes of a popular awards show and tries to elicit laughter by laying bare the drama that is an intrinsic aspect of showbiz. Punjabi lad Teji Sandhu (Diljit Dosanjh), who has a fixation for mirrors, and Gujarati fashion designer Jeenal Patel (Sonakshi Sinha), with a dream of dressing Salman Khan one day, are two contest winners who are invited to be a part of the IIFA award show in New York. However, there is more to it than what meets the eyes, or at least the director Chakri Toleti thought so! The film opens with the most absurd montage in recent times. From veterans like Anil Kapoor to newcomers like Taapsee Pannu,

we see them all laughing in block frames with emojis and smilies around them. This is neither self-deprecating, nor humour. It is a 123-minute excruciating tribute to careers of everyone they’ve managed to rope in for the film. After a terrific debut in Udta Punjab, Diljit Dosanjh seems to be doing what he has already done in Punjabi films – playing a well intentioned bumpkin. Sonakshi Sinha matches him step for step. We see no sheen, not even a twinkle. Welcome to New York is totally lost in New York, and looks nothing more than an extended IIFA trailer. It’s not worth wasting your time, money, patience and intelligence on this mind-numbing promotional video. n

Gadget Review

HTC U11 plus

o keep up with the industry trends, HTC has come out with the HTC U11+. While this new model was available internationally late last year, HTC has only launched it in India now. It goes up against the likes of the Samsung Galaxy S8+ (Review), LG V30+ (Review), and the Google Pixel 2 XL (Review), as well as new models that many companies will be releasing very soon. The HTC U11+ has some flagship-level hardware under its shiny mirror-finished exterior and has a potent camera as well, but little else has changed compared to the U11.

Design and build

The HTC U11+ definitely sticks to HTC’s design language

Cinepolis Christian Basti 09435025808

Padmaavat 09:00 AM, 03:00 PM Welcome To New York 09:10 AM, 12:20 PM, 09:15 PM Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety 09:20 AM, 12:15 PM, 02:50 PM, 03:10 PM, 06:05 PM, 09:00 PM Black Panther 09:50 AM, 12:40 PM, 03:30 PM, 06:20 PM, 09:10 PM Dhou 11:50 AM, 05:45 PM Pad Man 06:20 PM Aiyaary 08:45 PM

Anuradha Cineplex Noonmati 0361 2656968 Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety 09:45 AM, 05:15 PM Welcome To New York 12:15 PM Black Panther 02:45 PM Dhou 08:30 PM

Gold Cinema Lakhtokia 0361 2735367

vie Mo view Re

Calendar 11:00 AM Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety 11:15 AM, 02:00 PM, 08:00 PM Pad Man 02:15 PM Dhou 05:00 PM Welcome To New York 05:15 PM, 08:15 PM

Gold Cinema Paltan Bazaar 09854066166 Welcome To New York Surface” and it’s made primarily out of glass that’s been polished to give it a high gloss. HTC provides a transparent case in the box which you can pop on to keep the phone safe. The smartphone has gotten

Pad Man 11:00 AM

by the display with thin borders on the sides and slightly bigger ones at the top and the bottom. HTC has moved the fingerprint scanner to the back, just below the camera module. The position is convenient and it is easy to unlock the phone with a finger.

Specifications

with the same mirror-finish glossy body, first seen on the HTC U Ultra. HTC calls it “Liquid

bigger compared to the U11 and now sports a 6-inch display. The front is pretty much dominated

The HTC U11+ comes with QuadHD+ resolution (1440 x 2880 pixels) putting out close to 537 pixels per inch. HTC calls it Super LCD 6, and it supports the DCI-P3 Wide colour gamut. Users can also switch to sRGB output and tweak the colour temperature to suit their individual preferences. With the increase in size, HTC has packed in a larger battery, bumping the total capacity up to 3930mAh and resulting in an increase in weight as well. There are two variants of the U11+, one with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage, while the other has 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. HTC has also improved the

Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety 11:15 AM, 02:15 PM. 08:00 PM Calendar 02:00 PM Dhou 05:00 PM Welcome To New York 05:15 PM, 08:15 PM

Grande Cines Paltan Bazar 09854017771 Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety 10:00 AM, 12:45 PM, 06:15 PM, 09:00 PM Black Panther 10:30 AM, 03:30 PM Dhou 01:00 PM Welcome To New York 03:45 PM Pad Man 06:00 PM

PVR Cinemas Dona Planet 08800900009 Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety 09:00 AM, 06:20 PM, 09:25 PM Welcome To New York 10:00 AM, 03:25 PM Pad Man 12:05 PM Black Panther 12:40 PM, 06:05 PM, 08:50 PM Padmaavat 03:05 PM

Galleria Cinemas HUB 09706989143 Welcome To New York 10:00 AM, 05:50 PM Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety 12:25 PM, 08:45 PM Black Panther 03:10 PM

water- and dust-resistance rating from IP67 on the U11 to IP68 on the U11+. HTC is known for its Sense UI skin and the U11+ runs it on top of Android Oreo.

Camera

The HTC U11 Plus sports a 12-megapixel (MP), bright f/1.7 aperture rear camera, assisted with phase detection autofocus, optical image stabilisation and dual-LED flash – similar to the one found it U11. However, the front camera has been reduced from 16MP to 8MP unit with a similar f/2.0 aperture for low-light selfies.

Verdict

HTC might have been late in rolling out the much-deserved upgrade with a modern screen. However, the U11 Plus has more than bare essentials to keep premium smartphone users engaged. The U11 Plus can be a perfect choice if you are looking for a premium smartphone with brilliant camera, incredible audio output, consistent performance, top-of-the-line innards, ample storage and RAM. n

Entertainment

G PLUS | FEB 24 - MAR 02, 2018

Actress Zerifa Wahid to play five different characters in ‘Aahaar’

ssamese actor Kopil Bora, on Monday, February 19, announced the launch of his production house with the aim to promote Assamese theatre. The production house named ‘Kopil Bora & Company’ will officially inaugurate on February 24 at the Sri Sri Madhabdeva International Auditorium of Srimanta Sankaradeva Kalakshetra, Guwahati. Speaking to G Plus about the inception of ‘Kopil Bora and Company’, Kopil said, “I’ve been associated with theatre and cinema for a long time now. Having worked for and alongside various noted film personalities, I felt that it was time to share my experiences with the world and showcase the kind of stories that

I want my audience to see.” The production house is set to showcase Late Arun Sharma’s ‘Aahaar’ as its first play on

February 24-25. Aahaar, the first Assamese play from the genre of ‘theatre of the absurd’, is directed by noted theatre director Avinash

Sharma, with one female and four male characters. The show will be free, Kopil said. “A special performance of the play has been reserved for students of Assamese, English and Hindi literature on February 25”, he added. The lead roles in Aahaar will be essayed by noted actors of the Assamese film and theatre industry, Zerifa Wahid, Ranjul Boruah, Partha Hazarika, Suruj Kalita and Kopil Bora himself. What is to be noted about the play is that the female lead character, ie, Zerifa Wahid will be essaying five different roles. Nilangam Sarma is the music director for ‘Aahaar’, the sets will be designed by Umakanta Sonowal and lighting will be handled by Dimple Das. Costume

Feature film ‘Marksheet’ to hit theatres on 2nd March Kalyan Kumar Kalita

Babendra Nath Saikia Award for filmmaker Munin Barua

he full length Assamese feature film titled ‘Marksheet’ is set to release on 2nd March, 2018 across different theatres of Assam. The film, made under the banner of ‘AM Television Pvt. Ltd.,’ in association with ‘Enajori Talkies’ and ‘HDR Creations,’ has been directed by Ratan Sil Sarma and produced by Sanjive Narain. The film’s story-screenplay and dialogues have been penned by Himjyoti Talukdar.

The movie revolves around two kids named Babu and Azaad; Babu is always happy in his own world of fantasies. Not too fond of studies, Babu is always been yelled at by his parents, especially his dad, due to his poor academic performances. Azaad, a poor kid, lives with his dumb uncle who works as a laborer in a construction site. The two boys meet when Babu runs way from his school after failing in his half yearly exams with an intention of not go-

designer for the play is Rani Dutta Baruah and the make-up artist is Amit Singh. Stating that he wants to promote good plays, Kopil said, “Aahaar, written by Arun Sarma in the mid-sixties, is a landmark Assamese play.” Bora also said that he was dedicating the play to three of the state’s theatre stalwarts - pioneer English theatre director in Assam Porjanya Babi Barua, Natya Prabhakar Satya Prasad Barua and Padma Shri awardee Arun Sarma. The play will be staged under the aegis of ministry of culture, government of India and will be inaugurated by Padma Shri Jahnu Baruah, renowned Indian film director and one of the pioneers of Assamese art cinema.

ing back home and to escape the horror of confronting his Dad after handing him his poor mark sheet. Azaad then learns about Babu’s trouble and helps him escape to his destination - Babu’s grandmother’s place. The film captures the innocence and friendship of these two kids, who gradually get too fond of each other, mesmerized by each other’s company that ultimately changes their lives.

The key roles in the film have been essayed by child artists Aditya Malla Bujarbarua, Abhijit Choudhury, Pranami Bora, Jintu Kalita and Dibyajyoti Saikia. The film’s music has been scored by national award winning singer and music director Tarali Sharma. The film’s promotional track titled ‘Pagol Uxaah,’ written by Ibson Lal Baruah and composed and sung by Joi Barua, has already released and earned popularity among the Assamese music lovers. The film’s cinematography has been done by Dikhit Das and edited by Ratan Sil Sarma. Sound has been designed by Sumir Ndewri Damlong, Gfx by Amarjit Bormudoi and the executive producer is Ananta Borah. Marksheet is the first Assamese feature film to be commercially released worldwide through digital media by website cinemasofassam. com. The film was also selected in six different categories at ‘Prag Cine Award 2016’ and received three awards in the categories ‘Best Debut Direction’, ‘Best Playback Singer Male’ and ‘Jury Special Mention.’

rominent Assamese film director Munin Barua has been chosen for the Dr Bhabendra Nath Saikia Award for the year 2018. Born in 1946 in Khumtai of Golaghat, Munin Barua started his career in Assamese cinema as a scriptwriter and assistant director in the mid 70s. He has written scripts for 21 films, and has directed as many as 14 films. Some of his popular films include Bowari, GharSansar, Pita Putra, Mon-Mandir, Dinabandhu, Sewali, Daag, Barood, Rong, Maya, Bidhata, Priyar Priyo etc. In 2000, his film Hiya Diya Niya created history as ‘blockbuster hit’ in Assamese cinema, which also helped revive the Assamese film industry. His film Dinabandhu received the National Film Award for Best Feature Film

in Assamese in 2005. He is popularly known as Bhaimon da. The Bhabendra Nath Saikia Award was instituted by the government of Assam in 2009 to recognise excellence in the field of arts and culture. The award constitutes Rs 1 Lakh in cash, a shawl and a citation by the government of Assam recognizing the contribution of the awarded artist.

10th RG Baruah memorial drama fest from Feb 24

yotirupa, a city-based socio cultural organisation, is all set to host the 10th Singhapurush Radha Govinda Baruah Memorial Drama Festival at the District Library Auditorium. The 5-day long programme, being held from February 24-28, will be inaugurated by

filmmaker Manju Bora. The festival will be attended by various theatre groups of the state, along with a Mumbai-based theatre group. Artists from Mumbai-based Bing Association will stage ‘Iss Kambakht Sathi Ka Kya Karein?’ directed by renowned theatre personality Rasika Agashe.

Fun

G PLUS | FEB 24 - MAR 02, 2018

Horoscope of the week The professional matters need attention. Sudden concerns in income matters likely. Take extra care of your health. Silence is golden. Avoid driving, conflicts & aggressive behaviour. Some new opportunities are likely. Friends may need help. Family/spouse provides support. Good time for those in foreign lands.

Professional matters need attention. Sudden obstructions are likely, avoid manipulation. Avoid new intiatives/ ventures, obstructions likely. Domestic peace is disturbed. Do not initiate litigations. Spouse may face health issues. Be careful while entering in agreements & documentation.

The professional matters look better. Health of parents may cause sudden concerns. Avoid property transactions this week. Injury prone week, take care. Those awaiting marriage are likely to receive good proposals. Emotional relationships bring happiness. Some of you may have to undertake foreign travel.

The professional matters need attention. Conflicts/litigations are likely, avoid disputes. Completely avoid driving, week injury prone. Health of family may cause sudden concerns. Take care of emotional relationships, avoid differences. Silence is golden.

The professional matters look ok. You may come across knowledge based opportunities. Sudden concerns on account of health of spouse are likely. Be alert in partnership matters. Your initiatives are rewarding. Opportune time to make fresh investments. Those in foreign lands have good time.

The professional matters look ok. Sudden concerns on account of health are likely, take care. Injury prone week, avoid risky activities. Avoid speculation, losses likely. Gains from properties are likely. Friends are supportive. Spouse is helpful in your professional endeavours. Control your expenses.

Professional matters look better. Sudden distance/conflicts in emotional relationships are seen. Your initiatives start giving good results. Some short journey is likely. Additional sources of income are likely to be developed. Health of spouse causes concern. Kids need extra care.

The professional matters look good. Health of parents may cause concerns. Sudden trouble in property matters likely. Do not indulge in speculative activities. Mental peace is likely to be disturbed. Some of you may get professional opportunity at a distant place. Avoid unnecessary driving & adventurous activities.

The professional matters need care. Sudden problems in new initiatives/ ventures are likely. Health of spouse is better now. Additional income is likely. Friends are helpful & collaborative. Some short trips to foreign lands likely. Some of you may attend spiritual/ religious programmes.

The professional matters need attention. Things move at slow pace. Be careful in partnership matters. Strictly avoid speculation, invest wisely. Avoid unnecessary driving. Health of spouse is vulnerable. Manage things with patience. Stay away from speculative activities. Watch your expenses.

By what name is the Ounce, an animal of the cat family, more commonly known to us?

Where do we come across these writings in sequence, “Raped While Dying”, “And Still No Arrests?”, and “How Come, Chief Willoughby”?

Which Southeast Asian capital city literally means “City by the River”?

Which popular non-vegetarian snack was introduced by AM Buhari of Buhari Restaurants in 1965?

5 Abdus Salam, Rafiq Uddin Ahmed, Abul Barkat and Abdul Jabbar are some of the martyrs of which momentous day, which we commemorated recently? 6

Identify this indigenous game of India?

curio-city

6 5 4 27 6 62 1 9 2 3 3 6 1 1 9 7 9 7 2 7 6 1 3 95 7 7 3 9 21-Feb-2018 5 Daily Sudoku: Wed 9

5 2

1 6 8

92 7 8 5 53 3 4 4 77 4 1

hard

7 2 1

Daily Sudoku: Wed 14-Feb-2018

medium

4last 9 8week 6 1 solution 2 7 3 5 1 5 7 8 3 9 4 6 2 8 4 27 36 62 7 4 95 31 18 59 7 1 59 75 94 4 2 36 88 61 23 3 8 1 5 6 3 6 4 1 5 28 49 92 77 9 7 86 11 23 9 7 53 25 44 86 4 2 7 6 8 6 8 1 2 9 17 53 35 94 2 3 95 29 38 5 8 44 16 77 61 3 2 71 47 56 3 6 81 92 59 48 2 Sudoku: 4 Wed 9 21-Feb-2018 1 5 7 6 8 3hard Daily 8 3 5 4 9 6 7 2 1 Daily Sudoku: Wed 14-Feb-2018

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http://www.dailysudoku.com/

1. Snow Leopard, the state animal of Himachal Pradesh 2. These are the writings in the billboards of ‘3 Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri’ 3. Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam by the river Song Hong 4. Chicken 65, it used to cost Rs 65 too 5. They were martyred during the language movement on 21st February, 1952, celebrated as International Mother Language Day 6. Dhop Kel, very popular in Assam, named after the ball called Dhop, related to Kabaddi

curio-city

Sudoku

Professional matters look ok. Disputes and differences in relationships are likely, exercise patience. Your intellect helps in managing work and relationships. Health of family causes concerns. Work related commitments may keep you away from family. Those in foreign lands should avoid legal defaults.

The professional matters need attention. Some sudden concerns are likely, avoid manipulation. Spouse provides good support. Take care of your health accident/injury prone week. Completely avoid driving. Some of you may have to travel for work. Some of you may attend religious/spiritual programs. Kids bring happiness.

Word of the week Objurgate verb [ob-jer-geyt] To reproach or denounce vehemently; upbraid harshly; berate sharply.

Crossword Across

Down

1. Took advantage of (9) 8. Long raised strip (5) 9. Exert pressure (7) 10. Movie star’s double (5,3) 11. You in the olden days (4) 13. Countries of the East (6) 14. Third place medal (6)a 16. Authentic (4) 17. Booming croaker (8) 19. Working hard (7) 20. West Africa country, formerly a French colony (5) 21. Fabricate (9)

1. Sport consisting of dressage, cross country and show jumping (8) 2. Relating to mail (6) 3. French egg (4) 4. Thing bitten on by a baby (8,4) 5. Internal-combustion motor fired by compression (6,6) 6. Noble (12) 7. Civil judgment based on evidence presented (12) 12. Borer (5,3) 15. Chinese martial art (4,2) 18. Be guilty of breach of promise (4)

Dr. Soubhadra Chakrabarty This quiz has been brought to you by Brain Jam, a property of Priya Communications

Nanotales by The Writers Nest

Last week’s solution

Lifestyle

G PLUS | FEB 24 - MAR 02, 2018

Gratitude Chain One, I ignore it I hope it’ll fade away Twice, I turn Feels like a bitter taste Thrice, I walk I could never run away. Keep calling my name Have no shame I walk like a prisoner Bound in a gratitude chain. Once, it’s cold Freeze my blood, I pray Twice, a chill I’m sure it’ll kill me any day Thrice, I walk Waiting for the day I’ll disobey.

Sanjali Dixit

Basic Vaastu tips

aastu shastra literally means the science of architecture. It is the science of direction which balances all the five basic elements of nature, i.e. air, water, earth, space and fire. The basic principle of Vaastu is to create a balance in the environment that makes the household full of peace, health, wealth, good luck and prosperity. 1. The main entrance is the prime entry point of fresh energy. A beautiful entrance attracts wealth and prosperity. According to the Vaastu, north or east direction is ideal for the entrance door. It should be kept well, bright and well-lit. The main door should be made of solid wood. Avoid keeping dustbins, shoe-racks or footwear here as it is believed to block positive energy from entering the home. If there is a nameplate, keep it prominently and nicely without letting it fade off or becoming dirty. 2. Sometimes, there is a wall at the entrance. Do not leave it naked. Keep a picture or statue of God like Lord Ganesha there. 3. A good sleep is the key to good health. The bedroom should be arranged according to the rules of Vaastu. The bedroom should get natural light during the day. It should also get fresh air. There should be minimum furniture and the colour of the walls soothing. For married couples, keep a single mattress instead of two

separate ones. It is the symbol of togetherness. Place the master bedroom in the south-west direction but don’t put the bed in the corner or pushed along the wall. 4. Paintings of scenic beauty bring good luck and wealth to your home and life. The larger the painting, the more energy it will attract. Avoid pictures of water at south and west and mountains at east, north and northeast. 5. Certain items bring positive energy. An aquarium attracts fortune and wealth. The water should be circulating with fishes. The constant movement of the fish will keep the flow of wealth energized. Keep the water well aerated and clean. The ideal place for the aquarium is the north, east or northeast position of the room. 6. Periodically, clean the glass

of windows and doors and keep them sparkling. They attract fresh and positive energy in your home and to your life. A curved pathway with pebbles in the garden is very auspicious according to Feng Shui. 7. Vaastu shastra is all about balancing and adjusting the energies of nature to bring peace and prosperity to home. Food is cooked in the kitchen and washing of food items and utensils are done here. Since water and fire are two conflicting elements, they need to be balanced. It is important to place the sink and stove in such a way that they are not placed close to each other. They should be as far from each other as possible. Water pipes or overhead tanks should not be over the stove. 8. Mirrors can reflect energy and virtually create an extension. Mirrors should be placed ONLY at northeast, east or north. Broken mirrors should be replaced immediately. A mirror in the dining room makes the food look double! 9. Curtains and furnishings are must for every household. Contrary to popular belief, light pastel colours are better. The colour of curtains must match the colour of the room. Hemanta Kumar Sarmah Engineer, Businessman, Advanced Pranic Healer and Su Jok Acupressure specialist.

Everyone has a right to Dream! Prachee Sharma,

Service Manager, Brand New Day contactus@salasarcapital.com

aja has been running a Pan Shop near A-Block in the busy square of CP, New Delhi since 15 years now. In spite of having limited means, his family comprising of his wife, a son of 9 years and a daughter of 7 were leading a happy life. Their life was going well until one day his daughter came up to him and told him about her desires to be a doctor. She told him, “Papa, I want to become a doctor.” She had seen a hospital scene in some movie on TV a day before and she had all the desires to be a helping hand to others. She expressed the same to her father with all innocence. The statement was simple, but that put Raja into deep thoughts. He could not understand what to answer to his daughter. He was leading a simple life and had simple plans for his life. He had always thought that he could not afford to have big dreams ei-

ther for himself or for his family. The story of Raja has been similar to that of many of us, who have adapted ourselves to live a content life with whatever we have. While such a life indeed goes well with the old saying that one must sleep on the sheet that matches one’s size, one must always stay ambitious for the future our life has planned for us. The fact is that with the increasing living costs in our country, survival has assumed more importance than living our lives in our own terms. But amidst the fight for survival, we tend to forget that everyone has a right to dream about living a life of his choice. No one has ever said that dreams can be afforded only by a certain section of society or those big dreams and high aspirations are only for the creamy section of the society. Regardless of the economic status of a person, dreams are for all. With the evolution of financial markets, it has actually become possible to be able to turn our dreams into reality. Investing in mutual funds

is indeed a suitable path which will help you in your journey to achieve your long term goals and your dreams. A common advertisement on the bus stand I cross daily reads, “Mutual Funds Sahi Hai!” and it indeed is true. Mutual funds have gained an accelerating awareness amongst everyone in the recent times. They are the most transparent investment product available in the market with professionals man-

aging your funds. These funds provide you with a potential to earn higher returns across varying time periods and also with the option to invest periodically through Systematic Investment Plans (SIPs). The beauty of this product is further enhanced by the compounding effect which helps you earn returns over the existing returns. This results in exponential returns to your initial investments. For our long term

goals, there can be no better product than mutual funds. Moreover, with the easy access of banking in each and every part of the country, it has become very easy for everyone to invest in mutual funds. In today’s prospering economic growth of our country, it has become possible for everyone to fulfil their dreams. Mutual funds are for all our dreams & goals. We have to stop compromising with our lives and start investing for our future. Our goals can be anything – buying a car, education planning, vacation planning, house planning etc. All we have to do is know the amount that we will require in the future to achieve our current goals and start investing into that direction with the help of our financial advisors. Let us take the first step of investing to fulfil our goals – because, the first step is usually the toughest!

AAKHIR JAB BADA SOCHOGE, TABHI TO KUCH BADA KAR PAOGE!

Buzz

G PLUS | FEB 24 - MAR 02, 2018

National Science Film Festival gets underway in Guwahati

he eighth edition of the National Science Film Festival of India (NSFFI) is being held in Assam for the first time. The five-day event that began on February 20 has been organized by Vigyan Prasar, Department of Science and Technology, Government of India and the Department of Communication and Journalism, Gauhati University. The main objective of NSFFI is to promote scientific temper through ‘science films’ so that science is not limited to laboratories. “Through the medium of films, we aim to make science accessi-

ble to the common people,” said Nimish Kapoor, director of NSFFI addressing the media. “We have invited films from across the world which will be screened during the festival. In the non-competitive category, we have films from South Korea, USA, UK, Italy, Switzerland, France and Germany. Also, this year we received the maximum number of entries from India with 215 films,” he added. Out of 215 films, 82 have been shortlisted in the competitive category and are being screened during the festival along with 17 international films in the National Science Film Festival.

The films revolve around various themes like science, nature, health, technology, biodiversity, innovation and more. In the inaugural session held in Guwahati on Tuesday, Green Oscar award winner Dr Mike Pandey’s film ‘Forest - Securing the future’ was screened. Dr Mike Pandey was also the guest of honour for the inauguration of the 8th National Science Film Festival of India. The inaugural session was attended by the likes of Prof Shambhu Nath Singh, Director of School of New Media Studies, IGNOU, New Delhi; Prof Manoj Kumar Patairiya, Director of CSIR-NISCAIR, New Delhi and Dr Mridul Hazarika, Vice Chancellor of Gauhati University, to name a few. In his presidential remarks, Dr Mridul Hazarika said, “Imagination of each individual is multifaceted and it is shown in the movies. More number of movies will take scientific temperament to a newer height.” Around 300 filmmakers as well as students of different institutes from all around the country and abroad are participating in this mega event. n

Rahul Gandhi visits SOS Village in Guwahati

ongress President Rahul Gandhi, who was on an election campaign in Meghalaya on Wednesday, visited SOS Children’s Village in Guwahati. Gandhi was at the village for around half an hour and spent time with the children there. He not only interacted with the orphans, but also encouraged them to hone their own talent and excel in whichever field they choose. “I spent a wonderful afternoon with some amazing children at the SOS children’s village in Guwahati. This heart-warming place is home to over 200 orphan children,” said Gandhi on Twitter attaching pictures with the children of SOS Village and former Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi. Speaking to G Plus on Rahul

Gandhi’s sudden visit, SOS Director Subodh Das said, “It was wonderful hosting Rahul Gandhi ji. Although he came at a very short notice, the children thoroughly enjoyed his visit and even came forward spontaneously to perform dances and sing songs.”

SOS India marked its presence in Guwahati in 1988. Presently, it is home to over 200 children enrolled at various reputed schools and colleges as per their Child Development Plans, where they are seen to be performing well in their academics. n

Workshop on cultural dictionaries

three-day workshop on cultural dictionaries was organised by the Centre for Languages and Cultural Studies, Gauhati

University, at its campus on February 19, Monday. During the workshop, it was announced that a six-month certificate course on Rabha and Mising language has also been

introduced at the centre, where Dr Jyotsna Routin is the director. The workshop was attended by the presidents and secretaries of the literary bodies of the Rabha and Mising communities. n

INDI Dogathon sees participation of over 100 dogs

arcom Wand, in association with AWE Enterprises, organised the INDI Dogathon Assam Edition 2018 on February 18, Sunday. The event took place at the playground of College of Veterinary Science, Guwahati from 9 AM to 5 PM. The Dogathon saw participation of more than 100 dogs belonging to various different breeds. Along with dogs from across Guwahati, many dogs also came from other parts of the state like Nagaon, Kokrajhar and Tezpur. While a lot of local breeds were present at the venue, some very rare ones also graced the occasion. Among the breeds present were German Shepherd, Lhasa Apso, Labrador, Bulldog, Pug, Pit Bull, Chow Chow, Dalmatian, Siberian Husky, Chihuahua, St Bernard, Shih Tzu and Pomeranian, to name a few. The competition was judged by renowned actress Barsha Rani Bishaya and Dr Pradyut Kumar Sharma, General Secretary of SAPA and owner of Pet & Vet. Among the esteemed guests was

Dr Sangeeta Goswami of People For Animals (PFA). More than 300 dog lovers attended the event. Speaking to G Plus, Rajdeep Deka, director of Marcom Wand said, “The Dogathon received an overwhelming response from all present at the venue. Not only did it see participation from local breeds, but also rare breeds and hybrids. We hope to organise the event in Guwahati every year.” The judges too expressed appreciation and satisfaction about the initiative. Various competitive and non-competitive events were held at the event including musical chairs, agility race, dog fashion show and dress your pooch. n

BM Das Memorial Lecture held

he annual Bhuban Mohan Das Memorial Lecture, held by Indian Anthropology Congress 2018, was held at Gauhati University. Organised under the aegis of Indian National Confederation and Academy of Anthropology (INCAA), the programme was held from February 21-23. At the inaugural function held on February 21, the BM Das memorial lecture was delivered

by Prof W Nabakumar from the Anthropology department of Manipur University. Prof Nabakumar spoke on “Imaging the future; anthropological insight into the transformation of development discourse.” Bhuban Mohan Das was a reputed solicitor of the Calcutta High Court. An ardent member of the Brahmo Samaj, he was also well known for his intellectual and journalistic pursuits. n

Specially-abled boy shines at Swimathon

nyatam Rajkumar, a specially-abledchild,bagged the 4th prize in a 3-km swimming competition held at the 1st All India Invitational Swimathon 2018. The event was held at Pune, Maharashtrafrom17 thto18thFebruary2018. Anyatam is a student of class 11, South Point School, Guwahati. He was the only competitor from Assamintheevent. Organised by Champion Aquatic Club, the event was held at the NG Nande Swimming Pool, Pune and witnessed two days of splash,excitementandsuccess. n

Events

G PLUS | FEB 24 - MAR 02, 2018

enny Dayal and Shakti Mohan visited Guwahati to judge the city audition round for ‘Colors of Youth’ - the hunt for India’s most talented and versatile youth. Hundreds of students from various institutions of the city auditioned at IIT Guwahati. The selected candidates will now go on to compete with teams selected from various colleges and schools from across the country.

February 24, Saturday Dance 101

Date: February 19, Monday

Club XS

Event: Colors of Youth

8PM onwards

Venue: IIT Guwahati February 24, Saturday In the loop ft Twin City NYX, Hotel Palacio

he 1st ever Arunachal Carnival was organised in Guwahati from February 16-19 with an aim to provide a platform to celebrate and foster a vision of integrity and to positively advance Arunachal’s culture nationally and globally. The festival of culture, arts and life showcased the traditions of Arunachal Pradesh, their cuisine, attire, lifestyle, art, music, photography and much more.

7PM onwards February 24, Saturday Punjtronic Night The Socialite 7:30PM onwards

Date: February 16-19 Event: Arunachal Carnival

February 24-25

Venue: AEI Playground

Northeast India Fashion Weekend Kiranshree Grand

eeraj Gaba, the mentor of India’s Next Top Model, Show Director of Lakme Fashion Week and a holistic grooming expert, visited Guwahati for a Meet & Greet Session. The celebrity host cum speaker discussed life and its hairpin turns, its failures, trial and error methods, vitality of health, happiness, living in the moment without worrying too much about future, career goals, competition and much more at Nehru Park, Guwahati and also visited the Kamakhya Temple.

Date: February 17, Saturday Event: Meet & Greet with Mr Gaba Venue: Nehru Park

Date: February 17, Saturday Event: Bolly & Hip Hop Night ft. DJ Xue and DJ Mani Venue: Dunkin Oza

3:30PM onwards February 25, Sunday Run the trap ft. Dyro and Julian Calor Greenwood Resort 2-10PM

yatikram has been organising Bhasha Sanskriti Milan Utsav for the past 12 years to mark Mother Language Day, a day celebrated worldwide to promote awareness of linguistic and cultural diversity, multilingualism and the preservation and protection of languages.

This year, a slew of part of the festival, The primary cultural evening by Mrs. Rezwana renowned singer an inaugural piece, Byatikram felicitating Hiren Nath, the special guest for the evening De presented a played a Drut gat on with alaap, taan, jhaalaa.

events were lined up as which began on Sunday. attraction of the was a performance Choudhury Bannya, a from Bangladesh. As Guwahati’s Debidatta Sitar recital. She raga Jhinjhoti vistaar and

The event was attended by dignitaries like Commissioner of Police Hiren Chandra Debidatta De performing a Nath, IAS Swapnil Barua, Padmashree sitar recital at the Ajoy Dutta, Sahitya Akademi Awardee Dr. Usha inaugural ceremony Ranjan Bhattacharjee and Assistant High Commissioner Bangladesh Kazi Muntashir Murshed, among various others.

Date: February 18-2 Event: Bhasha Sanskriti Milan Utsav Venue: ITA Complex, Machkhowa

February 25, Sunday Redbull Tour Bus Sarusajai Stadium 5PM onwards February 25, Sunday The Great North Eastern Run Deepor Beel to Chandubi Lake 4AM onwards March 1, Thursday Colourland 2018 Residency Resort 10AM onwards

Catching Up

G PLUS | FEB 24 - MAR 02, 2018