Vol 5 Issue 20 by G Plus

G PLUS | MAR 10 - MAR 16, 2018 @guwahatiplus www.guwahatiplus.com

Inside

Volume 05 | Issue 20 Mar 10 - Mar 16, 2018 Price `10

Traffic, parking zones upstaged in Ghy for Bangla Prez visit

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Illegal coal traders find new modus operandi G Plus checks out the alternative methods adopted by illegal coal traders following the crackdown on the syndicate by Guwahati police

File photo of a coal truck is being loaded

Rahul Chanda rahul.chanda@g-plus.in

he illegal trade in coal continues with the syndicates now changing their mode of operation. A senior official in the district transport office (DTO) said, “There are some new coal depots that have been created by the illegal traders at 12th Mile and 14th Mile areas in Meghalaya near Byrnihat. The overloaded coal-laden trucks get unloaded there.” Earlier the overloaded trucks were unloaded at the coal depots in Basistha and Beltola. After a meeting on 5th January 2018, between Guwahati police and the transport officials, seven brokers were arrested and

many more are still on the run. Kuldeep Singh, a prime suspect in the illicit trade, was arrested for running a coal syndicate in the Byrnihat-Khanapara area. The overloaded trucks are now unloaded at 12th Mile and 14th Mile after the police and transport department officials of Meghalaya government are “managed,” said a source in Beltola engaged with the coal syndicates. Normally, an overloaded truck used to pay a fine of Rs 2,000 and an additional Rs 1,000 for each tonne exceeding the permissible limit of 9 tonnes. If ten trucks cross the gates, challans were issued but only to a few. The personnel at the gates

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Homeopathy students’ protest: Colleges remain closed for over a week

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Virangana: These women make the city a better place

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Lead Story

G PLUS | MAR 10 - MAR 16, 2018

Illegal coal traders find new... Continued from page » 1 were managed by the brokers in

collusion with transport officials, the source claimed. The registration number of the trucks, at present, are provid-

ed to the Byrnihat police two days before the trucks reach Byrnihat. The middlemen usually help in unloading the trucks at coal

Transport department officials under CID scanner

(L-R) Madhav Neog, Anurag Sandilya, Bedanta Gogoi who have been summoned by the CID

he investigating agency had served notices to seven officials of the transport department, but till 7 th March, only the District Transport Officer (DTO) who is also the enforcement chief of Kamrup (Metro) has cooperated with the investigation. The officials were summoned for interrogation after the criminal investigation department (CID) had seized two coal-laden trucks near Beltola. So far, only the DTO, Prasanjit

Kumar Ghosh, has appeared before the CID. According to an official, Ghosh claimed that he was trying his best to curb the illegal coal trade but inadequate infrastructure was a stumbling block to his work. Sources in the CID said that the other officials will be summoned again and all the documents will be checked to find out if there was any involvement of the transport department officials in the overloaded trucks entering Guwahati.

The six officers who did not appear before CID are enforcement inspector (EI) Chitra Kumar Nath, assistant enforcement inspector (AEI) Tapu Ram Bora, AEI Anurag Sandilya, AEI Bedanta Gogoi, enforcement checker (EC) Mrigen Sharma and EC Madhav Neog. The transport department officials said that they had asked the two truck drivers to get the trucks weighed in the weigh bridge. However they did not take the truck to the weigh bridge. The CID is of the opinion that the trucks never reach the weigh bridge before unloading. Recently two overloaded coal-laden trucks were seized by CID at Beltola, 2 kilometers away from the nearest weigh bridge. The CID also discovered that the CCTVs installed at Khanapara check gate were not connected with the digital video recording system meaning that nothing was getting recorded or stored for future reference. Additional Superintendent of Police, Nirmal Baishya said, “This is just the beginning. We have complaints against the local police, transport department officials and some politicians. The investigation will unearth all the facts.” n

depots in the Beltola–Basistha area, but the overloaded trucks are currently being unloaded in Meghalaya. As there are only a few

coal depots there (newly created depots at 12th Mile and 14th Mile), some trucks still manage to enter the coal depots in Guwahati. n

Weigh bridges in Guwahati were running without trade license

them, said a source in the ll the weigh bridges in transport office. Guwahati were running Any weigh bridge having a without any trade licence has to send details of how license issued by the many trucks are weighed on the transport department bridge every day, the load of the which is mandatory according to truck and the revenue generated. the Motor Vehicles Act. Till 5th District transport January 2018, officer (DTO), this was not Enforcement, mandatory PK Ghosh since the said, “I issued transport notices to department 27 weigh had never bridges inspected which were the weigh running bridges. without The DTO any trade has also license.” mandated The trade installation license fee of CCTV for a weigh cameras bridge is at all the Rs 25,000 weigh bridge File photo of a weigh bridge and the fine premises. slapped But the by Ghosh on the errant weigh issue raised by the criminal bridges was Rs 20,000. investigation department (CID) Two to three weigh bridges appears pertinent: Why were have obtained licenses after the trucks not mandated to enter receiving the notices but others Guwahati after being weighed at still continue to function without a city-based weigh bridge? n

Traffic, parking zones upstaged in Ghy for Bangla Prez visit builder was further irked with the hospital authorities as the parking inside the hospital premises was, as always, full. Similarly, a businesslocated at and who

parks his vehicle at the designated parking zone on the eastern bank of the tank was irked with the authorities for making the roads circumventing Dighalipukhuri no parking zones on 8th March. The MG Road and GS Road, which are the main arterial roads of the city, were turned into no parking zones for the entire day up to 6 pm without prior notice to the citizens. The Bangladesh President visited Kamakhya Temple, Hotel Taj by Vivanta, Governor’s House and also enjoyed the view of Brahmaputra River with a cruise on

the Alfresco Grand ship. Whenever the convoy of the president crossed any traffic junction, the traffic was halted for more than 25 minutes irking the commuters. Further, news has filtered in that the traffic on the approach roads to the airport were halted for 30 minutes causing many passengers to miss their flights. G Plus tried contacting the traffic department for a response to the high-handedness but the deputy commissioner of police (traffic) seems to be on leave and the other officers of the department were either too busy or declined to comment. n

Did state govt discuss illegal influx issue with Bangla Prez?

with the Bangladesh President and arrive at a consensus as to the ground reality,” Saikia said in the letter before the arrival of the Bangladesh President. The state government however denied having any discussion on the issue with the Bangladeshi President. State excise minister Parimal Suklabaidya said, “Nothing related to illegal migration was

discussed with the President.” Suklabaidya, who is an MLA from Barak Valley, had visited Bangladesh before Advantage Assam to woo investors. Suklabaidya said that the President just discussed how to improve the trade ties between Assam and Bangladesh as the neighbouring country has understood the potential of this state. n

Rahul Chanda rahul.chanda@g-plus.in

lmost all the major roads of the city were blocked during the visit of the Bangladesh President, Md Abdul Hamid, on 8th

March. Motorists were not allowed to park on most of the designated roadside parking zones creating a chaotic situation for many. A city-based builder said, “My mother is admitted in Apollo Hospital at Christian Basti and I had morning deliverables for her. I

n the backdrop of the visit of Bangladesh President Md Abdul Hamid to Guwahati, a question raised by the opposition is whether the state government discussed the issue of illegal migration of Bangladeshis to Assam with the

was not allowed to park my vehicle near the hospital despite ample space. In fact, I was virtually shooed away by the conTraffic congestion on the airport road on account of the stable. Had Bangladesh President’s visit I known man whose office is that this would be the situation, Dighalipukhuri East I would have taken a cab.” The

President at all. Leader of opposition, Debabrata Saikia, in a letter to the chief minister of Assam, Sarbananda Sonowal said, “You may be aware that the people of Assam are highly exercised over the question of illegal influx of

migrants from Bangladesh.” In his letter, Saikia said that one Bangladeshi minister, during his visit in the past, had revealed that the issue of illegal influx was never raised by India during bilateral interactions. “I request you to raise the issue

G PLUS | MAR 10 - MAR 16, 2018

Crime

SNIPPETS 50 kg Ganja seized at Ghy Railway Station

G PLUS | MAR 10 - MAR 16, 2018

Brothers in ‘harms’: Cousin Hyder Ali running Pakhi Miyan’s drug racket Avishek Sengupta avishek.sengupta@g-plus.in

D A

team of Railway Protection Force (RPF) on Thursday arrested two persons and seized 50 kg cannabis (ganja) from their possession from Rajdhani Express. The market value of the cannabis is yet to be determined. The apprehended were carrying the cannabis from Mariani, Assam to New Delhi. n

Guwahati woman stabbed to death by husband in Ahmedabad

woman hailing from Guwahati was stabbed to death by her husband over a domestic dispute, at their apartment in Ahmedabad on Tuesday. Reportedly, the couple identified as Ashesh Gurung (34), a branch manager of a private bank and Pronita Gurung (29) had moved to the city from their native place, Guwahati and lived at Suryavanshi Tower in Vastrapur, given to Gurung 11 months back by the bank. The couple had married about a year ago, after being in a relationship for a while. As per reports, the couple had a heated argument on Tuesday night about Gurung’s drinking habit following which under the influence of alcohol he stabbed his wife with a knife after which she fell unconscious. Vastrapur police have registered an FIR against Gurung for murder and have arrested him. n

Mid-day meal cooks and helpers protest at Dispur

he cooks and helpers of mid-day meals of All Assam Secondary Schools held a protest demonstration at Dispur on Wednesday demanding regularization of their jobs. They also demanded an increase in their salary from Rs 1,000 to Rs 9,600 per month. n

rug kingpin Samsul Haque Talukdar alias Pakhi Miyan, whose name has popped up in connection with several crimes ranging from drug smuggling, murder and robbery has apparently handed over the reins of his activities to his cousin Hyder Ali. “According to our inputs, it is Ali who is running Miyan’s ganja racket now. We had put Miyan under close watch for quite some time. There is no involvement of drug-related activities from him in a long time. But his cousin’s name has come up a few times,” a source in the Narcotics Control Bureau said. Ali’s name first came onto the police radar in 2009 after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had charge sheeted him along with Miyan and another cousin Ajit Singh alias Santosh Singh, in connection with the murder of an official of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) in 2006. While Miyan had already been arrested when the charge sheet was filed, Ali and Singh were absconding. He was later arrested in Barasat, a town on the outskirts of Kolkata in West Bengal in 2009 and was eventually acquitted due to lack of evidence by

File photo of Pakhi Miyan the Barasat Sessions Court. The modus operandi of smuggling the drugs by Ali has, however, changed from what it used to be under Miyan’s regime, the source revealed. While Miyan used to procure the ganja from Manipur, Ali has shifted to Tripura to procure the contrabands. “Earlier, the ganja was grown and sold by terrorist outfits in Manipur and Miyan used to procure those from them to sell in the rest of the northeast and Bengal. Back then, there were at least 25 such outfits active. Things have changed over time and Tripura has emerged as the next biggest grower of ganja in

the northeast. Ali now funds the locals to grow the ganja in the hills and forests of Tripura,” the source said. Recently, the NCB had destroyed one such ganja cultivation believed to be funded by Ali inside the Sipahijala Wildlife Sanctuary in West Tripura district, about 35 kms from the state capital, Agartala. The NCB, however, did not rule out the fact that Miyan might be remote controlling Ali’s operations. “Many past operatives of Miyan’s gang are still involved in the operations. So, it is possible that Miyan is still remotely controlling it,” the source said.

Miyan, who is believed to be heading the biggest drug cartel of northeast, was first arrested in 2008 by the West Bengal police from Barrackpore with 10 kgs of ganja and 200 gms of heroin and later was handed over to Assam Police. He, however, managed to make a Mr Natwarlal style escape from Gauhati Medical College & Hospital where he was sent from the Central Jail for diabetes and hernia check-up. He escaped by allegedly drugging the security officials deputed to him. He was, later in 2008, arrested from Durgapur in West Bengal. Miyan was suspected to be involved in three murders - that of DRI official Tarun Kumar Dutta, AGP leader Habib Ali and the journalist of a local vernacular daily, Muslimuddin Ahmed. He served jail terms for various drug trafficking related cases till 2017. In May 2017, his name came up when the police asked the Chief Judiciary Magistrate Court to allow five days’ remand to question him in connection with a robbery on GS Road. The police were allowed to question Miyan inside the Central Jail where he denied any involvement. In December last year, after being out on bail, Miyan had a close shave when he was fired at by armed assailants suspected to be from a rival drug gang but the bullet just grazed by his arm causing a flesh wound. n

City cabbies alleged to be dabbling in drug peddling Avishek Sengupta avishek.sengupta@g-plus.in

few cab drivers in the city are found to be venturing into peddling drugs to earn some quick money. Sources in the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) claimed that these cab drivers are the third hand in the extensive drug chain operating in Guwahati. “There are three hands involved in the drug network in the city – smugglers, hoarders and peddlers. The smugglers smuggle the narcotics in, the hoarders store and distribute among the peddlers and the peddlers, the third hand, sell or retail. The cab drivers, who have access to the users, are in the third hand of the network,” the NCB source said There are about 4-5 such drug networks operating in the city, the source said. According to sources, about 30-40 such cab drivers are suspected to be engaged in peddling party drugs. “Besides other customers, the

File photo of a city cab drivers drop off and pick up people who go to the parties. They also cater to the tourists who are here to have a good time. So, it is convenient for them to connect with the users,” the source said. The party or club drugs are specially produced from chemicals by synthesising them in laboratories to induce psychedelic or psychoactive

effects and are mostly used in clubs and discotheques. They mostly deal in Nitrosun-10 mg (N-10), Buprenorphine, WI, Yaba and Heroin processed with acetic anhydride among other party drugs. While N-10, a hallucinogen for sleep disorder and Buprenorphine which is a form of opioid also known as Subutex

enters the city from Jammu & Kashmir, WI, Yaba, and acetic anhydride Heroin makes its way into the city from Myanmar through Manipur and Mizoram. The methamphetamine makes its way from Punjab, Haryana and Uttarakhand to Myanmar where these are processed into methamphetamine and smuggled back to India. Opioid, on the other hand, is a low potent opium-based drug mostly used in opium substitution therapy for intravenous drug users, but otherwise, an intoxicant. On the latest trend of the cab drivers-turned-peddlers, the source said, “Besides selling, they (cab drivers) are also transporting the narcotics from one dealer to another. We haven’t caught anybody red-handed as of now. But, these drivers are under our radar and the raids will start soon.” n

Heroin makes its way into the city from Myanmar through Manipur and Mizoram.

In The News

G PLUS | MAR 10 - MAR 16, 2018

BIEO to grill PNB officials from Monday Rahul Chanda rahul.chanda@g-plus.in

nvestigations have revealed that Punjab National Bank (PNB), Zoo Road branch had fraudulently sanctioned loans amounting to Rs 2.58 crores in 2016 to one Banwari Lal Pareekh for the purchase of apartments. The role of the officials of (PNB) will be probed to ascertain if they were involved in the scam that has already led to the arrest of five persons. The gang allegedly siphoned off Rs 2.58 crores from the bank’s branch. Superintendent of Police of Bureau of Investigation - Economic Offences (BIEO), Dr Shyamal Saikia said, “The bank officials will be quizzed next week.

deed has been submitted so far to the bank. On 17 th January 2018, a complaint was registered by the senior officials of PNB against Pareek and another person following which Pareek, Talukdar and three others were arrested. An official said that four among the accused were employees of Phanidhar Talukdar who has a firm in Jaya Nagar near Beltola. The role of two bank officials – former assistant general manager, Bharat Singh and former loan executive, VK Choudhury – has come under scanner, BIEO sources revealed. Both were working with the Zoo Road branch when the loans were sanctioned. The investigating agency has not ruled out the possibility of the involvement of more people in the scam.

Some of the accused being taken into BIEO custody | G Plus Photo The documents taken from them would be examined minutely and the next part of the investigation will follow. If required some bank officials might be arrested.” The five persons who have been arrested are Phanidhar Talukdar, Amarendra Kalita, Banwari Lal Pareekh, Saroj Sarma and Sailendra Roy. They have been sent to judicial custody on 9th March after three days of police remand. Though a sale agreement and a tripartite agreement were executed between the real estate group (owned by Phanidar Talukdar), Pareek and the PNB, no sale

A senior State Bank of India (SBI) official explained that there are different levels where fraudulent activity can take place in a bank. He said that the maximum scope for frauds lie at the level of verification of documents which is a mandatory step before a loan is sanctioned. The verification process is lengthy which is vetted by the loan executives and a panel of advocates. The official was of the view that BIEO will have to scrutinise the verification process that gave the green signal for the loan to Pareek and his associates. n

Statement aboutForm-ownership and other particulars about paper IV (Rule 8, The Registration of Newspapers (Central) Rules, 1956) Place of publication

Guwahati

Editor’s Name

Mr. Swapnil Bharali

Periodicity of publication

Weekly

Whether citizen of India?

Yes

Printer’s Name

Janambhumi Press Pvt. Ltd.

If foreigner, state the country of origin

Does not arise

Address

4-A, 4th Floor, Royal Arcade, B Barooah Road, Ulubari, Guwahati, Assam 781007

Name and address of individuals who own the newspaper and partners or shareholders holding more than 1 per cent of the total capital.

Insight Brandcom Private Limited, 4-A, 4th Floor, Royal Arcade, B Barooah Road, Ulubari, Guwahati, Assam 781007

Whether citizen of India?

Yes

If foreigner, state the country of origin

Does not arise

Address

Shed No. A1, Mini Industrial Estate, Kalapahar, Guwahati

Publisher’s name

Mr. Sunit Jain

Whether citizen of India?

Yes

If foreigner, state the country of origin

Does not arise

Address

4-A, 4th Floor, Royal Arcade, B Barooah Road, Ulubari, Guwahati, Assam 781007

I, Mr. Sunit Jain, hereby declare that the particulars given above are true to the best of my knowledge and belief. Dated: 09. 03. 2018

Mr. Sunit Jain Signature of publisher.

In The News

SNIPPETS 65 solar street lights provided to Sadilapur residents

s part of its ongoing CSR initiative, Guwahati - Siliguri Pipeline Unit under Eastern Region Pipelines have provided 65 solar powered street lights at Sadilapur, Jalukbari, Kamrup (M). The village which was covered under the scheme are in the vicinity of Guwahati Siliguri Pipeline Right of Way. The facilities were handed over by S. K. Satija, Executive Director, ERPL in presence of A. K. Mishra, General Manager, Guwahati Siliguri Pipeline, Tej Bir Singh Bhandari Deputy General Manager (CSR) and other Senior Officials of Indian Oil on 3rd March in a simple yet elegant ceremony. Ramendra Narayan Kalita, MLA, West Guwahati also graced the occasion and spoke about the efforts made by IOCL – GSPL in the district of Kamrup. The beneficiary families of the respective villages attended the ceremony and were touched by Indian Oil’s initiative and this brought instant delight in the faces of the stakeholders. With this scheme a large number of the village residents will be benefited. The villagers specially the women members were highly impressed by the gesture of Indian Oil. The rural village roads with the installation of solar lights greatly enhanced the safety and security aspect of the villagers. Providing the solar lights is expected to address the safety and security aspect of the villagers. n

SC seeks to remove Himanta from administrative post of BAI

he Supreme Court on Monday admitted a petition seeking the ouster of ministers like Himanta Biswa Sarma as office-bearers of the Badminton Association of India (BAI). The plea further seeks to have the parameters of the Justice RM Lodha recommendations, applicable on the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), to be also implemented on the national badminton body. Sarma currently holds the position of President of BAI and heads the Assam Badminton Association. The Supreme Court verdict that directed the BCCI to implement the Lodha reforms, dictate that no minister from either the Union or State Government should hold a post of an office-bearer in the national cricket body or any of its state units. n

G PLUS | MAR 10 - MAR 16, 2018

Homeopathy students’ protest: Colleges remain closed for over a week The students of homeopathy colleges of Guwahati, Jorhat and Nagaon have been holding demonstrations for more than week and have locked down the colleges; no solutions in sight as the government is yet to respond to their demands Saumya Mishra saumya.mishra@g-plus.in

t least 300 homeopathy students of Swahid Jadav Nath Homeopathic Medical College & Hospital (SJHMC) in the city have continued their protests for more than a week now against the government for their long pending demands. Apart from Guwahati, the students of two other homeopathy medical colleges of the state in Jorhat and Nagaon have also joined the protest at their respective colleges. The current as well as former students have locked down the main gate of the three college buildings and have been conducting an indefinite dharna which entered its seventh consecutive day on March 9. The protesting homeopathy students informed G Plus that they will continue the lockdown of colleges and will also further intensify their protest in the coming days if the government does not respond to their demands. All classes have been suspended in the colleges since March 3 due to the

Homoeopathic students protesting in front of SJHMC at Panjabari | G Plus Photo ongoing protests. The protests were triggered after state health and family welfare minister Himanta Biswa Sarma remarked that homeopathic doctors are not appointed in government health centres owing to a lack of demand by the public. Students strongly condemned the remark and held a

Lack of infrastructure plaguing colleges

he agitating students have been demanding for basic infrastructural facilities in their colleges. They have submitted a memorandum to the health and family welfare minister and complained of the government’s apathy towards them. “There is a shortage of staff in all the colleges while some departments do not even have a single teacher. The colleges lack hostel facilities for students and the buildings are also in a poor shape,” said Anichur Rahman, general secretary of All Assam Homeopathy Medical College Students’ Union (AAHMCSU). He further informed that the in-patient department in the government hospitals are not in proper condition and the emergency services too need to be strengthened. The protesters and the doctors who have passed out from colleges have complained that several Bachelor of Homeopathic Medicine & Surgery (BHMS) doctors currently remain unemployed due to the

government’s negligence. Students also lamented the lack of availability of a post graduate course in homeopathy in the state due to which the students have to shift to other states to pursue the PG course. Additionally, the students have requested the government for the introduction of a course on emergency life saving drugs for BHMS students. They feel that this course will prove instrumental in helping them to serve in emergencies and to save the lives of patients. “There has been no appointment of medical officer (homeopathy) under the Assam Public Service Commission since 1995 and only 350 doctors have been recruited so far under the National Health Mission,” said Kumar. They say that even though homeopathy is an integral part of the ministry of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy (AYUSH) ministry, homeopathy doctors do not receive any benefits or placement opportunities. n

demonstration at Dispur Last Gate from February 26 to 28. Here, the police allegedly resorted to lathi charge on the protesters in which some of the students were also injured, informed students. Following this, the students locked down the college gates and began the indefinite dharna.

The protesters have also filed an FIR with the Dispur police station against the lathi charge and manhandling of female students. “We have also lodged a complaint at the state human rights commission against police personnel for manhandling female students,” said Ravi Kumar, a student of SJHMC. n

‘Govt not paying any heed to our demands,’ say students

omeopathy students alleged that the government has not been paying any attention to their demands. “We have not received any response from the government despite having submitted the memorandum of demands to the concerned authorities several days ago,” remarked Rahman. He added that they are waiting for the government to respond and hold talks with the students. “We will continue with our protests till the time we do not receive any response from the government. It is high time that they lend their ear to us,” said Kumar. Further, patients have also been suffering due to lack of treatment since the hospitals have also been shut down as part of the protests. The government homeopathy hospitals in Guwahati, Nagaon and Jorhat have been turning down patients in the wake of these protests. n

yy Homeopathy students of Guwahati, Nagaon and Jorhat have been protesting for the past week yy They have locked down colleges and are conducting an indefinite dharna yy Students plan to intensify their protest if the govt does not pay attention to their demands yy All classes have been suspended in the colleges due to the ongoing protests since March 3 yy Lack of infrastructure plaguing colleges yy Students have demanded new courses and better infrastructure

Ward Watch

G PLUS | MAR 10 - MAR 16, 2018

Size matters: locals complain of service deficiency in massive Ward No 6 In this week’s Ward Watch, G Plus checks out the various service deficiencies of GMC plaguing the city’s largest ward while travelling from MG Road. The government has enough money to put LED decorative lights around streetlight poles, but localities like ours are still shrouded in darkness,” Kalita said. The state government had taken several steps including installing LED decorative lights in parts of the city as part of city beautification project prior to Advantage Assam - a two-day investors’ summit. n

Avishek Sengupta avishek.sengupta@g-plus.in

ard 6 of the Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC), the largest of the 31 wards in the city, is suffering from irregular disbursal of various GMC services. The residents complain that at least one or the other of the several services provided by the GMC such as door to door garbage collection, water supply, street light, commutable road or proper drainage is missing in their locality. “While water supply remains a service that we are yet to receive from the GMC, the road are also dilapidated. The same is not the case in several other localities. For example, even in the interiors of Jalukbari, there is regular water. But, they don’t have streetlights there,” Biraj Kakoty, a resident of Betkuchi said. He further said, “This is probably because the ward is too big. Door to door garbage collection had stopped in my locality for about a month. Then I informed the Betkuchi Unnayan Samiti (citizen’s organisation for Betkuchi residents). They, in turn, informed the councillor and garbage collection resumed from

Dilapidated condition of a road in Ward No 6 | G Plus Photo the next month.” Ward 6 that lies to the west of the city consists of several localities namely – Gotanagar, Tetelia, Pachim Borgaon, Sundar Nagar, Gandhipara, Jalukbari, Kadam Path, Bhabananda Boro Path, Bir Daimalu, Betkuchi,

Ahomgaon, Nilgiri Nagar, Bamun Para, Satabdi Nagar, Lokhra and Lalug Gaon These are divided into three areas. Prabal Kalita, a resident of Gotanagar that also acts as a detour from MG Road to NH 37, said that despite all the

Mosquitoes breeding in stagnant water bodies pose danger

hom Gaon of Ward 6 that lies on the northern side of the NH 37 has water trickling down from the hills forming small water bodies and a breeding spot of disease spreading mosquitoes. The residents are particularly afraid of this phenomenon because the season of Japanese Encephalitis (JE) has already begun. “Last year, at least four persons were infected with the disease from this locality. There are small water bodies here where the mosquitoes mostly breed. During the month of March when it rains scantily, water trickles down from the hills and remain stagnant,” Rani Rabha, a resident there said. All the endemic states except Assam start reporting JE cases from July onwards which reaches a peak in September-

October. In Assam, the cases start appearing from February and reach its peak in July. According to the National Vector Bourne Disease Control Programme, a total of 236 cases of JE were reported from Assam in 2017 from which 44 persons died. One of those was from Guwahati. “There had been a few incidences of fogging by the government. We also have done fogging several times. But this cannot be the solution unless and until the breeding spots of the mosquitoes are destroyed. The government can plant trees or construct something there,” suggested Bhabajit Pegu, a businessman there. Each fresh outbreak involves a complex chain: wild water birds (hosts) to mosquitoes (vectors) to pigs (amplifying hosts, where the virus reproduces heavily)

to mosquitoes to humans (who don't infect other humans). The mosquitoes can cover distances of 4-5 kms. “We are more prone to this disease because ours is a suburban area and mostly inhabited by people belonging to the Rabha community in the hills. Several of them rear pigs in their houses. The disease can be prevented by controlling the mosquito population, isolating pigs and avoiding mosquito bites through the use of repellents, nets, longsleeved clothing, coils and vapourisers. There is no antiviral treatment and doctors try to relieve symptoms and stabilise the patient. Rapid onset of high fever, headache, stiffness of neck, disorientation and seizures are the symptoms of JE. n

beautification works on both MG Road and NH 37, his locality remains in darkness. “The road conditions were pathetic earlier but recently those have been patched up. But the streetlights cease to exist once one crosses the railway colony

While water supply remains a service that we are yet to receive from the GMC, the road are also dilapidated. The same is not the case in several other localities. For example, even in the interiors of Jalukbari, there is regular water. But, they don’t have streetlights there,” Biraj Kakoty, Resident of Betkuchi

Councillor hopes for more fund post GMC election

he councillor of ward 6, Debajit Rajbongshi, when contacted said that as his ward is the largest, he needs more funds to manage. “Since this ward is larger than the other wards, it needs more funds. Earlier, when the wards were divided, these areas used to be very less populated. But now, as the NH 37 passes through here, a lot of people and shops have popped up. Also, this area is developing very fast. There are areas where proper roads don’t exist and we have built roads instead of just repairing. This needs more money,” Rajbongshi said. As per the guideline of GMC, every councillor has to provide a requirement according to which they are sanctioned funds. The GMC so far has sanctioned twice since 2013 – Rs 30 lakhs and Rs 1.30 crores. Rajbongshi further said, “Due

to the huge area this ward covers, it is difficult to monitor all the places. The NGOs engaged in garbage collection tend to stop services at various locations. I have to monitor their activities all the time. Through the Unnayan Samitis, I try to keep a tab on these but often they miss in providing the services in the interiors.” n

Concentrated Area: Ahomgaon (6 C) Population of the Ward: 63,000 Voter Population: 42,700 Population of Ahomgaon: 5,750 Ward Councillor: Dipankar Rajbongshi

City

SNIPPETS NRL pays Rs. 99.90 crores as second interim dividend to Assam govt

umaligarh Refinery Limited (NRL) on Tuesday presented the second interim dividend amounting to Rs. 99.90 crore for financial year 2017-18 to the government of Assam against its equity holding of 12.35 % in the company. The cheque was handed over to chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal by MD NRL S K Barua in the presence of senior officials of the state government and NRL in Guwahati. With this, an amount of Rs. 145.31 crore at 160% on paid-up share capital has been paid as interim dividend by NRL to the government of Assam for the current financial year 2017-18. The first interim dividend cheque of Rs. 45.41 crore was handed over in December 2017.The interim dividend has been worked out based on the performance of the company during the first nine months of the current financial year 2017-18. n

24x7 National Highways helpline number launched

inister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari and Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan launched the 24x7 toll free number 1033 for any assistance on National Highways. Assistance on this number will be available in multiple languages. The initiative has been taken to enable highway users to report any accident or any emergency condition. The helpline number has been launched by the Government of India along with Sukhad Yatra Mobile App. n

G PLUS | MAR 10 - MAR 16, 2018

Homeopathic doctor from Marwari Maternity Hospital arrested G Plus checks out a controversial matter in which an arrested homeopathic doctor has been alleged to be assisting and performing gynaecological operations in one of the city’s leading maternity hospitals Rahul Chanda rahul.chanda@g-plus.in

okman Hekim has been arrested for allegedly conducting surgeries without having the requisite qualification. A CID source said, “Hekim is a homeopathy doctor but since many days he has been working as “Assistant One” (main assistant) in the operation theatre of the hospital.” The investigating agency which swung into action after receiving a complaint by Axomia Yuva Mancha also suspects that the homeopathic doctor might have also individually conducted gynaecological surgeries in the past.

The CID has seized as many as 15 files of patients who were operated in the hospital where Hekim was present in the operation theatre as the main assistant to the gynaecologists. The investigating agency has asked the hospital authorities to submit all the The arrested doctor, Lokman Hekim | G Plus Photo files. be taken depending on the The evidence gathered. superintendent of the hospital The CID arrested Hekim was also quizzed by the CID, from the operation theatre on 8th sources in the CID revealed, adding that further action would March at around 12 noon; he was

Hekim’s arrest alleged to be Himanta’s conspiracy

lamming the health department, homeopathy activists have alleged that it was because of the government’s “conspiracy” that Lokman Hekim has been arrested by the police. President of All Assam Homeopathic Medical College Students’ Union, Eyasin Ikram Farazi said, “It is a conspiracy by Himanta Biswa Sarma against the homeopathic movement in the state.” Himanta Biswa Sarma is the state health minister in the government of Assam. Since 28th February 2018, when police had lathi-charged protesting homeopathic students at Dispur, all the homeopathic colleges in the state have been locked up as part of the protest. The students feel that the state government has been strategising ways and means to stop the protest and Hekim’s arrest was a consequence

of the development. The demand was to provide proper amenities to the homeopathic students and employment avenues to the homeopathy doctors. A senior homeopathic doctor said that Hekim is a renowned doctor and assisting a surgeon in operations can in no way be construed as a crime. Even MBBS qualified doctors, like homeopathy doctors, cannot perform operations but can assist doctors during surgery, said the doctor. The homeopathic doctors and MBBS doctors have to undergo one year training in surgery to complete the course. There are many hospitals in the city which hire ayurvedic and homeopathic doctors, and according to MCI norms, it is not illegal. Homeopathy doctors can also assist gynaecological or any other surgeons. n

not operating on a patient at the time of his arrest, CID sources said. Secretary General of Axomiya Yuva Mancha, Jitul Deka, said, “We received information that Lokman Hekim conducts gynaecological operations without having required qualifications.” The doctor has a homeopathic clinic at Jalukbari and many patients with gynaecological problems visit him, informed Deka. “Even we went there asking if he could conduct gynaecological operations, and he said yes,” said Deka. The organisation even visited the hospital and discovered that Hekim can individually inspect gynaecological patients and even “operate” if required. n

City health scenario deteriorating: Axomia Yuva Mancha

opment. The demand was to provide proper amenities to the homeopathic students and employment avenues to the homeopathy doctors. A senior homeopathic doctor said that Hekim is a renowned doctor and assisting a surgeon in operations can in no way be construed as a crime. Even MBBS qualified doctors, like homeopathy doctors, cannot perform operations but can assist doctors during surgery, said the doctor. The homeopathic doctors and MBBS doctors have to undergo one year training in surgery to complete the course. There are many hospitals in the city which hire ayurvedic and homeopathic doctors, and according to MCI norms, it is not illegal. Homeopathy doctors can also assist gynaecological or any other surgeons. n

Weather report for the week Guwahati

SUN

MON

TUE

WED

THU

FRI

Sunny

Mostly Sunny

30°/18° C

29°/18° C

28°/18° C

30°/19° C

29°/18° C

SATURDAY Sunny

31°/19° C

City

G PLUS | MAR 10 - MAR 16, 2018

Guwahati Food Awards 2018 calls for the “Home Baker of the Year”

uwahati Food Awards 2018 has opened its registrations for the second season of “Home Baker of the Year.” This contest is open only to home bakers who take orders/run an enterprise from home. It is an initiative to recognise and award the best among those who believe in their dreams and have the passion to make it happen. Due to overwhelming response this year, the voting deadline has been extended till 13th March 2018. The G Plus Guwahati Food Awards is running its 4th season this year on 23rd March 2018 at Hotel Vivanta by Taj. The food awards are an initiative which represents not just the best of Guwahati food movement, but the qualities we love most about this city: our rich cultural diversity and the creativity and integrity of its small business owners. The contest has been designed keeping in mind the home bakers of Guwahati who run their business from home. Anyone having an outlet is not eligible to be a part of this contest.

A competent jury shall decide the award winners through an interview and demonstration of work by the participating baker. Contestants are required to bake the items from home and bring the baked items to the office of G Plus on the day of the competition. Selected home bakers will get invited to the gala night of Guwahati Food Awards 2018. Guwahati Food Awards is an initiative of the city’s English weekly, G Plus in association with Blender’s Pride Reserve Collection Music CDs, powered by Airtel 4G, supported by Asomiya Pratidin, Magik Cook, Pratidin Time, Axis Bank and LIC with Hospitality Partner - Vivanta by Taj, Radio Partner - 93.5 Red FM, Outdoor Partner - Outreach Advertising and Knowledge Partner for the event is Insight Brandcom Private Limited. To register for the contest, the link below may be browsed: https://goo.gl/H9ggzC For more information, please contact Angshuman Kalita on +919706089074. n

Snippets

G PLUS | MAR 10 - MAR 16, 2018

Passive Euthanasia permissible with guidelines: SC; Ghy docs respond favourably

n a historic decision taken on March 9 the Supreme Court decided on the right to die with dignity and said that persons with terminal illness can make ‘living will’ for passive euthanasia. The top court said that

directions and guidelines laid down by it and its directive shall remain in force till a legislation is brought on the issue. A five-judge Constitution bench, headed by Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra, said that the guidelines will be in force till

legislation on the same is passed by parliament. As per the guidelines of the Supreme Court, a family member or friend of the terminally ill person, seeking passive euthanasia can go to the High Court, which will constitute a medical board that will decide if passive euthanasia is needed. Speaking to G Plus, city based neuro-surgeon Dr Navanil Barua said, “Once we ascertain that a patient is brain dead, the patient can either donate his/ her organs, like heart, kidney, liver etc, and then be declared dead. Another legal way is to wait for the patient until the heart stops functioning. Declaring a patient dead before the heart stops, was illegal till date. But with this historic decision made by the Supreme Court, passive euthanasia, the withdrawal of medical treatment with the deliberate intention of hasten the death of a terminally-ill patient has become legal.” n

NF Railway launches its first upgraded Shatabdi Express

Jalpaiguri Howrah Shatabdi Express becomes the first train of NF Railway to be upgraded under “Project Swarn” of ministry of railways. To improve passenger experience, the ministry of railways decided to upgrade Premium Rajdhani and Shatabdi trains under “Project Swarn.” 14 Rajdhani trains and 15 Shatabdi trains have been selected in the first phase under this project. While the 12313 New Delhi – Sealdah Rajdhani Express became the first Rajdhani Express to be upgraded under “Project Swarn” on 29th November, 2017, all the Shatabdi Express trains in NF Railway are also covered under the first phase of this project. Under Project Swarn, a detailed programme is undertaken to significantly improve passenger experience on Rajdhani and Shatabdi trains in the following 10 dimensions: coach interiors, toilets, onboard cleanliness, catering, linen, punctuality, staff behaviour, -

security, onboard entertainment, real time feedback. To undertake this programme, the ministry of railways had formed nine teams of two officers each from Railway Board to monitor the progress of work under each dimension of Project Swarn. The Shatabdi Express train (12041/12042) running between New Jalpaiguri and Howrah has already been upgraded under Project Swarn with improved features. 12085/12086 Guwahati – Dibrugarh Shatabdi Express and 12087/12088 Guwahati – Naharlagun Shatabdi Express trains will be modified with upgraded features shortly. The expenditure involved is about Rs. 2 lakhs per coach. n

Women’s Day Special

G PLUS | MAR 10 - MAR 16, 2018

Virangana: These women make the city a better place

SNIPPETS In a first, Ghy pit line to be maintained by allladies gang

This week G Plus meets female commandos who make the city a safer place for women by fighting eve teasers on the street; they are trained in martial arts and are the guardians of women’s safety Saumya Mishra saumya.mishra@g-plus.in

hen not on duty, they seem like ordinary women - sharing jokes, laughing with abandon and sometimes even passing a shy smile. However, they are nothing short of extraordinary when they are on their jobs. These are the Viranganas, the women commando force of the Assam Police who are making Guwahati a safer place for women, one day at a time. Having been trained in martial arts, they take on eve-teasers and harassers almost on a regular basis. It is 5 pm and these women are getting ready to begin their working hours dressed in black shirts, black trousers and violet caps. The commandos informed that they consider themselves lucky on days when they are able to return to their hostel by midnight. The unpredictable nature of the job means that they often come back by around 2 or 3 am. They go around the city at night patrolling the main roads as well as the narrow alleys keeping a sharp eye for any wrongdoings. They are provided with a car and

Virangana commandos strike a pose | G Plus Photo are assigned a different part of the city to monitor each day. “At night during patrolling, people see our cars from a distance and immediately come to know that the Virangana women have arrived. It feels good to know that we are recognised by the city-folk and also feared by harassers,” said Poornima Devi who joined the force in 2012. Viranganas have undergone a year-long training in 2011 and the force was officially launched in November 2012. Apart from being trained in martial arts, they have

Decrease in eve teasing cases

ith the Viranganas monitoring every nook and corner on the streets of Guwahati for the past five years, the city has seen a drastic decline in the number of eve teasing cases. They informed that while earlier harassment of women on the streets especially at night was a common sight, they hardly get to see them now. “There has been a marked improvement in such cases and the city has indeed become relatively safer. Till a few years ago,we used to come across such incidents almost every day. It seems that there is a sense of fear among perpetrators,” said Deepika Roy. She added that incidents of men and women drinking publicly on roads or footpaths have also declined due to the increased efforts by the police. As per the data provided by the Crime Branch, no cases of eve teasing in Guwahati were registered with the police up to October 2017 during the year. Police officials feel that this

has been the result of extensive police patrolling and vigil. Commissioner of police, Hiren Chandra Nath said that one of the most important steps in this regard has been control over bars and wine shops. A total of 13 eve teasing cases for Guwahati were registered in 2016. Further, officials informed that this year, the all-women commando unit will be strengthened and at least 30 more women will be added to strengthen the force. “We will be revamping the works of the Virangana force and will increase their numbers,” said officials. n

There has been a marked improvement in eve teasing cases and the city has become relatively safer” Deepika Roy

also received training in horse riding, bike riding and the theory of law. Additionally, they have also been taught the silent drill and the use of weapons. Additional commissioner of police (ACP) - Police Reserve, Rahul Amin informed G Plus that apart from their primary job of ensuring safety of women and acting against harassers, these women commandos are also deployed across the city during VIP functions and during major festivals such as

Durga Puja and Bihu. The commandos said that they are especially alert at places which are more vulnerable to crime such as areas outside bars, clubs and discos. “Whenever we come across cases of eve-teasing at night, we nab the culprits and if the need arises, we also beat them up and then bring them to the police station in the car,” said Deepa Koiri. Mostly in their twenties and early thirties, these women hail from different parts of Assam such as Golaghat, Silchar, Tezpur and Darrang. Currently, there are two platoons of the force - one at Pan Bazar police reserve and the other at Kahilipara. n

Whenever we come across cases of eve-teasing at night, we nab the culprits and if the need arises, we also beat them up and then bring them to the police station in the car” Deepa Koiri

Viranganas face their own set of challenges

he job of these female commandos, however, comes with its own set of challenges. They said that they often do not get enough rest due to the inadequate manpower. “Since currently there are not enough commandos, we are sometimes also called during the day and there are no fixed timings,” said Babuli Deka. On the other hand, many complained that they do not get enough leaves to visit their families. Further,the women informed that they do not even get a single day off in a week. “At least one day of leave is essential for rest and rejuvenation. Due to the erratic meal timings and nature of the job, our health also gets affected,” said one member. Some of these women also have young children to take care of. Anima Das, who has a one-anda-half-year-old daughter, said that

it sometimes becomes difficult to manage everything. “We are always running on shortage since now police is required in every other function and occasion be it examinations, VIP functions or festivals. Therefore, we cannot give them too many leaves,” said Amin. n

We are always running on shortage since now police is required in every other function and occasion be it examinations, VIP functions or festivals. Therefore, we cannot give them too many leaves” Rahul Amin, ACP

or the first time in the history of Indian Railways, coaching depot, Guwahati is engaging an all-women gang for maintenance of coaches. With the increase in number of trains from Guwahati station, there was an increase in the maintenance needs of the incoming coaches in the pit line at coach maintenance depot, Guwahati. The pit line is the maintenance facility in any coach maintenance depot for cleaning and maintenance work of the coaches once a train reaches its termination station. The depot has a coach holding of about 1300 and its activities are spread over Kamakhya, Paltan Bazaar and New Guwahati in Guwahati with a total of 6 pit lines and 2 sick lines and a staff of about 1000 technicians. Out of these, about 200 are women. The maintenance work at pit lines has predominantly been a male domain with work involved in all three shifts requiring the staff to go inside the dockpits for under-gear (consisting of wheels and brake system) items. The ladies were usually involved in ancillary maintenance works of the coaches related to curtain repair, indication boards painting among others. The women’s group will start the maintenance work after completing training on 8th March on the occasion of International Women’s Day. n

All NF Railway stations to be 100% LED lit by 31st March

insukia division of N.F Railway has become the first division to achieve the feat of making all stations 100% LED lit. While out of 132 electrified stations under Katihar Division, 129 have already been covered. In Alipurduar Division out of 85 electrified stations, 59 stations have been covered to LED already. The other 26 stations will be fitted with LED fittings by end of March. n

Women’s Day Special

SNIPPETS Energy-efficient LED lights to brighten up Guwahati Airport

G PLUS | MAR 10 - MAR 16, 2018

Gurus in aid of the budding women entrepreneurs In a bid to encourage more female entrepreneurs to pursue their business dreams, a group of four businesswomen in Guwahati have set up a platform to provide expert guidance Saumya Mishra saumya.mishra@g-plus.in

irport Authority of India (AAI) has signed an MoU with the Energy Efficiency Services Ltd (ESSL) to replace existing lights with energy efficient lights at all major airports and buildings of AAI. The entire project is estimated to cost approximately Rs. 24.41 crores. EESL will carry out warranty replacement for a period of five years. The new terminal as well the entire airport building of LGBI is also expected to be lit by the energy efficient LED lights. The MoU was signed by Anil Kumar Sharma, Executive Director (Engg), AAI and Saurabh Kumar, Managing Director, EESL in presence of Ajay Kumar Bhalla, Secretary, Ministry of Power, Dr. Guruprasad Mohapatra, Chairman, AAI and senior executives of AAI and EESL. ESSL is the implementing agency of UJALA (Unnat Jyoti by Affordable LEDs for All) scheme. AAI has completed replacement of LED fitting for an expenditure of Rs. 16 crores in Phase-I under National LED program launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Through this replacement drive, saving of 20 million units or around Rs.14 crores will be achieved. n

Cashier & asst accountant of Srimanta Sankardev Kalakshetra arrested

ne Dwipen Sharma, (49), has been arrested in connection with Vigilance and Anti Corruption Directorate ACB PS case number 22/17 u/s 120B/468/420/409IPC r/w 13(1)(d)/13(2)PC act 1988, relating to misappropriation of government funds to the tune of approximately 1.10 crore by the officials of the Srimanta Sankardev Kalakshetra in the year 2011-12. He was the assistant accountant and cashier at Kalakshetra, at the time of the crime. He was produced before the Special Court at Guwahati and has been remanded to three days police custody at the ACB Police Station for further examination.n

omen entrepreneurs in Guwahati will now receive expert guidance on various aspects of starting their own business ventures. In a first-of-its-kind initiative in the city, a group of successful female entrepreneurs have set up a platform with a view to help and promote the budding businesswomen for setting up their own business entities. Called the Northeast Women Entrepreneurs Forum (NWEF), the initiative is the brainchild of four businesswomen from Guwahati led by the head of the Centre for Industrial Extension Dr Sriparna Baruah, MD Caproo Solutions and former chairperson FICCI FLO Joyshree Das Verma, MD Inner I Foundation Private Limited Vasavi Acharya Borah and proprietor Amazon Logistics Guwahati and Naharlagun, Sanjukta Dutta. The forum was formed after the Assam Women Entrepreneurs’ Conclave was organised at Indian Institute of Entrepreneurship (IIE) in Guwahati in January. The organisers revealed that the primary aim of the seminar was for women who intend to pursue different entrepreneurial ventures to meet and exchange ideas. They added that the seminar’s objective was also to form a database of women entrepreneurs. The conclave also explored entrepreneurial initiatives undertaken by women from across the state, said one of the participants. “The NWEF was then set up as a follow up of that conclave and we have now planned a monthly

(L-R) Dr Sriparna Baruah, Sanjukta Dutta, Vasavi Acharya Bora, Joyshree Das Verma meeting of women entrepreneurs of Guwahati,” informed Borah, one of the founders of the forum. She added that every month, they would hold discussions on a specific topic such as loan opportunities for financing a business, types of loans available and ways to upscale an already existing business among others. The founders shared that they had received encouraging responses from many women who have shown their interest in taking part in the initiative. “There is a lot of interest and curiosity among women regarding business opportunities and start ups and we only want to provide them with concrete knowledge and show the right direction,” said one of the

founders of NWEF. In the next few months, the founders have firmed up a plan to rope in various resource persons such as chartered accounts and finance experts to provide deeper knowledge of the respective fields for upcoming entrepreneurs. “The forum will also provide an opportunity to entrepreneurs for networking which is crucial to building a successful business,” said Borah. Apart from the traditional ventures which are usually pursued by women, the NWEF will also encourage women entrepreneurs to explore various other ventures. “They can look into the business opportunities besides the ones which already exist in

Challenges galore for female entrepreneurs

to come across such incidents almost every day. It seems that there is a sense of fear among perpetrators,” said Deepika Roy. She added that incidents of men and women drinking publicly on roads or footpaths have also declined due to the increased efforts by the police. As per the data provided by the Crime Branch, no cases of eve teasing in Guwahati were registered with the police up to October 2017 during the year. Police officials feel that this has been the result of extensive police patrolling and vigil. Com-

missioner of police, Hiren Chandra Nath said that one of the most important steps in this regard has been control over bars and wine shops. A total of 13 eve teasing cases for Guwahati were registered in 2016. Further, officials informed that this year, the all-women commando unit will be strengthened and at least 30 more women will be added to strengthen the force. “We will be revamping the works of the Virangana force and will increase their numbers,” said officials. n

the market,” said an official. Further, the forum will also help entrepreneurs who were doing their business in isolation to integrate with others and participate in seminars. The founders said that gradually the NWEF will be further extended and they will open its branches in different parts of the northeast. For the first meeting of the forum, the organisers have registered 40 entrepreneurs from Guwahati. n

yy Women entrepreneurs to receive guidance on business management yy Northeast Women Entrepreneurs Forum (NWEF) has been set up by four entrepreneurs of Guwahati yy They will hold monthly meetings and discuss various business aspects yy NWEF founders have received an encouraging response from city’s women-folk yy Resource persons will also be roped in for discussions

Women’s Day Special

G PLUS | MAR 10 - MAR 16, 2018

Being a woman takes much more than just the biological identity or the social construction. Being a woman is being a human, recognizing and overcoming the complexity that comes with all of it. It is a never ending battle in a less perfect world. As a tribute to all the wonderful ladies on the occasion of International Women’s Day, we bring to you 5 Guwahati women who went out of their way to shape their own identity in this otherwise tough world.

To be educated is to survive – especially if you are a woman

Your confidence if the most beautiful accessory you can wear

The thing is, the world is a patriarchal space that historically, ideologically and epistemologically denies the woman agency, or even understanding. Her subjecthood becomes reduced to gendered stereotypes, and she is marginalized everywhere. Everywhere she remains the passive principle who cannot act, only acted upon. In education too, there is really no escaping the given stereotypes; we learn a man’s language, his history, his politics – we have no language of our own. The only way the woman can surmount the difficulties and create a new imaginary is through knowledge. She must learn, analyze, rethink, subvert where necessary and reformulate these very knowledge systems that can then be handed down to future generations. This would mean that entire power structures and hierarchies would be dislodged, and new narratives disseminated for a new, just and equitable world that might then come into being. Dr Asha Kuthari Choudhuri Dr Asha Kuthari Choudhuri Professor & Head, Dept of English, Gauhati University

The essence of womanhood lies in uplifting another woman! I believe the celebration of womanhood lies in uplifting other woman to do better and achieve more in life. It’s all about being by each other’s side so that we can all stand on the same platform. The first glorious recognition in my life was the ‘Global Hall of Fame’ New York, which I have been receiving for the last 11 years. I’ve achieved this with my own hard work and I believe it’s a great thing to bag the glorious award for long 11 years. I’ve been in the beauty industry for past 22 years now. Beauty always lies in the eyes of the beholder, but I feel beauty comes from inside. If you can help somebody grow, that’s beauty. If you can uplift another woman in your life, that’s beauty. If you can be kind to animals, even that’s beauty. If you look after yourself, that’s beauty. If you take care of your friends in times of need, even that’s beauty. For me, Mother Teresa is my role model, the woman who never had anything for herself, but gave the society the best possible she could and helped uplift everyone. There can never be any substitute to a woman’s financial independence. I believe every woman should work. To have an added income is very important. Things are getting very expensive. If there is double income, there is double comfort. The family has an equally important role to play. Without the family’s support, growth of a woman seems tough. The family support and the persistence of a woman go hand in hand. Meghali Das Gold Executive President, AVON

Women’s Day is not about celebrating a particular day. It’s a celebration of all those days which we have survived. Women should be proud of whatever they do in their lives. Having 12 years of experience in fashion designing, I’ve opened my boutique Page 3 about 2 and a half years ago. Over the years, I’ve learnt about the nitty gritties of the business which, in turn, has taught me about life at large. Over the years, I’ve designed clothes and dresses for several ladies, including celebrities. But the only accessory that makes a woman really look pretty is her smile and her confidence to carry herself on any occasion, among any crowd. A woman should be confident in her own skin and carry her existence with poise. The Indian woman is beautiful, gentle, motherly and yet powerful. It’s a matter of pride that our society looks up to their women-folk to take the lead in every aspect of life. There’s no denying that women have the power to rule the society. Even Gandhiji had said, “Intellectually, mentally and spiritually, woman is equivalent to a male and she can participate in every aspect.” Nandini Borkakati Fashion Designer

We women are more than men! Be proud that you’re a woman. You are different because you are a woman. We are more than man. Believe in yourself and give your 100% in whatever you do. My only message for the aspiring ladies reading this is, “Give your 100% in your work and do everything; work with highest conviction. Being in the city for last 2 years, I’m happy to share the fact that Guwahati is one of the safest cities to be in. Since the time I’ve joined, I’ve always found the city very safe and sound for girls compared to several other metropolitan cities. As far as the statistical data is concerned, there has been no molestation cases registered in Guwahati in the last 2 years. Isn’t it a happy fact that the girls can roam around in this city without any fear? In case any girl or woman faces any trouble, I would like to tell them to come out and help us investigate. There might be some black sheep in the society and people need to come out to raise their voices against them. Family members of the girls and women need to be supportive. They should not judge their daughters or sisters or wives on the basis of such incidents. They should all stand together and help us serve the society better. Rosie Kalita ADCP, Crime Branch, Assam Police

Never stop dreaming, your dreams are what will make you I don’t think we need a day or a week or a month to celebrate our existence, but it feels great that a special day has been declared to celebrate womanhood. Between the tight daily schedules, do not forget to evolve as a woman. Never let your ambitions take a back seat. Whatever talents you have, just go out and explore. It often happens that women bury their dreams and desires once they are married. The fact that women prioritize their families above themselves is what makes us different. But we need to understand that marriage is just a part of life; we have so much growth to make even after being married. A little courage is all that is required for us to come out of the cocoon and achieve the heights. Roshni Hassan Mrs United Nations 2017

14 E

G Talk D

G PLUS | MAR 10 - MAR 16, 2018

Biscuit blunder

ogs demand attention, more so pet dogs. Pidi is no different. And I cannot at all blame him for choosing the wrong moment to seek his master Rahul Gandhi’s affection. Probably Pidi was hungry and despite his brilliant job at tweeting from his master’s handle (by Rahul’s own lamentable and mirthless admission), he failed to see a nemesis sitting right there who was not quite in the mood to be as playful or affectionate. After all, the nemesis called Himanta Biswa Sarma had pressing issues to discuss and Pidi’s demands were not allowing him to. Rahul’s overt fondness for Pidi seems to have had devastating consequences for the Congress party’s political fortunes in Assam and the rest of the north-eastern states. Given the recent poll results in Meghalaya, Nagaland and Tripura with which the BJP has completed its stranglehold over the region, it needs no great imagination to realize the part played by Himanta in this success. If you recall the highly stung Himanta narrating the biscuit incident over local media in his chaste Asomiya drawl, the insult dished out by Rahul Gandhi is never missed despite the humour contained

in the anecdote. All differences with Tarun Gogoi apart, the Congress party truly failed to gauge and utilize one of the sharpest political brains in the country. And Himanta is nobody’s fool that he would remain a loyalist to people who do not deserve such loyalty. Himanta is someone who knows his worth and is constantly self-inspired and committed to his chosen path – work for public good while wielding power within a system of governance that the country has adopted. He has grabbed the chances offered by the BJP and worked with sharpness and intelligence to deliver what has been expected of him. In this case, it is Tripura – a confirmed communist bastion in the country. I recently had the occasion to meet a leader of the opposition socially and was introduced to him by a mutual friend who happens to be a Congress party worker. Talk obviously veered towards politics and the Congress’s misfortunes. And a loose-tongued me ventured to blame the dramatic change in the political climate of the northeast on Pidi’s biscuit blunder. The leader did not disagree! Swapnil Bharali Editor

Sex Survey Guwahati Today

sex survey done by a reputed national weekly, across 19 major cities in India was the week’s highlight for Guwahati. While this survey has always been exciting and something that most media and advertising professionals look forward to (oh yes, you do!), this year’s theme of ‘sex at workplace’ seems to have rattled some office chairs; also, based on the survey, chairs were rattled in the workplace, ‘quite literally.’ Guwahati threw out interesting answers for their ‘sex at workplace’ survey, which said 93% people indulged in sexual activities with their subordinates and 98% of the people agreed that sex in the workplace had a positive impact on their careers. While the authenticity of the survey continues to be questioned year after year, Guwahatians strongly condemned the findings of the survey, possibly because the results didn’t paint a ‘sanskaari’ picture about us. With people leaving comments in ALL CAPS – ‘the survey is a fraud’ and ‘journalism hitting an all time low’, what the public must know is that publications can monitor each and every metric for every story, every click, every device and engagement, which tell us that people read such stories – sadly, much more than the stories that hard working journalists deliver by running themselves to the ground. This is the reason why this survey continues to be published year after year and keeps the audiences’ tongues wagging and fingers clicking. Sadly, people are only concerned about ‘entertaining’ content presented as news, so that the reader is under the illusion of being ‘well informed.’ People shouldn’t really be surprised if someone comes up with a ‘Great Guwahati Sex Survey.’ Clearly, being different doesn’t do much for publishers these days... Sidharth Bedi Varma

#EconomyOrEconomics – Searching for the 2019 trump card

s the NDA government approaches its fourth anniversary, a question being ardently debated is: Will its economics or its economic management ensure a second term for the NDA government? There is appreciable difference between the two. Let me explain. The government’s philosophy of governance being transformative in nature, big ticket ideas with a focus on improving the lives of citizens at the bottom of the pyramid is at the centre of Modinomics. Straight jacketed economic reformists would cringe at the idea of funding free electricity connections to 4 crore rural homes of the poor, free cooking gas to 8 crore women, enabling ownership of heavily subsidized housing assets or providing health insurance cover to approximately 50 crore citizens from the public exchequer. However, these are the very levers on which the government seeks to positively impact the “ease of living” of citizens and win 2019. What makes its intent and performance stand out is in spite of a focus on welfarism, it has not let the ball drop in managing economic fundamentals – current account, fiscal deficit and inflation - all have shown significant improvements in the past four years. Even GDP growth has started to play ball now after a temporary dip – the latest GDP growth numbers show that India is back amongst the world’s fastest growing large economies. An analysis of this year’s Union Budget shows that the government is continuing its balancing act –spend with the objective of increasing the ease of living, keeping a close control over

rEuphoric BJP

economic fundamentals, while attempting to drive growth and jobs. 2019 is still not won, after all. The focus of Modinomics on improving the ease of living started with the launch of the Jan Dhan Yojana (JDY) in 2014 followed by life and accidental insurance in 2015. It provided access to banking services to over 30 crore citizens and this made for good economics as JDY accounts currently have deposits of over Rs. 75,000 crores, which was earlier outside the banking system. Similarly, over 13 crore additional citizens have insurance cover. Modinomics took further strides with the Ujjwala scheme wherein 8 crore

The government’s philosophy of governance is transformative in nature. Big ticket ideas and a focus on improving the lives of citizens at the bottom of the pyramid is the cornerstone of Modinomics. women are expected to receive free LPG connections across India by March 2019. This is not a sop in the classical sense as half of the initial cost of providing connections is borne by the government and the rest is paid by the beneficiary, either upfront or through instalments. Modinomics and the ease of living got a further leg up with the launch of the free electricity scheme, Saubhagya, for 4 crore rural homes at a cost over Rs 16,000 crores provided for in successive budgets. Hugely ambitious, it aims to provide every household in the country with electricity by March 2019. The government’s ambitious scheme of providing homes for all by 2022 and the announcement of Modicare in the Union Budget helps us understand Modinomics in totality - focus on increasing the ease of living through targeted financial interventions. Its ambitious roll-out to take healthcare to 500 million people promises to be a game changer. Putting it in

O p i n i o n Sumanta Deb

perspective, when the US (population around 320 million) rolled out Obamacare in 2010, the goal was to extend healthcare to about 50 million. Modicare, by targeting 500 million has set the bar very high. A big idea. However, social sector spending is only one part of the story. In the past 4 years, the govt has fared well in bringing financial and fiscal discipline and fared well in the management of the economy. Fiscal deficit targets have been met in all years and the fiscal deficit target is 3.3% of GDP in 2018-19. Given that the fiscal deficit was 4.6% of GDP in 2013-14 (resulting in inflationary pressures), it will be a significant achievement. How did Modinomics thrive in an era of controlled deficits? This has been possible due to curbs on wasteful government spending, improving tax compliance and increasing tax revenue. Remember Demonetisation and GST? What has worked for the government is good inflation management compared to its predecessor. Its ability to attract FDI has also been stellar. From a low base, FDI inflows increased to a record $ 55.6 billion in 2015-16 and further to $ 60.1 billion the next year. Easing of close to 100 FDI rules in over 20 sectors and the introduction of composite caps in FDI policy and raising the FIPB approval limit played its part. The focus on the farm sector and rural infrastructure in successive budgets show that the government is looking to continue on the same road - increase revenue by shoring up tax receipts and disinvestment proceeds (disinvestment target is Rs 80,000 crores for 2018-19), generating jobs by attracting investments, particularly FDI and government spending on rural infrastructure and direct government spending to impact ease of living. This is going to be the government’s trump card for 2019. n Bangalore based Sumanta Deb is a management consultant by profession. The views expressed here are his own and not necessarily that of his employer, a global IT company.

Letter to the Editor

he very word “euphoria” generally means a false sense of wellbeing. This very word right now is very much applicable to the BJP. After the emphatic victories in states of Meghalaya, Tripura and Nagaland, the BJP is on cloud nine. But apparently, the results of the by-elections held in a few other states namely Rajasthan, Orissa and Madhya Pradesh recently showed a different picture as the party had to bite the dust. Barring Orissa, in the other two states, BJP is in power. A very simple message to the leaders of BJP: it is too early and foolish to be euphoric at this juncture. Dr. Ashim Chowdhury, Ambari, Guwahati-1.

In Focus

G PLUS | MAR 10 - MAR 16, 2018

Conservationist and author PS Bindra issues clarion call for sensitivity towards environment

he theory of dual personality – Schizophrenia – is not just confined within individual psychology but also that of the Indian society as a whole. Prerna Singh Bindra, one of India’s leading environmental journalists and wildlife conservationists, goes vocal about this particular syndrome prevailing in the Indian society regarding its treatment towards elephants – an animal both worshipped and poached in the country. “We Indians are schizophrenic – we consider elephants as the avatar of Lord Ganesha and yet, elephants are being rapidly killed in this country. Similarly, we say ‘Ganga ji’ and ‘Yamuna ji’ are holy rivers and yet, they’re among the most polluted rivers in the entire world.” Prerna plays many roles as a change maker and strides across two different worlds - wildlife and writing. A graduate in Economics from St Xaviers, Bindra has a master’s degree in Labour Welfare from Gujarat University. After passing out from Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad she started her career as a Research Associate but soon found that her true interest lay in writing. Prerna started writing for Sanctuary Asia, a wildlife and nature conservation magazine, and went on to work in various leading dailies of the country including The Pioneer, The Times of India and The Asian Age. She has authored over 1500 articles on nature and wildlife in the mainstream media and has written several short stories for children. She is currently the editor of Tigerlink, a journal which collates and analyses information on tigers from across its range countries. Prerna has, to her credit, four critically acclaimed books - The King and I: Travels in Tigerland (2006), Voices in the Wilderness (2010), The Vanishing: India’s wildlife crisis (2017) and When I grow up I want to be a Tiger (2017).

The Vanishing takes an unflinching look at the unacknowledged crisis that India’s wildlife faces and why it matters to us if the forest is bereft of tigers and elephants, if the bees vanish, if the gharial goes extinct from our rivers and if the skies are emptied of vultures. I have also woven in the ‘nature of animals’– how leopards have a sense of kinship and how there’s empathy among elephants.”

Prerna was born in Ahmedabad; her father was part of the Indian Police Service and her mother, a teacher. While her parents had made it clear that she had to remain in the city, her heart belonged to the wilderness and so she quit her job to embark on her journey as a wildlife conservationist.

She has been actively involved in working with government organisations at the local as well as national levels to conserve India’s wildlife and wild habitats through policy and legal reforms. She has served as a member of the Uttarakhand State Board for Wildlife, was a part of the core standing committee of the National Board for Wildlife and a part of National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA). Known as the voice of the voiceless flora and fauna, Prerna who is a resident of Gurgaon, is a recipient of the Carl Zeiss Award for excellence in networking and engaging the public at large for the cause of wildlife conservation, as well as the Sanctuary Asia Wildlife Service Award for in-depth and consistent coverage of conservation issues. On her most recent visit to Guwahati (5th March last), Prerna was invited by the Northeast Writers’ Forum for an interactive session. Prerna spoke about her love for wildlife, the dire need for conserva-

tion efforts and read excerpts from her latest book “The Vanishing: India’s wildlife crisis.” The event was attended by various high officials of the forest department of Assam and leading environmentalists of the region including Moloy Barua, president of Early Birds (an NGO that aims to

protect wildlife) and Bibhab Kumar Talukdar, CEO of Aaranyak (a leading NGO for nature and wildlife conservation). Talking about the theme of her latest book, Prerna pointed out, “The Vanishing takes an unflinching look at the unacknowledged crisis that India’s wildlife faces and why it matters to us if the forest is bereft of tigers and elephants, if the bees vanish, if the gharial goes extinct from our rivers and if the skies are emptied of vultures. I have also woven in the ‘nature of animals’– how leopards have a sense of kinship and how there’s empathy among elephants.” She went on to talk about the elephant menace gripping the state terming conflict as man-made. “Elephants are the most peaceable and wise creatures. It is our destruction of their habitats that causes violent behaviour in them,” she stressed. D. Harprasad (IFS), Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Head of Forests, Assam too ad-

dressed the issue of elephant menace saying, “The foremost reason behind elephant menace in Assam is development. Had elephant corridors not been disturbed and roads not been constructed in the routes used by elephants, they’d have peacefully remained in the interiors of the forests.” The heavy economic toll that human-wildlife conflict takes on communities living and working near forests is barely addressed by the government and the compensation to victims of crop loss and cattle-death by wildlife is meagre. The local communities that inhabit the fringes of the forests and national parks play a pivotal role in wildlife conservation. But only if the villagers are economically stable will they continue to protect the ecosystem. Harprasad promised to raise the matter in the Forest Department and raise the compensation provided to these farmers so that they’re not forced to break the balance in the ecosystem. Prerna has visited Guwahati multiple times, but mostly for brief halts en route the beautiful forests and national parks of Assam. “I feel that Guwahati is incredibly lucky to have the extremely rare Gangetic Dolphins right in the heart of the city. I remember visiting Guwahati sometime in 2006. The day we reached, an Assam Bandh had been called and there was barely anything we could do or anywhere we could go to. So we went and sat by the Brahmaputra and oh, what a sight it was! We spotted at least six Gangetic River Dolphins

and Guwahati has been in my heart ever since,” she said. Prerna also spoke about the famous and equally vulnerable one-horned rhinos and stressed on the dire need to protect them. While most environmentalists and conservationists blame overpopulation for the degrading state of affairs, Prerna believes that it is not about how many we are in numbers but about how much we consume. “By some estimates, species are dying off as much

as 1,000 times more frequently than they used to before humans. It’s the worst spate of die-offs since the giant meteorite that hit earth some 65 million years ago wiping out the dinosaurs, and over half the planet’s species. Unlike the previous mass extinctions caused by such asteroid strikes and volcanic eruptions, the demon meteor this time is us — homo sapiens. Our impact has game-changed the planet, altered and destroyed natural habitats, changed the climate and rapidly made the earth inhospitable,” Prerna read an excerpt from “The Vanishing.” During the discussion, an im-

I have a strong belief that words have the power to influence. If young writers address the issues of wildlife, they can influence the masses with their words and help save our forests. Only if we call the issues, will we be able to act towards them” portant factor came to light – India is facing a crisis of people working for wildlife. While the needs of people are ever-increasing and development has always been prioritized in our policies, none of it can be fulfilled if the forests seized to exist. The need for better laws and poli-

cies regarding wildlife conservation was stressed and young writers were encouraged to write about these burning issues. “I have a strong belief that words have the power to influence. If young writers address the issues of wildlife, they can influence the masses with their words and help save our forests. Only if we call the issues, will we be able to act towards them,” she advised.

Nehal Jain

Feature

G PLUS | MAR 10 - MAR 16, 2018

ATUT – taking Assam’s

handloom to global audience Nehal Jain

andloom is one of the most important cottage industries of Assam. In rural areas, handloom is regarded as one of the most important economic activities and most of the rural folks get engaged in weaving. But, decades of poorly-implemented protection policies and the growth of power loom imitations has been leading to the slow downfall of the handloom sector in the state. Since time immemorial, Assamese weavers have been weaving dreams in clothes with their looms. But recently, people have started to question the “fashion-ability” of handloom products. With the aim to keep traditional Assamese handloom alive and provide a platform to Assamese weavers to reach out to the world, Utpala Talukdar’s ATUT is an attempt to connect the lives of these weavers to the contemporary society, by blending contemporary clothing choices to the social, cultural and religious lives of these weavers. ATUT promises an exhilarating experience of fashionable yet traditionally-rooted textile, which is not only soft on the environment, but also brings out a reinterpretation of the traditional motifs, sown to perfection for the modern buyers. The backbone of ATUT is the home land Assam weavers, who are skilled to make a

prolific mark amidst other labels. The textile consistency is rich, vibrant, basic yet trendy. If you belong to the culturally, aesthetically and environmentally conscious class of people and are ready to spend for quality, ATUT is the place for you. ATUT is a fresh and eco-friendly fashion label that not only speaks of tradition and the unique bond between nature and the Assamese people, but also of the open character of the fashion world, that accepts contemporary perspectives in clothing, making people feel good about themselves over and over again, with changing times.

Inception story

A brainchild of Guwahati’s Utpala Talukdar, ATUT started with a team of just 3 weavers in the interiors of Assam in September 2016. With a Masters in Advertising & Marketing Management, and having worked in two of the world’s leading advertising agencies namely McCann Erickson and Ogilvy & Mather in the

busy capital of Delhi for about 5 years, Utpala Talukdar, a young Assamese girl, had an urge to do something for the local weavers of her village and the community in Assam. This prudent thought made her think of an innovative idea of blending local Indian craft with the ongoing trends in clothing and market them on a global platform with her acquired advertising and marketing skills in the specific field. And that’s how ATUT came to life. Utpala says, “Assamese weaving techniques cannot be replicated by weavers of the other parts of the

country and today if we don’t retain this art, we will end up killing the enriching craft and rich history embedded in it.” Currently working with 3 self help groups, one community and around 50 independent weavers from three different villages of Assam, ATUT deals with traditional Assamese motifs in eight different variants. It also has a limited edition range of lifestyle products showcasing the possibilities that the fabric can be further tailored into.

ATUT - making a difference in the lives of the weavers

While the creation of every piece of cloth starts in the villages of Assam itself, each fabric is made exclusively on order with the softest fabrics, crafted with 100% organic cotton. The handloom weavers associated with ATUT set their own price for every meter they

weave, ensuring fair wages. The company is committed to the environment - they reduce carbon footprint by using no energy resource in the creation of fabric. Regular visits are made to the villages to ensure good working creations, no human rights violation and no child labour. Other social benefits are also provided to the weavers by means of self help groups.

Online shopping site

ATUT is presently based out of New Delhi, but Utpala plans to take the company beyond and spread it across all metropolitan cities. Fresh, feminine and timeless – ATUT showcases a seamless harmony of traditional roots, out-of-thebox eye for fashion, and a global understanding of the needs of people, across the world. While they do not have a physical retail store yet, they do have a website where one can place single as well as bulk orders. The orders get delivered wrapped in beautiful packaging within 3-10 days. “Being a lover of Indian art and culture, when I first learnt of ATUT, it almost instantly struck a chord with me. What makes this venture unique is its touch of humanness and its very strong and beautiful motive of enriching the lives of the utterly talented yet shadowed craftsmen and women of Assam and providing them with a platform to showcase their talent to the world,” said Devanjali Dutta, a patron of ATUT. n

Trotter

G PLUS | MAR 10 - MAR 16, 2018

International Women’s Day: McDonald’s flips its iconic golden arches upside down

n International Women’s Day, fast-food chain McDonald’s has turned its iconic golden arches sign upside down as a “celebration of women everywhere.” The move has sparked debate on social media, however, with some calling it a cheap PR stunt. March 8 is celebrated around the world as International Women’s Day. According to its official website, International Women’s Day “is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for ac-

celerating gender parity.” “In celebration of women everywhere, and for the first time in our brand history, we flipped our iconic arches for International Women’s Day on March 8 in honour of the extraordinary accomplishments of women everywhere and especially in our restaurants,” says McDonald’s Global Chief Diversity Officer, Wendy Lewis, in a statement to the press. But according to CNN, the arches have been physically flipped only at one location in the United States and will be digital-

ly flipped on McDonald’s social media platforms. The move has had some netizens rolling their eyes at what they call “corporate feminism.” “Yeah, because flipping your logo upside down is really gonna solve women inequality... pointless,” commented one person. “From what I understand it’s just meant to celebrate women, not solve inequality... It’s a nice idea, but really, as you said, pointless,” commented another. McDonald’s is far from the only company to tweak its logo as a part of a female-friendly marketing effort ahead of Women’s Day. This month, Diageo - the world’s largest spirits company launched a limited edition Johnnie Walker Black Label Scotch in the United States. Called Jane Walker, the bottle does not feature Johnnie but a striding, top-hatted woman named Jane instead. In February, PepsiCo was ridiculed after its CEO Indra Nooyi said it was preparing to launch a “low crunch” line of chips, because women “don’t like to crunch too loudly in public.” (Source: ndtv)

Woman fined 60 Euros by Paris metro for walking the wrong way

pregnant passenger on the Paris metro has been hit with a 60-euro fine for walking the wrong way, sparking outrage on social media. The woman, who wanted to save some time on her journey, was given the ticket last by inspectors at Concorde station near the Louvre art gallery. “Bravo for this racket,” her partner wrote sarcastically on Twitter, alongside a picture of her printed penalty notice. “A 60-euro fine without notice for a pregnant woman who goes the wrong way.” The Paris metro operator RATP stood by the penalty, a spokesman telling that the oneway systems are clearly marked and are aimed at avoiding “incidents” and controlling the flow of people. However, he added the tickets for such offences were “infrequent” and it is up to the RATP

dog on the pillion. The dog was perched with his front paws on the shoulders of the motorcyclist and held the man’s umbrella in its mouth. “I am moving on the street and come across this cute dog on a bike and grabbing something. It’s really cute and funny,” the filmer wrote. (Source: upi)

Passenger arrested after stripping naked to watch porn and masturbate in his seat before ‘attacking air hostess’

passenger was arrested after stripping naked to watch porn and masturbate in his seat before going on to ‘attack an air hostess.’ The 20-year-old student horrified fellow fliers when he removed his clothes during a flight from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to Dhaka, in Bangladesh. He went on to watch a porn film while pleasuring himself before reportedly urinating in his seat.

When air hostesses asked him to get dressed, Al Mahmud allegedly attempted to hug and grope them when he walked from his seat to the toilet. He then allegedly attacked the flight crew before being restrained and moved to another seat with the help of fellow passengers. The holidaymaker was later arrested when the Malindo Air Boeing 737-800 landed at Shahjalal International Airport around midnight. A fellow passenger said that the problem passenger was “ignoring all those around him.” They added: “The cabin crew approached him and politely asked him to put on his clothes. “’He complied with their request. A short while later there was some commotion at the toilet area and it turned out that he was harassing a stewardess.” He was eventually restrained

and his hands were bound with a piece of cloth. Malindo Air confirmed the incident and said that Didar was a Bangladeshi national and student of a private university in Cyberjaya. They said in a statement: ‘’With regards to the incident about a disruptive passenger onboard OD162 to Dhaka on 3 March, the crew on board has followed the standard operating procedure to restrain the passenger from causing further disruption to the crew and passengers onboard the flight. ‘’The disruptive passenger was accompanied by Dhaka security team upon arrival and he has been put in jail by the authorities in Dhaka due to this offence. ‘’The airline will continue to stay vigilant to ensure passengers travel soundly.’’ (Source: mirror.co)

inspectors to apply them or not. Michel Babut from the leading passenger group FNAUT branded the fine “completely stupid”, adding the rules need changing. (Source: ndtv)

16 year old boy hailed as the tallest teenager in the world at 7 ft 4 in; still growing

Dog rides on back of motorcycle, holds umbrella

passenger on a road in Thailand captured video of a dutiful dog riding on the back of its owner’s motorcycle and holding the man’s umbrella. The video, filmed on a street in Songka, shows a motorcycle passenger’s view of another motorcyclist traveling with his

16-year-old boy who stands seven feet and four inches tall is being hailed as the tallest teenager in the world. Brandon Marshall has grown an extra five inches in the last year and doctors say he has not reached his final height. He is believed to be the tallest teen in the world after former record holder Broc Brown, who is 7ft 8ins, turned 20. Brandon, known to friends as ‘Tiny’, has just fulfilled his sporting dream by being picked for the Welsh national basketball team. His mum Lynne Quelch, 49, said, “I can’t believe he’s still growing. To be honest I don’t know what height he is going to

reach. He does tend to struggle with roofs, ceilings, doorways just everything normal size people take for granted. He has got a super king bed at the moment but we are having an eight foot bed custom built for him. It is crazy, walking down the road with Brandon. People stop him, asking for photos with him.” Brandon, of Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, first hit the headlines last year when he measured 6 ft 11 inches. But since then he has carried on growing and is showing no signs of stopping. Medics have carried out a raft of tests on the teenager, but still don’t know why he is growing so tall. Previous scans showed he is missing chromosome 12, known as the height cropper chromosome. Brandon, who has size 17 feet, said, “I was normal size up until the age of nine. I then had a big growth spurt. I was about 6 ft when I was about 13 and I started to grow a lot more by then.” “When I was in year nine I got to 6 ft 7 inches and in year 10, I got to 7 ft. Shoes have always been a problem because I will never be able to find them and they are really expensive,” he added. Brandon, who trains three times a week with national league team Bury Bull dogs, has now been selected for the Wales National Basketball team - as his mother is Welsh. He is currently training for his first professional match and will be jetting off to Lithuania next month. (Source: mirror.co)

Review

G PLUS | MAR 10 - MAR 16, 2018

Cast: Richa Chadda, Renuka Shahane, Pulkit Sharma, Sharman Joshi, Masumeh Director: Arjun Mukherjee

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3 Storeys

ife, in all its sorrows and joy, big scales and small notes, stretches where nothing happens, and flurries where everything happens all at once, is nothing short of full-on drama, and this is what ensemble pieces like 3 Storeys draw upon. The film weaves together three stories set in a Mumbai chawl.While the first narrative involves a businessman looking for accommodation in Mumbai who eventually zeroes in on a house that’s overpriced, the second one revolves around a wife dealing with an abusive and alcoholic husband.The third story narrates the tale of forbidden love --- where a Hindu girl and a Muslim boy fall for each other. Even if not madly original, ensemble pieces can turn out in-

teresting if consistently told. 3 Storeys comes off nice in bits but uneven overall. Renuka Shahane slipS into her character with ease. Her unassuming demeanour acts as the perfect foil for what follows in the story. Pulkit Samrat as a businessman who comes to purchase her house is competent. Meanwhile, Masumeh Makhija uses her eyes to convey her feelings. Sharman Joshi delivers a measured performance as a man who is overwhelmed with mixed feelings when he faces his ex-lover. Debutants Aisha Ahmed and Ankit Rathi are well cast as young lovers who believe that they can overcome the odds stacked against them. Richa Chadha, despite limited screen time, leaves a mark as a seductress who is also the film’s sutradhar.

Cast: Urvashi Rautela, Vivaan Bhathena, Karan Wahi, Ihaana Dhillon Director: Vishal Pandya

art of the squelchy pleasure of watching a film like Hate Story 4, the fourth part of a series toplining lots of semi-naked bodies, lots of leading-up-to-steamy-sex scenes and lots of howlarious dialogue, is to divine just exactly how much squelch there is. Well, on the squelch-o-meter, the latest Hate Story is right up there. The Vishal Pandya directorial has been promoted on the lines of love and revenge, much like the last films. Hate Story 4 suffers from the hangover of the last film from the franchise which pitched two brothers against each other. In this erotic revenge tale, Rajveer (Karan Wahi) and Aryan (Vivan Bhatena) are brothers who happen to fall for the same girl Taasha (Urvashi Rautela). You

know which way the film is headed when the brothers’ father (Gulshan Grover) also fantasise the same woman. What an embarrassment! The plot is an excuse for the filmmakers to trot out the pouredinto-short-dresses-starlets, songs and dances, and buff men trying to keep a leash on their baser instincts and failing. There’s also a murder, and blackmail, and revenge, these elements showing up as fillers between all the dressing up and down. You should also know that Hate Story 4 has subtitles: if the characters are speaking in Hindi, we see English transliteration, and vice versa, and the lines are a hoot. Sample this: ‘bedroom mein ki gayi promises boardroom mein nahin laate’ or words to that effect. n

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Design and Build

The build quality and finish of the Aqua Lions N1 feels as

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the Indian market, with support for eight Indian languages and the ability to use some information services without an Internet connection. Hike hasn’t messed around with the Android Nougat UI too much, and it looks very close to stock. The left-most home screen is dedicated to a curetted list of ‘offline’ apps along with some utility apps. To start using the apps offline, you’ll need to create a Total account and verify your Airtel SIM.

Intex Aqua Lions N1 though it was designed keeping a very tight budget in mind. It weighs very little at just 112g. The quality of plastics used is strictly average, but at least the matte finish of the body prevents it from looking overly cheap. The back is textured, so you get decent grip. In the box, you get a data cable, a power adapter, and surprisingly, a headset. The 4-inch display has a low 480x800-pixel resolution, which makes text appear a bit jagged. The screen gets darker when you tilt the phone towards you and washes out when you tilt it away. Sunlight legibility isn’t great even at the maximum brightness. There are thick borders on each side of the display and the navigation buttons below it aren’t backlit. There isn’t a notification

3 Storeys 12:50 PM

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Gadget Review

ntry-level Android smartphones are about to get a shot in the arm thanks to Android Go, and saw a couple of announcements about new models being made at MWC 2018. Most recently, Hike has partnered with Airtel in a bid to offer a smartphone experience at feature phone prices. Intex is one of the manufactures on board for this task. Intex Aqua Lions N1 is a low-cost smartphone that’s available for an effective price of just Rs. 1,649, under an Airtel initiative. The key feature of this phone is Hike Total - a fork of Android that lets you send messages, get the news, and more, without needing an Internet connection.

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Cameras and battery life

LED or an ambient light sensor, but there is a front-facing camera. The volume and power buttons sit on the right while the headphone socket and Micro-USB port are on the top. The rear cover is removable, which lets you access the removable battery, two Micro-SIM slots, and microSD card slot (up

to 128GB). Overall, the Intex Aqua Lions N1 looks like any generic los-cost Android phone, which is not unreasonable.

Specifications and features

The highlight of the Aqua Lions N1 is the offline experience. It runs on Hike Total, which is custom fork of Android. Hike Total has been designed specifically for

The Aqua Lions N1 has a fixed-focus 2-megapixel rear camera and a 0.3-megapixel front facing camera. You get basic shooting modes such as panorama and face beautification. The phone offers a maximum resolution of 720p when recording videos. Once again, the quality is just about usable but there is a fair bit of wobble in the footage. The phone has a 1400mAh battery, which struggled to last a full day even with light usage. n

Entertainment

G PLUS | MAR 10 - MAR 16, 2018

Official trailer of ‘Kaaneen’ released Kalyan Kumar Kalita

he official trailer of fulllength Assamese feature film, “Kaaneen” (A Secret Search), was released recently on popular online networking sites like Facebook, YouTube etc. ‘Kaaneen’ is directed by Monjul Baruah and produced by Dr Gopendra Mohan Das under the banner of “Shivam Creation.” The film’s story is

based on a novel by renowned author, poet and professor, Dr Rita Choudhury. The screenplay for the movie has been penned by the director Monjul Baruah himself. Kaaneen is a women-centric story and deals with human relationships

and social justice. The story revolves around the guilt triggered following an encounter with an abandoned infant that makes the wife of a high-profile police officer obsessively track down her own abandoned child who was born out of a momentary premarital

passion. But her efforts to bring him back to her life hit the high glass wall that divides them. The key roles in the film have been essayed by Baharul Islam, Dr Jahanara Begum, Purnima Saikia, Partha Hazarika, Kasvi Sarma, Rahul Gautam Sarma, Dhananjay Debnath, Jolly Bhattacharjya, Prankrishna Mahanta, Mintu Baruah, Nirod Choudhury, Tapan Kumar Benarjee, Manuj Gogoi, Popi Kakaty, Dhrubajyoti Talukdar and Disha Saikia among others. The music of the film has been scored by Tarali Sarma. Cinematography has been done by Nahid Ahmed in and around the beautiful locations of Tezpur, Pandu, Maligaon and Beltola. The sound designer is Amrit Pritam Dutta, re-recording and mixing has been done by Debajit Changmai, art direction is by Rama Roy, DI Colorist is Sujit Borah, costume designer is Gita Rani Goswami and make-up has been done by Ashitav Baruah. The film’s chief assistant director is Ghanashyam Kalita, assistant directors are Ronald Hussain and Samar Jyoti Sarkar, casting director is Ronald Hussain and production designer is Himen Borah. The film is expected to hit theatres in October 2018.

Assamese song ‘Jiri Jiri Noi’ from ‘A Death in the Gunj’ released online

2nd Guwahati Film Fest concludes

he 2nd Guwahati Film Festival, organized by Chalachitram, started at Jyoti Chitrabon, Guwahati on Friday, March 2. The three-day festival witnessed film screenings, discussions and award ceremonies. Minister for Power, Assam, Pallab Lochan Das, All India Prachar Pramukh of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Dr Manmohan Vaidya and noted filmmaker Santwana Bordoloi were among the noted dignitaries who attended the inaugural event as distinguished guests. The festival opened with the screening of the movie Lokmanya-Ek Yugpurush directed by Om Routa and screened over 75 films in three days. The festival promoting ‘meaningful cinema’ also incorporated movie related discussions and award ceremonies. One of the major attractions of the festival was a discussion on the iconic Assamese

movie “Dr Bezbarua” as the movie celebrated its 50 years. Among the films screened at the festival are – Rearing Eri with Traditional Values, Happy Birthday Joy, Ahmedabad’s Bene Israel, Tropical Malady, Liakat – It rains in the end, Megh – The Cloud, Takkuti – a Relentless Journey, Bathou Open the Door, Nasty Woman, The Tea, No- The Home and Little Hearts. Curtains came down on the Chalachitram Guwahati Film Festival 2018 with the screening of Gour Hari Dastan – a film by Anant Narayan Mahadevan on the life of Gour Hari Das, a freedom fighter from Odisha who made his way through a long and silent battle for his rights. The closing ceremony, held on March 4 at the Rudra Baruah auditorium, was attended by Minister of State for Cultural Affairs, Naba Kumar Doley, MLA and actor Angoorlata Deka and acclaimed film director Manju Bora.

First regional film on sanitation released

fter a long wait, Assamese song ‘Jiri Jiri Noi’ has been released online. ‘Jiri Jiri Noi’ is not just the first Assamese song in Bollywood, but also the only song in the critically acclaimed film ‘A Death in the Gunj’. Critically acclaimed film ‘A Death in the Gunj’ directed by Bollywood actress Konkana Sen Sharma has received several awards in the country as well as abroad. Featuring an ensemble cast comprising Vikrant Massey, Om Puri, Kalki Koechlin, Tanuja, Jim Sarbh and Ranveer Shorey to name a few, the film is a murder mystery. Sung by Promila Pradhan, the lyrics of ‘Jiri Jiri Noi’ has been penned by Rajdweep and the music has been composed by Sagar Desai. The song has been highly appreciated by cine-goers and music enthusiasts alike. The song has added a lot of weight to the rich cultural heritage of the state and paved the way for Assamese language to reach out to the global audience. Rajdweep has been successful in beautifully blending Assamese words along with the movie bringing accolades for the Assamese entertainment industry. Rajdweep also has to his credit, some of the most popular songs of the Assamese film industry,

T including ‘Pokhi Pokhi Mon Mur’, sung by Papon and Rupjyoti Devi. His songs have also featured in the popular TV show ‘The Dewarists.’ His song ‘Memories’ was sung by Papon and produced by Nucleya two of the biggest names in the Indian music industry. He also composed the Bihu song for ‘Jagga Jasoos’, featuring Katrina Kaif. Currently, songs of ‘A Death in the Gunj’ movie have been release at Gaana.com, Saavn, iTunes, Hungama Music.

“Every artist has a dream to be associated with Bollywood. Obviously, I had that dream too – the dream to work in the biggest industry of the country. But now it becomes more exciting as I represent my own language and culture, that too in such a pathbreaking Bollywood movie as ‘A death in the Gunj.’ I feel privileged to have gotten the opportunity and I’ll definitely try to portray our cultural assets on bigger platforms in future too,” expressed Rajdweep.

he first regional film on sanitation, ‘Ajanite Mone Mone,’ produced by Swachh Bharat Gramin (Assam), under the banner of Ratna Productions released on March 9, 2018 in 45 theatres across Assam. ‘Ajanite Mone Mone’ is a full length Assamese film that revolves around the central theme of sanitation. The film aims to strengthen the Swachh Bharat Mission movement by creating awareness amongst the masses and fulfil the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi towards complete swachhata in India. The core value of the film focuses on the issues of open defecation, aiming at making Swachh Bharat Mission a Jan Andolan. Renowned actors like Sunita Kaushik, Raag Oinitom and Baharul Islam has acted in the movie. Zubeen Garg has lent his voice for one of the songs. Earlier, the premiere show of the film was screened at the Banikanta Kakati Auditorium of Srimanta Sankaradeva Kalakshetra on Thursday, March 8. The film released its music, trailer and teaser

on January 18 last. Inaugurated by Sarbananda Sonowal, Chief Minister of Assam, the premier was attended by eminent guests including PHED minister (GOA), Rihon Daimary, film director Upakul Bordoloi, and Dr Siddharth Singh (IAS), Mission Director SBM (G), Assam. Speaking on the occasion, Sonowal said, “As the chief minister of the state, I am bestowed with a lot of responsibilities on my shoulder, but if each one of you do not support or help me in this cause, I won’t be able to make it successful. Hence, it is my earnest request to everyone present here to do their part in making the city clean in any way they can.”

Fun

G PLUS | MAR 10 - MAR 16, 2018

Horoscope of the week Go easy at the start of the week, especially if you’re exploring the potential in a new plan or taking crucial steps forward. The focus on the topmost sector of your chart could encourage you to go ahead when you might not have enough information to make the wisest decision.

Lovely Venus and delectable Mars enter your sector of goals and ambition early in the week, and this could encourage you to be more expressive. You might also be eager to make those useful connections that could assist you in your bid for success.

From Tuesday, the emphasis shifts to your sector of exploration and far horizons, which could encourage you to move out of your comfort zone. You might notice how eager you are to delve into new subjects, travel, and generally enjoy exploring new terrain.

As lively Jupiter turns retrograde midweek, and remains so until July 10, it could encourage you to review a recent deal or conversation and any promises made. At the same time, interactive Mercury and delightful Venus move into Aries and a more intense sector of your chart, and this could inspire you to let go of any plans that no longer serve you.

From Tuesday, your home zone will be in focus as both chatty Mercury and lovely Venus move in. The coming weeks can be excellent for entertaining, beautifying your home, and making the most of being with those you love. At the same time, jovial Jupiter enters its rewind phase on Thursday, and this could encourage you to get back in touch with old friends or associates.

While you may have enjoyed some special dates and lovely outings with friends and family, the focus shifts this week to your sector of work and lifestyle issues. As messenger Mercury and lovely Venus enter this sector on Tuesday, your connections with others can be helpful at work and in everyday life.

Your communication zone gets a boost from Tuesday, as interactive Mercury and sociable Venus move in. The coming weeks could encourage you to network and reach out to others who can help you achieve your goals and plans.

curio-city 1

Which much talked about movie character of this year, ‘The Asset’ was played by Doug Jones?

Dugong is the state animal of which union territory of India?

The Great Chinmoy was the abode of the former ruling family of which north-eastern state?

Which town was the last capital of the Kamatapur kingdom?

As the focus shifts to your financial zone, you might feel a desire to reorganize your budget and get your money working harder for you. However, when delectable Venus moves in alongside logical Mercury, you might also feel you deserve a few treats. Think about something that can boost your well-being, such as a relaxing massage or other pampering treatment.

Which popular global competitive TV show was created by producer Franc Roddam and first aired in the UK in 1990? Identify this shooting sensation from India.

9 2

2 5 3 9 3 8 6 61 4 9 2 5 7 8 8 5 6 35 1 4 6 8 3 29 2 38 7 6 2 4 5 4 17 2 3 7 5 8

Daily Sudoku: Thu 8-Mar-2018

4 6

9 6 42 7 8 5 3 2 7 39 1 7 4 6 3

Daily Sudoku: Mon 26-Feb-2018

5last 9 2week 6 1 7 1 8 4 2 6 1 43 69 35 8 9 1 4 8 2 9 6 4 9 3 7 4 5 82 56 77 9 4 7 6 24 35 12 5 8 6 7 9 3 8 1 8 4 7 6 5 4 38 71 63 2 5 9 3 4 8 7 9 2 5 1 3 7 Sudoku: 2 Thu 6 8-Mar-2018 1 3 Daily 5 8 1 9 2

8easy

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solution 3 8 4 7 5 87 72 31

3 21 35 86

9 42 68 13

16 94 87 29 42 55 98 69 71 54 17 26

6 75 51 92 39 13 24 68

4 5 9 8easy 6 7 3 4

Daily Sudoku: Mon 26-Feb-2018

very hard

http://www.dailysudoku.com/

curio-city

As both chatty Mercury and lovely Venus enter your leisure sector, you may feel more energized, upbeat, and eager to get out and enjoy yourself. And while the sun in your home zone could see you keeping out of the limelight and relishing some quiet time, the chance to take an outing or attend a cultural event could leave you feeling really positive.

1. The amphibian humanoid character in ‘The Shape of Water’ 2. Andaman and Nicobar Islands 3. Tripura 4. Bongaigaon 5. Masterchef 6. Mehuli Ghosh, who recently did India proud at the Shooting World Cup in Mexico

You have been through a busy phase, one in which you may have made several sacrifices to help others. However, from Tuesday, the focus shifts as chatty Mercury and convivial Venus move into your sector of relating. This can encourage you to talk things through and create a compromise or come to other suitable arrangements.

Sudoku

Your social zone has been sparkling, but early this week there is a shift to a more secluded and spiritual sector of your chart. You may find that you’re more connected with your feelings and better able to express them. Upbeat Jupiter in your relationship zone enters its retrograde phase midweek, and this could encourage a more thoughtful approach to a key connection.

Although the week begins with a focus on your spiritual sector that could encourage you to adopt a compassionate approach to other people’s issues, this influence can shift quickly. As chatty Mercury and lovely Venus enter your sign, you may find yourself more expressive overall.

Word of the week Ergophobia noun [ur-guh-foh-bee-uh] An abnormal fear of work; an aversion to work.

Crossword Across

Down

5 Famously neutral country (11) 7 Leg joint (4) 8 Aura of magic (8) 9 Cruel dictators (7) 11 Jump (5) 13 Take away (5) 14 Netherlands province (7) 16 In the adjacent house (4,4) 17 Young male horse (4) 18 Crude oil product used in making candles (8,3)

1 V (4) 2 Horizontal angle of a compass bearing (7) 3 Disgusting! (5) 4 Suicidal pilot (8) 5 As fried eggs may be served (5-4,2) 6 Pair of spirals about a common axis (6,5) 10 Marital infidelity (8) 12 Illuminated by night (7) 15 At ease (5) 17 Hood-shaped covering (4)

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

Dilbert by Scott Adams

Last week’s solution

Lifestyle

G PLUS | MAR 10 - MAR 16, 2018

5 simple yoga poses to wave off neck pain

one are the days when ‘small is good’ was the motto. Today we want everything to be better than the rest. Better house, better salary, better grades; even a better world. The strife towards perfection is driving us all crazy. You may say, ‘It is all about evolution’ but the pace at which we are evolving is taking a toll on our health: mental, physical and emotional. Our desires have taken shape of needs and the fulfillment of these needs requires commitment towards work. In due course we overstrain ourselves, converting the body to a factory. Wear and tear follows next. A very common ailment that affects most of us then is neck pain. Cervicalgia, as neck pain is better known as in medical terms, arises mostly from long, continuous hours of sitting in the same posture or a rough night of sleep and reduced workout. When the causes of neck pain are simple, why not the cure? To do away with ‘pain in the neck’, we bring to you Seven Simple Steps (asanas or yoga postures) that are easy-to-do and won’t eat into your daily busy schedule.

1. Balasana or Child pose:

Kneel on the floor/Place your shin on the floor with toes touching each other. Sit on your heels. With hands by your side, exhale and lay your torso down between your thighs/bend from the waist laying your torso between your thighs. Slowly allow your head to touch the ground. Do as much as possible and don’t strain yourself. Your hands should be resting by

the sides of your torso with palms facing upward. Stay in this pose for as far as possible and slowly while inhaling lift yourself back to the same position. Place your hands on your thighs with palms facing the ceiling as in a state of surrender to God. This pose not only relieves neck pain and back pains but also calms your brain. It stretches the hips, thighs and ankles and makes you feel fresh like a child!

3. Bitiliasana or Cow Pose:

Start with your shin placed on the floor and the rest of the body postured in a table-top position (that is, your thighs, torso and hands). Make sure to have your knees directly below your hips and wrists, elbows and shoulders must be in line, perpendicular to the floor and so should be your thighs. Your torso must be parallel to the floor. Being in this posture, inhale and pull your tummy inwards towards the floor and lift your head upwards. Remain in this posture for a while and follow it with the Cat posture (given below).

When The Sky Weeps Rain falls like teats From the clouds up above They obscure the whole sky Singing songs of their own love.

2. Natrajasana or Reclining Twist:

Lie on the floor with your back straight. Slowly lift your right leg and bring it over your left leg. While the left leg remains straight, make sure that the right leg makes a right angle on the floor. Stretch your hands either ways and face rightwards. Take few deep breaths, while being in this pose for thirty seconds. Repeat the same with your left leg. While making your muscles more flexible, it takes you to that state of contentment and bliss. Interestingly, this is the dancing pose of Shiva. Feel that Shiva tattva everywhere!

4. Marjariasana or Cat Pose:

Sequentially, exhale and round your spine towards the ceiling and bring your head inwards. Gently bring your chin towards your chest. Continue these two poses (cow and cat pose) in sequence while you inhale and exhale. Doing this would provide a gentle massage to your spine and belly organs absolutely free of cost, while also relieving you of neck pain.

5. Savasana or Corpse Pose:

This one is the simplest of all. This step requires you to do just nothing! It requires the body to be placed in a neutral position. Lie on the floor, straight. Keep your neck and back straight and feet slightly separated. Hands must be by the sides, facing upwards. This is supposed to be the last in the sequence of asanas or yoga postures. Body must be in this position for at least five minutes for deep relaxation to muscles and self.

I reach out my hand And rob the grass of its rain I taste the tears of the unknown And share its sweet pain. My gaze is unrelentlng Hoping to see the one in tears As I wonder its magical fate ‘If I call would it hear?’ If I could reach somehow The one crying so above I would embrace it and share Some of my own love. But though I stand still There is no one to witness The longing to melt with tears Now tastes like bitterness. But I feel I must wait Till the sky fall apart I’ll climb the misty stairs and reach into the stars.

shri shri ravi shankar Founder- Art of Living Foundation.

Sanjali Dixit

Approach your goals systematically with good EMIs Prachee Sharma,

Service Manager, Brand New Day contactus@salasarcapital.com

“T

ime is money.” This advice has been with all of us since our childhood. While studying, it used to be applied to manage time for exam preparations. When we used to play, it was about creating a balance between fun and studies. As we grow up, this success mantra continues to stay along as we continue to manage our time to strike a balance between our work and personal lives. After all, it is all about earning good money and spending money in the right way. India has a huge millennial youth population, a demographic characteristic which works to its advantage. The youth has played a great role in transformation of the economy from majorly cash economy to a digital economy.

The Indian economy has also undergone a lot of structural changes since the last couple of years with the demonetization, introduction of new denomination notes, etc. We are presently witnessing a paradigm shift in the savings pattern of the Indian households as well and the savings are moving swiftly from physical assets like gold, real estate etc to financial assets. Most importantly, the youth of our country has now started earning at an early age. Financial freedom has encouraged them to work and earn for themselves. This also has led to blossoming of their desires for luxuries like possessing an iPhone and driving a Sedan car. Further, starting to earn early has also led to a considerable increase in their work life span as well. However, the financial freedom they have started enjoying is also giving a rise to tendency to enjoy the luxuries on debt and paying monthly EMIs instead. Enjoying

the luxuries at low monthly payouts in terms of EMIs certainly seems to be an easy option for them. However, the smart youth must indeed opt for a better way to fulfill those desires in terms of Good EMI. While the regular EMI for loans asks you to pay interest, Good EMI can help you earn

some returns instead. Planning for your finances can be the simplest way to do it. Just start a Systematic Investment Plan (SIP) for investment in Mutual Funds. SIP will deduct amounts from your bank account on periodical basis and thereafter, all you need to do is relax and let the Good EMI reap some benefits for a healthy

financial future. However, you must be wondering, why Good EMI in Mutual Funds only? The answer is very simple. Mutual funds provide you with professional management of your funds and they are time and cost effective. Further, mutual funds provide you with flexibility to invest across asset classes depending upon your risk appetite and returns expectations. Equities tend to perform well over longer term and further, with the increased work life span, starting this Good EMI with mutual funds will help you generate a healthy corpus after a period of 5-7 years. Also, the flexibility to invest across various time frames ensures the shortterm and long term goals have the specific investments linked to the goals. And that is why we say, start early and make more money… KYUNKI AB SAR UTHA KE JEENE KA SAHI TARIKA AA GAYA HAI..!!!

Buzz

G PLUS | MAR 10 - MAR 16, 2018

Guwahati to host 8th Theatre Olympics

s one of the co-hosts of the 8th Theatre Olympics, Guwahati is all set to host the biggest theatrical extravaganza in the world. The Guwahati chapter of Theatre Olympics 2018 is being organised by National School of Drama (NSD) under the aegis of Ministry of Culture, Government of India in collaboration with the Government of Assam. The festival will be held at Srimanta Sankardev Kalakshetra in Guwahati from 11th March to 25th March 2018. The Guwahati chapter will be inaugurated by chief minister of Assam, Sarbananda Sonowal, at 6 PM on March 11, where Naba Kumar Doley, cultural affairs minister of Assam, Padma Bhushan Jahnu Barua and Padma Shri Nrityacharya Jatin Goswami will be the guests of honour. Noted film and theatre personalities Pranjal Saikia and Baharul Islam announced this event during a press conference at Guwahati Press Club on Tuesday. The mega event will provide Guwahatians an opportunity to catch a series of 15 stimulating performances, including specially invited plays. “Art has been the earliest form of communication and nothing gives an artist more delight than performing in front of an audience that appreciates art, no matter which part of the world they belong. We are extremely

proud to bring the world’s largest theatre festival to India. With the 8th Theatre Olympics, we attempt to bridge the borders across countries through the call of theatre and engage in creating a global village,” said Dr Arjun Deo Charan, acting chairman of National School of Drama Society. “For the past 3 years, we had the dream to bring Theatre Olympics to India. The dream has finally come true. This is a huge leap towards that direction of putting Indian theatre on the world map. We should be proud of our theatre legacy that is more than 2500 years old,” said Prof Waman Kendre, Director, National School of Drama.

The festival will culminate on 8th April, 2018 at Mumbai. The theme of this edition is “Flag of Friendship.” The Theatre Olympics was established at Delphi, Greece in 1993. It presents some of the greatest theatre practitioners from around the world and provides a platform for theatrical exchange for students and masters, where a dialogue, despite ideological, culture and language differences, is encouraged. So far, the Theatre Olympics has been held seven times in the following countries: Japan (1999), Russia (2001), Turkey (2006), South Korea (2010), China (2014), Poland (2016). n

Ujjeevit Foundation observes International Women’s Day

’

Womaniya a celebration of the struggles and contributions of women in making the society a better place - was organised by the Ujjeevit Foundation on the occasion of International Women’s Day 2018. With the aim to provide a platform to all women to share their stories and inspire others to learn from the struggles and mistakes, O’ Womaniya was a part of the Ujjeevit Youth Forum - an initiative to build up a community where people come to speak freely and discuss on issues that matter. With their first edition held on the topic of depression, this time they set themselves to bring out stories of “ordinary” women who faced extraordinary circumstances and came through. “Very often, we see female

CEO’s of companies with billion dollar turnovers deliver speeches about how they reached the zenith of success, film celebrities speaking out to convey how they managed to transcend gender barriers to reach the top but what about the everyday women, their everyday struggles and their extraordinary stories? These stories matter. We organised O’ Womaniya with the aim to make the stories of ‘ordinary women’ heard,” said a member of the Ujjeevit Foundation. The event took place at The Tea Story, Uzanbazar, Guwahati with four speakers sharing their success stories. The speakers were, Darshana Sengupta, the first woman car trainer of Northeast India and Founder of WPCR; Monali Bhardwaj, senior producer at Concept Productions Limited; Advocate Meena Dutta, advocate at Gauhati High Court

and Dr Kashmira Ghosh, Intern at Assam Medical College & Hospital, Dibrugarh. Speaking on the occasion, Darshana said, “Ups and downs are a part of life. Just like the ups and downs in our heartbeats signify that we’re surviving, the ups and downs in our lives signify that we’re living our lives to its full potential.” n

PEM at Sanskriti the Gurukul Parents Educators Meet organised at Sanskriti the Gurukul from 5th to 9th March

Kismat Bano launches mini theatre for city kids

ismat Bano, a young stage artiste from Guwahati, launched a mini theatre hall at her residence to train children of Guwahati in the art of acting. Built mostly with funds from Bano’s savings, with her father Liaquat Ali contributing the rest, the mini theatre hall has been constructed atop their house at Dhirenpara. Wings Theatre Studio, with a capacity of 75, has been launched with an aim to help raise awareness about theatre by staging plays. The mini theatre hall was inaugurated on Tuesday, March 6 with the staging of two plays Bidhyabalan (Assamese) directed by Naren Patgiri and Bade Bhaisahab (Hindi) directed by Dilip Khanal. Bano, who is in her early 20s, has won accolades across the country for her acting talent. She has acted in over 25 plays in several different languages, including Hindi and English. Kismat Bano was selected by the North East Zone Cultural Centre (NEZCC) under the Union Ministry of Culture to receive its prestigious annual award of

Young Talents Artistes Award for the year 2016-17 from Arunachal Pradesh Governor PB Acharya in July last year. Bano, who is also a recipient of a scholarship from the ministry, has performed in major drama festivals across the country as well as abroad. Two of her most recent plays staged in Guwahati and other cities, Helen and Bano, received critical appreciation from theatre-goers across the country. Theatre troupe ‘Wings Theatre’ has been established with a view to use theatre in education for children, conducting theatre performance-oriented workshops for orphans and indigenous girls in rural areas and working with blind children of Guwahati to promote theatre. n

Events

G PLUS | MAR 10 - MAR 16, 2018

March 10-11 Boutiques of India Exhibition Vivanta by Taj 11AM onwards March 10, Saturday

Date: March 1, Thursday

Maitika LIVE

Event: Colorland 2018

Terra Mayaa

Venue: Residency Resort

7PM onwards March 10, Saturday Strictly Hip Hop ft. BobKat NYX, Hotel Palacio 7PM onwards March 10, Saturday Bollywood Night Topaz 7PM onwards March 10, Saturday Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s go Hip Hop

Date: March 5, Monday

Club XS

Event: Acoustic Night ft. Yuva

7PM onwards

Venue: Dunkin Oza

March 10, Saturday Moongphali Band LIVE

Date: March 1, Thursday

Underdoggs Sports Bar

Event: Colorland 2018

8PM onwards

Venue: Residency Resort March 10, Saturday Social Saturday ft. DJ Taurus Socialite 7:30PM onwards March 11, Sunday White Noise

oted singer Usha Uthup visited Guwahati recently and graced the Prag Prerona Awards as the distinguished guest. Her power-packed performance was enjoyed by all present. Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Sunday presented the 3rd Prag Prerona Awards to 11 distinguished women achievers from across Assam for their contributions in the fields of politics, literature, culture, and social life.

NYX, Hotel Palacio 8PM onwards March 16, Friday ARC Kolkata Terra Mayaa 8PM onwards

G PLUS | MAR 10 - MAR 16, 2018

Printed & Published by Sunit Jain on behalf of Insight Brandcom Pvt. Ltd. and Printed at Janambhumi Press (P) Ltd., Kalapahar, Guwahati and Published at 4A, Royale Arcade, Ulubari, Guwahati - 781007, Editor: Swapnil Bharali. Phone: 0361 2522444, Email: info@g-plus.in, RNI No: ASSENG/2013/52641