Vol 5 Issue 23 by G Plus

G PLUS | MAR 31 - APR 06, 2018 @guwahatiplus www.guwahatiplus.com

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Volume 05 | Issue 23 Mar 31 - Apr 06, 2018 Price `10

Chick PG 24

Students welcome AHSEC’s decision to not re-conduct exams

PG 04

‘Oust Bangladeshi’ cry over spurt in crimes against women

on the block

2600 family tree verifications yet to be done in Guwahati

Ward survey and report

PG 07

Athgaon’s thorn in the flesh: Lack of parking space PG 12-13

City police stations to get women cell under MOITRI: DGP Rahul Chanda rahul.chanda@g-plus.in

these 73 police stations, presently 3 police stations in Guwahati – Jalukbari, Basistha and Sonapur – have been identified to be put under the

ll the police stations in Guwahati will have women cells after the infrastructure of the thanas are improved under the Mission for Overall Improvement of Thana for Responsive Image (MOITRI), claimed director general of police (DGP), Mukesh Sahay. Sahay said, “Work has already started in 73 police stations in Assam and within 3 to 5 years, all the police stations in the state will be transformed,” stressing that the entire state will come under the gambit of this improvement. File photo of Mukesh Sahay Among

scheme, claimed the DGP. Eventually, 346 police stations in the state would be covered under the scheme for which Rs 125 crores has been earmarked. The police stations to be covered under the scheme will have facilities like a reception and waiting lounge, videoconference system, separate cells and entrances for women and children, toilets, adequate drinking water and boundary wall, among others. Talking about increasing the women work force, the DGP revealed that 40 women subinspectors are under training and 39 more would be appointed soon. There would be openings soon for recruiting more women police personnel. n

Related stories on Pg. 2

Ola was ‘pressurising’ govt to start river taxi ‘without’ IRS nod Members of the film fraternity taking out a protest rally against the recent crimes against women | G Plus Photo

Avishek Sengupta avishek.sengupta@g-plus.in

he various cases of atrocities against women – four cases of rape, a case of trafficking and several cases of molestation – that has surfaced in Assam over the last three weeks has touched a raw nerve with people blaming the illegal Bangladeshi migrants of being behind the surge in such crimes. In the two cases of rape in Nagaon that had rocked the Assam Legislative Assembly during the ongoing session and which prompted the Gauhati High Court to resolve in setting up a fast track court for such cases, all the accused belonged to

the minority community. While police arrested Jakir Hussain, 21, and his two accomplices – both minors – for allegedly raping and murdering a 12 year old girl studying in Class V at Lalunggaon, about 125 kms northeast of Guwahati on March 24, eight days before that, on March 16, police arrested a prime accused Marjot Ali, who along with seven others, had allegedly gang-raped a 35-year-old woman in front of her husband in a jungle near Kampur, about 121 kms northeast of Guwahati. The chairman of Liberal Democratic Party took to Twitter to lambast the Assam government saying, “Hon’ble CM Sarbananda Sonowal ‘dangoriya’

Continued ON page » 3

G Plus explores the delays in Ola starting their taxi services on the Brahmaputra River and the safety norms required to be followed for the same Rahul Chanda rahul.chanda@g-plus.in

t will not be possible for Ola to start the river taxi services in Guwahati without providing safety certificates from the Indian Register for Shipping (IRS). A source in the inland water transport (IWT) department revealed that Ola was “pressurising” the state government for sailing permission to operate the river taxis in Brahmaputra “without” IRS certification. The source said that Ola has been asked to provide all the safety certificates for sailing permission in Guwahati.

IRS is the recognised agency which provides safety certificates to vessels after thorough investigation. To ply on the Brahmaputra River a special certificate has to be availed mentioning that the vessels can “ply during monsoon and floods” on the river. Director of inland water transport (IWT) department, BB Dev Choudhury said, “Ola has submitted a proposal and we are examining it.” He added that they (Ola) can provide their services on Brahmaputra River only after proper certification and observance of all safety regulations. Soon after the global investors’ summit – Advantage Assam (held in February), Ola had surveyed the navigation route

File photo of Ola river taxi

Continued ON page » 5

Lead Story

SNIPPETS Two Assamese make it to the list of 100 Most Influential Indians 2018

G PLUS | MAR 31 - APR 06, 2018

Is city police prepared to set up women cells in all thanas? Rahul Chanda rahul.chanda@g-plus.in

imanta Biswa Sarma and Justice Ranjan Gogoi were selected in the list of the 100 most influential Indians compiled by the Indian Express recently. From Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the captain of the Indian Cricket Team, Virat Kohli - the list features people from all walks of life. From Assam, two very powerful personalities have made it to the top 50. While Health, Education & Finance Minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma has secured the 27 th position, Supreme Court Justice Ranjan Gogoi sits at the 45th position. Himanta Biswa Sarma, as the convener of BJP’s North East Democratic Alliance, helped deliver state after state for the party. The BJP won just two seats in Meghalaya and yet managed to keep the Congress out — Sarma was instrumental in this. He has set his sight on a national role and a shot at a Lok Sabha seat. When elections happen next year it could be the first step in that direction. Justice Ranjan Gogoi was one of the four judges of the apex court who held an unprecedented press conference to take on Chief Justice Dipak Misra. He headed the bench that directed the government to set up special courts to fast-track cases against politicians and is currently in line to be the next Chief Justice of India, when current CJI Dipak Misra demits office. Notably, Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal has dropped out of the list, as the BJP’s Northeast campaign is seen to bear one increasingly dominant face: Himanta Biswa Sarma, who has climbed up 10 places from 2017. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been termed ‘The Most Influential Indian’, securing the first spot for the second consecutive year, followed by BJP President Amit Shah at No. 2. Among other politicians featuring in the top 10 of the list are Sonia Gandhi, Mamata Banerjee, Rajnath Singh, Arun Jaitley and Yogi Adityanath. n

ssam police claimed that there will be women cells set up in all the police stations of the city which will deal with crime against women cases. Is Guwahati police ready with the infrastructure for such an initiative? Are there enough women in the police force of Guwahati? “We have a habit of announcing certain schemes without being prepared for it,” said a senior police official on the condition of anonymity. The official revealed that there are some police stations in Guwahati where there is no privacy for the women force. For example, both male and female police personnel use

Some police stations in Guwahati have no privacy for the women force. For example, both male and female police personnel use the same toilet.

Viranganas on duty | G Plus Photo

the same toilet. Women cells in police stations are an old concept but there is not much infrastructure to start the initiative immediately, claimed the official. There was only one women cell located in the Panbazar police station which has presently been shifted to Geetanagar police station because the All Women Police Station is also located in Panbazar. In the rest of the police

stations there are women workforce deployed but there are very less women officers in the city. The women police constables again are always busy with traffic and law and order duties to be manning women cells in police stations. A source in the city police revealed that there is only one inspector level woman police officer in Guwahati. There are 12 women sub-inspectors, 2 women deputy commissioners of police

(IAS), 4 assistant commissioners of police (APS) and one additional deputy commissioner of police (APS). Talking about women police constables (WPC), there are around 200 women constables posted in Guwahati and 60 more are working here on deputation. Within the total police force, 30% should be women police personnel, but there is not even 10% at present, revealed the source. n

Women police force in Guwahati Designation

Total number in Guwahati

Deputy commissioner of police (DCP)

2 (both IAS)

Additional deputy commissioner of police (ADCP)

1 (APS)

Assistant commissioner of police (ACP)

4 (APS)

Inspector

Sub inspector (SI)

Women police constable (WPC)

200 ( 60 more deployed on deputation)

Veerangana WPCs

8 (9 more on deputation)

Cobra WPCs

City requires a women police transit camp

Women police on duty during a protest in the city | G Plus Photo

omen police personnel from other districts are often brought in on deputation for law and order duties during various events. They sometimes have to live in a very “unfriendly” environment. A lady police constable talking to G Plus on condition of anonymity said, “During events like South Asian Games and Advantage Assam we faced many difficulties as we had to live in places where toilets were dirty and the living conditions poor.” She pitched for a women police transit camp in Guwahati. Many women police personnel echoed the need of a transit camp in Guwahati which

can be used by the women police personnel whenever they visit Guwahati. Director General of Police (DGP) of Assam, Mukesh Sahay said, “Police personnel have to work in tough situations and if someone is posted in border areas, the situation would be difficult.” However, he said that during events in Guwahati, the women police personnel are accommodated in 4th and 10th Assam Police Battalion and sometimes even temporary structures are erected to accommodate them. Sahay said, “We will soon propose to make some barracks and a transit camp for women in Guwahati.” n

In The News

G PLUS | MAR 31 - APR 06, 2018

‘Oust Bangladeshi’ cry... Continued from page » 1 (a respectful way to address an Assamese), what happened to BJP’s promise to throw out Bangladeshis after 16 May 2016? How many more crimes would they be allowed to inflict before the sleeping government wakes up?” Illegal immigration from Bangladesh is a sensitive issue in Assam. The state is updating the National Register of Citizen of 1951 to detect and deport those who have come into Assam after March 31, 1971. Popular singer Queen Hazarika, who has more than 22,000 followers on Twitter, also blamed “men of Bangladesh origin” for the rapes and rape

attempts and said it “would be unfair to expect us Assamese not to react or utter the word ‘Bangladeshi’ no matter how racial it might make us look like.” Till 2017, the state government had been able to detect 90,206 illegal Bangladeshi migrants. Only 29,738 of them have been pushed back or deported to Bangladesh since 1985, when the Assam Accord was signed. In the ongoing assembly session, two legislators from the ruling BJP, Shiladiyta Deb and Mrinal Saikia, also accused illegal Bangladeshi migrants of committing a majority of the heinous crimes in the state. “They have crossed all limits and it’s high time the government and the police take steps to rein them in as most of the crimes are

committed by illegal Bangladeshi migrants,” Deb told media. The opposition Congress, on the other hand, blamed the government of failing to safeguard women and girls and the ruling BJP trying to give a religious turn to the issue. When contacted, the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF), the party which had been voicing the concerns of the minority community since inception, took offence to the issue. “A criminal is a criminal. Religion has nothing to do about it,” Aminul Islam, AIUDF legislator said. Meanwhile, in Khetri of Kamrup Metro, about 35 km from the city, on the other hand, a sixyear-old girl was allegedly raped by her neighbour last Tuesday. Police arrested 32-year-old

accused Pulak Deka the next day, in whose care the victim’s mother had left her daughter with to go shopping on the day of incident. For the record, the victim’s mother had gone out with the wife of the accused. In Gauripur of North Guwahati, Kamrup (Metro), about 23 kms from the city, a case (69/18) was registered against Manoj Biswas under Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, for allegedly raping his own 13-year-old sister-in-law. Biswas is still absconding. As per National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) figures for 2016, Assam witnessed 1,779 cases of rape of women and 821 cases of sexual offences, including rape, against minors. n

Girls from minority community at the receiving end of womenrelated crimes too

ccording to the NGOs involved in rescue and rehabilitation of trafficked women, girls belonging to the minority community mostly become victim of the traffickers. Among the minority community, poverty coupled with high reproduction rate is a very big problem. Often, we have come across cases where the family members themselves sell their children to the traffickers as they feel that extra women in the family will be difficult to support with their limited earnings,” Monisha Behl, founder of Northeast Network said. A highly placed police official, under condition of anonymity, said that there are at least four trafficking rackets operating in the state that target minority dominated areas of the state such as Goalpara, Dhubri, Barpeta etc. “They target the poor families which have more members. They lure them either with good marriage prospects or employment opportunities in Delhi, Mumbai and other big cities. Sometimes, they even buy the minors from the family members. They try to woe them by giving mobile phones and promises of a better life in the big cities,” the official said. Acting on a missing report filed in Nagaon, Assam Police along with Haryana Police had, on last Thursday, busted a human trafficking racket being run

SNIPPETS 6 year old raped at Khetri; accused arrested

n yet another shameful incident, it has been reported that a six year old was raped by a 32 year old at Khetri. The accused has been identified as Pulak Deka. According to sources, the incident occurred when the victim’s mother left her with Deka at his house and went out for some work along with the wife of the accused. It is suspected that Deka offered some addictive substance to the victim and forced himself on her. The entire incident came to light when the victim told her mother about Deka’s act. The mother of the victim soon rushed the 6 year old to nearby hospital and the hospital authority confirmed the same. Khetri Police, on Thursday morning, arrested the accused who was on the run, from NH-37. Police have registered a case against Deka. The 6 year old is currently under treatment and her condition is said to be serious. Local residents and organisations of Khetri have demanded strict punishment for the accused and have urged the government to form strict rules which will help in putting an end to such crimes. n

Assam to get fast track courts for trial of rape and murder of women and children

Police officials, District Administration and other civil bodies during a meeting on crime against women in the city | G Plus Photo from a guest house in Panipat and rescued four women from Assam, while on Wednesday last, the anti-trafficking cell of CID arrested a woman on suspicion of trafficking women from Assam to Delhi. When contacted Robin Hibu, who handled the Special Police Unit for Northeast Region of Delhi Police Commissionerate, said,

“The traffickers bring the victims from Assam and then sell them in the outskirts of Delkhi, and in Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.” Regarding child marriage too, the Assam Commission for Protection of Child Rights (ACPCR) said that it is mostly the people of the minority community who fall victim to child marriages. “In the uneducated section of

the minorities, they still follow polygamy due to which their need for marriage is more. It is often the Murabbi (village elders among the minorities) or the family members who force the girl to get married. We have apprehended cases in which, the girl is as young as 12 years old,” Rafikulisla, coordinator of (ACPCR) said. n

ith Assam witnessing a spurt in the cases of rape, Gauhati High court has resolved to approve the proposal of setting up exclusive fast track courts for day to day trail of cases of rapes and murder of children and women. The decision was taken after Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal wrote a letter to the Chief Justice of Gauhati High Court in this regard. The committee has also resolved to work out modalities and submit a report in this regard within three days. Sonowal, in his letter, expressed deep regret that the society has to face such horrific crimes even though women have traditionally enjoyed high respect in Assamese society. Sonowal expressed serious concern over recent spurt of crimes against women in the state. Sonowal added that a women cell at Directorate General of Police to oversee speedy proceeding of all cases against women will be opened. n

In The News

SNIPPETS NRL Engineer bags ‘Best Young Manager Award’

G PLUS | MAR 31 - APR 06, 2018

Students welcome AHSEC’s decision to not re-conduct exams Saumya Mishra saumya.mishra@g-plus.in

r. Arpan Gogoi, Manager (Operations- MS) of Numaligarh Refinery Limited (NRL) has been adjudged the ‘Best Young Manager’ in the recently held 14th GMA North East Young Managers Competition organized by Guwahati Management Association (GMA). The award comprising of a citation and a trophy was presented to Mr. Gogoi by Dr. Mihir Kanti Choudhury, Adviser to Education Dept., Govt. of Assam and erstwhile VC of Tezpur University in the presence of Mr. D. N Barua, President GMA, esteemed Jury members and other eminent guests at the award function held on March 28, 2018 in Guwahati. Further, Mr. Debashis Thakur, Manager(Operations-HCU), NRL also received a Special Jury Award in the same competition. The award winners were selected amongst about 40 nominations received from various organizations and institutions of the North-East and evaluated through a three-tier process comprising of presentation, group discussion and personal interview. n

Assam Govt launches Women’s Helpline Number

n the wake of the recent cases of rape, abuse and domestic violence being reported from several parts of the state, chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal, on Thursday, inaugurated a special helpline number ‘181’ for women. The number would be linked with the appropriate authorities viz the police, one stop centres and hospitals for quick action and dispensation of relief. The grievance redressal system will provide 24 hours of immediate and emergency response. In the first phase however, the helpline number will be operational from 9 AM to 5.30 PM. The helpline number will function for 24 hours after 2 months. n

tudents of the state are elated with the Assam Higher Secondary Education Council’s (AHSEC) decision to not re- conduct the examinations for class XII for physics, chemistry and mathematics examinations. At a time when the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has decided to re-conduct its papers for economics for class XII and mathematics for class X after an alleged question paper leak, the decision by the AHSEC officials comes as a relief for the students as well their parents. AHSEC chairman Dayananda Borgohain on March 29 informed that the examinations will not be re-conducted as no concrete proof was found of the question paper leak and it has not been established. An inquiry committee led by retired district and sessions judge BC Das was set up to investigate the matter. It recommended that the AHSEC should re-conduct the three major Science papers as there were suspicions that the question papers had been leaked from a private educational institution in Goalpara. A student of a city-based school who appeared for his class XII board examinations told G Plus that this is a welcome decision by the AHSEC. “It is only fair that the examinations are not being re-conducted, especially to the students who had worked hard and studied for months,” said Anmol Sharma. AHSEC authorities said since the question papers were

Students appearing an exam | G Plus Photo not leaked after they were dispatched from the examination centres and anomalies were reported only from one institute, hence the examinations would not be-conducted again for all the students. Officials mentioned that since several students have started preparing for various medical and engineering entrance examinations, re-conducting exams will have an adverse impact on them. Another student Jyoti Gogoi who appeared for AHSEC examinations said that the officials took the right decision to not re-conduct the examinations as it would have led to a lot of

stress and panic among the students. The AHSEC had constituted a four-member enquiry committee to probe allegations of question paper leaks in the higher secondary exams. It was alleged that the question papers resembled the model question papers distributed by a coaching institute to its students. Prior to this, in February, it was alleged that the english question paper was leaked on the first day of the High School leaving Certificate (HSLC) examination after which Secondary Examination Board of Assam (SEBA) had stepped up the

security measures. SEBA officials informed that one person had already been arrested in connection with the case from Cachar. However, the controller of examinations at SEBA Nayan Jyoti Sarmah maintained that the question paper was leaked after one and a half hours of the commencement of the examination. “As per our information, the question paper was circulated after the examination had already begun. So it cannot be called a paper leak as the students did not have access to the examination questions before the commencement of the paper,” said Sarmah. n

Cong leader arrested for pointing loaded gun at school officials Rahul Chanda rahul.chanda@g-plus.in

he general secretary of the Sarbhog District Congress Committee was arrested by Azara police for pointing a loaded gun at the officials of Miles Bronson Residential School. Officer-in-charge of Azara Police Station, Ashok Dutta said,

“Arun Tiwari had taken out his licensed 6 round revolver and pointed it at the school officials.” Tiwari had visited the school to pay the admission fees of his nephew. Sources said that the school fees for the year is Rs 2.8 lakhs, but he just wanted to pay Rs 80,000. When the accounts officials of the school informed him that he needs to make a payment of Rs 2.8 lakhs, he was “irked” and started using

“abusive” language. According to the local police, he started quarrelling with the school officials and later took out the revolver from his pocket. He also threatened the school officials and forced them to accept the lesser payment. The security personnel deployed in the school immediately informed the Azara police. Police has seized the revolver that was loaded with six bullets.

Tiwari has been forwarded to the court and is now in judicial custody. Local police said that Tiwari confessed to the police that he was undergoing a “financial crisis” and the school refused to provide him any concession. Congress members from Sarbhog revealed that Tiwari is a very hot tempered person and always carries a gun with him. The party is mulling on suspending him from the party. n

City

G PLUS | MAR 31 - APR 06, 2018

Ola was ‘pressurising’ govt... Continued from page » 1 on Brahmaputra River and had identified three courses – Lachit Ghat to North Guwahati Ghat, Lachit Ghat to Umananda and Lachit Ghat to Palashbari. Ola brought a vessel from Kolkata for a trial run and survey and according to Choudhury, that vessel was not certified to ply on the Brahmaputra. After the survey Ola submitted a proposal and according to the same four fibre retrofitted

plastic (FRP) boats will be introduced in Guwahati initially. The estimated cost of one vessel is approximately Rs 1.2 crores. The cost might swell if air conditioners and other facilities are added. The vessel, which was brought after Advantage Assam, was also an FRP boat but was smaller in size. In the proposal, Ola had also submitted a rate cost analysis according to which the fares would be between Rs 70 to Rs 150. The state government is examining the proposal and after all re-

Night navigation to allow 24/7 river taxi service

he Assam government is claiming that night navigation system in Guwahati would allow 24/7 river taxi service on the Brahmaputra River. As part of a World Bankfunded project, the inland water transport (IWT) department is in the process of putting in place night navigation facilities in Guwahati. The project is a component of the World Bank-funded $150 million Assam Inland Waterways Development Project. Around Rs 3 crores are expected to be spent to put in place the night navigation

World Bank-funded $150 million in Inland Waterways Development Project

facilities in Guwahati and Majuli. Director of IWT department, BB Dev Choudhury said, “Guwahati is a high traffic density zone and night navigation system is important for the river taxis to navigate here.” The work will start with a survey to identify the routes. It is difficult to chart permanent routes because on the Brahmaputra, the navigational routes keep changing, said Choudhury. Initially, the facilities like lights, signals and floating buoys would be developed in Guwahati. There will be signal lighting -green/red/ etc, cameras installed and floating lights which would mark the route for safe passage. But it would not start simultaneously with the taxis, said Choudhury. The night navigation system will take some time to kick-start. n

quired approvals, the agreement might be signed, said Choudhury. If the FRP vessels are brought with proper IRS safety certifications, Ola will start the services after three months, Choudhury claimed. G Plus also tried to talk to Ola officials, but they did not respond to the queries asked. The project will be in a public private partnership (PPP) model where the state government will just provide the terminus and in return will get a portion of the revenue generated. The revenue

SNIPPETS sharing model is being worked upon. There was no tender floated as during Advantage Assam investors were invited to propose investments and accordingly a memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between Ola and the Assam government. Now even other private parties are showing interest for operating river taxis. The IWT director said that all are welcome as either they can operate under Ola, or a different strategy could be adopted. n

Two new vessels to enforce river taxi rules

he inland water transport (IWT) department is expected to introduce two enforcement vessels which would check violation of all water transport regulations. IWT director, BB Dev Choudhury said, “There are many boats on the river plying without safety certificates from the Indian Register for Shipping (IRS).” Enforcement vessels will keep a check on the boats plying on Brahmaputra River and the boats without IRS certification would be seized. Even overloading, suspicious activities and law and order situation will be dealt by these two vessels. The two boats will be introduced in Guwahati by the

end of 2018. The approximate cost of one boat is around Rs 40 lakhs but it would be faster than any other boat on the Brahmaputra, claimed Choudhury. The enforcement boats will be of steel hull technology and will be specially designed for enforcement with amenities for river police and IWT enforcement officials. n

There are many boats on the river plying without safety certificates from the Indian Register for Shipping (IRS)” BB Dev Choudhury, IWT director

Guwahatians seek refuge in consumer court for medical negligence G Plus presents a brief review of the kinds of cases that are addressed by the DCDRF and finds that insurance companies face the biggest brunt Saumya Mishra saumya.mishra@g-plus.in

ed up by the negligence of city hospitals and nursing homes towards patients, residents are increasingly approaching the District Consumer Disputes Redressal forum (DCDRF) seeking redressal of grievances. The cases range from wrong diagnosis of diseases to negligence in medical services. Talking to G Plus, president of the DCDRF, Mohammad Sahadat Hussain, informed that such cases of medical negligence have become very frequent with at least three to four cases being filed with the consumer forum every month. Hussain added that in a recent case, a city resident gave his blood

sample for testing to a laboratory before donating blood to a friend. However, the reports revealed that he tested positive for HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus). After this, the man consulted two doctors and on their advice, gave his blood samples for testing in two different laboratories. Both the results showed a negative result for HIV. “He then filed a case of medical negligence against the first laboratory in which the DCDRF passed a judgement and ordered the laboratory owner to pay compensation to the complainant,” informed Hussain. In another case, a woman filed a case against a city-based private hospital after her father passed away after being admitted for a week in the hospital. Member of DCDRF, Archana Deka, informed that the complainant’s father was

File photo of District Consumer Court, Guwahati suffering from jaundice and had stopped responding to treatment before he passed away. She alleged improper diagnosis and negligence on the part of hospital authorities and filed a case with the DCDRF. Deka said that hearing of the case is still on and a judgment is yet to be delivered. According to officials, apart from medical negligence cases, other categories of disputes

at DCDRF include complaints against automobile and airline companies and e-commerce platforms for sub-standard or defective goods and courier companies for deficiency in services, and against mobile service providers for lack of services. However, the maximum number of cases is filed against insurance firms which make up at least 30 to 40 per cent of total cases filed every month. The DCDRF deals with dispute cases whose value is up to Rs 20 lakhs. State-level cases with a value of more than Rs 20 lakhs and up to Rs 1 crore are taken up by the State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (SCDRC). The National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission is the apex body which adjudicates on disputes where the total claim and compensation amount exceeds Rs 1 crore. n

Most wanted female trafficker arrested

ssam Police, with the help of Delhi Police, arrested a female trafficker on Wednesday from Assam. The woman has allegedly been involved in multiple cases of human trafficking. A woman from the state, who was trafficked two years ago, has also been traced by the police with the help of women’s helpline number. Sources said that this incident confirmed that trafficking is still rampant in the northeast and women are frequently trafficked to various parts of New Delhi. It also came to light that women from northeast are sold outside the region for anywhere between Rs 50,000 to Rs 1,00,000 in most cases. n

13 year old molested in Guwahati

fter the sensational case of rape and murder of a minor at Nagaon, another incident of attempt to rape a minor has come to light. The incident occurred at Basistha, Guwahati on Tuesday night when one Anowarul Islam allegedly tried to rape the minor. Reportedly, the minor was alone at home when the incident took place. Accused Islam originally hails from Silchar. Basistha Police has currently arrested Islam and is investigating the case for further details. n

Jet Airways to serve Assamese ‘laaru-pitha’ in flights

ongali Bihu is around the corner and people in and outside Assam have already started to feel the Bihu vibes. To add to the Bihu fervour and to give the people of Assam and other states a taste of the festival, Jet Airways will soon add Assamese delicacies like ‘laaru’ and ‘pitha’ to their inflight menus for all their flights operating from Guwahati. Although the dates for the availability of the delicacies are yet to be confirmed, Bihu special Assamese delicacies have always been an emotion for the people of the region and to see the traditional snacks reach out to a larger audience is definitely a matter of pride.

City

SNIPPETS Moghai Ojah Srijan Award conferred to Reba Kanta Mahanta

oghai Ojah Srijan Award, an award instituted in the year 2015 to promote ethnic culture in the state as a tribute to the name of legendary `Dhuliya’ Moghai Ojah, will be given to octogenarian artiste, Reba Kanta Mahanta who has been engaged in the art of mask making and till date, has made over four thousand masks. Reba Kanta Mahanta is also a recipient of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award. This award carries a cheque of Rs 25000, a citation and a memento. Srijanasom, the organization that institutes the awards, has also announced two new scholarship schemes to support economically marginalized students to help pursue their education – Srijanasom Siksha Sarothi and Srijanasom Siksha Praj. Srijanasom Siksha Sarothi is an aid for a child where the organization supports the entire school and college studies for the child. This year, Anamika Ranson of Guwahati was the recipient of the aid. “Anamika’s mother is a domestic help and her mother cleans houses for a living. She has no father,” said Mridusmita Das, Managing Trustee of Srijanasom. Srijanasom Siksha Praj is a one-time scholarship for a student to support a brief period of education. The organization has selected two girl students under both the schemes with a view of supporting the Government’s ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’ campaign. The Moghai Ojah Srijan Award, 2018 ceremony is being organized in association with North-East Zone Cultural Centre (NEZCC), Ministry of Culture, Government of India on 30th March, 2018 at 5:30 PM at Srimanta Sankaradeva Kalakshetra Complex, Guwahati. n

G PLUS | MAR 31 - APR 06, 2018

GMC installs Rs 43 lakh organic waste converter at Bhangagarh Rahul Chanda rahul.chanda@g-plus.in

ith an aim to recycle the organic waste produced from hospitals and city hotels, the Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) has installed an organic waste convertor (OWC) at Bhangagarh near the Gauhati Medical College & Hospital (GMCH). A senior official of GMC said, “The cost of the convertor is Rs 43 lakhs and has been installed by a Mumbai based company, Excel Industries Ltd.” 2.50 tonnes of organic waste will be converted into manure every day. It is estimated that 250 kilograms of manure will be

GMC Mayor Mrigen Sarania along with GMC Commissioner Monalisa Goswami inaugurating the Organic Waste Converter | G Plus Photo produced on daily basis. Initially, the waste is crushed in the OWC and to keep it dry

sawdust or dry leaf is added. Then the crust waste is kept for 15-20 days under moist condition.

If required, the end product is put into the OWC for further processing. Finally, the compost is generated, said the official. The source of the organic waste is the kitchen waste of GMCH and the hotels located on GS Road. The waste will be segregated at the source and only organic waste will be transported to the Bhangagarh OWC plant. The other wastes will be dumped at the waste transfer stations located near the OWC, behind the GMCH morgue. The plant was inaugurated on 27 th March by Mayor Mrigen Sarania and GMC Commissioner Monalisa Goswami. It may be mentioned that presently GMC has been producing 5,000 kgs of compost from the West Boragaon compost plant daily. n

Post Mortem Galli residents upset with the move

s the organic waste convertor plant has been installed just behind the morgue, the residents of Post Mortem Galli are irked with the Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) for the move alleging that the area is getting polluted. A resident of the area, Shantanu Hazarika said, “The GMC has converted a small plot of

vacant land behind the morgue as a dumping ground which has already polluted the area and the waste convertor will further deteriorate the situation.” Reacting to the allegations, a GMC official clarified that it is not a “dumping ground” but a “waste transfer station.” He said that the NGOs take the household wastes to that spot and transfer it to a compactor. The compactor fur-

Assam govt to set up new directorate for electronic and social media

he Directorate of Information and Public Relations (DIPR) will be reconstructed and set up into a separate directorate to deal with social and electronic media, which will function in sync with the changing trends of the modern day media. Reportedly, the decision was taken to revolutionize the way DIPR functions and also help it meet the demands of the changing time.

The order for revamping the government’s public relation wing has come after the directorate was rocked by a series of scams involving government advertisements that were issued during the previous Congress government. While the old directorate will be responsible for the print media, the new directorate would look after the electronic and social media. n

ther transports it to the Boragaon dumping ground. But the residents have alleged that the NGOs do not transfer it to the compactor directly. The waste is initially dumped on the ground and later in time, it is picked up by the compactor. The GMC official further clarified that because of some technical issues the waste is getting dumped on the ground

but very soon the issue will be resolved. Residents have alleged that the organic waste convertor plant that has been installed adjacent to the transfer station also creates huge noise pollution. Notably though, the GMC has even availed permission from the Gauhati Medical College & Hospital (GMCH) to install the organic waste converter plant there. n

BPL cancer patients to get free chemo drugs at Cancer Institute, Jorabat

ostly chemotherapy medicines will now be available for free to cancer patients. This was announced by Dr MN Baruah, Managing Director of the North East Cancer Hospitals & Research Institute, Jorabat. Baruah while announcing this, said that although everything cannot be offered free of cost to every patient at a private hospital, they care to provide assistance to the ones who face problems with the

treatment due to financial issues. The initiative is expected to benefit around 100 patients every year. The initiative will cover people who are living below the poverty line. The treatment of chemotherapy is costly which often makes it difficult for people to continue with the treatment. The initiative has been taken to benefit such people who fail to continue the treatment because of its high cost. n

Weather report for the week Guwahati

SUN

MON

TUE

WED

THU

FRI

Mostly Sunny

Partly Cloudy

Sunny

Mostly Sunny

Thunder Storm

32°/20° C

33°/21° C

34°/21° C

34°/22° C

31°/22° C

SATURDAY Partly Cloudy

29°/20° C

Governance

G PLUS | MAR 31 - APR 06, 2018

2600 family tree verifications yet to be done in Guwahati Rahul Chanda rahul.chanda@g-plus.in

senior official of Kamrup (Metro) district administration revealed that the National Register of Citizens (NRC) verification process is going on a war footing but there are many family trees that are yet to be verified. NRC state coordinator, Prateek Hajela said, “2,600 proceedings are yet to be addressed in Guwahati.” He further said that 98% of family tree verification has been completed through entire Assam. From 2nd April (Monday), the verification for applicants who submitted gram panchayat certificates will also start. In Guwahati there are “less” number

Around 3000 govt officials involved in NRC work

round 3,000 government officials are involved in National Register of Citizens (NRC) verification process in Guwahati. State NRC coordinator Prateek Hajela said, “None of the officials involved in NRC work will participate in the local body polls.” The panchayat elections are slated to be held in April and there are 21 villages and 5 Zila Parishads under Kamrup (Metro) district administration. One officer of the rank of additional deputy commissioner will be allotted for the elections, said a senior official of Kamrup (Metro). 11 ACS officers from the district administration are heading around 238 teams. A district administration source said that 238 teams comprising 1,033 additional personnel from various government offices have been taken for the NRC work. 104 government officials have been kept on stand-by and used whenever required. The teams, after verification proceedings, report to the ACS officers at the NRC Seva Kendras in the evening. Along with the fourth grade employees there are around “3,000 government officials involved in NRC verification process,” said the official from Kamrup (Metro). n

certificates that have been sent to them for verification. During family tree verification proceedings, in some cases, more than one family member is required to prove their linkage. It is a hassle for many as people have even had to come from outside the state for the proceedings. Hajela said, “Only one person from the family can be present for the proceedings and provide

the linkages.” The Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to extend the May 31 deadline for the ongoing process of publishing the final National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Assam. On enquiring when the second draft will be published, Hajela said, “I cannot give any date but it will be completed soon.” n

of such applicants, claimed Hajela. 11.49 lakh applicants had applied for National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Guwahati and around 70% were listed in the first draft list which came out on 1st January 2018, a senior official of district administration said. There are many documents which have not been verified by offices located outside the state. There are also offices in Guwahati which are yet to verify all the

Only one person from the family can be present for the proceedings and provide the linkages.” Prateek Hajela

Field Level Officer (FLO) of NRC are verifying the legal documents for the up gradation of NRC at Bishnupur in Guwahati | G Plus Photo

City

SNIPPETS 1 lakh toilets to be created across Assam under ‘Mission Sambhav’

G PLUS | MAR 31 - APR 06, 2018

Night shelter homes in the city remain underutilised G Plus checks out the continuing phenomenon of the homeless sleeping on the streets despite the existence of night shelter homes in the city Saumya Mishra saumya.mishra@g-plus.in

wachh Bharat Mission (Gramin), Assam launched a massive campaign titled “Mission Sambhav” across the state on 26th March, Monday. The campaign was inaugurated by the chief minister of Assam, Sarbananda Sonowal, at Gopal Krishna Tea Estate, at Nelli GP in Mayong block in Morigaon district. The chief minister flagged off the campaign by digging a pit for sanitary toilet in the house of Romesh Paharia, a tea garden worker residing in Gopal Krishna Tea Estate. The central theme of the campaign is to reach out to more than 1 lakh families without toilet on a single day for toilet construction, starting with pit digging. The launch of “Mission Sambhav” also witnessed donating of 10 numbers of toilets by the dignitaries and officials present. SBM (G) promotes the concept of “Daan Toilet” which emphasizes on donating a sanitary toilet to a person who does not have a sanitary toilet. Through this noble initiative, SBM (G) wants all the rural people of Assam to have access to sanitary toilet. PHE Minister, Rihon Daimari, MLA Jagiroad, Sri Pijush Hazarika and MLA Morigaon, Sri Ramakanta Deori, Addl Chief Secretary, Sri Sanjay Kumar Krishna, Mission Director, SBM and Secretary, Dr Siddharth Singh along with top state dignitaries and officials were also present in the central ceremony. n

Forest Amendment Bill tabled in Assam Assembly

he Assam Forest Regulation (Amendment) Bill, 2018 was tabled in the Assembly on Tuesday for amending the Assam Forest Regulation Act, 1891. The Bill seeks to amend the sub-section (II) of section 3 of the existing act and omit the word ‘Bamboos’ from the definition of ‘tree’ in order to exempt bamboos grown on non-forest areas from the requirement of permit for feeling or transit under the existing act. n

espite the availability of night shelter homes in the city, several homeless people and beggars are often spotted by police officials on the streets, informed authorities. There are a total of seven night shelter homes in the city which are run by the state social welfare department in collaboration with various NGOs. The inmates are provided with food and lodging in these shelters. In the absence of any permanent homes for these people, these shelter homes are primarily meant for beggars who are involved in begging the entire day on the streets to spend the night. However, authorities informed that some homeless people are allowed to stay in these shelters on genuine grounds during the day as well. “There are a few people in need of medical attention in our shelter. Some of them are affected by paralysis while some are differently-abled or suffering from other diseases. They are provided with free medical facilities at the shelter,” said Dr M Alam of the NGO, Northeast Voluntary Organisation, which manages two night shelter homes in the city. He added that currently they do not provide any rehabilitation measures for the homeless people. However, police officials informed G Plus that some shelter homes remain underutilised. “When we go for patrolling at night in different parts of the city, we spot a lot of destitutes and homeless families on the streets. We suspect that some of them also suffer from medical conditions,” said Additional Commissioner of Police (ACP) (Police Reserve), Rahul Amin.

A homeless man in the city | G Plus Photo He added that better coordination and scrutiny is needed for providing shelter to homeless people on the streets. “We feel very bad to see the plight of such people. We come across a lot of beggars including sick elderly people as well as women and children on a regular basis,” informed Amin adding that while coming across homeless people, he tells them to avail the facility of the night shelter homes, but finds no decline in the number of homeless people across the city. On the other hand, NGO officials who are responsible for managing the night shelter homes, put the blame on the homeless. They say that they face the trouble of convincing the destitutes and vagrants who often do not want to spend the night at shelter homes and on the contrary, find it “inconvenient.” “Temple premises are one of the most favourite spots of the

beggars in the city. Since they are able to earn decent amount of money by begging outside the temples, they also prefer to spend the night there and find it inconvenient to shift to shelter homes,” said Alam. In order to check this phenomenon, the NGOs with the help of police conduct rescue of the vagrants from different places across Guwahati. They send their volunteers who conduct searches on the streets and convince them. Officials say that one of the most preferred places for the beggars to spend their nights is in the premises of Sukhweswar temple. Authorities from the social welfare department said that currently the government does not plan on opening any new shelter homes in the city. “The existing ones first need to be maintained in a better manner and the government is working with the NGOs in this regard,” said Sumita Debnath, junior as-

sistant at the directorate of social welfare. Experts say that the necessity for night shelter homes to be maintained in a good condition and their proper evaluation is crucial in a state like Assam which has the highest number of beggars among all the northeastern states. Union Minister for Social Justice Thawar Chand Gehlot, on Wednesday March 21, informed the Lok Sabha that Assam has the highest number of beggars and vagrants in the entire northeast. Assam also has the 4th highest number of women beggars in India, the minister informed the house. According to 2011 Census, Assam has 22,116 destitute people out of which 14,847 are women, against 7,269 men. The other northeastern states following the same trend in the number of beggars are Manipur, Tripura and Meghalaya. n

Meghalaya police personnel arrested for open firing on dogs Rahul Chanda rahul.chanda@g-plus.in

our persons were arrested by the Sonapur Police on 30th March for openly firing at some dogs at Morogdola area of Sonapur. Local police said that Sanjeev R Marak, an officer of Special

Force-10 of Meghalaya Police and three others namely Terang Amver, Tengsan Sangma and Fiu Marak were first caught by the public and later handed over to the Sonapur Police for opening one round of fire in public. Officer-in-charge of Sonapur Police Station, Utpal Roy said, “They were trying to kill a dog for dog meat, but the public panicked and gheraoed them.”

Later the police was informed and all the four were handed over. Local police seized a 9 mm pistol and 10 rounds of live bullets from their possession. An auto-rickshaw was also seized by the police. Local police said that a case has been registered and because the seized arms were not illegal, a case has not been registered

under the arms act. Commandant of Special Force-10 Meghalaya, JFK Marak said that he has also come to know about the incident and will investigate the matter. Meanwhile, the local police have informed the Meghalaya police about the incident and a Meghalaya police team is expected to reach Sonapur on Saturday. n

In The News

G PLUS | MAR 31 - APR 06, 2018

Beneficiaries under Atal Amrit Abhiyan scheme to go cashless from April From April onwards, beneficiaries under the AAA will now be able to obtain cashless benefits for treatment under the card system

SNIPPETS Paediatric orthopaedic specialist visits Guwahati

Saumya Mishra saumya.mishra@g-plus.in

eople of the state will be able to avail cashless treatment facility from April onwards under the Atal Amrit Abhiyan (AAA) - the health benefit scheme of the state government, informed officials. In a programme organised in Guwahati to distribute financial assistance to the beneficiaries of the scheme on March 29, state health & family welfare minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma, announced that beneficiaries will be able to avail cashless benefits through their cards after this round of cheque distribution. A total of 6,115 patients received cheques to the tune of Rs 39.69 crores during the third phase of the cheque distribution ceremony. Till now the government has provided monetary benefits to the patients in reimbursement mode where the patients were reimbursed the cost incurred during their treatment. Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal called the programme “historic and revolutionary” and said that it would bring about positive transformation in the state’s healthcare system. Speaking during the programme, the health & family welfare minister informed, “The cards will be activated by April and the people of Assam will be able to receive quality medical care in the empanelled

Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma distributing financial aid during the ceremonial distribution of the Atal Amrit Abhiyan at Sarusajai Stadium | G Plus Photo government and private hospitals within as well as outside the state.” He added that once the cashless system is in place, the patients will have the money at their disposal via cards before beginning the treatment. This will make the treatment process much smoother and more convenient for them. Additionally, Sarma said that Rs 400 crores has been allotted in the state budget for the scheme

and urged the people to take full benefit of the same. This health assurance scheme was launched by the Assam government on December 25, 2016 for the benefit of the economically poor people of the state. Under the scheme patients suffering from six critical diseases such as cancer, cardio vascular disease, kidney disorder, neurological conditions, burn injuries and neo-natal complications get monetary assistance up to Rs 2

lakh per individual of the eligible beneficiary family. The scheme provides for cashless benefits for 438 select treatment procedures under the six disease groups at empanelled hospitals. In the previous two rounds, total 9,329 beneficiaries received cheques for a total amount of Rs 53.73 crores under the AAA as reimbursement for the expenditure incurred for medical treatment. n

Enrolment of beneficiaries for card system nears completion

fficials informed that more than 1.5 crore people have been enrolled for the card system in the state under the AAA till February 2018. Further, they said that the enrolment for the cards is nearing completion. To provide the patients with the benefits under the scheme, enrolment of the eligible beneficiaries at village kiosks is being undertaken at district level through an implementation support agency. After enrolment each adult beneficiary will be given a laminated card with a unique identification number. This will facilitate the cashless treatment at empanelled hospitals, said health authorities. Speaking during the occasion,

principal secretary of health & family welfare department, Samir Kumar Sinha said, “Since this unique programme covers both the APL as well as BPL category population with families having family income of less than Rs 5 lakhs per annum, almost 92% of the state population will receive benefits from the scheme.” He added that taking inspiration from Assam, now other states have also started similar schemes and invited officials from Assam to gain information about the same. Out of the 6,115 cases in this round, 61.6% were cancer cases, 15.4% were kidney related disorders, 13.7% were cardio vascular diseases and 8% were neurological conditions. Further, during the first

round, benefits of Rs 22.48 crores were provided to 3,236 patients in March 2017. While in the second round, an amount of Rs 31.25 crores was given to 6,093 beneficiaries. Sinha informed that after the

launch of the scheme, enrolment was rolled out in the state in a phased manner. Village level kiosks are set up by the implementation support agency in order to ensure ease of enrolment for the beneficiaries. n

yy Beneficiaries will receive cashless benefits under the AAA from April yy 6,115 patients received cheques to the tune of Rs 39.69 crores during the third phase yy With the card system, patients can avail treatment at empanelled hospitals yy Health minister said that Rs 400 crores has been allotted in the state budget for the scheme yy In the first round, benefits of Rs 22.48 crores and Rs 31.25 crores were provided in the first and second round respectively

r R Sankar, Sr Consultant, Paediatric Orthopaedic & Spine Surgeon, Apollo Hospital Chennai, visited Guwahati and briefed the media about common orthopaedic problems in children. Addressing the audience, Sankar said, “Children should not be treated as little adults as their anatomy and development are different from that of adults. Therefore, their response to disease, injury and surgery is also different from adults. Orthopaedic conditions, including congenital defects (such as club foot or dislocated hip), require ongoing treatment and care from birth into adulthood. Orthopaedic services should be tailored to meet the needs of paediatric patients.” “Hospitals should be equipped to diagnose and manage children’s musculoskeletal problems such as limb and spine deformities noted at birth or later in life (clubfoot, scoliosis, limb length differences), gait abnormalities (limping), broken bones, bone or joint infections and tumours,” he added. Apollo Hospitals in Guwahati has a dedicated approach to these challenges faced by children where people cannot avail specialized treatment. n

CBSE to re-conduct examination for Maths and Economics

he Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) on Wednesday announced that with the view to uphold the sanctity of the board examination and in the interest of fairness to the students, the board has decided to conduct re-examination of two papers. The re-examination will be conducted for the Maths paper for Class X (CODE 041) and Economics paper of Class XII (CODE 030). Dates for fresh examination and other details shall be available on the website of CBSE within a week. n

Concern

SNIPPETS Linking Aadhaar with welfare schemes extended to June 30

G PLUS | MAR 31 - APR 06, 2018

Student organisations join hands on AWU issue Members of various student organisations in the city have been conducting protests across the city against the state government’s decision to convert AWU into a technical university Saumya Mishra saumya.mishra@g-plus.in

he government has extended the deadline for linking of Aadhaar with welfare schemes by three months to June 30. The deadline for linking bank accounts and mobile phone numbers with Aadhaar has already been extended indefinitely, till the five-judge constitutional bench delivers its judgment on petitions challenging the validity of the biometric scheme and its enabling law. An official source speaking to the media clarified that while there is a three month breather for linking of the 12-digit biometric identifier with welfare schemes (which include PDS, MGNREGA and pension schemes, among others), availing of benefits will still require either the Aadhaar number, the enrolment slip or request for Aadhaar enrolment after March 31. The extension has been given keeping in mind that genuine beneficiaries who do not have an Aadhaar number are not denied benefits for the lack of a biometric identifier. n

City-based NGO completes 87 days of No Horn Campaign

ity-based NGO Byatikram Masdo’ s initiative, “No Horn Please” campaign , started on 1st January 2018, has completed 87 days. On the completion of 87 days, PVSLN Murthy, the chief general manager of State Bank of India personally initiated to overview the campaign’s progress. After going through the complete document of the campaign he discussed about the campaign’s future plans and provided some other valuable advice related to the campaign. The entire campaign was flagged off on 1st January 2018, from Raj Bhawan premises by the Governor of Assam, Shri Jagdish Chandra Mukhi. The initiative was taken to make Guwahati a noise-free city. n

embers of various student organisations are up in arms against the state government for its decision to convert Assam Women’s University (AWU) into a technical institution. Several protests by student bodies erupted in Guwahati after the government decided to relegate the status of the only women’s university in the northeast. Hundreds of students of different institutions and student bodies joined the ongoing agitation which gained momentum in the city during the past week. They are pressing for their demands to make the AWU a full-fledged university. Students informed that the agitation which began in Jorhat has now spread to various parts of the state. “Assam Women’s University is the pride of Assam and the northeast which the government wants to reduce to a mere technical institution due to political vendetta. We will not allow this to happen and will continue the fight till a favourable decision is taken,” probationary national office bearer of National Students’ Union of India (NSUI), Rakid Hussain, told G Plus. Further, the protesting members of the NSUI conducted a demonstration at Fancy Bazar and burnt the effigies of chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal and state education minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.

Student leaders from All Guwahati Students’ Union (AGSU), Students’ Federation of India (SFI), Chatra Mukti Sangram Samiti, Assam Chatra Yuva Sanmilan and All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) also joined in the protests in Guwahati among others. Members of AASU staged sitin demonstrations at the district headquarters in Kamrup (Metro) along with other parts of the state in support of their demands on March 28. Members also informed that they would collect signatures of one lakh people on a memorandum with their demands and will send it to the Prime Minister. Gyanendra Kalita, member of AASU said, “We have submitted

yy Various student organisations came together to protest against AWU issue yy Several protests and demonstrations were carried during the past week in Guwahati yy NSUI, AASU, AGSU, Chatra Mukti Sangram Samiti and SFI joined the protests among others yy They have demanded a permanent VC and staff members for AWU yy Student bodies have also called for AWU to be given the status of a full-fledged university

High Courts of India to have ‘Justice Clocks’ soon

he Centre has decided to install ‘Justice Clocks’ with LED message displayed on the screens, in all 24 high courts of India to show the daily rate of disposal of cases. The clocks will also display the number of pending cases and the individual rank of each of these courts. Reportedly, the idea of ‘justice clock’ was floated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2017. The initiative was undertaken

to create public awareness in judicial matters. The aim is also to create a competition among the courts and also rank them according to performance, in terms of disposal of cases. A model of this ‘clock’ was first installed in the New Delhi office of the Justice Department. According to sources, there are also plans to install the ‘clock’ in all the subordinate courts of the nation. n

Student activists protesting against the government’s decision to demote Assam Women’s University, Jorhat to a mere technical institution | G Plus Photo a memorandum of our demands to the deputy commissioner of Kamrup (Metro). The agitation is now being carried out in different districts.” The student bodies have warned that they will further intensify their agitation on a bigger scale if the government fails to keep the status of the AWU intact as a fully functional university. Since its inception in 2014, the university has been functioning without a vice-chancellor or permanent faculty members while the vice-chancellor of Assam Agricultural University, KM Bujarbaruah, was appointed as the mentor of the university. The student bodies have also demanded that the students who have already passed out from the university must be awarded “proper recognised degrees.” On the other hand, students of AWU have been boycotting

classes since the first week of March and took part in a 36-hour long hunger strike in Jorhart. Gunjan Barman, another student leader from Guwahati informed, “The future of the students will hang in balance till the time a permanent vicechancellor is not appointed in the university. The government should not be negligent towards the university and must appoint permanent staff too.” Additionally, former chief minister and Congress leader Tarun Gogoi recently visited the university and extended his support to the students. He tweeted after the visit, “Assam Women's University was one of my dream projects for empowering the women. It is not only a pride of Assam but of the whole country. Assam BJP Govt's decision on AWU exposes the hollow promises of flagship program #BetiBachaoBetiPadhao.” n

Photo Story

G PLUS | MAR 31 - APR 06, 2018

Religious celebrations in the city...

Mahavir Jayanti, 29th March

Good Friday, 30th March

Ward Survey

G PLUS | MAR 31 - APR 06, 2018

Athgaon’s thorn in the flesh: Lack of parking space In this week’s Ward Watch, G Plus reports on its survey of Ward No 9 as a precursor to the forthcoming GMC ward elections which are slated to be held in May Avishek Sengupta avishek.sengupta@g-plus.in

ack of parking space has turned out to be a thorn in the flesh for the otherwise satisfied residents of Athgaon in Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) Ward No 9. This was revealed in a survey conducted by G Plus in which 50 families of Ward No 9 were asked questions on the standards of different living parameters such as drainage, road condition, parking spaces, water supply, streetlights etc., to find out the performance of the GMC in that particular ward. When asked if there were

adequate parking spaces in the ward, only 12 respondents (24%) expressed satisfaction while the rest 38 (76%) said that there is not enough parking spaces in their ward. This ward that includes Fancy Bazar and Athgaon – nervecentres of business activities in the city - is one of the busiest wards under GMC. Parking had been a long pending problem here mostly due to disproportionate growth in terms of settlements and business establishments in respect to area expansion here. Complementing the scarcity of parking spaces, traffic congestion has also emerged as another major problem, the residents revealed. While none vouched for a smooth traffic movement, 39

Double parking causing traffic jam at Athgaon area | G Plus Photo respondents (78%) said that the streets are often crowded and 11 other (22%) termed the traffic movement to be in “pathetic” condition. “Lack of parking space and the traffic congestion in this area is inter-connected. Most of the time, people either park their vehicles in the no parking zones or they double park their vehicles. This takes up most of the roads,” Sanchit Jain, a businessman in Fancy Bazar said. Meanwhile, proper drainage is another aspect that needs more attention from GMC, residents

expressed. Only 18 respondents (36%) said the drains are properly maintained while rest 32 respondents (64%) said that the drains need to be cleared more regularly. “Athgaon or Fancy bazar has no hill in its vicinity due to which flash flood is not a major problem here. Only once or twice in 30 years, the Brahmaputra level rose so high that it entered parts of Fancy Bazar. But that too receded in a day. But the drains will get clogged if they are not cleaned regularly and Athgaon too, like

rest of the city, will be staring at flash flood menace in the coming monsoon, Vijay Todi, a business man in Athgaon, said. 33 persons (66%) among the respondents have faced occasional instances of water logging in some lanes while 17 others said that there is no water logging in the ward. Regarding load-shedding, only three respondents (6%) said it occurs sometimes, 41 respondents (82%) said half an hour daily and the rest six respondents (12%) said that it lasts more than an hour daily. n

Ward Survey

G PLUS | MAR 31 - APR 06, 2018

Residents of Athgaon express satisfaction on GMC performance

e it clean drinking water supply, garbage collection, road condition or public toilet, the residents of Athgaon responded positively in the survey. 49 (98%) people responded to getting regular water, 39 (78%) responded to getting regular pest control, 49 persons (98%: 46% said good and 52% said average) are satisfied with the road condition and 45 persons (90%) have said that there are enough public toilets in the ward. Regarding streetlights how-

ever, people have come up with mixed responses. 26 (52%) of the respondents said it is well lit while the rest responded “vaguely lit.” Similarly, in terms of law and order too, the respondents are divided in opinion with 26 persons (52%) saying that the ward is much secured while rest do not feel very safe. It may be mentioned here that this year itself, there had been two gruesome murders of businessmen in the Athgaon area. Despite being located in the heart of the city, almost half the

Parking troubles will be solved before election: Councillor

he councillor of Ward No 9, Rajkumar Tiwari, promised to solve the parking problem of the ward before the ward elections which are expected to be held in May this year. “It has been a problem for quite some time and needs to be solved. This had been my priority since the time I was elected, but due to some reasons, it could not be done. I will make sure that the parking problems are solved before this election,” Tiwari, a councillor from BJP, said. Tiwari, who vouches of putting the comfort of the people of his ward before his political affiliations, said, “I am a councillor of the ruling party and I had apprised the party to come up with a solution since the beginning. I am not sure if I will be selected by my party

again. So, I will try to solve this problem before the elections.” He however blamed the unplanned constructions and the inefficiency of the preceding councillors and the GMC officials for the parking problem. “This is one of the oldest parts of the city. Earlier when people had constructed the buildings, having a car was a very big deal and most did not keep provisions for parking in their homes. Later, a lot of new establishments were set up but they too followed suit. Neither the past councillors, nor the GMC officials intervened. Now that it has swelled to becoming such a big problem, everybody is crying for a solution. But it could have been well avoided if this part of the city was planned properly,” Tiwari said. n

*The survey was conducted among 50 respondents *The survey was compiled internally by Sonal Tayal

respondents – 24 persons (48%) – feel that connectivity in terms of road transportation could have been made better. Residents in Ward No 9 also seem to be satisfied with the performance of the councillor. Seven (14%) out of the fifty respondents have expressed that the councillor’s work is excellent while 32 others (64%) are satisfied. 11 respondents (22%) feel that the councillor is an under performer. n

14 E

G Talk D

G PLUS | MAR 31 - APR 06, 2018

‘Mentoring’ our ministers

n all women’s university, clearly established in haste, with a “Mentor” for a Vice Chancellor, a chief minister for a Chancellor, professors contracted and not appointed - on ad hoc basis - and enrolled students embroiled in a situation where their future lies uncertain to the point that they are agitating instead of studying: nothing can be a more perfect recipe for a controversial disaster. From the ruckus seen in the assembly on Thursday last, one thing can be safely inferred. Former chief minister, Tarun Gogoi, had more than just the interests of students in mind when he established his “dream project” – the Assam Women’s University at Jorhat – without taking into confidence his then education minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma. Obviously, the sorry state of affairs that the university finds itself in today gives a piqued Himanta the payback opportunity on a platter. The problem, and I wince as I say this, is the verbal sparring between the two political heavyweights on the floor of the house and on Twitter pushing the state into a situation that is nothing short of mortifying in front of the world. Closer to town, G Plus had already reported on the Gau-

hati University – Bodoland University imbroglio where 23 colleges affiliated to Bodoland University were re-affiliated to Gauhati University whereby the affected students had to undergo a mid-term switch of syllabuses. Examinations were delayed by months; precious time of students was lost. Why? Because an “established” university seemingly did not fulfil some vital criteria that was expected from it to impart higher education. If this pitiful practice of repeatedly putting the cart before the horse in the state’s higher education scenario continues – before and after change of regimes – it sends the wrong signals all over the world and especially to potential employers with whom our educated students would possibly seek employment. Their very educational credentials will be the first thing that will be questioned. Perhaps it already is. Indeed, very sadly, this is a clear case of the government playing with the lives and the future of students. Forget Mentor and VC appointments at these universities established out of political compulsions, I am beginning to strongly believe that it is our ministers who require mentoring! Swapnil Bharali Editor

New Industrial Package

he Assam government is upbeat over the new industrial package for the Northeast. And there is ample reason to be cheerful given that the list of successes isn’t too long since it assumed power almost two years ago. Industries and commerce minister Chandra Mohan Patowary announced that the new scheme is an improvement over the previous policy as it abolishes the scope of “malpractices” witnessed in the name of subsidies in the past several years. He also mentioned some salient aspects of the new policy that promises to pave the way for speedier industrialisation of the northeast. But ministers ought to spare some time as well to identify the damage that industries have caused to this region. Let us give only two examples. On Friday, a story on a portal said that several industries in Arunachal Pradesh have been issued closure notices by the government for causing pollution. The report does not mention the extent of damage which must have been substantial over the years. The reaction of the local organisations and neighbouring villages on the episode would provide a better insight into the episode. In Assam, the example of the cement manufacturing unit at Bokajan is a terrific instance of how large industries can endanger the environment and safety of the locals. Cement Corporation of India (CCI) is lucky that the culture of investigative journalism is absent in Assam and the government always turns a blind eye to these depressing developments. Employment avenues must be created in the region but safer strategies can be framed without endangering the security of the future generations. Only vision and commitment are required. Right, Mr Minister? Rajeev Bhattacharyya

Children, crime and Guwahati

f late, this has become a customary headline every second day on the regional media channels. When it comes to rape or other forms of sexual abuse, much of the focus is on the victim’s mental and social state. But we as a society often fail to understand why the sex offenders perpetrate such crimes. To understand crime, one has to look at the context. Guwahati is one of the most rapidly developing cities of the entire northeastern region. People from all corners of the state and the bordering states have flocked to the city in search of livelihood. Now, if one looks at the profiles of the children in conflict with the law in Guwahati, one would realize that most of these children belong to the slum areas of the city. Social, political and economic marginalization has turned these areas into ‘ghettos.’ Far removed from the social mainstream, it is only natural that people living in these ghettos do not have normative constraints that guide social behaviours and therefore are immersed in a lifestyle where crime and drug abuse are the

24th March 5 year old minor of class X raped and burnt alive 28th March 13 year old molested in Guwahati 28th March 6 year old raped

rA new rape capital?

norm rather than the exception. Additionally, these communities of mostly illiterate migrants are involved in regressive practices that promote gender based violence and harmful traditional practices. Adults in these areas are primarily concerned with survival and therefore effective child rearing takes a backseat. While parents go out to work, many children loiter around the streets and marketplaces, which bring them into contact with criminal individuals and gangs. In such a context, easy access to inappropriate pornographic material and exposure to mysogynic movies and videos, reinforces the idea that women and girls are objects of desire

The problem is, we run behind criminals, not the crime Miguel Das Queah available for exploitation. Children internalize this skewed context negatively, which often finds expression in aberrant and violent behaviour. If we are to rely upon a Guwahati Municipal Corporation data of 2014, Guwahati city has around 217 slum areas, with approximately 26,000 households. Even if each household has 2 children (UN standard replacement level fertility rate), as many as 50,000 children are residing in the slum areas of Guwahati. Continued deprivation and isolation of these areas will only give rise to more crime in the city. While the state government has been doing so much to uplift the economical sector of the state, nothing tangible has been initiated for the betterment of these marginalised children. The next thing that follows after every such incident gets reported is a mass of ‘humanity’ demanding the death penalty and castration of the offenders. This class of people who shout for the death penalty for children have scarce understanding of the concept of Juvenile Justice, nor are they interested in any sort of social reconstruction, and so they severely fail to

O p i n i o n Miguel Das Queah understand the link between children and crime. Children by reason of their age are not capable of committing crimes out of mala fide intent and are most often pushed towards the same by reasons beyond their control. There is a reason why we have a juvenile justice system separate from the adult criminal justice system. If we were to effectively reduce ‘crime by children’ we have to focus on a few things: First, work on changing the social realities in the marginalized communities and bring in appropriate welfare before talking about punishments. Second, we have to ensure that suitable reform measures are taken when the child comes in conflict with the law for the first time. Third, child welfare committees, district child protection offices, juvenile justice boards and all other institutions and duty bearers should play a proactive role to reach out to the vulnerable children and help in creating an environment that can prevent such incidents. We need to move our mindset from the morbid form of justice and think about more sustainable ways of addressing such crimes. The whole issue of rape, murder, molestation has always put a particular ethnicity in question which has added fuel to the already existing concern. If people are trying to spread hatred by pointing fingers at a certain ethnic group, I have problems with that. Even if crimes are high in the Bengali-Muslim speaking communities, one must not forget to look into the complex context. A community, where children lack access to proper shelter, clean water, sanitation, education, where children grow up witnessing sexual abuses in everyday life, what do you expect them to grow up as? This context will of course have a negative impact on the welfare of such communities turning them into hotspots of crime and abuse. Now, until the issue finds political reconciliation, I don’t think there will ever be a solution. n

Letter to the Editor

here has been a tremendous rise in crimes against women in the state lately. We are always trying to portray Northeast India as a region where women are respected, where prevalence of dowry is negligible, and most importantly, where women feel safe to step out of their houses. But the recent incidences of sexual assaults and murders paint a sad picture. It also questions the competence of Assam Police in curbing such crimes. Is Guwahati in the making to become the next ‘Rape Capital of India’? Arun Changkakoti Guwahati

In Focus

G PLUS | MAR 31 - APR 06, 2018

Pritam Patra - Engineer by qualification, Magician by passion

ritam Patra is a popular Indian magician, known to most people as Magician Torque. In a very short span of time, Pritam has mastered the art of bewildering his audience and made a mark in the field of magic - leaving his onlookers spellbound by his art. Born in Sunabeda, an industrial town in the state of Odisha, Pritam grew up at the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) Township. There, he completed his schooling from Vyomayana Samstha Vidyalaya (VSV) before moving to Kota, Rajasthan for higher secondary education in science stream. After cracking the Indian Institute of Technology’s Joint Entrance Examination (IIT JEE), he took up Electronics and Electrical Engineering at IIT Guwahati. At a very young age, Pritam developed an interest in the field of magic. The more magic shows he saw, the more his interest in becoming a magician grew. “I have always been into magic and loved it from a very young age. When I was in the 6th standard, I used to watch magic shows on television and get astonished by their sleight of hands. I started watching a lot of local magic shows and buying books that teach magic tricks. I even resourced magic books

by internationally acclaimed magicians from abroad,” Pritam told G Plus about his introduction to the world of magic. Pritam soon got engrossed in learning new tricks and performing them in school for his friends. Back then, he used to mostly perform card tricks. He then started watching David Blaine’s magic shows on television and liked his style of presentation. But instead copying someone else’s style, Pritam decided to create his own style and master the art of presenting magic with sheer perfection. Pritam started exploring the field more trying to create his own tricks and thus Garrett Thomas and Justin Miller, two of the finest magicians and magic creators, became his idols. He started following them regularly, taking inspiration from them. His focus now lies on creating and routining of magic. Recalling the initial hiccups and the challenges along his way, Pritam said, “At first when I started learning basic moves, it took a lot of effort to perfect the moves. But once you know the basic of all the moves, things start to get simpler.” “You can read all you want and watch all the magic shows you want to, but mastering the tricks needs practice and performances

in front of an audience. I credit my finesse in performance to the fact that I used to perform for IITians who have a habit of inspecting things and trying to apply reverse engineering into everything. Performing for them was a challenge and in trying to convince and fool them with my magic, I got better with my sleight of hands,” said Pritam. While still studying at IIT, Pritam started performing professionally at a local restaurant called Shanghai Salsa. He has since performed at multiple eateries of the city including Shahi Darbaar, Hotel Palacio, Terra Mayaa, Corner Cafe and 11th Avenue. He has also performed at Alcheringa (IIT Guwahati), Pyrokinesis (Assam Engineering College), Rongali festival and various private gigs. Talking about the magic scene in Guwahati, Pritam informed G Plus, “There are very few magicians in this part of the country. When I started performing in 2016, the audience didn’t used to reciprocate; while most thought that I was performing some ‘jaadu’, very few actually understood “magic as an art.” But the scenario has changed drastically in the past couple of years. With an increase in the

number of magic shows being performed in the city, people have become more aware of the art form. While there are various kinds of magic, Pritam prefers performing table hopping magic, close up magic and street magic, which he says are much more difficult than stage magic. His shows consist of card tricks, bending of coins, challenging the force of gravity, and solving the Rubik’s cube within seconds amongst various other modern day techniques. Pritam wishes to continue his magical journey for as long as he lives. He aims to keep amazing

people and show them something that is truly unexplainable. He wants to spread joy and ignite the wonder that lives within all of us.

Do you think students are paying for the negligence of the CBSE Board? While the rescheduling of the Maths and Economics exam is being done “in the interest of fairness to the students and to uphold the sanctity of the CBSE board...” Shreya Dhar I don’t think students are paying for it, as it will be their loss. Every student has a mental setup before appearing in every exam and if papers are leaked it disturbs them too. Whatever has happened it is really unexpected. Both the board and the students are sufferers; mostly the students as it will take a lot to prepare and set up both mentally and practically. A whole year and the base of a career is dependent on board (exams). Loyal Mandal According to my opinion, yes the board should have taken some other decisions to tackle the issue. Students were preparing for this awaited exam for a long time. And they have given their best for the exam. They are nowhere involved with the paper leaking conspiracy. Government has just announced the re-exam in one sentence, but there a million students are suffering. Yes, for a few students who couldn’t perform well in the previous exam, this may be a great opportunity for them. But on the other hand there are millions of students who appeared well and must have said happily “this was good.” Now they must be facing the same fear they had prior to the exam. Why these innocent kids have to suffer for a leakage in the pipeline of government structured rules? Yes, I think government should have taken some other steps, like hard checking on those areas where the leakage mainly occurred like UP, Bihar. Why the entire nation’s kids have to suffer? Other steps could be taken like reexam only for those targeted zones.

Tonmoy Nanda In certain scenarios, the margin of error must be zero. Re-test? Imagine the pain and the anguish. Giving board exams even once is such a big thorn in the flesh. I remember getting a really sore bum for months from sitting on the chair, studying hard for months at a stretch, every time I appeared for my CBSE boards 10th and 12th and those were the days when rampant question paper leaks by the AHSEC and SEBA were on the rise and re-examinations were taking place everywhere. The sigh of relief after the exams were over was so intense, pulsating and orgasmic but even then, deep down I was worried as to what if the question papers were found to be leaked and for someone else’s crime. I and my fellow examinees may have to appear for retests! Because I definitely didn’t want to go through all the huge volumes of organic chemistry and quantum physics once again! In fact, no one wants to. Why should I or in fact anyone pay for someone else’s crime? Manpreet Kaur In my opinion, the culprits should be tracked and severely punished so that nobody in future can even imagine of indulging in such an activity. This is a serious issue and it’s like playing with all the hard work done by the students. Today because of some people children all over the country will now have to give exam again.

Feature

G PLUS | MAR 31 - APR 06, 2018

Local businesses use EMI offers to promote their products

t is essential for any retail business to have a strong presence and a well-planned strategy for their products to thrive in the market. One of the major challenges faced by most businesses is that they have to ensure that their products continue to appeal and stay relevant, while the business itself attempts to retain and expand its consumer base. EMI offers are steadily becoming popular as they significantly widen one’s purchasing power and options. They have been welcomed and implemented by businesses that sell electronics, furniture, home décor, musical equipment, etc., as it allows these businesses access to larger volumes of subscriptions. In fact, even businesses like Vinayak Furnishings, a local home décor business from the northeast, operating out of Guwahati have adopted this mode of levying payments for their products.

Recently in March, Vinayak Furnishings implemented EMI offers on their products to commemorate their 12-year anniversary in tandem with the launch of the ‘Home Décor Festival’. They had announced that their products were available under EMI with a down payment of Rs. 12. They had tied up with Bajaj Finserv, a

financing company that operates across 950 cities in India. Vinayak Furnishings have more than a decade’s experience of rendering services to customers in the region with home furnishings such as dining and crockery sets, office and home furniture, upholstery, curtains, carpets, bed sheets, wallpapers to mention a few.

“When products are purchased under EMI, it tackles the problem of saving for months on end before the customer is ready to purchase the product they desire. In fact, EMI offers increase a consumer’s financial flexibility and the range of products he or she can acquire. For instance, if an individual wants to buy a sofa worth Rs. 1 lakh, with EMI options, he or she can consider purchasing of sets costing over Rs 1-2 lakhs. Similarly, we want people to have their dream homes set up with a bare minimum deposit of Rs 12. Owning a home is a matter of great pride and joy and for Vinayak Furnishings to be a part of that dream is a great feeling,” said Kulen Kalita, Manager of Vinayak Furnishings. In March 2018, they become the first local home décor business to implement EMI offers on their products in eight easy installments.

“This EMI scheme has given the people a chance to decorate their homes in the upcoming festival seasons without putting much pressure on their pockets,” he added. In the long run, the option of purchasing desired products under EMI makes the customers’ shopping experience convenient and flexible. For businesses that can optimally market their products under EMI, they have the opportunity to attract higher revenue and funnel more investment into their business. Unlike credit cards, products under EMI are primarily calculated on the price of the product (principal amount), the EMI (constant amount) and the duration of the loan (EMI scheme). The customer has the option to choose the duration of months over which the loan is to be paid off, generally ranging from 3 to 24 months. n

Sleep: The Scientific Viewpoint

leep is a cyclical phenomenon which follows a 24 hour circadian and a transition through which we have to go each day. It appears as a state of relaxation and things definitely slow down during sleep; our metabolic rate falls, our blood pressure falls, our heart rate falls, our reflexes are blunted, the sensory motor system dampens but life goes on. Although a passive state, so much happens during sleep which rejuvenates us for the next day. Our sleep in divided mainly into two phases, the REM (Rapid Eye Movement) and Non REM (NREM) sleep phases and they recur in cycles throughout the night. As we start to sleep, our brain waves slow down, bringing the transition zone between sleep and wakefulness. At this stage we are easily arousable and may actually deny that we slept at all! This is called stage one of NREM sleep which lasts for a few minutes. Then we enter stage two in which there is further slowing of brain waves and on recording show characteristic brain wave changes. Next comes the deep sleep stage or stage three which

is characterised by very slow frequency brain waves called the Delta waves. This is also known as the Delta sleep. Generally the first cycle of NREM is complete within 60 to 90 minutes and the patient enters the REM state which is so dramatic and paradoxical that it is classified as a different category of sleep. During the REM phase, the brain waves become like they are during wakefulness, the heart rate increases and breathing becomes erratic.

The eyes show typical rapid movement in various directions, (the phenomenon after which this sleep stage is named) as if someone is chasing a sequence of events and it is believed that people see dreams during this stage. Whether this is true is debatable, but there’s no denying that the brain appears to be in a state of heightened activity. In contrast to the hectic brain activity, the muscular tone of the body is at its minimal, the body is almost in a state of paralysis;

thus this sleep is also known as paradoxical sleep. In adults, it lasts for around 10 minutes and the person again enters stage two and three of NREM sleep. Subsequent cycles of REM sleep are longer, the last one may be even of an hour. Generally around five such cycles occur during one night of sleep, alternating between REM and NREM. Sleep produces a refreshing feel only when it occurs this way as an organised activity. Age has a remarkable influence on the character of sleep. The proportion of REM sleep is greatest during infancy, when almost 50% of the sleep may be spent in the REM stage, whereas in the average adult it is about 20%. The proportion of delta sleep also diminishes with age and in the elderly, most of the sleep is spent in the stage two phase. Whether this is due to physiology or ageing, but the quality of sleep definitely worsens with age. The elderly generally sleep lesser and are easily arousable. The architecture of the sleep is also less well preserved. Most people would require one consolidated sleep in 24 hours and the reasons are now

understandable. If we have frequent breaks, the architecture of sleep is disturbed and it is not refreshing. The amount of sleep a person requires is variable but an average adult would require about six hours of daily sleep. Contrast this to an infant who may sleep 14 to 16 hours daily. No wonder we are the happiest in this phase of life! I wonder if miseries in life arise from our greater wakefulness. Philosophies apart, sleep deteriorates both in duration and character among the elderly. We spend almost one third of our lives sleeping but sleep disorders are little talked about. We have all experienced some kind of difficulty with sleep at some or the other point in our lives. But for some it may be a persistent problem. The most common sleep disorder is Insomnia (inability to sleep), Parasomnia (abnormal behaviour during sleep) and Obstructive Sleep Apnea (snoring with altered breathing). n Dr Rakesh Periwal Critical Care Medicine and Sleep Specialist drperiwal@gmail.com

Trotter

G PLUS | MAR 31 - APR 06, 2018

South Korea to shut down computers to stop employees working overtime

Mumbai bikers complete 270-day ‘world trip’

he government in the capital of South Korea is coming down heavily on workaholics by forcing them to leave work on time. Seoul’s metropolitan government is going to force workers to leave on time by powering off their computers. The initiative will be rolled out in three phases. The effort will start on March 30, when all computers will be switched off at 8 pm. The second phase will start in April, when employees will have their computers turned off at 7.30 pm on the second and fourth Friday of that month. From May, computers will switch off at 7 pm on Fridays. There may be exemptions in special cases and according to a report in End Gadget, 67% of workers have already asked for one. There is a good chance that their request will not be granted.

South Korea has a serious problem of employees working overtime. According to local media reports, a typical worker in Seoul puts in 1,000 extra hours per year as compared to workers in other developed countries - something that could affect their long-term health.

This is not the first time that governments have forced their workers to take time off for themselves. Employees in France have the legal right to disconnect by not sending or answering work-related emails after they leave work. (Source: ndtv)

Dubai bookstore to run on trust; will have no staff but a payment drop box

bookshop, named Book Hero, is running a mini pop-up stand at Marina Walk in Dubai Marina through May. What’s more is that although the store does not have any staff, it instead runs on public trust. Book Hero has over 20,000 novels in store and relies on a payment drop box called the Trust Box,

making it the region’s first unstaffed bookshop. All the customers have to do is to just drop their money in the box and be on the way. Montserrat Martin, the owner of Book Hero, partnered with Emirati entrepreneur Mohammed Abdulla Alqubaisi to come up with the idea, believing in customer trust.

“We don’t employ staff simply because we trust our customers. I visit the place once a day to replace stock and collect money,” Martin said. Commenting on whether someone would steal a book and walk away, Martin added, “Nobody would steal a book and even if someone does it would cost me just 300 dirhams which is nothing compared to what I would spend on hiring staff and paying for overheads like visa and insurance.” Book-lovers will find it very easy to navigate through prices as well. The books will be tagged with green and yellow stickers to indicate their prices, ranging from 10 dirhams to 20 dirhams respectively. Most of the books on offer are in English and Arabic. However, there is a good amount of French, Russian, Spanish and Chinese books as well, making the store a truly “one-world destination” for bookworms. (Source: theworldvibe)

Man applies to women’s college to find a girlfriend

ccording to a report, an unnamed 18-year-old applied to China Women’s University in Beijing saying a major reason he was doing so was because “it will be easier to find a girlfriend.” China Women’s University reportedly accepts at least one male student each year. Local newspaper, Yangtze Evening News, reports that the student was filmed talking about his (literal) relationship goals before an admissions interview.

A video was posted online, reportedly with the university’s permission, and quickly went viral on Chinese social networking platforms. “This school has many girls - if (I) can study here there won’t be a problem finding a companion,” South China Morning Post quotes the student as saying in the video. It turns out that the student actually passed the rigorous interview round and is into his final stage of admission. (Source: ndtv)

ive continents, 35 countries and a 68,000 km-long journey - Indian bikers Debasshish Ghosh and Dharmendra Jain of “One World, One Ride” successfully completed this astonishing feat in just 270 days. The two zoomed off on their BMW GS1200 from Bandra on June 10 and returned here last weekend after riding 270 days or nine months. Ghosh was in the driving mode with Jain as the pillion rider. "This iconic journey took us across India and its northeast, Southeast Asia, Far East, China, Mongolia, Russia, Europe, then the US by shipping the bike, going again to Australia, and back to the ASEAN belt before returning to Mumbai," said a weary but cheerful Ghosh on his adventurous trip. Though they sped through some of the loneliest and remotest areas in the world, their journey was largely smooth and event-free. Luckily, there were no major incidents or breakdowns as they made sure to drive only during daytime. At one point, Jain lost balance and tumbled off the bike speeding at 150 kmph in Russia. Fortunately, he escaped with just some minor fractures and bruises. "In Russia, we were thrilled to meet the world-renowned biker Marcel Killer and he accompanied us on the entire Russia leg

till we left that country's borders at Estonia. It was a very enjoyable part with him showing us around for 15 days that he spent with us," Ghosh recalled while interacting with mediapersons. "However, on the food front, we had to adapt as per the local availability in small restaurants or homes of villagers. We ate whatever we got en route and converted to non-vegetarians," a smiling Ghosh said. He said the long journey helped them overcome language barriers and cultural diversities, discover and learn new things, understand customs, weather conditions and local traditions. On their part, the two attempted to promote India as "a peace-loving country with multi-lingual, multi-cultural peoples, its glorious traditions and a rich heritage" in an attempt to forge close people-to-people ties during the journey. (Source: dailyworld)

Mumbai police fulfils 7-year-old cancer patient’s wish to be cop for a day

seven-year-old cancer patient from Mumbai finally fulfilled his wish of becoming a cop. Arpit Mandal was made police inspector for a day at Mumbai’s Mulund police station. Heart warming photos tweeted by Mumbai Police show the young boy dressed in khaki and flanked by police officers as he sweetly salutes and sits behind a desk - a wide grin on his face. “Mulund Police Station was completely won over by the undaunted spirit of 7 year old Arpit Mandal, fighting cancer! If we could, we would fulfil all his wishes beyond just being a police inspector for a day,” tweeted Mumbai Police. “A boy whom even cancer could not scare, definitely deserves to be police station incharge,” added Mumbai Police on Twitter. Arpit was made a cop for a day with the help of Mumbai Police and Make-a-Wish India foundation. The NGO helps grant wishes of children battling

serious illnesses. In 2015, a five-year-old recovering from blood cancer got to be a police officer for a day at Mumbai’s Bhoiwada police station. (Source: timesofindia)

Review

G PLUS | MAR 31 - APR 06, 2018

Cast: Tiger Shroff, Disha Patani, Manoj Bajpayee, Randeep Hooda Director: Ahmed Khan

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Baaghi 2

aaghi 2 follows the story of "one-man army" Ronnie, who is a tough army officer fighting against the evils of society. What makes this runof-the-mill plot seem interesting is the stoicism with which Tiger approaches his role. The film begins with a brutal attack on Neha (Disha Patani), by two masked men. Meanwhile, we learn of the existence of Ranveer Pratap Singh aka Ronnie (Tiger), who is a special-ops Army officer in Kashmir. Much effort is put into establishing him as a hardcore Army man, who is brave, fit and uber-macho. As a bonus they add in a scene where Ronnie beats up terrorists, establishing his nationalism. The film's plot picks up steam when Neha calls Ronnie from Goa,

for help after her attack. Her daughter's been kidnapped in the assault, and she needs his help. The action sequences, once they begin, are like a whole other film. No matter when and how he is beating up people (or getting beat up), Ronnie makes sure to spot an Indian flag and save it from being roughed up. He's a true patriot, and the film takes every chance they get to hammer home the point. Ultimately, Baaghi 2 surprises you. It's not a well-structured film, and the story has many loopholes; the performances are over-the-top and the plot points convenient. Also, how Baaghi 2 uses its sole woman — yes that's right, there is only one woman in the film (Patani) — says much about what it wants to be. n

move in one superficial but notable way: it's not as sadistic. The earlier films had a more pronounced fixation on the breaking of bones, the helpless look on victims' faces, and the squishy, fireworks-style explosions that attend the human body's complete evisceration. But "Jigsaw" features "tests" that are relatively humane, though ultimately no less gruesome. "Jigsaw" still treats audiences to a grisly marathon wherein unwilling competitors are told that they must confess their crimes, or be punished by the pitfalls built into mean-spirited, sub-"Fear Factor"-style obstacle courses. You enter hoping to be sincerely frightened, and leave laughing gratefully at all of the inexplicable, pseudo-macabre details. The goofy actors! The cheap costumes! The distracting curtains! n

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Cast: Tobin Bell, Matt Passmore, Callum Keith Rennie, Clé Bennett, etc Director: The Spierig Brothers he new film Jigsaw attempts to spin an origin story to the original film, despite such an origin already existing. The timeline of the primary “games” we see in the film is not made clear til later on; meanwhile some copycat murders are showing up long after Kramer’s “death.” Watching Jigsaw go about his torture business is about as interesting as watching a child burn ants — a dumb and ugly waste of energy, resources and time. In "Jigsaw," you get two competing storylines: one is a locked room mystery set in an undisclosed barn, and the other is a police investigation of those farmyard slayings. Let's start with the story set in a barn. This plotline is superficially different from the kind you'll find in a typical "Saw"

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Guwahati opens its doors to Piazza! Sidharth Bedi Varma

uwahati has opened its doors to yet another restaurant, and this one goes by the name of PIAZZA! The vibe at Piazza is inspired by European themed marketplaces like Piazza San Marco & Plaça Catalunya. Between the readers and I, Piazza positions itself as the new pizza destination in town, and boasts a classy ambience. When I say classy, I mean that it stands out with its interiors and decor. When you think pizza, your mind is typically taken to the hustlebustle of a Pizza Hut, Dominos or any other large fast food chain. Or maybe some of you think about

sitting at home and eating out of a box. However, your experience at Piazza is certainly going to be different. The interiors are welcoming, well lit and is should sit well with any visitor who likes

to be private or social. ‘Mi Casa Es Tu Casa”, says Dolly Hazarika on being asked what’s different at Piazza. “It is a story of how I felt united across borders & cultures. The dearth of places to enjoy companionship & making memories brought about

Piazza,” she added. Apart from being served food on the table, there is also an over the counter approach, where you can order your favourite Mocktails; and who’s to say you won’t get to see some

flairtending? Apart from their much talked about hand tossed contemporary pizza, cheese cigars and their newly introduced

mandarin combo meals, what’s interesting is that the menu offers a limited range of items. This is particularly great for people who get overwhelmed by looking at hundred different items on the menu. Additionally, most places with extensive menus end up being unable to serve you everything. Piazza also has a cosy loft that accommodates around 1012 people. This takes their total seating capacity to around 35 heads. Their service is quick, prompt and placing their food on the table is definitely a visual treat, certainly an

Instagrammer’s delight. There is a general consensus that the fancier a place looks, higher the prices go. Piazza is definitely here to change that notion. The place is very reasonably priced. Two (2) people can enjoy a good meal at Rs. 500. All in all, Piazza makes sure that you leave with good food and a good experience, only for you to come back and make more memories. n

Address: Dr B Barooah Rd, Opp. Landmark Hotel, Ulubari, Guwahati Cost for 2: Rs. 500 (approx)

Entertainment

G PLUS | MAR 31 - APR 06, 2018

Neel, Vreegu and Deeplina come together for Rajdweep’s latest track Kalyan Kumar Kalita

ince the last few days, a poster carrying the tagline ‘Etiya Tension Naai’ is being highly shared on all social networking sites. Nobody knows the actual suspense behind this poster as the creator doesn’t reveal the truth behind this. While some think it may be the name of an upcoming mobile theatre play, others are of the belief that it may be the title of an upcoming track. The truth behind the poster has been revealed and the

audience has been informed that ‘Etiya Tension Naai’ is the title of an upcoming comedy song. The

‘Aahaar’ staged on World Theatre Day as tribute to Late Arun Sarma

n the occasion of World Theatre Day, March 27th, Arun Sarma Theatre & Remembrance Trust (ASTART) organised an event at Pragjyoti ITA, Machkhowa, as a tribute to the renowned writer and playwright of Assam, Late Arun Sarma. The event also marked the 1st death anniversary of Late Sarma. As a tribute to recognise his rich contribution to the Assamese cultural scenario, a biographical book named ‘Xipaar Chinaki’ was launched by Pona Mahanta, renowned educationist of Assam. ‘Aahaar,’ a play by Kopil Bora & Company, was also staged during the event. ‘Aahaar’, written by Arun Sarma in the mid-sixties is a landmark Assamese play. Known as the first

Assamese play from the genre of ‘theatre of the absurd’, ‘Aahaar’ has been directed by noted theatre director Avinash Sharma, and is performed by one female and four male characters. Arun Sarma was one of Assam’s contemporary playwrights and is best known for his unconventional plays. Besides drama, he also authored over six novels detailing the Assamese way of life. He was awarded the Padma Shri in 2010 in recognition of his contribution to Assamese literature.

song belongs to an upcoming mobile theatre play named ‘Bauli Mor Priya’, written by popular

lyricist-play writer and journalist Rajdweep. The play will be staged by ‘Rajmukut Theatre’ in the season 2018-19. The interesting fact behind this song is that three highly popular singers of Assam - Neel Akash, Vreegu Kashyap and Deeplina Deka – have rendered their voices together for this song. Penned and composed by Rajdweep, the song has been recorded by Dipankar Goswami in Orange Studio, Guwahati. The song has been musically arranged by Bibhuti Gogoi, mixed and mastered by Bhupesh Saikia. The song will be released in both audio

and video format. The song’s video has been choreographed by Nagen Baishya and editing has been done by Manash Kashyap. According to the producer of Rajmukut Theatre, Manash Kalita, the song will be released very soon. Rajdweep’s play ‘Bauli Mor Priya’ is completely based on a true story. On the 2018-19 season, ‘Boliya Krishna’ fame Prasenjit Borah, Sukanya Rajguru, Nirmali Nilam, Bhaskar Tamuly, Tarak Das, Surabi Kakati, Bijumoni Chutia, Sasanka Sekhor, Pramod Chutia among others will play some strong characters in the drama ‘Bauli Mor Priya’.

8th Theatre Olympics concludes in Guwahati

he Guwahati chapter of the 8th Theatre Olympics concluded on Sunday. The closing ceremony was attended by TY Das, Chief Secretary, Government of Assam. The closing performance in Guwahati was the specially-invited performance of ‘Aurat Ki Jung’, a Hindi play by director Urmil Kumar Thapliyal. The play revolves around the plight, struggle and success of women in Nautanki, a popular folktheatre of India. The play, a perfect blend of the traditional nautanki and modern drama, is a tribute to all such women who contributed to this form of art. The Guwahati chapter was organised by National School of Drama (NSD) under the aegis of Ministry of Culture, Government of India and in collaboration with the Government of Assam. The festival was held at Srimanta Sankaradeva Kalakshetra in Guwahati from 11th

March to 25th March, 2018. During the 15 day long international theatrical extravaganza, Guwahati staged 15 theatrical productions that included regional, international

and English language plays as well as a folk production. All the plays were staged at Madhavdev International Auditorium in Srimanta Sankaradeva Kalakshetra, Panjabari.

Guwahati girl brings laurels to state in the field of fashion

uwahati’s Puja Sarkar Ghosh makes it to the Assam Book of Records for her work in the field of fashion and beauty. 28 year old Puja Ghosh is married with a kid and has represented Assam as well as India on multiple fashion platforms. She recently bagged the Dazzle Mrs India East International held at Sri Lanka. Ghosh earlier became the zonal winner of Mrs India Home Makers 2016, won the titles of Most

Magnificent Iconic Woman and Mrs Photogenic at the Mrs India Global

International contest. She has to her credit many other achievements. At the regional level, she has walked the ramp at various fashion shows and beauty pageants including the Northeast India Fashion Weekend. She’s also featured in advertisements for Assam government and shot for brands like Yashaswini and Byatikram. Puja Ghosh was also an integral part of the 90-day long ‘No Horn Please’ campaign that took place in the city.

Fun

G PLUS | MAR 31 - APR 06, 2018

Horoscope of the week With Mercury now retrograde in your social zone, you might want to do some background research before you get involved in a community project or team plan. Taking time to get your thoughts in coherent form will give you a much better chance of success. Friends may be encouraging you to go wild, break out of the mold, and take a risk.

You could be forgiven for wondering what is going on with your career. New work may come out of the blue without you doing anything much to chase it, while jobs that have been ongoing could be subject to change. Think carefully on Thursday, when one situation may come to a head. You might need to make an important decision.

Concerning home and family matters, you appear to be attracting good things your way. Lucky Jupiter in this sector can be perfect for thinking outside the box and researching options that could bring a new beginning. However, you do need to be careful of Mercury retrograde. This isn’t the best time to take a risk. You can prepare for when this phase is over.

You love learning and teaching, which is why the current planetary setup is so good for you. If you have knowledge that no one else has, you could make a lot of money by selling your skills. This is also a good time to plan and perhaps earn a fortune. Even though upbeat Jupiter in your communication zone is retrograde, don’t worry. It’s better to start than not to bother at all.

A sparkling attraction could get the week off to a great start. Will this bond last? It can if you nurture it. However, it’s often the small things that go wrong that frustrate us when Mercury is retrograde, as it is now. In your case, it could be an issue with a lover or friend that you can’t seem to resolve.

While work relationships continue to flourish, you can and should make the most of them. There is ample opportunity to go far, especially if you decide to become a partner in a creative team or pair up with another person to accomplish something special. Don’t stop now, because you have so much to gain.

You are eager to have fun and more willing to take a risk, whether by initiating a romance or going on an adventure. While cost could be an issue, you might be willing to pay the extra money if the experience is worth it. With bubbly Venus entering your lifestyle sector on Friday, a soothing massage could be just perfect.

With communicator Mercury currently retrograde, it would help to keep a grip on your household expenses. It might be wise to plan for the coming week, month, and even year and make a list of what you spend every day. The more you can keep track of everything, the easier it will be to keep your home happy and in good order.

You could get a message from a former lover or college pal inviting you to get back in touch. Don’t turn down this invitation, because it might work out better than you think. The chance to catch up and perhaps renew the relationship is a real possibility. On another note, be careful that you don’t give out mixed signals.

With Mercury retrograde in your personal financial zone, make sure you check your bank statements and take extra care when purchasing anything online. Keep your credit cards safe, too, as this is one time when they are more likely to get lost. Life at home seems especially blessed from Friday.

Which famous novel was set in the fictional town of Macundo?

3 4

The Greek or Latin word for it is Pascha How do we know it better?

Francis Newton Souza’s birth is second and an untitled one by VS Gaitonde is the first What are we talking about?

curio-city

1 2

What is the name of the world famous mask dance performed by the lamas in Sikkimese monasteries?

5 Which recent infamous incident has been trending as #sandpapergate? 6

Identify this landmark building, very important in the context of India’s struggle for Independence?

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

Dilbert by Scott Adams

1 5 4

8 8 5 63 2

2 7 57 73

9 8 2 2 9 7 1 5 8

5 1 6 54 8 5 3 8 9 6 1 5 2 2 35 79 4 9 4 4 3 5 7 4 Sudoku: 5 Thu 29-Mar-2018 7 6 medium 1 Daily 9 4 1 8 5 37 59 23 2

Daily Sudoku: Wed 21-Mar-2018

easy

4last 3 8week 7 6 solution 1 9 5 2 7 1 5 9 2 8 3 4 6 7 8 95 24 63 4 5 63 21 18 97 2 4 69 48 26 5 1 19 38 57 73 2 7 1 3 5 8 7 9 3 4 92 66 41 85 1 6 37 59 18 8 7 46 54 22 39 3 2 4 5 7 2 9 4 1 3 87 15 96 68 9 2 11 66 35 2 8 35 87 79 44 6 9 58 81 77 6 9 54 42 33 21 4 Sudoku: 5 Thu 2 29-Mar-2018 8 3 7 9 6 medium 1 Daily 6 3 9 4 1 2 7 8 5 Daily Sudoku: Wed 21-Mar-2018

easy

http://www.dailysudoku.com/

1. One hundred years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez 2. The list of most expensive Indian paintings. 3. Easter 4. Enchey Cham 5. The Aussie ball tampering controversy in the recent AustraliaSouth Africa Test Match 6. Cellular Jail, Port Blair

curio-city

Sudoku

Although everything in your world seems quite stable right now, you can’t help but feel a bit antsy. You’re restless without really knowing why. There may be an idea, vision, or dream within you just waiting to be born. Amid the busyness of your daily life, try to find some time for reflection and give this idea or heartfelt desire a chance to reveal itself.

You could be more rebellious than ever now that the sun is in your sign and Venus is linking to Uranus. The desire to throw caution to the wind and take a risk may be very pronounced. However, there is something that you need to let go of or finish before you can do what you want to do. Once you’ve done this, things will go much more quickly.

Word of the week Genethliac adjective [juh-neth-lee-ak] Of or relating to birthdays or to the position of the stars at one’s birth.

Crossword Across

Down

1 Return (2,4) 4 Room in the roof (5) 7 Portuguese Atlantic islands (6) 8 Muslim temple (6) 9 Ragamuffin (4) 10 Beat by brain power (8) 12 Equivocal language — dupes a bloke (anag) (11) 17 Pre-meal drink (8) 19 Rock music genre (4) 20 Heated — vehement (6) 21 Stank (6) 22 Kill without a trial (5) 23 Island — cow (6)

1 Pouch in, eg, a crow’s stomach (7) 2 Avian virus that can spread to humans (4,3) 3 French stew (9) 4 Happening (5) 5 Mexican liquor (7) 6 Insolent (6) 11 Temporary group to do a job (4,5) 13 Infest (7) 14 Utter — direct (7) 15 US president, d. 1963 (7) 16 Prolonged and angry reprimand (6) 18 Celtic language (5)

Last week’s solution

Lifestyle

G PLUS | MAR 31 - APR 06, 2018

Vaastu rules for mirrors and glasses

t is the basic nature of human beings to be happy. Everyone wants that there should be no insecurity in finances and every member of the house should be hale and hearty. If problems related to health and wealth crop up, one must get the Vaastu of the house checked. It is not mandatory to have a flawless house even if it has been designed by a Vaastu expert. While doing the interior decoration and fixing of windows some wrong placement of mirrors and glasses may create Vaastu defects. Some of the possible defects in placing mirrors are discussed here along with the corrections.

room of the children. It should never be placed in front of the study table as it will break the concentration of the child.

Do not keep transparent doors or windows

It is common sense not to have a transparent door because it will not allow any privacy. Same thing goes for windows too. Heavy and long curtains must be used in such cases covering the entire opening.

Glass showpieces

The dressing table

It is a very common item in our bedrooms. Recently, people have started going for fixed ones on the walls. A mirror should not be placed directly in front of the bed so that the body while sleeping is not reflected. This can distort the image and cause health problems. Always place the mirror on the side of the bed or away from direct view. For the same reason, a TV is not recommended in the bedroom because its screen can reflect like a mirror. If one must keep a TV in the bedroom, keep it covered while not in use.

The main door

Contrary to popular belief, a mirror in front of the main door is not good as it will reflect the energy coming in. That is why shining objects, which may reflect light, are not recommended near the main door.

Children’s room

One must be careful while placing a mirror in the study

It is very fashionable to keep glass show pieces like almirahs, desks, bars etc in the drawing room. All glass items must be kept in the north or east specially the ones having mirrors. The proper directions of mirrors are at east, north and northeast only. While fixing mirrors in the bathrooms, this should be kept in the mind. Heavy almirahs should be placed at west south or southwest. Caution should be taken not to place the ones with mirrors in these directions.

In My Mind There are monsters crawling up my back. Sit up straight, cut off the slack. You never hear their whispering buzz, Their silent bites. They don’t know ‘enough’. Do you ever wonder what they speak? Why do they stay behind where you can’t see? Do you ever think how they survive? These people say, “They’re in your mind.” That would be funny, don’t you agree? If they were on my back and under seams. Crawling up my spine behind my eyes Nibbling away on nerves in the moonlight. There are monsters crawling up my back. Don’t look away, they might attack. Scuttering from sight just as you move. Luckily, there’s nothing more you could lose.

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

Sanjali Dixit

How to choose a Mediclaim policy? F

inancial planning is not all about saving and investing but also being prepared for the contingencies of life. Medical emergencies can indeed impact your financial budget to a great extent. That is the reason why it is always recommended to have a mediclaim policy for yourself and your dependents. A mediclaim policy serves the purpose of taking care of your medical emergencies. Here are 5 things you must consider to choose a mediclaim policy:

Sufficient Insurance Cover

Before taking a mediclaim policy, you must assess your present healthcare

needs primarily. It must be in sync with your current state of health and also taking into consideration your hereditary health issues. Further, considering the rising healthcare costs, make sure you also factor in the inflation factor while assessing your insurance requirements.

Policy Exclusions

A standard mediclaim policy will indeed take care of standard medical emergencies. However, in case you have some specific medical ailment, make sure the mediclaim policy covers that. Further, the policy may exclude certain medical

conditions/ treatments and it is always good for you to be informed of that. As such, you must go through all the policy exclusions carefully to avoid any hassles in the future. For example, any pre-existing diseases to the policy holder may not get covered from the inception of the policy and there might be acertain waiting period after which the pre-existing diseases may get covered. Similarly, cosmetic treatment is generally not under the mediclaim policies; as such treatments are generally on a voluntary basis.

Family Floater Policy

While considering individual health covers for each member of the family, you may also get a family floater policy instead which can cover all the members of the family in the same policy. As such, you can avail the benefit of higher insurance cover for each member, which however is subject to the overall sum assured for the whole family.

Claim Acceptance Ratio for the Insurer

While considering and evaluating a mediclaim policy, you should also look at the claim acceptance ratio of the insurance company. While a bad claim acceptance ratio may be due to genuine reasons as well like false claims, claims pending due to receipt at last moment, a consistently lower ratio may be seen as a danger sign as it may be reflecting the general reluctance of the company to admit claims. As such, you may like to get yourself insured with a company with better claim settlement ratio.

Checking the Network of Empanelled Hospitals providing Cashless Hospitalisation

In the earlier times, the mediclaim policies have been providing for reimbursement of medical expenses so incurred after the insured person files a claim with them. However, with the advent of technology and evolution of the insurance sector, most of the companies are also providing for cashless hospitalization facility. By opting for this facility in the empanelled hospitals, the medical bills are settled directly by the

insurance company instead of making reimbursements to the insured. While considering the insurance company, you may also like to consider the cashless hospitalization network offered by the company under the policy, including the hospitals enrolled with it. A cashless medical treatment indeed saves you from the financial strains in the times of medical emergencies. While mediclaim policy ensures that you are not put into financial stress in case of medical emergencies, staying healthy also pays off well since many mediclaim policies offer to add bonus into your policy as a No-Claim Bonus. For example, the sum assured may be increased by 5% at the time of renewal if no claim has been made during the previous year. Getting a mediclaim policy for your family is indeed a wise decision as you can save yourself from the unbudgeted expenses during a medical emergency and further, also save some taxes while you pay for your mediclaim premium. Pallav Bagaria CEO, Brand New Day – one of Northeast’s leading Mutual Funds Investment Consultancy and Portfolio Management Services pallav@salasarcapital.com

Buzz

G PLUS | MAR 31 - APR 06, 2018

National Symposium at IIT Guwahati

two-day national symposium on Bharatiya Education Science and Technology (BEST) 2018, Uttar Purva Bharat, got under way on March 24 at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati. Prof Shashikala Wanjari, VC, SNDT University, Mumbai inaugurated the symposium and spoke on the Indian ethos and literacy and also touched upon the value system and respect towards women in the education system. At the inaugural session, Director of IIT Guwahati, Prof Gautam Biswas, Vice Chancellor (VC) of Gauhati University, Prof Mridul Hazarika, IGNCA Member Secretary, Dr Sachidanand Joshi and Prof Sukumar Nandi, Head, CLST, IITG, addressed the gathering and spoke about the initiative. The inaugural session ended with a vote of thanks by Prof Nilima Bhagabati, former HoD, Education, Gauhati University. Later, an exhibition on basketry of northeast was inaugurated by Prof Biswas. In the first session, the keynote address was delivered by Prof Wanjari, followed by paper presentation on various themes. A talk on ‘Vedic scriptures: A blueprint for the future’ was presented by Prof Renuka Rathore,

Assam boy wins Super Dancer Chapter 2

B Director, Rajasthan Sanskrit Academy. Prof Sivasish Biswas, Pro-VC, Assam University, Diphu Campus, spoke on the traditional marriage system of indigenous people of NE. A cultural function was organized at the end of day, where traditional folk dances of Assam and Manipur were presented. The second day’s programme started with talks by Dr Dilip Kr Dey, SITM, Guwahati, and Prof Varadraj Bapat, IIT Bombay. Dr Dey spoke on the demographic issues of NE. In the next session, chaired by Prof Nilima Bhababati, Prof Kulendu Pathak, former VC,

Dibrugarh University, Prof BK Tiwari, NEHU, and Sujatha Nayak, VKIC, spoke on various issues related to science and technology, traditional knowledge system and research undertaken by VKIC in this context. Karunamay Sinha presented his paper on ‘Ratanmani’. In the valedictory function, BSM national organizing secretary Mukul Kanitkarji dwelt on the resurgence of Bharatiya education in the present context and the importance of adapting indigenous systems and methods of education so that re-transformation of Indian education can actually take place. n

ishal Sharma, a 12-yearold from Jorhat, Assam, has emerged as the winner of reality show Super Dancer Chapter 2. Sharma received 12 million votes to take home a winning amount of Rs 15 lakhs along with a certificate of appreciation and a gift from PC Jewellers. The adorable livewire was quite an inquisitive and observant dancer. He was guided by super guru, Vaibhav Ghuge, who received Rs 5 lakhs as prize money. After winning the title, an elated Bishal said, “I am really happy and thrilled to win the title of ‘Dance Ka Kal’ on Super Dancer Chapter 2. It is truly a dream come true for me and I am grateful to the judges, my choreographer and Sony Entertainment Television for believing in me. It is through their guidance

and support that I have been able to achieve this and make my parents proud.” Not far behind him were Akash Thapa from Dehradun, Vaishnavi Prajapati from Panipat and Ritik Diwaker from Kanpur. The dance show had Shilpa Shetty, Geeta Kapur and Anurag Basu as Super Gurus. Actor Varun Dhawan added more star power to the finale. The fate of the contestants was decided through live voting. n

Northeast open sport climbing competition held in Guwahati

T GIMT hosts Smart India

Hackathon 2018 finale

n the centre of Girijananda Chowdhury Institute of Management & Technology (GIMT), which had been selected as the only nodal centre in the northeast region to host the Smart India Hackathon 2018 Grand Finale, around 300 students coded to solve 10 problem statements identified by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs. The grand finale of Smart India Hackathon 2018 software edition was held on 30 and 31 March 2018. This 36-hour nonstop coding competition was held at 28 different nodal centres spread all over India. Around 1,282 teams of students coded

at these 28 nodal centres to solve 340 problem statements simultaneously. The inauguration ceremony of the grand finale of the Smart India Hackathon 2018 started at 7.30 am of March 30, 2018 at Girijananda Chowdhury Institute of Management and Technology nodal centre with the lighting of the lamp by the chief guests Jaswantsinh Sumanbhai Bhabhor, Minister of state for Tribal Affairs, Hon’ble Vice Chancellor of Gauhati University Dr Mridul Hazarika, Ms Krishna Gohain, Director of Directorate of Technical Education, President of SSA Society Mr Ratul Das

and Prof Sushanta Kumar Dutta, Principal of GIMT Guwahati. The program started with the welcome address by the President, SSA Society followed by the encouraging speech of guest of honour, Dr Mridul Hazarika. “Digital India is the future of the country. Healthy competition among the innovative young minds will lead towards healthy society,” Hazarika said. Moreover, chief guest, Jaswantsinh Sumanbhai Bhabhor, in his speech mentioned, “India is a young country. It is praiseworthy that the young generation of India is trying to solve the real problems of the country through their innovative minds.” Smart India Hackathon is a path-breaking addition to the history of science and technology in India. This initiative has challenged the students to think out-of-the-box and offer innovative ideas to build smart applications which will help to address major real time problems in the country. The top three winners were awarded cash prizes of Rs 1 lakh, Rs 75,000 and Rs 50,000 respectively. n

he Assam Mountaineering Association (AMA), in collaboration with the Assam Sport Climbing Association (ASCA) and the Indian Institute of Entrepreneurship (IIE), organised a North East Open Sport Climbing Competition (NEOSPCC) for the first time in Guwahati. The competition was held in the memory of Bimal Chandra Goswami, a veteran mountaineer of Assam, who was one of the pioneers to promote sport climbing in northeast India. Held on March 24-25 at the Indian Institute of Entrepreneurship (IIE) campus,

Guwahati, the competition was held in two categories - Lead and Speed and saw participation of both men and women above the age of 17. n

Walkathon to promote ‘Deceased Organ Donation’

egional Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (ROTTO), Guwahati organised a walkathon on 25th March, 2018 to promote and spread awareness about ‘deceased organ donation.’ The

walkathon, flagged off from the Gauhati Medical College & Hospital (GMCH) at 6:30 AM, saw participation of more than 250 people from different walks of life. The participants walked with placards and banners related to organ donation. n

Events

G PLUS | MAR 31 - APR 06, 2018

Royal Stag Barrel Select MTV Unplugged Season 7 rocked Guwahati with celebrated playback singer Benny Dayal who enthralled the audience at the season finale. The audience swayed to the tunes of celebrated playback singer, Benny Dayal, who performed his popular hits, unplugged! With his magnetic voice, Benny Dayal gave a spectacular performance for the audience of Guwahati to some of his

chart topping numbers like ‘Ude dil befikre’, ‘ Badtameez dil’, ‘Let’s nacho’, and ‘Trippy Trippy’ amongst others.

Date: March 25, Sunday Event: MTV Unplugged ft. Benny Dayal Venue: India Club

Blenders Pride Magical Nights arrived in Guwahati with the them e ‘Style: More than you think’. The evening was an eclectic mélange of stylish designs showcased by designer Anand Bhushan. Walking the ramp with her sparkling charisma, Showstopper Radhika Apte enthralle d the audience with style and flair .

Karajimo, featuring Soundarya and Chezin thrilled everyone with an energetic performance laced with contemporary beats and soulful vocals. Commenting on the occasion , Radhika Apte said, “‘Style: Mor e than you think’ is a reflection of my personality in its true sense. Righ t from theatre, to the kind of roles I

have done, my experiences hav e helped me build my style which is unconventional and unconfined . Therefore, it is elating to be associated with the event and wal k the ramp to celebrate style.”

Date: March 24, Saturday Event: Blenders Pride Magical Nights Venue: Hotel Novotel ‘Suzuki Gixxer North East Night Supercross 2018’ was organised by NBS Motorsports, a pioneer motorsports club of northeast India, at the AEI Playground, Chandmari on 24th and 25th March, 2018. Around 80 riders battled against each other in 4 different classes of race - Indi-

an Two Stroke, Indian Novice, Indian Open and Indian Expert. Riders from across the country including Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Mizoram, West Bengal, Karnataka, Kerala and Maharashtra took part in the event.

Date: March 24-25 Event: Northeast Night Supercross Venue: AEI Playground

Date: March 25, Sunday Date: March 25, Sunday Event: Grind 1.0 Venue: Dunkin Oza

Event: Retro Live ft. Lateral Venue: Retro Town

Catching Up

G PLUS | MAR 31 - APR 06, 2018