Vol 5 issue 25 web by G Plus

@guwahatiplus www.guwahatiplus.com

Volume 05 | Issue 25 Apr 14 - Apr 20, 2018 Price `10

Bihu Special Extra 8 pages

G PLUS | APR 14 - APR 20, 2018

@guwahatiplus www.guwahatiplus.com

Inside

Volume 05 | Issue 25 Apr 14 - Apr 20, 2018 Price `10

Drive against illegally made gamocha, mekhela to continue beyond Bihu

» Imperial Blue city’s favourite drink; 77 lakh litres guzzled last FY PG 08

G Plus explores the liquor consumption scene in Guwahati and finds that the city prefers its whiskies and rums and the city accounts for a whopping 60% of state’s liquor consumption

Brisk sale of liquor at a city wine shop | G Plus Photo

Rahul Chanda rahul.chanda@g-plus.in

mperial Blue (IB) whisky is not only the best selling liquor brand in Guwahati but through entire Assam. In 2017-18, Guwahati guzzled around 8.55 lakh cases of IB which comes to around 77 lakh litres. One bottle measures 750 ml; one case bears 12 bottles. One case is measured as 9 bulk litres which is nine litres. As far as the whole state of Assam is concerned, the total consumption (includes Guwahati) of IB in 2017-18 was 14.25 lakh cases. Even in 2016-17, IB was the top selling brand with Guwahati consuming 7.82 lakh cases and the entire state consuming 13.03 lakh cases. Officer’s Choice (OC) Blue luxury whisky is the second most top selling liquor brand in Guwahati

and Assam. Guwahati consumed 4.77 lakh cases in 2017-18 and the figure for Assam is 7.95 lakh cases. McDowell’s Rum is the third most preferred drink with sale of 3.3 lakh cases recorded in Guwahati; Assam recorded 5.50 lakh cases in the last financial year. A source in the excise department said, “Even McDowell’s No 1 luxury whisky did good business after it was launched in the markets of Assam in September 2017.” McDowell’s No 1 luxury whisky is the fifth highest selling liquor brand with sale of 1.86 lakh cases in Guwahati and 3.10 lakh cases in Assam. Officer’s Choice regular whisky is the fourth highest selling liquor in Guwahati. McDowell’s No 1 regular whisky secured the sixth rank with sale of 1.67 lakh cases in Guwahati and 2.80

Continued ON page » 2

The Guwahati Bihu Guide

PG 12

To Munin Barua, our Homage

PG 20

Lead Story

G PLUS | APR 14 - APR 20, 2018

Imperial Blue city’s favourite drink... Continued from page » 1 lakh cases in Assam. Royal Stag whisky is the seventh highest selling liquor brand with sale of 1.18 lakh cases in Guwahati and 1.96 lakh cases in Assam. Blender’s Pride, a bit more expensive among all the above brands, is the eighth most pre-

ferred brand. Guwahati consumed 0.68 lakh cases in 2017-18 and 1.14 lakh cases were sold in entire Assam. A source in the excise department revealed that bottling plants for all these brands are located in Assam as the companies understand the demand. The same is not the case for the high end brands and most of such high end liquor gets imported. n

100 Pipers tops high-end liquor sale; Kingfisher Strong most preferred beer

mong the high-end liquors, 100 Pipers is the highest selling liquor brand in the state and Kingfisher Strong is the most preferred beer. Both the brands are also the top selling brands in Guwahati. 3,200 cases of 100 Pipers were sold in Guwahati in 2017-18 and 6,000 cases in Assam. Where Kingfisher Strong beer is concerned, a source in the excise department said, “7.8 lakh cases were sold in Guwahati and 13 lakh cases in Assam in 2017-18.” Black Dog 12 Years and Teacher’s 50 are the second most preferred high-end liquors in the city. 1,800 cases were sold in Guwahati in 2017-18 and 3,000 cases in Assam. Both the

ing beer in the state. 9.5 lakh cases were sold in Assam in the last financial year of which 5.7 lakh cases were sold in Guwahati alone. Tuborg Strong is the third most preferred beer in Guwahati as well as in the state. 1.8 lakh cases of sale were registered in Guwahati and 3 lakh cases in Assam. The high-end liquor brands do not have bottling plants in Assam and are imported depending on the demand. n

Top selling liquors in Guwahati Top selling liquor brands

2016 -17 (cases in lakhs)

2017-18 (cases in lakhs)

Imperial Blue whisky

7.82

8.55

Officer’s Choice Blue luxury whisky

4.91

4.77

McDowell’s Rum

1.94

3.3

Officer’s Choice regular whisky

1.19

1.92

McDowell’s No 1 luxury whisky

Nil

1.86

McDowell’s No 1 regular whisky

4.96

1.67

Royal Stag whisky

1.34

1.18

Blender’s Pride whisky

0.56

0.68

Top selling liquors in Assam (inclusive of Guwahati consumption) Top selling liquor brands

2016 -17 (cases in lakhs)

2017-18 (cases in lakhs)

Imperial Blue whisky

13.03

14.25

Officer’s Choice Blue luxury whisky

8.18

7.95

McDowell’s Rum

3.24

5.50

Officer’s Choice regular whisky

1.99

3.20

McDowell’s No 1 luxury whisky

Nil

3.10

McDowell’s No 1 regular whisky

8.26

2.80

Royal Stag whisky

2.24

1.96

Blender’s Pride whisky

0.93

1.14

Eliminating lobbies helped generate record revenue: Excise minister

T brands have the same sales figure. The other preferred beers include He Man 9000, which is the second highest sell-

he Assam excise department generated record revenue for the financial year 2017-18 through sale of liquor. Around Rs 1,200 crores was generated as revenue in entire state excluding value added tax (VAT). In Kamrup (Metro) alone, Rs 318.10 crores was generated as revenue. State excise minister Parimal Suklabaidya said, “It was possible because all illegal lobbies were eliminated from the department.” The minister explained

Top selling high-end liquor and beer High-end brands

2017 -18 (in cases) Assam

2017 -18 (in cases) Ghy

100 Pipers whisky

6000 cases

3200 cases

Black Dog 12 years whisky

3000 cases

1800 cases

Teacher’s 50

3000 cases

1800 cases

Top selling beers

2017 -18 (cases in lakhs) Assam

2017 -18 (cases in lakhs) Ghy

Kingfisher Strong

13 lakh cases

7.8 lakh cases

He Man 9000

9.5 lakh cases

5.7 lakh cases

Tuborg Strong

3 lakh cases

1.8 lakh cases

that the online system which was introduced in 2015, helped monitor the transportation of liquor from the bottling plants to the distributers and finally to the retailers. Previously many liquor traders used to create fake challans. The excise department filed a complaint with the criminal investigation department (CID) after which a crackdown followed on the defaulting traders. Many persons were arrested including liquor baron Rajesh Jalan. Kamrup (Metro) had generated Rs 197.80 crores in 2015-16. The figure went up to Rs 251.60 crores in 2016-17 and now it has generated a record Rs 318.10 crores.

Similarly, for the entire state of Assam, excise revenue in 2015-16 was Rs 799 crores, in 2016-17 it was Rs 966 crores, and for the year 2017-18 it is Rs 1,200 crores. n

Excise revenue generated in last three financial years (approximately) 2015 -16 (Assam)

Rs 799 crores

2015 -16 (Guwahati)

Rs 197.8 crores

2016 -17 (Assam)

Rs 966 crores

2016-17 (Guwahati)

Rs 251.6 crores

2017-18 (Assam)

Rs 1200 crores

2017 -18 (Guwahati)

Rs 318.1 crores

G PLUS | APR 14 - APR 20, 2018

ULUBARI, G.S.ROAD, GUWAHATI

+91 92 517 517 51

customercare@vinayakfurnishings.com

City

SNIPPETS Students of Assam Down Town University celebrate Bihu at “Seneh”

G PLUS | APR 14 - APR 20, 2018

DC forms special admin teams to monitor Bihu functions G Plus does a review of the safety and security measures undertaken by the administration and police department to ensure a smooth and incident-free Bihu Some more departments might be involved, said a district administration source. The teams have been formed to check the structural safety of the Bihu pandals along with provision of proper drinking water and sanitation facilities. The GMC is expected to ensure that Bihu function venues are clean and hygienic. Executive Engineer of GMC, Monojit Bujarbaruah said, “The Bihu function organisers will take care of the cleanliness inside the venues and GMC will ensure cleanliness outside the venues.” The garbage collecting NGOs have been asked to visit the Bihu function venues twice a day. The APDCL has been asked to check all the electrical cables and transformers located in and around the Bihu function venues. The corporation is expected to ensure that no fire related accidents occur during the celebration. n

Rahul Chanda rahul.chanda@g-plus.in

ssam Down Town University in collaboration with Down Town Charity Trust, celebrated a Pre-Rongali Bihu fiesta with the senior citizens of the society this year at “Seneh” a Bhabada Devi Philanthropic Trust. The celebration was a tribute by the students of AdtU towards their elders at the old age home. “Seneh” which is presently an abode to 21 aitas, is working for the benefit of the under privileged and deprived section of the society especially women of North East India. The function was attended by all the aitas of the old age home, including some localities, and also students and faculties of AdtU. The purpose of the celebration was to bestow the abandoned aitas of the old age home, with some enjoyable pastimes that made them laugh, lose track of time, and also made them feel like a goofy kid at heart. Further, the event was also a humble attempt to create a bridge made of love and respect between both the generations. The celebration commenced with a Bihu Husori performance by Rupjyoti Bihu Husori Group which was followed by a mime and clowning act by renowned artist, MC Hiru. The students of AdtU also presented a mono act and some other performances. Further, the day also witnessed a few traditional games such as breaking the pot blind folded, music chair etc. which were all designed specifically for the aitas. They were presented with a sador and a fulam gamusa on the occasion as a “Bihuwan” that was followed by a traditional meal with laaru, sira, doi, pitha, sweets etc. n

n view of the upcoming Rongali Bihu festival in Guwahati, the Deputy Commissioner (DC) Kamrup (Metro), Virendra Mittal, has appointed a number of administration officers to monitor the city’s Bihu celebrations and ensure its smooth conduct. A source in the district administration said, “Three teams will monitor all the city’s Bihu function venues,” adding that the officers have been divided as per the police commissionerate districts. Additional deputy commissioner (ADC) Nabadeep Pathak , Guwahati circle officer (CO) Damodar Burman and Chandrapur CO Pallabjyoti Nath will monitor central district. ADC Gunajeet Kashyap,

Preparation works going on at Latasil for the upcoming Rongali Bihu | G Plus Photo sub-divisional officer (SDO) Chinmoy Prakash Phookan and Azara CO Mohorshii Kashyap will monitor west district. ADC Ranjit Konwar, Dispur CO Dhrubajyoti Hazarika and another ACS officer will monitor the east district.

All the teams will also have representatives from Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC), city police, forest department, Assam Power Distribution Corporation Limited (APDCL), Public Works Department (PWD), and District Transport Office (DTO).

City police not deploying extra forces during Bihu celebrations

he local police, with its current strength of manpower and technology, will take care of the security scenario and no extra forces will be deployed for the Bihu celebrations. Joint commissioner of police, Diganta Barah said, “The local police is coordinating with the Bihu committees and all the functions in the city will get proper security attention.” The local police will be mobilised according to the

crowds gathering at the Bihu functions. The police have asked the Bihu committees to provide enough volunteers who would be trained by the local police for crowd management. Deputy Commissioner of Police (West district), Bhanwar Lal said, “We have also asked the Bihu committees to provide women volunteers to render assistance to women visitors.” Special drives against drunken driving and hooliganism

will be carried out across the city during Bihu celebrations. The function organisers have been asked to provide adequate parking space for the vehicles of visitors. Some local police personnel will be deployed at the venues of the functions incognito. Senior police officials like the deputy commissioner of police (DCP) and assistant commissioner of police (ACP) of all police districts will keep patrolling during the nights in

their respective police districts. All the committees have been asked to report about any suspicious activity to the local police promptly. A senior police official said, “There is no specific threat but we are prepared for any kind of situation.” All the security measures like checking and frisking will be carried out on a daily basis during the Bihu season with change in timings to keep the surprise element intact. n

Weather report for the week Guwahati

SUN

MON

TUE

WED

THU

FRI

Sunny

Partly Cloudy

Sunny

Partly Cloudy

Sunny

Cloudy

32°/20° C

33°/21° C

32°/23° C

31°/20° C

34°/23° C

28°/24° C

SATURDAY Sunny

30°/21° C

Janasanyog/105/18

G PLUS | APR 14 - APR 20, 2018

Concern

SNIPPETS

CBI registers case against city-based Income Tax officials

entral Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered a case against some income tax officials currently posted in the city for providing undue favours to one businessman and some chartered accountants. According a press release issued by the CBI, a case has been registered against Commissioner of Income Tax (Audit), Guwahati, Dr Swetabh Suman. The press release stated that CBI received information that during 2017-18, Suman entered into a criminal conspiracy with income tax officer, Pratap Das, Guwahati-based chartered (CA) accountant Ramesh Goenka, CA Amit Goenka and Jorhat-based businessman, Suresh Agarwala, who has an office in Guwahtai and some other persons. The press release alleged that Suman agreed to show undue favour to Agarwala by passing a favourable order in an appeal arising out of assessment done in respect of one of the shell companies of Suresh Agarwala. The undue favour, according to the press release, was made “abusing their official position.” The press release said that Suman made attempts to obtain illegal gratification to the tune of Rs 50 lakhs for himself and Pratap Das through Ramesh Goenka and Amit Goenka. Searches were conducted in Guwahati, Jorhat, Nagaon, Shillong, Noida, Delhi and some other places. Some incriminating documents have been recovered. The press release stated that in the morning hours of 12th April, Rs 40 lakhs meant for the income tax officials was seized from a middleman. The CBI has registered the case against Dr Swetabh Suman, Pratap Das, Ramesh Goenka, Amit Goenka, Suresh Agarwala and others. n

G PLUS | APR 14 - APR 20, 2018

Mid-day meal cooks up-inarms against privatisation Saumya Mishra saumya.mishra@g-plus.in

id-day meal (MDM) cooks in Kamrup (Metro) district as well as the state are protesting against the government’s decision to privatise the MDM scheme in schools by giving them to NGOs. The Assam government had taken a decision to hand over the implementation of the MDM scheme in government-run schools to NGOs in 2010 and finally handed over its responsibility in 2013 to NGO Akshaya Patra Foundation (APF) for providing packaged food to the students which began in a phased manner. The APF is an NGO headquartered in Bengaluru which works in the field of eliminating malnutrition by providing MDMs to students in government schools in several places across the country. However, the decision met with a lot of sustained protests from mid-day meal cooks and helpers across the state. The MDM cooks in Kamrup (Metro) have now intensified their protests against handing over the running of MDMs to NGOs. There are close to 5,000 cooks in Kamrup (M) and around 1.17 lakh MDM cooks in the state. During the past few months, they had also staged a number of

Mid-day meal workers’ union staging dharna in Guwahati | G Plus Photo demonstrations in different places. “Even though privatisation of MDMs is currently not happening everywhere in Assam, the education minister had said in the assembly that they will be roping in NGOs in the future for handling MDMs in schools. We are fighting against this approach of the government and their apathy to-

wards the cooks,” said Tapan Sarma, general secretary of the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU). According to officials, the APF has been running the MDM in a few schools of Kamrup (Metro) district. Sarma added that the government has not been able to implement the scheme all over the district as well as the state owing to

the widespread agitation which is being carried out by the cooks. Additionally, authorities informed that the cooks in Jorhat had gheraoed the deputy commissioner’s office against the government’s proposed move. Ultimately, the DC held talks with MDM cooks and told them that they would not be handing over the scheme to NGOs in Jorhat. n

Major demands of MDM cooks

he MDM cooks have also asked the government to fulfil their long-standing demands. Some of their major demands include increase in the honorarium which is currently at Rs 1,000. They have also alleged that they do not receive their honorarium on time. “In today’s times Rs 1,000 is too less to run a household. We have numerous expenses to take care of. How will we be able to survive on this meagre sum?” said Debjanani Newar, member of All Assam Midday Meal Workers’ Union (AAMMWU). She added that a majority of the cooks belong to poor households and struggle to manage their homes and work to fulfil their basic necessities and now the government wants to take it away from them too. Sarma informed that some of their other demands include

them being entitled to social security schemes including medical benefits. “We have requested the government to provide them with the benefits of provident fund scheme,” he said. They have also demanded to be recognised as casual workers of the state education department. At present they are working as voluntary workers under the department. “Till now we have not been given the status of casual workers and are therefore not entitled to any of the benefits,” informed Newar adding that once they are recognised as casual workers of the state education department, they will then become entitled to receive minimum wages. Members of the AAMMWU said that the government should not go ahead with the privatisation of MDMs in schools since there is a humanitarian ground

involved here as well. “The mid-day meal should be should be hygienic and fresh and cooking is usually done by the mothers of school children. The feeling of a mother towards her child cannot be replaced by a commercial establishment,” said a member of AAMMWU. On the other hand, district elementary education officer of Kamrup (M), Buli Gogoi Bhuyan, informed G Plus that currently the Akshaya Patra Foundation is operating MDMs in 178 schools out of a total of 855 schools in Kamrup (Metro) district. She added that currently the NGO is operating mid-day meals in areas including Jalukbari, Betkuchi and Chatribari. Buli further informed that the NGO refused to take up midday meals in schools in other parts of the district since they cannot travel long distances with the food. n

yy MDM cooks in Kamrup (M) district are up in arms against the government’s decision to privatise the MDM scheme in schools by giving them to NGOs yy Government had taken a decision to hand over the implementation of the MDM scheme in government-run schools to NGOs in 2010 and finally handed over its responsibility in 2013 to NGO Akshaya Patra Foundation (APF) yy There are close to 5000 cooks in Kamrup (M) and around 1.17 lakh MDM cooks in the state.

City

G PLUS | APR 14 - APR 20, 2018

City resident files case against LG Electronics in consumer court Saumya Mishra saumya.mishra@g-plus.in

city resident filed a complaint against LG Electronics India Pvt Ltd for alleged repeated defects found in a refrigerator which he had bought in 2013. Rounak Agarwal, an LLB student, who filed the complaint at the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum (DCDRF) in Kamrup (Metro) on behalf of his father who is a businessman, told G Plus that they had incurred a total cost of Rs 12,500 in servicing of the refrigerator multiple times since 2013. “The complaints began within six months of purchasing the refrigerator. The primary defect was that it had stopped cooling and the company officials also charged fees for every visit after the warranty period had ended,” he said adding that he had to even take the refrigerator to LG’s service centre in Hatigaon on one occasion. The complainant, who is a resident of Bijaynagar, informed that the refrigerator cost Rs 65,500. He added that several of its parts including the compressor, PCB assembly, drier, condenser and evaporator had

been repaired or changed in the past four years. The complainant has claimed a compensation of Rs 2 lakhs from the company including the cost incurred in repairs, transportation and the compensation. “The refrigerator again stopped cooling in November as well as in February. When we contacted the service centre, they gave us the estimate of Rs 6,500 for repairs on both the occasions,” said Agarwal. Fed up with repeated complaints and following the repairs required, he then filed a complaint with the

Cases against other prominent brands

ggrieved consumers have been regularly approaching the court for redressal of grievances against established brands in the market. Recently, the State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (SCDRC) has received a case against the leading automobile company Audi. Anuja Bhuyan, registrar of SCDRC informed G Plus that one Manik Ali has filed a case against leading automobile manufacturer Audi after defects were detected in his car. Additionally, the DCDRF has recently received a case against Euro Paints. Officials said that the complainant is a trader from Guwahati who had placed an order for a particular type of paint and had paid Euro Paints Rs 2 lakhs in advance. However, the paint company sent him primer instead of paint. “The primer too had crossed its date of expiry. On the orders of the court, the complainant received Rs 2,11,000 along with compensation for harassment and charges incurred in appearing for court proceedings” said a member of DCDRF Jamatul Islam. In another instance, a resident of Guwahati filed a case against Reliance Communications when the complainant wanted to port his SIM card to Airtel. Officials said that even after paying the requisite charges and bills, Reliance failed to port his number. He was then paid a compensation of Rs 25,000 after judgment in the case. n

consumer court against the electronics company for deficiency in service. “When we asked the company officials to exchange the product, they offered only Rs 10,000

as compensation and an old refrigerator in exchange, which we refused to accept,” informed Agarwal. He further said that the authorities at the LG’s Northeast

head office in Guwahati refused to exchange the refrigerator for a new one and reasoned in their favour that such manufacturing defects are possible in electronics goods. n

In The News

SNIPPETS DC directs authorities to work on road safety measures at the earliest

high level meeting headed by the Deputy Commissioner, Kamrup (M), Virendra Mittal, was conducted at Circuit House, Guwahati on Thursday. It was decided in the meeting that all major road accidents reported in the city will be thoroughly investigated to find out the reasons behind the accidents. Awareness programmes regarding road safety and measures to prevent accidents will be organised among the public of the city. The District Transport Officer (DTO) revealed that in many cases there is mismatch in the data of reported accidental deaths provided by police and hospital authorities. The DC also directed the transport department officers to organise awareness campaigns which would enlighten the public about availing the benefits of Solatium Scheme. The hit-andrun insurance fund is a scheme formed by the central government to compensate victims of hit-andrun car accidents. The DC raised the issue of proper traffic and road safety signage in the city. He directed the PWD to install the required signage across the major roads of the city at the earliest. The DC also directed the transport department, the health and family welfare department and the city police to jointly work on schemes for the construction of foot over-bridges and subways across the city. n

G PLUS | APR 14 - APR 20, 2018

Drive against illegally made gamocha, mekhela to continue beyond Bihu Rahul Chanda rahul.chanda@g-plus.in

he drive against illegally made gamocha and mekhela chador by the authorities will continue across the year and will not stop after Bohag Bihu. The deputy director of the department of handloom & textiles, Ranjeet Deka said, “Selling power loom (machine) made gamocha and mekhela chador is illegal in Assam according to the Handloom Reservation Act 2010.” Huge consignments of gamochas and mekhela chadors produced on power looms come to the Guwahati markets. In March 2018, the district administration formed five flying squads that included circle officers, handloom inspectors, officials of the tax department and police personnel.

Till 11th April, the flying squads seized 2,777 pieces of suspected power loom made gamochas, 20

pairs of mekhela chadors and 34 pieces of single chadors. The raids were conducted

Illegal gamocha/mekhela traders will be punished

he traders who are found selling power loom made gamochas and mekhela chadors will be punished according to the law. The deputy director of the department of handloom & textiles, Ranjeet Deka said, “Samples of the seized gamochas/mekhela chadors will be sent to laboratories for third party verification. If the product is found to be machine made, cases will be registered against the traders.” According to the Handloom Reservation Act 2010, guilty traders are punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to six months or with a fine. In some cases both are applicable. Along with sale of machine made gamochas and mekhela chadors, sale of machine made dakhona,

danka, khamlet and phanek are also illegal in Assam. The authorities will soon carry out drives against the sale of such illegally made products too. Reacting to the authorities’ move against machine made gamochas/mekhela this year, the traders feel that the ban will benefit the local weavers but doubt if the local weavers will be able to meet the market demand. During Bihu season around 3 lakh Assamese gamochas are required and the local producers mainly located in the villages around Sualkuchi are not able to meet the demand, said a gamocha trader based in Fancy Bazar. The traders are also upset with the punishment scare. A trader said, “We were not aware that selling imported gamocha is a crime.” n

Assamese mekhela chador being displayed for sale at a shop in Guwahati | G Plus Photo

How to spot a ‘fake’ gamocha?

M Assam’s Hima Das offered job in Railways after her brilliant performance in Commonwealth Games

People buying Assamese ‘Gamocha’ from a roadside shop ahead of Rogali Bihu at Ganeshguri | G Plus Photo

in Chandmari, Bamunimaidam, Fancy Bazar, Vijay Nagar, Changsari and Nograbari. Fancy Bazar will be under strict scanner as most of the seizures happened in this area. Deka said that the wholesale distributors had stocked up machine made gamochas long back and are now selling it through various vendors. A handloom made cotton gamocha costs Rs 50 to Rs 350, paat gamocha costs Rs 800 to Rs 1,300 and tosh gamocha also costs Rs 800 to Rs 1,300. The gamocha made outside Assam on power looms are only cotton gamochas and cost Rs 30 to Rs 70. Therefore, their demand is very high. The power loom made gamochas mainly come from South India, said Deka. Last year the drive was not so “effective” but from this year it will continue until the traders stop selling such gamochas and mekhela chadors, said Deka. n

uch has been talked about ‘fake’ or illegal gamochas and machine made gamochas circulating in the state of Assam. The district administration has issued numbers too for the citizens to complain if duplicate gamochas are spotted in the market. But the pertinent question remains and that is how to spot an illegal gamocha? With these quick simple check options, you can find out if a gamocha is handloom made or machine made: Option 1: In handmade gamochas, there are minute pores or temple mark at the borders of the weaving. But in machine made gamochas, there will be a refined

finishing. Option 2: The price of a machine made gamocha is much cheaper than a handmade gamocha. A full length handmade gamocha which is priced at Rs 190 or Rs 210 will be available for Rs 100 to Rs 130, if machine made. Option 3: If you burn the border threads of a handmade gamocha, it will burn to ashes. But if you burn the threads and it crumples up, you can be confirmed that it's a polyester-mixed gamocha, and not cotton. Option 4: You can ask the seller directly and if he is an honest chap, he will be truthful enough to speak about the wares he is selling. After all, Guwahati traders believe in customer loyalty. n

City

G PLUS | APR 14 - APR 20, 2018

Bohag Bihu celebrations at Vivanta by Taj

he month of Bohag (Baisakh) heralds the arrival of spring. For Assam and the community here, it is one of the most important and sacred time of the year, when the first month of the Assamese calendar starts on the 15th of April. While Bhogali Bihu has a special dominance in the food scene in Assam, Rongali Bihu also generates enough interest in the food scene – whereby people consciously take

It reflects the regional culture of a specific society. A cuisine is primarily influenced by the ingredients that are easily available and the climate of the area. Religious food laws also exercise strong influences on the food habits.

The Executive Chef of Vivanta by Taj, Guwahati has curated traditional Assamese thali for lunch and buffet dinner in a mixture of different indigenous styles with regional variations at Seven, which consists of food popular in the state, such as Chicken Khorika, Mung Masor Dal, Koldil

curry, Assamese duck curry, Pitha, Doi Sira, etc to meet the tastes of every diner.

Vivanta by Taj is offering buffet dinner with unique Assamese food preparation, distinguished by its distinctive flavours of exotic herbs, aroma and freshness coupled with theme backgrounds and Bihu dance performances.

the time out to enjoy the festivities. Cuisine of a land is a specific set of cooking traditions and practices.

Traditional Assamese thalis will be served at Rs 1,400(AI) for Vegetarian and Rs 1,600(AI) for NonVegetarian from 13th April to 15th April 2018. The Lunch will be served from 12:30 pm to 3 pm and buffet dinner will begin at 7:30 pm. n

Concern

SNIPPETS City-based old age home helps mother reunite with children after 7 months

G PLUS | APR 14 - APR 20, 2018

More than a year on, AHRC still without chairperson The Assam Human Rights Commission has been operating without a head for more than a year resulting in a rise in the number of human rights violation cases pending for disposal Saumya Mishra saumya.mishra@g-plus.in

A O

ld age homes have been the last resort for several neglected elderly people of the society. In one such incident that occurred in the Mothers Old Age Home, a mentally disturbed mother, who is approximately 42 years old has been reunited with her family after 7 months. The lady was rescued by Chandmari Police 7 months back and was handed over to Mothers Old Age Home. She was later identified as Babita Deka, wife of Late Mantu Deka. Babita initially had no memories of her family or village and could not even remember how she came to Guwahati. With the constant support and dedication of Utpal and Monica, the two youngsters who run the old age home, Babita was provided treatment for her mental condition at Guwahati Medical College & Hospital (GMCH). Babita is a resident of Altagaon, Kamalpur, and a mother of two. Her family members and residents of her village considered her to be dead after they failed to trace any information about her for 7 months. According to her family members, Babita, after the death of her husband, eventually faced a very tough time bringing up the family and lost her mental stability. Utpal Harshavardhan, cofounder of Mothers Old Age Home said, “It was very difficult for us to trace her details. She could not remember anything about her past. She earlier named two other places as her village, but both the places were wrong. With the faint memory that she had, we took another chance to help her reunite with her family.” “It was a very emotional moment. Her daughter had attained puberty a few days back and villagers had informed the family to perform the rituals by someone else, as they considered her mother to be dead,” added Utpal. The residents of Kamalpur and Babita’s family members thanked the team for their selfless help in reuniting a mother with her children. n

lmost one and a half years after the post of the chairperson of the Assam Human Rights Commission (AHRC) became vacant; the commission is still functioning without a head, leading to a high number of cases pending disposal. At present, the AHRC has been functioning with only one judicial member as the post of the other non-judicial member became vacant in 2013 and is yet to be filled up. On the other hand, the post of the chairperson has been lying vacant since November 2016. The commission is required to have a chairperson who should be a retired chief justice of a High Court apart from a nonjudicial member and a judicial member. The commission receives cases related to custodial deaths, any form of violation of human rights and medical negligence among others. As per the official data, the AHRC registered a total of 319 cases in 2017-18 out of which 105 were disposed off. Further, 387 cases of human rights violation in total are pending with the commission currently. In 201617, as many as 311 cases were registered, out of which 307 were disposed off. In the absence of the chairperson and the non-judicial member, the sole member of the

File photo of office of the Assam Human Rights Commission commission, Naba Kamal Bora, informed that he alone cannot dispose off cases as a division bench is required for the same comprising at least two members. He added that the AHRC receives around 25 cases every month on an average. “Without the other member and the chairperson, the commission can only take suo moto cognisance of cases and can call for

tion cases in the state. Officials informed that the AHRC took suo moto cognisance in 109 cases from 2013 to 2017 and 217 cases of custodial deaths were registered during this period. The commission can also give suggestions in different cases regarding departmental proceedings against the accused or recommend for compensations to the victims or their families. n

Significant suo moto cases

Chairperson to be appointed soon: Officials haskar Pegu, additional secretary of the home department however, told G Plus that the appointment of the AHRC’s chairperson will take place shortly. “All the formalities have been completed and the chairperson will be appointed very soon,” he informed. Clarifying on why the appointment has taken so long, Pegu said that the chairperson of a state human rights commission needs to be a retired chief justice of a High Court and thus the department was finding it difficult to locate a retired chief justice of High Court in other states as well. “We had taken up the matter with the governments of other states as well as the central government but there were no can-

reports from the authorities concerned in those cases,” said Bora. He also expressed his helplessness at delivering justice by going beyond taking suo moto cognisance and disposing off cases. This has led to an increase in the number of cases pending disposal, mentioned Bora. As a result, the justice process has been delayed for the complainants of human rights viola-

didates available for the post. We have received a candidature only recently and have finalised on the name,” he informed. n

Statement of cases registered and disposed off by Assam Human Rights Commission

HRC authorities informed that one of the recent cases in which the commission took suo moto cognisance was the Dima Hasao violence case. In January, two persons were killed in the violence during a bandh in a protest against the proposed inclusion of Dima Hasao in Greater Nagalim. The commission has asked for a report in the case which is yet to be submitted.

Year

Registered cases

Brought forward

Disposed off

2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18

255 309 322 337 260 370 311 319

397 386 329 354 248 126 168 172

266 366 297 443 382 328 307 104

Total pending cases 386 329 354 248 126 168 172 387

Bora said that the commission has also taken suo moto cognisance in the eviction drive which was carried out by the district administration and the forest department at the Amchang Wildlife Sanctuary in Kamrup district. The eviction drive which was carried out in November 2017 rendered more than 700 families homeless. A school was also demolished during the eviction. After protests by the settlers, the police had resorted to lathicharge, tear gas shells and firing of rubber bullets to disperse hundreds of protestors. Bora informed, “We have asked for the report in the Amchang case regarding relief and rehabilitation of those displaced and education for their children. The report will be submitted after due inquiry is conducted.” n

City

G PLUS | APR 14 - APR 20, 2018

Deadline extended to Aug 31 for GHC tunnel completion Rahul Chanda rahul.chanda@g-plus.in

fter almost two years of starting the construction of an underground tunnel connecting the old Gauhati High Court building with the new one built across the road, the authorities now have issued a revised deadline to the construction agency to complete the construction by 31st August 2018. “Penalty will be imposed on the agency if the work is not completed before the deadline,” said a senior official of Public Works Department (PWD), Buildings. The Pune based agency Construction Catalysers - was allotted the work order through

tendering process in the beginning of 2016. According to the tender agreement, the date of commencement of the work was 5th May 2016. The agreement also allotted 365 days for completion of the work. A senior official of PWD (Buildings) revealed that commencement of the work was delayed by six months due to various reasons including shifting of

Penalty will be imposed on the agency if the work is not completed before the deadline” Official of PWD

The under-construction Gauhati High Court tunnel | G Plus Photo

an underground water reservoir, drain connectivity, shifting of water pipeline, shifting of electrical lines/poles and shifting of telephone lines which took around six months. The speed of work has been assessed as “in slow progress” recently by some officials of PWD. On 13th March 2018, the construction agency was asked to complete the work by 31st August. A senior official said, “There is ample scope of deploying more manpower to speed up the process but this is not reflected in the field.” The official said that after Bihu an assessment will be made again and if the work is still found to be slow, penalty will be imposed from next week. Till now 60% work on the tunnel has been completed, the PWD officials said. n

Budget escalates from Rs 16.96 crores to Rs 21.18 crores

he budget of the underground passageway construction connecting the old Gauhati High Court building with the new one has swelled from the initially estimated budget. A source in PWD, Buildings

said, “The initial estimated budget was Rs 16.96 crores but additional funds were required to complete the project. Now the sanctioned budget for the project is Rs 21.18 crores.” The budget should not exceed Rs 21. 18 crores, said a PWD

official. Originally, provision of lifts and stairways were kept in the project at the entry and exit points of the under pass. Gauhati High Court authorities asked to incorporate 4 numbers of escalators and

CCTV provision in the project. Accordingly, revised estimates with the additional items were prepared and sanctioned in November 2017. There are two steel tubes of 27 metres length each placed 5.2 metres below the road

level. The tubes were brought from Pune. The diameter of each tube is 3.8 metres. With the space for civil structures like stairways, lifts and escalators on both the sides, 65.46 metres is the total length of the under pass. n

Bihu Special

G PLUS | APR 14 - APR 20, 2018

The Guwahati Bihu Guide With the city fully geared up for the Rongali Bihu celebrations, G Plus presents a brief guide to the five main Bihu functions in Guwahati. Bharalumukh

Latasil

Bamunimaidam

Arrangements

On the morning of April 14, chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal will cut the ribbon to mark the beginning of Bihu celebrations. The first day will also see different dance forms of the seven states of northeast. Till April 19, there will be dance performances from different indigenous communities of Assam such as Rabha, Mising, Garo and others.

Guwahati’s oldest Bihu function that will complete its 67th year this time has a plethora of plans. Chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal will inaugurate the function. The committee has this time gone out of its way to bring all the states of northeast onto one platform with dance performances from each of those states. Moreover, the Bihu Samragyi competition will also be held by Latasil like every year.

This Bihu function is going to the basics – harnessing new talents and promoting the Assamese tradition – this year. The organizers said that they are concentrating on organising the Bihu competitions in a proper manner. They had held an art workshop for young kids from March 22 and 29. Contestants for the Bihu dance competitions will come from entire northeast.

The Bharalumukh Bihu function will be a star-studded event as it will see almost all the high profile singers of Assam – Zubeen Garg, Priyanka Bharali and Preety Kongana.

Highlights

Famous singers such as JP Das, Queen Das, Malabika Bhattacharya, Chayanika Bhuyan, Zubeen Garg and Sukhmoni Deori will be performing this year.

Budget

The budget of this year’s function has dipped by Rs 6-7 lakhs to Rs 22 lakhs.

This year’s budget for Latasil is Rs 28 lakhs.

The first day, April 14, will see Bihu Hussori performance followed by Bihu dance competition. The prize money for the winners is Rs 50,000 and for runners up is Rs 30,000. Ranjit Gogoi’s Bihu team, considered the most popular in the city, is going to perform on the night of 16th. The Bihu committee is promoting a new singer, Mayuri Choudhury, this Bihu.

Highlights

Budget

Chandmari

Noonmati

Arrangements

It’s all about honoring the residents of Chandmari and those who had been involved with the committee, a fair Bihu competition and star power for the Chandmari Bihu celebration. The event will be inaugurated by the committee’s principal adviser Balendra Bharali, followed by a Smriti Arpan – condolence to the deceased committee members – inaugurated by its adviser Haresh Chandra Bordoloi and the launch of a magazine by senior journalist Ajit Kumar Bhuyan.

The Bihu celebration starts a day early, April 13, in Noonmati with Borgeet, Lokageet and Bhupen-geet (Bhupen Hazarika’s songs) performances. The official inauguration will be on April 14 with Bihu dance performances and rallies on the Janata Path. There will also be quiz competition, traditional games and other lok-sanskriti sadhana competitions.

Highlights Famous singers such as Simanta Shekhar, Krishnamoni Chutiya, Palasjyoti and Chayankia Bhuyan will perform in the Bihu function. High stakes are set for the Bihu competitions as the winner will take home Rs 1 lakh, the first runner up will get Rs 75,000 and the second runner up will receive Rs 50,000. A minimum of Rs 50,000 has been set as prize in other categories such as Best Singer, Best Hussori performance, Best Pepa player and Best Dhul player. The function will culminate with a Swachha Bharat Abhiyan on April 19.

Budget The organizers have raised a budget of Rs 18 lakhs.

Highlights The Noonmati Bihu function will see the introduction of two new categories of felicitation besides its regular felicitation of the elderly people of Noonmati. These are Kamrup Gourab and Noonmati Gourab. The star performers include Kalpana Patowary, Neel Akash and Babu.

Budget The committee has a whooping budget of Rs 25 lakhs.

With no star performer in their kitty, the Bamunimaidam Bihu committee is going to organize this year’s function at a budget of Rs 8 lakhs.

Bihu Special

G PLUS | APR 14 - APR 20, 2018

Papon ‘discarded’ from city Bihu functions

he ripples of the ‘Kiss controversy’ in February, when Assam’s singer Angarag Papon Mahanta was caught on camera 'kissing' a minor participant of a music reality show, has affected the singer’s chances of performing in the city this Rongali Bihu. None of the Bihu organisers has approached him this year, which was not the case two years back when a performance by Mahanta was virtually mandatory in most of the major Bihu functions in the city. Without getting involved in any controversy, Karendra Kalita, president of Bharalumukh Bihu committee said, “We have not invited him (Mahanta). His reputation has taken a major beating after the incident and we do not want any part of it in our function.” Same goes with Kailash Sarma, member of the Latasil Bihu Committee who said, “We don’t know how people would react to him. Moreover, he charges a lot.”

Two cases have been registered against Mahanta – a suo moto case by Mumbai Police and another by Assam Police as directed by the Assam State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (ASCPCR), the investigation of which are still going on. Another organiser, Paban Dutta, president of New Guwahati Bihu Committee, said, “While, last year, we all approached him and then shied away hearing his signing fee, this year, we did not approach him. We are not sure if people would like him.” It may be mentioned that last year too, Papon did not perform here citing “Bollywood commitments”. n

Swachch Bharat Abhiyan – closing act in all Bihu venues

o tackle the menace of garbage littered by the audiences during the Bihu functions, the organisers of several such functions have decided to conduct Swachch Bharat Abhiyan on their respective closing days. The committee members have taken up the responsibility to keep the venues clean after the event and have informed the district administration about the same. “Our pack up will be on April

19 and a day before that, we will clean the entire venue,” D Mishra, organizer of Chandmari Bihu Committee said. Kailash Sarma, member of Latasil Bihu Committee said, “We will place ample numbers of dustbins at the venue so that the audience do not litter around. Our volunteers have also been instructed to guide people to dispose their garbage in the dustbins. They will also clean the area after the performance.” n

Pre-Monsoon jitters might play spoilsport

he Met department has predicted that the weather here would swing between heavy showers and harsh sun during the Bihu days – April 14 to 16. “It will be very hot for the rest of the month. We however predict cloudy sky with one or two spells of rain or thundershowers starting from today (April 12) and that the weather will swing between

two extremes — heavy showers and extreme heat till the monsoon arrives next month,” said Sunit Das, scientist of the Borjhar Meteorological centre. The weather was similar for the past few days with generally hot and humid conditions interrupted by occasional downpours. Rain has also affected the Bihu shopping with light to heavy downpours this week. n

Star-less Bihu functions this year

nlike the last few years, when Rongali Bihu functions were all about star performers, a lot of organisers this year are abstaining from hiring high-budget artists. The organisers said that they are willing to invest more on traditional performances than the “one night wonder” of the popular stars. “We can utilise our funds in a better manner if we can engage the community in the Bihu functions and help harness new talents through our events. That is why, we have refrained from hiring any star performer this year,” Paban Dutta, president of New Guwahati Bihu Committee told G Plus. New Guwahati Bihu committee is holding workshops, Hussori dance performances by local artists and giving platform to a new singer named Mayuri Choudhury. “Instead of banking on sensational singers, we should create new sensational singers. This was the reason why these functions were started in the first place,”

said Dutta. Balen Sarma, of Latasil Bihu Committee, said, “We are evidently the biggest Bihu organisers in Assam and we have taken up the roll to not only promote Assam’s culture, but also the entire northeast. So this Bihu, the people of Guwahati will witness dance and cultural functions of all the northeastern states.” Zubeen Garg will be performing in only three major Bihu functions while other singing sensations such as Zublee Baruah, Priyanka Bharali, Preety Kongana can be seen in a few other Bihu functions. n

Ward Survey

G PLUS | APR

Ward No 24: Narengi residents dissatisfied with GMC performance In this week’s Ward Watch, G Plus checks out the living scenario of Narengi in Ward No 24 and finds that it has a long way to go before being termed as a developed locality

he Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) has failed to meet the basic living parameters in Narengi within its Ward No 24, the residents revealed. In a survey by G Plus that was conducted in 14 categories of basic living parameters that are expected to be provided by the GMC, all the 50 families that responded unanimously said that the GMC has failed to provide satisfactory facilities in seven sectors – water supply, pest control, public toilet, drainage, streetlights, parking and traffic congestion. Kamal Kakati, who had shifted to Narengi with his family five years ago, complained that they had not received a single drop of water since they moved in. “Not just our family but all the residents in our vicinity have dug deep tube wells within their premises for water. I am not aware if any family here gets GMC water,” Kakati said. He added, “There are no public toilets either. Besides electricity and garbage collection, we do not get any of the facilities that are supposed to be provided by GMC.” The same goes for the pest control measures which are evidently lacking in Narengi. The locality had the second highest dengue-prevalence in the city after Uzan Bazar, as revealed in last year’s survey by the National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP). Regarding drainage, 43

respondents (86 per cent) said that they have not seen any initiative being taken to clear the drains, while the rest seven (14 per cent) said that there had been some work done over the last five years, but it still needs improvement. This has resulted in flash floods and created water logging issues too. 33 respondents (66 per cent) said that water logging during the monsoons is a common feature while 11 others (22 per cent) said that they have noticed water logging in some lanes as well. The rest 12 respondents (24 per cent) did not notice water logging in the area. Vehicle parking and traffic congestion also seem to be big challenges for the residents as all the respondents said that they have neither seen any parking facility in the ward nor any holistic approach to control the traffic. “In the peak hours which are between 2-4 pm and between 6-8 pm, the Narengi Tinali area remains crowded as vehicles coming from all directions create snarls and confusion almost every day,” Mintu Medhi, a shop keeper there said. Regarding streetlights 47 respondents (94 per cent) expressed that there are no streetlights in the ward and the rest 3 respondents (six per cent) said that there are streetlights which does not cover the entire stretch of the road. Regarding law and order, only three persons (six per cent) said that they feel secure in the ward while 35 (70 per cent) said that the ward needs more security. 12 persons (24 per cent) said there are no security arrangements in the ward. n

Yes

100%

Sometimes

Yes

100%

Water Supply

Negative Response

Avishek Sengupta avishek.sengupta@g-plus.in

Pathetic condition of a road in Narengi | G Plus Photo

Someti

Pest Control Measures

Well lit

Very se

Vaguely lit

Secure

Insufficient light

70%

Needs m

94%

No Street Lights

24%

No secu

Street Lights

Law and order

14%

Good

86%

Average

Bad

Pathetic

Yes

100%

Public Toilets

66%

Yes

12%

86%

22%

In some

14%

Could be better

Road condition

Drainage system

Yes

100%

Parking spaces

Water Logging issues

Smooth

100%

Occass

Patheti

Traffic congestion

Ward Survey

14 - APR 20, 2018

Transport connectivity, the only bright side of Ward 24

he only encouraging aspect of Narengi is its transport connectivity, the residents said in the survey. Though the ward is quite distant from the hubs of activities in the city, the residents said that it is well connected through various modes of public transport. 48 respondents (96 per cent) said that it is well connected while only two persons (4 per cent) said that it needs improvement. Narengi is connected to Gauhati Club through Noonmati and New Guwahati, Zoo road through Geetanagar and Six Mile through VIP road. “These three routes take us to almost every part of the city. It does not matter how far we live from the main city if we get regular low cost conveyance to those areas. At night, the numbers of such vehicles lessen, but we still get transportation till 10 pm,” Vikas Borah, who regularly commutes from

imes

Narengi, said. Regarding the availability of hospitals, ambulances and other medical facilities, the respondents expressed satisfaction unanimously. There are at least four medical institutions within a reasonable radius in Narengi with two of those being superspeciality hospitals. The residents offered a mixed reaction to garbage collection. 23 persons (46 per cent) said that their garbage is being collected daily while 25 persons (50 per cent) said that it is being collected twice a week. Two residents (4 per cent) said that garbage collection is irregular. All the respondents shared that they experience occasional load shedding. Given that as it may, the condition of a junction as important as Narengi, with the OIL pipelines office in the vicinity deserves better pace of development. n

Fund crunch reason behind lack of development: Councillor

hen asked about the poor performance of GMC in the ward, councillor Paresh Kalita said that the bulk of the money that he received was spent on the road works. Each of the GMC councillors received a total of Rs 1.9 crores in four instalments – three instalments worth Rs 30 lakhs up to 2016 and Rs 1 crore after the council re-election in 2016. “Bulk of the money was spent on constructing the roads. A major lane takes about Rs 20 lakhs to be completed. With the first instalment, I built the road from Shantipur to Forest Gate which was in a very deplorable condition. With the second and third instalments, I built roads from Narengi to Satgaon and covered the other hilly areas. It is a difficult construction activity there and most of the residents do not have land patta. Yet, I reached as much as I

64%

Yes

36%

could. At least 7-8 other new roads are about to be constructed with the Rs 1 crore that I have received. The tendering process is completed and the work will be completed by May,” Kalita said. He further said that there is no GMC water connection to Narengi. “I had been pressing the council for a long time regarding the water connections and every time I was said told that Narengi will be given preference when the water projects are completed. But it’s taking more time to complete than previously envisaged and now the residents of my ward are getting restless. I have been apprised of this issue several times, but I have no power here,” Kalita said, adding, “Similarly, I have no power in the electrification, drainage and several other services as GMC does not concern itself with those services.” “Five years ago, Narengi did not even have whatever little de-

Do you know councillor

urity

e lanes

sionally crowded

Councillor Report

more security

Yes

30%

58%

Sometimes

12%

Only during election

Councillor interaction

Excellent

Satisfactory

80%

Under performing

16%

Poor

Councillor Performance

Always

100%

Sometimes

Never

Councillor in community works

Positive Response

ecured

velopment it has received now. I’ve set up streetlights at several locations when I came to power, but due to lack of maintenance, most of those are now defunct. And I have no money to repair those,” Kalita said. If selected as a candidate for the ensuing ward election that are likely to be held mid-May, Kalita said, “People of my ward have faith in me and if I get the party ticket and thereafter get elected, I will concentrate on providing the basic facilities that are within my capacity such as regular garbage collection, maintaining streetlights etc.” As many as 40 respondents (80 per cent) of the survey said that the councillor is an “under performer” while eight persons (16 per cent) rated his performance poor. Two (four per cent) respondents expressed satisfaction at his performance while none voted his performance as “excellent.” n

46%

Everyday

50%

Twice a week

Once a week

Fortnightly

Irregular

Never

Garbage collection

100%

Sometimes

Half an hour daily

An hour daily

More than an hour

No load shedding

Load shedding

86%

Yes

Needs improvement

Transport connectivity

100%

Yes

Needs improvement

Ambulance, health services

16 E

G Talk D

G PLUS | APR 14 - APR 20, 2018

Musings during Bihu

here was a recent Facebook update by a friend who was visiting Ahmedabad. She extolled on how clean and pretty the city looked, its orderly traffic et al. But what touched the raw chords of the heart was the sense of pride and belongingness that the folks of Ahmedabad carried for their city and which quite showed in their normal, day-to-day life. My friend lamented that this is missing with Guwahatians. The self-centric nature of Guwahatians with total indifference towards their city starts with the administration actually. A small example from this Thursday would suffice. The All Assam Indigenous Games being held at the RG Baruah Stadium complex was coming to an end and the closing ceremony was scheduled for 4.30 pm. Obviously, such ceremonies always necessitates the concerned minister’s visit and the administration has to make the necessary preparation. “Zealous” as the traffic department is in discharging its duties, it chose to close down a fair stretch of the already overburdened parking on Dr B Baruah Road with no consideration whatsoever to the various business and retail outlets or motorists whose livelihood depends on the road.

A few days ago, the administration had pulled off a similar stunt with the entire GS Road simply because the Bangladeshi PM was visiting the city. It didn’t matter that there are hospitals on that road and patients seeking to live and not die. While there never is a proactive step from the administration to foster feelings of ownership towards the city among its residents, expecting citizens to tow the line all the time takes the cake. Such apathy towards the general public only rubs off badly on every Guwahatian who finds no reason to be proud as a resident. This is the Bihu season and the general feeling in the air is one of romance and kinship. Guwahatians might just do themselves a good turn by vociferously protesting the administration’s recurrent high-handedness while inculcating in themselves the basic sense of love and feelings for their living space – the city of Guwahati. With every aspect of the city burgeoning beyond control – and this includes the administration’s ineptitude – it is left to none but the citizens to save the city and this Rongali Bihu might just be the right occasion to start. Swapnil Bharali Editor

Whither bound APSC Scam investigation?

ast week a DTO official was arrested in connection with the APSC scam. I believe that this takes the total count of arrested officials to 36. While it is good that there is progress in weeding out the corrupt from the cash-for-jobs scam, it is still unclear as to where the investigation is headed. When Rakesh Paul, the main alleged in the APSC scam was arrested, there was a lot of dust that flew in the air. Everyone thought that once this dust settled, it would reveal all the ministers and the officials under whose leadership, this nexus was flourishing. However, after the dust settled, Rakesh Paul was in custody and only small time officials have been arrested since then. Once again, progress is good, but where is this leading to? By now we were expecting senior political leaders, whose names were already being mentioned in household conversations, to be out in the public domain and revealed by the investigation. These arrests should have shaken up the tree and the investigation would be sensational. However, as time has passed, the case seems to be progressing with minor busts only. What is interesting is that forensics has revealed forgery, duplication and bribery in the APSC cash-for-jobs-scam. Several of the arrested officials have been previously questioned in relation to other scams and their relation to ministers and government officials too, and yet, the investigation has still failed to shake up a storm. The investigation should now be expedited and the case wrapped up before all dust settles on all these files. Sidharth Bedi Varma

Rongali Bihu: its facets and changes

hen we utter the word ‘Bihu’, it is ‘Rongali Bihu’ that generally comes to the mind. There is lot speculation about the genesis of the word ‘Bihu.’ Some trace its origins to the Sanskrit word ‘Bishub.’ Another line of thought believes it has its roots in the Bodo word ‘Baishagu.’ Variations to these opinions account for the Dimasa word ‘Bushu’ while the word ‘Bichu’ from the Deuri community also cannot be ruled out. ‘Bohag Bihu’ or ‘Rongali Bihu’ is basically an agrarian festival. The concept of fecundity or productiveness remains hidden within it and is precisely the reason of the co-relation between the long history of agriculture and traditional Assamese Bihu. The concept is clearly reflected in different Bihu songs. This national festival of Bihu is the endproduct of the fine assimilation of Assamese culture with the rich cultures of the different ethnic tribes of Assam. Under the aegis of the Ahom Kings, the festival of Bihu had acquired a hugely ebullient shape. In the courtyard of the famous ‘Rang Ghar’ Bihu festivities unfolded substantially to encompass cultural and sporting activities as well. Various ethnic games of the different tribes and sects got the royal approval and sponsorship. The festival was instrumental in generating cultural exchanges and goodwill thus creating harmony within and among different communities. Rongali Bihu has also been called ‘Saat Bihu’ because the festival is celebrated over a period of seven days. Practically though, the festivities of Rongali Bihu last almost for a month. There are two important subvariants of Rongali Bihu – the ‘Phaat Bihu’ and the ‘Jeng Bihu’. Assam being a land of amazing

diversity, the demography comprises a number of ethnic tribes like Mising, Deuri, Ahom, Chutia, Koch, Kaivarta, etc. The mighty Brahmaputra River has a number of tributaries and their banks are extremely fertile. Its fertile banks are inhabited by a variety of tribes which celebrate Bihu with day long song and dance activities and exchange baskets of traditional sweets like pitha and laru. A special tradition of many tribes is the community feasting where the leaf of a special banana tree is used as the platter on which the food is served. The folks sit around together and feast on the local cuisine served on these banana leaves. Opinions vary as to why this celebration is

The author briefly traces the history of Rongali Bihu from its Ahom origins and reflects on the changes it has gone through as Assamese society modernized. termed ‘Phaator Bihu’ or ‘Phaat Bihu’ with one line of thought claiming that the word ‘phaat’ can be traced to the ‘Tai’ language. In a few other parts of Assam, another variant of Bihu is observed and is termed ‘Jeng Bihu’. Documented history is bereft of its time and place of origin though. In some places, it is popularly known as ‘Suali Bihu’ or ‘Maiki Bihu’ – ‘suali’ and ‘maiki’ being Assamese for ‘girl’ and ‘lady’ respectively. The maidens – girls or ladies – render the Bihu dance under the shade of a Banyan tree or any other similar big tree. The Bihu songs, in their essence, carry the very heart-beat of Assamese people. The songs depict their social portrait and history. In the month

rHima Das’ Commonwealth Games feat

O p i n i o n Dr Arunima Bharali of Baishakh, with Nature playing its grand part, the Assamese spirit is virtually resurrected and the Bihu songs are a true reflection of the advent of the ‘Basanta Ritu’ or spring season which gives a new life as much to the landscape of Assam as to the spirit of its people. Rongali Bihu is not just a festival of fun and gaiety – it is an inspiration to the Assamese to be active and dynamic. The farewell to Bihu essentially transforms the Assamese farmer into a physically and mentally charged worker and they take to their cultivation and farming activities with renewed vim and vigor. In the urban landscape of modern Assam, the passage of Bihu from a rustic festival to a contemporary gala event has been phenomenal and it has a firm footing in the specially erected pandals and stages of the towns and cities. Many prosperous villages also celebrate Bihu in the modern way and the festival has become an event of huge cultural gathering and social exchange. Bihu has been singularly instrumental in the resurrection of Assamese culture and bringing it ample recognition all across the country and in foreign lands. Rongali Bihu has fostered a sense of brotherhood and kinship among human beings elevating them culturally while at the same time, rekindling the dormant spirit to better and a more active life. We sincerely believe that by keeping the tradition and spirit of Rongali Bihu intact, the greater Assamese community will be a better-knit, cohesive force – both physically and intellectually – and will thus pave the way for firmer footsteps on the path of progress towards building a Sonar Bor Asom (Greater Golden Assam). The author is a retired Professor of Assamese from B. Barooah College and author of several novels, short stories, poems and song lyrics.

Letter to the Editor

ndian athletes are bringing laurels to the country in the ongoing Commonwealth Games 2018. It is a matter of great pride for us as residents of Assam that 18-year-old Hima Das from Assam has represented India and performed brilliantly. She finished sixth in the 400 metres finals, clocking her personal best of 51.32 seconds. In my opinion, the performance in the Commonwealth Games is an added achievement for the athlete who belongs to a rural background and whose family never took her sporting abilities and interest seriously enough. After her performance, the Minister of State for Railways, Rajen Gohain has announced a job offer under Railways sports quota to Hima Das. However, I think that instead of offering her a government job, the government should work towards improving the infrastructure and facilities provided to athletes and sportsmen in the country so that we can have more young people like Hima to take pride in. Rajiv Lahkar, Guwahati

rDisturbing Goalpara incident

Letter to the Editor

shocking incident came to light recently where a young woman was brutally beaten up by a group of drunken men for going out with a man from a different community. The disturbing incident was filmed on camera and also shared on social media. This raises a lot of questions about our society as a general and the bystanders who were merely watching the entire incident and instead of helping the victim, recorded it on mobile. The administration and police should not spare these men who do not think twice before breaking laws. Smita Kakati, Goalpara

In Focus

G PLUS | APR 14 - APR 20, 2018

Rajesh Das Entrepreneur

ajesh Das is the Vice President of Industries and Trade Fair Association of Assam. Not only has he worked towards developing the entrepreneurial sector of the region, he has worked closely with India’s neighbouring countries, including SAARC and BIMSTEC countries to bridge the gap between the northeastern states and build strong bilateral ties. He had been appointed as the Trade Advisor of former Chief Minister of Meghalaya, Dr DD Lapang. He is also the founder editor of Northeast Tribune – a

web news portal of the re-

gion. Born and brought up in Guwahati, Rajesh did his schooling from South Point Montessori School and Central School, Khanapara before moving to Delhi where he pursued graduation in English Literature from Kirori Mal College and post graduation from the University of Delhi. Belonging to a family of teachers, bureaucrats, lawyers, doctors and engineers, the field of trade and commerce were alien concepts to Rajesh. His father Late Bhaba Taran Das, an activist during the historic Assam Agitation and a great columnist of the time, used to work in the Statistics Department of Gauhati University. Rajesh is a first generation businessman who started from grassroots level with the aim to promote trade in Assam. “My companions during my school and university days inspired me to think out of the box. Delhi introduced me to a very different world – a competitive one with vast opportunities. It liberated me from the traditional world of technical education of medi-

cines and engineering. And so, I decided to become an entrepreneur instead of taking up a lucrative government job,” said Rajesh. Rajesh’s journey as an entrepreneur began 25 years ago with the formation of Industries and Trade Fair Association of Assam (ITFAA) in the year 1993. Rajesh, along with a few like-minded people, formed ITFAA with the objective of providing a platform to entrepreneurs, artisans and selfhelp groups of the northeast in the national as well as international market by organising events and programs. The Guwahati Trade Fair was their pioneering effort in this regard. Speaking to G Plus about the inception of the International Guwahati Trade Fair, Rajesh recalled, “In 1993, the then district administration of Kamrup requested us to organise the proposed Guwahati Trade Fair at Judges Field as the ground was lying idle and in bad condition. We organised the first edition of the historic Guwahati Trade Fair with the participation of few government departments and public undertakings like SAIL, Coal India Ltd, OIL, ONGC and a few participants from Delhi. Guwahati Trade Fair went international after receiving recognition from India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO), Ministry of Commerce, Government of India and subsequent participation of Export Promotion Bureau (EPB),

Ministry of Commerce, Government of Bangladesh in 2001.” Since then, the International Guwahati Trade Fair has witnessed participation from countries like Thailand, Myanmar, Pakistan, Indonesia, Vietnam, Turkey, Iran, Singapore, China, Afghanistan, Egypt, Kenya, Ghana, South Africa, United Kingdom and United Arab Emirates, to name a few. ITFAA has successfully been organising the International Guwahati Trade Fair since 25 years, International Shillong Trade Fair since 19 years, International Shillong Shopping Carnival since 13 years, International Nagaon Trade Fair since 3 years and Made in North East India in Thailand since 3 years. Rajesh Das was recently bestowed with the ‘Entrepreneur of the year’ award by Maramland Welfare Society. “Entrepreneurship is a team work. Hence, I dedicate the award to the hundreds of unsung heroes who stood by me and motivated me over the last 25 years to reach this position,” a humbled Rajesh told G Plus. He further added that with his vast experience in policy development, project management, foreign affairs and communications, he endeavours to contribute towards building a strong socio-economic relationship with the neighbouring countries. He feels that the govern-

ment’s Act East Policy, Make in India Policy and Advantage Assam Business Summit are historic steps towards improving the trade and commerce scenario of Assam, as well as the entire northeast India. These initiatives, according to Rajesh, are improving the economic scenario of Assam and re-branding the state’s image in the eyes of the global audience. Further, Rajesh understands that social media plays a vital role in the sector of entrepreneurship and innovation. “In this globalised world, entrepreneurship and innovation cannot flourish without social media. Instant communication and dependable service play very important roles in modern entrepreneurship, making it easy to meet demands and solve grievances,” he said. An icon for the budding and aspiring entrepreneurs, Rajesh believes that there is no short cut to success. “To become an entrepreneur, you need real time preparation and lots of hard work. I would advise the budding entrepreneurs to first complete their studies keeping in sync with the type of entrepreneurship they plan to opt for. If possible, they should also work for a few months/years in private sector to garner experience about working under pressure and achieving targets before plunging into entrepreneurship. Finally, don’t forget to be a good human being.”

Feature

G PLUS | APR 14 - APR 20, 2018

Ganga - a true untold story Biraj Das

n today’s scenario, there is this uncanny tendency to carry a generalised perception based on prejudices related to certain individual’s religion or faith. Jumping the guns vis-a-vis someone’s religious inclination without giving a second thought has become disturbingly commonplace. I, for one, believe that all religions form the foundation for morals and beliefs, and it helps us to shape and determine what we term as ‘Right’ or ‘Wrong’. I, raised as a Hindu and educated to respect everyone’s beliefs, even if I do not agree with them in certain milieu. To me, there is no religion other than good work and humanity. You may choose to disagree, but to me that is what we call the universal truth. To lead a toxin-free disciplined life,

religion is paramount. Nevertheless, to validate my statement, let me narrate a true untold story of an ill-fated Hindu girl ‘Ganga.’ Ganga led her life as a proud unblemished teacher, mother and subsequently a grandmother with the aid of a few true followers of Islam. The story dates back to 1939. Danigaon, a village situated on the bank of mighty Brahmaputra River near Mohanaghat in Dibrugarh, was considered to be an epitome of communal harmony and peaceful coexistence. People belonging to different races, cultures, communities and religions were in confluence. Ganga, a very charming teenage girl and one of the many flood victims of Nimatighat, was forced to shift her base along with her family members to Danigaon, Mohanaghat due to the terrific wave of flood. The flood-induced erosion virtually swept her village out of existence.

It was heartening to see a class seven pass out have a fanatical interest to foster literacy into her new village. In spite her hand to-mouth existence, she set up a school to provide free education for nonschool going children and willing adults. Rohit, a young and intelligent boy from the same village, who was then pursuing his studies in Kolkata, during one of his vacations, got introduced to Ganga. Attracted by her beauty, personality and selfless-service, he soon fell in love with her. Everything was going fine until a dreadful situation sucked out life from the place. Ganga, the unmarried girl of Danigaon, was diagnosed as pregnant. The blooming love story was doomed by a situation that was considered taboo then and even now. Like every normal parent, Ganga’s parents too opted for abortion in order to avoid social disgrace. However, destiny had some other plans.

The news spread throughout the village like wild fire. The then Muslim inhabitants of Danigaon unexpectedly came out in support of the helpless Ganga. They, instead of disgracing her for being pregnant out of wedlock, embraced her and her foetus. They vehemently opposed the abortion reasoning that it was as per the desire of God and no human being had the right to go against the desire of God. They debated, faced the social heat and finally vowed that no matter what, they will take up all the responsibilities as per Hindu rituals in the upbringing

of the baby. They fought unconditionally to safeguard Ganga and her unborn child. In due course, Ganga gave birth to a beautiful baby girl, Namrata. She grew up following all rituals of Hinduism under the firm care of the Muslim community of her village. Namrata, whose only identity was politeness – was a fruit borne out of a bond created by love and not religion. Namrata, later on, led a normal life, got married and had kids. After retirement, Ganga shifted into Namrata’s residence. It so happened that once, on hearing her grandson’s unflattering opinion towards Muslims, she narrated her and his mother’s story. She described how Muslims were the unconditional saviours in their lives. Never in her life, had Ganga blamed Rohit for the ordeal that she had to go through in life. In June 2008, Ganga took her last breath at her daughter’s residence somewhere in Golaghat District. Ganga in her lifetime was the witness to an act that goes beyond our social conscience and belief. n

Vintage culture and heritage of Bihu under threat Bishaldeep Kakati

he melodious lullabies of the cuckoos, the shining bright green covers of the trees, the enticing aroma and dazzling beauty of the orchids, the newfangled aura in the ambience and most importantly with all these, when mother nature silently and lavishly bestows her belongings to the earth, then we can definitely conceive the notion in our minds that the queen of all seasons i.e. the Spring season has once again made her joyous presence felt on the planet. And that is the reason whenever we confabulate about spring season we are more often than not carried to a mystic world, which is full of glee. However, with the advent of this season, many festivals as well as fiestas are also celebrated by many communities across India. And if we focus our attention towards a state of northeast India, known as Assam, then we definitely know the fact that during the spring season, the people of Assam celebrate their most awaited festival that is Rongali Bihu, which is referred to as the ‘Lifeline of the Assamese community.’ Along with it, the spring season also marks the beginning of the Assamese year in the local calendars. Like any other festival of India, Rongali Bihu too has its unique ways of celebration. However the striking fact is that Bihu has

of late, generated a great deal of enthusiasm among people in the entire country by the musical ambience it generates through Bihu dances, Dhol, Pepa, Gogona etc . And that is the reason many celebrities, actors and actresses of Bollywood have also adored Bihu and danced the same. Thus, the festival has brought a new distinctive specification to the state of Assam. Nevertheless, a detailed analysis on the history of Rongali Bihu celebration in Assam will bring forward numerous ideas and notions about its origin and its forms. But the folklores lingering about its origin, thus mention the fact that the festival started during the Ahom Kingdom and gradually it circulated throughout the state. However there might be other speculations surrounding about its origin as well. Although, according to the common tales, Rongali Bihu was basically enjoyed by the Ahom kings, by observing it from the historic and ancient Rang Ghar of Sivasagar. The festival of Rongali Bihu is related to nature, and that is why it was actually celebrated in the open fields, in households, as well as under tree shades, where groups of young and enthusiastic Bihu dancers and singers would musically glorify the ambience. In fact, the Bihu songs that were rhythmically created were also related to nature as well. In short,

Rongali Bihu is a festival of fun and gaiety amalgamated with the tunes and scenarios of the nature. And although the festival of Rongali Bihu that comes with the advent of the spring season is celebrated throughout the entire month, yet historically it is celebrated for seven days, with each day having its own significance. And those seven days of Bihu are termed as ‘Goru Bihu’, ‘Manuh Bihu’, ‘Goshai Bihu’,

‘Kutum Bihu’, ‘Senehi Bihu’, ‘Mela Bihu’ and ‘Sera Bihu’. However, with each passing year, this traditional festival of Rongali Bihu has also gone through a number of positive changes, so that its aura doesn’t only remain confined to open fields or households only. And that is the reason in 1952, Radha Govinda Baruah, popularly known as ‘the architect of modern Assam’ broadened the concepts of Rongali Bihu by conceptualizing the first ever Rongali Bihu celebration on the stage, thus giving it a new di-

mension as well as an aura, keeping in terms with its rich tradition. And when Rongali Bihu was taken to the stage, it not only made it more alluring but also provided a platform for many talented Bihu enthusiasts to unleash their talent, earn a livelihood and also entertain the people. Thus the efforts of Radha Govinda Baruah gifted the people of Assam a new taste of Rongali Bihu that also properly took care of the rich heritage and traditions. But, as soon as the generation stepped into the 21st century, the festival also experienced the perils of modernization, as a result of which the residents of Assam are thus compelled to believe the pathetic fact that the rich cultural heritage and traditions of are also facing the threats of being destroyed, wholly or in parts in due course of time. The lists of controversies that come up every year during Rongali Bihu have only degraded the festival’s rich heritage and traditions. People of Assam are well aware about the hue and cry regarding banning of Hindi songs, wearing of affixed traditional costumes by artistes as well as the controversies associated with Bihu pageants. But amidst all, the one thing that has probably hurt Assamese people the most is the fact that some of the people have completely forgotten to even follow the minimum rituals like washing and cleaning their domesticated cows and tying them with new ropes

on the first day of the festival, and bestowing ‘Bihuwan’ to the elders and seeking their blessings the very next day. Whenever one confabulates about Bihu, the things that come up are the Bihu songs and dances that can allure one and all. However the horrendous fact is that the evolution of Bihu songs have not only created a negative vibe in the society but also diminished the roots of Bihu songs, which were actually combination of nature and emotions. Added to this, the Bihu cultural nights have also not depicted a good scenario either, with many of the singers creating nuisance with their unethical works and acts. Further certain alcohol addicted sections of the society also get involved in brawls thus completely destroying the healthy celebration of Bihu. Not only this, Bihu functions go on for not less than two months instead of one month and certain private news channels keep on telecasting them again and again, often crossing all limits. So all these factors have only desecrated the rich heritage of Rongali Bihu. But even then, organizations like All Assam Students’ Union are still trying their best to hold the rich culture of Rongali Bihu by organizing it in its vintage and original form. However, the people of Assam should realize the fact that Bihu is the identity of Assam and hence it should not be manipulated every time like a puppet in any way anyone wants, rather its lost glory should be restored. n

Trotter

G PLUS | APR 14 - APR 20, 2018

Drunk man jumps into pool full of crocodiles; arm ripped off but survives

drunk 21-year-old had his arm ripped off after he jumped into a pool full of crocodiles but incredibly managed to escape with his life. Despite sustaining several fractures, the man is now reported to be in stable condition. Collin Miller allegedly “bulldozed” through a restricted area, climbed over a protective fence and jumped into a pool filled with three domesticated crocodiles. The pool - a popular tourist attraction - was next door to a brewery where he had been drinking. Eyewitnesses said that Miller made his way through the brewery’s kitchen and then jumped into the pool next door. Two lo-

cals fearlessly jumped in after him and dragged Miller to safety. “We were shocked when he just stormed into the kitchen despite a sign prohibiting members of the public and exited the window,” an eyewitness said. “He jumped into the pool and the crocodiles immediately pounced on him. He is lucky because alert guests quickly followed and rescued him but one of the crocs had already cut off his arm,” the eyewitness said. “The other crocodile nearly crushed his head but it turned away to chase after the one with the arm and that’s how he was rescued,” the eyewitness added. “A member of the public deliber-

112-year-ol Japanese recognized as world’s oldest male

man in Ashoro, Japan, is being honoured with an award that’s been a long time coming: Being recognized as the world’s oldest living male. Masazo Nonaka, who was 112 years and 259 days as of April 10, has just officially been selected as the world’s oldest living male, according to Guinness World Records. Nonaka replaces Francisco Nunez Olivera of Spain, who was 113 when he died in January. In his youth, Nanaka worked as a farmer and a lumberjack before running a hot springs inn that is still in the family. He also raised two sons and three daughters with his wife, Hatsuno. Nonaka’s granddaughter, Yuko Nonaka, said her grandfather credits his long life to sugar. “He needs a wheelchair to move but he is in good condition. He loves eating any kind of sweets ― Japanese or Western style,” she said, according to The Telegraph. “He reads newspapers every day and often soaks in the hot springs.” Nonaka had a sweet time accepting the age-old honour, mainly because he was served a cake, to which he responded, “Yum,” according to Guinness. Although Nonaka is the oldest living male, Guinness World Records said it currently has no female equivalent for the title since Violet Brown of Jamaica died last September at age 117. (Source: huffpost)

9-year-old boy lights LED bulb with his bare hands

shy 9-year-old from Kerala is suddenly in the spotlight after his family discovered he can light up an LED bulb just by touching it. Abu Thahir claims he discovered the bizarre skill when his father, who is an electrician, brought home a bulb from work. The boy is causing a buzz on social media ever since his aunt posted a video showing the amazing deed. His family claims his skill is genuine and experts said his body might be acting as an electrical conductor due to a high salt content in his sweat. "People who sweat more usually have a high salt content in their body. If the level is unusually high, their bodies could conduct electricity,” said expert Joshy K Kuriakose. Thahir can light up only rechargeable LED bulbs, though, and only when the electrical foot contacts at the bottom of the bulb touch his skin. “If you connect the two leads of the rechargeable bulb with a wire, it will light up. Thahir’s body is conducting electricity like a wire,” Kuriakose explained. (Source: foxnews)

ately climbed over a protective fence and entered the crocodile pool which houses three crocodiles, deliberately putting his life in extreme danger,” The Victoria Falls River Brewing Company the establishment Miller had been drinking at - said in a statement to the press. “He was rescued by incredible efforts of two very brave men including an employee of the Cage Diving Company. He sustained several injuries including loss of arm. The River Brewing Company wishes him a speedy recovery and we are grateful to the quick thinking and bravery of his rescuers,” the statement said. (Source: ndtv)

'HornVrat' campaign to curb incessant honking in Mumbai

ccording to startling statistics by an NGO, Mumbai honks a whopping 18 million times in one hour, and that a Mumbai driver honks roughly 48 times a day. In a bid to curb the incessant honking, NGO Awaaz Foundation has partnered with Maharashtra's transport department, Rickshawmen's Union and the Mumbai Police for a unique initiative. As part of the campaign, named HornVrat, an auto rickshaw decorated with blow horns will roam on the

streets of Mumbai, urging people to refrain from honking. A member of the Rickshawmen's Union said that noise pollution by honking builds up stress and anger adding that being exposed to it also impacts health severely. The HornVrat campaign which literally translates to 'a fast from honking' - began on January 27, 2018, at the Gateway of India.The three-wheeler is now travelling around Mumbai to create awareness. (Source: republicworld)

Special

G PLUS | APR 14 - APR 20, 2018

To Munin Barua our Homage

Moloya Goswami I was privileged to work with Bhaimon Da and very closely got the opportunity to know him as a director and as a wonderful human being. He was not only a master of his craft but an extraordinary human being who was respected by all in the industry. Extremely kind and gentle, his approach to work was exemplary. He was the one and only director who, through his films, succeeded in providing meaningful, family oriented and healthy entertainment which touched the chords of people of Assam from various walks of life. His untimely demise is not only a tremendous loss to Assamese cinema but for all the movie lovers and young movie makers and actors who would never get an opportunity to learn from such a legend. He has always made us proud, he has made Assam proud. May his soul rest in eternal peace!

Prastuti Parashar For me, Munin Barua’s films represent Assamese cinema. I’ve worked with him in four movies - Barood, Rong, Dinabandhoo and Ramdhenu – and each one was a learning experience. He knew very well how to extract quality work from artists. While working with him, there was nothing to think about other than concentrating on the work, surrounded by calm and positivity. Munin Barua’s demise is a huge loss for Assam. It’s now our turn to preserve his works for the future generations to come and bring his tremendous scripts in both theatre and cinema to life.

Kopil Bora Munin Barua made the kind of films that revolved around family drama – those that could be watched by people across all age groups and walks of life. That’s precisely why people could relate to his stories and he quickly became a household name. His works reflected the moral ethos, traditions and cultures of Assam and its people. His passing away is a loss not only to the people of the film industry but also to the Assamese movie goers and the future generations to come as they won’t get to witness his works of art.

Zerifa Wahid I have worked with Late Munin Barua in only one movie named “Nayak” which is one of the most successful movies in my career. I really admire Munin Barua both as a director and as a person. We shall always be indebted to him for his contribution to Assamese Cinema. His most popular movie “Hiya Diya Niya” changed the trend of Assamese cinema and created a loyal audience in Assam. All his subsequent movies were commercially successful, but his movie named “Prabhati Pokhir Gaan” is one of the most beautiful movies in the history of Assamese Cinema. He gifted some beautiful and entertaining movies to the audience, which were also characteristically Assamese in spirit. He never got influenced by the Bollywood trend, but his films never lacked entertainment. On a personal front, I was very fond of having conversations with him. He was a good narrator and would tell some lovely stories of his career. Last time when I met him, our conversation lasted for more than three hours and he had so many things to share. I shall miss him always.

Nishita Goswami Bhaimon uncle was one of the pioneers of Assamese cinema and his demise has left a huge vacuum in the Assamese film industry. I do not think anyone can fill up the void he has left behind. He shall always remain the star of our industry. I feel really fortunate to have had the chance to work with him in not one, but three significant movies. His film Dinabandhoo that bagged national film award continues to be the most important movie of my career. And so, I really thank Bhaimon uncle for gifting me three amazing movies and I want to credit my success to him. I consider myself a ‘director’s actress’ because he taught me everything – right from the expressions to dialogue delivery. Munin Barua was not just my mentor; he was my guide and my driving force. I really miss Bhaimon uncle.

ne of the most widely respected filmmakers of Assam, national awardwinning director Munin Barua passed away at the age of 71 in Guwahati. The veteran filmmaker had been suffering from illness since the past couple of years and succumbed to the same at 1:55 AM on Saturday, 7th April. He is survived by his wife Manjula Barua, son Manas and daughter Puja. Munin Barua is widely regarded as one of the directors whose prowess at creating good commercial cinema could not be questioned. He helped popularize and establish Assamese cinema outside the state of Assam to a great extent. He made his directorial debut with Nipon Goswami with the movie Pratima in 1987. He then went on to direct television serials, including Papu Nikur Xongbad, and a telefilm titled Rudra. Popularly known as Bhaimon Da, Barua wrote scripts for at least 21 films in his career. Among his best known directorial ventures are Pita-Putro, Prabhati Pokhir Gaan, Hiya Diya Niya, Daag, Nayak, Bidhata, Dinabandhoo and Barood. His movie ‘Hiya Diya Niya’ was a trend-setting blockbuster, one that cemented his place among the all-time greatest film directors of Assam. ‘Dinabandhoo’ won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Assamese in 2005. In 2017, Barua received the Lifetime Achievement Award at Prag Cine Awards for his immense contributions towards the Assamese film industry. On Saturday afternoon, Barua’s last rites were performed with full state honours at Nabagraha crematorium ground in Guwahati. From the family, his son Manas and popular musician Zubeen Garg performed the last rites as per the wishes of the veteran filmmaker. Assam Governor Jagdish Mukhi, Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, among other dignitaries of the government of Assam and the Assamese Film Fraternity deeply condoled the demise of the master filmmaker. G Plus presents a few messages from some prominent artists who had the privilege of working with Munin Barua.

Entertainment

G PLUS | APR 14 - APR 20, 2018

Award winning film ‘Alifa’ hits theatres

lifa, the much anticipated movie from debutant Assam filmmaker Deep Choudhury, finally hit the theatres across Assam on Friday, April 6. The movie features Baharul Islam and Jaya Seal Ghosh in the lead roles and veterans from both the Assamese as well as Bengali movie industry like Prasun Gain and Victor Banerjee among others. Alifa

has already garnered rave reviews from critics as well as appreciation from general movie goers. It also won the best debut film during the National Film Awards last year. The film is a

saga of human-wildlife conflict, as well as the frailties of human nature and wider social bonding. “It’s a saga of struggle, hope, human frailty and despair which explores the plight of migrant workers in urban setups, where humanity remains a question mark and every moment witnesses the emergence of a new challenge. I have tried to explore the reality without being biased or trying to make any statement,” said Deep Choudhury. Breaking from the convention of having a star-studded premiere in Guwahati amid glitz and glamour, the makers of ‘Alifa’ had an interactive session with the audience at Barpeta on Friday after the first screening session. Director Deep Choudhury and cinematographer Nahid Ahmed were present at the Indrapuri Cinema at Barpeta town on Friday during the inaugural show and interacted with the audience post the screening.

‘M

oina Moti’, a traditional Bihu music video featuring singers Pranati Khaund, her daughter Sanjeeta Khaund and son Sandeep Khaund, was released at a function held at the NEDFi convention centre, Guwahati on April 11. The traditional folk composition celebrates the essence of the land of Assam. The video song was released by veteran artists of Assamese music industry JP Das and Loknath Goswami. B Paul Muktieh, Chief Managing Director of NEDFi, was also present on the occasion. The music for ‘Moina Moti’ has been scored and composed

by Ranjit Gogoi, video has been directed by Samujjal Kashyap and edited by Biplab Saharia. Ranjit Gogoi and Samujjal Kashyap were also present during the release function. Pranati Khaund is a well known artist of All India Radio who has lent her voice to modern Assamese songs and bhajans and even shared the stage with bhajan maestro Anup Jalota at various live performances. Her children Sanjeeta and Sandeep too have a number of performances to their credit. Speaking on the occasion, video director Samujjal Kashyap said that the songs featuring in the video are a true reflection of raw and authentic Bihu.

Lighter & faster Scan the QR code

Get the G Plus app

Janasanyog/57/18

‘Moina Moti’ – a Bihu music video released

Abhishruti releases new track ahead of Rongali Bihu

enowned Assamese singer Abhishruti Bezbaruah released a peppy Bihu track titled ‘Kordoi Sokola’ amidst glitz and glamour at Doha, Qatar on April 6, Friday. Kordoi Sokola, Abhishruti’s third Bihu single, is a unique track comprising traditional lyrics with influences of Mishing Bihu. “It is always a learning experience when you release your own music to the world. All I can say is that it’s been a beautiful journey so far,” said Abhishruti. The song has been composed by Diganta Bharati;

music arrangement, mixing and mastering has been done by Rakesh Baro, video has been directed by Samujjal Kashyap and its visual art has been designed by Sheetal Kashyap. The launch event at Doha was attended by the Assamese people residing there. Milan Arun, President of Indian Cultural Centre, Doha; Sheenu Pillai, former Vice- President ICC and Kaustav Saikia, President of Asom Somaj also graced the occasion. The event concluded with a live performance by Abhishruti and a cake cutting ceremony.

Fun

G PLUS | APR 14 - APR 20, 2018

Horoscope of the week You could be at odds with a friend who may not take your issues seriously enough. Don’t let this get in the way of your relationship. This person may not understand what you’re going through. With a potent focus on an intensive sector of your chart, you could be working through things on a very deep level, and it may not be easy to explain this to others.

Others could be demanding at the start of this week, so it might be helpful to say no to anything you can’t manage. You have enough on your plate already without other people adding more. But unless you’re firm, they may continue in the same vein. With expressive Mercury preparing to turn direct over the weekend, be particularly careful when signing contracts.

Thoughts of journeying to exotic places could clash with your workload, and this could be a source of tension at the start of this week. Nevertheless, the presence of delightful Venus in your sector of goals and career can add a steadying note to this situation. Her influence can encourage you to successfully delegate certain tasks and find help in other ways.

A decision made at the start of the week could see you getting more or perhaps less involved in a creative project. The presence of the sun in your sector of shared resources suggests that it might be worthwhile to continue for the experience you’ll gain as a result. On another note, an upbeat tie between harmonious Venus and dynamic Mars hints at a reunion with someone.

Relationships continue to be edgy, particularly if the perspective of a friend or loved one differs from that of your family. You’ll need to be the go-between and compromiser here. It is possible to find shared values in this situation, and this can make it easier to resolve an issue or reach an agreement.

Ongoing partnerships and friendships seem upbeat and positive with lovely Venus in your relationship zone. However, a budding romance could be perplexing this week. You might wonder if you’ve lost your ability to make an impression. Rest assured that you haven’t.

Try not to let your friends rain on your parade or dampen your spirits. With chatty Mercury retrograde in your social zone until the weekend, they could criticize your latest sweetheart or cramp your creative style with their comments. If what you’re doing feels good, carry on and ignore them. They could just be jealous.

Progress may have been difficult lately with lively Mercury retrograde. Making headway on domestic projects may have seemed like an uphill struggle. But being who you are, quitting isn’t likely an option. The good news is that chatty Mercury turns direct over the weekend, so things should get much easier in this area.

It’s important that you not doubt yourself this week, especially if you have an idea that could be worth its weight in gold. At least talk it over with friends and get some feedback. Expressive Mercury turns direct in your communication sector later this week, which is good news if you have suffered delays and general frustration in this area.

You could get a brilliant idea from a magazine or the Internet that inspires you to redecorate your home. In fact, the week ahead could see you investing in paper, paint, or furnishings. You could also be moved to help someone who is going through a difficult time.

The first conference, organized by Harry Marks and Richard Saul Wurman in 1984 featured demos of the compact disc, co-developed by Philips and Sony and one of the first demonstrations of the Apple Macintosh computer Presentations were also given by famous mathematician Benoit Mandelbrot and influential members of the digerati community, like Nicholas Negroponte and Stewart Brand What are we talking about?

Which famous institution was established in 1753, largely based on the collections of the physician and scientist, Sir Hans Sloane?

It is known as the Listening Ears Pass in Tibetan By what name do we know it more famously?

Which popular Indian chef was recently announced by People magazine as the “Hottest Chef of America?”

Who is the youngest Indian shooter to win a gold medal at the ISSF World Cup?

What is this style of cuisine called, presented in its signature style? Dr. Soubhadra Chakrabarty This quiz has been brought to you by Brain Jam, a property of Priya Communications

Luann by Greg Evans

curio-city

9 3 4 56 7 9 8 3 3

7 9 3 3 7 9 7 9 6 4 7 6 7 8 9 6 8 5 2 9 51 2 5 7 1 4 8 3 3 22 8 1 2 4 5 medium 3 Daily Sudoku: Wed 11-Apr-2018 4 6 8 Daily Sudoku: Fri 6-Apr-2018

very hard

2last 7 8week 5 6 solution 3 4 1 9 6 9 3 4 1 8 7 2 5 1 2 14 56 47 7 2 89 93 38 56 6 5 59 68 13 3 4 72 19 27 48 5 1 2 4 9 7 3 2 8 9 35 81 66 74 3 6 48 89 94 1 7 26 52 75 13 7 3 1 8 4 8 4 5 2 3 51 26 99 67 7 1 92 15 76 6 5 94 38 43 82 5 3 36 22 68 9 8 47 75 14 91 1 Sudoku: 7 Wed 9 11-Apr-2018 2 8 6 4 5 medium 3 Daily 3 4 5 9 7 1 6 8 2 Daily Sudoku: Fri 6-Apr-2018

very hard

http://www.dailysudoku.com/

1. The first TED conference, leading to the TED Talks 2. British Museum 3. Nathu La Pass connecting India and China through Sikkim 4. Vikas Khanna 5. Manu Bhaker, who won the gold medal at the 10m air pistol event at the ongoing Commonwealth Games at Gold Coast, Australia 6. Wazwan

curio-city

Sudoku

You could experience a crisis of belief early this week, which could inspire you to let go of a limiting mindset and adopt a more expansive outlook. Pay attention to your instincts regarding this. If something feels good, you will likely feel it deep down. If it doesn’t, your body will let you know in no uncertain terms. All you need to do is listen to its messages.

Although a part of you may feel like rebelling against authority, the stellar landscape suggests it would be just as easy to work with such people. The Aries sun angles toward passionate Pluto on Tuesday, which could coincide with a difference of opinion with a superior.

Word of the week Shangri-la noun [shang-gruh-lah] A faraway haven or hideaway of idyllic beauty and tranquility.

Crossword Across

Down

1 Lively and competitive environment (3,3,6) 9 Freshwater fish (5) 10 Painter’s equipment (7) 11 Indian bread (4) 12 French policeman (8) 14 Hypothesis (6) 15 Hot spa (anag) — sadness (6) 18 German shepherd dog (8) 20 Scottish valley (4) 22 Rip coat (anag) — fruit (7) 23 Author of Moll Flanders, d. 1731 (5) 24 Gossip (6-6)

2 Oblivious (7) 3 Persistent dull pain (4) 4 Well dressed (6) 5 Exhausted (informal) (4-4) 6 Unqualified — unadulterated (5) 7 Outstandingly good thing (3,4,5) 8 Become unable to move any further (5,2,1,4) 13 All-important — disparaging (8) 16 Of use (7) 17 Too old to be of use (4,2) 19 Small food fish (5) 21 Check text for publication (4)

Last week’s solution

Lifestyle

G PLUS | APR 14 - APR 20, 2018

Vaastu rules for placement of windows in the east to let in maximum morning sunlight. When maximum sunrays are received from the east the residents become healthy and command dignity.

ust like the doors, windows are also secondary entry points for energy in the form of light and air. So windows play an important role in Vaastu. We know that natural sunlight can destroy lot of germs and it frees us from many physical and mental diseases. If windows are not fitted according to Vaastu, there may be problems. There are some rules listed below which should be followed while fixing windows:

1. The number of windows should be even e.g. 2-4-6-8-10 2. There should be windows on the both sides of the main door to complete the magnetic circle. This brings peace and harmony. It is missing in many modern apartments. 3. There should be maximum windows on the north, east and west. 4. There should be more widows

5. The sun moves towards the north during the northward movement of the sun (Uttarayan). The north is also the abode of Lord Kubera, the God of wealth. So having more windows at north is good for finances. 6. If the wall at north is touching somebody else’s house, then build a window between the two houses and keep the middle vacant, if possible. 7. The south is ruled by Yama, the Lord of death. Hence there should be just enough openings for cross ventilation but never bigger windows. If windows are unavoidable at south, try to keep them closed as far as possible. 8. The windows should open inside. 9. Any cracked or broken glass panels should be replaced immediately. Windows should be kept clean, specially the glass panels. They should not make any creaky noise

Parsee Patia (Tangy Prawns)

he old tale goes that when a boatload of Parsees the Zoroastrian Persians who fled from the invasion of Islam - arrived at the shores of Gujarat in AD 745, they sent emissaries to the King of Surat

while opening or closing. 10. Windows should be big enough to let in fresh air and sunlight.

Some dos and don’ts

Do not have a stopped wall clock. It should be repaired or removed immediately. Keep a wooden dragon in the east of your office. This brings positive vibes. Whenever the broom or vacuum cleaner is not in use, it should be kept out of sight. Do not cover a room with wallto-wall carpet. There must be some gap so that the flow of energy is not disturbed. The Crystal tree is excellent for peace and harmony. Though it is an imaginary tree, Feng Shui pays a lot of importance to it. A tree made of the traditional nine gems (Navaratna) is very good for family harmony. The northwest is a good direction to keep a tree made of various crystals. It helps in the career. If it is kept in the east, then it is very auspicious for wealth and business. It improves relationships at southwest. Hemanta Kumar Sarmah Engineer, Businessman, Advanced Pranic Healer and Su Jok Acupressure specialist.

Double Fortified Salt is the need of the hour

ccording to the National Family Health Survey (NFHS)-IV conducted during 2015-16, more than half of women in India (53%) have anemia. Almost 50.3% of pregnant women in India are anemic and it is estimated that about 20%-40% of maternal deaths in India are due to anemia and one in every two Indian women (55%) suffers from some form of anemia. Similarly, among children between the ages of 6 and 59 months, the great majority, 58.4% are anaemic. Boys and girls are equally likely to have anaemia. Children of mothers who have anaemia are much more likely to be anemic. Even among children in wealthiest households and children whose mothers have at least 10 years of education, three out of five children are anaemic. Affordable access to better iron nutrition is needed for the Indian population especially the marginalised and poor. Iron deficiency is the most common nutrient deficiency worldwide. Iron deficiency anaemia (IDA) and iron deficiency without anaemia pose a serious public health problem because they af-

requesting permission to land and settle in the country. The emissaries returned with a full glass of milk to indicate that the land was rich but already thickly populated. Legend has it that the Parsee captain added a teaspoon of sugar to the milk and sent it back to the king indicating that the new arrivals would add sweetness to the land. Well it is already the stuff of legends that the Parsees became one of India’s most influential and wealthy minorities. This is a tangy and spicy Parsee prawn recipe which serves 2.

Method

Start by bringing the marinade ingredients together in a bowl. Mix in the shrimp and let it marinade while the Patia comes together. In a shallow pan, heat refined oil and brown the onions and garlic in the oil for about 5-7 minutes. Next roast the spices with the onion and garlic. Stir in the

fect human capital formation and quality of life. The iron nutritional deficiency has also been linked to impaired physical performance and endurance, muscle fatigue, reduced worker productivity, impaired behaviour and cognition, and suboptimal maternal–infant interactions. Tata Trusts has been active in the promotion of Fortified foods in India and advocates and recommends the use Iron Fortified Iodized Food, commonly also known as Double Fortified Salt (DFS) in our daily diet, to help reduce the incidences of Malnutrition. Unlike other micronutrient supplements, about 50% iron is made available thru DFS at less than 5 paise per person per day. Tata Trusts helps and assist state governments distribute DFS thru the Fair Price Stores and plans to distribute DFS thru open market route of retail and modern trade formats to help consumers in urban and rulers areas who do not access Fair Price Store of Public Distribution System. The brand would be rightly called NUTRI NATION, which is in line with the Trusts Vision of helping India reduce malnutrition.

Ingredients ½ lb shrimp/prawn, peeled and deveined 1 tablespoon refined oil 1 cup finely chopped red onion 2 cloves garlic, chopped ¼ teaspoon ground red chilli or Cayenne pepper ¼ teaspoon turmeric ¼ teaspoon ground coriander 2 medium tomatoes, chopped 1 teaspoon sugar or jaggery ¼ teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons cider vinegar ¼ teaspoon Garam Masala 1 tablespoon chopped coriander

Marinade ½ teaspoon garlic paste (about 1-2 cloves garlic, grated) ¼ teaspoon ground red chilli or Cayenne pepper ¼ teaspoon ground cumin ¼ teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon refined oil 1 tablespoon lemon/lime juice chopped tomatoes, sugar or jaggery and salt. Cook through till the tomatoes blend in with the onions and spices, you will see a chunky thick base. Add the red vinegar, garam masala and cook for 1-2 more minutes. Next, add the shrimp/prawns, turn off the flame and cover the pan, the shrimp will cook in the steam (unless you have very large prawns, which might need 3-4 minutes on the flame). KULKUL RAHMAN Entrepreneur, mother and a passionate cook.

Feature

G PLUS | APR 14 - APR 20, 2018

What is the secret to having the best house in town? least not for residences. There are some commercial establishments in the city that have tried exposed wiring as a design option and have had a great response. “People in the city opt for lavish ceilings, grand lights, chandeliers and lavish furniture,” said Archana

about the various options and trends that are available. This way we expose people to more than the internet. For example, MCM (Modified Clay Materials) Phomi is a material that several people are now intrigued by. These products that are made of clay, offer a rus-

a raw finish. “You must have seen that the most popular lounges and boutiques in the city have a raw/ industrial finish. These include open wiring, brick finishing on walls, exposed Air Conditioner ducting among other alternatives,” said Archana. One of these includes Jolly Polly, a boutique in Fancy Bazaar, which has been designed exclusively by using products from Balaji Udyog. But is using an interior designer cost effective? Well for one, interior designers make your lives easier! Although people prefer getting their work done by a carpenter after confirming their designs and it is the cheaper alternative, running around after carpenters is mentally taxing. Designers do have the technical know-how and can guide carpenters to deliver the best product with the least iterations. Now that your house is all set,

adding, “Most people here tell me that they want their house to be luxurious, yet in a budgeted way. In commercial properties, people have started experimenting with raw ceilings, various colour combinations and exposed wirings.” In all of this, how do she and her firm (Balaji Udyog) add value to the projects? For starters, Studio Segments by Balaji Udyog’s showroom in Guwahati is one the largest showrooms for interior and exterior materials in the entire northeast India and offer a choice between hundreds of different materials and designs. “What we do when our clients walk in is that we ensure that they are personally attended to. We speak to them

tic finish and longevity of around 60-80 years, which is lucrative for anyone who comes to us to design homes. Additionally, Guwahati is an earthquake prone area, so these MCM materials are light and ensures that during disasters, you are safe. Its easy application is another advantage. Laminates and veneers are also something that people are heavily investing in. These can also be polished, buffed and given a luxurious look to,” said Archana. Speaking to G Plus about the current design trends and what designers advise home owners, she said that for commercial projects such as a lounge, restaurant or a boutique, people can opt for

what about the science behind designing it? Does Vaastu play a key role there? Well, designing houses based on Vaastu depends from person to person. It is best that you let your designer know about your belief in Vaastu. “People who strongly believe in Vaastu, let us know. That way, we can follow their requirements. Vaastu does play a major role in designing as it drives energy into their homes. Added to that, colour combinations and lighting equally play an important role in determining the vibes at your home. Lastly, it is important that when you’re designing a house, make sure that you consult the right people for the right rooms.

Stepping into your new home? Here’s where to start G Plus Feature

house and a home is an amalgamation of different ideas that end up reflecting the resident’s nature and personality. The entire exercise can be exciting and tiring at the same time. G Plus spoke to Archana Kucheria, the resident interior designer for Studio Segments by Balaji Udyog who speaks about what designers do that adds value to a house and makes it a home. The task of designing a house is a long process. To make that a home, it takes even longer. The process first starts when you meet a client. What matters most is their concept, their design and the area they want to design. What the designers do is add value to it with their technical knowhow and understanding. But does a client always come with a mind-set and a select design? Do they always know what they are looking for or are they open to new ideas? Customers today have become much more exposed to new ideas and trends. By surfing the internet, they know what designs they want and what exactly they are looking for. They just want appoint a designer so that they don’t have to run around and look after the carpenters and labourers. People who come to designers are much more informed and knowledgeable. “They are exposed to new trends and get pictures samples for us designers,” says Archana. But what are some of these design preferences that people in Guwahati make for their residences or maybe their commercial establishments? Designers reveal that elements like false ceilings are something that people prefer having for their residences. People do not want exposed wiring and exposed wiring as a design trend has not made its way to India, at-

By this we mean, speak to the stakeholders. “If I am designing a kitchen, it would be important that I meet the female of the house because she is the one who will spend around 80% of her time in the kitchen. If the designs do not work for her, it will never serve the purpose. Also, it is very important to know your client. For example, a Marwari housewife looks for a lot of storage. Being Marwari myself, we’ve seen our mothers store

things in containers for a few months too! And while storage is a factor, it is important to design a kitchen that is maid-friendly and that furniture fittings and appliances have durability,” Archana said. “All in all, Guwahati has opened up to working with interior designers. We ensure that instead of clients getting too invested with their time, we take the headache and hand it over upon completion,” concluded Archana. n (Archana Kucheria graduated from LS Raheja School of Architecture, Mumbai and is the resident Interior Designer at Studio Segments by Balaji Udyog, Ulubari.)

Events

G PLUS | APR 14 - APR 20, 2018

uwahati went high on fashion at the grand finale of Mega Miss Assam 2018 that took place at Jyoti Chitraban recently. More than 60 participants participated in the pageant, with 20 top finalists contesting for the finale. The winning crown of Miss Assam was bagged by Suman Baishya, with Ipsita Kataky as the first runner up and Parashri Boruah as second run-

ner up. In a jam-packed auditorium, the event showcased the exquisite designs of some well-known designers of the country. The show was judged by Sukalpa Das, runner up of Miss India East 2012. As part of the event, Sukanya Boruah put up a Xattriya dance performance and enthralled the audience.

Date: April 5, Thursday Event: Mega Miss Assam 2018 Venue: Rudra Hall, Jyoti Chitraban

ilken Dreams Fashion Week 2018 was organised by the SRS Entertainment Group at the Jyoti Chitraban Film Studio, Guwahati. The fashion week witnessed designs of some very talented designers of the region including Adityam Saikia, Dhiraj Deka, Mousumi Sonowal and Hina Lakkadsha to name a few. Hundreds of models walked the ramp showcasing the varied range of collections -from traditional silk to liquid golds inspired by the northeast handlooms and florals to artisty textures.

Date: April 7, Saturday Event: Silken Dreams Fashion Week Venue: Jyoti Chitraban

anishq organised ‘Gold Rush’ - a jewellery fashion show and musical night - in Guwahati this weekend. The fashion show took place in two rounds - the first round displayed Tanishq Diamond while the second one displayed the latest line of Tanishq Padmavati Gold Jewellery. Ace fashion designer Jyoti Kashmiri showcased gorgeous traditional and western outfits. The show, chore-

Date: April 7, Saturday Event: Tanishq Gold Rush Fashion and Musical Night Venue: India Club

ographed by Chow Poran J Gogoi, witnessed Fbb Femina Miss India Assam Sunaina Kamath as the Show-stopper. The musical night was organised by Sumon Kalyan Dutta (SKD) & Team.

Padma Shri Arup Kumar Dutta felicitated by Justice Hrishikesh Roy in presence of Secy, NEWF, Swapnil Bharali

“The Ahoms” written by Arup Kumar Dutta launched in Guwahati in the premises of the North East Writers’ Forum

Date: April 8, Sunday Event: Felicitation of Padma Shri Arup Kumar Dutta by NEWF

Buzz

G PLUS | APR 14 - APR 20, 2018

Health Camp for World Health Day organised at Cotton University

“Health Camp cum Oration Programme” was held at Cotton University (CU), Guwahati on April 7 2018 with a day long programme. The programme was organized by Department of Molecular Biology & Biotechnology (MBBT) to observe World Health Day (WHD). “Universal Health Coverage

(UHC): Everyone, Everywhere” was the theme for WHD for 2018. UHC refers to the providing of essential healthcare services to everyone. Professor Bhabesh Chandra Goswami, Vice Chancellor, Cotton University graced the occasion with a thought provoking speech on the subject. The programme was initiated by Dr Purabi Deka

Bose, Head of the Department, MBBT, CU. In the morning session, a health camp was held in the form of free blood test for students, teaching staff and non-teaching staff. Blood tests were conducted for Liver Function Test (LFT), Vitamin D and Estrogen hormone levels in female participants. Assessment of Body Mass Index (BMI) was also conducted during the camp. The health camp was organised by Molecular Diagnostic Lab, MBBT, CU in association with Molecular Virology and Cancer Biology Lab of Gauhati University. The health camp was followed by an oration programme in the afternoon. The resource persons - Dr Bidyawati Das (Gynaecologist, Former JDHS, MMCH), Dr Jayanta Das (Senior Psychiatrist, Guwahati) and Dr Madhab Rajbongshi (Additional Superintendent, MMCH) dwelled at length on topics relating to women’s health, menstrual hygiene, drug and alcohol abuse, mental health etc. n

International pre-school opens in Guwahati

ontana International Pre-school opened its first branch in Guwahati on April 8, Sunday. Montana International Pre-school, powered by Aptech, has made its mark as one of the best pre-schools that offers internationally recognised curriculum and positive nurturing for children between 8 months to 5.6 years. With the commitment to increase its national footprint, Aptech opened its first pre-school at Chachal, VIP Road, Guwahati through its franchisee M/S Neev. The school was inaugurated by Hemanta Bharali, eminent writer and editor of a leading local newspaper in the presence of Manish Bhaskar, Regional Head of Aptech Montana. Montana International Pre-

he Ambassador of the European Union to India, HE Tomasz Kozlowski, visited Guwahati on 9-10 April to participate in the EU Day organised at the Assam Don Bosco University and IIT Guwahati. Ambassador Kozlowski interacted with the students and faculty members of Assam Don Bosco University and IIT Guwahati. At IIT Guwahati, he also met the Director, Prof Gautam Biswas. The Ambassador also visited the Tapesia Campus of Assam Don Bosco University where he was received by Vice Chancellor Fr (Dr) Stephen Mavely. While talking to the students, Ambassador Kozlowski said, “Under Erasmus + more than 5300 Indian students have received scholarships over the last several years. In the last three years alone, about 1300 students have received full scholarships, 120 Indian universities have been involved in active exchange programs and around 100 in joint master programs or capacity building projects. There is a huge opportunity for the Indian students, researchers and universities which they should explore.” He invited students, researchers and faculty members to tap the various opportunities available

under the EU funded programmes for higher education and research such as Erasmus +, The Jean Monnet programme, and Mary Sklodowska Curie Actions and collaborative projects in Horizon 2020. He further informed that the EU provides technical assistance to the first ever solar park in Assam. The Ambassador took this opportunity to interact with the media on April 10 and share ongoing developments in the EU-India Strategic Partnership and discuss priorities going forward in the areas of foreign and security policy, economic cooperation, climate change, environment and sustainability and opportunities for Indian students in higher education and research in Europe. n

City Academy inks MoU with Arunachal govt school Guwahati also offers a child day-care programme that provides a safe and stimulating atmosphere for the children. The parents are empowered through an on-demand video conferencing facility with the day-care using smartphone facility. Additionally,

to ensure utmost safety and security of the children, the pre-school has an all-women employee team. With the enrolment of students currently on-going, the school is scheduled to start its first session 2018-19 from April 18. n

Closing ceremony of MVM Silpukhuri’s Silver Jubilee Celebration

aharishi Vidya Mandir Senior Secondary School celebrated the closing ceremony of its Silver Jubilee Celebration (2017-18) on April 10, Tuesday at the Guwahati Medical College & Hospital (GMCH) auditorium, Guwahati. Governor of Assam, Prof Jagdish Mukhi, graced the occasion as the chief guest, while other dignitaries like Siddhartha Bhattacharya, MLA of East Guwahati Constituency; Dr RK Sharma, Vice Chancellor of USTM; Dr Amar Jyoti Choudhury, Vice Chancellor of Assam Down Town

European Union Ambassador visits Assam colleges

University; Dr Prakash Chandra Joshi, Vice President of Maharishi Siksha Sansthan; singer and composer Samar Hazarika and Captain MJ Bagchi (retd.), In-charge

Director of MVM Group were present during the occasion as the guests of honour. The event began with the lighting of the lamp, followed by the inaugural speeches by the dignitaries present. The students of Maharishi Vidya Mandir put up amazing cultural performances which including singing, dancing and staging plays. A host of celebrations was organised as the school stepped into its silver jubilee year, including 'Yaari' - a gala event and 'Sansmaran 2017' - the first ever alumni meet of MVM Silpukhuri. n

MoU signed between Madhu K Garg (3rd L) and Vikram Rai Medhi (2nd L) along with Director and Joint Director, Govt of Arunachal Pradesh

orth East Institute of Fashion Technology (NEIFT), Guwahati inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Department of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Government of Arunachal Pradesh. The MoU aims at providing airhostess/cabin crew training to candidates from Arunachal Pradesh to pursue one-year residential diploma training. More than 70% percent of the

trainees will be provided with placements after the training period ends. The MoU was signed by Madhu K Garg, IAS, Secretary Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and Vikram Rai Medhi, CEO, NEIFT Guwahati in presence of Director of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Subu Tabin and Assistant Director, J Riba. The session of the course is scheduled to begin from the first week of July 2018. n

Catching Up

G PLUS | APR 14 - APR 20, 2018