Vol 5 Issue 26 by G Plus

G PLUS | APR 21 - APR 27, 2018 @guwahatiplus www.guwahatiplus.com

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Volume 05 | Issue 26 Apr 21 - Apr 27, 2018 Price `10

Chick PG 24

Evicted SS Road vendors dissatisfied with alternative trading premises

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‘Outstanding’ female engineers supersede seniors in PWD promotions G Plus looks into the allegations levelled by some PWD engineers on the supposedly unprincipled promotion process currently going on in the department

File photo of PWD head office at Chandmari

Rahul Chanda rahul.chanda@g-plus.in

he promotion process of the engineers in the Public Works Department (PWD) of the government of Assam is being questioned by many junior level engineers working in the department. An assistant engineer

who has been working with the department for the last 18 years said, “There is a huge promotion scam going on in the department since many years.” Talking to G Plus under conditions of anonymity, the assistant engineer alleged that in the past there was a well connected engineer

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Declared foreigner in NRC draft list: ‘Astonished’ court orders remedial measures

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on the block

Clogged drains, water logged lanes entwine Ganeshguri misery

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Lead Story

SNIPPETS 7 unidentified dead bodies recovered at Bhutnath

G PLUS | APR 21 - APR 27, 2018

Evicted SS Road vendors dissatisfied with alternative trading premises A Gauhati High Court order pending implementation, a multi-level market lying unused after renovation and a major road to Fancy Bazar lying encroached andrestricted to pedestrians only – the odds were stacked against the 230 vendors who got evicted from SS Road Avishek Sengupta avishek.sengupta@g-plus.in

n a sensational incident that occurred in the city, 7 unidentified dead bodies have been recovered by the banks of Brahmaputra River near Bhutnath. The dead bodies were spotted floating on the Brahmaputra waters. Locals are of the opinion that the bodies have floated down the river from some other area of the city whereas others suspected that these are the unidentified un-burnt dead bodies of Bhutnath Crematorium, which are often buried. Speaking to G Plus, ACP Jalukbari, Ponjit Dowarah said, “These are suspected to be the unidentified dead bodies of the crematorium. The unidentified bodies are buried and not burnt. Now that the water level has risen, we suspect that soil erosion in various places has led to the dead bodies coming afloat on the river.” “The bodies will be taken out with the help of river police and later disposed off after proper investigation,” added Dowarah. n

One arrested from Japorigog for blackmailing female friend

ne Anjan Kalita has been arrested by Chandmari police on charges of making pornographic video and blackmailing a girl. Kalita was arrested from Krishna Nagar of Japorigog on Thursday, April 19. Anjan Kalita became friends with a Guwahati girl via Facebook around four years back. It has been alleged that he came to the girl’s house in January 2018, drugged her and made a pornographic video. Since then, he has been blackmailing and threatening her for money. Further, it has been alleged that Kalita took Rs 20,000 from the girl in February 2018 but when she asked him to repay the amount he declined to do so and instead threatened to leak the video. Later, he demanded Rs 50,000 from the same girl. She filed an FIR against Anjan Kalita who has been arrested based on the charges. n

he Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) finally wielded the axe on the street vendors at SS Road – the stretch from MG Road to Goenka Point – putting an end to a 55 year old “hawkers’ market” in Fancy Bazar last Thursday. As per the Gauhati High Court order that came in favor of GMC last year, after a two-year long legal battle to evict the vendors of SS Road, the GMC had, on Thursday, conducted an eviction drive relocating 230 vendors to the GMC multi-storey market in Fancy Bazar. The vendors that mostly comprise cloth and clothes sellers, however, expressed dissatisfaction with the arrangement and lead a strong protest demanding a better arrangement for relocation. “We will continue selling our products on SS Road if we are not relocated somewhere better,” Prantosh Kundu, a seller there, told G Plus. The Gauhati High Court had asked GMC to evict the road by March 31, and according to GMC officials, they had instructed

SS Road after the eviction | G Plus Photo the vendors to vacate in several instances failing which, this eviction drive had to be undertaken. The vendors opined that the GMC market is not suited for cloth business and it will not be beneficial for their business if they relocate. “The market is good for vegetable sellers and not for those who sell clothes. We have to display our products and in the shop, there is just enough space just to display 20-30 items at a time. Moreover, the area is not clean and no customer will be attracted to visit the market,”

Kundu added. The GMC market that was shut down in 1997 after a massive fire gutted it was reopened in 2013 and has been used as a vegetable market for the last five years. Recently, the third and fourth floors of the market have been renovated to accommodate the SS Road vendors. “Due to the vegetable market below, it is mostly unclean and stinks a lot. No customer of ours will come here,” Durlobh Sarma, a vendor said. If evicted, the vendors are poised to lose their livelihood, Greater Guwahati Hawkers’

Association said. “The GMC market does not have enough space to accommodate all the sellers. Also, most of the sellers live in a handto-mouth condition. A drop in their profit margins will render them jobless,” Uday Ghosh, president of GGHA said. The SS Road market is about half a century old, the vendors said. It started in the 1960s with the setting up of a few make-shift shops over a stretch of patta land beside the road and has grown over the last five decades to an extent that almost the entire street has been encroached by the sellers. “My father set up his shop in the 60’s. He manned the shop for about 23 years and then I took charge. He paid for my education and my sisters’ marriage with the money earned from this shop. I’ve been running this shop for more than 35 years. My sons are in college and daughter is in school. This shop had fed two generations of my family and all of a sudden, with one decision, the GMC has taken away my means of income. I am not going to vacate until my earnings are ensured,” Probal Ghosh, a vendor in his late fifties, said. The vendors shared that they achieved a sale of about Rs 3,000Rs 4,000 daily. n

Buyers express mixed feeling regarding the eviction

hile a majority of buyers in Fancy Bazar welcomed the eviction drive, there is a section who termed the move as “uncalled for.” “Traffic jams are decades-old problem in Fancy Bazar. One of the reasons is that almost all the major roads are encroached by roadside vendors. Eviction on SS Road is a good start. Now, commuters can use this road too. This will relieve much of the load from the other commutable roads,” Lalit Sahani, a shopper in Fancy Bazar said. Another shopper, Parvez

Khan said, “If this move helps to ease the traffic problem, then it should be welcomed. The streets are no places to set up shops.” Many, however, expressed concern on the safety and security of the commuters if the shops were closed. “There are no streetlights on the road. The street is lit by the shops. It is these shops that keep the region bustling with activity. If these shops are shut down, the road will be unsafe for commuters,” Neha Sarma, another shopper said. Several others too echoed Sarma’s concern expressing that

You cannot satisfy everyone: GMC

n the discontentment of the evicted vendors GMC said that the eviction is a court mandated act and everyone cannot be satisfied. To make the SS Road commutable was decades old problem for Fancy Bazar and had

been on the agenda of GMC for a long time. In a judgment in 2011, the Gauhati High Court verdict came in favour of GMC and gave it the right to evict those vendors who had encroached the roads. But, according to the National Policy on Urban Street Vendors, 2009 and the Street Vendors Act, 2014,

with night, darkness descends on the adjacent lanes of Fancy Bazar such as the SRCB Road and the Kumarpara Road. Another shopper, Rita Kakati, said that these shops sell a certain category of clothes which are cheap and durable and are over-priced in other shops. “There is a difference of Rs 3040 between the roadside clothes and those sold in shops. These shops maintain the balance in the market. I am not against clearing the SS Road, but the government must make sure that these shops survive,” Kakati said. The permanent shopkeepers

along the SS Road, however, voiced that the move was necessary. “They can afford to sell at a much lesser rate as they don’t have any establishment cost involved. They don’t have to maintain stocks and pay employees like us. That could also be tolerated but encroaching the roads in front of our shops is not acceptable. It is good that these shops are being relocated. Now, those who buy from the footpaths will go there and for quality products, they will come to our shops,” a seller, under condition of anonymity, said. n

street vendors cannot be evicted but relocated to a government designated vending zone. “We have relocated them to a GMC market where they can continue their business. The third and fourth floors have also been refurbished for the same. GMC is also planning on making parking facilities there as well. If they (vendors) are not satisfied with arrangement, then nothing

can be done about it. You cannot satisfy everyone,” additional commissioner of GMC, Deba Kumar Mishra told G Plus. Regarding the corporation’s plan with the SS Road, Mishra said, “The road will serve the purpose for which it was built in the first place – for commuting. This will take off the traffic load from Fancy Bazar to a fair extent. The roads will be well lit and be well maintained.” n

Lead Story

G PLUS | APR 21 - APR 27, 2018

‘Outstanding’ female engineers supersede... Continued from page » 1 working in a senior position who manipulated the entire promotion process in the year 2003. According to him, with the help of a notification, the Assam Engineering (PWD) Amended Service Rule, 1983 was amended

Like the casting couch in Bollywood, promotion couch exists in PWD as many female engineers keep getting promotions frequently because of their ‘outstanding’ points” Asst Engineer, PWD, under condition of anonymity

in 2003. With the amendment the promotion policy also changed. The promotion process depends on the performance marks awarded to each particular employee in his or her respective annual confidential report (ACR) which is reviewed every five years. The performance is calculated according to the grading given by the reporting officer. If it is below average, it is calculated as 0 point. For average its 1 point, good – 2 points, very good – 3 points and outstanding – 4 points. There is also 0.22 points given for seniority every year. So, in five years, an engineer earns 1.1 points for seniority. But according to the amended rule, for promotion from assistant engineer to assistant executive engineer, an engineer requires 19.1 points and above for A class promotion. For B class promotion the requirement is 7.1 points to below 19.1 points. The assistant engineer

alleged that many junior officers, using their good connections and relations with the senior officers, keep getting outstanding in the ACR every year. So in five years they directly get 20 points and get promoted superseding a huge number of engineers who are senior to them in terms of years of service. It is also being alleged that after five years, the ACRs are made available to the employees who are well connected, through a nexus in Dispur. The engineers then improve the grading by bribing the concerned reporting officers for a better grade. The assistant engineer said, “Like the casting couch in Bollywood, promotion couch exists in PWD as many female engineers keep getting promotions frequently because of their ‘outstanding’ points.” Some engineers earlier had also filed an RTI in the directorate of printing & stationary to get the copy of the notification (No Con

5/2003/50 dated 28/04/2003) but the directorate replied that it was not able to trace the notification. Federation of Engineering Service Association of Assam (FESAA) had also written to the chief minister in 2016 stating that PWD engineers are demoralised due to systematic deprivation of their legitimate promotional avenues for the last 13 years. Many competent officers of PWD have had to retire at the entry level post without promotion. FESAA also mentioned in its letter that this marking system of ACR is not followed in any other technical department of the state. A source in Dispur said, “At present there are two senior officers in Dispur who manage the entire promotion scam in the department.” It needs to be mentioned that in PWD, engineers can reach the level of commissioner and secretary after getting all the promotions. n

Minister unaware of any such scam

efuting the allegations of any “promotion scam” in Public Works Department (PWD), the minister of the department said he is unaware of any such flaws. PWD minister Parimal Suklabaidya said, “If the allegation is genuine than they (engineers)

should write to me with evidence.” He said he will look into the matter and if required even order an enquiry if the allegations are found to be true. “I have not received any such complaints till date,” said Suklabaidya. The minister claimed that

promotions in PWD depend entirely on the performance of the engineers and if someone is not performing, he or she is not promoted. It remains to be seen what action the minister will take given the seriousness of the allegations levelled. n

SNIPPETS From Guwahati to London, father-son to ride across 16 countries

Hyderabad-based businessman and his son have taken up the task to spread the message of peace, happiness and love across countries. GV Prasad and his son, Rakshit along with four other bikers have chosen Guwahati as the city to begin their journey. The team will meet at a common spot in Guwahati on April 28 and kick start their journey. They plan to cover 16 countries on the landscape spreading over 17,000 kilometres within a span of 55 days. The bikers will pass through Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, China, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan before reaching the UK. The team will make several pit stops during this journey, meet the local people of the area, and spread the message of love and brotherhood. n

In The News

SNIPPETS Assam witnessing decrease in road accidents: Transport Minister

G PLUS | APR 21 - APR 27, 2018

Declared foreigner in NRC draft list: ‘Astonished’ court orders remedial measures With the single instance of a declared foreigner’s name figuring in the part draft of the NRC, authorities have been put on their toes to ensure non-occurrence of similar lapses Rahul Chanda rahul.chanda@g-plus.in

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hief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal emphasised on more effective policies to make best use of road safety measures in the country. Sonowal made this assertion while inaugurating the two-day meeting of the Group of Ministers (GoM) under the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways at a city hotel in Guwahati on Thursday. Stating that a policy overhaul is required to boost road safety measures, Sonowal urged the governments to work steadfastly to tackle road accidents. He added that many a time speeding vehicles create serious threats to road safety and urged the governments to seriously engage in ensuring the safety of pedestrians. The chief minister further said that recurring floods disrupt normal life in the state and severely damage road infrastructure. He mentioned that this as a serious challenge for the state government and informed that prolonged strategy is being adopted by the Assam government to address this issue. State Transport Minister, Chandra Mohan Patowary, while delivering his speech, informed that road accidents are presently on a downward turn in Assam. He mentioned that there is a four percent decrease of road accidents in the state as compared to the number of accidents last year. He also stated that the transport department is working in coordination with the PWD and Health department to promote road safety. Transport minister of the government of Rajasthan, Yunus Khan, who is also the chairman of the GoM, speaking on the occasion, informed that the union government has already taken up steps to amend the Motor Vehicle Act as per recommendation of the GoM. Joint secretary of the ministry of road transport & highways, Abhoy Damle, and additional chief secretary to the government of Assam, Alok Kumar, also delivered speeches in the inaugural programme. n

eviewing an “astonishing” petition (wherein a previously declared foreigner’s name was found included in the part draft NRC that was published on 31st December 2017), the Gauhati High Court has observed that there appears to be lack of coordination between the different agencies that are engaged in helping the National Register of Citizenship (NRC) coordinator Prateek Hajela in identifying “illegal foreigners” residing in Assam. The court, in its order dated 12 April 2018, has asked all the stakeholders of Assam to extend full assistance to the state coordinator in “achieving the objective.” The chief secretary to the government of Assam has been directed by the court to convene a meeting immediately and discuss the issues which would help the NRC coordinator identify illegal foreigners and how a fruitful coordination between all the stakeholders can be worked out. The order came in the backdrop of an incident where the name of a person, Ali Ahmed, who had earlier been declared a foreigner by a foreigners’ tribunal, was found to be enlisted in the part draft of the NRC published by the government of Assam on 31st December 2017.

File photo of Field Level Officer (FLO) of NRC verifying the legal documents for the updation of NRC in Guwahati Ahmed was declared an illegal immigrant by a Foreigners’ Tribunal in Sivasagar District in 2011- a verdict which was also later upheld by the Gauhati High Court. Ali Ahmed filed a review petition in 2018 mentioning that his name appeared from Lahorighat constituency in the part draft of the NRC that was published on 31st December 2017. The court, in its order dated 28 March 2018 said, “We are astonished to say the least.” The

Hajela attributes lapse to border police

fter the Gauhati High Court questioned the National Register of Citizens (NRC) coordinator Prateek Hajela on how Ali Ahmed’s name figured in the part draft NRC list published on 31st December 2017, Hajela submitted an affidavit to the court and blamed the border police for the lapse. The affidavit said, “Had the complete details of the family of Ali Ahmed i.e., father’s name including alias name, preferably present address, permanent address and photographs been provided by the office of DGP (Border), the inadvertent inclusion of the petitioner’s name in the part draft NRC list would not have occurred.” Standing counsel for NRC coordinator, Anita Verma, talking

to G Plus said, “In the list of DFs received from the Additional Director General of Police (Border), it was found that there was no person by the name of Ali Ahmed as DF in the district of Morigaon.” DF stands for declared foreigner. Lahorighat is under Morigaon district and there has been no error on the part of the NRC authorities during scrutiny of the petitioner’s documents, she added. According to the affidavit submitted by Hajela, while updating the NRC, the NRC secretariat had searched for all persons named Ali Ahmed in Sivasagar. But when the NRC authorities went through the review petition filed in the court, it said that he was a resident of Lahorighat and he had gone to Sivasagar in 2010 where he was

court said it is a matter of serious concern and ordered a copy to be furnished to the standing counsel of the NRC coordinator, Anita Verma, so that necessary steps could be taken. NRC state coordinator, Prateek Hajela, submitted an affidavit before the court explaining why Ahmed’s name figured in the part draft of the NRC. After listening to Hajela’s clarification, the court asked the chief secretary to the government

of Assam to convene the meeting. The Director General of Police, Assam, Special Director General of Police (Border), Assam, NRC state coordinator, Assam chief electoral officer, principal secretary to the government of Assam, (home and political) and additional chief secretary to the government of Assam, (in-charge home and political department) will discuss the issues and the signed minutes of the meeting shall be placed before the court by 3rd May 2018. n

put on the foreigners’ tribunal list. According to data received from border police, Ali Ahmed is a resident of Sonari and NRC officials searched for him there. NRC authorities cannot search for that person in any other place because there are thousands of people named Ali Ahmed. Moreover, the person had applied as Ali Ahmed, son of Basir Uddin. However, as per data available with the border police, Ali Ahmed is the son of Abdul Basir. In the court, he wrote his name as Ali Ahmed, son of Abdul Basir. The NRC officials do not have photographs of the declared foreigners. Reacting to this, Special Director General of Police (Border), RM Singh said, “In the past there used to be no photographs or fingerprints kept for the records.” He said that only one incident has been noticed which again has been identified. The Director General of Police (DGP), Mukesh Sahay said, “The police is updating the records and Ahmed’s case is being specially

studied so that no such incidents occur in future.” There are 4,259 declared foreigners (DFs) that the NRC coordinator could identify from among the NRC applicants and their names were prevented from coming into the draft NRC. There are 63,000 “D” or doubtful voters (DVs) whose names the NRC coordinator prevented from getting into the NRC. The petitioner’s (Ali Ahmed) application form as submitted to NRC under Lahorighat circle was scrutinised under clause 3(1) of the Schedule of the Citizenship (Registration of Citizens and Issue of National Identity Cards) Rules 2003. The scrutiny comprised verification of various particulars with the official records submitted by the petitioner - electoral roll of 1965, elector photo identity card of 2013; family tree verification was carried out and no mismatches were found. After all the documents submitted by the petitioner were found in order, his name was included in part draft NRC list. n

Concern

G PLUS | APR 21 - APR 27, 2018

Staff shortage mars emergency services in govt hospital

SNIPPETS Jagriti Handique wins Bihu Samragyi 2018 title

In a recent incident of a citizen having to visit the Mahendra Mohan Chowdhury Hospital due to a stroke that he suffered, it has come to light that the hospital is facing serious manpower shortage of paramedics because of vacancies that are pending appointment since a long time Saumya Mishra saumya.mishra@g-plus.in

agriti Handique from Bokakhat, Assam, has been adjudged the winner of the title of Bihu Samragyi 2018. Jagriti defeated 7 Bor Bihuwatis from Assam to emerge as the winner of the competition. Jagriti has been awarded cash amount of Rs 51,000 along with other prizes. She has also been assured employment by Nemcare Hospital. The title of Bihu Rani 2018 was bagged by Mousumi Tai from Duliajan whereas the title of Bihu Kunwori was won by Nayana Bharali from Golaghat. The title of Best Dhulia 2018 was bagged by Debajit Tamuli. n

ith a number of government hospitals in the city facing staff crunch, patients are facing a harrowing time in emergency cases where medical attention is required at the earliest. In a recent case, city-based writer and editor, Simanta Bhagawati, who suffered a stroke on April 19, was rushed to Mahendra Mohan Choudhury Hospital (MMCH) in Panbazar. Incidentally, Bhagawati suffered a stroke while playing recreational tennis at his club at Dighalipukhuri, Guwahati. Fellow members immediately took him to the emergency ward of MMCH. However, his friends told G Plus that the absence of paramedical staff at the MMCH proved to be of immense difficulty since Bhagawati needed prompt attention. “Upon reaching the hospital, I rushed into the Emergency and apprised the nurses that we needed a wheelchair. They pointed at one that was available and it was clear that we would have to wheel in the patient ourselves as there was no paramedical staff at hand for the same. Thereafter, the doctor asked for a CT scan to be done. The CT scan facility was located right at the other end of the hospital compound and we had to cart the patient on a stretcher by ourselves wasting a lot of time in the process,” said Bimal Bharali, recounting the experience adding that he shuddered to think what would have happened had it been raining as carting the patient to the CT scan room meant that he would have had to be taken right through the open compound as there was no internal passage connecting the two wings. He added that especially in cases of stroke, it becomes crucial for the patient to be brought to the

File photo of hospital staff taking care of patients at a government hospital hospital within one hour of the onset of symptoms to ensure that the sufferer gets prompt medical attention. “In a majority of cases, the lives of patients can be saved if they are brought to the hospital within the ‘golden period.’ But with hospitals facing severe staff crunch, the families of emergency patients are often left to fend for themselves,” informed Dipak Das, another tennis mate of Bhagawati, who was also present during the time. There are a number of similar cases where the patients and their families suffer due to the problem of staff shortage in government hospitals. Talking to G Plus, KK Deka, deputy medical superintendent of Mahendra Mohan Choudhary Hospital (MMCH) admitted that

they do face a problem because of staff crunch, especially with the paramedical staff. “A number of paramedical staffs have retired but fresh appointments have not taken place since a long time, resulting in a shortage,” Deka added. He, however, said that all recruitments for MMCH are conducted by Gauhati Medical College & Hospital (GMCH) since it is an annexe of the GMCH. On the other hand, in order to meet the requirement of doctors and other health officials in Kamrup (Metro) and other districts, the health and family welfare department has decided to rationalize the number of doctors and paramedical staff. “In a number of hospitals and health sub centres, we find that there is a shortage of doctors and

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nurses whereas in some places they are in excess. We are taking steps to rationalize their strength and bring in doctors where there is a shortage,” said an official of the health & family welfare department. The state has been reeling under acute shortage of doctors for a long time especially in remote and hilly areas as doctors are reluctant to get posted in such areas. Apart from rationalizing the manpower, the National Health Mission (NHM) will also recruit close to 2,000 health professionals in Assam this year. There are a total of 22,000 sanctioned posts in NHM. “We are also looking at outsourcing the recruitment works to an outside agency. This is also under process,” said Nilim Bora, consultant planning at NHM. n

CBSE to provide compensation of 2 marks to Class X students in English paper

he Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has decided to provide compensation of two marks to Class X students for a typing error in the English question paper. Reportedly, the decision was taken after several teachers and students had approached the Board with the plea that the paper held on March 12 had certain errors in the comprehension passage section. Students had to read a passage and write synonyms for the words endurance, obstruction and motivation. But the paragraphs they were supposed to look at were incorrectly marked, stated an online petition. “The typing error has been noticed and it has been the Board’s policy to not let students face any disadvantage. The marking scheme has been decided in interest of students and all those who appeared for the particular question will be awarded two marks,” announced a senior CBSE official on Thursday. n

City

SNIPPETS 5 arrested in land grabbing case

orchuk Police, on Thursday, arrested 5 persons in connection with a land grabbing case. The apprehended have been identified as - Ratneswar Boro, Martin Dimary, Shanti Singh, Abdul Awal and Biswajit Dekamaji. Police suspect involvement of more people in the case and is currently investigating. n

19 new cancer hospitals to be set up in Assam

tate health minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma, during the launch of cashless mode of Atal Amrit Abhiyan, announced that Assam is soon going to set up 19 new cancer hospitals. “The state government has tied up with Tata Trust to set up the cancer hospitals,” Sarma said. The group had announced in February this year that it is in the process of entering into an agreement with the Assam government to set up cancer programmes across 15 districts. The state government also announced a new scheme to provide medical assistance for the care of children suffering from birth-related defects. “For a paradigm shift in the healthcare delivery system in the state, the Assam government will soon launch the Samartha scheme. It is in an advanced stage of implementation,” the health minister said. n

First Ever Newsletter on Bihu Released

he first ever newsletter on Bihu and the rich cultural heritage of Assam has been released. The newsletter has been titled ‘Bohagi’ which has been created by Apne Desh Ko Jano. The newsletter is a humble attempt to reach out to the people of the entire country and present to them the various features of the spring harvest festival Bihu. The issue delves into the origin of Bihu, its significance, art, craft, culture and the delicacies associated with the festival. The content of the newsletter will give a deeper insight of the Bihu festival, its evolution over the years and celebration of the festival in different communities of the state. n

G PLUS | APR 21 - APR 27, 2018

Are Guwahatians facing cash crunch? G Plus checks out the cash availability status at ATMs across the city even as reports of shortage have come in from various corners of the country Rahul Chanda rahul.chanda@g-plus.in

ven as several parts of India reported severe cash crunch at automated teller machines (ATMs), Guwahatians have also faced some similar issues in the city. A resident of Jyotikuchi, Rajkamal Pandey said, “From Khanapara to Lokhara not even a single ATM was dispensing cash on 16th April.” He had some urgent requirement of cash and later managed to withdraw some cash from a State Bank of India (SBI) ATM at Lal Ganesh. On the stretch of AK Azad Road, from Sarabhatti to Lokhra, the residents keep complaining that most of the ATMs do not dispense cash during the night. Residents of Noonmati also reported similar issues saying the ATMs in the locality frequently run out of cash. Guwahatians also keep complaining about non-availability of lower denomination currency notes of Rs 100 and Rs 200 in the ATMs. A resident of Panjabari, Biplob Bhuyan said, “At the end of every month I keep searching for ATMs which would dispense 100/200 rupee notes, but these are difficult to come by,” adding that he sometimes gets 100 rupee notes in some ATMs, but till date he has never come across an ATM dispensing 200 rupee notes. While the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) launched the 200 rupee

People standing in queue to withdraw cash at a city ATM | G Plus Photo note in August 2017 (according to media reports), it might have taken three months for ATMs in Guwahati to start dispensing the new denomination currency as making it available through ATMs involves a huge exercise of recalibration of the ATMs. But even after 8 months citizens are not getting 200 rupee notes from the ATMs. There are 300 State Bank of India (SBI) ATMs in Guwahati and all other banks included, there are around 1,000 ATMs across the city. n

SBI claims there is no cash crunch in Guwahati

he State Bank of India (SBI) has claimed that there is no cash crunch in Guwahati. Chief General Manager of SBI, PVSLN Murthy said, “There was a Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) link problem because of the cyclone in Kolkata. Hence there was complete failure in BSNL connectivity leading to ATMs malfunctioning.” Murthy talked to G Plus on 19th April. Murthy claimed that like the other parts of the country there is no cash shortage issue in the northeast and Guwahati. In the entire northeast there is 86% availability of cash in the automated teller machines (ATMs), according to him. On 18th April, SBI received Rs 500 crores and on 19th April it received an additional Rs 200 crores. Both the caches were distributed

across northeast. Murthy said, “Not only ATMs but even bank branches were not functioning because of the link failure.” Talking about unavailability of lower denomination notes, Murthy said that 200 rupee notes are available but gets exhausted soon. He said, “Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is issuing 200 rupee notes and ATMs have been accordingly recalibrated.” Out of 3,400 ATMs, 1,716 were recalibrated in northeast. All 300 SBI ATMs have been recalibrated in Guwahati. He said that the outsourcing agency which loads the ATMs load only 500 rupee notes because 200 rupee notes get cashed out very soon. “RBI is not issuing Rs 100 notes,” Murthy said. n

300

There are State Bank of India (SBI) ATMs in Guwahati Including all other banks, there are around

1000 ATMs across the city

Guwahatians also complained about not getting lower denomination notes of Rs

100 and Rs 200 in city ATMs

Cash crunch issue almost solved: RBI

he Reserve Bank of India (RBI) claimed that the cash crunch issue has almost been resolved. A source in RBI Mumbai, talking to G Plus said, “Cash crunch was a logistical issue and since last three days it has almost been solved across the country except at two-three places.” Talking about the reasons, the source said that after 31st March there was a reasonable surge in the amount of withdrawals. The festivals like Bihu and Baisakhi are the added reason for

the surge. Therefore channels of ATMs went dry but in some pockets only. The RBI source claimed that no cash crunch was reported in Guwahati and northeast. This tendency happens every year but this year it was slightly greater, said the RBI source. “We had problems in north Bihar, Telangana, Andhra, some parts in Madhya Pradesh,” the source added. At present 85 to 90% ATMs are functioning and the rest will start functioning sooner than later. n

City

G PLUS | APR 21 - APR 27, 2018

‘Unplanned’ rooftop thatched houses gutted in Kumarpara Rahul Chanda rahul.chanda@g-plus.in

round 10 thatched houses on the rooftop of a three storey building was burnt to ashes on 20th April morning. The incident took place at Barbhuyan Complex located at FA Road in Kumarpara. A tenant living in the complex,

Abdul Gani said, “A puchkawala living on the rooftop was trying to light his gas stove when the pipe connecting the stove with the cylinder caught fire.” The puchkawala immediately ran away from the spot and in a fraction of seconds the cylinder burst. There were around 10 thatched houses all given out on rent and when the incident occurred most of the tenants were out on work.

The fire started at 10.30 am and immediately the fire & emergency department was informed. Around 6 fire fighting vehicles were pressed to douse the fire. “It took around one hour to douse the fire,” a source in the fire department said. The source revealed that the fire had also spread towards the adjacent building, but the room on the rooftop of the adjacent building was made of concrete

The raging flames at the Kumarpara inferno and hence did not catch fire. The source revealed that the thatched houses were constructed in a rather unplanned manner and so it was very difficult to douse the fire. The fire fighting vehicles also faced trouble entering Kumarpara

as vehicles were parked on both sides of the FA Road. Local residents said that there are many buildings in the locality which have unplanned thatched houses on their rooftops. In some buildings there are godowns on the rooftop as well. n

Authorities to inspect unplanned buildings soon

n official in the fire & emergency department revealed that very soon all buildings in Guwahati will be inspected by a special squad with members from

the fire department and the local administration. He said, “The fire department has already written a letter to the deputy commissioner of Kamrup Metro to form a squad

which would inspect and find out all buildings with illegally made structures.” There are also buildings which have illegal godowns on their rooftops and cases of fire in unplanned buildings are in-

creasing, the source revealed. In the past, a fire incident in Tokobari had already proven that there are many illegal godowns in the city. Local residents have alleged that GMC has always pro-

vided permissions to people by accepting bribes. Illegal and unplanned buildings and factories are found on the entire stretch at Tokobari, Athgaon and Kumarpara. n

Governance

SNIPPETS Passengers can now avail their choice of meals during train journeys

o provide facilities of meals of their choice to passengers during train journeys, 13 service providers have been engaged by the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC). The service can also be availed at 8 railway stations of the northeast. The stations are - Guwahati, New Bongaigaon, Katihar, Kishanganj, New Jalpaiguri, Lumding, Dimapur and New Tinsukia. Apart from the above stations, vendor empanelment for Kamakhya, New Coochbehar, New Alipurduar, Dibrugarh Town, Rangiya, Badarpur & Agartala stations are in process to provide this facility to more and more passengers. The system is known as e-catering. Through this system, passengers can avail the option of food of their choice delivered right to their berths on arrival of the train at these stations. The payment can be made after receiving the food. The e-service had been launched a few months ago with the objective to facilitate passengers to book meals of their choice. The ministry of railways has also decided to widen the reach of this scheme to more stations based on response/ feedback received from the passengers and the need to ensure provision of catering services to travelling passengers. n

Minor raped at Sonapur

n yet another incident that occurred in broad daylight, a 10 year old girl was reportedly raped at Sonapur on Tuesday. The incident took place at a construction site of Sonapur. The girl was rescued by the local residents of the area in a semi nude condition. Police have apprehended two persons in this connection, who have been identified as Dhiren Rongpi and Jiten Rongpi. Reportedly, the two were working as security guards at the construction site. n

G PLUS | APR 21 - APR 27, 2018

Vice Pres launches cashless mode of Atal Amrit Abhiyan Beneficiaries under the AAA will now be able to attain cashless benefits for treatment under the card system at empanelled hospitals Saumya Mishra saumya.mishra@g-plus.in

ice President of India, M Venkaiah Naidu, on April 18, ceremonially launched the cashless mode of the Atal Amrit Abhiyan (AAA) - the health benefit scheme of the state government. He termed the scheme “historic” and said that if implemented in true letter and spirit, it would prove to be immensely helpful for the poor people of the state. He also complimented chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal and health and family welfare minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for visualising, working and launching the scheme in Assam. “Since Assam is a comparatively backward state, there is every need to see that the poor people are taken care of, particularly in terms of their health,” said the vice president adding that this was an exemplary scheme which seeks to provide access to quality medical care to 3.2 crore people. “India is embarking on an ambitious target of achieving

universal health coverage by ensuring equitable access to all citizens regardless of social status, income level, caste or religion. The aim is to provide affordable, accountable, appropriate health service of assured quality,” informed the vice president. Naidu however said that though diseases like polio, tetanus and others have been controlled to a great extent, the country still faces the prospects of non-communicable diseases like stroke and cardio-vascular diseases. This health assurance scheme was launched by the Assam government on December 25, 2016 for the benefit of economically poor people of the state. Under the scheme patients suffering from six critical diseases such as cancer, cardio vascular disease, kidney disorder, neurological conditions, burn injuries and neo-natal complications get monetary assistance up to Rs 2 lakhs per individual of the eligible beneficiary family. The scheme provides cashless benefits for 438 select treatment procedures under the six disease groups at empanelled hospitals. The cashless treatment will be facilitated by a laminated card which will consist of a unique identification number for each adult member of the eligible family. Officials informed that this programme covers both the APL as well as BPL category population with families having family income of less than Rs 5 lakhs per annum; almost 92% of the state population will receive benefits

Vice-President Venkaiah Naidu lights the inaugural lamp of the cashless mode of operation of Atal Amrit Abhiyan health scheme in Guwahati | G Plus Photo from the scheme. Authorities said that over 1.50 crore people have been enrolled in AAA till date with 23 hospitals in the state and 15 outside Assam being empanelled so far. Also, 15,444 beneficiaries were given reimbursement for treatment costs amounting to Rs 93.31 crores between March 2017 and March 2018. To provide the patients with the benefits under the scheme, enrollment of the eligible beneficiaries at village kiosks was undertaken at district level through an implementation support agency. Speaking during the occasion, chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal sought people’s cooperation for the successful

Need for mandatory physical education in schools, lifestyle changes: Naidu

aidu mentioned that modern day lifestyle was giving rise to an increase in non- communicable diseases with junk food, tobacco and alcohol consumption worsening the situation. “To combat this, physical exercise should be made

For MBBS graduates, it should be made mandatory that the first promotion would be granted only after they have served for some time in a village or rural area” Vice President, M Venkaiah Naidu

mandatory in all schools. The government of Assam and all other states should make physical exercise and Yoga compulsory in all schools,” he suggested adding that lifestyle changes are imperative to minimise the risk factor. Further, commenting on the unwillingness of doctors to take up service in rural areas, Naidu suggested that for MBBS graduates, it should be made mandatory that the first promotion would be granted only after they have served for some time in a village or rural area. The doctors who serve in rural areas must be given preference to take admission in PG medical courses, he said. He also referred to the National Family Health Survey (NFHS) IV and pointed out towards Assam’s

implementation of Atal Amrit Abhiyan. He added that quality and equitable healthcare delivery system has been one of the top priorities of the state government. Further, health and family welfare minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma, announced that for a paradigm shift of the healthcare delivery system in the state, the government would also launch a health scheme “Samartha” wherein 25 birth related defects would be corrected through surgical procedures. He said that the scheme is in the advanced stage of its implementation. He further informed that the state government has tied up with Tata Trust to set up 19 cancer hospitals in Assam. n

Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu launches cashless mode of the Atal Amrit Abhiyan Beneficiaries will now receive cashless benefits under the AAA Naidu said that if implemented in true letter and spirit, it would prove to be immensely helpful for the poor people of the state

poor maternal and child health indicators. The vice president asked the government officials to take measures to improve the same. Naidu also emphasised on the need to increase the health budget in the centre as well as states and to increase the number of doctors, nurses and technicians in order to eliminate shortage of manpower. n

The scheme seeks to provide access to quality medical care to 3.2 crore people Almost 92% of the state population will receive benefits from the scheme

Governance

G PLUS | APR 21 - APR 27, 2018

NHM to monitor, rank monthly performance of districts In order to ensure better delivery of health services, the National Health Mission will now monitor performances of districts every month Saumya Mishra saumya.mishra@g-plus.in

he state health and family welfare department and the National Health Mission (NHM) are set to evaluate performances of every district and rank them based on different parameters every month. Officials informed that the initiative has been undertaken in order to improve the overall quality of medical services offered in the state. Their performance will be communicated each month to the respective health officials of the districts and they will be told their monthly ranking among all districts. Authorities feel that this will motivate the district health officials and will also “instil a sense of positive and healthy competition among districts.” Recently, the performance of all the districts was evaluated based on various parameters for the year 2017-18 in which Kamrup (Metro) bagged the first position, Nalbari stood second while Jorhat and Darrang were jointly ranked third. The categories for evaluation of districts included tracking of maternal and child health indicators among others. Dr AC Baishya, executive director at NHM, told G Plus that

NHM office in Guwahati | G Plus Photo the districts were marked out of 100 points on 10 parameters. He added that marks were allotted for the total percentage of registered pregnant women in districts as it is mandatory for pregnant women to be registered with the respective health centres within their first trimester. Hence, the district with the highest percentage of institutional deliveries was allotted the maximum points. “Districts were also marked for identifying high risk factors during pregnancy, percentage of institutional deliveries and the

number of caesarean section conducted at night which reflected if the health centre was operational at night,” said Baishya. Similarly, health services were evaluated at the block level as well, informed officials. Under this, Kalinagar block of Hailakandi stood first and North Guwahati was ranked second while Sivasagar stood at third place. “The officials of the blocks which performed well were also surprised at winning since they were not aware of their position in comparison to other blocks.

Emphasis on better implementation of schemes to reduce IMR and MMR

fficials also informed that they are emphasising on better implementation of the existing schemes in order to bring down the maternal and child mortality rates in the state. “There are a number of programmes which already exist. Our emphasis now is on better implementation. We are trying our best to minimize the gaps and implementation loopholes which may be there,” said Baishya. While child health indicators in the state have shown a consistent improvement over the years, most of these figures still remain higher than the national

average as per the Sample Registration System (SRS) 2016 survey conducted by the central government which was released two months ago. As per the survey, there has been a slight decline in the infant

mortality rate (IMR) in Assam. It went down from 47 deaths in 2015 to 44 in 2016. However, it is still much higher than the national average of 34. IMR is the number of deaths of infants under one year of age per 1000 live births in a year. In the state, the neonatal mortality rate, which is the number of deaths within the first 28 days per 1000 live births, also dropped marginally from 25 in 2015 to 23 in 2016. Additionally, continuous training programmes are also being conducted for capacity building of frontline workers, paramedical staff and doctors, informed an official. n

Through this initiative, block as well as district health officials will also come to know where they stand when compared to others and which areas they need to improve,” said Nilim Bora, Consultant (Planning) at NHM. The NHM had initially started the evaluation in 2007 which was only limited to one component such as immunization or institutional deliveries. However, it has now been expanded to include comprehensive medical care and this evaluation will be carried out every year. The results of the assessment were also communicated to the deputy commissioners of each district. “The process was transparent as we have only evaluated the data provided to us by the respective districts themselves,” said Bora. Further, fund utilisation by hospitals and the number of Kayakalp awards won by them were also taken into account. Kayakalp awards were initiated by the central ministry of health and family welfare where hospitals are judged on the basis of medical upkeep, waste management and sanitation & hygiene. n

NHM will evaluate monthly performances of every district and rank them on different parameters The initiative has been undertaken to improve the overall quality of medical services in the state Recently, performance of all the districts was evaluated based on various parameters for the year 2017-18 Kamrup (Metro) bagged the first position, Nalbari stood second while Jorhat and Darrang were jointly ranked third The parameters included maternal and child health indicators among others Similarly, health services were evaluated at the block level too Kalinagar block of Hailakandi stood first and North Guwahati was ranked second while Sivasagar stood at the third place.

SNIPPETS Maneka Gandhi writes to all CMs requesting preventive measures to curb crimes against women

n a letter addressed to the chief ministers of all the states/UTs, Maneka Sanjay Gandhi, union minister for women & child development has outlined various steps to be taken by the states/UTs in preventing and curbing crimes against women and children. She has mentioned in the letter that: All police officers should be re-trained on various aspects of sexual offences particularly those related to collection and preservation of evidence. Instructions may be issued to all police officers that utmost priority is to be given to complete the investigation of cases of sexual offences against children strictly as per the timelines of law. State governments must take strict action against those police officers who are found to be obstructing the investigation or colluding with the perpetrators of such cases. A quick and timely professional investigation is the only method in which a potential offender can be deterred but this can be done only by the states as the police department is a state subject. Forming a special cell only for sexual offences or especially for sexual offences on children, would be a significant step in this regard. She has further insisted that the women & child development minister offered help to state governments in establishing forensic laboratories in states which can be used for forensic analysis of evidence in the investigation of sexual offences.The letter also stressed that Section 21 of the POCSO Act may be invoked in all cases wherever failure to report or record is noted. n

Concern

SNIPPETS IIT-Guwahati students light up underdeveloped village

G PLUS | APR 21 - APR 27, 2018

Child rights activists call for passing bill against corporal punishment Child protection authorities and activists are pushing for a law which prohibits corporal punishment, they feel stricter punishment could contribute towards checking the menace Saumya Mishra saumya.mishra@g-plus.in

eam Techniche, a young brigade of students from IIT Guwahati, has illuminated the streets of one of the oldest villages of Assam - Amtola in Kamrup district - for the first time this festive season. The students have turned Rongali Bihu bright for this underdeveloped village mostly inhabited by the fishermen community. Amtola and its neighbouring villages have faced the fury of floods for long and is one of the villages that have been deprived of basic amenities for decades. However, the initiative to install solar lights undertaken by Team Techniche, the annual techno-management fest of IIT Guwahati, has ushered in rays of hope for the villagers. The Techniche team has voluntarily installed five solar lights that cost about Rs 25,000 each in the destitute areas of Amtola village near Kukurmara with the support of village residents and the sponsors of Techniche. Even though it is surrounded by emerging industrial zones, Team Techniche said more than 80% of Amtola is still underdeveloped in technical and infrastructural aspects. The plight of the villagers of Amtola came to the notice of Team Techniche through some of the people from the village who were working at IIT on construction projects, added the students. Techniche aims at the integrated development of both rural and semi-rural areas and installing energy-efficient solar lights in the necessitous areas of the villages as part of its programme. The Techniche team has so far installed over 100 LED street lights in more than 50 villages, delivering benefits of 40-45% energy and monetary savings. n

We have already written to the chief minister and the education minister requesting them to pass the Corporal Punishment for Educational Institutions (Prohibition) Bill 2010 in the Assam assembly to completely ban such form of punishment”

ith a rise in the number of corporal punishment cases being reported in the city, people associated with child protection feel that the bill against corporal punishment should be passed by the state assembly at the earliest. They feel that stricter punishment could contribute to checking the menace of corporal punishment. The Corporal Punishment for Educational Institutions (Prohibition) Bill was presented before the state assembly in 2010 but it could not be passed due to the opposition from some teachers’ associations. “We have already written to the chief minister and the education minister requesting them to pass the Corporal Punishment for Educational Institutions (Prohibition) Bill 2010 in the Assam assembly to completely ban such form of punishment,” said Miguel Das Queah, a city-

based child rights activist. Queah added that every school teacher should be trained in the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) guidelines on alternative child management techniques and on following positive discipline techniques. Activists feel that there could be several cases of corporal punishment which remain under

Miguel Das Queah, Child rights activist

wraps. “We can only imagine how many cases go unreported from remote areas of the state and often, in a majority of these cases, no action is taken by the authorities,” said an activist. Additionally, Uttam Teron - an education activist from Guwahati believes that the problem must be looked into from the perspective of all the stakeholders including the teachers, school authorities,

students and guardians. “Every teacher will have to take equal responsibility with a view to eliminate corporal punishment from schools. All teachers should own their responsibility and must know how to handle situations tactfully without using any form of negative reinforcement on children,” said Teron. n

NCPCR guidelines for eliminating corporal punishment in schools

he NCPCR under the Ministry of Women & Child Development has framed certain guidelines for eliminating corporal punishment in schools. Such a form of punishment is also banned under Section 17 of the Right to Education (RTE) Act. These guidelines call for the constitution of Special Monitoring Cells in order to ensure quick action in case of harassment or physical punishment given to children. These cells should also hear complaints related to corporal punishment within 48 hours of the incident. The guidelines state that

school teachers need to give a written undertaking that they will not engage in any action which could amount to physical punishment, mental harassment or discrimination. The national panel has also suggested that schools should be granted affiliation and recognition only after they ensure that they have a corporal punishment free environment. Further, physical punishment or mental harassment should become grounds for withdrawal of affiliation. The guidelines mandate that annual audits should be conducted in schools for checking physical punishment, mental

harassment and discrimination. The NCPCR has also come up with a set of guidelines that lay emphasis on the need for positive engagement with children. It suggests that teachers should encourage students and appreciate good efforts by them. The students must also be sensitised regularly on issues such as drug abuse, coping with stress, self- esteem and decision making among others. The guidelines also suggest that these issues should also be discussed during parent-teacher meetings. The national body had conducted a study of more than 6,000 students in 2010 across

seven states. It revealed that 81.2 per cent students had faced some or the other form of verbal abuse. Child protection authorities say that these guidelines need to be implemented by the state education department and that school teachers should also be educated on laws related to the welfare of children and child protection. Former chairperson of the ASCPCR, Rumini Gogoi said, “Teachers should be provided training about child rights. A majority of them are not aware about the provisions of the Juvenile Justice Act and the Right to Education Act (RTE).” n

Weather report for the week Guwahati

SUN

MON

TUE

WED

THU

FRI

Partly Cloudy

Isolated Storm

Storm

32°/22° C

33°/21° C

33°/22° C

SATURDAY Storm

30°/22° C

City

G PLUS | APR 21 - APR 27, 2018

Dumpers pose major threat to late night motorists Avishek Sengupta avishek.sengupta@g-plus.in

riving at night has turned out to be a nightmare for city dwellers due to over-speeding dumpers that carry sand, rocks and stone chips to the various construction sites of the city from the quarries located in the city outskirts. Commuters complained that the dumper menace is at its peak along the Maniram Dewan Road, Mother Teresa Road, VIP Road and National Highway; all these roads lead to the Panikhaiti area. “We have to drive very cautiously at night due to these dumpers. They drive very recklessly and at very high speeds. These vehicles are not meant for high speeds and hence, sometimes, applying the brakes to these overburdened vehicles takes time and hence, one has to keep safe distance or simply yield the way for these vehicles,” Parthojit Saikia, who often commutes at night said. These dumpers and other heavy vehicles are not allowed to commute during the day to avoid traffic congestion in the city. Police said that at least 15-20 cases each have been filed in the Noonmati, Garchuk and Basistha police stations.

“Every now and then, we get a call from late night commuters regarding the rash driving of the dumpers. We (traffic police) check these vehicles at the traffic points and where our interceptors are usually parked. But they behave themselves on seeing our vehicles. It is not possible to cover the entire city at night,” CN Bora, officer-incharge of Noonmati Police Station said. The forest division of Kamrup East includes Panikhaiti, Noonmati Sector 1 and Hatisila which have the highest concentration of sand extraction zones throughout the district. There are three forest divisions Kamrup East, Kamrup West and Kamrup North. “Hence, the menace of the dumpers is more on the roads that lead to Kamrup East. Stones and sand are also illegally mined and brought from Meghalaya, but those mostly opt for the highway,” Bora said. Speaking on the reason why these dumpers drive so fast, the officer-in-charge of Basistha police station said, “These dumpers only have the night to carry their materials from the quarries and dump the same at the construction sites. The faster they drive the more trips they will be able to make. When loaded with sand or rock, these vehicles cannot drive too fast due to the added weight. So, they have to

make up for the lost time after dropping off the consignment.” “Sometimes these vehicles wantonly scare the slow moving late night commuters. They get behind these vehicles maintaining a small gap of about a foot or so. The commuters, on seeing such huge vehicles moving at such speeds so close behind them, often get scared and yield the way for them,” the police officer said.

YI, Ghy chapter organizes session on Assam tourism

oung Indians Guwahati Chapter, the youth wing of Confederation of Indian Industry, organized a session on tourism - “Awesome Assam Awesome Opportunities” - on 9th April 2018 at Guwahati. Speaking on the occasion KJ Hilaly, ACS, Managing Director, Assam Tourism Development Corporation Limited, said, “Assam is not just a state, it’s a blending pot.“ Assam is a destination of discoveries, adventures and culture. The state government is committed to transforming the tourism landscape of Assam with a host of schemes including infrastructure development through PPP and operation and management of properties. The state government is also trying to identify critical GAPs in tourism circuits. He further added that with the Tourism Policy of Assam 2017, the private sector will be encouraged to proactively participate and invest in tourist places in the tourism sector. Shiela Bora, Retd Director, Centre for Tourism Management, Dibrugarh University & Convenor,

INTACH Assam State Chapter, suggested that the while promoting Assam as a tourist destination we also need to pay attention to the livelihood needs of the participating communities and help them by conducting special training programmes for skill development and employment generation. Development of soft skills such as - housekeeping, food production, driving & etiquette development, apart from developing a cadre

SNIPPETS Leader of Opposition seeks ordinance to deter crimes against women

File photo of a dumper offloading materials at a construction site

of professional guides and photographers is essential for an inclusive growth of the tourism sector in the region. Arijit Purkayastha, CEO, Koyeli Tours & Travels, discussed about the innovative ways of promoting tourism in Assam and encouraged the young participants to innovate and invest in new areas like tea bars, to re-establish the strength of Assam and contribute to the tourism story of the state. n

Last week, in such a speeding bout, a sand-laden dumper bearing registration number AS-01-DD-3666 met with a major accident at Garchuk late at night. According to sources, the accident occurred after a fourwheeler hit the dumper from behind, leading the dumper to lose control and hit the divider on the highway. The driver Kaatiram Kachari (33) of Palashbari, was severely injured in the accident. n

he Leader of the Opposition in the Assam Legislative Assembly, Debabrata Saikia, has reiterated his concern over the unabated incidents of crimes against women in Assam and urged the chief minister, Sarbananda Sonowal, to immediately promulgate an ordinance with provisions for stringent punishment for crimes against women. Saikia said that following a debate during the budget session of the House which had seen the Assam Congress Legislature Party move an adjournment motion to discuss crimes against women and the gang-rape in Batadraba in particular, the chief minister had promised to enact a stringent law in the next session of the Assam Legislative Assembly to combat crimes against women. Saikia further suggested that since the judiciary is already overburdened with various cases, the chief minister should urgently establish at least six or seven special fast track courts in the state to deal with crimes against women. He said that these courts should be given wide-ranging territorial jurisdiction till such time as similar courts are set up in all districts of the state. n

Ward Survey

G PLUS | APR 21 -

Clogged drains, water logged lanes entwine Ganeshguri misery In this week’s Ward Watch, G Plus continues its ward level survey to evaluate the performance of the GMC and touches busy Ganeshguri to find that all is not well with one of the city’s busiest areas Avishek Sengupta avishek.sengupta@g-plus.in

Ganeshguri area (20B), that has emerged as one of the most popular markets in the city, thanks to its proximity to the Assam Secretariat and Assam Assembly, deserves more attention from the GMC than other wards. “It is right in the middle of all the government activities that happen not only in the city, but also the state. People from different parts of the state come here daily for various official works. What kind of impression would they have if they get infected by a disease or have to get stuck in flash floods due to clogged drains or have a constant

to remain in darkness. As many as 31 respondents (62 per cent) said that they don’t get regular water while four other (8 per cent) said that they get it irregularly. 15 respondents (30 per cent) said that they receive regular potable water. The residents are not very satisfied with the garbage collection by the GMC as only 16 respondents (32 per cent) said that it is being done daily. 16 others said that garbage is collected twice a week while nine said that garbage is collected once a week. The rest nine said that it is very irregular. n

Yes

100%

16%

Sometimes

Pest Control Measures

Negative Response

feeling of insecurity due to lack of streetlights?” Gunamoni Saikia, a street vendor there said. A resident, Manash Saikia said, “The drains are seldom cleaned. The GMC conducts seasonal declogging exercises ahead of every monsoon, but leaves behind the foul smelling garbage lying beside the drains on the road for more than 24 hours.” “Despite that, even an hour’s smart downpour leads to flash floods here,” Saikia added. Regarding streetlights, the residents said that only the main roads are well lit while the by-lanes continue

Yes

100%

84%

30%

Yes

62%

Could be better

Water Supply

10% Yes

Parking spaces

100%

Well lit

Vaguely lit

78%

Insufficient light

12%

No Street Lights

Street Lights

Yes

32%

Everyday

In some lanes

32%

Twice a week

18%

Once a week

Water Logging issues

Smooth

50%

Occassionally crowded

50%

Pathetic

Traffic congestion

46%

Sometimes

Drainage system

100%

Do you know co

Fortnightly

18%

Irregular

Never

Garbage collection

Councillor Report

aneshguri in Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) Ward No 20, one of the busiest areas of the city, is in dire straits due to water logging, clogged drains, dearth of parking space, pest menace and insufficient streetlights. This was revealed by as many as 50 families residing here in a survey conducted by G Plus based on 14 categories of basic living

parameters that are supposed to be provided by the GMC such as pest control, drainage, road condition, parking spaces, water supply, streetlights etc. The survey was conducted to find the corporation’s performance in that particular ward. All the respondents responded in the affirmative about the lack of drain-clearing exercises, scarcity of parking spaces, water logging and pest control while 40 respondents (80 per cent) said either there were no streetlights or the roads in their locality were insufficiently lit. The residents feel that the

28% 24% 2%

Councillor intera

0% 20% 68% 12%

Councillor Perfo

0% 60% 40%

Councillor in com

Ward Survey

- APR 27, 2018

Perks of being in the centre of activities

f anything the people of Ganeshguri are satisfied with are the roads and facilities that come with being the centre of activity in the city. Ganeshguri has good transport connectivity, better healthcare facilities and security. All the respondents said that the road conditions are “good.” They also said that they get prompt ambulance services and have adequate health facilities in the vicinity. Ganeshguri has one government hospital and at least 6 private hospitals within one kilometre radius. “Not that GMC can be credited for it, but one of the perks of living in Ganeshguri is that every day-to-day facility

for a city dweller is available in the vicinity,” said Bhagyaraj Baruah, a resident here, adding, “And since we live near the secretariat, the security here is also tighter than other parts of the city.” 33 respondents (66 per cent) said that they feel safe while 9 families (18 per cent) said that there are scopes to upgrade security arrangements. 8 persons (16 per cent) said that they do not feel safe here. Unlike other wards, the people here are satisfied with the number of public toilets installed. 48 of the total respondents said that they are satisfied with the number of public toilets installed in the locality. “Lack of public toilets used to be a perennial problem here, more so, because there are markets and people have to avail public toilets. But recently, a lot of bio-toilets have been set up and more toilets are being constructed under the Ganeshguri flyover. This has brought respite,” Kangkan Kalita, a resident, said. n

Problems are the flip-side to being one of the city’s busiest parts: Councillor

ust like the perks, there are constraints to being one of the busiest parts of the city too, Anima Deka, councillor of Ward 20 said. She said that since this area remains busy and witnesses huge public congregation, the load of garbage on the drains is also high. "There are shops that dispose plastic wastes. Every day the fish, fruit and vegetable markets dispose rotten garbage here.

I am glad that people have noticed that the road conditions are better here. We want to ensure streetlights are there too.” Anima Deka, Councillor

The drains and dustbins are more loaded here than in most parts of the city. There is no scope of expansion which limits our boundary of activity to a limited region. It is difficult to maintain such a busy area with so much of traffic and population concentration," Deka said. Regarding parking, she said, "There is no space. Double parking on the roads has been implemented, but nobody follows. They park their vehicles where they want. I am aware that this causes vehicular congestions and traffic jams are a regular feature here. But if the parking lots are too far from the markets, nobody will use them. And in this area, there hardly are any spaces left to park vehicles," she said. Deka said that most of her allotted funds have been spent in constructing roads and installing streetlights. "I am glad that people have

noticed that the road conditions are better here. We want to ensure streetlights are there too, but we don't have much funds to repair once the streetlights get damaged. Without funds, how can these works get done?" opined Deka, who is an opposition Congress councillor in the BJP majority council. Deka wishes to provide seamless garbage collection and well lit streets in the entire ward if she wins this year’s GMC Council elections that are expected to be held by May. But, her chances do not look too bright especially after a majority of respondents in the G Plus survey marked her as an underperformer. 34 persons (68 per cent) said that she is an underperformer while six persons (12 persons) marked her performance as poor. Only 10 persons (20 per cent) expressed satisfaction with her work. n Survey conducted by Mohua Saha

100%

Good

Yes

Average

Bad

Pathetic

ouncillor

Road condition

No Sometimes Only during election

Excellent Satisfactory Under performing Poor

ormance

Always Sometimes Never

Positive Response

Yes

action

mmunity works

Concentrated Area: Ganeshguri (20B ) Ward No: 20 Population of the Ward: 32,000

100%

Sometimes

Half an hour daily

An hour daily

More than an hour

No load shedding

Voter Population: 26,300 Population of Ganeshguri: 9,550 Ward Councillor: Anima Deka

Load shedding

86%

Yes

Very secured

Secured

Needs improvement

Transport connectivity

100%

70%

Needs more security

24%

No security

Law and order

Yes

Needs improvement

Ambulance, health services

Yes

100%

Public Toilets

G Talk

G PLUS | APR 21 - APR 27, 2018

‘Rapedom’ thoughts

hat is it with the sudden spurt of rapes all across the country – and that includes Assam – that has ignited the conscience of our armchair commentators on Facebook? The common and operative refrains these days in response to “What’s on your mind?” are “Hang the rapists,” “Castrate the rapists” et al. Blacked out profile pics by the very concerned socialites and the registration of the protest stands complete. I will never, not today not ever, dilute my belief that rape constitutes the most heinous crime that a man can perpetrate on a woman. Yes, even more than murder! But given the recent rising frequency of this outrage nation-wide, especially on minors, any rational thinking mind will wonder about the reasons behind it. It will also cynically wonder if there is a clinical pattern to the occurrences and if a carefully crafted devilish plot with sinister unfathomable designs has been formulated for the particular benefit of any individual or any ideology. After all, in today’s India, anything that is criminally inclined seems possible. And yet, there is clear-cut evidence that the heinous crime is mostly rampant

within the lowest strata of the society. Be it Kathua, be it Baksa, be it Lokhra! To my mind at least comes the thought of whether these rapists at all understand the crime they are committing in the first place. Rape can be simply defined as performing sex with a woman against her consent. When impressionable minds are growing up watching their mothers and sisters totally subjugated by the men folk in their families, when they have had no education whatsoever on sexual issues either in school or home, when words like “penis” and “vagina” continue to remain taboos, when a natural phenomenon like menstruation disallows a woman from entering a temple, how on earth does one contend that a word as socially complex as “consent” can be comprehensible to someone whose sense of his “right” over woman is as good as a birthright? The solution to this complex issue does not lie in condemnation but rather in contemplation, introspection and then proper action through education. And for heaven’s sake, Facebook is not the place for any of these. We need to think differently and act proactively.

LGBI woes

O p i n i o n Bhaskar Dev Konwar

nybody visiting Assam or arriving through Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi International (LGBI) Airport is bound to have a disappointing experience at the overall ambience and poor facilities at the airport. The Advantage Assam programme gave a temporary cosmetic facelift to the airport. The long queues at the entry point of the airport, in front of the X-Ray machines, the check-in counters and the serpentine security check queues are the other disappointing tales for the passengers flying out.

and exit points have been placed in such a manner that on most occasions, it becomes impossible for the driver to exit within 5 minutes mainly due to the unorganised parking and long line of exiting vehicles leading to the exit booth. One fails to understand whether the facilities provided in the parking lot to the vehicles justify the exorbitant charge of sixty rupees from each vehicle as parking fees. There are neither any attendants to facilitate organised parking nor is there adequate security cover provided to the vehicles. Deliberately, the lessee of the parking lot through his attendants at the exit pay booth delays collection of the parking amount so that the free time limit of 5 minutes is over. It is a common sight for the occupants of a vehicle falling into verbal arguments with the fee collection agents with regard to payment of parking fees, causing unnecessary harassment to the vehicles that are behind in the queue.

On 16th April last, after landing into LGBI airport from Bengaluru, the marked difference in facilities of both the airports was clearly visible to me. Bengaluru is of an international standard; LGBI offered a very disappointing ambience. Usually, a vehicle dropping off a passenger is given 5 minutes to exit and in such a case no parking fee is payable. Recently, the parking booths at the entry

Any vehicle which left the airport on the afternoon of 16th April last had to wait for minimum 30/45 minutes at the exit booth of the airport due to the sheer inefficiency of the attendants at the exit booth in collecting the parking fees, for which long queues of vehicles formed at the exit point which stretched back right to the drop-off point of the airport. On asking my taxi driver, he disclosed that this is a common

scenario at the airport these days. This sort of unorganised system and the officials’ apathetic attitude are a disgrace to our state and hinder its development right at its gateway. Moreover, there is no official monitoring of such an inefficient and unethical system of collection of parking fees. If this is the welcome one receives at the LGBI Airport, Guwahati, the first impression itself is disappointing and portrays a negative image of Advantage Assam. The lessee of the parking lot

The writer, Bhaskar Dev Konwar expresses his frustration with the condition of the premier airport of the northeast. The photograph has been clicked by him

Swapnil Bharali Editor

Toughening up the Act

ith each passing day, the number of crimes reported against women and the intensity of these crimes has gone up. A string of cases have been reported over the past 14 days that include rape, molestation, sexual abuse and to top it off, murder. There was a time when Guwahati was considered ‘relatively safer’ than other major cities in India. While sexual assault is not something that should be analysed geographically, it was certainly not regular to hear of such heinous crimes originating from here. The increasing number of sexual assault cases throws light on two things. One, most of these heinous crimes are reported and committed on the outskirts of the city and in an around the small towns of Assam. Secondly, the ones that do originate out of the city are very ‘strategic’ in nature; like they have a bigger agenda. They revolve around sensitive names and involve a racket of some kind including pornography. However a common phenomenon out of all of this is that Guwahati’s ‘mix-bag’ composition in the form of rickshaw, auto- rickshaw and cab & taxi drivers has increased these incidents. On hindsight, this seems like targeting a certain sect, but if you check the records of the arrested, the pattern is evident. This is something that the police authorities must work on. Basic awareness about tenant verification is still lacking. The verification process in the city is still too weak and leaves individuals susceptible to such crimes. There aren’t enough women officers patrolling at night, which also led to the assault of a girl last weekend by a male police constable. Approaching the police to report an incident is still met with the thought of, ‘what if I get stuck in the mess myself?’ These are some things that need immediate attention; the rest of course should follow with diligence and a focused approach. Sidharth Bedi Varma

rStop politicising sports

needs to be immediately penalised and the contract with him needs to be terminated. There is absolutely no justification on the part of the Airport Authority of India (AAI) to collect such an exorbitant amount of parking fee from the vehicles through its agents without providing even the basic facilities in the parking area. The need of the hour is to ban such collection of parking fees at the LGBI Airport, Guwahati. n

Letter to the Editor

he combined opposition comprising DMK, AIADMK in particular are struggling for their political existence in Tamil Nadu after being crippled by the infighting within the party fold. The said parties, in association with other opposition parties, disrupted the functioning of the both the houses of parliament over the Cauvery River issue. Also in the neighbouring state of Andhra Pradesh, TDP, an ally of NDA till a few weeks ago, decided to go alone after the central government didn’t pay heed to their demand for special status to Andhra Pradesh. As one can see, Andhra Pradesh is already a developed industrial state but just to keep their existence intact and presence felt, TDP is raising the granting of special status issue. These parties are now mixing politics with sports as recently, the IPL matches scheduled to take place in Chennai, were shifted to Pune. The relentless pressure imparted by these political parties has compelled the government and BCCI to shift the matches from Chennai. It is a very simple message to such high headed leaders of political parties: please do not mix sports with politics. Dr Ashim Chowdhury, Ambari, Guwahati

In Focus

G PLUS | APR 21 - APR 27, 2018

Bhaskardutta Goswami Entrepreneur, Fashion Designer

pioneer in modernising Assamese textile and giving a new avatar to the traditional mekhela chador, Bhaskardatta Goswami is a leading designer of Assam silk and a social. Born in Guwahati, Bhaskar did his schooling from Kamrup Academy School and went on to graduate from Guwahati

Commerce College (GCC). He then went to Bangalore to pursue masters in Public Relations & Advertising from Bhartiya Vidya Bhawan, Rajendra Prasad Institute of Mass Communication and Management. Bhaskar’s father, Dr Prafulla Datta Goswami, was a renowned scholar who authored over 60 books. He was also the first PhD from Gauhati University. Belonging to a family of scholars, Bhaskar was expected to become a doctor or an engineer but his passion in handloom products and artefacts led to the opening of ‘His N Hers’ - a first of its kind fashion store that dates back to 1989. Speaking to G Plus about the inception of His N Hers, Bhaskar said, “I used to visit a lot of villages with my father, who was a folklorist, and studied the textiles, colours and patterns of different ethnic groups of the region. I guided the textile workers and showed them that they have a huge audience

base in the urban areas. So they must start making clothes for the mainland to earn more and survive competitions.” Over the past 30 years of the enterprise, His N Hers has been visited by the Who’s Who of the fashion world. Hema Malini, Jaya Bachchan, Shabana Azmi, Nandita Das, Jatin Das and a host of other celebrities have visited and shopped at the boutique. Bhaskar’s works in the field of fashion has been appreciated and acknowledged by many. In 1994, he was awarded by the Ministry of Textiles. He was also awarded the Axom Srestha Award in 2015. While Bhaskar was pursuing graduation from GCC, the Assam Agitation of 1979 took place. His education got halted for a year and he moved to Mahatma Gandhi Seva Ashram in Madhya Pradesh. He went there as a voluntary social worker and travelled to many Khadi pratisthans situated across the country. There, he saw handloom products that were not up to the mark and got influenced to work towards maintaining the quality of handloom products. And thus began his journey towards preserving the Assam handloom products.

“While volunteering at the Ashram, I got the chance to travel all over the country and beyond – I travelled from Ladakh to Sri Lanka and Pakistan border to Burmese border. I travelled the interiors of India and got introduced to the different cultures,” said Bhaskar. Bhaskar has been closely associated with many Gandhian organisations. He has been working in the field of national integration, promotion of primary education and creating jobs for the unemployed since many decades. He is the former president of National Youth Project, of which he continues to be a member. He also served as the secretary of Harijan Sevak Sangha and is a member of the corporate affairs cell of the Indian National Congress. The fashion scenario of Assam has undergone a drastic change over the past few years. Earlier, mekhela chador was mekhela chador - there was barely any variety. But now, there are various ranges and designs for different occasions. The internet also has a role to play in this. Nowadays, customers walk in with photographs from the internet, asking for customised designs of their own choice. “The future of handloom industry seems very dark. Machine made products have captured the market. It’s not that Assam’s weavers do not produce quality products or they’ve become very rich and are not into this business anymore. It’s just

that they’ve become lazy and have started looking for alternative sources of income. This is mostly because a lot of machine made products are coming in from Bengal. People have borrowed some of our designs and motifs and they’re using these to make very inferior quality mekhala chadors and gamochas. Although they look brighter and shinier, the material is very cheap and synthetic-based,” Bhaskar told G Plus about the current scenario of Assam’s handloom industry. He further added that the market is flooded with hundreds of new showrooms with young designers opening stores and boutiques. But they have been giving priority to design over material. A lot of these new designers are unable to distinguish pure silk from synthetic ones. They end up buying machine-made clothes and selling them. Bhaskar’s advice to the young designers is that they select clusters of weavers, educate/ guide them, give proper wages to them and sell their products instead of buying power mill products from Bengal and selling them here. Belonging to a family with over 500 years of legacy, Bhaskar’s family is a collector of antiques. Among his most prized possessions are Ahom coins, his great grandmother’s Dola (Palki) and his collection of utensils made of copper, bell metal, silver, etc.

A video, uploaded by G Plus on its digital channels, of a drunken brawl outside Anil Plaza on GS Road went viral with followers commenting on the way the police tackled the situation. Disorderly behaviour of a young girl was the moot point of discussion Ishan Das The young lady can hit the policemen but he should wait for the lady cops to come and handle the situation? Right? Of course not, action should be taken immediately and that is what the police did in that situation and I totally support it. Anyone can recognise the girl in the video and she really deserved whatever happened with her.

Joydeep Roy Does any law permit a lady to hit or abuse a male who happens to be in uniform? I support Assam Police. The girl in the video doesn’t represent the lady of our society or whom we respect as a woman. And how can a male police officer keep mum after getting abused by an uncultured lady in public? How can a lady hold the collar and kick a man in uniform? Obviously he will lose his control and hit back. Women drinking alcohol is not a crime but creating nuisance thereafter is not tolerable.

Bevin Basumatary He was not just slapping the girl but literally thrashing her and it seemed that when she was about to get in the car the policemen said something that provoked her. In a place like Assam people can’t digest such acts if committed by women particularly and they will be looked upon as prostitutes. Again do Women and men have the same physical strength?

Dibyangshu Baruah Most of the people are in support of the girl condemning the acts of the police personal against the accused female. But I’m schooled to see that none have spoken about the acts of the girl. Drinking is not an issue here. Everyone drinks, but drinking and behaving in this way, causing havoc everywhere, is not acceptable. And moreover she was the one who first instigated that police personnel. She hit him first and after much effort at controlling her in a peaceful manner the police had to take the necessary step. Hats off to that police personnel! She needed that thrashing to bring her to sense. The only regret I have is that if she should have received that kind of beating from her parents before; this kind of an incident wouldn’t have happened then. Athiseng Manchey I felt that the girl was taunting the police and when the police hit her, she started the usual women empowerment strategy. There is a lot more IPC in hitting a police on duty compared to a male police hitting a woman. But let’s see what happens as this case has some rich people involved.

Ankit Agarwal It’s good work, but somewhere Assam Police did not act as gentlemen. They shouldn’t have touch and beat the girl in this manner. Rather they should have handled the case properly. Moreover, after 6 pm a girl can be arrested only by a lady police only.

Feature

Bihu fervour takes over Guwahati city

G PLUS | APR 21 - APR 27, 2018

Bohag Bihu or Rongali Bihu – the biggest festival of the state that heralds the Assamese New Year – was celebrated with fervour and enthusiasm in Guwahati from April 1417. People from all walks of life took part in the celebrations to welcome the New Year. Bihutolis (Bihu committees) organised vibrant and colourful functions to mark the occasion in all the major localities of the city. Besides the regular Bihu song-and-dance and husori competitions, the organisers roped in reputed artists like Zubeen Garg, Deeplina Deka, Babu Baruah, Neel Akash and Vreegu Kashyap, to name a few, to perform in the functions. The coveted title of ‘Bihu Samragyi’ was bagged by Jagriti Handique this year. Mukoli Bihu celebrations were also organised by the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) at Judges Field, Guwahati on Saturday, April 14. Artists rode bicycles to pay tribute to late superstar Biju Phukan by recreating his evergreen song ‘Mon Hira Doi’ during the celebrations organised by AASU. Indigenous women also making event on the freshly

took part in the traditional ‘Pitha’ at Bipanan Khetra, Guwahati occasion of Rongali Bihu. The made ‘pithas’ were sold to several customers on the spot.

Trotter

G PLUS | APR 21 - APR 27, 2018

Amid cash crunch, Kanpur traders pray to ‘ATM Deva’ in special aarti

n 18th April, Kanpur’s Ghanta Ghar Chauraha was filled with sounds of hymns and bells as a group of shopkeepers gathered to perform a special aarti (prayer). The prayer wasn’t for an auspicious festival but out of necessity as the traders turned to the powers-that-be to seek relief from the ongoing cash crunch in some parts of the country. Local businessmen assembled outside an ATM bearing a “no cash” notice and performed the one-of-its-kind aarti. With a thaali (tray) full of flowers and a lamp, the group offered their prayers to “ATM deva.” The businessmen also held placards protesting against the cash shortage in the country with slogans saying “deshmei cash kikillat door karo (end the cash shortage in the country).” According to a news agency, the shopkeepers in the area say the cash shortage has affected their business as customers would

often withdraw money from the local ATM to pay for the purchase. With ATMs running dry, business has slowed down, they say. The government recently acknowledged that there was a “temporary shortage” of cash in some states responding to reports of cashless ATMs in several states. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) attributed the cash crunch to logistical issues and assured

the RBI vaults had sufficient cash. Reports of ATMs with no cash came from Karnataka, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Telangana. Many people also took to Twitter to slam the shortage of cash and said it was reminiscent of the demonetisation days of November 2016. (Source: ndtv)

Dying 700-year-old banyan tree in Telangana put on drip

700-year-old banyan tree was essentially brought back to life with the help of a drip in Telangana. According to a news agency, one of its branches was infected by termites. Desperate to save the tree, officials put up drips filled with diluted pesticides to kill off the insects. The majestic tree, in the state’s Mahabubnagar district, spreads across three acres and is believed to be the second biggest Banyan tree in the world. A major tourist reaction, the tree is popularly referred to as “Pillalamarri” or “Peerla Marri” in Telangana. However, it has been shut to the public since

last December, after one of its branches came crashing down due to the rampant termite infestation. Alarmed officials put up drips of the diluted chemical Chlorpyrifos for every two metres of the giant banyan tree in an

attempt to get rid of the wood-destroying insects. Photos show the chemical being administered to the giant tree much in the way a saline drip would be administered to a patient in hospital. “The tree’s health is stable now. We are hoping it will become normal after a few days. We are also planning to open the site to the public after discussion with the higher officials, but this time people have to see it from a distance away from the barricades,” the official added. Mahabubnagar District Collector Ronald Rose is reported to be “personally monitoring” the revival of the tree. (Source: news18)

For Tamil new year, Chennai temple decorated with currency notes

s devotees entered the Bala Vinaynagar Temple in Chennai’s Arumbakkam to offer their prayers on Tamil New Year, they found the shrine decorated not with flowers or lights but money. Currency notes of all denominations - ranging from Rs. 1 to Rs. 200 - adorned the walls and ceilings of the temple for the auspicious day of Puthandu. Reportedly, it cost approxi-

mately Rs. 4 lakh to cover the interiors of the temple from wall to wall. We’re not sure if the money is real. Every year on Tamil New Year, the temple is decorated with currency notes. A video showed devotees walking through alleys lined with rupee notes. A Ganesha idol mounted on top of a pedestal covered with currency notes and a delicately ornate chandelier made out of Rs. 200 and old Rs. 50 notes were also on dis-

play. Column, pillars - all made of money - made for an unusual sight as people came to pray. In a series of tweets, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today wished the people of Assam, Kerala, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, and Odisha on their respective harvest festivals and new year celebrations - Rongali Bihu, Vishu, NabaBarsha, PuthanduPirappu, and Maha Vishuba Sankranti. (Source: indiatimes)

13-year-old steals Swift for late night joy ride

olice officers in New Zealand were stunned to find a 13-year-old behind the wheel of a stolen Suzuki Swift. Things quickly escalated when they saw eight other children inside the vehicle as well. Cops in Paraparaumu, a town in the northern island of New Zealand, got a call about a stolen Suzuki Swift. According to the New Zealand Herald, the caller reported her car stolen from her home and alleged that three of her family members and one of their friends were responsible. An hour later, the small car was spotted by cops. “Police turned around to stop the vehicle, however the driver increased its speed and turned down a side street,” Acting Sergeant Nathan Dickey told the newspaper adding, “The vehicle then pulled over to the side of the road.” Police spotted eight other children - who ranged in age from 10 to 16 years old - seated inside the car. Shockingly, seven of them were crammed in the backseat of the hatchback. According to Dickey, the

children belonged to seven different families and their parents did not even have a clue that they were missing until the cops brought them back in the middle of the night. The children got a stern telling off by the police officers but it’s unclear whether there will be any charges pressed against them. This was hardly the first time that a child has been caught behind the wheels. (Source: cnbc)

Gold shoes, crystal tie: Pak groom’s shaadi outfit worth 25 lakhs goes viral

he Indian subcontinent is known for its opulent weddings and the many excesses we indulge in during our shaadis. Not to forget our obsession with all things gold. Taking the obsession to the next level, a groom in Pakistan came dressed in the most extravagant outfit for his reception one made of gold, local reports said. Salman Shahid, a businessman from Lahore, wore a blingy gold suit to his Walima - the reception. The gold suit was paired with a matching tie embellished with gold crystals. To match all the golden glory of his suit and tie, there were shoes made out of real gold. Wonder if he stole the bride’s thunder with that outfit. According to several reports, the suit cost the groom 63,000 Pakistan rupees as it came embedded with crystals and jewels. The shoes, made out of 320 grams of real gold, cost a whopping PKR 17 lakhs. The price tag of the entire outfit was 25 lakh Pakistan rupees. When asked why the fancy

reception outfit, the groom told a reporter, “I always wanted to wear gold shoes. People wear it around their neck or as a crown. I wanted to tell people that wealth is like the dirt on your feet, it should stay there”. The groom’s glittering wedding outfit has been making the rounds on social media with reactions of amusement as well as disdain. “One can pay for a surgery by selling one shoe,” commented a

person on Instagram. Another wrote, “I would like to see what the bride wore if the groom had such nakhrey (tantrums)!” According to reports, the groom was accompanied by several security men. But with gold shoes in the picture, we want to know if the jootachurai ritual went as planned. (Source: ndtv)

Review

G PLUS | APR 21 - APR 27, 2018

Cast: Ishaan Khatter, Malvika Mohanan Director: Majid Majidi

A vie Mo view Re

Beyond The Clouds

gang of boys has cut a good deal in drugs and are back at their ‘adda’. One of them starts to break dance on AR Rahman’s tune blaring in the background. He climbs on to a car roof and puts his moves on display. Suddenly, the police arrive and they are back to running and their crude, cruel street life. In a way, this sums up the tone of Beyond the Clouds. You’re always on the run and there is hardly any solace in it. Beyond the Clouds tells the story of a boy and his elder sister battling daunting odds. It is left to two acting tyros Ishaan Khatter and Malavika Mohanan - to do the heavy lifting. The duo puffs and pants through the ordeal, giving full vent to a gamut of emotions -

anger, grief, remorse, resolve, repugnance - but their efforts are way too uneven to lend the film sustained impetus. Be that as it may, Beyond the Clouds, without soaring to the kind of heights expected from a film by the maker of Children of Heaven, Baran and The Song of Sparrows, has moments of pure Majidi magic. The creative partnership he strikes with cinematographer Anil Mehta (in cracking form) and music composer AR Rahman is felicitous. It yields some memorable flashes. Despite excellent symbols and good performances in patches, Beyond the Clouds remains something we have seen and had expected. The uniqueness of the film hardly crosses the crowded by lanes. n

Cast: Lucy Hale, Tyler Posey Director: Jeff Wadlow

ith Get Out, A Quiet Place, Ghost Stories, Wildling and Hereditary it seems like this year could well become the peak golden era of modern horror – so it was only expected that there would be one bad film that tries to undo all the good work. Truth or Dare has everything that you don’t want in a horror movie – cheesy plotting, unintentionally hilarious performances, lack of decent scares or gore and irritating teenagers you want to punch in the face. Truth or Dare revolves around a group of six friendswho go on a vacation to Mexico when a stranger tricks them into playing the game of truth or dare with him, which leads to a series of paranormal incidents in their lives.

The fright element in this Jeff Wadlow-helmed movie is laughable and so passé. Characters come in and out of demonic possession randomly and everything about the paranormal elements is far away from evoking terror—the ghostly sounds are a constant reminder of the ludicrous 90s horror films, the actors have acted badly, the writing is predictable and dragged beyond imagination. The background score only makes the movie feel even more juvenile and insipid. All in all, ‘Truth or Dare’ is recommended to those who love to have a good laugh while watching horror flicks. If you expect some nail-biting and scream-filled moments from your horror flick, then you will be mighty disappointed. This game of truth or dare is better left unplayed. n

Truth or Dare 11:45 AM Nanu Ki Jaanu 02:00 PM October 05:00 PM Beyond The Clouds 08:00 PM

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Truth Or Dare

Nokia 6 (2018)

630 processor, an improved camera with Zeiss optics and a tweaked design, the Nokia 6 (2018) aims to compete with the likes of the Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro and the Moto G5S Plus.

Design and build The Nokia 6 (2018), which has been milled from a single block of 6000 series aluminium, feels incredibly solid in the hand. It is

Rampage 09:25 AM, 02:10 PM, 07:00 PM October 09:30 AM, 12:45 PM, 05:45 PM, 09:10 PM Blackmail 09:40 AM Nanu Ki Jaanu 09:50 AM, 03:20 PM, 06:15 PM Truth or Dare 11:50 AM, 04:40 PM, 09:30 PM Baaghi 2 12:05 PM, 03:20 PM Beyond The Clouds 12:35 PM, 06:20 PM, 08:20 PM Hichki 03:10 PM Ready Player One 09:05 PM

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Gadget Review

okia, the bruised and battered stalwart which had almost faded into obscurity, was brought back into the public consciousness by a Finish company called HMD Global. The Nokia 6 was HMD Global's first foray into the Android smartphone world. Lauded for its build quality and design, the smartphone was let down by its underpowered processor and underwhelming cameras. Now, one year later, we have the new Nokia 6 (2018), which is more or less an iterative update, and improves upon its predecessor in these key areas. With Qualcomm Snapdragon

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surely a contender for the most durable smartphone of the year. The solid construction comes with its own set of caveats though. At 8.5mm, the smartphone is not the slimmest out there and it feels quite bulky in the hand. The thick borders above and below the screen do not help matters in the slightest. The Nokia 6 (2018) is available in three different two-tone finishes. The accents around the

Truth or Dare 10:30 AM, 03:45 PM Nanu Ki Jaanu 10:45 AM, 01:15 PM, 06:00 PM, 08:45 PM Rampage 12:45 PM Beyond The Clouds 06:15 PM October 08:30 PM

Gold Cinema

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Baaghi 2 11:00 AM, 02:15 PM, 08:15 PM October 11:15 AM, 05:00 PM, 08:00 PM Nanu Ki Jaanu 02:00 PM, 05:15 PM

PVR Cinemas Dona Planet 08800900009 Nanu Ki Jaanu 11:00 AM, 06:45 PM Baaghi 2 11:15 AM Truth or Dare 01:50 PM Hichki 02:20 PM Beyond The Clouds 04:05 PM, 09:35 PM October 04:50 PM, 09:40 PM Rampage 07:20 PM

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rear camera and the frame add some much-needed flair to what is otherwise an understated industrial design.

VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth 5.0, FM radio, GPS/ A-GPS, USB Type-C (USB 2.0), and a 3.5mm headphone jack.

Specifications

Camera

Last year's Nokia 6 was hampered by its underpowered Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 processor. This time around, HMD Global has equipped the Nokia 6 (2018) with a much more powerful Snapdragon 630 clocked at 2.2GHz. HMD Global has also brought over two features seen in last year's flagship Nokia 8 to the mid-range smartphone: Bothie mode and OZO audio. At the moment, the smartphone is only offered in one variant, with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage, which can be expanded using a microSD card, though that is expected to change in the near future. While the battery capacity is unchanged at 3,000mAh, the new Nokia 6 features fast charging. Connectivity options include 4G

The cameras on the Nokia 6 (2018) are a bit of a mixed bag. Even with the addition of the ZEISS moniker, the 16-megapixel rear camera struggles in low light. Shots taken after dark had a fair bit of noise and lacked detail. That said, the camera performs admirably when there is adequate light. There's a powerful professional mode that lets you control the exposure, ISO, shutter speed, white balance, and autofocus. The 8-megapixel fixed focus front camera performs well when the lighting conditions are good, and is actually a cut above the front camera found on last year's Nokia 6. Image quality does take a dive when the light goes down, and there's no front flash to compensate for that. n

Entertainment

G PLUS | APR 21 - APR 27, 2018

Assamese movie ‘Village Rockstars’ shines at 65th National Film Awards

ssamese filmmaker Rima Das’ “Village Rockstars” took home multiple awards at the 65th National Film Awards. It bagged the Best Feature Film Award along with Best Child Artist Award for lead actress Bhanita Das, Best Audiography Award for Ambient Sound and Best Editing Award for Mallika Das. Set in the backdrop of simple village life in Assam, Village Rockstars tells the story of a young girl, Dhunnu, who hails from a poor family. While her mother struggles

Goru Bihu song chosen for Sehsüchte film fest

A to make ends meet, Dhunnu dreams of owning an electric guitar and forming a rock band in a floodravaged village in Assam. How she overcomes the odds along with her friends and turns her dream into reality makes for an inspirational story. “Ishu,” the directorial feature film debut of critic-turned filmmaker Utpal Borpujari, won the award for the Best Assamese Film. Ishu is a big screen adaptation

of Manikuntala Bhattacharjya’s children’s novel with the same name. It addresses one the most disturbing social issues in the state, witch-hunting. The ministry of information & broadcasting announced the 65th National Awards on Friday morning. Among other recipients of the 65th National Film Awards are Newton for Best Hindi Film, Sridevi for Best Actress and Riddhi Sen for Best Actor.

Guwahati’s Manika Sinha crowned Ambassador of Mrs International Global, Malaysia

rs International Global (MIG) Malaysia appointed Manika Sinha as an ambassador of MIG 2018. The crowning of the ambassador was done by MIG cofounder Datin Sharon Too from Malaysia in presence of Helen Chai, Classic Malaysia World 2017 Champion and Nupur Saigal, National Director, India, MIG, Media personals and other guests. Mrs International Global is a new

pageant that aims to gather women from across the globe who are goal-driven and charismatic and who wish to stand up and make a difference in their homes in their countries. With the motto, “Be Brave and Let’s Put an End to Bullying,” its advocacy focuses on antibullying.

Manika, the newly crowned ambassador, in her speech said, “I love the strong message of MIG for married women - it represents education, confidence, empowerment and making the most of all your skills in life. I strongly believe that there is vitality, passion and zest in every woman, young or old, single or married. It is all a matter of having the confidence to express it.” Earlier, Manika Sinha won the Mrs International Global Energetic title in Mrs International Global pageant in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on 26th January 2018. She was declared winner among 26 participants from 19 countries. She had also won the Mrs India Global International South title in the Mrs India Global International Beauty pageant held in August 2017.

8 nominations for Xhoixobote Dhemalite at US film fest

n Assamese film by writer-director Bidyut Kotoky, “Xhoixoboite Dhemalite (Rainbow Fields)” has been winning awards and acclamations world-wide. It has recently been nominated in eight categories at the Love International Film Festival (LIFF) in Los Angeles, US. The film starring Victor Banerjee, Dipannita Sharma, Nakul Vaid, Naved Aslam, Nipon Goswami and Nikumoni Barua amongst others revolves around children growing up in violent places witnessing brutality around them. The LIFF was founded by Ata Servati, a noted poet, playwright, actor and filmmaker in 2016. The festival has been able to create a niche for itself in a short time. Former US First Ladies, Michelle Obama and Laura Bush, were honoured

in the first year as ‘Ambassadors of Love and Peace’ for their work with children. Xhoihobote Dhemalite has been nominated for Best Feature Film, Best Director and Best Screenplay – Bidyut Kotoky, Best Actor – Nakul Vaid, Best Actress – Dipannita Sharma, Best Supporting Actor – Victor Banerjee, Best Cinematography – Satya Prakash Rath and Best Score

– Anurag Saikia. The awards will be announced on July 7 during a ceremony at Ahrya Fine Arts in Beverly Hills. “It is indeed an honour. The recognition is especially satisfying as it has come from a festival whose goal is to ‘bring the world closer together and promote love and healing through cinema,’” said director Kotoky. The film, based on true events, narrates the psychological trauma children went through during the Assam agitation in the 1980s. In 2017, it won the Best Foreign Film Award at the Hollywood International Cine Fest. Earlier, the film was appreciated at the screening at International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa. It was also screened at the Catoosa Country Film Festival, USA.

ssamese music video Goru Bihu Song, directed by Axl Hazarika, has been selected to be officially screened at one of the largest international film festivals in Europe – the 47th Sehsüchte Film Fest. Sehsüchte will be held at the Film University Babelsberg, Konrad Wolf housed at Babelsberg Film Studio from April 25 to 29. The video of Goru Bihu Song will be screened on April 28 during the 9 pm to 11 pm slot at Cinema 1. It may be noted that Babelsberg Film Studio houses the UFA studio where Assam’s legendary filmmaker Jyoti Prasad Agarwala learned filmmaking in 1930. It is after 88 years that a video made at the Jyoti Chitrabon Film Studio has been selected for official screening at this prestigious stage. Goru Bihu Song is an experimental music video directed by Axl Hazarika that captures the essence of Assamese folk Bihu dance and celebration of the spirit of Goru Bihu. Goru Bihu is a festival celebrated on the eve of first day of Assamese calendar month of Bohag (mid-April during the start of spring), a day before Bohag Bihu, the harvest festival of Assam. The video is based on the futuristic imagination of Goru Bihu celebrations, away from the homeland, and in the absence

of cows amidst a generation of technology-based live music performance. The entire video has been made with a very small crew and minimal budget at Jyoti Chitrabon Film Studio. The direction, editing, post production and music has been done by Axl Hazarika with Amrita Sonowal on the vocals. Cinematography has been done by Krishna Shah while Ryan Hazarika was the assistant director of the video. Folk dancers include Rishna Hazarika on the lead with Sailen Gogoi’s Bihu team. Hazarika is an experimental music artist from Guwahati. He recently became the first and only Indian artist to rank in SoundCloud Top 10 Global Trance music charts & billboard music charts. Elated at the response to the video, Hazarika said, “This is perhaps the best gift we could get this Goru Bihu! We are extremely delighted about our music video’s official selection at the prestigious international film festival – 47th Sehsuchte in Germany. It’s an honour for us to have the video be screened at the Babelsberg Film Studio, world’s oldest film studio.” Amassing a whopping one million views on YouTube, the video has been officially selected at over 20 international film festivals.

Assamese actor Vivek Bora in Roadies Xtreme

ivek Bora of ‘Gangs of North East’ fame has been selected for MTV Roadies Xtreme. Bora auditioned for the show at Kolkata where he impressed the gang leaders and secured a spot in this season of Roadies. During Kolkata auditions, Bora shared his experience of racial remarks just because he is from the Northeast. Being an Assamese, he has been often addressed as ‘Chinki’, ‘Hakka Noodles’ and ‘Made in China’ by people in north India. He expressed his discontent saying, “We don’t like it when people call us by these names. Do they not know that we are very much a part of this country as they are?” An enraged Rannvijay (TV personality and gang leader of Roadies) immediately pointed out that this year, Roadies is going to be shot in the picturesque locations of the northeast. Condemning such issues Rannvijay said, “We love the northeast and we do not feel that it’s different from any other part of our country. People who have such petty thinking are stupid.” Impressed by Vivek’s skills in the various tasks, rapper Raftaar couldn’t stop from dedicating a few lines for him, “Neechi soch jinki hai

woh bolte tujhe chinki hain. Unki zindagi ki kamai utni hai jitni teri akele ki kamai hai.” (Those whose thinking is low call you by the name ‘chinki’. But remember that their entire life’s earning isn’t as much as you’re earning.) Vivek Bora’s role in “Gangs of North East” created a buzz in the state and beyond not too long back. Vivek started his modelling career at a very early age. He won his first title, the title of Saundarjya Mr Assam in 2012, after which his modelling career came to a halt due to board exams. He again started modelling in 2014 and went on to become the 2nd Runner up in Mega Mr Northeast. After winning the title, he stepped into the entertainment industry by doing shows in different parts of northeast. He has featured in multiple music videos including ‘Hiyare Dolisa’ and ‘O Seni Mai’.

Fun

G PLUS | APR 21 - APR 27, 2018

Horoscope of the week Monday could see you being rewarded for a job well done or perhaps praised and recognized for your work and dedication. This can also be a promising week for collaborating on a long-term project or business idea. Progress may be slow, but eventually success could be yours.

Your friendships and social life can make the start of the week very enjoyable. However, you could find Tuesday more intense as a link between lovely Venus and potent Pluto sees you becoming quite attached to someone or something. Relax your grip. If it comes back to you, you will know it was meant to be.

The week ahead looks very promising for collaborating on a long-term project. Even though results may be slow in coming, success can be yours with perseverance. The main pint is not to be too obsessed with a certain outcome. Getting out of your own way can make it easier to obtain what you want.

The start of the week could be most enjoyable, offering you a chance to connect with someone who is excellent company. This upbeat start to the week can boost your spirits and leave you with an energy high. With both prudent Saturn and potent Pluto rewinding in your romance and creativity sector, you could become focused on a budding relationship or artistic project.

The start of the week could bring some unexpected money your way. When lovely Venus ties with expansive Jupiter, someone might want to reward you for your kindness and present you with a gift or cash. Both cautious Saturn and radical Pluto turn retrograde in your domestic sector, and this can bring changes that have positive and powerful consequences.

A relationship could move to a new and more positive level on Monday, and it could seem like the breakthrough you’ve been waiting for. In addition, this can be the perfect time for a special date or a meal with a friend that presents you with new opportunities.

Spiritual insight and wisdom can bring powerful guidance your way at the start of the week. This could help you make a decision that you may have put off for some time. A strong focus on your sector of values could find you becoming more focused on money, career, and the material side of life.

Take advantage of a wonderful aspect between sociable Venus and expansive Jupiter to relish a delightful social event on Tuesday. As this aspect links into your romance zone, it can hint at a wonderful date, too.

You might be tempted to give in to a desire to stay home rather than go to work or finish your tasks. This might be something you should schedule in because it’s important to get the rest you need, but perhaps not right at the start of the week. Get ready to relax with a capital R, though.

By what name is Arun Kumar Chatterjee more famous as?

Who runs the movie production house ‘I Creation Productions’?

Which Oscar winning movie holds the record for employing the most number of extras?

curio-city

What unique record is held by Sir Francis Eden Lacey in the world of sports?

Identify this fictional/historical character played here by Keira Knightley. Dr. Soubhadra Chakrabarty This quiz has been brought to you by Brain Jam, a property of Priya Communications

Non Sequitur Wiley Miller

2 6 5 8 1 4 7 3 9 43 6 7 5 9 3 7 8 4 3 3 2 7 94 7 8 7 4 6 2 2

8 9 6 5 9 3 5 2 5 8 720-Apr-2018 4 8 3 very hard Daily Sudoku: Fri 2 8 1

Daily Sudoku: Wed 11-Apr-2018

7last 4 8week 3 2 5 1 9 4 8 5 6 62 27 38 9 7 6 9 3 4 1 3 8 4 6 9 7 2 91 75 54 8 1 3 4 25 66 11 5 3 7 3 2 8 9 8 5 6 2 4 1 7 14 98 29 7 6 8 4 5 2 3 4 3 7 1 5 9 Sudoku: 1 Fri720-Apr-2018 6 5 Daily 3 2 6 9 8

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solution 1 9 6 5 6 35 82 94

3 48 71 32

7 14 25 83

27 94 79 59 17 61 63 25 58 18 66 92

2 91 57 66 88 43 34 79

4 8 3 very2hard 7 5 4 1

Daily Sudoku: Wed 11-Apr-2018

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http://www.dailysudoku.com/

Word of the week Pantofle noun [pan-tuh-fuh] a cork-soled patten covering the forepart of the foot, worn in the 16th century.

Crossword

This French word can be both an antic sofa and a type of appetizer. What’s the word?

3 2

http://www.dailysudoku.com/

1. He is the famous Bengali Actor Uttam Kumar 2. Zubeen Garg, the famous Assamese Singer 3. Gandhi, in the funeral scene 4. Canape 5. He is the first person to be knighted for services to Cricket, rather any sports 6. Maid Marian, from the tales of Robin Hood

curio-city

A warm conversation or a chance to reconnect with someone can make the start of the week very special and upbeat. After a lively few weeks, the next few could be calmer and perhaps easier to handle. As the sun dances into your sector of talk and thought, your mind may turn to more practical pursuits and ideas.

Sudoku

The week begins on an indulgent note that can be perfect for a romantic date or meal with friends. Whatever you do, it should be very enjoyable. You will come into your own this week as the sun dances into your sign, enhancing your vitality and encouraging you to put into motion any plans that are meaningful to you.

The coming week could see you becoming less idealistic and more down to earth, particularly when it comes to your career, money matters, and security. As Saturn and Pluto rewind at the top of your chart, you could focus even more deeply on a goal or plan that you’re eager to accomplish.

Across

Down

1 Not done on purpose (13) 8 Allow (3) 9 Bona fide (9) 10 Government finance department (8) 11 Devour ravenously (4) 13 Austrian symphonic composer, d. 1911 (6) 14 Arachnid (6) 16 Lay to rest (4) 17 Family servant of long standing (8) 20 Greenish-blue colour (9) 21 Vase-shaped vessel (3) 22 Be strict in managing an organisation (3,1,5,4)

1 Without illumination (5) 2 Over a brief period of time (2,3,5,3) 3 Carry over (8) 4 Person authorised to certify legal documents (6) 5 Wild goat (4) 6 Inadequate (3,4,6) 7 Match — Satan (7) 12 Visible (8) 13 Hoodlum (7) 15 Needlework (6) 18 Accumulated (3,2) 19 Injure — injury (4)

Last week’s solution

Lifestyle

G PLUS | APR 21 - APR 27, 2018

Vaastu for a better sleep A

good sleep is the result of a healthy lifestyle and it is essential for rejuvenating the body and the mind. Studies have shown that more people die due to lack of sleep than anything else. If there is no proper sleep, there will not be enough rest for the body and we will not be able to do our duties properly. The bedroom is a place where we rest and sleep. Every room has its own energy pattern. This energy can be affected by several factors like location, direction, colour, internal arrangements, interior decoration etc. The Southwest, South and West are best locations to have the bedroom. The eldest should sleep at Southwest.

The bedroom must be kept neat and clean. Take care to change the bed sheets and pillow covers regularly. They may look clean but they gather negative energy and germs which one cannot see. If suitcases or boxes are kept in the bedroom, they should be kept clean and covered with a cloth. Electronic items send radiations which can affect us. So TV and computers are forbidden in the bedroom. Nowadays, mobile phone has taken a lot of time due to excessive use of the social media. It is also one of the reasons for lack of sleep! Electronic gadgets produce too much of Yang energy which is detrimental for sleep. Keep a laughing Buddha

‘Indian Donate Life Month’ – an initiative to promote organ donation

arking the beginning of the Assamese New Year, Zublee Foundation has begun a month-long initiative on organ donation. For the first time in India, ‘Indian Donate Life Month’ – an initiative to spread awareness on deceased organ donation – will continue for an entire month. The campaign that kick-started on April 14 will conclude on May 14. Zublee Foundation, through this initiative, aims to make people understand and support the cause of organ donation and spread the message of ‘Let someone live through you’. “This Bihu, let’s create a new rhythm of life forming an unbreakable chain of passing on our lives even after we die - lets pledge happiness for others,” said Zublee Baruah, founder of Zublee Foundation. She further added that the initiative has been kicked off from Guwahati because she

dreams of making the land of Assam immortal and bring in many more people to be part of the campaign. Speaking to G Plus about the campaign, Priyanka Borah, CEO of Zublee Foundation said, “This campaign is to promote awareness of organ donation among the public through a month-long programme. We are hopeful that people in large numbers will join us in this initiative.” She informed that so far, Zublee Foundation has received support from well-wishers belonging to every nook and corner of the world. So far, over 500 people have pledged to donate their organ and the support is rising. The foundation has also received an overwhelming response on social media and other NGOs at the national level are extending their support towards the monthlong awareness campaign on organ donation.

The colour of the bedroom should not be very Yang or potent. Always use light colours which are soothing to the eyes. The same goes for curtains and bed sheets too.

Few Tips

in the bedroom. This produces positive vibes and will help sleep better. It is also a symbol of health, wealth and luck. But experts say that it should be kept inside a cabinet if kept in the bedroom.

1. Place the position of the bed in a corner. Vaastu recommends the Southwest corner for the owner or the eldest member of the house. 2. Take a bath before going to sleep. This will wash away the negative energies of the day and help you sleep better. 3. It is advisable to take salt water bath once or twice a week. Salt destroys negative energy. 4. Plant trees for generation

of fresh oxygen. Take care not to have big trees at Northeast, East or North. Those living in apartments can keep healthy potted plants and have wooden furniture. 5. Shoes carry and attract negative energy. One should not enter the house with shoes on. They should be left outside. Do not keep them at Northeast corner. 6. Keep the house tidy and orderly. This will induce a sense of calm and peace which is essential for a tension-free mind and good sleep. 7. A pyramid can be kept under the bed for a good night’s sleep. Pyramids are generators of positive energy. Hemanta Kumar Sarmah Engineer, Businessman, Advanced Pranic Healer and Su Jok Acupressure specialist.

Benefits of Exercise

xercise has multiple positive benefits including cardiovascular risk reduction, reduced BP, maintenance of muscle mass, reduction in body fat and weight loss. The risk of stroke is found to be less than one-sixth and of diabetes about half among men who exercises five or more times weekly compared with those who exercise once weekly. Glucose control improves even at a modest level and cholesterol decreases. Colon cancer and breast and reproductive organ cancer incidence decreases. Weight-bearing exercise increases bone mineral content and retards osteoporosis. Resistance training has been shown to enhance muscular strength, functional capacity, and quality of life. Exercise may also confer benefits to those with chronic illness. Those with osteoarthritis benefit from a supervised walking program, with improved selfreported functional status and decreased pain. There is sustained lowering of BP. Exercise helps patient maintain ideal body weight which leads to a 50%

lower risk for heart disease than with those who are obese. Exercise reduces depression and anxiety; improves adaptation to stress; improves sleep quality; and enhances mood, self-esteem, and overall performance. Exercise can be incorporated into any person’s daily routine. One can take the stairs instead of the elevator, walk or bike instead of driving, do housework or yard work, to get off the bus one or two stops earlier and walk the rest of the way, to park at the far end of the parking lot, or to walk at any opportunity. The basic message should be the more the better and anything is better than nothing. Some physical activity is always preferable to a sedentary lifestyle. For home-bound elderly who have limited mobility and strength, such physical activity could focus on “functional fitness”, such as mobility, transfers, and performing

activities of daily living. Exercisebased rehabilitation can protect against falls. It is heartening to learn that there is a lot of health benefit when a person does mild to moderate exercise compared to no exercise, but there is very little difference between moderate and severe exercise. Thus a little does a lot! One should do at least 30 minutes of exercise daily which should be moderate intensity. Moderate intensity here means exercise which raises your heart rate to 60% to 70% of the maximum heart rate. The maximum heart rate achievable per minute is (220 - age in years). So if you are 50, your maximum heart rate would be 220-50 = 170 and 60% of this would be 102. So you should target an effort which makes your heart beat at this rate. The type of exercise is what we call an aerobic or a cardio which applies to brisk walking, running, skipping, swimming, cycling, dancing etc. It should be started gently, in short sessions, and patients should not do them to symptomatic levels, especially those with heart and lung disease. Many diabetics have these problems and exercise in them may have to be individualized. Dr Rakesh Periwal Critical Care Medicine and Sleep Specialist drperiwal@gmail.com

Buzz

G PLUS | APR 21 - APR 27, 2018

IIT-Guwahati students light up underdeveloped village

by emerging industrial zones, Team Techniche said that more than 80% of Amtola is still underdeveloped in technical and infrastructural aspects. The plight of the villagers of Amtola came to the notice of Team Techniche through some of the people from the village who were working at the IIT on construction projects, added the students.

Techniche aims at the integrated development of both rural and semi-rural areas and installing energy-efficient solar lights in the necessitous areas of the villages as part of its programme. The Techniche team has so far installed over 100 LED streetlights in more than 50 villages, delivering benefits of 40-45% energy and monetary savings. n

Rongali Bihu celebrated at city schools

Bhimrao Ambedkar Institute proposed to be set up in Guwahati

n order to promote and popularise the thoughts of Bhimrao Ambedkar, the principal architect of the Indian Constitution, the government of Assam is mulling to set up Ambedkar institute in Guwahati. Leading the state in paying tributes to Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar on the occasion of his 127th birth anniversary at Janata Bhawan on April 14, Sonowal said that the proposed institution would undertake extensive research on the works of Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar. With the aim to promote and popularize the thoughts, action and philosophy of Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar among the younger generation, chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal announced that the State government would set up an institution of national repute in Guwahati. Sonowal, while speaking to media said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;The proposed institution would undertake research on the works of Ambedkar and also will initiate programmes for meritorious students belonging to the Scheduled Caste (SC) category.â&#x20AC;?

Training programme on road safety organised

A T

he entire state geared up to celebrate Rongali Bihu this week. Rongali Bihu, also known as Bohag Bihu symbolises unity, humanity, love and joy. To introduce the children and youth to the traditions and customs of Bihu, many city schools organised programs and celebrated the festival in the school premises. This Rongali Bihu, Blue Bell School Hatigaon made an effort

to reintroduce its students to the way Bihu is celebrated in villages. A village life was shown with a small thatched mud house, a cow, a dheki, tulsi plant, lamp etc displayed where a husori dal came to dance and sing. This was followed by a traditional Bihu dance performance. The teachers and students of Sarala Birla Gyan Jyoti dressed up in traditional Assamese attire and danced to the beats of the dhol. They also put up various

performances of dance, songs and play. Axel Kindergarten, Beltola & Axel Public School, Lokhra were no exceptions. The entire family of Axel exchanged messages of love and joy with each other and celebrated the festival with great enthusiasm and fervour. Similarly, several other play schools and senior secondary schools of the city also celebrated Rongali Bihu with great fervour. n

Sonowal also said that the state government would start study and training programme for the meritorious students belonging to SC category to enable them to secure their admission in leading national and international institutions. Paying tributes to the father of the Indian Constitution, Sonowal said that Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar had enough contributions to setting and strengthening the tenets of democracy in the country. An extensive study on the life and works Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar would enable the younger generation to discover many of the important facets of Indian democracy. n

five-day long training programme on road safety was jointly organised by Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati and Asian Institute of Transport Development in support with World Bank from April 9-13 at IIT Guwahati. The inaugural session of the training programme, on 9th April 2018, was presided over by Pawan Kumar, Executive Director Projects, National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd., Guwahati; Prof PS Robi, Deputy Director, IIT Guwahati; Shri PK Lal, Executive Engineer, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways; Prof PK Sarkar, Director (Transportation), Asian Institute of Transport Development (AITD) and former professor, SPA, Delhi. The training programme was organised with an aim to provide a platform for enrichment of technical knowhow of highway professionals and practitioners for building safe roads as well as for interaction of highway professionals to address the

burning issue of road safety in a comprehensive manner. This training programme had technical sessions by eminent speakers on topics related to road safety and road safety audit. Distinguished speakers from different parts of the country including resource persons from IIT Guwahati delivered expert talks during this training programme. The programme also had field exercises, group presentations and deliberations on different aspects of road safety. About 60 delegates from different government organizations like Public Works Department, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, National Highway Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd, Transport Department, Guwahati Municipal Development Authority etc attended the training. In the closing ceremony, the guests and the participants highlighted the need for similar training programmes and shared their views on important issue of road safety for development of sustainable road infrastructure in India. n

Events

G PLUS | APR 21 - APR 27, 2018

Saturday, April 21 Risky Biscuit ft. Mouchumi Dutta Live Shanghai Salsa 7:30PM onwards Saturday, April 21 Bollywood Night ft. Khyati Dunkin Oza 7PM onwards Saturday, April 21 Strictly Hip Hop ft. DJ Kan-i NYX, Hotel Palacio 7PM onwards

Big Bollywood Night ft. DJ Asif Iqbal

April 14, Saturday Dunkin Oza

Saturday, April 21 Bollywood Beats Club V 7PM onwards Saturday, April 21 Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s go Bollywood Club XS 7PM onwards

High Rated Saturday ft. DJ Avi and DJ Sagar

Saturday, April 21 Bollywood Night ft. DJ Cash, DJ Avi The Socialite 7:30PM onwards

April 14, Saturday Club XS

Saturday, April 21 Time Lapse Terra Mayaa 8PM onwards

IPL Screening at Underdoggs April 14-15 Underdoggs Sports Bar

Saturday, April 21 Bollywood Night ft. Sonic Moon Club Madiza 7PM onwards Saturday, April 21 Savour the Johnnie Walker Experience Vivanta by Taj

Watching IPL just got better with Underdoggs Weekend Parties. Underdoggs Sports Bar is one of the most sought after hangouts for sports enthusiasts of Guwahati during the IPL or FIFA. It is an ideal place to chill out after a tiring day of work or during weekends. The ambience is perfect and the crowd here is extremely lively and energetic.

Sunday, April 22 Mask Off NYX, Hotel Palacio 6PM onwards

In the Loop

April 7, Saturday Terra Mayaa

Sunday, April 22 Sunday House Sessions Club V 7PM onwards

Catching Up

G PLUS | APR 21 - APR 27, 2018