Vol 5 Issue 33 by G Plus

G PLUS | JUN 09 - JUN 15, 2018 @guwahatiplus www.guwahatiplus.com

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Volume 05 | Issue 33 Jun 09 - Jun 15, 2018 Price `10

Chick PG 24

Sex rackets busted at Jorabat lodge and Paltan Bazar spa PG 04

PG 05

Guwahati generates 37,000 kgs plastic waste daily G Plus reports on the alarming situation being created by the massive daily generation of plastic wastes in the city

A labourer sorts plastic bottles at Boragaon | G Plus Photo

Avishek Sengupta avishek.sengupta@g-plus.in

uwahati generates 37,000 kgs of plastic waste every day - about 12.37 per cent of the entire state’s production, a report published on the eve of World

Guwahati’s temples of higher education Saumya Mishra saumya.mishra@g-plus.in

RSS terms resigned VHP, Bajrang Dal members as ‘greedy’

ith the admission season being on in full swing in different colleges of the city with prospective students making a beeline outside the colleges to secure admission in the college of their choice, this

Environment Day, celebrated annually on June 5, revealed. According to the report, compiled coinciding with the theme of this year’s environment day, “Beat Plastic Pollution,” by a Guwahati-based NGO called Environ, Assam produces 2.99

Continued ON page » 2

week, G Plus profiles 10 colleges of Guwahati which feature among the best and are the top preferences of students. At a glance, the readers will have information about the grade given by NAAC (National Assessment and Accreditation Council) to different colleges. Further, the number of professional courses offered by colleges, their staff strength, total number of students and total campus area has also been provided. When approached by G Plus, Handique Girls’ College refused to officially divulge any information about the college; it has therefore not been included in this list. n

Continued ON page » 6

on the block

Kalapahar terrain responsible for traffic snarls in relatively good Ward 17 PG 12-13

Stone chips, sand prices to further escalate;

govt fails to resolve problem

G Plus reports on the alarming scarcity of construction materials in the city, their soaring prices and failure of the government to resolve the issue for more than a year Rahul Chanda rahul.chanda@g-plus.in

ince the last one year, there has been a 30% increase in the prices of stone chips and sand in Guwahati. The same is expected to increase further as the state government has yet not been able to resolve the issue. Deputy Conservator of Forests, Aniruddha Dey said, “It will take some time before construction materials like stone chips, sand and filling earth are easily available,”

Continued ON page » 3

A stone quarry in Assam-Meghalaya border | G Plus Photo

Lead Story

G PLUS | JUN 09 - JUN 15, 2018

Guwahati generates 37,000 Kgs ... Continued from page » 1 lakh kgs of plastic waste every day. This means that the city will generate about 13,505 tonnes of plastic waste this year. This has increased almost seven times over the last 14 years from 1,825 tonnes in 2014. President of Environ, Amarjyoti Kashyap, said that the quantity of plastic waste generated in the city per day is increasing at an “alarming” rate. Giving a break-up, he said plastic wastes constitute 9,500 kgs of polythene carry bags,

8,500 kgs of packaging materials, 3,300 kgs of polythene sheets or wrappers, 7,000 plastic bottles, 1,700 kgs of plastic glasses, 4,000 kgs of disposable syringes and other medical wastes and 3,000 kgs of other plastic items. He said the generation of plastic waste in 2004 was around 5,000 kgs per day in the city and 50,000 kgs per day in the entire state. By the next ten years in 2014, this had increased three times to 22,000 kgs per day in the city and 1,48,000 kgs per day in the state. “The waste disposal has increased more than twice over the last four years till today. This

Lack of sewerage system hinders plastic recycling

ue to the lack of a sewerage system in Guwahati dedicated to cater to garbage that also contain plastic, most of the plastic wastes that otherwise could be recycled, get wasted. According to the report published by Environ, of the total plastic wastes generated, at least 60 per cent consists of recyclable plastics. This means that at least 22,200 kgs of the 37,000 kg waste generated daily can actually be recycled. “The city, however, is currently dependent on the rag pickers only who hardly collect 10-20 per cent of the daily wastes, while the rest 40-50 per cent of the wastes still lies around, harming the environment,” Amarjyoti Kashyap, president of Environ, the NGO that has conducted the survey, said. He said that at least 50 per cent of the total plastic wastes can be recycled had there been a proper sewerage system. Besides two minor sewage treatment plants, one of Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) at Noonmati and the other of Northeast Frontier Railway at Maligaon, Guwahati currently does not have a sewage treatment plant, nor a sewerage system. Untreated sewage currently finds its way into the Brahmaputra River and the water body Deepor Beel through the natural storm water drains such as Bharalu, Bahini, Basistha etc. The on-going Japan International Corporation Agency (JICA) funded sewerage system that is being constructed parallel to the South Central Guwahati Water Supply project,

has hit logjam over accusation of land for setting up of the sewage system plant. Talking about the functioning of the sewerage system and its probable date of completion, S Venkatesan, managing director of Guwahati Metropolitan Water & Sewage Board, under the Guwahati Jal Board that is looking after the completion of the project said, “Along with the water pipelines, the underground sewerage lines have also been set up. These will carry the sewerage from the houses to the sewage treatment plant. There, the recyclable waste, the compost producing wastes and non-recyclable wastes will be segregated. Once segregation is done, the water will be much purer and can be released into the Brahmaputra. The recyclable wastes on the other hand, will be handed over to the recycling plants, while with the composts, manures will be produced and the non-recyclable wastes will be dumped at the Bora Gaon dumping ground.” “Once this system is set up, it will bring down the quantity of waste being dumped considerably,” Venkatesan said. However, Venkatesan said, “There is no land available to set up the sewage treatment plant as it requires at least 21 bighas of land on the outskirts of the city. We have allocated a large piece of land near the Deepor Beel, but that has already been encroached upon. So, we are trying to set up small units near that area. We have sent the proposal, and are awaiting the green signal from the state government,” he added. n

is more alarming as Guwahati consists of only 0.42 per cent of the state’s land cover but is already contributing up to 12 per cent of the total plastic generation in the state per day,” Kashyap said. The city’s contribution to the state’s plastic pollution has also increased considerably from 10 per cent in 2004 to 12.37 per cent in 2018. Kashyap said that according to their study, non-recyclable plastic is creating problems as it remains uncollected and scattered, causing damage to the environment. Of the total plastic waste generated in the state, 60 per cent

is recyclable and 40 per cent is non-recyclable. “Non-recyclable plastic is a bigger evil than recyclable plastic and mainly responsible for pollution. Even rag pickers don't collect non-recyclable plastic. Therefore, it gets mixed with biodegradable waste and hampers the process of decomposition,” he said. Non-recyclable plastic ends up in landfills or as litter on land, in water bodies and in rivers. The most prevalent nonrecyclable plastics here are multi-layered and laminated thermoplastics and thermoset plastics like pouches and

packages for potato chips, biscuits, snacks, spices, noodles, chocolate, paan masala, shampoo, detergent, lubricants and fruit juice. “The present practice of mixing plastic wastes with biodegradable solid waste is ruining the solid waste management system and creating large tracts of waste land and toxic land. To mitigate plastic pollution, Environ is introducing household plastic craft, especially among housewives to produce decorative and household utensils like chair backs, mattresses, table mats, table tops, garlands and plastic bags, among others, by using the plastic waste at the source itself,” he said. n

Plastic waste generation per day in Kgs Assam

Guwahati

Assam

Guwahati

Assam

Guwahati

S. N.

Type of Plastic Waste

2004

2014

2018

Polythene carry bags

15000

1350

43000

7400

68000

8500

Various plastic packaging (vegetable oil, salt, milk, tea, coffee, biscuits & snakes, chips, spices, magi, noodles, chocolate, panmasala, medicine blister strip, shampoo, detergent, lubricants, toothpaste & tooth brush, medicine, cosmetics, pen, comb etc.)

11000

500

29000

3000

80800

9500

Polythene sheet or cover used as rapper of various consumer goods, automobile goods, electronic goods, sanitary goods, clothes, various packaged food, gift wrappers, damaged plastic toys, plastic sheet used as for RCC construction and other damaged plastic sheet & plastic thread, damaged plastic pipes, damaged plastic bucket

8000

700

27000

1900

58000

3300

Plastic bottle (water bottle, saline bottle, cold drinks & straw pipe, cosmetics, shampoo, detergent, various automobile lubricants, edible oil, fruit juice, medicine bottle etc.)

7000

800

23000

4000

49500

7000

Plastic glass (tea, coffee, water, ice-cream, curd etc.)

3000

250

10000

1500

19700

1700

Disposable syringe and other hospital plastic waste including catheter, operation thread, canola & pipes etc.

5000

1300

11000

3600

14000

4000

Others mostly thermo-set plastic like phenolics used in ovens, handles of cutlery, automotive parts and circuit boards etc.

1000

100

5000

600

9000

3000

Total

50000

5000

148000

22000

299000

37000

Lead Story

G PLUS | JUN 09 - JUN 15, 2018

Stone chips, sand prices... Continued from page » 1 adding that till then the prices will keep rising. He elaborated on why things are not being easily available at the moment. According to him, there was a different system earlier of according permission through which such materials were sourced and made available in the markets. In 1977, permission for extracting sand and stone chips was regulated under Assam Coups & Mahal Rules, 1977. In 1994, the Assam Minor Mineral Concession Rules came into force according to which only minor minerals like sand, stone chips and filling earth could be extracted after

availing permissions from the state government. Also, according to Assam Minor Mineral Concession Rules, 1994, anyone could approach the District Forest Officer (DFO) and get the permission for extracting these minor minerals. In 2012, according to a judgement of the Supreme Court, permission for extracting minor minerals could be given only by competitive bidding processes. Thereafter, the Assam Minor Mineral Concession Rules, 2013 came into force. According to the 2013 rules, permit could be given only for two years and is mostly availed by government departments like Public Works Department (PWD), Panchayat & Rural Development

Govt identified 46 quarries one year ago but none operational yet

etc, for their official construction activities. Contract areas could be given to private parties but only for 7 years. Lease also could be offered to private parties for 10 to 20 years. Interestingly, no one in Assam has a lease to extract minor minerals. There are contract areas allotted but again, because of the Forest Conservation Act, many mahals (sand bars from which sand can be extracted/mined) had to be closed in 2014 after a central government ruling. Mining areas that were within 10 metres distance of a reserve forest had to close down. Even the mahals lying in close proximity to eco sensitive zones had to close down. All the quarries in Sonapur

are closed now because they fall under an eco sensitive zone. Even the bali mahals (sand bars) on the Kulsi River had to close down. Currently, there is only one functional stone quarry at Pamohi which is again set to stop functioning by August 2018 after its contract area permission expires. This will further increase the price of stone chips. In 2016, the challan system became very stringent and illegal mining was brought under scrutiny. Therefore, the mahal owners increased the rates, a source in the forest department said. Now there are very few stone quarries and bali mahals and these are failing to meet the demand. n

Smuggling, illegal mining further increase prices

uwahati is totally dependent on Meghalaya for stone chips at present. A year ago, even the Meghalaya government had banned stone mining but it has started again a few months ago. But most of the stone chips coming to Guwahati from Meghalaya are smuggled and so illegal. A dealer of stone chips, talking to G Plus in anonymity, said that whatever stone chips come to Guwahati are from places like Meghalaya, Tangla, Ranee, Udalguri etc and the interests of a lot of people have to be managed. He said that earlier, a cubic

Similarly, many places in Chaigaon, Boko, Mirza and nearby areas witness illegal mining of sand. It is also smuggled without any challans; therefore the price is higher. Taking advantage of the situation, even the mahals which sell sand legally are selling a cubic metre for a minimum price of Rs 2,200. The real estate industry is facing an alarming situation due to the acute scarcity and unabated price rise of sand and stone chips which are the basic ingredients of concrete mortar. The crisis hit the industry in the beginning of 2017 and there

File photo of sand mining

rying to resolve the issue in February 2017, the state government identified 46 quarry areas in various forests, including nearby areas of Guwahati like West Kamrup and South Kamrup, to tackle the situation. Deputy Conservator of Forests, Aniruddha Dey said, “For starting the quarries in forest areas, permission from the central government is required.”

For starting the quarries in forest areas, permission from the central government is required.” Aniruddha Dey, Deputy Conservator of Forests

Initially, requests for 13 stone quarries were sent to the central government out of which principal permissions for 12 stone quarries was given by the Centre. But some more documentation work on the quarries is pending because of which none have started functioning. Over and above the 13 requests for permissions, 10 more requests were sent (9 for stone quarries and 1 for sand quarry). After receiving these requests, the Centre asked the Assam government to send requests only for areas which are not less than 5 hectares in size. The state government thereafter is re-identifying such areas as most of the areas in the 46 identified spots have less than 5 hectares of land. Shockingly, even the 12 permissions received are not yet operational and the state government has kept claiming that it is a lengthy process. n

Stone chips at a construction site in Guwahati | G Plus Photo metre used to cost Rs 1,600 but now it costs anywhere between Rs 2,600 and Rs 3,200. He said that the challan is an important document for transporting forest items. Earlier, challans were issued when the stone used to be extracted from the quarries, but now the blasting and extraction happens illegally and so a challan is not issued and the product has to be smuggled.

has been no respite since then, said the president of Assam Real Estate & Infrastructure Developers’ Association (AREIDA), PK Sharma. AREIDA has also accepted that the minor minerals business in Guwahati is not legal and because of illegal and unregulated extraction and distribution of the products, the builders are suffering heavily. n

SNIPPETS G Plus wins two awards at Foxglove Awards 2018

Guwahati based English weekly tabloid G Plus wins Foxglove for Best use of Social Media and Best News & Features website.

Plus,

(Guwahati Plus) bagged two awards at the 4th edition of the Foxglove Awards by afaqs!, held at Mumbai’s Hard Rock Cafe, Worli, on June 07, 2018 G Plus brought home one Silver trophy for the “Best News and Features Website” and one Bronze trophy for the “Best Use of Social Media” in the regional category across India. The idea behind Foxglove Awards is to identify and reward great work from young agencies, web publishers, content creators and production & design units which are less than 12 years old. Over the last three years, well over 200 advertising agencies have participated in Foxglove Awards, making it one of the largest advertising shows in India. The entries for this year’s Foxglove Awards were broken up into seven categories and the grand jury panel included: Amer Jaleel (Mullen Lintas), Amit Akali (What’s Your Problem), Anish Varghesencd (Isobar), Ashwini Deshpande (Elephant Design), Bianca Ghose (Wipro), Delna Seth (L&K Saatchi & Saatchi), George Kovoor, Head of Digital Creative, Ogilvy, Josy Paul (BBDO), K V Sridhar (Hyper Collective), Karan Rawat (Autumn Winter Communications & Design) among several others. The entries were first vetted by a 30-member jury before being cleared for final review by a grand jury. Sunit Jain, publisher & managing director at G Plus credited the recognition to the passionate work of his team at G Plus and Insight Brandcom and the support of the G Plus followers. “Our website has been designed to offer a rich user interface experience while keeping it simple and our mechanisms to use various social media platforms have enabled us to reach out and engage with a large audience,” he said. On the occasion, a limited-edition book, Foxglove Showcase 2018, was also released which contained all the winning entries. n

City

SNIPPETS Himanta threatens police action against errant PWD contractors

tate PWD Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma warned the contractors to avoid negligence in PWD jobs. Attending a recent review meeting of APWD Works with engineers and contractors along with MoS Power Topon Gogoi at Guwahati, Sarma was very clear about what he expects from the contractors. He also blasted the PWD officials who were guilty of dereliction of duty for failing to be present at designated locations. “Majuli’s site officer (SO) stays in Sivasagar, why? Majuli’s SO should remain in Majuli and Jonai’s SO should stay in Jonai. If doctors can stay, the magistrate can stay and the DC can stay, why not the SO? Is the SO bigger than a deputy commissioner? Will stop the salaries as this is not going to work,” thundered Himanta. On engineers commuting long distances, Himanta said, “I have already warned the engineers that the ‘up and down’ has to go. Each one has to stay at the designated office.” The minister informed that 15,000 kilometres of roads and 1,000 bridges have to be constructed in the coming two years. “Half-done projects and low quality work will directly lead to police cases being lodged against the said contractors for cheating the government. Nobody will be spared. Whatever happened in the past is past. Now we have to do things in proper manner. Those days of fooling around are over. We will have to move to a new line of work. Quality should be the priority.” Himanta refuted claims made by contractors that there was a sand and stone scarcity. “You should have wondered about stone and sand while bidding for the tender. Now you are asking the minister to provide you the material, please avoid such things. I will get contractors who will get sand and stone. Contractors from Guwahati are building roads in Agartala. Similarly, stone from Udalguri will go to Nagaon. Don’t compete on intelligence with me and try to be smart. I have been doing these things from my fifth standard. Kindly avoid it,” said the minister. In a relief, the minister assured that the contractors don’t have to run from pillar to post to get their bills after the completion of their jobs. n

G PLUS | JUN 09 - JUN 15, 2018

Sex rackets busted at Jorabat lodge and Paltan Bazar spa

The police source said, “The arrested were caught red-handed in compromising positions.” The Basistha police also recovered some used and unused condoms from the rooms of the lodge. The local police sources revealed that the arrested girls had pacts with the lodge’s employees who used to call them over as per the requirements of the customers. The girls used to visit the lodge for around 2 to 3 hours according to the customers’ re-

Rahul Chanda rahul.chanda@g-plus.in

n recent years, the trend of opening beauty spas and body massage parlours has caught on well in Guwahati with a fair number of them gaining popularity among their customers and patrons. Meanwhile, many new hotels and lodges have also flourished in the city extending the business of hospitality to a loyal clientele. But certain spas, salons and hotels/lodges are also always under police scanner due to various purported illegal and immoral activities that take place there. This week, two major alleged sex rackets were busted in the city in two separate raids conducted by the city police. On 7th June 2018, a joint team of crime branch sleuths and Paltan Bazar police raided one establishment called Infinity Spa which was operating as a unisex salon near KFC in Paltan Bazar. 10 girls were detained from the spa but were later released after interrogation. The owner of the spa, Ashu Singh and the manager Vijay Kumar, were arrested under immoral trafficking prevention act and have been forwarded to judicial custody. In another incident, a team of Basistha police headed by the

Police personnel outside Infinity spa, Paltan Bazar | G Plus Photo Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Mousumi Kalita, raided a lodge (KB Lodge) at 9th Mile near Jorabat and arrested 7 women and 5 men. Later, the owner of the lodge, PK Baruah, was also arrested. ACP Kalita said, “We had raided the lodge earlier as well after

It’s a conspiracy, says Paltan Bazar spa owner

hough the police arrested the owner and the manager of Infinity Spa, the owner claimed that it was a conspiracy against him. The owner, Ashu Singh, talking to G Plus while in judicial custody said, “Five days ago an employee of the spa resigned after a quarrel with the manager as she wanted an increase in her salary.” He revealed that the lady had contacts at high levels and had threatened that she would not allow the spa to operate anymore. The owner further said that the spa is just a few metres away from the Paltan Bazar police station and it is located on the ground floor. Therefore, it was next to

impossible for any such illegal or immoral activities to take place in his establishment. Singh said, “There are only two rooms in the spa - one operates as a parlour and the other is the massage room. Both the rooms do not have locks from the inside on the doors.” He also said that there are CCTV cameras and so the investigating agencies can even check the footages. A source in Paltan Bazar police said, “We recovered two unused condoms from one of the rooms.” What is the use of condoms in a spa, the source questioned? But the police did not find any male customer in the spa during the raid. n

getting information that immoral activities take place there but could never get hold of any proper evidence.” This time the police planted two customers who tipped them off for a successful raid. On 7th June, the police team raided the lodge at around 7 pm.

quirement. The women arrested belonged to places like Guwahati, Barpeta, upper Assam and Manipur. Police sources said that two among the arrested women were married. As for the spa that was raided at Paltan Bazar, the police did not find any customer during the raid. n

Proving immoral activities is tough: Police

he police said that in cases of immoral activities, it is very difficult to prove the crime. A senior police official in the police commissionerate said, “After the accused are arrested, they deny being involved in any such activity.” The police said that the accused easily get bail and later again get involved in such activities. In the recently raided Paltan Bazar spa case, the detained women did not admit to any crime during interrogation. Similarly, even the arrested owner and the manager did not own up to any crime, a police source in Paltan Bazar said. It is mostly poor girls who are brought from other states with promises of jobs and a better life and later they are forced into the business of flesh trade.

The age group of the sex workers in the city is mostly between 16 and 21. They get into the business and some specific houses in the city are used for the sexual activities. However, to get customers the sex workers wait at certain pickup points in the evenings. The pickup points are mostly at the populated junctions and markets where a huge nexus works together to lure customers who are then taken to hotels or the houses where the activity takes place. She said that many such persons even start working in spas and parlours and later get involved in immoral activities. When a decent flow of money comes in as earnings, they tend not to leave the business. But whenever they are caught, they do not admit to the crime and the police find it tough to prove the case, the police official said. n

Cover Story

G PLUS | JUN 09 - JUN 15, 2018

RSS terms resigned VHP, Bajrang Dal members as ‘greedy’

SNIPPETS Bhutan-GuwahatiSingapore flight service to begin soon: Sonowal

Rahul Chanda rahul.chanda@g-plus.in

he Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has chosen to accuse the resigned members of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal in Assam of being greedy. It may be recalled that G Plus had, last week, reported that 90% of the VHP and Bajrang Dal members in Assam had resigned to support a purportedly new Hindu organization being floated shortly by Pravin Togadia, the former international working president of the VHP. A highly placed source in the RSS, who is a senior Assam Khetra (zone which includes all seven states in the northeast) Pracharak, talking to G Plus in anonymity said, “Many VHP members wanted MLA tickets from various districts and the Bajrang Dal members used to threaten police and other officers after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power.” The source revealed that the Bajrang Dal and VHP members who left their organisations have vested interests and are backing Pravin Togadia. The source claimed that the actual VHP and Bajrang Dal members have not left. On being informed that 90% of the VHP, Bajrang Dal members have left and are vowing to campaign against Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the RSS source said, “It is not true.” The RSS source said that there was always a division in the Guwahati VHP and Bajrang Dal. He said, “The VHP members had two groups and celebrated Janmashtami at two different places.” The source said that the group which did not follow the (Sangh) organisation has left. He revealed that even Pravin

RSS cadres during a rally in Guwahati | G Plus Photo Togadia had started delivering public speeches affecting the Sangh and was cautioned not to make such comments and speeches. The source said, “Togadia did not listen and he thought that he was bigger than the organisation.” In a constitutional organisational election he lost, and after losing he left the organisation, said the source. Talking about 2019 elections, the RSS source said, “BJP will not be affected in any way.” The source said that after the Sangh was formed in 1925, the British were against it. Thereafter, the Congress was against it and yet till date, the organisation is only growing. VHP and BJP are Vivid Khetras (individual organisations) and are not dictated by anyone (read RSS). Uma Bharati had left showing a finger to LK Advani, but she returned. Kalyan Singh

had also left but even he returned, the source said. Shatrugan Sinha keeps opposing BJP, but the political Sangh organisation is not affected. Similarly, the Bajrang Dal and VHP members who left and are claiming would campaign against Modi will not affect the BJP’s prospects in any way, the RSS source claimed. It’s just that the a few Pravin Togadia supporters who did not join organisation with the aim to work for the country left, the source asserted. Reacting to the RSS comments, former Bajrang Dal Zila Sangjujak, Deepjyoti Sharma talking to G Plus said, “I can give the names of all the VHP and Bajrang Dal members who have resigned and it will badly affect the BJP’s prospects in the 2019 elections.” Sharma revealed that the members used to work at the grassroots to make the base for

RSS & BJP offering jobs, business contracts, allege resigned members

he members of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal who have resigned from their respective organisations to back Pravin Togadia and join his new Hindu organisation which will campaign against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alleged that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are offering them jobs and business contracts so that they do not back Togadia. A Guwahati-based former

Bajrang Dal leader said under condition of anonymity, “They (BJP and RSS) are trying their best to retain us,” adding that many of the members who resigned are getting job and business contract offers. Rubbishing the claims, RSS said that even some RSS members are leaving because they are not getting jobs. A highly placed source in the RSS, who is a senior Assam Khetra (zone which includes all seven states in the northeast)

Pracharak, talking to G Plus in anonymity said, “RSS does not run the government departments. So it is not aware of any such offers given to any of the members who resigned from Bajrang Dal and VHP.” Talking about BJP, a senior BJP leader said, “It is never possible.” The Bajrang Dal leader, who resigned, on the other hand, claimed that RSS and BJP will not agree but RSS members are people who gained the most after BJP came to power. n

the BJP but because of the political conspiracy of BJP and the RSS, Pravin Togadia had to leave. According to him, out of the 14,000 Bajrang Dal cadres across Assam, 13,900 have resigned. Out of 820 Bajrang Dal cadres in Guwahati, 816 have resigned and 380 out of 400 active VHP members in the city have resigned. n

VHP fissure result of BJP’s false promises: Congress

aking a dig at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) said that the fissure in the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and the Bajrang Dal is the result of BJP’s false promises. Leader of opposition, Debabrata Saikia said, “They (BJP) might have promised the VHP before the elections that a Ram Mandir will be constructed but BJP failed to construct it.” Saikia said that he cannot say much but similar promises might have been made by the BJP to the VHP and the Bajrang Dal before the elections which are not being fulfilled now. He said that BJP cannot keep any of its promises and the fissure in the Hindu organisations may be a consequence of such false promises. n

n a bid to strengthen IndoBhutan ties, chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal vouched for introducing Drukair Flight services between Bhutan and Singapore via Guwahati today during a meeting with the consul general of Bhutan, Phub Tshering. It may be noted that the Bhutanese foreign minister Damcho Dorji announced the introduction of Drukair service between Guwahati-Paro and Singapore in the month of February this year to take advantage of India’s Act East Policy initiatives. Sonowal further informed that he would request the civil aviation ministry, government of India for expeditiously clearing all formalities so that operating of flights connecting Guwahati-Paro and Singapore soon becomes a reality. n

Assam entrepreneur wins accolade from PM Modi

n entrepreneur from Assam was lauded by Prime Minister Modi during an interactive session with young innovators and start-up entrepreneurs across the country. During the programme, Modi hailed the initiative of Assamese entrepreneur Hemendra Chandra Das, through video conference at the office of DC, Kamrup (Metro) today. Hemendra Chandra Das heads the start-up company ‘Innotech Interactions Private Limited’ and is working on a technology to treat the water wasted while refining crude oil based on the electro-biochemical system. It is for this technology that the company was the AllIndia winner of the Indo-Israel Innovative Challenge. Earlier, Additional Director, Industries & Commerce, Manjula Saikia Bhuyan held a briefing session with around 35 start-up entrepreneurs and explained the Assam Start-Up Policy aimed at encouraging young innovators. They were made aware of the soon to be opened stateowned Innovation Centre at Ambari, Guwahati which will give handholding support to the entrepreneurs. n

Concern

G PLUS | JUN 09 - JUN 15, 2018

Guwahati’s temples of higher education 1

Cotton University

NAAC Accreditation grade: A Total staff strength: 95 Total number of departments: 20 Number of professional courses offered: 9 Total number of students: 2748 Total area of campus: 45 bighas

NAAC accreditation grade: A++ Total staff strength: 235 Total number of departments: 29 Number of professional courses offered: 2 Total number of students - 3956 Total area of the campus – 236 bighas (including all three campuses) Vice chancellor, Bhabesh Chnadra Goswami: “We have a number of plans for the infrastructural development of the college which will begin from August onwards.”

Arya Vidyapeeth College

NAAC accreditation grade: B+ Total staff strength: 63 Total number of departments: 14 Number of professional courses offered: 5 Total number of students: 3182 Total area of campus – 4 bighas

NAAC Accreditation grade: A Total staff strength: 68 Total number of departments: 18 Number of professional courses offered: 3 Total number of students: 3000+ Principal, Dr. Satyendra Nath Barman: “With the broadening of the horizons of higher education, institutions have been called upon to adapt and evolve. In response to the same, B. Borooah College has introduced courses that are of contemporary relevance to students.”

Principal, PK Bhattacharya: “We are being sanctioned Rs 2.5 crores for the construction of a new girls’ hostel and there is another Rs 1 crore infrastructural development plan which has been planned from our own budget.”

KC Das Commerce College

Radha Govinda Baruah College

NAAC accreditation grade: B+ Total staff strength: 60 Total number of departments: 14, and one course on Satriya Dance which is offered only by RG Baruah College Total number of professional courses offered: none Total number of students: 1800 Total area of campus - 10 bighas

Principal, Dr. Radhey Shyam Tiwari: “The college envisages to be a premier institute and we want to impart good quality commerce education in the northeast. We aim to expand the skill development and employability of our students.”

B Barooah College

Principal, Dr Babita Choudhury: “Our college is situated in one of the backward areas of Guwahati and most of our students come from the low-income strata but we try to mentor and guide them. We also take them to Gauhati and Tezpur University to give them a glimpse of other institutions.”

Gauhati Commerce College

NAAC accreditation grade: B Total staff strength: 37 Total number of departments: 12 Total number of professional courses offered: 3 Total number of students: 2800 approx Total area of campus: 22 bighas Principal, Dr Homeswar Kalita: “The future is very bright. The college family wants to convert Guwahati Commerce College, which is a historic institution in this field, into a university. We hope this will happen in due course of time.”

Weather report for the week Guwahati

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SATURDAY Storm

31°/22° C

In The News

G PLUS | JUN 09 - JUN 15, 2018

Dispur College

SB Deorah College

NAAC accreditation grade: B Total staff strength: 56 Total number of departments: 11 Total number of professional courses offered: 3 Total number of students: 1800 Total area of campus: 6 acres

NAAC Accreditation grade: B Total staff strength: 40 Total number of departments: 12 Total number of professional courses: None Total number of students: 1500 Total area of campus: 3 bighas

Principal, Dr Amar Saikia: “There is improper drainage system outside the college. We are planning to construct a drainage system and an auditorium in the college. Apart from this, there is also a library and toilet construction project on the cards which will be funded by RUSA.”

Principal, Dr Dharmendra Nath: “We are currently in the midst of an expansion process. We are planning to start a BSc course. Some professional and skill-oriented courses will also be started shortly. Post graduate courses for a few departments have also been planned.”

Guwahati College

NAAC accreditation grade: B Total staff strength: 73 Total number of departments: 3 Total number of professional courses offered: None Total number of students: 2571 Total area of campus: 8.4 bighas Principal, Dr Pranab Sandilya: “We will be constructing a new set of classrooms and laboratories under the RUSA scheme. The classrooms will be able to accommodate more students and will accordingly increase the number of seats. Some existing departments will also be shifted to the new building. We are also looking to fill up some vacancies in our commerce department and strengthen our faculty.”

Pragjyotish College

NAAC accreditation grade: C Total staff strength: 85 Total number of departments: 22 Total number of professional courses offered: 7 Total number of students: 3800 Total area of campus: 20 bighas Principal, Dr. Paramananda Rajbongshi: “We believe in all-round development of our students. Apart from academic pursuits, great emphasis is laid on cocurricular activities, discipline and character building of the students. Pragjyotish College has a unique distinction: it has a full-fledged National Cadet Crops (NCC) Unit with three wings -Army, Navy and Air wings, and also girl’s wing of the NCC.The National Service Scheme (NSS) and Red Ribbon Club (RRC) units of the College aim at social involvement of the students.”

( With inputs from Vanshika Sharma and Rajat Sen)

Health

SNIPPETS India Vs West Indies match preparedness meeting held at Barsapara stadium

G PLUS | JUN 09 - JUN 15, 2018

Important to strengthen mid-level healthcare: Himanta Saumya Mishra saumya.mishra@g-plus.in

S A

meeting was held at the ACA Stadium in Barsapara, between the district administration and Assam Cricket Association (ACA), in the presence of various departments regarding infrastructure development issues on June 5. Deputy Commissioner, Kamrup (M), Virendra Mittal, presided over a review meeting on the preparation of the one day international cricket match to be played between India and West Indies at Barsapara ACA Stadium in October. Mittal reviewed all the ongoing works carried out by various departments like PWD (R), Water Resource, APDCL, GMC etc. He emphasized that all work should be completed one month before the match. For the smooth conveyance of the spectators and the players, all roads leading to the stadium are to be refurbished. Addressing the meeting, Mittal also stressed on the importance of widening of certain roads which are quite narrow and suggested APDCL officials remove the light posts which may be vulnerable for commuters. Mittal also said that he will review the progress of the work every 15 days in which the officials will have to submit their progress reports. n

IIT Guwahati develops app to fight TB

he Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati (IITG) is developing a mobile application that can track the patient’s medication trend right from the point of diagnosis (designated microscopy centre). The new app is being developed by the design department of IIT Guwahati and is likely to be launched by next month, Dr NJ Das, State Project Officer (RNTCP), told media. The new application will act beyond the existing DOTS 99 which will help in tracking the progress only after the patient reports back to the physician for medication after being diagnosed with the disease. n

tressing on preventive healthcare, state health & family welfare minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma, on Thursday, launched the training module for community health officers (CHOs) in comprehensive primary healthcare under Ayushman Bharat scheme. Ayushman Bharat is a national health protection scheme which will enable beneficiaries to avail cashless treatment at any public or private empanelled hospitals anywhere in the country. Community health officers are mid-level health officers who provide primary healthcare at the sub-centre level. The minister informed that these CHOs will be appointed in health and wellness centres. Under this initiative, the basic services of the health sub-centres will be extended to provide comprehensive primary health services in the district which will be known as health and wellness centres. This will include maternal and child health services along with other diagnostic services. “We have prepared a module for the training of CHOs and within the next two months, the training of all CHOs in 12 modules will be completed,” said JVN Subramanyam, mission director of National Health Mission (NHM). He added that currently a total of 685 CHOs are working across the state in health centres and the department will further recruit 128 new officers. Officials informed that the state government has begun

Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma flagging off new 108 Ambulances | G Plus Photo preparations to implement the Ayushman Bharat scheme in Assam. Sarma explained that the scheme has two components namely, preventive and curative, and said that the most important component is the preventive part. Health officials informed that their aim is to strengthen midlevel medical care across the state which can prevent people from going to the hospitals by providing them with the right guidance. “Around 27 lakh families (30% of the population) are living below the poverty line in Assam. All the BPL families will be covered under the scheme. It provides for a cover of up to Rs 5 lakhs for a family per year,” Sarma informed adding that eligible families will be given cards to avail the benefits. The minister said that in

Assam, the state government-run Atal Amrit Abhiyan (AAA) scheme will function in tandem with Ayushman Bharat. Atal Amrit Abhiyan is a health assurance scheme launched by the Assam government on December 25, 2016 for the benefit of the economically poor people of the state. Under the scheme, patients suffering from six critical diseases such as cancer, cardio vascular disease, kidney disorder, neurological condition, burn injury and neo-natal complication get monetary assistance up to Rs 2 lakhs per individual of the eligible beneficiary family. The scheme provides for cashless benefits for 438 select treatment procedures under the six disease groups at empanelled hospitals. As opposed

75 new ambulances under Mrityunjoy 108 service launched

uring the programme, 75 new ambulances under the Mrityunjoy 108 emergency ambulance service and one boat ambulance was also launched. “With the new fleet, we aim to bring down the average response time of the ambulance service in the state from the existing 22 minutes to an average of 15 minutes. In the next three months, we will launch another fleet of 75 new ambulances,” said Sarma. He added that since their launch in 2008, many ambulances had become old and their life span

was getting shorter since they were operating on bad roads and remote areas. “Earlier we had noticed that more than 100 ambulances were lying off the road. So we took the decision to rejuvenate the services,” said the minister. Speaking during the programme, Sarma also announced that by next year, the government will launch a free vehicle service for carrying dead bodies. During the occasion, officials also pointed out the reduced maternal mortality rate (MMR)

of the state, which earlier was the highest in the country at 300. According to the Sample Registration Survey (SRS) 2014-16, Assam’s MMR has declined to 237. However, it is still much higher than the national average of 130. MMR is the number of female deaths per 1 lakh live births in a year from any cause related to pregnancy or its management. “If we are able to reduce the number of home deliveries and increase institutional deliveries, the MMR will definitely improve by the next SRS survey,” said Sarma. n

to Ayushman Bharat, AAA covers both BPL as well as APL population with a family income of up to Rs 5 lakhs. The department has targeted to establish 691 health and wellness centres in Assam. n

Health minister launched the training module for CHOs in comprehensive primary healthcare under Ayushman Bharat CHOs are mid-level health officers who provide primary healthcare at the subcentre level CHOs will be appointed in health and wellness centres Currently 685 CHOs are working across the state and the department will further recruit 128 new officers Officials are focussing on preventive aspect of Ayushman Bharat 27 lakh families or 30% of Assam’s population living below the poverty line will be covered under the scheme 75 new ambulances under Mrityunjoy 108 and one boat ambulance was also launched

In The News

G PLUS | JUN 09 - JUN 15, 2018

Nipah scare hits sale of fruits in the city Fruit vendors in the city are staring at a year of poor sales as people are reluctant to buy fruits fearing transmission of Nipah virus

Fruit vendors at Fancy Bazar, Guwahati | G Plus Photo

Saumya Mishra saumya.mishra@g-plus.in

he Nipah virus scare has taken a huge toll on the sale of fruits this year, leaving fruit sellers in the city dejected. According to them, the sale of mangoes and

litchis has been the worst affected. The vendors informed that the sale of fruits has drastically plummeted during the past few weeks since people have become apprehensive about purchasing fruits fearing the transmission of the Nipah virus. However, medical professionals are still unsure about the actual process of

transmission. They have also raised doubts if the virus is indeed transmitted by fruit bats or not. Arun Kumar, a fruit wholesaler in Fancy Bazar informed G Plus that his profits have seen a sharp dip of around 50%. “We are facing a lot of problems due to the reduced sales this time. I am hardly able to sell any

mangoes for the past few weeks. During the previous seasons, the fruit always used to be the most sought after and remained high in demand,” lamented Kumar. He blamed the television news channels for spreading a sense of panic among people. “Those who are educated and practical understand that there is no need to stop eating fruits but at least half of our customers have been fearful of buying fruits after hearing about the deaths in Kerala and other parts of the country,” he said. Another fruit vendor, Sabir Ahmed, informed that sale of mangoes for him has declined by 30-40%. Ahmed added, “Given the perishable nature of fruits, we are facing a tough time as they become rotten soon and we have to throw away a lot our stock because of poor demand.” A fruit wholesaler, Ajay Anand, said that he had not anticipated that the news of Nipah virus will have such an adverse impact on sale of their fruits. The virus has claimed 15 lives in a recent outbreak in Kerala till now. Experts say that some of the symptoms of the disease include fever, headache, disorientation, drowsiness, mental confusion apart from acute respiratory syndrome and fatal encephalitis. The symptoms of Nipah are also similar to other diseases such as Japanese Encephalitis. Further, the World Health Organisation (WHO) stated that fruit bats are the natural hosts of Nipah. The virus can be transmitted to humans by animals such as pigs and bats, while human to human transmission is also possible. Eating contaminated food is also a cause for the transmission of the virus. Additionally, there is no vaccination available at present for Nipah virus for humans as well as animals. n

No concrete evidence to show fruits responsible for transmission: Experts

edical experts, however feel that there is still no concrete evidence to show that fruits carry the virus and are responsible for its transmission. Dr Ganesh Saikia, joint director of health services of Kamrup (Metro) district told G Plus “These claims are only based on speculation and observations. However, people should be careful and maintain caution as we have also issued an advisory in the state,” he said. Saikia added that there was no textbook evidence to state that bats are directly responsible for transmission, as some bats from Kerala which were thought to be carriers of the disease tested negative for Nipah when they were

tested in Pune. “We will only be able to say anything with authority if we get a patient or evidence here,” said Saikia. Explaining about the history of the disease, Dr Rakesh Periwal, a city-based critical care medicine and sleep specialist informed G Plus that the virus was initially identified in an outbreak in Malay-

people should be careful and maintain caution as we have also issued an advisory in the state” Dr Ganesh Saikia

sia, which raised suspicion among medical professionals as the condition of the patients deteriorated very quickly and most of them were identified having neurological disorders. Later the virus was found in the fruit eating bats and such symptoms were also detected in people who had consumed the sap of the date plant identified in Bangladesh. “In India, we are only learning now about the transmission of the virus. The best guess of doctors was that infected bats which eat fruit might be causing the transmission disease,” he said. He added that as a precaution, people should wash the food well before eating and should doubly check for suspicion of nibbling-like

marks left by animals. “If some marks are found on the fruits, then those should be discarded,” advised Periwal. He advised that people should also check for suspicious animal behaviour because the animals too show signs of neurological disorders if infected with Nipah virus. However, health experts have appealed to people to maintain calm and not to panic. Last week, the state health officials had issued advisory to take precautions against the disease. Officials added that there have been no suspected virus cases in the state till now and that Assam is not under any direct threat since the fruits, barring only coconut, are usually not imported here from Kerala. n

SNIPPETS Congress observes “Vishwasghat Diwas” in Guwahati on 4 years of BJP-led govt

ll India Congress Committee and Assam Pradesh Congress Committee observed nationwide “Vishwasghat Diwas” on completion of 4 years of the BJP-led government. On behalf of Guwahati city, District Congress Committee today held a mass demonstration in front of the office of the Deputy Commissioner, Kamrup (M) District and submitted a memorandum addressed to the President of India. The memorandum highlighted the concerns with regard to the spiralling prices of petrol, diesel etc. which have added fuel to fire in the day to day life of the common people. Referring to the promises upon which Prime Minister Narendra Modi claimed, of controlling prices to the level of half of the prices of all commodities, including fuel that prevailed during the rule of Congress-led UPA government. The Congress accused the BJP government of not taking any steps to reduce the prices of fuel in spite of lowering of prices of crude oil in the international market. Revisiting the BJP-led government’s 4 year rule, only 4.16 lakh jobs has been given. On the other hand, in the name of demonetisation, employed youths became jobless due to closure of factories, manufacturing units etc. In the memorandum, Congress also demanded action to waive-off loans to farmers and protection of the farmers. n

Soil testing starts for crisscross flyover in Guwahati

he soil testing of the upcoming flyover crisscrossing the existing flyover at Ganeshguri point has started. The flyover would stretch from Ganesh Mandir in Dispur to Nursery Bus Stop on RG Baruah Road by crisscrossing the existing Ganeshguri flyover. This will be the second flyover in the Ganeshguri area and is expected to ease traffic congestion to a great extent. n

Crime

SNIPPETS Assam Congress uses minor girl as a protester in rally

G PLUS | JUN 09 - JUN 15, 2018

Life under the city flyovers: a continuum of uncertainty G Plus finds that spaces under the numerous flyovers of the city are grossly mismanaged, do not provide regulated parking options and have become zones for illegal street vending

ongress supporters in Assam had to face harsh criticism after they involved a minor girl to protest against the BJP government during a rally in North Lakhimpur on Wednesday. People across Assam condemned the act as inhuman and cruel after the rally was projected through different media channels. The minor child aged about 7-9 years old was used as a tool for unconscionable gain and an instrument of protest. During the midday in the scorching heat, the child was made to sit on a dhokuwa (the leaf layer of betel nut tree) and dragged throughout. The Assam State Commission on Child Rights has taken suo moto cognizance of the same and has instructed the police administration to take immediate action against the perpetrators as the Commission identifies the action as a punishable offence under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015. The chairperson of the Commission, Dr Sunita Changkakati spoke to the superintendent of police on 6th June 2018 and was assured of appropriate action. However, Assam Pradesh Congress Committee President, Ripun Bora denied the involvement of any minor in the rally and instructed the Congress officials to conduct an immediate enquiry to find out under what circumstances the minor girl came in the picture. n

Asom Sahitya Sabha launches ‘Seuj Jatra’

he apex literary body of the state, Asom Sahitya Sabha (ASS), on Tuesday, launched its year-long green march (Seuj Jatra) to mark World Environment Day. Under this initiative, the Sabha will initiate activities among students to generate awareness on wildlife protection. “Massive environmental awareness campaigns will be launched across Assam. The Sabha will also bring out publications to enrich the stock of literature related to the state’s nature and environment,” said Sabha president Paramananda Rajbongshi. n

bari. It further demanded compliance by the government and municipal authorities with the orders of the Gauhati High Court. While talking about the identification of the vending zones, the Association’s president said that despite the High Court’s order to the government and the GMC authorities to settle the street vendors within November 2017, the order has not been followed. n

Rajat Sen

astage of space under the numerous flyovers in Guwahati, in addition to creating ordeals of traffic congestion, has given rise to yet another menace – illegal street vending. According to a survey conducted by the Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC), way back in 2015, just after the ‘Street Vendors’ Act (2014) ’ was passed, there were around 12,000 street vendors (registered and otherwise ) scattered across the city. A fraction of these vendors have been operating under the flyovers. “For the last 3-4 years, I have been earning my livelihood through this small pan shop,” said one Tahir Ali who owns a minuscule shop under the Bishnuram Medhi flyover at Ulubari. Harani Das, an employee of the GMC, who handles the parking duty of two-wheelers under the same flyover said, “Parking is a big problem in this area. Cars and bikes are parked illegally on the roadsides throughout the length of the flyover. The GMC must look for efficient ways to handle this.”

The Ulubari flyover and its messy parking an auto-rickshaw in the city for 12 years, but went out of business with Ola/Uber cab services gaining a foothold in the city. “I have been evicted multiple times from this place, but I always return. I have mouths to feed. Where will I go?” said Khatoniar. “I make sure to keep the place clean. I want a permanent spot here and I am even ready to pay for it. I send my kids to school. I am not a thief, I earn an honest living. Why is the government doing this to us?” he questioned. The Ganeshguri flyover, by comparison, has relatively lesser number of vendors. Pollution and

Mr and Mrs Khatoniar and their tea stall The space under the flyovers in Ulubari, Bhangagarh, Ganeshguri, Six Mile and Khanapara is mismanaged by the concerned authorities. The small patches of fenced gardens in certain sections under these flyovers are in a sorry state. Maximum areas under the flyovers are fenced off from the public. “I will happily pay a yearly sum to the GMC if I am allotted a fixed area under the flyover here. I constantly live with the fear of being evicted,” said another small time shopkeeper under the Ulubari flyover. Originally from the BTAD, Dijen Khatoniar and his wife have been running a small tea shop under the Bhangagarh flyover for the last 4 years. Prior to that he drove

illegal parking, however, is still evident. It may also be noted that even though some areas under the Ganeshguri flyover have been converted into parking zones, its proper utilization is yet to be seen.

The administration’s take on the matter

GMC commissioner, Monalisa Goswami said, “The areas under the flyovers will only be reserved for parking.” She added that the vendors will have to eventually leave those areas and move to the vending zones as and when the zones are notified after finalization. The final decision has to be taken by the Town Vending Committee, the police, the PWD and the Vendors’ Association. Un-

til and unless they can come to a unanimous decision, it will be difficult to set up the vending zones.” “Footpaths are strictly for walking. The vendors who occupy the footpaths will be evicted on a regular basis so that the people do not face any problems,” she said adding, “Tender has been given out multiple times for converting the areas under the flyovers into public parking, but to no avail.” A source in the GMC said that a survey to indentify the zones was conducted earlier but the traffic police department was not agreeable with the results.

The Vendors’ Association’s side of the story

At a news conference organized in the city on 29th May last, the Street Vendors’ Association of Assam raised several demands for the implementation of the proposed vending zones in the city. The organization further added that even though the Street Vendor Act was passed in 2014, during the Congress regime, the present BJP government has failed to implement it in the state so far. The association’s president, Naren Rajbongshi, said that the GMC had set up a town vending committee in 2015 and registered 7,186 street vendors. Vending zones were set up under the flyovers at Bhangagarh and Six Mile and the association was tasked with carrying out a survey of the nine vending zones to be set up by the GMC. The Association further demanded halt of eviction of street vendors, status quo for street vendors till alternative arrangements are in place, full implementation of the Street Vendors Act 2014, creation of vending zones, regular meetings of the town vending committee. It also demanded re-establishment of the vending area in front of the Gauhati Medical College & Hospital at Bhangagarh and the re-settlement of evicted street vendors in Jaluk-

Highlights of the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014 To protect the livelihood rights of street vendors as well as regulate street vending through demarcation of vending zones, conditions for and restrictions on street vending. Town Vending Committee (TVC) to be formed for every town. Any person intending to undertake street vending needs to register with the TVC. The TVC comprises the municipal commissioner, representatives of street vendors, local authority, planning authority, local police, resident welfare association and other traders’ associations. Government to frame a scheme for street vendors. The local authority, in consultation with the planning authority, to frame a street vending plan once every five years. Natural markets (those that have come up naturally on account of demand) not to be disturbed while framing street vending plans. No eviction of vendors to be undertaken without relocation. Reservation of 2% land for vending as part of master plans and local area plans

In The News

G PLUS | JUN 09 - JUN 15, 2018

ParkingRhino: Transforming parking experiences through Digitisation ParkingRhino is a mobile-based parking management solution Chetan Bhattarai

he urban commuter is a disturbed lot. Many a times it happens with us that we have an important engagement or a meeting to catch and after reaching our destination we find that all parkingspots have been taken. Valuable time is wasted finding a reliable parking spot. Well, now with ParkingRhino, a mobilebased parking management solution we might have some relief in our busy life. ParkingRhino not only finds a parking spot for our vehicle but also assures that it is safe and reliable. Book your parking space using this mobile application even before you reach your destination. ParkingRhino currently has active 12,000+ users who utilise 4 million (40 lakh) parking spaces. If you are a parking contractor looking for a smooth

bodies streamline its parking areas in an organised manner. The result was ParkingRhino and Tridib moved to Bengaluru and started working on this smart parking application. Launched in August 2015, ParkingRhino is about smart parking, convenient parking and many other features like realtime data collection and sharing.

Tridib Konwar (L) and Mriganka Deka (R)

The idea is to digitise the parking industry which is estimated to be $100 billion and growing. Tridib and Mriganka are engineering graduates from Assam Engineering College, Guwahati.

Features of ParkingRhino • • • • • •

Search, navigate and book parking around the city Paid and valet parking across the city Details like hourly pricing Optimal route to the parking destination Security of parking areas Availability of car wash facilities

Bonus credible features to keep users engaged include • Weekend updates of new concerts around, • Nearby bank and ATMs • Weekend outdoor events

parking management solution, ParkingRhino is the right tool for you. It is fully digitised and data can be accessed in real-time. Best part is you don’t have to worry about cash transactions as it has digital payment facilities. The idea for this application came up in 2014 when one of the founders Tridib Konwar was in Bengaluru to meet Mriganka Deka. Tridib was frustrated with the horrible parking infrastructure in Bengaluru and the traffic management. The duo noticed that on an average it took 20 minutes of extra time to park a vehicle. On calculating the parking time they found out that drivers have been losing valuable time due to faulty practices. This bothered the young engineers and they took the onus to get it right. Their mission was to get a hassle free, verified parking for its users and also help the civic

“Our product can be used to solve parking problems in any city around the world, irrespective of the differences in the parking policies and the urban infrastructure. Products based on the ParkingRhino platform can solve problems of parking lot operators & owners, urban motorists, corporates, city planners and administrators,” assure the duo. “The ParkingRhino software has been adopted by civic agencies in various cities and also by contractors holding large parking areas. So far, the tools provided by ParkingRhino have been successful in managing, tracking and enforcing parking regulations in its area of operation. Now you don’t have to go round on circles searching a space for your vehicle. Our software has been helping drivers to search parking spots in advance in major

cities 15 cities in India including all metros and now in Guwahati,” informed Tridib. ParkingRhino has been recognized by Google, NASSCOM 10K, Tech In Asia, CIO Review, Karnataka Govt., NRL as a smart parking solution for the smart cities. ParkingRhino is currently serving 15 cities in India and has a plan to scale up internationally as well. They are already planning to launch their solution in few South-East Asian countries in next 6 months.

What is unique about ParkingRhino?

“Accessible and available realtime information... ParkingRhino is unique due to its customisation capabilities. It is tailored to meet the needs of the client and the users alike. It is about solving your parking issues using digital means allowing you the freedom to customise it as per your needs,” says Mriganka.

algorithm works to figure out the factors. Parking spaces which are not well-maintained and do not meet the minimum standards attract low rating and ultimately get knocked out - ‘crushed’- from the system. There is no space for inferior parking spots which might interfere with the quality that ParkingRhino promises.

Get unorganised parking space organised in less than 2 minutes

The government and the city administration need macro level data on parking and traffic movement within a city, to manage the traffic efficiently. ParkingRhino has all the essential tools to provide

can help funding of more verified parking spaces as the government has most of the prime lands within a city,” says Tridib. For the contractors who get parking spaces on lease from the government ParkingRhino weeds out all kinds of manpower mismanagement. Contractors can sit at their office and manage their parking spaces remotely using auditing tools, revenue analytics and smart alerts with real-time information. Like most start-ups it wasn’t easy when ParkingRhino was launched. It took the young minds a lot of pain to convince the stakeholders, parking lot owners and car owners to build the app confidence. Once users became aware of the advantages there was no looking back. The app has been constantly updated to meet the changing environment.

Who does it help?

“The app is for those who want to save time everyday while searching for a parking space. Twenty minutes every day would mean 10 hrs in a month. That is almost half a day. The app might save roughly 6 days in a year. For an office- goer it is almost a week,” smiles Tridib. It is also a great help to the city administration as cities are getting congested with more and more cars every day. It helps in

Smart Parking Solutions On A Roll. Digitised Parking Locations Across India

105+ Locations On-street, off-street any type of parking

400+ Installations Parking operations digitised within 10 mins

5500 K+ Parkings

~50,000+ parking tickets processed per day

300M+

GMV Worth Transactions parking tickets processed

Verified Parking Spots and Ratings

Finding a parking spot that is verified and reliable gets easier with ParkingRhino. You have a complete list of the available spots. There is a rating and an

the required macro data to the concerned parties and all the stakeholders for smart cities. As of now 40 locations in Bengaluru have been successfully digitised by ParkingRhino and more and more city administrations and government bodies are interested in this parking app. “By digitising the point-ofsale (POS) management solution that ParkingRhino provides eases the revenue generation process for the city administration by utilising parking spaces. This revenue can be calculated in realtime and the administration will be in the knowhow of how much have been earned at the end of the day. This additional revenue

traffic management to a great extent as parking is a major issue in any city.

How does it work internally for the stakeholders?

It is slowly digitising the parking industry, and would be a boon for the numerous smart cities which are in the pipeline. It can work as the perfect parking management tool for a smart city and it is ready to go. ParkingRhino has started its operations in Guwahati and their mission is to provide efficient parking solution to Guwahati and to other north-eastern cities which have organized parking areas. n

Ward Survey

G PLUS | JUN

Kalapahar terrain ‘responsible’ for traffic snarls in relatively good Ward 17 This week in Ward Watch, G Plus checks out areas like Kalapahar and Binova Nagar in Ward 17 and finds the GMC working to the reasonable satisfaction of the residents Avishek Sengupta avishek.sengupta@g-plus.in

aily traffic snarls and lack of space to park vehicles has become synonymous to the hill-locked Binova Nagar of Guwahati Municipal Corporation’s (GMC) Ward No 17. This was revealed in a survey conducted by G Plus in which 50 families of the ward were asked questions on 14 parameters of living standards such as water supply, streetlights, garbage collection etc. 39 respondents (78 per cent) expressed dissatisfaction on the traffic congestion among which, 17 respondents (34 per cent) said that the roads are occasionally crowded while a majority of 22 others (44 per cent) said that the traffic condition is pathetic. Only 11 respondents (22 per cent) said that traffic movement is smooth here. Regarding parking space too, 31 respondents (62 per cent) said that the parking spaces are not adequate while the rest 19 are satisfied with the parking spaces available. The residents blame the

terrain of Kalapahar as the reason behind the narrow roads that leads to these problems. “The roads are very narrow. On a road, where two vehicles can hardly pass when one heavy vehicle is plying, which happens more than often, the entire road gets jammed. There is not much scope to widen the roads either as the roads are curved along the hill and the plains at the foot are already crowded,” Raju Karmakar, a resident here said. Almost the majority of Ward No 17 is covered by parts of Narakasur Hill and Kalapahar Hill; most of the residents there live in the foothills. While encroachment in parts of Kalapahar Hill, too, is one of the problems of the ward, the residents at the foothills are more plagued by the water logging caused due to the unplanned settlement. A majority of 29 respondents (58 per cent) said that water logging is a critical problem in their area while three others (six per cent) said that water logging is confined to a few lanes only. 18 respondents (36 per cent) said that they do not face the water logging problem. “The unplanned constructions on the hills have changed the

File photo of Kalapahar Hills rainwater course from the hill tops. Earlier the rainwater used to find its way into the Bharalu River naturally. But such is not the case anymore and the rainwater tends to flood the areas. Also, due to the deforestation on the top, the water retaining capacity of the hills has

gone down considerably,” another resident, Ashok Sarkar, said. But, like any other ward in the city, the residents blamed part of the water logging problem due to a poorly maintained drainage system. A bulk of 41 respondents (82

per cent) said that the drainage system is not well maintained. Besides, the residents have unanimously said that there are no public toilets in the ward. They expressed dissatisfaction with the lack of potable water and pest control measures. (See Chart)

58% Yes 36% No 6% In some lanes Water Logging issues

18% Yes 48% No 34% Could be better Drainage system

0% Yes 100% No Public Toilets

4% Yes 88% No 8% Sometimes Pest Control Measures

38% Yes 62% No Parking Spaces

2% Very secured 64% Secured 24% Needs more security 10% No security Law and Order

3% Yes 94% No 0% Sometimes Water Supply

22% Smooth 34% Occassionally crowded 44% Pathetic

Councillor Report

Negative Response

Concen

Pop

0% Always 46% Sometimes 54% Never

Councillor in C

8% Yes 60% No 30% Sometimes 2% Only during ele

Councillor Inte

Ward Survey

09 - JUN 15, 2018

Traffic not under my ambit: Councillor

Seven of 14 parameters satisfactory

W Encroachment at Kalapahar hills | G Plus Photo residents seemed satisfied as a majority of 42 respondents (84 per cent) expressed satisfaction of which, 14 (28 per cent) ranked those as good and the rest 28 (56 per cent) ranked it as average. Off the rest eight respondents, 7 (14 per cent) ranked the roads as bad and only one (2 per cent) ranked it as pathetic. “Despite being away from the city, this area is quite decent. The roads are better than several parts of the city and so, we are secured in terms of law & order issues. This is because of the Assam Police battalions that are here,” Raju Karmakar said. The Kalapahar Hill houses the 10th and 4th Assam Police Battalions besides having the Special Branch office. 32 respondents ranked this

Survey conducted by Ria Chowdhury

ntrated Area: Binova Nagar (17A) Ward No: 17 opulation of the Ward: 28,000 Voter Population: 15,000 pulation of Binova Nagar: 6,100 Ward Councillor: Madhu Chanda Dev

Community Works

ection

eraction

ward as secure while one said that the ward is very secure. For door-to-door garbage collection, however, the residents credit the GMC as the task is particularly tough in the hills. “There are areas where the service does not reach properly, but several areas on the hills are tough to reach and yet GMC provides the service,” Sarkar said. 22 respondents (44 per cent) said they receive the service daily while 9 others (18 per cent) said twice a week. 10 respondents (20 per cent) opined the service to be irregular and 9 others (18 per cent) said that they never receive the service. Besides, the residents also expressed satisfaction regarding the lack of load shedding, transport connectivity and access to medical facilities. (See Chart)

60% Yes 40% No Do you know Councillor?

0% Excellent 42% Satisfactory 58% Under performing 0% Poor Councillor Performance

Positive Response

he residents of Ward No 17 are satisfied with seven of the 14 living parameters. The highlight, however, is the availability of streetlights, a GMC service regarding which most of the residents of the city have complaints about. 29 respondents (58 per cent) said that their lanes are well lit while 3 others (6 per cent) said that their lanes are vaguely lit. Of the rest, 7 (14 per cent) said the lanes are insufficiently lit while 11 others (22 per cent) said that there are no streetlights. “Those unlit areas are where encroachments take place. Otherwise, most of the ward is well lit; so is Binova Nagar. Though quite far from the city, this area is very well lit,” Ashok Sarkar said. Regarding the roads, too, the

dissidents who resigned from hile traffic congestion Congress to join BJP after the is a problem which the latter’s landslide victory in the councillor of Ward No Assam legislative Election 2016 17, Madhu Chanda Dev, and formed a BJP majority council wants to leave at the with Mrigen Sarania as Mayor. She hands of the police, she vouches to expressed that she is hopeful of her take care of the drainage system in chances of getting ticket from the the ward. same party and win in this election. “It is true that the drains here “I would vouch for scientific are a bit jammed, which should channel of storm-water so that not be the case due to the hills flash floods do not occur on the foot here. The water should get cleared hills. I will also ask the GMC to help away on time. But often, our drains solve the lack of get clogged by public toilets in eroded soil and the ward. To take hills from the top. forth the Swachh So, maintenance Bharat Abhiyan, takes more time public toilets and and money in dustbins are very this ward than crucial,” Dev said. others,” Dev, who This year’s is a BJP councillor, election would be said. a litmus test for She Dev as the first added, “Traffic time, she won the congestion is not election on behalf my department. It of Congress and is up to the traffic after her shift department of party, there of the police. I is a fair chance cannot interfere Councillor Madhu Chanda Dev that people won’t there. But since support for her the residents current affiliation. However, Dev have complained, I will inform the said, “It is my work and not the department about the same and ask party because of which people them to come up with a solution.” chose me and I am hopeful they Like other wards, Dev is also will again.” waiting for the city water supply In the survey, 21 respodents (42 projects to be completed. per cent) expressed satisfaction “We are not alone. The whole in her performance while the city is suffering from this problem,” rest 29 (58 per cent) termed her as she said. “under-performer”. Dev, was one among the many n

28% Good 56% Average 14% Bad 2% Pathetic Road Condition

82% Sometimes 4% Half an hour daily 0% An hour daily 10% More than an hour 4% No load shedding Load shedding

88% Yes 4% No 8% Needs improvement Transport Connectivity

58% 6% 14% 22% Street Lights

96% Yes 4% No 2% Needs improvement Ambulance, Health Services

44% Everyday 18% Twice a week 0% Once a week 0% Fortnightly 20% Irregular 18% Never Garbage Collection

14 E

G Talk D

G PLUS | JUN 09 - JUN 15, 2018

The new contrabands

here were some amusing pictures on local TV recently – of PWD minister Himanta Biswa Sarma taking stock of the worsening condition of the city’s roads in the continued aftermath of the massive water pipeline laying exercise that seemingly has no end in sight. The minister was neither angry nor cynical for a change but just considerate enough and issued instructions for immediate restoration of the roads. The big question comes here: with what are the roads going to be restored? What construction material would be used given the acute and prolonged scarcity of stone chips and sand in the city? Or, given this situation, are the newly fashionable paving blocks coming to the city’s rescue? But leaving aside the roads for the moment, other construction activities cannot be done with just paving blocks – certainly not buildings and bridges (foot over or road bridges). You need sand and stone chips that can cast building slabs and these are now priced at such a premium that construction activities in Guwahati have been rendered economically unviable. Such is the complexity of this prolonged

scarcity that has been going on for over a year now with prices increasing by as much as 30%, it is surprising that the all-powerful government in the state and the centre has shown so much lethargy in resolving the problem. From all that is apparent and becoming clearer post our story on the same matter in this edition of G Plus, the matter is steeped in the bureaucracy and red tape of the central government with no consideration whatsoever of the ground realities in faroff Guwahati. Also, I often find it rather strange that stone chips and sand, considered worldwide as legitimate ingredients for cement mortar, are often treated as contraband that have to be smuggled into the city warming a number of pockets on the way. These are legitimate natural resources after all – resources that the government can earn from if made available legally and at affordable prices. The current situation just goes way beyond my powers of reasoning as to why a quick solution to a simple problem has been made so vexed that sellers and buyers are resorting to the illegalities of transacting on a “smuggled” product. Sand and stone are just not contraband! Swapnil Bharali Editor

Our complex state

ssam is set to witness one of the most complex situations ever. The complete National Register of Citizens (NRC) list is set to be published on 30 June 2018. NRC authorities have claimed that it would be an error-free list of genuine citizens, who had entered Assam before 24th March, 1971. Again, the state is also witnessing unrest as various civil society groups are opposing the proposed Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2016, which will grant citizenship to Hindu Bangladeshis who came to India before 2014. Well, the NRC aims to identify all illegal Bangladeshis irrespective of their religions. But the motive of amending the Citizenship Bill is to allow Hindus to live in the country. Another complexity is the issue of declared foreigners in Assam. NRC authorities bragged that till date they were able to identify 4,288 declared foreigners and have barred them from entering the upcoming “error free” NRC list. But there are 93,000 declared foreigners with only around 900 of them being in detention camps. The border police are unaware about their whereabouts and in the first list of NRC, only one declared foreigner had managed to register his name in the list. Blame game started thereafter and the Gauhati High Court was “shocked.” At present many declared foreigners are approaching the court claiming they are genuine citizens on a daily basis and their lawyers, because of our legal system, are making good money. The proceedings of Foreigners Tribunals are also questionable as Gauhati High Court registered suo moto cases against some tribunals which declared some suspected foreigners as Indian citizens without offering the mandatory opinions. So, NRC, Citizenship Amendment Bill, missing declared foreigners, illegal Bangladeshi issue, law & order concerns after NRC, blah blah blah have just created a state of ours that is fraught with complexities of a different level.

Rahul Chanda

Time to reshape the Reservation Policy

he reservation system plaguing the country is failing to produce proficient citizens in this developing nation. Political parties have harvested the system’s profits for their own benefit which is very much evident in every election manifesto of different parties. The Indian Constitution adopted by the Republic of India in 1950, enacted that reservation should be for those who were left out of society due to caste-based discrimination. It was based on the principle of equal opportunity as enshrined in the Constitution. Although initially, the period was fixed for 10 years, it has however been stretched to more than six and half decades by now either due to social reasons or to reap political mileage. Instead of thinking of its abolition, new additions are still happening. This reservation system was launched to upgrade poor and backward people after the transition period of independent India to come up to a certain level matching others. Policy makers of earlier and succeeding governments have failed to achieve its value till date. Today the condition is such that instead of trying to lessen the gap, the gorge of this caste-based reservations system is deepening and also spreading amongst the different communities. For example, Jats, mostly dominant in Haryana and Rajasthan, have been included in OBC (Other Backward Class) category recently; they are the prime land owners in both states. Moreover, Yadavs, the most dominant rulers and landowners in Bihar and UP, are also brought under OBC category. Wealth or poverty has nothing to do with it. It is only politics for whom

branches of reservations are still prevalent and added one after another. No political party wishes to let it go for fear of losing this most powerful political tool of vote-based politics. People enjoying government jobs under ST, SC and OBC quotas also enjoy the premature promotions earmarked for them. Such people possess bungalows, cars and all the comforts by now besides putting their progenies in high profile schools and colleges. Some of them are high ranking bureaucrats too. In short they are well-to-do in all respects. Yet, they are considered as privileged class and are accorded these facilities generation after generation invariably. How long would they keep reaping these advantages? The whole lot of government employees engaged through caste reservations keeps securing

The author writes on the country’s reservation policy that is giving rise to incompetence and ineptitude in all spheres of the society and economy the benefits of their inherited category generation after generation while a major portion of the general caste are becoming jobless and homeless. Naturally this bias provokes the anger of an endowed and capable one. Now, the consequences of reservation are so vivid and clear. We can’t expect quality products from the premier institutions like IITs, IIMs, IISCs, NITs and good medical colleges due to the poor admission standards purely triggered through reservation. It has been a great loss to the country in terms of economy; the nation’s pride is at stake due to brain drain. This is a principal reason that a good number of meritorious brains have migrated to many different developed countries where they can seek better education and also choose

rAftermath of an improbable ‘Chakabandh’

O pinion Rabin Prasad Kalita

to have their permanent address over there. All this must change. If someone is provided with reservation then his successors shall not be extended the same facility again. It is because the government has already extended sufficient financial support to him/her for the upbringing of his children. A renewable minimum income of the family may be fixed by the government for seeking reservations. Employees working under central, state government, PSUs and corporate sectors with high income should be removed from the category of reservation as per the ceiling fixed by the government no matter which caste he or she belongs to. Production of family income documents must be made essential to ascertain their income while applying for higher education or jobs. Reservation should be provided to a person once in a lifetime; this may be while pursuing education or applying for government service as per the option given by the student during the board exam. Percentage of reservation system should be totally abolished. Cut-off marks between reserved and unreserved category should be kept minimum so that the standard and the very purpose of education is maintained. Instead of paying more stress on reservation the government should work to create a congenial as well as convenient education system acceptable by all. It’s high time to enact policies in regard to establishing or redressing high quality schools all over to reduce the difference between public and private establishments. Poor and brilliant students are to be encouraged with scholarships so that they can pursue a higher education later on. Poor students should be backed up with interest free loans, tuition free colleges etc. There is no need of reservation for a person who is rightly educated because he can have the ability for self-engagement or to create jobs for others. Now the time has come to remove this orthodox ageold policy and start with a new vision and ensure its effective implementation. n

Letter to the Editor

he ‘Chaka Bandh’ that was called on 4th June 2018 completely destroyed the normal lives of the citizens. The bandh on the first day of the week not only paralysed the normal scenario of the city, but also saw school students, office goers and other common people stranded at the bus stoppages for hours waiting for a city bus or a rented vehicle. Along with this, the temperature of a typical summer day in Guwahati further worsened the condition of the public. Life became paralysed; people were harassed and important functions got postponed. Hence the important question that arises out of this is: What is the absolute necessity of calling the bandhs? The Chaka Bandh, basically called against the government to protest against rising fuel prices, left the people wondering whether it will have any positive impact or not. The general public has already developed a clear perception that bandhs can never bring positive impact to the society. Added to this, because of these bandhs, it is the bevy of common people and not the honourable ministers who face the adverse consequences. So, for the benefit of all, bandhs should not be called; rather apt steps should be taken to bring positive changes to the society. Bishaldeep Kakati, Guwahati

In Focus

G PLUS | JUN 09 - JUN 15, 2018

Abhijit Bhuyan Entrepreneur, Engineer

uwahati based entrepreneur and software developer Abhijit Bhuyan is a vital backbone in the process of the formation of National Register of Citizens (NRC) whose software company digitised the legacy data of the National Register of Citizens 1951 as well as the electoral rolls of 1971. Born in Shillong, Meghalaya, Abhijit shifted to Guwahati at a very young age. Here, he did his schooling from Dispur Vidyalaya and higher secondary education from Cotton College. He then went on to pursue electronics and telecommunications engineering from Assam Engineering College (AEC), Guwahati. Belonging to a family of public servants, Abhijit chose to pursue his passion and study engineering. Ever since his school days, Abhijit was interested in the practical classes more than theory. “When I was young, I was like a mechanic who loved to open up everything. I loved practical classes during school days and participated in a lot of

science exhibitions,” Abhijit recalled, speaking to G Plus. After graduating from AEC, Abhijit started his career with Larsen &

Toubro India (L&T) in 1992. Starting off as an entry level executive engineer in the department of research and development, he went on to become the branch manager of Datex Ohmeda and later served as the country manager of Medos AG, a specialized medical device producing company based out of Germany. As the country manager based in New Delhi, his key areas included India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and parts of China. With an experience of over 25 years in the IT industry and Biomedical Instrumentation, Abhijit has catered to clients from all over the world, including Germany, Europe, Bangladesh, China and Sri Lanka. In 2000, he quit his job and brought in a new technology to India called Ventricular Assist Device (VAD), an electromechanical device for assisting cardiac circulation. While Abhijit first introduced the device in Ramachandra Medical College, Chennai, it is currently in

use at various hospitals across the country. Subsequently, he also took up distribution but quit it in 2003 after facing huge losses and returned to Guwahati. Abhijit along with a team of three engineers formed Bohniman Systems, a software company, in 2004. The company has been involved with various e-governance projects in the region. Earlier, Bohniman Systems helped the Assam electricity department in going digital while his company developed the online Inner Line Permit system for the Arunachal Pradesh government which was launched in 2017. It has also undertaken a World Bank project for developing Assam Rural Infrastructure and Agricultural Services (ARIAS) Society, an initiative that has been featured in the World Bank Journal. Guwahati-based entrepreneur Abhijit Bhuyan, with his team at Bohniman Systems, has been working tirelessly on NRC. The team has mapped around 27,000 villages in Assam through differential GPS, the outcome of which has become the backbone of NRC. Further, they have worked on a foolproof system comprising the legacy data, verification teams’ reports (VTR) and family tree. Abhijit, who started work on the project from September 2014, said that the NRC mapping will be an important document for the state. “The entire NRC process is like an evolution that will go down

in history as one of the largest such exercises in the country. Thousands of people have been working tirelessly to make the process a successful one, and the process has been very smooth under the guidance of state coordinator Prateek Hajela. It has truly been an experience of a lifetime working with an administrator like him,” an elated Abhijit said. An engineer par excellence, Abhijit is working on various other significant projects. Currently, along with three German engineers, he is working on a blood pump for cardiac support named OJAA Heart. The basic idea is to develop a blood pumping device similar to those available in international markets for those developing countries wherein these devices are difficult to afford. Abhijit has diversified interests. Apart from being a software developer, he is actively involved in the hospitality sector as well. The co-owner of Dineway Platz in Guwahati and Silk Route in Sualkuchi, he believes in providing the budding artists of the region with a platform to showcase their talents. A dog lover who loves to travel and listen to all genres of music, he is also a sports enthusiast who has represented his college in cricket. In the near future, Abhijit plans to start venture capital funding, collaborating with some friends from Hong Kong, for the venture capital firms of northeast India.

With yet another spa salon - Infinity Spa Unisex Salon, Paltan Bazar - in the city busted for allegedly running a sex racket and 10 of their female workers detained, followers of G Plus have come up with some radical thoughts in this regard Suraj Barman Why do the female workers have to be detained? It is a failure of the government and general public that the girls have to get involved in such acts. And there are people who pay to get themselves entertained. Rather than questioning them, arrest the person who made them a source of his/her income. I don’t think it’s their fault. What is one going to do if they don’t have a source of income for their family? No one comes in this field by choice but are bound or forced due to some circumstances. The main people who are actually responsible for this should be caught. Ayan Bhuyan Provide employment and sex rackets are going to disappear automatically. What on earth are you going to do when you see your parents and siblings starving? It’s the government which is making people do such things. Lack of education, unemployment and financial problem are the reasons for such happenings. Some come by their choice and others are forced. Government should seriously look over this matter. Kings Castle Where ever you see a spa salon in Guwahati, it’s all about massage and other activities by female employees. So the DC should cancel the licenses of all the spa centres at the earliest. Moreover, they are making the environment dirty. The Paltan Bazar area is one of the busiest areas of the city. People from all age groups go there. So it’s very odd to encounter such things in that area.

Debohash Goswami I think the state should have a red light area. If a person who never had sex in his life can have his desire fulfilled by going to such red light areas, I think this would even reduce the percentage of perverts and rapists. I hope this might help and people who are forced to work in this line will get a better life.

Leonard Lalung Pator If this is about stopping western culture, then also stop wearing jeans and shirts and start wearing dhoti-kurta. Stop English education and start studying Hindi and Sanskrit. Why do you think rape occurs more in India then western countries? It’s because it’s a lenient society where there is a proper legitimised brothels and red-light districts. That is why they fulfil their sexual desires in these areas and won’t go on to rape. But sadly it won’t happen here because of our orthodox and backward thinking.

Fidel Guevara Each and every unisex spa centre in entire Guwahati practises this kind of activities. Do we have the courage to prosecute all of them? No, because the authorities are getting paid. And moreover I guess the Paltan Bazar case seems like the authorities were not duly paid. There are so many such centres working like this but not every place is raided.

Feature

G PLUS | JUN 09 - JUN 15, 2018

The ‘DMZee’ Drama A war zone! Brutish, fearsome – perhaps the most dangerous place to be in! I was there…

onald Trump has a tryst with destiny, it seems. He has managed the impossible in unifying the two Koreas which were technically still at war until a year ago. The peace that had so long been held was by an edgy armistice whereby North and South Korea shared a potentially volatile frontier where war could disrupt at any given moment! Or so I was given to understand on my visit… In 2012, I landed into Seoul wise to the adage that curiosity kills the cat but a taste of war was too enticing a proposition for me. The De-Militarized Zone (“DMZee”, to Koreans) virtually beckoned me; loud billboards and flyers all over the commercial hubs of Seoul offered it veritably as Korea’s principal attraction. The formalities, to start with, were scary; after all it was a war zone. Extreme suspiciousness prevailed between the two nations. As I read the tour-waiver form, my eyes fell on one clause that was downright terrifying: I and only I would be responsible for

While Donald Trump is set to meet Kim Jong-un in Singapore on June 12 to usher in ever lasting peace in the Korean peninsula, the author writes about his experience of visiting the Korean war frontier and places his personal observations on the same

tourists (if any) on the northern side could make their hosts feel superior by brandishing their umbrellas while looking at us wet pansies across the border! Along the way, she familiarized us with a wide street (shone like it was paved with silver) that veered off our highway and went deep into North Korean territory. The street apparently led to the factories of the Korean giants like Hyundai, Samsung, etc. which had their production units across the border. The dodgy explanation: the cheap labour there allowed their products to be competitively priced in the global market. Reaching the DMZ, we disembarked. Two other buses similar to ours were already parked; a sizeable group of tourists were spilled around what appeared to be a souvenir shop. We were ushered into the main administrative office where

our attention was drawn to an eerily fluttering curtain on an upper floor window of the North Korean establishment. Uneasiness prevailed as our guide once again hissed, “No pointing fingers please and no photography just now!” As we continued to watch across the border, a solitary soldier appeared from a side room and positioned himself to scrutinize us with powerful binoculars. The curtain continued to flutter but no one appeared at that window. The soldier put his binoculars down and went inside only to come out in flat 10 seconds and resume his activity. It was at this point that we were allowed precisely one minute to take photographs. Yes, we could zoom, pan, tilt and take any kind of photographs/videos so long we did

Swapnil Bharali my disablement/death should any conditions of aggression or war take place during my presence at the DMZ! I had to agree to a long list of conditions, one of which disallowed photography until I was specifically allowed to. Also, I was to maintain complete silence at the DMZ and totally desist from pointing at anything or anyone across the border! Any such misdemeanour might result in an immediate phone call from a top brass of the North’s government to someone in South and the consequent tensions could escalate into a full-fledged war! I reeled at the prospect of being the one responsible for such a catastrophe that could wipe out the Samsungs and Hyundais from our lives and made a mental note of keeping my hands in my pockets. Effectively though, I felt I had signed my life away on the waiver form! Armed with a ticket that cost me a phenomenal US$103, I and my two cousins boarded the assigned 30-seater luxury bus along with sixteen Turkish gentlemen and a handful of Caucasian tourists who appeared as vigilant about their hands as me. Our guide on the bus reiterated the clauses on the waiver form with such vehemence that I offered a silent prayer for continued peace in the region. The one-hour trip was replete with an incessant tirade by our guide on the backwardness and foolishness of “decrepit” North Korea: their backward villages, their pathetic attempts to cover up their inferiority by ensuring that their flagpole was taller than the one on the South Korean side and most amusingly, a tacit understanding that the two countries shared on tourist management whereby tourists on the southern side (like us) would not be allowed umbrellas in the event of rainfall at the DMZ so that

shades on their eyes, their stiff, motionless posture adding to the already charged atmosphere. This was it; I had finally been to a war zone: one that the world held in awe. Our time at the border was over and leaving “Sergeant Binoculars” and the fluttering curtain behind, we stepped into the souvenir shop even as I noticed 16 more buses at the parking bay and a sudden surge in the number of tourists. It was then that my eyes fell on a decent display of North Korean whiskey in that souvenir shop. And that is when I started to rationalize the entire drama that was being played out before me, dissecting each moment step by step: the creation of the super hype of a “DMZee” tour in Seoul, that explicit “death” clause in the waiver form, the Santro/ Galaxy Note manufactured inside North Korean territory, “No photography please”, the dramatically fluttering curtain surely stimulated by an electric fan, Sergeant Binoculars and us harmless tourists, live mannequins in complete combat gear, North Korean whiskey in a South Korean souvenir shop and finally twenty-odd 30-seater luxury buses within the first half of the day with each seat costing US$100 made for, under very conservative calculations, a fantastic business of US$60,000 a half-day or US$ 1,800,000 a half-month!

another group seemed to be returning from the direction we were headed to. We were made to wait for a while and then herded outside beyond the building. We found ourselves facing a massive 4-storied army structure

a fair distance beyond what distinctly was a welldefined border: a thick, white line straddled by two concrete sheds. Smart, battle-ready Korean soldiers stood at strategic vantage points in dramatic tae-kwon-do stance ready to swing into action at the slightest provocation by the enemy. They were so motionless that they could have easily been mistaken for mannequins! As we gazed at mysterious North Korea, the silence in our group deafening,

not exceed our allotted minute. We were thereafter ushered into one of the sheds and the doors were closed behind us. The room was bullet-proof we were told. The Korean border ran exactly through the middle of the room and straddling the thick line was the historic conference table on which the armistice was signed. We were allowed a free run of that room and I found myself technically stepping onto North Korean soil as I “crossed” the border. Two soldiers positioned themselves inside the room, dark

For businessminded South Korea, it made complete sense never to end the Korean War but I came away with the sneaking suspicion that North Korea was an equal partner in the deal and Sergeant Binoculars could well be doubling up as their principal collection agent who, in the interval between one batch of tourists and the other, might just be sauntering across the border to collect the North Korean share and his dramatic surveillance with his binoculars might actually be a head-counting exercise! This is no espionage report, but the DMZee jaunt gave me every reason to figure out a profitable racket within its tall claims of a war-zone tour. Do trust me on two counts, I am not exaggerating one bit anywhere above and the Turks believed what they were shown. Last seen, they, too, had their hands tucked in their pockets! And today, the business must have withered… n

Trotter

G PLUS | JUN 09 - JUN 15, 2018

Woman cooks fish on car hood in sizzling 40-degree heat

he internet has been flooded, year after year, with videos of people cooking eggs on the road as the mercury soars in India. This particular incident, however, takes things a little further. Bizarre photos from China show a woman cooking fish on the hood of a car in sizzling 40-degree heat. The photos show at least five small fish laid out on the hood of a dark-coloured vehicle. The various pictures show the woman flipping the fish (presumably so it cooks evenly on each side). The photos, tweeted by a Daily were reportedly shot in the city of Binzhou, located in eastern China's Shandong province. Last year, a man was filmed cooking an egg on the road in Odisha's Titlagarh. The state was in the throes of an intense heat

the baby and breastfed him. "I just couldn't bear it," said Archana adding, "I felt like my child was crying and I had to feed the baby." The baby was named Kumaraswamy, after Karnataka's new chief minister HD Kumaraswamy. "It is the

government's baby now, and we decided to name him Kumaraswamy as it would be under the care of the government," Nagesh explained. The newborn was then handed over to Shishu Mandir, a children's home in Bengaluru. On 6th June, the Karnataka Chief Minister tweeted that he was "deeply moved" by the news and would meet the police constable "who nursed the little one to life" to express his gratitude. Bengaluru city police hailed Archana on Facebook. "We salute the Mother in our Lady Police Constable Archana of Bangalore City Police who rescued an abandoned new born and breastfed the infant, she had just returned from Maternity Leave (sic)," they wrote in the post, adding the hashtag #ThankYouArchana. (Source: indiatimes)

Chinese man’s dying wish to be buried with his car fulfilled

m an’s unusual dying wish has caused quite a stir on social media in China. Reportedly, a man in North China’s Baoding City asked to be buried with his silver sedan instead of in a traditional coffin. He reportedly made the special request in his will. His final wish was granted, thanks to his family. A video that went viral in China shows the car being lowered into a grave

with the help of a large excavator. The man was buried with his silver Hyundai Sonata on May 28. A video posted on YouTube shows the car being lowered into a rather large grave by an excavator. As villagers watch, three men help guide the car into the pit lined with concrete slabs. “He liked cars since he was young,” an unnamed villager said in a video posted on China’s Twit-

esidents of a Canadian city claimed that liquid human faeces fell from the sky two separate times in May. In one instance, a woman and her son say they were "inundated" with poop after it fell through the open sunroof of their car. Susan Allan and her son were driving through British Columbia's Kelowna when they stopped at a red light. The car's windows were down and the

which was parked outside his home. Brett Yates said he also found similar splatters across three other vehicles nearby. "It smelt pretty disgusting," Yates said. "I had no explanation for it. It puzzled me for a day and then I put it out of my mind until I started seeing stories about other incidents." Transport Canada - which oversees aviation in the country said it is investigating the bizarre incidents.

sunroof was open. "We were inundated with poop," she said. "It was coming from the sky, covered my car, and got in my face and in my mouth." She said that she initially thought the sticky brown mess was a pile of mud. Then, the pair was hit by a horrid smell. "You could tell it was faeces because it smelt like poop. But there was also a hint of chlorine. It was the strangest smell," Allan said. She looked up and noticed an aircraft flying overhead. Another Kelowna resident found brown splatters on his car,

In a statement to CBC Radio, the department suggested frozen lavatory waste, known as "blue ice," may be to blame. Human waste can sometimes leak out of sewage holding tanks in planes. "If this happens, the liquid seeping from valves freezes and adheres to the outside of the aircraft when the aircraft is flying at high altitudes," stated Transport Canada. It is often called "blue ice" because of the chemicals added to airplane toilets to reduce odour and breakdown of the waste. (Source: ndtv)

egg was ready to eat. In April 2016, a woman from Telangana's Karimnagar was filmed cooking eggs directly on the burning hot ground. (Source: ndtv)

Bengaluru policewoman nurses abandoned baby, CM tweets praise ocial media is full of praise for Archana, a police constable from Bengaluru, who breastfed an abandoned newborn. The baby was discovered wrapped inside a plastic bag and left abandoned near a construction site in Bengaluru's Electronic city. Assistant Sub-Inspector Nagesh R was the first police official to arrive at the scene. "The baby was in bad shape. He was covered in blood and the umbilical cord was wrapped around his neck," he said. Nagesh took the baby to a nearby hospital where doctors treated him for free. He then brought the infant to the police station. Archana, mother to a threemonth-old boy, had recently returned to work after her maternity leave. She picked up

Canadian city residents claim liquid human poop falling from the sky

R wave with temperatures touching 45 degrees Celsius in some places. A video shared by news agency ANI showed the man cracking an egg into a frying pan placed on the road. Less than a minute later, the

ter-like social media site, Weibo. The unconventional burial amused some as well. “Luckily he didn’t love planes,” joked one Weibo user. “A thousand years on, a museum guide can say: ‘This is an ancient means of transport - extremely slow, it can only go at 100km/h,’” wrote another, imagining what may happen if years from now, the car was ever dug up.

Goalkeeper ‘fakes injury’ to help teammates break Ramadan fast

illions of Muslims across the world are fasting in the holy month of Ramadan, abstaining from food and water from dawn to dusk. A goalkeeper for the Tunisian football team gave his tired teammates a helping hand when it was time for them to break their fast. The goalie appeared to have faked an injury, on two separate occasions, so that his team players could have snacks and drinks at sundown, also known as Iftar meal. During a World Cup friendly football game with Portugal, 23-year-old Mouez Hassen collapsed at sundown. While he lay on the field to receive medical treatment, his teammates were seen eating dates and drinking water on the sidelines. The re-energised team, that was down 2-1 before Iftar, managed to score an equaliser six minutes later. Days later, similar scenes

played out again - this time in a friendly against Turkey. The goalie lay flat on his back complaining of an injury. His teammates, as expected, went to the side-lines and feasted on dates and sipped water. The goalie’s ingenious ploy to help his fellow players was noticed by many on Twitter. Responding to one such tweet, the goalkeeper joked to another footballer, “I was hurt, bro” Fortunately, the goalie won’t have to do this too much longer, as Eid is expected to fall on June 16, 2018 this year. (Source: hindustantimes)

Review

G PLUS | JUN 09 - JUN 15, 2018

Cast: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Rafe Spall, James Cromwell, etc Director: JA Bayona

B e w Movi vie Re

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom

ayona, a director who knows how to play with horror, mind and fears, in smaller spaces, takes a giant (T-Rex) leap in Fallen Kingdom. He brings the dinosaurs home. ‘Fallen Kingdom’ tries a different take by changing things up a bit for the series. A dormant volcano on the abandoned island of Isla Nublar threatens to bury the revived dinosaurs. This catastrophic natural disaster compels Owen & Claire to team up once more as they try to save these magnificent creatures. Without revealing much else, this premise takes the majority of the action out its usual element, and for the most part, the film is better

off for it. The director utilises these new rules to infuse some muchneeded terror. What’s somewhat lacking, however, is the emotional connection to the story as a whole. Hidden in the midst of it all is an intriguing debate on whether it’s worth saving a species once extinct, now capable of returning the world to ancient times. A poignant moment where a Brachiosaurus is destroyed, further begs the question of this dilemma. Sadly, this whole angle is barely explored, although one suspects it might become the focal point of the next entry in the series. Keeping that aside, there’s a lot to savour in the devastation of expendable scenery, and extras. ‘Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom’ excels when it allows the real stars – the CGI dinosaurs – to shine, and roar louder than most of their predecessors. n

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Parmanu: The Story of Pokhran 09:00 AM, 02:45 PM Veere Di Wedding 09:30 AM, 03:30 PM, 06:25 PM, 09:15 PM Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, Hindi 06:15 PM Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, English 09:40 AM, 10:10 AM, 12:15 PM, 01:00 PM, 03:50 PM, 06:40 PM, 09:05 PM, 09:25 PM Kaala 11:30 AM, 03:05 PM, 08:55 PM Kaala, Telugu 05:30 PM

Cast: Rajinikanth, Nana Patekar, Samuthirakani, Huma Qureshi, etc Director: Pa Ranjith

aala isn’t a Rajinikanth film — it is a Pa Ranjith film starring actor Rajinikanth. Ranjith makes this absolutely clear right from the word go by giving Rajini his simplest introduction on celluloid after ages. It’s refreshing to witness Rajinikanth from the 80s, an actor with charisma and screen presence like no one else. This doesn’t mean the absence of big moments — the slow-motion walks, the 360-degree shots, the close-ups — that every Rajini fan craves for. But, Ranjith has endearingly humanised the onscreen Rajinikanth. Unlike the usual star vehicle where the lead character becomes the Banyan tree that dwarfs the plants around, Kaala’s characters hold their own. They hit back, retort and even playfully mock Rajini. This is

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significant because it reiterates how human these connections are. Kaala is loaded with symbolism. The frames are painted with blue (Ambedkar’s colour), black (the colour of protest) and red (the colour of revolution); so is Rajini who is predominantly dressed in these colours. Kaala’s mythological references are also too obvious to miss. Ranjith plays with Rama and Ravana, black and white. His juxtaposition of mythological references to the growing dominance of the wealthy and the saffron isn’t without social relevance. A riot gets ‘infiltrated’, social media uprisings — the moments are real and it is tough to imagine that Ranjith had written this way before it happened in real life. Irony plays a tough hand as it is tough to ignore the contrast between real life and reel life. n

MOTO A G6

Gadget Review

fter a rather lean period, Motorola India has kicked off its 2018 innings with the launch of the Moto G6 and Moto G6 Play. The Lenovo-owned company has refreshed the design language of its budget-minded G series and has equipped both smartphones with tall 18:9 displays, which have already become ubiquitous. The Moto G6 adds a rear dual-camera setup to the mix and

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Veere Di Wedding 02:15 PM

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Kaala starts at Rs. 13,999 for the variant with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage.

Display

With the Moto G6 and G6 Play, Motorola has spurned the plastic and metal bodies of past G-series smartphones for a glass and metal design. With a sleek and shiny curved glass back and a polished metal mid-frame, the Moto G6 looks a lot like last year's Moto X4. At 8.3mm, the phone is not the slimmest out there, but is easy to hold in one hand and is not too heavy (167g). The curves, manageable width, and rounded edges aid one-handed use considerably. However, this smartphone still feels chunky and solid. The pill-shaped fingerprint sensor in the front is very small but its performance is stellar, and the sensor is very quick and accurate. The left side of the smartphone is blank, but the right side has the volume rocker and power button. These are small and fiddly, but easily within reach. With

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many OEMs still using the Micro-USB standard for phones at this price level, Moto G6 sports a Type-C port.

Specifications

Motorola's newest budget smartphone is powered by the Snapdragon 450 processor, which is Qualcomm's latest budget offering. This smartphone is available in two variants - one with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage priced at Rs 13,999 and the other with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage that is priced at Rs 15,999. The Moto G6 features a 5.7inch full-HD+ IPS panel with an aspect ratio of 18:9. The viewing angles are spot on, and colours are accurate, but sunlight legibility is mediocre and so is the maximum brightness level. The near stock build of Android 8.0 Oreo is quick, fluid, and devoid of any laggy overlay. The Moto G6 has a non-removable 3,000mAh battery and supports quick charging. Connectivity options include 4G VoLTE,

Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n (dual-band 2.4GHz and 5GHz), Bluetooth 4.2, GPS/ A-GPS, USB Type-C, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. It supports dual SIMs (Nano) but only one can run at 4G speed at a time, with the other limited to 3G. While many smartphones in this price range have hybrid dual-SIM trays, the Moto G6 has dedicated slots for both Nano-SIMs and a microSD card.

Camera

The Moto G6 has a dual rear camera setup comprising of a 12-megapixel primary sensor with an aperture of f/1.8 and phase-detect autofocus. Unfortunately, it can’t shoot 4K videos and is limited to 1080p at up to 60 frames per second. with an aperture of f/1.8 and phase-detect autofocus. Unfortunately, it can’t shoot 4K videos and is limited to 1080p at up to 60 frames per second. At the front, the Moto G6 has a 16-megapixel sensor. There is a dual-LED flash at the rear and a single-LED flash at the front. n

Entertainment

G PLUS | JUN 09 - JUN 15, 2018

Papon headlines Guwahati Unplugged 2018 Sattyakee D’com Bhuyan

“H

ello!!!” said Papon sweetly adding, “It’s always a great feeling to come home and perform.” Croons of approval! Opening bars of “Jonaki Raati…..” The auditorium erupted. It was yet another evening of delight to see Papon after a brief hiatus here in Guwahati performing with his band and headlining Guwahati Unplugged 2018 on 2nd June. The evening opened in the soothing environs of the Srimanta Sankaradeva International auditorium (with no clue as to why we need to add that ‘International’ bit in the name) featuring singer, songwriter, composer and producer from Jorhat, Shankuraj Konwar. Currently based in Mumbai, he got the crowd pepped up with his self-produced first single “Ki Bedonate” from his WIP (Work In Progress) debut album “Baartalaap” alongside the celebrated poet Maitrayee Patar. The band had to push their guitar-based sound to its extreme with Sankuraj on piano — which got the most set list space — before they could scale back the walls of tune and leaping forward artistically. His lyrical style is mostly influenced by intricate, darker aspects human emotions. Sankuraj was indeed captivating and personable and set the tone for the evening. Ravi Shankar’s Dhwani Collective featuring Bhargav Das was the next featuring band

Guwahati girl crowned with National Icon Award

uwahati girl Shivangi Roy was crowned the ‘National Icon Award 2018’ in the K-Mystery Miss and Mrs India contest held in New Delhi on June 3. The contest was held under the guidance of renowned fashion and beauty choreographer, Yash Gupta. 40 contestants from across the country participated in the contest, where Shivangi was representing Assam. Earlier, she was crowned the first runner-up in the Miss India Queen of Queens beauty contest held in Mumbai in September 2017. Shivangi had also brought laurels to the country by becoming the first runner-up at Miss Queen of Globe International held in Africa in November 2017.

which took control of the stage from the word go with its vibrant, funky, energetic and versatile music. Their work of music itself is a melting pot of Indian classical vocals, electronica, folk music, rock, jazz and various other unclassifiable sonic oddities all thrown into one big delightful mess.

“Ours is a one-day music festival geared to celebrate folk along with contemporary music covers. This music festival is all about unadulterated, pure sound, music without any dilutions, and we intend to go ahead with similar projects at regular intervals,” mentioned Kirti Prabar Das, the backbone of Guwahati Unplugged 2018. Kirti has an impressive list of associations. As a percussionist, he was a part of the East India Company and Folktronica and has performed with the likes of Sachin Jigar, Sanam Puri, Ayushman Khurrana and also with Midival Punditz and Bartender. Finally, with the clock striking 9 PM and with his spirited display

of voice and blended music Papon took charge of the stage with Kalyan Barua and Jinti ably on guitars, Manas on a pounding bass guitar, Munu managing a hundred keys Kamlesh Sagathia on world percussion and Tonmoy

on drums. Moreover, one must admit that Papon is quite an arresting performer. Few artists have the magnitude to cover genres like Electronic fusion, Indian and Assamese classical and folk, acoustic folk, playback singing, jazz and ghazals. Likewise, Papon’s set was a clever combination of songs, both new and old, Assamese and Hindi, and the startup pack for me that evening was “Mon Mur Uree Gusi Jai” closely followed by “Jonaki Rati,” and it translated beautifully live. Trust Papon’s chutzpah when it comes to a live performance - especially when it’s unplugged - earning him a rapturous standing ovation. In between, Papon invited Kirti to jam with him on one of his

Momor Ghar: The Wax House to be staged

omor Ghar-The Wax House, a venture of Zerifa Wahid Production, will be staged at the Madhabdeb Auditorium of Srimanta Sankaradeva Kalakshetra this weekend. The play will be staged on Saturday, June 9 at 7 PM and on Sunday, June 10 at 4 PM as well as 7 PM. A play that mirrors the flux in modern society, Momor Ghar was written by noted playwright Himandra Kumar Barthakur. Directed by Avinash Sharma, the play features noted actors of the Assamese industry like Zerifa Wahid, Kopil Bora, Mintu Baruah, Ranjan Sarma, Partha Hazarika, Debashree Das, Bijit Das, Debojit Deka, Khalin Bora and child artistes Kristi and Arunabh. According to the director, the play was written several years ago, but the theme of the play still holds relevance and the audience would be able to identify themselves with the thrust and mood of the plot. “The play highlights the identity crisis we are facing. It is an attempt to express the message of saving the identity of the Assamese people and society,” he said at a press

conference held at the Guwahati Press Club. Actress Zerifa Wahid, who is playing the role of a housewife in the play, said, “I’m playing the role of Manashi who represents the society. The play touches issues concerning the society at large. We are so caught up in the web of fulfilling our individualistic desires and ambitions that we have completely forgotten our responsibility to the society at large. In the process, we are destroying nature and going against the rule of nature.” Momor Ghar is the 10th stage offering from the production house established by Zerifa Wahid in 2007. It has staged plays like Agnibristi, Pancharatna, Joke, Nagmandal, Napoleon, Purush, Wedding Album, Moromor Bondhu and Mrichhakatikam.

favourites, “Aailoi Monot Porey.” His guitar playing was gentle and his voice never once faltered.To keep the flow of the concert intact, Papon deployed brief moments of silent pauses in his rendition for dramatic effect. “Having missed performing during Bihu for the last two years in Assam due to prior commitments, this concert is one I will cherish,” maintained Papon and took off with his Bihu classics and created another kind of zing amongst the fans in the house. “I am glad to see my fans in my home state, especially the ones who have travelled long distances to be here this evening with us. I am indeed very pleased,” affirmed Papon with a gleam in his eyes. “He is an easy-to-listen artist and is best when the session is unplugged,” shared vocalist Sumon Dutta, front man of Chrystal Palace

Band, Moonwind and SKD fame. A multi-instrumentalist, composer, producer and singer presently, all said and done, Papon is one of the most recognizable and sought after voices in India. Deeply rooted in folk, Papon has a wide variety of influences and is considered to be an extremely versatile artist. “Kyon” from the film Barfi, “Ziyen Kyun” and his endless hits followed suit alongside his string of hits. It was indeed a musical feast with a balanced sound arrangement by engineer Lee. However, Papon made the most of his return to the spotlight, delivering his melodious delights with élan. Moreover, being childhood friends, I have been closely appreciating Papon through his teens that his keen sense of melody and skill on guitar keep even the slightest of his songs interesting. Let’s agree, all said and done despite odds, few artists have the wide appeal of Papon. We all have that itch to scratch and this is my way of doing it. Interestingly, Guwahati Unplugged was one of few shows I watched from start to finish. It was a highlight and I headed home on a high!

Poster launch of upcoming Assamese film Ulka

he poster launch and online release of the music teaser of upcoming Assamese film “Ulka” took place at the Guwahati Press Club on June 8, Friday in the presence of the cast and crew. Made under the banner of Eastern Green Pictures (EGP), Ulka is produced by Bhaskar Upadhyaya and directed by Pranab Vivek. The film has a notable class that includes the likes of Amit Kumar Borah, Alishmita Goswami, Pankaj Mahanta, Papari Kalita, Rima Kalita, Pleasestone Ingti, Dilip Khanal, Satyen Sharma, Bhargav Das and veteran actors Nipon Goswami, Minu Bania, Arun Hazarika, Baharul Islam and Ashim Krishna Baruah. Ulka revolves around Rupam Chetia and how his mundane life is catapulted into glamour and happening after he falls for a prank played by his closest friends. The screenplay depicts a lively university hostel life - it is a satirical comedy with elements of humour

portrayed in a fast-paced plot that forms the base of the story. The title song of Ulka has been sung by Angaraag Papon Mahanta while another romantic track in the film - Torar Dore - has been sung by Zubeen Garg. Ibson Lal Baruah has penned the lyrics of the songs and also directed the music. The music of Ulka is scheduled to release later this month.

Fun

G PLUS | JUN 09 - JUN 15, 2018

Horoscope of the week Someone in authority could confuse you with demands and requests, leaving you uncertain about what to do next. If you find yourself in this situation over the coming week, it would certainly help to get clarification. The sun in your sign links with inquisitive Mercury on Tuesday, so you’ll be firing on all cylinders and eager to make progress.

But you could experience a clash of beliefs over the days ahead when both planets forge a link to elusive Neptune. It might be that your idea of what you need conflicts with someone else’s thoughts. And it’s possible that the other person will try to make you feel guilty for not doing what they want. If so, you’ll need to step back and firm up your boundaries.

A positive blend of energies in your social sector suggests that you certainly won’t be bored over the coming days. In fact, your appointment book could be filled to the brim with invitations or suggestions for events you want to attend. With the sun and expressive Mercury angling toward Neptune in a more sensitive zone of your chart.

You could be the star of the show as the sun aligns with lively Mercury in your career sector. This can be a time when you make a good impression or perhaps accomplish something that distinguishes you as being very talented. With elusive Neptune in your sector of relating, it’s possible that someone may seek to undermine you.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed and somewhat underappreciated in your present work situation, the idea of taking a break to travel and relax could seem very appealing. An awkward blend of energies could leave you feeling guilty for not being able to do your best while being very eager to enjoy some time away.

A strong blend of energies involving convivial Venus and potent Pluto suggests that you could have difficulty getting through to someone. This could be because of their emotional state and their feelings about you. Trying to be reasonable with this person may not work because a confusing blend of energies could encourage misunderstandings.

With the sun aligning with thoughtful Mercury in your sector of relating, you may be enjoying some very positive interactions with a loved one or at various social events. But misunderstandings may be widespread, especially midweek, so it would pay to be careful.

Mixed messages could be the reason it’s difficult to come to grips with a project or meet a deadline. You may be eager to do a good job, but if your instructions aren’t clear, it may not be possible. Before you start, check to make sure you understand what you need to do. This can apply to all kinds of instructions and written messages over the days ahead.

With dynamic Mars in your sign, you could be charged with energy and eager to get on with those plans and projects that have been on the back burner. The presence of the red planet in your sector of self-expression could encourage you to be bold, courageous, and unafraid to showcase your unique qualities.

With a lively focus on your domestic zone, the week ahead could see you eager to enjoy socializing with family members and attending to matters at home. If you’re going to be entertaining or someone is coming to stay, it might be a good idea to make a list of everything you need to do.

Which Indian state’s name is derived from two words in its native language meaning ‘elevated land’?

If it is Pongal in Tamil Nadu and Bisi Bele Bath in Bengaluru, what is it in Manipur?

curio-city

‘Lone Fox Dancing’ is the autobiography of which famous Indian author?

Identify this superfast animal.

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

Garfield By Jim Davis

3 5 2 57 4 71 3 61 8 49 1 2 8 9 3 2 9 5 3 1 3 1 5 2 5 6 6 8 2 4 9 1 4

7 9

2 5 8 9 7 8 4

1 71 2 4 Thu 7-Jun-2018 1 Daily Sudoku: 5

3 5 8 6

Daily Sudoku: Thu 24-May-2018

easy

hard

3 last 1 4week 9 5 solution 2 6 8 7 7 6 8 4 1 3 9 5 2 4 1 92 57 29 8 6 57 61 83 34 8 7 23 45 71 5 3 61 28 49 96 8 6 4 9 3 5 9 1 7 8 26 14 72 53 6 8 67 82 35 2 9 94 45 37 11 6 9 3 7 4 4 3 9 1 7 15 52 26 88 2 5 14 71 58 6 2 38 73 94 69 3 6 85 28 62 3 4 79 97 11 45 9 Sudoku: 4 Thu 6 7-Jun-2018 1 2 8 3 5 7easy Daily 1 3 7 5 9 4 8 6 2 Daily Sudoku: Thu 24-May-2018

hard

http://www.dailysudoku.com/

atavism noun [at-uh-viz-uh m] reversion to an earlier type; throwback.

Crossword

Besides being India and a lot of other countries’ Independence Day, 15th August is the birth day of which military genius and statesman, whose 250th birth anniversary would be celebrated in 2019?

9 5

Word of the week 1. Its pristine waters do not support any aquatic life 2. Karnataka 3. Ja Dai, a type of Khichdi 4. Napoleon Bonaparte 5. Ruskin Bond 6. Puma also known as Cougar or Mountain Lion

What is unique about Pangong Tso Lake, made famous by the movie 3 Idiots?

http://www.dailysudoku.com/

curio-city 1

Sudoku

Go easy with finances this week because something that seems like a great deal may not be. If a friend or colleague is encouraging you to purchase a membership to a gym or club, don’t immediately agree. It would help you to investigate the terms and conditions and find out the exact cost before you sign anything.

You may think you know what you want, but do you? This week’s blend of energies could see your head and heart in conflict, resulting in confusion. Add to this a desire for recognition or a need to make a bold impression, and you could find yourself pulled in several different directions at once.

Across

Down

1 Predict — ape in attic (anag) (10) 7 Troubadour (8) 8 2,400 km river flowing through Russia and Kazakhstan into the Caspian Sea (4) 9 Exchange (4) 10 Bundle of items wrapped for shipment (7) 12 Goodbye for now (3,3,5) 14 Room (7) 16 Cosy (4) 19 Thin flexible metal sheet (4) 20 Thrilling in effect (8) 21 Not deliberate (10)

1 Assumed name (5) 2 In the same pro-portions as the original (2,5) 3 Feel concern (4) 4 Easily perceived by the senses (8) 5 Large luggage box (5) 6 Knife for stabbing (6) 11 Greek god of the sea (8) 12 Group of porpoises (6) 13 Drinking vessel (7) 15 Capital of Lombardy (5) 17 Association of those with similar interests (5) 18 Kismet (4)

Last week’s solution

Lifestyle

G PLUS | JUN 09 - JUN 15, 2018

Vaastu for the main door 3. Avoid main door directly facing a compound wall. 4. Avoid underground tank, septic tank etc under a home’s main door. 5. Avoid any shadows on main door especially shadows of other buildings, plants etc. 6. Don’t keep shoes in front of main entrance, keep them on one side.

1. Make the main door of a home the largest door. 2. A two shuttered main door opening inside and clockwise is auspicious. 3. Use good quality wood for main entrance. 4. Make sure that main door is noise-free while opening or closing. 5. Always keep the entrance well lit with bright lights. 6. Fix a name plate on the entrance of a home; this attracts prosperity, wealth and happiness. The name plate should not be allowed to wear out or become illegible. 7. Have a threshold at main door; it makes sure that you avoid loss of wealth. 8. Always have some beautiful design and paint on the main door. 9. Main door must be above

ground level and not below. 10. If there is an exit door, make it smaller than the entrance one. 11. Locate entrance at least a foot away from any corner i.e., it should start from the corner. 12. Rectify cracked or broken main doors. 13. It is very good to have a religious symbol over the main entrance like the aum or Ganesha. 14. Make sure that total number of door and windows in a house are even (e.g. 2, 4, 6, 8 etc.) and not end with 0 (such as 10, 20, 30 etc.)

Avoid these for the main door: 1. Avoid slanting, sliding or circular opening entrances. 2. Avoid having main door facing directly to another home’s main entrance.

7. Don’t keep garbage or dustbin near main entrance as they emit negative energy. 8. Avoid a mirror in front of the main door.

need this continuously for survival. A few minutes of disruption in this supply means difference between life and death. The heart muscles, guarded by valves, work in a synchronised fashion. They relaxto receive blood and contractto propel blood into the body. The contraction can be felt in the arteries of the body, called the pulse. This is what the doctor tries to feel when he holds your wrists. This contraction is also what produces the blood pressure. We all know

Dear Blue How did I lose that golden thread I wrote so joyously about? When did the meaning of comfort change? Why does it seem there’s nothing around? My sweet child, Blue, I love you, I do. But I must follow this path I have paved Through changes thick or wrong You and I must be strong. But my love, do you resent me today?

9. Avoid automatically closing main doors. 10. Avoid main entrance facing intersecting roads. 11. Avoid main door at centre of any wall. 12. Avoid black colour for main door.

Dear baby Blue, my sweet child it’s true I don’t feel it in my breath these days. But I assure you I’ll still find All the reasons that have us blind

13. There should not be a temple or any other religious place directly in front of main entrance.

To this world and these fleeting ways

14. Avoid obstructing things like poles, trees, wires etc in front of main entrance.

For all that I have now become.

15. Avoid arched windows and doors as they distort positive energy pattern.

I must ask, is that enough?

Is this a sin drowning me in its wake? My sweet love of Blue, I have to tell you, I do. Soon this ocean will consume my name.

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

Heart: Inside out o body organ has as much emotional appeal as the heart. The heart does react to emotions; an adrenaline rush of excitement makes it beat faster! But in its functional behaviour, it is a simple mechanical pump which works nonstop without a pause. Nothing exemplifies the spirit of life more than the heart; simple, perpetual, vulnerable and unpredictable. The heart is a muscular chamber which is divided into two halves; the right and the left which are further divided into two chambers, the Atria and the Ventricle. The right side receives blood from the body and pumps it into the lungs for oxygenation and the left side receives this oxygen rich blood and pumps it into the body. Thus the blood supply of the body is a closed loop with the lung and the heart as intermediaries. The most important thing the blood supplies to the whole body is oxygen and we

that there is an upper and a lower value to the blood pressure. The pressure produced by contraction of the left side produces the Systolic Pressure and the pressure remaining in this chamber during relaxation is the Diastolic Pressure. All this happens very silently in our body, we neither feel the contraction nor the vibration. If the heart beats fast, as after exercise or due an abnormal rhythm, we can sense our own heart beating. This is called palpitation and in the absence of exercise or exertion could be an indicator of cardiac disease.

Sanjali Dixit

Heart muscles require a continuous supply of blood themselves which they cannot obtain from the blood contained in its chambers. This blood has to be supplied by a set of arteries called the Coronary arteries, so called because they wrap the heart like a crown. A block in these vessels is the major cause of cardiac disease, so called Coronary Artery Disease. The coronaries arise from the Aorta and have been divided into three main vessels which supply different areas of the heart with some overlap. Patency and good flow through these vessels is crucial to cardiac function. In our lifetime, the process of Atherosclerosis causes occlusion of the vessels from inside, decreasing their calibre and reducing the supply of blood and oxygen to the cardiac muscles. Atherosclerosis to some extent can be considered an aging process but it becomes accelerated in those who are prone to cardiac disease. The risk factors for atherosclerosis are diabetes, hypertension, smoking, abnormal cholesterol and a family history. When the supply of oxygen falls below a critical level, there is

chest pain. This is felt like tightness, heaviness over the centre of the chest and the pain may be felt elsewhere, between the jaw above and the umbilicus below. Women and those with diabetes are more likely to have a typical chest pain. Some people may only complain of fatigue, tiredness, gaseousness and dizziness. The pain generally comes on activity and is relieved by rest. During activity, as during running, the oxygen demand of the cardiac muscles increases. This mismatch between supply and need of oxygen causes symptoms. Thus anybody who exercises regularly can appreciate cardiac symptoms earlier. The same principle in used in TMT where a patient exercises on a jogging track at various speed and incline and ECG changes are noted in this stressful state. Symptoms and ECG changes are pointers to cardiac disease and an Echocardiography may provide more information by showing cardiac contractions in real time. Dr Rakesh Periwal Critical Care Medicine and Sleep Specialist drperiwal@gmail.com

Buzz

G PLUS | JUN 09 - JUN 15, 2018

World Environment Day celebrated with enthusiasm in Guwahati

Tree plantation drive conducted in city school

number of organisations celebrated World Environment Day on June 5 with varied programmes. The Regional Science Centre (RSC), Guwahati celebrated World Environment Day at its Khanapara premises with a variety of participatory activities involving school children. RSC Guwahati organised tree plantation on its premises, besides painting competition, nature game and live demonstration about butterfly and common insects, open house science competition and science film show on the occasion. A popular science talk was delivered by Dr Parag Jyoti Deka, Project Director of Pygmy Hog Conservation Programme. Voice of Environment observed the day in the Basistha Temple campus with an awareness campaign in pursuance of its mission ‘Clean Eco-friendly Plastic-free Zone’. They conducted awareness programmes to realise the goal of making the historic site of Basistha Devalaya a plastic-free zone. Similarly, World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) India observed the occasion at Deepor Beel – a Ramsar Site wetland. FICCI Ladies’ Organization (FLO), Northeast chapter partnered with the Assam Forest Department, to spearhead the Assam government’s initiative – Green Guwahati. They collectively instrumented the free distribution of 1,50,200 saplings across distribution points in the city and passed the message of “Going Green” by asking all to take due care of the saplings, once planted. FLO Northeast also carried out the plantation of 100 saplings at the Assam State Zoo, to make it a greener habitat for the animals and a soothing area for visitors.

Members of FLO Northeast chapter at the Assam State Zoo The Chiriakhana Suraksha Mancha conducted a plantation drive within the Assam State Zoo campus while Youth Congress office bearers along with senior Congress members distributed saplings at Fancy Bazaar. The Social Welfare and Community Development Cell of Asian Institute of Management and Technology, Guwahati had organized a day-long programme to celebrate the World Environment Day on 5th June 2018 in association with Bhaskar Bidyapith HS School, Guwahati. Noted Assamese film personality Jayanta Bhagawati was invited as the chief guest on the occasion. The faculty members, administrative staff and students of AIMT took active part to make the event a grand success. The activities involved sapling plantation and a drawing competition was arranged amongst the students of the school. Prizes were awarded to the winners by AIMT. It is worth mentioning that a few meritorious students of Bhaskar Bidyapith School who had secured distinction and letter marks both in HSLC and HS examinations

2018 were provided financial assistance by AIMT authority. The Assam Science Technology & Environment Council celebrated the day in the Pub Kamrup College campus, Baihata Chariali, conducting a plantation drive and an open session. Minister for Science & Technology, Keshab Mahanta, was the chief guest at the open session. The students and the teachers of Srimanta Shankar Academy Senior Secondary School in Guwahati observed World Environment Day in the school premises by planting 150 varieties of saplings. A discussion on the need of conservation of environment was also organized. Cotton University, in collaboration with Indian Federation of United Nations Association, carried out a rally from the campus to raise awareness about excessive use of plastics damaging human health and exploring sustainable alternatives. The programme was followed by screening of documentaries, brainstorming session, talks and discussions throughout the day. n

he Rotary and Rotaract Club of Guwahati Luit conducted a tree plantation drive on June 3, Sunday as pre observance of World Environment Day at Shankardev Shishu Niketan School, Maligaon. The drive started with a prayer by the principal of the school. A few students of the school and members from both the clubs participated in the drive. The students promised to work to create awareness among the local populace about the importance of

saving the earth and spreading greenery. The school management expressed gratitude towards both the clubs for their initiative. Tushar Jalan, President of Rotaract Club of Guwahati Luit said, “The club has planted 50 tree saplings ranging from red sandalwood, neem and other medicinal plants to white grass tree. This drive was meant to encourage everyone to plant trees and the club is also planning a mega plantation drive on July 1.” n

South Point School wins inter school cricket tournament

Son of the Soil Award 2018 presented

Ghazal singer Anirban Das (R), who was felicitated during the award ceremony and CM Sarbananda Sonowal, presenting the award to Emerging Artiste Manashi Sahariah

hief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal presented the Son of the Soil Awards 2018 in Guwahati on June 3. The recipients of this biennial award in 2018 comprised

a cross section of achievers from Assam who have excelled in diverse fields. At a function held at Srimanta Sankaradeva Kalakshetra, senior journalist of Dainik Asam,

Jitendra Kumar Choudhury, was honoured with the Son of the Soil Award 2018 in the Emerging Media Personality category, organic farmer Neelam Dutta was awarded in the Emerging Entrepreneur category, athlete Hima Das in the Emerging Sportsperson category, artiste Manashi Sahariah in the Emerging Artiste category and Circle Officer of Majuli, Ajit Kumar Sharma was awarded in the Emerging Administrator category. The biennial initiative – Son of the Soil Award – was instituted in 2016 by Care Luit, a trust engaged in activities for the welfare of the privileged and marginalised. The objective of the awards is to encourage and recognise indigenous young people of Assam who have excelled in their respective professional fields. The award consists of a memento and Rs 50,000 each. n

ith a thumping 100run victory against Basugaon Higher Secondary School (BHSS) in the final match held on June 5, South Point School (SPS) lifted the Dhansena Sinha Memorial Trophy. In the completely one-sided title clash held at the Latasil Playground in Guwahati, the local school put up a stiff target by scoring 222 for 9 in 30 overs. In their innings, the Basugaon boys managed to score 122 before being bundled out in 23.1 overs. The 14th Dhansena Sinha Memorial All Assam Inter School Prize Money Cricket Tournament, 2018 was organised by River Rine

Cricket Coaching Centre. While South Point School emerged as the victorious team, Pritam Pran Kalita was awarded Man of the Match and Indian cricketer Riyan Parag was adjudged the Man of the Series. Among other individual winners were Best Batsman: Shivam Mittal, Best All-rounder: Shubham Chakraborty, Best Bowler: Shubam Chakraborty, Best Disciplined Team: Bethany Convent School, Best Fielder: Bibek Podel, Best Wicket-keeper: Utpal Sarkar, Promising Players: Nibir Medhi, Shivam Chetri, Tanzib Sarma and Syed Zeeshan Arman Zuffri. n

Events

G PLUS | JUN 09 - JUN 15, 2018

The 2nd season of Autumn Notes, showcasing the finest collection of ace designer Meghna Rai Medhi aka Mehzabin Ershad, was held at Vivanta by Taj on Monday. Supporting the cause of cancer/ cerebral palsy treatment initiated by Morning Club NGO, many renowned models and industry experts came together to put up the fashion show. Popular Assamese singers Ipsita Bharali and Mihaar Padmanav graced the occasion and charmed the audience with powerful performances. The show was choreographed by Prashantt Ghosh and conceptualised by Jyotiroop Choudhury.

June 9, Saturday Rahul Jain Live Underdoggs Sports Bar 8PM onwards

June 9, Saturday Audio Visual Party ft. Hardik Thakker

Date: June 4, Monday Event: Autumn Notes Season 2 Venue: Vivanta by Taj

Dunkin Oza 7PM onwards

June 9, Saturday In the loop NYX, Hotel Palacio 7PM onwards

June 9, Saturday Social Saturday ft. Ankita Arya The Socialite 8PM onwards

June 9, Saturday Big EDM Night ft. Candice Redding Terra Mayaa

Date: June 2, Saturday Event: Su Real Live Venue: NYX Lounge and Deck

8PM onwards

June 9, Saturday After work Social Club V 7PM onwards

June 9, Saturday Ladies Night Retro Town 6PM onwards

Date: June 2, Saturday Event: Ladies Night ft. DJ James Venue: Retro Town

Date: June 3, Sunday Event: Sunday Club Night ft. DJ Rik and DJ Prince Venue: Dunkin Oza

June 10, Sunday The Sundowner NYX, Hotel Palacio 4PM onwards

Catching Up

G PLUS | JUN 09 - JUN 15, 2018