Vol 5 Issue 40 by G Plus

G PLUS | Jul 28 - AUG 03, 2018 @guwahatiplus www.guwahatiplus.com

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Volume 05 | Issue 40 Jul 28 - Aug 03, 2018 Price `10

New no-parking norms creating more trouble than relief for city motorists PG 05

PG 11

NRC aftermath: 16 ‘very sensitive zones’ identified in Guwahati

G Plus News

ith the National Register of Citizens (NRC) final draft set to be published on 30th July, the security agencies have identified 16 very sensitive zones in Guwahati. A senior police official of the Guwahati police commissionerate said, “There are 78 Nagrik Seva Kendras (NSKs) in Guwahati out of which 16 are in very sensitive zones, 25 in sensitive zones and 41 in comparatively safer zones.” The official, under condition of anonymity, said that extra forces have been deployed across the city to tackle any untoward situation. “8 companies of external forces have been deployed in the city,” the source revealed. Hatigaon and its adjacent areas, located under Hatigaon police station, are very sensitive zones. Similarly, a senior official of Guwahati West district informed that areas like Azara, Kahikuchi, Maligaon, Fatasil, Kotabari and Dhirenpara are very sensitive zones in the west police district. In central police district of the commissionerate, Panjabari, Satgaon, Baghorbari, Nijarapara at Noonmati, Bonda and Panikheti are very sensitive zones. Even places like Santipur, Bhootnath and Gauhati Club are under very sensitive zones. Another senior police official said that there will be deployment

Animals at Assam State Zoo get new facilities to beat the heat

of additional forces at all the NSKs and the NRC headquarters at Bhangagarh which are also considered as sensitive zones. There are three security sections that the city police are working on. Firstly, the security of the NRC headquarters located at Bhangagrh is the top priority. The security of the NSKs and the verification teams is the second area of duty for the police. Thirdly, as Guwahati is the capital city, after the NRC is published, the city might be witness to a number of agitations from the ruffled feathers and aggrieved sections of the citizenry. So the police are also adequately prepared to handle the law and order situation and the protestors. Fixed security personnel including home guards and armed branch police personnel are being deployed at all the NSKs. All the police station officers have been instructed to keep a sharp watch on all potential trouble makers. The police have also involved nagorik committees and village defence groups for conducting nightly patrol rounds with the respective police stations’ night duty patrolling parties during late night and early morning hours. CRPF personnel have been deployed across the city and especially at the NRC headquarters. n

Continued ON page » 3

Daily traffic congestion throws schedules out of gear in Silpukhuri PG 12-13

Bijoya Chakravarty Missing in Action Profound dip in her Lok Sabha attendance Cont. on PG-2

Lead Story

G PLUS | Jul 28 - AUG 03, 2018

Bijoya Chakravarty’s Lok Sabha attendance shows profound dip G Plus presents a brief report card on the performance of ageing threeterm BJP MP, Bijoya Chakravarty vis-à-vis her attendance in Lok Sabha and the issues she has raised and tackled Nehal Jain jain.nehal@g-plus.in

t is not just the Guwahati residents who missed their three-term Member of Parliament (MP) from Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Bijoya Chakravarty, but the Lok Sabha sessions of the Indian Parliament, apparently did too. Chakravarty, who was elected with a landslide majority in the Lok Sabha election in 2014, has hardly been seen since then except at a few party rallies and functions. A steady decline can be observed in her attendance in the parliament too.

Attendance

Chakravarty has a 69 per cent attendance in the Lok Sabha sessions over the years since May 2014 while the national average is 80 per cent. Chakravarty, who started her tenure with 100% attendance in the first session, slipped to 89% and 91% during the Budget Session and Winter Session 2014 respectively. Her attendance went down further in the next Budget Session where she recorded 69% attendance only. Since then, she has recorded attendance as low as 50% during Budget Session 2016 Part 1, 52% in Budget Session 2017 and 31% in Budget Session 2018. In the ongoing Parliamentary session - Monsoon Session 2018 - she has recorded a mere 67% attendance so far. Apart from attendance, Chakravarty is lagging behind in terms of participating in debates and raising questions in the parliament too. The data published by the PRS Legislative Research, commonly known as PRS, revealed that Chakravarty’s performance in the parliament is way below the national average. In terms of the total number of parliamentary debates attended, the national average

File photo of Bijoya Chakravarty during a public rally has been calculated at 59.8 debates per MP, state average is calculated at 43.4 debates per MP, but Chakravarty has

Debates Attended

Questions Raised

Private Members’ Bills

Bijoya Chakravarty

69%

Bijoya Chakravarty

National Average

59.8

National Average

80%

National Average

256

National Average

1.8

State Average

43.8

State Average

74%

State Average

143

State Average

0.5

Gauhati constituency’s reaction to their MP’s performance

n 2014, Bijoya Chakravarty contested against 18 candidates who were in the fray including former Assam cabinet minister, Akon Bora’s son Manash Bora, and Asom Gana Parishad’s bigwig Birendra Prasad Baishya and won by the second highest margin of 3,15,784 votes that year. She received a total of 7,64,985 votes (50.59%) out of total of 15,11,729 votes (74% turnout) in the election. Yet, there are mixed reactions among the people of her constituency on the four years of her tenure. While many had expressed concern regarding the

perennial issues of the city that over the years had not only been resolved but instead aggravated, several also opined that the city is growing at a rather slow pace. “Chakravarty has been an MP of this constituency for too long and the people of the city have almost forgotten how it could have grown under a proactive leader. Every major construction, every major project in the city is stalled. Being an MP, it is her job to look into the various national projects that are going on here and ensure their speedy completion,” Bokul Chandra Das, a retired employee in Guwahati said.

Chakravarty is a seasoned politician who had worked with the Janata Party and the regional Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) before she decided to don the saffron colour. While in the AGP, she had served in the Rajya Sabha from 1986 to 1992. After the stint in the Upper House, she joined the BJP and was made a union minister in 1999 when the National Democratic Alliance came to power. From 1999 to 2004, she served as an MP for the second time as a Lok Sabha member representing Gauhati. In 2004, the BJP decided to field singer Bhupen Hazarika in her place, causing widespread protests from BJP party workers. Hazarika lost the elections. The BJP understood its mistake and re-nominated Chakravarty in the 2009 Lok Sabha election from the Gauhati seat. Subsequently, she again won the seat in 2009 and 2014 representing the BJP. n

been present at 31 debates only. Among the number of questions raised by an MP, Chakravarty lags way behind the national as well as state average. While the national average is at a whopping 256 questions, state average is just 143 and Chakravarty stands way behind at 38 questions. Further, it has been reported by the PRS that Chakravarty has not raised a single Private Members’ Bill in her tenure.

It may be mentioned that among the 15 MPs (8 from Bhartiya Janata Party, 3 from Indian National Congress and All India Democratic Front each and 1 Independent candidate) representing the state of Assam, Dibrugarh MP Rameswar Teli has recorded the highest attendance at 93% with Karimganj MP Radheshyam Biswas right behind at 91%. Among the lowest attendees is Barpeta MP Siraj Uddin Ajmal with 35% attendance. n

Issues raised by Chakravarty pertaining to Assam

o find a holistic solution to the flash flood and erosion problem in Guwahati – the most prestigious Lok Sabha seat in the northeast – was one of the major promises on which 78 year-old-BJP MP, Bijoya Chakravarty, won the 16th Lok Sabha election in 2014. During a public meeting while campaigning for the Lok Sabha election at the outskirts of the city, Chakravarty had said that besides flood and erosion problems, she will focus on solving the crisis of water supply and illegal migrant’s influx in her constituency. Staying true to her words, Chakravarty has participated in various debates focussing on the problems facing Assam, including

the need to provide assistance to flood affected people of Assam, strict vigilance of NRC work in Assam, hazards in Assam due to environment degradation, issues related to the contamination of water of Brahmaputra River from the substance coming from China, issue of elephant killing in Assam, and crime against northeastern students in Delhi to name a few. Further, she has raised questions regarding enrolment of Aadhaar in Assam, illegal migration into Assam, deportation of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants, infiltration along borders, illegal activities along the borders, bridge over the Brahmaputra, Brahmaputra river rejuvenation authority, Guwahati Railway Station, etc. n

Governance

G PLUS | Jul 28 - AUG 03, 2018

Rs 1,220 crore worth NRC process not complete yet Continued from page » 1

he final draft list of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) is expected to be published on 30th July but the process is yet to be completed and still has a long way to go. The budget for the entire NRC process is Rs 1,220 crores and on being asked how much of the fund has been utilised till date, state coordinator for NRC, Prateek Hajela said, “We are yet to work out how much has been spent.” However, the budget is sanctioned till the final draft is published and after the final draft list is published a long exercise of claims and objection will have to be completed. The union home ministry has advised the Assam government that no action should be initiated by the administration or the police based on the draft NRC that is to be published on July 30. There is no question of referring the persons whose names do not figure in the draft NRC to the Foreigners’ Tribunals as people are entitled to file claims and objections and due opportunity has to be given to them before final publication is published, the union home ministry recently said. The state government has been asked to issue clear instructions in this regard to all administrative and police functionaries. The first draft containing the

names of 1.9 crore out of 3.29 crore applicants was published on December 31 last year. The second and final draft is scheduled to be published on July 30. From the first list, names of 1.5 lakh persons are expected to be dropped. State coordinator for NRC, Prateek Hajela, talking to G Plus, had said that till the last moment it won’t be possible to reveal that names or figures of those applicants who will not be there in the list. He had said, “Passing percentage cannot be declared before the results of an examination are out.” But according to the numbers

ccording to the numbers of D (doubtful) voters (1,26,520), declared foreigners post 1971 (57,807), unregistered declared foreigners of 1966 to 1971 stream (15,468) and cases pending in foreigners’ tribunals (1,99,657), the figure comes to around 3,99,453 persons who are under the scanner and might not make it to the second or final draft NRC list

File photo of NRC Field Level Officer (FLO ) verifying documents at Bishnupur, Guwahati of D (doubtful) voters (1,26,520), declared foreigners post 1971 (57,807), unregistered declared foreigners of 1966 to 1971 stream (15,468) and cases pending in foreigners’ tribunals (1,99,657), the figure comes to around 3,99,453 persons who are under the scanner and might not make it to the second or final draft

From 2nd October dependant parents can claim 10% of child’s income under PRANAM Chetan Bhattarai

tate government employees will have to take good care of their elderly parents as the government of Assam is going to bring a law where government employees will have to pay 10% of their income to parents and in exceptional cases up to 15%. Only dependant parents can make the claim and parents availing pension will not be able to make this claim. The Assam Employees’ Parents Responsibility and Norms for Accountability and Monitoring Bill 2017, (PRANAM) was passed in the assembly in September last. The cabinet under the leadership of chief

minister Sarbananda Sonowal gave its approval to the PRANAM law on 23rd July 2018. Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma, Minister for Finance, Health & Family Welfare and PWD informed that the law will be called PRANAM and a PRANAM Commission will be set up by 2nd October 2018. PRANAM Commission will be a quasijudicial authority and its verdict will be considered as the final verdict.

PRANAM Commission

The Commission will have a chairperson and two social workers or retired additional chief secretaries from government service. It will be headed by someone who has retired as Additional Chief Secretary or above. The head will

be called the Chief Commissioner and he will work with two additional commissioners.

Claims

Under PRANAM, if the parents believe that they have been neglected, they can approach the commission for help. The parents can claim up to 10% of the salary and if there is a disabled child or the parents are terminally ill, then it can go up to 15% (which is an exception). The amount will get divided if more than one child is in government service.

Disbursement

The salary bill of the employee will be in two parts, one in the name of the employee and the other in the name of the

NRC list. “It is likely that these people will be kept on hold,” said a source. After the final list is published, the persons whose names do not figure in the final draft will not be harassed by the police as the police will not make any reference (that is, file a case).

parent. It will be then credited to the account of the parent every month. The bank will be instructed to pay 90% to the employee and the remaining 10% to the parent.

Structure

There are three bodies in PRANAM – Designated Authority, who is also (Drawing and Disbursal Officer, DDO), Appellate Authority and finally the Commission. The directors of all the government departments will be the appellate authority. The designated authority (DDO) will be the first point of contact. The parents have to approach the DDO who will hear both the parties. If the DDO is satisfied he will give a decision. If the parties are unhappy

The NRC authorities did not reveal how long it will take to complete the claims and objection process, but experts feel that it will take around six months. With a record of postponing dates, it seems as though it will take a long time for the entire process to be completed. n

with DDO’s ruling they can go to an appellate authority who will be the director of the said department. And if the parties are not happy with the decision of the director they can then approach the PRANAM commission. The selection, recruitment of members for the commission will be completed by 2nd October, 2018. By August-September the office, infrastructure and other operational issues of the commission will be taken care of, said the minister. n

In The News

G PLUS | Jul 28 - AUG 03, 2018

SNIPPETS ‘Swachh Survekshan Grameen’ 2018 launched for Guwahati

wachh Bharat Mission (Grameen), Assam has launched a massive Campaign titled “Swachh Survekshan Grameen” (SSG 2018) across the state on 26th July, 2018. The campaign was inaugurated by PHE Minister, Rihon Daimari in NEDFI Convention Centre. He inaugurated the campaign by flagging off a ‘Swachhta Rath’ containing all the details of ‘Swachh Surveksha Grameen, 2018’ to be held between August 1-31. The minister while addressing the gathering of more than 200 people stated that the campaign is being taken up across all the 33 districts covering 219 blocks. These districts would conduct large-scale IEC and IPC activities, which would sensitize the people about sanitation and SSG 2018. Rihon Daimari also talked about the mechanism put in place for the implementation of “Swachh Survekshan Grameen”, 2018 across all the districts. Subsequently, all the 33 districts will launch their respective Swachh Survekshan Grameen 2018 in their headquarters. IEC activities have already been initiated in all the districts where people are informed about sanitation and SSG 2018. “I am very thankful to Government of India’s innovative initiative to undertake ranking of states and districts based on both quantitative and qualitative SBM-G parameters. I am very hopeful that the Swachh Sarvekshan Grameen (SSG) 2018 will be a great success” said Rihon Daimari. The minister informed that around 28 lakh toilets were constructed till now and 12 districts were declared as Open Defecation Free (ODF) in the state. He further apprised that the central government provided Rs 138 crores for repairing of dysfunctional toilets.

A retail shop at Ganeshguri market (L); Price chart at a retail shop in Ganeshguri market (R) | G Plus Photo

Special teams formed to monitor prices of essential commodities Saumya Mishra saumya.mishra@g-plus.in

ith a view to provide relief to consumers from the soaring prices of essential commodities such as onions and potatoes, the district administration has constituted five teams to check the prices of essential commodities in the city. These teams comprise officials from the food and civil supplies department of the state government as well as the d

istrict administration. Further, the team members will function under the charge of an executive magistrate and will be responsible for different localities across the city to bring down the prices. Officials informed that the monitoring teams have already begun the process of checking and controlling the prices of onions and potatoes in the city. Under the process, officials from the food and civil supplies department function under the deputy commissioner in different districts. Authorities mentioned

that when prices of essential commodities surge, the deputy commissioner has the authority to take measures to bring down the prices, which are implemented through the food and civil supplies officers. Officials at the food and civil supplies department informed that since it is an open market, it often happens that the prices of essential commodities fluctuate and the prices keep increasing or decreasing from time to time. “We are not very concerned when the prices drop but when they rise, it causes problems for the consumers. It is also our

Prices to be checked through Amar Dukan

eputy Commissioner of Kamrup (Metro), Virendra Mittal, told G Plus that the officials go to the field and particularly visit the important markets such as those located in Beltola, Sixmile, Ganeshguri, Ulubari, Supermarket and other significant markets. He added that these inspecting teams randomly go and conduct surprise visits and check the vouchers and memos available with the retailers. “If they find that the wholesalers or retailers are selling the goods at a price exceeding the price bracket set by the government, their stock is immediately seized by the officials,” said Mittal.

This stock is then sold through Amar Dukan at a controlled price. Amar Dukan are the notified fair price shops situated across the state under the public distribution system (PDS). These shops provide subsidized items under the PDS to ration card holders and also sell some other essential commodities at subsidized rates fixed by the state food and civil supplies department. There are a total of 106 Amar Dukan in Kamrup (Metro) district. These fair price shops began functioning since 2011 in the state. They become useful when the government needs to monitor the prices of essential commodities when their prices soar making them

unaffordable for the general public. These essential commodities include pulses, flour, onion, potatoes, different types of oils, soap, milk, and toothpaste among others. As per the data of the food and civil supplies department, the price of onions at the beginning of the last year was Rs 18 while it went up to Rs 48 in January 2018. Further, the price of potatoes remained at a constant Rs 12 in January 2017 as well as at the beginning of 2018. Potatoes are brought to Guwahati from places like Kolkata, Agra and Farrukhabad whereas onions are brought from Nasik, Bangalore and Patna, informed officials. n

responsibility to keep a check on the prices of essential goods and to prevent them from rising too steeply and thus such steps become mandatory for the departments to take,” informed Jyotish Das, an official of the food and civil supplies department. Additionally, authorities said that the directorate of food and civil supplies has requested all the deputy commissioners across the state to constitute teams and develop a mechanism to moderate the prices. The district magistrate is the only authority who is empowered to take action in matters concerning essential commodities, they added. The city saw a steep rise in the prices of essential commodities, especially potatoes and onions over the past few weeks prompting authorities to take action. n

District administration constitutes five teams to check the prices of potatoes, onions Teams comprise officials from food and civil supplies department and district administration officials Officials visit major markets and check memos of retailers If prices are found beyond price bracket, their stock is seized Such stock is then sold through the fair price shops called Amar Dukan

Concern

G PLUS | Jul 28 - AUG 03, 2018

New no-parking norms creating more trouble than relief for city motorists Avishek Sengupta avishek.sengupta@g-plus.in

he recent move of the Guwahati Traffic Police to arbitrarily mark stretches of the city’s various roads as no-parking zones is causing more trouble than relief for the city’s commuters. To curb traffic congestion in the city - a problem that has only aggravated over the past few years with the increase in the number of vehicles on the streets - the city traffic police department under the Guwahati police commissionerate, has restricted substantial stretches of various roads creating No Parking zones. To enforce the same, the department has lined up tethered traffic cones tied to each other with tapes in the parking prone areas, thus encroaching upon the stretch anyway. “Putting up cones and blocking a certain stretch of the road doesn’t serve the purpose as it takes up as much space of the road that could have been used for parking. So, these bounded areas are not only narrowing down the roads but also creating problems for people who could have parked their vehicles there,” Pradeep Saikia, who commutes through RG Baruah road daily, said. According to Saikia, he used to remain stuck in traffic jams for more than 15 minutes daily and this has increased after the parking restrictions were put in place. There are about 3,600 roads in the city, including by-lanes, and more than one lakh vehicles ply on these roads on a daily basis. The police have made long stretches on at least 25 major arteries as no parking zones. However, the problem is most acute on Maniram Dewan Road near Silpukhuri, RG Baruah Road, Hatigaon Road, Dr B Baruah Road etc where these roads are considerably narrow already. “The stretch of Dr B Baruah Road from Gauhati Club to Ulubari flyover is used to commute by vehicles from Ulubari, GS Road, Ambari and Chandmari making road prone to traffic congestion almost round-the-clock. The jams invariably last more than an hour

Cones taking up as much space as a parked car on B Borooah Road defeating the very purpose of No Parking | G Plus Photo

Parking woes continue, call for more parking zones during the evenings. During such busy hours certain areas of the road are bound off-limit by cones to thwart parking. Even if this eliminates parking, what use is it if the already narrow road burdened with heavy traffic gets further narrower,” Jayanta Kalita, a commuter who travels through Dr B Baruah Road daily, said. Despite several attempts, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Amanjeet Kaur, could not be reached. A senior official in the traffic department, however said, “This is a temporary arrangement. The traffic department is plagued by lack of manpower and other resources. In most of the areas, there are personnel to enforce No Parking, but in certain areas, it is not possible for the department to allot personnel. It is only on that stretch that we have put up safety cones. It is a temporary arrangement as once the integrated traffic management starts, we will be able to monitor and manage the traffic better.” n

he Guwahati Municipal Corporation has opened up the parking zone below the Ganeshguri flyover – an area that was closed for parking for the last 10 year post the triple bomb blast in 2008. While the move was appreciated by the citizens, calls are being raised for more such parking zones to be set up on all the major roads of the city. “The RG Baruah Road already has two parking zones and yet, it is nowhere near to controlling the parking problems in the area. Other areas aren’t that fortunate. The government should identify some areas along the stretches of the roads and allot those as parking areas. The only place where citizens get decent parking space is along the GS Road as it is very wide. This apart, we have to struggle in almost every part of the city for parking,” said Bikash Kalita, who works in Ganeshguri and has to struggle every day to park his vehicle.

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Earlier this year, the Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) had inaugurated a multistorey car parking facility near Shradhanjali Kanan. According to the GMC commissioner, Monalisa Goswami, the spaces below the other flyovers at Ulubari, Bhangagarh and Six Miles have also been leased out for parking purposes. “About 96 four-wheelers or 288 two-wheelers can be parked under the Ganeshguri flyover and about 105 four-wheelers or 315 two-wheelers can be parked under the Bhangagarh flyover. Under the Ulubari flyover, 78 cars or 234 two-wheelers can be parked. And about 150 fourwheelers or 450 two-wheelers can be parked under the Six Mile flyover. Once all these are open for parking, it would bring down the parking woes of the city to a great extent,” Goswami said. She further added that all

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the big business establishments and the food joints will have to have parking facility for their customers which has been made mandatory. “We check their parking arrangements every year when their trade licenses are renewed,” Goswami added. People, however, have complained that there still is a major lag in the availability of parking spaces in certain areas of the city such as Ulubari, Rehabari, Hatigaon, Beltola etc. “Even if the parking zone under the Ulubari flyover is opened, it won’t meet the requirement of this area. This area has a college and the Nehru Stadium that attracts a major crowd from other parts of the city. Also, there are so many offices here and no parking facilities around. Nehru Stadium has a lot of space but that cannot be used by people,” Aminul Habib, who works in a private organisation at Ulubari, said. n

City

SNIPPETS Tobacco Quitline Services at BBCI

he Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (Tobacco Control Division), Government of India, will set up a Regional Satellite Centre of Tobacco Quitline Services (RSCTQS) at Dr B Borooah Cancer Institute (BBCI), Guwahati. The tobacco quitline service shall act as a milestone development as far as tobacco-control in the state and northeast is concerned, as it will provide an opportunity to a large number of tobacco users to quit its consumption and hence, the addiction. Dedicated counsellors will provide telephonic counselling at the RSCTQS. Dr Amal Chandra Kataki, Director of BBCI, has informed that the ministry will provide full funding for the infrastructure development, salary of 22 counsellors, and other ancillary support to run the quitline services centre. The quitline service centre will be inaugurated on 15th August 2018, and the work in this regard like manpower recruitment has already been initiated, further stated Dr Kataki. He additionally informed that the quitline will be co-ordinated by the Preventive Oncology Department of BBCI. As per the Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) report of 2010, the national prevalence of tobacco consumption was 34.6%, which has decreased to 28.6% in 2017. However, in Assam, tobacco consumption has increased from 39.3% in 2010 to 48.2% in 2017. All other northeaster states except Sikkim have a high prevalence of tobacco consumption. Because of this reason, Tobacco Related Cancers (TRC) in the northeastern states is the highest in the country, as per the National Cancer Registry Programme of the Indian Council of Medical Research.

G PLUS | Jul 28 - AUG 03, 2018

Irate Ghy customers drag auto giants to court over poor service From Mercedes to Audi, consumers, who are now increasingly aware of their rights, are knocking on the doors of the consumer court without thinking twice Saumya Mishra saumya.mishra@g-plus.in

District consumer forum witnessing cases against automobile companies

ith the city roads seeing an ever-increasing number of cars over the past few years, the complaints against automobile companies too are growing by the day. This is evident from the number of cases being filed at the district consumer disputes redressal forum (DCDRC) against automobile companies. Additionally, some of these cases are registered against some of the prominent automobile companies including Mercedes, and Audi. Authorities at the DCDRC of Kamrup (Metro) district informed G Plus that consumers nowadays have become more mindful of their rights and they are increasingly approaching the consumer court with their grievances. Talking about cases against automobile companies in particular, officials said that complaints have been filed against big companies for negligence in providing proper service. “We are seeing many such cases being filed here every month. In a recent example, a resident of Dispur filed a complaint against Mercedes Benz Private Limited and the company’s authorised dealer and service provider in Guwahati,” informed member of the DCDRC, Archana Deka Lahkar.

Some prominent large companies feature in the complaints Recently, a case against Mercedes Benz was filed at DCDRC Case was filed for manufacturing defects and negligence in service Similar cases have been filed against Audi and Hyundai

File photo of District Consumer Court, Guwahati

everal cases against automobile companies have been filed at the DCDRC mostly for manufacturing defects and deficiency of after sales service

In his complaint, he claimed that he had purchased a Mercedes ‘C’ class car from Guwahati in February 2017. He then went on a trip to Bhutan with his family in June 2017 when he alleged that he noticed some anomalies in the car. The complainant has claimed that on his return, he immediately took the car to the said service provider in Guwahati. However, he had to wait for more than two months due to unavailability of an engineer with the service provider. The engineer then inspected and identified the problem with the car and advised the complainant to change a few parts. Further, these parts had to be brought in from outside the state and took two weeks to reach Guwahati. The complainant further mentioned that he was taken aback by the fact that a brand new car which had been driven for just 2,000 kilometres, had developed technical issues within three months. He has filed for a compensation of Rs 6 lakhs in this case. “The case is still under trial and the compensation amount

is yet to be decided upon,” said Lahkar. Similarly, several other cases against automobile companies have been filed at the DCDRC mostly for manufacturing defects, said officials. Such manufacturing defects have become common and have come to the fore in several instances. One such incident occurred in February this year when the front wheel of the renowned SUV company Jeep’s Compass came off within hours after the car’s delivery in Nagaon. Jayanta Phukan, the owner of the car bought it from a showroom in Guwahati and was shocked to find that the car broke down within a few hours of the delivery when the front wheel with drive shafts came out. Phukan somehow managed to stop the car. However, responding quickly to the issue, the company issued a statement saying that they attended to the problem immediately and resolved it within 24 hours. They added that they are investigating the incident thoroughly to prevent any further cases. The district consumer

SCDRC also sees such cases

disputes redressal forum deals with dispute cases whose value is up to Rs. 20 lakhs- which is the maximum compensation which can be claimed in the districtlevel consumer court. Cases with a value of Rs 20 lakhs – Rs 1 crore are taken up by the state consumer disputes redressal commission. Above them is the national consumer disputes redressal commission which hears disputes where the total claim and compensation amount exceeds Rs 1 crore. On the other hand, the state level consumer court too has been witnessing cases being filed of a similar nature. The state consumer disputes redressal commission (SCDRC) had recently received a case against the leading automobile company Audi. The complainant, Manik Ali, has filed a case for manufacturing defects in the car. However, the case is still under trial and the compensation is yet to be decided, informed authorities. n

Weather report for the week Guwahati

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In The News

G PLUS | Jul 28 - AUG 03, 2018

SNIPPETS Police grills agriculture development officers in cash-for-job scam, arrests likely

City-based doctors call for mandating Hepatitis vaccination Saumya Mishra saumya.mishra@g-plus.in

ity-based doctors, on Friday, said that the government must make vaccination for Hepatitis B available and accessible to everyone and it should be included in the government’s programme. This was said during an awareness programme organised by Apollo Hospital in the city on the eve of World Hepatitis Day which is observed on July 28. Speaking during the occasion, Dr Kamal Chetri of the hospital said, “In order to mitigate the disease, the screening tests should be provided free of cost or must be subsidised in every government district hospital.” Hepatitis A and E are water-borne diseases and can be prevented by keeping the surroundings clean and making sure that the drinking water is clean. On the other hand, Hepatitis B and C are blood borne and are transmitted through infected persons’ blood. Doctors said that Hepatitis is a disease which usually does not get diagnosed early on and when it is detected, it is already late and the liver becomes significantly damaged already. Thus, the need for screening and awareness becomes very important. Further, Dr Mukesh Agarwal said that in India around 2-3% population is affected with

the disease, which is called the intermediate zone. Dr Rohit Jaswal stressed on the need of the patients to go for mandatory pre-operative testing. “If awareness is created, the burden of the disease will definitely reduce. But in order to eradicate Hepatitis completely, vaccinations for Hepatitis B and C need to be made mandatory,” said Jaswal. Doctors informed that the hospital is creating awareness about the disease so that more people become sensitised. For this, they are also offering discounts on liver check package, informed officials. There are five main Hepatitis viruses, referred to as types A, B, C, D and E, which pose the greatest risk. Hepatitis B (HBV) and C (HCV) are viral infections which can cause chronic Hepatitis and are the leading causes for Hepatitis cirrhosis and cancer, thus creating a significant burden to healthcare systems due to the high morbidity and costs of treatment. Further, around 70-80% of people with Hepatitis B or C do not even have any symptoms. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), one-third of the world’s population has been infected with HBW and more than 350 million suffer from chronic infection. With regard to HCV, it has been estimated that 170 million people have chronic infections and that three to four million new cases occur each year. n

he Assam Police on July, Thursday, 26th summoned 19 agriculture development officers, for

questioning regarding the ADO job scam. There are allegations against 27 agriculture officers of

manipulating the answer scripts. The ADO examination was held in 2014. The police had earlier arrested a suspended Assam Public Service Commission (APSC) member, Basanta Doley, for allegedly altering and enhancing marks for the candidates. It was confirmed after forensic reports found tampering in 27 optical mark recognition (OMR) sheets of the candidates. The kingpins of the agriculture scam, Rakesh Paul and Basanta Doley allegedly used their powers to change the marks for the benefit of the candidates who had secured these jobs by paying cash. Both are now under arrest.

Crime

G PLUS | Jul 28 - AUG 03, 2018

Police suspect fraudulent nexus behind World Bank cheque forgery Avishek Sengupta avishek.sengupta@g-plus.in

he city police are investigating a nexus of frauds in forging World Bank’s cheques after a gang of seven was arrested in the act last Tuesday (July 24) at Pan Bazar. While the prime accused Dipjyoti Sarma along with six others - Dr Ambarish Gorait (Namrup), Ashiman Handique (Dibrugarh ), Chandan Deka of Hengerabari, Joon Das (Dibrugarh), Wilson Barik (Tinsukia) and Chirantan Das of Hengerabari – were already arrested and sent to judicial custody, the police suspect that a larger nexus is involved. “During interrogation, they had revealed that the entire operation is being remotely controlled by a person over phone. We believe that he is the mastermind behind it. They don’t know his name but we have retrieved contact details from them and are trying to locate this person. We believe that it is the work of a bigger nexus,” a source in the crime branch of city police said. It was the assistant general manager of State Bank of India, Pan Bazar Branch, Ajanta Hazarika, who first caught the anomaly when the prime accused Dipjyoti Sarma had appeared at the bank on July 22 to deposit two cheques worth Rs 50 lakhs each purportedly issued by executive engineer of World Bank’s PWD

Representative image division favouring Pabitra Sarma, a resident of Patacharkuchi in Barpeta District, about 108 kms from Guwahati. Accused Sarma, who is also a resident of Patacharkuchi, had said that he is Pabitra’s son. It may be mentioned here that under the PWD division of the World Bank, a project worth Rs 400 crores named Assam State Road Project is undergoing in the state.

The World Bank had sanctioned Rs 320 crores on November 2012 for the project that would enhance connectivity in the state, modernise the road management and instil road safety measures. The project that is being overseen by the World bank, PWD Division headquartered at Uttarakhand, is supposed to end by August next year and a major part of the works are being done at Barpeta.

“It was not an amateur forgery as the fraudsters have done major research before executing it. The prime accused had said that they are claiming money against acquisition of their land for the project. The only thing that gave them away was the signature on the two cheques which had minor differences that could barely be noticed. Also, the forged signature matched with that of

the executive engineer’s original signature,” the source said. Hazarika, after finding the anomaly in the signature, had called the Uttarakhand Branch of SBI to cross-check and after being told that no cheque had been issued favouring Pabitra Sarma, she filed a complaint at the Pan Bazar police station following which a case (no 442 /2018) has been registered. “On the first day when the accused had submitted the cheques, Hazarika had sent them back home saying that the cheques’ authenticity is being confirmed and when they get cleared, he will be called back. When she found out that the cheques are forged and after filing the complaint she called Sarma with police team waiting to nab him,” police said. The other six accused were waiting outside the bank and were held immediately. Meanwhile, the city police are trying to get in touch with the World Bank and Uttarakhand police as they believe that the spread of nexus might reach there too. “We have informed World Bank regarding the same. They too confirmed about not issuing any cheque. We have informed them about the forgery and asked to be alert about such fraudulence. We have also informed the Uttarakhand police of the possible operation of a similar nexus that might have insiders in the World Bank. Otherwise, how would the frauds know about the operation of world bank?” the police said. n

SNIPPETS Bollywood actress Kajol supports Assam Police campaign against stalking

APSC Scam: High Court may order investigation on judge bribery case

he official Twitter account of Assam Police has been promoting creative messages for the last two weeks as part of the “Think” campaign. After the creatives against fake news and mob lynching, the Assam Police has posted a creative message against stalking. Using the hashtag #ThinkBeforeYouStalk, Assam Police, on Monday, tweeted an informative creative warning people to refrain from stalking

women in public and giving unsolicited compliments to women. Sharing the tweet, Assam Police has urged people to understand the difference between a compliment and harassment. Bollywood actress Kajol, on Tuesday, supported the initiative and complimented Assam Police for the initiative. The actress also went on to mention, ‘Compliment by respecting, not by stalking.’

he APSC cash-for-job scam is turning into a multi-scam saga. There have been reports that some persons have been trying to influence the judges through bribery and other unfair means to obtain bails for the arrested APSC officials. According to sources, a special court judge has agreed to file an affidavit in a bribery case.

The Gauhati High Court might start an independent inquiry on the bribery matter and special judge Prasanta Kumar Saikia is ready to file an affidavit on the same, revealed sources. The police recently arrested lawyer and BJP worker, Sailen Sarma Barua and real estate builder, Surajit Choudhury on charges of trying to manage

Assam Police Smart Social Media Parking to be resumed under Ganeshguri Flyover Centre saves minor girl from suicide

ollowing the triple blasts case that jolted Guwahati on October 30, 2008, parking facility under the Ganeshguri Flyover was forbidden. Reportedly, Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) has

now decided to start the parking facility after a period of 10 years. The Assam government has decided to use the space below the flyovers dedicatedly for parking and all the necessary arrangements have already been taken care of.

he efforts of the social media wing of Assam Police are bearing fruits. Not only is the wing helping people to fight fake news but is also saving lives. In a recent development,

on 23rd July, Assam Police had received information from the Facebook Headquarters that a minor girl was contemplating suicide and there was very less time to react on the information and save her life.

the investigation. It is alleged that Sailen Sarma offered a bribe to the judge on behalf of Surajit Choudhury, who happens to be the husband of (now under arrest) Pallavi Sharma Choudhury, former Circle Revenue Officer, Mangaldoi. In a new development, Pallavi Sharma Choudhury July, Wednesday, on 25th was suddenly presented before the special magistrate in connection with APSC cash-for-jobs scam. The minor girl had updated her Facebook status saying, “I am gonna to commit suicide today.” The Assam Police Smart Social Media Centre and the concerned local police immediately swung into action and were able to locate the child within 30 minutes and ensure her safety.

Crime

G PLUS | Jul 28 - AUG 03, 2018

Anomalies in conduct of examinations detected at ADTU

Panikhaiti police station on June 25 stating that they suspected the involvement of some faculty members in taking money from students on the pretext of ensuring them pass marks in their examinations. Before this, the police had apprehended one former student of the university as well as a teacher in connection with the case. One of the accused is a faculty member named Gunajit Choudhury while the other is a former student named Jal Nuruddin Ahmed who passed out of the university in 2015. Nuruddin was arrested on June 29 from Barpeta while Choudhury was arrested on July 4. Ahmed was a student of Choudhary, which is how the two came in touch with each other and remained so after Ahmed passed out of the university too. Police added that the scam was going on since 2012 and the modus operandi of the persons involved in the scam was primarily first identifying students who were academically weak and then luring them into paying up by assuring passing marks in their examinations in various subjects. Further, those involved lured most students through the social networking site Facebook. Additionally, the arrested accused, Jal Nuruddin, revealed during interrogation that some students paid Rs 5,000 while the others were charged Rs 10,000. In some cases, the students were asked to shell out as much as Rs

22,000, said police. On the other hand, authorities at the Down Town University said that they first came to know about the scam when a student tipped them off about a possible nexus of students and teachers involved in the same. Interestingly, the police also revealed that while interacting with a few students who had paid money to clear their backlog, they observed that many students had not cleared their examinations even after giving money. “We suspect that there are some unscrupulous elements from among the faculty members who are also involved in the scam and former students who already knew that this was going on. For instance, Jhal Muruddin, was already aware that something like this was ongoing, which is why he had established a network with one or two faculty members so that he could lure students to give money,” informed a source in the police. Officials further said that the deputy controller of examinations who was arrested too had some responsibility and can’t say that he was totally unaware about the ongoing incidents, particularly when he is one of the persons whose signature is required on every important examinationrelated document. “We are in the initial stage of investigation and are probing all possible angles. Let us see what else comes out in the future,” said Mazumdar. n

Cash-for-marks scam

Dy Controller of Examinations Arupjyoti Sharma was arrested from Noonmati

Saumya Mishra saumya.mishra@g-plus.in

nvolvement of examination department officials in the cash-for-marks scam in Assam Down Town University has come to the fore with the deputy controller of examination being arrested recently by the police. With the ongoing police investigation, new aspects have been revealed in connection with the case. They point towards deeper irregularities at the university with respect to the conduct of examinations. “We have observed anomalies and discrepancies in the conduct of examinations as well as the declaration of results at the university,” Purabi Mazumdar, ACP Noonmati police station informed G Plus.

She added that they are expecting to arrest a few more people in the case in the coming few days. This also hints towards a possible nexus between the university officials or staff members and former students who are involved in the scam. The deputy controller of examination, Arupjyoti Sharma was arrested from Noonmati earlier this week. “We produced him before the court on Wednesday and we have brought him on three days’ police remand,” added Mazumdar. Officials informed that they now have sufficient evidence to establish that some of the students were collecting money for clearing their backlogs. The matter first came to light when the administrative legal officer of the university filed a complaint with the

Involvement of examination officials in cash-for-marks scam in Assam Down Town University comes to light Police arrested deputy controller of examination recently Investigation point towards deeper irregularities at the university in conduct of examinations Police said they found anomalies in declaration of results too

SNIPPETS Woman gives OTP to tele-caller, loses Rs 46,000

n yet another incident of cyber crime, one lady customer of Jawahar Nagar’s Allahabad Bank was duped of Rs 46,000 by a telecaller. According to the police, the

victim on 23rd July deposited Rs 46,000 at the branch. She then received a call from someone impersonating as the bank’s manager. The caller managed to convince the lady that her ATM card has been

blocked. He then informed her that in order to activate the card she needed to share the 16-digit card number along with the one-time password (OTP). The lady relented to the request of the tele-caller.

City

SNIPPETS City buses flout rules, put commuters’ lives at risk

G PLUS | Jul 28 - AUG 03, 2018

Assam tea sold at Rs 39,001 per kg creates world record Nehal Jain jain.nehal@g-plus.in

he general public is unhappy with the functioning of the city buses. G Plus has been receiving letters and e-mails with images and videos providing evidence that there is gross mismanagement and unruly behaviour by these buses and their drivers. “Guwahati city is facing acute problems of traffic jam and it is only because of reckless driving by city buses. The buses have become dangerous for other motorists with accidents being common due to mad driving. They are always racing among themselves without caring for other motorists. Many accidents happen in the city due to speedily overtaking, mindless crossing and sudden stopping by these buses,” wrote Sumit Jain from Santipur. There is a lack of respect for the traffic rules and the bus drivers are always flouting rules, claim the commuters. “The buses tend to stop here and there randomly, even if there is no bus stop, and they don’t care about the location of the designated stoppage. Overtaking is a big issue and the manner in which they stop the vehicle, block a certain portion of the road, thereby, creating long queues for other vehicles. The bus drivers don’t care about the traffic signals, too. You can see an example at Maligaon gate no. 3 police signal point,” said another daily commuter. The citizens are blaming the traffic department for ignoring their plight. “Police is doing nothing. I have requested the traffic police many times but they say that they alone cannot do everything. Whenever there is a VIP movement the traffic police is seen to be actively clearing the way, while the ambulances have to keep blaring the horns and sirens to get way. It just means the traffic police has the capacity but are not doing their duty efficiently. There should be a priority for emergency services. For the normal public, traffic jam has become a part of their life.” lamented Jain.

uwahati Tea Auction Centre broke all records when a line of Manohari Gold Tea was sold for a whopping amount of Rs 39,001 for a kg. The tea was brought by Saurabh Tea Traders of Guwahati for their upcountry buyers on Tuesday, July 24. Reportedly, this is the highest price any tea has fetched in any auction centre in the world. The tea, grown at the Manohari Tea Estate situated in Dibrugarh district, has been produced by CK Parashar under the guidance of Rajan Lohia. “This is a special type of tea which we developed using a clone from our own garden. This tea is totally handmade and hardly 50 grams of it could be produced in a single day. Apart from that, plucking the leaves for this tea was also done only during sun rise and in suitable weather conditions, Rajan Lohia, owner of Manohari Tea Estate said. He further added, “The phenomenal price indicates that quality has no end and tea lovers are ready to pay any price for such

innovative and boutique quality tea.” Made with inherent quality special clones of tea bushes and hand plucked buds, the estate owners have put in a lot of effort and dedication for manufacturing such world class tea that looks like crystals made of pure 24 carat gold. With this auction, Manohari Gold Tea is expected to draw attention of tea lovers all over the world and further help regain the lost glory of the Assam tea industry as a whole. While a lot of people continue to believe that Darjeeling Tea is better than Assam Tea, the buyers of this record shattering tea want to spread the word that Assam too produces high quality tea and there is a huge market of buyers who are ready to pay extraordinary prices for the same. “Our customers are always looking to buy the best quality specialty teas. Nowadays, customers have become quality conscious and want to try something new. This isn’t the first time we purchased high quality tea. Earlier, we had purchased another line of Donyi Polo Tea Estate Specialty tea at Rs 18,801,” ML

Maheshwari, owner of Sourabh Tea Traders, told G Plus. Maheswari further informed G Plus why they were keen on buying this particular tea saying, “We had earlier sent samples of the tea to three buyers – while one of the buyers runs a tea boutique in Ahmedabad, two are dealing with corporate gifting of tea. All three of them loved the sample and were ready to pay any amount for such fine quality tea. The

The renowned Manohari Tea Estate is situated in the upper region of Assam at an elevation of 390 feet above sea level. The estate covers some 1,800 acres, with over 1,000 acres planted with tea bushes. Almost three million pounds of black and green tea are produced annually. The climate, soil and genetic make-up of this native variety of tea plants give Assam teas their characteristic full-bodied liquor and hearty flavour. appreciation we received for the samples made us interested in the purchase.” ML Maheswari, who is the advisor of Sourabh Tea Traders, has also been associated with the Guwahati Tea Auction Centre since 1972. Speaking on the record breaking purchase, Secretary of Guwahati Tea Auction Buyers’ Association, Dinesh Bihani said, “This is a proud moment for Guwahati Tea Auction Centre. The centre is giving such a platform where specialty tea makes new records and more demands come in from all across India. This record breaking purchase will encourage other quality tea producers to make good quality specialty tea and send it to Guwahati Tea Auction Centre, which has been emerging as a hub for specialty tea.” n

In The News

G PLUS | Jul 28 - AUG 03, 2018

Animals at Assam State Zoo get new facilities to beat the heat Nehal Jain jain.nehal@g-plus.in

ith the mercury level on a rise, the authorities at the Assam State Zoocum-Botanical Garden have taken a slew of measures to enable the animals to cope with the heat and remain safe in the zoo. The temperature in Guwahati recently increased up to as high as 38 degree Celsius. Informing about the precautions being taken in the zoo, Tejas Mariswamy, Zoo’s Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) said, “This year, the heat is particularly very harsh. In such hot weather, keeping the animals hydrated becomes necessary hence, precautions have been taken. Water showers, bamboo sheds, pools, fans inside the shelter house have been provided for the zoo animals.” “Some animal species are more sensitive to heat than others. Bears, tigers and other cat species have thick fur and thus, are most affected by the heat. We initially identified these particular species and then planned the measures to be taken,” Mariswamy informed G Plus. For tigers, shade platforms made of bamboo sheets have been created so that the temperature of the shelter houses is reduced. Two bath pools have also been built and pedestal fans have installed in the shelters for all tigers and lions. For thick fur species like bears, two numbers of special water showers have been installed so that the animals can drench themselves whenever they feel the heat. Besides this, for all other species, structures to provide shade have been built and for

Interns bathing an elephant at the zoo | G Plus Photo

Zoo authorities mull developmental plans to catch up with Mysore Zoo by 2020

T A Himalayan Black Bear cools off under the newly installed water shower at Assam State Zoo cum Botanical Garden | G Plus Photo small birds, wooden boxes have been set up where they can rest in shade. The fencing of water loving animals such as crocodiles and hippos is filled up with water regularly so that they can get into the water during hot weather. Further, sufficient water mixed with ORS is being given to the animals to keep them hydrated and save them from heat-stroke. Located in the Hengrabari Reserve Forest area in Guwahati, the Assam State Zoo is home to over 1000 birds and animals belonging to 107 different species.

Apart from tigers, lions, beers, monkeys and deer, the zoo houses within its confines some exotic species like hippopotamus, macaw and gaboon wiper (one of the most poisonous snakes in the world) too. Doctors at the veterinary hospital informed G Plus that there has been no case of animal death due to heat this year. In the previous years, however, there have been cases of animals falling sick during summers, and as a result, developing severe health issues and sometimes, even dying. n

he authorities at the Assam State Zoo are mulling plans to install deep freezers in the campus to provide the animals with frozen foods like meat. Infrastructural developments are also being looked into. “The zoo is coming up with a new walkthrough aviary and animal enclosures,” said the DFO. He further added that the zoo is looking to acquire more charismatic mammals like giraffe and aims to catch up to the standards of the Mysore Zoo by the end of 2020. As a new development in the zoo, more toilets and drinking facilities for the visitors have been set up at the zoo premise. The guide facility, which was introduced in February, 2018, has also been receiving positive feedbacks. As a result, the

total number of guides is expected to increase in the coming months. The zoological garden facilitates research activities apart from creating awareness. It also maintains a full-fledged in-house veterinary hospital. The veterinary doctors and animal keepers have been asked by the authorities to keep a tab on the health of all the animals round the clock. Recently, eight interns were also working at the zoo under the doctors in the veterinary hospital. The interns, students of Cotton University, took part in various activities including watering and bathing animals like elephant. Other recreational activities like cycling and trekking are also frequently organised, garnering great response from the visitors. n

Ward Watch

G PLUS | Jul 28 - AUG 03, 2018 G PLUS | Jul 2

Daily traffic congestion throws schedules out of gear in Silpukhuri G Plus reports on its survey in Silpukhuri under GMC Ward No 13 and finds that the daily traffic congestion is the major irritant Avishek Sengupta avishek.sengupta@g-plus.in

Traffic jam at Silpukhuri is a daily phenomenon | G Plus Photo Club to the Nabagraha point that is within Silpukhuri has converted into a bottle-neck for vehicles coming from both Ulubari and Ambarivia Gauhati Club and from RG Baruah Road and Noonmati via Chandmari.

“Vehicles from all direction converge here due to which this area gets congested. But there are several diversions that go through the hills. The roads are encroached mostly by illegal construction. If those roads were widened and

traffic was diverted through them, most of the problem would have been solved,” AkashTalukdar, a resident said. It may be mentioned here that when one travels from Gauhati Club towards Chandmari, while

0% Yes 100% No Public Toilets

10% Sometimes 60% Half an hour daily 10% An hour daily 0% More than an hour 20% No load shedding Load shedding

18% Smooth 68% Occassionally crowded 14% Pathetic

40% Yes 10% No 50% Sometimes 50% Yes 50% No Water Supply

14% 40% 42% 4% Street Lights

Pest Control Measures

14% Everyday 38% Twice a week 26% Once a week 14% Fortnightly 8% Irregular 0% Never Garbage Collection

Councillor Report

Positive Response

ormal city life comes to a standstill every day at Silpukhuri of Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) Ward No 13 due to traffic congestion that lasts close to one hour during the busy hours of the day. This was revealed in a survey conducted by G Plus in which 50 families of a particular ward were asked questions on 15 parameters of living standards in the ward.A majority of 41 persons (82 per cent) expressed dissatisfaction with the traffic congestion here.34 persons (68 per cent) said the roads are occasionally crowded while 7 others (14 per cent) said the traffic condition is pathetic. “This area generally remains crowded right from 9 am till 10 pm. But during the office hours, that is from 9 am to about 11.30 am, it worsens. People remain stuck in the traffic jam and have to spend half an hour to one hour to cover this 1.5 km stretch. The same happens between 6 pm to 8 pm,” Rituraj Thakur, a resident here said. The 1.5 km stretch of ManiramDewan Road from Gauhati

the right side of the ManiramDewan Road falls under Ward No 13, the other side, which is also called Silpukhuri falls in Ward No 12. That apart, while most of the wards in Guwahati are more or less satisfied with the garbage collection - a service that is provided by the GMC through NGOs -Ward No 13 has set a new low standard for itself. Only 7 respondents (14 per cent) said that their garbage is collected daily while off the rest 43 respondents, 4 (8 per cent) said the service is irregular, seven (14 per cent) said that it is being done fortnightly, 13 (26 per cent) said it is collected once a week and 19 (38 per cent) said it is collected twice a week. “The NGOs are more involved in collecting garbage on the other side of the SaraniaHill that is South Sarania and Lachit Nagar, while on this side, they come irregularly,” SeemaSaharia, a resident said. Traffic congestion and lapses in garbage collection, however, aren’t the only woes for the residents as the ward is plagued by lack of proper water supply, pest control measures, streetlights, public toilets and parking spaces. They also complained of frequent load shedding. (See chart)

2% Always 50% Sometimes 48% Never Councillor in

4% Yes 76% No 20% Sometimes 0% Only during e

Councillor Int

Ward Watch

28 - AUG 03, 2018 G PLUS | Jul 28 - AUG 03, 2018

Good roads work as a balm for harried commuters

The only saving grace, roads are good at Silpukhuri | G Plus Photo

or the hellish experience of those stuck in traffic jams in Silpukhuri, good roads come as a saving grace. 24 persons (48 per cent) expressed satisfaction of which, 4 (8 per cent) said the road condition is good while the rest 20 (40 per cent) said the roads are of average condition. However, people expressed that a few by-lanes have certain broken stretches while the main road and the major arteries are more or less up to the mark. The survey revealed that of the 26 persons who gave negative response to the road condition, 15 (30 per cent) termed it to be of bad quality while 11 others said that

the roads are of good quality. “Roads here were mostly of good quality. There are a few very interior by-lanes where bulldozers cannot reach. But, after the water projects started, several roads were dug and not restored again. The main road fortunately remains untouched,” Partha Sarathi Medhi, a resident said. This apart, the people of Silpukhuri aren’t affected by waterlogging, a problem that is common to almost all the wards. A majority of 36 respondents (72 per cent) said that water logging is an issue confined to a few lanes only while 7 persons (14 per cent) said that it happens throughout the area and 7 others

Sarania Hill a major hindrance for development: Councillor

said there is no water logging in their area. “Water logging only occurs occasionally when it rains too hard and for too long. The water from the Silpukhuri (a water body here) spills on to the road. That happened last year and was cleared within half an hour. This year, there was no water logging,” SurajChetri, a tenant here said. 35 residents (70 per cent) have said that the drainage system could be improved while 15 others (30 per cent) expressed satisfaction regarding the same. None gave a negative remark. The area received positive remarks regarding law and order, transport connectivity, availability of health services. (See chart)

Roads here were mostly of good quality. There are a few very interior by-lanes where bulldozers cannot reach. But, after the water projects started, several roads were dug and not restored again. The main road fortunately remains untouched” Partha Sarathi Medhi, Resident

he SaraniaHill that takes up a majority of Ward No 13 is a major hindrance to providing various services, councillor Nipan Kumar Kalita said. While of the three areas of Ward No 13, 13A and 13C lie on one side of the hill, Silpukhuri (13B) lies on the other side. “I am aware of the problem faced by people of my ward. But most of my ward is the SaraniaHill. Now, while Pub Sarania, Gandhi Mandap and Lachit Nagar fall on one side of the hill, Silpukhuri is on the other side and one needs to take a circuitous route through Ulubari and GauhatiClub to reach Silpukhuri. This makes it difficult to provide various services,” Kalita said. “I have asked the NGOs to provide garbage collection service regularly, but they are reluctant to make the extra effort to reach Silpukhuri daily. So, most of the time, they provide the service on alternate days. I have said that this needs to be regularised, but they are finding it difficult to do so,” Kalita said. He said that he had apprised the traffic department several times regarding the traffic congestion and once all the roads are properly built, he will again look into formulating an alternative route. “But we will also need the help of Ward No 12 in this regard as most of the diversions will be through that ward only,” Kalita said. Regarding lack of regular water supply, Kalita said, “We cannot provide it over the hills as it won’t be viable. The water needs to be procured from the same channel

Councillor Nipan Kumar Kalita by which Chandmari,Nabagraha, Uzan Bazar and Gauahati Club area is getting water. Moreover, water crisis is a problem that is there in almost all the wards. We all are waiting with bated breath for the water projects to get completed,” Kalita added. Kalita, who along with the rest of the GMC councillors have ended their 5-year term last week, is however hopeful of his chances in the forthcoming GMC elections. He said, “Most of the roads in the other wards that were dug for pipeline work still remain incomplete while most of the roads in my ward have been reconstructed with RCC blocks.” “There might be lapses on several fronts, but the people in my ward know that I try my best,” Kalita concluded. n

oncentrated Area: Silpukhuri (13 A) Ward No: 13 Population of the Ward: 49,000 Voter Population: 26,900 Population of Silpukhuri: 13,600 ard Councillor: Nipan Kumar Kalita

60% Yes 40% No Community Works

election

teraction

Do you know Councillor?

34% Excellent 16% Satisfactory 40% Under performing 10% Poor Councillor Performance

Negative Response

Survey conducted by Ruchika Taparia

14% Yes 14% No 72% In some lanes

30% Yes 0% No 70% Could be better Drainage system

70% Yes 4% No 26% Needs improvement

72% Yes 28% No

Parking Spaces

Ambulance, Health Services

36% Very secured 12% Secured 32% Needs more security 20% No security Law and Order

Water Logging issues

8% Good 40% Average 30% Bad 22% Pathetic Road Condition

50% Yes 10% No 40% Needs improvement Transport Connectivity

14 E

G Talk D

G PLUS | Jul 28 - AUG 03, 2018

Being NRC negative

friend’s office caretaker is an “Assamese Nepali” – the same variety of people that the more famous Mani Kumar Subba is. Not too educated and without much societal clout as is expected from people of their stratum, Pradhan’s existence at the moment is shaky apparently. His name has not figured in the last draft NRC as he wasn’t able to provide an impressive “legacy” and so, is uncertain that his name will figure in the forthcoming NRC set to be published on July 30. At the other end of the spectrum is this eminently respectable lady, a wellknown and celebrated writer, currently residing in her own property in one of the posh residential localities of Guwahati. She faces the same situation as Pradhan simply because she was born in another country, grew up in Shillong because her parents were stationed there being in government service, did her college in New Delhi and never had the occasion of casting her franchise in Guwahati because her name featured in a voters’ list elsewhere. In short, her “legacy” does not feature Assam at all despite the fact that none could be more Assamese than her. It’s quite unlikely that her

name will feature in the forthcoming NRC. Now, these two examples, under no pretensions, can be considered as foreigners. Nor are they perfect cases to be referred to a Foreigners’ Tribunal. And yet, it is crystal clear that a huge number of such names will obviously be dropped from the NRC. While, Pradhan was almost panicking, the lady is confident that she cannot be uprooted from her current existence simply because of the “legacy data” binding that the NRC updation exercise was governed by. The software used was apparently not receptive to any other documents that could have been provided as proof of Indian citizenship. Beyond July 30, the “Claims and Objections” facility that the government will provide will imminently take centre-stage. The trick for the bona fide citizens who have not been able to provide acceptable legacy data is not to panic and trust the government to come up with the requisite solution. For such people, being NRC negative is not the end of the world and they may please tackle the situation with dignified calmness. Swapnil Bharali Editor

Let’s Talk Guwahati

n this ongoing month of July, G Plus has possibly conducted one of the largest surveys ever done in the city of Guwahati independently. The survey, titled ‘Let’s Talk Guwahati’ was driven by a massive internal team moving both offline and online to get this rolling. The results from the survey which the publication is going to present in the coming weeks, is going to set the record straight for all the key departments and how they have performed. What makes this exercise crucial is that people participate in this and get their voices heard. To quote an advertising guideline, ‘When people rage, brands quaver.’ The same is applicable for governments – ‘When people rage, governments must quaver.’ Our advertisement heavy government has promised a lot, but judgment could be upon them – if not now, maybe a few more months down the line. While there are major issues that need to be addressed both nationally and locally, there are governments diluting these issues and would rather run after changing names and nomenclature. For a government whose advertising budget is more than the rehabilitation fund set aside for women and children victims, it seems like they are going to be questioned a lot in the months to follow. Advertising can only get you so far. So as the survey is coming to its end, we urge Guwahatians to create as many conversations under #LetsTalkGuwahati as they can on social media or by writing to us and telling us what ails Guwahati, because if you don’t do this now, the government’s good advertising can make their failed product succeed, and we are in no way deserving of that. Sidharth Bedi Varma

Dangers of a warmer globe

few days ago, as I was surfing through random videos on YouTube, I came across a news channel broadcast whose caption piqued my curiosity in a flash! It read, “Climate Change - 60 Crore Indians At Risk.” And I was instantly drawn towards that 30-minute long video - all the more relevant since the newspapers, on the very same day, were filled with reports on how temperatures in Guwahati had soared to a shocking 38 degrees Celsius along with achieving the fatal distinction of being the highest recorded temperature in the last 30 odd years here. The heat and humidity are so full of strength these days that they can suck the life out of any average human being. And that is exactly what has happened. In a shocking tragedy, a few locals were reported to have lost their lives due to the scorching heat over the last week. Hence, it is high time that the issue of climate change is taken seriously. Providing a brief overview of the situation is imperative. According to a recent report released by the World Bank (sometime in March 2018 titled “South Asia’s Hotspots: The Impact of Temperature and Precipitation Changes on Living Standards”), higher temperatures and shifting precipitation patterns will reduce living standards in communities across the entire South Asian region locations that the report terms as “hotspots.” More than 800 million people in South Asia currently live in communities that are projected to become “hotspots” under a carbon-intensive scenario (the term “carbon-intensive” refers to the carbon footprint in relation to its economic importance). In the context of India, climate change could cost us 2.8 per cent of GDP (Gross Domestic Product), and depress living standards of nearly

Dhiman Kakati

half of our population by 2050, considering the latest findings which reveal that average annual temperatures are expected to rise by 1-2 per cent over the next three decades. In addition, the report states that even if preventive measures are taken along the lines of those recommended by the Paris Climate Change Agreement of 2015, India’s average annual temperatures are expected to rise by 1-2 degrees Celsius by the year 2050. It has undoubtedly turned out to be a very grim and alarming situation. This is more so because an undesirable change in the climate not only affects the quality of life of the fast increasing urban cum rural populace but also leads to various ecological and commercial problems ranging from the negative impact on the hydrolog-

on the national economy). In the televised broadcast I came across on YouTube, eminent panellists ranging from a former United Nations official to a Dean of a reputed institute of learning discussed and deliberated on the issue at hand, suggesting a number of practical cum achievable solutions in the process. Solutions ranging from strict adherence to international protocols and guidelines (for example, the much talked about Paris Climate Agreement and following a prescribed action plan to achieve the targets of the SDG 13) to adopting technology and methods which suit the climatic conditions of our country (at a national level). However, we, as members of the larger society, can also contribute to the ongoing fight against climate change as well. From using recyclable products (since

ical cycle (reduced frequency of annual rainfall, for instance) to unwillingness of the 21st century professional to carry out his or her daily chores and assignments (which has a direct impact

most non-recyclable products are generally found to be subjected to incineration in the long run) to reducing carbon footprint by means of carpooling and encouraging the switch from paper bills to online invoices to something as simple as planting a tree, we can do it all and make a considerable difference in the process. On a personal note, at this point in time, all those lectures in school on planting trees which didn’t make sense then, have made more sense than I ever imagined possible. Action needs to be taken and with genuine motive since we have now realised what grave a threat this change has turned out to be. n

he author brings to the fore the dangers of higher temperatures and suggests ways and means of reducing the same at the micro level of the human society

rAssam Police’s commendable work

O pinion

Letter to the Editor

n a recent incident, Assam Police ensured the safety of a minor girl who was contemplating committing suicide. It turns out that the girl had updated on Facebook about her plan of committing suicide, after which Facebook headquarters had informed the police of the same and the child was located within an hour. She was then counselled and advised to remove the post. This incident, amidst others, has once again restored our faith on the system. People, especially women, have started to feel safer knowing that the police is there to take proactive measures to ensure our safety. Through this column, I'd also like to appreciate Assam Police's social media campaign 'TheThinkCampaign’, which included creative posts about stalking, crimes against women, etc. Such campaigns are the need of the hour. Joshita Kabra,Christian Basti, Guwahati

In Focus

G PLUS | Jul 28 - AUG 03, 2018

Minoti Barthakur Cancer survivor, author, retired professor

wo-time cancer survivor, Minoti Barthakur, has dedicated her life to the cause of cancer cure. This is her twenty fifth year of fighting malignant lymphoma after doctors had declared way back in 1994 that she wouldn’t survive for more than a year. Her story is inspiring. Minoti, 72, is an accomplished academician who had served as professor of Cotton College for over 30 years. She joined the college as an associate professor and retired after serving as the head of the Philosophy department for 15 years. Born in Nagaon to Mukshada and Bhumidev Goswami, Minoti did her schooling from various places due to the transferable nature of her father’s government job in the tax department. She completed her graduation with Philosophy Major from Darrang College but was unable to study further as she was married off at 19 years of age to Nikunja Behari Barthakur, a highly learned man who served as the commissioner secretary to the government of Assam. In April 1994, Minoti

Barthakur was diagnosed with an advanced and stage of cancer. For the next one and a half years, her life revolved around the disease. Friends, family and students started visiting her place to offer prayers and Minoti kept praying to the Almighty to let her live for a little while longer, so she could marry off her daughter. She indulged herself in meditation, yoga and pranayama. She spent her days and nights reading a large number of books and research works on cancer, written by various specialists as well as survivors. The journey was tiresome, but she was able to fight the disease with the immense support of her husband, daughter and other family members. “The day I was detected with cancer, I asked God

for 10 more years on earth with a promise that I would work for the welfare of cancer patients. God not only answered my prayers, but granted me several years more,” Minoti told G Plus. In January 2000, Minoti started offering her honorary service to the Dr B Barooah Cancer Institute, Guwahati. There, she provides counselling to cancer patients and encourages them to fight the disease. She’s also providing free counselling at the Northeast Cancer Hospital, Guwahati and has travelled across the globe to create awareness about cancer - its cause and prevention. Apart from interacting with cancer patients and providing guidance to students for being successful in life, Minoti has been invited

to deliver lectures at various hospitals in and around the country like Mahakali Cancer Hospital in Dhaka, National Cancer Hospital in Sri Lanka and Indira Gandhi Memorial National Hospital in Maldives. However, the disease knocked on her door for a second time in 2009. This time, her husband who was on a tour, could not withstand the news and suffered a fatal heart attack. Minoti spent three years in and out of hospital for surgeries, radiotherapy and chemotherapy. She was left all alone to fight the odds, but she kept a positive mindset and once again fought the disease with immense grit and courage. “Back when I was diagnosed with cancer for the first time, the treatment was very rough. I had a very tough time undergoing treatment. However, the scenario has changed drastically over the years and there’s been tremendous development in the field of medicine,” Minoti expressed. Minoti decided to tell her extraordinary triumph of recovery through positive energy and self-healing along with a healthy lifestyle by penning down her thoughts. So far, she has authored five books, three of which have been published and translated into multiple languages like Hindi, Bengali and Bodo. Her first book ‘Mor Axukhar Abasar’ was dedicated to all

the cancer patients and gained massive popularity. Her second and third published books are ‘The Hardworking Nyishi Women of Arunachal Pradesh’ and ‘Kalija Kaite Bindhile Ji Soraye Gan Gai’ respectively. Currently, Minoti is engaged in finalising the publisher for her next book ‘The Concept of Meditation and its Application to the Younger Generation’. She’s also working on a compilation of her short stories to be published soon. For her selfless services, Minoti has been awarded/ honoured by many government and private organisations. She is a recipient of Rotary International’s highest honour ‘The Service above Self Award’, Dr Batra’s ‘Positive Health Award’ and NE TV ‘Woman of the Year Award’ to name a few. She has also been awarded by the government of Nagaland for her dedicated service to the cancer patients of northeast India. Minoti runs a free counselling and meditation centre for the cancer patients apart from students and other people at her residence in Beltola where she only sees one patient per day. In her sessions, she teaches the patients to relax their mind and soul and keep a positive attitude. “If you have a strong mind and determination, you can achieve anything. So, let go off the negative thoughts and allow the natural state of health to do the healing,” Minoti says.

Serious allegations have surfaced about personnel at police stations demanding bribes to pass the police verification for passports. Here are some comments from citizens that surfaced on the G Plus digital channels confirming the same Joynal Abedin True! The system has not changed till date though PM says “Naa khaunga naa khane dunga.” When I went to the police station for police verification a few months ago for my passport, the person there was openly asking for Rs 300 as official charge and Rs 200 for his “chai khoros.” Now I don’t know whether there is any official charge for police verification or not but the “chai khoros” was surely a bribe being asked for! This system is not going to change until and unless the government provides some special “chai khoros” to some of them. Subhrajit Bora Most of the times it happens. When people approach the SP office for passport verification, the SP office personnel ask for unnecessary documents if you refuse to give bribes. When I went to SP office to get my passport verification done, they asked for an address proof. I furnished them my Aadhaar Card; they didn’t know what the Aadhaar Card was! Coomar Amit I applied for passport 7 months ago and till date the verification has not been done. They say that the documents were forwarded from SP office but till date has not reached the police station. They are still missing. Don’t know what they do sitting at office. Too much corruption in all the departments.

Rimmi Konwar I have heard similar stories about bribes from friends but personally I haven’t faced any. Thanks to Azara police station and also luckily even my parents didn’t face the same during verification at another police station. Thanks to those true police officers for which we still have faith in the system. Abhijit Borah It happened with me too once but I told them politely that they are not giving any personal belonging to me for which I need to pay them. Instead, they are doing their duty for which the government is paying them salary. It’s their duty to do their work and had they given any personal material, I would have definitely paid them. I also said, they have verified my character. If there were any problems with my character, they would not have been able to give the passport verification. I then offered that if he wants to have tea we could go to a hotel where I would pay for tea but I’m not going to pay for him doing his duty. I recorded the entire conversation on my mobile phone in case he didn’t behave well so that I had proof and could go to higher officials but he understood what I said and hence I didn’t face any problem. The police station in question was the Azara PS. DpaKk Nath Yes, it’s true. My sister recently applied for her passport and when she was called for police verification, the person in-charge asked for Rs 500. We the people of Guwahati seriously face a lot of problems during passport verification. The bribe thing is so common that it has been happening every day.

Feature

G PLUS | Jul 28 - AUG 03, 2018

Hima Das has the potential to get us an Olympics Gold Chetan Bhattarai

he Chief Minister of Assam, Sarbananda Sonowal, recently announced that golden girl Hima Das will be made the State Brand Ambassador for Sports. Hima had won the first ever gold in a track & field event for the country. No doubt she deserves to be peppered with praises, accolades, awards and financial contracts. Hailing from a very humble background Hima has brought immense joy and hope in the world of track and field for the nation, especially for the girls. The amount of money that has been announced by various organisations and individuals itself is a huge motivation for those watching from the stands to take sports seriously. On the other hand, a certain section of the society, on various media channels, had called the government’s move as premature that would harm the long-term prospects of this rising star. G Plus wanted to know

whether the Assam government’s decision to announce Hima Das as State Brand Ambassador for Sports was a right decision. The G Plus Poll did give us an insight into what the people of Assam had to say about the government’s decision. Of the 1,400 participants in the G Plus Poll, a majority – 82% - gave a thumbs-up to Sarbananda Sonowal’s decision and a small number – 18% believed that it was not a good decision. Respondents who were not in favour of the government’s decisions were of the opinion that Hima Das was young and first needed to further improve her skills. They agreed that she

was an inspiration for all the budding athletes but adding unnecessary engagements in her sports timeline might affect her performance. They also felt that government doles can be tricky and might demand presence on certain occasions which might eat her precious training hours. Commercial activities might divert her attention from getting us the gold in Tokyo Olympics 2020, felt many. Almost all the respondents agreed that Hima Das has huge potential and were sure that she will bring further glory to the state and the country. They believed that Hima Das, being a sportsperson, will understand the domain better. Her being appointed as a brand ambassador would improve chances of better training facilities for promising athletes. Respondents were unanimous that Hima should be provided with better facilities so that she would perform her best in the internationals events, thereby bringing laurels to the country. Experience in more and more events, with exposure, would

Do you think the government’s decision to make Hima Das the state’s Sports Brand Ambassador is correct?

Yes

82% Votes

1.4K No

18% make Hima Das a better brand ambassador. They agreed that Hima Das should first give preference to her game and the rest would follow suit. Respondents stressed that the government should worry more about providing best facilities and opportunities for the sportspersons rather than getting them involved in vanity claims. Many were of the opinion that Hima Das should not be wasting

time attending useless public meetings just because she is the brand ambassador. All they want from her is a gold medal in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Those not agreeing with the government’s decision said that the present glory should not get into her head and create a pressure for her to perform or perish. She should be given more support in all ways so that she can win the Olympics gold. n

Meet Eclipse, the 15-year-old Ghy rock band I n a candid conversation with Eclipse, the classical rock band from Guwahati who has defined and re-defined the culture of rock music in the region over a span of 15 years, band member Kundal Goswami speaks to G Plus about the journey of the band.

Tell us something about the band, Eclipse, and the journey so far

Eclipse is one of the oldest rock bands playing in the local scene. We play heavy metal and we are very proud to say that we have entered our 15th year of existence which, for a rock band, is not easy. The band was formed way back in July 2004. The journey from 2004 till date was tough and sweet at the same time. We started off as a 4-member band in the beginning and the keyboard was added later on as we felt it was needed for our sound as a band. We participated in all major rock competitions at that time. We won in Synchisis at Gauhati Medical College in 2005 with awards of best vocalist, best guitarist and best bassist, Pyrokinesis at Assam Engineering College in 2005 with awards of best vocalist, best bassist and best guitarist and were runners-up in the same year’s Rockophonix at IIT

Guwahati with the best vocalist award.

Introduce the band members

We have Sumon Saikia on Lead Guitar, Rahul Kaushik on Bass, Joy Das on Drums, Chinmoy Talukdar on Keyboards and I am Kundal Goswami, the frontman and also do second guitar duties for the band.

the quality of rock music that’s played here. So many new bands have come up. There are many pubs here which promote local rock bands and it is great for the scene. However, the number

come up which is encouraging, sustaining as a rock band isn’t easy. Bands should try to focus on sustaining themselves and also have a vision for the future.

What have been the ups and downs in your journey?

Managing a 5-member rock band is an arduous task. In the beginning, all the shows did not go the way we planned or anticipated. Sometimes the performances were not up to the mark, overconfidence and lack of practice, bad sound, less experience and to top it all bad management were some key issues. We learned as we moved on, gathering experience through our journey.

What are your thoughts on the current rock and metal scene in Assam?

We have seen the rock scene in Assam since a long time. It has grown a lot. The quality has improved. The scene right now in Assam, especially in Guwahati, is amazing. We don’t think any other city in India offers you

original rock/heavy metal music in Assam is not satisfactory. The more music you make, the bigger fan base you will create and this will eventually help find more acceptance among the masses. People have to let go of a mind block towards accepting this form of music and more so their attitude towards the local bands.

What is the future plan of the band?

of open air shows in Guwahati has come down which is worrying. Also, we don’t see too much support for open air rock shows nowadays. Well this can only be improved if the rock fans come together and show good support for the few open air events that take place. Also, though many new acts have

Rock music, I believe, is purely and only about passion.

What is the market for original music in Assam like according to you?

The sound, the thought process and philosophy of the band is reflected through their original music. The market for

We are focusing on making our third album. The song writing has begun and hopefully we will come out with it by next year if all goes as planned. All the members of the band have a key role to play in making this a success. We are more focused on making an approach to blend in heavy progressive metal along with melodies of power metal this time. n

Trotter

G PLUS | Jul 28 - AUG 03, 2018

Woman gives birth in restaurant, baby girl to get free food for life

“

We not only deliver food, but we help deliver babies,” announced popular US food chain Chick-fil-A on Facebook, sharing a sweet picture of a baby girl who was delivered in their washroom. The astonishing incident happened as employees at the Chick-fil-A store in San Antonio, Texas, were closing up for the night when they heard an urgent knock on their door. They never suspected that a few minutes later, they would be helping a woman give birth in their washroom. The story of the Chickfil-A birth was shared by the baby’s father, Robert Griffin, on Facebook and has since gone

massively viral. In a Facebook post that has garnered over 3 lakh ‘likes’, Robert details how he and his wife Maggie were on their way to the hospital when they stopped at the Chick-fil-A restaurant to drop off their elder daughters with a friend. “Maggie was in active labor and said she really had to go to the bathroom,” he wrote. So after he dropped off his daughters with his friend, Robert went inside the restaurant to look for his wife. “The manager said. ‘She’s in the restroom and she’s screaming.’ So there we were, my wife and I in a tiny stall in the bathroom, and I could see the top of our little girl’s head crowning as Maggie was

straddling the toilet,” he wrote. Robert writes that after asking the manager to call 911 and bring clean towels, he began to help Maggie deliver the baby. “When she got to the shoulders, I realized the chord was wrapped around her neck twice. I didn’t want to alert my wife, so just told her try to relax for a minute and I was somehow able to unwrap the chord from the baby’s neck,” he wrote. Fortunately, their baby girl Gracelyn Mae Violet Griffin - was born healthy and without any other complications in the Chickfil-A washroom. As they waited for the paramedics to arrive, the Chick-fil-A staff warmed up towels to keep the baby cosy. The incredible “Chick-fil-A birth”, as it has come to be known, has amazed the Internet. “Wonderful! Loved reading every detail!” wrote one commenter. “Congratulations on such a beautiful baby girl” said another. According to local reports, little Gracelyn Mae Violet Griffin has been offered free food by the franchise for life, as well as a guaranteed first job when she’s old enough to start working. (Source: ndtv)

Jackie Shroff directs traffic on Lucknow roads; Twitter applauds ‘Bhidu’

“

Muskuraiye, aap Lucknow meinhain” may be the official slogan associated with the City of Nawabs but that isn’t what actor Jackie Shroff was doing in the city recently. Residents of Lucknow witnessed an unusual sight when the actor got down from his car and directed traffic on the busy streets. A video of the 61-year-old guiding his car near the Rumi Darwaza was posted by the actor on Twitter and Instagram. It has since collected quite a few reactions from netizens who posted words of praise for their ‘Bhidu’. “Lucknow Traffic Control...”

the actor posted on his social media feeds. The video shows him walking in front of his car and guiding it further while controlling traffic around him. The video was shot by someone sitting inside the vehicle. Since being posted, the video has collected over 1,000 ‘likes’ on Twitter and more than 85,000 views on Instagram. Both posts are flooded with a flurry of comments for the actor. “Bhidu is absolutely a true human and that makes him Hero in real life,” commented one Instagram user. “That’s the reason why people love you,”

said another. Jackie Shroff is reportedly shooting for a Hindi remake of the Telugu film “Prasthaanam” in Lucknow. The film’s star cast also includes Sanjay Dutt and Manisha Koirala. (Source: firstpost)

Woman complains of back pain, doctors find almost 3,000 kidney stones

hen a 56-year-old woman recently went to a hospital complaining of back pain and fever, doctors were shocked to discover her right kidney was full of stones - almost 3,000 stones, to be precise. The incident took place at the Wujin hospital in Changzhou, in the Jiangsu province of China. The woman, identified only by her surname Zhang, complained of persistent back pain over the last week. Upon examination, doctors discovered her right kidney was full of kidney stones.

According to the Modern Express, doctors were able to successfully perform a surgery to remove the kidney stones. After that, it took nearly one hour for a trainee to count the number of stones - and the total was a shocking 2,980 kidney stones. Zhang, who has had kidney stones for years, reportedly could not believe the high number. According to Guinness World Records, the most number of kidney stones ever removed from a patient is 1,72,155 from Dhanraj Wadile in Maharashtra, India.

(Source: ndtv)

Man rides bike to police station with a knife in his skull, survives

n a bizarre and scary incident, a man was forced to ride his bike to a police station after he was stabbed in the head with a knife. The man, who rides a motorcycle taxi in Guangzhou, China, reportedly rode his bike with the knife embedded in skull for about 20 minutes. He eventually made it to a hospital where he was treated for his injuries and is expected to make a full recovery. The man, identified as Qin, was stabbed with an 8-inch knife by a passenger following an altercation. Qin was forced to ride his bike to the nearest police station since no one was around to help him. He was eventually rushed

to a hospital after police officers alerted emergency services. Doctors performed a nearly fivehour-long surgery on the 33-yearold and removed the knife from his skull, reports Shanghaiist. According to a local daily, the knife did not hit any vital blood vessels. Qin is reportedly in stable condition. Earlier in April, a woman in China took a bus to the hospital even as a pair of scissors pierced through her skull. The 57-yearold claimed she felt no pain, only numbness in her head. Doctors eventually performed two surgeries on her to safely remove the scissors from her skull. (Source: Deccan Chronicle)

Zoo paints black stripes onto donkeys to make them look like zebras

ohamed Sultan denies that the animal at the International Gardens Park in Cairo is a fake despite experts saying that they look like donkeys. Mahmoud Sarhan, 18, took pictures of the animals during a visit last weekend and it appears that some of the stripes have rubbed off. Mahmoud said, “We finished our tour then we decided to take some pictures. When we went to the zebra side, there was only one zebra. It came to us and the other one didn’t move, but when he came near to me, I realised from the first look that it was a painted donkey not a zebra. People might realise that from the stripes. I sure felt shocked when people phoned me and asked me about this.”

A number of vets have said that they believe it is a painted donkey despite Sultan’s insistence that it isn’t a fake. It wouldn’t be the first time that this has happened. In 2009, a zoo in Gaza reportedly painted two donkeys black and white to replace zebras that had died of starvation. (Source: metro.co)

Review

G PLUS | Jul 28 - AUG 03, 2018

Starring: Tom Cruise, Henry Cavill, Simon Pegg, Ving Rhames, etc. Director: Christopher McQuarrie

e're back for the sixth episode of Ethan Hunt's continued battle against the bad guys and, good lord, if it hasn't just gone and delivered the best action film of the year so far. Fallout is the perfect Mission of the Impossible sequel; so good that it will probably make your knees wobble and ankles heal. Whether you're a die-hard fan of these films or not, there are e more than enough wow factors w Movi vie to leave a lasting impression on e R you. The 56-year-old Tom Cruise defies age and pushes his physical boundaries. Writer and director Christopher McQuarrie let each character glimmer while building on their history with each other, thus making them charming to the audience. Mission: Impossible – Fallout Not only are the action

sequences in the film scrupulously planned; they are executed with meticulousness, even when the fist fights are rough and ghastly. The film has been set and shot in Kashmir – but our censor board has well ensured that the word ‘Kashmir’ is never spoken in the film. For his newest magic trick, Tom Cruise learned to not only fly a helicopter, but to also singlehandedly perform stunts in it. The fact that the stunts are for the most part done with practical effects featuring the cast, and most significantly by Cruise himself, sets a whole new standard for action films. ‘Mission: Impossible – Fallout’ is a great mix of plot, swiftness and performances that are indisputably the best entry in the series, while recreating Cruise’s status as an action superstar. n

exile in London, where he runs the elegantly named nightclub - House of Lords. His character is a connoisseur practitioner of the family tradition of Russian roulette, and he plays the deadly game of chance better than any person in the world. However, Sanjay Dutt’s screen time is too less to feel his presence in the film especially in the first half. The royals of Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster 3 stand by incomprehensible traditions and look more ancient than a ‘70s film. It offers nothing more than an annoying headache. The movie’s 3rd part is certainly a question mark on Tigmanshu’s otherwise satisfactory screenplay and direction. It definitely makes for a really dull tale of relentless plotting, scheming and backstabbing.

Gadget Review

omio recently launched its X1 Note smartphone and is positioning the X1 Note as its current flagship, priced at Rs 9,999. The brand made its way to the Indian market late in 2017 with budget smartphones. When we see the word “Note” in a smartphone model name, we come to expect a big display and a good battery. The Comio X1 does have a big display but unexpectedly comes with a 2900mAh battery, which isn’t a lot compared to what is already being offered in the market.

Comio X1 Note design

The Comio X1 Note has a big 6-inch display making the body look elevated and slim. Colours on the phone are decent, but there’s no option to customise the output. The display also does not get satisfactorily bright when looked under the sun. The module has a dual camera setup and a single LED flash next to it. The fingerprint scanner is positioned below the module, along

Comio X1 Note

Story, Assamese 02:15 PM

Fallout 06:05 PM Mission: Impossible –

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Fallout, English 08:50 AM, 10:15 AM, 11:55 AM, 03:00 PM, 08:50 PM, 09:10 PM Nawabzaade 12:20 PM Ant-Man and the Wasp,

12:30 PM, 03:15 PM, 08:45 PM

Fallout, English 09:45 AM,

English, 3D 01:20 PM

Nawabzaade 01:15 PM, 09:00 PM

Dhadak 09:30 AM, 02:50

Dhadak 03:40 PM Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster

PM, 05:45 PM, 08:40 PM Soorma 03:30 PM

Anuradha Cineplex Noonmati 0361 2656968 Saheb Biwi Aur

Gangster 3 02:15 PM Mission: Impossible Fallout 05:15 PM Mission: Impossible – Fallout, English 11:30 AM, 08:15 PM

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with a Comio logo. The back cover is made of plastic and flexes inwards when pressed. It also picks up scratches easily. The box comes with a 5W charger, a pair of in-ear headphones, and a plastic screen protector. Apart from all this, on purchase, you get a 1-year warranty plus 100 extra days, a 30-day replacement guarantee, a one-time screen replacement, and a buyback

Mission: Impossible -

Sanju 12:10 PM

Skyscraper, English 06:30 PM

Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster 3

Dhadak 11:00 AM, 08:15 PM

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09:20 AM, 06:20 PM, 09:15 PM

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Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster 3

Starring: Sanjay Dutt, Jimmy Shergill, Mahie Gill Director: Tigmanshu Dhulia t’s the third edition of Saheb, Biwi Aur Gangster franchise where it’s survival of the wittiest and the wealthiest. The law of diminishing returns has finally caught up with one of the most unsuspecting film series in the recent reminiscence. The story revolves around a detained saheb, a politically influential biwi and a London based gangster, who makes everyone play the dangerous homicide game of Russian roulette. Director and cowriter Tigmanshu Dhulia wastes no time in setting the stage for an antagonistic drama of powerful men and women who will go to any extents to get what they want. The gangster of the plot in the movie is Sanjay Dutt, looking every inch of a Mumbai mobster rather than a former royal. Dutt’s character is living in a voluntary

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Comio X1 Note specifications, software, and features

The Comio X1 Note has 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage, out of which you have around 25GB for use. In case the internal storage isn’t enough, you do have the option to expand it using a microSD card of up to 128GB. Comio X1 Note comes with an Android 8.0 Oreo operating system. Additionally, it is a dual-SIM device and has two Nano-SIM slots and a dedicated microSD card slot. It can support 4G and VoLTE on both SIMs, but only one can access a 4G network at a time while the other is restricted to 2G networks only.

Comio X1 Note performance, battery life, and camera

An occasional lag is experienced while unlocking the phone, scrolling through menus, and multitasking. Even when launching games, load times are long. To keep your data secure, you have the option to lock it using a fingerprint or

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your face. The fingerprint scanner at the back is fairly quick to unlock the phone, but face recognition is slow. The X1 Note has a 2900mAh battery which doesn’t last very long. If you operate some navigation using Google Maps with GPS, an active WhatsApp account, and playing a few games, the phone will last less than a working day. The Camera app on the X1 Note is bare basic. It has toggles for HDR and Night mode, and these aren’t triggered automatically. You can choose between different filters, set a timer, or change flash settings. You also get a Panorama mode and a Portrait mode that lets you simulate different apertures.

Verdict

The Comio X1 Note’s old processor isn’t very powerful or efficient, which contributes to massive battery drain when using GPS or gaming. The camera specifications look good on paper but it fails to deliver good results. n

Entertainment

G PLUS | Jul 28 - AUG 03, 2018

Assamese film ‘Xhoixobote Assam’s Nilotpal Dhemalite’ releases in USA this week Bora to debut in

ssamese film “Xhoihobote Dhemalite,” which portrays children growing up in violent times and witnessing brutality around them, just had its commercial release in the USA on Friday, July 27. Semi-autobiographical in nature, Xhoihobote Dhemalite (Rainbow Fields) is inspired by true incidents from director Bidyut Kotoky’s life and features actors

like Victor Banerjee, Dipannita Sharma, Nakul Vaid, Naved Aslam, Nipon Goswami and Nikumoni Barua. The film released at Cine Grand Cinema Fremont (California) on July 27 and is scheduled for release at Cine Grand New Jersey on August 3. “This is perhaps for the first time that an Assamese film is releasing commercially in US,” said Kotoky. According to Kotoky, though

his film is based on the lives of children growing up in Assam in the 1980s, the story can be of children in conflict zones from any part of the world. The movie has also bagged five nominations at the Treasure Coast International Film Festival (TCIFF), Florida - best film, best director, best screenplay, best editing and best cinematography. Besides, it also got nominated in the best feature category at Australia’s World Film Festival - an event of independent films and in eight categories in the prestigious Love International Film Festival, the award ceremony for which was held on July 27 in Los Angeles. Last year, the film won the best foreign film award at the Hollywood International CineFest and was premiered in the Indian Panorama of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI), Goa. The film is produced by ‘India Stories’, a Mumbai-based production house and co-produced by Kotoky’s Dhruv Creative Productions and US-based Kurmasana Kreates.

Assam’s composer Anurag Saikia set for another sensation through Karwaan

ollywood hits aren’t new anymore for Assam’s music composer Anurag Saikia, but, he did it again. After having composed what was arguably the best song — ‘Prabhu Ji’ — for Akarsh Khurana’s High Jack earlier this year, Saikia is already winning hearts through the three tracks in another Khurana directed movie –Karwaan – that is set to hit the theatres on August 3. While in ‘Chhota Sa Fasana’, Karwaan director’s own pensive lyrics, Saikia produces a perfect theme for the road trip movie, in ‘Heartquake’ (in its original version) he delivers a proper winner beautifully crafted ditty through Papon’s husky voice. The composer gives the lyrics a new and very electronic treatment in the alternate version of the song ‘Aftershocks’ that also features another of the movie’s composers SlowCheeta on rap. SlowCheeta teams up with Shwetang Shankar (as he did in High Jack) to produce ‘Dhai Kilo Bakwaas’. Lot of wacky elements – including the failed attempt at the Malayalam accented English rapping — in between in the song, but nothing really stays with you at the end of it. Two more of the album’s songs go to the man who always manages to evoke a sense of nostalgia with his voice, melodies and words (though in an increasingly repetitive fashion) — Prateek Kuhad. ‘Kadam’ is

Hindi web series

ssam’s Nilotpal Bora, who had created sensation a few weeks ago through his Assamese song Majuli and earned about 1.6 million views on YouTube, is set to do it again - this time in Hindi. He recently sang his first Hindi song for TVF play’s latest web series Yeh Meri Family. Bora, who hails from a singer’s family, had it – the knack for music – young. In an earlier interview, he said, “I belong to a musical family and I was very closely associated with music since my childhood. Honestly speaking, when I was young I used to dislike music a lot.

There is a saying ‘anything in excess is likely bad’ and I think the same thing applied to me as well. I grew up in my uncle’s house and from morning to evening, I always used to see everyone practicing the ‘ragas’. Be it any occasion, people from our locality used to come to our place for practice sessions. Listening to music day and night led to a point where I found music noisy. And that was my first-hand impression on music so my answer to your question would be ‘no’ here.” Bora is the voice behind many amazing compositions besides Majuli such as Ghormua Pokhi and much more.

Two-day State Film Awards Festival to begin from July 28

T everything you associate with Kuhad’s trademark style — gentle guitar work, a soothing voice all putting you into a pleasant lull. ‘Saansein’ on the other hand has a relatively richer arrangement — piano being the mainstay of the arrangement — and is more road trip-y in its disposition. ‘Bhar De Hamaara Glass’ comes from Imaad

Shah, with Saba Azad behind the mic — which is surprisingly not under the label of their collective act Madboy/Mink. A bit laid back and immersive in comparison with the duo’s usual songs, the packaging is a similar mix of retro jazziness with contemporary electronic elements — and the end result is immensely engaging.

he 83-year-old legacy of Assam Film Industry will be honoured by the Assam State Film (Finance & Development) Corporation Ltd. in association with the State Cultural Affairs Ministry through the State Film Awards ceremony and Film Festival for the year 2018 at the Srimanta Sankaradeva Kalakshetra, Panjabari on July 28 and 29. The programmes on both days are scheduled to begin at 5 pm. Chief Minister, Sarbananda Sonowal and Cultural Affairs Minister, Naba Doley will be the chief guest and distinguished guest respectively on the occasion. The awards to be given away during the event comprise two years viz. 2015-2016 and 2016-2017. Notably, awards in each category would be given separately for each year i.e., for films between 20152016 and 2016-2017. The films to be screened during the festival are Dr Bezbaruah,

Dinabandhu and Bowari on July 28 and Chameli Memsaab, Haladhiya Charaye Baodhan Khai and Village Rockstars on July 29. The festival aims at encouraging the production of films of aesthetic excellence and social relevance, contributing to understanding and appreciation of films and promoting the integration and unity of the state. A total of 36 awards will be given away comprising both the competitive sections. The awards for each category are named after the legends who had made contributions in the respective categories. Moreover, a new list of awards is also included in the Feature Film Section, namely, Abdul Mazid Award for the Best Debut Director, Biju Phukan Award for the Best Debut Actor (Male/Female) and Jayanta Hazarika Award for Outstanding Contribution to Assamese Cinema.

Fun

G PLUS | Jul 28 - AUG 03, 2018

Horoscope of the week The sun, newly in your communication zone, moves to align with restless Uranus in a more private sector, which could make you determined to speak your truth whether others want to hear it or not. However, there are times when others may prefer a more sensitive approach to key conversations.

With delectable Venus in your sector of talk and thought making an edgy link to ethereal Neptune in your zone of far horizons, you may be taken by the beauty and mystique of a certain place. If peace is what you seek, research the details if you’re booking a vacation. The photos may look wonderful, but the reality could be different.

With the sun in your sign angling toward electric Uranus in your career sector, a desire to enhance your reputation and status could lead to an impulsive move. While it can be a good idea to grab opportunities, be sure your decision will benefit you. Inquisitive Mercury turns retrograde in your sign on Wednesday, which could cause delays.

Chatty Mercury, your guide planet, enters its retrograde phase in your spiritual sector on Wednesday and will remain so for approximately three weeks. This phase can be an opportunity to go back into the past and resolve an issue that may have been holding you back.

Sweet Venus, your personal planet, in your spiritual zone opposes elusive Neptune in your lifestyle sector on Tuesday, so you may find it hard to say no if someone asks for help. If they ask on a regular basis, don’t feel guilty about nipping this in the bud. Once is fine, but you could feel drained if it happens too often.

Sultry Venus opposes ethereal Neptune in your creativity and romance zone, so your imagination could fuel unrealistic ideas. You could fantasize that someone has feelings for you even if it isn’t true. In fact, it might be wise not to assume anything until you have the facts at your fingertips.

The desire to get away from it all could grow very strong this week as the sun in your travel zone angles toward electric Uranus your sector of work and routine. You could be too restless to complete all your projects. It would be helpful to find a way to channel this energy if you want to increase your productivity. Getting away from it all can work magic, too.

You could find an item very alluring and be eager to satisfy your desire to purchase it. However, with luscious Venus opposing nebulous Neptune in your money zone, there is a chance that the luster could wear off very quickly. Wait a few days. You may wonder why you were so interested, and the delay could save you some money!

With the sun in your relationship sector linking to restless Uranus, you could find it hard to be patient with certain people. Family members may be your primary peeve, but friends could be right up there, too. What might help is channeling your energy into exercise, whether that means walking or working out. Doing so can help you feel much more tolerant.

With sultry Venus in your sector of relating opposing ethereal Neptune in your sign, someone could be uncertain about how you feel about them. You might need to state your feelings clearly or the confusion could continue and affect your association.

Which legendary musical act’s last live performance was on the rooftop of the premises at 3, Abbey Road, London?

Which northeastern National Park is named after a local serpent goddess?

curio-city

Which northeastern state has a lottery game based on results in archery?

Which is Pakistan’s largest party in terms of membership?

Which athlete is known as Dhing Express?

Identify this legendary Indian footballer? Dr. Soubhadra Chakrabarty This quiz has been brought to you by Brain Jam, a property of Priya Communications

Doonesbury By Garry Trudeau

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1. The Beatles, on top of the Abbey Road Recording Studios 2. Manas National Park, after Manasa 3. Teer in Meghalaya 4. Tehreek e Insaaf, Imran Khan’s party 5. Assam’s golden girl Hima Das 6. Mohammed Salim, the first Indian to play in Europe. He played for the Glasgow Celtics in 1938.

curio-city

Sudoku

Lovely Venus, your guide planet, makes an awkward tie to nebulous Neptune, so you could find yourself taken in by someone’s charming persona. Don’t immediately jump at the chance of an offer or date because things may not be quite as they seem. There is a lunar eclipse in your sector of career and goals on Friday that could influence your home life as well.

Your leisure and social axis is very much in focus this week, and this could coincide with certain developments. Lively Mercury turns retrograde in your leisure zone on July 25 and remains so for around three weeks, so you might feel moved to get back in touch with a hobby or other pastime that you enjoyed in your younger years, and you might even take it up again.

Word of the week vogie adjective [voh-gee] conceited; proud.

Crossword Across

Down

5 Loud discordant sounds (9) 8 Nose candy (4) 9 In the open air (8) 10 Showing religious commitment (6) 11 Conditional early release of a prisoner (6) 13 Owing money (2,4) 15 Casualty of a crime (6) 16 Mulish (8) 18 Washing facility (4) 19 Make an inventory (4,5)t

1 Pay attention (4,4) 2 Withdraw from a situation (3,3) 3 Talk flirtatiously (4,2) 4 Loosen (4) 6 Temporary insurance certificate (5,4) 7 Exceptionally clever (9) 12 Trekker’s baggage (8) 14 Small gardening tool (6) 15 Conceitedness (6) 17 Talk indiscreetly (4)

Last week’s solution

Lifestyle

G PLUS | Jul 28 - AUG 03, 2018

Precautions to take while converting part of the house

t often becomes necessary to convert a room of the house into a shop, garage or letting out for rent. Vaastu principles are ignored quite often while doing this. As a result, the owner (and sometimes the tenant too) has to

suffer the wraths of Vaastu.

North facing house

If a room has to be separated at a house facing North, it must be built in the Northwest at North. A compound wall must be built from

the room’s wall to the Northern compound wall shutting off the Northwest corner. There should not be a door connecting the main house from that room at Northwest because, in that case, the house will have an entrance from the

Northern Northwest which is a Vaastu defect.

East facing house

Whenever a room has to be separated in an East facing house, it should be done at Southeast corner only. Doing so at the Northeastern corner will lead to the closure or blockade of the Northeastern corner of the house. A compound wall has to be built from the Southeastern wall to the boundary wall at south closing the Southeastern movement. There should not be a connecting door at the room at southeast with the main house because it will have an entrance from the eastern southeast in that case which is a defect.

South facing house

In a South facing house, if a room has to be separated, the same must be done at the South-western corner at South only. The walls of this room should be extended towards Hemanta Kumar Sarmah south to the Engineer, Businessman, boundary so Advanced Pranic Healer and Su Jok Acupressure that there is specialist. no passage to the compound from both the sides of the room because they are the Southwestern sides. Needless to say, the main

Cholesterol

he term cholesterol is derived from Steroid and Alcohol. Both these words evoke a sense of excitation although from the health point of view nothing is exciting about Cholesterol. There isn’t much good to talk about Cholesterol but the emergence of cholesterol as a risk factor and its management is an interesting story. Cholesterol is a normal constituent of the cell wall. It is fat soluble and always needs the company of fats to be transported in the body fluids. These are packaged as Lipoproteins and depending on their constituents, they are given various names. The most important categories are: 1. LDL Cholesterol: This is known as bad cholesterol and is the prime target of all interventions. 2. HDL Cholesterol: This is known as good cholesterol. High levels are considered protective although there are no pharmacologic measures to increase it. 3. Triglyceride: Although we define a range of normalcy for it, the association between high levels

and cardiac disease is not strong. It’s more of a surrogate marker for cardiac risk as Obesity and Diabetes are two leading causes of elevated Triglycerides. Cholesterol can be derived from diet but the majority of it is manufactured in the body. The contribution of dietary cholesterol to serum levels is now under question and a low/cholesterol free diet may not have any significant effect on serum cholesterol levels. The food industry has thrived on low cholesterol substitutes and it would be difficult to get this idea out of people’s mind and the supermarket shelves. We may never have a final word on it but in my opinion, low cholesterol diet isn’t the answer. Liver is the site of cholesterol manufacturing and from here it’s transported to tissues and back. The LDL component favours the deposition of cholesterol in the peripheral tissues; the most remarkable aspect of this is the process of Atherosclerosis. Athero means blood vessel and sclerosis means hardening. It’s a process by which our vessels are coated by fibro fatty tissue leading to luminal narrowing and vessel wall weakness.

This causes compromise of blood supply to vital organs and is the most important underlying cause for heart disease and stroke. Cholesterol is central to the process of Atherosclerosis and currently the most important target for pharmacotherapy. HDL Cholesterol is involved in a reverse process to LDL, carrying cholesterol from periphery to the liver. Low HDL Cholesterol is one of the markers used for Metabolic Syndrome which is a complex of five factors for cardiac disease. There have been attempts to raise HDL levels by drugs but all has been futile. It’s interesting to note that the major cause for low HDL is Diabetes and Obesity and like Triglyceride it may be a surrogate marker for cardiac disease. Alcohol in small amount may help raise the HDL levels but this has never reached the prescription stage. If it wasn’t for a drug which could drastically decrease the LDL levels, the cholesterol theory may never have gained this momentum. And that magic drug class is Statin. It’s been more than three decades now and it’s still the only class which is the first line therapy for cholesterol. In fact, it’s not just for cholesterol but a protection for the heart irrespective of Cholesterol levels. The indications have reached this far. (We will discuss more about Cholestrol and Statins in next edition.) Dr Rakesh Periwal Critical Care Medicine and Sleep Specialist drperiwal@gmail.com

house should not be connected with a door with this room at Southwest as we know that entering the house form Southwest is very bad.

West facing house

A room should be separated at the Western-Southwest corner only in a west facing house. Compound walls from both sides of the room have to be built up to the boundary wall at West thus shutting off the movement from the Southwest into the compound. Here also, the main house should not be connected with the room through a door as it will cause a Vaastu flaw. If a door already exists, it should be kept locked/closed as a door at Southwest is very bad.

A few tips for the puja room

Do not keep leather items in the puja room. Do not use stale flowers or smell them before offering for puja. However, Tulsi leaves and Gangajal are never considered stale and can be used anytime. When not in use, say at night, the puja room should be kept closed and curtains should be drawn over the windows. Do not keep broken or chipped idols in the puja room.

Eggless Chocolate Cake If you want to make an impression on your family with a nice homemade eggless chocolate cake this Sunday, you’re in luck; we’ve got just the right recipe for you. Whether you’re an amateur baker or a pro, you can never go wrong with this simple chocolate cake recipe.

Ingredients 1) 1 Cup Flour 2) 6 tbsp Cocoa Powder 3) ½ tbsp Baking Powder 4) 3/4th Cup Sugar (Crushed) 5) ½ Cup Oil 6) 1/4th Cup Milk 7) 1/4th Cup Curd 8) 1/4th Cup Hot Coffee 9) 1 tbsp Vanilla Essence

Method Take an empty bowl and begin by adding all the dry ingredients to it, starting with 1 cup flour, 6 tbsp cocoa powder, ½ tbsp baking powder and 3/4th cup powdered sugar. Once you have added all the dry ingredients, muddle them up with a spatula properly. Then add ½ cup of oil to it (refined oil preferably), along with 1/4th cup of milk and 1/4th cup of curd. Whisk everything properly in circular motion and make sure you whisk in a single direction until the batter looks properly blended. Now add 1/4th cup of hot

coffee and 1 tbsp vanilla essence and again whisk until the batter has the right consistency. It should be fluffy and thick, not very runny or watery. It should be nicely blended. Once your cake batter is ready, grease your baking container with some butter and pour the batter into it. Now pre-heat oven to 170 degree Celsius and bake the cake for 30-35 minutes. Once it is warm and baked, add a coat of Nutella or chocolate ganache of your choice on top of the cake. Your cake is ready to be served!

(Note: Use the same size of cup and tablespoon for all the ingredients to get the measurements right.)

Buzz

G PLUS | Jul 28 - AUG 03, 2018

NASA, ISRO scientists to participate in IIT-G Techniche fest

cientists from NASA and ISRO are going to chair a discussion on the latest developments in space sciences and technology during the 20th edition of the annual techno-management fest of IIT Guwahati - Techniche. According to the organizers, the panel discussion at IIT Guwahati which is to be attended by these scientists, will take place on September 1 during Techniche. The topic of discussion will be “Space Colonization Does a future await us light years away?” with the center of discussion being about mankind’s attempts at setting up space colonies and the feasibility of such a venture. Space colonization has been a hot subject of debate in the field of

astronomy for years now and through this panel discussion, IIT Techniche aims to bring out the particulars of the topic to an extensive audience in the presence of distinguished scientists working in the domain of space, who’ve been working on this for years to achieve this dream of a life outside our planet earth.

The panellists will share their views on the agenda as they seek to unravel the aura of space colonization. The convener of Techniche 2018, Purvish Shah said, “This is a proud moment and a huge step for us. With the recent attempts by SpaceX and numerous other private and public organizations, the prospect of space colonization requires a wider audience.” The dates for Guwahati IIT’s Techniche 2018 are August 30 to September 2 and it will take place at the IIT Guwahati campus. The events during Techniche will include workshops, technical exhibitions, guest lectures, technical competitions, literary events including Model United Nations. n

Young Assamese entrepreneur bags Asia Inspiration Award

ironmoy Gogoi, who hails from Sivasagar in Assam, has been selected for Asia Inspiration Award by International Youth Committee in association with the Youth Ministry of Sri Lanka for his start up “Ghar Ka Khana.” Gogoi, along with 20 others from all over the world, will receive the award formally at Colombo in November this year. Gogoi’s start-up, a food delivery business, started from Rupahi in 2016. Situated about 139 kms from Guwahati, Rupahi is a town in upper Assam’s Sivasagar District. The start up has received accolades from all over the world. The award, besides recognising his feat, has also appreciated the hardships and challenges that Gogoi has had to overcome to establish his business.

Gogoi took to Facebook to share his feelings, “OMG! This was the first reaction when I got notified that I am selected for Asia Inspiration Award for showing a great inspirational journey despite a lot of barriers in my life. This recognition is to honour my undying passion and desire to influence this world even after losing a lot from life. Friends, I am glad that according to reports I will be receiving this award from the honourable Prime Minister of Sri Lanka alongside the presence of UN official or any higher level dignitary from the South Asian Countries in the month of Nov 2018 at Colombo, Sri Lanka. This recognition has been initiated by International Youth Committee, a global youth org who works with United Nations SDGs and in collaboration with Ministry of Youths, Govt of Sri

10-day training camp organised by the NCC 60 Bn under the aegis of the NC group Headquarters, Guwahati at South Point School recently concluded. As many as 350 girl cadets along with NCC officers from different districts of the state attended the camp. The camp was organised in order to develop all-round personality of the NCC cadets. The participants were taught drills, firing, map reading and self defence. Apart from this, they were also made aware about disaster management, personal

hygiene, fire safety, legal rights of the girl child and sanitation through lectures conducted on these topics. The concluding day of the camp was marked by a cultural programme. Brigadier Akshat Arora, SM, group commander NCC Group Headquarters was the chief guest for the occasion. During the programme, prizes for various categories were also distributed to the cadets. Guwahati College bagged the overall champion award in the senior wing while St Mary’s School bagged the championship in the junior wing. n

Ranking Table Tennis meets inaugurated in city

Lanka. A big thanks to all of them. Thank you IYC and other associated wings.” Meanwhile, congratulations started showering from various Facebook and Twitter users to Gogoi. n

Assam paddler Trisha to represent India in world junior TT meet pcoming table tennis player from the state, Trisha Gogoi, will represent the Indian team at the World Junior Circuit Jordan Junior and Cadet Open TT Championship, which will be held at Amman from July 25 to 29. Prior to this, Trisha has represented the country in other international championships which were held in Czech Republic,

10-day NCC camp concludes

Maldives and Bangkok. Her selection in the World Junior Circuit Jordan and Cadet Open was based on her performance in domestic as well as international tournaments during the past years. The president of Assam Table Tennis Association (ATTA), Mriganka Barman, congratulated Trisha for achieving the feat on behalf of the organisation. n

he 5th Nagen Hazarika and 9th RG Baruah All Assam Major Ranking Table Tennis Tournaments got off to a colourful start at the Deshbhakta Tarun Ram Phookan Indoor Stadium in the RG Baruah Sports Complex on July 26, Thursday. The tournament, being organised by the Assam Table Tennis Association (ATTA), will witness participation of over 300 players from districts and affiliated units including Duliajan, Dibrugarh, Sivasagar, Jorhat, Golaghat, Nagaon, Silchar, Guwahati, NF Railway and OIL. Inaugurating the championship, Member Secretary of the State Level Advisory Committee for Students’ and Youth Welfare, Lakhya Konwar, said that sportspersons should take their own events very seriously and in a professional way. “Sports keep people physically and mentally fit, they can serve the society and the nation in a healthy way. But they should be sincere and serious in their business,” Konwar said. Among the noted persons present on the occasion were senior advocate Bijan Mahajan

and former international paddler Modalasha Baruah. Speaking on the occasion, Mahajan urged the youngsters to put in full effort so that they can become leading players of the country. The daughter of Nagen Hazarika also spoke during the occasion. ATTA vice president Rajib Sarma, treasurer Nayanjyoti Sarma, GSA president Munin Nobis, former international TT player Nandini Baruah, former players Writick Saikia, Sankar Dutta Lahkar and Carfew Roy were also present on the occasion. Addressing the gathering during the inaugural function, ATTA secretary Tridib Duvarah spoke about the golden past of the Assam table tennis. “It is after a lot of effort that the organisation has been able to bring back at least some glory by producing players like Trisha Gogoi, Agniv Bhaskar Gohain, Birdie Boro, among others,” he said. The death of noted photographer and former State TT player Jayanta Dutta was also condoled during the opening ceremony. n

Events

G PLUS | Jul 28 - AUG 03, 2018

July 28, Saturday Unplugged Night with Pallavi Underdoggs Sports Bar 8PM onwards

July 28, Saturday

Event:

Bollywood Club Night

Miss and Mrs Glam Northeast

ft. CAS

Date: July 17, Tuesday Venue: Pragjyotish ITA Centre, Machkhowa

Dunkin Oza 7PM onwards

July 28, Saturday Classic Rock Pub Tour 2018 Cafe Hendrix 8PM onwards

Event:

Monsoon Blast Promo Party

Date: July 21, Saturday Venue: Terra Mayaa

July 28, Saturday Time Lapse ft. Gurudev NYX, Hotel Palacio 8PM onwards

July 28, Saturday Social Saturday ft. DJ Evan The Socialite 8PM onwards

July 28, Saturday Freedom Blast ft. Ananda Club XS 7PM onwards

Event:

Big Bollywood Night ft. DJ Markuz Date: July 21, Saturday Venue: Dunkin Oza

Event:

DJ Prikha Live

Date: July 21, Saturday Venue: Underdoggs Sports Bar

July 29, Sunday Unplugged Night ft. Parwaaz The Socialite 8PM onwards

Catching Up

G PLUS | Jul 28 - AUG 03, 2018