Vol 6 Issue 11 by G Plus

@guwahatiplus www.guwahatiplus.com

INSIDE

Volume 06 | Issue 11 Jan 05 - Jan 11, 2019 Price `10

BJP already on electioneering mode in NE

The Rising Graph of Guwahati’s crimes in 2018

PG. 2

Bharalu River remains highly polluted even after 10 yrs

Saumya Mishra saumya.mishra@g-plus.in

decade ago, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) declared the Bharalu river as one of the most polluted rivers in the country, however, its levels of pollution remain dismal even after 10 years. Data obtained by the Pollution Control Board of Assam (PCBA) for three recent consecutive months shows that the river fares badly on all parameters which are used to measure water quality index and the level of pollution in water.

Biological Oxygen Demand As per the data, the biological oxygen demand (BOD) of Bharalu remained much higher than the prescribed level. The BOD measures the quality of river water, especially the population of coliform bacteria or disease-causing bacteria. As per the CPCB, a water body with BOD of more than 6 milligram per litre is considered to be polluted. However, while Bharalu’s BOD levels decreased over the course of three months, it still remained much above the prescribed limit. In August last year, the river recorded a BOD of 26, while in September this figure was 14 and it decreased to 9.3 in October.

A report by Nehal Jain PG. 12-13

Respiratory diseases top the list for Guwahati in 2018

Coliform Bacteria Further, the Bharalu river has also recorded presence of coliform bacteria at a large scale. While the limit of total coliform is less than 5000 most probable number (mpn) per 100 ml, Bharalu river recorded total coliform of a whopping 2,40,000 mpn per 100 ml in August. Additionally, this figure was 2,40,000 in September and 1,10,000 in October. This suggests presence of high level of contamination and disease-causing pathogens ion the water. Similarly, the river also showed presence of large amount of faecal coliform which is the presence of bacteria and other pathogens in faeces. The maximum permissible limit for faecal coliform is 2500 mpn per 100 ml. But the PCBA data showed faecal coliform of 2,40,000 in August in Bharalu river. However, it dropped to 1,10,000 in September and further declined to 46,000 in October. The CPCB had conducted a study across India in 2008 and declared Bharalu as among the 71 most polluted rivers in India. Experts say that since then, although the government has taken some measures to reduce the levels of pollution, a lot still needs to be done to improve the quality of river, its aquatic life and its surrounding ecosystem. n

related stories on pg 4

2 Lead Story Snippets ISRO to set up centre in Bhutan to counter China

G PLUS | JAN 05 - JAN 11, 2019

BJP already in electioneering mode in NE The 4th January Vijay Sankalp rally of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Silchar is about kick-starting the poll campaign from the eastern part of India. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) wants to ensure maximum seats in the coming general elections so that the seats that they lose in other states can be compensated for.

ndia is setting up a satellite tracking and data reception centre in Bhutan that will also strategically serve to counter a similar Chinese facility in the region. The Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) ground station in Bhutan is likely to double up as “a strategic asset” for the country, given its location between India and China. ISRO’s ground station in Bhutan is intended to help the Himalayan state take advantage of the South Asia Satellite, it is also India’s way of counterbalancing the Chinese station in Tibet. China has established an advanced satellite tracking centre and astronomical observatory at Ngari in Tibet Autonomous Region, about 125 km away from the Line of Actual Control, which serves as the de-facto border between India and China.

Consensual Sex between live-in partners not rape if man fails to marry: Supreme Court

he Supreme Court has held that rape charges cannot be invoked in case of consensual sex between live-in partners after a relationship ends and the man fails to marry the girl due to circumstances beyond his control. The bench passed the order while quashing criminal proceedings against a government doctor in Maharashtra against whom an FIR was lodged by a nurse working under him. A bench of justices AK Sikri and S Abdul Nazeer said that when live-in partners are living together out of love and having consensual sex under the promise of marriage, then the woman cannot be allowed to initiate criminal proceedings for rape in case of breakdown of a relationship without tying the knot. It said that such cases could be termed as a case of breach of promise to marry rather than a case of a false promise to marry.

NEDA 3rd Conclave | G Plus Photo Chetan Bhattarai

ith the Congress decimated from the whole of northeast (after Mizoram), the BJP and its partners are trying to win maximum of the 25 seats from the region. The Vijay Sankalp Yatra has started and this rally in Silchar is the clarion call for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. The dismal performance of BJP in the recent by-elections across the country has brought down its tally from 282 seats to 271 seats in the Lok Sabha. They have already lost 11 seats that they had won in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. Interestingly, party president Amit Shah has set a target of 350 seats for the BJP workers. At current sentiments and after the loss in three states of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, winning 350 seats looks like an uphill task for the BJP. Anything above 250 Lok Sabha seats would make BJP limp back to power with help of the coalition partners. The emergence of Rahul Gandhi

Party eyeing 19 of the 25 seats in fray in a new attacking avatar has become a headache for BJP as the Congress president has been a vocal critic of the prime minister and has been tenacious in his attacks. Gandhi has managed to revive the Congress apparatus to an extent and has managed to set the political tone. But the organization still remains in tatters in most of the states. Barring a few states there are no strong, second rung leaders in Congress to run the show. Its real litmus test lies just a few months away. The BJP, on the other hand claims to be the world’s largest political organisation in terms of membership. Its organisation base is strong in most of the major states and it has a battery of leaders who keep the workers and the party busy with organisational activities. But elections are about people’s sentiments and taking sides, and right now the BJP can only hope that the voters are

with them. They have a more dangerous predicament lurking – losing the power and esteem. Coming back to the northeast, the Silchar rally was important for BJP, as the state has been witnessing a large number of protests by various organisations against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2016. The BJP in the state and centre has been widely criticized for bringing out the bill. But the bill saw support in the Barak Valley and so the BJP is taking advantage of this support and has timed the Modi rally well. Moreover, just a day before the rally, the union cabinet’s decision to set up the high level committee to implement Clause 6 of the Assam Accord adds more to BJP’s commitment on being Assamcentric. As per Assam finance minister and North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) Convenor, Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma, the BJP and its allies can expect to win 19

of the 25 Lok Sabha seats from the northeast. As per Dr Sarma, the northeastern states and eastern India are going to contribute handsomely to the BJP’s kitty in 2019. From the northeast, BJP had won eight seats in the 2014 general elections. Getting 19 would mean an addition of 11 seats. BJP won 7 of the 14 seats in Assam and 1 seat in Arunachal Pradesh. So which are the 11 seats that the BJP and its partners are probable of winning or trying to wrest back from their opponents? Let’s take them apart state by state.

Tripura (2 seats)

Given the party’s performance in local polls in Tripura, under the leadership of chief minister Biplab Kumar Deb the BJP is confident of bagging both the seats there. In the last polls the seats were won by the Communist Party of India (Marxist). Comparing vote shares won’t reveal much in Tripura as the state is slowly transforming into a BJP stronghold with opposition party workers joining BJP en-masse.

Lead Story

G PLUS | JAN 05 - JAN 11, 2019

of the Sangma family and has been earlier represented by his father PA Sangma. The extra seat with Congress will be for contention and the BJP and NPP would love to take it.

Nagaland (1 seat)

The Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) holds the Nagaland seat that it won in a by-poll. It is a part of the NPF that also has support base in Manipur and is a NEDA member.

Arunachal Pradesh (1 seat) Home to Kiren Rijiju, minister of state for defence, the BJP already has the Arunachal West. They now just need to get the Arunachal East which is currently under Ninon Ering of the Congress. The last election saw a neck to neck fight between Tapir Gao (BJP) and Ninon Ering. The BJP is already in a strong footing in Arunachal Pradesh under chief minister Pema Khandu who switched to BJP in 2016. Of now, he seems to be comfortable in the BJP camp.

Manipur (2 seats)

Of the two seats in Manipur, if the BJP manages an understanding with the Naga People’s Front for the Outer Manipur seat the tide can be towards NDA. The Inner Manipur Lok Sabha seat can be a tough battle for the NDA with the UPA-led mahagathbandhan in play.

Assam (9 seats)

In Assam, BJP has to retain its 7 seats and as per ground reports some of these constituencies may see change of candidates. There has been unhappiness brewing among the voters and some of the incumbents have not fared well. Given the population pattern and the current sentiments the BJP can at best get two more seats. Moreover, the partnership with AGP will be deciding factor in some of the seats. A break-up might not be favourable for the BJP as this election will be a very tight one and it needs everyone. The Karimganj Lok Sabha Constituency is what the BJP wants to get back from All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF). Krishna Das lost to Radheshyam Biswas from AIUDF. It will not be an easy call as AIUDF might come into a secret understanding with the Congress to spoil BJP’s plans. The Modi rally in Silchar was to improve the vote share of the BJP in the Cachar and the Karimganj seats. Though a traditional Congress bastion, Barpeta is another seat that the BJP will be trying to snatch from AIUDF. Chandra Mohan Patwory, the present state industry minister was defeated by Sirajuddin Ajmal, who is the brother of Badruddin Ajmal (AIUDF chief). The percentage

of votes that the BJP candidate received suggests a BJP wave in Barpeta. In 2014, it was the AGP candidate Phani Bhusan Choudhury who spoilt the BJP game. He is now in Sarbananda Sonowal’s cabinet. The BJP and AGP are in a tricky coalition in the state but the recent defeat in the panchayat polls has reduced AGP’s bargaining power. A good understanding between the partners can bring the seat to BJP’s fold. And if the AGP decides to discontinue the coalition and put up a candidate, the seat might go to the AIUDF or surprisingly to the Congress. The most prized seat that the BJP will try to get is the Kaliabor constituency represented by Gaurav Gogoi, son of three-time Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi. BJP might give the seat to AGP (if coalition remains) just to break the Congress morale. A contender in the form of Keshav Mahanta, AGP leader and cabinet minister in the present coalition can bring the fight to Gaurav’s doorsteps. It can turn into a tough battle for this Rahul Gandhi banner man with the AGP and BJP plotting to have the last laugh in Kaliabor. Of the 10 assembly constituencies in Kaliabor Lok Sabha, the Congress has four (4), the BJP two (2), AGP three (3) and AIUDF one (1). If AIUDF leans towards Congress and the BJPAGP put up a coalition front it will be a neck and neck fight in Kaliabor where the results can’t be predicted till the last counting hours. But these are mere ifs and buts which the election juggernaut is made up of and keeps changing with every passing day.

Mizoram (1 seat)

The recent win of Mizo National Front (MNF) who is part of NEDA confirms the lone seat for the coalition. Given the performance of the Congress in the recent state polls, this seat will go to the NDA.

Meghalaya (1 seat)

In Meghalaya it is chief minister Conrad Sangma’s National People’s Party that would be trying to retain the famous Tura Lok Sabha seat. NPP is in alliance in the state and in the centre with BJP. It has been the home ground

Sikkim (1 seat)

The Sikkim Lok Sabha constituency has been with the Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) since 1996. The SDF is a part of the NDA and this seat is not going anywhere soon. After this state-wise break-up, if all goes well it seems that the BJP and the allies will manage to win give and take 17-18 seats out of the 25. On the other hand, the tables may turn against the BJP and its allies, especially in Assam,

as the AIUDF and Congress’s understanding could be seen during the panchayat polls. So, if AIUDF decides to ruin BJP’s party, all it has to do is let Congress win in some seats and put up candidates to eat BJP’s share of votes in tight constituencies. Also, the coalition with AGP and the seatsharing arrangement is another headache for the BJP. It seems it would be an interesting 2019 Lok Sabha elections for the northeast this time. n

4 Concern

G PLUS | JAN 05 - JAN 11, 2019

Guwahatians severely suffer from water-borne diseases

he second most common ailment which troubled Guwahatians during the past year was acute diarrhoeal diseases including acute gastroenteritis. A total of 24,757 cases were registered for the same during the past year. According to experts, diarrhoeal infection is one of the most common forms of infections in the country. It especially affects children below the age of five years and is also a leading reason in their deaths. Joint director of health services of Kamrup (Metro), Ganesh Saikia, informed that apart from Japanese encephalitis which claimed 4 lives in 2018, no other disease recorded cases of deaths. “We saw that in Kamrup (Metro) only Japanese Encephalitis recorded a few deaths during the past year. Apart from this, there were no reported deaths under

any other diseases,” said Saikia. Diarrhoea is an infectious disease caused by a host of bacterial, viral and parasitic organisms which is mostly spread by contaminated water. The infection is more common in areas prone to unsanitary and unhygienic con-

ditions. In Kamrup (Metro), a large number of cases were also recorded for vector-borne diseases. Third highest cases were recorded for malaria with 22,713 cases being registered in the past year. n

Dog bite cases a major menace in 2018

n 2018, the city registered 6,548 cases of dog bites. In recent years, Guwahati has witnessed a tremendous rise in the stray dog population. This increase has led to an increase in instances of dog bites. While the only way to curb the increasing numbers is regularly carrying out Animal Birth Control (ABC) and Anti-Rabies Vaccination (ARV) programmes, the Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) has been largely unsuccessful in curbing the problem due to lack of fund and equipment. Although counting of dogs and finding their exact number is difficult, a GMC official informed

G Plus that there are about 1 lakh dogs currently living on the streets of the city. However, officials at a city based animal welfare organization - Just Be Friendly (JBF) - claimed that going by the ratio of 1:40 (the current dog to human ratio in India is pegged at 1: 40, that is, 1 dog for every 40 human beings), Guwahati would have close to 30,000 dogs on the roads. The JBF had also conducted a sample survey on dog population on head count basis within a radius of 10 square kilometres with the city’s Beltola-Survey area being the focal point. During the survey conducted in 2009, 3,000 dogs were found in Survey area alone. n

Error-free NRC uncertain in 2019 G Plus News

The NRC will primarily be published in Assamese in Brahmaputra valley but because it is a very important database there will also be an English version.

n 1st January 2018, Guwahatians had started the year by checking their names in the first draft list of the National Register of Citizens (NRC). Many were disappointed at their names not reflecting and many had become confused that while their names did show, most of the spellings in Assamese were incorrect. A citizen of Guwahati, Nita Das, talking to G Plus said, “My name is Nita Das but in the NRC draft list my name is registered as Nutu Das.” She further said that there were spelling errors in the names of all her family members. Similarly, after the second draft list was published on 30th July 2018, the complaint about spelling mistakes in the names of the citizens was again reported from all corners of the state. Talking about the reason, a source in the NRC Secretariat revealed that most of the people, while applying, had done so in English and the NRC draft lists came out in Assamese. So clearly because of the conversion from English to Assamese, errors have cropped up. But it will be resolved soon after the NRC correction forms are submitted. NRC Correction Form is an application form for those whose names have been published wrongly in the complete draft NRC published on 30th July 2018. The source in the NRC said,

NRC Seva Kendra | G Plus Photo “The NRC will primarily be published in Assamese in Brahmaputra valley but because it is a very important database there will also be an English version.” NRC process is being conducted under the rules of National Identity Card, and the cards that will be finally issued will bear the names in both English and Assamese. Hence, given the current deadlines, the citizens who want to correct their names will have

to fill up the NRC correction forms online for the correction before 30th January, 2019. All required correction requests need to be made only once in the form. Applicants cannot apply twice or submit two forms for different correction requests. The source also revealed that when the changes are made on the virtual key board in the NRC portal, the names will be converted into Assamese by the software. Therefore, before making the changes in the

online form, the applicants need to practice so that the names are also spelled correctly in Assamese. Finally, the names will be verified with the main application form submitted by the applicant and thereafter the correct names will be published in the final NRC list. It needs to be mentioned that names of around 40 lakh applicants did not figure in the complete draft list for which people submitted claims and

objections till 31st December 2018. A source in the NRC headquarters said, “Around 29.5 lakhs claims were registered and only 700 objections were registered till 30th December 2018.” So these claims (29.5 lakhs) will be scrutinised and finally the names of the genuine citizens will be published in the final list. The applicants of these claims will not get an opportunity to do the spelling correction before the final list is published, as till then the status of the claims would not be revealed. So even if the names are published any possible errors can be identified only after the final list is published. The NRC final list will not be out before the Lok Sabha elections 2019 is over and during the elections all the government officials involved in NRC updation work will get involved in the election process, said a source in Dispur. Therefore, an error-free NRC in 2019 looks doubtful. n

Governance

G PLUS | JAN 05 - JAN 11, 2019

Assam manages second to last position to become an “Emerging State” An emerging state according to the DIPP rankings comes in second to last behind the best performers, top performers, leaders and aspiring leaders. Harshita Himatsingka

he Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry released its States’ Startup Rankings 2018 on December 20 where Assam ranked as an “emerging state.” While the tag of “emerging state” might sound hopeful, don’t be fooled by its 21st century notion of participatory honour. An emerging state according to the DIPP rankings comes in second to last behind the best performers, top performers, leaders and aspiring leaders. While a total of 27 states and 3 union territories participated in this exercise, Assam was said to be one of the integral parts of this initiative from the northeastern region, given that it was the only state from the region that didn’t come in last. It received a total score of 31 points out of 38 points in a 7-category ranking conducted by the DIPP. States that performed best include Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, all of which got a perfect score of 38.

“The startup ecosystem in this region [Assam] has yet to evolve. I think it will take at least 5 years or more for the people of Assam to adapt to the startup culture and invest in it,” said Dhruba Jyoti Deka, who launched a startup, Brahmaputra Fables which makes local products from Assam accessible to all worldwide. While the startup policy in Assam was launched in 2017, the state still has a long way to go. Currently, there are 106 registered startup companies in Assam.

about the difference between a regular business setup and a startup and need to be heavily educated about these differences. On the other hand, investors need to be educated, too. “The problem here is that the investment opportunities are 1 in 1,00,000, approximately speaking. We need people who can actually invest in good ideas and make it a profitable business. The first thing one needs when starting out is seed money, and if that seed money is not available, it

Basic Info • • • • •

Assam an Emerging State Startup Policy launched in Assam in late 2017 Number of registered startups in Assam is 106 Score of Assam for the rankings is above 25 percentile, less than or equal to 50 percentile (Total percentile is 100, Assam got 25 out of 100)

Speaking to G Plus, Swapnanil Talukdar, a start-up expert and social engineer, explained that the reason for Assam being an emerging state is tenfold.

7 broad pillars of categorization for state rankings by DIPP Assam

“One thing leads to the other and just like any other major issue, the startup scenario in Assam always gets stuck in a vicious cycle. One of the main reasons why Assam is not quite there with its startup scene as compared

doesn’t matter how good the idea is, because it will never take form and become viable in the market,” said Talukdar. He further explained that because startups are not able to find resources, and the dedicated departments for loans still do not understand the concept of small businesses, institutions and people are scared to give away money. This in turn causes everyone to suffer in the long run.

The ranking system for this exercise was based on 38 action points and categorized into 7 categories or broad pillars consisting of startup policy and implementation, incubation support, seed funding, angel and venture funding, simplification of regulations, easing public procurement and awareness and outreach.

to other metro cities or towns is because of lack of education. This lack of education is applicable to both the entrepreneur who wants to start a business and an investor who might make that business viable,” said Talukdar. He explained that budding entrepreneurs in the state do not exactly understand the concept of startups yet. They are unsure

However, Talukdar also added that one can’t only blame the banks or government for not providing money or opportunities. The State Bank of India does have a startup loan scheme, but since most entrepreneurs are not able to come up with a viable, full-term financial plan that guarantees returns, the banks hesitate to give out these loans.

Guwahati city | G Plus Photo “Like I said, it’s a vicious cycle. Another reason why startups fail is, because there is no groundwork that is happening. A lot of youth nowadays are putting up their businesses online with no solid foundation whatsoever. A startup does not mean just a website or a profile on social media platforms,” remarked Talukdar. He explained that one cannot justify having a startup just because they have a lot of followers on social media. The actual product has to exist and be viable in the market, meaning it has to sell to earn profits to support the business and pay back any loans. A startup has to be a registered entity known to the government to be a legitimate business. “The government recently is changing in regards to startups and funding. They are trying to provide avenues for budding entrepreneurs to make their mark. A lot of schemes are coming up. However, if the government does not know the entrepreneur exists, how will it help them? There has to be some quantifiable entity that is physically relevant for a business,” said Talukdar. He then explained that there has to be some expertise and

understanding regarding market trends, by both the entrepreneur and the investor. They have to know and understand risk management and take the appropriate risks in investing and making a product relevant in today’s market. In speaking of the solutions to overcome this slump in the startup industry, Talukdar said that the people of Assam need to work on a number of things. “First, the gap of academic relevance and real market needs have to be bridged and made clear to budding startup junkies. Then, we have to practice jock shadowing. It is a process where the apprentice learns and observes a skill from the master thoroughly before starting out their own venture,” he said. Talukdar added that the government also has a part to play in this. Government policies have to be simplified and made known locally so that people can actually avail the benefits it provides. “If we want to be a successful startup state, we have to educate our youth and motivate them. That is the only way forward,” said Talukdar in his closing remarks. n

6 City

G PLUS | JAN 05 - JAN 11, 2019

Snippets No proposal to extend NRC to states other than Assam

he Central Government has no plans to extend National Register of Citizen to states other than Assam. Replying to a question in Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Home Affairs, Hansraj Gangaram Ahir clarified the government’s stand on NRC extension. The exercise to update NRC 1951 is being conducted under the Special provisions in respect of State of Assam under the Citizenship Rules, 2003. The applications for preparation of NRC in Assam were invited in May-August, 2015 and after necessary scrutiny and verification, the complete draft NRC has been published on 30th July 2018. The claims & objections on the draft NRC have been invited until 31st December 2018. Afte r the disposal of Claims & Objections, the NRC is to be finalised as per the timelines approved by the Supreme Court of India.

Subsidised and non-subsidised LPG price cut in Guwahati

A doctor preparing vaccine at Assam State Zoo after the Canine Distemper virus attack | G Plus Photo

The aftermath of canine distemper virus at Guwahati Zoo Harshita Himatsingka

n August 2018, 12 animals had died at the Assam State Zoo in Guwahati due to an outbreak of a disease called canine distemper virus (CDV). It is a viral disease that affects a number of animal species, including domestic and wild animals, especially canines and felines such as dogs, coyotes,

foxes, pandas, wolves etc. Canine distemper is a disease that does not have a cure once an animal is infected with it. The zoo lost 9 jackals, 2 leopard cats and 1 jungle cat due to the outbreak. “Now we’ve brought the disease under control and hope that there will be no more casualties in the near future but we can’t be sure. To say that the virus is 100 percent eliminated, the only way to know that for sure is if no other animal dies out of CDV

in the next 5 months,” said Tejas Mariswamy, Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) at the Assam State Zoo. The DFO explained that when animals are infected with this disease, they are isolated from other animals in the zoo and put in quarantine for strict disinfection so that it does not spread. For three-four months, extreme precaution is taken for the control of the disease and the welfare of the animals.

“This disease is very easy to transmit. If someone has a pet dog at home or if they have touched a street dog and they come to visit the park, the disease might spread. Since it is a viral disease, infected air can also cause it,” said Mariswamy. In general, animal deaths in the zoo either happen because of infighting or natural causes. On an average, the zoo loses about 6-8 percent of its animals due to natural causes. n

Animal exchange programme at the zoo: Why and how it works

he government on December 31 cut prices of LPG cylinders. The cost of subsidised LPG cylinder in Guwahati will be Rs 487.15 and non-subsidised LPG will be Rs 734.49. This price cut happened because of falling international prices and the strengthening of the Indian rupee, according to the Indian Oil Corporation. Consumers in Guwahati will now have to pay Rs 734.49 per unsubsidised cylinder, a cut of Rs 125.92 down from Rs 860 per cylinder from the previous month and for subsidised cylinders, a cut of Rs 134.66, down from Rs 382 to Rs 247. 34 from the previous month.

his year, the Assam State Zoo in Guwahati had four animal exchange programs. They bought in a male tiger, peacocks and pheasants from Darjeeling zoo, Capped Langur from Nagaland zoo, two ostriches and two hyenas from Ranchi zoo. “If a zoo in any state of the country wants to take part in the animal-exchange program, the proposal first goes to the Central Zoo Authority in Delhi and if they approve the exchange, then the respective zoos can go ahead with the process,” said Tejas Mariswamy, DFO of the Assam State Zoo. All these proposals for the exchange are sent from the office

of the DFO through the Chief Wildlife Warden’s (CWLW) office, who is a statutory authority under the Wildlife Protection Act. They head the Wildlife Wing of the department and exercise full control over the protected areas (PAs) within a state. In most cases, these animal exchange programs are approved. However, if the proposal for the exchange program is not accepted by the Central Zoo Authority (CZA), the respective zoo authorities can send the proposal again after they have meet all obligations listed by the zoo authorities. Moving on to the reason for the exchange, different zoos in the country exchange animals

on a regular basis because of two reasons. Firstly, they have to ensure that the bloodline of animals is changed so that there is no risk of inbreeding and secondly, it is for the zoo’s animal collection, Mariswamy explained. “Even if we have a sufficient number of a species of animals, we have to exchange them at some point in time because changing the bloodline is very important. For example, in the Mysore zoo, they have sufficient numbers of leopard cats, but they still took in more cats so that the bloodline could be purified,” said Mariswamy. When asked if the Assam State Zoo in Guwahati keeps a record

or track of animals sent from the zoo, Mariswamy explained that they do keep check when it is a Schedule 1 mammal. “The zoo has a stud book for mammals that fall under the Schedule 1 animal list. We make note of whether the animal has been partnered with someone, if they have given birth, their lineage and whatever else details we can get,” said Mariswamy. Some animals included in the Schedule 1 mammals’ list include the leopard cat, Indian elephant, Hoolock Gibbon, black leopard, Indian one-horned rhinoceros, pygmy hog, Bengal tiger, jackal, Indian lion and many more. There are a total number of 42 animals on the list. n

In The News

G PLUS | JAN 05 - JAN 11, 2019

Modi blows poll bugle in Assam Terms citizenship bill as penance against past injustice G Plus News

laiming that India has responsibility towards its own people who were victims of partition, Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) poster boy, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on 4th January, said that the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2016 will be passed in the Parliament soon as it aims to provide citizenship to victimized Hindus, Christians,

Punjabis and Parsis living outside the country. While addressing a massive rally at Silchar in Barak Valley, Prime Minister Modi tried to play a balancing act and said that the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill is not a favour but rather the mistake of the past that has to be corrected. Modi even tried to dispel the fear of the majority community in Assam by saying that the passing of the bill will not

Modi playing divide and rule politics: Congress

hough the BJP blew the 2019 Lok Sabha elections bugle by starting election rallies in the northeast with Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself trying to woo the voters, the opposition Congress has started observing all his speeches and giving reactions to them. Leader of Opposition in Assam Assembly, Debabrata Saikia, talking to G Plus said, “Prime Minister Narendra Modi is playing divide and rule politics.” He reacted soon after Modi said that the citizenship bill is a penance against past injustice. Debabrata said that people in BJP are from Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and they have always done communal politics. By allowing the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, Narendra Modi will irk the people of Assam, claimed Saikia. n

Snippets CBSE to introduce Artificial Intelligence as elective subject for classes VIII, IX and X

he education governing body Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has decided to include Artificial Intelligence (AI) as a subject for classes VIII, IX and X. According to a report, AI will be an elective subject and will be introduced from the next academic session. The report also says that a senior CBSE official has confirme d the de ve lopme nt saying that the subje ct would be one of the optional subjects on the vocational side. The idea of introducing AI as a school subject was ideated from a session held at the NITI Aayog, following which the CBSE began exploring the concept. It is to be mentioned that the CBSE has 20,299 schools under its purview in India.

compromise its culture and tradition. “At any cost BJP will not compromise with the culture and tradition of the country. Recently, we have taken a decision to implement the Clause 6 of the Assam Accord which is hanging for the last 35 years. Implementation of the clause will ensure that Assamese culture and

tradition will be protected,” said Modi. Modi also tried to ease the people whose names did not figure in the complete draft list of National Register of Citizens (NRC). He said, “I know you all faced difficulties but for your sacrifice the NRC could be completed. No genuine citizen will be left out of NRC.” n

8 City

G PLUS | JAN 05 - JAN 11, 2019

Absence of sewage treatment plant a major hurdle

xperts say that the primary reason for Bharalu’s toxicity is the untreated sewage waste from the city which goes directly into the river – making it highly toxic. The demand for setting up a sewage treatment plant (STP) in the city has been ongoing for a long time now. However, the authorities have turned a blind eye as no steps have been taken by them in this regard. “One of the major reasons that the pollution levels in Bharalu river has not gone down over the years is because of the city’s untreated sewage waste goes directly into the river in the absence of a sewage treatment plant in the city,” informed senior environmental scientist at PCBA, Mridul Adhikary. He added, “We have written to the Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) as well, as to the Guwahati Development Department of the state government from time to time asking them to set up a STP to

Prescribed Limit DO

Total Coliform

> 4 mg per litter

<5000 mpn per 100 ml

BOD

Faecal Coliform

< 6 milligram per litre

<2500 mpn per 100 ml

treat city’s waste before it goes into the rivers.” Experts working in the field of environment say that since Guwahati has been selected to be developed as a ‘smart city’, the authorities must be concerned about the proper treatment and disposal of city’s waste. The untreated waste also falls into the Brahmaputra river- the lifeline of Assam and pollutes it, too. Environmentalists feel that if steps are not taken, the Brahmaputra river will also become highly polluted in the future.

An official at the GMC informed Plus that the municipal corporation does not have any plan to set up a STP in the near future as of now. “We are lucky that until now, the Brahmaputra has its own self- purification capacity and high current because of which the problem of pollution in Brahmaputra is not as severe. But the water becomes purified after travelling a certain distance and the people living near the source of polluted water who use it for domestic purposes are still at risk,” mentioned Adhikary. n

Brahmaputra River at Chandrapur Parameters

Aug 2018

Sept 2018

Oct 2018

DO (Dissolved oxygen) (mg/L)

6.8

7.3

7.8

BOD (Biochemical oxygen demand) (mg/L)

1.9

1.3

Total Coliform (MPN/100 ml)

360

730

1500

Faecal Coliform (MPN/100 ml)

360

910

Brahmaputra River at Pandu Parameters

Aug 2018

Sept 2018

Oct 2018

DO (Dissolved oxygen) (mg/L)

7.5

6.3

7.0

BOD (Biochemical oxygen demand) (mg/L)

1.8

1.6

2.7

Total Coliform (MPN/100 ml)

2000

2800

Faecal Coliform (MPN/100 ml)

1400

730

1500

17 youths clean banks of Brahmaputra River in Guwahati

7 young people from Guwahati belonging to the organisation, ‘The Midway Journey’ took an initiative this New Years Day and picked up all kinds of waste as part of a cleaning drive at Umananda Ghat, near the banks of river Brahmaputra. They collected waste in the form of plastic, paper, glass, human poop, dog poop, used condoms and diapers. In total, 1300 kgs of waste was collected. The organisation consists of a few young members from the community who work to reduce plastic pollution. They want to continue this initiative throughout the year. They plan to go out every weekend, mainly Sundays

and clean up the banks of river Brahmaputra. Currently, they are also looking for artists for the beautification of the area so that people don’t throw trash there anymore. Earlier last year on Christmas, the same group had gotten together and planned more such cleanliness drives. Right now, there are not many people but the organisation said that they hope more people will join as they have posted their work on social media channels such as Facebook. The youth engaged with the program do not have any agenda, discussion or any other public or government aid to take up this cleaning project. n

Comprehensive plan needed to save Bharalu: Experts

nvironmental experts feel that a comprehensive plan is needed to be developed in order to save the river. Dr Chandan Mahanta, faculty at civil engineering department at IIT Guwahati said, “Unless there is flow augmentation from the upstream and unless there’s no fresh water flow into the river, all it is carrying in the dry season is just sewage waste. One cannot

convert a sewage drain into a river.” He added that there are two sets of problems; one is the problem of flooding during monsoons and the other is extreme water quality problem of low flow during the dry season. “Large comprehensive planning and an overall management of the river from upstream to downstream is needed, only then will it survive as a river,” said Mahanta. n

Bharalu River Parameters

Aug 2018

Sept 2018

Oct 2018

DO (Dissolved oxygen) (mg/L)

Nil

BOD (Biochemical oxygen demand) (mg/L)

26.0

14.0

9.3

Total Coliform (MPN/100 ml)

240000

110000

Faecal Coliform (MPN/100 ml)

240000

110000

46000

Brahmaputra River at Kacharighat Parameters

Aug 2018

Sept 2018

Oct 2018

DO (Dissolved oxygen) (mg/L)

6.4

7.2

BOD (Biochemical oxygen demand) (mg/L)

1.3

2.1

1.2

Total Coliform (MPN/100 ml)

2700

4300

1400

Faecal Coliform (MPN/100 ml)

1500

910

720

First-ever three way merger of Vijaya, Dena Bank and Bank of Baroda

he Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved the scheme of amalgamation for amalgamating Bank of Baroda, Vijaya Bank and Dena Bank, with Bank of Baroda as the transferee bank and Vijaya Bank and Dena Bank as transferor banks. The amalgamation will be the first-ever three-way consolidation of banks in India, with the amalgamated bank being India’s second largest Public Sector Bank. The amalgamation will help create a strong globally competitive bank with economies of scale and enable realisation of wide-ranging synergies. Leveraging of networks, low-cost deposits and subsidiaries of the three banks has the potential of yielding significant synergies for positioning the consolidated

entity for substantial rise in customer base, market reach, operational efficiency, wider bouquet of products and services, and improved access for customers. Key points of the Scheme of amalgamation: (a) Vijaya Bank and Dena Bank are transferor banks and BoB is transferee bank. (b) The scheme shall come into force on 1.4.2019. (c) Upon commencement of the scheme, the undertakings of the transferor banks as a going concern shall be transferred to and shall vest in the transferee bank, including, inter alia, all business, assets, rights, titles, claims, licenses, approvals and other privileges and all property, all bor rowings, liabilities and obligations. (d) Every permanent and

regular officer or employee of the transferor banks shall become an officer or employee and shall hold his office or service therein in the transferee bank such that the pay and allowance offered to the employees/officers of transferor banks shall not be less favourable as compared to what they would have drawn in the respective transferor bank. (e) The Board of the transferee bank shall ensure that the interests of all transferring employees and officers of the transferor bank are protected. (f) The transferee bank shall issue shares to the shareholders of transferor banks as per share exchange ratio. Shareholders of the transferee bank and transferor banks shall be entitled to raise their grievances, if any, in relation to the share exchange ratio, through an expert committee. n

Look Back

G PLUS | JAN 05 - JAN 11, 2019

Women who made Assam proud in 2018! Women from Assam were everywhere in the year bygone - be it literature, sports, entertainment, or business! As we continue to bid goodbye to 2018, here’s a look at some of those amazing women from Assam and their contributions that made the state proud. Nehal Jain

Hima Das

The ace-sprinter from Assam needs no introduction. Hima Das, having won three medals at the 18th Asian Games in Jakarta, including two silvers and a gold, made international headlines and put Assam on the world map. Prior to her achievements at the Asian Games earlier this year, the ace sprinter had scripted history by becoming the first Indian woman to win a gold medal at the IAAF World Under-20 Athletics Championship held in Finland. Adding another feather to her cap, Hima was also conferred with the Arjuna Award by President Ram Nath Kovind in 2018 and became the youngest Assamese to be honoured with the award. The 18-year-old racing champion is now the brand ambassador of Assam sports and has been offered a job in the sports department by the government of Assam. Following her stellar performances in various sporting events in 2018, Assam’s golden girl Hima Das was given an endearing name ‘Dhing Express’ by the people of the state. Hima was also selected as one of the prominent figures and featured on the cover of the January issue of Femina India Magazine. The latest issue of Femina pays a tribute to the sportswomen of the country for their unmatched performances along with giving a glimpse of their lives.

Rima Das

Assamese filmmaker Rima Das made major headlines in 2018 for her feature films “Village Rockstars” and “Bulbul Can Sing.” After releasing in India in September this year, Village Rockstars won the hearts of all cinemagoers and drew comparisons with Satyajit Ray’s Pather Panchali. The film won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film, Best Child Actress, Best Location Sound Recordist and Best Editing and went on to be selected as India’s official entry to the Oscar Awards in the “Foreign Language Film” category. Rima Das’ latest movie Bulbul Can Sing recently premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) in the competition segment “Contemporary World Cinema” where it received huge acclaim. Not much after its international premiere, Bulbul Can Sing made its Indian premiere at the Jio MAMI Film Festival in Mumbai, where it was screened in the Indian Contemporary section. Taking her achievements a step ahead, the National award winning filmmaker Rima Das made it to GQ’s “50 Most Influential Young Indians of 2018.”

Ashmita Chaliha

The 19-year-old shuttler from Guwahati has had an eventful year. Her first major win was the All India Senior Ranking Tournament 2018 which was held in Hyderabad. The left-handed-player had also reached the semi-finals of another all-India tournament and her Hyderabad win boosted her chances of getting selected for the 18th Asian Games which took place in Jakarta. She then earned her place at the Asian Games to represent India in badminton along with badminton stars Saina Nehwal and PV Sindhu. This young prodigy started playing badminton at the early age of six and has been thoroughly engaged in training and practice ever since. Ashmita, who started playing badminton out of passion, decided to pursue it as a career when she started winning tournaments in the state and national levels. It was then that a sense of professionalism set in. Having participated in and won many national as well as international championships, Ashmita says that representing her land at such platforms gives her utmost pleasure. She also wishes to represent her country at the Olympics in the near future.

Pokhila Ingtipi

In an astounding fete for Assam again in the field of sports, Assam girl Pokhila Ingtipi, who hails from Diphu in Karbi Anglong, won the much coveted gold medal in the 5,000 meters walking competition of Asia Pacific Masters’ Games at Penang held in Malaysia. Pokhila also clinched a bronze medal in 5,000 meters race during the same event. With this astounding fete, Pokhila has now become the first girl from Assam to leave a mark in the Athletics category of the competition. The Asia Pacific Masters’ Games 2018 included 22 separate categories including archery, athletics, badminton, basketball, cycling, hockey, swimming, squash, tennis, weightlifting and volleyball among other disciplines. Earlier, in April this year, Pokhila had also secured a gold medal in the 1st National Masters Games at Chandigarh in the 1,500 meters race category.

Sanjukta Dutta

Assam’s celebrated fashion designer Sanjukta Dutta made her Bollywood debut with the film Sui Dhaaga this year. She was among the chosen few to collaborate with Yash Raj Films to design the logo of the film Sui Dhaaga, dedicated to the craftsmen of India. Dutta has been an instrumental figure in taking Assamese fashion and handloom to an international level. She is the only designer from Assam whose creations have been donned by Assam Tourism Ambassador Priyanka Chopra, Bipasha Basu, Dia Mirza, Preity Zinta, and Zarine Khan at the prestigious Lakme Fashion Week. She also showcased her collection “Abor,” at the Lakme Fashion Week 2018 in Mumbai, which was dedicated to the strong and determined women weavers of Assam.

10 Look Back

G PLUS | JAN 05 - JAN 11, 2019

2018: A look at how the year went for different professionals Harshita Himatsingka

Doctor

Businessmen had both a good and bad year in terms of growth. “It was tough, but we made it work. New rules with regard to GST had been announced, so we had to get used to that,” said a businessman under condition of anonymity. He explained that even though there were so many new things, the government provided some help. It provided relaxation of GST from time to time and even extended some deadlines without any penalties. Contractors are at an advantage as the government is also supporting the making of newer and better infrastructure. Better infrastructure then creates new avenues for everyone as it attracts more business.

018 had brought with it a lot of new changes and dynamics for all kinds of people, across different professions. For some, the year was just the same, one more year gone by that turned their hairs further grey, while for others it was as eventful as it could be. We talked to some people of different professions to see how 2018 was for them, professionally.

Nurse

have to look into is the absorption and production rate of engineers. There are approximately 400 engineers that pass out from colleges each year and don’t get proper jobs. The state is producing more engineers but these engineers don’t have anywhere to go once they come out qualified. However, people who are established in the business, like Khataniar himself, are doing well. Recently, one of his contracts, a big sports complex, the Diphu Sports Complex was inaugurated earlier this year in April which was worth Rs 45 crores.

for a number of reforms such as the changing of the new bylaws. The process for this has been stalled for a long time and Das hopes that 2019 will see solutions to some of these problems.

Entrepreneur

Real-estate developer

Engineer The professional year for doctors has been a good one. Dr Abhijit Hazarika said that a number of new hospitals and new facilities have come up in Assam. 3-4 diagnostic centres have opened where one can get many treatments done in Assam for which they would have had to travel outside a few years ago. “Even though it has been a challenging year, we have made progress. The government has done a great job with outreach so that people have better access to healthcare,” said Dr Hazarika. He said that even private players are trying to do the same. Doctors have become more accountable and care more about their patients’ safety in the present times. Dr Hazarika also mentioned that this year saw a lot of doctors coming back to their home state, so we have more and better facilities for the people of Assam.

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We’re starting with a profession that saw some major action towards the end of the year. The nurses from Gauhati Medical College & Hospital (GMCH) and Jorhat Medical College & Hospital (JMCH) were on strike for four days towards the end of November to demand “same post, same salary.” For them, the year was one of struggle, said a nurse from GMCH. She said that the previous year, they were fighting a demotion of their title from staff nurse to nurse and this year had brought on a new challenge. In 2019, the nurses hope that the government will take action regarding their demands and help them with their plight.

Businessman

2018 was also a good year for most engineers in general. JN Khataniar, a business engineer said that the state has a lot of opportunities for budding engineers, as long as one takes the opportunity and is “at the right place at the right time.” A proud moment for all engineers in 2018 was the inauguration of Bogibeel Bridge, which is a great feat of engineering as also Dhola-Sadiya Bridge which was opened earlier this year.” He said that the government is helping engineers and needs the support and encouragement of people but one thing that they

The financial year for builders was a bag full of mixed feelings, said Utpal Das, a builder from Guwahati. Since prices of commodities have increased, demand has gone down. Customer ratio has also gone down. “There are customers, but just a few. Even potential customers are still waiting in the wings, hoping that they might get a better offer. We have not been able to announce big projects,” said Das. One thing he said that the government has helped them with is RERA, as lot of tax-free builders will be out of the markets which will benefit the customer. However, he said that the builders of the city are waiting

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For entrepreneurs, 2018 was an in-between year, said Swapnanil Talukdar, a startup founder. He explained that startups got a lot of traction in 2016-17 and people started taking the concept seriously. “2019 will see two kinds of businesses. Normal businesses, that will start out as a startup and actual startup businesses. The food industry in this section is blooming. There have been so many cafes that have opened up in the city,” said Talukdar. Speaking about one of the important things that happened this year, he said that the event, “Impact Week” was an important feat that was organized to help budding entrepreneurs learn various skills. He also explained that the government had organized various initiatives to help out new and emerging startups. However, the flip side of it was that these resources are unbeknownst to many new startup companies because of lack of awareness. n

In The News

G PLUS | JAN 05 - JAN 11, 2019

2019 election stunt? Clause 6 of Assam Accord back in contention after years in hibernation G Plus News

he union cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Wednesday, approved the setting up of a high level committee for implementation of Clause 6 of the Assam Accord and measures envisaged in the Memorandum of Settlement, 2003 and other issues related to Bodo community. After the Assam agitation of 1979-1985, the Assam Accord was signed on 15th August, 1985. Clause 6 of the Assam Accord

Clause 6 of the Assam Accord has not been fully implemented even almost 35 years after the Accord was signed

envisaged that appropriate constitutional, legislative and administrative safeguards, shall be provided to protect, preserve and promote the cultural, social, linguistic identity and heritage of the Assamese people. However, it has been felt that Clause 6 of the Assam Accord has not been fully implemented even almost 35 years after the Accord was signed. The cabinet, therefore, approved the setting up of a high level committee to suggest constitutional, legislative and administrative safeguards as envisaged in Clause 6 of the Assam Accord. The committee shall examine the effectiveness of actions since 1985 to implement Clause 6 of the Assam Accord. The committee will hold discussions with all stakeholders and assess the required quantum of reservation of seats in

Assam legislative assembly and local bodies for Assamese people. The committee will also assess the requirement of measures to be taken to protect Assamese and other indigenous languages of Assam, quantum of reservation in employment under Government of Assam and other measures to protect, preserve and promote cultural, social, linguistic identity and heritage of Assamese people. The Composition and Terms of Reference of the Committee will be issued separately by the ministry of home affairs. It is expected that the setting up of the committee will pave the way for the implementation of the Assam Accord in letter and spirit and will help fulfil longstanding expectations of the Assamese people.

Several longstanding demands of Bodos also approved

The cabinet also approved a number of measures to fulfil the outstanding issues related to the Bodo community. The Bodo Accord was signed in 2003 which resulted in the establishment of a Bodoland Territorial Council under Sixth Schedule of the Constitution of India. However, there have been representations from different organizations of Bodos to fulfil various outstanding demands. The cabinet today approved the establishment of a Bodo Musuem-cum-language and cultural study center, modernization of existing All India Radio Station and Doordarshan Kendra at Kokrajhar and naming a superfast train passing through BTAD as Aronai Express. Relevant ministries will take the required actions to implement these decisions. The state government will also take necessary measures related to appropriate land policy and land laws, besides setting up of institutions for research and documentation of customs, traditions and languages of indigenous communities. n

Assam Accord was signed between Central Government and the leaders of the Assam movement.

PM Narendra Modi and BPF Chief Hagrama Mohilary at a public meeting in Kokrajhar BTC.

Weather report for the week Guwahati

SUN

MON

TUE

WED

THU

FRI

Sunny

22°/10° C

23°/10° C

24°/12° C

23°/10° C

24°/11° C

22°/11° C

SATURDAY Sunny

22°/11° C

12 Cover Story

G PLUS | JAN 05 - JAN 11, 2019

Guwahati witnesses increase in crime rate in 2018 G plus presents an overview of the crime scenario in Guwahati in 2018, the increasing pattern over the years paints a sorry picture Nehal Jain jain.nehal@g-plus.in

uwahati, in 2018, witnessed an increase in the number of cases registered pertaining to various crimes. The city police registered a total of 16892 cases from January 1 - November 30 in the past year, an increase by close to 1000 reported crimes compared to the previous year. Once known to be a hotbed of militancy, Assam today has less to fear from insurgents and more from criminals of all hues, shapes and sizes. The state has seen a drastic rise in crimes over the years, especially in the capital city. According to the data provided by the police commissionerate, as many as 13,757 cases were registered by the city police in the year 2016. The numbers increased drastically in 2017, which witnessed the registration of 16038 cases. While the data for the month of December is yet to be calculated, the numbers have already exceeded previous years’ mark. The crimes registered in 2018 largely include theft, burglary and robbery, followed by crimes against women. The most widely reported crimes over the years have continued to be theft and burglary. This year, a total of 3807 cases of theft and 957 cases of burglary were reported to the police until November 30. The total number of crime against women has also seen a consistent increase over the years. This year saw an increase in the number of cases of cruelty by husband and relatives as compared to the last two years. A total of 710 cases were registered under section 498A until November 2018 while 684 and 505 cases were registered in 2017 and 2016 respectively. Cases against domestic violence or cruelty by husband and relatives were followed by cases of kidnapping and abduction of women/girls under which as many as 498 cases have been registered. However, officials in the Crime Branch revealed that some cases under these two categories also turned out to be false cases. “As the city is witnessing an increase in the number of crimes against women, I will sit with the officials and do an analysis of the present situation. Based on that, we’ll plan how to deal with the problems and definitely give more importance to the investigation of these cases,” Deepak Kumar, the

newly appointed commissioner of police, told G Plus. Additionally, a total of 61 cases of rape and six cases of dowry deaths were also reported in 2018. The fact that the numbers have taken a dip from the previous years, however, provides an encouraging picture. On the contrary, the city police witnessed an increase in the cases of murder and attempt to murder being reg-

istered with a whopping 91 cases of murder and 50 cases of attempt to murder coming to light. It may be noted that Jalukbari police station registered maximum cases of murder (12), followed by Sonapur police station (9). Further, Azara received complaints of maximum cases of attempt to murder (14 cases). n

Cover Story

G PLUS | JAN 05 - JAN 11, 2019

Dispur police station continues to register maximum cases

mong the 19 police stations that fall in the purview of the Guwahati police commissionerate, Dispur police station continues to witness registration of the highest number of cases. From January 1 - November 30, a total of 3638 were registered solely at Dispur police station which makes for nearly 22% of the total cases registered in the city. Among the total cases, Dispur police station registered the maximum number of theft cases in the entire city (784 cases). Additionally, it registered maximum number of crimes against women with a total of 10 cases of rape, 139 cases of torture and 45 cases of women/ girl kidnapping. Dispur police station was followed by Jalukbari, Basistha, Paltan Bazaar and Chandmari police stations that witnessed the registration of 1647, 1608, 1210 and 1116 crimes respectively. On the contrary, the all women police station (AWPS) continued to register the lowest number of cases at 127 this year. AWPS was followed by Bhangagarh, Prag-

jyotishpur, Khetri and Latasil police station with 236, 238, 282 and 286 cases being registered respectively. Speaking to G Plus, Mousumi

Less than 50% cases disposed by city police

hile the city police saw registration of over 16892 cases in 2018, it was able to dispose off merely 8138 cases until October 2018, which makes for merely 48.17% of the cases. However, it is to be mentioned that a large number of cases among these 8138 had been registered in the previous years. Out of the total, 7858 cases were cognizable and 280 non-cognizable (including three cases under arms act,

Snippets Nestle admits to lead “within permissible limits” in Maggi as SC revives suit

File photo of Dispur Police Station

two under explosives act and one under NDPS act). Among the cognizable crimes, most disposed off cases were those of theft (2558), followed by burglary (679) and cheating (376). Further, the police disposed off 18 cases of murder and 14 cases of rape. According to the data provided by the police commissionerate, the police was also able to file charge sheet for 2923 cases as compared to 3586 in the year 2017. n

Kalita said that there are a lot of limitations in the jurisdiction of the WPS. “The cases registered here do not give a complete picture. We can only register wom-

en related cases – cases that can also be registered at other police stations too. Further, cases of extortion for money cannot be registered here,” she informed. n

Khetri police station worst performer, disposes merely 19% cases

he city police was able to dispose off approximately 48% of the total cases received, with some police stations performing better than others. Khetri police station, however, proved to be the worst performer disposing merely 19.14% of the cases, until October 31. Khetri police station, which had received a total of over 282 cases, disposed off only 54 cases and filed charge sheet for another 145 cases. Joining Khetri police station in the list of worst performing police stations, not much behind, was Paltan Bazaar police station having disposed off 27.35% of the total cases registered.

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While the police station had received an enormous number of complaints, with a total of 836 crimes getting registered, it was able to dispose off 331 cases and file charge sheet for 87 cases only. On the contrary, Satgaon police station emerged the best performer, disposing 74% of the total cases, that is 223 cases out of 301. Not much behind was Fatasil police station, having disposed 69% cases, that is 349 out of 504 cases. Overall, the city police performed worse than it did in the previous year when it disposed 10003 cases and filed charge sheet for 3586 cases, out of 16038 registered. n

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he Supreme Court of India lifted a stay on the proceedings of a class-action suit file d by the ce ntral government against the maker of Maggi noodles in the national consumer forum. The proceedings had been lying dormant since December 2015 in National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) as the court had asked the Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI) to test the samples and submit a report. The CFTRI submitted its report to SC on 6th April 2016. Nestle India, in a statement, said that it welcomed the orders passed by the Supreme Court in the Maggi noodles matter. Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for Nestle, told the court that the Mysuru-based lab had found the noodles to contain lead “within permissible limits” and that it could not be ascertained whether the monosodium glutamate (MSG) in it was natural or added. Justice DY Chandrachud said: “Why should Maggi noodles have lead at all? I would be averse to eat Maggi with lead in it. Why should children eat Maggi with lead? Maggi was banned by FSSAI on 5 June 2015 for five months for allegedly containing lead beyond permissible limits, forcing Nestle India to withdraw the product from the market. This led to not just losses, but also erosion of consumer trust in the popular brand. However, in April 2016, Nestle cleared all tests and Maggi was declared safe for consumption.

14 G Talk E

G PLUS | JAN 05 - JAN 11, 2019 T

Watchdog!

t the outset of this first editorial of the New Year, let me wish you, all my dear readers on print and our digital channels a very happy 2019. G Plus today has indeed become a digital first medium and while we do have our readership base of the printed edition, I am thankful to our digital readers and followers for the unabashed love and affection showered on us while at the same time providing us guidance in doing better work through all those affectionate but at times, fierce trolls. In fact, the trolls are the real charm of running a digital media house; they give us the assurance that our stuff is being read. The world is full of dissent, disagreement but I staunchly believe that dissent gives evolution and advancement its best chance. And so, when a reader is in disagreement with a particular story or opinion of ours, we at G Plus are happy that we are being checked and followed with passion and not just frivolously. At this juncture of the New Year, I would like to put certain things in perspective with regard to our editorial policy and ideology as I feel this may augur our loyal fan

base to understand us better. As a media house, we have always sought to assume the role of a watchdog to the society and the government with the interests of Guwahati at heart – a role that was lying vacant as we started our house 5 years ago. Our job ostensibly is to point out such problems, rectifying which Guwahati would stand a chance of being a better city, a worthier liveable space. To this end, we have successfully taken on both the erstwhile Congress and the current BJP governments while, at the same time, never failed to applaud and bring to focus the good work done by both. With no political inclinations, we can afford to write what we feel from our heart and we do so bravely. This is the bare fact of our reporting ideology and any assumptions to the contrary are nothing but misunderstandings. And so dear readers, do continue “liking” us and following us and yes, trolling us. Every reaction of yours spurs us to do better. Finally, may 2019 be your happiest year ever and may each successive year be happier than this! Swapnil Bharali Editor

Sounding the Poll Bugle in NE

rime Minister Modi has kick started his 2019 poll yatra with a bang. His campaign in Manipur will start off 8 new projects and by laying the foundation stone for these projects, the BJP has made their intention towards the Northeast, more “concrete.” Then of course, the Silchar campaign drew a lot of attention considering that anti-BJP sentiment is brewing in the region because of a large number of Bengali-Hindus who voted for the BJP in the last elections were left out of the National Register of Citizens draft. The NRC still, to a lot of people, seems like hogwash. Until the time there is no concrete decision on what happens to the people who are not on the list, the SC will continue to issue extensions and the NRC will continue to make headlines, while becoming insignificant with the passage of time. The BJP did promise a lot of ‘poriborton’ (change) and development in their election campaign and infrastructure wise, the region agrees that yes, there have been improvements (regardless of whether it comes from piggybacking other projects by previous governments). For this matter, the BJP’s follow through has been better than most batsmen. But where the BJP continues to fail is “actual action.” The sealing of the border between the northeast states, Bangladesh and Myanmar had major thrust in the BJP’s election campaign, but that seems to have not been actioned upon. BJP’s presence has also given rise to militant groups in the region once again – a force that was well suppressed about 15 years ago. Rebel groups like ULFA feed and exploit the sentiments of the people of Assam with issues such as the Citizenship Amendment Bill and NRC. All in all, the BJP has played close to the chest when it comes to the NER and they can only hope that people in the region agree and give it another chance in 2019 and then 2021 again...

Sidharth Bedi Varma

What is Emotional Intelligence?

hat does the idea - the concept of “Emotional Intelligence” mean to someone like the author - a 23 year old fresh college pass out ready to take on the increasing sophistication and adrenaline of the 21st century lifestyle? There happen to be numerous instances on a daily basis which have successfully reinforced my belief in an already obvious conclusion - that in modern day society, emotional intelligence should (and does) demand greater importance and significance than rational intelligence (typically called the IQ level). Look around and you will find impatient, occasionally grumpy and increasingly volatile elements at a variety of locations you happen to be present at during the course of a typical day, be it your workplace or when you are in the middle of the road (regardless of being the driver or the driven), at restaurants and shopping malls and even in movie theatres. The interesting part, however, is that in many cases these volatile elements are highly educated, intelligent and respected

motional Intelligence helps us get along with colleagues and work as a team by means of empathy and collaboration, in maintaining a positive approach to work and give mature and sensible responses to various complications emerging out of the workplace. It makes us better and more efficient professionals.

members of society. The everincreasing strain and demands of modern lifestyle leading to “neural hijackings” (physiological term indicating exaggerated responses to relatively trivial issues, which the person later regrets upon introspection) has made things worse, and this problem seems to plague a large section of the society, particularly the youth. To understand what Emotional Intelligence is all about, consider the following lines from “The Nicomachean Ethics”- a treatise on ethics by the great 4th Century philosopher, Aristotle:

“Anyone can become angry - that is easy. But to be angry with the right person to the right degree, at the right time, for the right purpose and in the right way - that is not within everybody’s power and is not easy.” A concise, to-the-point statement which brilliantly encapsulates the dilemma modern society finds itself in. The statement can be successfully extended to a range of other emotions whose unrestrained and unchecked flow could prove to be detrimental in social interactions. In other words, Emotional Intelligence refers to the ability of an individual to respond accurately to social situations and complexities. An emotionally intelligent individual has a positive temperament, the ability to properly assess the situation he or she find themselves in, and respond accordingly. They make more relevant and informed decisions and stay balanced throughout thus making them good leaders and better team players. In today’s day and age of increasing self-obsession and the unfortunate weakening of the social fabric, the emotional intellect plays a crucial role in holding together the threads of this fabric and ensuring the

rCorrection in Holiday List

O pinion Dhiman Kakati

survival of a cooperative, caring and understanding society. It is also important to realise that divorcing emotions in order to make a suitable and proper decision is not a solution in itself. In fact, from a purely biological point of view, millions of years of evolution has ensured that the “emotional brain” (regulated by a region called the Amygdala) has intricate connections to the “rational brain” (the region of the cerebral cortex) and plays a major role in influencing our assessment of a particular situation and subsequent behaviours and responses. In addition to this, positive emotions such as empathy, optimism and compassion have, time and again, proved to be the glue that binds a healthy society together, as discussed earlier. And this is where the role of the society’s youth comes into play; all the more important because they are the future of this society. From a professional point of view, it is not enough to have vast academic knowledge and a commendable set of soft skills to survive in the professional world. Emotional Intelligence helps us get along with colleagues and work as a team by means of empathy and collaboration, in maintaining a positive approach to work and give mature and sensible responses to various complications emerging out of the workplace. It makes us better and more efficient professionals. On top of that, the importance of emotional intelligence in our personal lives cannot be overemphasized. Managing our emotions and understanding those of our loved ones are the keys to maintaining healthy and durable relationships. It adds quality to our relationships and strengthens them further. Emotional Intelligence is no rocket science, either. All one needs to do is manage one’s emotions, behave in a gentle and suitable manner and try and empathize with the other party. And with patience and noble intent, it is not difficult to master at all. Hence, for a better quality of life, a proper combination of emotions and logic is of utmost necessity. And it calls for immediate action on the part of the individual to realise this dream of a healthy and cooperative society. n

Letter to the Editor

he Government of Assam recently declared the Holidays under Section 25 of the Negotiable Instruments Act 1881 for the calendar year 2019. However, it is unfortunate that, once again, the Birth Anniversary (Janmotsav) of Srimanta Sankaradeva is missing from the Holiday list under NI Act. Needless to add that Sankaradeva is the most revered person in Assam. The next birth anniversary of Srimanta Sankaradeva falls on 8th October 2019. It is requested to the Government of Assam to correct this anomaly and modify the Holiday List under NI Act for 2019, at the earliest, so that the Janmotsav of Sankaradeva is included. A Bhuyan Nagaon

In Focus

G PLUS | JAN 05 - JAN 11, 2019

Saikh Md Sabah Al-Ahmed Poet, Teacher

nown for his works in the field of poetry, Saikh Md Sabah Al-Ahmed is a multifaceted personality hailing from the city of Guwahati, Assam. A young poet, lyricist and freelance journalist, Sabah is presently serving as a faculty of English and Social Science as we ll as a Public Re lations Office r (PRO) at Don Bosco School, Panbazar. His poems have appeared in regional and national publications such as The Telegraph, The Assam Tribune and The Sentinel, Dainik Janasadharan, Asomiya Pratidin, Dainik Agradoot, etc. Sabah was born and brought up at Lakhtokia, an “old Gauhati” hamlet, presently a bustling commercial hub. After completing his high school from Don Bosco School, Guwahati, he graduated with honours in political science from Cotton College, Guwahati and then completed a masters in political science with specialisation in public administration from Gauhati University, Guwahati. Soon after his post graduation, he served as a lecturer at the Regional Institute of Journalism and Mass Communication (RIJAM), Ambari, Guwahati, for a couple of years, and has also had fleeting

stints as a teacher at Aryan Academy Junior College and Paramount City High School. Sabah joined Don Bosco School as a social science teacher back in December 2010 and soon became the face of the school for the media. “Being back at my old school and spending time with the children makes me feel more complete. The best part of the job, for me, is giving back to the kids what I received from my illustrious teachers during my school days,” said Sabah, speaking to G Plus. In between these, he started his career in media and joined North East Television (NE TV), as news coordinator and anchor on the English news desk. He later joined The Sentinel as sub-editor, where he was a member of the edit page te am. He finally re signe d from The Sentinel to pursue his freelancing career and has hitherto around 85 published articles to his credit. He was one of the founder members of the now defunct “Poets Guild” which came into existence on January 1, 1998 at Maligaon, Guwahati, with eminent poet Nilamani Phukan as its founder adviser. He has been publishing his poems in numerous newspapers,

magazines, annual souvenirs and online portals since May 1997. Talking about the inspiration behind his poetry, Sabah told G Plus, “My poems are inspired by human feelings, experiences and incidents of day to day life. Poetry for me is dark, revolving around themes of decadence, nonchalant unease and eroticism.” Sabah has so far authored three books including his debut anthology of poems Tranquil Musings – Collected Poems, which was reviewed by eminent litterateur (Late) Dr Mamoni Raisom Goswami and released by legendary (former) BBC South-Asia correspondent Mark Tully at the Asia International Literary Festival on December 3, 2010. His two other books are Contemporary Chronicles – Polity, Society & Culture and Past of the Present – A Historical Quest. His forthcoming book titled The Crimson Enchantress is the biography of Late Dr Mamoni Raisom Goswami. His books have been widely reviewed in both national as well as regional English dailies by eminent authors and literary personalities. Sabah’s poems received international acclaim when around ten

of his poems were recently selected to be translated into Italian. Naples-based Italian writer and poet Giorgio Moio would be translating his poems into Italian in the January 2019 issue of Frequenze Poetiche, a popular Italian magazine of poems. “The moment I received the email from renowned Italian poet Giorgio Moio, I felt as if my years of verse-making was finally rewarded. The feeling that one’s poems have received international acclaim is in itself something to rejoice about for any verse maker,” expressed Sabah. Sabah is only the second poet (writing in English) from Asia and interestingly from Assam after Arunav Barua, whose poems will have

adorned the hallowed pages of Frequenze Poetiche. Apart from his poems, he has so far penned around 500 articles (editorial & features) in The Assam Tribune, which also includes book reviews. With his popular monthly column Urban Musing, that has been chronicling the subtle nuances of the city of Guwahati since April 2013, he is one of the youngest columnists of The Assam Tribune. In September 2017, he completed two decades of writing in The Assam Tribune, since making his debut on September 13, 1997. For his works in the field of literature, Sabah was invited by the Sahitya Akademi for their recently held All India Young Writers’ Meet in Guwahati wherein 100 young writers from the country participated.

Elderly man from Assam urges people to save him from abusive son on Twitter Guwahatians React! Meghalee Das I don’t understand one thing. What is the point of making this public if he doesn’t want the police to be involved and only wants tweets and replies? A son that doesn’t respect his father will not respect a stranger’s opinion on their personal matter. One weekend in jail would have at least made him fearful of hitting his family again. I understand that some people don’t feel like dragging their family issues to the police station, but whatever this man is going through is a serious matter of concern and so, he should have lodged a police complaint. If any actions wouldn’t have been taken, then yes he could have tweeted about it tagging ministers and respectable authorities.

Shreya Dhar This is our so-called generation. How can someone do this to their parents, don’t they feel bad or ashamed for even 1 second while committing such things? It’s better to not have a son than to have a son like this one. And if we look around, we still see people who want a boy as they will be taking the family forward. Bullshit! Did the parents love their child to see this day? The son should be beaten in public and also, the same thing should happen to him by his son, only then will he realize what a big mistake he has made. It’s good to see that Himanta Biswa Sarma has noticed this and asked to take strict action. Hope the son gets strict punishment for this act and never repeats the same in the future.

Amitabh Sarma I just want to say that, Sir, the law is with you, the top brass minister is with you, the cops are with you and now the public too. Please don’t delay the matter and just take the legal way fast. Moreover, we live in Assam where there is already a law in place. Don’t worry, you will get justice and your son surely deserves something worse which will be a nightmare in this life. Sarbam Nath If this man can use Twitter and update a status, then how could he, being a teacher forget the Indian Constitution? How can I believe it’s true?? Is his other son a handicap that he doesn’t do anything? His whole family is educated enough to solve this problem. Also, the other son who got harassed is not uneducated I suppose. I feel there is a mystery and twitter is not a law of India. Go to the local police station and file an FIR and go to the higher authorities. Anurag Chakraborty So sad to see that these young educated children are doing all these things to their parents. How can someone be so cruel? Beating parents? Who the hell on earth gave them the right to do so? And I don’t think the son will understand what he has done is wrong until and unless he is treated the same way. This boy should be beaten black and blue for whatever he has done. After looking at the tweets, I feel that no can can even imagine the pain the parents are going through right now. Also, the man should have gone to the police station long back and filed a complaint against his son.

16 Feature

G PLUS | JAN 05 - JAN 11, 2019

Novotel, Guwahati, GS Road

hosts a Grand New Year’s Eve Party to welcome 2019!

ovotel, Guwahati GS Road hosted one of the biggest and most exclusive New Year’s Eve parties in town. It featured three different venues inside its premises, all of which hosted unique parties and entertainment options. “On this joyous occasion of ‘New Year’ I would like to extend my heartfelt greetings to all my fellow friends and Guwahatians. It gives me immense pleasure to share the success of this New Year Bash at ‘Novotel Guwahati, GS Road’ in all the three venues of our hotel,” said Sukhbir Singh, General Manager, Novotel Guwahati, GS Road to G Plus. The three venues, The Malt, Celebration and The SQUARE all

my family thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and look forward to more such events at the hotel,” said Sikhar Das who came to The Sqaure with his family. Celebration, the Grand Ballroom also served a la carte finger food and hosted a Bollywood-themed DJ party with DJ Niyor. “I am a Bollywood freak and my only wish this New Year’s Eve was to dance to rocking

“There are very few good and high-end places in Guwahati where you can go to enjoy New Year’s Eve with your family. The Square had so many different options of food from so many different countries and the buffet spread was amazing to look at. The food tasted amazing as well. Me and

had unique offerings. “Our concept and idea in hosting this New Year Bash at three different locations under one roof, is to cater to the requirements of people from all age groups. We have the Multi-cuisine specialty restaurant ‘The Square’ host a gala dinner for our patrons who would like to relax and unwind over a drink and rejoice over great delicacies from the buffet spread, while ‘The Celebrations’ and ‘Malt’ are for the guests who would like to groove to the Commercial Bollywood beats and Latin Jazz or Hip-Hop respectively,” said Sukhbir Singh, General Manager, Novotel Guwahati, GS Road to G Plus. The Malt served ala-carte finger food and drinks, while DJ Lain entranced audiences with Latin Jazz music. “I went to Malt and had a great time. It was a great start to the New Year and me and my friends enjoyed a lot. DJ Lain was amazing and I am so happy Novotel got him,” said Kavita Sarma who attended the event at Malt lounge. Another venue at the hotel, ‘The SQUARE’, hosted a gala dinner with a lavish buffet that featured dishes from many world class cuisines, unlimited drinks and packages based on preference of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. The entertainment featured Bumblefoot-Acoustic music.

Bollywood numbers all night and Novotel and DJ Niyor made my wish come true. DJ Niyor played the latest Bollywood hits and she was so good! Had a blast,” said a girl gang who celebrated their NYE at the Celebration. The Drawing Room and Forum at the hotel, which required private booking, had a set menu and served a la carte liquor. All in all, the event was a success and met the expectations of both the guests and the event organizers and everyone present at the event had a blast. “Overall, our New Year ’s Eve event has been a successful one, that witnessed many happy faces who had a great time in the hotel,” said Sukhbir Singh, General Manager, Novotel Guwahati, GS Road to G Plus.

Trotter

G PLUS | JAN 05 - JAN 11, 2019

Siri sounding woman gets 16 million views

good Caz sounds. However, Caz was quick enough to shut down the doubters posting another Siri impression from her own Twitter account. “For everyone saying that I’m faking the Siri, you hear in the background is me being previously recorded on someone else’s phone and my friend asked me to do it again,” Caz said in a separate tweet. “I’ve always had a good speaking voice it just came naturally to me one day and I’ve been doing it ever since.” (Source: ndtv)

video is going viral on social media with good reason which shows a woman impersonating Siri. It has garnered over 16 million views on Twitter and people just can’t believe how spoton the impression is. Shared by Twitter, the video shows a woman identified as Baltimore-based rapper Caz imitating the voice of Apple’s AI assistant, Siri. Since being shared online, the video has collected over 2,500 amazed comments from people who can’t believe how

Rs 1.86 crores robbed from this entrepreneur’s bank account via 6 missed calls

businessman, who identified himself as V Shah from Mahim, Mumbai, reported that he lost Rs 1.86 crores via a missed calls scam. In the intervening night of December 27-28, he received these 6 missed calls from Indian and UK (+44 code), between 11 PM and 2 AM. When he woke up in the morning, and he tried to call these numbers, he found that his SIM had been deactivated. Sensing trouble, he checked his bank account and was horrified to know that Rs 1.86 crores had been already robbed. The scamsters had siphoned off the

money via 28 transactions, across 14 bank accounts. The police were

able to recover Rs 20 lakhs, but the rest had been withdrawn and the bank accounts closed. There is no trace of anyone now.

BKC Cyber Crime Police Station has filed the case under Indian Penal Code sections 420 (cheating), 419 (impersonation) and 34 (criminal act done by several people in furtherance of common intention) and sections 43 (damage to computer system) and 66D (impersonation) of the Information Technology Act. Shah said, “My company’s bank account is linked to my mobile phone, but never in my wildest of dreams did I imagine that the cheats will empty out my account with such ridiculous ease.” (Source: Trak.in)

Mom catches 6-yearold using Alexa to cheat at homework

New Jersey mother secretly filmed her 6-year-old son getting some illicit homework assistance from Amazon’s Alexa virtual assistant. The video shows the boy asking Alexa to solve a math problem five minus three and getting the

answer from the Amazon device. The mother said she was surprised to find her son cheating at math, which she said is his favourite subject. She said Alexa will be switched off during future homework sessions. (Source: dailymail)

Kerala cops teach road safety by recreating iconic Beatles cover lmost five decades after the Beatles walked into history with their iconic Abbey Road cover, police officers in a Kerala town have recreated that famous shot, for a good cause. In an ode to the

Mir Mohammed Ali, who dubbed them “Kannur’s Beatles” and said that the cops had come together with local artists to promote road safety through the initiative.

everlasting charm of the 1969 album cover which shows the four band members on a zebra crossing, four cops from the Kannavam Police Station in Kannur district imitated the photo to promote road safety. The picture was shared on Twitter by the collector of Kannur,

House Officer (SHO) at Kannavam Police Station, collaborating with local artists to promote road safety in a remote part of the district,” he wrote while sharing the picture. The picture of the Kannavam cops has garnered a very positive response on Twitter. (Source: republicworld)

“Initiative taken by the Station

Instagram’s temporary horizontal feed update sees users having a meltdown

nstagram has apologised for an update that changed the app’s vertical feed to a horizontal one. Instagram users across the world were shocked to see the photosharing app had rolled out an interface update. The horizontal scrolling update allowed users to browse photographs by swiping left or right, instead the usual and wellloved vertical scrolling style. Safe to say, the update did not find many takers. In fact, most Instagram users took to other social media platforms to talk about how much they hated the updated

look. Instagram has since apologised for and rolled back the update. Head of Instagram, Adam

Mosseri, said the roll-out was an accident and was only meant to be a small test. “If you’re still seeing it, simply restart the

app,” he explained on Twitter. He also shared a picture of the comments on his last post - all of them from Instagram users decidedly unhappy with the update. “Sorry for the confusion! Always trying new ideas, usually with a much smaller number of people...” he explained in a separate tweet. This is definitely not the first time an Instagram update has led to users having a meltdown. Last year, the app’s album feature update met with a similar reaction. (Source: ndtv)

18 Review

G PLUS | JAN 05 - JAN 11, 2019

Starring: Hailee Steinfeld, John Cena, Jorge Lendeborg Jr., John Ortiz, etc. Director: Travis Knight

Cinepolis

11:00 AM, 02:00 PM,

Christian Basti

05:00 PM, 08:00 PM

09435025808 Simmba

KGF 11:00 AM, 05:00 PM

09:00 AM, 10:00 AM, 12:20 PM, 01:20 PM, 03:40 PM, 04:40

Grande Cines

PM, 07:00 PM, 08:00 PM

Paltan Bazar

Bumblebee (English) 09:30 AM, 03:15 PM, 05:50 PM, 08:25 PM Salt Bridge

Movie Review

12:05 PM Aquaman (English), 3D 12:10 PM Bhaworiya (Assamese) 05:25 PM

09854017771 Simmba 11:00 AM, 02:00 PM, 05:15 PM, 08:30 PM Aquaman (English), 3D 05:30 PM Bumblebee (English) 10:30 AM, 03:15 PM KGF 05:30 PM

Bumblebee

umblebee is an American science fiction action film centered around the Transformers movie of the same name. It is a spin-off movie from the Transformer series and the sixth in the installment. It is a prequel to the first Transformers movie which came out in 2007 and is set in the 1980s. This movie is the first in the series to not be directed by Michael Bay, however he still is a producer for the film. The film opens in full Michael Bay style with Cybertron witnessing a war between Autobots and Decepticons, with the former losing the battle. Their leader, Optimus Prime orders B-127 to go to Earth and protect the

nfinix has ruled the budget segment and has been featured on NDTV’s best budget phones of 2018. The formula for the perfect mix for the company: a powerefficient MediaTek Helio P23 processor, clean stock Android, and a beautiful crisp display. The Infinix Note 5 Stylus is the first such product from the company, and one of the very few smartphones in recent times to sport a stylus.

Design:

The Note 5 Stylus has a flashy paint job called the Bordeaux Red but if you prefer subtle shades, you can opt for the Charcoal Blue option. The Note 5 Stylus has a metal uni-body that gives it a premium look and a solid feel in the hand. The front has a 6-inch fullHD+ display that has thin bezels on its sides. It does not have a notch and sticks to the 18:9 aspect ratio. The selfie camera and a selfie flash are at the top

planet as a new command post saying that one day the surviving Autobots will return to their home planet. When B-127 reaches Earth, he crashes into a war games exercise conducted by Agent Burns (John Cena) and a Decepticon attacks him. Bumblebee’s memory crashes and he loses his speech function skills. Heavily wounded, he reaches a rundown Beetle before passing out. He is found by Charlie Watson (Hailee Steinfield) in an old scrapyard. Charlie used to be a champion diver but has trouble adjusting to life since her father died and she is also resentful of her mother’s marriage. She discovers that her rundown car is an alien and an unlikely friend-

Infinix Note 5 Stylus

ship forms between them. The adventures that follow and how they overcome their difficulties together and separately makes for the rest of the film. This movie is probably the best movie in the entire Transformers series as the CGI is perfect and the make-believe world seems very real and authentic. Also, the aliens and especially Bumblebee’s character is humanised in a form that makes viewers empathize with him and feel for him as a real, living breathing thing. Travis Knight has indeed added life to the series and Michael Bay’s departure from the film as a director is a welcome change by all. n port, loudspeaker the highlight feature, the stylus.

Specifications:

along with the earpiece. The bottom bezel is bare since the phone makes use of onscreen buttons for navigation. On the back of the phone, a single camera along with a dual-LED flash and a fingerprint scanner exists. The fingerprint scanner is convenient to reach when holding the phone on either hand. The back panel is flat but curves at the sides making the Note 5 Stylus comfortable to hold. The phone also has a 3.5mm headphone jack, a Micro-USB

Infinix has the octa-core MediaTek Helio P23 processor to power the Note 5 Stylus. There’s 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage which is expandable by up to 128GB because of the hybrid dualSIM design. The XPen stylus has 4,096 levels of pressure sensitivity. The Note 5 Stylus also has two NanoSIM slots and support

grille,

and

Anuradha Cineplex

Bhaworiya (Assamese)

Noonmati

12:40 PM

0361 2656968 Simmba

PVR Cinemas

05:15 PM, 08:15 PM

Dona Planet

Bumblebee (English) 02:45 PM Bumblebee (Hindi) 10:00 AM Bhaworiya (Assamese) 12:30 PM

Gold Cinema Paltan Bazaar 09854066166 Simmba

for dual 4G as well as VoLTE.

08800900009 Bumblebee (English) 10:15 AM, 06:25 PM, 09:00 PM Simmba 10:30 AM, 01:55 PM, 05:20 PM, 08:45 PM Bhaworiya (Assamese) 12:50 PM Mary Poppins Returns (English) 03:35 PM

Connectivity options include Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth, USB-OTG, and GPS. It packs in a 4000mAh battery which is smaller than the 4500mAh battery in the Infinix Note 5.

Verdict:

As the phone is part of the Android One programme, the Infinix Note 5 Stylus is guaranteed to receive timely software and security updates. It has a good, vivid display and the stylus is quite useful. This phone is perfect for the person who loves taking notes (or scribbling) the old-fashioned way. However, its price is a bit too much for the features it provides. While it is a significantly less expensive version of the Samsung Galaxy Note series, which also features a stylus, it is still above its price range compared to similar phones. n

Entertainment

G PLUS | JAN 05 - JAN 11, 2019

Assamese SoundCloud sensation Axl Hazarika releases controversial EDM music video

xl Hazarika, an Assamese experimental artist, who has been leading India on SoundCloud’s Global Trance Top 10 charts has released his new music video, ‘Neta Song.’ The video is an attempt to troll corrupt politicians of our society. The video is directed by Hazarika and has already gone viral on Facebook by becoming the first music video from Assam to get approximately 2 lakh 70 thousand views within 24 hours. The song is from the EDM genre, which is big in the international scene right now. The lyrics of the song were compiled after an online contest was held on Instagram and Twitter and young people on the social platforms came up with random words for the song. This is the reason the song contains some unparliamentary words such as ‘Kela,’ ‘Ghanta’, ‘Aalbaal’ and more. The words were not censored in the internet version

of the song after consultation with veteran filmmakers in Assam. Hazarika is an experimental music artist from northeast India and has recently become the first and only Indian artist to rank in SoundCloud Top 10 Global Trance music charts & Billboard music charts. He is also credited with the first animation video - Hum Badal Gaye - from

northeast India officially certified and censored by the Central Board of Film Certification, India and the first 3D animation video from Assam, The Blind Dog. The Assamese music video, ‘Goru Bihu Song,’ directed by Axl had been selected to be screened at the 47th Sehsüchte, that happened from 25th to 29th April 2018 at the Film University Babelsberg.

Adil Hussain to star in a big-budget Bollywood movie

dil Hussain is all set to star in a big-budget Bollywood movie in a lead role. In an interview with a national newspaper, Hussain said that the director of the movie is a famous Bollywood director and since nothing has been announced formally yet, he cannot disclose more information now. Hussain, 55, who hails from Goalpara is a very versatile actor and has come a long way in his career. He has been seen in films such as Life of Pi, The Reluctant Fundamentalist, Parched, Ishqiya, Lootera, English Vinglish, Aiyaary, Mukti Bhavan and more recently, the international stunner, Love

Sonia. Hussain said that he chooses his films carefully so that he does not get cast as any stereotypical

character. Recently, his film, ‘What Will People Say’ was chosen as Norway’s official entry to the Oscars in 2019. Hussain is busy now and has projects lined up back-toback. Currently, his yet-to-bereleased film, Abyakto is making all kinds of buzz at many film festivals. He will be seen next in Arindam Sil’s, ‘Khela Jokhon.’ The National School of Drama alumnus is also working on his commitments to do more theatre work. He said that he needs a break from films of at least three to four months to focus on his play, ‘Karmanistha’ and he should be able to stage it by mid-2019.

Pune-based Assamese IT professional makes debut in music industry

Pune-based IT professional, Pranjal Saikia from Assam, has made his debut in Assamese music industry as a lyricist with his song, “Pohar Kot.” Saikia’s passion for writing led him to

the world of music and the film industry. He is a poet and writer, who writes in English, Assamese and Hindi and has worked in Marathi movies as well as short films. When speaking about how he wrote the song, Saikia said that

once he was driving through the streets of Pune and suddenly saw a “game” of moon and cloud. The moon was struggling to shower light but the cloud was blocking its way. After penning the lyrics for the song, he connected with an Assamese youth residing in Pune, Raunak Bharadwaj, who is a singer, composer and IT professional and Amritanshu Dutta, finalist of Dilhai Hindustani Reality Show. Saikia shared the idea of the song with Bharadwaj and Dutta and they composed the song. Saikia said that even after staying away from Assam for more than a decade, his soul is still in his homeland. The song was released on December 7 2018, from Griebs Music Assam on all digital platforms and the video of the song has been directed by Vishal P Chaliha, music composition and arrangement has been done by Dutta. Budding actor Dani Hemagni Kashyap stars in the video for the song.

Award-winning Assamese film ‘Xhoixobote Dhemalite’will be in cinemas on February 8

fter making its mark in several national and international film festivals, Bidyut Kotoky’s ‘Xhoixobote Dhemalite’ (Rainbow Fields) is all set to hit theatres across Assam on February 8 this year. The film recently won the best narrative feature in the Erie International Film Festival in Pennsylvania, USA. The movie is set in Assam in the violent 1980s period and is about children growing up in that period witnessing brutality around them, how it still impacts them today and has a lasting effect on them. The film has a stellar cast including Victor Banerjee, Nakul Vaid, Naved Aslam, Nipon Goswami, Nikumoni Barua, Dipannita Shar-

ma and a number of young and energetic kids. Some other awards that the film won in addition to the EIFF are award for bests screenplay at Treasure Coast International Film Festival in Florida, where it also received nominations in 5 categories. It won best film, in the Love International Film Festival, Los Angeles. It was also selected in Indian Panorama, IFFI (Goa) and the Best Foreign Language Film, Hollywood CineFest, Los Angeles. The film is also recognized as the first Assamese film to be commercially release d in the Unite d State s. The film had earlier received a limited release in Assam in January 2018, but director Bidyut Kotoky has decided to re -release the film in Assam.

Biswajit Thakuriya’s ‘Dubala Dubala’ releases Kalyan Kumar Kalita

lot of Assamese singles are released on social networking sites almost every day, but only a few manage to touch the heart of Assamese music lovers. One such song released recently called, ‘Dubala Dubala’ got a lot of appreciation from music lovers. The song is written by Ila Baruah,

tuned by Biswajit Thakuriya and the music video has been directed by Pranjal Pradip Bharali. The song has also been beautifully rendered by Biswajit Thakuriya. The song is mixed and mastered by Pranjal Pradip Bharali and recorded at Studio Eden, Jorhat. Thakuriya always dreamt of becoming a singer and due to his hard work and passion, he also gathered knowledge of song writing and composition. Some of his pre-

vious releases are ‘Majoni’, ‘Moinajaan’, ‘Haal Baang Jou’, ‘Karamker

Ratiya’ etc all of which became highly popular among Assamese music lovers. His recent single ‘Dubala Dubala’ was also able to get the same attention among music enthusiasts. The singer shared his feelings about the song saying that, ‘Dubala Dubala is fully a romantic number. The song is based on the reaction of lovers that every lover feels when he falls deeply in love. Thakuriya said that he is very

thankful to Assamese audiences for showing love and appreciation to all his songs. This love encourages him the most. At present, the singer is busy with a lot of songs at Studio Eden in Jorhat. Among them, one song is ‘Bajrangi Bhaijaan’ whose name is based on Salman Khan’s blockbuster Bollywood movie of the same name, whereas some others include ‘Bhalpao Tuk,’ ‘Rani Bordoloi,’ ‘O Rupa,’ ‘Majoni 2,’and ‘Kazollota.’

20 Fun

G PLUS | JAN 05 - JAN 11, 2019

Horoscope of the week Your impatience and eagerness to increase your bank balance may reward you this week. Lady Luck showering her blessings may grant you an opportunity to fulfil your wish. Jupiter eyes Mars traversing through the 11th House. This position suggests lucrative deals and encouraging monetary returns. You shall feel elated with huge profits.

Finally, there is some respite for you on the personal front. After weeks, the planets are aligned in a favourable position to enjoy a pleasant time with family. This may lift your spirits, after which you may be in a mood to change the interiors of your home, giving it a makeover. Singles too shall have strong urge to enjoy physical intimacy with a person of opposite sex.

This week is likely to give you a chance to unwind and time to relax. In order to give your home a new look, you may consider introducing some changes like altering the upholstery or tapestry. Planets corresponding to finance – Jupiter and Mercury seem well-aligned at this juncture. Surprisingly, they may favour to grant you opportunities to make huge financial gains.

The week kick-starts just the way you wanted – parties, social gatherings, dining and dancing. Why not? After all, Moon connects with the ruler of your Sign Venus moving through the 3rd House. Here you shall bump into the high and mighty of the society. A formal association with them can prove to be beneficial in the long run.

You will be able to bond with your family and spend quality time with them after a long time. Thanks to the favourable planetary alignment that suggests bonhomie and unity in the family. At the work front, it’s high time you recover the pending dues… be stern, if need be. For businessmen, midweek shall be a good time for business expansion and boosting up the sales.

The week shall begin on a jovial note as you have all the reasons to be happy. Married ones will reinstate spark in their relationship as your partner shall reciprocate your feelings. Whispering sweet nothings and exchanging surprise gifts may rekindle the love for your partner. However, some disturbance may hold you back from enjoying sensual pleasures.

Moon connecting with Venus in the 12th House shall prod you to enjoy life to the fullest. However, being aware of your responsibilities, you may not go overboard with the pleasures life has to offer. Employees are likely to be in a relaxed mood as there is no pressure mounting to meet the deadline. In fact, this is a great time to clear your pending issues.

Love and indulging in sensual pleasures shall find you in a cheerful mood at the beginning of the week. Moon now connects with Venus – the planet linked to love, sex and intimate relationships – moving through the 11th House. Singles here have a strong chance of getting into a serious, long-term relationship after proposing a friend.

Challenges galore, especially for employees and professionals. Although you are well-placed and in a secured position, you may be entrusted with a challenging task to work upon. Don’t get nervous and jittery about it as handling the task successfully shall enhance your prospects in near future.

A desirable and motivating week lies ahead of you! Venus and debilitated Moon moving through the 9th House shall support your efforts and prod you to move ahead in your endeavours. Love birds may go on a long drive on a chilly winter evening or plan a small getaway with friends to a nearby resort.

Which treaty signed in 1826 to end the First Anglo-Burmese War also led to the ceding of Assam to the British by Burma?

Which cricketer holds the record for scoring the fastest century in Ranji Trophy?

Which famous artist is credited to have designed the Dream Sequence in Alfred Hitchcock’s 1945 movie, Spellbound?

Which popular tourist spot got its name from the fact that Sati’s eyes fell at that spot when Vishnu cut it into 51 pieces?

What is the name of this famous Parisian Museum? Dr. Soubhadra Chakrabarty This quiz has been brought to you by Brain Jam, a property of Priya Communications

Non Sequitur By Wiley Miller

curio-city

4 6

Daily Sudoku: Fri 28-Dec-2018

5 last 2 9week 1 7 solution 3 6 4 8 8 6 7 9 4 2 3 5 1 3 7 2 6 8 9 1 4 5 3 1 4 5 8 6 9 7 2 1 5 6 7 2 4 9 3 8 7 9 2 8 6 5 4 1 3 8 9 4 5 1 3 6 7 2 6 4 5 7 3 1 8 2 9 2 3 5 8 9 7 4 1 6 1 8 3 2 9 4 7 6 5 9 4 1 2 3 6 5 8 7 4 7 1 3 5 9 2 8 6 1 42 57 21 93 34 96 58 87 6 4 51 18 85 69 97 27 32 63 4 5 1 9 3 6 8 7 2 very4hard Daily Sudoku: Fri 4-Jan-2019

4 6 8 9 7 2 3 5 1 Daily Sudoku: Fri 28-Dec-2018

very hard

http://www.dailysudoku.com/

Word of the week 1. The Kolkata Kathi Rolls 2. Treaty of Yandabo 3. Rishabh Pant, in 48 balls, in 2016, for Delhi against Jharkhand. 4. Salvador Dali 5. Nainital 6. Musee D’Orsay

Which popular snack was invented by Nizam Restaurant, Kolkata in early 1960s when they replaced the heavy iron skewers with lightweight bamboo ones?

1 7 3 2 3 5 2 9 4 5 3 7 5 6 7 2 8 1 8 4 5 6 4 2 9 2 7 1 8 4 7 3 7 6 8 1 3 5 8 6 1 8 9 4 1 8 8 7 2 very hard Daily Sudoku: Fri 4-Jan-2019

http://www.dailysudoku.com/

curio-city 1

Sudoku

The week may begin on an encouraging note as investments made earlier are likely to pay off now. However, be very cautious in utilising the amount – Ganesha tips to keep it aside, in a safe, for future use as this is not a favourable time to make fresh investments. Petty arguments and difference in opinion shall continue with your partner.

Your lack of interest in domestic matters may be considered as negligence by your family members. Before that happens, spend some time with them discussing the needs of the household. This care and concern induce harmony at the home front and you may enjoy the pleasures of a healthy family life.

totsiens interjection [tawt-seenz] to improvise, experiment, or think creatively.

Crossword Across

Down

1 Perfect neatness (5-3,5) 8 Profound respect (3) 9 (In music) the sharps or flats that follow the clef and indicate the key (9) 10 Having great lightness and delicacy (8) 11 Sour blackthorn fruit (4) 13 Dependent settlement away from the homeland (6) 14 A self-help dining experience (6) 16 Regular pay (4) 17 Large fish-eating bird of prey (3,5) 20 Imply (9) 21 Carpet (3) 22 More or less distant relative (7,6)

1 Mindful (5) 2 Experts on election statistics and voting trends (13) 3 Hold sacred — protect (8) 4 Out of neutral? (2,4) 5 Fine (4) 6 Ten or more? (6,7) 7 Return to office (7) 12 Part of the mind that acts as a conscience (8) 13 Tuft of hair that won’t lie flat (7) 15 Malaysian state, capital George Town (6) 18 Encourage to act (3,2) 19 Against (4)

Last week’s solution

Lifestyle

G PLUS | JAN 05 - JAN 11, 2019

Easy Vaastu Tips for the New Year

hile wishing you all a very happy and prosperous 2019, here are some Vaastu tips for the new year which will usher in a fresh lease of energy to your house. Check them out below: 1. For prosperity, place an aquarium in the south direction of your living room. It is very lucky and it also enhances the beauty of your home. 2. Recite the mantra, Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya to do away with all doshas in a house. 3. Look around, if there are any paintings with a crying lady, an owl or eagle then remove it from the house right away as it is very unlucky for peace of mind and also because it generates negative energies. 4. At least once in every three years, do Ganesh Puja, Navagrah Shanti Puja as it removes all kinds of Vaastu Doshas from the house. 5. Keep a salt bowl at different corners of your home as it consumes all negative energies. 6. Place a Swastika and Om sign on the door of your house for luck and prosperity. 7. Do not put any kind of mirror in your bedroom as per Vaastu. However, if that is not possible,

then you may keep it away from the bed in a way that it does not reflect you while sleeping.

around you. 11. The kitchen in your house should be in the south-west

It is said that the mirror reflects health problems to residing family members. 8. Meditation is key to positivity, good health and peace of mind. Try to practice it once a day to develop a positive environment for you and your family. 9. Don’t keep medicines in your kitchen as it attracts a lot of bad luck and negative energies. 10. Place a lemon in a glass of water and make sure to change the water every day. It will increase the flow of positive e ne rgie s

corner of the house. If that is not possible, try to keep your stove in the suggested direction. 12. Place a nameplate outside your door as it is said to help find opportunities and luck easily.

Attract richness into your house the right way Vaastu has laid down some rules which should be followed

by all to attract richness into the house. Many households face poverty because the occupants have neglected the basic rules which are applicable in Feng Shui also. 1. The planet Venus rules the prosperity energy. Wherever there is clutter and junk, positive energy will not remain. Energy will stagnate and Venus will not enter

such a household. So, clear all junk and de-clutter immediately. 2. Broken objects should not be kept at home. There is a saying, “If your belongings are broken, you probably are too!” Replace any broken utensils, machinery, bulbs, mirrors etc. 3. Do not keep dead and withering plants. Decomposed plants attract negative energy

and that is why dried flowers and plants should be avoided too. 4. There should not be any leaky taps or walls/ceilings/floors. This may transform into money being leaked away. Repair all leaks. 5. North, east and northeast are prosperity zones. There should not be any toilets in these areas. If a toilet is unavoidable in these directions, keep the toilet lid and the toilet door closed but open the windows. Keep a bowl of water with salt and change the water at regular intervals. 6. Brooms, vacuum cleaners, shoe racks and trash cans should not be kept in the prosperity area. 7. Do not display pictures or art of barren landscapes, hills, dried lakes, dead trees etc. Pictures of unhappy phases of life should not be displayed. 8. Smelly mattresses and boxes where animals are kept attract negative energy. These should not be kept in the prosperity area. Hemanta Kumar Sarmah Engineer, Businessman, Advanced Pranic Healer and Su Jok Acupressure specialist.

4 special New Year traditions from 4 special countries Harshita Himatsingka

ew Year traditions are special around the world. People feast on lavish delicacies, they drink their most expensive wines, they dance the night away. Now, these are only some of the most common things people do across the world. However, there are some countries in the world that have their own strange and weird traditions. Say for example, do you know about breaking plates and eating grapes? If not, check it out below!

1.Spain: Countdown with grapes Just like people gather at Times Square to watch the NYE ball drop, people in Madrid, Spain gather at Plaza de Espana. People at

to check your popularity

the location and all across Spain welcome the New Year by quickly eating 12 grapes over the last 12 seconds of the year - one grape for one second. People across the

feature in this list. The good people of Estonia have a new year tradition of eating 7-12 meals on New Year’s Day. The legend goes that if a man could eat 7-12 full

The people of Denmark have a sort of popularity contest during the New Year. Throughout the

Spain

Estonia

Denmark

Bolivia

country gather at major squares in their locales and gobble up these grapes. This tradition signifies good luck for each of the twelve months of the year.

meals, that person could see an abundance of food in the upcoming year. It also signifies that the man has the strength of the number of meals he has eaten. However, a new tradition now poses that the number of meals have changed to the number of shots of Bourbon.

year, they save their old plates and on New Year’s, they take them to their family and friends’ doorsteps and break them by the dozen. The reasoning is that the pile of broken plates is supposed to indicate the number of friends one has. Thus, the more broken plates you find, the more friends you have.

engagement rings in their dessert or champagne in Hollywood movies. Bolivia has a somewhat similar tradition. They add one very special ingredient in all their sweet treats, they put coins into baked goods such as cakes, pastries and other desserts and whoever finds the coins, has good luck for the next year.

2. Estonia: 12 meals to start the year The number 12 is a common

3. Denmark: Break plates

4. Bolivia: Add coins into baked goods We’ve often seen women find

22 Buzz

G PLUS | JAN 05 - JAN 11, 2019

Assam Governor releases book on Lord Shiva

overnor of Assam, Prof Jagdish Mukhi released a book titled “Shiva” written by Jaydeep Majumdar and Partha Sarathi Mahanta at a programme held at Sukreswar Temple premises on Sunday, December 30. The book is an attempt to provide readers with an understanding of the omnipresence and supremacy of Lord Shiva. Speaking at the book launch, the Governor said that the book will give readers an opportunity to understand Lord Shiva and his various aspects and enlighten readers on the creation of the universe and traverse through the many legends associated with the God. Mukhi also said that even though the two authors are not religious scholars, they have done a good job explaining the components of Lord Shiva to the reader. He mentioned that the book will be a good way to introduce today’s youth to the realm of spirituality

which will help them in all aspects of their life and also to learn about

ent), Bhabesh Kalita, minister of state (independent) for labour

Indian culture and civilization. Health & family welfare minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma, minister of state for urban development, Pijush Hazarika, minister of state for irrigation (independ-

& employment, Pallab Lochan Das, former DGPs, GM Srivastava, Mukesh Sahay, temple priests and a host of other dignitaries were present at the event. n

Guwahati boy shines at international MMA event

He also mentioned that his coach has always inspired him and given him technical and effective training because of which Gogoi and his team were able to represent Assam and India on many platforms and come out with flying colours. Gogoi also said that his parents and family have always encouraged him to pursue martial arts and he wants to make Dastbi and his family proud. Dastbi MMA has two branches in Beltola and Geetanagar. It is run by two young martial arts experts, Angkim Kashyap Sharma and Indrani Chakrabarty. Their aim is to provide a good platform for northeastern fighters so they can represent India at all levels. n

uwahati boy, Abhijit Gogoi,18, has performed tremendously at an international MMA event held in West Bengal. He clinched the 3rd position in the International Friendship Cup 2018 organised by the All India Kyokushin Karate Association (AIKKA) held in West Bengal on 30 December, 2018. He now holds an orange belt and had knocked down one black belt from Bangladesh in just 5 seconds. He bagged the third prize for India whereas Korea and Nepal took the first and second positions respectively. Gogoi has been training under Sensei Angkim Kashyap Sharma in Dastbi MMA, Guwahati. Gogoi said that he wanted to thank his coach and team at Dastbi for their constant support.

City school hosts its first alumni meet

aharishi Vidya Mandir (MVM) Guwahati’s Alumni Association organized its first alumni meet, “Enajori” in the school’s premises on December 29, 2018. Past students

from the school, from the oldest to the very recent batch were present at this event at their alma mater. The event was a long one, which started in the morning and continued well into the late evening. The meet started with a breakfast event where teachers

welcomed their past students. This was followed by a morning assembly and parade. The event was then formally inaugurated by lighting of the lamps and felicitation of the chief guest, TP Bhattacharjee, Regional Director MVM Assam, guest of honour, Professor B Banerjee, Principal, Royal School of Engineering and Technology and celebrity guest, Prastuti Parasar, renowned actor. The day proceeded with games among the alumni and teachers and performances by teachers and students, both present and past. The performers included Harshita Bhattacharjee, who was the runner up at &TV’s “Love Me India” kids’ music show, a band, “Lambda,” faculty member and singer Lipika Goswami, alumna Barsha, Sohenni and Ankurika and vocal artist, Anubhav Dutta. The evening ended with dinner and a set by DJ Rawat. n

Chandubi Festival begins in full swing

he Chandubi Festival began on 1st January, Tuesday. The festival is a 5-day event that will end on Saturday, 5th January. Governor of Assam, Prof Jagdish Mukhi inaugurated the event on Tuesday and said that it has turned into a bridge of unity among the indigenous communities living along the border between Assam

exhibitions on traditional craftsmanship on bamboo, cane and handloom textiles which, in a way, boosts the growth of traditional industries. He added that Chandubi Festival also has the potential of catalyzing employment and tourism in the state. The festival features bamboo and cane exhibitions, traditional

and Meghalaya. The governor also said that the festival is a showcase of myriad folk culture of different communities of the northeastern states. The festival gives an opportunity to know their traditions, ethnic culinary delicacies, folk musical instruments, ethnic fineries, and traditional games and sports. He observed that the festival presents a good platform for organizing

games and sports, cultural programmes, garment stalls and many more attractions. Prem Mukhi, wife of the Governor, Chief Councilor, Rabha Hasong, Autonomous Council, Tankeswar Rabha, Deputy Commissioner of Kamrup, Kamal Kumar Baishya and a host of other dignitaries were also present at the festival. n

32nd edition of the Guwahati Book Fair comes to a close

he 32nd Guwahati Book Fair came to a close on January 2, Wednesday. The fair organized by the Assam Publication Board at the Assam Engineering Institute playground witnessed footfall of around two lakh people and approximately Rs 2 crores worth of books being sold in the scheduled 12-day event. Harsh Dutta, former editor of Desh magazine, urged all groups of people to gift books to children to create a reading environment at

the concluding event of the book fair. He also mentioned that even after efforts from government and non-governments groups, reading habits among the youth are declining at a rapid rate, one of the reasons for which is the invasion of digital instruments. Siddhartha Bhattacharya, state education minister and chairman of the Assam Publication Board and Hrishikesh Goswami , media advisor to the chief minister were also present at the event. n

Events

G PLUS | JAN 05 - JAN 11, 2019

Event: DJ Suketu for Blenders Pride Style Nights Venue: Terra Mayaa Date: 4 January’ 2019

Event: Imperial Blue Super Hit Nights presents Nehal Kakkar Live Venue: Sarusajai Stadium Date: January 4' 2019

Mumbai-based DJ Suketu performs various kinds of music including retro, pop and techno music at Terra Mayaa for an event organized by Blenders Pride Style Nights.

Imperial Blue SuperHit Nights presents Nehal Kakkar Live at Sarusajai stadium. The singer flew down to Guwahati and entranced audiences with her melodious tunes.

he amazing New Year’s Bash at NYX, Lounge and Deck NYX Lounge and Deck hosted an amazing New Year’s bash on December 31. DJ Varun headlined the event and played some serious tunes for guests to welcome the new year with a bang. “The party was excellent. We didn’t have any chaos, all operations were very smooth and we did not have any problems with security also. Alcohol was served until the allowed time, till midnight and when the local police and excise department came to check the hotel premises for inspection, everything was found satisfactory. The reputation of our brand and company depends on such events so we make sure that we are doing the best we can. Overall, the event was very well organized and was a great success. We ended all festivities at around 4 a.m. in the morning and everyone had great fun,” said the General Manager of Hotel Palacio. NYX is a club/lounge in Hotel Palacio. The hotel also has three more venues that hosted New Year’s Eve parties at its premises; Symphony served alcohol and starters and Legacy and The Rooftop, both had a special gala and buffet that featured a live band for entertainment.

“In total, we had about 210 people who came for the event at NYX. It was a very exclusive crowd as we had made limited passes made ahead of time. The tickets sold for Rs. 9000 for a couple and Rs. 7000 for stag entry. The response at the lounge was also quite good,” said Varun Vohra, head of PR and Marketing at NYX, Lounge and Deck. The venue served unlimited liquor, starters & hookah at the lounge for guests to enjoy to their fullest. “I went to NYX with my friends and loved it. The ambience was very nice and we had ordered almost everything available, starters, hookah and of course, alcohol. The DJ, DJ Varun was also quite good and we had a great time. Best thing about the party was that it wasn’t too crowded like the rest of the clubs in Guwahati and there was space to move and dance around,” said Subham Garewal, an attendee at the NYX party. “I love hookah and NYX serves one of the best hookahs in town. Their package was quite reasonable and included a good deal. I went with my boyfriend and we split the cost, so it was Rs. 4500 for each of us for all the amenities available which was great. We had a blast and look forward to more parties at NYX. It’s one of my favorite spots in town,” said Hina Ahmed.

G PLUS | JAN 05 - JAN 11, 2019

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