Vol 6 Issue 29 by G Plus

@guwahatiplus | /c/gplusguwahati www.guwahatiplus.com

INSIDE

Volume 06 | Issue 29 May 11 - May 17, 2019 Price `10

Electric buses to be launched on three city routes

Coaching classes in schools: Private schools flout CBSE norms

In conversation with Ryan Parag

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NGT orders for new dump site within 2 months; GMC in a fix over location Srijit Banerjee & Saumya Mishra

he Guwahati Municipal Corporation seems to be in a fix as a new dump site has not been finalised by the urban local body yet. The municipal body was

supposed to shift the site from Boragaon to Chandrapur way back in November 2015, but no action has been taken on that till now. The government body has been ordered by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) on April 29, 2019 to shift the dumping site within a period of two months.

The order was passed by the Principal Bench of the NGT and also directed the GMC to file an affidavit on the steps that it will take to shift the dumping ground to the new site. Earlier, the GMC had said that they had abandoned the plan of shifting the dumping ground to two possible sites allotted by the

Revenue Department for garbage dumping - one at Saidang and the other at Bonda - due to the resistance by the local residents at both the allotted sites. Later, the GMC also consulted IITKharagpur to do a study on the scientific waste management system. The GMC submitted an affidavit

before the NGT bench that the municipal committee has taken a decision to shift the dumping ground from the current forest areas of the Deepor Beel to a different site in Chandrapur area of Guwahati. n Continued on Page 02

Cover Story

G PLUS | may 11 -May 17 , 2019

NGT orders for new dump site within two months; GMC in fix over location survey of that area. It will take some time to finalise the site, but we are also looking for other alternative sites,” said commissioner Malakar. He further said that the municipal body is currently carrying out solid waste management techniques and Dalmia Cements have shown interest in taking the plastic from the site for their cement factory. “We held a meeting with the Pollution Control Board of Assam in connection with supplying the waste plastic from the site to Dalmia Cements after they have shown interest in taking it and

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peaking to G Plus, Debeshwar Malakar, commissioner of the GMC said that the municipal body has directed the deputy commissioners (DC) of both Kamrup and Kamrup (Metro) to look for an alternative location for a new dumping ground. “We have directed the DCs of both Kamrup and Kamrup (Metro) districts to search for an alternative site and the Kamrup (Metro) DC has proposed a site at Chandrapur area and we are carrying out a

the Pollution Control Board has agreed that it can be done by segregating it from other waste materials. We are carrying out the survey fast to finalise the new spot as per the NGT order,” said Malakar. “We had a meeting with urban development department officials recently. In the meeting it was decided that a tender would be floated to invite agencies for the modern waste management technique to separate plastic from other waste which are bio-degradable which is still under the discussion as it is time consuming and expensive. We are chalking out a budget for that,” Malakar further added. n

Growing pollution concerns call for relocation of dumping site

he Boragaon dumping ground of the Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) is posing a threat to the natural habitation at Deepor Beel just on the outskirts of the city. The site is protected under the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, 1971. The area has been suffering from environmental degradation due to continuous waste dumping since 2004. The continuous garbage dumping by the GMC is causing serious health issues among the local residents, who have demanded that the garbage dumping should be stopped immediately. On April 25, a Hargilla (Greater Adjutant Stork) was rescued by the locals of Boragoan when it was found unwell after having consumed some waste materials lying around at the GMC dumping site. The area, which is home to many endangered species

of birds and animals, is being continually exposed to water body pollutants and other harmful chemicals which have now put the lives of many endangered species under threat. Parimal Suklabaidya, the minister of fisheries, excise, and environment & forest, in February 2019, had said that pollutants as well as the waste materials from the dump site have become a matter of serious concern for the ecologically-sensitive Deepor Beel. He even warned the people from consuming fish caught from the Beel because of the rampant pollution. While raising the issue in the Assembly session, Parimal Suklabaidya said that all the waste from across the city are dumped at the Boragaon site which has led to spillage of the garbage into Deepor Beel thus polluting the water-body. Environmentalists say that

Greater Adjutant Stork flying over GMC dumping ground at Boragaon

GMC office, Pan Bazar the Boragaon dumping site is located at an important place with respect to its proximity to important institutions and the Deepor Beel. They have also been demanding shifting the site to a new location for the past many years. “I strongly feel that the Boragaon dumping ground should be shifted to a new location at the earliest since no dumping of waste and garbage should take place near a water body and important institution buildings,” informed city-based consultant engineer and environmentalist, JN Khataniar.

He added that Boragaon is an important location with respect to the flora and fauna and is also in a green belt. Therefore, dumping of city waste should not take place here. Khataniar told G Plus that the authorities should look into a permanent scientific process for disposal of the waste at an earmarked site. “The new location needs to be a permanent location and there should be no shifting of the dumping ground from time to time. The open dumping of waste should be avoided since it pollutes the water and air. There should be a proper

site and we should follow other advanced cities such as Ahmedabad,” he mentioned. Another city-based environmentalist informed that the process of shifting the dumping ground means that the garbage will not be physically shifted to the new location. However, no further debris will be dumped at the old site. “The old site will be abandoned and no further waste will be dumped there. But, it will still continue to create trouble for the environment and will deteriorate the condition of the nearby areas,” he added. n

Cover Story

G PLUS | may 11 -May 17 , 2019

Proposed land not feasible for dumping ground: GMC

he Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) officials informed that nothing has been finalised with regards to shifting the dumping ground from Boragaon. “We have not finalised anything yet. Although a plot of land has

in Chandrapur into a dumping ground, he mentioned that the proposed land is a low lying area and it also lacks a boundary wall. “Apart from this, we will also have to construct a road near the area. The location might also be shifted from Chandrapur to a completely new place,” he further

GMC dumping ground at Boragaon been assigned to us for a new dumping ground at Chandrapur by the deputy commissioner, there are some issues with the plot which makes it unfeasible,” informed a senior official at the GMC at the condition of anonymity. Elaborating on the reasons which make it inconvenient for turning the new location

added. Citing the technical issues faced by them in the area, the municipal body has also requested the government to consider choosing a different location from Chandrapur for a new dumping ground. This apart, the GMC officials have also written to the government authorities and have brought the existing issues at

Chandrapur to its notice. Further, GMC officials also cited fund crunch for construction of the boundary wall and road at the proposed site at Chandrapur. “The government needs to sanction funds to us. Only then will we be able to resolve the existing problems at the new dumping ground site,” he said. Commenting on the process of locating a new dumping ground site, an official informed that first the land will have to be developed, boundary wall will also be constructed and road construction is required for vehicular movement. He added that apart from this, scientific landfill will have to be designed. “It is a time-consuming process. There are procedures which do not require to physically shift the garbage from Boragaon to the new place, this includes bio-manning. For this we had already involved IIT Kharagpur to prepare the DPR,” said an official. He added that after the IIT officials provided them with a few suggestions, the GMC had written to IIT for the same to provide them with the required funds in order to move ahead with the project. n

Deepor Beel battling with pollution

xperts say that apart from apart from the Boragaon dumping ground, the primary reason for Deepor Beel’s toxicity is the untreated sewage waste from the city which goes directly or indirectly into the water body. 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 the area has not gone down over the years is because of the city’s untreated sewage waste ends up in the major water bodies in the absence of a sewage treatment plant in the city,” informed a senior official at Pollution Control Board of Assam. 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 an STP

to 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 G Plus that the municipal corporation does not have any plan to set up a STP in the near future as of now. n

4 City

G PLUS | may 11 -May 17 , 2019

Guwahati unequipped with drainage system to prevent flash flood: G Plus Poll Nehal Jain @NehalJain96

he day-long rainfall on Saturday, May 4 in Guwahati caused by cyclone Fani caused artificial floods across the city. Commuters were stuck in prolonged traffic jams and reports of knee-high water-logging were reported from various parts of the city. The affected areas included GS Road, Zoo Road, Chandmari, Beltola, Six Mile, Panjabari, Anil Nagar, Nabin Nagar, Ambari, Hatigaon, Bhangagarh and several others. This once again threw light on the poor drainage system in the city, the work for which has been pending for several months now. Tackling flash floods was one of the key goals in the funds sanctioned in the smart city project. However, no progress seems to have been made on the same. The poll conducted by G Plus had over 1,700 participants and

opinions and comments started flowing in on all our social media channels. Of the total number of 1,700 participants, 84% people said that Guwahati is not equipped with proper drainage system to avoid flash flood, while 16% people said they are satisfied with the drainage system in the city. The majority of participants (84%) are of the belief that proper drainage is the need of the hour in Guwahati. Flooding problem can be overcome if the government and the people of Guwahati both work towards it, opined residents. While some put the blame on the residents who throw plastics and other garbage in drains, others put the onus on the municipality for failing to maintain and clean the drains on regular intervals. “The authorities seldom forget the quote, ‘A stitch in time saves nine.’” The people in the concerned department show their urgency only after the citizens have faced the consequences. Guwahati doesn’t only need cleaning of the drains but they need to formulate a scientific method in order to

With the onset of Monsoon, do you think Guwahati is equipped with proper drainage system to avoid flash flood? Yes

16%

Votes

1,700 No

84% tackle the monsoon season. Most of the roads are almost at a similar level as that of the drains as a result of which it becomes difficult for water to flow. Thus

some systematic arrangements, scientific methods can work brilliantly in this scenario. Further, the common people should also be conscious not to

throw garbage in the drains and block the same,” commented Bishaldeep Kakati. Respondents (16%) who agreed that the city is equipped with proper drainage system to avoid flash flood during the monsoons were of the belief that the situations have improved, compared to a couple of years back. “In Six Mile and VIP Road areas, the condition has improved drastically. Two years back, the area used to get flooded even after a quick shower but now we rarely witness flash flood,” wrote Dhananjay Paul, a resident of the area. Come the monsoons and many roads are rendered impassable owing to blockage during downpour. Not only does this affect routine activities but it also comes with a host of diseases caused by the nonmovement of water. With the onset of monsoons, it’s time the authorities clean all sewer pipes, and make sure all arrangements are in place to avoid flooding on the streets of Guwahati. n

Dist admin carrying out cleanliness drive in city to control floods Nehal Jain @NehalJain96

he Kamrup (Metro) District Administration is gearing up for the rainy season and it has started work to ensure a floodfree city. The aim is to avoid any mishaps and ensure safety of the commuters. Under the instructions of the Deputy Commissioner (DC) of the district, the cleaning drive of the rivers and drains has already started. Apart from clearing out the dirt and garbage thrown into the watercourses, water hyacinths and other weeds are also being taken out. It has also been directed to keep all water outlet channels clean at all times. The DC Kamrup (M) Biswajit Pegu said, “There should be no halt in carrying out the cleanliness drive in the city this time. Usually, more dirt is stacked up even after the drains have been cleaned out, but it should not happen this time. They should be cleared away immediately. We are doing our

best to avoid any water logging this time.” These projects are being undertaken jointly by the Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) and the Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA). There are a total of 330 drains under the GMC where the cleaning drive under the first phase is already complete and the second phase is currently underway. The prime channels under this drive include Bharalu, Silsako Beel, Deepor Beel, Bahini River, Mora Bharalu and Bondajaan Beel. “We have carried out cleanliness drives in close to 330 drains of the city recently and installed five pumps in the flood prone areas of the city including Anil Nagar and Nabin Nagar,” informed GMC Commissioner Debeswar Malakar. GMC has also taken initiative to organise mass awareness campaigns on keeping the city clean. The awareness campaigns will be organised in the month of June across all 31 wards, Malakar added. The district administration has

urged the citizens to refrain from throwing plastic bags, thermocol boxes and other garbage in the drains, as they lead to clogging.

that all the electric poles and cables are secured properly to avoid accidents. Additionally, the water resource departments

Further, two holes have been dug up at both Khanapara and Veterinary College campus, where all the water that flows

Cleaning activites at Bharalu river The Assam Power Distribution Company Limited (APDCL) has also been sent notice to ensure

have been ordered to keep all the water pumps active and the matter is already under scrutiny.

from Meghalaya will be collected to avoid extreme water logging in the area. n

Governance

G PLUS | may 11 -May 17 , 2019

Electric buses to be launched on three city routes Srijit Banerjee @SrijitBanerjee

ssam State Transport Corporation (ASTC) is all set to launch a total of 25 eletric buses (e-buses) under the Faster Adoption and Manufacture of Hybrid and Electric Vehicles (FAME) scheme in Guwahati. The buses that will be procured by the ASTC will be deployed on Kachari-Kamakhya route making 5-6 trips per day (36 kms per bus per day). The remaining nine buses will be operated on two different routes from ISBT and Paltan Bazar. The ASTC has planned three proposed routes for the operations of these buses. Route one from Kachari to Kamakhya covering a distance of 6.4 kms, proposed route 2 from Paltan Bazar to airport covering a distance of 25 kms and the third route will cover ISBT, Khanapara, Ganeshguri, Paltan Bazar, Maligaon and back to ISBT covering a distance of 38 kms. The trial run for the bus is expected to begin from 22nd

to 28th May and the launch is expected to begin from 30th May for the first route. The buses will have a sitting capacity of 31+1 for operations on those routes. The cost of the project for four buses including the four chargers and installation is estimated to be around Rs 10 crores. Each bus will cost Rs 2 crores approx and the chargers will cost Rs 25 lakhs each. The 4 DC fast chargers manufactured by Tellus Power Tech have also been procured. 2 each will be installed in ISBT and Paltan Bazar depots. The ASTC has procured two types of chargers: one of 60 KW which can charge one vehicle at a time and the other of 120 KW which can

charge two simultaneously with an output of 750 volts. Each bus is expected to run 3to 4 trips per day on one full charge. The bus will be entirely air-conditioned and will ply up to 150 kms with full load on a single charge under normal conditions. The electric buses will use Li-ion 1200 KW batteries and will take two and a half hours to charge fully. However, with the initial project cost being high and the operation cost which will be expensive over the conventional buses, it has to be seen how successful the ASTC will be in operating such buses in the city that faces frequent power shortage and expensive commercial charges in order to turn the entire transport system in the state into electric.

Guwahati to get 25 e-buses under FAME scheme

he Assam government will procure 25 such electric buses under the Faster Adoption and Manufacture of Hybrid and Electric Vehicles (FAME) scheme which will be operated and managed by Assam State Transport Corporation (ASTC) under the pilot project, Guwahati Electric Mobility Plan. Tata motors had bagged the tender and will supply 15 such buses in the first phase and the rest will be delivered accordingly. The ASTC has 250 city buses in Guwahati. The project is planned to slowly replace the diesel buses with electric buses in a phased manner to promote pollution-free, eco-friendly mode of public transport. Speaking to G Plus, the Managing Director of ASTC, Anand Prakash Tiwari, said that they have formulated a draft plan for the implementation of the scheme in the state and also a policy that would promote the use of electric vehicles by

private entities. “We have proposed a draft plan called

Electric Vehicle Policy (EVP) for our plan of ASTC Vision 2030. The policy has been forwarded to the government for consideration. The purpose of the policy is to ease the purchase of e-vehicles since the initial cost of the vehicles is higher than the regular petrol or diesel variant of the vehicle.” He further said that the operators will receive tax exemption benefits and other benefits to compensate the price of the vehicles. “The unit

Govt firms up plans to turn public transport electric

y 2030, India plans to turn its public surface transport into electric vehicles to curb the growing pollution problem in the country. The government’s plan to turn the commercial vehicles into electric is slowly starting to take shape under a new scheme called the Faster Adoption and Manufacture of Hybrid and Electric Vehicles (FAME). FAME India is a wing of the National Electric Mobility Mission Plan. The main purpose of the scheme is to encourage electric vehicles by providing subsidies. Under the NEMMP scheme, the union government has planned to invest Rs 14,000 crores in creating the infrastructure and promote the use of electric vehicles in the country. Vehicles in all segments like two-wheelers, three-wheelers, electric and hybrid cars and electric buses get the subsidy benefit of the scheme. The scheme covers Electric and Hybrid technologies like Mild Hybrid, Strong Hybrid, Plug-in Hybrid and Battery Electric Vehicles. The scheme focuses on four areas viz Technology Development, Demand Creation, Pilot Projects and Charging Infrastructure. The first phase of the scheme was launched by the government in 2015, which expired back on March 31, 2019. FAME-I was focused more on the private vehicles. However, the government is giving more priority to public transport in the second phase of the scheme. The government has sanctioned a total of 390 buses, 370 taxis and 720 three-wheelers to nine big cities including Delhi,

Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Jaipur, Mumbai, Lucknow, Hyderabad, Indore and Kolkata which will be given subsidies for 40 bus-

es each, while Jammu and Guwahati will get subsidy for 15 buses each. The allocation for the scheme for the year 2019-20 is estimated to be Rs 1,500-crores; Rs 5,000 crores in 2020-21 and Rs 3,500 crores in 2021-22. Under the scheme, the electric operators will get subsidy of 60% of the total cost per vehicle. While 3,144 vehicles have been applied under the scheme, 390 of them have been sanctioned by the government. Tata Motors have bagged the contract of supplying the Ultra 9m AC electric buses to these cities in a phased manner. The Tata Ultra 9m AC electric buses are manufactured at Tata and Tata Marcopolo Dharwad plants. The new bus will use an integrated electric motor generator with peak power at 330 BHP and that can deliver up to 194 BHP continuously. The automaker will be supplying e-buses to WBTC (West Bengal), LCTSL (Lucknow), AICTSL (Indore), ASTC (Guwahati), J&KSRTC (Jammu) and JCTSL (Jaipur). n

Proposed Routes

cost of one bus is about Rs 75 lakhs to Rs 80 lakhs and with the charger, the price of the bus will be more than Rs 1 crore. That’s why the government is considering the scheme to ease the people and we are encouraging the private operators to adopt electric buses under the scheme. The government is surveying all the details and the EV policy is under process.” n

Route A

Kachari to Kamakhya (6.4 kms)

Route B

Paltan Bazaar to Airport (25kms)

Route C

ISBT, Khanapara, Ganeshguri, Paltan Bazaar, Maligaon and back to ISBT (38kms)

Costs Types

Per Unit Cost (Rs)

Total Cost (Rs)

4 Buses (standard 31+1)

2 crores

8 crores

4 Chargers (60 KW & 120 KW)

25 lakh

1 crore

Set up and Installation cost

Rs 1 crore

Total estimated cost

Rs 10 crores

6 Concern

G PLUS | may 11 -May 17 , 2019

On-the-loose city stray dog bites people, creates panic Nehal Jain @NehalJain96

erely a week after a wild elephant seen roaming on the streets of Guwahati created furore among city dwellers, a purportedly mad stray dog has now stolen the limelight and created panic in parts of the city. The canine which had been roaming in the Pan Bazar, Lakhtokia and Fancy Bazar areas in Guwahati bit over 50 people on Monday. It first attacked some people in

the busy areas of Lakhtokia and then proceeded to Pan Bazar and Fancy Bazar areas where it again attacked some more people. Most of the injured persons had to be rushed for immediate treatment to Mahendra Mohan Choudhury Hospital in Pan Bazar while some had been taken to other nearby hospitals. The menace created by the dog in the ever busy areas of the city put fear and raised serious concern among the local residents and they urged the state forest department to take prompt action to prevent such dangerous incidents by stray dogs. According to the Animal Birth Control (Dogs) Rule 2001, it is

the duty of a municipal body to capture animals that create problems for common people in an urban area and take it to an isolated ward for inspection. In this case, the Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC), upon receiving the information, directed the animal welfare organisation, Just Be Friendly (JBF), to capture the dog and sterilise it. However, JBF was unsuccessful in finding the dog. “It is suspected that the dog died within 24 hours of becoming furious. A team from JBF searched the entire locality but were unable to find any stray dog that matched the description and seemed furious,” informed Dr Pradip

Medhi, the Veterinary Officer of GMC. He further informed that JBF officials carried out a sterilisation and vaccination drive in the area to avoid such instances in the future. They found over 30 stray dogs in Pan Bazar and Lakhtokia areas and took

them to the veterinary hospital to carry out the drive.

Lack of govt funds leading to rise Carcasses of stray in stray dog population dogs found in the city

n recent years, Guwahati city has witnessed a tremendous rise in the stray dog population. This rise in population has led to an increase in instances of dog bites and rabies too. 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 equipments. 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, Guwahati would have close to 30,000 dogs on the roads. JBF in association with GMC, the nodal agency for tackling such activities, did start a sterilisation and vaccination drive in the

capital city. JBF has been working on neutering the dogs since 2009. However, the organisation signed

from GMC for the operations carried out. Speaking to G Plus about the

Lighter and faster a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in September 2014 to operate on 4,500 stray dogs. The figure was achieved by March 2015. In the financial year 2015-16, another MoU was signed wherein the GMC agreed to pay Rs 500 per dog to JBF to carry out the surgeries. However, there’s an outstanding amount of Rs 6.63 lakhs that the JBF is yet to receive

non payment of dues, Veterinary Officer of GMC Dr Pradip Medhi said, “The state government has sanctioned an amount of Rs 50 lakhs for ABC and ARV programmes to be carried out in collaboration with JBF, but only Rs 25 lakhs has been raised (in March 2019) for the purpose so far. This is the main reason behind the delay in speedy implementation of the project.”

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ays after the news of a seemingly mad stray dog biting around 50 people in Guwahati came to light, a number of stray dogs have been found dead in various localities of the city.

of a proper system to carry out immediate post-mortem surgery of such animals in the city, we are not sure whether those dogs died due to poisoning,” said Dr Sasanka Sekhar Dutta, an official of Just Be Friendly (JBF).

The dogs have been suspected to be poisoned/killed by miscreants, thereby evoking concern and anguish among animal lovers and animal rights activists. The first such incident was reported on the night of May 8, when a puppy was found dead at Chandmari. “The people who’ve been posting such incidents on social media are animal lovers so I’m pretty sure these incidences have actually happened. In the absence

He further added that it is a common tendency among people to kill stray dogs by poisoning their food if an attack by such animal is reported. However, the incidents have been condemned by animal lovers who have taken to social media platforms like Facebook to urge the citizens to pick up and safely dispose any suspicious food items, which may be easily available to stray dogs, as a cautionary measure. n

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Education

G PLUS | may 11 -May 17 , 2019

Coaching classes in schools: Private schools flout CBSE norms Saumya Mishra @saumyamishra03

ome private schools in the city have been flouting CBSE (Central Board of Secondary Education) norms which prohibit private schools affiliated to the board to provide private coaching classes to students in the school. As per reports, many wellknown schools in Guwahati have been providing coaching to students of classes XI and XII for various competitive examinations such as engineering and medical entrance examinations, either within the school premises or outside. This is in violation of the CBSE rule which the board had introduced in 2014. In a circular issued in February 2014, CBSE had banned running of coaching

classes by private institutes inside the school premises of all its affiliated schools. The circular states that such practices lead to commercialisation of schools. The circular also states that the board does not approve holding classes of coaching institutions in school premises under the pretext of providing coaching to students for entrance examinations. It further mentions that some

Practice draws mixed reaction from parents

his move of private schools has drawn mixed reactions from parents. Some parents feel that the business-driven agendum of such schools has led to commercialisation of education. While on the other hand, a few guardians also feel that it becomes convenient for them and their children if the coaching is provided in the school itself. They informed that these schools often have tie-ups with private coaching institutes which are popular for competitive coaching cases. Further, some schools which do not provide coaching in the school premises also “suggest” parents and students to take coaching from a particular private institute in the city. “Institutes providing private coaching put pressure on the schools to tie up with them. In this process, the schools also increase their fees to include the coaching fee in the total fee charged by them as they say they are providing expertise of qualified teachers from different fields,” informed a parent, Namita Sarma. Another parent of a class XI student studying in a prominent CBSE school in the city revealed that while the schools say that enrolling in the coaching classes offered in school is optional, a majority of the students and parents choose to opt for the classes for their convenience. He

mentioned that the schools are not entirely at fault here. “Once the children reach class XI, almost 90 per cent of the students opt for tuitions. Since schools also have to build and keep up to their reputation, they agree opt to rope in qualified teachers who have passed out from IITs to teach the students, since its difficult to get good qualified teachers here,” informed the parent, Rohit Sarawgi. He added that parents also do not object to the integrated programme offered in schools as they feel it’s convenient for the students to receive the coaching and guidance in the school itself by qualified professionals, even if it is at a slighter higher cost than the regular school fees. “The students then don’t have to go for separate tutorials after school hours, which also saves their time and energy,” he further said.

schools run such programmes by terming it as an “integrated school programme” in which they teach the CBSE syllabus as well as provide help in preparing students for various competitive examinations, which misleads the guardians and students. The premises of CBSE affiliated schools should not be used for any commercial activity, it said. Further, the notice mentions that every school must devote minimum number of periods for teaching various subjects as per the syllabus as prescribed by the board and no coaching or parallel

classes should affect the school’s regular time table. Under the pretext of providing coaching, the schools also hike the fees to a great extent, say parents. A well-known school in the city clearly mentions in its website that they provide coaching facility for various competitive examinations under its “School Integrated Programme.” It states, “The school has experienced and renowned full-time professors to prepare the students for JEE (Mains & Advanced)/AIPMT/KVPY and International & National Olympiads.” It further mentions, “The School Integrated Programme focuses on CBSE Board Examinations as well as the competitive examinations with equal thrust. Preparation of Board Examination syllabus and coaching for competitions under one roof saves the precious time of Senior Secondary students.”

Will take stock of situation: CBSE officials

hile this practise has been ongoing in some private schools in the city, the CBSE (Central Board of Secondary Education) officials at the board’s Guwahati regional office informed that they have not received any formal complaint against any private CBSE-affiliated school from Guwahati. “If the school authorities use the school building after class hours for different purpose with different faculty members, then we have no objection. However, the faculty has to be different and the school hours should not be affected,” said KK Choudhury, director of Guwahati regional office, CBSE. Choudhury, however, added that if the schools are providing the coaching to students during school hours, then it constitutes as violation of CBSE rules. “If any such violation comes

“If any such violation comes to our notice, we will definitely take up the matter with the affiliation branch and the affiliation branch can take action as per the affiliation bylaws.”KK Choudhury, director of Guwahati regional office, CBSE. to our notice, we will definitely take up the matter with the affiliation branch and the affiliation branch can take action as per the affiliation bylaws,” said Choudhury.

Snippets PFI issues rejoinder to G Plus news

ith reference to a news item published in G Plus and its online portal entitled “Guwahati on alert after Sri Lanka terror attack” on 27 April 2019 under the by-line G Plus News, Popular Front of India (PFI) has issued a rejoinder in response. The article was about the concerns of security agencies pertaining to the safety of Guwahati after the Sri Lanka terror attack that killed more than 350 people last month. While G Plus stands by what was reported, the PFI felt that the report deliberately attempted to create a negative impression about the activities and intentions of Popular Front of India in the North eastern states. According to the organization, the report fails to substantiate the allegations with any evidence, other than its frequent references to “senior IPS officer of Assam police.” The rejoinder claimed that the activities of the organization are very open and transparent and it has never engaged in any secret or subversive activities. It is also not the organization’s agenda. The rejoinder was delivered to the office of G Plus physically and was signed by Aminul Haque, State president, Popular front of India, Assam.

SpiceJet introduces direct flights from Guwahati to Mumbai

piceJet has introduced direct flights from Guwahati to Mumbai and back. These flights started operating since Wednesday (8 May). The flight duration is 3 hours, 5 minutes. SG 6266 will fly from Guwahati to Mumbai in the afternoon, while SG 6265 will fly from Mumbai to Guwahati in late mornings. The fares currently range close to Rs. 4,500 pe r flight. It should be noted that this news comes after Jet Airways went bankrupt and had closed all of its flight operations.

8 Guest Column

G PLUS | may 11 -May 17 , 2019

(Modern day) motherhood is beautiful!

leepless nights, eat good, stay hydrated, breastfeeding aah .. these are the common terms a new mother usually comes across in her last month of pregnancy! In today’s world when a girl is equally at par with all chores of life, whether at home or in her profession, she hardly has time to get herself into a motherly mode like our old wives folks! Pregnancy is taking a beautiful married life to a completely

On this Mothers’ Day let’s look at our mother as the young beautiful girl when she got the news that she was pregnant with you inside her body and celebrate it with utmost divinity. different level and gives birth to a mother who is otherwise a responsible woman. The moment a woman finds out she is pregnant she has to take minimum 10 seconds (or more than that!) to process the news to herself. Then she completely goes bonkers as to what’s next. Should she call her mother or her mother-in-law or her boss (husband can come to know later!) first or take a “just got to know the big good news” selfie with the best possible glow factor edit? From photo shoot to keeping herself gorgeous is what a modern woman can think about. Now as the news floods itself she is buried with all sorts of advice both natural and supernatural. Every time she expresses her nausea or weakness, she is commented upon her still-need-to-improve food habits to too much work load comments. So far as it is sounding sarcasm, pregnancy is beautiful as it gifts the woman a much required pampered environment to a much awaited physical rest to good hair etc etc. No doubt a lot of sacrifices surprise her in all possible ways. An otherwise partyholic and the most sought after deal-closer in the market now gets looked upon as the most delicate being around not knowing how much she is willing to jump out and close a deal and party hard later.

Trust me the hormones become more active when actually you are so inactive! Following all the rituals thereafter and much to be commented photo shoot from the best heads in town, the experienced counter parts start with the next phase of questions and their experiences. When is the due date? Which doctor are you consulting? Which cream are you using? Which rice brand are you purchasing? Which shampoo, which nail-cutter and flawless all questions... They basically wish for an answer, only to counter the already confused lady’s answers with theirs. As if this was not enough the woman undergoes a pile of advice think-tank with the most important advice of sleeping during the pregnancy period as the (wished-to-behappy) would-be mother won’t get to sleep later on. Guys can you connect the logic here… sleeping wholeheartedly in 2018 is the make-up hours of sleep of 2019... I mean no comments here! No doubt pregnancy is beautiful and finally the D-Day arrives with much anxiety and happiness as within a short span of hourly time the couple will meet the superstar little soul. The time before the surgery is the only private time between the husband and the wife where they see the vast world of happiness together. The real show starts now! We can all meet the baby .. Yeah .. I mean like all the netizens and the citizens of the state can meet the baby. Forget about the rest period to a wounded (literal meaning here) mother here, the folks think it’s their birthright to watch the baby in the hospital, hours after he comes to the world. Of course not denying the amount of love they have for the couple and the little child. But the phase requires a space period to the mother and the family to welcome the little one in their hearts in the first place and healing time to the new mother. Before the lady knows that she can see her own baby, sideways on the hospital bed, she gets the actual shock of

the world’s pain when the nurse presses the most delicate nipples with all their might only to find a minute drop of white water from them known as “breastmilk.” “Breastmilk is the best milk for the babies.” The next phase of turmoil is inexplicable, unpredictable where the new mother has to reject and counter every word her mother-in-law suggests (basically all no logic beliefs – some might be true) to keep her baby and herself sane and healthy. Do not sleep This has to be the motto of all

new and old mothers once she embraces her new role for life.

The new mom will be looked upon as if she is not able to accept her new role but the mother has to hang on, breathe, look at her child’s face and keep calm. The moral of the note is to make people count from the beginning - the number of pain, sacrifices, emotional haemorrhage a mother has to go through. So are we all sure is it countable? No it is not. The vast world of damaging her own body to continuous hammering of unpleasant and pleasant words cover her up to raising up a life, a mother has to do it all. So my dear friends, don’t our

Parlee Gogoi mothers deserve our unconditional love and care when we are able to do so? Why should we be so selfish to put our goddess mother in old aged homes so that we can become new mothers? Cheers to all children who breathe their mothers and pity for all children who think the mothers are a baggage in their modern lives. On this Mothers’ Day let’s look at our mother as the young beautiful girl when she got the news that she was pregnant with you inside her body and celebrate it with utmost divinity. Let’s be humble and pray for the good health of all mothers in the universe Happy Mother’s Day! n

In The News

G PLUS | may 11 -May 17 , 2019

Govt plans to open 1,000 tribunals, SC sceptical Srijit Banerjee @SrijitBanerjee

he Assam and the union government together proposed to the Supreme Court on 9th May of opening 1,000 Foreigners’ Tribunals all over the state to try suspected illegal immigrants. The bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi, Justices Deepak Gupta and Sanjiv Khanna asked for a detailed report and an affidavit mentioning the details in it. However the apex court questioned the state government’s plan and wondered how a plan can be executed without even doing a “basic study” on the matter. The court also questioned on the recruitments of judicial officers for these tribunals. “1,000 tribunals mean 1,000

judicial officers to preside over them. Where would you find them overnight?” the apex court questioned Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who is representing the state government. “Did the government not foresee the situation, considering the fact that the final draft of

the NRC would be published by July 31? Do we judges have to tell you everything?” said CJI Ranjan Gogoi. Mehta informed the court that the state government is proposing to have 200 tribunals in the first phase and the remaining tribunals to be set up later on. n

Prashant Bhushan recommends radio collars for detained foreigners who may be released

bench comprising Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi, Justices Deepak Gupta and Sanjiv Khanna said that the court is ready to pass release orders for foreigners held in detention camps who could not be deported to their parent country even after completing their term. The apex court stated that one cannot be kept in the detention centre after completing his or her sentence. The court has asked advocate Prashant Bhushan and Solicitor General Tushar Mehta’s recommendation on condition that detainees can be called up by the authorities whenever needed even after their release. To this, Prashant Bhushan, who is assisting the court as amicus curiae, said that upon their release, the detainees would be asked to report to the police station every month and their guarantors could be asked to ensure their presence as well, when necessary. He also recommended making the detain-

ees wear radio collar devices, a surety from two Indians and a bond of Rs 1 lakh. The bench questioned that if the guarantors fail to ensure the presence of the detainees, what actions will be taken against them. To this he said that they could be sent to jail. The court stated that laws can’t be created by orders and send anyone to jail. The apex court asked the authorities on the options to deport the foreigners, to which solicitor general Tushar Mehta said that talks are on with the Bangladesh government at the highest level in this regard. Mehta also informed the court that the deputy high commissioner of Bangladesh based in Guwahati was allowed to meet the Bangladeshi nationals at the detention camps. Mehta further stated that deporting those who declared themselves as Bangladeshis will not be a problem, but those who don’t claim will be a problem to deport. n

10 Art

G PLUS | may 11 -May 17 , 2019

And the Big River Flows Asha Kuthari Chaudhuri

ilhouettes of rural folk move across the screen, carrying small transistor radios playing the news, ‘read by Niren Dutta’. Among other news of national and international significance, the news relating to the antics of

ball gown with a train (!), rehearsing and filming the video. And of course there is the narrative seen through the eyes of the four friends, and the young man tellingly named Luit (Anupam Kaushik Borah) selling insurance in a place where nothing is ensured. So far so good – the marriage goes off without a hitch, although there is always the expectation that something ominous is to hap-

guessed it – dies. What is to become of her now? Will she become a pariah once more, back at her parents’ place? She even loses her baby. Her inlaws make off with everything, including the insurance. Were it not for the tight and objective handling of the piece, there are ample opportunities for the film to descend into the maudlin. But it doesn’t. This is what is so fasci-

malaise that is yet to run its course. No system of medication works, until Moukon begins to work her magic. The absurd, we know, has very distinctive connections with the existential. Surrounded by the big river that is forever bountiful, but forever the nemesis, too, the film is almost an organic representation of the tenuous flow of the human condition specific to its location.

instances through which the film documents contemporary life, but skirts clear of didacticism. Indeed, it is easy to relate to the film as a comedy – the uproarious laughter of the audience is testimony to that – but the embedded symbolisms the director uses are hard to miss. The deft cinematography (Prayash Sharma Tamuly) works without romanticizing Majuli; the music by Tarali Sarma enhances

The absurd, we know, has very distinctive connections with the existential. Surrounded by the big river that is forever bountiful, but forever the nemesis, too, the film is almost an organic representation of the tenuous flow of the human condition specific to its location. Moukon (Dorothi Bhardwaj) is also broadcast. Welcome to Majuli, where the Bornodi is the all-engulfing presence, but then, so is Moukon, for very diverse reasons, all rooted unambiguously in the politics, everyday life and gossip of this riparian space of Anupam Kaushik Borah’s Bornodi Bhotiai. Four young, educated and talented friends played by Rajib Nath, Kaushik Nath, Himanshu Gogoi, Sonmoni Sarma share stories and their love for this young lady of the black tongue. If she has uttered it, it will come to pass. Or so the angry villagers have come to believe. They are either wary of her or are hopelessly in love with her. Either way, Moukon fights her loneliness with embroidery or knitting, all the while ranting to herself while the four boys pine for her as they set up a goat farm and debate on ideas to make a fast buck. Life moves at its own pace on the island, when the change of seasons will bring in the floods, or the changing banner for the latest singing sensation that will come and go. But indeed, a knight in shining armour does arrive at her doorstep in the form of government officer Kushal Kakoty (Kenny Basumatary) whose proposal is quickly accepted, and preparations for the grand wedding begin – with the pre-wedding video shoot! Completely quirky and idiomatically absurd, the audience is now thrown into a superb pastiche – Moukon in an over-the-top lacy

the narrative poignantly and Joy

pen, because of the way the film

symbolically builds up the character of Moukon. Among these are the curious cases of death by sneezing: Moukon herself will become prey to this pandemic. Marriage doesn’t change much for her, her husband has joined forces with the four friends and spends long hours drinking with them while she goes back to her loneliness and knitting until one day when the husband sneezes – and you

nating about the film: the deft and complete control over the tonal texture of the film that almost always manages to stay true to its timbre – that of black and sometimes farcical humour, bordering on the absurd. In true absurd fashion, the sneeze becomes a kind of trope that is used to connect the many strands; the wise Baba observes that Luit’s incurable “paani loga” is actually a sign of a deeper

While the film is by no means of the usual run-of-the-mill realistic oeuvre, it comments with Brechtian irony on the time, the place and the people. The single, lonely, angry girl who also has a sense of humour, the educated youth who while away their time planning the correct way to cheat the system, the glamour-struck wealthy who contrive ridiculously to show off their wealth, and umpteen other

Barua’s ‘Xuhuri’ is beautiful too. We are now in a blessed place with Assamese cinema with these talented young directors who keep delivering astonishingly different pieces that are both rooted and irreverent. They are blazing their own experimental paths and are surely but steadily changing the canvas and the cinegoer’s sensibility with their understanding of the medium. n

Mother’s Day Special

G PLUS | may 11 -May 17 , 2019

Bollywood: Mere paas Maa Hai Harshita Himatsingka @HHimatsingka

to him and proved that she was indeed the woman of the house

ne of the few things that Indians love most includes drama, food, Bollywood and their mothers. Since Mother’s Day is right around the corner and most of us follow Bollywood like a Bible, a lot of notions about what mothers are supposed to be like came and still come from the Indian film industry. Thus, this Mother’s Day, we at G Plus have made a list of some of the coolest Bollywood moms in recent times and their evolution.

1. Raakhee: The overdramatic 90s mother One of Bollywood’s eternal mothers, Raakhee, essayed the role of a mother in the late 1990s until the early 2000s in some of Indian film industry’s mega successful movies that include Ram Lakhan, Anari, Baazigar, Border, Soldier and Dil ka Rishta. One of her most famous roles however, has to be the grief-stricken but determined mother in and of ‘Karan Arjun’ circa 1995, in which she said the dialogue of the decade, “Mere

Raakhee Karan Arjun aayenge” and was she right, because Amrish Puri, another favourite Bollywood villain/father did not see that coming at all. This movie took the phrase “a mother’s intuition is always right” to a whole new level.

Jaya Bachchan who would do anything to take care of her family, keep them together and that she should not be messed with. It was the mother we all needed, Bollywood included, soft but firm, passive but dominant in all the right ways. Special mention: Kajol’s Anjali who was very much her own woman, did what she wanted, loved who she loved, but in the end, made all the right decisions.

4. Seema Pahwa: The sarcastic but realistic mother One of the most dependable supporting actors in the Indian film industry, Seema Pahwa’s time is here to make it big. Starting in the mid-2010’s, she has

3. Kirron Kher: The lovable Punjabi mother Bollywood’s cool Punjabi mom, Kirron Kher is a favourite among many. From her roles in Hum Tum, Veer-Zaara, Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna, Om Shanti Om, Singh is King, Khoobsurat and the list goes on... one of her most famous essays of a mother is in the movie, ‘Dostana’ which brought the topic of same-sex relationships into the picture, literally (p.s. the

2. Jaya Bachchan: The conventional, but firm mother Speaking of mother’s intuition, remember the scene in one of Karan Johar’s best, K3G, where Jaya Bachchan comes running to the door when she ‘senses’ her son, Rahul (Shahrukh Khan) reaching home. Might I add, in one of the noisiest modes of transportation ever, the helicopter? Well, guess there’s just something about Bollywood mothers and intuition that always works out. However, her role in this movie did go beyond the conventional mother. She stood up to her real and reel husband in the movie, Amitabh Bachchan who kept ending conversations with “Keh diya na, bas keh diya” and then in a scenestealer moment, she said it back

eventually got there and how, she even arranged a little ceremony for them because after all, love is love. This character, in the funniest of ways, accepted what might have been one of the most shocking things for “her” and showed the world that a mother’s love does and should overlook any obstacle. Her mantra: Be dramatic, be happy, live and let live.

Seema Pahwa made a name for herself by being everyone’s favourite off-beat mother. From her ever-persistent role in Dum Laga ke Haisha, to her ever-irritated, sarcastic role in Aakhon Dekhi, and her open and cool mom role in Shubh Mangal Saavdhan, Pahwa has set a very realistic, yet dramatic notion of a mother in our heads. Her stand-out role was in Bareilly ki Barfi, where she desperately wants her daughter to get married, but only to the right man. She then

then passively tells her daughter, why she came back at all, since now she will have to start looking for potential husbands-to-be again. Relatable, right? Well, that’s her forte and she does it best.

almost has a fake heart attack when she realizes that her daughter has run away, because “what will people say?” but

Snippets Assam magician to predict election outcome

5. Surekha Sikri: The don’t-mess-with-me mother Surekha Sikri has been playing a mother and grandmother in television serials and movies for a long time now, and one of her most defining features in any role is her “don’t-messwith-me-I-am-the-boss” attitude. She portrayed the same in Badhaai Ho, a defining movie in itself which tackles the issue of an older couple having a baby in their 50s. In the movie, she shows us that even though she might be the old mother who favours her son and criticises her daughter-inlaw, when it comes to defending her family, she will stand strong like a lioness and protect them all from anyone who speaks ill of them. Another interesting fact that subtly implies her loving and accepting nature in the movie is that she is one of the first people to accept the decision of her 50 something-year-old son and daughter-in-law having a kid in this stage of their lives. Thus, Sikri is all for breaking stereotypes and showing people who’s boss, and who doesn’t love a confident mother. Special Mention: Neena Gupta who essays the role of the pregnant woman perfectly, dealing with society’s taunts, her own insecurities and her sons’ disgust and still, comes out shining because she stands for what she wants and loves unconditionally, like mothers always do. n

Kirron Kher contention of its methods and tools is a discussion for another day). The upbeat overprotective Punjabi mom, Kher who is a devout traditional Indian mother gets the shock of her life when she realises, falsely, that her only son is gay. However, when explained to, she understands that her son’s happiness and well-being is all that matters; man or woman, it’s all the same as long as he is happy with a good partner. It took a little getting used to for her, but she

ikram Talukdar, a magician from Assam, is once again all set to predict the poll outcome in all the 24 parliamentary seats in the northeast region. “Jadu Samrat” as Vikram is known as, will take a challenge where he would write down his prediction on a non-judicial stamp paper and will put it inside a box with seven locks that would be kept at the Guwahati Press Club on 14th May. The keys to the box will be in custody of seven persons. The box will be opened on 24th May after the declaration of results on May 23 in the presence of the media. In 2014, he was successful in his prediction of the election results two we e ks be fore the y we re declared with hundred percent accuracy.

Guwahati to host Indian Open Boxing Championship from May 20

G Surekha Sikri

uwahati is set to host the Indian Open Boxing Championship from May 20 to May 24 at Karmabir Nabin Chandra Bordoloi Indoor Stadium in Sarusajai. Mary Kom, Shiva Thapa, Lovlina Borgohain and several others are to participate in the competition. Hemanta Kalita, general secretary of Assam Boxing Association (ABA), reportedly said that several international boxers from 25 countries are expected to take part in the tournament.

12 Crime

G PLUS | may 11 -May 17 , 2019

Uzanbazar places of worship targeted again as robbers set new crime trend Nehal Jain @NehalJain96

emple robbery has become the latest crime trend in Guwahati with thieves attempting to break into a different temple every

day. The trend came to light after two cases of robbery at religious places were reported earlier this week – one in a Namghar and the other in Hanuman Mandir – both located in the Uzanbazar area of the city. In the wee hours of May 5, Sunday, thieves broke into the Borkhelia Sarbojanin Mahapurushiya Dihingia Namghar and looted it. The theft came to light at around 4:30 in the morning when the temple’s cleaner arrived to find that the lock hanging on the main gate had been broken. She made no delay in informing the managing committee of the Namghar about the incident. Soon after, an FIR (141/19) had been lodged with Latasil Police Station under section 380 of the

Indian Penal Code. According to the FIR, the thieves broke one of the two iron rings holding the lock on the main gate. They then broke open the lock that was on the grill inside and looted the Namghar. The goods stolen, according to the Namghar managing committee, include two flowers made of gold, two flowers made of silver, two gold chains and a few thousands of rupees from the donation box which had also been broken. Officials at the Latasil Police Station, however, informed G Plus that even as an FIR has been lodged, the list of stolen goods has not been completed yet and more stolen items are still being added to the list. They further informed that while the Namghar has no CCTV cameras fitted in it, they’re currently relying on the footage captured by two CCTV cameras installed at Sati Radhika Shanti Road which leads to the Namghar. The police

are currently investigating the matter and no arrests have been made so far. Surprisingly, not even 48 hours later, another case of robbery at a religious place was reported at the

Uzan Bazar riverside Hanuman temple Latasil Police Station. This time, unidentified person(s) trespassed into the Hanuman Mandir at Uzanbazar area in the city. The incident took place at

Nov 2018 saw seven temples of Assam robbed within a week

t least seven Hindu temples of the state were broken into and robbed by miscreants in the latter part of November 2018. The first major incident was reported on November 16 when the astadhatu idol of Goddess Ugratara that was inside the “Saktipeeth” Ugratara Temple was stolen. The thief looted and vandalized the temple and took away the main idol besides valuables and offerings, although the temple is located barely 200 metres from the Latasil police station. Barely a week after the Ugratara Temple idol robbery in Guwahati, a similar incident occurred in Sualkuchi when the centuries-old idols from Sidheswar Devalaya temple got stolen on the night of November 23. The idols of Goddess Durga and Lord Krishna, among other valuables, were found missing from the historic temple located on top of a hillock. Five other temples across

around 3 in the morning of May 7, Tuesday and came to light at around 4 am when the temple pujari showed up. The miscreants ransacked the temple premises and also damaged

the CCTV cameras installed in the temple. They then broke into the priest’s room located at the temple premises to collect the key of the temple’s main door. With the key,

Inefficiency of Latasil PS to blame, allege residents

T Latasil PS returning the astadhatu idol of Ugratara temple the state were also looted in the next 24 hours. Of the five other temples to have been looted, four are in the city’s Maligaon area and one is in central Assam’s Raha. Police said several idols and valuables dedicated to the deities were robbed from the temples. Following the robberies,

the then Guwahati police commissioner, Pradip Saloi, had asked the concerned police officers in Guwahati to review the security requirements at various temples in the city and make necessary arrangements with the help of the temple management committees and locals. n

the miscreants opened the door of the temple and decamped with the cash in the donation box. They broke into all the three almirahs present in the priest’s room, decamped with the cash and other valuable items from the almirahs and took away cash amounting to Rs 25,000. They then opened the main door of the temple and took all the money from the donation box. Mukut Choudhury, secretary of the Hanuman Mandir Committee, informed G Plus that the thieves also tried to break the locks of the temple where the Hanuman idol was placed, but failed to do so although one of the locks was indeed broken. Subsequently, a case was registered with Latasil Police Station (147/19) under section 457/380 of the Indian Penal Code and the police started its investigation. Guwahati Commissioner of Police Deepak Kumar, Guwahati Joint Commissioner of Police, Devraj Upadhaya and Deputy Commissioner of Kamrup (Metropolitan), Biswajit Pegu, too visited the temple and took stock of the situation. n

he looting of the Namghar and Hanuman Temple which are situated in the vicinity of the Latasil Police Station shows that the thieves have the upper hand, allege residents of the locality. Notably, this is the third case of temple robbery in Uzanbazar within five months. The Ugratara temple, located just a few metres from the police station, was looted in the month of November. After over five months of chase, the centuries-old asthadatu idol of the temple was finally recovered by Golaghat police from Nalbari district. The police also arrested four persons, namely Saan Hussain, Adil Ali, Rahul Ali and Mintu Roy in connection with the robbery. Now, two more places of wor-

ship have been robbed and the people of the locality say that the development is daring and shocking. Residents of Uzanbazar complain of robbery being a regular affair in the area. They also alleged that there is no night pa-

trolling in the area. However, city police and district administration exude the confidence of cracking the case and nabbing the miscreants. “We have initial CCTV footage of the thieves entering the temple. We are confident of arresting the culprits soon,” expressed Biswajit Pegu n

In Conversation

G PLUS | may 11 -May 17 , 2019

‘If you can control your mind, you can control the body and you can control the outcome,’ Riyan Parag Srijit Banerjee @SrijitBanerjee

Plus caught up with

budding cricketer of Assam, Riyan Parag, for an exclusive interview after his splendid maiden season in the Indian Premier League playing for Rajasthan Royals. Parag became the youngest player in the history of the IPL to score a 50. Here are some of the excerpts from the conversation.

“I would have been really happy if I could have contributed by playing in a few more matches and take the team through the playoffs but that is a part of the game that happens,” Riyan Parag. After a wonderful IPL season, how does it feel to be back at home? It feels really good. I have been out for eight weeks now and it is always good to come back home and have a good time with family and friends and just get back to the home ground were have been practicing forever now. Also it feels really good have an experience at such a high level and now it feels good be back home again.

How was the experience sharing the dressing room with renowned cricketers?

How does it feel to be the youngest player to score 50 in the IPL? It feels really good, I just went there for experience and to learn as much as I can and come back home. Thanks to Rajasthan Royals for giving me seven opportunities and I am glad that I could show some of my skills to help the team win a few matches. I would have been really happy if I could have contributed by playing in a few more matches and take the team through the playoffs but that is a part of the game that happens.

All the foreign players like Steven Smith, Jos Buttler, Jofra Archer, Ish Sodhi had really supported me. Also the Indian players like Ajinkya Rahane, Kriishnappa Gowtham - everyone had been really helpful towards me and was open for

How different was it to play in the IPL from the U-19 world cup series? I think you can’t really compare them. IPL obviously has more experience in the field because you have world class players playing against you. Under-19 has a bit of less experience because we are all of the same age group, the Under-19 players. IPL has a bit more experience, but pressure wise both are really high on the scale because in one you are playing for the country and in the other, you are playing with and against world class players. So, I think there is pressure but it’s all about the mindset. If you can control your mind, you can control the body and you can control the outcome.

to a nobody like me and were open for conversations. It was a big thing for me. The players were really grounded and I have learnt so much from them like handling pressure situations, good and bad situations, how they present themselves in front of people and how they perform so consistently. All things have made me an experienced player compared to what I was before the IPL.

How was the experience, when you faced world class bowlers and what was on your mind that time? It all comes to the

mindset. I was practicing well before the game and so applied that in the match. That’s what it counts even if you are practicing a lot and if you are not applying it in the match, you are not able to perform in the match. I think that ruins everything. But, you know it is practicing well and then performing well in the field that makes the difference even if you are facing good bowlers. I am really thankful to God that I got the opportunity and am also grateful to the fact that I had hard practice and that’s why I could perform well.

How did you feel when you met MS Dhoni, you know watching him as a player and playing against him during the Chennai Super Kings match? That was a nostalgic moment for me. Watching him play on the TV when I was a kid and doing so many great things and now sharing the field with him and even on my debut match him wicket keeping while I was batting was such a surreal moment. There is so much you can learn from him. I had a chat with him afterwards and it felt really good.

So, what are your plans for the future?

conversations anytime of the day like after or before the match, in the bus or even when we were travelling somewhere. It was a big thing for me because such star players were talking

I have a few tours and a few events coming up, but all of that are related to the Ranji Trophy and the domestic season. I just have three months to myself prepare as hard as I can and be really prepared for the domestic season that’s coming up. n

Weather report for the week Guwahati

SUN

MON

TUE

WED

THU

FRI

Scattered T-Storms

AM T-Storms

Scattered T-Storms

T-Storms

30°23° C

30°22° C

30°23° C

SATURDAY Partly Cloudy

31°23°C

14 G Talk E

G PLUS | may 11 -May 17 , 2019 T

Stray ‘pets’

he recent incident of a mad stray dog turning ferocious enough to bite 50 people on the streets of Pan Bazar, Fancy Bazar and Lakhtokia and thereafter simply disappearing from the scene brings an uneasiness to the mind. That the canine could not be located and might still be roaming free within the city is, by itself, a not-socomfortable feeling because human lives might be harmed again. After all, mad dog bites, unless acted upon quickly, leads to one of the most dreaded diseases known to mankind. This brings up the question of what is to be done with the distinctly large stray dog population of Guwahati. Unconfirmed reports peg it at 1,00,000 individuals all of which thrive on the massive garbage bins that dot the city’s localities. Animal activists clearly state that nothing but mercy must be shown to these stray dogs even though a fair number of such activists, engaged with NGOs, are also concerned about their growing numbers and so, government (read GMC) funds permitting, have been active in rendering sterilization work on these dogs. Well, the funds have dried up now and the percentage of dogs that have

been sterilized is minimal to say the least. Now recently, a friend of mine brought to my notice a situation where a large number of stray dogs (around 15 in number, includes bitches) have been kept as “pets” by a certain caretaker of a household in the Dighalipukhuri area; the caretaker provides these dogs with just one measly meal a day and thereafter, they are left to scavenge around and fend for themselves. The alarming part is their propensity to procreate quickly (yes, they are not sterilized) as well as die early through various diseases that are usually evident on the dogs’ bodies; sore blood-oozing skin tears with flies fawning on the same. These dogs are never taken to the vet; they are treated with homemade remedies – turmeric powder most of the time. While these stray dogs and their activities are clearly a threat and a health hazard to the humans of the locality, nothing seems can be possibly done to eradicate the same simply because they happen to be “pets.” Keeping all possibilities in mind, isn’t it high time that a stray dog policy be formulated? The city is that bit more hazardous because of them. Swapnil Bharali (Editor) @swapnilbharali

The novelty in the routine With the onset of the holy month of Ramzaan, you must be waiting for an iftaar invitation or to the grand feast on the 5th6th, and if my Muslim friends are reading this, you must have already started hearing, “Bhai, tere paas aayenge Eid khane.” While all that is okay and happens each year, there is something that seems a little disturbing this year. With the BJP set to make losses in terms of winning majority, they seem to have successfully drawn the Hindu-Muslim divide before doing so. The timings for work for Muslim employees at government offices were revised for Ramadan – they are to arrive 30 minutes before their standard “in-time” and on doing so, would be allowed to leave 30 minutes prior to their “out-time.” This seems to have earned the government at the centre a lot of credit, despite this rule being put in place several years ago – even before the BJP came to power at the centre and the state. This news was received with praises such as, “Wow Modi ji,”, “who says BJP is not secular?”, “Thanks Modi ji”, “NaMo again” and several other comments that would make you believe that this has happened only because of PM Modi at the centre. It is clear that these people had been living under a rock before the advent of Modi. The practice of revising timings for Ramadan has been in effect for several years, but of course, people in general were not so polarized and nor were they observant of such rules because assimilation came naturally to people. These comments are reflective of the fact that the country and its people are taking an extra effort to “assimilate” with Islam/Muslims. I don’t know if this is can be attributed to the saffron party completely, but they have clearly managed to brainwash people and create sides. We are living in times when such praises are followed by, “Now I will leave for puja and anjali early.” Troubled times lie ahead.

Sidharth Bedi Varma @sid_bv

Game- Changing #400 years

n a shifting technical landscape, ICT and digitization has brought about tremendous changes in the entire government processes and systems. In May 2006, the government of India had put forward the National e-Governance Plan (NeGP) as an initiative to make all government services available to the citizens of India via electronic media. This then, was the heralding of the technology age for the government and culminated into the multifarious model of Digital India which has been strongly pursued over the last decade resulting in a paradigm shift in the very working of the government as it was. By 2018, within 12 years, the success of this initiative is visible across India in the way we perceive and transact our daily lives as citizens of India. What is perhaps not really understood is the importance of the last decade from a historical perspective. What is important to consider is the manner in which the last decade has overcome a 400-year-old system of administration. Government or administration, in essence is the management of revenue – or so said Kautilya, the crooked one, in 320 CE. A state is only as strong as its treasury and the essence of governance is truly the management of the state. About 1,800 years later, a similar genius understood the significance of creating an empire resting strongly on the foundation of an effective system of revenue and so Raja Todar Mal, the finance minister of the Mughal Court, was one of the navaratna’s of Akbar’s court. Todar Mal served under Sher Shah Suri and moved onto the Mughals with the turning events of his times and succeeded Khwaja Malik I’timad Khan in 1560. Raja Todar Mal introduced standard weights and measures, a land survey and settlement

system, revenue districts and officers. This system of maintenance by Patwari and revenue generation/calculation by agricultural yield was duly adopted by and improved upon by the British Raj and finally inherited by the government of India. In a country which was majorly agrarian by nature, this was a system which worked and hence was never discarded, only improved upon and the superstructure of the administration was grown around it.

Government or administration, in essence is the management of revenue – or so said Kautilya, the crooked one, in 320 CE. About 1,800 years later, a similar genius understood the significance of creating an empire resting strongly on the foundation of an effective system of revenue and so Raja Todar Mal was one of the navaratna’s of Akbar’s court. With the growth of the services sector, the agrieconomy started taking a back foot and by the processoutsourcing age of the 1990’s, the service sector as well as the industrial advent was slowly making the revenue generation calculation by agrarian yield

rMother’s Day: A thought beyond

O pinion Debashish Goswami

unfeasible. The advent of the digital revolution contributed the final nail on the coffin with the National e-Governance Plan in 2006. Processes which relied on revenue systems originally constructed around a 400-yearold ideation and foundation are a hard sell. Re-engineering systems and processes to create a completely different paradigm of calculation and management takes time and agency. Therefore, after more than a decade of #digitalIndia, the actual impact for the people on the ground has been varied, considering the heterogenous nature of the nation and the country. Adoption and usage has been patchy and irregular depending upon the region and the local agencies on the ground. In the past decade, a large number of initiatives have been undertaken by various state governments and central ministries to usher in an era of e-government. Sustained efforts have been made at multiple levels to improve the delivery of public services and simplify the process of accessing them, but much remains to be done, especially for remote zones and areas like the northeast of India. The digital story is still unfolding… (The author was a senior advisor to the government of India and served under various ministries on diverse digital initiatives in the past 15 years) n

Letter to the Editor

The history of Mother’s Day dates back to the early times where it was first celebrated in Greece in honor of the Mother of the Gods, Rhea but the modern holiday of Mother’s Day was first observed in West Virginia in the year 1908 by Anna Jarvisin memory of her beloved mother. The idea behind the celebration of Mother’s Day is to express gratitude, love and respect towards the mothers and to acknowledge the contribution of a mother towards the society. But, isn’t it the role of the society to actually let mother’s celebrate this day with joy and happiness? Motherhood isn’t just a mere journey of carrying a child in the womb for 9 months and later delivering it. Female genre is the start of the entire evolution system. Nature gives mother the first priority as it is the source of every living form. Every time an individual is discriminated, tortured, molested or raped, the mother of the individual goes through the similar torment too. In a society where everyday a rape has occurred or someone is stabbed to death, there is no meaning of celebrating Mother’s Day. Every time, we reject or neglect our mother’s calls or messages and for every harsh word spoken to a mother, a mother dies a thousand deaths. Although the debt of a mother can never be paid back in any form, we can at least try to give them the equal love, care and time that they have given and bestowed in shaping our lives. A mother will only be happy when her children are happy and safe. So, this Mother’s Day let us pledge to actually gift our mothers their share of peace and happiness; not by gifting some good smelling flowers or a chocolate cake, but by spending some qualitative time and by being safe and making this society a safer place, for her and all her children. Mercy Hazarika, Department of Social Work, MSSV

In Focus

G PLUS | may 11 -May 17 , 2019

Relevance or the irrelevance of board exam results Harshita Himatsingka @HHimatsingka

his results season when a number of students are expected to score marks that might far exceed their capabilities, a Facebook appreciation post by Vandana Sufia Katoch from Delhi, for her son, Aamer Katoch, who received 60% marks in his Class 10 board exam, has won the internet. The post has gone viral with almost 7,500 shares, 15,000 reactions and 2,100 comments. In her post, Katoch praised her son who worked hard to attain these marks and said that she was proud of him even though he did not secure 90% marks or more. She further added that she was happy with his success as she had seen him struggle with his studies. For her, marks are not everything and she wants her son to be a good and wise kid. “Super proud of my boy who scored a 60% in Class 10 board exams. Yes it is not a 90, but that doesn’t change how I feel. Simply because I have seen him struggle with certain subjects almost to the point of giving up, and then deciding to give his all in the last month-and-a-half to finally make it through! Here’s to you, Aamer.

And others like you - fishes asked to climb trees. Chart your own course in the big, wide ocean, my love. And keep your innate goodness, curiosity and wisdom alive. And of course, your wicked sense of humour!” she wrote in her Facebook post. “This post that went viral was really the need of the hour and I am so happy to have come across it, as I have a similar student who is an all-rounder, participates in almost all school activities and brilliant at studies, but he only received 89 percent,” said Mausumi Mahanta, Head H.R, H.O.D, History, Maria’s Public School. Mahanta explained that all of the student’s teachers, friends, his parents and he, himself, were expecting that he would get 9095 percent. However, even when that was not the case, the student and his parents were both happy because of everything that he had learned, his achievements in co-curricular activities and all his efforts throughout his school years. “It was so heartening to hear that he was under no pressure. I still told him that these marks don’t define him, as his calibre far exceeds the number on that sheet of paper, and I was happy to hear him say that even he and his parents were happy with

whatever he had got,” added Mahanta. However, she mentioned an interesting finding in terms

students face, both during exam time and during results announcement, she explained that it always exists. It comes

of board results marks. Some students who are very average throughout the year have scored very well, almost 90 percent. But, very good students got 88, 89 percent marks which seemed uncharacteristic. “Both average students and brilliant students getting the same marks, same percentage, I really don’t know what to make of these results to be very frank with you,” said Mahanta. Talking of the extreme pressure

from parents to excel, sometimes there’s peer pressure and even the students themselves, expect that they should be doing well. “I think it works in all three ways, however, sometimes the pressure works in a favourable manner because if a child who does not study, is made to study in the last one a half months, some of them tend to do well just because they have no option but to study,” explained Mahanta. Another important thing that

Mahanta has always maintained is that marks don’t define students at all, since they are so subjective. “You don’t know who’s evaluated a particular answer script, if a lenient evaluator has checked the answer script, it means that the child could’ve gotten a 90-95 blindly. Whereas, a cautious evaluator will give marks that a child really deserves, and so he will be more careful correcting the answer scripts. Thus, it’s always subjective and important for children to understand this and then chalk out the next course of action,” intimated Mahanta. The only problem that stands to remain is that, if students get less percentage, then it becomes difficult for them so get into the top-notch colleges where they might be hoping to get admission. It’s like a vicious cycle almost, but apart from this problem, board exam results really don’t mean much. “I always tell my students, once you start working, your communication skills, emotional intelligence and the ability to work well with a team will be what is most important and not your marks. These are the things that will hold them in good faith, thus they should focus on being all-rounded individuals,” said Mahanta in closing. n

A mother’s FB post appreciating her son’s 60% marks in class 10 boards goes viral Vandana Sufia Katoch, mother of Aamer Katoch from Delhi, wrote an appreciation post on Facebook for her son who received 60% marks in his Class 10 board exams. Udipta Nath Hats off to parenting! I hope this will encourage him to get the best out of himself, to achieve what he desires to be and make his mother proud once again! Yes! Fishes are judged by the ability to climb a tree, when they are destined to swim the mighty ocean. Hope one day every parent understands that, like the lady did. It is so encouraging and positive to see parents like this as they will only help in building future gems for the nation. Hemlata Taro Family members, especially the mother, have got to be the strongest support-system. You will try till it’s done, but after it’s done, there’s nothing left to be done. And if mothers don’t understand their child, then who else will in this world? Schools are looting us and there is no effort in encouraging children to do good. All they know is money. So here the parents play a very important role. It’s good to see such a post doing the rounds in social media today. Today many parents can take a good lesson from her. I hope this will bring change among the people.

Shamim Akhtar This is called encouragement and I saw some people were calculating that this time girls have done better than boys in Assam. Learn how to encourage! No matter who does better in boards because no one knows who will end up where in the future. Every kid has a special talent and that makes him/her the best in the society. Parents should try to find the inner talent of their kids and always try to motivate them to work hard in that field in which they are most interested. And that day will be not far when exceptional talents will blossom in our country making parents proud. Seriously, this post made my day. Subrata Kumar dey Marks are a huge matter for us general people only. Otherwise a ninth fail student is also a deputy CM in this country. Marks don’t matter, only family matters. And this is the truth. If one has the will and passion to do something, they will. Encourage your child to do what they like and then see how they excel in life.

Trishant Das Fishes asked to climbed trees and that line explains everything about our education system. All have different kind of talents and strength and they must be nurtured to the best. Kudos to the sensible mother! She is an inspiration to many. This is a lesson to be learnt by the parents and also people who will become parents in future. We have always seen or heard news of kids committing suicide due to excessive pressure from their parents to do well in board examinations as they have to answer to society. Really? Was the society there when your kid was studying or did they pay fees for your child? No of course, then why bother what society thinks? Every individual plays an important role in making a society and this is how people learn.

16 Feature

G PLUS | may 11 -May 17 , 2019

A spooky night that left us shaking

Rabin Prasad Kalita

The author recounts his night at a polling booth of Guwahati and explains the ramshackle conditions in which polling officers often have to discharge their duties.

t seemed like a mega carnival all around Maniram Dewan Trade Center (MDTC) complex. Heads of human beings were seen all over with each one of us a having a backpack or trolley. Mr Bharadwaj, Panditji, Rejaul and I assembled at the Trade Centre at 8 am sharp on 22nd April to carry out the parliamentary election duty, which was held on 23rd April, 2019. This was deliberated over phone by all of us the day before so that we could all reach well on time. Everyone looked back and forth for their respective companions to form the teams as per the order of appointment issued by the Election Commission. On assembling, we rushed inside the complex without wasting a second to collect our voting machines along with the connected documents and all other necessary items from the counter marked as per the polling stations. The things were kept systematically in stalls, for which no one had to face any trouble locating their materials. We verified our items in possession as per the checklist provided and thereafter had our buffet lunch in the jumbo makeshift kitchen assembled there. Subsequently, we had to hunt for our allotted bus, while moving with a heavy load of luggage. After a substantial stretch of cumbersome walking under the burning sun, we found our bus and boarded for the polling station (PS). The bus started rolling out only after all the teams on the same route boarded and by that time it was already 3 pm. The

One of the boys from the small eatery where we were dining informed us that the house (that was to be our polling booth the next day) is not at all suitable for a stay at night. He explained that it was a popular suicide site and that a few days back, there was an incident of suicide on the branch of the tree there. Everything seemed more creepy and uncanny thereafter, more than we had gauged before entering those premises. address of our polling booth was Hengerabari Khadi Board office, left wing. Although we saw an old faint signboard of the office on our way, we thought that couldn’t be an office by the looks of it. It seemed like a timeworn abandoned haunted house that stood in-between

a big open damp field with shrubs all over. Thus, the bus was directed to move farther, thinking that there might be another office for administering our poll. Therefore, the vehicle was heading in search of our office. It was known from a passer-by that we had left the office a mile back. That struck us at once, so we all equivocally sounded an “Oh no!” We didn’t take much time to confirm that the office we declined to admit was ours, indeed happened to be our polling booth. Eventually, the vehicle had to make a u-turn. What else could have been done at that eleventh hour? The four of us were surprised to see its interiors, which could well resemble only with a haunted house. It was even worse than we had predicted from the outside. The ceiling of the house was seen tattered all over, the doors and windows were half open due to the rusted hinges, the floor of the house was shabby and uneven, there were enormous small and big depressions on the surface of the floor, most of the house was heaped with wood and wooden beehives, strings of dirt were hanging from the dilapidated roof all over. It was more of an untidy store than an office. Anyway, we had to accept it as it was. Gradually, the sheet of darkness came down stealing the remaining light from the room. Only then, we all came to know that there was no bulb in the room to keep us and the process illuminated. Keeping our be-

longings under the custody of our security personnel, we went for some refreshment outside the gate. Mr Rejaul left us

Hengerabari Khadi Board office for Namaz into a nearby mosque from there. While dining, one of the boys from the small eatery informed us that the house is not at all suitable for a stay at night. We asked him curiously why he said so and he replied that the house where we were to stay the night was known for outsiders committing suicide there, as it is in a lonesome place. He even went a step further and said that a few days back, there was an incident of suicide on the branch of the tree, which is on the side of that office. After listening to these things, everything seemed more creepy and uncanny, more than we had gauged before entering those premises. Had he not told this unsavory story, we would not have thought much about it. The three of us were returning to the room with wobbly minds. As we were walking by the aforementioned tree, our steps were unstable and shaky through the moist and grassy tiny track. I dared to walk in front, followed by two of my colleagues who caught my arm due to their growing fear. No sooner had we crossed the tree, both of my colleagues sprinted towards the room, but they suddenly came out of the room at the same speed, saying “Dada, no light inside.” Reaching the room, we made a

temporary provision for lighting it and looked for an arrangement to rest for a while. But what! We were baffled to see the intrusion of cockroaches and rats running to and fro, as soon as we switched on the lantern. The horrible clamour of mosquitoes was in addition to that a bonus. The situation became intensely fear-provoking. Somehow, we managed to make a makeshift bed by joining the benches and tables available there. Mr Bhardwaj caught hold of me and requested to sleep by my side. He was too scared due to Mr Rejaul, who was telling some fear mongering stories from the past. Every minute felt like an

hour for us that night as if the morning had rescheduled its time to appear late. Almost with no sleep, we got up at 4 am, though it was too early to wish good morning. Still, the outside was roofed with intense darkness, except some thin and tired rays that were wandering here and there, outsourced from across the street. Infinite chirping of crickets and on-off petite lights of fireflies made the site precisely spooky. What to do, I decided to go to the lavatory tearing the dark apart to offload my ongoing pressure. By the time I returned, two of them were waiting for me to accompany them, so that they could c omplete their morning ablution on time and to start the voting process as per the schedule. We will always remember that horrifying night which leaves us shaking even today. n

Trotter

G PLUS | may 11 -May 17 , 2019

Man rushed to hospital after ‘he shoots his own penis’

man was dashed to hospital after he shot himself in the penis. Peter Jacobsson’s alleged .22-caliber gun dropped out of his pocket, hit the ground and fired on a busy street. And the bullet hit the 32-year-old’s manhood in Lincoln, Nebraska. He has had treatment in hospital to gruesome injuries to his genitals.The man remains in a non-life-threatening condition in hospital but has been charged with various offences. Luke Bonkiewicz, an officer with Lincoln Police Department, said the botched shooting happened on 8th May at around 8.45 pm near Bryan West

Campus, a medical centre in the Irvingdale area of the town. Police believe he was simply walking the streets when the gun fell out of his pocket. Jacobsson has been charged on suspicion of discharging a firearm in the city and

teresting tid-bit: that he has never gotten a shave from someone else before! “You may not know this, but I

have never gotten a shave from someone else before. That record has been shattered today. Such an honour to meet the #BarbershopGirls,” he wrote. Sachin also presented Neha and Jyoti with a Gillette scholarship to cover their educational and professional needs. Since being shared online, his

possession of a deadly weapon by a prohibited person. The investigation continues. (Source: mirror.co)

post has gone viral with almost 7 lakh “likes” and hundreds of impressed comments. Neha and Jyoti have been receiving much praise and love from netizens around the globe after an ad by Gillette India highlighted their incredible, gender stereotype-shattering story. The ad has gone viral with over 16 million views on YouTube alone. “The blade that shaves, does not know whether a girl or a guy is using it. I think, this is the most important line of the video, because if dreams do not discriminate then why do we?” said Sachin Tendulkar adding, “We should always remember the kids of today are watching and they learn from what they see. I hope lots of kids today will see how Neha and Jyoti and their village have shown great courage and right attitude to break stereotypes and move forward.” (Source: ndtv)

Blogger tries to eat octopus alive, it latches onto her and fights back

Chinese blogger was left horrified after her meal turned on her and nearly ripped her face off. A video that has gone massively viral online shows a live-streaming host trying to film herself while eating an octopus alive. Unluckily for her, the octopus decides to fight back and latches itself onto her face, leading to a painful few minutes as she tries to pull it off. The video shows the woman screaming in pain as she tries to remove the sea creature’s tentacles

off her face. In the end, as she pulls desperately and her lower eyelid stretches to a horrifying degree, she does manage to get rid of the octopus. But it’s safe to assume that the

Mother slits 5-day-old girl’s throat because she ‘didn’t want her baby’

Sachin Tendulkar gets a shave from UP ‘barbershop girls’ n ad that is currently going viral online has shone the spotlight on the incredible story of two girls from the Banwari Tola village in Uttar Pradesh. Neha and Jyoti took over their father’s barbershop back in 2014 when he fell ill. To step into a profession traditionally dominated by men, they disguised themselves as boys, even taking on male names as they paid for their father’s treatment, supported their family and continued to study. Today, an ad inspired by their inspirational story has led to one of the greatest cricketers of all times to get a shave from Neha and Jyoti, or the “barbershop girls” as they are often referred to. Master blaster Sachin Tendulkar shared in an Instagram post that he met the barbershop girls and got a shave from them. While posting a picture with Neha and Jyoti, he also revealed an in-

blogger - a live-streamer on the Chinese photo sharing app Kuaishou - won’t be eating live octopus again in a hurry. According to a daily, the incident left her with a small wound on her cheek. An octopus typically uses its tentacles to defend itself or catch prey.The video was first shared on Chinese social media platforms and went viral from there. It has collected millions of views online. Many have criticised the woman for trying to eat the octopus alive. (Source: ndtv)

iralbahen Bhavsar, 29, was arrested in Little Ferry, New Jersey after authorities said she sliced an infant’s throat and arm with a knife. She called police to her home claiming she had chest pains and told responding officers that her husband, Jaymin, was trying to kill her in their Liberty Street apartment. Jaymin was handcuffed, but other family members who were in the home began screaming: “No, no, not him,” according to a local daily. Police wrote: “At this time, Hiralbahen exited a rear bedroom and began stating, ‘No, no not him. I did it. I killed my baby.’” Officers then found the lifeless baby in the bedroom with cuts to her arm and neck. Police questioned Hiralbahen, who told them she “didn’t want her baby” and she killed the child. Jaymin told investigators that his family was eating dinner when the baby began crying. So his wife took the baby into the rear bedroom. He said Hiralbahen then left the room without the infant, grabbed an item from the kitchen, then returned to the bedroom and locked the door. Just hours before the stabbing, she posted a photo

of herself with the child and her husband, but it appears to have been taken down. Neighbour Aradhana Thakur said that she did not know whether the mother was struggling with postpartum depression and claimed Hiralbahen seemed “normal.” She said, “I saw her yesterday and she was looking OK, normal, but I think she must be going through some sort of depression because no mother could do this to her child.” Hiralbahen Bhavsar has been charged with first-degree murder and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, according to the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office. (Source: metro.co.uk)

UK family offers $100 an hour for ‘Professor Snape’ to tutor their ‘Harry Potter’ superfan son

UK family is looking for a “real life Professor Snape” to teach their 11-year-old son “Potions” (chemistry). The tutor will also be asked to teach “Herbology” (biology) and “Flying” (physics). The parents would like the tutor to transform their kitchen into Hogwarts, dress in character, and make lessons as immersive as possible. The successful candidate will be paid a generous £75 ($98) an hour. In the job advert, posted on online tutoring agency Tutor House, the parents explain that their 11-year-old son Toby loves Harry Potter, and so they’re looking for an experienced science tutor who’s willing to go the extra mile by dressing up as Hogwarts professors and teaching “Harry Potter” themed lessons. For example, the parents suggest transforming the family’s kitchen into Hogwarts to make lessons as interactive and immersive as possible for Toby, who is “struggling with his science lessons.”

The tutor would be expected to “put 100% effort into lessons,” bringing in props such as “wands,

quills, and other wizarding student accessories” - all extra costs such as these would be covered, though. The role is for an hour’s tutoring a week (“preferably Tuesday or Thursday evenings,” they say), and if you want to apply you’ll need to have at least four years’ tutoring or teaching experience as well as “strong knowledge of the whole ‘Harry Potter’ series.” So if you know your mitosis from your meiosis, as well as your Diagon Alley from your divination, head to Tutor House to apply. (Source: msn.com)

18 Review

G PLUS | may 11 -May 17 , 2019

Starring: Tiger Shroff, Ananya Panday, Tara Sutaria Director: Punit Malhotra

Movie w Revie

Student of the Year 2

he movie is about a small town boy Rohan Sehgal (Tiger Shroff), who is madly in love with his childhood sweetheart, Mridula (Tara Sutaria), and follows her to city’s top college. But, this new term brings friends, foes and cut-throat competition along with heartbreak. Film’s leading man (Tiger Shroff) fits right into the scheme of things when he secures an admission on a sports quota. But his many talents start becoming a cause of concern for the current poster boy of the college Manav Mehra (Aditya Seal)

and his eccentric sister Shreya played by Ananya Panday. This sets the stage for a testosterone led confrontation of male oneupmanship that involves love, ladies and competitiveness. Much of the story revolves around the four main characters, who fall in and out of love without much ado. There’s no heartbreak too deep to shatter them, or a punch strong enough to break them. A bulk of the burden falls on Tiger Shroff’s strong shoulders and he manages to hit the marquee, when it comes to action. His heroics are captured with skill and

attention – whether he is dancing like a dream, running on the tracks (the camera accentuating his muscles and sinew in close ups), playing kabbadi or flipping in the air and landing with a blow. His sharp smoldering looks enhance his starry screen presence even when he is an emotional or a physical wreck. While film’s leading ladies Tara and Ananya are always glammed up and sport the best designer wear that money can buy, their roles aren’t tailored to perfection. Especially, Tara’s character seems quite flippant in her choices and her performance is underwhelming. Thankfully, for Ananya, her character gets a definite curve and a convincing backstory that works in her favour. Her performance eventually gradually grows on you, especially in some of her meet cute scenes with Tiger. Ditto for the film’s anti-hero, Aditya Seal. He plays his part with perfection looking every bit the spoilt brat with class and appeal. A lot of drama and action remains out of the classroom, with focus on sports, dance and romance, but the chemistry between Tiger and the two debutantes never really takes off. Even with so many conflicts, competitions and confrontations, the film’s narrative remains light and quite focused on the overall visual appeal that often hampers the seriousness of the story. Overall, this chapter doesn’t have much of that ishq wala love, but there is ample dosti, kabaddi and cool stuff to keep you going. Think of it as a much snazzier version of ‘Jo Jeeta Wahi Sikander’ minus the realism. Review inputs taken from The Times of India.

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Anuradha Cineplex, Noonmati 0361 2656968

Student of the Year 2 09:30 AM, 05:45 PM, 08:40 PM Avengers: Endgame (English), 3D 12:15 PM

Gold Cinema, Paltan Bazaar 09854066166

Avengers: Endgame (English), 3D

05:30 PM

01:15 PM

Chhota Bheem: Kung Fu Dhamaka , 3D

08800900009

Student of the Year 2 09:15 AM, 11:00 AM, 02:05 PM, 05:10 PM, 08:15 PM Avengers: Endgame (English), 3D 02:50 PM, 08:55 PM Chhota Bheem: Kung Fu Dhamaka , 3D 12:20 PM, 06:25 PM

Skullcandy Push

his year has been big for truly wireless earphones, with important launches from Samsung, Apple, and many other companies. In India, we have also seen big launches from Sennheiser, Nokia, and Blaupunkt, to name a few. The newest addition in this category is the Skullcandy Push truly wireless earphones are priced at Rs. 9,999. Design and Specifications: The Skullcandy Push consists of two earbuds and a charging case to store and charge them in, when not in use. The earbuds have a pill-shaped design that sticks to the typical Skullcandy aesthetic, combining urban styling with somewhat industrial design. Each earbud has a large button on its outer side and an indicator light at the bottom. The Skullcandy Push is available in

two colours in India — grey and green. The earphones are claimed to be water resistant. They use Bluetooth 4.2 and support only the SBC codec, not the higher quality AAC or aptX codecs. The frequency response range is 2020,000Hz. The single button on each earbud of the Skullcandy Push serves to control power, pairing, volume, and music playback. A single-press on either side will play or pause music; a doublepress controls the volume (reduce from the left and increase from the right); and a long-press skips to the previous or next track.

The left earbud functions as the primary one that connects to your source device, so the right one requires the left to be connected in order to work. There is no automatic pause function when removing either earbud from your ear. Performance: When it comes to build quality and the charging case, the Skullcandy Push earphones do sound good. Many Skullcandy headphones and earphones have a consumer-friendly sonic signature that favours bass, and the Skullcandy Push sticks to this formula. However, the sound quality is affected by the lack of support for any of the more refined Bluetooth codecs, but the Skullcandy Push does a decent job with what it has. It doesn’t sound quite as refined as the Samsung and Nokia options, but does have a

distinct advantage in the bass department, which will appeal to a lot of listeners. Verdict: Skullcandy is a popular name in the consumer space, and its first truly wireless earphones are a good effort that stay true to Skullcandy’s positioning, offering good looks and lots of bass. The charging case is the biggest weakness here, barely

keeping the earbuds in place and only offering a single additional charge. Furthermore, the lack of support for the aptX Bluetooth codec makes for a sound that lacks openness and depth. If you like your bass heavy and punchy, you’ll be pleased with what the Skullcandy Push has to offer. It rates overall 3.5/5. Inputs taken from NDTV Gadget.

Fiction

G PLUS | may 11 -May 17 , 2019

The Tribe near River Siang

he Siang River that reaches the town of Pasighat originates as the Tsangpo in China and is called the Siang once it enters India through the upper Siang district. Further downstream it joins the Lohit and Dibang to form the Brahmaputra. It is one of the fiercest rivers that I have seen. My first visit to this river was in 1973 when it took me an overnight halt to reach my campsite at a place called Penang, around 60 kms further upstream from Pasighat. It was proving extremely difficult to fish from the riverbank near the campsite as the approach downhill was very steep and treacherous. However, there were a number of small hamlets further along the bank and we could fish from these places. But the problem was the inquisitive locals who invariably came out in large numbers: around 30 or 40 people of assorted ages and all shouting and making a din. They wanted to see how we used our equipment and how we hoped to catch fish with small spoons and hooks. They used to fish by spearing and laying out traps in the shallow rapids which they traversed on their bamboo rafts using poles for navigation. They were also very adept swimmers and could dive deep into the pools in search of some big fish that could be hiding there. These tribes were the Adis and they have a number of sub tribes under them. I made it a point to try and come to this river at least once in the season as it was very far and difficult to come more often. After visiting this river for five years alone I decided to come with my entire family group and we made an elaborate plan similar to an expedition. My family and young kids were joined by my brothers and their kids as well as my elder sister and nephew. We had planned to make this trip in November after a late season Kali Puja night as the whole family was visiting our garden

for this annual festival. We camped on the first day in a dark

The local villagers came calling led by an impressively dressed man in a red coat above his tribal attire and they had brought a lot of food for us - fried pork, rice cooked in bamboo, a lot of Apong and some packets of leaves which contained crushed dry maize mixed with a little jiggery. He was the village Kebang, the headman, for which the government paid him a princely sum of Rs 1000/- annually along with the red coat he was wearing. bungalow in a small town after crossing the Subansiri River. My nephew who had some good contacts at Pasighat had got us special permission to camp in two small towns having inspection bungalows. The whole trip lasted for 4 days of fishing and we caught a number of small size mahseer and broker fish. As usual the local people watched us intently and we also shared some food that we had carried for lunch. They accepted the same gratefully and in return some of them offered us their local tit bits like black beetles, flies and larvae of

honey bees. Naturally none of us could eat the same but they did not press us much. I remember one woman was impressed by the stout legs of one of my nephews and I learnt later that this was an attractive asset in a man to be able to walk long distances up and down mountains! On our last day we had gone further upstream in search of a better place to fish. One small river had joined the Siang and such confluences are always good for fishing so we tried late at this spot. Luck favoured us and my brothers caught some real beauties: three golden mahseer all between 6 and 8 kgs. It got a bit late and we had to drive back to our camp site with the jeep lights on. Reaching the place our four camp boys and the cook who we had left behind were waiting for our return and agitatedly informed us that the local villagers had come and eaten up all our dinner and wanted more as the amount of food was less. They also took back with them a major portion of our dry rations. Hungry and tired, we were all disappointed at this turn of events. The camp boys revealed that they had come in good humour and one of the villagers told them that it was a custom that visitors who came in a large group like ours had to throw a meal for the local villagers. They would also invite us for a return feast. Anyway there was no option but to nibble on some biscuits and fruits. We were due to return the next morning for Pasighat and we thought we may also get some food in a small town that we had crossed on our way up. After cleaning up we poured ourselves some drinks, thankfully as this was kept under lock and key, the visitors did not find them and we were preparing to sleep. It must have been around 9 pm when suddenly some people came again. They had seen

our vehicle lights and Ranjan Kumar Choudhury knew that ranjanchou@hotmail.com we had come back. So they British retaliated by came over to call us to their vilsending a troop of around 100 lage for the return feast the next soldiers who plundered their morning. We then had to convince hamlets and burnt them down. them that it was all right they had A lot of them were captured and come in our absence but we would made to work as slaves and over not be able to enjoy their kind oftime they were subdued. Now, fer as we would be leaving the after Independence, they were next morning. However they said being slowly inducted into the that they would report to their mainstream and though wary of headman, the Kebang who would outsiders in general and people be very sorry to hear that we with cloth wrapped around their would be leaving without meetheads (probably a Sirdarji operating him. They must have found ing heavy machinery) who were out from one of the camp boys cutting roads and making bridges that we had nothing left to eat. they were quite happy. After the Next morning when we were meal we had to say good bye and packing our vehicles there was a left. The headman was an intersudden commotion as some local esting personality and I was sure villagers had come calling led by he would have had many more an impressively dressed man in tales to tell. a red coat above his tribal attire About three years later I got and they had brought a lot of food the opportunity to meet the for us - fried pork, rice cooked in Kebang again. This time I made bamboo, a lot of Apong and some it a point to walk up to his village packets of leaves which contained which was slightly below the IB crushed dry maize mixed with a and found him in the courtyard. little jiggery. He was the village He recognized me at once and Kebang and moreover the headpromptly went inside to wear his man, for which the government red coat of authority and asked paid him the princely sum of Rs me to come inside his h ouse by 1000/- annually along with the climbing up a small ladder. All red coat he was wearing. As we their houses were built on stilts were famished we all sat down to avoid snakes and some deadly together and ate the food hungriinsects that scurry around. ly though a little worried about His wife, the third one I later a possible tummy problem later; found out, came out to offer the the best was the maize and a little customary Apong and dried Apong helped the digestion. We maize laced with jaggery which I spent some time talking to the quite relished. We talked for a long headman who told us that they time and he was very happy at the had originally come from Tibet genuine interest I showed in his and had settled there in the hills. life story. He told me of the long It was only the British who enand arduous trek their ancestors tered their area first and in a skirmade across the mountains from mish they had killed one of the Tibet where they were persecuted first administrators they had set by a rival chieftain and it took up near their village as they were them a number of decades to afraid that their move slowly over the treacherous land would hills and raging rivers mainly be taken in the winter months guided by over. their medicine man and his occult The wisdom. The Adis moved on to become semi-nomadic tribes and their chief i.e., the Kebang had to be an intelligent man to guide them and keep them safe. The current Kebang, whose name I learnt later was Kaaling Borang, was around 50 years old, born as he said about two mountain ranges behind the river. It was getting late and he blessed me in a ceremonious manner as I said good bye to him and the tribe members present. The next day I did some fishing in the Siang River and it must have been his blessings as I caught a beautiful 6 kg Chocolate Mahseer which is a rare species in the mahseer family. It is now more than 30 years since I last met this venerable man and even though I am planning to visit that area again next winter I doubt whether I would meet him. But I am sure his spirit has kept his tribe safe and sound. n

20 Fun Jayashree Bose Certified Feng Shui, Chinese astrology, date selection consultant & author, jbose@jayashreebose.com

11th & 16th May will be great days for you to schedule important meetings & share ideas with seniors. On 12th May, you could have a fall out with a superior or someone at work. Avoid drinking with superiors or extended family on 12th May.

Avoid making any promises on 13th May as you will have to live up to them. 12th & 15th May will be great days for you to connect with seniors and share your ideas with them, host your important meetings on these dates.

The first half of your week will be slow, but the second half will be good. For good results, host your meetings, share your ideas with superiors, network with business associates on 13th & 16th May. Avoid any meetings on 11th May. 14th May will be a slow day.

11th & 13th May will be great days to connect with seniors & share ideas with them, host important meetings on these dates. You could have issues with seniors or extended family on 12th May, don’t get into a confrontation. On 15th May, be careful while dealing with the opposite gender.

On 13th & 16th May, avoid making any promises as you will have to live up to them. On 15th May, you will be betrayed by someone you trusted, avoid sharing your secrets with anyone. On 16th May, avoid hosting any meetings as you are bound to get into disagreements.

11th, 12th & 16th May will be excellent days for you to schedule important meetings. Your seniors will be receptive to your ideas. On 12th May, maybe meet up with them for a Sunday brunch or coffee. Avoid hosting any meetings, especially with seniors on 14th May. You are bound to have disagreements.

13th & 17th May will be great days for you to share ideas with seniors or simply just connect with them. You could schedule important meetings on these dates. Watch your words and actions on 15th & 16th May, as you could have disagreements at work.

On 4th May, you could have issues with seniors & parents. 6th & 9th May will be great days for you to build a rapport with seniors & people at work, host your important meetings on these dates. On 4th May, avoid making any promises, as you will have to live up to them.

Avoid hosting any meetings on 14th May as things will not go according to plan. You will have issues at work, with superiors or clients on 17th May, try not to get into a confrontation. 15th May will be a great day for you to build a rapport with seniors & people at work, host your important meetings on this day.

Watch your words & actions on 12th May, as you could create your own problems. On 13th May, you will be emotionally hurt either by your parents or seniors, not a day to schedule important meetings. 16th May will be a great day for you to connect with your seniors & share ideas with them, host your important meetings on this day.

Watch yourself on 16th May, avoid making any promises or getting into a confrontation. You could have a disagreement with seniors or work associates, not a day to schedule important meetings. On 12th May, you will be emotionally hurt either by your parents or seniors. 13th May will be a slow day for you.

17th May is an ideal day for you to mingle with seniors, people at work & build your work network. On 11th May, you will be emotionally hurt by your colleagues or superiors. Be careful with your words & actions on 14th May as you will create your own problems. 14th will be a slow day for you.

Which is the largest river system of Bhutan?

Which popular food product derives its name from the French word for “seasoned with salt”?

Which musical instrument consists of an air supply, a bag, a chanter and usually has at least one drone?

Identify this world famous painting which is celebrating its bicentenary this year.

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

Dilbert By Scott Adams

curio-city

What idea about protecting the Earth arose from a paper called, “The Defenders Protocol”?

1. 2.

What natural phenomenon is classified using the Saffir-Simpson scale?

Cyclones, based on their speeds. Avengers, a band of superheroes from the Marvel Studios. The paper was written by Nick Fury. Manas River, which also flows into Assam and lends its name to the Manas National Park. Sausage. Bagpipes from Scotland. “The Raft of the Medusa” by Theodore Gericault.

4. 5. 6.

curio-city

Sudoku 3 8

5 8

5 2

2 7 3 8 2 2 4 7 4 6 1 9 8 4 3 6 5 9 1 3 6 4 3 7 1 5 1 6 2 2 9 3 5 7 5 7 1 5 9 1 medium Daily Sudoku: Thu 9-May-2019 8 2 1 6 4 5 3

These predictions are based on the month of birth and are about an individual’s work environment, parents and extended family.

Daily Sudoku: Fri 3-May-2019

medium

2 last 1 3week 9 8solution 5 4 6 7 4 8 6 3 7 2 9 5 1 6 9 5 8 1 4 2 3 7 9 5 7 1 4 6 3 8 2 7 2 8 3 5 6 1 9 4 7 4 8 5 3 1 6 2 9 4 3 1 9 7 2 5 6 8 1 3 9 6 2 8 5 7 4 9 5 7 1 4 3 8 2 6 6 2 5 4 9 7 8 1 3 2 6 3 5 8 7 9 4 1 3 7 1 8 5 9 2 4 6 1 8 4 6 2 9 3 7 5 8 6 4 2 1 3 7 9 5 3 1 9 4 6 5 7 8 2 5 9 2 7 6 4 1 3 8 5 Sudoku: 7 Thu 6 9-May-2019 2 9 8 4 1 medium 3 Daily

8 4 2 7 3 1 6 5 9 Daily Sudoku: Fri 3-May-2019

medium

http://www.dailysudoku.com/

Word of the week perspicacity knackered noun adjective [pur-spi-kas-i-tee] [nak-erd]

keennessBritish of mental perception Slang. and understanding; discernment; exhausted; very tired penetration.

Crossword Across

Down

1 Loosely woven cloth from Scotland (6,5) 9 Impromptu (9) 10 Animal (with nine nine tails?) (3) 11 Himalayan country (5) 13 Excellent — shining bright? (7) 14 On ship (6) 15 Purist (6) 18 Arctic deer — a Rio cub (anag) (7) 20 Best possible (5) 21 See 23 22 Fling (9) 24 Fifth book of the Bible

Horoscope of the week

G PLUS | may 11 -May 17 , 2019

2 Fit (3) 3 Person whose speech is not well organised (7) 4 Married partner (6) 5 In which position? (5) 6 Acquit — clear (9) 7 Entertainment area with coin-operated machines (5,6) 8 Narrator (11) 12 TV show (9) 16 Issue (7) 17 Male domestic servant (6) 19 Bathroom basin (5) 23, 21 UK resident who the tax man accepts as having their "true" home elsewhere (abbr) (3-3)

Last week’s solution

Lifestyle

G PLUS | may 11 -May 17 , 2019

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

n India, a number of household practices are widely followed all across the country that is advocated by Vaastu. These processes are followed from the time of one’s birth until their death, without realising why. Only a few learned know the meaning of these rituals while the rest just follow them blindly. These rituals have been sadly distorted over the years after passing through different people, regions and cultures. As a result, the present generation and the rebellious ones have developed an agnostic view of our rituals and culture. For example, Vaastu says that the kitchen should be in the southeast direction as this is the position of the fire element. But, it is a fact that early morning sunrays have the capacity to destroy several bacteria and germs, and by placing the kitchen in southeast direction, we achieve this result. Similarly, there is also major

significance in the usage of the oil lamp. It is a custom in almost every Indian home to light an earthen lamp at the place of worship. In some houses, it is lit at dawn, in some, twice a day, at dawn and dusk, while some households maintain it continuously. Auspicious functions are commenced with the lighting of the lamp, which is often maintained right through the occasion. Light symbolizes knowledge, and getting over darkness and ignorance. The Supreme God is symbolised as a brilliant light in itself. Hence, light is worshiped

as the Lord himself. Light has the capacity to remove darkness. Knowledge removes ignorance. Knowledge is an inner wealth which cannot be stolen by anyone. So by lighting a lamp, we symbolise the ushering of knowledge. It may seem foolish to many as an electrical bulb can also remove darkness, but the traditional oil lamp has a further spiritual significance. The oil or ghee in the lamp symbolizes our negative tendencies and the wick symbolises the ego. When spiritual knowledge lights the lamp, these tendencies get slowly

DIY: Mother’s Day Gift Idea

other’s Day is right around the corner and what better way to celebrate it than to give your mother something handmade that shows her how much you care about her. A do-it-yourself (DIY) gift is the perfect idea in this case and so, we’ve listed the steps below on how you can make a jewellery organiser for your mother which makes for a great practical gift.

Supplies:

exhausted and the ego also perishes. The flame of a lamp always burns upwards. Similarly, we should acquire knowledge that takes us towards higher ideals. Last but not the least, a lamp with ghee can also destroy negative energy. While lighting the lamp, this mantra can be chanted:

“Deepajyothi parabrahma, Deepa sarva tamopahaha, Deepena saadhyate saram, Sandhyaa deepo namostute.” It means, I bow to the dawn/ dusk lamp, whose light is the Knowledge Principle (the Supreme Lord), which removes the darkness of ignorance and by which all can be achieved in life. n

Present the Past Remembering shores that kindle blind faith

Use a flat head screwdriver and hammer the edges. Then, tap the glazier points into place securely.

Upon the unseeing eyes that take a while

Drill desired number of holes along one of the long sides of the frame.

The rains will be here in good time for breakfast...

Decorate frame with accessories of your choice.

To come to terms with the progression of time Unhindered passages that take up the present Meeting in secret coves which whisper alive

As an immense build of time refuses allegiance To any creed or a sect that passes off as rhyme Perhaps the doing is the undoing of living

Decorative metal sheets

Then again, perhaps in death is life whispered alive

A picture frame

The moments when we were, are moments now gone

Decorative knobs or hooks

The present is the allegiance to a now not known...

Primer & paint

Immense belief leads one on a path astray from the real

Glazier points

Instructions: Prime & paint your picture frame. Cut the metal sheet to size and fit metal sheet inside frame. Using the glazier points, secure metal sheet in place around the edges of the frame.

Belief shudders when mistakes made become whispers On cold, dark nights where living is but a yearning For better moments that unwind the clock again To memories of smiles kept hidden in the storehouse Where the past culminates to its final frontier, a present... Arunav Barua

22 Buzz

G PLUS | may 11 -May 17 , 2019

DBS ‘School Week’ concludes

D bee,

on Bosco, Panbazar celebrated its “School Week” with a host of activities including quiz contests, spelling declamation competition,

storytelling contest, chess and carrom competitions, dance and music competitions, mime competition, Model United Nations workshop, May Day celebration, club activities, creative writing contest, painting contest, etc. The weeklong event started from April 29 and ended on May 4. Two days later, on May 6, the students were given merit certificates by the principal, Father Matthew. n

B Barooah, Abhiruchi Institute win GU inter-college badminton championship

Barooah College and Abhiruchi Institute of Physical Education emerged winners at the Gauhati University Inter-College Badminton Championship (Men & Women). The tournament concluded on April 29 at the Gauhati University Indoor Stadium. The championship was organised by the Gauhati University Sports Board in association with Post Graduate Students’ Union, GU. A total of 70 shuttlers from 13 GU affiliated colleges participated in the tournament. In the finals, B Borooah College men’s team defeated

Gauhati University PG classes while in the women’s category, Abhiruchi Institute of Physical

Education emerged as winners defeating Handique Girls’ College. n

wo students from Guwahati, Hridansh Surana from Don Bosco High School and Ishaque Hussain from Holy Home Secondary School, have qualified for the semi-finals of Discovery School Super League. The duo will compete with teams participating from 28 states across India and Delhi, for the national title and a chance to visit NASA. In the initial competition, 43.7 lakh students from more than 12,000 schools had participated in the initial round. The semi-final is the on-air phase where all teams will compete in groups of six, for five rounds of episodes for this qualifying round. The show premiered on April 28 on Discovery Channel and Discovery HD World and also started screening the same on

Discovery Science and Discovery Kids starting May 1. It will be hosted by Mini Mathur and Cyrus Sahukar. The participants from the qualifying top three teams will win a trip of NASA and a cash prize. n

GU inter-college arm wrestling championship concludes

Guwahati team announced for 42nd interdistrict chess championship 23-member team from Guwahati has been announced for the 42nd All Assam Inter-District Chess Championship (U9, U-15 and U-17) which will be held from May 17 until May 19 at Noonmati. The selected players include: (U-9 Boys) Ronit Raj Chetia, Himanish Sharma, Suvang Pran Kashyap, Vedant Veer Heda. (U-9 Girls) Hridika Das, Afsheen Afsha Zaman, Dhristimita Kalita, Apsara Bayan. (U-15 Boys) Achitanga Kashyap, Rajdeep Mudiar, Krishanu Deba Misra, Pathikrit Deba Purakayastha. (U-15 Girls) Rishita Sinha, Anoushka Priyom, Medha Baruah, Shivangi Priya Kashyap.

Two city students selected for Discovery School Super League competition

(U-17 Boys) Mridumoloy Das, Sakib Alam, Dhruba Jyoti Deka, Dhritiman Gogoi.

(U-17 Girls) Himashree Deka, Ashmita Talukdar, Urza Hazarika. n

auhati University’s (GU) inter-college armwrestling championship (men and women) concluded on Monday, May 6 at the Phanidhar Dutta Hall of Gauhati University. The championship was organised by the GU Sports Board in association with

Post Graduate Students’ Union, GU. Approximately 30 arm wrestlers from different colleges participated in the championship. Pritom Bora of Gauhati Commerce College won the men’s championship and Rosni Jabin of Nowgong College won the women’s championship. n

Entertainment

G PLUS | may 11 -May 17 , 2019

Assamese short film ‘Protyush’ Papon takes part in wins award at Dada Saheb Phalke awareness initiative series ‘Express Yourself’ Film Festival 2019

ssamese short film, Protyush (Ushering a Crack of Dawn) was awarded with the “Special Festival Mention” at the 9th edition of Dada Saheb Phalke Film Festival 2019, held in Delhi on April 30. The film has been directed by Arindam Barooah, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Rita

Bhuyan Barooah. The film is about the struggles of a woman against poverty and

her fight to raise her two schoolgoing children after her husband suffers an untimely death. The film stars Jahnobi Gogoi, Kironmoyee Borah, Rishav Ritam Gogoi, Manash Protim Chetia in lead roles and Anisha Dutta, Anupam Dutta, Nayan Jyoti Deka, Jyoti Dutta and Karabi Dutta in equally important supporting roles.

The cinematography for the film has been done by Rishika Baruah, Bhaskar Jyoti Dutta and Prabhat

Das and the background score has been provided by Kukil Pratim Saikia and Gaurav Rabha. Earlier, the short film had bagged several awards such as “Best Short Film,” “Best Director” and “Best Editor” at the Borluit Short Film Festival 2019 in Jorhat. In addition to this, the film was screened at Filmgatha 2019 in Guwahati and it

has recently earned an invitation for screening at Cinema Utsav 2019 in Dhemaji.

Jahnu Barua, Rima Das nominated for ‘Best Director’ award at NYIFF

enowned filmmakers from Assam, Jahnu Barua and Rima Das, have been nominated for the “Best Director” award at the New York Indian Film Festival

including a documentary, will be screened at the upcoming edition of NYIFF. The festival,

(NYIFF) 2019. Jahnu Barua has been nominated for his film Bhoga Khirikee (Broken Window) and Rima Das for Bulbul can Sing. The esteemed film festival will stage its 19th edition in New York from May 7 to May 12. It is to be mentioned that four films by Assamese filmmakers,

dedicated to bringing these films to the audiences in New York, will screen a variety of films including 29 narrative, three documentary and 32 short films.

inger from Assam, Angarag Papon Mahanta, has sung a song on river conservation for a musical awareness series, “Express Yourself.” The series also features other renowned singers such as Sonu Nigam, Monica Dogra and Swanand Kirkire; the latter has also sung three songs on women’s safety, freedom of speech and inflation. The main objective of the series is to make all sections of the society aware about the real issues plaguing the country, a statement said. Speaking of the initiative, Papon said that river conservation is

the “need of the hour” and that he wants to do his bit to bring about change and protect the planet’s natural resources by being a part of this awareness campaign.

‘Miss Kid United Universe International’ title to Assam kid

ikita Borah from Bokakhat in Golaghat district of Assam has brought laurels to the state by winning the title of “Miss Kid United Universe International” at the Star Icon Unive rse World Pageant, a beauty pageant held in Thailand.

Along with Nikita, Nilutpal Saikia and Dolly Kurmi from Assam also won the titles of “Mr Star Icon Universe International” and “Miss Star Icon Universe International,” respectively. All three children had previously bagged titles at “Gamusa Mega Entertainment Private Limited” pageant.

24 Catching Up

G PLUS | may 11 -May 17 , 2019