Vol 6 Issue 47 by G Plus

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

INSIDE

Volume 06 | Issue 47 Sep 14 - Sep 20, 2019 Price `10 Is NEDA crumbling? Are the fissures clearly visible?

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The Gogoi-Saikia spat: Everything seems wrong within Assam Congress

City’s fashion hub shifts from Fancy Bazar to GS Road ahead of Durga Puja

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The NRC-CAB maze Who gains, who loses G Plus News @guwahatiplus

his was supposed to be an absolute potboiler. The camera first captures images of people on the streets of Assam led by energetic young student leaders and not so young non-student youth leaders demanding a foreigner-free Assam. Assam bandhs, road & rail blockades, picketing in front of oil installations were everyday

occurrences and in between young Assamese boys and girls selling homemade pitha, tamul-paan and other stuff on the roadside to show selfsufficiency and to depict to the world that Assamese can also do “business.” The noise pervades every home in Assam whether Assamese or not and schools, colleges are shut forever resulting in academic year loss and this was the late 70s and early 80s of the last century. The camera now cuts to 1983 onwards when the agitationists become more agitated, whole of

The many tales of the NRC-CAB maze include Lies, Deceit and Uncertainty Assam boycotts elections, police & paramilitary forces take the bull by the horn creating martyrs in the process, emotions all around, Nellie happens but somehow the intensity in the movie slackens. Switch to 1985: in the last scene a photograph

appears where a group of youngsters (some students, some not) signing an agreement in the presence of the Prime Minister of India. Assam erupts with joy and the leaders receive heroic welcomes. That was the happy ending. Well, that was supposed to be the happy ending and a movie which was a blockbuster hit then is today being ridiculed for delivering nothing or too little. The actors of that movie are

being cursed for acting too well and the audience are cursing themselves for being naïve. A sequel to that plot is being threatened to be carried out when we come to the present day scenario in Assam with NRC and CAB. n

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Lead Story Snippets

ADBU hosts 8th Convocation Ceremony

he 8th Convocation of Assam Don Bosco University was held on September 7, 2019 at the Tepesia campus of the university. Prof Jagdish Mukhi, the Governor of Assam, presided over the function as the Visitor to the University and delivered the presidential address. The chancellor, Fr Januarius Sangma, and the vice chancellor, Fr (Dr) Stephen Mavely also spoke at the solemn function. A host of dignitaries from civil, church and academic institutions of the region also attended the occasion. While appreciating Assam Don Bosco University, the Governor said that the university is creating and disseminating knowledge and skills in core as well as frontier areas of education, developing reservoir of youth power, which effectively participate in nation building. The chancellor of the university, Fr Januarius Sangma said, “Universities should contribute in a concrete way to upholding democratic values that will help our country and humankind in general. Respect, fraternity, dignity for every kind of work, non-violence, standing for truth and principles, upholding the dignity of life, compassion, kindness - these are but some of the values that we need to live for. This is how we build a nation; this is how we build humanity.” At total of 816 degrees were conferred, 212 were from Bachelor of Technology, 21 from Master of Technology, 43 from Master of Computer Application, 37 from Master of Business Administration, 67 from Master of Social Work, 21 from MSc Psychology, 14 from MSc Physics, 32 from MSc Chemistry, 15 from MSc Biotechnology, 2 from MSc Biochemistry, 21 from MSc Microbiology, 42 from MSc Zoology, 12 from MA Education, 28 from Bachelor of Computer Application, 33 from Bachelor of Commerce and 13 from BA Philosophy. 12 doctoral degrees also conferred in various disciplines. Under the online education programme, 191 from across the globe, were also conferred degrees in various disciplines. Gold medals under various categories were awarded to 20 outstanding graduates with the highest Cumulative Grade Point Average in each program. The chancellor’s and the vice chancellor’s medals, for overall outstanding performance and notable contribution to campus life were awarded to two graduating students at the convocation.

G PLUS | Sep 14 - Sep 20, 2019

Is NEDA crumbling? Are the fissures clearly visible? G Plus News @guwahatiplus

ave cracks started to appear among partners in North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA)? Going by the tenor of some of the smaller regional partners in NEDA - an alliance of non-Congress parties - it can be clearly inferred that all is not well on this front. The recently concluded 4th convocation of the NEDA gave everyone ample hints that there is some serious differences cropping up between the bigger partner, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the smaller parties such as National People’s

“What will happen after CAB? Will people continuously come from Bangladesh? Will there be any deadline or a continuous flow? We, in the northeast, have such fears,” Meghalaya CM Conrad Sangma as he takes a tough stance Party (NPP) led by Meghalaya chief minister Conrad Sangma, Mizo National Front (MNF) led by Mizoram chief minister Zoramthanga and the Neiphu Rio-led National Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) in Nagaland. The biggest bone of contention for the fissure is the Citizenship Amendment Bill 2016 (CAB for short), as the tribal dominated states like Meghalaya, Nagaland and Mizoram are opposing the bill tooth and nail for the fear that implementation of the bill will open the floodgates for illegal migrants into these states which will, in all likelihood, change their demography thereby making them lose their distinctive characteristics and

The 4th NEDA Conclave held in Guwahati with Amit Shah (far right) and other political leaders identities. BJP, on other hand, is committed to bring in the bill and make a law out of it more so after the publication of National Register of Citizens (NRC) which has left out several Hindu Bengalis who are traditional voters of the saffron brigade. Speaking at the NEDA conclave, Meghalaya chief minister Conrad Sangma said that the northeast had fears regarding the Citizenship Amendment Bill and urged union home minister, Amit Shah, to take all the states of the region into confidence before re-introducing the legislation. Sangma questioned if the Centre will bypass discussions with the states before reintroducing the bill. “What will happen after CAB? Will people continuously come from Bangladesh? Will there be any deadline or a continuous flow? We, in the northeast, have such fears,” said Sangma. According to highly placed sources in Meghalaya, Conrad Sangma, who led the front in stalling the CAB last time in the Rajya Sabha will, from now onwards, do some tough talking with the bigger partner BJP, in order to save his own political bastion on home turf and gain maximum political barter possibility if in case the saffron brigade pushes ahead with the contentious bill in the coming parliamentary session. In all probability, BJP will do so since it finds itself on a sticky wicket after the publication of NRC to save its own vote bank in the northeastern region. However, stiff opposition from

regional parties like NPP, MNF and NDPP is the main stumbling block and to negate it the government may offer political sops for a win-win proposition. Notably, NPP leader Conrad Sangma, at the NEDA convention, made it quite evident that he is game for some hard bargaining. According to reports, BJP, which is known for grabbing power in smaller states by pulling MLAs into its fold, has already begun the process in Meghalaya. As many as 10 MLAs from different parties including Congress in the pine state are in touch with top BJP functionaries to switch sides. This very fact has put Sangma in a spot of bother and his aggressive stance at the NEDA meet in front of BJP President Amit Shah is manifestation of a fissure in the alliance. Sangma mentioned some strong reservations in regard to the BJP leadership’s politics in the region as he appealed that the NPP members across the board should receive respect, whether they are affiliated with NEDA or not. “There are different regional parties with BJP. In your first speech you said that every partner in NEDA will get equal respect. I respect all partners. I urge you in every state there should be a positive environment and every partner should get respect. There is an environment that if you need you use NEDA otherwise you leave it …. this should not happen. The brotherhood which we have started should remain

in every state.” Sangma said this in his fiery speech in the NEDA convocation at Guwahati. The words of Sangma above clearly amplify the fact that he is not happy with the present functioning of the bigger partner BJP in the NEDA. But it will be politically naïve to assume that NEDA partners will part ways soon. However, if the signals emanating from the smaller regional parties in the alliance are anything to go by it appears that the small brothers need respect from the big brother and BJP’s one-upmanship in the regional politics is becoming a cause of worry for parties like NPP, MNF and NDPP. Interestingly, Sangma’s father, PA Sangma, was also the architect of a non-congress alliance in the region in 2003 named North East Peoples’ Forum but it could not last due to internal differences among regional partners. Sangma has inherited his father’s political legacy and is very well aware of the intricacies of remaining a relevant partner in alliance. But for him there is double edged sword hanging. At one point he has to tackle the growing clout of BJP in his own state and on the other hand dilution of his tough stance on CAB could possibly mean a political suicide for his party. For now he is putting up a brave front and it remains to be seen how long he can withstand the pressure of a bigger political player or be able to find a middle ground to carve out political niche for his political party.

Politicking

G PLUS | Sep 14 - Sep 20, 2019

The Gogoi-Saikia spat: Everything seems wrong within Assam Congress G Plus News @guwahatiplus

he Grand Old Party of India seems to be shooting in all directions, especially in Assam, with its prominent leaders speaking in different tongues in the aftermath of the publication of the final draft

With the top leadership of the party in Delhi in complete disarray, the internal discipline within the party went for a toss with many marginal players also taking pot shots at each other to the glee of BJP and its allies. of NRC on 31 st August, 2019. While the apparent trigger happens to be the final draft of NRC, a deeper analysis of the happenings within the party points to a struggle for absolute power within the state unit. The diagnosis is clear: the Congress party went into a tailspin from the thrashing it received at the hands of the BJP-led coalition in Assam in the recent Lok Sabha elections in the state. Rather than regrouping, the party is divided into various groups and factions and a few leaders including the former chief minister, Tarun Gogoi, and leader of opposition in the state assembly, Debabrata Saikia openly having a verbal spar on the topic of the usefulness of the NRC document. While the leaders are in an open quarrel mode with each other, the question that comes to one’s mind relates to the internal health of the party in Assam. What actually ails the party in Assam? Is it actually the perceptiveness of two or a few leaders about the efficacy of the NRC exercise or is it actually jockeying for absolute control of the party? To a seasoned observer, the shenanigans is nothing but furthering own interest at the cost of the party’s interest in the medium

and long run. Also, hidden in the episode is the feeling amongst some Congress leaders that it can not dislodge the BJP in 2021 from power in the state and therefore, washing dirty linen in the public would be one way of staying busy in a non-election year. Tarun Gogoi is a seasoned politician but his recent utterances betray a kind of restlessness not seen before. To trace its origin, one has to go back to his behindthe-scene comments prior to the Lok Sabha elections in Assam that Congress was not averse to tying up with AIUDF for the elections, which was construed as making his son, Gaurav Gogoi’s election passage easier at the cost of other candidates of the party. Many Congress leaders, in private, expressed dismay at this utterance of Tarun Gogoi and after the election results were declared, knives were out of the kitchen drawers to be wielded at each other. With the top leadership of the party in Delhi in complete disarray, the internal discipline within the party went for a toss with many marginal players also taking pot shots at each other to the glee of BJP and its allies. The fact that Congress has failed to seize the initiative from the BJP in the wake of the current economic slowdown in the country and the state points to a complete breakdown of its thought process and its desire to give an able leadership to the people of Assam. The party needs younger leaders and the likes of Tarun Gogoi should give guidance to the next generation rather than fight them. After being at the helm of affairs for 15 long years in the state, the former CM can and should steer the party out of the present rut and inertia. But instead, a drama is being played out before the TV cameras every evening thereby making people of the state wonder: does this Grand Old Party really want to give a fight to the BJP and its allies in 2021or is it a walkover in 2019 itself? We have not heard the last

Tarun Gogoi (L) and Debabrata Saikia (R) words on this episode yet and once a new president for the state unit is announced at the end of the year, another bout is expected to begin. While the current round is more like a practice bout where the punches are being thrown more in the air than at opponents’ faces, the next bout will be for real and only time will tell, who gets bruised more. At the end of the day, a sad state of affairs in a party that literally decimated its opposition not long ago in 2011 in Assam.

4 Crime

G PLUS | Sep 14 - Sep 20, 2019

46 cases of ATM fraud registered in Ghy in 15 days Saumya Mishra @saumyamishra03

City witnessed 46 cases of ATM card fraud in the past 15 days Hatigaon, Paltan Bazar, Dispur and Latasil police stations registered such cases These crimes were committed using skimming device The police have arrested 2 Turkey nationals in the case with help of Mumbai Police All ATM cards will be replaced with SIM card ones within 2 months

he city has witnessed a spurt of a new kind of crime in the recent past - ATM fraud cases. A total of 46 cases of ATM card fraud were registered in Guwahati alone in the last 15

A skimmer device is fitted on top of the slot where the customers insert the card. It is often of the same colour as the original card slot and thus remains camouflaged making it difficult for people to spot.

days. In these cases which have come to light in the past few days, the victims have lost a total of Rs 16.85 lakhs to fraud. As per authorities, the first major case of ATM card fraud was reported from Hatigaon area of the city where a customer found a skimmer device. Further, Paltan Bazar and Dispur police stations registered the maximum number of such cases with 18 cases each. Other places where the cases were majorly registered include Latasil as well as Hatigaon police stations. According to the police, these ATM card fraud cases were conducted using the illegal skimmer device which they suspect were fitted in various ATMs across the city. A skimmer device is fitted on top of the slot where the customers insert the card. It is often of the same colour as the original card slot and thus remains camouflaged making it difficult for people to spot if any foreign item has been fitted in the ATM. Talking about the modus operandi in such cases, Commissioner of Police, Deepak Kumar, told G Plus, “The skimming device consists of a device which is fitted on the card reading slot. It scans and obtains the card data. Further, a small camera is also fixed by the fraudsters on top of the keypad panel through which they able to know the PIN.”

Two Turkish nationals who were arrested in Mumbai being produced before CJM court in Guwahati | G Plus Photo He added that all these bank fraud crimes were conducted in a similar manner. After obtaining the data, they clone the cards and use it to withdraw cash from the victims’ bank accounts. The police have also recovered the skimming device from three ATMs in the city which were used to commit these crimes. The devices were recovered from SBI ATM at Beltola, SBI ATM in Lachit Nagar and one from Union Bank of India at Hatigaon. According to authorities, the latest such incident came to light on September 2. Elaborating on the leads on which the police began their investigation, officials informed that they first started by examining the CCTV footage obtained from the ATMs.

During this stage, they zeroed in on a suspect who seemed to be fixing the skimming device to the ATM. Then they followed up by getting the man who turned out to be a foreign national from Turkey. In the meantime, the police also found that the money was being taken out from Mumbai from these victims’ bank accounts. During the investigation, it was also revealed that man was also located in Mumbai. Guwahati Police then contacted Mumbai Police who nabbed the culprits Idgi Imrah and Abdul Halik Yurgan from Colaba in Mumbai. The two accused were later brought to Guwahati where they have been currently kept on seven days’ remand. The police also recovered 9

duplicate ATM cards from the two accused and a laptop. “We were conducting our investigation in the case and during interrogation we came to know that it was a gang of four Turkish nationals who are involved in ATM card frauds,” Kumar told G Plus. It is to be mentioned that similar instances of ATM card fraud cases have been reported in other states including Delhi, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Further, the police informed that the victims who have lost their money owing to ATM card frauds will get back their money in full. As the RBI (Reserve Bank of India) guidelines, the banks are liable to return the entire amount to the victim of bank fraud if they have been notified within a stipulated time period.

All ATM cards to be made SIM based within 2 months

laborating on the measures which need to be taken to ensure such crimes are not easily committed, the commissioner of police, Deepak Kumar, mentioned that the security system of the ATMs needs to be secured and

strengthened to such an extent that these crimes are not committed easily in the future. Further, authorities informed that out of the two types of ATM cards which are issued by banks, the ones fitted with SIM cards are safer as compared to the magnetic strip ones.

“It is difficult to duplicate the ATM cards which have SIM cards. We held a meeting with the bank officials here and it was decided that within two months all magnetic ATM cards will be replaced with SIM ATM cards,” Kumar said. During the meeting with

bank authorities, the police officials also suggested them to upgrade the security of the ATM machines so that they are immediately able to detect any foreign articles and either stop working or give a signal to the bank authorities. Since the skimmer device contains

chip, camera etc, it should be able to detect these items, said officials. Apart from this, the authorities also mentioned that public should remain vigilant and aware. They also attributed the recovery of three skimming devices to the vigilant citizens.

In The News

G PLUS | Sep 14 - Sep 20, 2019

MV Act 2019 to be implemented within a week in Assam Saumya Mishra @saumyamishra03

New Motor Vehicles rules to be implemented within a week in Guwahati All DTOs are conducting awareness camps to sensitise people about the new rules The new rules increase penalty for traffic violations by 5 to 10 times New technology for better traffic management also been deliberated upon West Bengal government won’t implement the Act Gujarat government slashed hefty fines under the new Act

he new Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act 2019 will be implemented by a week in Guwahati as well as the rest of the state, informed authorities. Talking to G Plus, commissioner of transport, Virendra Mittal, said that the proposal has already been sent to the government and the new Act will be enforced within a week. “The proposal has already been sent to the government and it is in the advanced stage of approval which we shall get within a week’s time,” said Mittal. He added that in order to gear up for the implementation of the new rules, all the district transport officers (DTOs) in all districts as well as enforcement staff are conducting awareness camps to make people aware about the new amendments and changes in the fines collected. “Once the government approves the notification, we will also put the standees mentioning the new fines in every DTO,” added the transport

File photo of a routine police check in the city

“We are disseminating information to all police stations telling them that first we are to obey the rules. If some police official is seen violating the law, we will definitely take action as per the law.” Prasanta Saikia, DCP (Traffic) commissioner. This apart, he mentioned that in today’s day and age when a lot of news is shared on social media and via WhatsApp, a majority of the people already have some knowledge about the provisions of the new Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act 2019. It is to be mentioned that the amended motor vehicle act increases the penalty for traffic violations by 5 to 10 times in different cases. The Act has introduced stricter punishment for various traffic related offences as well as higher penalties, including a compensation of Rs 5 lakhs for death and Rs 2.5 lakhs for grievous injury in motor vehicle

accident cases. It provides for a fine of Rs 10,000 for not giving way to emergency vehicles, driving despite disqualification and drunken driving. Aggregators found violating driving licences will be fined up to Rs 1 lakh. Further, DCP (Traffic) Prasanta Saikia informed G Plus, “The new rules will be implemented after getting notification from the state government. It is in the process and we are expecting to implement it most probably from the next week.” He added that the traffic department is also providing inhouse training to their personnel and are also conducting meetings to discuss on the process which they will undertake to ensure proper enforcement of the Act. Saikia further informed that the department officials are also deliberating on the introduction of new technology for better traffic management under the smart city programme. They are holding meetings with the higher authorities for the same. “Discussions are going on with various consultants to decide upon the kind of technology which will be used in the city,” said Saikia. On the other hand, since the new rules were announced, netizens have been sharing pictures of police officials who were seen violating traffic rules in Guwahati.

In other parts of the country, too, citizens have been catching law enforcement officials on the streets for not following traffic rules. In one such incident in Jharkhand’s capital Ranchi a video went viral on social media. It showed that people on the streets had stopped a police van and were furious at them for not wearing seat belts. They then asked the traffic police officials to issue challans to them. Referring to instances where the law enforcement authorities are themselves seen to be violating the law, Saikia said, “We are disseminating information to all police stations telling them that first we are to obey the rules. If some police official is seen violating the law, we will definitely take action as per the law.” Further, chief minister Mamata Banerjee, on September 11, said that West Bengal will not implement the amended Motor Vehicles Act citing that hefty fines will overburden the common man. “I cannot implement this Motor Vehicle Act right now because our government officials are of the opinion that if we implement the new rules, it will overburden people,” said Banerjee. Earlier, on September 10, the BJP-led Gujarat government, in an announcement, slashed the penalties for traffic violations drastically for various offences. Additionally, union minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, defended the hike in penalties under the new Act and said that it has not been implemented to earn revenue but to save lives. “The government has not introduced the stricter Act to increase its revenue but we have introduced it to save lives of people. Our intention is to stop accidents and deaths,” said Gadkari recently.

Snippets Hima Das named as brand ambassador of Gatorade India

epsiCo India has roped in Assam’s star athlete, ‘Dhing Express’ Hima Das as the brand ambassador for its sports drink brand, Gatorade. The company in a statement said, “Gatorade India will work with Hima Das during the period of partnership to understand her training and race-day nutrition better.” Das, who had won two gold medals in women’s 4x400 m and mixed 4x400 m at the Jakarta Asian Games said, “I am honoured to join the Gatorade family which consists of sporting legends across the world.” Tarun Bhagat, DirectorMarketing, Hydration and Cola, PepsiCo India said, “We are delighted to welcome Hima Das into Gatorade’s family of athletes. Hima personifies the spirit of the brand through her persevering attitude and unwavering spirit to win. We believe that Gatorade is the perfect fuel to partner with Hima Das as she sets out to achieve new accolades for the country.”

Dibrugarh airport bags 1st prize for ‘Best Decorated Airport’ in India

ssam’s Dibrugarh Airport won the first prize for the “best-decorated airport” in category-III in a contest held on the eve of Independence Day this year. The airport chose the theme of aviation and was decked with impressive rangoli patterns and lighting at the terminal building, all of which helped the airport secure the top position in the national contest. Gaya airport won the second prize and Mysore and Bhopal airports jointly won the third prize in this category.

6 City Snippets FICCI FLO organises talk on social entrepreneurship

G PLUS | Sep 14 - Sep 20, 2019

Road dividers should be complemented with FOBs, underpasses, feel Guwahatians Saumya Mishra @saumyamishra03

G Plus asked its readers if construction of wider dividers is a boon or a bane

n September 10, 2019, FICCI FLO in collaboration with the US Consulate presented a talk by Dawn Manske. Senior vice president of FLO, Jahnabi Phookan introduced Ms Dawn as a social entrepreneur and CEO of Made for Freedom. Dawn Manske, in her talk on “Social Entrepreneurship” spoke on building a business around people, planet and profit. “We as consumers can start asking - Who made our clothes? We can refuse to buy things if the makers are not treated properly, given their due,” she said. “Non-profit and profit making organizations have merged. One of the newest figures to emerge on the world stage in recent years is the social entrepreneur. This is usually someone who thrives to make a positive impact on the world but believes that the best way of doing it is not by giving poor people a fish and feeding them for a day, but teaching them to fish in the hope for feeding them for a lifetime.” In her welcome address, FLO North East chairperson, Dr Srutimala Duara said, “FLO, established in 1983 as a division of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, aims to empower women and make them economically independent. It is not enough to be economically independent ourselves but we need to hold the hands of those who need that push, help others earn and together we can create a rich society. Long years back, Mr Edgar S Woolard, businessman and chairman of Du Pont had declared himself to be the company’s Chief Environmental Officer. This is how we can give back something good to the society, the environment and the planet that has nourished us.” The program was conducted by the Secretary of FLO North East, Shweta Jindal.

Some felt they will help in better traffic management Several said they are proving to be problematic for pedestrians A few Guwahatians said residents need to be conscientious Jaywalking could prove to be dangerous, they said Concerns were raised for elderly and differently-abled at FOBs which lack lifts A few said that citizens should cooperate and cross at designated places

he construction of dividers along the Mahapurush Srimanta Sankardev Path, commonly known as GS Road as also on MG Road along the riverside of Fancy Bazar, has been a matter of debate since the beautification work began a few months ago. While many feel the construction of concrete dividers will help in managing the traffic better and will prevent accidents, several people also believe that these dividers are proving to be problematic for pedestrians. G Plus recently asked pedestrians and drivers on social media: “Have the dividers been effective in their purpose or are they a bane for the city folk?” Responding to this, a majority of the people felt that the authorities should have kept in mind the problems that would be encountered by pedestrians while trying to cross the roads and said that the city needs more foot over bridges (FOBs). On the other

A pedestrian scaling the road divider to cross GS Road | G Plus Photo hand, a few residents also raised the issue of residents’ need to be conscientious and not cross the roads by scaling the dividers. “Now we need a law for such people. The government is working hard to stop accidents but these people do not understand and are risking their lives,” said Kirti Prakash Pandey, a city resident. It should be mentioned that the dividers have been constructed on the full stretch of the two roads and they covers prime areas in Guwahati having large chunks of population. Under the beautification project, 80 cm wide dividers are being constructed on the entire stretch of GS Road which is around 11 kms in length (excluding the flyovers). Additionally, saplings are being planted in the dividers to make it visually appealing and also purify the air. Although the initiative was first taken forward in GS Road area of the city, the PWD minister has given a green signal to the department to implement the project in other areas of the city as well after assessment of the results. Further, currently the divider construction work is also ongoing in full swing at the Chandmari and Bamunimaidan areas of the city. Many residents said that along with wider dividers, foot over bridges and underpasses were the need of the hour for smooth management of traffic. “Along with dividers, we should have footbridges, subway

crossings, signals with zebra crossing and working traffic lights etc and most importantly willingness of the people to adhere to the rules and use the facilities,” mentioned Himadri Basumatary Deuri, a Guwahatian. In the same vein, Ankhur Agarwal said, “Actually the dividers are good for preventing accidents but firstly subways had to be constructed so that people can easily cross the road.” Another respondent, Nazia Sultana, said that these dividers could become dangerous. “I don’t understand what they have got by creating such a big divider and a railing without making any flyover or footpath. A serious accident can happen any day. It would be better if they break a part of the divider and make way for people. This divider has become a life hazard,” she said. Currently, citizens have to walk for a few hundred metres to cross the road safely at the zebra crossings. The absence of adequate numbers of foot-over bridges has made matters worse. There is one foot over bridge in Ulubari near the Hanuman Mandir and then none until Dispur Secretariat so far a GS Road is concerned. A few also raised concerns for the elderly and differently-abled who face problems accessing the steep flights of stairs at foot over bridges in the absence of lifts or escalators. Further, arguing in favour of pedestrians, Bhaskar Phukan said, “The long stretch without a way to cross the road makes things

difficult for pedestrians. There should be some thought as to how the people would cross the road.” On the other hand, a city resident, Rupam B said, “Unplanned construction of dividers. There should have been ample gaps to clear roads in this heat. People nowadays don’t have time to search for gaps as these are also not clearly mentioned. Nothing is going to improve. Most of the projects happen in Guwahati especially on GS road and I hope they develop other areas to go with other cities. Only one place gets it and others are deprived of it.” Some also felt that authorities are taking such measures for the convenience of the people and that the citizens should cooperate and avoid jaywalking. Along these lines, Sohail Mazumdar said, “Pedestrian crossing sign is there still people are going over it. These rules should be there to civilize people. It’s the 21st century, you can see how rules are maintained in developed countries. Only in our country people crib over rules because they like anarchy and then again everyone will complain why we are backward. It is everyone’s collective responsibility to maintain discipline. I agree that modern living has suddenly hit our society instead of the slow advent of modernity like in the west where people adapted easily. Here, in two generations, people have seen so much change that the human mind cannot accept these new orders.”

In The News

G PLUS | Sep 14 - Sep 20, 2019

Rima Das’s Bulbul Can Sing set for theatrical release on Sept 20

ovie director Rima Das’s acclaimed latest offering Bulbul Can Sing is set to be released in the theatres of Assam on 20th September 2019. The movie has won the Rajat

Kamal Award in the regional language film category at the 66th National Film Awards. Bulbul Can Sing has also won the National Award for the Best Assamese Film for 2019. Moreover, the movie has also won the Best Indie Film

The NRC-CAB maze: Who gains, who loses fROM Page 01

o gauge the political pulse of the state in the aftermath of the publication of the final draft of NRC, one has to simply assess the reactions of the primary players in the entire episode. The petitioner APW is unhappy, the ruling party BJP is unhappy, student organisations are unhappy and Congress as usual is speaking in many languages. But what are the reactions of the people on the street? At a first glance, barring a few here and there, the people of Assam want to move on with their daily lives. The people of the state have accepted that CAB will be passed in the Parliament and while some organisations will oppose it and make noises, in the end, through CAB, a majority of the numbers excluded from the NRC will be made citizens of the country. So pragmatists amongst the people believe that the solutions to the issues of the indigenous people of Assam lie in the implementation of Clause 6 of the Accord, which reads, ”Constitutional, legislative and administrative safeguards, as may be appropriate, shall be provided to protect, preserve and promote the cultural, social, linguistic identity and heritage of Assamese people.” In this context, many in Assam are frustrated by the lies propagated, deceitfulness imposed over the past few decades by the primary actors on the illegal migrants’ issue. Today, when a curtain was sought to be drawn on the issue, the utterings of these players have only resulted in confusion and uncertainty ahead in the future. So it will be another few months, if not years, when a clearer scenario is expected to emerge and it is another matter that with the retirement of the current CJI, whether the issue will be chased with equal zeal as was done in the last few years. So, pretentions aside, it is imperative for the Committee set up to examine the implementation of the Clause 6 of Assam Accord, publish its findings sooner than later by absorbing the views of all communities residing in Assam. The Clause has to be implemented in letter and spirit and only then, probably due respect will be bestowed on the 855 martyrs who laid down their lives to protect the fragile identity of the people of Assam. n

at the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM) in Victoria, Australia. Prior to this Bulbul Can Sing was screened at international platforms and the most prestigious film festivals of the world including Toronto Film

Festival and Berlin Film Festival. The film is a poignant cinematic essay on the difficult transitional stage between childhood and adulthood. The grand premiere of Bulbul Can Sing will be held on 19th September in Guwahati and on

27th September, the film will be released in cinema halls across the country outside the state of Assam.

8 City

G PLUS | Sep 14 - Sep 20, 2019

City’s fashion hub shifts from Fancy Bazar to GS Road ahead of Durga Puja Samridhi Gour @guwahatiplus

Shift of fashion hub from Fancy Bazar to GS Road GS Road includes all the high-end fashion brands Not much of profit is being made this year by the retailers in Fancy Bazar Decline in sales of around 20% and even by 40% has been witnessed The stretch of SS Road and Fancy Bazar is a “no vending zone” Customers avoid Fancy Bazar due to lack of parking and congestion

his festive season, the footfall of people is shifting from Fancy Bazar to GS Road where festive shopping is concerned. Fancy Bazar has remained the hub for fashion in the city for a long time but a shift of consumers is being seen from there to GS Road. With the Puja spirit already consuming the city, Fancy Bazarthe city’s central trade hub - has been witnessing a slump in sales this year. The stretch of GS Road includes all the high-end fashion brands; and it has become one of those stretches which includes all the malls and has been marked as the upcoming shopping hub of Guwahati.

Fancy Bazar used to enjoy increased sales during the festive season for the past many years attracting all classes of people. However, it has failed to attract adequate buyers this festive season. Although the market was seen to be packed with customers a few days ahead of the Durga Puja, the shop owners and traders have claimed that they are not making as much profit this year comparatively. Manish Agarwal, a shopkeeper in Fancy Bazar told G Plus, “I own a shop in which you can get of all kinds of puja offering items, since puja offerings are still not readily available in other parts of the city to be precise in shopping malls, we still have superior sales compared to other people who own clothing or fashion-related shops.” He added “We are still on average sales because the business that I am running is not related to any kind of fashion that keeps changing and that keeps my sale constant. But still, online shopping has taken over our sales to an extent. As people love shopping online sitting in the comforts of their own homes as it is very convenient for them and they also get a wide variety of products to choose from.” Another shopkeeper speaking to G Plus on the condition of anonymity said, “I am running a business in Fancy Bazar since a long time and I have witnessed a decent footfall of consumers during Puja. But this time it’s different as with passing time people have changed their preferences also. They like to go to shopping malls rather than coming to Fancy Bazar.” He added, “There is no scope of a bargain but still people go and shop at malls. We have seen a decline in sales by around 20%

The surging Puja crowds are missing so far at Fancy Bazar | G Plus Photo and in some cases, even by 40%.” Further, Vikram, a roadside vendor selling women clothes in Fancy Bazar told G Plus, “I can’t keep much items with me for sale because we vendors are no more allowed to sell their goods in this market and the officials come to chase us away often. We don’t know where to go and have been suffering losses. This took place during the last Puja and till date, the situation has not changed much.” “My business is going in losses. What more can I expect during the festive seasons? Festive seasons were one of those occasions when my business used to flourish and after the ‘no vendors zone’ rule has been implemented one can hardly run his/her business.” Further, the traders at Fancy Bazar which are packed with roadside vendors complained that their profits, too, have taken

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a hit this year. In April 2018, after the hawkers were asked to vacate the SS Road by Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC), things have changed in this stretch of the market. The High Court order which was against them left the hawkers high and dry. They could not do much about the forces against them. Himanshu Agarwal, a shopper present in the City Center mall, told G Plus, “I get time only on a Sunday for shopping and prefer traveling in my own car. Going to Fancy Bazar doesn’t sound good to me. It has issues related to parking; the market is so disorganized I don’t feel like going there in this hot weather.” “I would rather prefer coming to the mall and spend my time, my purchase from malls will always have bills to it that give me assurance that in any case if I want to return or exchange I can

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do that easily. But Fancy Bazar would not offer me that comfort.” Pooja Agarwal, a shopper at HUB mall told G Plus, “Consumers getting attracted to GS Road malls have very specific reasons. Big shopping complexes offer you with huge parking spaces and provide you hasslefree parking and you need not worry about your vehicle, which saves up your time and gives you a hassle-free experience of shopping.” She added, “Shopping malls are much organized in terms of brands and sections which give you a clear picture of what you want to purchase. Saves you from this harsh climate condition and you can enjoy and have a great shopping experience.” “All the facilities of cab or rental mode of transportation is available easily and there is not much bad experienced faced, unlike Fancy Bazar,” she added.

In The News

G PLUS | Sep 14 - Sep 20, 2019

In conversation with Laxmi Agarwal, activist and acid attack survivor G Plus caught up with acid-attack survivor and activist Laxmi Agarwal at a talk show moderated by Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC) winner Vinita Jain. Atiqul Habib @guwahatiplus

9-year-old activist and acid attack survivor Laxmi Agarwal, who has become the face of the anti-acid attack campaigns in India, was in Guwahati on Friday, September 13 to share her life’s journey. She is the recipient of the prestigious “International Women of Courage” award which was presented to her by the former first lady of the United States of America, Michelle Obama in 2014. She was also elected as “Woman of the Year” by NDTV. At the event hosted by EO Assam, Agarwal narrated the horrific incident from 2005 when a bottle of acid was thrown on her face by a then 32-year-old man whose advances she had rejected. Agarwal verbalized how she went through multiple surgeries, and how slowly and steadily she started a campaign to curb acid sale, which led the Apex Court in 2013 to order the central and state governments to implement the same based on a PIL filed by her in 2006. Here are some excerpts from the interview:

Post the acid attack, how were the initial months for you?

At that time, my parents supported me a lot. Everyone left me, including my friends and my relatives. My life was only surrounded by my mother, father

In 2016, Meghana Gulzar started talking to me about this project and now Deepika’s photo as me after the acid attack has been aired on social channels. When the first look of the movie came out, I didn’t know as I was sleeping. Laxmi Agarwal (L) in conversation with Vinita Jain in Guwahati | G Plus Photo Then as soon as I opened Instagram, everywhere I could and the lawyer who fought for I didn’t react much as I was only only see the promo of “Chhapaak me pro bono to get justice. My nominated for the “International “ featuring Deepika as me. lawyer is like my elder sister and Women of Courage” award, but stood by me and not to mention when the call came in February What are your feelings my father’s boss. These were the that I had to be in the United four people who were there with States of America in March, I was about seeing your me throughout everything and it breathless as I had never travelled life story on the silver meant the world to me. So at that out of my own state and travelling point of time, I never thought all the way to the USA for 15 days screen? of doing anything like harming was a big thing. myself. It was only when I saw More than excitement, it is You have many awards myself for the first time after positivity that is lost somewhere the incident that I felt like killing among many victims of acid in your name. Do you myself. attacks who are suppressed, thing the biopic “Chhaven’t raised their voices and are In your journey so far, confined to their homes. So when hapaak” is your greatthese victims will come out and you have met many est award? How were see the movie, they will definitely celebrities and leaders feel that “if this lady can do this, your feelings when you why can’t we?” This movie is who have appreciated found out that Deepika also a slap in the face to all those you. How was your excriminals who think that after the Padukone will be porsins they have committed, acid perience meeting them? traying you? victims will strangle themselves and die every minute of their lives. In 2014, I had the opportunity I humbly respect Deepika Hence, a lot of positive vibes will to meet Michelle Obama. Initially, Padukone and Meghana Gulzar.

follow after this movie.

Tell us something about your #StopSaleAcid campaign.

Currently, this campaign is running in the entire world and I request all to spare one minute of their time to post an awareness content on social media about this hashtag campaign because as soon as it becomes viral, the government will notice it and see what’s going on.

What is the reaction of people when they see this kind of campaign?

Many people have come forward and supported us in this noble cause. Even now, shopkeepers who used to sell acid bottles have stopped doing this business to avoid any mishaps. Now, most of the shops have to have licenses to sell these acidbased products. Even senior judges and government officials have become associated with this cause.

Last but not the least, tell us about your daughter Pihu.

My daughter Pihu is 4 years old. I am a single mother and I was in a live-in relationship for sometime after which my partner and I separated. Now in my life, I just have my naughty little daughter who is lovable and also my best friend. After she was born, my childhood came back to me and I got my face back in disguise of her.

Vaastav style murder in Ghy! Is the city turning into a crime capital? G Plus News @guwahatiplus

ilms are sometimes inspired by true events and scripts are written from the experiences of reality. Accordingly, many gangster films are scripted and made on the crime scenario of Mumbai and Vaastav was one where it was shown that gangsters can enter any home/business establishment to kill by virtue of taking contracts from politicians or other bosses. Guwahati too, recently witnessed a Vaastav like murder when an employee of a hardware shop in the city’s busy Kumarpara area was shot dead by 5 unidentified gunmen on Thursday evening.

The deceased identified as Shyam Sharma was rushed to a hospital where he succumbed to his injuries the same evening. “The gang entered the office posing as customers and asked for Shyam as they wanted to settle some pending dues,” police sources said. As soon as the employee identified himself as Shyam, the unidentified gang shot him. The initial investigation, according to police sources, indicates that it might be a contract killing. In what could be a possible case of mistaken identity, the first name of the owner of the establishment and Shyam Sharma’s employer is also Shyam and therefore there could have been a misunderstanding whereby the employee was killed, the police suspect. The police are still investigating the case and are

yet to solve it. “We cannot reveal anything now as we are working on it but very soon we will solve the case,” said the commissioner of police Deepak Kumar. Residents of Kumarpara revealed that the employer is a wealthy businessman with around seven shops in the Kumarpara area and is also active in the real estate business. The incident has rocked the city as the business class is fearful of the new trends in crime. There are also various gangs operating in the city targeting vehicles, cheating people through cyber crime and so on. The city is expanding and accordingly cases of crime are increasing. Also, with the National Register of Citizens (NRC) final list being out, the outbreak is yet to

be measured as many will be left sans identity. There might come a time when

films will be scripted on the crime scenario in Guwahati if the situation is not controlled.

Shyam Sharma slumped in his chair after being shot

10 In The News

G PLUS | Sep 14 - Sep 20, 2019

WAMUL launches Purabi Dahi and Masala Lassi G Plus News @guwahatiplus

xtending their wide range of product catalogue, Purabi launched its “Masala Lassi” and “Purabi Dahi” at NEDFi House Auditorium, Guwahati on September 9, 2019. The launch ceremony was attended by Rihon Daimari, Minister of Cooperation, Assam and Bandana Dutta Tamuli, ACS. Purabi is the brand name for milk and dairy products produced by the West Assam Milk Producers’ Co-operative Union Ltd (WAMUL). It is one of the largest and most active dairy units in entire northeast India. Lassi, a bio-active product which is rich in calcium, vitamins and lactic acid, helps the body fight against various diseases. It also rejuvenates the skin, helps

to make bone grow stronger, supports digestion. Consuming it daily also ensures good dental health. Purabi had launched “Sweet Lassi” in 2018 and Rihon Daimari, Minister of Cooperation, Assam, who was the chief guest of the event, had then floated the idea of a ‘no sugar’ variant of the product. The concept was very appropriate for the increasingly health conscious people. Hence, Purabi has now come out with “Masala Lassi.”

With a hint of “Jalakiya” and other natural spices, this drink is bound to be a great hit with all consumers and for all seasons. It will be consumed as a stress buster beverage to remove weariness, refresh mood and reshape happiness. Purabi Sweet Curd and Plain Curd are already a household name and very popular in Assam. Hygienic, handy and healthy, Purabi Dahi comes in an economic pack at a special introductory

price of Rs 25 for 400 gms. “Milk is not milk unless it is Pure” and products made out of fresh milk stand out on their own. Cow milk is being collected twice everyday through more than 200 village level milk cooperative societies with 12,000 plus farmers associated with WAMUL. As a farmers’ co-operative, WAMUL is proud to provide a consistent market and value addition to their

produce. The modern dairy plant of WAMUL located at Panjabari, Guwahati, presently processes over 65,000 litres equivalent of milk and milk products every day. All products are absolutely natural and no artificial ingredients are added. All the milk and milk products are subjected to rigorous quality tests before it reaches the consumers.

New executive body of Nav Jagriti Club constituted G Plus News @guwahatiplus

merging leader Meenal Kasera was sworn in as the new president for the next annual term along with her promising board which included Sapna Singhal as vice president, Neha Jalan as secretary, Tulika More Deorah as treasurer, Nidhi Mour as joint secretary and Niti Singhal as public relations officer on Thursday, September 12. In her very first speech,

president Kasera informed about the social welfare services the organisation has done in the past few years and announced that women’s empowerment will be the primary focus for the organization for the coming year. Kasera also thanked the members for their continuous unity, camaraderie and enthusiasm because of which great feats could be achieved by the organisation. Noted dietician and nutritionist Dr Pooja Jaiswal was invited on the occasion to deliver a talk on “proper nutrition and well being of women.” The members were

enlightened by the talk and vowed to spread the message of health and proper diet to women in lesser privileged sections of the society. It was noted that good health of women will subsequently help in their empowerment.

Weather report for the week Guwahati

SUN

MON

TUE

WED

THU

FRI

T-Storms

Scattered T-Storms

30°26° C

30°25° C

32°25° C

33°25° C

SATURDAY T-Storms

30°26° C

News This Week

G PLUS | Sep 14 - Sep 20, 2019

A quick round up of the news that mattered during the past week

Complete family NRC list to be published online on September 14

The complete National Register of Citizens (NRC) list showing the status of every family member will be published only online on September 14. The NRC directorate, in an announcement stated, “Whereas the final NRC publication on August 31 consisted only of supplementary lists, queries are being received from the public about publication of results of all members of a family irrespective of their involvement in the claims and objections process. The results for the complete family will be available for display online from September 14. This will be available only online.”

Urmila Matondkar quits Congress, blames ‘In-House Politics’

Actor-turned-politician Urmila Matondkar resigned from the Congress party on September 10. “My political and social sensibilities refuse to allow vested interests in the party to use me as a means to fight petty in-house politics instead of working on a bigger goal in Mumbai Congress,” stated the actor as per ANI. It is to be mentioned that Matondkar was fielded as a Lok Sabha candidate by the Congress from the Mumbai North seat but she lost to Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) Gopal Shetty.

India set to ban 6 singleuse plastic items from Oct 2 onwards

The government of India is likely to impose a nation-wide ban on plastic bags, cups and straws from October 2 onwards. According to an official announcement, the ban imposed on single-use plastic will help eradicate plastic waste from cities and villages of India. It is to be mentioned that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to launch the campaign with a ban on as many as six items on October 2. These include plastic bags, cups, plates, small bottles, straws and certain types of sachets.

Won’t implement new Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act in Bengal: Mamata

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, on September 11, said that West Bengal will not implement the amended Motor Vehicles Act citing that hefty fines will overburden the common man. “I cannot implement this Motor Vehicle Act right now because our government officials are of the opinion that if we implement the new rules, it will overburden people,” said Banerjee. On the other hand, union minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari, defended the hike in penalties under the new Act saying that the act has not been implemented to earn revenue but to save lives.

Female names recommended for Padma Awards

The Sports Ministry of India had recommended names of all female athletes for this year’s list of Padma awards. The list is lead by MC Mary Kom, followed by PV Sindhu, Vinesh Phogat, Manika Batra, Harmanpreet Kaur, Rani Rampal, Suma Shirur, Tashi Malik and Nungshi Malik. The recommended names have been sent to the Padma awards committee, the selected names will be announced on Republic Day of 2020. Mary Kom, ace boxer from Manipur, has been recommended for the prestigious Padma Vibhushan award by the sports ministry while PV Sindhu has been recommended for the Padma Bhushan, the third-highest civilian award in the country.

Indian Army, Air Force to carry out war games in Arunachal Pradesh

More than 5,000 troops of the Indian Army’s only Mountain Strike Corps will carry out a massive war game along with the Air Force in Arunachal Pradesh in October where forces will be deployed to practice real war-like situation. The exercise will be the first-of-its-kind along the China border by the newly-raised 17 Mountain Strike Corps. “As part of the war games, the troops of the Tezpur-based 4 Corps will be deployed at a high altitude location to defend their ‘territory’ while a brigade-sized force (over 2,500 troops) of the 17 Mountain Strike Corps would be airlifted by the Indian Air Force to ‘launch an offensive’ against them,” Army sources told ANI.

Gujarat Govt slashes new traffic violation fines by 90%

The BJP-led Gujarat government, on September 10, in an announcement, slashed the penalties for traffic violations. The amended Central MV Act provides for a fine of Rs 1,000 for driving a two-wheeler without a helmet; in Gujarat, the fine will be Rs 500. Currently, the penalty for the offence in the state is Rs 100. While the central law has proposed a fine of Rs 1,000 for pillion rider not wearing a helmet, this provision will not be implemented at all in Gujarat, Chief Minister Vijay Rupani announced. However, it is to be mentioned that with the amended Motor Vehicles (MV) Act the state government will continue with the new slab for drunken driving (fine of Rs 10,000), juvenile driving (fine of Rs 25,000) and jumping traffic light (fine of Rs 5,000).

Chandrayaan 2: Vikram Lander in tilted position, ISRO tries to re-establish contact

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is leaving no stone unturned in its effort to establish contact with Chandrayaan 2’s ‘Vikram’ Lander, which is presently lying on the moon’s surface in a tilted position after a hard landing. An ISRO official associated with the mission informed that Vikram Lander had a hard-landing based on the images sent by the on-board camera of the orbiter. The lander has touched down on the lunar surface in a single piece and is not broken. The official added that the mission’s team is putting in all of their efforts to try and re-establish connection with the lander.

India’s biggest detention centre in Goalpara to be operational from 2020

Assam’s Goalpara district will be home to the country’s biggest detention centre that will accommodate foreign convicts, people declared ‘foreigners’ and will be operational by early 2020. According to a report, the detention centre is being constructed on 28,800 sq ft of land at Matia at an estimated cost of Rs 46.5 crores, which is being sanctioned by the central government. The centre will have the capacity to house 3,000 detainees. Speaking on the matter, Assam home commissioner and secretary, Ashutosh Agnihotri said, “Matia camp is only for those detainees who have been declared foreigners and are in the existing six existing detention camps, besides foreign convicts.”

India’s economic growth ‘much weaker’ than expected: IMF

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has stated that India’s economic growth is “much weaker” than expected because of “corporate and environmental regulatory uncertainty and lingering weaknesses in some non-bank financial companies.” Based on a report, the country’s GDP growth rate decreased to 5 percent in the first quarter of financial year 2019-20. This is the lowest recorded number in over six years. The global financial institution stated that even though India will be the fastest growing major economy of the world, it will still see a downward revision of 0.3 percent for both 2019 and 2020 as its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) will grow at the rate of 7 percent and 7.2 percent.

12 Guest Column

G PLUS | Sep 14 - Sep 20, 2019

This Kanchanjangha fails to rise

GUEST COLUMN

The author offers an honest review of the Zubeen Garg’s latest blockbuster ‘Kanchanjangha’ that is currently proving to be a runaway hit at the box office.

fter a disappointing precursor, a godawful trailer and less appealing promotional posters it was to be seen how Zubeen Garg’s latest Kanchanjangha performs. Apart from re-inventing Zubeen Garg once again, Kanchanjangha also had a greater role to play in restoring the ground for how the audience takes the next big release, that is, Jatin Bora’s Ratnakar. So the expectations and hopes on this one film were more than many. Kanchanjangha is the story of how resentment and frustration with the existing socio-political and administrative system takes four youth down the path of vengeance and destruction. A grieving and disheartened Anirban has no other option left but to revolt against the established order after failing to secure a job

A comparison that is hard to avoid here is how well Kanchanjangha fares in relation to Zubeen’s previous directorial feature to which it can be proudly said that Kanchanjangha is an improved and a better ‘product’ but Zubeen Garg still has a long way to go before he makes his first ‘film’. despite being on the qualified top of the list. The unexpected death of his father while trying to free their land from the claws of a land mafia adds more tragedy to his family and life. Finally life closes all doors for him after the treasure of his heart is married off to someone else due to his inability to take up the job. His vexation grows further when he learns of the misdoings and suffering inflicted on his two friends by the mob boss and hence the film pits both Anirban and the crime boss (who represents the corrupt system) against each other. Zubeen Garg at best can set the hype, make a few controversial and arguable statements and attract massive attention and crowd, but for a decent movie we will have to wait a bit longer. Kanchanjangha is a restless and joyless revenge saga which

neither packs a punch nor satisfies. In a social drama that morphs into a revenge drama in the second half, Anirban plays Zubeen Garg. The personality trait of the protagonist is neither more nor less than Zubeen himself. His real personality blends with that of the character. A social and political commentator Zubeen Garg has been known to voice his dissent over issues of public interest from time to time. Anirban isn’t much different. When the dissatisfaction reaches its peak, he and his friends take law into their own hands. The four catalysts that precipitate this transformation – a career setback, death of father, marriage of high school sweetheart, and dear friends cleverly tricked into a financial trap by Raghunath and his goons are so unaffectedly explored that the impact of these events in motivating the character to take the violent route is questionable. The death of the father who had imparted important value lessons to Anirban who follows them with unquestioning loyalty is done away with in such rush that it feels feeble and in effective. The song Panchana gives some feels when the bride departs for her new home but the less worked and less emotional connect in their love story before in the film works against it. Kanchanjangha had everything that requires for a revenge drama to work- a familiar family, an innocent love story, sincere hopes, relatable aspirations, conflict and challenges, and finally retaliation against the evil but everything just touches on the surface. The tale of love is not romantic enough, the

failure not humiliating enough, the hardships not tragic enough, and their fight back not rebellious and destructive enough. The sacrifice of drama and depth in the story ultimately makes it not convincing enough. Coming off from Mission China, Kanchanjangha also lacks the grandeur with which the story deserved to be told. A crime lord who talks in lakhs and deals in crores and whose power to transfer public officials is just a phone call away is surrounded by four henchmen, only! The security of his property and life is so weak and defenseless that a bald killing machine with a battle axe can break into his bedchamber effortlessly as if it’s a walk in the park. Moreover, Zubeen Garg’s makeup and hairstyle (especially that wig he sports in the first half) looks as fake as fake could possibly be. Not to mention the badly staged climax sequence that unintentionally gives some flavor of Kamal Rashid Khan’s death scene in Deshdrohi. It can be said without any doubt that Zubeen Garg tries to tell this story with utmost honesty but his honesty can carry the film only far enough. If we look beyond the two characters –a simple and subtle Anirban who turns violent to take on the wicked and despicable Raghunath, the rest of the roles are not fully fleshed out. We don’t know why Pabitra left the liberation struggle organization that he was once a part of and how he manages to creep in with his maniacal laugh every time Anirban and co. gets tensed, the investigation carried out by DCP Sameeran Baishyais left midway just because Zubeen Garg

had to die. Also we have no idea about the pitiful and helpless situation of Prayash and Sameer before they were offered aid by Raghunath and not much focus is targeted to the dynamics of corruption in civil service employment and government jobs either. The characters are given dialogues but not a personality to begin with. A major problem of Kanchanjangha is its relationship between the screenplay and editing. When a dual narrative is employed the bulk of the responsibility falls on the editing to make the transitions as smooth as possible. But Kanchanjangha is a film where editor Protim Khaound chops the film like an onion. Not only the cuts in the beginning are jarring but the film is in a constant haste to make its point and get its job done. The screenplay is underdeveloped, insufficient and fast but even faster is Atanu Bhuyan’s dialogue delivery. It is true that at the age of wide availability of content, nobody would like to sit through a three hour movie in a theatre but Kanchanjangha is too fast for its own good. Another irritating aspect of the film, which the strongest admirer of the movie would even agree to, is Raghunath’s spouse who is indiscriminately used in every scene that Raghunath is in. The film on one hand talks about the exploitative system, revolution, Marxism and most importantly breaking free from our own shackles. On the other hand, Anirban needs the job because his sister has come of age and he has to spend on her marriage. Her marriage has supposedly been fixed while she is still attending college. What kind of social change is the righteous lead talking about again? The character is not an ideal person to look up to but he seeks to challenge the very structure and its inequalities that he unknowingly accepts in his personal life. Kanchanjangha is a film which had a thought provoking and heartfelt story in there somewhere, but it is Zubeen Garg’s inability to not well utilize the scope of his storytelling that brings the film down. He’s got a point that is very relevant but his story doesn’t know how to prove it. The film that Zubeen Garg actually wanted to make was overshadowed by his own identity. The scenes featuring the two kids Thuriya and Rohan

Kalpajyoti Bhuyan are adorable and the songs Dhulikona and Preeti Bhora are a delight to watch. Above all, the most satisfying moment is when Zubeen Garg gets into the skin of his brutal act with Jyoti Prasad Agarwala lines ‘…. Moi Kanchanjangha’. But unfortunately these moments were short and the only rewarding parts of the movie. No layering of the plot and no shading of the characters gives a massive blow to an otherwise praise worthy film. Turning to its philosophy, the film pits good against evil but it takes a courageous turn by not going for its triumph over evil. To strike on the evil, there are limits to be crossed and sacrifices to be made and that too not without its reparation. The virtues of positivity adopting and putting on an opposite shade to facilitate change have resonated well with most viewers. A comparison that is hard to avoid here is how well Kanchanjangha fares in relation to Zubeen’s previous directorial feature to which it can be proudly said that - Kanchanjangha is an improved and a better ‘product’ but Zubeen Garg still has a long way to go before he makes his first ‘film’. For Zubeen to make a truly remarkable film in all aspects (which he aspires to make), he has to come out of the shoes of his identity and the stories he wants to tell have to let go off the vibe and aura of the superstar in him. Instead of making films as Zubeen Garg, he should promote films as Zubeen Garg. There is not much scope in writing criticism and analysis of Kanchanjangha because popular support and the box office collections have already decided its fate. The relevance of such write-ups isn’t much especially when the movie is specifically designed to be a commercial entertainer. However, for the sake of cinema and in a hope that when the hype wears down and the movie gets down from the cinemas, people will turn back to these writings and take a chance at understanding their favorite star and his films from a different perspective. If the concerns of the dissatisfied lot can push Zubeen Garg from a Mission China to Kanchanjangha, we can only imagine what’s next. (The author is a student of MA 3rd Semester, Department of Political Science, Gauhati University. He can be reached at 666kalpa@gmail.com n

Guest Column

G PLUS | Sep 14 - Sep 20, 2019

Climate Emergency:

GUEST COLUMN

Declare it now!

bout forty years ago, we would walk back home from school during the summer months and then we’d also go out and play after school. We would sweat, get tanned in the sun, but as soon as we’d sit under the shade of a tree, the breeze would cool us down immediately,” reminisced my mother. “Today, even the air stings! The sun now burns the skin and air conditioners are the only rescue in this scorching heat,” she added, while conversing with her sister over a cup of tea one summer morning sitting in an air conditioned hall recently. “Are we even in the northeast? Guwahati has stopped feeling like a city in the northeast. Temperatures keep rising, the air is more polluted and it seems to me like the entire city is perspiring all at once!” added her sister. On hearing their conversation, I refreshed the weather application on my mobile phone to know the

The state of Assam is likely to be hotter by another 2.2 degrees Celsius with extreme rainfall, droughts and floods to follow by the year 2050. Extreme rainfall occurrences have been projected to rise by 38%. The state is going to face a drop in tea yield by an estimated 40% and droughts will rise by 75%! actual temperature and what it ‘felt like’ several times a day this month and realized that growing up in a house without an air conditioner, I did just fine, but today, five minutes out in the sun gives me a severe headache. Standing beside the outdoor unit of the same air conditioner that cools my house from the inside, I realised that it actually makes the air around it much hotter. Now let’s multiply that over a million times and that is just one little portion of our contribution to global warming. There is not one Guwahatian who would not agree to this. The

Rifa Deka

fact that the city has never seen extreme temperatures like this and that it only keeps getting worse year after year is a major concern. As per reports, the state of Assam is likely to be hotter by another 2.2 degrees Celsius with extreme rainfall, droughts and floods to follow by the year 2050. About 3 million people are affected by floods every year in Assam alone. Extreme rainfall occurrences have been projected to rise by 38%. The state, well known for its scenic tea estates, is going to face a drop in tea yield by an estimated 40% and droughts will rise by 75%! Climate change is occurring and there is no denying that its irrefutable evidence can be seen through warning signs like drastic changes in rainfall distribution, the arctic meltdown of over billions of tons of ice sheets, to name a few, let alone the overall change in ecosystems across the globe. A delay in declaration of emergency is only making recovery more and more expensive for our future generations. Researchers have found that it is too late to stabilize the amount of carbon dioxide that has already been released into our

atmosphere. This has irreversible impacts which can be seen in the form of rising sea levels and various natural disasters too. If we take a look at historical climate data, the situation has never been this bad in human history. All these natural disasters are just the beginning of nature’s wrath and fury. If we do not act immediately, heaven alone knows what else nature has in store for us. Farmers who feed the nation are among those worst affected due to floods and droughts. Low yield

We must define these problems, select right methods to solve them and by accuracy through testing, solutions must be applied wherever possible. Assessments have been made of both social and economic impacts of climate change. Why then do we still shy away from declaring a climate emergency? Are we waiting for our rivers to run dry too or our lush green forests to turn into barren lands? The Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region, at the national level, is making efforts to

and loss of agricultural produce every year only makes the food on our plates less affordable by some. We are currently facing severe food and water supply shortage not only in India, but across all seven continents of the planet and this problem is only going to aggravate further if no action is taken immediately.

enhance climate resilience among rural communities in the region which will further contribute to climate change adaptation by conserving public resources such as water, forests and agricultural patches of land. My question here is, is this enough to combat a danger this grave? As per a NITI Aayog report

published earlier this year, 21 cities are projected to completely run out of water by the year 2020. Nearly half the Indian population is at risk of facing acute water shortage in the near future. Over half a million people of the nation have already signed petitions demanding that the Indian government declare a Climate Emergency. Chennai this year, has been in the global spotlight especially after Hollywood actor Leonardo Di Caprio posted a picture on his Instagram account, highlighting the daily struggles of thousands of people to acquire water where reservoirs have dried up due to poor monsoons. We Indians seem to be more worried about Britain’s BREXIT and how it will affect the Indian economy but we do not talk about the fact that Britain was one of the first nations to have declared a Climate Emergency and how India can learn from that. Countries like France, Canada and Ireland too, have declared an Environmental Emergency and we must learn from them to place climate change at the centre of planning and policy decision making and set up an action plan. The United Nations has come up with the Act Now Climate Campaign (The lazy person’s guide to saving the world) which calls for citizens from across the globe to reduce their daily carbon footprints by following simple steps such as taking showers of shorter duration, driving less, eating meat-free meals, recycling products, saving electricity, adapting to zero-waste fashion and carrying one’s own bag to the grocery store. Nearly 935 jurisdictions across 18 different countries have declared a climate emergency so far by planning out ways to curb their share of carbon emission. If our government still continues to turn a deaf ear towards this issue, we as responsible citizens must start an extinction rebellion, like the one established in United Kingdom in 2018. We must start a civil disobedience and nonviolent resistance to protest against the biodiversity loss and do something to reduce the risk of a tormenting ecological collapse which is approaching us in our immediate future. If we refuse and turn away now, we ourselves will be responsible for the destined climate catastrophe leading to the extinction of our own species. n

14 G Talk E

G PLUS | Sep 14 - Sep 20, 2019 T

Enabling digital payments at DC Court

y last editorial was about a surprisingly pleasant experience in getting work done swiftly at the District Transport Office which, very truthfully, I had not expected. My initial negative assumptions were justified because visiting government offices for work has traditionally never been great experiences for anyone. The DTO had proven me wrong though. The same however, cannot be said of too many other government offices and these include the sub-registrar’s office located on the first floor of DC Court. This is the office where all kinds of government registrations are done: land sale, building sale, sale of flats and their registration thereof, registration of marriages et al. The room (which is basically a small hall) is too small for the large number of people who are forced to visit it and the crowd makes it a stiflingly congested space. Well, can’t help matters there but an important change might just make matters a tad better – especially in these days of Digital India – an agendum that the governments both at the Centre and the state are trying push in no uncertain terms. The registration of a

flat involves two payments that need to be made to the government in terms of taxes. One is called the stamp duty that normally comes to around 5% of the cost of the flat and which is paid to the central government. This money that often runs into lakhs of rupees can mercifully be paid digitally and nowadays involves no cash. The other payment is called registration fees, comes to around 2% of the cost of the flat and is paid to the state government. Now this is where the problem comes in as this money can be paid only in cash or by a bank demand draft. No facilities to swipe a card leave aside any other form of digital payment! Get the cash (which can also run into lakhs of rupees depending on the cost of the flat) and your work gets done on the same day. The demand draft needs to go through clearance first and so the same work would take three days. It is needless to say that carrying around a large bundle of cash is fraught with danger in Guwahati nowadays and clearly the government needs to take steps towards rectifying this flaw at the DC Court without delay. Swapnil Bharali (Editor) @swapnilbharali

Ghy water project just a dream?

uwahati’s fast growing water crisis is what makes the JICA underground water supply project so very important in the fast changing landscape of the city. However, the GMDA’s failure to meet the deadline for the project has now become an embarrassment. The last news report stated that the project would be partially commissioned within February and then more progress would be reported in the time ahead. However, the department has failed in making the necessary communication to the various stakeholders who would benefit from the project. There were a few advertisements released across selective publications, which seek a resident’s water requirements along with tariffs for the connection. However, most of us are unaware of this still. Clearly, this message has not been effectively delivered. While ensuring water is delivered to every household, other departments have also failed to adapt a “future-first” attitude. The depletion of the city’s ground water table has been a major problem for the past 5 years. However, establishments continue to thrive, and fresh permissions are being given out, without even checking the status of their rain water harvesting set up. If departments are aware of the crisis, why are they not more vigilant? It is important that there are policy level changes rather than just announcement of new MVI laws that focus of collection of fines for traffic violations. Coming back to the failed deadline by the GMDA, the government must initiate action against the department if possible and penalize this repeat offence. Not only has the project inconvenienced the citizens several times over, this deeply affects Guwahati’s status as a “smart city” too.

Sidharth Bedi Varma @sid_bv

The times, they are a’ changing

hat is the one important facet of our times that is a mark of this age? The answers could be many: ‘connectivity’, ‘smart phones’, ‘internet access,’ et al. Where this strand of thought leads us is that life in the modern times is not dictated by the ‘me’ that had been there a

It is wonderful that so many take an interest in what is happening around them, enough to comment on social media platforms. What is not wonderful is that biased, narrow minded, bigoted, unethical comments or views also find a place on these platforms. few decades into the past. The ‘me’ or ‘I’ was a distinct entity that had definition and existence of its own. A man or a woman for that matter, was distinct from the milieu, from the crowd, there was character that was one’s own. Not that we don’t have character now, but let us look at the character that forms us today. A man is inseparable from that extension we link to everyone, the Smartphone. The same can be said of computers; so dependent are we on these devices that we are formed from the opinion that is expressed by these machines. They are machines nonetheless and have no life of their own, or do they? We are affected by opinion expressed on the platforms which these machines allow us access to. Computers and access to the internet through our Smartphone means that a majority of the educated lot are on social media, and most of the ‘uneducated lot’, for life educates us, whether we have degrees or we don’t. This wouldn’t mean anything but does, for the simple fact that we humans have not changed in one primary emotion. We still care how the world perceives us, if not the world then the ones who

are connected to us in our social profiles. What this means is that however unconsciously, we are affected by our persona on social media which today, most of us use. The social media platforms of this age know no barriers, neither of age, nor of identity. We do not have to ‘qualify’ to own a social media account and have access to all that this gives us. Our Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, blogs and other handles and Ids have an effect on us. The effect is not dependent on us but is dependent on how the world around us, in these platforms

perceives us. We all know how our day and how we spend it is connected to the number of likes on a post on Facebook, or some comments that either make, or break our days. Then, there is the stage where we are affected by the comments on our viewpoints. However unwittingly, we are affected by negative reactions and actions, to an extent where we might end up feeling bad about ourselves. Here comes the ‘I’ that we were discussing; the ‘I’ has always been affected by how people view us, but the internet is a beast in more ways than one. Our public comments are accessed by people from all diasporas of society; they may be from any fringe, from any viewpoint and from any social set up. It is not necessary that our views find like-minded agreement. When an uneducated man without the correct viewpoint of the world which, much as we disagree needs the mantle of education becomes abusive on media platforms, we are left feeling worse than we had felt before. The ‘I’ is malleable, it is like clay; it always was, but now

rPermission to Rapido/other bike taxi aggregators

O pinion Arunav Barua

people for whose credentials we have no information of, have the right to comment or even become aggressive in their outpourings on the internet. It is wonderful that so many take an interest in what is happening around them, enough to comment on social media platforms. What is not wonderful is that biased, narrow minded, bigoted, unethical comments or views also find a place on these platforms. What this does is that it sets the person who probably wrote something keeping in view the positive aspects of a matter, back. It sends him to a stage where the person with the viewpoint questions himself/herself! Thus, our ‘I’ and how we end up feeling is constantly guarded by our fear of negative reaction. Negative reactions can even go to the extent of getting people killed! When every person, with all their bias and affiliations, comment on a perfectly natural viewpoint with aggression and use of abuse and expletives, it leaves the ‘I’ cornered into a place where no one wants to be. The norm today seems to be that whatever your level of intelligence, whatever your education, your ability to misuse the net gives one license to do so. I wonder if we need monitors to supervise activities. We do have a branch of people doing this on the legal platform, but it is just not enough. Being one of those who had dreams of a world connected by the internet, equality in society, borders disappearing and people living in a utopia, I personally feel saddened at this turn of events. When we let our conscience decide before we launch an attack or troll someone, let us become responsible, let us let the ‘I’ still exist as it once was. We all have a right to opinion and with that right comes responsibility, the kind where our dreams of ‘one world’ finds utterance! n

Letter to the Editor

We read a news item recently that the transport department had asked Rapido, the bike taxi aggregator, to furnish details of their permission to operate their services in Guwahati. The aggregator, in turn, has asked for six months’ time to furnish the details. Apparently, the state government does not have a clear guideline in this regard, which is extremely unfortunate. Many, including girls and ladies, are using such services of Rapido and other such operators. Without valid permissions or guidelines, it’s hazardous to use such services, and the state government is responsible for any danger posed by such service operators or the drivers. It is even more curious when we know that Rapido is operating in multiple cities across India. Lot of changes are taking place all across, and the government and the regulators are unable to keep pace. Such shortcomings are dangerous for the common citizen. A Bhuyan, Nagaon

In Focus

G PLUS | Sep 14 - Sep 20, 2019

Law enforcers might get away with violating new traffic rules, opine Guwahatians place in society, most Guwahatians believe that law enforcers will exempt themselves and not follow the guidelines of the Act as there have already been a number of cases reported wherein several police officers were seen riding their bikes without helmets. “Ideally the answer is yes, but in this case it is no. Law keepers exempt themselves from following rules because they are immune to laws. Who will fine them or punish them? They all are the same. Citizens should grab hold of them and ask them the rules. It is high time that citizens start questioning the law keepers,” said Salma Rahman, a concerned citizen of Guwahati. On the other hand, some citizens are hopeful that the officials will set an example and be models to follow what is right. “I think Assam Police can take necessary action to set an example, as the vehicle number is clearly visible. Law enforcers should be more responsible,” expressed Partha Khargharia,

G Plus News @guwahatiplus

n New Delhi, the fines for law enforcers under the new Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act 2019 are double as compared to the general public. For example, the new Act states that an individual will be fined Rs 1,000 if found driving without a helmet and their driving license will be suspended for three months. Thus, law enforcers will be fined Rs 2,000 for the same violation. As the new Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act 2019 is set to be implemented in the coming week in Guwahati as well as the rest of the state, G Plus asked Guwahatians if they think that this new Act will also be applicable to law-enforcers in Guwahati and the state as a whole since no provision has been made for public officials here as in New Delhi. While it is a rule for everyone, regardless of their stature and

another Guwahatian. However, since the Act is yet to be implemented in the state, everyone will have to wait and see how the rules are implemented in the state and if both the public and officials will follow it for the benefit of all concerned. The new rules will be implemented in the coming week in Guwahati as well as the rest of

the state, informed authorities. Talking to G Plus, Commissioner of Transport, Virendra Mittal, said that the proposal has already been sent to the government and the new Act will be enforced in the coming week. He added that all district transport officers (DTOs) and enforcement staff in all districts are conducting awareness camps

to make people mindful about the new amendments. It is to be mentioned that the amended motor vehicle act increases the penalty for traffic violations by 5 to 10 times in different cases. The Act has also introduced stricter punishment for various traffic-related offences as well as higher penalties. n

The new amended MVA will be effective from next week in Assam. Will the new rules apply to the law-keepers also? Guwahatians react. Pranab Kumar Patowari

I hope Assam Police will follow the rules without being biased and set an example to prove that they are here to protect the law. They should come out in public and prove that they are not biased. It will help to encourage people to follow traffic rules. If these law keepers don’t take rules seriously then there is no point imposing penalty on the citizens of this country.

Upasana Kashyap

Bandi Sangma

The rules are for our safety! I don’t care if the law keepers or government drivers don’t wear seatbelt. I will always wear because it’s my life! I will keep my car’s RC and insurance up-to-date because if there is an unfortunate accident the government will not pay for my car’s damages; the insurance company will. And pollution under control certificate costs only Rs 100 with 6 months validity. Why would I pay Rs 10,000 in fines? Why pay the penalty! It’s not mandatory to break traffic rules. We can simply obey them!

No fixing potholes by government but always ready to impose fine. No proper zebra crossings for citizens, no proper functioning of traffic lights. So when will the government be fined? Not managing parking spaces and so many instances. I can go on but we all know the points. If we don’t do something, there is a fine on us but then why not for government?

Sasanka Bhattacharyaa

Aziza Yasmin

Akshay

It’s silly of netizens posting pictures of police officials not following traffic rules. Did the law keepers ever follow rules? Forget them, how about the politicians or the government ‘babus’ who blaze away with a red light and siren? It’s only we commoners who are gullible.

As per the new provisions, double penalty will be applicable for police and transport department officials. So if the applicable penalty on a civilian is Rs 1,000, it will be Rs 2,000 for a policeman or a transport department employee.

Nothing is going to happen; our system is way more corrupt. And the irony is netizens shout, citizens don’t. And this way things go on. We people are so much adjusted with such things that our country can never develop. This is a common phenomenon and raising voice against it will never help.

16 Buzz

G PLUS | Sep 14 - Sep 20, 2019

GU organises ‘Debate and Assam girl bags 2 Public Speaking’ workshop golds, 3 silvers in

auhati University (GU) organized a Debate and Public Speaking Workshop on Wednesday, September 11 in its premises. The workshop was organized keeping in mind the future prospects of students and to make them good debaters and public speakers. The workshop was attended by over 100 students and conducted by Gautam Sarmah (assistant editor of Amar Asom), Dr Bidula Sarmah (assistant professor of M.Ed classes of Gauhati University) and Pranjit Das (debater and journalist by profession). Speaking on the occasion, the director of students’ welfare, Dr Ranjan Kakati focussed on the importance of becoming good public speakers for all-round development of the students. He also expressed his

dissatisfaction at the fact that only a few students turn up to become good debaters or public speakers. The vote of thanks was

delivered by Moon Talukdar (student of department of mass communication and journalism of Gauhati University).

City school celebrates Grandparents’ Day

tudents from Sanskriti the Gurukul celebrated the occasion of Grandparents’ Day on Monday, September 9, with great show and pomp. The program featured various performances such as dance numbers followed by songs and games which involved the grandparents. It was a way to celebrate the importance of grandparents in children’s lives as they are an important source of knowledge and well-being for the kids.

Russia

stha Choudhury from Assam has won 2 gold and 3 silver medals at the ongoing 10th Asia Pacific Youth Games held in Vladivostok, Russia.

She won gold in 4×50 m mixed freestyle and individual medley relay. Choudhury also bagged 3 silver medals in 100 & 200 m freestyle and 100 m individual medley.

Guwahati boy wins gold at World Chess Championship

ayank Chakraborty, a resident of Guwahati, has won a gold medal at the Western Asian Youth and Junior

(Under 10) Chess Championship. The event was held in New Delhi on Monday, September 9. Chakraborty is a student from South Point School in the city.

Feature

G PLUS | Sep 14 - Sep 20, 2019

The Psyche of Easing Stress Dr Neeraj Raj B

he biggest and the most common health concern in the present-day situation is that of stress. From young children to old age people irrespective of what field they are in are struggling with some stress in their lives. Sometimes due to one’s profession, sometimes due to family, sometimes due to health, etc. The reasons might be countless but the impact of stress is huge on mental as well as physical being of a person.

While one cannot necessarily eliminate stress completely from one’s lives, we certainly can figure out how to positively react to the stress and take charge of the situation to deal with the inducing stress. Stress has been established as a cause of anger, depression, headaches, heart attacks, accidents, even cancer, suicide, and other health problems. Therefore, it becomes highly important to deal with the stress to lead a healthier life. Stress reaction can be triggered due to a wide range of reasons and similarly the management of stress can be done through a wide range of ways. Stress management is precisely a person’s physiological response to effectively come up with a coping mechanism to deal with the psychological stress. Stress has multiple facets which manifest in self-induced ways or an external stimulus occurring in life. Stressful situations are a part of life as are the joyous ones. So while one cannot necessarily eliminate stress completely from one’s lives, we certainly can figure out how to positively react to the stress and take charge of the situation to deal with the inducing stress. For this to happen, first and foremost one needs to analyze and identify the stressors in one’s life and learn to manage them. If we can gradually master the art of channeling our reactions positively, we can alleviate stress to a good extent and improve our health and in turn our lives. Sometimes a little amount of stress can even be beneficial as it might trigger a person to perform better and get through

certain stressful situations more productively. However, the stress in the extremity can impact the person’s health, affect the immune, cardiovascular and neuroendocrine and central nervous systems, and even take a severe emotional toll. If left untreated over a prolonged period then the chronic stress can lead to anxiety, insomnia, muscle pain, high blood pressure, a weakened immune system, depression, heart disease, etc. Stress causes and stress management, both are very individual processes and hence whatever might be the way, everyone must know what impacts them and generates stress as well as what helps them in dealing with the induced stress. Psychologists and psychiatrists have often highlighted how stress dealing and stress handling comes down to a person’s psyche and how he/ she manages his/her thoughts.

bath also reduce stress for many people. Lifestyle changes involved social as well as routine habits. Regular exercising, eating a balanced diet adequately, sleeping enough, scheduling your tasks, limiting the coffee/ alcohol intake also helps. Work on your social behavior and social set up especially in stressful times by stepping out, meeting your friends or making a phone call. tremor, racing heartbeat, sweatiness, dizziness, headache or behavioral symptoms as nail-biting, pacing, drinking or eating too much or too little,

self-induced or expectations.

external

Breathe deeply through your nose and exhale from your mouth till you feel

Be watchful of your thoughts, try and make them more realistic, reframe your problems, and maintain a sense of

Some of the ways people use to manage stress include: Pursuing hobbies in which you are interested like gardening, playing music, creating art, dancing, etc. Exercising in whatever form one enjoys, has also been known to be a great stress reliever. Once you have identified the stressor in your life, take a break from it or the situations and

surroundings that are more likely to trigger it. Know your warning signs. These could be in the form of emotions like anxiety, fear, anger, lack of confidence, etc. or cognitive symptoms like difficulty in concentrating confusions. You might also notice physical symptoms like dry mouth,

poor sleep, losing temper, etc. It all comes down to mindfulness about oneself and the affecting surroundings. It is essential to regularly cultivate and practice this art. Aim for 2045 minutes of mindfulness practice. Distance

yourself

from

more relaxed. Combine these long breaths with certain light relaxation exercises. Divert your mind to calmer, positive thoughts. Watch something that helps you laugh and feel better. Listening to music, reading a book, surfing the internet, meditation, sports, or taking a hot

humor. Do not overthink or over-analyze a situation. These might be small steps but are easier to incorporate. If followed, these steps of being more present, reaching out, meditating and being closer to your mind and body, certainly tone down the stress levels as they eventually, work on your psyche and thereby improve your overall way of living. (The author is a consultant psychiatrist).

18 Review

G PLUS | Sep 14 - Sep 20, 2019

Starring: Ayushmann Khurrana, Nusrat Balucha, Annu Kapoor, Vijay Raaz Director: Raaj Shaandilyaa

Dream Girl

rom the time he is a kid, Karam does a fine job of imitating women’s voices. So while in school he makes proxy phone calls to teachers as his friend’s mom, when he is older, Karam (Ayushmann Khurrana) lands roles in local plays as Sita and Radha. And is often revered by the people in the small town of Gokul for his roles and mostly for the voice he is able to modulate. But it’s not something either he or his father,

Jagjit Singh (Annu Kapoor) are comfortable with. His dad wants him to find a regular job, where he doesn’t have to don the woman act and Karam is also very clear that he will play these roles only till he finds a regular job. Which he does soon enough, but the only hitch is it requires him to be ‘Pooja’ at a call center for sex chats. Soon enough, ‘Pooja’ has an assortment of men and a woman besotted by her. And each of them want to either meet or marry her. All this

while Karam’s girlfriend Mahi (Nushrat Bharucha) is oblivious of his double life. ‘Dream Girl’ is positioned as an out and out comedy, so don’t expect any nuanced probe into cross dressing or exploring one’s sexuality. In fact, there is none of that. Perhaps, one has been spoilt by Ayushmann Khurrana’s choice of films so far, which always manage to push the envelope. While the premise of ‘Dream Girl’ is an interesting one to begin with, it doesn’t go beyond that idea. However, director Raaj Shaandilya manages to evoke some amount of laughter in this situational comedy. But there is also a dollop of humor which treads into the bizarre, double entendre and at times offensive zone. As a variety of characters and situations are bunged in, the screenplay moves at an uneven pace. The songs, ‘Radhe Radhe’ and ‘Dil Ka Telephone’ add some of the pep to the wobbly plot. The performances by an ensemble cast stays above board – Ayushmann Khurrana pulls off a commendable, self-assured act, despite working with a character which is not entirely well fleshed out. Annu Kapoor, Vijay Raaz, Abhishek Bannerjee and Manjot Singh add to the comic element. Nushrat Bharucha and Rajesh Sharma are effective. At the end of it, the film slips in a message on loneliness, social media friends and having someone to talk to. Despite the flaws, ‘Dream Girl’ attempts to show the leading man in a different light, and manages to entertain in parts. (Review from Times of India)

Lenovo K10 Note

he new Lenovo K10 Note is one of the few phones under Rs. 15,000 to sport a telephoto camera, which in itself, sets it apart from the crowd. While most companies seem to be adding additional wide-angle cameras, it’s nice to see Lenovo thinking a little out of the box here. Lenovo K10 Note price in India starts at Rs. 13,999 for the 4GB variant. In the box, the Lenovo K10 Note ships with an 18W fast charger, a Type-C cable, SIM eject tool and some manuals. There’s no case in the box, which would have come in handy. The body is built from plastic,

which is of good quality and the phone does feel sturdy. The fact that back and sides are made of a single piece of plastic, which makes it comfortable to hold. This ‘Knight Black’ colour variant of the Lenovo K10 Note is impossible to keep clean though. Smudges on the plastic back don’t wipe-off easily, making the phone look messy just moments after you pick it up. The phone will only available in this colour when it goes on sale, at least for now. The volume and power buttons to the right line up well with you fingers, as does the capacitive fingerprint sensor at the back. You get a hybrid

dual-SIM slot on the left, which supports 4G VoLTE on both slots. You can expand the internal

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storage using a microSD card but in lieu of a second SIM card. All the ports are placed at the bottom of the Lenovo K10 Note. The 3.5mm headphone socket can get in the way if you’re playing a game with wired headphones and holding the phone in landscape mode. Thankfully, the speaker isn’t easily blocked as it’s placed above the USB Type-C port. On the front, there’s a 6.3-

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inch full-HD+ LCD display, which produces good colours. There’s no Gorilla Glass, but according to Lenovo, the K10 Note uses Panda Glass. Viewing angles are also good and after about a week’s worth of usage, we found the brightness level to be more than adequate for outdoor use. The display has a dewdrop notch and even though the bezels aren’t very slim, it’s not very thick either. The same goes for the chin at the bottom, which is only mildly thicker than the rest of the sides. The notification LED tucked away in the ear piece is a nice touch. The rear fingerprint sensor recognised our fingerprint pretty much every single time, but Lenovo has added a fadein animation when the display wakes up, which makes the overall process a little slower than we’d like. There is face unlock but it’s Android Pie’s default Smart Lock feature, which is a little slow and fails to work in low-light, so it’s not something we relied on when testing the phone. (Review from NDTV Gadget)

Trotter

G PLUS | Sep 14 - Sep 20, 2019

In a bizarre trend TikTok users glue their lips to make them appear fuller

bizarre TikTok challenge in which people super-glue their lips with eyelash adhesive or nail glue to make them look fuller has gone viral over the internet. The new trend started with user @ chloehammock4 when she posted a video of herself putting glue just above her cupid’s bow and then sticking her upper lip up in order for it to appear fuller, a news portal reported. The video soon went viral on other social media platforms,

including Twitter, where users responded to it with a mixture of amazement and disbelief. A Twitter user @Y2SHAF wrote: “Imagine you’re talking to someone and your lip falls down by accident.” Since the

video was posted, it has been viewed more than 7 million times and received over three thousand comments. It also led to other people trying out the challenge. “Omg I tried the eyelash glue thing to make your lips bigger and it worked,” wrote one user. “I did the eyelash glue lip thing and I’m scared,” said another. In 2015, the viral Kylie Jenner Lip Challenge saw teens sticking their lips into small containers and sucking the air out of it to create a vacuum, the report added. (Source: ndtv)

Man stands for 6 hours aboard flight to let wife sleep

n image of a man standing in an airplane while his wife slept across a row of three seats has divided opinions on Twitter. The photograph was shared on the micro blogging website by a user named Courtney Lee Johnson where it has collected over 15,000 ‘likes’ and thousands of comments. “This guy stood up the whole 6 hours so his wife could sleep. Now THAT is love,” he wrote. The photograph shows an elderly

man standing while a woman lies across three seats in a flight. On Twitter, some disagreed with Johnson’s interpretation of

‘love’. Many implied that the wife was selfish for letting her husband stand for six hours. However, others called his gesture “romantic” and praised him. The picture soon sparked a spirited debate on the micro blogging website. “She could have still rested her head on his lap,” wrote one person - a thought that was echoed by many. Some wondered how flight attendants allowed the man to stand for six hours, questioning the authenticity of the photo. (Source: indiatoday)

Aligarh man wears helmet while driving car

n a bizarre incident, a man in Aligarh was spotted wearing a helmet while driving his car. The man claimed that he had started wearing a helmet while driving his car after getting fined for not wearing one. Speaking to ANI, Piyush Varshney said that he received an e-challan of Rs 500 on August 27 for not wearing a helmet while driving his four-wheeler. “Due to fear of getting challan again, I am wearing a helmet while driving

the car. On challan issued, there was my car number,” he said. The police said that it could be

a mistake which would be rectified after the challan’s verification. “We got a complaint from a man who said that he got an e-challan for not wearing a helmet and there was the number of his car on the challan. We are verifying the challan. Several times mistakes were found due to wrong feeding of data. We can verify the challan and will cancel it if we found it wrong,” Superintendent of Police, Traffic, Ajijul Haq told. (Source: ndtv)

Vadodara man sticks DL, insurance on helmet to avoid fines

man in Gujarat has figured out a way of staying one step ahead of cops as tighter road traffic regulations and heavier penalties kicked in this month under the amended Motor Vehicles Act 2019. R Shah, a resident of Vadodara, has stuck his driving license, registration certificate, insurance papers and other relevant documents onto his helmet, as per news agency ANI. According to him, he did this so as to avoid paying any fines. Pictures shared on Twitter show Shah’s insurance documents and driving license pasted on his helmet. “Helmet is the first thing I put on before riding a bike,” Shah said. “That’s why I pasted all documents on it so I don’t face any fines as per new traffic regulations.”

Under the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, which came into effect on September 1, the penalty for driving without insurance has been doubled from Rs 1,000 to Rs 2,000. Offences like not wearing a seat belt or helmet, drunk and dangerous driving, speeding, jumping red lights and overloading vehicles will also attract higher penalties - at times going up by as much as 10 times. Shah is not the only one to have been scared by the heftier fines. The act inspired a ton of memes on social media as users reacted to the increased penalties. (Source: hindustantimes)

74-yr-old Andhra woman becomes oldest-ever to give birth A 74-year-old woman has become the oldestever to give birth after she delivered twins at a hospital in Andhra Pradesh’s Guntur town, doctors have said. Mangayamma, who conceived through In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) process, delivered twin babies at Ahalya Nursing Home. A team comprising four doctors performed the caesarean operation. S Umashankar, who headed the team of doctors, said both the mother and the babies were doing well. “This is a medical miracle,” Umashankar said after the surgery. He claimed that Mangayamma has become the oldest woman in the world to give birth. Earlier, 70-year-old Daljinder Kaur was considered to be the oldest woman in the world to give birth to a baby. Kaur of Haryana had delivered a baby boy in 2016 following an IVF process. Hailing from Nelapartipadu in East Godavari district, Mangayamma was childless after 54 years of marriage. She along with her husband Y Raja Rao had approached the IVF experts at the nursing home late last year, who decided to help the couple. “I am very happy. God has answered our prayers,” Mangayamma said after the delivery. Her husband,

Raja Rao, and other family members celebrated the moment by distributing sweets. Umashankar said they went ahead with the process after a team of doctors conducted various tests and found that she was fit to become pregnant. Mangayamma conceived in the very first cycle of the IVF procedure. Subsequently, three teams were formed to monitor her general health, nutrition and cardiac health, he said. “Ten doctors worked for nine months to keep a close watch on her health. The regular scans revealed that there are no complications,” said the doctor. Last month, the couple wanted to perform ‘Seemantham’, a traditional ceremony performed in the eighth month of pregnancy. However, the doctors advised them to wait for a month. The nursing home organised the ceremony on its premises a few hours before the delivery. Hospital staff, relatives and well-wishers greeted the couple. Doctors said both the mother and the babies would be under observation for a few days. (Source: news24)

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

September 19th & 20th will be great days to connect with your seniors & share ideas with them. You could host important meetings on these dates. You will feel betrayed by someone at work or seniors on 18th September. It’s not a day to trust others with your secrets.

Ideal time to just take a break from work. 14th September will be a great day to build a rapport with your seniors & people at work, host your important meetings on this day. Lay low on 16th & 19th September, as you are bound to have disagreement with people at work or there could be changes in your work place. 20th September will be a great day to share ideas with seniors & build a relationship with them; Host important meetings on this day. On 16th September, be careful of your words & actions, as you will create your own problems. On 15th September, you will be betrayed by someone close to you.

14th & 19th September will be great days to share ideas with your seniors or simply just connect with them. You could schedule your important meetings on these dates. Watch your words & actions on 18th September, as you could create your own problems. You could have a fall out with your workmates or seniors on 15th September.

18th September will be a great day to build a rapport with your seniors & people at work, host your important meetings on this day. 19th September will be a slow day for you. Avoid scheduling important work for 17th September as you will not get the desired outcome.

Avoid meeting up with your seniors or extended family on 15th September as things will not go according to plan. 16th September will be a great day to build a rapport with your seniors & people at work, host your important meetings on this day. Avoid scheduling important work for 17th September as you will not get the desired outcome.

14th & 18th September will be great days to share your ideas with seniors or simply just connect with them. You could schedule your important meetings on these dates. Watch yourself on 16th & 19th September, avoid making any promises or getting into a confrontation.

They are Sumo Grandmasters

Dilbert By Scott Adams

curio-city

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

Identify this “Eighth Wonder of the World.”

Golden Mahseer

Which football club is called “The Old Lady of Turin?”

Snoop Dog

“You will Believe” is the tagline of which 2019 Christmas holiday blockbuster, a film adaptation of an Andrew Llyod Webber musical based on a TS Eliot book of poems?

Cats!

By what nickname, inspired by his resemblance to a character in Peanuts comics, is Calvin Broadus Jr famous in the world of Hip Hop music?

Juventus

Which fish of the Nameri River is known as the “Tiger of the Himalayas?”

8 9

2 3 5 1

55 8 2 4 9 1 3 3 15 5 37 2 3 1 5 3 3

7 8

2 3 6 26 3 82 8 Daily Sudoku: Thu 12-Sep-2019 9 5 2

4 89 9 7 6 7 1 9 hard 6

Daily Sudoku: Fri 6-Sep-2019

very hard

last week solution

8 7 6 4 2 96 33 12 55 68 25 57 48 92 74 44 99 71 83 36 61 15 59 28 47 37 22 83 61 15 58 46 34 19 93 12 84 95 76 59 73 61 26 37 82 Daily Sudoku: Thu 12-Sep-2019 9 8 7 4 1

3 5 1 8 12 47 9 1 66 93 1 5 81 26 7 9 27 38 4 7 6 6 2 2 3

44 58 73

9 74 38 52

63 89 95 72 17 14 86

4 99 55 41 8 hard 5 3 6 2 very hard

http://www.dailysudoku.com/

You are going to have an amazing week. 14th, 18th & 19th September are ideal days to mingle with your seniors and people at work and build your work network. You could be betrayed by someone close on 20th September. Avoid hosting any meetings on 17th September, things will not go according to plan.

Andre the Giant, the WWE Wrestler

Yokozunas are highly respected members of Japanese society. What have they done to garner such respectability?

16th September will be a great day to build a rapport with your seniors & people at work, host your important meetings on this day. Avoid hosting any meetings on 14th September as you will get into a confrontation. Avoid planning important meetings on 17th September as things will not go according to plan.

18th, 19th, 20th September will be excellent days to schedule important meetings. Your seniors will be receptive to your ideas. On 14th September, try to keep a low profile. Avoid hosting any meetings especially with your seniors on 17th September, as you might not get the outcome you desire.

Sudoku

Daily Sudoku: Fri 6-Sep-2019

curio-city

Use September 18th to host your meetings, share your ideas with your superiors & network with your business associates. Avoid hosting any meetings on 20th September as you are bound to have disagreements. On 17th September, you will feel others are ungrateful, especially your seniors or parents. 14th September will be a slow day for you.

16th & 20th September will be great days to schedule your important meetings & share your ideas with your seniors. On 19th September, you will be emotionally hurt by your colleagues or superiors. On 18th September, you could have a fall out with a superior or someone at work. Be careful while dealing with the opposite gender on 15th September.

Certified Feng Shui, Chinese astrology, date selection consultant & author, www.facebook.com/geoprinciples

Horoscope of the week

G PLUS | Sep 14 - Sep 20, 2019

http://www.dailysudoku.com/

Word of of the the week week Word bona fides knackered noun [boh-nah fee-des] adjective [nak-erd]

good faith; absence of fraud or deceit; the state of being exactly as Slang. claims or appearances British indicate:exhausted; The bona fides of this contract is very tired open to question.

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

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

Fiction

G PLUS | Sep 14 - Sep 20, 2019

The rustle in the room A faint rustling noise from a corner of my room disturbed my sleep in the dead of the night. Half conscious, I dismissed it as a figment of my imagination or a part of my sleep-induced dream. I began to pull the bedsheet partially over my face, hoping the noise would somehow go away. When it reappeared, a few moments later, my sleep-disturbed state was shaken further. I was now wide

The stillness of the night heightened in the darkness so much so that even the whirring of the ceiling fan blades above me sounded like the groan of a monster. The flap of the myriad insects, attracted by the lights outside my room, felt closer than ever. Disoriented, I imagined myself to be hallucinating… awake, trying to make some sense of the now prominent ruckus, while the rest of my mates lay in deep slumber in their respective rooms. Sitting upright, I tried to make out the source of this strange noise. It now appeared that the ‘epicenter’ of the noise was from the empty bed next to mine. Alone in the darkened room, I was now frozen with fear. With the semester-ending university exams in progress and everyone poring over their books, the corridors and the dining table wore a forlorn and solemn look. Hostel inmates now ventured out of their rooms only occasionally, to either exchange notes or clear some last-minute doubts. The only other occasions when everyone gathered together were during breakfast, lunch and dinner, at the table where small conversations were initiated. I was then momentarily distracted by Disha’s abrupt knock on the door, “Afreen, come over to our room, we’re having mom’s homemade snacks.” I contemplated for a few seconds at her offer as I needed to finish the chapter for next day’s exam. “Come on now, take a break. Get back to it later.” Her offer seemed difficult to ignore and I soon found myself following her out of the room. Bigger than the rest, our room

accommodated the three of us. My other two roommates were from a different discipline, based on the trimester system. It meant that they had a long vacation at the end of their trimester exams. It also meant that I could have the room all to myself during their absence. While it felt nice to have the other inmates regroup for joint studies or assignments in my large room, it also gave me the liberty to either study late into the night or retire early to bed as per my whim. But there were occasions when I did admit to missing their presence, especially being welcomed back to an empty room, at the end of a busy and exciting day. The lack of a familiar voice or laughter can often overwhelm a person and I too wasn’t immune to it. I was afflicted by bouts of homesickness from time to time during this period. Life during exams meant putting all full stops to any sort of entertainment. No endless banter, loud music, movies or birthday parties. Time now was dictated by our watches or the ubiquitous mini table alarm clock. Any break, whether toilet or meal, were strictly adhered to. Rhinusmita breezed in excitedly that day into my room. I knew instantly something was cooking up inside that tiny head of hers. Rhinu, to all of us, often wore her emotions on her sleeve. One could almost read her thoughts. We shared a great rapport; she was my support system in times of personal crisis of matters of the heart-kind. Often filling me in with campus gossip on days when life felt monotonous, rigid and well, dull. Rhinu had now a crisis of her own and she had sought me out to help resolve it. I balked at the idea. I possibly couldn’t pull it off. I obviously wasn’t bold or flamboyant enough like the rest of the girls in our campus. But Rhinu was persistent. She almost begged me and couldn’t think of anyone else in her hour of need. I was also forbidden from discussing the matter with anyone else. Not until, or at least, till the task was accomplished. After all, it was a matter of her pride and I began to feel a certain sense of superiority at being entrusted with this responsibility. Rhinu handed me a landline number which I had already began to rehearse mentally several times, wondering how I was to

broach the subject to a complete stranger. It was a very unlikely assignment, and given my meek demeanor, it made the task all the more daunting. The fateful day arrived; my nervousness exceeded with the passage of time. I was given the exact time slot to call. My mind began to race as I dialed the number from a public booth. On confirming if I was speaking to the right person, I blurted out the message without any pause. I never got to hear his voice other than a “yes” at his name being mentioned. I also never bothered to find out the aftermath of the call and I presumed nothing happened. Rhinu and I never got back to broaching the subject ever again. During one of my visits to the library, I couldn’t resist picking up Bram Stoker’s Dracula. I had yet to watch the movie version, but sensed that the original novel from which it was adapted would be even better. The paperback cover had a painted picture of a menacing Dracula, the main protagonist of the story. My penchant for the supernatural genre was looked upon with strangeness by my friends. Upon the gentle urging of my roommates, I had draped the book cover with brown paper. Careful not to offend sensibilities, it certainly made better sense than to have a monster stare back with blood thirsty eyes and protruding canines. My roommates had the habit of covering up their empty bed mattresses with old newspapers whenever they left for home during their break. It helped to keep off the dust from settling on them. A

slim jute rope was tied around the mattresses to keep the newspapers from flying off. It made better sense to them to leave behind a part of their luggage without having to lug it back, every time they visited home. While I could see the practicality behind this exercise, I could somehow never get over the strange ambience it generated. I could not shake off my unease at having two empty beds in the room. The beds looked impersonal and uninviting. The fact that I could spend the nights quite comfortably, alone in a large, empty room with the two bare beds lying next to mine, had elevated me to the unenviable position of a daring girl. After a battery of tests, assignments and classes during the day, my mind did not even have the strength to dream. I could easily doze off and fall into a deep sleep as soon as my head touched the pillow. Not a believer in the wisdom of conventional ghost lore was actually the real reasonbehind my presumablybold nature or rather casualness. The stillness of the night heightened in the darkness so much so that even the whirring of the ceiling fan blades above me sounded like the groan of a monster. The flap of the myriad insects, attracted by the lights outside my room, felt closer than ever. Disoriented, I imagined myself to be hallucinating, a result of my fascination for latenight horror serials. Besides, Dracula still lay unfinished on my study table. But even amid the confusion, I found myself caught in a dilemma.

Zerine Wahid The overwhelming fear of an unknown presence in my room could not override my fear of appearing foolish in front of my hostel mates. I hesitated calling out to them even as my throat went dry and my body enveloped in a cold sweat. Several minutes into my encounter with this unknown entity, I gathered enough courage to confront the source of the noise. I somehow managed to tiptoe out of bed, flinging aside the bedsheet. The folds of the mosquito net were lifted up so that I could reach the switchboard closest to my bed. As soon as the room was bathed in light, the scenario completely changed. It felt like being hit by a ton of bricks on the head. The friendly neighborhood feline had decided to come calling with its litter in tow. I simply gaped in wonder, not knowing what else to do. The playful romp on the newspaper covered mattress had created the rustling noise. The boisterous bunch of about six to seven kittens had gone overboard with their enthusiasm. None the wiser for having the courage to investigate the mysterious noise in my room, I now had a story to regale over tea and an opportunity to gloat over my unchallenged bravery. The author is an upcoming poet and short story writer and is settled in Guwahati city.

22 Lifestyle

G PLUS | Sep 14 - Sep 20, 2019

Vaastu: 10 tips to follow for a happy life

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

f you are suffering or not fully happy with any area of your life, following some essential Vaastu tips can help remedy your problems. Thus, here are some important tips to keep in mind:

If a business is not doing well, try this simple remedy: write the name and type of business with details on a yellow board with red ink and hang it in south i.e. facing north. If a product is not selling for a long time, shift it to the northwest portion of the business establishment and see the difference. If students are not doing well in studies, ensure that their study room is in the northeast, east or north and that they are studying facing east or north only.

Married couples who wish to have children should see that the northeast corner of the house and the plot is kept clean. They should not sleep in the northeastern room.

If you need the cooperation and help from certain persons all the time, keep a photo of that person/

persons in the northwestern corner of your bedroom or living room.

Keep mirrors and clocks on the eastern or northern walls. This will solve a lot of minor Vaastu problems.

If the marriage of your daughter is delayed, let her sleep in the northwestern room and keep the northwest corner clean. The head should be placed towards the south and the bed should be approachable from both the sides. When there is a strained relationship between the husband and wife, hang a joint photo of both in the southwest corner of the bedroom.

If children are not listening to parents and being careless, they should never be allowed to sleep in rooms in the southwest, south or northwest. They will start dominating the parents in the southwest and will hardly stay at home if allowed to stay in the northwest. In such cases, the west and east are best options.

Households are personified by their owners. So, the name of the owner should be prominently displayed. Be it an apartment or an independent house, a name plate should be there. Make sure that the name plate does not rust or that the name is not erased due to atmospheric conditions. A nameplate is supposed to bring in opportunities.

If there is no coordination among family members, then a happy family picture with all the members should be kept in the southwest.

Yoga for Back Pain shri shri ravi shankar Founder- Art of Living Foundation.

oes your back pain due to sitting or standing for long hours? Do this simple yoga exercise anytime, anywhere and be free from back pain in just five minutes with the all direction back stretch!

How to do the all direction back stretch?

You can comfortably practice this yoga exercise for back pain anywhere as a part of office yoga on your chair at your work desk, airplane yoga, in front of your television during a break or on the yoga mat. Sit comfortably in Sukhasana (cross-legged pose). Keep your back straight and shoulders relaxed. Most importantly, smile. If you prefer to practise these yoga postures while standing, keep your feet parallel.

Lengthening the spine:

Breathing in, slowly lift your arms up from the sides. Interlace your fingers so that the thumbs touch each other gently. Stretch up as much as you comfortably can. Keep your elbows straight and ensure that your biceps touch your ears. Hold this posture for 2-3 long deep breaths.

Tip to deepen back stretch:

Gently pull the navel (inwards) towards the spine.

Twist the spine to the right and left: Your fingers continue to remain interlaced above your head. Breathing out, gently twist to the right side. Hold this position for 2-3 long breaths. Inhale, come back to the centre. Exhale, turn to your left side and again hold this position for 2-3 long breaths. Inhale and return to the centre. Bending the spine to the right and left: Your fingers continue to remain interlaced above your

head. Exhale and slightly bend to the right side. Hold and keep breathing. Breathe in and come back to the centre. Exhale and bend a little to the left side. Ensure that you are not bending to the front or back, and that one hand is not stretched more than the other. Breathe in and come back to the centre.

Tip to deepen back stretch:

Engage your abdominal muscles during the stretch.

Entertainment

G PLUS | Sep 14 - Sep 20, 2019

Jatin Bora’s much-awaited film ‘Ratnakar’ to release on October 11 Prantik Deka

aking his comeback after 13 years as a filmmaker, actor Jatin Bora is gearing up to present his new film ‘Ratnakar.’ The much anticipated big-budgeted film, produced under the banner of JB Films, will hit the screens on October 11, soon after the conclusion of Durga Puja. The need of the hour is to provide meaningful entertainment so that the audiences in Assam go back to theatres. Bora has assured that his venture is not a run-of-themill Assamese film but promises something more. Depicting three different stages of a man’s life, the film is built around a father-daughter relationship,

which has not been adequately explored in Assamese cinema. The film boasts of a number of notable professionals known for their creative abilities in their respective fields, which has enriched its production and aesthetic value. Bora has surrounded himself with people with whom he has built up good rapport over the years, whether it’s from cinema or theatre. He has roped in the prolific dramatist of mobile theatre, Abhijeet Bhattacharya, to pen the film’s story, script and dialogues. As expected, the film’s music, scored by Zubeen Garg, has caught on with the public in a big way, notching up chartbusters like Raati Raati, Eta Kotha and Bhaal Puware. Armed with the experience of working in around 50 Assamese and other language films, Bora, who has produced the film along with his better half Navanita Sharma Bora, is quite happy with the film’s final output. Ratnakar’s camerawork has been done by Pradip Daimary,

done by Zubeen Garg, Gayatri Hazarika, Satabdi, Navanita Sharma Bora, Joshua, Chayanika and Harshita Bhattacharjya. The background music, which sets the film’s emotional tone, is scored by Poran Borkatoky and Bibhuti Gogoi.

Meghalaya and the scenic landscapes of Ladakh, where the popular romantic song and one of the film’s highlights - Raati raati xun mur xopun bure, was picturised on Bora and Barsha Rani Bishaya. An ensemble of experienced and popular artistes forms the cast of the movie. They include Jatin Bora, Barsha Rani Bishaya, Nishita Goswami, Bishnu Khargharia, Sanjeev Hazorika, Chetana Das, Reena Bora, Hiranya Deka, Pratibha Choudhury, Pabitra Barua, Padmarag Goswami and child artiste Ashrumika Saikia, who will be seen as Jatin Bora’s daughter. The film’s editing and visual promotion is done by Protim Khaound. The sound designing is done by the much experienced Debojit Changmai. The songs are choreographed by Deepak Dey, Uday Shankar, Pankaj Ingti and Sachin Baruah. The makeup has been done by Biswajit Kalita. The art direction is handled by Jyoti Shankar Bhattacharyya and Navanita Sharma Bora (for the Meghalaya segment). The action scenes are directed by the fight master of south Indian films, Rajesh Kanan. The

This dream project of Jatin Bora and Navanita Sharma Bora, which features all the successful ingredients of mainstream cinema, has been shot in Guwahati, Jorhat, Dibrugarh,

Mumbai-based Rajesh Yadav has worked as the film’s DI Colorist. The film’s associate director is Manujit Sharma. The chief assistant director is Anupam Baishya.

who has left quite an impact with his work in a number of films. The aerial photography has been done by Jaydeep Paul. The lyrics have been written by Zubeen Garg, Sasanka Samir and Rahul Gautam Sharma. The playback singing has been

Aamis wins two awards at SAIFF 2019

ssamese film ‘Aamis’ has won two awards at the 3rd Singapore South Asian International Film Festival (SAIFF) 2019. Director Bhaskar Hazarika won the award for ‘Best Director’ and Lima Das won the award for ‘Best Actor: Female.’ The movie is based on the relationship between a married doctor and a younger PhD student. It has been written by Bhaskar Hazarika and stars Arghadeep Baruah, Lima Das, Neetali Das, Manash Das and Sagar Saurav. It has been produced by Poonam Deol and Shyam Bora. The 3rd Singapore South Asian International Film

Festival was held from August 30 to September 7, 2019.

Assamese short film wins ‘Best Music Video’ award at 7th Indian Cine Film Festival 2019

aishnava-Being Humane,’ a short dance film has won the ‘Best Music Video (Jury)’ award at the 7 th Indian Cine Film Festival, 2019 held in Mumbai on September 8, 2019. The short film has been made by combining Mahatma Gandhi’s favourite bhajan, “Vaishnav Jan to” composed by Adi-Kavi Narsinh Mehta of Gujarat and Srimanta Sankaradeva’s excerpts from “Kirtana” and tuning them with raga and tala of Sattriya dance and Borgeethas. The film has made its official entry in some noted film festivals across the country.

It pays tribute to the father of the nation Mahatma Gandhi on his 150th birth anniversary through Sattriya dance. The film is based on the concept designed by IRS officer Padmapani Bora and noted Sattriya dancer Mridusmita Das, recipient of Sangeet Natak Academy’s Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar. The short film has been produced and choreographed by Mridusmita Das and the script has been written by Padmapani Bora. It has been beautifully directed by talented young director Rukshana Tabassum and its music has been composed by singer Rupam Bhuyan.

24 Catching Up

G PLUS | Sep 14 - Sep 20, 2019

PIC OF THE