G Plus Vol 7 Issue 25

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

INSIDE

Volume 07 | Issue 25 Apr 11 - Apr 17, 2020 Price `10 Assam records first Covid-19 fatality with death of 65-year-old

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Athgaon Kabristhan Masjid declared Containment Zone Read Full Story Page No - 11

‘Puzzled’ excise department mulls opening

wine shops by April 15 G Plus News @guwahatiplus

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Odd-even scheme to limit vehicular movement begins in Guwahati

he Assam excise department is “puzzled” on what should be the decision taken regarding IMFL “off” (wine shops) outlets in the state. With the lockdown in place, all the IMFL “on” outlets (bars) and shops are also closed but it has resulted in increase in the illegal consumption of illicit liquor. The bars were closed before the nationwide lockdown was declared by the Prime Minister, and the liquor shops were closed only after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcement of lockdown.

The state excise minister, Parimal Shuklabaidya, talking to G Plus said, “We are puzzled regarding the issue as the liquor ban has increased the consumption of illicit liquor made from rice in the state.” The minister added that in many places people are using the free rice

provided to them for preparation of country liquor. He opined that therefore he will raise the issue in the upcoming cabinet meeting slated to be held on 12th April and if all agree and the lockdown ends on 14th April, the liquor shops will open on 15th April.

Over the last 21 days, the excise department will have lost around Rs 300 crores in excise revenues. A senior official in excise department said that including VAT and other taxes the state will lose around Rs 400 crores in excise revenue in 21 days.

Excise department in any state is one of the highest revenue generating departments.

In 21 days Guwahati city alone will lose Rs 21 crores as excise revenue.

The lockdown has also given birth to the unprecedented increase in the black marketing of liquor in the state.

Coronavirus, Islamophobia puts Assam in distressing state

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Symbolic observance of Bihu this year Guwahati top cop’s appeal to be given due accordance G Plus News @guwahatiplus

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fter the Assam agitation in 1983, this is for the second time in 37 years that Assam will not celebrate Rongali Bihu the way it does every year with the administration putting a set of restrictions on the celebrations.

The last time a similar decision was taken was in 1983, when the Assam Agitation was at its peak.

Addl Director General of Police (Law and Order), GP Singh, listed four points pertaining to Bihu celebrations which stipulated that assembly of not more than five people only for flag hoisting on the day of Bihu will be allowed and the function would continue for only 30 minutes.

Singh appealed for the cooperation of all. Rongali Bihu falls on April 15, a day after the first phase of COVID 19 lockdown gets over. The Greater Guwahati Bihu Sanmilani Coordination Committee, a coordination committee of 26 Bihu committees of the city, had already announced to call off the programmes to discourage mass gatherings and break the chain of the coronavirus pandemic.

Rongali Bihu is Assam’s biggest festival, marking the beginning of the Assamese New Year in midApril. Cultural nights during the festival are common across the state where hundreds assemble to enjoy the festivities with performances by their favourite singers.

Adviser to the Greater Guwahati Bihu Sanmilani Coordination Committee, Kailash Sarma, said, “It was a unanimous decision taken by all the Bihu committees of the city on Friday night. To prevent the spread of the deadly coronavirus, one of the most important things is to minimise social gatherings and enable isolation. Since thousands of people gather in all the Bihu

functions, we had to take the tough decision for public safety.”

He added that the Guwahati Bihu Sanmilani of Latasil, the state’s oldest Bihu committee, would hoist the traditional Bihu flag on the morning of April 13 if government permits. “The coordination committee also appeals to all Bihu committees of the state to follow suit and cancel

ADGP (Law and Order), GP Singh, listed points which stipulated that assembly of not more than five people only for flag hoisting on the day of Bihu will be allowed and the function would continue for only 30 minutes. their Bihu functions to stop the virus from spreading,” Sarma said.

The coordination committee also urged the state government to support the artiste community who wait for the Bihu festival to earn some extra income with their performances. “The government must come up with some kind of financial aid to the artistes and musicians who are basically living on Bihu function earnings,” Sarma said.

Singer Zubeen Garg has appealed to the people of the state to stay home and avoid large gatherings in the wake of the threat posed by the coronavirus outbreak.

In a Facebook post, he said: “Be with your family, read books, watch

films, complete your unfinished sleep, take rest, learn to play some new songs. Your staying home will break the chain of the virus and strengthen the chain of bonding in your family.” He asked all not to panic or rumours related to coronavirus.

“If you have any travel history in the last one month outside your locality (not necessarily abroad, but anywhere where positive cases have been confirmed), then report to the health officials. Do not shake hands or make any physical contact. If someone is sneezing near you, go away. Once you save yourself, make others aware of the disease and the instructions to follow,” Zubeen said.

Assam recorded its first COVID-19 death on Thursday last, with the tally of number of affected people touching 28 across the state. In the ongoing scenario it looks highly unlikely that things will look up bright before April 15.

With possible chances of the lockdown getting extended, there will be little for the people of Assam to cheer in this festive season. Even state health minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma has appealed to the people to remain indoors and celebrate Bihu when the dark clouds of Coronavirus are completely over.

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Lead Story Snippets

NRLOA contributes Rs 45 lakhs to Assam Arogya Nidhi

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RL Officers’ Association (NRLOA) has come forward in the fight against COVID-19, donating an amount of Rs 45 lakhs to Assam Arogya Nidhi to help the state government effectively combat the by the global pandemic.

The officers contributed 2 days’ salary which was supplemented further from the NRLOA Corpus.

The contribution was handed over to the health minister, government of Assam, Himanta Biswa Sarma at the National Health Mission (NHM) premises in Guwahati on April 9.

Guwahati based photojournalist threatened with dire consequences, lodges FIR

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uwahati-based photo journalist Mahesh Choudhury has been threatened while on duty by anti-social elements of the society.

Choudhury is a senior photo journalist working with GL Publications.

He was thre ate ne d of dire conse que nce s while trying to capture some clicks near Manipuri Basti on April 9, Thursday.

The Guwahati Press Club has expressed concerns regarding such incidents and has condemned the act of intimidation.

“An FIR has been lodged in this regard and the Press Club has urged city police to investigate the matter and book the culprits at the earliest,” GPC General Secretary Sanjoy Ray said in a statement.

Commenting on the situation, Commissioner of Police Munna Prasad Gupta said, “We will look into it, with all seriousness”.

Meanwhile another senior Journalist was brutally beaten at Shivsagar and was allegedly hit by a cop with an iron rod. He got 6 stitch on his head.

| Apr 11 - Apr 17, 2020

Performance of essential departments other than health, home questioned G Plus News @guwahatiplus

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fter Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that India would go under a 21-day lockdown, panic took over the streets in most parts of India with people rushing to grocery stores and medical stores to stock up. Even before the Prime Minister announced the lockdown, the Assam health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had already announced a lockdown in Assam, and he also assured that there will be no chaos or shortage of essential commodities. He warned the essential commodities sector against illegally increasing prices. During the ongoing pandemic in the state and the country, performance of essential departments like health and home is lauded from all sections but the efficiency of other departments are questioned.

An executive member of the state Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) talking to G Plus under condition of anonymity said, “Other than health and home no other department is performing efficiently.” The member said that the state health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma is risking his life and working for the people of the state during the times of special disaster like Covid-19 and even the chief minister is seen working overtime. The health officials and police are not leaving any stone unturned to help the people of the state to combat coronavirus.

Talking about other essential departments, the member said that essential departments like food and civil supplies and agriculture are not performing efficiently. He said, “The retailers in all the by-lanes of the city are increasing the prices of essential commodities. Even the prices of vegetables are sky rocketing. The departments are not checking the price rise.”

Prominent activist and senior journalist, Manjit Mahanta, talking to G Plus said, “The food & civil supplies department should have taken the public distribution system (PDS) to the doorstep. People are not being able to go out and get the required commodities.”

A shot of the crowded GMC vegetable wholesale market at Fancy Bazar | G Plus File photo He added meanwhile that the retailers are taking advantage of the situation and increasing prices of commodities.

Mahanta also said that the agriculture department should have collected vegetables from the farmers and should have distributed it to all the districts which is not happening.

At present the district administrations have taken the initiative of providing vegetables to various localities in vehicles but the process is not smooth.

Many vegetable vendors are still selling vegetables violating the lockdown and charging huge price, the journalist added.

Reacting to the allegations, a senior official of food and civil supply, talking to G Plus said that it is not that there is any chronic shortage of essential commodities in the state but due to less availability of the requisite manpower there are some issues.

The official expressed that the main sources of essential commodities in India are Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan and because of the lockdown there are lesser vehicles bringing in the commodities. There are also lesser labourers, so unloading of commodities is also 30% slower than earlier. For all these factors commodities from open markets are little less in the markets

The fisheries department which has decided to start selling fish from 10th April has decided to sell only local fish to the people. but gradually things are being streamlined.

Another food and civil supply official from Kamrup (Metro) claimed that the department, time to time, is carrying out raids against retailers who are increasing prices of essential commodities.

The Kamrup (Metro) officials are also claiming that they are taking action against vegetable vendors who are violating lockdown orders and selling vegetables at a higher price.

The fisheries department which has decided to start selling fish from 10th April has decided to sell only local fish to the people. The move started from Guwahati and according to the fisheries minister it will start selling in the entire state gradually.

Though fish is not considered as an essential commodity, in

Assam there is a huge demand for fish.

The livestock department has accordingly started home delivery of chicken in Guwahati.

Potatoes are selling from Rs 20 to Rs 30 in Guwahati, but the government rate is Rs 14 per kilo. Similarly, a kilo of cucumber is Rs 18 according to the Kamrup (Metro) officials but the vegetable vendors are selling it for Rs 40 per kilo.

The vegetable vehicles are no matter located in various areas in the city but many people are not being able to purchase the vegetables from the vehicles.

A resident of Jyotikuchi, Kedar Nath talking to G Plus said, “I stay in Dhupolia and these days can purchase vegetables from some local vegetable vendors who sell at a huge price. I am buying potato for Rs 32 per kilo and vegetables like cauliflower for Rs 40 per kilo. I heard that the government is selling vegetables in vehicles but in our area it is placed at Lal Ganesh which is around 3 kilometres away and police don’t allow us to go there.”

Similarly, from most of the localities there are concerns regarding prices of vegetables and essential commodities which compel the citizens to raise question regarding the performance of essential departments.

Society

| Apr 11 - Apr 17, 2020

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Assam records first COVID-19 fatality with death of 65-year-old Nehal Jain @NehalJain96

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ssam registered its first casualty owing to complications of coronavirus on Friday with the passing away of a 65-year-old man from Hailakandi district in Silchar.

The deceased, Faijul Haque Barbhyan, was undergoing treatment at Silchar Medical College and Hospital (SMCH).

He had a travel history to Saudi Arabia as well as to the Nizamuddin Markaz in Delhi, and had confirmed COVID-19 positive on Tuesday.

The deceased was a retired BSF personnel whose condition

turned “alarming” on Thursday last. The minister had said his other parameters were stable but "his oxygen saturation is decreasing and he has been shifted to the ICU for better monitoring".

State health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma expressed his deepest condolences and prayers for the bereaved family.

“With utmost Grief and sorrow, I would like to inform that Sri Faijul Haque Barbhyan,(65) Hailakandi District has expired few minutes back in SMCH due to complication of COVID-19 infection. My deep condolences and prayers for the bereaved family,” he wrote on Twitter.

Silchar MP Rajdeep Roy said the funeral of the deceased will be

State health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma expressed his deepest condolences and prayers for the bereaved family. held according to the COVID-19 protocol and the details will be announced later.

So far, Assam has reported 29 positive cases of coronavirus, of which 28 are linked with Nizamuddin Markaz. The source of transmission of the virus on the remaining one patient continues to be unknown.

The latest positive case of coronavirus in Assam was reported on April 9. The patient, a 38-year-old resident of Bilasipara area of Dhubri district, had come in contact with the coronavirus patient from Dhubri who had attended the Nizamuddin Markaz in Delhi.

In the entire northeastern region, as many as 34 COVID-19 cases have been reported as of April 10. Assam has emerged as the epicenter in northeast India with 29 cases out of the total 34.

Further, Manipur has 2 COVID-19 cases while Tripura, Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh has one case each. So far, no positive cases of coronavirus have been reported from Nagaland, Sikkim and Meghalaya.

India’s COVID-19 positive tally reaches 6,412 The number of coronavirus cases in India has risen to 6,412 while the death toll has reached 199 as at 1.30 pm on Friday last, according to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

A total of 504 people have been cured, discharged or migrated, which leaves India with 5,709 active positive cases.

It should be mentioned that India's COVID-19 count rose sharply on Friday with states confirming over 650 fresh cases in 24 hours. As many as 30 people passed away due to COVID-19 infection during

these 24 hours.

Cases have been reported from 31 states and union territories of India so far.

At 1,364, Maharashtra has seen the highest number of novel coronavirus cases in India so far. It is followed by Tamil Nadu (834) and Delhi (720).

Telangana has reported 442 cases.

At least 15 people died in Maharashtra itself within 24 hours, bringing the toll in the state to 99. Maharashtra accounts for over 40% of all coronavirus deaths in the

country.

IMCR updates testing strategy

Owing to the prevailing circumstances, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has updated its testing strategy for COVID-19 patients in India. The revised strategy mentioned that asymptomatic direct and high-risk contacts of a confirmed case should be tested once between "Day 5 and Day 14" of coming in his or her contact.

ICMR will test all

The janaza of the Hailakandi patient who died of Covid-19

symptomatic individuals with an international travel history in last 14 days. All symptomatic contacts of laboratory-confirmed cases will also be examined. Besides, all symptomatic health care workers will also be checked for COVID-19 infection.

Along with that, testing of all patients with severe acute respiratory illness (fever and cough and/or shortness of breath) will be done. ICMR will also conduct tests in COVID-19 hotspots identified by ministry of health and family welfare.

Number of COVID-19 positive cases has risen to 29 in Assam Assam reported its first casualty owing to coronavirus on April 10 In Assam, the first case was reported on March 31, the patient had a travel history of Delhi Over the next few days, the number increased and patients are under medical supervision Assam has entered a critical stage, emerged as epicenter in northeast India Govt says they are prepared to tackle the cases Positive cases in India exceeds 6,000, death tally at 199 Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has updated its testing strategy for COVID-19

4 City Snippets Guwahati hotel sealed after Tripura COVID-19 patient confirms stay

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fter the COVID-19 patient from Tripura revealed her travel history and confirmed that she stayed in a hotel in Guwahati, the District Administration of Kamrup (M) has sealed off the hotel.

The wome n had come to Guwahati from Tripura on March 15. She visited Kamakhya Temple and stayed at the residence of a priest in the temple premises. She then stayed in the hotel on March 16 and 17.

As such the hotel has been sealed and authorities have also sent the priest along with his family to quarantine.

Further, authorities are in search of six more people who had travelled with her in the same coach of Tripura Sundari Express on the return journey.

She returned to Tripura on March 19 and was tested positive on 6 April. She is currently undergoing treatment at GBP Hospital and as per reports she is in stable condition.

Guwahati based businessman donates over Rs 2 Cr to fight Coronavirus

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uwahati based businessman and social activist Anand Kumar Jain has donated a sum of Rs 2,00,11,111 as support towards the fight against coronavirus.

Jain met with Assam Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on April 7 and handed over a cheque for the same.

Many individuals, businesses and NGOs have come forward and contributed towards Covid-19 relief fund.

So far, the Assam govt has received a sum of over Rs 20 crore as donations from the citizens to fight the pandemic.

| Apr 11 - Apr 17, 2020

Odd-even scheme to limit vehicular movement begins in Guwahati Nehal Jain @NehalJain96

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he Guwahati Police Commissonerate on Friday, April 9 announced to implement an oddeven rule for all vehicles involved in essential services for three days, from 10th April to 12th April.

The rule has been implemented to further reduce traffic movement on the city roads.

The system, which was first implemented in Delhi to tackle air pollution by limiting the number of cars as per the last digit of their registration number, came into force after vehicles with stickers saying “essential services” clogged roads in some areas of the city.

“Even if the vehicles carry permissions, only those with registrations ending with an even number will be allowed to ply on roads on Friday. Likewise, odd-numbered vehicles will be allowed to ply on Saturday and even numbers on Sunday will be allowed on the roads,” Guwahati Police Commissioner, Munna Prasad Gupta said.

However, all vehicles of health department officials, ambulances, doctors, health workers, media personnel, police, on-duty government servants, banking staff, water carrying vehicles, full-body load carrying trucks, vehicles carrying LPG cylinders, refinery workers, electricity department and telecom services have been exempted from this order.

“In view of the evening storm, electricity and telecom vehicles are exempted from odd/even roistering since they would be required for restoration work,” stated ADGP Law and Order GP

Errant tw-wheelers were seized for violating the odd-even policy implemented in the city on 10th April | G Plus photo Singh in a tweet.

Additionally, all vegetable and milk vans irrespective of their number plates are allowed to enter the city before 9 am.

“Huge traffic was witnessed at Ganeshguri locality of the city on Thursday with most of the vehicles carrying stickers of ‘essential services’. While the previous measures of lockdown remain in place, the odd-even rule is an additional effort from our side to save people from coronavirus outbreak,” Mayank Kumar, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic) told G Plus.

The Guwahati city police have seized 2,977 vehicles in the city and imposed fines of Rs 11,91,500 since the beginning of the lockdown. Interestingly, 2,717 of these 2,977 vehicles are two wheelers, while 20 are three wheelers and 240 are four

wheelers.

A total of 1,203 non-FIR cases have also been sent to court during the period of March 24 to April 9, 2020. The highest number of vehicles has been seized by Dispur police station, that is, 309, followed

by Bharalumukh police station and Paltan Bazaar police station which have seized 237 and 227 vehicles respectively.

“We have also registered more than 1,200 non-FIR cases against the violators. Besides, we have registered some cases under IPC and arrested 90 people for violation of the lockdown,” stated the commissioner of police.

Similarly in the entire state of Assam, 7,447 vehicles have been detained including 17 country made boats and the Assam police has imposed fine of Rs 26,73,900

till April 9.

Further, 1,202 incidents of violation of lockdown have been reported in the state. Assam police have registered 642 cases and arrested 1,338 people in this regard.

Markets, offices and other installations were mostly closed and vehicles were off the road across Assam since the nationwide lockdown went underway on March 24 to check the spread of the coronavirus.

However, at many places people defied the lockdown and ventured out of their homes, prompting the police to use force.

During this period of lockdown, police have also been seen distributing rice, vegetables, medicines and other essentials among the needy people at various places.

Guwahati top cop clarifies on necessity of odd-even policy In a press release issued by the Assam Police, it was informed that odd-even order for private vehicles plying in Guwahati will be followed from 10th April to 12th April.

The statement created confusion among the citizens of Guwahati.

However, clearing the air, ADGP

Law and Order, GP Singh told G Plus, “In spite of a lockdown being in place, vehicles in huge numbers are plying in the city. Due to the people of Guwahati playing spoilsport during these tough times, we have decided to enforce odd-even policy, even for those vehicles that have valid passes.”

He added that people roaming

around the city with 5 year old prescriptions and fake emergencies has led to the police taking this step.

“The decision on extending the odd-even policy will be taken on the 12th of April after taking stock of the situation,” Singh added.

As such all private vehicles, even those with permit passes,

will have to follow the odd-even policy.

Speaking to G Plus, DCP (Traffic) Mayank Kumar further stated that the order applies on vehicles involved in the purpose of buying / selling of groceries, buying of LPG cylinders, conducting relief work as well as vehicles of government officials not on duty.

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Poll

| Apr 11 - Apr 17, 2020

Guwahatians in favour of extending lockdown With the increasing number of Covid-19 positive cases in #Assam,do you think the lockdown should be extended?

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hile Assam, along with the rest of the country, is inching towards the end of the 21-day national lockdown to prevent the spread of novel coronavirus, Guwahatians feel that the lockdown should be extended beyond the previously-decided 21 days.

Assam has recorded a total 29 positive cases of COVID-19 including one death due to the deadly virus.

As the number of cases are steadily increasing in the state, people are becoming apprehensive about lifting of the lockdown.

G Plus conducted a poll on its social media channels and asked Guwahatians if they feel that the lockdown should be extended given the rising number of coronavirus cases.

More than 10,800 people participated in the poll and a majority of them said that the government should extend the lockdown beyond April 14.

Vikas Agarwal, a resident of Guwahati said that the desire to extend the lockdown shall continue till we get a vaccine or the numbers of infected cases reduce significantly.

He said, “Both that won’t happen very soon.

But the lockdown can’t go on indefinitely.

Instead the government can, under very strict social distancing protocols, very selectively, start bringing back some degree of normalcy. Given that the government had enough time to sensitise the public and get a grip over its movement, the government can selectively restore normalcy.”

It is to be mentioned that Odisha recently became the first state to extend the lockdown.

This was announced on April 9 after Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik held a meeting of the state cabinet.

Patnaik said Odisha would also ask the Centre not to resume train and air services till April 30. Schools and educational institutions would remain closed till June 17.

It is to be mentioned that Odisha has reported 42 confirmed Covid-19 cases so far and one person has died in the state due to coronavirus.

Further, Assam health and family welfare minister Himanta Biswa Sarma informed that nearly 75,000 people in the state would complete the mandatory 14-day home quarantine on April 10 and

would be released from the same.

Another Guwahatian Nitesh Jain, threw light on some of the measures that could be undertaken by the government in the coming time. He mentioned that interstate travelling should not be allowed at the moment except for special cases. Further, travelling within the state could begin with tickets booked only for intermittent seats for maintaining social distance. He added that buses should not allow more than 10 persons per trip and private cars should follow the odd-even rule as in Delhi.

Further, Rintu Das echoed

the thoughts of many and said that even under the lockdown, the city has witnessed many sporadic instances of large gatherings of people especially for buying vegetables and meat, so one can’t imagine the scenario when it is lifted.

“If there are any chances of lifting the lockdown, then the government should take strict action to implement and maintaining social distance and also restrictions should be put for coming out of home unnecessarily. Only essential services should be allowed to remain operational. Once lockdown is lifted completely, there will be havoc as people seldom follows the rules

implied. We people do not understand the implications of this pandemic and rather just ignore it as a joke.”

On the other hand, Sayan Deori touched upon the effect on the lockdown on the poorest of the poor and those engaged in the unorganised sector.

“Agree Lockdown has prevented spread of cases.

But the shocks received by the daily wage workers and informal labourers are beyond repair. More people will die of hunger and starvation. We are privileged enough and cannot gauge the situation in the poorer communities. If we don’t take their voices in to account it’s going to be disaster,” he

No: 16% Total votes: 10.8K stated.

In the same vein, Shivani Gautam feels that whereas the lockdown must be extended beyond April 14, the needy should be provided with the daily essentials in a door-todoor facility so that there is no misappropriation of the items. “The government should choose a local authority under supervision of the concerned Police Station to do the same, otherwise the needy and daily wage earners will die of hunger,” she said.

Some also expressed concern over those who have been stranded outside the state and said that efforts should be made to bring them back to the state.

Janasanyog No. 129/20

Saumya Mishra @saumyamishra03

Yes: 84%

Published by Directorate of Information and Public Relations, Assam

6 Health

| Apr 11 - Apr 17, 2020

Medical helplines, virtual health clinics offering consultation to patients Assam doctors set up portal for telephonic consultation Barasha Das @Barasha_mi2

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s the 21-day lockdown to fight against the coronavirus pandemic continues, and it is speculated to be extended further, many people are deprived of regular health services, be it regular health problem like seasonal flu or patients with any other diseases, either due to lack of transportation, non-availability of regular clinics or other reasons.

Numerous organisations have come forward to provide help and support to their fellow citizens within their own areas of expertise. In such an instance, a group of doctors have joined forces in Assam and opened a portal called "Doctors on Call Assam" whereby people can seek consultation over telecommunication, be it over phone call, WhatsApp messaging and video calls, for any health problems and diseases. The group has doctors of all specialities catering to the medical needs of patients such as medicine, surgery, obstetrics and gynaecology, paediatrics etc and also super- specialists like urology and gastroenterology.

Talking to G Plus, Rimi Dey, a member of the organization said, "We started off with only five doctors on 2nd April. Our aim is to provide the people of Guwahati and the state with any kind of medical advisory or service that

could be done over phone. But currently we have 24 doctors from across India onboard."

It has to be mentioned that “Doctors on Call Assam” works as a first point of contact for patients who are seeking immediate medical consultation but are unsure whom or where to visit.

Patients can call on the phone number provided - 70023 74372 and after an initial consultation with the medicine department, the patient is forwarded to the specialists in the group itself, whereby he or she can consult over phone, messages or video call. Serious patients are asked to visit the nearby hospitals as required.

"We wanted to help the people of Assam but after the contact number was published, people started contacting from across India. As we couldn't deny help to our patients, the service has been extended further. Many doctors from different parts of the country are also connecting with us, like from Chennai, Hyderabad etc," said Rimi Dey. As reported, the start-up currently has doctors who are mostly from government hospitals like the Gauhati Medical College & Hospital, Silchar Medical College and Hospital, Osmania Medical College Hyderabad, Chennai Medical College and others.

Currently, the organisation attends to around 15 patients everyday as per demand.

It is a non profit start-up and

patients that are required to be sent for physical treatment are usually guided to government hospitals.

Free Virtual Clinic

For people looking for expert medical advice right from home or for a second medical opinion for critical illnesses, they also have the option to visit the free virtual clinic put up by Health Travellers Worldwide (HTW), a NABH Accredited healthcare advisory firm based out of Chennai.

Understanding the need to cater to remote areas of the country, HTW is offering a “Voluntary Virtual Clinic” with top doctors from India for complex and critical illnesses.

Many top specialist doctors have come together to offer their services for free during the lockdown period and HTW is providing access through its platform to patients, especially from northeast India and Bhutan at this critical juncture.

Numbers for Mental Health Care & Support

Representative Image phone.

A press release by Assam Police stated that in view of the psychological stress being faced by people due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the department, in association with the Department of Psychiatry, GMCH and Clinical Psychologists/Psychiatric Social

Workers, has launched telecounselling helplines for those in need of mental health care and support.

A total of six helpline numbers have been initiated in this regard, which would be operational in two shifts for tele-counselling.

Many people are also experiencing psychological stress given the crisis and the difficult times, not to forget about the patients with mental illness.

Amidst the lockdown, Assam Police has now initiated the process Shift 1: 9 am to 3 pm, 60269 01053, 60269 01054, 60269 01055 of consultation of Shift 2: 3 pm to 9 pm, 60269 01056, 60269 01057, 60269 01058 psychiatric and psychologists over

The numbers to be contacted are:

Assam excise dept resolves sanitizer scarcity issue in NE G Plus News @guwahatiplus

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he excise department of Assam has resolved a major issue of sanitizer production in the northeast. Sanitizers are highly in demand during the ongoing pandemic of Covid-19 across the world. As soon as the coronovirus threat started in the country, the demand for hand sanitizers went up and people started complaining about scarcity.

The Assam excise department then observed that some liquor companies in the United States were manufacturing hand sanitizers and accordingly, in

consultation with the health department (which has the highest demand for hand sanitizers presently), decided to produce hand sanitizers.

“11 liquor companies in Assam started producing hand sanitizers and the companies are also producing spirits which are given to other northeastern states for manufacturing sanitization items,” said a senior official of the excise department.

Till now, the excise department has produced around 3,60,000 bottles of hand sanitizers. The bottles were

Tarun Gogoi receiving sanitizers distributed to National Health Mission, Police, Media, Banks and a large consignment of bottles was distributed across the state as part of corporate

social responsibility for the liquor companies.

But the distribution part is being taken care of by the excise department.

Excise department officials led by the public relation officer to the excise minister, Shailendra Pandey, is reaching out to all the corona warriors of the state and distributing the sanitizers free of cost.

As per the directive of Assam State Excise Minister, Parimal Suklabaidiya, over 5 lakh litres of sanitizers will be supplied free of cost as part of the CSR activities by liquor companies of Assam.

It is to be mentioned that these sanitizers are being produced according to the guidelines set up by World Health Organisation, Essential Commodities Act and Drugs & Cosmetics Act, 1940.

Further, the health department had ordered around 5 crore bottles of 200 ml capacity and the same will be supplied by the excise factories of Assam on absolute free-of-cost basis.

The sanitizers have also priced very low as compared to what is available in the market.

Whereas the sanitizer producing companies sell a litre of sanitizer for around Rs 500, the Assam excise department has kept the cost to as low as Rs 160 per litre.

In The News

| Apr 11 - Apr 17, 2020

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Good Samaritans lead the way during COVID-19 crisis Saumya Mishra @saumyamishra03

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n this ongoing time of coronavirus crisis, when the availability and supply of essential items as well as medical goods have become imperative, many good Samaritans are leading the way in serving the needy and making sure that the basic supply of essential items is maintained.

Ashoka Roadways is one such road transporter and logistics company which has been operational in the lower Assam region since the last 60 years.

Manish Bhansali, head operations at Ashoka Roadways said, “In the recent outbreak of COVID-19, we are conducting transportation of life saving drugs, medicines, vaccines and other essential commodities in our area of operation with the special permission from district authorities in a complete hygienic, clean and safe environment.”

Presently, they are catering to more than 50-60 medicine distributor and whole sellers in their area of operation.

“We shall be glad to provide our free services to the needy people who require urgent medicine at Tezpur, Dhekiajuli, Rangapara, Missamari, Biswanath Charali through our courier service Ashoka Courier Service to be collected from our delivery points,” he further mentioned.

“To fight with COVID-19 we have provided facemasks, sanitizers, to our workforce both at our premises and also at the fleet on the road as well as at our branch offices,” added Bhansali.

A supply chain management company- Jain Group- is another such organisation which is helping to ensure uninterrupted supply of medical goods in the entire northeast region.

The company has been instrumental in delivering medicines and other essentials during this 21-day lockdown period.

They cater to more than 2,000 stockists, super stockists, distributors, retailers, hospitals, doctors and critical patients in the northeast region.

This apart, many individuals and NGOs have also come forward to help the needy during the ongoing 21-day lockdown period.

Robin Hood Army Guwahati has launched an initiative called ‘Mission Serve the Needy’ to provide food assistance for families affected by COVID-19 lockdown.

They have undertaken an

initiative to serve raw materials to those needy people who are affected by Covid19 lockdown.

They have also urged people to donate for the same and are collecting raw essential items including rice, mustard oil, sugar, pulses, salt and biscuit.

Further, with a view to ensure uninterrupted blood supply at various blood banks in the city, Touch of Humanity, a not-forprofit organisation, has come up with a concept of ‘Donors Rider’ where the NGO riders would carry the donors from their respective locations to the hospital or the blood banks and drop them safely to their original location as a gesture of humanity without any financial exchange between the patients or the donors.

They are still providing the service at during this time of pandemic. They have also been officially granted permission by the Kamrup (Metro) district administration to carry out their work. The NGO has requested individuals to register themselves as donor and extend their help through donating blood. Those who wish to donate blood can contact- 7002595970.

As normal life has come to a halt during the lockdown, the street animals across the city who are completely dependent on humans for survival, are left without food.

However, a few non-profitable organisations and other individuals have come forward for their rescue at this time of crisis. One such trust is The Paw Foundation Trust which has been feeding stray animals ever since the lockdown was declared.

Indira Emma, Managing Trustee of The Paw Foundation, told G Plus, “The foundation is one year old, so we are not eligible for any government funds. So, we are working on donations for now.

We have received a permission from the Deputy Commissioner to feed the street animals in Kamrup Metropolitan District during the lockdown.”

Further, hundreds of volunteers have come forward to help the foundation and are being issued directives on social distancing and

other preventive measures as per government guidelines.

The volunteers are also issued identification passes.

On the other hand, amidst the nationwide lockdown, the Assam Police has taken up various initiatives to help the poor and needy people of the state by means of serving ration, cooked food and medicines. While the police have been enforcing the lockdown using its iron hand, they Himanta Biswa Sarma (L) receiving a donation cheque from excise minister Parimal Suklabaidya truly have been empathizing with have contributed in Assam government in its fight against a golden heart.

Arogya Nidhi as donations to fight coronavirus.

Distributing dry rations and #Covid_19. Glad to share that we State health and family vegetables amongst the vulnerable have received Rs 70.96 cr so far. welfare minister Himanta Biswa families affected by the lockdown, Today’s amount also includes 1 Sarma shared on Twitter: “My helping private organizations, day salary of all Govt employees.” gratitude to 31,377 people who NGOs and individuals in distributing cooked meals, ensuring the well-being of abandoned animals by feeding them, providing shelter to the homeless and medicine to the elderly are some of the steps taken by the police personnel of the state.

Further, it is to be mentioned that a large number of people from the state have also come forward to donate generously towards the Asaam Arogya Nidhi- the COVID-19 relief fund set up by the state government.

Till now 31,377 individuals/ organisations have lent a helping hand to the state

The Good Samaritans include Ashoka Roadways Jain Group Robin Hood Army Touch of Humanity The Paw Foundation Trust Assam Police 31,377 individual/organisational donors Govt employees

8 City

| Apr 11 - Apr 17, 2020

District Authorities taking measures to cater to the nutritional needs of Guwahati amidst lockdown Proper vegetable supply chain established; non-vegetarians to relish on their favourites soon Barasha Das @Barasha_mi2

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ith the lockdown in place, Guwahatians have been facing a major problem in acquiring vegetables as regular markets have been stopped from functioning to prevent mass gatherings.

poured in from many citizens of Guwahati that most of these services were not being able to deliver orders on time and some had even cancelled or rejected many orders.

In trying to understand the matter and problems thereof better, G Plus took stock of the situation and found that the Taza Sabji app, the first app-based service permitted to provide

1. Social Enterprise Experts Group - via seujcart.com (90853 33351) or WhatsApp No. 94351 14650 2. Chamua Engg Pvt Ltd - via Mohabaahu Fresh app (70020 31712) 3. Prithvi Agrofresh, www.wefarmfresh.com (98702 83506) 4. NERAMAC - via NE Fresh app (86389 95055) 5. Nayan Pratim Kumar or Partha Baruah - 88110 11944 / 99547 51815 6. Temptation (Anish Tulsyan) - 70862 40262 7. KIEGA Exims Pvt. LTD - via Local Farmers App (91014 73928 / 69005 23998) 8. Freshdo – via call or WhatsApp No. 84860 15566 However, the district administration has finally taken steps in this regard and has authorised 10 organisations and individuals to provide home delivery of vegetables.

G Plus checked on the availability of these services and found that eight of them are currently functioning, while the rest two are not available.

The functional service providers are as follows and their services can be availed via mobile based apps and/or contact numbers as provided.

Speaking to G Plus, Bipul Kumar Das, ADC Kamrup (M) informed that currently only the above mentioned parties have been authorized to supply vegetables in Guwahati. However, complaints

delivery service had suspended operations due to shortage of manpower.

Answering to queries, most home delivery service providers informed that due to insufficient delivery personnel or manpower, orders were not being able to be serviced on time. As such, most have said that customers could expect delivery within only 48 to 72 hours of ordering.

While every app has received orders numbering 600 to 700 per day, the delivered or servicecompleted rate is quite low at 150 to 300 deliveries per day.

Further, it has been informed that due to lack of packaging materials, proper packaging is not being done as per standards.

However, citizens are requested

to sympathise with the situation.

Also the administration has been requested to provide additional support on the same Amar Jyoti Chamua of Chamua Engg said, “We are getting regular orders and are providing in Ganeshguri, Panjabari, Sixmile till Lokhra. We have two cars and four bikes for delivery which is not enough, but the permission for more has not yet been granted. We do not have permission to cover the whole city. So even though we were getting orders we had to cancel those. The vegetables are procured from Barpeta, Morigoan, Kharupetia and other districts.

We sell at around the rate fixed by the government. Due to shortage of packaging boys we are able to deliver around 100 orders per day.”

Pinky DM Saharia of Prithvi Agro Fresh informed, “We are currently catering to nearly 200 families per day. Although we get more orders we are unable to offer our services at the moment. However, we are doing the needful to fulfil the demands.”

Shankar Nath of NERAMAC said, “As a government organisation we have tried to address the pleas of the farmers. So we have tied up with NE Fresh for delivery services.”

“The government has asked us to collect online payments as there are chances of spread of coronavirus or any disease through currency notes. But as many people are not acquainted with the online processes of payment, we are accepting cashon-delivery. However, we have made sure that our delivery boys

Fish being sold at the FISHFED counter in Guwahati during lockdown | G Plus Photo as well as other staff wash and sanitize their hands every half an hour,” said Siddharth Barth of seujcart.com The organizations providing these delivery services have been permitted by the district authority and permission has also been given vehicles for the same.

Most of them are opting for pre-packed packages of vegetables as it is not feasible to deliver small packets given the shortage in manpower and transport permissibility.

There is also a group of reporters from a reputed media house who have come forward to help by connecting the citizens with the vegetable vendors and Partha Baruah can be contacted for the same.

The district administration has also started sale of vegetables at 91 locations from 8th April.

Speaking to G Plus, a few of these vendors informed that

their stock is procured from Pamohi wholesale market every morning and sold at the prescribed localities. The district administration keeps a close check and the products are priced at rates fixed by the government.

It has to be mentioned that the vegetables at the online stores are procured from individual sources and the prices of most are comparatively high. Authorities have however released a prise list to counter the same.

Apart from the above mentioned sources, many localities of the city have regular vegetable vendors.

Not only do they price higher but most do not have proper license for service and are not following norms of social distancing.

ADC Bipul Kumar Das informed that any such vendor doing business is illegal and would be dealt with at the earliest. He said, "Illegal business has been going on and measures will be taken soon."

Door-to-door delivery of meat, fish in Guwahati set to be done from Apr 11 Although the city has been feeding on vegetables and groceries during the lockdown, the non-vegetarian section of Guwahati are complaining about the non-availability of meat and fish. Many have pointed out its importance in boosting the immune system.

G Plus had earlier said that areas outside the city premises and other places of the state are getting supply of non-vegetarian items, while the city itself is deprived of the same.

The district administration has finally permitted the supply

of meat and fish in Guwahati.

Reportedly, the authorities have sought vendors and suppliers to cater to the needs and have asked them to register for the same.

Talking to G Plus, two delivery services, namely, wefarmfresh. com and NE Fresh supported

by NERAMAC had confirmed that meat and fish would also be included in their list of delivered good soon.

Pinky Saharia of Prithvi AgroFresh said that they would be supplying from 11th April and also would include dairy products to their list.

Shankar Nath of NERAMAC informed that NE Fresh had been permitted to supply nonvegetarian items and would do so in the next two to three days.

Another app based service lockdown21.in has also been permitted to provide home delivery of pultry and fish by the administration as per rates fixed by the Livestock Developed Agency and FISHFED, Guwahati.

Further, as per instructions received from the government, arrangements have also been made for sale and distribution of local fish to the residents of

Guwahati with effect from April 10.

The places that are permitted to do so are the Rupnagar outlet of FISHFED. Door-to-door delivery has also been permitted from Uzanbazar, Pandu and Bhetapara.

These sellers are to procure stock from wholesalers through vehicles permitted by the Fishery Department and FISHFED, Assam.

However, the process of handing over of fishes by the wholesalers to the door-to-door delivery persons must be completed by 7:00 AM daily. Fishery Department and FISHFED will depute officials at all

the three points to keep check on operations and for maintaining of protocol of COVID-19.

The home delivery personnel are to get permits for supply by bicycle or cart and no selling points are to be allowed at the markets and on the roadside.

Authorities have also fixed prices of the various products.

Allegedly, many pockets of the city have seen unauthorised supply of meat during lockdown.

Although the same could not be confirmed, illegal slaughtering of pork and beef has also been reported from across the city.

| Apr 11 - Apr 17, 2020

Concern

9

The harsh reality of Assam’s unemployment 5000 applying for 25 temporary NHM jobs during lockdown unemployment problem is starker here.

A lot of industrial units are closing shop in the n the ongoing crisis of state, there are a the Coronavirus attack lot of dying units, on the entire world, India financial institutions is undergoing a massive are grasping with economic uncertainty, a the problem of nonveritable upheaval so to say. performing assets In a recent circular posted (NPAs) due to the by the National Health Mission failure on the part of (NHM), walk-in interviews for fledgling industrial “cleaners” on temporary basis for units to repay loans COVID-19 hospitals in Assam was – all these factors are advertised. further aggravating To apply for the same, many the problem of candidates, throwing caution to unemployment. the lockdown, came from places Records in as far as Barpeta and Baihata employment Chariali to Sarusajai stadium in exchanges across the Guwahati. state also show that Speaking to G Plus one of the there are 20,24,886 candidates said, “The NHM has The applicants that gathered at Sarusajai Stadium for the posts of 25 cleaners registered employed issued this advertisement for 25 persons till last year, industries second quarter of this year the “catastrophic consequences”, posts but as you can see thousands minister Chandra Mohan equivalent of 195 million jobs and is expected to wipe out 195 have gathered here to apply.”

Patowary said. worldwide. million full-time jobs or 6.7 per Further, another candidate On the steps taken to provide cent of working hours globally in said, “The lockdown has caused Social distancing turns jobs to the unemployed, the the second quarter of this year, not only panic among us but also into gimmick during minister said their names are the UN’s labour body has warned. deprived us from earning money. forwarded by the employment The International Labour So we have come here to try our lockdown exchanges to various employers Organization (ILO) Directorluck at getting this job at least for who are legally bound to send General Guy Ryder said that in the time being.”

With the ongoing lockdown, their requirements to the India, with a share of almost 90 The situation spoke disturbingly what Assam has seen is the main exchanges. per cent of people working in of Assam’s unemployment agendum of social distancing The exchanges also provide the informal economy, about 400 scenario.

Assam’s educated going for a toss. Be it religious career counselling and vocational million workers in the informal unemployment rate stands at institutions or any social hubs, guidance to the registered economy are at risk of falling 17 lakhs, as per data provided in Guwahatians as well as rest of persons to find alternate means of deeper into poverty during the Assembly in December 2019. the citizens of Assam are being employment, he added. the crisis. Current lockdown Hence, the youths of Assam are rebellious enough to break down measures in India, which are at keeping no stones unturned to the barriers of social distancing.

COVID-19 crisis may the high end of the University of grab an opportunity in these hard Reports have come from push 40 crore Indian Oxford’s COVID-19 Government times. several parts of Assam of people Response Stringency Index, The unemployment tracker being detained as well as arrested workers into poverty, have impacted these workers survey was released by the Centre for not abiding by the law of the says UN significantly, forcing many of for the Monitoring of Indian land. them to return to rural areas.

Economy (CMIE), the only data With shameful acts from the About 400 million people The report further said that source of its kind that reports citizens in the “Janata Curfew” working in the informal economy the disruption to the world’s unemployment on a daily, monthly or PM Modi’s call to light up in India are at risk of falling economies caused by the and quarterly basis. The CMIE candles, citizens went to the extra deeper into poverty due to the COVID-19 pandemic is expected interviews every day about 3,500 mile of bursting crackers as well coronavirus crisis which is having to wipe out 6.7 per cent of randomly selected persons in as uniting socially amidst this working hours globally in the its consumer survey. With the Unemployment in India - September - December 2019: Focus Assam lockdown. lockdown being clamped, like everything else, the survey too came to a halt. They managed to do only 2,289 interviews in the last week of March. But the data was not released as the sample was too small and the week was rather unusual. Repeat field survey was not possible, but the CMIE field staff managed to do 9,429 telephonic interviews to collect the data for the week ending 5th April.

The sample was smaller than usual but large enough and fairly representative in terms of rural/urban, class

Atiqul Habib @guwahatiplus

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and so on. These results were not different from the figures they got from the still smaller sample in the previous week. So, after due verification, the CMIE released its first set of data and analysis.

The CMIE estimates that only 27.7 per cent of the working-age population (which is 103 crores) was employed in the week after lockdown began. That works out to 28.5 crores. So, within two weeks, the number of gainfully employed has come down from 40.4 crores to 28.5 crores, a drop of 11.9 crores.

As per the CMIE data Assam’s unemployment rate stands at 4.8 percent as on March 2020.

Meanwhile, India’s unemployment rate rose to 7.78% in February, the highest since October 2019- up from 7.16% in January 2020.

With a prediction and speculation of pay cuts and job losses, Assam too is seeing the vulnerable flipside of Coronavirus spread.

Earlier, Assam’s state finance minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma, had also hinted towards the pandemic resulting in huge job losses, pay cuts and freeze on hiring over the next few quarters.

“As per reports, job loss in India will be 50 percent,” he said, hinting at difficult times especially for the private sector employees in the coming times.

A report from the North Eastern Development Finance Corporation Limited (NEDFi) published in October 2017 stated that over 1.75 lakh jobs will be required by the state annually till 2020. However, Assam, at present, is facing the twin challenge of growing unemployment and a mushrooming young population.

Development still being an alien concept in Assam, the

10 Concern

| Apr 11 - Apr 17, 2020

Dusty winds, forest blooming responsible for Guwahati’s poor air quality during lockdown Guwahati along with Lucknow, Muzaffarpur, Kalyan and Singrauli were under ‘poor’ category during March 25-28.

Saumya Mishra @saumyamishra03

The ongoing lockdown has had no effect on Guwahati’s AQI Experts say dusty winds and forest blooming responsible for this Scattered pollen in the air another reason for Guwahati’s poor AQI Delhi has continuously recorded better air quality than Guwahati Guwahati recorded a worse AQI on March 23 - the next day of Janata Curfew Delhi saw 44% reduction in PM10 levels during March 22-23 Guwahati was among the 22 cities which recorded poor air quality index.

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ven though Guwahati has been under lockdown since March 24, it has had no effect on bettering the air quality, as has been witnessed in other parts of the country.

This was revealed in a recent report by the Central Pollution

Control Board (CPCB), which studied the impact of Janata Curfew and lockdown on air quality in different cities.

Experts have attributed the poor air quality in Guwahati during lockdown to the current dusty environment and forest blooming which results in pollen being scattered in the air.

“In this season, Guwahati usually records a higher AQI as compared to the other months.

This is mainly due to the dusty winds, riverbed dust and the ongoing forest blooming,” said Umesh Das, head, central laboratory at the Pollution Control Board of Assam.

He added that since currently there is negligible traffic movement, no vehicular emissions, and since industries are shut, the level of harmful gases in the air has become better and the poor air quality is due to higher PM 2.5 and PM 10 levels.

PM 2.5 are fine particulate matters suspended in the air measuring two and a half microns or less in width. There are around 25,000 microns in an inch. Presence of high levels of PM 2.5 in the air reduces visibility and causes the air to appear hazy and can pose serious health-related risks among people including respiratory issues.

PM 10 is another air pollutant which is particulate matter measuring 10 micrometers or less in diameter.

It is to be mentioned that during this period, Delhi has continuously recorded better air quality than Guwahati.

According to the report, while a majority of cities recorded better quality on the next day of the Janata Curfew (March

A hazy Guwahati | Representative Umage of Guwahati’s pollution 23), Guwahati’s air quality index was worse on that day as compared to the previous day.

The city recorded an AQI of 218 and 231 on March 22 and March 23 respectively.

On the other hand, up to 44% reduction in PM10 levels was observed in Delhi during March 22-23, as compared to the previous day.

However, Guwahati along with Lucknow, Muzaffarpur, Kalyan and Singrauli were under ‘poor’ category during March 25-28.

Air quality index is used to define the pollution levels in the air by measuring different atmospheric pollutants such as PM 2.5, PM 10, sulphur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon monoxide (CO), and ozone (O3).

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The AQI between 0 and 50 is considered good, 51100 falls under the moderate category, while an AQI of 101150 is considered unhealthy for sensitive groups and 151200 falls under the unhealthy category.

As per the CPCB data, as on April 9 at 4 PM, Guwahati recorded an AQI of 141, which was again poorer than a majority of cities including Delhi which recorded an AQI of 86, while Faridabad’s air quality stood at 103.

Out of the 104 cities, Guwahati was among the 22 cities which recorded poor air quality index.

Further, Ludhiana and Thane were among cities which recorded ‘good’ air quality with AQI of 38 and 34 respectively.

On the flip side, Delhi which

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has remained infamous for its grave air quality has witnessed clearer sky and is breathing better air in a long time.

As per the CPCB, during the 21-day lockdown period, the city’s air quality went from being categorised as ‘hazardous’ to ‘good’.

Experts have attributed the better air in the national capital to very few cars on the road, the shut factories which otherwise are a major contributor to the hazardous smoke, and the absence of any construction work. It is especially proving beneficial for asthma patients, as per reports.

Apart from Delhi, other places which have experienced less pollution include Chennai, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru and Ghaziabad.

Cover Story

| Apr 11 - Apr 17, 2020

11

Athgaon Kabristhan Masjid in Guwahati declared Containment Zone, Sealed for 14 days Nehal Jain @NehalJain96 FROM Page 01

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thgaon Kabristhan Masjid has been declared a containment zone and has been sealed for 14 days by the state government.

“As public health safety measure, Athgaon Kabristhan Masjid in Guwahati has been declared a containment zone and we have ordered Kamrup (Metro) district administration to seal the mosque for 14 days,” informed state and family welfare minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on April 10 while addressing a press meet in Guwahati.

The decision was taken after three positive cases in the state were linked to a meeting held at the mosque on March 12 last.

“One Rohiuddin who was found COVID-19 positive on April 9 and admitted to Mahendra Mohan Choudhury Hospital (MMCH) informed officials that he was at the Kabristhan Masjid on March 12. Apart from him, two others admitted in MMCH to have been present there on the same day. Upon investigation, it was found that the Masjid held a meeting of around 100 people on March 12,” stated Sarma.

Over 100 people were gathered at the mosque to attend a meeting on March 12. Out of these, three people have already tested positive for coronavirus - Jamaluddin from Karimganj, Jamaluddin Hazi and Rohiuddin from Dhubri districts of Assam.

It should be mentioned that at least 8 people who returned from Nizamuddin Markaz were present in the event. And thus, like Nizamuddin Markaz in Delhi, now Athgaon Kabristhan Masjid is emerging as a “hotspot” in Assam.

As such, no one will be either allowed to enter or exit from the mosque premises for the next 14 days. If caretakers or anyone else is present inside the premise, the district administration will provide them with food inside the premises itself. They will also be able to conduct the religious

duties from within the Masjid grounds.

Speaking to the media, Sarma further added that the secretary of the mosque has provided the police with 58 names of people who attended the meeting and they have been put under quarantine. However, the administration is still in search of the remaining people that attended the event and are tracing contacts of the three positive patients.

“The patients did not inform us at the beginning that a meeting was held at the Athgaon Kabristhan Masjid and saw a huge gathering. The situation would have been better if we had received the information a few days back,” expressed Sarma.

Earlier, Spanish Garden apartment in Zoo Road area of Guwahati was sealed off after a businessman had tested positive for the virus.

Assam Govt launches WhatsApp number to help those stranded outside state

State health and family welfare minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, on April 10, said that the state government would provide assistance to those patients from Assam who had gone outside the state for treatment and are stranded.

He said that the government has identified 150 such patients in Mumbai’s Assam Bhawan.

“We are launching WhatsApp number (6901281862) for all cancer patients, kidney transplant patients and those suffering from heart disease stranded outside the state. They can contact this number for assistance,” said Sarma.

“Send your bank account number with IFSC code or photo of the first page of passbook,” he added.

Further, a landline number (0361-2558955) has also been launched.

Sarma said that those stuck can call on the landline number, give their details, an operator will then check credentials for authenticity. If the operator approves, the people can provide bank details on the WhatsApp number.

He emphasized that only those people who had gone

File photo of Athgaon Kabristhan Masjid now delared Containment Zone for kidney transplant, heart operation and similar surgeries and were stranded outside with lack of money or place to stay in, may contact the authorities via WhatsApp on this number.

Guwahati resident who tested COVID-19 positive cured: HBS

The Guwahati resident who had tested COVID-19 positive has been completely cured as of April 10.

In a press meet, Assam State Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that Manish Tibrewal, who became the first COVID-19 positive case from Guwahati, has been cured and is stable. His samples have been tested negative twice.

However, as per government of India norms, an infected person has to be kept in isolation for at least 14 days.

Hence, Tibrewal, who tested positive on April 2, will be released only on April 16.

It is to be mentioned that he was also the first case in Assam who didn’t have any links to the Nizamuddin Markaz congregation in Delhi.

Earlier, G Plus got in touch with the patient’s wife who informed that Manish Tibrewal returned to Guwahati from Delhi via

flight on March 1 and was in Guwahati since then. He did, however, visit Shillong recently.

Assam has so far reported 29 positive cases of coronavirus, out of which one has succumbed to his injuries.

Five out of the 29 patients have now tested negative,

including Tibrewal. In Golaghat, three patients have tested negative for the deadly virus.

Also, one patient admitted at MMCH in Guwahati has also tested negative. But they will have to complete 14 days of isolation and only then can be released.

12 Guest Column

| Apr 11 - Apr 17, 2020

Celebrating a ‘Quarantined’ Rongali Bihu T he month of April brings with it the most anticipated festival of the Assamese burgess. With the advent of the spring season, the blooming flowers and the melodious voice of the cuckoos carry alongside the fervour which is hard to explain with words, but is rather felt.

The Assamese people welcome these vivid changes of Mother Nature by celebrating the joyous festival of Rongali Bihu. And when one confabulates about Rongali Bihu, it is all about fun, frolic, days of jollification and most importantly a distinctive

The author attempts to explore ways and means to celebrate Rongali Bihu is all its traditional fervour and yet remain under quarantine given that regular Bihu celebrations have been called off in Assam given the lockdown to contain the spread of the coronavirus. way to break the monopoly of the humdrum lives of the people.

In fact, when we speak of Rongali Bihu, another thing that increases the overall excitement of it is the Bihu functions that are organized on different platforms.

And these Bihu functions since time immemorial have not only glorified the nights of the dwellers during the entire Bihu season, but also have provided an opportunity to many artistes to showcase their hidden potential.

So, the palpable fact is that in the modern era, it is almost impossible to imagine Rongali Bihu without Bihu functions.

However, the year 2020 has not at all been a salubrious one for the entire global community. With the outbreak of the infectious Covid-19, many countries around the globe have already announced lockdown for their countries and in this regard India is not an exception either.

The uncontrollable spread of the infectious disease and with it the announcement of the lockdown have together meant that the Assamese people won’t be able to enjoy the Rongali Bihu in the same way they used to, and the major jolt to the unique ways of celebration was the cancelling of all the Bihu functions for this year. But the clear cut fact is that since Rongali Bihu is ingrained within the hearts of the people of Assam, hence the exuberant Bihu lovers would anyway find one or the other way to celebrate Rongali Bihu amidst the period of quarantine.

The scrupulous deliberation done above is basically to focus on the various ways to celebrate the Rongali Bihu by making oneself isolated at one’s place, keeping in terms with the rich culture and heritage associated with the festival. Moreover, another thing that often comes into the limelight, every time the celebration of Rongali Bihu takes the centre stage is the controversy regarding people’s failure to maintain a balance between modernity and vintage ways of celebrating the festival. Hence this year, people at large might just get that rare opportunity to settle or bring an end to all the controversies lingering around the festival.

Speaking of vintage ways of celebration of Rongali Bihu, the dwellers might still have the possibility to experience the

same vibe even though they would be locked down at their respective places. The first day of Rongali Bihu which is known as ‘Goru Bihu’, the Assamese people residing in the hinterland would still have the opportunity to bathe their cows by simply taking them to the pond at their backyard. But for those who do

to them either by calling them over phone or for that matter of fact even a video call would be a perfect option for that purpose.

In this way even the main essence of the second day of Rongali Bihu i.e. ‘Manuh Bihu’ would be kept intact.

However the major issue for the dwellers would be to able to

Representative Image of a Bihu dance not have the facility of a pond, simply cleaning their cows or buffaloes with water would simply be enough to satisfy the cause. Thereafter, these cows or buffaloes could be tied with new ropes or fed with pumpkins or brinjals, thus maintaining the rich cultural heritage of Bihu.

The second day of the Bihu which is known as ‘Manuh Bihu’, the quarantined people would still get the chance to bestow respect and gratitude to the elders present in their own family, and if some members of the family reside in the countryside or elsewhere, people shall still be able to show the love and respect

maintain a similar vibe created either by a ‘Huchori Dol’ or a Bihu function amidst the quarantine.

But even this issue could be solved if the Assamese people figure out some innovative ideas.

In this regard, the Assamese people either living in villages or in cities won’t find it that difficult if they become successful in simply creating the same vibe by converting the ambience of their residence into the one created by a ‘Husori Dol’ or a Bihu function. For this purpose, people residing in the hinterland should make use of the wide courtyard of their respective places to sing Bihu songs and

GUEST COLUMN

Bishaldeep Kakati dance on them, thus creating the Bihu ambience. People living in the city who are often bereft of wide areas, however, could simply move to the balcony of their flats or apartments in order to create the musical ambience like that of Bihu. In fact, if all the people residing in a residential construction move to the respective balcony of their flats, and in an organized manner sing or play the Bihu songs or ‘huchoris’ as well as dance in the same rhythm, then automatically the ambience which would be created would somewhat nullify the absence of Bihu functions and to some extent also would be able to enable people to get the feel of the melodious ‘Bihu Huchoris’.

Moreover, individuals could also opt for cooking some ‘Rice Pithas’ and if by any means a small amount jiggery remains at one’s place, then it would be the perfect icing on the cake. Hence amidst the quarantine too, people would be still able to observe the festival, which is often regarded as the ‘lifeline of the community.’

Furthermore, the masses might also consider the notion of growing some exotic flowers like Orchids (Kopou Phool) which would not only beautify their residence but also would give the opportunity to the people at large to get a vibe of the majestic spring season.

Thus, even though the lockdown would no doubt have an impact upon the celebration of Rongali Bihu, but the Assamese burgess still would have the opportunity to celebrate it by undertaking an approach, a bit different compared to the yesteryears.

(The views expressed in the article are the author’s own)

Weather report for the week Guwahati

SUN

MON

TUE

WED

THU

FRI

Mostly Sunny

Mostly Sunny

Mostly Sunny

AM T-Storms

T-Storms

T-Storms

33°21° C

35°22° C

37°23° C

33°23° C

29°21° C

28°21° C

SATURDAY

Mostly Sunny

36°21° C

Guest Column

| Apr 11 - Apr 17, 2020

13

India’s War against COVID-19: Re-learning from the Porcupines Dwaipayan Bora

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ndia’s response to the pandemic COVID-19 is a matter of concern to its citizens, as the dreaded virus overpowers more numbers of its population with infections every day. India however has the advantage of the lessons and experiences of other countries affected by this virus in fighting it back. To get into the genesis of this problem and the main sequence of events that culminated to make COVID-19 a global pandemic

The author draws the metaphor of porcupines huddling together to keep away the cold thereby pricking each other such that eventually they maintain enough mutual distance to dispel the cold to the extent possible and yet remaining warm and comfortable enough. we have to go back to that fateful day of 10th December 2019 when Mr. Wei Guixian, a sea food merchant in China’s Huanan seafood wholesale market of Wuhan city went to a local health centre as he felt ill. Over the next three weeks many other vendors of the same market also fell ill and were hospitalized. They were then quarantined by late December. Following this, Chinese authorities identified a cluster of similar cases in the city on 29th December and two days later notified the World Health Organization (WHO) about it. China identified the new virus that belonged to the coronavirus family and named it 2019-nCoV on 7 th January 2020. After four days, China announced its first death. This virus transcended Chinese borders as Thai government announced its first positive case on 13th January. WHO declared this virus spread as a global emergency on 30th January, the same day when India reported its first case in Kerala of a student who had returned from Wuhan. WHO named this

new disease as “COVID-19” on 11th February. The virus spread continued unabated as nation after nation fell into its clutches through infections and community transmissions, causing mayhems of illnesses and deaths and on 11th March, WHO declared this outbreak as a global pandemic. Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) revealed on 19th March that it had not observed any community transmission till then as the Indian government stepped up its fight against the virus closing airports to international travelers, closing railways, closing educational institutions and other public institutions and places selectively. These were then followed by a Janta Curfew on 22 nd March and an ongoing 21day complete lockdown that started from 25th March.

From the experiences of other countries, it is understood that nations which responded quickly and effectively through aggressive and uncompromising virus containment steps were on the top of this virus spread, otherwise it goes out of hands.

It has also come out that the containment measures are mainly a public participation exercise covering entire population of the country without any selectivity. One of the major requirements to win over this pandemic is to practice social distancing from others by staying at home or by working from home, and one does not have any other option but to follow it to the T. But why is it that lockdowns have been successful in some countries, while we have stumbled in implementing it successfully in our country? We know for sure that for a country as large and as densely populated as India, this is a challenging task. But going beyond this, is it a cultural issue by which we cannot easily live a separated and unconnected life due to our upbringing? Are we Indians conditioned in a way to fulfill the practice of social distancing effectively? As we are in the middle of the lockdown period this has to be understood for strategizing and re-evolving the correct actions for its successful implementation as mere conformity actions through law enforcement apparatus may not help.

It need not be emphasized that we Indians celebrate connection and negate separation.

Our abundant festivals, rituals stand testimony to the high cultural value we place on connection

and our relationships. While we highly value social relations we do not cherish the values of individuality and independence. This is mainly due to the framework of family in India, which provides the vital psychological support to its members implying our greater need of ongoing help, guidance and mentorship through life. This however does not mean that Indians cannot function when he is by himself, but it only means that they are more accustomed towards a collaborative familial approach. Thus we visit our friends and family members for every reason and on every possible occasion. This is quite in contrast to other societies - mostly the Western societies - where the dominant value system prizes independence, privacy and self-actualization.

In essence, in a scale between fusion and isolation, we Indians tilt more towards the former side.

In a classic explanation on the optimum social distance that is acceptable to a people of a particular culture, the noted German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer came up with the “Hedgehog’s Dilemma” to describe a human predicament. The concept is based on the following parable: “A number of porcupines huddled together for warmth on a cold day in winter; but, as they began to prick one another with their quills, they were obliged to disperse. However, the cold drove them together again, when just the same thing happened. At last, after many turns of huddling and dispersing, they discovered that they would be best off by remaining at a little distance from one another.

In the same way the need of society drives the human porcupines together, only to be mutually repelled by the many prickly and disagreeable qualities of their nature. The moderate distance which they at last discover to be the only tolerable condition of intercourse, is the code of politeness and fine manners; and those who transgress it are roughly told - in the English phrase - to keep their distance. By this arrangement the mutual need of warmth is only very moderately satisfied; but then people do not get pricked. A man who has some heat in himself prefers to remain outside, where he will neither prick

other people nor get pricked himself.” The balancing point differs across cultures. For Indians, the optimal position involves acceptance of more pain to get greater warmth.

Coming back to the COVID-19 offensive, it is also interesting to put into context the Chinese mind and its dominant Confucian world view. In “The Indians - Portrait of a People”, the authors Sudhir Kakar and Katharina Kakar write about it as, “The glue that binds society is not law but what the Chinese call li, a civilized mode of conduct.

A predominant feature of the Chinese world view is a sense of duty rather than the demand for rights.”

In our war against this dreaded virus there are only two maxims that we Indians need to follow to win it convincingly. Borrowing from

Schopenhauer’s imagery of human porcupines on a cold day, we should be prepared for lesser warmth and maintain a much greater social distance than usual. As this pandemic is a serious threat to our very existence, we should take each clarion call from the government on every response measure as a sense of duty, like the Chinese. In this situation we should be ready to tradeoff between rights and duties. We should be vigilant and never allow our advantage to slip away as the responses evolve over time. The government machinery has to recalibrate their communication strategy keeping this in mind. Only well coordinated actions can galvanize the enemy into defeat and everyone’s participation is crucial in this exercise.

Representative Image of huddling porcupines

14 G Talk E

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| Apr 11 - Apr 17, 2020 T

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Change in our lifestyle

wo things stand clear after the state has spent its first two weeks under lockdown: 1) The coronavirus is not leaving us in a hurry, 2) As such, life in the state is going to alter diametrically post the lockdown. The situation calls for social distancing to become a somewhat permanent feature in the times to come simply for the fear of catching the dreaded virus and becoming a Covid-19 patient.

Guwahati, as a Covid-19 sensitive zone by itself, cannot be declared safe because of the two cases that have touched the city: Manish Tribrawal and the Tripura patient who had visited the city, stayed in a hotel in Paltan Bazar and had visited, among other places, the Kamakhya Temple. Contact tracing in both instances are yet to be exhaustively complete leaving the lurking suspicion that the guy next to you on the Fancy Bazar footpath might well be a coronavirus carrier. If this thought gets well-imprinted in the minds of every Guwahatian, which it well must, the sense of keeping oneself socially distant (the prescribed 1 metre) would automatically set in. But with the city’s resident population being close to 12 lakhs and the city

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having 3 lakh households, this would be a far cry from reality. This leaves the city all the more vulnerable.

In such a situation, one wonders how a semblance of normalcy would ever set in. For all the calls of social distancing, sudden vegetable supplies rolling into a locality are bound to create gatherings that throw the norms out of the window. And so, for the foreseeable future, a perfect system of homedelivery must come in for both meat and vegetables so as to discourage gatherings at market places. This is not all that a tall task for the administration; just pure basic management principles have to be put into place. The other option would be to have scattered distribution of vendors across localities; this however would mean prices going out of control.

What is clear today is that certain aspects of city life will have to change and these might include empty cinema halls, no theatres, wedding ceremonies that are extremely modest et al. Post the lockdown, whenever that would be, Guwahati’s lifestyle simply has to change for the safer because given our situation, we can never be too sure who is a carrier among us for a while.

Confusion galore

onfused about something? Look up the internet. Now hasn’t this been the normal solution for all of us? More often than not, we do get the clarification we are seeking from the internet. But not anymore with Covid-19!

Rather, anyone would agree with me that all confusions about the coronavirus or the Covid-19 disease start with the internet.

Firstly, you have experts galore from the WHO to the various research institutions (yes, Chinese ones included) offering exclusive advice that lockdown alone is no solution unless strict and exemplary health measures are not undertaken. And then, you have this certain researcher who is of the opinion that only “herd immunity” (it is when so many people in a community become immune to an infectious disease that it stops the disease from spreading) is the way to tackle and eradicate the dreaded disease. Scroll down on your search and you will find another link saying exactly the opposite.

Now doesn’t this world confusion percolate down to our daily lives as well? One begins to wonder if we are tackling the onslaught the right way with our markets closed especially when a friend from Australia (which is purportedly under a 6-month lockdown) living in Melbourne shares a video of his daily meat and fish shopping at a sparse but running departmental store? For all I know, when the markets are open normally here in Guwahati, they don’t see as much rush or gatherings as is observed now when a lone vegetable van visits our localities every third or fourth day.

And then again, experts call for schools being opened because children are not as prone to catching Covid-19 as the elderly are. Our schools though have remained closed and will be so for while.

Are we sure we are doing this right?

Get what I mean or are you as confused as I am?

Swapnil Bharali (Editor) @swapnilbharali

Can COVID-19 really heal the Earth?

Nature created humans to cohabit with millions of other species and share this beautiful and almost miraculous planet that could well be a cynosure of all other extra-terrestrial bodies.

However, since evolution and aided by a superior ability of thinking, reasoning, intelligence and competence, mankind embarked on a journey fueled by an unstoppable desire to stamp its superiority on everything else and

Viruses like the Nipah, West Nile, Ebola, SARS, MERS have all reminded us from time to time how vulnerable as a race we are.

So, what makes the Coronavirus different? marked by a never-ending greed & extreme selfishness completely disregarding the laws of nature.

For hundreds of years now, humans have trodden the mean path of so-called development and advancement in their lives not giving two hoots about the balance of nature that is now under complete peril.

The sudden emergence of a human-killer virus and its aftermath is not a rare occurrence.

Viruses like the Nipah, West Nile, Ebola, SARS, MERS have all reminded us from time to time how vulnerable as a race we are.

So, what makes the Coronavirus different? It's a virus that originated in an animal market in Wuhan, China in Dec’19 and has eliminated and caged humans across the globe decimating the invincible aura that had been falsely associated with it. The virus, now declared a pandemic, has consistently proliferated and spread to as many as 209 countries across the globe with 15.24 lakh confirmed cases and 88,965 deaths sending a panic wave hitherto unseen with an incomparable geographic outreach. It has thrashed economies of the world's richest and most developed countries causing irreparable

rAn inhuman act

losses and is gradually pushing the world into a recession it is unsure of recovery anytime soon.

The USA leads the chart with highest number of reported cases at 4,35,160 followed by Spain, Italy, Germany, France and China, all trillion-dollar economies. Italy leads the death toll figures with 17,669 cases so far.These numbers are increasing at a rate of knots, as I write.

But what has been a nightmare for the human race has been nothing less than a jackpot for the environment and other species living here and has significantly helped the planet in some ways to heal itself.

Lower pollution: Transport alone contributes to 23% of global carbon emissions. But with humans preferring to stay indoors and countries worldwide opting for a complete lockdown, the transportation system has come to a near standstill. China’s CO2 emissions surpassed the combined contribution of US and the EU put together since 2012 and has been gradually rising. Out of the 30 most polluted cities in the world, 22 are in India. Needless to say, all of them have registered a sharp decline in pollution level over the last few weeks. With negligible vehicles on the road globally and even lesser airplanes in the sky, most industries shut, the overall air quality has shown remarkable improvement and the Earth’s ozone layer is cooling itself down and recovering.

Clearer Venice canals manifest positivity: Italy is one of the worst hit countries in the world by COVID-19. However, with no human intervention since March 10, the canals of Venice now boast of crystalclear water. With things like motorboats effectivelygrounded, sediment churning and other water pollutants have dropped dramatically. During these tough and uncertain times, such a phenomenon is sure to bring a smile on every Italian’s face.

Sea Turtles lay eggs on empty Odisha beach: With India going into a 21-day lockdown from March 25, over 4.75 lakh endangered Olive Ridley Sea Turtles came ashore and laid nearly 60 million eggs on a desolate Odisha beach. This is something unthinkable in the

O pinion Subhasish Das

normal course and will go a long way in preserving the ecological balance.

But any number of benefits derived cannot actually be a justification for the crisis that has befallen humans with millions impacted and thousands of dead from this deadly virus.

Humans cannot remain indoors forever, industries have to be operational, transportation needs to commence, businesses must bounce back. Lives of billions are dependent on them and it would be a fallacy in 21st century to expect mankind to return to primitive ways to preserve the balance. But this virus outbreak does provide an inflection point for us to rethink about behavioral change, personal consumption, travel habits etc.

To survive and even flourish on this interconnected planet, we have to learn to subordinate the needs of the market to our own needs. It is tempting to say that humans are a virus on this planet, that where we recede, nature rebounds.

When misleading images of dolphins and swans supposedly appearing in newly clear Venice canals popped up on social media, we inferred that nature had recovered in our absence. But this is not the right climate lesson to take from the pandemic. Humans are part of nature and not separate from it.

They share the planet, not own it.

Any human activity that hurts the environment also hurts the race.

The real global challenge, once this phase passes over, would be to create a functional economy that supports people without threatening life on earth. Easier said than done, but we all must endure. Amid the crisis, we surely do have a chance to build a better future.

(The views expressed are the author’s own. Figures mentioned in the piece have been updated till the afternoon of 9th April, 2020)

Letter to the Editor

My mind tried to figure the answer to what I had witnessed in the news scrolling down my feed. In bold letters it was written “Baby dies after doctor allegedly refused to treat pregnant Muslim woman.” Now, how does religion decide the life of an innocent unborn? How far has the thirst for revenge gone to have led to such a heart-wrenching incident? Aren’t doctors supposed to be the spirit of God? The incident occurred in a village of Rajasthan. The doctor allegedly refused to treat the pregnant woman who was expecting earlier than expected. In the name of religion, the spiteful act was conducted.

Her fault? Being a Muslim? Expecting a baby? Or the baby’s faith of coming in this world with a specific religion that needs to be punished for some phobia that has crawled in the minds of every other human in this land?

Susmita Baruah Guwahati, Assam

Op-Ed

| Apr 11 - Apr 17, 2020

15

A time for introspection

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t is a universal truth that life has to end one day.

Life has to go through a complete cycle of creation and destruction. Spiritual leaders belonging to different faiths are also of the opinion that whatever is born/created today has to end one day. The Bhagavat Gita recognised it over five thousand years ago that human beings are transient. It gets worn out over a period of time and meets the end leaving behind the soul which is an immortal entity. It can neither be destroyed nor burnt out.

In spite of this being a reality, the biggest fear for everybody today is the fear of death.

Nobody is prepared for that day! The whole world is shaken up. Corona virus has appeared at such a break neck speed that the entire human race is awestruck and in a state of shock now. People are confused whether it is a manifestation of our own misdoings or a fury of nature arising out of ruthless destruction/exploitation of the Mother Earth. Nevertheless,

this is considered to be an unprecedented crisis that has caught the entire world totally unaware. The scientific community in the whole universe is working day and night in search of some

The global world normally requires 100 million barrels of oil a day. Today, crude oil is being sold at less than $10 a barrel in some markets which used to fetch as high as $60/$70 per barrel under normal situation. preventive measures to bring a halt to the spread of this pandemic virus.

During this period of total

shutdown in the busiest cities all over, people have experienced solitude in chaos, an unusual calmness - a situation under compulsive distancing from the society never encountered before!

The global oil market is broken by an unmanageable surplus of crude oil due to lack of demand and shortage of storage facilities. The onshore tanks in many markets are full. Some producers are even trying to use crude carrying vessels as floating storage. The global world normally requires 100 million barrels of oil a day. According to the market analysis, almost a quarter of it has dropped in just a few weeks. The global airline industry is grounded. A few land locked producers are paying consumers to take away their crude. Crude oil is even sold less than $10 a barrel in some markets which used to fetch as high as $60/$70 per barrel under normal situation. The share market has crashed all over leading to a complete halt in all commercial activities.

Without going much into the details as to what has led to this peculiar situation or if there is any deliberate attempt on the part of some countries with an ulterior motive one can safely conclude that the entire ecosystem has gone through a well-deserved healing process after many years of flogging by the modern world. Probably this is how mother earth is going through its course correction.

There are many positive and negative fallouts from this peculiar situation. This adversity can be an opportunity for some nations. Some of the most densely populated and highly polluted cities are getting a healing touch that can be felt from the air around us. The sound pollution has been drastically brought down.

This is the time for the global community to be prepared with their strategic plans in hand to prevent any further deterioration of the ecosystem.

This is the way the entire animal kingdom is getting much needed fresh air that has become a rare

Jayanta Madhav Barua commodity these days.

Now the question comes whether we can all introspect and look back at our own deliberate negligence and ignorance to protect the environment before it is too late. Taking a cue from such an unavoidable extreme situation bringing down the whole universe to a complete halt, this is the time for the human race to reboot itself so that all of us have a story to tell once the crisis is over. Let us hope that we can live a better tomorrow without ignoring the natural surroundings around us.

(The author is a widely travelled freelance writer, motivational speaker and a mechanical engineer) Email: jayanta.barua09@ gmail.com

Lockdown extension: A 'tight spot' for the ordinary citizen

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he outbreak of coronavirus has killed 149 people and affected over 5000 lives so far in India, bringing life to a standstill. We’re all being hinted of a possible extension of the 21day nationwide lockdown. Heads of states are also requesting the Centre to reconsider an extension of the lockdown period and people themselves are coming forward

The author tries to explore the serious and unique problems faced by Indians with regard to the current lockdown and its possible extension. and requesting state governments to enforce an extended partial shutdown at the least.

We know fully well that the government and authorities are concerned about how a country that is 1.3 billion large will be able to deal with this pandemic

if numbers continue to rise the way they currently are and an extended lockdown period is what seems to be the right thing to do.

But here is a list of some of our problems that we would want solved first.

1.

Some of us are daily wage earners. If we do not go out and work every single day, our family will not get to see food on their plates while some of us are small business owners who cannot pay rent or salaries to our workers unless we generate some revenue ourselves.

2.

Some of us are pregnant women, women with infants that need regular check-ups, patients sick with other illnesses, senior citizens and are not able to visit hospitals for regular checkups due to unavailability of transportation.

3.

For some of us, our only source of income is through the rent that we receive from our property. If we don’t collect rent from our tenants, then how will we run our households?

4.

Some of us had left town for some important work and are now stuck in an unknown city, away from our families and

the comfort of our homes while some of us have abusive family members and we’re locked inside with them, with nowhere to go.

5.

Some of us are students of final year and are supposed to be passing out of University in about two months. Our families look up to us as future bread earners.

Some of us even have educational loans to repay and some of us will be the earning members in our family. Will the extension of this lockdown not affect our studies?

Will it not affect our employment opportunities?

6.

Some of us are grocery vendors; facing logistical challenges, the government keeps asserting that there is no shortage of food supply but we are running out of stock of essential commodities (or at least that’s what we tell our customers).

7.

Some of us are in urgent requirement of another LPG cylinder and we cannot get one till the lockdown ends because gas agencies have asked us to wait till the lockdown period gets over.

8. Some of us are old and need domestic help, but our domestic helpers cannot come help us even if they want to, because they are

afraid of getting beaten up by the police.

9.

Some of us live handto-mouth and we cannot bear the rising cost of commodities and services as we live in constant fear of what will happen once our limited stores of money get exhausted.

10.

Some of us have pets and these pets are animals that eat meat; humans can live without maas maanxo, but what about animals that feed on meat? Till when do we keep feeding our dogs vegetables? It has come to this that they now refuse to eat at all!

These are just a small portion of the problems that we’re facing and I’m sure there are many more yet to be discussed. We’re also aware that the extension of this lockdown appears to be the only sensible decision at the moment.

Rifa Deka

But if you ask a migrant daily wage labourer, I’m sure he’ll tell you that he’d rather die of coronavirus himself, than letting his entire family die of hunger.

(The author is a Mass Comm student of Royal Global University, Guwahati. The views expressed are her own)

16 News This Week

| Apr 11 - Apr 17, 2020

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

1

India conducted highest number of Covid-19 tests on April 9

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has said that 16,002 coronavirus tests were conducted in India on April 9, which is the highest number of tests done in a day so far.

Out of all the tests conducted 320 samples tested positive.

Further, 1,44,910 samples from 1,30,792 individuals have been tested in India so far. According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare the number of coronavirus cases in India has risen to 6,412 while the death toll has reached 199 as on April 10, 12 pm. Maharashtra has seen the highest number of novel coronavirus cases in India so far with 1,364 cases followed by Tamil Nadu (834) and Delhi (720).

2

India records death of first doctor due to Covid-19

Indore’s doctor who tested positive for Coronavirus a few days ago died on April 9. It is to be mentioned that this is the first case of a doctor who died due to the deadly virus in India. The death toll in Indore stands at 22 and the total number of positive cases has risen to 213. Madhya Pradesh’s CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan expressed his deep sorrow over the demise of Dr Shaturghan Punjwani. He took to his Twitter and said that it will be impossible to forget this ‘superhuman’. It is to be mentioned that Indore is the worst affected city in Madhya Pradesh and it has been sealed along with two other places to curb the spread of coronavirus in the state.

3

PM Narendra Modi replied to US President Trump’s ‘thank you’ tweet

On April 9, US President Donald Trump took to Twitter and thanked India for supply of Hydroxychloriquine to the US. In response to US President Trump’s tweet, PM Modi wrote, “Fully agree with you President @realDonaldTrump. Times like these bring friends closer. The India-US partnership is stronger than ever. India shall do everything possible to help humanity’s fight against COVID-19. We shall win this together.” On April 7 India cleared the export of Hydroxychloriquine to the US along with other neighbouring countries that have been severely affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

4

MP allowances, pensions slashed by 30% for a year

5

4-year-old tiger tests positive for Coronavirus

The union cabinet has approved an ordinance slashing the pension and allowances of members of the Parliament by 30 percent for a year. According to the ordinance, the reduction of allowances and pension will be effective from April 1, 2020. Apart from the ordinance on MP salary, President Ram Nath Kovind, Vice-President Venkaiah Naidu and all state governors have also voluntarily decided to take a pay cut as a social responsibility. It is to be mentioned that the money will go to Consolidated Fund of India.

Bronx Zoo’s Chief Veterinarian on April 5 informed that a tiger of the zoo tested positive for the novel coronavirus. Reportedly, this is the first known case of a human infecting an animal and making it sick, the zoo’s chief veterinarian added. The Wildlife Conservation Society that manages the zoo informed through a statement that a 4-year-old Malayan tiger Nadia had tested positive. She was screened for the COVID-19 disease after developing a dry cough along with three other tigers and three lions. The statement also said that all of the cats are expected to recover. According to the US Department of Agriculture National Veterinary Services Laboratories, the first tiger at the zoo began showing signs of illness on March 27.

6

Odisha becomes 1st state to extend lockdown

Odisha is the first state to extend the lockdown ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s video conference to discuss the lockdown extension. This was announced on April 9 after Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik held a meeting of the state cabinet. Patnaik said Odisha would also ask the Centre not to resume train and air services till April 30. Schools and educational institutions would remain closed till June 17. It is to be mentioned that Odisha has reported 42 confirmed Covid-19 cases so far. One person has died in the state due to coronavirus disease.

7

IT dept to release all pending income tax refunds up to Rs 5 lakhs immediately

As per the latest information released by the Press Information Bureau, Government of India on April 8 in the context of the COVID-19 situation and with a view to provide immediate relief to the business entities and individuals, it has been decided to issue all the pending income-tax refunds up to Rs 5 lakhs immediately. This would benefit around 14 lakh taxpayers. It has also been decided to issue all pending GST and Custom refunds which would provide benefit to around 1 lakh business entities, including MSME. Thus, the total refund granted will be approximately Rs. 18,000 crores.

8

Officials of central ministries donate 1 day’s salary

9

WhatsApp to launch ‘Search Message’ feature for users to verify fake news

All officials of DoPT, DARPG and DoPPW have contributed one day’s salary to the PM-CARES fund.

Further Civil Service Officer’s Institute (CSOI) has also contributed Rs. 25 lakh to the fund. Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pension, Dr Jitendrajit Singh conducted a video conference to review the actions taken by the department to fight against COVID-19. Reviewing the initiatives taken

by DoPT during the period of lockdown and it’s preparedness to bring normalcy after the lockdown is lifted, Singh informed in a press release that Grah Kalyan Kendras are working to stitch face masks, working from home.

WhatsApp will be launching a ‘search message’ feature which will allow users to verify forwarded messages in an attempt to stop the spread of fake news. Reportedly, the new feature should be visible to anyone who has the latest version of the app.

However, a limitation has been capped to this as not all messages can be verified using the feature, only frequently forwarded ones will be verified.

Meanwhile, WhatsApp has also decreased the limit of forwarding messages to one chat at a time in order to check the propagation of fake messages. The forward message limit was earlier set at five.

10

India Railway issues advisory for media

The Indian Railway has issued an advisory for media houses and asked them to avoid publishing about the resumption of train services on the basis of unconfirmed or unverified matters which may lead to any speculation. A statement released by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting said that final decision regarding resumption of train services is yet to be taken and pre mature reporting on such matters is leading to unnecessary and avoidable speculation in the minds of public. It further stated, “For the post lockdown rail travel, Railways would take best feasible decisions in the interest of all stake holders including its prospective passengers. As and when a decision is taken, all concerned would be intimated about it.”

In Focus

| Apr 11 - Apr 17, 2020

17

Assam Govt Fixes Retail, Wholesale, Online Price of Vegetables

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he Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs Department, on April 7 last, fixed the prices of vegetables to be sold in wholesale, retail and online markets.

This move comes after multiple reports of vendors selling vegetables at higher rates were notified by citizens of Guwahati during the on-going lockdown.

It is to be mentioned that Kamrup (M) district administration is also going to start the sale of vegetables at 91 designated locations across the city.

In these designated places public can purchase vegetables between 9 am and 2 pm following the social-distancing norms.

Guwahatians took to the social media handles of G Plus and shared their thoughts on the administration’s decision of fixing prices of vegetables.

Speaking about the move Rupam said, “These things are just on paper and it never gets implemented in the field.

Some can buy at higher prices but most will find it hard to maintain livelihood.

Instead of providing quality food and services to corona patients as well as quarantined ones the

government should develop some concrete measures to stop this black marketing. Coronavirus is not going to stop soon.”

Rahul Sharma said, “Prices on paper and prices in reality are two different things. Wholesale market should be fixed first so that we can buy affordable veggies from retailers. Retailers are complaining that they have to buy at higher rates from wholesalers. Now what can public do?”

Complaining about the situation Rajesh Das said, “Action should also be taken in cases where the police are stopping the vehicles carrying vegetables and taking money from them.

Without paying they won’t let go.

Government has already ordered and said that supply of essential goods is available and normal but the police are doing too much.”

Roshan Agarwal said, “This is not realistic. Prices are not prevalent and the availability lacks.”

Expressing her concern Bonny Basumatary said, “But the vendors are not willing to give at the listed price. What should we do?”

“But where do we complain if the shop owners or vegetable vendors are selling at much higher

price? Yesterday I bought 250 gms of drumstick at a whopping price of Rs. 100, Potato at Rs. 40 per Kg, Chillies Rs. 300 per kg & the list goes on. Please take this issue on serious consideration.

If this lockdown continues and the prices of vegetables are

rocket high people would die of hunger,” said Avishek Dey. Pranjeet Hazarika said, “Let the district administration undertake a survey of the Guwahati market and find at what price the consumers are purchasing these products. All these fixed prices

only look good in advertisements and on paper.”

Nilesh Khakholia said, “Vendors who came to our locality to sell vegetables were all priced at Rs 20/kg but the veggies which they were selling had a smell in them.”

Devotees were seen gathering at the Hanuman Temple in Fancy Bazar in defiance of lockdown and social distancing norms. G Plus followers comment on the incident.

Rami Mavis

Very very disappointing actions by these irresponsible people. Don’t these so called Bhakts understand the meaning of social distancing? What was the necessity to go to the temple to pray to Lord Hanuman? Prayers could have been offered to the Lord at home and he would have been equally satisfied.

These people are endangering their own lives and the lives of others too.

Why did the district administration not take any action?

Niranjan Sharma

Basic skils and knowledge need to be developed more in every religion. We are still searching for our almighty God in a mandir whereas God is with us everywhere, in our every breath. Please believe this at least for now. Create a good and beautiful place for God. Your good work towards society and humanity is God. Money is not everything, without humans money alone can’t work. Human life and smile is real money. This is the fact. Our word of mouth is real money, one should carefully use them. Good luck to everyone.

Madhu Agarwal

Very disappointing! Prayers can be done from one’s own home. Why was the temple opened for these foolish people? They are going to put others’ life in danger. Administration should take action against the temple management.

Each one of them should be arrested. Even in 21st century these people don’t have any sense. Good that all this has been reported by the media houses.

Pranjal Baruah

Guwahati will soon be a hotspot for corona patients. While many blamed the Muslims for going out for namaz, this is equally the same. It’s a failure of district administration to adhere to the rules laid down during lockdown.

Each one is to be blamed and all are equally responsible.

Ayush Somani

God is omnipresent and is believed to be beyond all qualities and beyond time. He can listen to one’s prayers even when one is at home. Still the people do not understand this fact and ignore the responsibility and basic sense needed in times of crisis. Even the ancient texts suggest that whatever we do, we should take a note of the situation that is prevailing across the state and act wisely. This bunch of people are nothing but morons, who do not even understand that there is a difference between blind faith and devotion. God has given you brains, at least use that, people.

18 In The News

| Apr 11 - Apr 17, 2020

Coronavirus, Islamophobia puts Assam in distressing state Atiqul Habib @guwahatiplus

A

s the Coronavirus pandemic spreads its vicious wings across India and with the congregation at Nizamuddin Markaz at New Delhi emerging as the hot spot, Islamophobic hashtags have been trending on social media handles.

It is to be mentioned that even as details about the congregation emerged on media, #CoronaJihad, #NizamuddinIdiots, #Covid-786 (a number that carries religious meaning for Mulsims), began trending.

On the other hand Islamophobic memes have also been circulating - one meme, for instance, shows China as the “producer” of the virus, and Muslims as its “distributors”.

Nizamuddin has been on edge since it was declared a coronavirus hotspot, after hundreds of cases of COVID-19 across the country were traced to a large congregation organised in the neighbourhood by the Tablighi Jamaat religious order.

The subsequent outpouring of explicit anti-Muslim hate on social media and television channels, and from supporters of BJP, has set up a vicious cycle where the hate campaign has made an already marginalised community wary of state authorities, making it harder to tackle the virus, which in turn prompts more Muslim demonisation and Islamophobia.

It is to be mentioned that the World Health Organisation(WHO) has taken cognisance of this phenomenon and its Emergency Programme Director, Mike Ryan, has said countries should not profile novel coronavirus disease

(COVID-19) cases in terms of religion or any other criteria.

All thanks to social media the hate mongering dialogues could not be kept away from the state of Assam, as many instances of anger and fury have been witnessed, if not publically but as a silent contributor.

With the onslaught of this fierce attack on the entire community the religious heads of the Muslim community are leaving no stone unturned to air their opinion on this deadly virus and also their stand with the government to fight against this epidemic.

In a noble way to fight, two masjid committees in Jorhat banned Tablighi Jamaat participants’ entry into their premises.

The Purana Masjid at Old Balibat here, which was established in 1835, has renewed its earlier decision of not permitting members who attended the Tablighi Jamaat to carry out any kind of activity in the masjid in view of the Nizamuddin Markaz issue.

The committee further appealed to the Tablighi Jamaat members of Assam who have not reported to the health department and respective district administration authorities, to immediately come out from their places of stay and contact the authorities.

Although in Assam, the number of COVID-19 cases is much smaller as compared to rest of India but participation was huge in the Markaz.

Till date, Assam has registered around 29 positive cases with one death.

Earlier, Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma revealed the names of the people from the state who had tested positive for Covid-19 – and said he did so in the public interest. As of April 7,

A G Plus video grab of Guwahati’s masjid heads expressing support to the government in the fight against Covid-19 all those infected, save one, had attended the Tablighi Jamaat convention. The government also said all those from Assam who had attended the convention refused to report for quarantine

by April 6 would face attempt to murder charges.

In many areas of the state, fears about the Tablighi Jamaat convention has translated into suspicion against the minority community. In Golaghat district – which has the highest number of Corona positive cases in Assam all connected to the Nizamuddin gathering – Muslim residents said roads in some parts of the district have been barricaded with makeshift bamboo gates, making it difficult for them to access essential services.

Another villager said several

roads leading into the Hindu areas of his village were closed last week.

“Even some main roads were closed, but the administration opened them on Saturday.”

Momidul Islam, a cleric in Naharani Majgaon, alleged that he had also seen instances of Hindu shopkeepers refusing to cater to Muslim residents. He added that he had never seen communal tensions affect so many ordinary people. “The virus will go away in a year or so, but I hope it doesn’t take away the centuries of brotherhood between Muslims and Hindus,” he said.

Golaghat police chief, Pushpraj Singh, said his officials had sorted out most of these problems.

“From wherever we have received such news, we have acted and

counselled people,” he said. “And people have understood.”

Hafiz Ali, who runs a small shop in Guwahati’s Azara area, said he was turned away on April 4 when went to buy fodder for his cows from the adjoining area of Dharapur. “When the man (selling fodder) saw me coming, he screamed at me not to come closer,” said Ali. “I felt quite bad – it seemed it was because he thought I had the virus since I am a Muslim.”

Ali said he did not complain to the police and had someone else get him fodder from another part of the city.

Pradip Kalita, the officer in charge of the Azara police station, said he had not received any reports of Hindu shop owners turning away Muslim customers.

Badminton online training portal- A first of its kind initiative

A

group of National and International Level badminton players and coaches from Assam have started an initiative to provide free fitness regime by conducting workouts online via group video chat.

Termed as OSC (On Stream Conditioning), the link provides real time fitness training designed exclusively for badminton.

It also provides valuable tips on Mental training, Nutrition & Diet, On-Court tips and

Counselling by players and coaches on an interactive platform.

OSC is also suited to be used by sports and fitness enthusiasts across Assam.

The initiative has been made possible by a group of badminton players and coaches of Assam, namely Kabir Ali, Vishal Garg, Hirak Jyoti Neog, Anjan Buragohain, Ranjan Buragohain, Dolon Krishna Choudhury, Shubradeep Debroy, Iman Sonowal and Orijit Chaliha.

This online portal is the first of its kind in North-East India and was developed as a remedy during the ongoing lockdown period during which sportspersons have been deprived of their routine training sessions.

The first response to the session has been overwhelming with 70+ online participants of all ages participating in the fitness session held on Sunday, 5 April 2020 at 9:30 am.

OSC is also committed to utilize voluntary financial

contributions by it’s members/ well wishers for humanitarian cause like food for destitutes and stray animals in this time of crisis.

Interested participants may contact oscqueries@ gmail.com.

Please to them with details of requirement and share phone number to include in the Whatsapp Group.

Ph: 8721991323(Vishal Garg) 9706410729(Kabir Ali)

Feature

| Apr 11 - Apr 17, 2020

19

No meat, no vegetables during lockdown? Here’s how you can still cook nutritious meals Gunjan Sharma @guwahatiplus

S

ince the government of India has announced the three-week lockdown, most of us are worried about how to get essential food items like vegetables, meat etc. In almost every household, it is essential to consume vegetables, fruits, and meat on a daily basis to keep the system going.

However, in this time of crisis, it is not always possible, nor preferable to go out and bring fresh items every day.

Now the important question that arises here is how and what to cook without vegetables and meat throughout this lockdown?

Hence it is time we think practically and buy those food items which are nutritious, easily available at grocery stores and have a longer shelf life so that we can stay in our houses and maintain social distancing.

There are multiple food items in grocery stores and our kitchen which are equally healthy, full of nutrition and can help us cook great meals without missing vegetables and meat. We might find them boring but these can be made into some delicious and versatile meals.

Keeping that in mind here is a list of food items that can help you survive the lockdown!

Lentils (Dal)

Dal could be termed as an Indian kitchen essential. It would be hard to find a household in India that doesn't stock up different varieties of dal. Dal adds essential vitamins, protein, minerals, and fibre to our diet.

Apart from having a longer shelf life, Dal is easy to cook, comes in different types and it also has several nutritional values.

In vegetarian households, dal works as a major protein provider.

Each type of dal has its own set of nutritional benefits. However, some types of dals are healthier when compared to others.

Dal can be made tastier with limited amount of spices and veggies. Using Panchphoron in dal makes it taste and smell delicious.

Panchphoron (or Pas Phoron) in Assamese is a very common household whole spice blend which is used while preparing major dishes like vegetables, meat and lentils. This spice mix is believed to have originated from the Indian subcontinent.

Panchphoron means "five spices",

which includes fenugreek seed aka methi, nigella seeds/black cumin seed aka kalonji, cumin seeds aka jeera, black mustard seed aka sarso/rai and fennel seeds aka sauf.

One can mix and match different types of dal and enjoy a tasty meal. You can fry the dal with onions, or add Panchphoron and enjoy it with rice. Apart from having dal in its common form with rice or roti, one can also make rotis (chapati) stuffed with dal, moong dal sabji, channa dal gravy, halwa made of dal, dal chilla and much more.

The moong dal and black gram dal are said to be the healthiest among the dals. Moong dal has minimal calorie and it is a rich source of iron and potassium.

Masoor dal on the other hand comes with both benefits and side effects.

Masoor dal improves the blood circulation but it can also raise your uric acid levels.

Chana dal or Bengal gram dal acts as one of the richest vegan sources of proteins.

Urad dal is one of the major sources of proteins and Vitamin B. Toor dal could be said to be one of the most popular dals consumed in India. It helps to regularise bowel movements.

This lockdown could be your time to get into the kitchen and experiment with dal. It can be made taster with very less ingredients and it has a longer shelf life making it a win-win food item.

Eggs

Every non-vegetarian / eggetarian household always keeps a stock of eggs ready. It is one of those items which can go with almost anything. Boil it, fry it, scramble it or make it into an omelette or curry, eggs never seem to disappoint. Not only do they taste good, eggs also have major nutritional benefits. Apart from being a major source of protein, eggs also provide vitamin, minerals, and fat to our body.

Using this versatile food item, we can make tasty dishes in minutes at home. Devil eggs, egg curry, egg stuffed paratha, egg bhurji and egg rolls are some of the common and popular egg preparations which can easily be prepared with limited ingredients.

Soya chunks

One can easily be tricked with minced soya instead of minced chicken in chicken momos.

Popular faux meats are majorly

made of soy.

You can actually replace meat with soya chunks in your favourite dishes. Though easy to cook, soya chunks do not have any flavour of their own but they do have a tendency to absorb other flavours well.

As per experts, soya chunks can lower cholesterol levels, prevent heart diseases, and help in weight loss. It is said to have a protein content which is equal to that of meat. They are also a good source of minerals, vitamins and good fibre content, which can help to check on your body weight and fight diabetes. Soya chunks are easily available at all grocery stores and can be stored for a longer time.

You can prepare many dishes with soya chunks such as soya chunks curry, soya pulao with rice, minced soya momos, soya korma, soya cutlet and more.

Cottage Cheese (Paneer)

Paneer is one of the major sources of protein in vegetarian households along with dal. Apart from protein, paneer also acts as a rich sauce of selenium, potassium and calcium.

Although most people prefer to buy fresh paneer from dairy shops, packaged paneer is also available at grocery stores.

Packaged paneer has a longer shelf life and could be a saviour during this lockdown.

Though generally people buy paneer, it can also be easily made at home. Follow these simple steps to make paneer at home instantly: • Boil 1 litre milk in a container • Once it comes to a boil add juice of half a lemon • Let it boil till the water and milk (paneer) gets separated • Once separated strain the paneer in a cloth and take out the excess water • Rest the paneer in the cloth and put some weight on it; and let it set in the fridge for some time.

• Voila, your paneer is ready.

Paneer can be used in multiple dishes like paneer curry, paneer fried rice, paneer tikka and shahi paneer to name a few.

Broken Wheat (Dalia)

Dalia or broken wheat which looks boring is very healthy for our body. Dalia is said to be healthier than wheat flour and it can be consumed by people of all age groups.

Dalia is rich in fibre content, cures constipation, helps in

losing weight and also helps in increasing metabolism.

Dalia could work for all kinds of meals be it breakfast, lunch, snack or dinner. Dalia can be consumed daily by preparing it in various ways. Dalia can also be consumed by diabetic patients.

You can make dalia pulao, dalia cooked with milk, dalia khichdi, dalia upma, and dalia with jaggery could be your next go to favourite sweet dish.

Flattened rice (Chirwa)

Chirwa / Chura or Flattened Rice is fat free, lactose free and healthy for the heart. You can roast it and eat it for a snack mixed with some nuts, salt and spices or make it into poha with limited spices and veggies.

Another common way of having Chirwa is having it with curd (doi) and jaggery. Doi-Chira is a very common breakfast in parts of Assam, Bengal and Bihar.

It cools down your body and helps in digestion.

Chirwa is also gluten free.

Kidney Bean (Rajma)

Rajma or Kidney beans are a great sauce of protein, rich in minerals, vitamins and fibres.

Rajma should always be eaten well cooked. Raw or improperly cooked beans could have bad effects on your health.

Rajma can be consumed in the form of a salad, or in a form of curry with rice/roti. Rajma is also used to make cutlets, chops and works great as a binding ingredient. Rajma has a longer shelf life. It should be soaked in water overnight before boiling.

Chickpea (Kabuli chana)

Chickpeas or Choley as they are commonly referred to in India, is a very common grain used in Indian households. They are easily available in major grocery stores, are affordable and have a longer shelf life too.

Apart from being a source of vitamins, minerals and fibre, they also offer help in improving

digestion.

Choley is generally enjoyed with bhature/puri or rice. It works as a replacement for meat in vegetarian and vegan dishes.

Chickpea also works as the main ingredient while making hummus.

Chickpea is a very good binding ingredient and can help in preparing chops, cutlets, burger patties and more.

Mung bean (Green moong)

Green moong or sprouts as they are commonly referred to, is another versatile type of bean.

They are gluten free, rich in protein, moderately caloric, lowfat and cholesterol-free.

They can be consumed as a salad or can be made into a curry like dal too.

One can even make dosa out of green moong or paratha.

Semolina (Sooji)

Semolina is flour made from ground durum wheat. It is rich in protein, fiber, and vitamins B. It may also support weight loss, heart health, and digestion.

Sooji is versatile and very easy to cook. It can be made into sweet or savoury dishes. Upma, Soojihalwa, Sooji cutlet are some of the common dishes prepared in Indian households.

Curd

Curd helps in improving digestion and enhancing immunity. Curd can be easily made at home for daily consumption. It is often used to thicken gravy or made into curry or raita and can even be consumed directly.

Apart from these major ingredients there are some ingredients which work as essentials in every kitchen. These could include wheat, rice, potato, onion, ginger, garlic and chillies.

Take this lockdown seriously!!

Stay at home, scan your kitchen, eat healthy, experiment with easily available ingredients and make the best of it.

20 Fun Horoscope of the week

| Apr 11 - Apr 17, 2020 These predictions are based on the month of birth, and are about an individual’s work environment, parents and extended family.

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

You will have a good week. 11th and 16th April will be great days for you to schedule your important meetings and share your ideas with your seniors. 12th April you could have a fall out with a superior or someone at work.

Avoid drinking with your superiors or extended family on 12th April. 15th April will be a slow day for you.

A great week ahead. Avoid making any promises on 13th April, you will have to live up to them. 12th, 15th April and 17th April will be great days for you to connect with your senior and share your ideas with him/her. A Sunday brunch/coffee on 12th April and host your important meetings on 15th April and 17th April.

The first half of the week will be slow for you, the second half will be good. For good results host your meetings, share your ideas with your superiors, network with your business associates on 13th, 14th and 16th April. Avoid any Saturday meetings on 11th April. Avoid over planning for 17th April it will be a slow day.

It will be a good week for you. 11th, 13th and 14th April will be great days for you to connect with your senior and share your ideas with him/her, you could host your important meetings on these dates. You could have issues with your seniors or your extended family on 12th April, don’t get into a confrontation. 15th April be careful while dealing with the opposite gender.

This will be a great week for you. 11th, 12th and 15th April will be great days for you to share your ideas with your seniors and host your important meetings. 12th April will be ideal to catch up with your extended family and/or work mates. 13th and 16th April you could have issues at work with your seniors or clients. Avoid getting into a confrontation.

This week will be good for you. 11th, 12th and 16th April will be excellent days for you to schedule your important meetings. Your seniors will be receptive to your ideas.12th April, maybe you could meet up with your seniors for a Sunday brunch or coffee. Avoid hosting any meetings especially with your seniors on 14th April.

You are bound to have disagreements.

You will have a good week ahead. 14th and 17th April will be great days for you to share your ideas with your seniors or simply just connect with them. You could schedule your important meetings on these dates. Watch your words and actions on 15th and 16th April, you could have disagreements at work.

A slow week for you. 14th April will be an ideal day to host your important meetings and share your ideas with your seniors. 13th and 16th April avoid making any promises, you will have to live up to them. 15th April you will be betrayed by someoneyou trusted, avoid sharing your secrets with anyone. 16th April avoid getting into disagreements.

A slow week for you with not much achievements.

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

Watch your words and actions on 12th April, you could create your own problems. 13th April you will be emotionally hurt either by your parents or your seniors. 15th April you could have a fall out with someone from work. 16th April will be a great day for you to share your ideas with your seniors and host your important meetings.

Watch yourself on 16th April, avoid making any promises or getting into a confrontation. You could have disagreements with your senior or work associate, not a day to schedule important meetings.

12th April you will be emotionally hurt either by your parents or your seniors. 13th April will be a slow day for you.

Not a great week for you, maybe you could take that much needed holiday. 11th Aprilyou will be emotionally hurt by your colleagues or superiors.

Be careful with your words and actions on 14th April you will create your own problems. 14th will be a slow day for you. 17th April you will feel good but you will face obstacles and hindrances.

4.

Henri Delauney Trophy is awarded to the winners of which football tournament?

5.

In 2015, Adarsh Gupta’s research team at Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics, Hyderabad, India discovered the complete sequence and the protein structure of something which is very dear to the Assamese and published it in Nature Scientific Reports. What?

6.

Identify this City from the image, epicenter of all news these days.

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

Dilbert By Scott Adams

Sudoku 2 7 9 5 1 62 1 84 5 41 32 8 8 4 7 8 97 4 6 3 7 8 5 9 1 3

8 1 9 5 5 4 9 4 7 8 53 7 71

6 7

9

1 2

Daily DailySudoku: Sudoku:Fri Fri10-Apr-2020 3-Apr-2020

(c) Daily Sudoku Ltd 2020. All rights reserved. (c) Daily Sudoku Ltd 2020. All rights reserved.

Which Indian military hero was crowned King on June 6th 1674 at Raigad?

noun British Slang. exhausted; very tireda person noted for courageous acts or nobility of character.

hard medium

last week solution 39 75 98 51 62 17 84 49 56 23 41 32 71 38 29 97 47 54 16 75 85 92 63 26 23 61 35 14 94 89 52 68 18 46 77 83

83 4 6 2 71 26 5 9 35 83 17 8 7 98 49 54 2 4 61 56 69 3 8 19 22

64 17 56 38

83 38 1 7 94 45 72 7 5 84 68 99 41 6 2 53 37 71 95 9 3 46 15 22

Daily DailySudoku: Sudoku:Fri Fri10-Apr-2020 3-Apr-2020

(c) Daily Sudoku Ltd 2020. All rights reserved. (c) Daily Sudoku Ltd 2020. All rights reserved.

3.

[ heer-oh ]

adjective [nak-erd]

curio-city

Which recently in the news structure is present on an island named Sadhu Bet, 3.2 km away from and facing the Sardar Sarovar Dam downstream, near Rajpipla, 100 kilometres southeast of the city of Vadodara?

hero

1.

2.

Word of the week Word knackered of the week

2.

3.

4.

The various names for this art form are Muggu in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, Kolam in Tamil Nadu, Mandana/Mandas in Rajasthan, Chowkpurana in Chhattisgarh and so on. How do we know it better?

5.

6.

1.

Rangoli, widely used to decorate homes all across India Statue of Unity Shivaji UEFA European Championships for countries Muga silk fibroin Wuhan, China. The city from where the Covid19 pandemic started

curio-city

hard medium

http://www.dailysudoku.com/ http://www.dailysudoku.com/

Fiction

| Apr 11 - Apr 17, 2020

21

When an American oil tycoon was stumped for words W

ay back in 1998, I and two of my colleagues participated in a training program on petroleum production operations at Houston. This oil rich city of Texas was considered then, nay even now, as one of the best in training petroleum engineers working for oil companies.

Fighting an enormous jet lag we could hardly keep awake on the first day of the training class.

So the faculty member decided to utilize the time by making groups to study and solve the problems that would come up in the course of classes from the next day. The participants opted to form country-wise groups and so we three formed the group from India. The other participants from UK, Canada, USA, Indonesia, Middle East and African countries all formed 3 or 4 member groups. A lone Pakistani was put with a two member group from the Middle East.

We were somewhat overawed to see almost every participant with a laptop computer as in those days a Pentium IV Desk top computer was a luxury for us in India. Ours and the African groups were the odd ones which did not have one laptop amongst all members of the group. The Professor sensed this and announced that none of the problems to be discussed will require any software programs to solve. A scientific calculator was what everyone should have.

We heaved a sigh of relief. After a quick introduction with one another we were let off for the afternoon to rest and get over the jet lag.

Next morning, feeling pretty fresh, we sat down at the tables assigned for each of the groups.

The professor started with some elementary principles on production of hydrocarbon and introduced us to a book that would be required for consulting graphs and data to solve the problems. Each group was given one copy of this hard cover book with tags on the pages that have to be referred to while solving problems. This book was utterly familiar to me and my colleagues as that was the bible for oil production operations and perhaps amongst the three of us every problem in the book was tackled at some time or other.

It so happened that every time a problem was presented on the screen, it was our group that had the solution ready first. It wasn’t that the problems discussed were too simple but our familiarity with the book gave

us a definite edge over the other groups who were familiar with solving such problems using programs on computers. Some of the participants expressed their uneasiness in using the book and the futility of using the graphs and data in the book when powerful software programs were available for designing deep well production systems.

But the professor was able to impress upon the participants that experts have developed the computer programs from the fundamentals that you can learn from the book. The purpose of this training program was to acquire the basics and develop software programs to suit individual requirements specific to oil and gas available in a particular country. Using readymade software programs would not give insights to the underlying engineering science behind the design of production systems. This would definitely become a shortcoming in writing software programs of our own to address any problem that we may come across in future.

Our group, proving to be very strong, was broken up and each of us was assigned to three different groups. A new problem was given from the book. As expected the three groups where each of us Indians was a member of returned with solutions while the others were still figuring out which page to consult. An Egyptian who was my teammate in the new group was so pleased to solve the problem with my help that he presented me with a papyrus where the Sphinx was painted. I still cherish this gift now framed and hanging in our living room. At lunch break every participant looked up to us with respect and awe as if we were experts, much to our embarrassment. Our apparent expertise was purely based on the familiarity of the technical book which we had been using for all practical applications in our field of work.

As our training progressed we came to know that a multi-millionaire was also a participant. He was one of the four members in the USA group.

The oil tycoon was a typical Texan who had four drilling ships in the North Sea besides a few oil fields in Texas. His secretary used to wait outside the lecture room with a mobile handset having a long antenna. In those days the cell phone was just launched and this luxury could be afforded by the rich and famous only. He used to frequently go out of the class apologizing to all and take the call his secretary wanted

Our multi-millionaire participant dismissed the question with a hearty laugh and informed that he was still unable to figure out the $500 a month and $300 a day paradox.

him to handle. He asked one of my colleagues to help his group to catch up with the proceedings in the class and with his help they could solve the problems referring to the book which they had earlier discarded as a vintage tool.

In one of the lunch break chats our multimillionaire Texan approached us along with his secretary and asked how much our company paid us. We were taken aback by such a blatant question in the presence of all. Nevertheless, I calculated the dollar equivalent of our net salary which was then around 25,000 INR. Roughly it was about 500 USD, the exchange rate then being around 46 INR to a US dollar. When my colleague uttered 500 dollars, the secretary jotted down in her notebook and asked if it was 500 per day. When we said it was 500 per month almost all around us exclaimed together, “What?” I immediately scrambled for the calculator to check whether my conversion from INR to USD was correct. I confirmed, “Yes it is around 500+ dollars.” The US and the European participants gaped at us in disbelief and said, “Are you kidding?” We had a difficult time explaining that 25,000 rupees was good salary in India; it was like 25,000 dollars in the USA making it more than 500 a day. “But how can you survive in the US for so long?” “Could you eat anything today?” “Where have you put up in Houston?” A barrage of such questions was put to us. There was some sincere intent in their words to pull us out from the “poverty” that we appeared to be in. When we replied that we are having 3 square meals a day and staying in the nearby Hilton Inn they were confounded beyond words. The tycoon who appeared to have more financial wisdom than the rest, asked if we got some special allowance to attend this training program. We nodded in the affirmative and informed

that our allowance was 300 USD per day! This time even he was stumped. They all thought we Indians were not only smart to solve problems but also smart enough to be pulling their legs.

The incongruity of the fact that one who gets 500 dollars a month as salary, to get 300 dollars as daily allowance was a bit too much of an absurdity to digest. Somehow, before the class resumed, we could reassure them that we were not fooling and can surely, with some time in hand, explain to dispel the intrigue in their minds.

Next day we found that the Americans knew a lot about us. They even got our room numbers of the hotel where we were staying among other information like we came from Assam in India and the details of the company we worked for. I jokingly enquired if they had got the CIA to snoop after us. Our multi-millionaire participant dismissed the question with a hearty laugh and informed that he was still unable to figure out the 500 a month and 300 a day paradox. We explained that our salary was based on the cost of living in India and the daily allowance was given on the basis of the standard of living in the USA. Thus, the disparity appeared to be absurd.

Ultimately it appeared that they accepted our story with a pinch of salt.

As the days went by we developed a very good rapport with our tycoon. He gave us a ride in his helicopter to get

TRIDIB BORAH an excellent aerial view of the magnificent city of Houston.

Later, he even offered us jobs in his North Sea operations. On the day he bade goodbye to all of us, a lunch was organized where his wife was the gracious hostess. Much to our amazement we were introduced to her as “The bright chaps from India I mentioned.” Amidst the champagne that flowed freely she expressed her liking for India and as an avid tennis player she enjoyed playing with the Amritraj brothers!

Seeing our surprise she quickly explained that Anand Amritraj who stayed in Los Angeles was a regular guest in their Houston home and played tennis on their courts. “Vijay Amritraj also plays whenever he is in the US and visits us.” She added.

Other than the modern techniques of petroleum engineering that we garnered in the program, we realized with pride that for Indians the “Old is always Gold.”

22 Lifestyle

| Apr 11 - Apr 17, 2020

Vaastu and Nature W

e need to know the basic laws of nature which govern the entire universe to understand Vaastu.

These laws will explain that everything in this universe is in some form of energy. All the atoms and molecules have latent or hidden energy inside them.

We also need to understand the basic elements because when there is a balance of all these elements, we are in harmony with nature.

The 1st Law of Nature: “Every action begets another.”

This is also known as the law of Karma. You must reap what you sow i.e. you will always get back whatever you put in be it good or bad.

An action triggers another.

This is believed by Westerners also who put forward the

creation of the universe using the Big Bang theory. It says that in the beginning there was a big sound and there was only space or ether. Indian philosophers say that this sound was Aum and so Lord Brahma was associated with creation of space and subsequently the universe. The Air element came next after space.

The air particles had friction between them and fire element came into existence with release of heat energy.

After the release of and subsequent cooling of the fire element, condensed air particles and created water. From water, earth was generated.

The 2nd law of nature: “All things in the universe are inter-

connected.”

This Law is explained in detail in Pranic Healing courses.

There is a harmony between the elements. Similarly, there is a connection between the planets.

The planets of our solar system are former parts of the sun. There is a connection between the earth and the moon. The Chinese regard the sun as the male or yang sign while the moon as the female or yin sign. They both complement each other.

This is also the basis of the science of astrology all over the world. The great architect of the universe is supposed to weave a ‘Grand

Hemanta Kumar Sarmah

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

design’ which connects and controls everything. But men tend to forget it time and again by going against the nature. Science has been trying to conquer nature but it has created an imbalance in some other areas.

Maharshi Mahesh Yogi said, “When we investigate the invisible mechanics of nature, we find that everything in the universe is directly connected to everything else. Everything is constantly being influenced by everything else. No wave in the ocean is independent of any other.”

Easy recipes to try during Lockdown

D

ue to the lockdown it has become very difficult to find vegetables or meat in the market, which makes us wonder what to cook before almost every meal.

To help you out here are a few healthy recipes for you to try.

These can be easily made at home with limited ingredients!

Omelette curry

Ingredients: 4/5 eggs 3 onions Ginger garlic paste 2 tbsp Turmeric 1/2 tsp Kashmiri Chilli powder 1 tbs Dhania powder Tomato puree 2 tbsp Garam masala 2 pinch

Refined oil 2 tbsp

few seconds and serve hot with rice/roti.

Salt to taste

Chillies 4/5

RajmaPulao (One pot meal)

Green chillies and chopped coriander leaves

Chat masala 2 pinch

Ingredients:

Black pepper3 pinch

Rajma 1/2 cup

Lemon juice and ghee optional

Coriander leaves to garnish

Rice 1 cup or as required

Method:

Salt to taste One pinch of sugar

Method: Chop one onion, green chillies, coriander leaves and keep aside.

Boil to 2 whole onions and then make a paste and prepare the tomato puree.

Now add oil in a panand add the onion paste, turmeric powder, chilli, powder, and stir fry for sometime.

Then add a little water and let it cook.

Now add coriander powder, tomato puree, and let the masala cook for five minutes.

Meanwhile, in a bowl take 4/5 eggs , add salt, black pepper, chat masala, choppedchillies, chopped coriander, mix properly and make around three big omelette. Once the omelette is cooled down then cut it into pieces.

Add the omelette pieces in the cooked gravy. Add some green chillies, garam masala, sugar and coriander leaves. Simmer the gas for

Refined oil 3 tbsp Ginger paste 2 tbsp Cumin whole 1/2 tsp Bay leaves 2 Dry chillies 3 chopped tomatoes 2 onions chopped Cumin powder 1 tbsp Garam masala 1/2 tsp Turmeric 1/2 tsp Chilli powder1/2 tsp

Shimu Dutta

Yoghurt 1/2 cup

Soak the Rajma overnight, then pressure cook it until soft.

Boil the rice half cooked and keep it aside.

Now in a pan add oil, chopped onions and let it cook until it turns light brown in colour. Add the ginger paste and let it cook.

Now add the chopped tomatoes and simmer for few minutes then add the other spices. When the masala is cooked add the boiled rajma and stir fry for few seconds now add the rice and mix it properly. Sprinkle the chopped coriander leaves and ghee on top.

Rajmapulao is ready to serve.

Dal Bora Tenga Ingredients:

Masoor dal 1 cup or as required Turmeric powder 1 tsp Green chilli and garlic paste Thekra 4 pcs soaked Mustard oil 2 tbsp Salt as required Fenugreek seeds/ Methi 1/2 tsp Mustard seeds 1/2

tsp 2 chopped Tomatoes Green chillies 4 Maida 1 tbsp

Method: Soak the masoor dal for two or more hours, then grind it and make fritters out of it.

In a panheatoil, add the fenugreek seeds, mustard seed and when it splutters add the garlic paste and the chopped tomatoes. Let it cook for some time,add turmeric and salt and cook for some time. Now add the fritters and cook them for few seconds then add the thekras and cook for some time. Now mix maida with little water and add it in the curry. Dal Bora Tenga is ready to serve with Rice.

City

| Apr 11 - Apr 17, 2020

23

GUWAHATIANS ON MAIL rThe Lockdown needs to be extended

r Spread the right information

Looking at this situation, the number of Corona infected people has risen from 0 to 28 in just a few days because people attending the Markaz of Tabligi Jamaat have migrated back to the state. The danger of Corona infection is not yet over and the lockdown is coming to an end. At this time, the question that arises here is that: Will it be safe to open the lockdown? Will it not lead to the increase in people meeting each other? Will it not lead to the danger of the increase in the number of new infected people? Will it not be hectic for the doctors to treat so many infected cases? So through the columns of your esteemed weekly I would like to ask the government to extend this lockdown at once and not take the risk of the increase in the number of infected people.

To stay at home is the best way to stay safe.

Neha Singh

r Looking ahead beyond the Covid-19 shock As our new financial year commences, the novel Coronavirus has infected more than eight hundred thousand people in more than 150 countries - a scourge confronting all of humanity, impacting lifestyles, businesses, economies, and the assumption of common wellbeing that all of us have largely taken for granted.

Even before the onset of this pandemic, the global economy was confronting turbulence on account of disruptions in trade flows and attenuated growth.

The situation has now been aggravated by the demand, supply and liquidity shocks that COVID-19 has inflicted. Once the pandemic is controlled, the shape and speed of the recovery in the US and China will be key factors determining the nature and traction of global economic recovery.

It is our expectation at this time that the course of economic recovery in India will be smoother and faster than that of many other advanced countries.

Indeed, the United Nations conference on Trade and development, in its latest report, ‘The COVID-19 shock to Developing Countries’ has predicted that major economies least exposed to recession would be China and India.

While we are now focusing in India on securing the population from health hazards and on providing relief, especially to the poor, we also need to think long-term - to secure the health of the economy, the viability of businesses, and the livelihoods of people. Apart from providing robust safety nets for the vulnerable, ensuring job continuity and job creation is key. And there is an urgent need to mobilise resources to stimulate the economy.

Mahima Jain, Guwahati

‘Information is power’ and the world is entirely dependent on this. Information means knowledge, idea to pursue anything in this world. It is perhaps a blessing to be informed and to inform. But with this blessing comes huge responsibility responsibility to disseminate true and factual news.

In the making of a journalist, one is taught the ethics of journalism, which many in the course of time tend to forget. But as reporters it is our prime duty to serve the needful. To report what truth is no matter the consequence. However, many are seen spreading fake news in this time of pandemic due to which there is chaos in the society and rage among people.

I hereby request all the citizens of this nation to check the news before circulating and to all the performing reporters to do what those ethics taught in the making of you. We shall all try to spread peace than hatred in our society.

Susmita Baruah, Guwahati

r Free speech is paramount People all across the country are being detained or arrested on the basis of their provocative speeches. According to media reports, individuals have been arrested in my home state of Assam as well as in other states on account of them ridiculing the government, the ministers or the efforts of our first responders battling gallantly against the Covid-19 pandemic.

Now, although such a thing as reprehensible speech does exist, and even more so during such a crucial and sensitive time as the one in which we are living right now, we cannot allow the authorities, irrespective of party or state, to curb people’s liberty to express themselves, albeit undesirably.

Moreover, all speech if protected under the right to Freedom of Speech with the sole exception of speech which incites violence, so it is ill-founded to bracket insensitive or provocative speech with a call to violence.

Therefore, it because absolutely vital to highlight this issue, even with the country being completely ensnared by Covid-19, because once the standard for determining what constitutes free speech and what does not becomes arbitrary and subjective, society takes little to no time in devolving into a state of political tribalism where no-platforming becomes established as the law of the land.

Gaurav Agarwal, Guwahati

r Why are they on run?

Till 30th March, Assam was free of any positive case of Corona virus. The government under the command of Health and Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma did everything under the sun to face any situation that may arise. Then on 31st March, suddenly everything changed as Assam recorded the first positive case of Covid-19 in Barak valley. The patient was one of the attendees of Nizamuddin Markaz gathering in Delhi and on the next day floodgates were opened. Later on stunning revelations emerged from the hotspot as the organisers didn’t have the permission to hold the meet as by the time Delhi government had passed prohibition orders on assembly of mass gathering. The video footages from inside the Nizamuddin Mosque complex clearly disclosed how the attendees defied the government orders of maintaining social distance as ordered by government. The audio tape further revealed spine chilling facts when the Maulana Saad of the Nizamuddin Mosque was urging the gathering to defy lockdown orders and also was telling that lockdown was a ploy to weaken the Muslim community. Now the

question arises: Is there a big nefarious game plan in this whole episode? Now that after the repeated appeals from the government/administration to all the missing attendees, the dangerous part is that they have all gone hiding. Even the organiser, Moulana Saad has too gone into hiding. We all know how this dreaded virus is creating devastation across the globe as the prominent countries like USA, Italy, China, Spain have succumbed to it. It sounds bad but something very nasty can be sensed from this vanishing act of these people. These vanishing acts indicate some sinister designs as the hiding act is done deliberately. Assam is waiting for those around 160 people to surrender at the earliest as further delay might bring catastrophe in the state. It is time that government goes by rulebook and books the violators. It is also certain that in coming days many more startling revelations will emerge from Nizamuddin Markaz episode.

Gaurav Chowdhury, GNB Road, Guwahati.

24 Catching Up

| Apr 11 - Apr 17, 2020

PIC OF THE

Most shared story of the week

WEEK

#PHOTO | View from Christian Basti, #Guwahati today at 9 pm.

Picture credit: Varun Choudhary

5.6K

2713

@guwahatiplus @guwahatiplus

The versatile Gamocha in the making | Photo: Surajit Sharma

Guwahati Bank Ltd Did you know Guwahati had a bank of its own? The Guwahati Bank Ltd was established on 18th June 1926. It was a non-government company and classified as “company limited by shares.�

The bank was first set up at Latasil in the house of Lt. Gauri Kanta Talukdar. In 1936 the bank got its permanent address at the Panbazaar, in the two-storied building opposite the Panbazar Masjid, now housed by the Central Bank of India, Panbazaar Marketing Branch Its first Director was Lokpriya

Gopinath Bordoloi and the first Manager was Upen Changkakoti.

The bank had 12 branches in Assam and also a branch in Kolkata. In 1940, it was recognised by the Assam Government and subsequently listed with the RBI. It provided services like savings account, financial services to businesses, government tenders and also provided loans to tea gardens.

However, on 20th July 1950, the bank suspended operations due to economic downfall.

Printed & Published by Sunit Jain on behalf of Insight Brandcom Pvt. Ltd. and Printed at Janambhumi Press (P) Ltd., Kalapahar, Guwahati and Published at 4A, Royale Arcade, Ulubari, Guwahati - 781007, Editor: Swapnil Bharali.

Phone: 0361 2522444, Email: info@g-plus.in, RNI No: ASSENG/2013/52641