G Plus Vol 7 Issue 34 by G Plus

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INSIDE

Volume 07 | Issue 34 Jun 13 - Jun 19, 2020 Price `10 The Baghjan Blowout: OIL on Massive Damage Control Mode

IIT-G 7th, GU 72nd in NIRF’s ‘India Ranking 2020’

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Admin fails to regulate broiler chicken price in Guwahati

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Elections 2021 3498 Positive cases

BJP starting community virtual campaign from June 16 transmission yet: Govt

G Plus News @guwahatiplus

early a year ahead of the assembly elections in the state, politics is back on the radar of ruling saffron brigade. Amidst the Coronavirus pandemic which is threatening to go out of all measurable proportions, parties have now shifted their focus to election strategies and campaigns. The ruling BJP, which a few weeks ago, was showered with praise for controlling the epidemic in a very efficient manner is first out of the block. The party has drawn up an ambitious plan to carry out a virtual campaign in the run up to the elections starting from June 16 this year. Notwithstanding the current situation, the saffron camp has decided to have a first mover advantage in luring the voters and plans to reach the doorsteps of 50 lakh voters in the first phase of their campaign. The top guns of the party in the state, chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal, health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and state president Ranjit Dass will launch the campaign from various assembly segments on June 16 - that is as early as coming Tuesday. As planned, Jansamvad Rally

(public contact rally), two workers of the party in every Mondol, Morcha, district and block level will visit each family armed with a letter signed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighting the achievements of his one-year-old government along with a report card of the four-year-old Sonowal government. Clearly, it looks like the Covid-19 pandemic which has sent the entire world into an isolation mode, has not been able to deter or delay any plans of the party and they will go as they like pressing the accelerator of politics. An insider in the ruling party said that the BJP’s strategy to kick start election campaign at this critical juncture when Covid-19 infection is yet to reach peak levels in the state was debated threadbare. There was a school of thought in one camp that said the move might backfire, considering the present situation of health emergency in the state. However, the opinion of the heavyweights of the party prevailed and they decided to go ahead with the election campaign plans. Plans were drawn up to heavily use digital media as a primary tool for campaigning till the Covid-19 pandemic subsides.

Read Full Story Page No - 03

Nehal Jain @NehalJain96

he total number of coronavirus cases in Assam, as on June 12, stands at 3498. With hundreds of cases coming to light every day, the state government has hinted towards community spread of coronavirus but only in certain areas of Guwahati. Officials of the health department expressed concerns regarding possibility of community transmission after 13 people in the city tested positive for coronavirus with no recent travel history. “We are a bit worried about Guwahati. Till now, we have found nearly 13 Covid-19 cases in the community level,” state health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Wednesday, June 10 after a fresh case without any history of travel or contacts with other infected people was detected at Hari Sabha in the Panbazar area of the city. So far, three cases have been detected in the same area, which is a hub of wholesale medicine dealers. Guwahati’s first Covid-19 case, detected in April, was a businessman with no travel history or contacts with infected people. Sarma added that there is an urgent need to break the chain of virus by means of maintaining stricter containment protocols. “We will have to collect more samples from areas where cases with no history have been detected. We have to enforce strict containment for around

seven days in order to break the chain of transmission,” Sarma said. On the contrary, Himanta Biswa Sarma had earlier said that 98% of the cases in Assam are imported and not homegrown. The total number of active cases in Assam stands at 1,989. While 1,432 persons

include Pan Bazar, Housing Colony, Athgaon, Christian Basti, Rupnagar, Silpukhuri, Barsapara, Guwahati Central Jail and Pandu Railway New Colony. As per the operational guidelines issued by the government, people residing in containment zones must confine themselves to their homes.

have been cured and discharged, 7 deaths have been recorded till date in the state. Further, 3 persons have migrated to other states. The district administration of Kamrup (M) has declared a total of 57 areas as containment zones, out of which 36 are currently active. These

Movement of persons within the zone too is not allowed unless for emergencies. The perimeter of such zones is fenced with barricades and access to all roads is closed barring one common entry and exit point which is monitored by security personnel.

Read Full Story Page No - 06

2 Lead Story

| Jun 13 - Jun 19, 2020

The Baghjan Blowout: OIL on Massive Damage Control Mode • The oil well, Baghjan 5, is one of the most bountiful of wells that Oil India Limited has. • People within the radius of 1.5 kms to 2 kms have the right to feel scared as their livelihood is completely impacted. Barasha Das @Barasha_mi2

n 27th May last, a blowout occurred at the Baghjan 5 oil well of Oil India Limited (OIL), located at Baghjan in Tinsukia District. After 14 days of high pressure gas leakage, the gas caught fire probably due to friction (as has been speculated) on the afternoon of 9th June. Ever since there is a live inferno that just refuses to be doused down. While two fire fighters employed by Oil India Limited were found dead on 10th June, 4 more had sustained injuries. Two officials of OIL were suspended for negligence and John Energy Limited, the company that was outsourced to work on the Baghjan 5 well has been issued a notice. Investigations are currently being undertaken even as dousing the fire has taken prime importance. News reports are coming in round the clock about damages that have been caused to the the neighbourhood and the environment. Social media platforms have raised voices against Oil India Limited, the government and every other

stakeholder and campaigns like #BaghjanGasLeak , #BaghjanOilField, #Baghjan are becoming new trends.

So what actually happened at the Baghjan oil well?

The Baghjan area was found in 2003-04. The well that blew out is the fifth well to be drilled; hence it is named Baghjan 5. It was drilled in 2006-07 but production from it started only in 2015 due to various reasons. The well produces about 80,000 standard cubic metres of gas per day (SCMD) at a pressure of 2,700 PSI. “It is one of the most copious natural reservoirs of OIL,” said Tridiv Hazarika, Public Relations Officer of OIL. As informed by Hazarika, the company had taken up repair works of the well head and also incorporate more outlets from the well. The earlier depth was 3,870 metres and work was undertaken to check the possibility of producing hydrocarbons from a shallower depth. “It’s a standard resource assessment exercise that OIL and all energy companies do,” said Hazarika. As such, open tenders were floated and John Energy Limited of Gujarat was outsourced for the job. The

A massive fight to contain and douse the raging inferno project assigned included the “killing” (subduing) of the well and locating new outlets for the production of hydrocarbons. While work was continuing on the same, and the well head was in the process of repair, the first blowout (an uncontrolled release of natural gas) took place when the Blow Out Preventor (BOP) was removed from the well. The BOP had to be removed for the repairs. However, the whole accident is currently being investigated. The release of gas at 90,000 SCMD at a pressure of 4,200 PSI continued for the next 14 days. Questions were raised on the expertise and even the capabilities of OIL as experts had to be called in from Singapore to control the leakage and for the killing of the well. Although crisis management experts from OIL as well as Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGCL) were called in to tackle the crisis the same continued for 14 days without much result. Former employees of Oil India Limited have opined that the company, even after more than 120 years in service, does not have the required experts to tackle such situations. “OIL has been related with the production of oil for over a century. Yet we do not have the necessary expertise to deal with such disastrous accidents. We bring in experts from Singapore, a country that

has just refineries and imports oil from other countries,” commented a former employee of OIL, seeking anonymity. Experts who have dealt with the Dikom well blowout of 2005 have said that for Oil India Limited the blowout was probably considered a regular accident and officials might not have considered the graveness of the issue. Some even say that signs of such disasters can actually be gauged early and such accidents can be prevented. “Prior to a blowout happening, the well gives some pressure hints. If we don’t read those properly, then accidents take place. I am sure this well also gave hints and the officials present there failed to read it,” a former OIL official who had looked after drilling operations told PTI. Further adding, another expert said that killing fluids (chemical muds) are used to kill such natural gas sources. After ensuring for some hours that there are no gas bubbles surfacing and the mouth has been sealed without any leakage, the final BOP is placed. Allegedly, the company conducting the operation did not wait long enough to consider the proper sealing of the source which resulted in the blowout. “From the 2005 blowout at Dikom, Tinsukia to Baghjan in 2020, our engineers have faced various such field level challenges

and such situations were handled with the equipments, technology and experience at our disposal. Eventually when the Baghjan blowout happened we were confident of containing it with the contraption we were developing with help from ONGC. For the first 10-12 days we were developing a hydraulically controlled BOP lender. We were confident of our approach and the experts were called in just for help and support. Unfortunately, the fire broke out on 9th June even before our operations could be launched,” said Tridiv Hazarika. As of now, 3 experts are working on containing the fire and killing the well temporarily. These experts have been flown in from Alert Disaster Control of Singapore. Hazarika informed G Plus that three more experts would soon be arriving - two from the US and one from Canada.

How is OIL dealing with the live inferno?

Talking to G Plus, veterans of OIL said that there are two ways to control the fire - either by causing extraordinary blast at the mouth of the well to blow out the fire or wait till the source of gas is exhausted completely which would douse the fire naturally. However, officials in OIL informed that exhaustion of the natural source of fuel to the fire might take years as the Baghjan 5

Lead Story

| Jun 13 - Jun 19, 2020

well is a mega natural reservoir. Reportedly, water reservoirs are being created near the mouth of the well and a constant ‘water umbrella’ is being maintained. The periphery of the well is currently being guarded. Tridiv Hazarika said, “Dousing the fire is not possible for now. We are trying to bring down the velocity of the fire so that experts can approach the well head for killing of the gas source.” “There is no threat to life and property now. Fire and condensive falling were the major threats which are now under control,” he added.

Demands of compensation

The natural gas leakage and subsequently the oil well blowout in Baghjan have affected the entire area. While the fire had burnt down about 50 houses of the villagers in the vicinity, severe damage has also been caused to the wildlife and biodiversity of Dibru-Saikhowa National Park, the Dibru River and the nearby wetlands as well as to agricultural land. Although damages done to the environment and the people in the neighbouring areas is well apparent, former

employees of OIL and other concerned stakeholders have raised the credibility of the extent of damages as presented across various media platforms. Some have even pointed out the opportunistic behaviour of many organisations and unions who have been leeching off the company for years now. Condemning the people who are trying to hog the limelight in seeking a share of the compensation that OIL would be delivering to the victims, a former employee said, “People should stand up for the centuryold company and extend moral support to all officials fighting the crisis rather than having their own vested interests.” When questioned about the same, Tridiv Hazarika said, “With a disaster of this proportion it’s natural for the people to be scared. Even houses were gutted down. For those people who are within the radius of 1.5 kms to 2 kms, they have the right to be scared as their livelihood is completely impacted. OIL will be compensating all those who are scientifically and physically impacted. We will be ensuring better positions for them then what they have lost.” Allegedly, people from 5 -6

BJP starting virtual campaign from Jun 16 together people in the fight against the novel coronavirus, is actually an electoral exercise which has been set as the template for the poll campaign likely to be adapted by most of the parties in the upcoming assembly elections in the state. On similar lines, in Assam also the party has planned several such rallies in the next three months to set the slugfest between the saffron camp and its arch rivals.

Janasanyog No. 824/20

he IT cell of the party will heavily assist the state with virtual media strategies. A top IT honcho of the BJP will be stationed in Guwahati to oversee the entire digital campaign of the party till the run up to the elections. In fact, heavy investments have already gone into setting up the necessary infrastructure starting from block to district level, like video conferencing facility at every party office in the state etc. The Bihar Jansamvad Rally, by Home Minister Amit Shah in Bihar, dubbed by the saffron outfit as part of its mission to bring

kms away who have not been impacted are also demanding compensation. The beneficiary lists have names that are trying to benefit from the disaster. As such OIL is investigating the actual damages caused and trying to gather the actual victims of the blowout. The district administration would be helping in this regard. As for the environmental damages, a team from Assam Agricultural University is assessing the impact on vegetation. Oil India Limited has engaged a National Accreditation Board for Education and Training (NABET)accredited consultant to carry out environment impact assessment in and around Dibru-Saikhowa National Park, Maguri Motapung Beel and the surrounding villages. Also The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) has been engaged for remediation of the damaged. After the incident, affected people in the surrounding areas

A victim of the tragedy being taken for the last rites have been accommodated in 12 relief camps at a safer distance and Rs. 30,000 has been given as immediate relief to each of the 1,610 affected families.

The purported damage to OIL

Experts of the industry peg the damages caused by the blowout at Rs. 200 crores to Rs. 300 crores – an amount which OIL might

have to shell out eventually. However, Hazarika is of the opinion that, “Our focus is to mitigate the entire problem. OIL’s 150 year-old-legacy has taken a beating, that is the biggest loss. We want to regain the confidence of the stakeholders and the people on Oil India Limited. As for the financial and physical losses incurred, that is yet to be calculated.”

4 Concern

| Jun 13 - Jun 19, 2020

Event managers in Guwahati stare at bleak and uncertain future Rifa Deka @dekarifa

Over 1,00,000 companies affected by the pandemic as per EEMA survey 52.91 percent companies lost 90 percent business between March-July 2020 Market usually goes through slump during monsoon Daily wage earners and contract workers in turmoil New restrictions on public gatherings due to COVID-19 Event management firms appeal to governments for help Future completely uncertain for event managers

he COVID-19 pandemic has left no sector untouched or unaffected. Among those worst hit happen to be event managers. As per a report published by the Event and Entertainment Management Association (EEMA), the Indian event and exhibition market is expected to experience a loss of around Rs 1 lakh crore in just the first quarter of 2020 with over 10 million job losses. The Events and Entertainment Management Association (EEMA) conducted a member survey with 170 members representing over 1,00,000 companies that

were affected by this pandemic across the country. The survey also estimated losses due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Reports showed that 52.91 percent of companies saw around 90 percent of their businesses being cancelled between MarchJuly 2020. The Association further urged the government to consider taking some serious steps from both the central and state level to help out the event management companies. To find out the problems ailing such businesses in Guwahati, G Plus got in touch with two event organizers in Guwahati. “The future is completely uncertain for event managers like us. Our work is to gather people which is not an option given the COVID-19 situation,” said an event manager from Guwahati, talking to G Plus. “Round the year, we tend to be buried neck deep in work with all sorts of events. It is only about 2 months a year that we don’t have events lined up which is around the months of June, July and August, owing to monsoons,” said Kaushik Dutta, owner of Sync Media, an event management company. “The last 10-12 events which were lined up for the month of March, April and first week of May have all been postponed and some might even have been cancelled. The market usually goes through a slump after that till the rainy season passes,” he said. “We have lost 15 to 20 lakh rupees worth of business in a period of 70 days, which is a big loss for an organization like ours,” said Kaushik Dutta. This is just one event management firm. There are hundreds of firms like these, both big and small who have run out of business these past few months. The event manager has 6 people working in his firm and expressed concerns about not being able to pay salaries to his staff. “We’re giving them a minimum amount and we’re getting small digital marketing assignments which help us get through but it is

File photo of a rock concert in Guwahati | G Plus photo certainly not enough to meet requirements,” he added. “We have a lot of equipment that we had purchased. The necessary items include huge sound equipment and things like that which must be stored in a godown. Storage has also become a problem as we must pay a lot by way of rent,” said the event manager. Apart from all this, a lot of miscellaneous expenses which are not even visible must be borne by these event management firms even in their off seasons. “Some of the major events organized by us prior to the lockdown included the Big Burp Festival, the Around Guwahati Food Festival, Consensio - Royal Global University’s Annual Fest and a few other government events,” said Dutta. Some event planners have completely bailed out due to the kind of weddings being held these days. With all sorts of new restrictions and with a gathering of only 50 or less people, wedding

planners and wedding organizers have nowhere to go for business anymore. G Plus got in touch with another event organizer from Guwahati who had a similar experience to share. “We organize events in our business. Over 90 percent of people are employed on daily wages. Only the owner, executor and supervisor are permanent in our business and the rest are people involved through skill development who are all daily wage earners,” said Vijay Naidu, Director of Swargojyoti Events in Guwahati. There are two wedding seasons, one from November to March and the other one is from April 15 to July 30. In between this, the month of June is usually considered an off season for weddings. During this period so far, Naidu has lost 16 big weddings and 11 corporate events with some being big budget corporate events. His firm alone has incurred a loss of Rs. 2.85

Assam Govt Waives Off Admission Fees for Students

he Assam Government has decided to waive off all fees relating to admission and other categories at educational institutes. In a social media post, Assam Education Minister, Himanta

Biswa Sarma wrote, “In view of COVID19, Government of Assam has waived off all fees of admission, exam, labs, excursion, registration, prospectus etc for 2020-21.To be applicable to institutions as per the attached notification.”

Further a meeting was held with Principle Secretary, Education department & Principals of colleges for smooth implementation of scheme. Meanwhile, the state government has also decided to conduct all admissions to the

state universities, government colleges and technical institutions in online mode only for the academic session 2020-21. All required documents need to be scanned and uploaded by the applicant on the website of the concerned institution.

crores. “There are some workers who earn 400 rupees a day; some earn 500 to even 1000 rupees a day for about 15 to 20 days in a month. These workers have events and are unemployed for the rest of the year. Flower decorators, thermocol decorators, painters, artists, hosts, DJs, singers, musicians, technicians, catering service providers, cleaners, photographers, make-up artists, transport services, security services, cloth suppliers, printing services, and many such people associated with us over the past 12 years have all been the worst affected,” he said. The firm has been trying to help daily wage earners and workers employed on contract basis for over 2 months now and several other such event management firm owners believe that the government must put one step forward to help such people, especially during a time like this with so many unresolved problems in the event industry. n

In The News

| Jun 13 - Jun 19, 2020

IIT-G 7th, GU 72nd in NIRF’s ‘India Ranking 2020’

Snippets Petrol, Diesel Price Hiked for 6th Day In a Row

Rifa Deka @dekarifa

he Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ announced NIRF Indian Rankings for Indian institutes on June 11, 2020. The ranks which were initially scheduled to be announced in April got delayed due to Covid-19 pandemic. Close to 3,800 institutes participated in NIRF Rankings this year, which was 20% higher than the number in 2019. The Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati stood 7th in both overall and engineering categories nationwide in the NIRF’s ‘India Ranking 2020’ list of top institutions. Last year, IIT Guwahati had retained the 7th position among best engineering institutions of the country in the ‘India Rankings 2019’. In the overall ranking, IIT Guwahati stood at the 9th place in 2019 and 12th position in 2018. This year, 7 more institutions of Assam made it to the top. State institutions secured ranks in 5 different categories namely, the overall rank, top university, top law, top engineering and top pharmacy. The National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) is a system of ranking institutions which was approved by the MHRD and launched by the then Minister of Human Resource Development, Smriti

etrol and diesel prices we re hike d for the sixth consecutive day on June 12. According to notifications from state-run Indian Oil Corporation, the price of petrol was revised to Rs 74.57 per litre in Delhi from Rs 74.00 per litre, the diesel rate was revised to Rs 72.81 per litre (hiked by 59 paise). This is the sixth consecutive daily increase in rates since oil companies on Sunday restarted revising prices in line with costs. Petrol prices in Guwahati today stand at Rs.80.09 and diesel at Rs.73.21.

File photo of IIT Guwahati | G Plus photo Irani on 29th September 2015. The framework outlines a methodology to rank institutions across the country drawing from overall recommendations and broad understanding arrived at by a Core Committee set up by the ministry, to identify and rank various universities and institutions. The parameters broadly cover Teaching, Learning and Resources, Research and Professional Practices, Graduation

Outcomes, Outreach and Inclusivity, and Perception. This year, in the overall category, the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras bagged the first rank with Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bangalore in the second and Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi in the third place. In the top universities category, Indian Institute of Science (IISc) stood first with Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), Delhi second

and Banaras Hindu University in the third place. Earlier, Institutes were ranked in multiple categories including – best overall institute, best university, top engineering institute, top college, best management institute, top pharmacy college, best law school, best architecture college, and top medical college. This year, for the first time ever, dental institutes were also included in the list.

NE’s First Bamboo Industrial Park to be Set Up in Dima Hasao

The following is a table showing Institutions which have made it among the top 100 institutions in varied categories under NIRF’s ‘India Ranking 2020’: S.no.

Name Of Institution

Over All Rank

Top University Rank

Top Law Rank

Top Engineering Rank

Top Pharmacy Rank

Indian Institute Of Technology, Guwahati, Assam

Tezpur University, Tezpur, Assam

Gauhati University, Guwahati, Assam

National Institute Of Technology, Silchar, Assam

Dibrugarh University, Dibrugarh, Assam

National Law University And Judicial, Guwahati, Assam

National Institute Of Pharmaceutical Education And Research, Guwahati, Assam

Girijananda Chowdhury Institute Of Pharmaceutical Science, Guwahati, Assam

ssam is set to become home to the first-e ve r Bamboo Industrial Park in the northeast. This industrial park will be set up in Manderdisa in Assam’s Dima Hasao district. Earlier in a Tweet, Union minister of state for the development of north eastern region, Jitendra Singh announced that this project will be built on an area of 75 hectares at a total cost of Rs 50 crores. The in-principle approval will be granted to this project in August this year. The proje ct is se t to be comple te d by March 2021. Further, the central government also plans to set up another project for Bamboo Park in Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh which would be taken up by the north eastern council (NEC).

6 Cover Story

| Jun 13 - Jun 19, 2020

Assam cop tests positive for coronavirus Nehal Jain @NehalJain96

n Assam policeman deployed on duty in Guwahati was among those who tested positive for COVID-19 on Thursday, June 11. According to reports, the cop belonged to the 8th APBn of Assam Police and was deployed on duty at quarantine centres in Sarusajai stadium and Paltan Bazar in the city. He was transferred from

Bongaigaon a month ago and was put up at a temporary camp at Netaji Vidyapeeth in Maligaon along with around 70 other police personnel. He developed fever and cough in the past few days and went to Mahendra Mohan Choudhury Hospital (MMCH) to get himself checked on Tuesday, June 9. His swab samples were collected and sent for testing. On Thursday, the results came out positive. The cop is currently undergoing treatment at MMCH and all others who came in contact with him have been put under quarantine at Netaji Vidyapeeth.

Coronavirus claims 3 more lives, state death toll at 7 Assam has reported three deaths owing to Covid-19 in the last one week, taking the state death toll from 4 to 7. The 5th death due to the dreaded coronavirus was recorded on June 9. The dead person has been identified as Arun Katoki of Karbi Anglong district. As intimated by Dr Lakshmanan S, Mission Director of NHM, the person started his journey from Chennai by train

on 23rd May and arrived in Assam on 26th May. After undergoing institutional quarantine, Katoki was released on 3rd June. His first sample test result was found to be negative. A second sample was collected before his release from facility quarantine and he was asked to undergo home quarantine. On 7th June he complained of breathing difficulties and was taken to DMCH, Diphu. He died

A containment zone at Santipur | G Plus photo the very same day. His second sample test was declared positive of COVID-19 on 8th June, posthumously. The 6th Covid-19 death was reported on June 10 when a 67-year-old cancer patient, who returned from Mumbai, passed away at Tezpur Medical College and Hospital (TMCH). According to reports, Tezpur residents Kamal Krishna Pal and

his wife had returned to the state on May 29 via flight. Pal was seeking treatment for cancer in Mumbai, when the nationwide lockdown was announced and the duo got stuck in the city. Both Pal and his wife were under institutional quarantine. Assam reported its seventh death due to COVID-19 pandemic on June 12. The deceased has been

identified as Mangali Rani Das who was admitted at Silchar Medical College and Hospital (SMCH). Reportedly, Das who was a cancer patient tested positive for COVID-19 after she returned from Delhi. The government of Assam is however, yet to issue its official confirmation on this and this news is per reports received.

Admin fails to regulate broiler chicken price in Guwahati G Plus News @guwahatiplus

here is suddenly a steep rise in the price of broiler chicken in Guwahati. Even during the lockdown the prices were regulated and broiler chicken seemed affordable. How about now? Confusion prevails regarding the rate which varies from shop to shop. In some areas today, dressed chicken is being sold at Rs 320 per kilo and in some areas it is as high as Rs 380 per kilo. Similarly, undressed chicken is sold at Rs 240 to Rs 260 per kilo. Before the lockdown in March, dressed chicken used to be sold at Rs 200 per kilo and undressed was priced at Rs 120 per kilo. Given this scenario people are suspecting that some kind of syndicate has come into place in the entire process. “There is no syndicate as such because to create a syndicate

product has to be stored somewhere like eggs, onions and potatoes. In the case of chicken it is a daily business,” said a general manager of a prominent farming company wishing anonymity. He said that the consumers should get the chicken by paying maximum Rs 40 more over the ex-farm price. There are two to three go-betweens between the farm and the consumers, and if they are increasing the price, the administration should bring in a check. He said that a month ago the farmers had a lengthy meeting with officials of the Kamrup Metro administration where it was decided that the administration will keep a check on the price of the broiler chicken and announce the same twice a month. But that did not happen. G Plus tried contacting the district administration officials but they did not respond to the phone calls that were made. The manager explained the

reason of increase in the price post lockdown. According to him, for a broiler chicken to become saleable, it takes around 9 weeks. The eggs are kept in the incubator machine for

breeding which takes around 2 weeks. Then the baby chicks are fed and grown in a farm and the entire process requires 9 weeks till the chickens are of 1kg to 1.5 kg size. “Now the chicken which is available in the market are not fully grown or matured,” said

the general manager claiming that the farmers are selling it at a higher price therefore. During lockdown all the farms had to be closed suddenly and the eggs, in most cases, were not kept in the incubator for hatching. To Guwahati, broiler chicken comes from places like Jagiroad, Baihata, Chaygaon and nearby areas. Assam is considered a self-dependent state for chicken; the broilers are not imported. He also said that gradually the price is decreasing and as of 12th June the ex-farm rate of undressed chicken is Rs 140. Hence, the consumers should get it for Rs 180 in Guwahati, according to him. G Plus enquired about the rate of undressed chicken in Guwahati on 12th June. It was Rs 220 to Rs 240. A source in the livestock department said that the sale of live chicken in Guwahati is illegal as it should be sold only through slaughterhouse. A veterinary officer with

Guwahati Municipal Corporation, talking to G Plus said, “Though the chicken should go through the slaughterhouse like mutton in Guwahati, the capacity of slaughterhouse is 20,000 chickens and the city consumes around 70,000 chickens every day.” He added that unless more slaughterhouses are made, GMC cannot enforce the sale of broiler chicken mandatorily through the slaughterhouse. Though the slaughterhouse excuse is there, the administration has yet failed to regulate the price of broiler chicken in Guwahati. The livestock department has fixed the price of dressed chicken at Rs 260 per kilo but it is not a mandate for all the registered 435 chicken retail price shops in the city. The livestock department sources also said that if the administration wants they can regulate the price and even enforce the sale through slaughterhouse.

Poll

| Jun 13 - Jun 19, 2020

Guwahatians believe NE can become the organic capital of India Yes: 85% No: 15% Total votes: 2.1K Rifa Deka @dekarifa

rime Minister Narendra Modi, while addressing the 95th annual plenary session of the Indian Chamber of Commerce via video conferencing on June 11, said that North East India could become the organic hub of the country. He said that the entire region could become the organic capital and bring about a revolution in farming activities if Indian Chamber of Commerce puts in the effort. G Plus conducted a poll on its social media channels and asked Guwahatians whether Northeast region could become the organic capital of the country and bring a revolution in farming activities. More than 1,500 people participated in the poll. On the one hand, the results showed that 85 percent of people thought that the Northeast could become the organic hub of India, whereas, 15 percent of voters believed that the same will not be possible anytime soon. Sikkim was the first Indian state to officially announce adoption of the practice in 2003 to ensure long term sustenance. Sikkim is the only state in the

PM Modi said that the Northeast region could become the organic capital of the country and bring a revolution in farming activities. Do you agree? world which grows 100 percent organic produce. With all of Sikkim’s farmlands organically certified, netizens mooted for Northeast to follow the same. They actively commented on G Plus’s post on Social Media Platforms after casting their votes in the poll conducted on June 11. One netizen Babul Kemprai on Facebook said, “Yes, definitely North East can be made the organic capital of India.” Another Facebook user Imdad Hussain replied saying, “Yes, if the government can really work on the welfare of farmers then this is possible, but it will not be possible if this only the Prime Minister’s ‘Mann Ki Baat’. A lot of other social media users responded by clicking on the ‘Yes’ option. However, those who felt otherwise were the ones to comment the most on the post. Those who had contradictory views about the same, who also voted ‘No’ in the poll had these views. One Twitter user, Satish Bharatiya, expressed his views, “Prior to 2014 there was Look East Policy and post 2014 it was Act East Policy. But both are now only ‘Think East’ policies. Both UPA and NDA failed to fence all international borders in 35 years, which is the biggest

8th Death Recorded in Assam, Active Cases Go up to 1903

ssam recorded its eighth COVID-19 death in Gauhati Medical College & Hospital on June 12. The patient has been identified as Mantu Ramchiari (50) from Baksa who was admitted at GMCH after testing positive for COVID-19. Earlier today, a woman infected with COVID-19 died at Silchar Medical College and Hospital (SMCH) in Assam. The patient has been identified as Mangali Rani Das who had returned from Delhi recently. She was suffering from cancer.

Meanwhile, as per the latest tweet from the state health minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma, 68 more new COVID-19 positive cases were detected in the evening of June 12. Till now total cases recorded in Assam stands at 3498, recovered 1584, active cases 1903 with 8 dead. Moreover, as per media reports one more death has been supposedly recorded in Hojai. However, no official confirmation by the state government has come till the filing of this report.

Representative Image of an organic farm shame when effective fencing can end terrorism and illegal immigration in NE.” Another Facebook user, Jagrit Kashyap opined, “Yes but No. We have a lot of greenery here. From tea to rice, we cultivate in abundance already, and we don’t want to be another

Haryana or Punjab. Neither do the people here do farming with the exceptional passion and hard work like people in Punjab or Haryana.” The Facebook user went on to add, “Firstly, we don’t need just another motivational chant with close to no effect in actuality.

Secondly, do not want to be known as the jungle of India, or the ‘junglees’ of India. We need a relation with the rest of the world and with our side being closer to South East Asia, you should have helped us reach the countries around us to do trade and commerce with them.”

COVID-19: 44 Containment Zones Currently Active in Kamrup Metro

he Deputy Commissioner of Kamrup (Metro), Biswajit Pegu, has directed the Circle Officers of concerned revenue circles to seal the vicinities where people have tested positive for the coronavirus with immediate effect, vide orders, turning them into containment zones. 14 new containment zones have been added to the list of active containment zones today, June 12. The following is the list of areas demarcated as Containment Zones by the district authorities which are currently active 1. Japorigog 2. Borbari 3. Bishnupur, Krishna Nagar 4. Dhirenpara 5. Pub-Sarania 6. Bathou Nagar, Geeta Mandir 7. Krishna Nagar, Gosala 8. Central Jail Premises, Lokhra

9. Indrapur Hill Top, Near Medical College 10. Lichubagan, Hengerabari 11. Arihant Apartment, Panbazar 12. Syamkunj Apartment, Lakhinagar, R G Baruah Road 13. Hajongbori Village, Chandrapur 14. Bhaskar Nagar B-Block, Fatasil 15. Sarabbhati, Guwahati 16. Athgaon, Guwahati 17. Hirapara Village (Azara) 18. Christian Basti, Guwahati 19. Bishnupur (Bharalumukh) 20. Shantipur 21. Satgaon 22. Sankar Nagar, Lalganesh 23. Dhirenpara, Guwahati 24. Athgaon-II (SJ Road) 25. Lamb Road, Guwahati 26. Kushal Nagar, Bamunimoidam 27. Birubari, Guwahati 28. Athgoan Pukhuripar,

Guwahati 29. Barsapara, Guwahati 30. Rupnagar, Guwahati 31. Netaji Vidyapith Rly HS School, Maligoan, Guwahati 32. Fatasil Chariali 33. Silpukhuri, Guwahati 34. Housing Colony, Ghoramora, Guwahati 35. Netaji Vidyapith HS School, Maligaon, campus 36. Block-M of Pragjyotish Housing Colony, Ghoramara 37. Satgaon Army Camp, Guwahati 38. CISF Camp, Sector Hill, Noonmati Refinery 39. Mangaldeep Residency, Lalganesh 40. G. S. Colony, Fatasil, Guwahati 41. Tokoubari, Guwahati 42. K. C. Sen Road, Paltanbazar, Guwahati 43. Sankarpur, Birubari Tiniali 44. Uzanbazar Railway Colony

8 Concern

| Jun 13 - Jun 19, 2020

‘Unreasonable’ hike in bus ticket prices creates discomfort among travellers Atiqul Habib @guwahatiplus

hile the Assam government’s decision to send stranded migrant workers as well as others back to their respective homes free of cost was applauded, now the opening of intra-district routes for bus services has created a new problem for passengers with private bus operators hiking the fares. Allegations have surfaced from various parts of the state that private bus operators are charging arbitrarily from passengers. “We were asked to pay Rs. 1000 to Rs. 1200 one way from Dhubri to Guwahati. Earlier we used to pay only Rs. 400,” said one migrant worker. In the ongoing pandemic, many labourers had lost their jobs and were forced to go back to their native villages but now, when they want to come back to revive their livelihoods, they find themselves helplessly tackling the abnormal fare hike. The Assam government, vide a notification, had stated that all buses should run at 50% occupancy maintaining social distancing. On this pretext many bus operators are charging double the normal fares just to cover up the losses incurred while complying with governments norms. The owners and drivers of private transport vehicles, on the other hand, say that they are incurring losses as they are

allowed to carry only 50 percent of their seating capacity. To meet the expenses, including the fuel and wages, they have been bound to increase the fare. A few city commuters said that the minimum city bus fare has been increased to Rs 10 from Rs 7. E-rickshaw and share taxi fares have also been doubled, and fares of longdistance bus services have shot up by 50 percent. While no one is openly admitting what fares the private transporters are charging, on an average, the long-distance buses are charging 35-40% more than the normal fare. Speaking to G Plus, Ashok Kumar Bhattarai, ASTC Chairman said, “We have strictly asked the buses running under the ASTC wing not to charge any extra money and comply with the norms at par with the government.” Further, Bhattarai stated that tickets can be availed from the bus counter or from the Red Bus app at the nominal ticket prices and if any bus operator charges extra money for tickets one can raise a complaint to the nearest police station. Speaking on the precautionary measures, Bhattarai said that the entire team of ASTC operating in this time of pandemic keeping in mind all possible safety measures, precautions and by following the guidelines issued by the Health and Home Ministry to prevent the infection from further spreading. Further, all the ASTC drivers, conductors, staffs and officers who were involved in the

Representative image of the ISBT in Guwahati | G Plus photo process of transportation of passengers were provided PPE kits to ensure safety first so that they are not infected while carrying out services and inside the buses, the drivers and conductors were also given protection by making protective cabins in order to avoid undue contact with the passengers. Although the state government has issued clear directive for the bus operators to ply the question remains uncertain with the lower class people as they neither are technically sound to book a ticket via the app or go ahead and lodge a complain. Taking advantage of these situations and the plight of the labourers or the migrant

workers a few of the bus operators are minting money in these times of pandemic. Reportedly, in other parts of the state such as Barpeta, Jorhat, Majuli to name a few, several bus operators have hiked their fares as train services are yet to resume. Speaking to G Plus, one of the passengers from Jorhat said, “I paid Rs. 800 just to travel from Jorhat to Guwahati via ‘Day Super’ bus.” “Normally I used to take the train but as the train services are yet to resume these bus operators are taking advantage of this and charging higher prices,” he added. It is to be mentioned that people post the ‘Unlock 1’ have

started travelling whenever it has become mandatory. In due course of time it has been witnessed that thousands of people are returning to their workplace and want to start a fresh lease of life. On the other hand with the scarcity of labourers in Guwahati many of the construction sites as well as other labour based activities have come to a halt. Adding to the woes of the migrant workers the unseasonal rain has also dampened their livelihood in their native place as majority of their farms and paddy fields have been washed out with the flood leaving them to starve without anything left behind. n

Weather report for the week Guwahati

SUN

MON

TUE

WED

THU

FRI

T-Storms

32°27° C

31°26° C

30°26° C

31°26° C

32°27° C

SATURDAY

T-Storms 31°-26° C

News This Week

| Jun 13 - Jun 19, 2020

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

Supreme Court issues notice to Centre over PIL filed on airlines

The apex court issued a notice to the Centre over a PIL filed on airlines refund issue for flight cancellations during the nationwide lockdown. The civil aviation ministry has been directed by the court to file a in response to the same within a period of 3 weeks. The Supreme Court has also advised that passengers whose flight tickets were cancelled must get a period of two years to make use of the credit amount for any route. It had been proposed that credit would be issued to passengers for the same route that their tickets had been cancelled for and for a short period of time.

COVID-19: India climbs to 4th position, surpasses UK

The total number of COVID-19 positive cases in India rose to 2,97,535 which has brought India up to the 4th spot in the list of countries worst affected by the virus. India has surpassed the United Kingdom (UK) within a short span of time and lies just below the US, Brazil and Russia on the list. The country now has 1,41,842 active cases as per the latest data released by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Despite the expected spike in number of new cases, number of patients recovered continues to cross the number of active cases in India. Maharashtra with 97,648 cases is the worst-affected state by the disease, followed by Tamil Nadu with 38,716 cases.

IPL 2020 likely to be played in empty stadiums: Sourav Ganguly

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is all set to host the Indian Premier League (IPL) in empty stadiums if necessary, said the Board’s president Sourav Ganguly. In his letter to all affiliated members of the body, he said that the BCCI is working on all feasible options of making the tournament happen, including measures like playing in empty stadiums. The BCCI president also announced that all cricket activities including training and competitive cricket might resume in the next two months. The BCCI is also developing a COVID-19 Standard Operation Procedure (SOP) for all State Cricket Associations, which will help associations to resume cricket in their respective areas too.

1 killed, 2 injured at IndoNepal border in Bihar

One killed, 2 injured in firing by Nepalese police along Indo-Nepal border in Bihar’s Sitamarhi district on June 12 informed officials. Sources informed that the firing took place after a clash between the Indians and personnel of Nepal police at the Lalbandi-Janki Nagar border in Pipra Parsain panchayat under Sonebarsha police station of the district. The place of firing falls under Nepal jurisdiction. According to locals, 25 year old Vikesh Kumar Rai died on the spot and Umesh Ram and Uday Thakur received bullet injuries when they were working in an agricultural field. Injured persons were rushed to Sitamarhi Sadar Hospital for better treatment.

Mumbai leaves Wuhan behind in COVID-19 case numbers

Mumbai, the financial capital of India and the country’s largest city by population, crossed Wuhan’s number of the novel coronavirus disease affected persons on June 10. The city crossed 51,000 cases, which is around 700 more than the highest number of cases recorded in China’s Wuhan which was the epicentre of the global pandemic. Number of confirmed patients in Wuhan was 50,333 and the number of fatalities last stood at 3,869. In Mumbai, 1,760 patients have succumbed to the virus so far. As on June 10, Maharashtra recorded 90,787 cases as per the latest data released by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and is the worst-affected state by the disease in the country.

US expresses concern over religious freedom rights violation of Indian citizens

The Trump administration has expressed concern over religious rights of citizens in India. Remarks came in after major instances of violation of religious freedom across the globe were released by “2019 International Religious Freedom Report” on June 10. The annual report to US Congress on International Religious Freedom, also known as the International Religious Freedom Report, describes the status of religious freedom, government policies violating religious belief and practices of groups, religious denominations and individuals, and US policies promoting religious freedom. The Indian government, in response to the report and remarks, said that the country is proud of its secular credentials, its status as the largest democracy and a pluralistic society with a longstanding commitment to tolerance and inclusion.

Javed Akhtar becomes first Indian to receive Richard Dawkins Award

Renowned writer, poet and lyricist, Javed Akhtar, has been conferred the prestigious Richard Dawkins Award for 2020 for critical thinking. The award has been bestowed on him for his critical thinking, scrutinizing religious beliefs, advancing human progress and humanist values. To congratulate his father for the same, Farhan Akhtar tweeted, “Congratulations pa.. for being the first Indian to receive the Richard Dawkins Award for critical thinking and advancing humanist values. You absolutely and unequivocally deserve it. So so proud.” The Richard Dawkins Award was presented annually by the Atheist Alliance of America till July 2019 and is now presented by the Center for Inquiry from (CFI). The Center for Inquiry (CFI) is a non profit organization that strictly opposes religion in government affairs.

Centre cannot coerce employers to pay full wages to employees for lockdown period: SC

The Supreme Court of India on June 12 has asked all states to facilitate settlement between private companies and employees over remuneration. Labour commissioners have also been asked to submit reports. The apex court further mentioned that no coercive action will be taken against companies that have failed to pay full salaries to employees during the lockdown period. The Supreme Court also asked the Centre to file an affidavit within four weeks on the legality of the circular which made payment of full wages mandatory. The bench further advised industries and workers to work together to resolve disputes over settlement of wages.

COVID-19 free New Zealand lifts lockdown restrictions

The Prime Minister of New Zealand, Jacinda Ardern, announced that the country would lift all of its last remaining coronavirus restrictions at midnight of June 8. The restrictions were in place to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus disease. The country had imposed a strict lockdown 75 days ago with the aim of getting to a level where citizens could lead a normal life in the midst of a global pandemic. New Zealand has had 1,504 confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 and there are no active cases of the virus in the country as per official data released by the Ministry of Health, New Zealand.

Mizoram Govt extends lockdown by 2 more weeks

The Chief Minister of Mizoram, Zoramthanga has announced that the state will impose a 2 week long lockdown from June 9 in view of the prevailing COVID-19 situation. The Chief Minister took to twitter to make the announcement, “Total Lockdown for 2 weeks starting midnight tonight! Quarantine period : 21 days, Home quarantine option will be limited to only extreme unavoidable cases. Updated guidelines to follow soon…” he tweeted. The nationwide lockdown had concluded on 31st of May which was followed by Unlock 1.0.

10 G Talk E

| Jun 13 - Jun 19, 2020 T

A distinct disconnect

ith just 3,500 odd cases, Assam’s Covid Control has been absolutely magnificent. This has been acknowledged almost universally, veteran journalist Shekhar Gupta included, even though the extremely stringent measures adopted by health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma proved to be rather irksome for Gupta’s scheme of things. Two journalists he had sent to cover the Covid situation in the northeast were apparently kept in quarantine for an unduly prolonged period which irked Gupta to the point where he came out with a video to vent his irritation. Of late, despite these good tidings about Assam, one is however beginning to feel a disconnect of sorts as far as the flow of news from the government is concerned. Also, there seems to be a certain lack of coordination between departments whereby the correct news about the mushrooming containment zones in the city and the sprouting Covid-19 positive cases therein seems to be going missing. The one-night containment of Lamb Road is a case in point. Clamped overnight after having picked up a supposed Covid-19 patient who had travelled from Jalpaiguri and who had been discharged just a day earlier from hotel quarantine with all government papers, the stretch of Lamb Road remained a containment zone indefinitely for one whole day with no government order coming out about its status. We at G Plus were given to understand from the concerned authorities that the announcement would be made as soon as the heaps of paper work were completed. By evening of Thursday, with the containment zone tag still intact, the district administration came out with four orders in which Lamb Road did not feature. The patient himself became concerned and tweeted tagging the health minister as to why an entire area was contained against the present rule of just the particular house where he had stayed. He got a response from the minister saying that should not have been the case and thereafter, later in the night, the containment zone tag was removed and the stretch opened. This is just one case in point but ever since Unlock 1 has kicked in and the city’s

activities have begun to normalize, there has been a noticeable decline in the frequency of the health minister’s press conferences. Also, his tweets are often found to be vague and not as crisp and clear as they were earlier. Moreover, his deputy, minister of state for health, Pijush Hazarika’s recent mention to a TV news channel about the possibility of the government locking down Assam once again comes as an uncoordinated utterance not backed by a concrete decision and has thereby only added to the confusion. The mushrooming containment zones (there are currently 36 all across the city and counting) gives a direct indication of a community spread which the government has chosen not to admit as yet. Everything considered, the laxity within the society towards coronavirus infection has surfaced. Videos have been shared of people swarming the fish market at Bhetapara throwing the caution of social distancing to the winds. The markets and commercial areas of the city are witnessing uncontrollably normal economic activity like loading and unloading of trucks carrying essential commodities with the obvious required crowding. All these point towards the whole intent of the prolonged lockdown being flushed down the drain. Further confusion is created by a large number of supposed “media houses” coming up with the latest Covid-19 positive cases sprouting from within the city’s localities on social media. These come without any kind of government verification and are as believable as any other news that may be genuine or fake. To put it simply, of late, the disconnect is truly visible and is something that does not inspire confidence. Clarity, coordination and proper news dissemination is today a reasonable expectation that the public at large can hope to have. And it is here that the government seems to be failing. Checking the tweets of the Directorate of Information and Public Relations (DIPR) for news has become an exercise in futility. The chief minister’s tweets are no different. Left to one man - the health minister – one gets the feeling that there is only so much he can do. But we do need the connect back. Swapnil Bharali (Editor) @swapnilbharali

Guarding against child labour

very single minute matters, every single child matters, every single childhood matters,” Kailash Satyarthi The children are innocent, curious and their life should be promised for tomorrow with full of hope, joy and security. The exploitation of children both physically and mentally is a crime against the humanity. Realizing this every year the World Day Against Child Labour is celebrated with a view to foster the worldwide movement against child labour in any of its form. But the first question that arises is who can be called a child? The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Child defines a child as “a person who has not attained the age of 18 years of age.” However the Indian legislations have different age groups in different statutes to determine the age of children, but the universally acclaimed limit to be regarded as child is 18 years only. One of the consequences of this different limit of calculations of the age is the exploitation of children in the form of child labour. As a result of this non unanimity in the age limit, the employers can take advantage of the situation and can employ child labours. India is home to the largest child population in the world. The Constitution of India guarantees fundamental rights to all children in the country and empowers the state to make special provisions for children. The Directive Principles of State Policy specifically guide the State in securing the tender age of children from abuse and ensuring that children are given opportunities and facilities to develop in a healthy manner in conditions of freedom and dignity. The Constitution of India in its Article 24 provides for the prohibition of employment of children below the age of fourteen years in factories and hazardous employment. According to a United Nations report, 218 million children worldwide between 5 and 17 years are in employment. Among them 152 million children are victims of child labour, almost half of them, 73 million, in hazardous child labour. In India, the 2011 census revealed that 10.13 million children between 5-14 years are victims of child labour in India, and 53.69 lakh children aged 5-14 years were working as agricultural labourers in India. One of the grim reality of child labourers, as per a data by Child Rights & You (CRY), is that 1.4 million child labourers in India aged 7-14 years are illiterate. Despite the constitutional provision under Article 21-A which provides for free and compulsory education to all children of the age of

6-14years, the ground reality still remains that education is still a distant dream for some children. Again there is Article 39 (e) talking about the states obligation to ensure that the health and strength of workers, men and women and the tender age of children are not abused and that citizens are not forced by economic necessity to enter avocations unsuited to their age or strength. But I am afraid that these constitutional commitments are achieved in the truest sense or not, specially now when we are facing a global pandemic. This crisis can push millions of vulnerable children into child labour because people’s lives and livelihood are hugely impacted due to the lockdown.

In India, the 2011 census revealed that 10.13 million children between 5-14 years are victims of child labour in India, and 53.69 lakh children aged 5-14 years were working as agricultural labourers in India. Children around the world are routinely engaged in paid and unpaid forms of work that are detrimental to their physical, mental, social and educational development. Africa ranks highest among child labours and the Asia Pacific regions rank second. The remaining child labours exist in America, Europe and Central Asia and the Arab States. In India there are sufficient statutes prohibiting child labour but the conviction rate of perpetrators is very low. Under the Factories Act, 1948 children below the age of 14 years cannot be employed in a factory, the Mines Act, 1952 has similar provisions prohibiting employment of children below 14 years in a mine. On September 2019, the government after discussion with the stakeholders amended the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2016 which completely prohibits the employment of children below 14years, except employed in family enterprises. The amendment also permits the employment of adolescents between the age group of 1418 years except in hazardous occupation. The number of hazardous occupation has been decreased from 83 to only 3. These changes depict how India lacks a national commitment to abolish child labour entirely. Under the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009, there is a

O pinion Shilpa Roy

statutory obligation that every child completes elementary education but if a child is employed in family enterprises, he is expected to earn as well as study, which appears contradictory to the vision of our policy makers. India undoubtedly has implemented a huge range of laws and programmes to combat with child labour. The observation by the Gurupadswamy Committee formed by the central government in 1979 was that child labour is inextricably linked to poverty. Taking into account the findings and recommendations of the Gurupadswamy Committee, the Union Government enacted the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986. India ratified International Labour Organization (ILO), Convention No. 138 and 182 to symbolize its commitment and initiatives for the eradication of child labour and attainment of Sustainable Development Goal related with curbing of child labour. However, despite this laws and international commitments child labour is still prevalent. It has been proved since time immemorial that education is the key to bring changes in the individual as well as in the collective level. Sending girls to school is one of the best investments a country can make for its own development, yet they are the ones who are forced to drop out school and work. During the global lockdown, the real picture of child labour in India was revealed when the migrant workers returned home. And I am afraid that after the lockdown ends, they will be again sent by their parents to work in different fields. I need not mention here how hit hard our economy is due to the coronavirus pandemic and this just elevates the instances of child labour. If awareness about the cons of child labour is spread across the globe and perpetrators are booked with severe punishment, then the germs of child labour can be wiped off from the society totally. Small hands should pick up pen rather than working in industries and fields. As Nelson Mandela puts it, “There can be no keener revelation of a society’s soul than the way in which it treats its children.” (The views expressed in the articles are the author’s own. She is a lawyer and an amateur writer)

In Focus

| Jun 13 - Jun 19, 2020

Centre announces 1,656 km gas pipeline for NE T he central government of India has announced 1,656 kms of gas pipelines for the Northeast. This pipeline will connect cities like Guwahati, Shillong and Aizawl among others. The pipeline will enable the supply of piped cooking gas to households and CNG to automobiles, besides fuel to industry. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), on June 10, approved a Rs. 5,559 crore viability gap funding for the proposed northeast gas grid, Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said. The North-East pipeline grid is to be implemented by Indradhanush Gas Grid, a joint venture of state-owned GAIL India, Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL), Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC), Oil India Ltd (OIL) and Numaligarh Refinery Ltd (NRL). Meanwhile, Gas Authority of India Ltd (GAIL) is also laying a 750-km line from Barauni to Guwahati as part of the Rs. 12,940 crore JHBDPL project, which is also known as the Pradhan Mantri Urja Ganga project. This is proposed to be connected to the North-East via the Indradhanush grid.

Guwahatians took to the social media handles of G Plus to share their views on the Centre’s decision. Drishana Kalita said, “More empty promises. What happened to the water pipelines in Guwahati that was supposed to be finished 5 years ago? We are still buying water from tankers right in the capital Dispur.” Jyotishman Pathak sarcastically said, “Ok. Now let’s forget about the disaster and cheer up the government for this proposed plan which will become reality like the water supply. Yea!!!” Rupak Choudhury said “Surface Transport Union Minister declared three flyovers in Guwahati three years back. Have you seen the construction work?” Siddharth Konwar said “These election propagandas are ruining our state.” Questioning the government Samantaa Jolly said, “Are you planning to blast Guwahati? Water pipe lines are blasting almost everyday in the city and now you’re talking about gas pipelines?” Sanchit Harlalka said, “Can we

Representative image of gas pipelines in Assam transporting crude oil please ask our beloved Centre to first complete the water pipeline project in Guwahati?” Farid Alam said, “This is

a nice joke by the central government. Now people will forget last week’s incident and will clap for this lollipop.”

Rita Datta said, “So that they can carry the crude oil, refine it and sell it to us at a higher price.” n

G Plus published some photographs of several old trees that were chopped down to facilitate construction of the new flyover near Dispur Super Market area of Guwahati. Comments: Manoj Kumar Rabha

So we have roads which are not enough for our transportation. We need flyovers. Why? Just to show other metro cities that we are not behind. Just look at the conditions of other metro cities. How they are suffering for every little thing like fresh water, fresh air, fresh food! Does the government of Assam want to convert Guwahati into a more challenging place to survive by doing such acts?

Abhishek Sharma

Preserving nature is not in the election manifesto and so trees are not required. Ministers do not feel the high temperatures as they are always in government offices, government residences and government vehicles with air conditioning 24X7.

Avishek Chakraborty

Bhogojit R’va

Why do people always complain? Are the government building those fly overs for their personal use? I guess not! If people bring change in themselves first then I guess things will change automatically. Decrease the use of private vehicles. Use public transport more. Less traffic congestion, lesser the need of such flyovers. Your car is equally responsible for increase in pollution as cutting down trees is.

Rana Joheb Islam

This is ridiculous, this shouldn’t be done. On the one hand we are saying save trees and save the environment and on the other hand we are chopping down our full grown trees in the name of beautification. We are displaying in our social media account save Dehing Patkai. First of all let’s get united and save our city and then we think about it in the broader sense. As it is rightly said, “Charity begins at home.” So it’s the time to save our city first.

After facing so many natural calamities and the dangerous effects of Covid-19, still humans haven’t learned that destruction of Mother Nature is not the solution to our development. Rather it’s the opposite. You destroy Mother Nature; she will take revenge on us more harshly. Observing World Environment Day and giving big lectures on saving trees and planting some saplings is just a big farce and cheap snobbery. I don’t observe environment day. Rather I offer my apology to the environment on this day because for me every day is 5th June.

12 Lifestyle

| Jun 13 - Jun 19, 2020

Vaastu and Guest Room I t is very important to use the directions properly as per Vaastu while locating the rooms for different purposes. This can have e ffe cts on health, finances, relationships, marriage and education or career. Our ancestors have said that “Atithi Devo Bhava” or the guest is like God. So it is required that the guest be given proper care and comfort. There is a designated place and direction for the guests according to Vaastu. This will ensure a good relationship with guests. The guest room in different directions can give different effects. The Northwest is regarded as the best direction for the guests. The east is also a good direction for guests which will improve relations with the guest and get help from them in future. In case of space constraints, the northeast can also be considered for the guest room. The prohibited directions: The southeast is regarded as the direction for the inflow of wealth. A guest room in this direction will obstruct this flow of money. The south is responsible for name and fame. If the guest room is kept at south, it will bring down the glory of the owner. The southwest is especially reserved for the owner of the house. This direction should not be given to any guest to stay. The west is ruled by Lord Saturn (Shani) and it brings profits. A guest room at west will make all your

earnings and profits temporary. The north is responsible for wealth and prosperity. If the guest room is kept at north, it affects your progress in career.

POINTS TO REMEMBER:

These are applicable for the balcony and the outside of the house too.

There should not be any beam over the bed of the guest (Just like any other beds).

The main door and the surrounding area should not be dark and dingy. If it is well lit, it will attract prosperity to your space. It is a good practice to put a spotlight on the name plate.

There should be light colours on the walls of the guest room like white, light pink, green or yellow. Electronic items like TV should be kept at the southeast. It is very auspicious to keep drinking water at the northeast of the guest room. Heavy items like furniture and almirah etc should be kept at southwest, south and west. The guest room should have a cheerful atmosphere. Not drab or having a discouraging look.

TAKE CARE OF THE LIGHTING: Proper lighting can change the energy of a place. Let us see

Hemanta Kumar Sarmah

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

how lights can be used for Vaastu purposes. To have a bright and rewarding career, place bright lights in the south. It is very good to have spot lights on the south wall. Red and orange lamps in round shape lamps in this area increase the chances of success. Do not use lamps that are thin and have a stick-like structure as it will create problems in the career.

Crystal chandeliers are used to energize the south zone for career success.

When placed in the centre of the house, it enhances the earth energy. If place of worship or puja is in the East, North or North East direction, use white and off-white lighting. Never use red lights in the temple. In general, Red and orange for South, yellow for Southwest and Northeast, white for Northwest and West, blue for North and green for East and Southeast are to be used.

Bright light at the staircase landing is considered to be very auspicious and attracts good energies. A bright light should be focused on a family portrait in the Southwest direction of the living room. It brings good health and good luck to family members. Use soft and mellow lights in the bedroom. They will help you relax. Fused bulbs and lights should be immediately replaced by new ones.

Dos and Don’ts of Post Lockdown Gradually lockdown is opening and we are slowly coming back to our work, but we must also remember that COVID-19 is not vanishing with the lockdown opening, so we really need to remember and follow certain things. Going outside and maintaining hygiene We should use mask while we are among others, but we should not use mask in AC. Moreover, continued wearing of mask may cause suffocation and reduced blood flow to our brain and that may be detrimental for our health. Disposal of masks after several uses is essential.

We should not touch our nose, ear, eyes with dirty hands without sanitizing and should avoid touching those body parts as much as possible. We should use gloves especially in case of direct contact with people or when buying things from market etc, we should dispose it carefully after several uses. We must try to cover our eyes like wearing glasses

(with or without power), even sunglasses. We must avoid airconditioned transport mediums, it is best to use our personal ones. We also try to cover our heads with dupatta or disposable caps. We must keep hand sanitizers and tissue paper with us and dispose tissue papers carefully after using it. We should keep our shoes outside. Our clothes should be washed in soap or surf water regularly. We should avoid using cash as much as possible and should opt for online transfers possible.

We should sanitize everything we are taking outside including purse, money, keys, mobile handset and so on. We must take bath after coming from outside daily. Healthy habits and sanitation Immunity is our best weapon to fight this deadly virus, so our body should be packed with all immune boosters including vitamin C rich fruits like mosambi, lemon, oranges, protein rich foods, zinc -selenium rich nuts, spices including turmeric, green leafy vegetables, ginger, onion, pro-biotic foods etc. All of these should be present in our diet.

We should exercise daily to strengthen our immunity. Even regular pranayama

Sohini Chakraborty Chatterjee

also makes us strong. Fun exercises with kids are also important for all of us. A good night sleep of 7 hours and intake of 2-3 litres of water daily are necessary to maintain our body functioning properly and keeping it free from infections. We must maintain social distancing very mindfully for the purpose of being safe and keeping safe.

Most of us nowadays are suffering from financial crisis, so we tend to overwork, but our body should not be overstrained and we should draw a line between work and overwork. Outside food should be a strict no-no at least for a few weeks. Most importantly, we must keep ourselves free from any kind of contamination and also responsibly follow all essential cleanliness manners so as to keep the environment disease-free as much as possible.

Guest Column

| Jun 13 - Jun 19, 2020

Food Security in the Post Covid World I n the initial times of Covid-19 pandemic that is causing tremendous economic and social pain all round, the old maxim “Jaan hai to Jahan hai” (if one is alive, there is a world) was prophesied as the motto of future by the people in the know. As we experienced the virus over the last two months and have seen its ferocity, we have accepted that we cannot help but live with it for the time being. Time taught us that life with the virus is rather “Jaan bhi, Jahaan bhi” — life also, world also. The post-Covid-19 world is an unknown unknown. We now scramble to find answers to this unknown not sure about its

Food security is a complex, multifaceted issue influenced by culture, environment and geographical location of a country. Food security of a country can be assessed under the following categories - affordability, availability, quality and safety, and natural resources and resilience with accompanying metrics. nature and extent. As a consequence of this pandemic, the International Monetary Fund projects the steepest decline of global gross domestic product since the Great Depression of 1930s which caused severe poverty, inflation and unemployment. The greatest challenge as we move to a new normal life after the lockdown is to provide food supplies to the teeming millions of people in our country. Recently we have seen only one facet of it in the population bereft of employment migrating from urban centers to their homes in rural areas. As their fate hangs by a thread caused by industrial and agricultural disruptions, more problems await them as well as us due to changing business models and disappearing jobs. Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) in its May 2020 update on the

world scenario states that food availability as well as food access could emerge as a serious concern – in both rural and urban areas. As the situation evolves, there is a real concern about the growing risk of famine in some countries, potentially even several famines occurring simultaneously. Due to this pandemic the Indian rural population faces a number of common risks. In view of reduced incomes and limited market access planting of crops is affected; lack of seasonal labour has caused harvesting disruption; movement restrictions cause reduction in transportation to markets; and constrained markets due to lockdowns, physical distancing and lower purchasing power. Responding to these challenges require urgent action. Critical agricultural seasons must be met, harvesting activities, livestock movements for pasture and water cannot be delayed. We cannot wait until the health crisis is resolved to tackle the impending food crisis. FAO warns that anticipatory action to safeguard livelihoods and increase access to food is urgently needed to prevent a food crisis. It is not just more cost effective than waiting to rebuild livelihoods and communities later, it is more humane and respectful of the dignity of the millions of people. Meanwhile natural disasters caused by floods, cyclones and droughts will aggravate the problem. Assam is currently experiencing the first wave of this year’s flood wreaking havoc. To add to it the recent phenomenon of crop attack by desert locusts considered the most destructive migratory pest in the world is a cause of great worry as it is making deep inroads into the country posing a threat to crops as well as vegetation used for animal fodder. According to FAO a one square kilometre swarm of desert locusts can eat the same amount of food in one day as about 35,000 people. It has warned that these desert locusts are slated to come into India during the monsoon, allowing them to lay eggs for a further generation of breeding. If they persist, they could plunder during the key Kharif cropping season. FAO estimates the number of locusts could increase another 20 times during the upcoming rainy season if antilocust operations are not stepped up, prompting fears of damage far greater than that caused in the 2019-20 cycle. Thus we may be witnessing at least a triple whammy on food security during this year exacerbating the impact

of ongoing Covid-19 pandemic on marginalized families in the country. Food security is a complex, multifaceted issue influenced by culture, environment and geographical location of a country. Food security of a country can be assessed under the following categories affordability, availability, quality and safety, and natural resources and resilience - with accompanying metrics. While the meaning of the first three is easily understood, the fourth parameter captures climaterelated and natural resource risks to food security. The Economist Intelligence Unit

weak score. It also observes that global food prices are rising worldwide. Through this report India’s very weak performance on protein quality and GDP per capita is noticeable while on agricultural infrastructure, import tariffs, corruption and dietary diversity it performs poorly. India ranks within bottom ten out of 23 countries in the Asia & Pacific region with an overall 72nd rank in this list of 113 countries of the world. Challenges posed by Covid-19 pandemic have spurred some countries to take issues of food security to a new level through innovative policies. Singapore is consistently ranked on the top of

Dwaipayan Bora to produce fruits and vegetables. As the pandemic puts pressure on international trade and global supply chains, the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) recently adopted a proposal to create a joint food supply network across the bloc. Every country has its own specific areas of strengths and weaknesses. Linking farmers to markets is very important for reducing wastage as well as guaranteeing fair price to the farmers. An Indian online platform Ninjacart, connects

Representative Image (EIU) through its Global Food Security Index (GFSI) has created a country-level food-security measurement tool which has become a policy benchmark for governments and a country diagnostic tool for investment. In a key finding of this latest report covering 113 countries it observes that the percentage of cultivated land equipped for irrigation is inadequate to meet global needs with less than 10% of agricultural land equipped for irrigation in 70% countries. Another crucial finding is that public expenditure on agriculture is stagnant. UN data indicate that relative spending or government investment on agriculture compared with the sector’s contribution to GDP has declined globally since the early 2000s, particularly in East and Southeast Asia. On this parameter India too has a very

the EIU GFSI list. In an immediate response to the Covid-19 crisis, its government has accelerated funding for local farms to grow more and grow faster over the next 6-24 months, according to the Singapore Food Agency. As the country produces very little of its requirement, the agency in an April 20 statement said that it has tapped 170 countries for its food. It has adopted a three pronged strategy on food security - to diversify the nation’s food sources, support companies to grow overseas and lift domestic production. Similarly Kuwait has moved to strengthen its food security through increased international cooperation and investment in agriculture technology. It invested $100 million in a regional startup Pure Harvest for constructing high-tech, climate-controlled greenhouses

farmers, manufacturers and brands, and processes over 1400 tonnes of food a day. Digital platforms for Farm-toTable solutions are required to increase supply chain efficiency. Improving hunger data collection and analysis for effective response; maintaining food production, ramping up support to post-production activities, like harvesting, storage; small-scale food processing and conservation; and raising awareness on COVID-19 transmission risks for people keeping food supply chains alive are the need of the hour. We must ensure that no one should die out of hunger. (The author is am an engineering professional working in an oil & gas major in Kuwait. The views expressed in the article are his own. He can be reached at jeetbora@gmail.com)

14 Fun Horoscope of the week

| Jun 13 - Jun 19, 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 an average week. 15th and 18th June 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 days. On 17th June you need to be wary of dealing with the opposite gender. Other days will be good for you.

You will have a good week ahead. 16th and 19th June will be great days for you to connect with your seniors. You could be emotionally betrayed by someone at work or your parents on 18th June. 15th June will be a slow day for you, don’t make any promises. Other days will be average.

Use 13th and 15th June to connect with your boss and share your ideas, for good results host your meetings on these dates. 16th June will be a slow day. 19th June you could feel that people around you are ungrateful especially your seniors and your extended family. Avoid making too many plans for 14 June. Other days will be average.

13th June will be a great day for you to connect with your senior and share your ideas with him/her; you could host your important meetings on this day. You could have issues with your seniors or your extended family on 14th and 18th June. 18th June avoid trusting anyone with your secrets. Other days will be average.

This will be an extremely slow week for you however it will be eventful. 15th June you could have a disagreement with your seniors or your extended family. 17th June you could be betrayed by someone in your work environment. 18th June be careful of your words and actions, you will create your own problems. Other days will be average.

This week just lay low; catch up on your personal work. 15th June will be great day for you to host your important meetings. 16th June you could feel your seniors and/or your parents are ungrateful, they don’t appreciate you. Avoid hosting any meetings especially with your seniors on 13th June; you are bound to have disagreements. Rest of the days are average.

On 15th June you could be betrayed by someone at work and/or emotionally hurt by your family. 13th and 16th June 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. Avoid connecting with your parents and/or workmates and/or seniors on 14th June.

A great week ahead. 13th , 17th and 19th June will be great days for you to build a rapport with your seniors and people at work, host your important meetings on these dates. 15th June avoid making any promises or hosting any meetings. 14th June you will be emotionally betrayed/hurt by someone from work or extended family. Other days will be mediocre.

A better than average week for you. 17th and 18th June will be ideal days to share your ideas with your boss or connect with people at work and family. Host your important meetings on these dates. Avoid socializing or making any promises on 13th or 16th June. Avoid hosting any meetings on 16th June you are bound to have disagreements.

15th and 18th June will be great days for you to build your relationship with your seniors and people at work. If you are in a habit of grabbing a drink with your senior’s then avoid doing so on 14th June. 17th June you could have a disagreement with your senior or work associate, not a day to schedule important meetings. Other days will be average for you.

Share your ideas with your seniors or generally build a relationship with people at work on 16th and 17th June, host your important meetings on these dates. Watch yourself on 15th and 18th June, avoid making any promises or getting into a confrontation. 18th June you could have a disagreement with your senior or work associate. Rest of the days will be average.

16th and 17th June are ideal days for you to mingle with your seniors and people at work and build your work network. Be careful with your words and actions on 13th and 14th June, you will create your own problems. 19th June avoid pre-planning, just go with the flow. Avoid hosting important meetings on 19th June; you are bound to have disagreements. Other days will be average for you.

2. Subway

curio-city

Dilbert By Scott Adams

1. Berinj from which the word Biryani is derived.

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

Sudoku 5 75 8 3

4 2 54 4 71 2 1 3 1 9 8 86 9 7 6 5 4 29 18 4 45 67 6 Daily DailySudoku: Sudoku:Fri Fri12-Jun-2020 29-May-2020

2 7 6 32 7 9 6 8 99

6 4 7 1 2 7 7 1 15 3

6. Identify this scientist, a builder of modern India.

adjective subsisting on bread; bread-eating.

veryhard hard very

last week solution 51 75 66 43 98 37 89 15 22 14 43 39 35 43 51 86 14 68 27 92 86 99 72 21 47 56 34 78 63 81 18 54 79 22 95 67

92 7 2 98 43 54 6 32 24 71 8 75 59 17 4 7 26 82 3 9 4 17 68

81 17 66 99

55 68 5 43 71 34 29 1 9 51 36 28 45 2 3 69 97 72 86 3 1 84 15 43

Daily DailySudoku: Sudoku:Fri Fri12-Jun-2020 29-May-2020

5. By what name is Prince Igor Myshkin better known in the world of literature?

British Slang. exhausted; very tired

3. Sachin Dev Burman

4. Which Indian Olympian runs the TOP project destined to produce high performing Indian athletes?

[ pa-niv-er-uhs ]

adjective [nak-erd]

4. Abhinav Bindra

3. Sanjher Pidim (1935) saw the singing debut of which singer from the North East?

panivorous

5. Dostoevsky’s Idiot

2. Doctor’s Associates Inc is the parent organization of which popular fast food chain?

Word of the week Word knackered of the week

6. MS Swaminathan, the man who ushered in the Green

1. What is the Persian word for rice?

Revolution

curio-city

veryhard hard very

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

Fiction

| Jun 13 - Jun 19, 2020

A Springtime Tea Story T here are four seasons that we experience in a Tea Garden every year. If one was to rate them, it is springtime which is the most attractive period when the whole atmosphere is filled with a joy of better things to come, when the Management and the workers all dream of a good year ahead. This is also the time of Holi, when colours mesmerize and taunt nature with brilliant hues no painter can emulate. Silently also, it makes the blood run in the veins of the young men and women with an atavistic urge to sing and dance for which they practice various intricate steps for the Jhoomur late into the nights. Yes, to make the ground beneath their feet shake and tremble in ecstasy, making it impossible for any bystanders to resist the drum beats from lifting their feet in joyous abandon. In this milieu a very close planter friend told me this story of a young woman in the garden where he was posted near North Lakhimpur - a remote town in Assam. Mangri a young girl all of eighteen years had just returned late at night from the community dance enacting the tales of their ancestors who lived only in their memories now and came alive during this season to keep up their ties with the verdant Chota Nagpur jungles. Those, and some other places from where the Adivasis were lured to work in the tea gardens that were being opened up by the British in the 1850’s in Assam and a few other areas in the North East of India. Mangri was now one of the many generations of workers who had never been back to their native lands and was now a regular qualified tea worker. She was the daughter of one of the two malis (gardener) in the Manager’s bungalow and had grown up playing in the sprawling lawns of the house. But now she was grown up and working in the garden especially in the plucking months earning some money for herself and also contributing to the family’s household needs. Mangri and her contemporaries would go to visit the other neighbouring gardens and the big towns in the vicinity to savour the life outside yet still yoked to their jobs in the gardens. Those who had studied through school and the few that graduated from colleges could not return and work in the tea fields. They did not want to be tied down like their parents and siblings and went out seeking a livelihood not involving hard physical labour. Sukra was one such young man who had done his basic pass course in a college and had left for Bangalore with some friends who had been working there for the last few years. In fact he had got a job as a security guard and was doing quite well. Sukra was also from the same garden and

Mangri had met him in the recent Holi merry making and both had developed a liking to one another. They decided to get married and then move to Bangalore to work there. Sukra already had a job and he had convinced Mangri that she would get good paying work there quite easily. Thus the newly wedded couple left for the city after a quickly arranged nuptial ceremony, leaving the bride’s family somewhat worried that they would be going away so far. In Bangalore Mangri got a job in two flats working as a maid to clean up the house and dishes, wash the clothes and help out with a bit of marketing chores from the nearby shops. She worked for about three hours each in both households and Sukra had enough time to take her out to see the sights. Naturally for her who had never experienced a big city life it was all a wonder but at times the fast pace got to her. Sukra however was a caring husband and he saw to her comforts making his one room accommodation as comfortable as possible. His pay had recently been increased and the first thing he did was to buy a small radio so that his wife could listen to the Hindi songs and the cinema dialogues broadcast from time to time. Mangri used to cook their basic meals early in the mornings before going out to work and slowly she learnt to utilise the plentiful street foods to spice up their dinners once in a while. They

also went to see a few movies but Mangri actually loved to walk in the beautiful gardens and parks in the city most which seemed to recharge her inner self and the rustic life she was used to in the gardens. There were a few families from the Adivasi tribes but due to the distances it was difficult for her to forge lasting friendships. In this manner they spent their first year and a half before Mangri got pregnant and had to go to a hospital for her pre natal care. She then realised the enormity of the lack of her extended family in the garden and yearned to return home at the earliest. Sukra managed to get leave for fifteen days to take his wife home and after a long tedious

train journey Mangri returned to her family in the garden with a big relief. This homecoming awakened a hidden sense of loss at leaving the comfort of her family and the tea garden life which she had been nurtured in, and in the first few days all she did was just sit out in the front of her father’s house talking with her relatives and friends who dropped in to meet and chat with her. No doubt they marvelled at her experiences of the long train journey, the sights and sounds of a big city but Mangri realised the contentment with their lot. To be amongst your own people sharing in the daily pattern of life in a languid pace of seasons turning like clockwork fills one with a peace which she had missed in the city. Sukra had to leave for Bangalore and though he comforted his wife that after their child was born and had spent about a year in the garden he would return to take her back to be with him and they would be a family again. Mangri was indeed very sad to realise that she would not be seeing him for so long and Sukra fondly patted her womb telling her to take good care of herself and the growing child. It was a tearful goodbye and she fretted for quite a few days missing the company of the man she had come to love and cherish. With the passing

days and months Mangri grew stronger and heavier with the growing foetus and in due course she was blessed with a boy. The birth was natural as was with most of the Adivasi women and she was spoilt with all the love and care shown by her family and friends who looked after the baby taking turns. She had sent her husband a letter informing him that he had become a father and had also sent him a few photos of the child. He had also kept in touch with her with monthly letters asking about her health and matters at home. In faraway Bangalore her letter brought much needed succour to Sukra and he showed the pictures of his son to his friends and colleagues at work.

His heart was filled with joy and he kept on looking at the photos of his son till late at night; how he longed to hold him in his arms and play with him! He decided that he would inform his employer about the birth of his son and request him for some leave, if necessary without pay even, as he must see his infant son. The employer being a sensitive man appreciated his genuine love for his child and sanctioned him leave for ten days and a week more without pay. Sukra was ecstatic as he boarded the train for the journey home. But fate had a twist in his life as the compartment he was in, along with four more derailed somewhere in Orissa and Sukra was recovered in a critical condition. He fell into a coma and came to his senses after a long time, but with a temporary loss of memory as the doctors and paramedics just could not find out from where he had come or going to, and even his name. He was kept in the Government civil hospital in Bhubaneswar for years together waiting for his memory to come back. In the meantime Mangri and his family members in the garden were waiting for him to come and the little boy, who was named Birsa, grew up playing with the other children. Soon it was time for the child to attend the free primary school and the years rolled by taking a huge toll on the mother. Her parents as well as Sukra’s father also advised her to get married again and start her life anew taking his son to be a deserter and a scoundrel. Mangri knew in her heart that Sukra truly loved her and was not one to leave her alone and something must have happened to him…they had already contacted the local police station and had filed a missing person report. The police did contact the Bangalore police about Sukra but after five years they took little interest in the case, and told the family that most probably he had died after meeting with an accident or more likely married again and settled down there only. She spent the sixth year in turmoil on what to do and Birsa needed the care of a father and she also needed money to raise him properly. After seven years she finally succumbed to the pressure of her seniors and got married to a man who had been widowed and settled down to live with him. Fortunately Fagu was also from the same garden and Mangri was relieved that her family support system was close by to help and advise her. It was springtime and the garden was once again alive with

Ranjan Kumar Choudhury ranjanchou@hotmail.com

nature making the plants and flowers on the trees bloom. The preparations for the Holi festival was on with the youngsters practising the jhoomar steps and amidst all this din of happiness, Sukra had returned to the place of his birth. He had recovered his memory and told the authorities about the events in his life and they sent him with a railway guard as an escort to Guwahati and from there by bus to the garden. The effects of the accident had crippled his left leg and his right arm and he could walk very slowly and painfully; the doctors had told him to do some exercises daily to improve his mobility but he would never be able to do any hard work. His arrival created a huge commotion in the garden and in his father’s house he heard the details about Mangri’s marriage. However he yearned to see his son and they took him to her house which was in another side of the garden. She had heard about Sukra’s return and did not know how to handle the situation but her present husband Fagu took charge and waiting outside he greeted Sukra warmly and introduced him to his son Birsa. The seven year old boy did learn from his mother about Sukra who was only a name to him, but had also accepted his new step father as his guardian and had got along very well with him. Tears welled up in the eyes of the biological father as lying in his hospital bed he never thought that he would ever be able to meet his son. Mangri sat down next to the father and son and after a while she told Sukra to forgive her as everyone thought that he was dead or had decided never to come back. Fagu took control of the new arrangements and he promised Sukra that he would always look after Birsa as his own child and he made Sukra feel most welcome whenever he visited them not minding him sitting outside and watching the boy playing around. Mangri too was kind and civil to her ex husband and became more like a mother to him and slowly Sukra started to smile and laugh at the antics of his playful son. Springtime had indeed healed the wounds of his body and the torment in his mind. Like the unfolding of seasons, life in a tea garden is tranquil and simple with joy, sorrow and compassion in equal measure, where lives of the people are interwoven in a timeless tapestry with nature.

16 Catching Up

| Jun 13 - Jun 19, 2020

PIC OF THE

vIBES

WEEK

Fall guy? | Photo: Surajit Sharma

#pandemicpandemonium | Art: Rifa Deka

Andharu Bali Barasha Das @Barasha_mi2

ndharu Bali - have you ever heard this beautiful name? Do you know where it’s located? Well, Andharu Bali is the stretch of sand or the sandbank on the Brahmaputra River where the historic Saraighat Battle was fought between the Ahoms and the Mughals in 1671. That stretch of sand is located behind the Sonaram Higher Secondary School in Bharalumukh. It stretches from the mouth of the Bharalu River till the Nilachal hills. The sandbank is so named as it is often shadowed by the Nilachal Hill - Andharu meaning dark. As we all know, the Battle of Saraighat was mainly a naval war. Although weaker, the Ahom Army defeated the Mughal Army by brilliant use of the terrain, clever diplomatic

negotiations to buy time, guerrilla tactics, psychological warfare, military intelligence and by exploiting the sole weakness of the Mughal forces - its navy. Lachit Borphukan, the commander of the Ahom Army, strategically made a complex system of mud embankments on this very stretch of sand and waited for the monsoon season to continue the battle. Andharu Bali was also set up as the headquarters of the Ahom army. This was done to lead the Mughal army into a naval battle which was their weakest asset. History records that Haradutta Choudhury, who led the Dundiya rebellion against the Ahom Kingdom for the latter’s oppressive occupation of Kamrup was also captured and killed on this same sandbank in 1800. The west end of Andharu Bali, towards Nilachal Hill is also known as Sagunthutia (Vulture’s beak-like) because of its shape.

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