11 August, 2016, Thursday

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ASSENG/2015/64205

Vol. II

Issue 54

EAST CHINA SEA: JAPAN SPOTS CHINESE RADAR ON GAS EXPLORATION PLATFORM

Dibrugarh, Thursday, August 11, 2016

Dead body recovered Teok, Aug 10: Dead body of a govt. woman employee of Teok FRU Hospital was recovered from Teok River near Teok town under Teok police station of Jorhat district today evening.

The name of the dead woman was Iva Chiring Baruah, who was a grade IV employee of the Teok FRU hospital. According to source the woman was missing from yesterday evening from her own house.

However, a case has been registered in this regards and further investigation is on.

(Correspondent)

Majuli Committee submits memo to CM Guwahati, Aug 10: Sri Sri Samuguri Satra Management Committee of Majuli met Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal at his Assam Legislative Assembly chamber here today. The management committee submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister enlisting a number of demands which included preservation of the famous satra and financial assistance.

Meanwhile, a delegation of the Satra Mahasabha headed

by Lakhikanta Mahanta and Amal Chandra Dutta also met the Chief Minister today at his ALA chamber.

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ALL EYES ON SAINA AS INDIAN SHUTTLERS BEGIN OLYMPIC CAMPAIGN ON THURSDAY

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police investigation to find out the truth.

Bishnu Rana/ Maksam Tayeng Itanagar/Tezu, Aug 10

ET CAPSULES

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Thousands pay tributes to late Kalikho Pul in Itanagar, Tezu and Pasighat

His body along with the family members, relatives and close associates then were flown for the last rites by Sky One Helicopter at 7:30 AM from Raj Bhawan Helipad from Itanagar which landed at Tezu before heading to Hawai in Anjaw district for his last rite. Thousands of supporters, relatives, senior citizens, Student and common public received his mortal in a tearful way at the helipad in Tezu today. Later the mortal was kept to his private resident for the public to pay their late homage where thousands thronged to conveyed deep sense of condolence to the bereaved family.

As mark of respect to the

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RS DEBATES KASHMIR UNREST, OPPOSITION QUESTIONS PM'S ABSENCE

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Chief Minister Pema Khandu along with his cabinet colleagues and MLAs and Ninong Ering, MP (Lok Sabha) paid last respect to the mortal remains of Kalikho Pul at Chief Minister's Official Bungalow on Wednesday morning.

Thousands of Locals, along with many other dignitaries also paid floral tributes to the former chief minister at his official residence. The police honoured him with a gunsalute.

Price -

"His journey from a night security guard to a chief minister of the state is an example for the country," Taki told reporters.

Jawans paying Gun salute to Kalikho Pul at CM’s Official Bungalow on Wednesday morning

departed soul, People from all walks of life with wreaths and bouquets in their hand found jostling at his (Pul) private resident to have glimpses of the mortal to pray for eternal peace of the departed soul. It was kept for two hours. The entire atmosphere in the resident was in the wave of grief and mourning. Right from common public, defense personnel, student, officials, political leaders, relatives, well -wishers assembled from Anjaw, Lohit, Lower Dibang Valley and Namsai to pay condolence to the departed soul.

“We are shock & shake for his immature death, he is completely disappeared from us and never filled the vacuum created”, reacts one of the mourner. Other termed Pul as

Mentor, guardian, people’s leader and future for the Mishmi tribes. Another expressed that Pul death is irreparable lost for both for Mishmi community and the state.

In Pasighat as the news of bringing mortal remains of late Kalikho Pul here at ALG, Pasighat spread like a wild fire, many public including the local MLA, MLA Nari Koyu, officials of district administration and police ghethered at large number at the ground and paid a tearful adieu to people’s CM this morning.

Kaling Moyong, local MLA along with his wife Kenrik Moyong, Kento Rina, MLA Nari-Koyu, SP East Siang, Pranav Tayal, other officials of

district and police administration, Chief Councilor PMC Kaling Doruk, former Chief Councilor, Denong Tamuk, DCC President Takom Mize, BCC, PRI leaders, ABK East Siang led by General Secy. Tajing Taki, ABKWW President, Yalem Taga Burang, Chairman of Eastern Arunachal People’s Welfare Organisation, Obang Dai and common public received the death body of late Kalikho Pul and paid floral tribute.

While many recalled late Pul as a rare leader of good quality, other remembered him as a shooting star.

T Taki, a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA said that Pul's death was a big loss for Arunachal, and asked for a

Paying tribute to late chief minister, Congress party member Ninong Ering said that Pul was a people's chief minister.

"He will always remain in the hearts of the people. The way he developed the state is appreciable," Ering said.

"I am very shocked that he took very extreme step. A probe should be conduct for the satisfaction of the people and his family members," The former Arunachal chief minister was found dead at the Chief Minister's official residence, which he had not vacated yet. He was chief minister from the period February to July 2016.

Pul’s mortal was accompanied by Dr Mohesh Chai MLA Tezu, his three wives & children and other close relatives. After the public homage at Tezu the Mortal remains of Pul flew to Hawai his native place for the late rite which is scheduled to be performed tomorrow with full state’s honor.

British Council to partner with Assam Govt for skill developments and education A Staff Reporter Guwahati, Aug 10

Alan Gemmell OBE Minister Cultural Affairs and Director British Council met Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal at his office chamber and expressed his keenness to partner with Government of Assam in the fields of education, tourism, culture, skill development and sports.

Gemmell told the Chief Minister that the British Council would focus on skill development of the youth and on English language training to prepare them for different avocations. He pointed out that plan is on the anvil to train up 12,000 teachers in English language training in the State.

Gemmell who is on a whirlwind tour of the North East Region, said the British Council has a range of programmes that would help to hone the skills of the youth of Assam , Meghalaya and other States of the region.

Chief Minister Sonowal while welcoming the keenness of the British Council to extend help to Assam in different sectors, pointed out that Assam has enormous potential in tourism sector as it blessed by nature abundantly. He pointed out that the Government is wholly committed to exploit the ability of potential of the youth of the State in a big way to bring about the desired changes in the State. “Youth is power and our Government

want to exploit their full potential to bring about a sea change in our economy and other fields,” he said.

Sonowal asked Gemmell to come up with an action plan of programmes in which the Government of Assam could partner with the British Council. “UK and India have a long relationship and here in Assam we have a rich legacy with the Britishers as it was they who contributed towards the industrial development of the State by setting up the oldest refinery in Asia in Digboi. The only thing that is required is to take forward the relationship to greater heights by forging ties in different sectors by setting up an agenda,” he said.

With the motto ‘Sports is a way of life’, Sonowal said games like cricket can be promoted in Assam with the help and expertise of UK through the British Council.

Sonowal also told Gemmell that his Government would like to collaborate with the British Council in the diary, agriculture, horticulture and floriculture sectors in which Assam has huge potential.

Besides Gemmell, Director, British Council, East India, Dr. Debanjan and Head English Partnerships, East India Joydeep Bordoloi, Commissioner and Secretary to CM, Sanjay Lohiya and Media Adviser Hrishikesh Goswami were also present on the occasion.

Ahom Sena demands complete ban on tobacco, alleges health department not concerned about people health Spl Correspondent Tinsukia, Aug 10

Citing report of "Centre for Tobacco Control and Health Promotion" which has stated that 10 lakh people die every year in India due to consumption of tobacco, Ahom Sena has asked the chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal to completely ban tobacco in the state.

In a press release, Ahom Sena has alleged that state health department is least con-

cerned on sale of tobacco products like zarda, gutka, sadda knowing how hazardous it is on the health of people of Assam and not serious of banning it.

Earlier, the health department of Assam had brought a legislature, Assam Health Act, 2013 banning manufacturing, storage, trade, sale, consumption and advertisement of smokeless tobacco products like zarda, gutka, sadda in the entire state of Assam. The bill

had provision of imprisonment of 7 years with cash penalty for traders breaking this law but despite it life taking tobacco products are not only stored in Assam but also being openly black marketed, the same has become a serious cause of concern for the people of Tinsukia and entire state of Assam, the release stated.

Chief publicity coordinator of Ahom Sena Sailen Gogoi said, we demand that in the interest of the people of Assam

chief minister of Assam Sarbananda Sonowal should completely ban tobacco in the entire state and direct police to take strict action against businessman trading in tobacco.

We are hopeful that chief minister will take the matter on priority in the interest of the people of Assam, particularly, youths, he added.

Contd. on Page 4

Assam Human Rights Commission issued notice to govt for a high level inquiry into the killing of 14 persons A Staff Reporter Guwahati, Aug 10

The Assam Human Rights Commission (AHRC) today issued a notice to the Assam government directing it to conduct a high level inquiry into the killing of 14 persons in Kokrajhar by militants on August 5. Taking suo moto cognisance of the killings, a division bench of the AHRC comprising its Chairperson Justice A H Saikia and member Tarun Phookan passed an order directing Chief Secretary V K Pipersenia to conduct an enquiry by a committee comprising three members headed by a retired judge of high court, and the other two members with one each from the police and civil society.

The committee should inquire into the circumstances leading to the killings to find out lapse and laxity, if any, by the district administration and/ or the state and to fix responsibilities on the authority or person(s) found to be involved in alleged negligence in protecting human rights violation of people in general and the affected individuals in particular in the BTAD areas, the order said.

The commission, in its order, pointed out that ethnic violence and terror attacks unleashed in Bodoland Terrirorial Area Districts (BTAD) involving all communities inhabiting the area, has given rise to public outrage and insecurity as safety, security, personal liberties and property of the people have been at stake despite the fact that there have been active civil and police administrations besides the armed forces deployed in the area.

The report should be submitted to the AHRC within 30 days of receipt of the notice.

The commission took suo moto cognisance of the news, widely published in vernacular and English dailies, related to the killings at Balajan Tiniali market near Kokrjhar town.

It is surprising and shocking that inspite of such heavy security arrangements people have been killed again, thus violating the basic human rights of the people guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution of India, the order added

Tinsukia police arrests renowned vehicle lifter from Dibrugarh district, also turns out to be bomb planter case out of which one Jitu Dahotia was already arrested

by Tinsukia police couple of months back.

Spl Correspondent Tinsukia, Aug 10

In what turned out to be a surprise catch by police, Makum police of Tinsukia district got its hand on a dreaded ULFA (I) linkman Nokte Gogoi alias Nokul while investigating a case of vehicle lifting. Initially, police arrested Nokte from Namrup in Dibrugarh district for his involvement in a car lifting case registered at Makum police station but during investigation police was shocked to learn that this vehicle lifter was the person who had planted bomb at Devi Phukri in Tinsukia district in April this year.

Makum police station

However, based on his identification police has launched an operation at Kakopathar details of which are yet to come.

officer-in-charge Bhaskar Saikia who lead the operation said that during interrogation he not only revealed that he had planted bomb at Devi Phukri in Tinsukia district but also admitted that there were four more persons involved with the

Govt to reform state transport unit A Staff Reporter Guwahati, Aug 10

Assam government today said it is planning to reform the state transport unit, which has incurred a total loss of Rs 700 crore since its inception.

Replying to a query by BJP MLA Ashok Sarma, sate Transport Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary said the Assam State Transport Corporation (ASTC) has suffered a loss of Rs 700 crore since 1970.

"There are many issues. If we really want to solve ASTC's problems, we have to do reforms in it and currently we are thinking about such steps," Patowary said.

He informed the House that ASTC currently owns 1,158 buses, of which 272 buses are off-road now due to maintenance works and over 100 will be disposed as scraps as they have expired their lifetime.

Patowary said he Has asked the ASTC to go for repairing the buses instead of going for new purchases as maintenance will need lesser money.

"Our old mechanics have retired. So I asked the officials to explore options of having Annual Maintenance Contract with the maker of the buses like Tata Motors or Ashok Leyland," he added.

Without specifying the remedy, the Minister informed the House that ASTC is burdened with over-size of staff.

"Moreover, there is one important reason why we incur losses. We run busses in many loss making routes just to give service to the people. So our operations cannot be compared with the private ones," he added.

Last month, Patowary had stated in the Assembly that the Assam government was evaluating options to utilise over 86 bighas of unused land of ASTC for commercial purpose to earn revenue from those.

He had also informed the House that ASTC currently has 1,762 permanent and 2,149 temporary employees. Besides, Patowary had said the organisation received Rs 151.

22 crore during 2014-15 fiscal year

In the meantime, police has learnt during investigation of case related to car theft that Nokte used to make the driver of vehicles unconscious and throw them at Nagaland before selling the vehicle at Nagaland.

The revelations from police investigation has made one thing apparently clear that the neighbouring state Nagaland is turning out to be a hub where stolen vehicles are easily sold by vehicle lifters in Assam.

132kv grid line taking shutdown in account of change of conductors Maksam Tayeng Pasighat, Aug 10

As reported by power department, the 132 kv grid supply will remain shutdown from 600hrs to 1500hrs fromtomorrow, i.e. 11th to 13th and again on 16th of this month. The shutdown is being done in account of shifting of conductors from vulnerable tower location No. 12 of the said transmission line at Potin.

During the shutdown period Assam supply shall cater to the Power need of Pasighat. But since Assam supply is insufficient, whatsoever power available from Assam supply shall be rationalized. Hence, during these periods power supply will be erratic and irregular.

Hence, all esteemed consumers across Pasighat and its nearby villages are requested to bear with the power department, added officials of power department so as to avoid communication gap with consumers.

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DIBRUGARH, THURSDAY, AUGUST 11

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ASTRO FOR YOU Aries A romantic link is about to be presented to you as a surprise, shining and smiling. Be prepared in your best dress and to practice some romantic talking. You never know what the evening has in store for you.

Taurus Spontaneity yet sincerity will be the ruling emotions of the day. Keep your eyes and ears open. As trouble might be headed your way. Make it a point to read the print well before you sign any legal contract today. Prevention is better than cure.

Gemini Today, your enthusiasm for sports and outdoor activities is palpable. According to you, variety is the spice of life. You will keep on jumping from one venture to another. You will establish a good rapport with your bosses and colleagues. It's time to taste success in your immediate and interim objectives.

Cancer You will have enthusiasm for swift action. Variety adds spice to life. So you may change job or trade. Ties with superiors will be good.

Leo Forget the weather. Today, the only thing shining bright is your chances of spending some quality time with your near and dear ones. Going along these lines, make the most of this lucky day. Chances are that you shall make new friends, who might turn out to be very supportive in the future.

Virgo Business acumen is natural to you. Your management skills are immaculate. Move with imagination, innovation and motivation to further your enterprise. Feel free to express and exercise your sense of judgment Libra The whole point of being a Libran is that you always have the tendency to be two separate things put together on a pair of scales that somehow balance. You'll bring to the scales the stability of being your own master and servant. It's a fine balance to maintain. But only you are capable of doing that, thanks to your extremely high-power status today.

Scorpio Retail therapy with your loved ones is a perfect recipe to have a good time! You will be more than willing to buy things of their choice. Haggling will be a trait you have closeted today as you go about being lavish in your expenses Sagittarius You may have women swooning over you today; such is your charm and way with them. But friends are highly valuable to you, and you shall spend much time with them cherishing their company and reliving amazing times spent together.

Capricorn It may seem to be an unusual combination, but you will experience pain and pleasure in equal measure today. The errands you may have to run for at home will leave you exhausted, so conserve some energy for the rest of the day. Your wit can get you whatever you want, but it's important that you use it in the right way and not just to meet your selfish interests.

Aquarius God helps those who help themselves. You have experienced this plenty of times as your efforts have been paid off. While your colleagues at work may pass negative comments at your work, your boss will not have any complains with you. For investments purposes, real estate and construction seem to be a wise option Pisces A day filled with socializing awaits you. You will likely make contact with near and dear ones you haven't met in a while. New associations and friendships could also occur. It is a pleasant and joyous day, so make the most of it.

PRASAR BHARATI (India's Public Service Broadcaster) ALL INDIA RADIO : DIBRUGARH (M.W.529.1m/KHz567 F.M. 101.30 MHz)

BSU burns effigy of MP Sarania slammed MP Sarania for his anti-integration remarks on BTC area. Students union warns Sarania not to keep more such derogative comments and asked to avoid such immature remarks on the situation.

ET Correspondent Kokrajhar, Aug 10: Bodoland Students Union burnt effigy of Kokrajhar Lok Sabha MP Naba Kumar Sarania for his alleged communal statement at Parliament regarding Balajan Tinali bazar terror attack on August 5 last in Kokrajhar district.

The students union protested against Sarania by shouting slogans and burning effigy this morning at 9 am along JD Road near Bajwi Hotel in Kokrajhar.

Sarania kept his communal statement on August 8, alleging that BTC region has been facing several situa-

tions like communal tension since 1990 and also tried to create communal problem

in the region.

Students union strongly

Swgwmshar Basumatary, president of the students union condemned Saranias' remarks on firing in Kokrajhar.

“Sarania have no any input about incident which made suffer to innocent people in the area. Sarania being people's representative in the Parliament does not have proper documentation”, Basumatary said.

ET Bureau Golaghat, Aug 10: The verification of rhino horns, stored in various treasuries of Assam since 1980, will start from tomorrow. The verification includes checking genuineness besides updating the complete inventory of rhino horns in the custody of Assam Government.

The first treasury to be opened is Golaghat, which has the highest number of rhino horns stored in government custody. Almost all these rhino horns are of Kaziranga National Park.

The Rhino Horn Verification Committee under the Chairmanship of the former Assam State Information Commissioner Mohan Chandra Malakar, IFS assembled today at Golaghat for the process, which will start at 1000 hours tomorrow in a secured room inside the Golaghat Circuit House.

The 12-member committee has four wildlife experts, two representatives from media, one RTI activist, one forensic scientist beside four high officials of Assam

Only after that authentication, the trunk will be opened and horns will be examined initially by physically and any suspicion by any member would be given due importance and the particular horn would be referred to the Experts of the State Forensic Laboratory.

The Forensic experts has also set up a field lab at the Golaghat circuit house for scientific verification.

Forest Department.

The trunks containing the Rhino Horns will be carried in batches from the Treasury to the Golaghat circuit house under heavy security.

Special security arrangements have been made for this by the District Authorities in this regard both for the transportation as well as during the verification process.

The trunks will be opened only in front of those Forest officials, who had actually signed and sealed at the time of depositing the

trunks, to check the genuineness of the trunk. This is noteworthy that every trunk, containing rhino horns, was sealed in presence of four to five forest officials before it was deposited in the Treasury.

The entire process will be live streamed for transparency, as secured room will be out of bound for all except the committee members, and there will be two regular media briefings during the course of the day.

The first one will be at 1100 hours and the next one will be at 1700 hours.

Efforts will be made to open any trunk in presence of maximum possible signatories who would have to authenticate that the trunk was genuine and the seal on the trunk was intact. The strict protocol has been formulated to fix responsibility in case of any unwarranted development.

The committee will visit every treasury of Assam where the horns are stored and are expected to file the report within 60 days. The rhino horns are scattered in 12 treasuries of Assam, maximum being in Golaghat followed by Nagaon, Guwahati and Tezpur.

11-8-16 (THURSDAY) 5-35 A.M-Bhaktigeeti(Devotional Songs) 6-10 A.M-Swasthya Charcha (Health Programme) 6-30 A.M-Vidyarthir Anusthan 7-15 A.M-Aajir Dinto (Morning Information Service) 7-30 A.M-Geetanjali (Assamese Modern Song) 8-35 A.M-Surar Panchoi(Composite Programme of Assamese Film Songs) 9-05 A.M- Antara (Composite Programme of Hindi Film Songs) 12-05 P.M-Lokageet 12-30 P.M-Geetimanjari (Assamese Songs Programme) 1-10 P.M-Troops Programme 2-30 P.M-Western Music 3-45 P.M-Programme in Mizu Mishimi 4-05 P.M-Programme in Khamti 4-25 P.M-Programme in Wancho 5-00 P.M-Programme in Idu 5-20 P.M-Programme in Tangsa 5-40 P.M-Programme in Nocte 6-15 P.M-Ganya Raijor Anusthan (Rural Programme) 7-15 P.M-Chah Sramikor Asor (Tea Garden Programme) 8-00 P.M-Bijnan Jeuti (Science Programme) 9-30 P.M-Sahitya Kanan (Literary Magazine Programme) 10-00 P.M-Question Hour in Parliament Sd-/H.O.P

ET Bureau Margherita, Aug 10: Activists of All Assam Student Union (AASU) Margherita Regional Committee today hold sit in demonstrate for three hours at North M a r g h e r i t a Rangamancha regarding the burning problems of Margherita.

Bulbul Saikia, General Secretary of All Assam Student Union Margherita Regional Committee said that Margherita is a historical town but today it has got abundance of burning problems which need to solve.

There are many anti-so-

cial elements at Margherita region which are growing under the nose of Margherita administration such as illicit liquor rampantly sold, drugs abuse and other form of addiction which should be done immediately by Margherita Administra-

tion, said Saikia.

Bulbul

In the coming days All Assam Student Union Margherita Regional Committee shall intensify strong agitational programme against the growing burning problems at Margherita Region, said Bulbul Saikia.

DHSK Commerce College felicitates freedom fighter as part of its ‘Freedom 70 fortnight’ celebration ET Bureau Dibrugarh, Aug 10: The DHS Kanoi Commerce College felicitated nonagenarian freedom fighter Nurul Huda (96) at a special function today organized at the latter’s Amolapatty Chariali residence here.

The renowned freedom fighter was felicitated

under the aegis of the Assamese department of the college as part of the ‘Freedom 70 fortnight’ programme being celebrated in the institution by organizing various colourful events as well as competitions based on the theme ‘freedom’ for the duration August 9—23.

Responding to the felicitation, the freedom fighter recalled his days during freedom struggle and also dwelt on the ideals of the movement besides comparing the present day situation with the actual dreams of the freedom strugglers. At the end,

LOST I, Yakham Josaham, S/o Tremkai Josaham, Village-Wanu, P.O. Kanubari have lost my H.S. Marksheet bearing Roll No- 3109174.

Year - 2014-15

Student went missing

Rhino Horn Verification to be held from tomorrow at Golaghat

AASU holds sit-in demonstration against ongoing burning issues of Margherita

Phone No.-03732325456 E-mail -dibrugarh@air.org.in Facebook Page-All India Radio Dibrugarh Programme Highlights

Advt.

he also answered to the queries of the students.

The programme was anchored by Nabajyoti Dutta, HoD, Department of Assamese.

It would be pertinent to note that following a communication from the MHRD minister as well as a notification of

the UGC, the pioneer higher educational institution has been observing the ‘Freedom 70 fortnight’ to mark the forthcoming 70th Independence day.

song on August 9 followed by extempore speech competition among students on the theme ‘freedom’ and felicitation of this noted freedom fighter today.

The fortnight was started with a meeting on ‘Quit India day’ and presentation of patriotic

Many other programmes including lighting of lamps on the evening of August 14,

flag hoisting on I-day, special lecture on the theme freedom, different competitions like essay writing, recitation, debating, painting, freedom race etc. are also on the card which will come to an end with prize distribution meet and mass singing of national anthem on August 23.

ET Correspondent Kokrajhar, Aug 10: Class 6 student of Samanyay Jatiya Vidyalaya, Kashipara went missing since yesterday while going for tuition at Kashipara in Kokrajhar district.

The student was identified as Abdul Alamin Sheik, 11-years old, son of Jalil Sheik, village Bhotgaon Kutamari under Kokrajhar PS. The student went missing while coming on a tempo for tuition at Kashipara at around 11am and since then become trace less.

However, an FIR has been lodged with police in this regard.

CM Sonowal releases book A Staff Reporter Guwahati, Aug 10: Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), the New Delhi-based research and advocacy organisation, organised a book release and discussion here today, where its latest publication – titled Not In My Backyard – was released by Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal.

The book is a comprehensive analysis of the state of solid waste management in Indian cities, including cities in the northeast.

Sonowal also conferred CSE’s Clean City Awards on two cities – Aizawl and Gangtok. These are two of the 14 urban centres that CSE has rated in its publication as cities with good waste management practices.

Speaking at the release function, Chandra Bhushan, CSE’s deputy director general, said: “This book started as a survey to simply find out which is India’s cleanest city, and what makes it so. We knew that if we could find the answers to these questions, we will have the answers for future policy.”

The book release was followed by a discussion with city officials, regulators, urban planners, consultants and NGOs on the direction that waste management should take in the northeast.

DIBRUGARH, THURSDAY, AUGUST 11

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Irani to meet soldiers at Siachen on Raksha Bandhan New Delhi, Aug 10 (PTI) Union Textile Minister Smriti Irani will be going to Siachen Base camp on Raksha Bandhan while seven other women ministers of the Narendra Modi government will be visiting soldiers elsewhere that day.

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said Irani will visit the Siachen Base Camp on August 18.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Water Re-

sources Minister Uma Bharti, Women and Child Welfare Minister Maneka Gandhi will visit borders areas and interact with the soldiers.

Nirmala Sitharaman, Minister of State for Commerce; Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti, Minister of State in the Ministry of Food Processing Industries; and Anupriya Patel, Minister of State in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare will be also meeting soliders on Raksha Bandhan.

India summons Pak HC, issues demarche over cross border terror New Delhi, Aug 9 (PTI) Amid growing strain in ties, India today summoned Pakistani envoy Abdul Basit and issued a strong demarche over Pakistan's continued support to crossborder terrorism in Kashmir, which has fuelled unrest in the Valley.

Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar called Basit to his South Block office and lodged a strong protest over the issue as he made a specific reference to LeT terrorist and Pakistani national Bahadur Ali, who was captured recently in North Kashmir during an encounter.

"Jaishankar called in the Pakistan envoy and issued a strong demarche on continuing cross border terrorism from Pakistan.

"Demarche made specific reference to LeT terrorist and Pak national Bahadur Ali who was apprehended recently," External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Vikas Swarup said.

Ali, born in the Zia Bagga village of Pakistan, was arrested by Indian authorities in Jammu and kashmir on July 25 with weapons (AK 47 rifle, live rounds, grenades, grenade launcher etc) as also sophisticated communication equipment and other material of Pakistani/ international origin, according to the demarche issued to Basit.

"Bahadur Ali has confessed to our authorities that after training in Lashkar-e-Toiba camps, he was infiltrated into India. He was thereaf-

DC formed DCC to moni- Swachh bharat mission tor OFC laying in Siang

ter in touch with an 'operations room' of LeT, receiving instructions to attack Indian security personnel and carry out other terrorist attacks in India," it said.

Basit's summoning comes on a day when Prime Minister Narendra Modi reached out to people of Kashmir, which has been witnessing widespread unrest for over a month triggered by the killing of Hizbul commander Burhan Wani in an encounter with the security forces. As many as 55 people have lost their lives in these incidents of violence.

Pangin, Aug 10: Siang Deputy Commissioner Rahul Singh today formed District Coordination Committee (DCC) to monitor and ensure progress of Optical Fiber Cable (OFC) laying project in Siang district today in the office conference hall, Pangin which was attended by the officers of local administration, RAILTEL, BSNL,NFS, TAH, PWD, UD, Power

ernment and the Centre are working together to solve the state's difficulties but some people, who are unable to digest it, are clinging onto the path to destruction.

Bhabra (MP), Aug 9 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi today reached out to the people of turbulent Kashmir and indicated willingness to hold dialogue under the framework of 'insaniyat (humanity), Not only did Sharif praise jamhuriyat (democracy) Wani and hailed him as a and Kashmiriyat'.

The chill in bilateral relations was on full display during Home Minister Rajnath Singh's visit to Islamabad for a SAARC ministerial meet last week when he and his Pakistani counterpart Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan not only avoided a proper handshake but Singh also left without attending the lunch hosted by Khan.

Singh in the chair informed that all Gram Panchayats in the country would be connected through Optical Fibre Cable (OFC) setting up a network infrastructure under the union government's Digital India Programme and Siang district was part of it. All stakeholders should take up the issue very seriously and maintain

Modi reaches out to people of Kashmir, appeals for peace

The ties between India and Pakistan have seen growing bitterness after Pakistan and its Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif made provocative statements on the Kashmir situation in the wake of Wani's killing on July 8.

"martyr" but he also asserted "Kashmir will one day become Pakistan", a comment which evoked a sharp reaction from External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, who said his dream of the state becoming a part of his country "will not be realised even at the end of eternity".

etc.

Breaking his silence on the over-a-month-long unrest which has claimed more than 55 lives, Modi said it was painful to see that innocent youngsters, who should be holding laptops, book and cricket bats, have been given stones and appealed to them for maintaining peace and harmony in the "heaven" on earth.

He said Kashmir has the freedom which is felt by Indians everywhere and asserted that the Mehbooba Mufti gov-

"When Atal Bihari Vajpayee was the Prime Minister he had adopted the path of insaniyat, jamhuriyat and Kashmiriyat and we walk the same road. I want to tell the brothers and sisters of Kashmir from this great birthplace of Chandra Shekhar Azad that Kashmir has the same strength that has been given to (other parts of) India by our freedom fighters. Kashmir has the same freedom that every Indian feels.

"Today, one feels pained to see that innocent youths have been handed stones. Politics of some people is clicking but what will happen to these gullible and simple youths. Humanity and Kashmiriyat will not be allowed to be hit. The path of democracy and dialogue is there," he told a public meeting here, the birthplace of Azad. .

No power in the world can take Jammu and Kashmir away from India: Rajnath Singh Delhi, Aug 10: Speaking on the unrest in the Kashmir Valley in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh reiterated that violence in the state was being fomented by Pakistan.

"Whatever is happening is Kashmir is Pakistansponsored," he said.

On the current situation in the state, Singh maintained that curfew was not being imposed all the time.

"I'm not saying that people living in Kashmir are leading a normal life, but state government is trying its best to

provide basic facilities amidst unrest situation created by some vested interest and misguided elements," he said.

"Despite 100 ambulances being damaged due to stone pelting in the Kashmir region, over 400 ambulances are still operating.

Spoke to more than 30 delegations and the CM of J&K after the violence," the HM further said, adding, "4,515 security personnel and 3,356 civilians have been injured during the protests in Kashmir, so far. Some LeT militants are trying to threaten our security personnel and their families in J&K."

"Haven't seen such long discussion on Kashmir in my 20 years in Parliament. If there is anyone who doesn’t understand the meaning of ‘healthy democracy’, they only need watch today’s debate," Singh pointed out.

Talking about the controversial pellet guns, the HM told the House, "I am not trying to justify the use of non-lethal weapon but it has been used before. Security forces have been instructed to exercise maximum restraint in dealing with protests in Kashmir."

Allaying fears he cat-

proper co-ordination in execution of the project. They should update the DC time to time about progress and ensure that road connectivity and communication service networks were not disrupted. Stating that constant monitoring was essential, Singh urged to execute the works as per specification and complete timely and assured to extend full cooperation for smooth completion.

ET Bureau Bomdila, Aug 10: The 145th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi was made more meaningful on 2nd October 2014 with the launching of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan throughout the length and breadth of the country as a people's movement.

Launching the national movement in New Delhi then, Prime Minister Modi had ardently called upon the countrymen that 'A clean India would be the best tribute the country could pay to Mahatma Gandhi on his 150 birth anniversary in 2019'. Initiating and taking the lead role through his words and action, Modi paved the way for others to join in the mission thus making Swach Bharat Abhiyan a mass movement across the nation.

Since then, people from every walk of life has come forward and joined this mass movement of cleanliness. From the need to be prodded government officials to public, Bollywood

actors to sportspersons, industrialists to spiritual leaders, NGOs to unions, jawans to a commoner, community based organizations to students; all have stepped forward for the noble cause.

The centre government had restructured the Comprehensive Rural Sanitation Programme (CRSP) in April 1, 1999 and launched the Total Sanitation Campaign (TSC) which was later renamed as Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan (NBA) on April 1, 2012. The Prime Minister launched the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) to eradicate open defecation among others by 2019 thus restructuring the Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan.

But something seems to be missing down the lane.

Owing to my official, personal and family obligations, I have had to visit some circles of my district, go to other districts and some of the neighboring states in the recent past. No doubt the parameters have been set and endeavors are

being made to realize the dream of Bapu for a clean and hygienic India. But enacting the essence of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan in its literal sense would not suffice.

If at all the dream of a clean India is to be realized, we need to do away with the robotic attitude and treating it as ceremonial. What would make and bring about a sea change is the change in our outlook and attitude. We need to change the way we look at things.

We need to be responsible.

Get inspired and inspire others. As this is a people's movement and if we imbibe Modi's 'Na gandagi karenge, Na karne denge' dictum, we need not linger on for the year 2019 to realize the dream of a clean and hygienic India.

All said and done, I am appreciative of the departments and agencies especially the district administration and the DUDA for holistically implementing the national movement twice in a month in the district headquarters Bomdila.

Suicide bomber kills 65 at Pak hospital Karachi, Aug 8 (PTI) At least 65 people were killed and over 150 others injured when a suicide bomber struck mourners, mostly lawyers and journalists, gathered at a governmentrun hospital in Pakistan's restive southwestern Balochistan province in one of the worst attacks in the country this year.

The bomber struck the Civil Hospital in Quetta where the body of president of Balochistan Bar Association (BA) Advocate Bilal Anwar Kasi, who was shot dead earlier in the day, was being brought.

Gunfire followed the explosion. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack. However, police said it was a suicide attack where eight kilogrammes of explosives were used.

Television footage showed scenes of chaos, with panicked mourners fleeing through debris as smoke filled the corridors of the hospital's emergency ward.

A contingent of Frontier Corps and police arrived and cordoned off the hospital following the blast, restricting access to the area.

A loud explosion was heard as lawyers and journalists had gathered at the emergency department where Kasi's body was brought for autopsy.

Several lawyers have been

targeted during a recent spate of killings in Quetta.

Today's suicide attack appeared to target Kasi's mourners, Anwar ul Haq, a spokesman for the Baluchistan government, said. It is the second deadliest in Pakistan this year so far, after a bombing in a crowded park in Lahore over Easter killed 75.

Bomb Disposal Squad officials also confirmed the explosion was a suicide bombing.

As many as 65 people have been killed and over over 150 others were injured in the attack, Haq said, adding the death toll could increase.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and President Mamnoon Hussain strongly condemned the attack.

Sharif ordered the provincial government to arrest the culprits.

clared at hospitals in Quetta.

The provincial government has announced three-day mourning during which Pakistan's National Flag will remain at half mast on "No one will be allowed to government buildings. disrupt the peace of the province," Sharif said.

Social networking site Facebook activated its A journalist was among the "safety check" feature after deceased while another was the blast in the provincial critically injured, according capital bordering Iran and to reports.

Afghanistan.

"This was a security lapse and I am having this personally investigated," Balochistan Home Minister Sarfaraz Bugti said.

Quetta has also long been regarded as a base for the Afghan Taliban. In May, Afghan Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansour was killed by a US drone Panic tore through the hos- strike while travelling to pital after the incident and Quetta from the Pakistanemergency has been de- Iran border.

Amit Shah poaches 50 people trained by Congress campaign manager Prashant Kishor: Report

egorically stated, "No question of handing over Kashmir to Army, such rumours are being spread deliberately. The government is ready for Delhi, Aug 10: For the talks with moderates." high-stakes 2017 Uttar Pradesh Assembly Striking an emotional elections, BJP presichord, the Minister dent Amit Shah has said, "Our heart beats roped in some of the in the same way for best minds trained by Kashmir, the way it e l e c t i o n s t r a t e g i s t does for Bihar, P r a s h a n t K i s h o r, a s Kolkata and Uttar per a media report.

Pradesh. The people of J&K must under- According to Indian Express group, Shah stand this." has set up a team of 50 Appealing for peace p r o f e s s i o n a l s w h o he urged the youth of once used to work with the state to read books Kishor’s organisation on Islam and not get - ' C i t i z e n s f o r A c ountable Goverswayed by those who cnance.' use religion for to misguide them.

The 50 people picked

by Shah were supposedly once trained by Kishor and include his former colleagues Anil Jain, Anuj Gupta, Sunil Kanugulu, Alkesh and Himanshu Singh, as per the report.

It is said that Shah and Kishor really do not like each other much.

This was said to be ever since Kishor was working with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the run-up to the 2014 Lok Sabha

elections.

Later Kishor joined Nitish Kumar's camp and is said to have strategised the victory of RJD-JD(U) in Bihar.

It further said that the team was presently working for the BJP from Bengaluru and will shift to Lucknow soon.

UP is likely to see a four-cornered fight between Samajwadi Party, BSP, Congress and the BJP.

DIBRUGARH, THURSDAY, AUGUST 11

PAGE 4

Preparation afoot to celebrate I-Day Students allegedly get harassed over ET Correspondent Sivasagar, Aug 10: As instructed by the state government, Sivasagar district administration has already chalked out various programmes to celebrate the day with various programmes in three days from August 13 to 15.

As per the programme, a

Yoga display, followed by cleanliness and plantation drive, street play, illumination of office buildings and debate, art and quiz competition among the students will be held on August 13.

Among various other programmes, a procession and rally will also be organised on August 14. To

celebrate the occasion, a cultural function is also organized at Yuva Dol on the evening of August 14. Like the preceding years, the main programme of the celebration of Independence Day which is to be held centrally at Boarding Field on August 15.

The day will start with the

High Performance Computing Facility Inaugurated at Tezpur University A Correspondent Tezpur, August 10 : High Performance Computing Centre christened as “ARAM-TEZ” was inaugurated at the Department of Computer Science and Engineering of Tezpur University today (August 9) Set up in collaboration with C-DAC Pune under the sponsorship of Deit Y, the sophisticated facility is expected to meet the high performance computing needs of researchers from all over North East India. The facility consists of 12 TF HPC system having 50TB of storage capacity along with three numbers of C-DAC’s indigenously built PARAM Shavak having computing power of around 3TF each.

Inaugurating the facility Prof. Gautam Barua, Director, IIT Guwahati, mentioned the significance of high performance computing today, including in Big Data Analytics, and asserted that Tezpur University can play an important role in this sphere. Prof Dilip K

Saikia, Director NIT Meghalaya who chaired the inaugural session, emphasized that researchers from various fields can collaborate with computer scientists to reap the benefits of parallel computing.

Prof Rajat Moona, Director General, C-DAC who attended the event as Guest of Honour addressing the gathering from C-DAC Headquarters via video conferencing expressed satisfaction over the setting up of the high performance computing facility comprising C-DAC indigenous PARAM Shavak HPC solution at Tezpur University.

He pointed out the problems such as flood and erosion in Assam can be effectively tackled and mitigated by the use of HPC, and TU can play a leading role here.

The facility will be very beneficial to the faculty, research scholars and students who are looking forward to do research using computational science techniques.

Prof Moona assured that CDAC, which has pioneered

the supercomputer development in India since the eighties, will support further development of this facility in the University. Prof Charulata Mahanta, Dean, School of Engineering, Tezpur University, was present as the Guest of Honour, while Dr. Hemanta Darbari, Executive Director and Dr. Sanjay Wandhekar, Associate Director & HoD, HPC Technologies, joined the session from C-DAC Pune via videoconferencing. Prof Dhruba K Bhattacharyya, Dean, Academic Affairs and Principal Investigator of the HPCC at Tezpur University welcomed the guests and dignitaries to the inaugural session. He expressed that this facility is another bright feature in the Computer Science and Engineering Department, which is already recognized as an MHRD Centre of Excellence. The inaugural session was followed by a three day workshop on High Performance Computing, to be conducted by C-DAC HPC experts from Pune.

Delhi gets rose garden dedicated to BRICS summit New Delhi, Aug 10 (PTI) A rose garden dedicated to the forthcoming BRICS summit being hosted by India was inaugurated in the diplomatic area here today.

Built on sprawling 3 acres, the "BRICS friendship rose garden" stands across the existing 'India-Africa Friendship Rose Garden' on Shantipath.

The BRICS is a group of five emerging national eco-

nomics namely Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, which are committed to working together for uplifting their economies.

The eight BRICS summit will be held in Goa in October.

The garden was inaugurated by Union Urban Development Minister Venkaiah Naidu who underlined the importance of maintenance of such areas.

Naresh Kumar, Chairman of the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) said this was the second rose garden developed on 3 acres of land with 107 different varieties of roses.

"To mark the Indo-Africa Summit held in October last year in the national capital, the first rose garden, developed by NDMC at Chanakyapuri area was dedicated to the India-Africa friendship," he added.

playing of prabhat pheri which will be followed by hoisting of National flag in all residential buildings, govt., semi-govt. offices, educational institutions, etc.

SwahidTarpan, hoisting of National flag centrally by the VIP, parade, cultural programmes, felicitation of freedom fighters, distribution of awards, friendly

football match between District Administration Vs Sivasagar Sangbadik Santha, etc.

It has been seen that the staffs of the Nazarat Branch of the office of the deputy commissioner and police personnel are toiling hard to make the field ready in all aspects to celebrate the auspicious occasion.

Rajan says attacks on him abominable; was open to extension New Delhi, Aug 10 (PTI) Terming political attacks on him as abominable, outgoing RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan today said he was open to staying a bit longer to complete the unfinished work of bank clean up, but is perfectly happy to go.

Rajan, who had in June decided against seeking a second term after 3-year tenure which ends next month, said the process of dialogue with the government did not reach a stage where he could have agreed to stay on.

He said however that he was never worried about reappointment or a future career in government and did the best in the interest of the country and he was the "best team player".

Rajan, who plans to return to academia after his term ends on September 4, said his stays at university made him "pretty thick skinned", but the attacks then were not abominable.

"Some of these (recent) attacks were abominable, that is imputing sort of motives, alleging things completely without any basis," he told CNBCTV18, adding that he put them aside and did not pay any attention to them.

Towards the end of his three-year tenure, Rajan faced personal attacks from BJP MP Subramanian Swamy who had alleged that the former IMF chief economist was "mentally not fully Indian" and sent confidential and sensitive financial information abroad.

Rajan said when people asked him if he was open to the second term, he said that although he had structured all his initiatives at RBI with a threeyear horizon, there was some unfinished work like PSU banks' balance sheet clean-up and setting up of monetary policy committee framework.

"That does not mean in any way, that I was absolutely hell bent on having a second term," he said. "I was open for staying a little while longer to see them complete, but at the same time I was perfectly happy to go."

Rajan said 90-95 per cent of the job that he had taken on was complete and he had absolute freedom in doing his work.

On his future plans, he said: "I have said again and again, I am fundamentally a academician.

This (RBI Governor) is my side job". .

India summons Pak HC, issues demarche over cross border terror commander Burhan Wani in an encounter with the security forces. As many as 55 people have lost their lives in these incidents of violence.

New Delhi, Aug 9 (PTI) Amid growing strain in ties, India today summoned Pakistani High Commissioner Abdul Basit and handed him a "strong demarche" over Pakistan's continued support to cross-border terrorism by pushing in trained terrorists to carry out attacks, particularly in Kashmir.

Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar called Basit to his South Block office and lodged a strong protest over the issue as he made a specific reference to LeT terrorist and Pakistani national Bahadur Ali, who was captured recently in North Kashmir during an encounter.

"Jaishankar called in the Pakistan envoy and issued a strong demarche on continuing cross border terrorism from Pakistan.

"Demarche made specific reference to LeT terrorist and Pak national Bahadur Ali who was apprehended recently," External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Vikas Swarup said.

Ali, born in the Zia Bagga village of Lahore, was ar-

The ties between India and Pakistan have seen growing bitterness after Pakistan and its Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif made provocative statements on the Kashmir situation in the wake of Wani's killing on July 8.

rested by Indian authorities in Jammu and Kashmir on July 25 with weapons (AK 47 rifle, live rounds, grenades, grenade launcher etc) as also sophisticated communication equipment and other material of Pakistani/ international origin, according to the demarche issued to Basit.

"Bahadur Ali has confessed to our authorities that after training in Lashkar-e-Toiba

camps, he was infiltrated into India. He was thereafter in touch with an 'operations room' of LeT, receiving instructions to attack Indian security personnel and carry out other terrorist attacks in India," it said.

The demarche mentioned that Ali, in a letter addressed to Basit, has requested legal aid and assistance to meet his family and India was prepared to grant the Pakistani mission consular access to him.

sudden blocked from local public

"The Government of India strongly protests against the continued infiltration from Pakistan of trained terrorists with instructions to carry out attacks. This is contrary to assurances given by the Pakistani leaders at the highest level," as per the demarche.

Basit was summoned on a day when Prime Minister Narendra Modi reached out to people of Kashmir, which has been witnessing widespread unrest for over a month following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen

Not only did Sharif praise Wani and hailed him as a "martyr" but he also asserted "Kashmir will one day become Pakistan", a comment which evoked a sharp reaction from External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, who said his dream of the state becoming a part of his country "will not be realised even at the end of eternity".

The chill in bilateral relations was on full display during Home Minister Rajnath Singh's visit to Islamabad for a SAARC ministerial meet last week when he and his Pakistani counterpart Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan not only avoided a proper handshake but Singh also left without attending the lunch hosted by Khan.

ET Correspondent Mangaldai, Aug 10: Nearly seven hundred students including little children of Kendriya Vidyalaya, Mangaldai have allegedly been harassed today as the only rural road leading to the school was blocked by a section of local public in protest against the decision of the Darrang district administration to close about one hundred and fifty meters of road length and hand it over to the Kendriya Vidyalaya authority for its ongoing construction work

at the cost of a new alternative road.

The protesters who started their agitational programme at around 7 am allegedly with a motive to block the movement of the students into the school campus, displayed placards against the Deputy Commissioner, Darrang and Kendriya Vidyalaya authority and also shouted slogans.

All the students remained stranded on the road amidst hot and humid conditions.

Meanwhile Circle Officer Mangaldai Revenue Circle Prashanta Barkakati and then Additional Deputy Commissioner, Narnarayan Nath on the direction of Deputy Commissioner, Darrang, Manoj Kumar rushed to the spot and through dialogue convinced the protesters for an amicable settlement of their demand and finally leading to the withdrawal of the agitation and beginning of classes after almost two hours of the normal schedule.

Sensex Nifty end at biggest fall after 7-wk on profit-booking Mumbai, Aug 9 (PTI) The S&P BSE benchmark sensex ended at biggest single day fall after seven weeks, tumbling by 310 points to 27,774.88 and NSE Nifty by 103 points to 8,575.30 on profitbooking from investors amidst mixed global cues.

Shares of Refinery, Energy, Auto, Healthcare, Power, Consumer Durable, Utilities and Banking sectors fell sharply on heavy selling pressure.

The sensex resumed higher at 28,133.36 and hovered in a range of 28,143.28 and 27,736.62 before closing at 27,774.88, showing a biggest fall of 310.28 points or 1.10 per cent after seven weeks. The sensex had last dropped by 604.51 points or 2.24 per cent on June 24, 2016.

8,686.70 and hovered in a range of 8,690.10 and 8,564.60 before finishing at 8,575.30, showing a biggest loss of 102.95 points or 1.19 pct after seven weeks.

The nifty had last dropped by 181.85 points or 2.20 per cent on June 24, 2016.

South Korea, Singapore and Taiwan firmed up by 0.04 pct to 0.50 pct while China and Japan fell by 0.18 pct to 0.23 pct.

European indices were trading lower in their afternoon session as indices in France, Germany and UK moved In overseas stock mar- down by 0.09 pct to 0.22 kets, Asian and Euro- pct. pean stocks witnessed a mixed trend as investors US stocks eked out assess the timing of the small gains yesterday, next interest rate hike by with the Nasdaq Comthe US Federal Reserve posite index posting a as well as the outlook fresh record close, as The NSE 50-share Nifty for oil prices. Key indi- investors kept an eye on resumed higher at ces in Hong Kong, falling oil prices. .

Ahom Sena demands complete ban on tobacco, alleges health department not concerned about people health Contd. from Page 1

Sailen said, it has been revealed in a study on "Economic Burden of Tobacco Related Diseases in India" that in the year 2011 an amount of Rs 541 crores was spend on treatment of patients affected by chewing tobacco.

It may be mentioned after no impact on sale of tobacco despite Assam Health Act, 2003, the deputy commissioner had imposed section 144 of CrPC in June banning sale and storage of tobacco in the entire district. Despite that business-

man kept on bringing tobacco products like zarda, sadda into Tinsukia, sometimes through train and sometime through buses.

However, due to a section of media huge quantity of tobacco products were seized. Just recently the district administration of Tinsukia had raided a godown at Makum Road belonging to one businessman, named, Binod Baruah.

The team compromising magistrate, police officials and municipal officials had recovered 8 bags of zarda and sealed the godown.

A case for violation of Section 144 CrPC was also

registered against the businessman. But neither any action was taken for violating neither section 144 CrPC nor action was taken for violation of Assam Health Act, 2013. To utter shock, the godown was opened just before the deputy commissioner handed over the charge.

Infact, another businessman managed to release 120 bags of sada seized by railway police through a court order. The entire turnout of events has raised fingers on administration and police for failing to stop the sale of tobacco despite a ban as on date and arrest the businessmen indulged in this illegal trade.

DIBRUGARH, THURSDAY, AUGUST 11

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Sharmila under supervi- NFR to carry fuel tankers sion of JNIMS doctors on flat wagons to Tripura Imphal, Aug 10 : Manipur's 'Iron Lady' Irom Sharmila, who broke her 16-year-old hunger strike yesterday, is now under supervision at Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences (JNIMS) and has been put on a special liquid diet.

A senior JNIMS doctor told PTI that Sharmila was under supervision of their doctors since she had been on fast for so many years and was not in a position to shift to solid food immediately.

She is being administered liquid diet and perhaps would have to stay in the hospital room for some more days for medical back-up support until she is in a situation to take solid food and recover physically, the doctor said.

Act(AFSPA).

Manipur's 'Iron Lady' Irom Sharmila Meanwhile, armed police personnel were posted in the hospital compound in the wake of security threat to the activist with some groups opposing her decision to end the fast, a police officer said. Outside a government hospital, a

Nagaland giving importance to coffee plantation

Nagaland giving importance to coffee plantation Kohima, Aug 10: In view of the favourable climatic conditions and market potential, the Nagaland government through the Department of Land Resources Development (LRD) is giving importance on plantation of Coffee and Rubber cultivation.

A three year comprehensive plan for development of coffee in the state has been prepared for a total area of 5000 hectares of land covering all the districts to be implemented with the support of Coffee Board of India, Departments Secretary Kikheto Sema told reporters.Kikheto said that the LRD together with other departments would be taking up huge coffee plantation drive in every district as the state has been declared geographically and topographically suitable for coffee.

He said that once coffee production commences a farmer can earn at least Rs 3.75 lakh in a year.

The department is also promoting rubber cultivation on a large scale in the state in view of the high economic returns with the support of Rubber Board of India.

Rubber is successfully cultivated with good yields in the foothill areas and valley lands of Nagaland, including Peren, Wokha, Mokokchung, Dimapur, Mon districts, some parts of Longleng and negligible areas under Zunheboto and Tuensang districts.

The state has an overall potential to develop 4.6 lakh hectares of rubber plantation, out of which one lakh hectares has been targeted to be covered within this year, he said.(Agencies)

Rape accused remanded Imphal, Aug 10: Two brothers who allegedly raped two sisters at Haorang Sabal in Imphal West district under Lamsang police station were produced before Sessions Court, Imphal West and remanded to police custody till August 11.

The two accused identified as Konthoujam Nando (45) and his younger brother Gandhi (32) were produced under FIR number 45 ( 8) 2016 of Imphal west women police station under Section 376/34 and 4 of POCSO Act 2012.

It may mentioned that the two alleged accused were thrashed by the local people before they were handed over to Lamsang police station yesterday. A mob vandalised their houses and the locals decided to banish the duo from their locality. The two brothers have been sexually assaulting the two girls since some time back. But they could not make a complaint as their parents live separately.

Local people came to know about the crime only after the sisters disclosed their ordeal to their mother.(Agencies)

Cabinet moots House session from Sep 2 Imphal, Aug 10: The State Cabinet has decided to approach the Governor so that the 14th session of the 10th Manipur Legislative Assembly is convened from September 2.

The State Cabinet held a meeting at the Chief Minister's Secretariat with Chief Minister O Ibobi in the chair this afternoon.

Briefing media persons after the Cabinet meeting, Government spokesman M Okendro informed that the Cabinet meeting deliberated on the Manipur Regulation of Non-Local People Bill 2016 which is being drafted in place of the PMP Bill 2015.

A copy of the draft Bill would be uploaded on a website of the State Government so that all the

people can study it and give their comments and opinions. The Government would seek suggestions and comments of the public till August 24 and whatever suggestions that can be incorporated into the Bill would be incorporated.

The State Cabinet also discussed the Manipur Technical University Bill 2016 which would be tabled in the forthcoming Assembly session, Okendro conveyed. The Cabinet meeting, as directed by the Election Commission of India, agreed to recruit necessary posts to the Election Department.The State Cabinet further decided to fill up vacant posts in PWD and IFCD.(Agencies)

room of which was turned into a jail for her, the 44year-old iconic rights activist turned emotional as she licked honey from her palm yesterday to end the fast that she undertook in protest against the Armed Forces Special Powers

"I want to be the chief minister of Manipur to make positive changes..... If I become chief minister, the first thing I will do is to remove the AFSPA," she had told reporters.

Imphal West district's chief judicial magistrate Lamkhanpau Tonsing had yesterday in his order said as the offence under section 309 (attempt to suicide) was a bailable offence, he was inclined to allow Sharmila on bail on her furnishing a personal bond of Rs 10,000.

After the bond was furnished, it was accepted by the court and a release order issued. Sharmila would appear before the court again on August 23.(PTI)

Conrad, James to attend funeral Shillong, Aug 10: National People's Party (NPP) president and Tura MP Conrad Sangma and his brother James left for Arunachal Pradesh on Tuesday to attend Kalikho Pul's funeral to be held on Wednesday.

The party expressed shock at the sudden demise of the former chief minister of Arunachal Pradesh. The party described Pul as a leader who was "loved by all who knew him" and said it was a great loss not just for the people of Arunachal Pradesh but the entire region.(Agenceis) GHADC names Clifford's wife for nominated MDC's post Tura, Aug 10: The widow of former Garo National Council (GNC) chief Clifford R Marak could soon be joining the ranks of the NPP-GNC led Garo Hills Progressive Alliance (GHPA) in the GHADC following the executive committee's decision to select her for the nominated MDC's post.

Informing this here on Tuesday, the chief executive member (CEM) Denang T Sangma said, "We have forwarded her name to the State governor for approval". The GNC with its three directly elected MDCs joined the NPP led alliance after last )

year's council elections in which the ruling Congress was relegated to the second position securing just 7 seats in the House of 29 directly elected members.

While one of the GNC member's defected to Congress, the ruling NPP alliance managed to engineer a similar defection of a Congress MDC from Naguapara into their camp.

The ruling NPP alliance has a strength of 17 members against the Congress opposition alliance's 12 members.

The GHADC has been without a nominated member since the beginning of the new council after its elections in September last year. The ruling NPP alliance had nominated Late P A Sangma's younger son Conrad K Sangma for the nominated post but it failed to get cleared from the Congress ruled Meghalaya government.

It is worth mentioning that Kalpana Sangma had unsuccessfully contested the last Chokpot by-election, last year, to retain her late husband's seat but was defeated by another widow, Bluebell Sangma, who fought the polls as a Congress candidate. (Agencies)

Tripura, Aug 10: The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) will start a Roll-On Roll-Off (RoRo) service to carry trucks loaded with fuel on flat-wagon goods train from Thursday to help Tripura tide over the fuel crisis.

NFR Chief Public Relations Officer P.J. Sharma announced this on Wednesday and added that 30 DBKM (flat bedded) wagons, each with a capacity to carry two loaded trucks, will be placed at Bhanga, near Tripura border, in the first lot.

"Fuel tanker trucks will be loaded on these by means of an end-loading ramp.

The tankers will be securely fixed on the wagon floor to ensure safety during movement. The first such goods train will leave Bhanga, near Badarpur, at 11 a.m. on Thursday and will reach Churaibari in Tripura, covering a distance of 44 km," Sharma said.

The development took place after the state government on August 1 this year requested Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu to help the state tide over the fuel cri-

NFR to carry fuel tankers on flat wagons to Tripura sis using the railway.

The RoRo service was necessitated as the road connecting Tripura with Assam had been in very poor shape, creating serious bottleneck in transportation of commodities including fuel into Tripura, triggering serious fuel crisis in the state.

"The RoRo scheme introduced by the railways will help the loaded trucks to piggyback on goods train to

A 40-year-old single mother of three children said her husband left her more than 20 years after the marriage. "My children are studying outside the state and I find it difficult to run the family as my husband has stopped giving money," the woman said.

the lurch. Life is hard now as she is still recuperating from the emotional onslaught, and at the same time, has to take care of the two toddlers.

"My mother, who is a retired government employee, is helping me take care of the children. Our family runs on Rs 15,000 which is a paltry amount in the age of inflation," she said.

"Only a single mother can understand how tough it is to raise children without any financial support," said a woman in her thirties who was separated from her husband five years ago and is looking for employment. Jobs, she said, are not easy to get in Shillong.

Another woman, aged Though there is no offi32, was shocked when cial data on the number her husband left her in of single mothers in the

Sharma said that the road condition in remote areas often gets affected during inclement weather in the northeast and RoRo will prove to be a novel means to help continue supply lines in times of crisis.

The service is designed to provide connectivity to loaded road vehicles where road connectivity is poor or does not exist. This service is economical, helps in reducing carbon emission and reduces traffic on roads.(Agencies)

Bangla govt on job against HNLC, ULFA (I) Shillong, Aug 10: The Bangladesh authorities have started taking action against the cadres of the proscribed HNLC and ULFA (I) taking shelter in the neighbouring country. A senior police official said on Tuesday that the militants holed up in Bangladesh were on the run as Bangladesh government had initiated steps to neutralize the militant groups on its soil.

The BSF IG P.K Dubey has corroborated this and said that in the Jaintia Hills border, the movement of the militants is being monitored by the Bangladesh security forces. He said that during the BSF-BGB level

meetings held in Tripura recently, the BSF had exchanged notes with its counterpart regarding the presence of Northeast militants in Bangladesh and stressed the need to take action.

According to BSF and police, there are no fullfledged camps of Northeast militants in Bangladesh as the cadres stay either in the make shift dwelling places or with the border population.

Police said that several HNLC cadres have already married the local Khasi women and settled in Bangladesh.

Meanwhile an IANS report from Delhi said that India is working with neighbouring countries, including Myanmar and

Single mothers fight a lone battle for survival Shillong, Aug 10: The number of broken marriages in Meghalaya's matrilineal society is on the rise and single mothers are increasingly finding it difficult to fend for their families.

The Shillong Times met several struggling mothers (the names of whom have not been revealed to protect their identity) who narrated their ordeal.

bypass the damaged national highway near Churaibari. This will bring much relief to the common man in Tripura," Sharma said.

The RoRo service was first introduced by Konkan Railway in 1999 and it is being introduced in NFR for the first time. Although military movements have been done in the past on flat wagons, this is for the first time that commercial goods movement is being done by RoRo mode.

state, the Social Welfare Department said there are approximately 21,108 single mothers and widows. Several women are denied alimony because the state till recently did not have a law mandating marriage registration.

Michael Syiem, who has been fighting for the rights of single mothers and marriage registration, said the government finally passed the Compulsory Registration of Marriage Act this year and that this would go a long way to strengthen a single mother's rights.

"In our matrilineal system, it is easy for a man to walk out of marriage and not give money for his family's maintenance. But the new law will help single mothers file for maintenance," said Syiem and added that many hapless women have been

forced into flesh trade for survival.

An official in the Social Welfare Department said the government gives Rs 500 per month to registered single mothers and widows under the Chief Minister's Social Assistance Scheme, which was earlier meant for the disabled. While many thank the state for extending the assistance they feel the amount is too less. Some single mothers feel that there should be a platform where the women's woes can be voiced.

There are skill development centres for single mothers in Shillong, Jowai and Tura where struggling women are taught embroidery, tailoring and other works.

After the training period, single mothers are also given a token amount of Rs 5,000.(Agencies)

Bangladesh, ( to fight insurgency in the Northeastern region.

"We are working in coordination with foreign countries. I do not say we have attained 100 per cent success, but many camps run by Indian insurgent groups have been eradicated, especially in Bangladesh," Union Minister of State for Home Hansraj Ahir informed Lok Sabha on Tuesday.

The Minister was answering supplementary questions of Kalyan Banerjee (Trinamool Congress) and Conrad K Sangma (National People's Party).

Sangma wanted to know whether India was pro-

posing any "joint operations" against Indian guerrilla groups operating from foreign soil.

Ashok Chavan of Congress asked whether the government would sign an extradition treaty with Myanmar to get hold of senior Naga insurgent leaders in that country.

In his reply the Minister told the House: "There has been substantial decrease in incidents of violence in the Northeast since 2012." Ahir said there was no report of any foreign country providing financial or logistic help directly to insurgent groups. But he said foreign arms and ammunition were being used by various groups.

(Agencies)

Conrad too bats for anti-defection law in ADCs Shillong, Aug 10: Joining the bandwagon of politicians demanding amendment to the Constitution to bring the three autonomous district councils of the State under the purview of the Tenth Schedule, NPP president Conrad Sangma said on Tuesday that everyone is unanimous about application of anti-defection law in the three district councils.

Speaking to The Shillong Times on Tuesday, Sangma said that the Centre is toying with the idea of making anti-defection law applicable in the district councils. Making it clear that he was in favour of introducing anti-defection law in the district councils, Sangma said, "A lot of amendments

will have to be brought to the Sixth and Tenth schedules of the Constitution to effect the changes."

Responding to a query, he said that this was an important issue and he would raise it in the Lok Sabha.

Earlier, former Union Minister and Congress MP from Shillong Vincent H Pala had sought application of the anti-defection law and reservation for women in the district and regional councils in tribal areas.

Similarly, UDP working president Bindo M. Lanong had time and again reiterated his stand on the issue and even urged Pala to move a resolution in this regard in the Lok Sabha.(Agencies)

Pay panel holds meetings Shillong, Aug 10: The Fifth Pay Commission constituted by the state government has held as many as four sittings as part of finalizing new pay package for the state government employees.

The deadline set by the state government to the panel is

one year.

An official source said on Tuesday that the Chairman of the pay commission P. J. Bazeley along with the members Uttam K. Sangma and Lambha Roy are already on the job and the exercise will continue.(Agencies)

NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL

DIBRUGARH, THURSDAY, AUGUST 11

33rd day of lockdown paralyses Kashmir

16 lakh UP govt employ- RS debates Kashmir unees go on 3-day strike rest, Opposition questions PM's absence

Lucknow, Aug 10: Rejecting an official offer to study their demands, over 16,00,000 employees of the Uttar Pradesh government began a three-day strike on Wednesday.

33rd day of lockdown paralyses Kashmir Srinagar, Aug 10: Authorities continued curfew and restrictions in Kashmir Valley on Wednesday for the 33rd consecutive day as separatists did not relent on shutdown and protests.

"Curfew will remain in force in Anantnag town while restrictions shall continue in Shopian, Kulgam and Pulwama towns," a senior police official said here.

The official said restrictions shall also continue in old city and uptown Batmaloo area of Srinagar city.

"Similar restrictions shall remain in force in Sopore, Kupwara, Handwara and Baramulla towns. "Prohibitory orders under section 144 CrPc (Criminal Procedure Code) are in place in Ganderbal, Bandipora and Badgam towns," he said.

Separatists continue their shutdown call through weekly issuance of protest calendars.

Curfew and separatist shutdown began in the valley on July 9, a day after Hizbul commander, Burhan Wani, was killed in a gunfight with the security forces. All educational institutions, shops, public transport and other business establishments have remained closed for the last 33 days in Kashmir, although interior markets in cities and towns have been functioning briefly in the evenings.

Police said except for stone pelting incidents at three places in Kupwara, Bandipora and Anantnag districts, the overall law and order situation had generally remained calm on Tuesday.(Agencies)

Stop violence, start political process in Kashmir: Yechury

The strike has been called by the State Employees Joint Council and Uttar Pradesh Secondary Teachers Federation and is supported by more than 250 employees and teachers organisations.

The strike is likely to cripple working of major departments like education, horticulture, health, public works, social welfare, food and civil supplies.

The main demands of the

striking employees include cashless medical facility, House Rent Allowance at par with central government employees and declaring aanganwadi workers, cooks, MNREGA workers and computer operators as government employees.

Work came to a halt at two major office hubs of the government - Jawahar Bhawan and Indira Bhawan, which house hundreds of offices here. A last ditch effort was made by Chief Secretary Deepak Singhal on Tuesday night to resolve the dispute but the employees decided to go ahead with the strike.

Hari Kishore Tiwari, the

strike leader, told IANS that the Akhilesh Yadav government had failed to stick to its promises on heeding their long-pending demands. The employees went on a flash strike on July 23, 2015 but were assured their demands would be met with after the Chief Minister returned from his foreign tour. This never happened, striking employees say.

On July 13 this year, when the employees gheraoed the Chief Minister's office, they were told that two of their main demands would be taken up by the cabinet but this too never happened, said Tiwari.(Agencies)

Mumbai hospital doctors held in kidney sale racket Mumbai, Aug 10: In a major swoop, Mumbai police late on Tuesday arrested five top medicos of the reputed Dr L.H. Hiranandani Hospital here in connection with a kidney sale racket.

Contacted for comment, an official spokesperson for Hiranandani Group told that they are conducting their own internal probe and declined comments till it was completed.

Powai police late tonight nabbed the five medicos who include the 12-year old hospital management's top brass. The accused doctors are Dr Sujit Chattarjee (CEO), Dr Anurag Naik, Medical Director, Dr

New Delhi, Aug 10: CPIM General Secretary Sitaram Yechury on Wednesday urged the central government to work out a political solution to problems in the restive Kashmir Valley.

"We have to end the violence and the current bloodshed in Kashmir. And start a political process to bring an end to the problems of people of Kashmir," Yechury said in the Rajya Sabha during a long debate on the situation in the valley.

"The government must call for an all-party meeting and consult all shades of opinion. What is preventing this

government from starting a political process (to resolve the Kashmir problem)?" he asked.

The Communist Party of India-Marxist leader called for ending the use of pellet guns against Kashmiri protesters that has partially or fully blinded hundreds in the valley during the monthlong unrest.

"We should stop the use of pellet guns," he said, flashing a picture of a pellet injury victim from Kashmir.

Yechury asked: "Why is there a mistrust with the people of Kashmir? If there is a trust deficit, you have to create an environment of trust."(Agencies)

New Delhi, Aug 10: After a series of incidents against Dalits across the country, the Lok Sabha is now likely to take up for debate the issue of atrocities against Dalits on Thursday, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar said.

The Business Advisory Committee of the House which met on Tuesday decided that the debate may be taken on Thursday, he said. Earlier in the house, Congress floor leader Mallikarjun Kharge and others had raised the issue and sought chair's intervention to allow early debate, but Speaker Sumitra Mahajan said that the decision on debate time and rule can be decided by the business advisory committee only.

The business advisory panel also favoured a debate on the flood situation in the country on Friday, the last day of the Monsoon Session, which largely saw success on the part of treasury bench in ensuring passage a number of important bills including the

Mumbai hospital doctors held in kidney sale racket Mukesh Shete, Dr Mukesh Shah and Dr Prakash Shetty.

The accused will be produced for remand at Andheri Court on Wednesday. The Mumbai police initiated a probe after a re-

long-delayed Goods and Services Tax (GST) Bill.

"The issue of Dalit atrocities will be taken up on Thursday," Kumar later said adding the government is never hesitant to discuss any issue including the anti-Dalit violence.

The government, sources said, is now not against a debate on violence against Dalit after Prime Minister Narendra Modi has slammed self-styled "gau rakshaks (cow vigilante groups)".

On August 6, the Prime Minister broke his silence on cow vigilante and asserted that he felt "anguished" over incidents of vigilantism and asked state governments to prepare a dossier of such "self-styled gau rakshaks".

The Modi government at the Centre and BJP governments in Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh have come under strong criticism for attacks on Dalits and Muslims by vigilante groups amid the charge that the law enforcement agencies remained mute spectators. (Agencies)

'Central government wants independent judiciary' New Delhi, Aug 10: Stressing that the Narendra Modi government wants an "independent judiciary" in India, Law and Justice Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Tuesday said that weaker communities must have representation in the country's judiciary.

"This government is totally dedicated to independent judiciary. We don't wish to have any veto (power) on judiciary," the minister said while replying to a debate under an attention calling motion in the Rajya Sabha on appointments of judges in the Supreme Court and high courts.

"I want to make it very clear with full authority of the government and the Prime

Law and Justice Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad Minister that we don't wish to have any veto over the judiciary," he added. Prasad said that right to reframe Memorandum of Procedure (MoP) for appointment of judges of the Supreme Court and the high courts

has been given to them by the apex court.

"The Supreme Court had said that the present collegium needs improvement and it had said please take suggestions on it from the public," he said. "MoP

New Delhi, Aug 10: Raising the Kashmir unrest issue in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, Opposition leader Ghulam Nabi Azad questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi's absence in the house during the sensitive debate.

"The crown of India (Kashmir) is burning. You must have felt the heat on your head, if not the heart," Azad said while initiating the debate. "He (Narendra Modi) is addressing Dalits from Telangana, and he talks about Kashmir from Madhya Pradesh. The Prime Minister is near, yet far from the Parliament," he added.

Interrupting Azad, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley responded that "Kashmir is in a sensitive state today. It is better if Parliament speaks in one house on it". "This is not the apt time to discuss our disagreements on Kashmir," Jaitley added.

Continuing the debate, Azad said, "Law and order of Kashmir is not same as

cent complaint alleging a kidney sale racket in the 240-bed hospital in Powai.

They have been charged under Section 12 and 21 of The Transplantation of Human Organ Act, 1994, said the police.(Agencies)

Fire in Lok Sabha to debate Dalit issue, flood situation Agra hotel,

CPI-M General Secretary Sitaram Yechury

PAGE 6

needs improvement so that it inspires more confidence," the minister said, adding that the government was doing everything possible to make it good.

Prasad also agreed to suggestions of the members, cutting from across party lines, that weaker sections of the society must have some representation in judiciary as they tend to get discriminated against.

"There must be a constant endeavour to have judges from these communities," the minister added. He also said that there was no impasse between the government and the judiciary over appointment of judges. "I want to announce that there is no impasse (on the issue)," he said.(Agencies)

tourists escape

Agra, Aug 10: A hotel in the heart of the Taj city was devastated by a fire on Wednesday morning but all tourists, foreigners included, were evacuated safely, authorities said.

A dozen fire tenders battled the flames at Hotel Jigyasa Palace, close to the Agra Fort. It is located three kilometres from the Taj Mahal. A local resident, Siraj Qureshi, feared that the fire broke out in a shoe godown and soon engulfed the building.

"I was the first one to notice the fire and I alerted the police and fire brigade," Qureshi told.

(Agencies)

"We should appeal for peace and tranquility from here for better future of Kashmir. This kind of unison voice should go from Parliament. That apart, an all-party delegation should go there," the Congress leader said, adding the announcement regarding it should be made immediately as the session is coming to an end in two days.

Madhya Pradesh or Rajasthan. Law and order is taken of there by police and paramilitary. Kashmiri leaders alone can't do it". "We don't have resources. You say Kashmir is integral part of India. It should not be on paper but it should come from the heart," he questioned.

Stressing the need to rise above political lines, the Congress leader said, "It is our duty as political parties to share their (civilians) grief and appeal for calm on behalf of Parliament".

"There should be an allparty delegation. We should

announce the dates today or tomorrow," Azad suggested. Over 55 people have been killed in the weeks of demonstrations and clashes between Kashmiri protesters and security forces.

The violence erupted in the valley following the killing of Hizb ul Mujaheedin commander Burhan Wani by the security forces on July 8. In the wake of the unrest, curfew was imposed in many districts of the valley. While it has been lifted in some districts in view of the improving situation, it is being imposed in some parts still.

(Agencies)

One SP, Three Congress MLAs join BSP Lucknow, Aug 10: A day after BSP stalwart Swamy Prasad Maurya joined the BJP, three Congress and one Samajwadi Party MLAs walked over to the Bahujan Samaj Party on Wednesday.

BSP leader Naseemuddin told reporters that Nawab

Qazim Ali and Mohammad Muslim, legislators from Swar in Rampur district and Tiloi in Amethi, had joined the BSP unconditionally.

They are likely to get BSP ticket to contest assembly elections due next year.

Dilnawaz Khan, a Con-

gress MLA from Bulandshahr, Samajwadi Party legislator from Budhana (Muzaffarnagar) Nawazish Aalam Khan and former BJP minister Avdesh Verma have also joined the BSP, Naseemuddin said. (Agencies)

Educate every girl child: Modi tells village heads New Delhi, Aug 10: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday welcomed village heads from his parliamentary constituency Varanasi here at his residence and urged them to work towards educating every girl child.

"During the interaction, the Prime Minister encouraged the village heads to work towards educating every girl child, and promoting Swacchta (sanitation) in their respective villages," an official statement said.

This was the second such group to meet the Prime Minister.

"He emphasised that there should be no discrimina-

Cong questions PM's insaniyat, jamhooriyat remarks New Delhi, Aug 10 : Congress today raised questions over Prime Minister Narendra Modi's remarks about 'insaniyat', 'jamhooriyat' and 'Kashmiriyat' and said appeal should go out to Kashmiris from the "heart" rather than "lips" only to enable "integration of minds and heart".

As the Rajya Sabha took up a discussion on the prevailing situation in Kashmir, Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad pitched for sending an all-party delegation to the valley besides an appeal by Parliament for end to violence which is being witnessed there for the last 33 days.

RS debates Kashmir unrest, Opposition questions PM's absence

Initiating the discussion, Azad said criticised the Prime Minister for his "delayed" comments on the Kashmir situation and said even those were made at a rally in Madhya Pradesh rather than in Parliament.

"We are discussing the Kashmir issue for the fourth time.

The Prime Minister should come. The Prime Minister chose Madhya Pradesh to speak on Kashmir. He did not come to this House," he said, adding "Since when has Madhya Pradesh become the capital of the country?"

Azad took a swipe on Modi regarding his statement on 'Insaniyat (humanity), Jamhooriyat (democracy) and Kashmriyat, saying such statements only suited former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. "Such words sound weird if it comes from someone who does not believe in them," he said. The former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir said such words should come from the "heart" and not only from the lips. (PTI)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi tion between boys and girls and added that cleanliness, is the key to prosperity," the statement said.

Modi also urged each pradhan (head) to resolve

to undertake specific development initiatives during his or her tenure, which would result in a lasting legacy, it added. (Agencies)

Ensure strict action against cow vigilantes: Mayawati to PM New Delhi, Aug 10: BSP chief Mayawati today asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ensure "strict action" against those indulging in attack against Dalits in the name of cow protection and not just show sympathy.

"Recently, atrocities were committed against two Dalits in Andhra Pradesh and they are in very serious condition," Mayawati told reporters outside Parliament. "I want to tell the Centre, particularly the Prime Minister, that on the issue of attacks against Dalits, the government should not just show sympathy towards Dalits.

There is a need for strict action against those involved in these cases," the BSP supremo said.

A group of 'gau rakshaks' allegedly beat up two

Dalits in East Godavari district on Tuesday for skinning a cow which had died due to electrocution, according to police.

The incident took place at Janakipeta in Amalapuram town of the district in Andhra Pradesh. According to police, after the cow died following electrocution, its owner, a farmer, engaged the two Dalit brothers for skinning the animal before it was buried.

Modi had on Saturday slammed 'gau rakshaks' or cow vigilantes and termed as outrageous incidents like the flogging of four Dalits in Gujarat last month. Most of these people are "anti-social elements hiding behind the mask of gau rakshaks," he had said.(PTI)

DIBRUGARH, THURSDAY, AUGUST 11

China launches satellite to keep watch on its seas

NEIGHBOURS

'Threat emanates US troops dumped gear during IS Afghanistan attack from India-manIslamabad, Aug 10: American special operations forces working with Afghan partners in Afghanistan's Nangahar province had to abandon some of their gear when Islamic State jihadists attacked them, the Pentagon said on Tuesday.

China launches satellite to keep watch on its seas Beijing, Aug 10: China on Wednesday launched a high-resolution satellite for the protection of its maritime rights as the South China Sea dispute continues to simmer.

The Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) imaging satellite was launched from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Centre in northern Shanxi province on Wednesday.

Though a UN-appointed Permanent Court of arbitration at The Hague rejected China's claims over the South China Sea in June, Beijing rejected the ruling, calling it "illegal".

Gaofen-3, China's first SAR imaging satellite, will be used for disaster warning, weather forecasting, water resource assessments, and the protection of maritime rights, said state-run news agency.

With 12 imaging modes, the high-definition observation satellite is capable of taking wide pictures of the Earth and photographing detailed scenarios of specific areas.

Gaofen-3 is also China's first low orbit remote sensing satellite that has a lifespan of eight years. It is able to provide high-definition remote sensing data for its users over a long period of time.

China is locked in a maritime dispute with its neighbours over the South China Sea, which is believed to have large reserves of oil and gas. The Philippines, Vietnam, Brunei, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Taiwan have also staked claims in the waters.

The Gaofen-3 and the Long March 4C rocket were developed by the China Academy of Space Technology and the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology, under the guidance of the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation.(Agencies)

Pakistan investigators to hold American for 3 more days

Pakistan investigators to hold American for 3 more days

Islamabad, Aug 10: A Pakistani court has allowed federal investigators to hold an American for another three days to investigate how he re-entered Pakistan despite being barred from the country.

Investigator Rana Akram said Judge Naveed Iqbal on Tuesday granted investigators three more days to investigate Matthew Barrett.

Barrett was arrested in Islamabad this weekend.

The 33-year-old was first arrested in May 2011 near a

secretive military research facility and was barred from returning to Pakistan.

But he obtained a visa from the Pakistani consulate in Houston and managed to clear the airport immigration counter.

The interior minister has ordered an inquiry into how Barrett managed to enter Pakistan again and suspended the airport immigration staff for negligence.

Barrett had lived in Pakistan for four years, married a Pakistani and had two children.(Agencies)

Putin and May speak over the phone, agree to meet

Moscow, Aug 10: The Kremlin says Russia's President Vladimir Putin has spoken to British Prime Minister Theresa May for the first time since she took office.

In Tuesday's call, both leaders "expressed dissatisfaction with the current parameters of cooperation in both the political and economic sphere," according to the Kremlin.

Russian-British ties have been strained by the 2006 poisoning death of ex-Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko, the

Ukraine crisis and other issues.

The Kremlin said Putin and May agreed to develop a dialogue between security agencies on issues related to aviation security, and made plans for a personal meeting in the "near future."

It noted that May confirmed Britain's intention to participate in ceremonies marking the 75th anniversary of the arrival of the first British WWII convoy in the Russian city Arkhangelsk this month.(Agencies)

PAGE 7

The IS group has in recent days published a series of photos which appear to depict US equipment including bullets and magazines, grenades, a US flag and an American troop's photo identification.

According to the Pentagon, the troops had been involved in "actions" at a "casualty collection point," or CCP, when they came under enemy fire. "As a result, the

sified operations against IS in eastern Nangahar since the jihadists claimed two bombings last month in Kabul that left 80 dead and 231 wounded.

US troops dumped gear during IS Afghanistan attack CCP was moved to a safer location. In the course of moving the CCP to a safe location, some equipment was left behind," Pentagon spokesman Adam Stump said.

"For understandable reasons, the lives of soldiers were not put at risk to re-

cover the equipment prior to the scheduled exfiltration from the area at the already planned conclusion of the operation," he added. Pentagon officials stressed that the US position was not overrun in the incident.

The Afghan army has inten-

The Pentagon has said five of its special operations troops have been wounded in recent operations assisting the Afghans.

It was not clear if anyone was wounded in the incident involving the abandoned military kit.

"To protect the privacy of those involved, we won't comment on any specific injuries," Stump said.

"And, in an effort to protect capabilities, we won't discuss the specifics of any of the equipment pictured."

(Agencies)

2 mn people lack basic supplies in Aleppo, says UN Aleppo, Aug 10: Some two million people in Aleppo are without vital supplies and children in the besieged northern Syrian city are at "grave risk" of disease, the United Nations has warned, calling for an immediate humanitarian truce.

"The targeting of hospitals and clinics continues unabated, seriously jeopardizing the health and welfare of all citizens of Aleppo," said Yacoub al-Hillo, UN resident and humanitarian coordinator for Syria, and Kevin Kennedy, regional humanitarian coordinator for the Syria Crisis.

Attacks on civilian infrastructure this week severely damaged the city's electric and water infrastructure, leaving more than two million residents of Aleppo without electricity or access to the public water network, they said. "The UN is extremely concerned that the consequences will be dire for millions of civilians if the electricity and water networks are not immediately repaired," Hillo and Kennedy warned.

They urged the immediate

"The next administration will be charged with continuing to expand our network of relationships beyond our core alliances, building on the historic opportunities we've created to support the democratic transition in Burma (also called Myanmar), deepen ties with Vietnam, manage relations with China, expand the strategic partnership with India, and work with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to advance a rules-based order," Biden wrote in an essay in Foreign Af-

Pakistan's top military commanders say the terrorist threat in the country was because of the growing nexus of hostile actors in Afghanistan Islamabad, Aug 10: Pakistan's top military commanders say the terrorist threat in the country was because of the growing nexus of hostile actors in Afghanistan, managed by India, and "facilitators" within Pakistan.

At a conference attended by the Pakistani Army chief, General Raheel Sharif, the commanders said the threat was emanating from Afghan soil, which was being managed by Indian intelligence agencies, reported.

However, at the same time there was an acknowledgment that a network of "facilitators" within the country provided an enabling environment for the external enemy, an Inter-Service Public Reations statement said.

At a corps commanders' conference held at the General Headquarters on Tuesday, the generals reviewed the threat perception and discussed measures for countering the imminent security challenges.

The meeting, a monthly feature, was significant because of Monday's terror attack on a Quetta hospital which left at least 70 people dead. An upcoming highlevel security meeting is expected to take important decisions with regards to future direction of counterterrorism operations, the statement said.

Gen Sharif told his commanders that the Quetta attack was an attempt to undermine the successes of operation Zarb-e-Azb, which was in its final phase.(Agencies)

Khaleda to appear before courts in 12 cases 2 mn people lack basic supplies in Aleppo, says UN lifting of all sieges and a total ceasefire or weekly 48hour humanitarian pauses to reach millions of people in need throughout Aleppo and resupply food and medicines "which are running dangerously low".

UN children's charity Unicef said the whole city had been without running water for four days. "Children and families in Aleppo are facing a catastrophic situation," said Hanaa

Singer, Unicef's representative in Syria.

"Getting clean water running again cannot wait for the fighting to stop.

Children's lives are in serious danger." Fighting between government forces and rebels has intensified in recent weeks and on Sunday rebels cut off the government's key access route into western Aleppo, prompting an intense campaign of air strikes by pro-

government forces.

In July there were at least 10 confirmed attacks on health facilities in Aleppo and only 35 medical doctors remain in the city, according to the UN World Health Organisation.

At least 250,000 people are believed to have been trapped in rebel-held areas of eastern Aleppo since a key access route into the area was closed by government forces in early July .(Agencies)

Fate of US, China are inescapably intertwined: Biden China, Aug 10: Observing that the fate of the US and China are "inescapably intertwined" Vice President Joe Biden today said the next administration would have to continue to expand its network of relationship beyond its core alliances including America's strategic ties with India.

aged Afghan soil'

fairs.

And because Asia is home to half the world's population and many of the world's fastest-growing markets, we simply cannot afford to ignore the economic opportunities there, the outgoing vice president wrote.

Noting that in nearly every part of the world, the US contends with regional powers that have an enormous capacity to contribute to the international order or to undermine it, Biden said nowhere is this truer than in America's relationship with China.

"The United States and China are the world's two largest economies, so our fate are inescapably intertwined.

President Obama and I have sought to define this relationship through enhanced cooperation and responsible competition,"

Dhaka, Aug 10: Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Chairperson and former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia is to appear before various courts in Dhaka on Wednesday in connection with 12 different cases filed against her.

Of the lawsuits, nine were filed for the 2015 arson attack in Darussalam area and one for sedition. She will also appear before a special court in connection with the Barapukuria coal mine graft

tion and, potentially, intensified competition. And sometimes, as when facing the mounting threat from North Korea, cooperation and competition with China will coexist," he said. "The notion that it will be all At the same time, we one or the other is have stood firm on shortsighted and self- Vatican City , Aug 10: such issues as human defeating," he added. Pope Francis has conrights, intellectual demned the suicide bombproperty, and freedom ing at a hospital in of navigation," he said. The same is true with Pakistan's southwest city of This balancing act will regard to Russia, with Quetta on Monday that only grow more diffi- which the US should killed at least 70 people and cult in the context of continue to pursue a injured over 100, calling it China's economic policy that combines a "senseless and brutal act". slowdown and the wor- the urgent need for de- "His Holiness Pope Francis rying steps Beijing is terrence, on the one sends heartfelt condolences to the relatives of the detaking to reverse hand, with the prudent ceased, to the authorities course on more than pursuit of tactical co- and to the entire nation, as three decades of eco- operation and strategic he offers the assurance of nomic reform and stability, on the other, his prayers for the many inopening up to the he said. Terrorism jured victims of this senseworld, the vice presi- must and will be de- less and brutal act of viofeated, Biden said. lence," read a telegram sent dent said.

Biden said the next ad- by Vatican Secretary of "As a result, the next ministration will have Atate, Cardinal Pietro administration will to continue to address Parolin on Tuesday. have to steer a relation- the challenge of ISIS in A faction of the Pakistani ship with China that a smart, sustainable, Taliban called Jammat-ulholistic Ahrar and the Islamic State encompasses both and breakthrough coopera- manner.(PTI) group (IS) both claimed the Biden wrote. "We have found common ground with Beijing and made historic progress to address such global challenges as climate change, pandemic disease, poverty, and nuclear proliferation.

case and the Niko graft case.

With regard to the sedition case filed on January 25 this year, the BNP chairperson will appear before Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions judge Md Kamrul Hossain Mollah.

Khaleda's chief counsel Sanaullah Mia told the Dhaka Tribune that she will also surrender and file bail petitions in nine cases, eight of which are filed against her under Special Powers Act.(Agencies)

Pope deplores deadly Quetta hospital bombing

attack on a crowd of some 200 people gathered at Quetta's Civil Hospital after the fatal shooting of a senior local lawyer earlier in the day.

Fifty-five lawyers and two TV cameramen were among the dead.

The bomber was wearing a suicide vest packed with eight kg of explosives and laced with ball bearings and shrapnel, according to Balochistan Home Minister Sarfaraz Bugti.(Agencies)

PAGE 8

DIBRUGARH, THURSDAY, AUGUST 11

Cancer Cases 600 cases gets registered in Nagaland every year

The World Cancer Day takes place every year on 4 February and is considered the single initiative under which the world can unite to raise the profile of cancer in a positive and inspiring way. In India, the North East region is said to have the highest prevalence of 16 forms of cancer in both male and female. Nagaland ranks 9 in the list of male cancer patients in India and 23 in cancer among women. However the state is ranked 1 in the case of colon cancer. Nagaland has registered a total of 3,338 cancer cases in between 2009 and 2014, with an average 600 new cases being registered every year. The year wise registration of cancer cases in Nagaland were 2009 371, 2010 - 534, 2011 505, 2012 - 662, 2013 635 and 2014 - 641. Out of the total 3,348 cases, 2,034 were male and 1,314 were female patients, she said.

Nagaland and Manipur has high rate of throat cancer due to smoked meat and salted fish consumption and also firewood burning at homes.

Nasopharynx was the leading site of cancer in Naga men with 19.27 per cent followed by stomach cancer at 17.43 per cent and Oesophagus at 16.06 per cent, while among women the leading cancer site was cervix at 19.09 per cent followed by stomach at 13.64 per cent and breast cancer at 11.82 per cent. Also there are 25 million cancer cases globally and India has about 2.5 million cases. Also there is a need to raise awareness about the disease, specially among the youth and rural masses.

Also it requires for the people to render care and support to cancer patients, while stating it was the responsibility of the society to positively deal with such patients.

Make in India Govt plans major boost to the campaign Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched his ambitious "Make in India" program last September, pledging to lower barriers to doing business and promote foreign investment. He is hoping to transform Asia's third-largest economy into a manufacturing powerhouse like China.

For many years, India has harboured hopes of chasing down China to the forefront of economic growth but its attempts kept faltering as unwieldy coalition governments held back much-needed reforms for nearly 25 years. The Indian economy, which grew at a nearly doubledigit rate in the middle of the last decade, slowed down 5.08% in 2012 before recovering to 7.2% in 2014. The contribution of manufacturing in India's GDP growth has come under fresh scrutiny after factory output dipped for the second consecutive month in December.

The ministry of statistics reported that the index of industrial production shrank by 1.3% in December compared to the previous year. Cumulative factory output for the nine months to December 31, 2015, grew just 3.1% over the previous corresponding period. The data stood at odds with the GDP numbers of the same period that showed manu-

facturing growing at 12.6% during OctoberDecember 2015. Also the government wants to focus on domestic companies to encourage innovation and entrepreneurship. It will converge multiple initiatives such as Start-Up India, Skill India and Digital India to boost manufacturing. The longest wait, however, has been for tax reforms which can improve the country's competitiveness. But first, the government has to break political logjams to get crucial enabling legislation through Parliament.

The main aim of Make in India Campaign is to increase the GDP and tax revenues in the country by manufacturing products, with high quality standards and minimising the impact on the environment. Besides fostering innovation, protecting intellectual property, and enhancing skill development.

And focus on areas under the policy: New initiatives -- for ease of doing business; FDIgovernment has allowed 100 percent FDI in all sectors except space, defence and news media; Intellectual Property Rights-to protect the rights of the innovator; National manufacturing-to increase manufacturing sector's growth and job creation.

East China Sea: Japan Spots Chinese Radar on Gas Exploration Platform Does the radar suggest the creeping militarization of gas platforms in the East China Sea? Ankit Panda It's been a busy weekend in the East China Sea, where, starting Friday, multiple Chinese Coast Guard and fishing vessels entered waters disputed between China and Japan.

Japan has filed repeated protests with China over the coast guard vessels which entered territorial waters around the disputed Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands.

Adding to tensions in the East China Sea, a Japanese foreign ministry spokesman noted on Sunday that authorities in Tokyo discovered that China had installed radar equipment on a gas platform, near disputed waters.

According to the foreign ministry spokesperson, Japan determined that China had installed a radar earlier this summer, in late June.

Japan "cannot accept" the radar, the foreign ministry spokesman noted, according to the Wall Street Journal. "We call for the immediate removal of the equipment," he said.

Image for representational purpose (Photo: cdn2.i-scmp) The Japanese discovery of a radar on board a gas platform has stoked fears that China may be converting its gas exploration platforms for partial military use.

According to the Japanese foreign ministry, China has at least 16 gas exploration platforms in East China Sea waters.

The approach would echo China's artificial islands in

the Spratly Islands in South China Sea, which Beijing claims are for non-military use.

Last September, for example, satellite imagery first published in The Diplomat showed the construction of a over-the-horizon radar on Cuarteron Reef.

Tokyo hasn't specified what capabilities, including range, the Chinese radar may possess. As of this writ-

ing, the Chinese foreign and defense ministries have not commented on the Japanese protests about the radar.

In its report on the radar platform, the WSJ includes an image that "shows the Chinese offshore gas platform that Japan says has a radar facility."

The same image is referenced as China's "12th structure" in a slideshow (PDF) released on August 6

by the Japanese foreign ministry, showing Chinese gas exploration platforms in the East China Sea. A map released by the Japanese foreign ministry shows this same 12th structure to be the northernmost of China's platforms in the East China Sea, placing it further away from disputed waters than several other platforms.

Earlier this year, Japan

activated a new radar station on Yonaguni Island in the East China Sea. Yonaguni is located 90 miles south of the disputed Senkaku/ Diaoyu Islands and 62 miles east of Taiwan.

Japan is reportedly also planning to activate another radar station in 2017; its last defense budget emphasized intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities in the East China Sea. Japan and China have yet to delimit the extent of their exclusive economic zones in the East China Sea. Tokyo drew special attention to Chinese gas exploration activities in the East China Sea, arguing that Chinese efforts were in violation of a 2008 bilateral agreement for joint natural resource development.

The geographical equidistance line between the two countries in the East China Sea may ultimately end up as the final maritime delimitation, but Japan is concerned about potential Chinese exploitation of underwater natural gas fields that extend across the line.

Courtesy: the diplomat

What Quetta Bombing Reveals About Islamic State and Pakistani Taliban A vicious attack on a hospital underscores a continued preference for soft targets by jihadists ing war on terror. In this psychological warfare, the jihadists clearly have thought their course of action through, more so than their foes.

What further aids the Taliban's plan is the Pakistani state continuing its duplicity on jihadist groups, despite its claims of having abandoned the "Good Taliban, Bad Taliban" policy. Not only are eastbound jihadist groups being allowed to masquerade as Kashmir's liberators on both sides of the India-Pakistan Line of Control, the leaders are pointing fingers toward India for an attack vocally claimed by two separate jihadist groups.

Kunwar Khuldune Shahid At least 70 people were killed when Quetta's Civil Hospital was targeted for an attack on Monday. Quetta is the capital of Pakistan's volatile Balochistan province, which is the hub of a separatist movement, a military operation, and a freely operating jihadist network. In May, the previous Afghan Taliban leader Mullah Mansour was killed in a U.S. drone strike in the province.

Both Islamic State (ISIS) and the Taliban faction Jamaat-ul-Ahrar (JA) have claimed responsibility for Monday's bombing, which targeted protestors that had gathered in the local hospital to demonstrate against Balochistan Bar Association President Bilal Anwar Kasi's killing. It is not the first time ISIS and a Taliban faction have unanimously owned a terror attack. In May last year ISIS and Jundallah claimed responsibility for killing 43 members of the minority Ismaili Shia community in a bus attack in Karachi.

JA and ISIS go back a long way. It was in fact the Middle Eastern outfit's rise that inspired Abdul Wali, alias Omar Khalid Khorasani, a Taliban commander affiliated with al-Qaeda, to carve out his own faction from the Pa-

kistani Taliban. Since then JA has orchestrated multiple bombings in Pakistan targeting - among others - the Wagah border, Youhanabad churches, Charsadda district court, and Gulshan-e-Iqbal Park in the past 24 months.

A close look at JA's attacks reveals that it has successfully targeted all four major provinces of the country. The Taliban faction has specifically targeted Lahore, the capital of Punjab and the nucleus of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party. Furthermore, the JA - like other Taliban factions - is going after "soft targets" like parks, schools, polio centers, and hospitals, targeting vulnerable groups like religious minorities and attacking professionals that are already in the line of fire, like lawyers in Charsadda or Quetta.

Last month, Omar Khorasani was taken down in a U.S. drone strike in Nangarhar, Afghanistan.

Khorasani was the mastermind of the 2014 Peshawar school attack that had seemingly united the political and military leadership in the fight against jihadists in general and the Pakistani Taliban in particular, resulting in a formal counterterrorism

Image for representational purpose (Photo: static.dnaindia.) policy, christened as the National Action Plan (NAP). JA continuing from where Khorasani had left off not only signifies the effectiveness of the JA founder's strategy; the Quetta bombing also is a clear statement of intent.

The Pakistani Taliban, especially JA, are hunting softer targets because they leave deeper scars in a war that is defined by psychological skirmishes. While the Taliban's maneuvers have been dismissed as a desperate sign of the jihadist group's diminishing clout, the strategy's continued success reveals it as an effective modus operandi that is yet to

be countered by the Pakistani security agencies.

Through a surge in attacks on schools, children's parks, hospitals, and professionals, the Taliban seek to weaken the spirits of the nation following last year, which was the "most peaceful" in almost a decade, with success stories of the NAP and Military Operation Zarb-e-Azb in the northwest of the country being churned out for the masses' consumption.

Furthermore, the ISIS label on bombings in Quetta, Karachi, and other parts of the country, allows many Taliban factions to self-aggrandize as a part of a global

jihadist threat, at a time when both the military and the government are rehashing statements claiming that the Taliban's backbone has been broken. What better way to rubbish those claims than to allow the world's most illustrious jihadist group to conspicuously have your back?

While the Pakistani security agencies' preference for confessing incompetence vis-Ă -vis "RAW's manipulation" seems to contradict the state's peddling of India as the enemy number one, this masochistic policy's sole aim is to give credence to Pakistan's aforementioned duplicity on jihadism.

Despite ISIS not having any operational presence in South Asia, this jihadist symbiosis allows the Islamic State to exaggerate its reach, while giving the Taliban faction a marker to further demoralize the masses and an enviable selling point for local recruitment in the ongo-

Amid the Taliban visibly denting the nation's collective morale, the state feels the need to point towards India to distract the masses. This counterproductive "counterterrorism" strategy is handing the Taliban the momentum on a platter.

Courtesy:the diplomat

Best Letter

On 'Paribartan' Sir, 'Paribartan' an oft-repeated word that is heard nowadays. People of Assam had high expectation from BJP and before the assembly election people were cager to find a manifestation to their pent-up anger against congress.

But result showed less than two-thirds majority for BJP. However, with the help of alliance, the new government headed by BJP took over charge.

People's high expectation prompts them to insist on Paribartan in the twinkling of an eye. The state government as conceded by the Chief-minister could not so far, afford time to enquire into the scams of large sum of money that rocked Assam during congress regime, the latest being- 'Mission Assam, vison Assam', scams of Agriculture department and many others. Government of India's decision to appoint Utpal Borah, as the Chairman cum Managing Director of the Oil India Limited (OIL) averted 'Bandh' for

The best letter

of the month in

number of days. Nowadays, it has be- the Letter to the come a regular feature to call 'Bandh' Editor section on flimsy ground. Regarding Bandh on will be awarded Privatization of 12 Oil fields of Oil and an amount of ONGCL, as far as we understand, these Oil fields have been lying useless for a Rs 200. So pretty long time and steps are now taken please keep to make good use of it for the benefit writing. of Assam. One thing we want our youths to protest vociferously is the Policy of the Central government to deLetters to the prive Assam of its legitimate dues of editor and articles royalty on Oil, Head office of the Assam should be sent to : Tea Board is to be shifted from Kolkata The Eastern Toto Guwahati or Dibrugarh. Further, corday ruption is so deeply rooted in Assam Chowkidingee, that to remove it root and branch is like cleaning of the Augean stable. Near Sankardeva 'Paribartan' in the true sense of the term Hospital Mancotta is still a distant dream.

Road, DibrugarhYours etc.

Ashok Bordoloi Dibrugarh

786001 (Assam) Ph: 0373-2328944 Email : editor.easterntoday@gmail.com

JOBS & career

DIBRUGARH, THURSDAY, JULY 11

Dibrugarh University recruits Assistant Professor Chemistry August 2016 Eligibility : M Phil / Phd, MSc Location : Dibrugarh Last Date : 13 Aug 2016 Hiring Process : Walk - In Job Details Assistant Professor in Dibrugarh University Specialization: Inorganic Chemistry Qualification required: (1) M.Sc. in Chemistry with specialization as mentioned above with at least 55% marks. (2) NET/SLET/Ph.D. will be preferred.

No.of Post: 1 Salary (Consolidated): Rs 25,000/- PM [for those who have NET/SLET/ Ph.D] and Rs. 20,000/- PM [for those without NET/SLET/Ph.D] How to apply Candidates are required to submit their CV by email to HOD Chemistry (Email ID:pankajdas@dibru.ac.in) on or before 13th August 2016.

Walk-in-Interview will be held on 16th August 2016 at 3.00 PM.

IBPS VIth CWE for Probationary Officers (PO)/ Management Trainees MT in Banks last date 13th Aug-2016 Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) IBPS House, Post Box No.8587, Kandivali (East), Mumbai - 400101 IBPS, an autonomous body, has been authorised by the IBA and has received mandates from 20 Public Sector Banks to conduct the recruitment of Probationary Officers (PO)/ Management Trainees (MT) posts twice in a year for their requirements.

VIth (6th) Common Written Examination(CWE) will be conducted by the IBPS as a per-requisites for selection of personnel for Probationary Officers (PO)/ Management Traineesposts in the following 20 Public Sector Bank. Any eligible candidate, who aspires to join any of the ParticipatingOrganisations as a Probationary Officer (PO) / Management Trainee (MT) or in a similar post in that cadre, is required to register for the Common Recruitment Process (CWE PO/MT-VI).

Participiating Orgnisations : " Allahabad Banks / Andhra Bank/ Bank of Baroda/ Bank of India/ Bank of Maharashtra/ Canara Bank/ Central Bank of India/ Corporation Bank/ Dena Bank/ IDBI Bank/ Indian Bank/ Indian Overseas Bank/ Oriental Bank ofCommerce/ Punjab National Bank/ Punjab & Sind Bank/ Syndicate Bank/ UCO Bank/ Union Bank of India/ United Bank of India/ Vijaya Bank Probationary Officer/ Management Trainee posts : " Age : 20-30 years as on 01/07/2016, age relaxation as per rules for SC/ST/ OBC/ PWDs/ Ex.-SM " Qualification : Graduate in any discipline. " Indicative Vacancies of PO/MT : 8822 posts (UR-4500, OBC-2319, SC1338, ST-665) (PH-369) in various PSU Banks Application Fee : Rs.600/- (Rs.100/- SC/ST/PWD candidates) to be paid Online.

How to Apply for CWE : Candidates need to apply Online at IBPS website from 26/ 07/2016 to 13/08/2016 only.

Please view http://www.ibps.in/wp-content/uploads/ Detailed_advertisment_for_CWE_PO_MT_VI.pdf for all the details available and visit http://www.ibps.in to submit the application online from 26/07/2016 onward.

Page 9

Assam University recruits JRF Microbiology in Silchar August 2016 Eligibility : MSc Location : Silchar Last Date : 31 Aug 2016 Hiring Process : Walk - In Job Details JRF Microbiology in Assam University The project is titled: "Identification and Characterization of DNA Primase in Leishmania donovani" Educational Qualification: The candidates should be M.Sc. in Microbiology, Life Sciences, Biotechnology, Biochemistry or other relevant subjects with minimum 55% marks. Candidate who has qualified NET/ GATE will be preferred. Knowledge of Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Microbiology is desirable No. of Posts: 01 Remuneration: Rs. 25,000/- P.M Age : 28 years How to apply Walk in for the interview on 31.08.2016 in the Department of Microbiology, Assam University, Silchar - 788011, Assam, India at 11 AM with 3 copies of bio-data and supporting documents in original.

District Legal Services Authority, Golaghat recruits Accounts Assistant August 2016 Eligibility : B.Com Location : Golaghat Last Date : 14 Aug 2016 Hiring Process : Written-test, Face to Face Interview Job Details Accounts Assistant recruitment in District Legal Services Authority, Golaghat on contractual basis Qualification: A. Bachelors Degree from a recognized university B. Computer knowledge of MS Excel and MS Word .

Preferable: Expereince in handling accounts work in Govt. Semi GovliPSU departments/institutions Working knowledge of preparation of pay bills/ OE bills in a Govt. Department. Working knowledge of IDS. VAT and Income Tax etc.

No.of Post: 1 Pay Scale : Rs. 20000 Age: 18- 38 Years How to apply The Interview is scheduled to be held on 14/08/2016 (Sunday) from 10.00 am onwards at the Office of the District & Sessions Judge & Chairman, District Legal Services Authority, Golaghat.

The candidates must bring all documents and testimonials in ORIGINAL along with a photocopied sel of the same. Candidates should also bring two recent passport size photograph. Candidates should report at 9.30 am positively.

Dibrugarh University recruits Assistant Professor Assamese August 2016 Eligibility : M Phil / Phd Location : Dibrugarh Last Date : 12 Aug 2016 Hiring Process : Walk - In Job Details Assistant Professor in Dibrugarh University on contract basis Qualification : i. Good academic record with at least 55% marks or (an equivalent grade in a point scale wherever grading system is followed) at the Master's Degree level. ii. Specialization in Language iii. Besides fulfilling the above qualifications, the candidate must have cleared the National Eligibility test (NET) by the UGC or similar test accredited by the UGC like SLET/SET or Ph.D. Degree (under the Regulation, amended in 2009) iv. Knowledge in Operation in Language laboratory is preferable.

No. of Posts : 02 No. of Posts : 02 Department : Assamese Pay : Rs. 25,000/How to apply Walk in interview will be held on 12-08-2016 at 10.00 AM in the Department of Assamese, Dibrugarh University. The candidates will have to appear before the Selection Committee along with all relevant testimonials.

Dibrugarh University recruits Assistant Professor Computer Studies August 2016 Eligibility : ME/M.Tech(CSE), BE/B.Tech(CSE) Location : Dibrugarh Last Date : 17 Aug 2016 Hiring Process : Walk - In Job Details Assistant Professor in Dibrugarh University on contract basis in the Centre for Computer Studies Eligibility : BE/B.Tech and ME/M.Tech in Computer Science with First Class or equivalent either in BE/B.Tech or ME/M.Tech from AICTE recognized institutions. Or BE/B.Tech and MCA with First class or equivalent in either BE/B.Tech or MCA from AICTE recognized institutions. Or MCA with first class from AICTE recognized institutions with minimum 2 years teaching experience in UG/PG level.

No. of Posts : 02 Remuneration : Rs. 25,000, per month (Consolidated) for those having either NET/GATE/ SLET or Ph.D. and Rs. 20,000/- per month (Consolidated) for those without NET/GATE SLET or Ph.D. Pay : They will have to register their names as candidates by paying Rs. 200/- (Rupees two hundred) only before interview.

How to apply Walk-in-Interview will be held on 17.08.2016 at 10-00 A.M. in the Bhojraj Seth Conference Hall of the ViceChancellor's Office, D.U. Interested candidates having the requisite qualification may appear in the interview with copies of bio-data, attested copies of all testimonials and experience certificate, (if any) along with the original certificates of qualifications for verification.

‘The Eastern Today’ has taken an initiative to present Questions & Answers to help the aspirants in their competitive exams (SSC, Banks, Insurance, etc.).

1). Which state government has decided to recruit members of transgender community as warders in jails of the State? a) Bihar b) Kerala c) Odisha d) Maharashtra e) Punjab Answer: c) 2). Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch a programme-'70 Saal AzadiZara Yaad Karo Kurbani' a) August 8th b) August 9th c) August 12th d) August 14th e) August 15th Answer: b) 3). Ministry of Communications launches Twitter Sewa to address the complaints of common man The twitter handle of the Minister will be a) @maheshsharmabjp b) @jitendrasinghbjp c) @girirajsinghbjp d) @manjojsinghbjp e) None of these Answer: d) 4). Central body approves ____ crore rupees for Ganga rejuvenation projects. a) Rs. 400 crore b) Rs. 425 crore c) Rs. 450 crore d) Rs. 475 crore e) Rs. 500 crore Answer: a) 5). Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu recently lays foundation stone of broad-gage rail project in which state? a) Mizoram

b) Nagaland c) Haryana d) Tripura e) Meghalaya Answer: b) 6). Resolution for renaming of which high court passed recently by the state assembly? a) Mumbai High Court b) Kolkata High Court c) Delhi High Court d) Kerala High Court e) None of these Answer: e) 7). Which state government has inked a MoU with Japan to develop a food value chain in the state? a) Telangana b) Karnataka c) Kerala d) Andhra Pradesh e) None of these Answer: d) 8). Which bank has tied up with a fintech start-up Fisdom for personal wealth management services? a) Syndicate Bank b) Bank of Baroda c) Andhra Bank d) Canara Bank e) Punjab National Bank Answer: b) 9). ICICI Bank reduces MCLR by a) 0.015% b) 0.05% c) 0.025% d) 0.07% e) 0.09% Answer: b) 10). Which bank started certification for officers who

sanction loans? a) State Bank of India b) State Bank of Hyderabad c) State Bank of Patiala d) State Bank of Mysore e) None of these Answer: a) 11). Which digital payments platform has partnered with the leading payment gateway solution provider, PayUbiz, to further strengthen its merchant base and help consumers move from cash to digital payments? a) Paypal b) PayTM c) Freecharge d) MobiKwik e) None of these Answer: c) 12). Who has appointed as Secretary to Prime Minister Narendra Modi? a) Bhaskar Khulbe b) Vijay Khulbe c) Ashok Khulbe d) Mahesh Kulbe e) None of these Answer: a) 13). Who takes over as Chairman of National Dairy Development Board (NDDB)? a) Manoj Rath b) Vikram Rath c) Aravind Bhoopathi d) Dilip Rath e) None of these Answer: d) 14). Chocolate maker Mondelez International has roped in whom as managing director of its India unit. a) Deepak Iyer b) Dilip Iyer

c) Dinesh Iyer d) Dharmendra Iyer e) None of these Answer: a) 15). Name the Indian American linguist, Professor who passes away recently? a) Ananth Radha Sharma b) Braj B. Kachru c) Chitharanjan Das d) Daamodar Sharma e) Eashwar Kumar Answer: b) 16). Which among the following state Chief Minister gives order to setup Embankment Protection Committee? a) Bihar b) Nagaland c) Punjab d) Assam e) None of these Answer: d) 17). "Madhubabu Pension Scheme" is an initiative of which among the following states? a) Odisha b) Chhattisgarh c) Telangana d) Mizoram e) None of these Answer: a) 18). The Central government proposes to organise a 'Make in India' conference in which among the following cities scheduled in December? a) Bilaspur b) New Delhi c) Bhubaneswar d) Vadodara e) None of these Answer: c)

e) Fifteenth 19). India to supply free ration to jobless workers in a) Iran b) Iraq c) Saudi Arabia d) Nepal e) Bhutan Answer: c) 20). Which among the following banks sets up top team to track loans, sound 'NPA' alert? a) Bank of India b) ICICI Bank c) United Bank of India d) Axis Bank e) None of these Answer: b) 21). Bank of India (BoI) will issue shares on a preferential basis to the government for capital infusion of ________ crore rupees. a) Rs.1228 b) Rs.1338 c) Rs.1448 d) Rs.1118 e) Rs.1008 Answer: b) 22). To improve attractiveness of SGB, the minimum subscription limit was reduced from 2gm to a) 0.7 gm b) 0.9 gm c) 1 gm d) 1.5 gm e) 1.2 gm Answer: c) 23). Harry Potter and the Cursed Child book launches in London. This is which series of the book? a) Seventh b) Eighth c) Ninth d) Tenth

Answer: b) 24). Name the Ashok Leyland non-exec vice chairman who resigns recently. a) R Seshasayee b) M Shanmuka Nathan c) K Vijay Kumar d) R Vinay Chopra e) None of these Answer: a) 25). Who is set to be appointed as the new CBDT Chairperson with incumbent Atulesh Jindal retired recently? a) Anil Singh Nair b) Pratap Singh Nair c) Priyanka Singh Nair d) Rani Singh Nair e) None of these Answer: d) 26). Kerala Tourism bagged how many National Tourism awards for 2014-15 in the marketing category for states? a) Four b) Five c) Six d) Seven e) Eight Answer: c) 27). The Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI) conferred its Lifetime Achievement Award on a) R K Swamy b) S K Swamy c) A K Swamy d) P K Swamy e) None of these Answer: b)

Image for representational purpose (Photo: flckr) 28). World Day against Trafficking in Persons is an official United Nations observance held on a) July 29th b) July 30th c) July 31st d) July 28th e) July 27th Answer: c) 29). PashudhanBimaYojana is launched by which state? a) Punjab b) Haryana c) West Bengal d) Gujarat e) Andhra Pradesh Answer: b) 30). Centre sanctions nearly __________ crore to UP as drought assistance. a) Rs.620 b) Rs.630 c) Rs.640 d) Rs.650 e) Rs.660 Answer: a) 31). Which state government signs MoU with NTPC, NHPC for hydro engineering college? a) Madhya Pradesh b) Himachal Pradesh

c) Assam d) Kerala e) Arunachal Pradesh Answer: b) 32). The West Bengal Tourism department has launched a mobile App based on its theme of a) Visit Bengal b) Beautiful Bengal c) Experience Bengal d) Wonderful Bengal e) None of these 33). India to host international summit on tobaccocontrol. The summit is scheduled from a) November 7 - 12 b) November 7 - 10 c) November 5 - 10 d) November 8 - 13 e) November 14 - 21 Answer: a) 34). Joint military exercise between India and Thailand that culminated at Krabi was a) AUSINDEX b) EKUVERIN c) Hand-in-Hand d) Maitree e) None of these Answer: d)

DIBRUGARH, THURSDAY, AUGUST 11

Mahindras, MSTC form joint venture Nagpur, Aug 10: Mahindra Intertrade Ltd., a part of the Mahindra Partners Division of the $17.8-billion Mahindra Group, and MSTC Ltd., a Government of India enterprise, have come together to jointly set up a first-of-its-kind greenfield auto shredding and recycling capability in the country. Mahindra Intertrade owns and operates a network of steel service centres across the automotive, power and home appliances verticals. Mahindra Partners is the $900 million private equity division of the Mahindra Group. The proposed collaborative venture will establish an integrated automotive recycling capability for end-of-life vehicles. And, it will undertake a host of activities - collection, compaction, transportation, de-pollution, dismantling, shredding, recycling, and disposal. (Agencies)

BUSINESS

Rs.883 crore net profit posted

by Hero MotoCorp in Q1 Bengaluru, Aug 10: Hero MotoCorp, the country's largest two-wheeler maker, reported its highest-ever quarterly net profit of Rs.883.10 crore in the AprilJune 2016 quarter, an increase of 18.2 per cent over the net profit of Rs.747.54 crore in the year-earlier period. Total income from operations stood at Rs.8,010.66 crore against Rs. 7,435.47 crore. "The first quarter of this fiscal carried forward the growth trajectory that we set for ourselves in the previous quar-

ter," said Pawan Munjal, Chairman, Managing Director and CEO, Hero MotoCorp. With the above average monsoon so far and the implementation of the seventh pay commission recommendations, the company remained "cautiously optimistic" about the remaining months of the current financial year, he said.

The company sold 17,45,389 two-wheelers during the quarter, its highest ever sales in a quarter, as against 16,45,867 units.

"Hero MotoCorp reported

strong operational performance in 1Q FY17. While revenues came in below expectation, EBITDA margin came in ahead of estimates," said Arun Agarwal, Associate Vice-President, Research, Kotak Securities. "1Q FY17 adjusted EBITDA margin was one of the highest in the past several quarters. Due to strong operating performance, net profits came in better than expected," he said. Hero MotoCorp scrip ended marginally higher by 0.17 per cent at Rs.3,440 per share on the BSE. (Agencies)

New smartphone at Rs 5,499 unveiled by Zen Mobile

HDFC Life, Max Life boards approve merger Pune, Aug 10: The boards of HDFC Life and Analjit Singh's Max group companies approved the merger of the two life insurance entities. The merger will create the largest private sector life insurance company in the country with assets under management of Rs.1.1 lakh crore with seven million customers. The exact value of the deal was not disclosed. (Agencies)

Image for representational purpose. (Photo: static.abplive) New Delhi, Aug 10: Domestic mobile manufacturer Zen Mobile launched a new Cinemax 3 smartphone at Rs 5,499 that comes preloaded with games, live TV streaming app NexGenTV, music streaming service Saavn and Vuliv video player. "Zen Cinemax 3 is loaded with various smart features at an affordable

price that provides seamless experience," said Sanjay Kalirona, CEO of Zen Mobile, in a statement.

The device with 5.5-inch FWVGA IPS display is powered by 1.3GHz quadcore processor coupled with 2GB of RAM and runs on Android 5.1 Lollipop operating system. The smartphone sports 5MP

auto-focus rear camera and 3.2MP front camera, has 16GB internal memory that can be expanded up to 32GB and houses 2,900mAh battery. The smartphone also has SOS feature that allows users to send location details to five pre-defined numbers of user`s choice in case of an emergency. (Agencies)

Britannia bakes a packaged foods plan Hyderabad, Aug 10: Biscuits and bakery major Britannia is actively looking at venturing beyond biscuits and bakery to other packaged food products. A decision would be taken by the year-end. It has gone for some strategic pricing action of about 5% of its total turnover to beat commodity inflation, managing director Varun Berry said.

"Our objective is to become a total food company and not just a biscuit maker. We are evaluating what are the other categories we can enter. We have set up an R&D centre at Bangalore and we are looking at other categories," Berry said. Some of the products being tested are ready-to-eat products and also other products like croissants. "Whatever packaged foods are possible we are evaluating. The R&D centre would help us to prepare and taste all such categories," he said. Diversification into non-bakery products would help Britannia fight commodity inflation that has been putting

Managing Director of Britannia, Varun Berry.

(Photo: britannia) pressure on its business, which derives 95% of revenue from its key portfolio.

"There has been severe commodity inflation with prices of products like flour and sugar surging very high while prices of fat is comparatively better" he

said. To counter that, Britannia has gone for 2-7% price hikes in the previous quarter in select categories where pricing actions were due for some time. "The impact of price hike has been around 5% of our turnover.

We are almost done with

our strategic pricing action," Berry said. Britannia has been feeling commodity price inflation since the fourth quarter and was bracing for a 5% inflation for its inputs like flour, sugar, refined palm oil and crude oil that goes into energy for baking. Apart from price hikes, Britannia is also focussing on cost rationalisation.

"We had earlier set a target to cut our cost by 2% every year. But now looking at the commodity inflation, we have raised the target to 2.5%." Britannia, meanwhile, is looking at reviving operations at its Taratala factory, its oldest plant, which chairman Nusli Wadia said is not running in an economically efficient way. "We are working to improve its productivity," Wadia told reporters. A greenfield plant in West Bengal is being considered, Wadia said but details are yet to be finalised. Britannia reported consolidated revenue growth of 8% for the quarter at Rs 2,162 crore with net profit growing 13% to Rs 219 crore. (Agencies)

Centre taking into consideration proposal to amalgamate Rail, General Budgets Pondicherry, Aug 10: The Union Finance Ministry has said it has started the process of examining the proposal from the Railway Ministry to merge the Rail Budget with the General Budget, 92 years after the separation took place. "We will look at his (Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu's) proposal and examine it. It will have to be done in consultation with the Railway Ministry. That process has started," said Finance Secretary Ashok Lavasa. The Rail Budget has had a separate existence from the General budget since 1924 when the British spun it off for a better focus on India's most important infrastructure network. The Railways then

accounted for 70 per cent of the total budget. The Rail Budget now is only 15 per cent, on an average, of the country's budget. Asked when a decision is likely, Lavasa said, "We can reach a conclusion only after we have considered the pros and cons of his (Railway Minister's) proposal." "This (merger) is something that has been suggested even in the past. So, one will have to consider what was the view taken in the past and why that view was taken," he said. The Indian Railways suffer from a huge revenue deficit, the burden of which after the merger will be transferred to the Ministry of Finance. According to Prabhu, who suggested the

merger of the two budgets in a recent letter to the Finance Ministry, the already stressed Railways were facing an additional burden this year of Rs 30,000 crore on account of the 7th Pay Commission recommendations.

tioned the paying of the dividend to the Finance Ministry. "This paying dividend to the Finance Ministry is one area which really needs to be looked into. Why should the Railway pay dividend?

The letter from Prabhu came after a committee headed by NITI Aayog member Bibek Debroy suggested the merger as part of restructuring of the Railways. If the merger happens, the Railways will also get rid of the annual dividend it currently has to pay for Gross Budgetary Support (GBS) from the government. Prabhu in the current Monsoon session of parliament had ques-

This has been a recommendation of the Standing Committee. There have been several unanimous recommendations on this by several Standing Committees that the Railways discharge very useful public functions," Prabhu said in the Lok Sabha. If the Finance Ministry agrees to the proposal, there could be a unified Union Budget for 2017-18 after 92 years.

(Agencies)

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Samsung aiming stake in Magneti Marelli

Washington, Aug 10: After reports of Google and Apple's autonomous car ambitions, here's more news of a tech giant showing rising interest in the automotive sector. Samsung Electronics is said to be in talks with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) to orchestrate a buyout of Magneti Marelli or certain parts of it. As per the report by Bloomberg, Samsung has shown interest in Magneti Marelli's in-

car entertainment, lighting and telematics business.

The deal could be valued at over $3 billion and Samsung is expected to close it by the end of this year. In India, the FCA subsidiary is primarily known for supplying automated manual transmission (AMT) units to manufacturers like Maruti Suzuki and Tata. However, the company also supplies electronic components to MotoGP and Formula 1 teams. Samsung

is one of the world's largest consumer electronics organisations, but has been looking to diversify its portfolio of late. Why? Though the company has a dominant share in the supply of memory chips and TVs, its smartphone division has been dropping numbers, making it increasingly difficult to keep up with the likes of Apple. This is one of the reasons why it's looking to get a foothold in the motoring biz

through Magneti Marelli. In fact, this isn't the South Korean brand's first step into the auto sector. Earlier this year, Samsung paid $450 million to acquire a stake in Chinese carmaker BYD. Given Samsung's tech expertise, such an association could have good implications for car connectivity systems as well.

Neither one of the companies has issued a statement on the deal so an official confirmation is awaited. (Agencies)

Rs 850cr to be received by Max Group as non-compete fee Mumbai, Aug 10: In a deal that will create India's largest private life insurer, the boards of HDFC Life and Max Life and its promoter entities have approved the merger of two insurance companies. The combined entity will pay Rs 850 crore in installments to promoters of Max Life under a fouryear non-compete clause.

The merged life insurer will have around 10.8% market share with over Rs 1,10,000crore assets under management. Shareholders of HDFC Life - HDFC, Standard Life and others - will together own 69% in the country's first listed life insurer to be created after the merger. The remaining 31% stake in the merged entity will be held by promoters and shareholders of Max group. Another significant aspect of the deal is that Max Life's bancassurance partner Axis Bank has agreed to continue selling the products of the merged entity until September 2021.

The merger will take place in three stages. In the first stage, Max Life would merge with the listed Max Financial Services. The merged Max group entity would

Max Group chairman, Analjit Singh. (Photo: timesofindia) demerge the life insurance business and merge it with HDFC Life, creating HDFC Max Life. In the third stage, Max Financial Services, which now holds only noninsurance business, will merge into the listed Max India, Analjit Singh-led group's flagship company.

Shareholders of Max Life and Max Financial Services will get 35% stake of the merged entity, which will be listed on the stock exchange. For the merger of Max Life into Max Financial Services, shareholders of

Max Life will get one share of Max Financial Services for every 4.98 shares of Max Life. For the demerger of the life insurance undertaking from Max Financial Services into HDFC Life, shareholders of Max Financial Services (post the amalgamation with Max Life), will get 2.33 shares of HDFC Life for each share of Max Financial Services. Announcing the details of the merger, HDFC chairman Deepak Parekh said that he expected the process to be completed within 12 months. "The in-

surance industry is seeing consolidation. The four large companies together account for 65% of business and the remaining 29 companies have just 35%," said Parekh. He said the Indian financial sector was delinked from the rest of the world and prospects were good.

Explaining the rationale for the merger, Max Group chairman Analjit Singh said that the insurance business had changed from being an agency-driven business to a one driven by bancassurance. Also, the nature of products had changed with short-term investment policies being more palatable to investors.

Max Life had begun operations with a focus on career agents who sold long-term traditional policies. The product mix of HDFC Life and Max Life complements each other. The merged insurance entity will also have a diversified distribution mix with the contribution (excluding group segment) based on FY16 new business premium being: agency 19%, bancassurance 64%, direct 11% and others 5%.

(Agencies)

Share of waterways intended to be increased from 3.6% to 7% by 2018: Nitin Gadkari Pune, Aug 10: Maruti Suzuki India Ltd is set to commence a pilot-run from August 12 under which its cars would be transported from Varanasi to Kolkata on National Waterway-I, Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari said. During Question Hour in Rajya Sabha, Gadkari said an MoU has been signed between Inland Waterways Authority of India and Maruti Suzuki for transportation of cars through inland waterways. Cars are proposed to be transported from Varansi to Kolkata on National Waterway-I as a pilot run which would commence this month. Gadkari also said he would inaugurate two ships from Varanasi - one ferrying the Maruti cars and other carrying construction materials, on August 12. The Minister said the share of waterways in the country was a mere 3.6% and efforts are on to take it

over 7% by 2018. He gave a comparison saying the share of waterways in transportation in China was 47%, in Korea and Japan it was above 40% and it played a key role in European countries. He also gave details of the projects on river Ganga saying it was aimed that by 2020, 200 lakh tonnes of cargo for export would be shipped through waterways. The minister also gave details of various luxury cruises from sevenstar to three and four stars which were operating on the river waters. As the minister gave details of plans to develop waterways, concerns were expressed about the impact it would have on the fishing communities.

Gadkari said he wanted to make it clear that it would have positive impact as it would ensure that fishermen are able to increase their fishing output. With a river

Shipping Minister, Nitin Gadkari. (Photo: dnaindia) traffic system in place, fishermen will get better information about the possibility of floods through the GPS. A suggestion was also made in the House to de-

velop waterways in Mumbai to decongest traffic, replying to which Gadkari gave details of the initiatives being taken in Mumbai and Thane. (Agencies)

Patanjali fight backs to meet demand for products Haridwar, Aug 10: Even as Baba Ramdev's Patanjali Ayurved aims to double its turnover in the current financial year, it is struggling to meet the demand for its products. Patanjali has signed exclusive deal with Future Group and sells its products through large hypermarkets such as DMart, Star Hyper and Reliance. Apart from this, Patanjali products are sold through a large network of shops, Ayurvedic stores and pharmacies. For instance, a store executive at Star Hyper, run by TrentTesco combine, said they had planned to set up a separate section for Patanjali products but couldn't do so because of

erratic supplies. "There's no point in having a separate rack and displaying a few products on it," said the executive. According to a senior executive at a large retail chain, the fill rates of Patanjali products are in the range of 40-50 per cent. On the other hand, multinational consumer goods companies such as NestlĂŠ and HUL have a fill rate of 85-90 per cent. Fill rate in this case means the rate at which the goods are supplied by a manufacturer against a retailer's order. To put it simply, if a retailer orders 100 products and the manufacturer supplies 90, then the fill rate is 90 per cent. "Patanjali is a hyper start-up. It wants to grow

from Rs 5,000 crore to Rs 10,000 crore but is realising that systems and processes are not geared up. Every retail chain is facing supply issues with them," said an executive at a Mumbai-based retail chain. Smaller Ayurvedic pharmacies, which stock Patanjali products, are also facing similar issues.

When asked, Patanjali spokesperson S K Tijarawala accepted that retailers were facing supply issues. He said, "There is a huge surge in demand for our products whereas we are facing constraints in procurement of raw materials and production. We are doing our best to resolve the issues." Tijarawala said the company has leased 1.2 mn

sq ft warehousing space in the past three months and it planning to add another 800,000 sq ft space by the end of current financial year.

"We are improving our supply chain and logistics," he added. "They don't supply products on time. It is odd for us to tell our customers that products are not available," said an Ayurvedic shop owner in Thane. Founded in 2007 by yoga guru Ramdev, Patanjali Ayurved is targeting Rs 10,000-crore revenue in 2016-17. The company has a network of 4,000 distributors, 10,000 stores and 100 mega marts. Patanjali will invest Rs 1,150 crore this financial year to set up six processing units and one research centre.

(Agencies)

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The event will see 60 players in men's and women's section each at the Olympic Golf Course in Rio's Barra da Tijuca zone.

Aug 10: Reigning Asia No. 1 Anirban Lahiri and Indian Open winner SSP Chawrasia will carry the country’s medal hopes when they tee off on Wednesday as golf makes a return to Olympics after a gap of 112 years. Two-time European tour winner Lahiri has been a revelation for Indian golf in the last couple of years as he clinched the Asian tour order of merit after winning twice — Maybank Malaysian Open and Hero Indian Open in 2015.

He then produced a dramatic tied fifth finish at PGA Championships and went on to earn his card after just two of the four events on the Web Tour Finals. After 20 events on the Tour this season, including all Majors and WGC events, Lahiri made the cut in all but four events and his experience of playing against the best

in the business on the PGA tour will hold him in good stead as he eyes a medal at Rio Games.

“The goal obviously will be to get there and try to get a medal or two, if both SSP (Chawrasia) and I can play well,” said Lahiri, who has been clubbed with America’s Bubba Watson and Germany’s Martin Kaymer for the first two rounds.

Olympics.

Chawrasia will make a formidable pairing with Lahiri as both the golfers have been at the top of their game in the recent past. “I feel it’s an opportunity for me to give something back to the country. Not everyone gets a chance, I feel very lucky,” said Chawrasia, who was clubbed with Ireland’s Seamus Power and Chinese Taipei’s Lin Wen“That should have a big Tang. impact on golf in India and Asia. It’s going to “Obviously, the field make a big difference,” will be top class. But we said Lahiri, who was know our strengths and part of the Indian team Lahiri has been doing that won the silver quite well. I’m focusmedal at the 2006 Doha sing on my basics.

Asian Games.

Hopefully, we will make a mark,” he Chawrasia, a winner of added. four international titles, including three on the India will also be repreEuropean Tour, regis- sented by 18-year-old tered a long-awaited Bengaluru girl Aditi victory at the Indian Ashok, who in her Open earlier this year rookie season as pro that propelled him into will compete in the contention for the women’s event during

the competition.

Aditi became the first Indian to win the Lalla Aicha Tour School and secure her Ladies European Tour card for the 2016 season. This win also made her the youngest winner of a Q School for an international tour.

The event will see 60 players in men’s and women’s section each at the Olympic Golf Course in Rio’s Barra da Tijuca zone. Many top golfers such as World No. 1 and 2 Jason Day and Jordan Spieth have withdrawn from the Games because of Zika virus concerns. Among other golfers Adam Scott, Louis Oosthuizen, Charl Schwartzel, Graeme McDowell, Vijay Singh and Rory McIlroy are some of the top names who all have declared their absence from the Games.

INDEPENDENCE CUP FOOTBALL TOURNAMENT 2016 MIAO Organised by Miao Sub-Division Youth Organisation (MSYO)

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Indrajit Tingwa Miao 10 Aug : The Miao Bum team today disappointed their fans and supporters after they were drubbed out of the quarter finals by Gara XI FC for 3-1. All the goals were scored before the end of half time. The lone goal of Miao Bum was a near miss as the ball was in the goalkeeper's hand but just about crossed the bar. Ian Bum had

entered the quarters with a superb record of having defeated their rivals in the earlier two matches 8-0. Now the Gara XI FC has attracted the attention but how they fare in the semis against the young and dynamic UMFC will be keenly awaited.

In the second half both the teams struggled but none could add to their goal tally. Earlier before the start of the

match a one minute silence was also observed as a mark of respect to the departed soul of Late Kalikho Pul, former Chief Minister. Players from both the teams also adorned black ribbons to mark the mourning of Pul's demise.

One man each from both the teams got the yellow card for foul play.

Goal scorers :Gara XI FC

1. Dohu Tale-Jersey No.17-1 goal 2. Vojum Gamlin-Jersey No.9-1 goal 3. Kampo Nungri-Jersey No.8-1 goal Miao Bum 1. Tihang Nokbi-Jersey No.11-1 goal Tomorrow's match : Mugaphi Vijaynagar will clash with Mpen United in the last quarter final match.

All eyes on Saina as Indian shuttlers begin Olympic campaign on Thursday RIO DE JANEIRO: Four years after a bronze at London Games made her the toast of the nation, Saina Nehwal will once again carry a billion hopes when she along with the other six shuttlers, including doubles exponent Jwala Gutta, begin their campaign at the Rio Olympics on Thursday.

Saina had started her Olympic journey as an 18year-old when she reached the quarterfinals at the Beijing Games.

The loss suffered eight years ago to Indonesia's Maria Kristin Yulianti spurred her to scoop the bronze at London and she will be hungry to taste gold this time when she starts her campaign in Group G, which includes lesser-known players such as Lohaynny Vicente and Maria Ulitina.

It has been an eventful couple of years for Saina as she shifted base from Hyderabad to Bangalore in early 2014 and trained under the watchful eyes of former chief coach Vimal Kumar.

She won a silver at All England and World Championship, clinched the India Open and coveted China Premier Super Series title and became the World No. 1.

But an ankle injury sustained in the end phase of last year troubled her and almost derailed her Olympic campaign before Saina

fought back and regained her fitness and came up with a consistent run of performance at Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia which culminated with the Australian Open triumph in June.

At 26, it will be her best chance to win an Olympic gold and Saina said she is looking to "reach the peak" in that particular week.

"I take each tournament as it comes. My approach to the Games is very positive and I would like to keep it like that and focus on my game. I feel that on the day that I am 100 percent fit, I have the potential to defeat anyone," said the fifth seed who will take on Vicente in her tournament opener.

"I feel I am fit. It's important that you reach the peak and play your best during that particular week. That's what will count ultimately and will be the key. I am working hard on my half smashes to get closer to my goals."

Saina is likely to meet Thailand's Porntip Buranaprasetsuk at the pre-quarterfinals and might face reigning champion Li Xuerui in the quarters. Current World champion and European champion Carolina Marin is a likely rival in the semi-finals, barring any hiccups in the earlier matches.

In women's singles, twotime World Championship

bronze medallist PV Sindhu will also look to make her Olympic debut count when she starts her campaign in group M. The 21-year-old didn't have a good run-up to the Olympics but she does have the reputation of shocking big players. She has defeated top shuttlers like Li Xuerui, Yihan Wang and Carolina Marin.

The ninth seed has Hungary's Sarosi Laura and Commonwealth Games champion Michelle Li of Canada in her group.

The road ahead will get tough as she is likely to face Tzu Ying Tai of Chinese Taipei and might square off against 2012 Olympic silver medalist Wang Yihan in the semifinals and Sindhu will have to be consistent to come back with a medal.

"I have beaten all of them in the past and it gives me confidence but then it gets

tougher and tougher as we play them again because they know our strokes and we know there game, so it is all about changing the strategy on the court. That would be the key," said the three-time Macau Open winner.

In men's singles, Kidambi Srikanth will carry India's hopes as he battles in a highly- competitive field comprising Lee Chong Wei, Chen Long, Lin Dan and Jan O Jorgensen, among others.

The Guntur lad has already proved his mettle when he clinched the 2014 China Open and 2015 India Open to reach World No. 3 in June.

The 23-year-old has an easy draw, with Henri Hurskeinen of Sweden and Lino Munoz of Mexico in his group.

Should he progress to the pre-quarterfinal stage, he is likely to face Jan O Jorgenson of Denmark.

Viswanathan Anand draws with Wesley So, slips to joint second Viswanathan Anand slipped to joint second position after he was held to his fourth draw in five games in the Sinquefield Cup, a part of the Grand Chess Tour, here.

Viswanathan Anand slipped to joint second position after he was held to his fourth draw in five games in the Sinquefield Cup, a part of the Grand Chess Tour, here.

Playing white against Wesley So, Anand encountered a new idea that was known to him but the Filipino turned American had done some excellent homework. The fifthround draw cost Anand his joint first place but the Indian ace is well placed in the last four rounds.

Veselin Topalov of Bulgaria finally put an end to the draw-streak that did not see one decisive games in the last two rounds. On the receiving end was China’s Ding Liren who found to his astonishment, his king trapped for checkmate in the endgame.

Topalov nosed ahead of the field with his second victory in the tournament and moved to 3.5 points out of a possible four. As this was the lone decisive game of the day, Anand, Wesley So and Levon Aronian of Armenia remained on the heels of the leader a half point behind.

American duo of Fabiano Caruana and Hikaru Nakamura share the fifth spot on 2.5 points apiece, a half point ahead of

Ding Liren, Maxime Vachier-Lagrave of France and Anish Giri of Holland. Russian Peter Svidler is at the last spot on 1.5 points in the USD 300,000 prize money tournament.

In the other games of the day, Vachier-Lagrave survived some difficult moments before he used Caruana’s time trouble to steer to safety while Anish Giri split the point with Aronian. Hikaru Nakamura also had his third draw in the event, signing peace with Svidler.

Anand employed the Italian opening that has been

finding favours from the Indian off late and found Wesley finely prepared to counter the same.

The American sacrificed a pawn early in the opening to get active pieceplay and was without a worry when Anand liquidated to a level endgame.

“I’m very glad to be able to compete with Vishy in the opening,” So said.

“He has some of the deepest openings as you can see from his matches.”

Praising his opponent for the pawn sacrifice, Anand said, “It’s a very good try. You get something close to a Marshall Gambit. It’s a pawn, but

it’s a fraction of a pawn.”

Speaking about his chances in the tournament Anand was practical, “Clearly I am well positioned…. Having said that it’s too early to think along those lines.”

Results round 5: V Anand (Ind, 3) drew with Wesley So (Usa, 3); Peter Svidler (Rus, 1.5) drew with Hikaru Nakamura (Usa, 2.5); Veselin Topalov (Bul, 3.5) beat Ding Liren (Chn, 2); Fabiano Caruana (Usa, 2.5) drew with Maxime VachierLagrave (Fra, 2) Anish Giri (Ned, 2); drew with Levon Aronian (Arm, 3).

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Anirban Lahiri, SSP Chawrasia eye medals as golf returns to Rio 2016 Olympics

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DIBRUGARH, THURSDAY, AUGUST 11

Page 12

FASCINATING FACTS

THE UNLUCKY WEAVER Once, there lived a clothweaver called Somilaka, who wove very exquisite clothes that served only kings and princes. However, he earned very less and could hardly afford to live.

Other weavers in the locality were rich, despite the fact that they weaved much inferior clothes.

One day, he said to his wife, "My dear, this place does not deserve me! I weave superior clothes, and yet I earn so little. On the other hand, the other weavers grow richer by the day with their inferior clothes.

I shall seek my success somewhere else."

His wife, however, did not want to leave, for there was no assurance of betterment somewhere else. But the weaver had made up his mind, and left the place in search of better prospects.

He went to another city, where he indeed was successful. His clothes became popular for the high quality, and in three years he had saved three hundred coins of gold. Now that he was rich, he decided to return home to his hometown and his wife.

During his journey, in the middle of the jungle, he heard two voices: Destiny: "Action, you should not have let the weaver earn three hundred coins of gold. He does not require that much for his living!"

Action: "Destiny, I had to reward him according to his efforts, but you may decide how much he should retain!"

He checked into his bag

to find that the gold coins were lost. He became very sad. He thought, "I will not be able to face my wife! All my efforts for the last three years have been lost."

So, he discontinued his journey, and returned to the city. He worked very hard, and within a year, earned five hundred gold coins.

Now that he was rich again, he decided to return home to his wife.

During his journey, in the middle of the jungle, he heard the two voices again: Destiny: "Action, you should not have let the weaver earn five hundred coins of gold. He does not require that much for his living!"

Action: "Destiny, I had to reward him according to his efforts, but you may decide how much he should retain!"

When he heard this, remembering the last time, he quickly checked into the bag and found that the gold coins were missing. He became very sad, and wished he died.

He sat down and thought, "There is no point in living. I have lost my money again, and cannot face my wife in this state of poverty! I shall hand myself on a tree!"

He wove a rope from the nearby grass, and tied it in a Banyan tree. He made a noose around his neck.

Just as he was about to hang himself, he heard a voice from heaven, "I am Destiny! I have taken the gold coins from you as you did not need the money for your living. But I am pleased with your industri-

LITTLE SCIENTIST Bend a pencil without magic What you need " Pencil " Water " Clear glass Activity " Half a fill a glass with water. " Place the pencil in the water. " Look at the pencil from the top. " Now look at the pencil from the side. " Does the pencil look bent? " Think the light is playing a trick on your eyes?

Well it is!

Notes " This is an example of refraction. The pencil is straight, but the light passing through water is making the pencil look bent.

Readers can send articles, poems, sketches, stories, travel experiences, achievements etc to editor.easterntoday@gmail.com or can post to The Eastern Today. T.C Borah Building, First Floor, Near to Sankardeva Hospital, Mancotta Road, Chowkidingee.

Dibrugarh, 786001 Assam.

ous deeds. I permit you to ask for a boon that I shall grant."

Somilaka replied, "Please give a lot of gold coins, that is the only boon that I ask you to grant" Destiny asked, "You are not destined to earn more than you need for a living.

Why do you ask for the money that you cannot enjoy?"

But the weaver was adamant. So, the wish was granted, "I shall grant you your wish, but you must return back to the city and visit any two merchant's house.

Study their behaviour and let me know how you would like your money to be" So, he discontinued his journey once again, and returned to the city. He went into a merchant's house, and was greeted as a guest according to local traditions.

This merchant was very rich, but did not like this unwanted guest. They gave him food in the most insulting manner, and offered a dirty bed for the night.

At night, he heard the two voices again: Destiny: "Action, you should not have let the merchant provide food to the weaver. He has forced himself as an unwanted guest!"

Action: "Destiny, the weaver needed to be provided for the night, and the merchant did so in his miserly ways, but you may decide the outcome!"

Next morning, he went into another merchant's house, where he was warmly welcomed. He was provided with new clothes and water to bathe. He was

then served a lavish dinner, and a comfortable bed to sleep in. During his stay, he realized that the second merchant was not rich.

At night, he heard the two voices again: Destiny: "Action, you should not have let the merchant provide entertain the weaver so extravagantly.

He has forced himself as an unwanted guest!"

Action: "Destiny, the weaver needed to be provided for the night, and the merchant did so in his generous ways, but you may decide the outcome!"

Next morning, the weaver watched the king's servants bring money for the second merchant. Destiny had rewarded him for his good deeds.

The weaver thought, "The second merchant is not rich, but he leads a life which is better than the first merchant, who is very rich" On his way homewards, the voice from heaven asked, "How do you want your money to be?"

The weaver at once said, "Please give me only the money that I will be able to enjoy to the fullest like the second merchant."

" If you get your tooth knocked out, put it in milk and hold it in your mouth-this will help your tooth to survive longer.

Make sure you see a dentist right away. " 27,000 trees are cut down each day so we can have Toilet Paper. " Aluminum can be recycled continuously, as in forever. Recycling 1 aluminum can save enough energy to run our TVs for at least 3 hours. 80 trillion aluminum cans are used by humans every year. " American companies alone use enough Paper to encircle the Earth 3x!

(It's a good thing that businesses are moving towards going paperless) " We can save 75,000 trees if we recycled the paper used on the daily run of the New York Times alone. " When you throw plastic bags and other plastic materials in the ocean,

it kills as many as 1 million sea creatures annually. " A glass bottle made in our time will take more than 4,000 years to decompose. " Only 1% of our planet's water supply can be used. 97% is ocean water and 2% is frozen solid in the Arctic, for now. " Our planet gains inhabitants numbering to 77 million people a year. " An estimated 50,000 species inhabiting our tropical forests become extinct annually. That's an average of 137 species a day. " Rainforests are cut down at a rate of 100 acres per minute. " The world's oldest trees are more than 4,600 years old. " Landfills are composed of 35% packaging materials.

CRAFTY CRAFTS Egg-shaped Easter bunny Materials " Deco Foam egg shape " purple paint and brush " scissors " coloured cardboard scraps white/cream, purple and pink " stapler " painty pens - black and mauve " 2 x joggle eyes " glue Activity Step 1

Photo source: kidspot

Paint lower section of egg purple and leave to dry. Cut the ears and feet from white/cream cardboard, two inner ears, six toes and two soles of feet from pink cardboard.

Step 2 Cut strip of purple cardboard. Bend into a loop and staple in place. This will be the stand for your bunny to sit on.

Step 3

Draw on nose and mouth using the painty pens. Glue on joggle eyes. Glue a pink inner ear onto each white ear. Use scissors to make slits in top, on each side of centre and poke ears into the egg. Glue toes and soles to white feet, then glue feet to egg.

Step 4 Once bunny is completely dry, place onto stand, and there you have it - your very own Easter bunny.

FIND YOUR PATH

His wish was granted, and Somilaka returned home with some money that made his wife happy.

They lived happily, and were content with whatever they earned.

The wise indeed say: Action and destiny are two sides of a coin. Work with all your might but leave it to destiny. And stay happy and content.

LAUGH OUT LOUD Little Johnny had been bringing his drawings home from kindergarten every day since he started a month ago. Each day his mother admired the pictures and hung them on the refrigerator.

One thing started bothering her.

Little Johnny only used black and browns for his drawings. Fearing a problem and not wanting it to get worse, she decided to take him to a child psychologist.

The psychologist delicately went to work. He gave Little Johnny a battery of psychological tests. He chatted with Little Johnny. Everything seemed perfectly normal. Ev-

ery day for two weeks, the tests continued. Yet everyday, Little Johnny continued to bring home drawings in only blacks and browns.

Frustrated at not being able to get to the root of the problem and fearful that something was terribly wrong, the child psychologist decided to give Little Johnny some paper and a box of crayons and observe what happened.

Little Johnny opened the box of crayons and said, "Oh, Boy! A new box of crayons! At school we only have old boxes. The only ones left in mine are black and brown!"

RIDDLES Question: A man is twenty years old but has only had five birthdays.

How is that possible?

Answer: He was born on Leap Year Day. Question: What number do you get when you multiply all of the numbers on a telephone's number pad?

Answer: 0.

Answer: A wedding ring.

Courtesy: timvandevall

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