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ASSENG/2015/64205

Vol. 1

Issue 307

Dibrugarh, Saturday, April 16, 2016

Price -

5.00

Pages- 12

“Bihu is the lifeline of Assamese Unrest in tea garden culture and a meeting point of all area of Dibrugarh communities,” - Tarun Gogoi A Staff Reporter Dibrugarh, Apr 15

“Bihu is the lifeline of Assamese culture and a meeting point of all communities,” said Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi at the inaugural function of Rongali Bihu celebrations organised by Guwahati Bihu Sanmilani at Latasil playground at Uzanbazar in Guwahati on Wednesday.

Chief Minister Gogoi said that Bihu has helped to strengthen the bond of unity and amity among different communities by spreading the message of peace, love, unity and integrity. Gogoi said that Bihu helps to establish communion with nature, birds and animals.

Reminiscing his days when he was actively associated with organising Bihu in his home town Jorhat, Gogoi said that he has been coming to attend the Bihu celebrations at Latasil playground for many years and would continue to do so in the years to come. “I consider myself to be a resident of Uzanbazar and will continue to attend the Bihu celebrations here as I have been doing all these years,” said Gogoi to the

ET CAPSULES Gogoi orders additional CS to probe into rhino killing in Kaziranga Guwahati, Apr 15:Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi today asked Additional Chief Secretary TY Das to probe into the killing of two onehorned rhinos in Kaziranga National Park recently and to submit a report to him immediately.

Expressing serious concern over the rhino killings in the past few days, the Chief Minister asked the Additional Chief Secretary to go into details the circumstances leading to the killing of two rhinoceros and to fix up responsibility on the part of those responsible for protecting rhinos.

Terming the killings as ‘very unfortunate’, Gogoi asked the special task force constituted to curb poaching to intensify operations against poachers and their accomplices and to evolve strategies to tackle rhino poaching by holding discussions with various students', social and community organisations and NGOs involved in wildlife protection.

thunderous applause of the gathering.

Gogoi said that the State has now been gripped by the Bihu fervour after days of election fever. “People are now looking forward to ring in the Assamese New Year after election fever in the State. This is the time when we must forget our differences and join hands to spread happiness all-round,” he added.

The Chief Minister formally released a souvenir titled ‘Bihutoli’ brought out on the auspicious occasion.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Nabashyam Das said that the Latasil Bihutoli has been a pioneer of stage Bihu in the State and that he feels a sense of pride in being associated with the Bihutoli since long.

“The Latasil Bihutoli has been carrying forward a rich legacy for long glorious 65 years and has been a pioneer of stage Bihu in the State,” he said.

Earlier, in his welcome address, president of Guwahati Bihu Sanmilani, Kailash Sharma said the Bihutoli at the historic Latasil playground has been a cauldron of different communities and has been in the forefront in projecting the

Preserved the age-old tradition and culture: Moyong ET Bureau Pasighat, April 14

Rongali Bihu, popularly known as Bohaag Bihu was celebrated at the Pasighat Namghar and Assamese people irrespective of class, creed, religion and social status come together to celebrate the occasion with great joy.

Pasighat MLA gracing the occasion as Chief Guest greeted the people on the auspicious occasion and lauded the efforts of the Sri Sri Sankar Guru Kristhi Kendra, Pasighat for organizing the celebration in a befitting manner. He wished for peace and unity and felt that there was a feeling of joy as it was a memorable gettogether that enabled all to relive the spirit of Bihu living far away from their homes in Pasighat. Bihu is always a great celebration for the Assamese

Jiko Linggi Roing, Apr 15

cmyk

Sanmilani prefers to steer clear of controversies.

The inaugural function was attended, among others, by artistes Dilip Hazarika, Samar Hazarika, Tez Hazarika, son of cultural icon Dr. Bhupen Hazarika and social activist Bobbeeta Sharma.

The colourful celebrations kicked off in the morning after the flag hoisting by Dr. Nabashyam Das in the pres-

ence of the Chief Minister and other dignitaries. Dr. Das entered the playground with a cultural procession comprising dancers from different ethnic communities. The celebrations reached a crescendo as Chief Minister Gogoi got into the festive groove and gyrated to the tune of dhol, pepa and gogona with scores of Bihu dancers in their traditional best.

Rongali Bihu celebrated 4 children drowned with pomp and show

Despite BSNL cellphone tower consumers suffers from communication black out Despite BSNL cellphone tower operating in New Abali village, anchal chairperson of Iduli Block has complained that the frequency and range of BSNL mobile network tower is too low to that region suffers from communication black out.

'Though years have passed despite the communication tower coming into operation, however, people have not been able to benefit from its installation as mobile network signals still eludes them. Mobile network frequency and range of the tower is so low that network signals are not even available in the next neighboring village, which is hardly 4 kms away, aerially it will still be shorter. Likewise many other villages too fail to come under the cover of the cell phone tower; such is the grim scenario', the panchayat leader pointed out to the Sub-Divisional Officer, BSNL Roing.

rich cultural mosaic of the State in proper perspectives.

Sharma pointed out that the organising committee has been giving due importance to the artistes who constitute the backbone of Assamese culture.

“Being the pioneer of stage Bihu, it is our bounden responsibility to show the right path to others and not to discriminate among artistes,” said Sharma adding that the Bihu

Chairman claimed that during the tower’s construction and installation phase, it had instilled high hopes and expectations of erasing away the communication black out faced by the region.

'Sadly, these dreams and hopes have proved to be a mirage in the communication landscape of the anchal block', he grieved. Further he added, 'it is my sincere request on behalf of the people of the anchal block to enhance the frequency and range of BSNL mobile network tower at New Abali village'.

dead in Lakhimpur ET Correspondent Lakhimpur; Apr 15

people and plays a very crucial role in defining the culture of Assam.

Moyong while advising the community to protect and preserved the age-old tradition and culture has said that maintaining cordial relations with the neighboring state Assam

will be one of the major priorities of the present government. He also added that tremendous development and transparency brought by the Kalikho Pul led government in all sectors has amazed the people has earning much appreciation in the state.

Common Service Centre (CSC) and National Digital Literacy Mission (NDLM) at Itanagar A Staff Reporter Itanagar, Apr 15:

power point presentation to the students present in the inaugural function.

The state implementing agency, the Tsangla Multi-Purpose Corporative Society Limited (TMPCSL) inaugurated the Common Service Centre (CSC) and National Digital Literacy Mission (NDLM) at Itanagar on April 14 last.

Run by center in-charge Patey Tayum, the free digital computer courses offered under NDLM for one month for one person from a family, and anyone above the ages between 14 to 60 years can register for the course.

Organised under the aegis of the Department of Electronics and Information Technology, Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, Government of India, the CSC for NDLM was inaugurated by chief guest and Magistrate Marina Siram.

Currently, more than 80 students have registered under NDLM, out of which, 32 students are ready to appear for examinations. The examination for NDLM students will be conducted soon as per the Village Level Entrepreneur reports.

Resource person C K Tunggon, from the State Implementing Agency encouraged the students to enroll in the NDLM programme while highlighting its benefits and importance. He also gave a

During the inaugural day more than 20 students registered under NDLM and more are expected to join in the programme as the project aims to cover the entire district of the capital.

Amidst the over whelming rejoice of Rangali Bihu, a tragic accident of drowning death expanded a pall of gloom in Lakhimpur District today. This accident happened at Nalkata area under North Lakhimpur Police Station. As per information, four children of village Nalkata near North Lakhimpur bi-pass went to bathe in the river Somdiri at mid-day.

Unfortunately, they drowned in the deep water of the river while they were swimming there and had to embrace tragic death. They were Lakhi Gogoi(15), Chum Chum Gogoi(12) Prabin Gogoi(12) and Deep Gogoi(12). Lakhi and Chum Chum were both brothers and sons of Atul Gogoi and Bhodreswari Gogoi. They were students of Class X and VII respectively.

On the other hand Prabin Gogoi was the son of Hemen Gogoi and Kanaklata Gogoi while Deep was the son of Lekhan Gogoi and Rupa Gogoi. Both of them were studying in class VII. For this accident the local people accused a lecturer, as he dug the river basin to a trench at that particular area during the winter season to fetch soil for the construction of his house. However the police personnel of Khelmati Out Post recovered the dead bodies of the children and brought to North Lakhimpur Civil Hospital and declared dead there.

during the clash and injured herself.

Another policeman said that Hiren Minz a police security officer (PSO) of Additional SP sustained injuries on his head with bricks thrown to him and other policemen sustain minor injuries. The mob tried to set ablaze a police van by pouring petrol. Assam Tea Tribe Students’ Association (ATTSA) leaders who were present during the incident tried to explain to agitated mob to stop such violent activity but the agitated mob didn’t listen to them.

Deputy Commissioner M.S. Manivannan told said that a magisterial inquiry was ordered for this incident. “It was an unfortunate incident and now the situation was under control,’’ DC said.

Today, Deputy Comissioner M.S. Manivannan and Vir Bikram Gogoi, SP rushed to the spot where ATTSA leader were present they appealed the people to shun violence. Police arrested Jitul Sonowal. The injured who have sustained bullet injuries were undergoing treatment at Assam Medical College and Hospital and they were in a safe condition.

Lohit District Administration puts HODs on alert ET Bureau Tezu, Apr 15

In the wake of inclement weather fand incessant rainfall for the past few days Lohit District Administration under guidance of Deputy Commissioner, Sh. Danish Ashraf, IAS and HMLA Dr. Mohesh Chai requested all the HoDs to remain in station and stay alert.

The MLA has also sought cooperation from each and every person of the district to render services during emergencies like fire, flood or earthquake.

District Administration and HMLA are closely monitoring the weather situation in the district.

The administration has advised village level government officials, village heads and PRI members to be vigilant and report any untoward situation to the Administration, Police and local leaders as soon as possible. Meanwhile in the wake of mild tremor of earthquake felt in and around

Picture of flash floods and devastation in Changlang town. Pix - Salman Mungrey Tezu at around pass 1900 hrs for about 8 to 10 seconds last night (13th April last, no loss of property or casualty has been reported), the District Disaster Management Cell has issued an advisory message to all the citizens of Lohit District to be alert and stay away from electrical poles, highrise builduings and trees.

Some basic preparations like full charging of mobile phones and torch lights, eating early

and be alert yet remained calm etc were also issued by the DM Cell Tezu.

Rainfall at Tezu as on 14th April (today) has been reported to be 42.20mm.

The DM has further cautioned people residing nearby rivers and hills to be more alert and vigil. Incessant rain may cause catastrophic disaster. As of now, situation normal at Tezu.

Army rescues a baby tusker separated from its mother ET Correspondent Rangia April 15

Today once again the cordial coexistence of man and the wild, a frequent phenomenon in this North East part of the country, was once again at it’s best display, when a baby tusker got separated from it’s mother and the main herd and fell into a wide drain, fracturing it’s right forelimb.

It was in the early hours of the morning today, that a routine parameter patrol of the 14 Ammunition Depot at Narangi Cantt, Guwahati ,found that a baby tusker is stuck in a drain near the boundary of the Depot visibly in great pain and discomfort. The Commander of the Patrol Party immediately in formed the Commandant of the Depot Col Sanjiv Vohra with regards to the same. The Commandant immediately swung into action and activated his Quick

Reaction Team along with the available officer’s, he also informed the GOC of 51 Sub Area Maj Gen AK Jha of the situation at hand.

The staff of the Sub Area Headquarters on the directions of the GOC informed the local Forest Department Personals for expert help.

The Quick Reaction Team under the supervision of the Commandant of the Ammunition Depot and other officers was able to retrieve the Baby Tusker from the drain and brought it to a shady place and made it comfortable for the Baby Elephant by means of reassuring him and feeding him with flour, fruits and water.

Meanwhile the Forest Department team also arrived on the scene.

Due to the non availability of a civil vet because of it being a state holiday on account of Bihu, the Army Veterinary team under a senior Army Remount and Veterinary Corps Officer

was pressed into service on the orders of GOC 51 Sub Area Maj Gen AK Jha, to provide vet first aid to the injured Baby Tusker. The Army Vet provided immediate first aid to the animal and administered pain killers to render much required relief to the animal. Overall it was a wonderful display of compassion between man and the wild and the responsiveness of troops towards their responsibility towards maintaining a healthy eco system. At the time of filing this Press Release, the Baby Tusker is calm and being fed and taken care of by the troops of the Ammunition Depot and the Army Vets are providing him with the required treatment.

It may be recalled that in a similar incident in April 2014, a Baby Tusker was rescued from a pond by the personal of the same Ammunition Depot in the same general area under the same Commandant.

cmyk

A Staff Reporter Guwahati, Apr 15

A few policemen and three civilian were injured in a clash at Mahabari Tea shun violence estate under Borbarua police station in Dibrugarh on Thursday. Two civilians Raj Karmarkar(25) and Shiva Mala(20) sustained bullet injuries, when they tried to attacked on security personnel.

After the pengeri incident, tension escalated in Mahabari Tea estate in Dibrugarh for some small incident which occurred on Thursday evening between two people. This was the second such incident after Pengeri where several people were died due to electrocution.

According to a local on yesterday evening a fight took place between Jitul Sonowal and Shiva Mala and later it took a serious turn when six hundred Adivisi people gheraoed Bojen Sonowal house at around 8 pm in Mahabari Tea estate and demanded to handed Jitul Sonowal to them when they refused the agitated mob attacked their house and when police came for rescue the agitated mob attacked on the po-

lice personnel with bricks.

“On yesterday Jitual Sonowal was going to his uncle’s resident in his motor bike, suddenly a youth Shiva Mala who was under the influence of alcohol asked him for a lift and Jitul gave him lift on his bike after that the youth demanding money from him and a altercation started among them and both of them indulged in a fight. After the fight Jitul directly go to Bojen Sonowal’s house and at around 8 pm large number of Advisi people holding bow and arrow gheraoed their house and demanded to handed Jitual to them and when they refused the agitated mob started attacked on their house. Police reached the spot and tried to control the situation but the agitated mob attacked on the police and the police and in retaliation the police have to opened fire on them,’’ said Dibrugarh, SP Vir Bikram Gogoi. He said three civilian and a few policemen were injured during the clash. He added Raj Karmakare(25) and Shiv Mala(20) sustained bullet injury and a women Deepa Mala(40) fall on the ground

DIBRUGARH, SATURDAY, APRIL 16

PAGE 2 ASTRO FOR YOU Aries Today, you will look for new ways to work efficiently… or have fun. A strained relationship? It's time to make up. A short trip is also on the cards. If you've been feeling ill, a long drive with a loved one may be the perfect remedy.

Taurus Clarity will be a concentric circle today. You may feel trapped in a labyrinth, puzzled and perplexed, about a personal problem. You may not be inclined to deal with unpleasant situations in the afternoon. You will exhibit your flair with words that may impress people around you.

Gemini Today, you will be emotional and practical at the same time. Academically, you will be at the top of your game. People around you will be swept away by your charming and intelligent ways. By evening, you will divert your mind towards beautifying your home.

Cancer It is very likely that your old contacts will come quite handy for you today. At work, your skills in developing a quick rapport with others will help you perform better. People will have a high regard for your honesty. You will excel in social gatherings in the evening.

Leo If you thought the Rubik's Cube was confusing, wait till you see what the day has in store for you. A rather nasty professional glitch will baffle and bewilder you. You may want to gear up for certain unpleasant situations at work. But keep your head through it all, since you shall need it in the afternoon to impress someone special, and find innovative ways to express your long cherished love. Things are always the most confusing before they clear up.

Virgo The place you dwell in could do well with a new look. At least, that is what you want to do today. Add some lively show pieces and sprinkle some of that personality to get the right effect. In the evening, be prepared to shine out as a master performer and possibly a valuable helping hand.

Libra There are chances that you will be in a great mood to organise things your own way. You will make a favourable impression on your superiors at work through your problem-solving abilities. Do not discount a scrumptious dinner with your loved one, which will go a long way in intensifying your senses.

Scorpio The power of your personality will be under the scanner today. At work, you will be occupied with looking for solutions to pending problems. Your creative outlook and innovation will help you find a way out of difficult situations. It is the most favourable day for getting the support of your colleagues or superiors.

Sagittarius Chances are high that you will be isolated and left to fend for yourself. Your resourcefulness and enterprising nature may be tested by an unpleasant situation. Seeking blessings can make all the difference.

Capricorn Nothing as melodramatic as a Bollywood saga, but you will pour your heart out in front of your family members, letting out your fears, concerns, regrets and every other feeling that has been building up inside you over the years. The second half of the day will find you high on energy, and you will go that extra mile to interact with your peers. Your sweetheart will also bring you good luck.

3 hurt due to earthquake in Majuli; major cracks at Sukapha Samannay Khetra ET Correspondent Jorhat, Apr 15: Atleast 3 persons were hurt when a newly constructed wall collapsed at Patia gaon, in Kamalabari at Majuli sub-division on Wednesday last during the earthquake that jolted the state with its epicenter at Myanmar at around 7.28 pm when the people of

Assam was busy celebrating Goru Bihu.

According to the information available from the SDO (civil) Majuli Narasingh Pawar said that three persons narrowly escaped when a newly constructed wall of a private residence broke down and fall on

them. The injured were hurriedly rushed to the hospital with head and back injuries when they tried to rush out from the house during the earthquake.

On the other hand the newly constructed Sukapha Samannay Khetra’s main gate,

boundary wall and several buildings developed major cracks due to the earthquake. Meanwhile, investigation by the PWD officials will be done from Monday next as the office will remain close till Saturday for Bihu, informed Solanki Vishal Vasant, DC of Jorhat here today.

ABSU eyes good governance in Assam ET Correspondent Kokrajhar, Apr 15: Promod Boro, president of the All Bodo Students Union (ABSU) has been eyeing good governance in the state of Assam as assembly polls passed off peacefully across the state without any untoward incidents.

In an exclusive interview with this correspondent

on Friday in Kokrajhar, Boro said that people of the state want social integration through good governance by whom the state government would be formed after May 19 next. ‘There are several issues and steps are to be implemented in the state, including Bodo Accord, Assam Accord, demands from different organization and communities

should be solved as soon as possible across the state to meet healthy living. Citizens are always seeing the positive attitude from government, but government never think welfare of the social life’,Boro said.

He said that both parties, either Congress or BJP who are going to form state government, they

must prepare road map Injured names are Dilip about state based policy Barman, Ujjal Kalita, to bring welfare of the Chandra Kalita and Arabinda Kalita were imcommon peoples. mediately shifted to He said that the new state GMCH in a critical congovernment should take dition. (Correspondent) bold step to the demand of Bodoland state, solutions of Bodo medium issue, otherwise the ABSU compelled to take mass agitation in days to ET Correspondent coming’,he said Jorhat, Apr 15: In a tragic road accident when two speedy bike met head on collision at Kenduguri on the NH-37 this afternoon today where a class X student died and three others were seriously injured and were admitted in the Jorhat Medical College Hospital, informed police.

One dead and three hurt in bike collision

The victim identified to be one Sunu Das (15) a class X student of Jorhat Govt. Boys School succumbed to his injuries on way to GNRC, while three others are still undergoing treatment in Jorhat Medical College Hospital’s ICU in critical condition.

Pisces You are likely to achieve a goal you have been slaving over for the past some time. However, keep your celebrations muted, for merely winning a battle does not win the war.

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

Body found

Phone No.-03732325456 E-mail -dibrugarh@air.org.in Facebook Page-All India Radio Dibrugarh Programme Highlights 16-4-16 (SATURDAY) 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 Assamese Film Songs) 12-05 P.M-Singpho Songs 12.30 P.M-Hindi Film Songs 1-10 P.M-Troops Programme 2-30 P.M-Western Music 3-45 P.M-Programme in Miju Mishmi 4-05 P.M-Programme in Khamti 4-25 P.M-Programme in Wancho 4-45 P.M-News for Arunachal Pradesh 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-Yuvavani (Youth Programme) 7-45 P.M-Daakpakhili 9-30 P.M- Radio Serial (Title: Bihu Gole Binaba Kak) Sd-/H.O.P

ET Correspondent Sivasagar, Apr 15: An euphoric atmosphere was witnessed at the Rang Ghar premises of Rupohi Pathar on 15th April (First Bohag), where Bohag Bihu was organised with pomp and gaiety. People in large made a beeline for a glimpse of the festival at Rang Ghar, the oldest amphitheatre in Asia.

Nandeswari Borgohain, a active social worker of Sivasagar flagged off a really, where a symbolic " S w a rg a d e o " ( A h o m king) dressed in royal style and enthroned on a decorated Elephant was escorted to Rang Ghar from Talatal Ghar.

After reaching Rang Ghar,"Swargadeo" seated on a Royal Chair, welcomed a huge crowd and wished Bihu. Then he announced the formal inauguration of the festival. The festival began with a chorus, which was written by upcoming singer Jito Jyoti Gayan.

DG of Army Aviation Corps, Lt. Gen. Pranab kr Bhorali, who hails from Kujibali Hahchara of Sivasagar, was present on the occasion. During his address, he said that - 'being a part of the festival,I feel very proud and happy' . Then he wished all a warm Rangali Bihu.

Cultural program stared with singer

Debojit Borah and Bhigu Kashyap. Both of them sung various Bihu songs including other traditional songs. After that, cultural troops from Missing and Tiwa, performed their traditional Bihu's in colourful dresses. After that, Barpeta's 'Thia Nam', Mijo folk dance, Jhanji poria bihu, Husori of Nimaijan was icing the festival of colours.

Barkha Rani Bikhoya the another main attraction of the occasion, kept the crowd spellbound with her tremendous Bihu performance. She performed Tiwa and Missing bihu along with other traditional dances.

Jorhat businessman Rangia hailstorm lashes several villages still untraced houses and households by the large sized ice pebbles besides damaging crops in the paddy fields. Following such sudden natural calamity many villagers had to pass off sleepless night in those areas.

Vi l l a g e r s i n f o r m e d SDO Civil Rangia requesting him to initiate early relief measures.

It may mention here that for the past several

Rangia, Apr 15: In a tragic road mishap one Rajani Kalita of Sandha village in Nalbari district succumbed to his injuries, while four others including three commuters were seriously injured when the motorcycle the deceased was riding was hit by a speeding Mahindra Scorpio vehicle ( AS -01- BS 8181) near IOC petrol pump on NH 31 under Rangia PS yesterday afternoon.

Euphoric atmosphere at Rang Ghar premises on first Bohag

Aquarius Today, you may finally appreciate the beauty of that valuable piece of abstract art in your living room! You have fine taste, but sometimes forget to see things from the heart. Your sensitivity is at an all-time high, and consequently, you may even get touchy today.

ET Correspondent Rangia, Apr 15: Devastating hailstorm here last night lashed many villages including Hasantook, Bisennala, Batakuchi, Tulsibari, Ta r a n i , halikuchi, J a y a n t i p u r , Chenimarara , Bihapara, Jamtola , Hemdol, and other areas of the sub-division subsequently causing major damages to the tin roofs of many

Rangia mishap claims one

days due to bad weather the villagers are passing anxious nights anticipating similar danger. Some effected villagers informed this correspondent that with such sudden downpour accompanied with ice pebbles had trembled them during the calamity. Ananta Deka, ex MLA visited the villages and reviewed the situation.

ET Correspondent Jorhat, Apr 15: Malabya Borpujari (41), a noted businessman who went missing since Monday last while coming to his office at New Balibat from his Baligaon residence in his personal Maruti Car remains untraced. A missing complaint by his family members was lodged at the Jorhat Police Station, but so far police had only

managed to recover his car only which was found abandoned near the river Brahmaputra at Neematighat, informed police here today.

Borpujari, owner of Amar Astha and a corporate agent of a multifaceted company was a flourishing businessman who have flourished in recent years. Police investigation is on and so

far investigation revealed that the disappearance of the businessman might be a conspiracy and murder. "The murderers might have thrown his body into the river Brahmaputra after committing the crime", police sources said.

To trace the body teams from State Disaster Management Force has been pressed into service.

The tradition of celebrating Rangali Bihu at Rang Ghar premises was started by Swargadeo Rudra Singh, said organising committee Secretary Basanta Gogoi.

The Swargadeos accompanied by native rulers and tribal chieftains watched Bihu performance, Buffalo fighting, wrestling and other sports games from Rang Ghar, which also contributed the strengthening relationships among people from different Kingdoms. He added.

Tezpur, Apr 15: Sensation prevails in Balipara area following the recovery of the dead body of a youth near Jiabharali river bridge on NH 15 under Chardwar PS in Sonitpur District this morning.

Police sources said that the body was identified as of Shakti Singh (22) of Goroimari area who went missing yesterday evening. Family of deceased suspect the incident a murder case.

(Correspondent)

Freedom fighter passes away ET Correspondent Jorhat, Apr 15: Prominent freedom fighter Mahendra Phukan died at his residence at Bibijan Titabor at 12.30 a.m. today. He was 91.He is survived by his wife, five sons, one daughter and a host of relatives.

Late Mahendra Phukan’s body was taken to the Dr. Manmohan Singh Public Auditorium and the Titabor Congress office where people from the district paid last respect to the departed soul.

Late Mahendra Phukan was a prominent freedom fighter from Jorhat who took active part during India’s freedom move-

ment since his high school days. Late Phukan was also sent to jail for taking active part in freedom movement by the British government then.

Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, and Freedom Fighters Association deeply condoled the death of Mahendra Phukan. The Chief Minister in his message said that he was a frontline freedom movement worker during the 40's who spent over a year at the Jorhat jail with Kushal Konwar, Kamala Miri, Bahadur Gaonburah etc.

His sudden demise is a loss for the state as well as for the country.

DIBRUGARH, SATURDAY, APRIL 16

PAGE 3

First volume of transcribed Tipitaka handed over by Governor expresses concern, calls for activating the State World Tipitaka Foundation to Tai groups in India Disaster Management Authority

Indrajit Tingwa Tengapani (Noi Cheynam)Apr 15 : In a historic development which will go a long way in fostering deeper relations amongst the Tai people in India and the Thais of Thailand, the Thailand based World Tipitaka Foundation today handed over the transcript version of the first of the total forty volumes of the Tipitaka to the Tai Khamti, Tai Ahom and Tai Phake communities at a grand function in the Golden Pagoda premises.

The transcript version which is a part of Vinaya Tipitaka was handed over to the respective communities

by Col.Suradhaj Bunnag, Vice-President World Tipitaka Foundation who had arrived on Wednesday alongwith four other members of the foundation. The transcript versions in Tai Khamti, Tai Ahom and Tai Phake languages bears the emblem of Her Majesty The Queen of Thailand. The total forty volumes of the Tipitaka after transcription is likely to be handed over to the Tai people here in India sometime in November this year. Col.Suradhaj Bunnag informed that in

order to receive the King's edition of the transcriptions the Tai representatives has to directly recieve it from His Majesty The King of Thailand. It is a momentous occasion for the Tai people as the project is being sponsored by the King and Queen of Thailand. And it is also for the first time that the royal emblems of the King and Queen of Thailand have been allowed to be carried on the cover of the transcriptions.

Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein received the World Tipitaka Edition in Tai Khamti script on behalf of the Tai Khamtis while Dr.Hemanta Gogoi and Chow Myat Kengkhen recieved the editions in the Tai Ahom script and Tai Phake script on behalf of the Tai Ahoms and Tai Phakes respectively.

While receiving the Tipitaka Chowna Mein expressed overwhelming joy for the noble gesture the World Tipitaka Foundation has shown by bringing out the transcript versions and profoundly extended gratitude on his behalf and the entire Tai people of India to His Majesty and Her Majesty, The King and Queen

of Thailand who had allowed the use of the royal emblems on the cover pages of the transcriptions.

During the handing over ceremony at the Cultural Hall (Ho Mantap), various cultural troupes also presented Tai Khamti songs and dances.

Amongst those present on the occasion were Chow Tewa Mein,Parliamentary Secretary Environment and Forests, Chow Zingnu Namchoom, Parliamentary Secretary Tax & Excise and Textiles & Handicrafts, R.K.Sharma,D.C. Namsai,

chiefs,member of civil societies, devotees and bhikkhus.

The Vice-President of World Tipitaka Foundation Col.Suradhaj Bunnag while speaking during the ceremony explained in detail the works of the foundation and in a power point presentation showed the various events which marked the evolution and development if the foundation. He also said that prior to the transcription of the Tipitaka in Tai scripts the foundation worked only in transcription of the same in different lan-

guages with the Roman script. Hence, it is for the first time that the foundation is transcribing the Tipitaka in scripts other than the Roman script. He went to add on that the Tipitaka contains the message of peace and wisdom.

The preceeding days just prior to the Sangken festival of the Theravada Buddhist communities have indeed been a momentous one for the Kongmu Kham (Golden Pagoda) with a record ordination of hundred novices on 12 April and host-

Shortages of principals, headmasters and subject teachers would be met soon: Pul A Staff Reporter Itanagar, Apr 15 : Chief Minister Kalikho Pul announced that shortages of principals, headmasters and subject teachers would be met soon in all the state government-run schools of the state.

He said this while inaugurating the 3-day annual conference of senior education officers here at Administrative Training Centre (ATI), Naharlagun today.

The CM said the schools would also have music teachers and PT teachers including games and sports teachers till secondary level emphasising on all round development of the students and opening up of more avenues for the students to explore.

"It is not worthwhile to expect our children to become only doctors or engineers. Today there are opportunities galore and the students must be able to expand their scope of study beyond the conventional courses," he said.

The CM said the state has huge hidden talent but lack of opportunity is diminishing their opportunity for growth, which the state government now wants to provide them with a proper platform.

Besides addressing the shortage of teachers, he assured to provide schools with computer and VSAT facilities for internet connectivity. In bigger institutes like universities, colleges and high schools, CCTVs would be installed in all strategic locations inside the campus for safety and security.

On issuance of monthly salaries for SSA teachers, contractual employee and contingency staffs of education department, the CM informed that it would be released on monthly basis and asked the departmental authorities to ensure it.

This would be made possible through maintainance of corpus fund for 2-3 months of salary to ensure regular payment, he said. While regular employee enjoys all benefits such as hous-

ing, dearness, travel, medical, and other allowances, these contractual staffs have to suffer great deal when there is any delay in their payment of salary, said the CM and added that regular release of salaries would be a top priority.

He also advised the teaching fraternity to avoid groupism among them and to stop discrimination between regular and SSA teachers. The CM pointed out that in several instances it was found that SSA teachers were put on strenuous routine and loaded with heavy works, while regular teachers would be absent or stay on long leave.

He assured to provide DDSEs with new vehicles saying that in districts their work requires frequent travelling for regular inspection of schools.

He asked them to condemn and dispose the old and unserviceable vehicle as per the laid down procedure.

The CM instructed the minister, secretary, directors and DDSEs to make regular surprise visits to schools to get firsthand account of the ground realities.

He also advised them that "the position we are assigned with - is to play the role of a facilitator, and not to misuse it. So we must not mistake to think that we are to exert our power over people.

Rather it is a responsibility given to us to serve the people."

The CM expressed happiness that he is proud to have highly qualified, dedicated, sincere and hardworking person, Wangling Lowangdong as the Education Minister.

He also expressed confidence on Education Parliamentary Secretary, Tsering Tashi that with his energetic and innovative ideas, he would bring change and development in the education sector.

To address the growing shortages of subject teachers, the CM revealed that teachers on deputation on BRC and CRC would be called back. He instructed them to relin-

quish their position. However, it can be held on condition that it has to be only as additional charge, said the CM and asserted that duty to teach comes first.

Also to regulate transfer posting of teachers in the wake of crowding of teachers at urban areas, the CM asked for detail background of the teachers, their family background, and the detail history of their posting places. This is to facilitate those serving in remote areas to be posted in soft areas, and those who had exceeded their service in urban areas could be posted at places where teachers are required, he said.

Also to rationalise the deployment of teachers in government schools, the CM sought public suggestions and response to the state government's proposal to privatise government-run schools in urban areas.

Further to rationalise, he asked the department to work out requirement of teachers in each district on the basis of school's necessity and instructed the department to issue a notification in this regard.

To ensure that no schools suffer on account of remoteness or due to political affiliations of the area, the CM sought to maintain uniformity of facilities to be provided in all schools.

He suggested that schools and colleges to conduct cleanliness drive in schools/college, hospitals and bazaar areas at least thrice a month. The CM also suggested the boarding schools to conduct yoga, pranayama and meditation classes for the students to have a healthy body, develop positive attitude and to develop mental strength.

W a n g l i n Lowangdong, Minister of Education in his address to the senior officers of education department appealed them to recommit themselves to make Arunachal an educational hub. He said, "we have got greeneries, vast land,

beautiful rivers and environment. Our students are no less talented and we are standing on bunch of immense human resources". And said to reenergised, re-vitalise and Underscoring the role of DDSE and Officers of the department in reviving the education department, he urged them to work with sincerity, dedication and honesty to revive the educational scenario in the state.

He urged them not to cry over the spilt milk talking lack of resources, infrastructures and teachers but to asked ourselves, "are we achieving what we really should be?" He further urged not only to concentrate on statistics alone but to ask ourselves, "Have we able to inculcate the education and explore the talent?"

Since education system is triangular in nature, he called upon the teachers, parents and the community to come together to improve the education system in our state. He urged them to take care of the children and student following their orientation, commitment to study and desire to bring good result.

He further appealed to make best use of available resources in various flagship programme and sought for their proper implementation.

The minister strongly said that he wants DDSEs to perform and cautioned that their performance will be judged on the basis of this year's CBSE result of Class X and XII. Tsering Tashi, Parliamentary Secretary for Education said education is the most important subject for any country. Index of National progress, human empowerment and social upliftment depends on education scenario.

He said the present literacy rate of 66.95% which is the 2nd lowest in the country and must below the national average, is a wake up call for all of us. He urged to take seriously about improving the education scenario of the state.

He urged upon the Chief

Minister and Minister of Education that up gradation of schools be done with the proper sanctioning of subject teachers and head masters.

Highlighting lack of subject teachers especially of science and math in secondary and higher secondary schools across the state and shortage of office staff and lecturer in the newly created colleges, he sought for early creation and posting of subject teachers in schools, office staffs and lecturers in colleges.

While assuring to give full cooperation to take the education system to much higher level, the young and energetic Parliamentary Secretary urged to bring in change in the education system of the state saying education as the most powerful weapon to change Arunachal for better. He said, "expenditure on education is not an expenditure but an investment on the future of Arunachal".

Earlier, Marnya Ete, Commissioner (Education) thanked the govt for allocating Rs 1985.98 Crores which is about 32% more than that of 2015-16.

Highlighting the progress, achievement and activities of the education department, he said that the department is rigorously working on plan of action on 2.9 points of budget estimate on education for the year 2016-17 for transformative & innovative approach from curricula to pedagogy, digital literacy to good policy foundation, planned expansion of infrastructure to the best utilization of resources for dynamic change in the existing system.

On the occasion, Monya Nyori, Joint Director of Elementary Education presented the School Education Scenario of the state.

The three days Annual Conference of School Education is being held to discuss various issues pertaining to the education system in the entire state and to prepare a future comprehensive plan.

ing the handing over ceremony of the transcribed Tipitaka by the World Tipitaka Foundation on the 13 April.

Overall there was an air of overwhelmingness during the ceremony amongst the Tai people who gathered to witness the historic and auspicious ceremony. There was a clear unanimity amongst the speakers who spoke on the occasion on the importance of having the Tipitaka in Pali transcribed in different Tai scripts. The speakers also conveyed their deep sense of gratitude to the King and Queen of Thailand for sponsoring the transcriptions and consent for use of their royal emblems.

Tomorrow the World Tipitaka Foundation delegation will visit the Phra Sutongpey at Empong village which is an important Theravada Buddhist centre and also witness the Sangken celebrations there. Next the delegation will visit the Tai Khamti Singpho Museum and Raj Bihar Buddhist Temple at Chongkham. The delegation shall depart for Thailand on the 15 of April.

A Staff Reporter Itanagar, Apr 15 :The Governor of Arunachal Pradesh Shri JP Rajkhowa has expressed grave concern on recent incidents of sudden heavy rains, cloud burst and flooding in eastern part of the State which was followed by massive tremors. He desired that the district administrations and State Government should provide necessary relief and assistances to the affected people to cope with natural calamities.

The Governor called for activating the State Disaster Management Authority and its constituent units across the State. He advised the Disaster Management officials and personnel to closely monitor the situation in different parts of the State and alert the National Disaster Response Force as and when necessary without loss of any time. The Governor has also desired that all the Deputy Commissioners, ADCs, Sub Divisional Officers should keep the District Teams on high alert at all the times and keep the control room running 24 hours a day by putting officials on duty on roster basis. He also felt that the State Chief Secretary should reiterate the Standing Guide-

lines to face threats to lives and properties due to possible major earthquakes.

Closest coordination should also be maintained by the State and District authorities with the Army, Air Forces, Para Military forces, Red Cross and other NGOs etc., engaged in rescue and relief operations.

The Governor suggested for conducting emergency drills required in cases of earthquakes, floods, fire accidents and other natural calamities on regular basis. Special attention need to be given to school students, nursery student, colleges, university, hospitals, Government Offices and Market places etc.

As the rainy season is approaching, the Governor called upon the people to prepare themselves to be ready and exercise vigil to face any eventualities.

In order to review the preparedness with State Government and the Disaster Management Authorities, the Governor has called for a meeting with Chief Minister (In charge Disaster Management), Deputy Chief Ministers, the Chief Secretary and other concerned officers at Raj Bhavan on 16th April 2016.

Chief Minister Kalikho Pul makes surprise inspection of culvert works along Itanagar-Naharlagun highway

A Staff Reporter Itanagar, Apr 15 : Chief Minister Kalikho Pul today made a surprise inspection of the two RCC box culverts under construction near Him petrol pump and Pappu Nallah along the Itanagar-Naharlagun highway to assess the progress of the work.

Saying that the completion of these two structures is crucial to ease the traffic congestion between the twin cities, he set May 28 as the completion deadline.

Setting the timeline of the work, he instructed the works for cement concrete casting of the structure to complete by May 15 next.

The earlier RCC culverts were damaged by the floodwaters and the department of highway had built a temporary bailey bridge to tackle the flowing traffic congestion at these two places.

The CM instructed the contractors and the workers to carry out the work for 24X7 in 3shifts saying that he would expect no excuses on any compromises made on the work. The CM further alerted that they should expect surprise checks at any time during the

day or night, starting next Monday.

Instructing the contractors to increase the manpower to speed up the work, he promised to extend ex-gratia relief to one of the worker, Abdul Nuraman, who died in an accident due to electrocution.

Pointing out the work progress as being slow, he said, “If there are any issues that need dealing with, it must be brought forward. The work has to be completed within the timeframe and has to go as per the timeline since the road is lifeline between the two cities.�

Assuring the contractors that there would be no delay in fund payments, the CM promised to extend all financial and administrative support as well as security covers.

He also informed that state government is pursuing with the centre for funds for early completion of all stretch of highway works in the state capital region. The CM further assured that if the work completion target is met with quality works, the engineer involved would be recommended with more works in the future.

He, however, said if the work fails to meet the deadline; the government would not hesitate to hold back the fund payment.

During the inspection, he also visited the nearby shops. The shopkeepers who said they were from Sagalee, Kurungkumey and Sangram told the CM that due to the ongoing works at the construction site, their business were badly hurt. The dust and dirt including the heaps of mud and steels prevented easy access of customers to their shops, they explained.

The CM assured the shopkeepers that business would thrive once the highway works are completed. He informed that government is ready to provide assistance to support local entrepreneurs. Using the opportunity, he enquired on their toilet and sanitation facilities and asked them to avail IHHL grant, which has been enhanced to Rs 40000 from Rs 12000.

He said the area would be developed with the provision for parking facilities and public washrooms for a favourable business environment to grow.

DIBRUGARH, SATURDAY, APRIL 16

PAGE 4

Mariani independent Bridge works connecting Kharsang and Bordumsa on candidate sent to jail turtle pace crossed decade under Lohit enterprise.

ET Correspondent Jorhat, Apr 15: Jintu Hazarika who was an independent candidate from 101 Mariani LAC was sent to jail along with two others Brigu Hazarika and Gautam Baruah. All three hails from Mariani was sent to jail after an case registered against the three with case no. 61/2016 under section 144/325/ 392/427/506/342 by one

Joy Bahabur Gurung at the Deberapara out post here today.

The sub-divisional judicial magistrate court, Titabor after finding all three to be guilty and was trying to rob and was planning to kill the petitioner Joy Bahadur Gurung who is a coal mafia involved in coal racket.

It was found that the

three including Jintu Hazarika the independent candidate from the Mariani constituency over power and tried to rob Joy Bahadur Gurung with sharp weapons on the night of Thursday 14 April last following which police booked all the three and produced them at sub-divisional judicial magistrate court, Titabor and was sent to Jorhat Central jail today.

Electric Poles on road, threatening safety of citizen however the road side is ill – planned and electric poles, PHED pipelines and Telephone lines are basis of hindrances to expedite the road.

Bishnu Rana Tezu, Apr 15: Construction of Cement Concrete (CC) Road at the Township under Special Plan Assistant (SPA) is well appreciated however if the road happens to be cause of injury and death then it does not justify the concept of development. This is what in the first phase of CC road is vividly noticed where numbers of electric poles are dangerously on the road which may pose to serious accident.

When contracted about its shifting, Er Toyom Pertin AE PWD said that the department has already submitted compen-

sation and written several letter to shift the poles before the construction of road regrettably it fallen to the deaf ear. “Our EE and me repeated requested the Power department to do the needful but failed.

The Contractor cannot wait for long and under tendered work duration of time to complete the road is on top priority. If tomorrow anything happens the power department has to be blamed”, claims the AE. He further added that 7 (seven) meters of CC road with shoulder and drainage system required free from any construction

Clarifying the statement, AE A Yirang Power Dept says that the PWD failed to compensate adequate funds as submitted.

“Whatever meagre amount received we have already shifted the poles rest could be done if the department deposit the amount. Despite submission of detail compensation in last two years the response has been unsatisfactory, he alleges.

Whatsoever may be the reason the innocent may not fell prey on the department squabble? The Township NH has already high in death toll of road accident especially bike riders. This sort of CC road with electric poles in its way is susceptible to accident then who is to blame?

Question a conscious citizen who is not necessary to be named. He also pleads the administration to look into the matter in shifting the poles for public safety.

Lakhimpur celebrates Rangali Bihu with traditional fervor

Lomhom Tangha Kharsang, Apr 15 : The bridge connecting Kharsang and Bordumsa circles have been constructing since more than Ten years. It does n't seem to be taking any concrete plan to complete the construction that poses great hardship to the commuters of both Kharsang and Bordumsa circles. Infact this bridge have been taking more than a decade for its completion. However, the delay in the construction is said to have occured due to interferences of some unknown anti social elements from inside and outside the state which is taken to be one of the prime reason for the delay, else the construction should have

wishes to one another for each and everyone's betterment in the beginning Assamese new year. Beside taking the 'Bihuwan', the traditional 'Husari too started on that day for a week. The 'Manuh Bihu' was observed yesterday on the first day of the month of 'Bahag'.

The people of the villages and the towns went to the 'Namghars' and the 'Mandirs' seeking the blessings of God for peace, progress, prosperity and integrity. The Lakhimpur District body of AASU organised a Bihu Program at the playground of North Lakhimpur Govt. HS School while the District

body of Asom Sahitya Sabha felicitated the senior citizens throughout the district. The regional bodies of the Sabha helped the district body in the well-accomplishment of the the program.

The villagers of many villages under North Lakhimpur and Dhakuakhona Sub-Divisions observed the 'Boka Bihu' following the tradition. Today the 'Gosain Bihu'-- the third day of the seven day long Bahag Bihu was celebrated. It is note worthy that several organisations and institutions of the district are organising Bihu festival in stage in the forthcoming days.

The working departsment like PWD are not taking stringent action over the contractors who had taken up the tender which is also regarded as one of the

factors for the delay.

The accomodative nature of the peace loving citizens like Singphos and Tangsas are being misused and abused taking advantage of their sombre nature . Our rights must be protected

Babasaheb remembered in Tirap Khonsa, Apr 15: Tirap on Thursday joins the nation in commemorating the 125th birth anniversary of Bharat Ratna Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar. All the 56 gram panchayats of the district organised a special programme in their respective jurisdiction on the occasion and paid rich tributes to

Babasaheb.

In the district headquarter Khonsa, Shri Tirong Aboh, Hon’ble MLA, led the offering of floral tributes to the portrait of Babasaheb before he administered the oath of social harmony. Tirap Deputy Commissioner, Ravi Jha, while remembering the contributions

of Babasaheb to the country, made a presentation on the objectives ‘Gram Uday se Bharat Uday Abhiyaan’ which commences on 14th April and culminates on 24th April next. He further informed that the district administration is fully prepared for the three-phased Abhiyaan. (DIPRO)

at all cost from being abused, reiterated by one of the elite members of the area. But the good news is that the bridge is about to be completed if well attention is paid by the tenderer as well as by the

executing department else the denizens of both the circles have to relay over the small self made ferry risking the lives especially during the summer that has already arrived for everyday affairs.

Dadam-Moktowa road kick-starts Khonsa, Apr 15 : Local MLA, Shri Tirong Aboh, on Thursday, kick-started the much awaited 12-km Dadam-Moktowa village link road at Dadam with a ‘bhumi-pujan’.

The road project worth Rs 17-crore under RIDF is being funded by NABARD informed the MLA to a gathering of

villagers on the occasion.

Further, while giving his assurance of an adequate compensation to land owners, Aboh requested the villagers of Dadam and Moktowa to cooperate with the executing agency towards smooth and timely completion of the much-needed project.

(DIPRO)

Bwisagu celebrated in Kokrajhar Kokrajhar, April 15: People, young and old in traditional attire were seen participating in the celebration singing and dancing to the beat of Bodo musical instruments like kham, jhota, serja, jotha on the occasion of Rongjali Bwisagu(Rongali Bihu),along with rest of the state of Assam on Thursday.

The Rongjali Bwisagu, a

festival of Bodos merry making enjoyment on the first day of Bwisak month (Rongali Bihu), being organized by the All Bodo Students Union (ABSU) at Kokrajhar District Sports Association (KDSA) ground in lower Assam’s Kokrajhar district, peoples from all walks of life thronged with traditional attire and dances.

People were seen making

merry making celebrating the spring festival with pomp and gaiety singing and dancing.

Promod B o r o , A B S U president hoisted union flag while noted writer and sahitya academy awarded Brajendra Kumar Brahma hoisted Bwisagu flag on the occasion in the presence of huge Bwisagu singer and damsels.

Promod Boro,ABSU president extending greeting to all citizens of the state on the occasion of Rongjali Bwisagu(Rongali Bigu) said that the Bwisagu is festival of enjoying with own culture. ‘Let, the Bwisagu to bring peace and harmony among all section sections of community in the state’,Boro said.

Rwisumwi Brahma and D i l i p N a r z a r y, B o d o dancers wished happy Bwisagu or happy Bihu on the Bwisagu celebration.

Former Rajya Sabha MP and UPP president Urkhao Gwra Brahma,BTC MCLA Jyotirindra Brahma were among others prominent attendees on the celebration.

Centre promises tough action to check rhino killing New Delhi, Apr 15 (PTI) Terming the recently killing of rhinos in Kaziranga national park as a "serious" issue, the Centre today said that it will take stringent action against poachers and also ask the state government to immediately recruit people in the Rhino task force to curb the menace.

ET Correspondent Lakhimpur, Apr 15: Keeping aside the turmoils of yearlong hard labours, the account of profit and loss, the people of Lakhimpur District celebrated the Rangali or Bahag Bihu-the National Festival of Assam with traditional fervor in great enthusiasm irrespective of their cast and creed, age and gender. On April 13, the Garu Bihu was observed all over the district following the tradition. The farmers had their cattle bath in the rivers or any other water bodies after driving them there throwing 'chat'. The juniors paid homage to the seniors and wished best

been completed on the month of January 2016 as per the communique of PWD dept. Staff. The nature at which the construction work is carrying out is slower than expected.

The commuters have been facing untold sufferings due to lack of bridges over the rivers while crossing it by paying hefty fares. The various civil societies have come forward to complaints over the delay of the construction works of the lone bridge.

Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar said that the recent approval given by the Union cabinet to India adopting the statute of the South Asia Wildlife Enforcement Network (SAWEN) will increase cooperation between South Asian countries to curb wildlife

crimes.

The comments come on a day Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi directed Additional Chief Secretary T Y Das to probe the death of two rhinos in Kaziranga National Park recently and to submit a report to him.

Javadekar said that the Centre is very serious regarding the issue and has initiated tough action against the poachers, many of whom have been killed, and such steps will continue.

"They are using AK47s.

This is a serious issue.

We have already created

rhino task force. Unfortunately state government has not recruited.

Now the elections are over.

"We will ask state government to immediately do that. Our concept is that local youths are trained and recruited in the protection force.

Centre is going to pay," Javadekar told PTI. Hours after England's Prince William and his wife Princess Kate Middleton visited the Kaziranga National Park, poachers shot dead a rhinoceros at the sprawling sanctuary using AK47 guns.

Poachers had killed a female rhino just two days before the royal visit.

The horns of both animals were hacked off.

The Union Cabinet recently gave its nod for India adopting the statute of the SAWEN which will help in checking cross border wildlife crimes.

The approval by the Cabinet at a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi allows the country to become a formal member of SAWEN in order to strengthen ties with the member countries in controlling the transboundary wildlife crime through communication,

coordination, collaboration, capacity building and cooperation in the region.

"SAWEN which has been approved by the cabinet is very important.

It is the neighbouring countries where the horns are smuggled out of India and then they go for final destination. So close cooperation of neighbouring South Asian countries is an essential part in stopping the illegal trade.

"At the same time, we are also taking action on ground.

State government should immediately recruit local people and train them," Javadekar said.

Supercomputer `Param Kanchenjunga` unveiled at Sikkim NIT Gangtok, Apr.15 (ANI): The National Institute of Technology (NIT) Sikkim has secured a rare distinction of having a supercomputer, which is

said to be the most powerful and fastest among all the 31 NITs. The supercomputer, named ‘Param Kanchenjunga’, was for-

mally unveiled by Sikkim Governor Shrinvas Patil at the NIT Sikkim campus at Ravangla in South Sikkim District.

Pune-based Centre for

Development of Advanced Computing ‘CDAC’ and the NIT Sikkim have jointly established the supercomputer at a cost of Rs. three crore.

The supercomputer is expected to help achieve excellence in engineering education and research in the north-east region.

(ANI)

REGION

DIBRUGARH, SATURDAY, APRIL 16

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A Royal Couple, Orphaned Animals and a Painted Elephant The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge visit IFAW-WTI's Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation, interact with orphaned elephants and rhinos, and paint an elephant with schoolchildren Kaziranga, Apr 15 : Their Royal Highnesses William and Catherine, Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, this afternoon visited IFAWWTI's Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation (CWRC) near Kaziranga National Park, Assam.

CWRC, run by the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) and the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) with support from the Assam Forest Department, is the only facility in India where orphaned and/or injured wild animals of several species are hand-raised and/or treated and subsequently returned to the wild. As of March 2016 the Centre had handled 4,322 animal cases, with 2,465 being released back to the wild - a rehabilitation rate of nearly 60 percent.

Their Royal Highnesses arrived at the Centre at half past noon and were accompanied around the grounds by WTI Executive Director Vivek Menon and IFAW President & CEO Azzedine Downes, as well as the lead veterinarian Panjit Basumatary and the centre-in-charge Rathin Barman.

They interacted with the animal keepers and even hand fed some of the orphaned animals being reared at CWRC - el-

ephant calves Buree and Murphuli, just a few months old when they were rescued last October, now being raised on milk formula under the watchful eyes of their keepers; and Dunga, a male rhino, the youngest and newest resident at CWRC and the best of friends with the two female elephant calves.

The royal highnesses were relaxed from their early morning safari in the park and seemed at ease, feeding the orphaned animals at CWRC. The Duchess was most interested in knowing more about the youngest rhino calf at the Centre. A specially created photo album with information on each animal they saw was given

Assam's popular,vibrant and ethnic Bohagi Utsav celebrated in New Delhi New Delhi, Apr.15 : The harvest season has begun in India and the farming community is in celebratory mode. Recently in New Delhi, Bohagi Bihu, the harvest festival of Assam, was observed.

The hymns of ‘Kuli Keteki’, the rhythmic beats of ‘Dhol’ and ‘pepa’ marked the beginning of ‘Rongali Bihu’.

The day-long celebration at the Delhi Haat marked the advent of spring.

People of all castes and creeds celebrate Bohag Bihu by singing traditional Bihu songs and performing folk dances.

Held under the aegis of Assam Students Association (ASA), the event left the people of Delhi mesmerised.

Suchanda Gogoi, Cultural Secretary, ASA, "Through this ‘Utsav’ we want to show the culture of Assam, all its attire the dances all its festive mood because most of the people do not know what Bihu is, so this is one of the reason we organize such event and mostly we miss our home so much but getting connected through this we really don’t miss our home."

Debashish Kashyap, Assistant General Secretary, "We are boosting up the boys and girls and we are providing a platform to those who are talented and have the urge to perform and showcase their talent.

Hopefully, we will do something better this time too."

A fusion performance by various tribes of the Northeast comprising of Assamese, Deuri, Miss-

ing, Karbi and others stole the show.

Assamese students also performed Indo-Jazz dance, which is an amalgamation of Indian classical and western music.

Several groups from Delhi and adjoining areas also performed Bihu dance to mark the occasion.

A participant said, "I am very happy being here and specially meeting so many people feels great.

I wish all of you a very happy Rongali Bihu. It’s been great being here and performing Bihu with my troupe."

Another participant said, "Living away from home we are missing our family. But, being here we feel homely celebrating Bihu."

Renowned Assamese film actress Barsha Rani Baishya also graced the occasion.

She said, "I am thankful to ASA for inviting me to this celebration I am very overwhelmed and very happy being here but I Think I am not a guest because wherever Bihu is going on I consider it as my Bihu I m one of them and I am very happy that students here are celebrating Bihu in such vibrant and nice way."

The three days of Bohag Bihu namely Goru Bihu, Manuh Bihu and Gohain Bihu was well presented through a dance drama act by a group of young artists.

Such events not only help to spread the rich culture of Northeast to other parts of the country, but send a message of unity and brotherhood. (ANI)

to the royal couple .

"We are delighted that Their Royal Highnesses made time to visit the IFAW- WTI centre and meet staff and the animals under care," said Azzedine Downes, President & CEO, IFAW. "With elephants and rhinos in particular facing an uncertain future due to habitat loss, human conflict and poaching, IFAW is pleased that the Duke and Duchess are able to raise public awareness of these threats to an international audience."

"India's biodiversity is a global treasure, and every rescued animal that we successfully rehabilitate and release helps rebuild endangered wild populations," said Vivek

Menon, Executive Director & CEO, WTI. "We are proud to share all that the CWRC staff have accomplished with the Duke and Duchess, and grateful that the Royal couple is using their influence to share it with the world."

Urgent Corridors and the Birth of Aana Their Royal Highnesses were then escorted to the site of the upcoming Kaziranga Discovery Park, a clinic for (and learning centre on) Asian elephants being developed by the UK-based NGO Elephant Family in collaboration with WTI. Elephant Family has also partnered with IFAW, WTI, World Land Trust and IUCN Netherlands to form the Asian El-

ephant Alliance, a partnership of conservation organisations launched last year to arrest the crisis facing the world's remaining Asian elephants, of which 60 percent (an estimated 30,000) are in India.

While India has long celebrated and revered its elephants, its rapid economic development has meant that traditional elephant lands are now being used by people for agriculture, roads, railway lines, mines, dams and the like. Conflict between humans and displaced elephants presently costs the country over 400 human and 100 elephant lives every year, and millions of rupees in crop and property damage.

As the Royal couple sat on cane murahs (chairs) under a thatched sit-out, WTI CEO Vivek Menon briefed them about the importance of elephant corridors, which allow elephants safe passage between and adjacent to protected habitats without intrusion into humanuse areas. The Asian Elephant Alliance has prioritised the securement of 100 such corridors identified in India, and aims to raise £20m for this cause.

It is estimated that 500,000 Indian families are affected by Human Elephant Conflict annually and people who live in elephant corridors fear for their lives and livelihoods. Ruth Powys, CEO of Elephant family

introduced Their Royal Highnesses to villagers from Ram Terang, located in the autonomous tribal Karbi Anglong hills in Assam, which earlier lay right in the middle of an ancient elephant route. Elephant Family, WTI and the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council came together to build New Ram Terang, a better equipped and safer village 6 km uphill from the corridor.

The villagers shifted into their new homes in November 2015, and their representatives here, including children, spoke with the Royal couple about their experiences before and after the relocation.

Finally, Their Royal Highnesses were taken to be introduced to renowned Indian artist Bulbul Sharma, 15 schoolchildren (and their headmistress) from the nearby village of Panbari, and a large painted model elephant named Aana.

Aana, which simply means 'elephant' in Malayalam, is a collaborative creation between Bulbul Sharma and the schoolchildren. It depicts the joy of children celebrating elephants in the vibrant colours of India, and the myriad flora and fauna that are protected by conserving

Traditional Charak puja celebrated with full devotion in Tripura

Chanmari (West Tripura), Apr.15 : Like every year, the Festival of Charak is celebrated in the rural areas of Tripura on the last day of the Bengali calendar year.

It was the same on Wednesday April 13 this year.

The festival which is dedicated to the Hindu deities of Shiva and Sakti involves the observance of strict penance by performers of the Charak Puja and includes tolerating extreme physical pain and stress.

Nepal Hrishi Das, the main priest said, “This puja is being performed for the welfare of the people of Earth and the nation. For one month, we collect subscriptions from various people for the Charak puja.

In this festival, people are hanged with hooks, get involved machete games and sleep on beds of nails.

Some choose to get buried under mud or even walk over a bed of hot coals.”

The festival, according to mythology, has been observed since the days of Lord Rama (Treta Yuga) nearly 8000 years ago.

The festival has attracted large number of people from different corners of the world.

Joga Singh, a visitor from Punjab, said, “For last three years, I have been participating in this fair, and in Punjab, we have Baisaki. On this date, Guru Gobind Singh Khalsa baptized the first Sikhs. I am enjoying this fair and am feeling very happy. Every-

one enjoys this fair as we all get together.”

Another visitor, Mrinal Ghosh,said the name Charak originated from the ‘Charak Samhita’ (Compendium of Charaka), a Sanskrit text on Ayurveda, but added that in today modern times, people are gradually forgetting their traditional festivals and rituals which are in dire need of conservation.

Ghosh added that this festival, if properly explored and promoted, has huge scope for attracting tourists from outside.

Charak comes from ‘chakra’ or the wheel – the circle of the movement of the Sun. It is symbolized by the setting up of a high pole from which hangs a

devotee. With the help of a strong rope he swings himself round the pole.

It is a difficult and dangerous feat. Charak Puja is performed by usually ten to twelve members, including both men and women.

The bearers of the ritual are called ‘Charkia’ and the main performer ‘Deoboinshi’.

Charak Puja starts with the fasting period.

The devotees keep fasts for one complete month before performing the rituals. During this period the devotees live strictly on fruits and do their daily worship.

After a month of fasting and on the day of Charak, a Charak tree is erected.

The average height of

these is about 15 feet and devotees hangs suspended from hooks, as a symbolic sacrifice to the Hindu deity Shiva.

Many others pierce their tongue, body with iron rods or walk on sharp machetes, nails and other pointed objects beside walking over burning charcoal.

The excitement reaches the climax when the performers complete the feat remaining unscathed.

These men and women believe Charak Puja is one way of attaining salvation.

Charak also called Gajan, is held on Chaitra Sangkranti (the last day of Chaitra).

The main object of this festival is to celebrate the marriage of the sun and the earth. The reason for this festival is perhaps to appease the sun and pray for rain during the hot, dry month of Chaitra.

The Chark Puja has been restricted to remote areas after government put restrictions on certain practices.

The festivities in rural areas are marked by local fairs. (ANI)

the elephant as a keystone species. It also marks a call to action for other Indian creative artists to participate in Elephant Parade 2017 - an event where life-sized baby elephant statues, painted by artists and celebrities, are exhibited in international cities to raise awareness for elephant conservation.

Their Royal Highnesses were handed paintbrushes to put the finishing touches to Aana.

Prince William broke open a coconut to signify, in auspicious Indian style, the launch of the Elephant Parade in India.

"We are thrilled Their Royal Highnesses have been able to join Elephant Family and the Wildlife Trust of India at Kaziranga Discovery Park to see first-hand the important animal conservation work that goes on here", said Ruth Powys, CEO, Elephant Family. The Royal visit also marks Elephant Family's call to India's creative artists to participate in creating the Elephant Parade 2017 where 300 model elephants will be hand painted with stunning designs and showcased across Mumbai and Delhi to raise funds and awareness for India's National Heritage Animal."

District task force meeting on immunization held.

Khonsa, Apr 15 : The meeting of the district task force on immunization was held at Khonsa under the chairmanship of Tirap Deputy Commissioner on 12th April. The participants discussed at length on SWITCH from tOPV to bOPV and launch of IPV (Inactivation Polio Vaccine) in which DMO N. Lowang and the MO In Charges of the Block PHCs apprised the Deputy Commissioner on various measures adopted to control polio in the past and also on the present health scenario visa-vis polio. The stock position of tOPV vaccine at cold chain points was reviewed.

After a threadbare deliberation the DC urged the DMO and all stakeholders to ensure that the launch of SWITCH and IPV was implemented in letter and spirit. He also advised the concerned department to dispose off the tOPV stock after the SWITCH Day as per the laid down guidelines. The IPV will be launched on 16th April-2016 in Tirap district and the National SWITCH Day from tOPV to bOPV on 25th April this year. The all important meeting was attended by DDSE, CDPO, BDO, DPM and all the MO In Charges of the Block PHCs in the district.

Baukhungri festival concludes ET Correspondent Kokrajhar, Apr 15 : The fourth Baukhungri festival concluded with a two-day colourful programme scheduled here at Harinaguri, 10km east of Kokrajhar town along the Baukhungri Hill in Kokrajhar district on Wednesday.

Sea of people, young and old, men and women, irrespective of caste, creed and community, headed the 'Baukhungri Hill’ to

scale the hill on the Sankranti,a day before Bwisagu or Bihu.

The Bodos traditionally celebrate the festival as Baukhungri Hajw Gakhwnai (climbing of Baukhungri Hill) on the last day of Choitra month (April 13) that is Sankranti.

The festival gathers its attraction and availing of different enjoyment, apart from adventure sports like paragliding,

indigenous games like khomlainai (Bodo wrestling) and cock-fighting and traditional cuisine from all over the region, was organised by Tourism department, BTC on the eve of Bwisagu(Assamese new year).

BTC deputy chief Kampa Borgoyary,who is also in-charge of Tourism department graced the last day of the festival as chief guest. He

said that the Baukhungri festival is a national festival of Bodoland region,especially on the eve of Bwisagu or Bihu where peoples from all walks of life participates with great enthusiastic moment Borgoyary said, ‘The traditional Bodo custom to climb the hill called ‘Baukhunguri’ on the auspicious day of Sankranti which has been celebrating as a fes-

tival every year in a systematic and organised way’.

He said that since (time) immemorial, locals have been thronging and climbing Baukhungri hill near Kokrajhar town in an unorganized manner,but since four years back, it has been organized by BTC Tourism department in well organized. The festival has been exploring tourism field in the region

through which tourists are visiting to see natural beauties and scenes.

Various adventurous sports like trekking competitions, paragliding, indigenous sports like khomblainai etc and food festival with indigenous food items to attract tourists from all over the region, besides organizing multi-cultural showcasing was also presented on the festival.

NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL

DIBRUGARH, SATURDAY, APRIL 16

PAGE 6

Sonia blamed Mulayam for not supporting her dream Maritime Summit draws investment Rs 82,905 crores; of becoming PM: Swamy on Bhardwaj's claim New Delhi, Apr 15 : Commenting on former law minister Hansraj Bhardwaj's claim that the UPA-I government wanted to dissolve the Mulayam Singh dispensation in Uttar Pradesh, Bharatiya Janata Party(BJP) leader Subramanian Swamy on Friday said that Congress president Sonia Gandhi blamed the Samajwadi Party supremo for not supporting her dream of becoming the Prime Minister of India, and therefore vouched for imposing President rule in UP. Swamy told ANI that Sonia Gandhi was always suspicious of Mulayam Singh.

"I am not surprised.

Sonia Gandhi, especially

Rescuers scramble for survivors after deadly quake hits Japan Mashiki (Japan), Apr 15 : Rescuers were scrambling to find survivors today after a powerful earthquake in southern Japan that left at least nine people dead and hundreds injured, sparking fires and buckling roads.

Tens of thousands of people fled their homes after the 6.5magnitude quake struck the southwestern island of Kyushu last night, leaving lumps of broken concrete strewn in the streets.

Houses collapsed, factories stopped work and a high-speed train was de-railed, while the roof of the treasured Kumamoto castle in the southern city of the same name was also damaged.

"The house shook up and down," said Nobuyuki Morita, 67, a resident of the worst hit town of Mashiki in Kumamoto prefecture, adding that he was watching TV at home when the quake struck.

"I was really surprised," he said.

"I had never experienced such a big quake since I was born."

He and his wife spent the night in their car as the roof of their house had collapsed and furniture toppled over.

Dozens of aftershocks followed the quake, which hit about 1226 GMT last evening, and officials warned the death toll could rise as rescuers scoured the collapsed structures.

As rescue workers toiled through the night, an eightmonth-old baby girl was pulled from the rubble alive and unharmed, NHK reported.

"As far as we can tell from infrared images from a police helicopter, there appears to be a significant number of houses destroyed or halfcollapsed,"said disaster minister Taro Kono.

"There are fears the number of injured could rise."

Rescuers are concentrating their searches in Mashiki, near the epicentre of the quake where the most deaths have been recorded.

On the streets, the remains of collapsed Japanese-style houses -- many of then aged, wooden structures -- could be seen, and damaged roof tiles lay in piles.

A rescue team with several search dogs patrolled around half-collapsed houses in the town.

But no new deaths have been announced for more than eight hours, suggesting that many among the thousands forced to flee their collapsed or unstable homes may have escaped alive.

Scores of people spent the night huddled in front of Mashiki's town hall, some in tears, while others wrapped themselves in blankets to ward off the nighttime chill.

"I'm so scared of the aftershocks that I cannot sleep," 94year-old Tomiko Takahashi told Jiji Press.

By today morning, the government said it had confirmed at least 860 people had been injured, at least 53 seriously. An official from the local Kumamoto disaster agency said at least nine were dead. (AFP)

hates Mulayam, and wanted to take revenge ever since 1999 when Mulayam Singh refused to support her when she wanted to become the Prime Minister of India," said Swamy.

"Sonia is very suspicious of Mulayam. In 2004, she could not become Prime Minister because of a legal bar. But in 1999 she had gone to the President and made a claim to become the PM. She said she had majority of 272 seats but Mulayam Singh who had 32 MPs, rightly refused because it was decided by everybody who contributed in the bringing down of the NDA government that Sonia Gandhi will not be the candidate," he added.

Swamy further said that

by claiming the chair of Prime Minister Sonia sought to break the consensus and left many.

Swamy also accused Sonia Gandhi of betraying Bhardwaj, "Bhardwaj is a knowledgeable person, he has been very loyal to the

Nehru family. He stood as a rock with the NehruGandhi family in their difficult times. He knows the law well and Sonia dumped him blatantly and terminated his political career because he knew too much, perhaps after the Quattrocchi af-

fair."

"I don't blame him if he now feels that the truth about Sonia Gandhi should come out in the open and that's why, all of it is coming out. We welcome it, we encourage him to do more," he added.

Bhardwaj had earlier said that the Congressled UPA-I wanted to impose President's rule in Uttar Pradesh following reports of mismanagement and corruption in the state.

"The then Governor of Uttar Pradesh used to brief the Congress about the crippled law and order, mismanagement and corruption in state The Congress Party, especially the Congress president, wanted to impose

President's rule in Uttar Pradesh," said Bhardwaj.

"When I was asked to give my opinion, I advised the Congress that Mulayam Singh government could not be dismissed only on the grounds of corruption, and that if the Governor wants, Singh can be prosecuted because at that time, he had already proved his majority on the floor of the house and to suspend him was not necessary," he added.

Bhardwaj further said that then prime minister Dr. Manmohan Singh was also in dilemma over the decision as the Congress' Core Group was in favour of dissolution of the Uttar Pradesh Government.

(ANI)

Pakistan goes full throttle on Kulbushan Yadav's RAW accusation New Delhi, Apr. 15 : Even as India has made categorically clear that Kulbushan Yadav is not a RAW officer, but a former Indian Naval officer doing business in Iran, leaving no opportunity to cashing in on the arrest of Yadav, Pakistan on Friday briefed envoys of Arab countries and ASEAN member states based in Islamabad about Yadav's purported confession about India-sponsored subversive activities and terrorist financing to destabilise Pakistan.

"The Envoys of the Arab countries and ASEAN member states based in Islamabad were briefed today at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the arrest of Indian Intelligence Agency, RAW's Officer, Kulbushan Yadav and his confes-

sion about Indian sponsored subversive activities and terrorist financing to destabilize Pakistan," said Nafees Zakaria, Spokesperson for the Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in a statement issued in Islamabad.

"It was emphasised in the briefing that in order to achieve regional peace and stability, it was imperative that India immediately stops its interference in Pakistan and resolves all contentious issues, including the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, through the process of sustained dialogue," he stated.

In reply to a question on the latest situation on Yadav during his weekly media briefing on Wednesday, Zakaria had said, "Investigations are still going on regarding

Kulbushan Yadav. I also told you last week that some arrests have also been made as a result of interrogation. As investigations continue more aspects related to this may come to light. A very candid press briefing was given by ISPR under the supervision of Information Minister. It is not possible for me to report on day to day progress of the investigation."

On the contrary, India has repeatedly denied that Yadav is a RAW agent.

MEA Spokesperson Vikas Swarup said, "The said individual has no link with Government since his premature retirement from Indian Navy. We have sought consular access to him.

India has no interest in interfering in internal

matters of any country and firmly believes that a stable and peaceful Pakistan is in the interest of all in the region."

"We have seen a video released by Pakistani authorities of a former Indian Naval officer, doing business in Iran, who is in Pakistani custody under unexplained circumstances. The video has this individual making statements which have no basis in fact. That the individual claims to make the statements of his own free will not only challenges credibility but clearly indicates tutoring," he said.

"It is also relevant to note here that despite our request, we have not been given consular access to an Indian national under detention in a foreign country, as is the accepted interna-

tional practice. We are naturally concerned about his well-being in these circumstances," said Swarup, adding that the government categorically rejects allegations that the individual was involved in subversive activities in Pakistan at our behest.

"Our enquiries reveal that he apparently was being harassed while operating a legitimate business from Iran. While we probe this aspect further, his presence now in Pakistan raises questions, including the possibility of his abduction from Iran. This would become clear only if we are given consular access to him and we urge the Government of Pakistan to respond immediately to our request," he added.

MEA revokes Mallya's passport for 'wilful noncompliance' to legal process (UPdate) New Delhi, Apr. 15 : Acting swiftly on the Enforcement Directorate's demand, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Friday suspended the diplomatic passport of liquor baron Vijay Mallya, who failed to appear before the investigating authority under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), which is "tantamount to wilful non-compliance to legal process".

Besides suspending his passport under Section 10[A] of the Passport Act, the MEA has also

issued a show-cause notice to the U.B. Group chairman, seeking his explanation as to why his passport should not be revoked under Section 10 [3] of the Passport Act. The MEA action against Mallya came in the wake of his repeated failure to appear before the ED, which accused Mallya of deliberately avoiding his personal appearance despite statutory requirement before the Investigating Authority in defiance of the due procedure established by law

in this case.

Presently, several aspects of irregularities/criminal misconduct allegedly committed by Mallya, including his role in the offence of money laundering under the Act has come to surface, and are under investigation by multiple agencies. Thus, his failure to appear before the investigating authority under PMLA is tantamount to wilful noncompliance to legal process.

It is further apparent that the present course adopted by Mallya is in-

tended to deliberately scuttle the process of investigation. The ED, therefore, moved the Ministry of External Affairs on April 13, seeking revocation of Mallya's passport, who is wanted by the law enforcing agencies for a default of over Rs. 9, 000 crores.

The Enforcement Directorate had earlier issued summons to Mallya for "personal appearance" on March 18 under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

Following Mallya's re-

quest seeking extension, the Enforcement Directorate issued a fresh summons to the liquor baron, asking him to appear before it on April 2 in the money laundering case.

Mallya claimed that the banks gave him loans after evaluating all aspects and asserted that he is not trying to evade the law enforcement agencies.

Mallya is understood to have taken shelter in the United Kingdom on a diplomatic passport.

(ANI)

Jointness key to victory, President tells DSSC graduates in Wellington Wellington (Tamil Nadu), Apr.15 : President Pranab Mukherjee on Friday attended the Convocation Ceremony of the 71st Staff Course of the Defence Services Staff College (DSSC) at Wellington, Tamil Nadu.

Addressing graduating officers, the President called upon them to effectively leverage "the combat power of our forces, when the country rity, to preserve the sov- As Supreme Comrequires them, as custo- ereignty, conforming to mander of the Armed dians of peace and secu- our national interests." Forces, he asked them to

perform their duties with loyalty, distinction, steadfastness and patriotic fervour.

He also congratulated graduating officers from friendly foreign countries and expressed hope that the deep bonds of friendship and camaraderie they have forged will transform into everlasting ties of brotherhood between our nations.

The President said, "DSSC is a premier establishment which promotes

the integrated functioning of the three services in a multi spectrum conflict environment."

He said the training curriculum at this college seeks to instill jointness amongst our armed forces.

The history of warfare bears testimony to the fact that ultimate victory in war will be achieved through jointness among the three Services, he concluded. (ANI)

140 agreements signed

Mumbai, Apr. 15 : The two-day Maritime India Summit has attracted investments worth Rs 82,905 crores, besides signing of 141 memorandums of understanding (MoUs) and business agreements.

The MoUs and business agreements were signed by various players in maritime sector, including Major Ports, State Maritime Boards, and Public Sector Units (PSUs) such as Shipping Corporation of India, Cochin Shipyard Limited, Inland Waterways Authority of India among others.

The projects for which agreements were signed cover a wide spectrum of activities, including modernisation of existing ports and establishment of new ones; development and extension of inland waterways; enhancement of cargo handling capacity of Indian ports; improving hinterland connectivity of ports through road and rail networks; up-gradation of educational and training facilities for the maritime sector.

One major agreement for establishment of a Greenfield Port at Vadhavan in Maharashtra was signed between Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust and Maharashtra Maritime Board. The cost of Phase 1 of the project is estimated to be around Rs 9,167 crores.

With an aim to give a boost to inland water transport, the Andhra Pradesh Government entered into an understanding with Inland Waterways Authority of India for development of National Waterway 4 at an estimated cost of around

Rs 3.000 crores. Once developed, this waterway will help take off roads significant portion of cargo traffic. The MoU was signed in presence of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu.

Gujarat Maritime Board (GMB) signed an MoU with Shapoorji Pallonji Company for development of a new LNG Terminal costing around Rs 5,411 crores at Chara.

GMB will also ink an MoU with IL&FS for setting up a Maritime Services Cluster at GIFT City, Gandhinagar.

Visakhapatnam Port Trust signed an MoU with HPCL, which plans to increase the capacity of Visakha Refinery from 7.50MMT to 15MMT at an estimated cost of Rs 18,412 crore. Shipping Corporation of India also signed a slew of agreements to enhance shipping capacity both inland as well international.

Indian Maritime University, a premier institution engaged in education and training of maritime personnel, signed MoUs with four international institutions, including Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Maritime University (BSMRMU), Dhaka, Bangladesh; Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers (ICS) and Plymouth University, U.K, and Admiral G.I. Nevelskoi Maritime State University ( A G I N M S U ) , Vladivostok, Russia.

IMU also entered into an understanding with the Andaman and Nicobar administration for establishment of training facilities in Andaman and Nicobar islands. (ANI)

Admiral Dhowan to speak on Navy and Make in India roadmap New Delhi, Apr.15 : The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) in association with the Indian Navy is organising an international conference on April 18 and 19 on Make in India Paradigm for a Future Ready Naval Force in New Delhi.

Chief of Naval Staff Admiral R K Dhowan will inaugurate and address the conference on April 18.

Mr. Amitabh Kant, CEO of NITI Aayog, will deliver a keynote address during the inaugural session.

Mr. Harshavardhan Neotia, President, FICCI and Chairman, Ambuja Neotia Group and Mr. Pierre de Bausset, Chairman, FICCI Committee on Make in India (Defence

and Aerospace) and President and MD, Airbus Group India, will also address the session.

Admiral Dhowan will also be interacting with media informally on the sidelines of the inaugural session.

Leading names from the sector, navy, industry and government are coming from India and abroad to attend and speak at this two day conference. (ANI)

DIBRUGARH, SATURDAY, APRIL 16

PAGE 7

NEIGHBOURS

US awards 121 million dollars to NGOs of Nepal for five development programmes Kathmandu, Apr.15 : The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has awarded financial assistance totaling 121 million dollars to various Non G o v e r m e n t a l Organisations(NGOs) of Nepal for five new development programmes.

'Suaahara II', a five-year, 63 million dollars program has been awarded to Hellen Keller International, reports The Himalayan Times.

The programme is dedicated on improving nutrition in 40 districts through

education, water, sanitation, and hygiene improvements, access to health services, and backyard poultry and vegetable farming.

Another programme 'Feed the Future Seed and Fertiliser Project' has been awarded to the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre.

This is a five-year, 15 million dollars project that will partner with the government and private companies to help farmers get access to better seeds and fertilisers for high-quality productivity in 25 districts.

Likewise International

Swiss authorities receive 146 applications from asylum seekers from Lanka

Five arrested in Birmingham and Gatwick Airport for suspicious terror activities

Colombo, Apr.15 : The Swiss authorities received 146 applications from asylum seekers from Sri Lanka within the month of March, according to figures from Switzerland's State Secretariat for Migration (SEM).

The Swiss authorities have received 8,315 asylum seekers' requests in the first three months of 2016.

However, the number of asylum applications filed with the Swiss Government in the first quarter of 2016 has dropped by 45 percent compared to the last quarter of 2015.

The overall number of applications continues to decline as 1,992 asylum applications were filed in March, 25 percent less than in February, according to a report in Sputniknews.com.

The majority of the March asylum applications, 227, came from those who fled Eritrea, while Afghan nationals followed with 166 requests.

The Swiss authorities also received 146 applications from asylum seekers from Lanka, 143 requests from Gambians, 143 from Iraqis and 141 from Syrians.

The SEM stressed that despite the significant decrease in the quantity of requests, the migration issue was unpredictable and the situation might change at any time. (ANI)

Japan earthquake: Nine killed, more aftershocks expected Washington D.C, Apr. 15 : The deadly earthquake which struck Japan yesterday has left at least nine people dead and stict caution is being maintained as more aftershocks are expected.

According to CNN, search crews are still looking for people trapped under collapsed buildings.

The magnitude-6.2 quake struck near Ueki, the U.S. Geological Survey said.

Dozens of smaller aftershocks followed.

Two deaths occurred in Mashiki, the Kumamoto Prefecture office said. One person died in a collapsed house, and the other died in a fire caused by the quake.

Nearly 800 people were injured, 50 severely. The prefecture office said 44,449 people had evacuated.

Gen Aoki, director of the Japan Meteorological Agency's earthquake division, warned more aftershocks could occur over the next week.

The quake was centered mostly under land, not an ocean, meaning it did not spawn a major tsunami.

(ANI)

L o n d o n , A p r. 1 5 : West Midlands Police on Friday confirmed that they had arrested five people at airports in Birmingham and at Gatwick Airport for suspicious terror activities.

Police said in a statement that all five were

Water Management Institute has been awarded a $2.5 million dollars project 'Sustainable, Just

residents of Birmingham and were involved in the preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism.

They said four people, including three men aged 26, 40 and 59 respectively and a 29year-old woman, were arrested in Birming-

and Productive Water Resources Development in Western Nepal'.

This three-year project

ham on Thursday night, and a 26-yearold man was picked up at Gatwick Airport early on Friday morning.

The arrests form a part of an extensive investigation being carried out by West Midlands C o u n t e r Te r r o r i s m

aims to support the management of rivers and lakes in Karnali and Mahakali river basins in sustainable ways.

A project 'Civil Society: Mutual Accountability Project' has been awarded to FHI360.

This five-year, 15 million dollar project will strengthen civil society organisations' ability to advocate for government effectiveness and accountability.

Likewise, 'Program for Aquatic Natural Resources Improvement (PANI)' has been awarded

Unit (WMCTU), MI5 and international partners including Belgian and French authorities to address any associated threat to the UK following the attacks in Europe," the Guardian quoted Assistant Chief Constable Marcus Beale of the West Mid-

to DAI Global.

This five-year, 25 million dollar project under Nepali government will help communities benefit economically from rivers and lakes and conserve local fish and other wildlife.

These new projects address both the continuing needs of the Nepali people post-earthquake, and at the same time build sustainable communities that support Nepal's long-term development goals," said Ambassador Alaina B. Teplitz. (ANI)

lands Police, as saying.

All five are currently being held in the West Midlands, where they are being questioned by WMCTU officers, according to the police.

Police are also searching several properties in Birmingham for further clues. (ANI)

Belgian transport minister steps down over EU report accusations after Brussels attack Brussels, Apr.15 : Belgium's Transport Minister Jacqueline Galant has resigned after a secret EU report revealed security measures at the nation's airports were flawed, citing serious deficiencies in the way safety checks are managed.

Galant, however,said she had no knowledge of the reports, reports Independent.

The confidential EU document from 2015

was made public by two Belgian opposition

parties, who demanded that she should step

down.

Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel said that the minister presented her resignation to the King, which has been accepted.

Michel had earlier defended Galant, saying her office had not been aware of the critical report.

On Thursday, Laurent Ledoux, a chief official in Belgium's federal transport administration resigned.

Ledoux also criticised Galant for turning down requests from civil servants for more funds and personnel to monitor airport security standards.

Islamic State of Iraq and Syria(ISIS) claimed responsibility for the 22 March attacks in Brussels, which killed 32 victims. Bombs detonated in Brussels Airport's departure lounge killed 16.(ANI)

India, US committed to collaboration in tackling offshore tax evasion Washington, Apr.15 : India and the United States India have reiterated their committment to collaborate in tackling offshore tax evasion and avoidance, including joint tax audits and tax examination abroad.

A joint statement issued after Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and U.S Treasury Secretary Mr Jacob J. Lew met for the Sixth Annual U.S.-India Economic and Financial Partnership (EFP) in Washington D.C. yesterday, said, "We look forward to the competent authorities of the two countries engaging in bilateral dialogue

to move forward in cooperation in these areas."

The joint statement further said that that both sides were pleased to note the progress being made to deepen mutual understanding and to improve cooperation across a wide range of bilateral and multilateral issues.

The statement reiterated that the U.S.-India partnership will be one of the defining relationships of the 21st century.

It was mentioned that significant progress has been made in the five work streams at the subcabinet level in India

and the United States.

"Over the past year, our tax authorities resolved a significant portion of bilateral tax disputes between the United States and India. In addition, our governments have begun to accept bilateral Advance Pricing Agreement applications by companies in both jurisdictions in an effort to enhance cross-border business processes and strengthen our commercial ties. We have noted the progress in sharing of financial information between the two countries under the InterGovernmental Agreement pursuant to For-

eign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA).

The two sides will continue to engage in discussions on full reciprocal arrangement on FATCA. We look forward to increased cooperation in sharing of cross-border tax-information," the joint statement said.

"We have enhanced our cooperation in tackling money laundering and combating the financing of terrorism through increased information sharing and cooperation, including a dialogue held recently in India.

We both agree on the importance of fighting il-

licit finance in all forms as an important means of tackling global terrorism."

"Finally, we are committed to further deepen our understanding of each other's economies. As partners and peers, we are committed to working together to collaborate in multilateral fora, such as the G20, to steer our economies toward stronger, sustainable, and balanced growth. Under the aegis of our Economic and Financial Partnership, we held a sub-cabinet level discussion among our Deputies in India in early 2016," the joint statement said. (ANI)

No constitution is perfect in world:Nepali Congress Kathmandu, Apr 15 : Nepali Congress (NC) president Sher Bahadur Deuba has said that demands of Madhesbased parties can be addressed through another round of constitutional amendment.

Speaking at a programme, leader of the main opposition said the newly-adopted constitution is flexible and any weaknesses there in could be redressed through dialogue and consensus among parties.

Deuba's remarks came at a time when Madhes-based parties are preparing to launch another round of protest, demanding a review of the current federal structures, reported The Kathmandu Post.

"No constitution in the world is perfect. It could be advanced through amendment.

The same applies in our context," said Deuba, insisting that the new constitution is

logue over protests.

inclusive.

He called

on

the

Madhes-based parties to give priority to dia-

"All parties should be flexible to address problems," Deuba said, adding that the first statute amendment has addressed some of the demands.

"Parties are ready to revisit the state boundaries, but the committee headed by Foreign Minister Kamal Thapa has yet to start work as the NC and the Madhes-based parties have refused to join it," said Deuba. (ANI)

Foreign ministers of China, Russia and India to meet in Moscow

Moscow, Apr. 15 : Foreign Ministers of India, Russia and China will be taking part in the 14th meeting of these ministers of three nations on April 18 in Moscow, Russia.

According to reports, the three foreign ministers will exchange views on international and regional issues of common concern and discuss ways to push trilateral pragmatic cooperation forward.

India's External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will join her Russian and

Chinese counterparts -Sergey Lavrov and Wang Yi, besides Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin to exchange views and coordinate positions on international and regional issues of mutual interest.

Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin, who is the co-chair of the Russian- Indian Intergovernmental Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation, will also hold talks with Swaraj on ways to strengthen bilateral relations between the two countries. (ANI)

China plans to relocate 2.49 million poor people in 2016 Hong Kong, Apr. 15 : The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) of China and several other agencies have reportedly announced plans to relocate over 2.49 million poor people during 2016.

According to reports, the aim behind this initiative is to lift more people out of poverty by 2020.

The NDRC is China's top economic planner

and it has asked authorities in 22 provinces and regions to intensify efforts to achieve this target with the help of a fund allocation of 2.5 billion dollars released since March this year.

In China, according to Xinhua, at least 70 million people still live below the poverty line of 2,300 Yuan. Many of them in harsh conditions, including without roads, water or power. (ANI)

Indian Navy warships visit Sri Lanka Colombo, Apr.15 : Indian Naval Ships INS Tir and INS Sujata, along with Indian Coast Guard Ship Varuna, comprising the 1st Training Squadron arrived in Colombo, Sri Lanka, today and shall stay till April 19 as part of their overseas deployment during Spring Term 16.

India and Sri Lanka have a close, long-standing relationship covering a wide spectrum of activities and interactions, which have strengthened over the years. The people of India and Sri Lanka have close cultural bonds and a shared vision of a democratic and pluralistic society.

Visits by Indian Navy and Sri Lankan Navy ships to each other's countries as well as bilateral exercises such as SLINEX provide opportunities for extensive operational and training engagements and contribute to the maintenance of good order at sea.

The present deployment of the training squadron to Colombo would further cement the close relations between the two nations and the two navies.

The first training squadron forms part of Southern Naval Command (SNC) and comprises Indian Naval Ships Tir, Shardul, Sujata, ICGS Varuna and two Sail Training Ships

Sudarshini and Tarangini, all of which have been built in India.

The primary aim of the squadron is to impart sea training to naval and coast guard trainees, with a 24 weeks ab-initio sea training being imparted. All the trainees are trained in seamanship, navigation, ship handling, boat work, technical aspects, etc. whilst being exposed to the rigours of life at sea, so as to earn their 'sea legs'.

The Southern Naval Command (SNC) is the training command of the Indian Navy, which provides both basic and advanced training to officers and sailors of the Indian Navy under the leadership of Vice Admiral Girish Luthra, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Naval Command.

The Indian Navy has also been providing training to personnel from friendly foreign countries for more than four decades, wherein more than 13,000 personnel from over 40 countries have been trained.

The Indian Navy's focused approach for providing high quality training by constantly adapting to evolving tactics and technologies, has gained it a reputation of being one of the finest training destinations.

(ANI)

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DIBRUGARH, SATURDAY, APRIL 16

Lessons from Ancient Indian Education System Rate of literacy Government VS private India's North Eastern areas were adding feathers of glory to their caps and gaining media importance when they showed their excellency in the field of education. In 2014 Tripura was the first state which recorded first position in literacy in the country with 95.16 per cent and it was also the (Photo: aim of all the elite class talksense.weebly) of people to attain cent per cent literacy in six months. In supporting to the aim Tripura government even launched an all-out effort to make literate the remaining people with Class 3 standards by March 2015. Tripura jumped to the first position in literacy among the states from the 12th position in the 2001 Census and the fourth position in the 2011 Census. According to the 2011 Census, the literacy level was 94 per cent in Kerala, 91.58 per cent in Mizoram and 88.7 per cent in Goa - these were among the most literate states in India. The Tripura success story is attributed to the involvement of local government bodies, gram panchayats, NGOs and local clubs under the close supervision of the State Literacy Mission Authority headed by the chief minister.

The state government did not only try to make people literate, but it undertook specific plans to improve the functional literacy of the neo-literate. Tripura has shown that increase of female literacy is better than their male counterparts. Literacy rate of females during the period of 2001-2011 Census rose from 64.91 to 83.15 per cent, with an increase of 18.24 per cent, while in the case of men the increase was just 11.18 per cent -- from 81 to 92.18 per cent. While Mizoram and Tripura remain toppers in literacy in India, North Eastern states, Arunachal Pradesh (66.95 per cent), were placed second lowest in literacy in the country, just above Bihar, which recorded the least literacy of 63.82 per cent. Kerala follows Tripura with 94 per cent literacy.

But the scenario of the present literacy rate in Tripura is completely the opposite of what was expected. It is quite astonishing that despite the lure of a mid-day meal, low attendance in Tripura's government schools remains a "cause of concern" while enrollment is rising in private schools without the facility. The low attendance in schools (in Tripura) is a cause of concern which needs to be addressed appropriately. Experts, academicians and researchers said that the situation is similar in the entire North Eastern region, comprising eight states. Enrollment in private schools with no MDM (mid-day-meal) scheme increased by 72 percent while it declined by 18 percent in MDMcovered government schools. Although the Tripura government spent Rs.336 crore ($50 million) during the period 2010-15 on National Programme of Nutritional Support to Primary Education (NP-NSPE), also known as MDM scheme, there was no improvement in the enrollment rate of government schools. There was consistent decline in the number of children availing MDM in primary schools. There was steady decline in the number of children availing MDM in primary schools (classes one to five) from 297,000 (201011) to 235,000 (2014-15) and in upper primary schools (class six to eight) from 138,000 (2010-11) to 120,000 (2014-15).

Tribals in the northeast are traditionally not known to take the support of government institutions, be it educational bodies or health centres. In most places in the northeast, especially Mizoram, Nagaland, Meghalaya and Manipur, Christian organisations are running a large number of schools with a large number of students. Whatsoever be the case, the government should take in all steps to maintain the literacy rate in North East.

Rise in tiger population 70 per cent of the global population Efforts to save the tiger have pushed India's population of the big cat to nearly 2,500, Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar said hailing the strides the country has made in this regard. Highlighting the need for protecting tiger corridors, he announced incentivising project proponents to give land for compensatory afforestation in Tiger corridors. As per latest official count, India is home to 2,226 tigers, representing 70 per cent of the global population of the endangered big cat species. And in the last two years, the number has risen and our rough estimate as of today is that India has nearly 2,500 tigers. And as per WWF estimates, the tiger population the world over has grown from 3,200 to 3,890 in the last five years, a 22 per cent increase.

India started Project Tiger in 1972 after the tiger population fell below 300 across nine tiger reserves.

Currently, India has 49 tiger reserves. About 100,000 tigers roamed the forests of the world in 1900, but their numbers dwindled steadily, hitting a low of 3,200 in 2010 when the last estimates were compiled.

Though tigers have high birth rates, they also have high natural death rates, and factors such as habitat loss and poaching haven't slowed. At least 110 tigers were killed in 2011-14, barely a drop from the 118 poached in 2007-10, according to the Wildlife Protection Society of India. There are only 13 countries with tigers in the wild and six of them have seen an increase in their numbers. A major threat to the tiger is the demand for its body parts and derivatives. The forest and its wild denizens are an open treasury which cannot be locked up. It is painful to learn about trafficking of body parts and derivatives of tigers and other big cats.

Ancient education system ments were not enough to refers to the Aryan system make a man really of education developed learned. Along with his from the Rigvedic to the scholarship he must be Sutra period. There were pure in his life, thoughts six aims of education in and habits. In other words, an ci en t educaIndia.

Pranjal Bezborah t i o n The first ought to of these aims was infusion develop moral feelings in of piety and religiousness. a man so that he can conIt was so because religion trol his original animal played an important part nature. Oral instructions in life in ancient India and given by the teacher, ideal teachers were priests. The life led by teachers, exrituals that a student had amples of national heroes to perform in the begin- and heroines - all these ning of his educational helped to mould the charcareer, the religious obser- acter of students. vances that he had to ob- The third aim of ancient serve during the educa- Indian education was the tional course, the daily development of personalprayers that he offered ity. This was sought to be morning and evening, the realized by eulogizing the religious festivals that feeling of self-respect, by were celebrated very of- encouraging the sense of ten in the school or the self-confidence, by inculpreceptor's house - all cating the virtue of self-rethese tended to foster pi- straint and fostering the ety and religiosity in the powers of discrimination mind of the young learner. and judgment. It is a But one should remember wrong notion among that the inculcation of the some of modern intellecvirtues of piety and reli- tuals that the iron discigiousness did not induce pline enforced by the anthe student to renounce cient teachers suppressed the world. The direct aim the personality of the stuof all education was to dents. If the system remake the student fit to pressed personality, cerbecome a useful and pious tainly it would not have member of society. produced the galaxy of The second aim of educa- jewels whose contribution was the formation of tions to Indian culture are character. It was done by regarded as our proud the proper development of heritage. moral feelings. Ancient Inculcation of the civic Indian thinkers held that and social duties was the mere intellectual attain- fourth aim of the educa-

tion system. The graduate was not to lead a self-centered life. He was constantly reminded of his obligations to the society.

Social structure in ancient India was to a great extent, independent of government. Social life in villages remained unaffected by the rise and fall of governments. A stable and well-ordered social life, independent of government, was possible only because people were conscious of their social duties and civic responsibilities that were inculcated by the educational system.

Convocation address to the graduates as found in Upanishads shows how students were inspired to be useful members of the society.

Promotion of social efficiency and happiness was the fifth aim of the educational system. It would be wrong to think that in the field of education, The Aryans were concerned only with the development of martial and intellectual powers and faculties; rather they evolved a peculiar system of their own for promoting the progress of different branches of arts and professions. The system was the caste system that predetermined the occupation of every individual in the society. The system might have sacrificed the individual inclinations of

Image for representational purpose (Photo: fourthambit) a few, and in a modern democratic society the system may not be acceptable, but there is no denying the fact that the system had some redeeming features. Restriction of occupations and trades to families for generations led to specialization and this naturally heightened the efficiency of the people engaged in different trades and professions.

Thus ultimately, the system contributed materially to the general progress and happiness of the society.

Preservation and spread of national heritage and culture was the sixth aim of the ancient Indian system of education. This was

one of the most important aims. The Aryans were very much conscious of the superiority of their culture and felt deep concern for its preservation and transmission. They knew that education was the best agency for the transmission of heritage of the past to the future generations. It is this awareness that motivated the teachers of the past to transmit and thus preserve the sacred Vedic texts. The unbroken continuity is one of the remarkable features of the Indian civilization since the Persian attack in the 6th Century B.C. India was repeatedly attacked by many foreigners.

Many of them could conquer the country physically but they all failed to affect culture and tradition. This continuity of culture would not have been possible if the ancient educational system did not aim at its preservation. Aligning these aims of ancient Indian education system in the present-day education system in the country can make the education more meaningful and contributing to the society.

Pranjal Bezborah is a Professor in the Department of Commerce, Dibrugarh University.

Email id: pranjalbezborah@ yahoo.com

India-Pakistan Peace: Hijacked Again Once again, specific issues in the India-Pakistan relationship have derailed general peace talks.

It is probably hardwired into the delicate structure of South Asian politicswhich mainly revolves around the two nucleararmed neighbors of Pakistan and India- that peace cannot last for too long.

History has seen a series of failed e f forts Muhammad from both sides to establish cordial relations: the NehruLiaquat pact in 1950; the Ayub Khan-Shastri talks in the aftermath of the 1965 war; the Sharif-Vajpayee talks, culminating in the Lahore Declaration of 1999; the bilateral discussions between Indian Prime Minister Vajpayee and Pakistani President Musharraf in 2001; and most recently the meetings between Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Nawaz Sharif.

All these attempts have either ended in futility or provided only a short-term respite. Recent efforts seem headed in the same direction, with the Pakistani high commissioner in India, Abdul Basit, revealing the suspension of dia-

logue between the two countries earlier this month.

Basit's statement came just after a Pakistani Joint Investigation Team (JIT) visited India to probe the January attack on the Pathankot air base. He stated that Daim Fazil t h e peace process had been suspended and that there was "no meeting scheduled between foreign secretaries yet." Referring to the arrest of Kulbhushan Yadav, alleged to be an Indian spy, in Pakistan, Basit added: "We all are aware of those who seek to create unrest in Pakistan and destabilize the country."

That the two sides understood the importance of continuing talks in the aftermath of the Pathankot attack was much appreciated by observers. However, recent calamitous developments have put the dialogue process in peril yet again. India claimed the Pathankot attack was carried out by militants coming from across the border and asked

Islamabad to take immediate action against the perpetrators. To its credit, Pakistan surprisingly announced full cooperation in the investigation and assured all necessary steps in this regard. Consequently, a First Information Report (FIR) against unknown persons was lodged in the Pakistani city of Gujranwala under the Pakistan Penal Code and the Anti-Terrorism Act. India, however, considered the FIR a "small step" and expressed disappointment that Maulana Masood Azhar, chief of Jaish-eMuhammad (JEM), was not named. India also put forth a resolution in the United Nations to place Masood Azhar on a list of global terrorists, but this was blocked by China.

When the JIT from Pakistan traveled to India to probe the Pathankot matter alongside Indian officials, the team found it hard to come up with conclusive results because India turned down Pakistan's request to access witnesses inside the airbase. This led Pakistan to claim that India had not been coopera-

tive enough in the investigation.

Meanwhile, in late March Pakistani authorities arrested Kulbhushan Yadav, alleged to be an agent of India's intelligence agency Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), in the restive province of Balochistan.

Subsequently, Pakistan released a video of Yadav confessing to carrying out belligerent activities in Pakistan to sabotage peace in the country. Together, Yadav's arrest and India's non-cooperation in the Pathankot attack investigation caused Pakistan to announce suspension of peace talks.

Since Narendra Modi was sworn in as prime minister, he has generally taken a tough tone towards Pakistan. However, in December 2015, he paid a surprise visit to Pakistan which led to optimism regarding bilateral relations. Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has also asserted his aspiration to build friendly yet equality-based ties with India. After the arrest of Yadav, Sharif even kept quiet over the issue, which was described by a govern-

ment official as a deliberate move. Yet this silence-which also sparked huge political criticism for Sharif at homecould not prevent the suspension of talks.

Historically, any attempt to improve the India-Pakistan relationship or to come to the table for composite dialogue has been stalled due to the Kashmir issue. The more India stresses the inclusion of terrorism as an issue in bilateral talks, the more vociferous Pakistan is about Kashmir. Today Kashmir is less of the focus, but the Pathankot attack and arrest of Yadav became the new breaking point in negotiations.

Unfortunately, India-Pakistan hostilities are not tied to one particular issue. Though many believe a peaceful settlement of the Kashmir conundrum would bring about normality, there is no guarantee of durable peace.

Geopolitical factors are increasingly important, including India's recent approach toward Afghanistan, Iran, and Central Asia as well as Pakistan's conviviality with China.

India is developing the Chabahar port in Iran, providing political, economic, mili-

An Unforgettable Event

Image for representational purpose (Photo: startupremarkable)

Sir, Date was April 10, 2016 - Sun day.

Place - Shree Agrasen Milan Mandir, Jhalukpara, Dibrugarh. Occasion was inauguration of two books written in Hindi by Monohar Verma. The books are - 'Param Ki Pratiti' - short story and 'Apne Paraye' - Novel. Incidentally, vermaji is on an arduous job of translating the books of Radha Nath Phukan and as transpired from his speech, he is on the Verge of finishing his works with Volume - I and II. In fact, the events will remain as an unforgettable memory in the minds of not only me but to most of those who attended the function. The books we inaugurated by Dr. Nagen Saikia, ex-president, Asom Sahitya Sabha. The meeting was presided over by Debi Prasad Bagrodia, an industrialist, tea - planter and a prolific Assamese and Hindi writer, who among other books written by him, translated 'Guna Mala' of Maha Purush

tary, and strategic support to Afghanistan, and seeking access to Central Asia.

All these goals are directly or indirectly related to Pakistan. Only a helpful Islamabad could remove hurdles for India must clear to reach Afghanistan and beyond, but Islamabad continues to see the Indian presence on its western flank as an existential threat. Conversely, India has been wary of the growing Islamabad-Beijing connections, especially with the commencement of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

Resolving only one issue even the Kashmir question - will not unlock peace in South Asia. If there is the political intention to gradually resolve all pertinent issues gradually, then both Pakistan and India can compromise or bargain at some level. Therefore, the governments should not allow their dialogues to be hijacked by the Pathankot attack or the spy issue. Neither Islamabad nor New Delhi should deviate from their commitment to secure peace and regional stability.

Courtesy: The Diplomat

Best Letter The best letter of the month in the Letter to the Editor section will be awarded an amount of Rs 200.

So please keep writing.

Sankardev into Hindi. Among the distinguished guests present in the meeting were Dr. Nirmal Sahewal, Kishor Kumar Jain of Bijoy Nagar (Mirza). Incidentally, these two writers contributed immensely to enrich the Assamese literature. The entire Programme was sponsored and arranged flawlessly by the 'Marowari Sammelon', Dibrugarh.

Letters to the the Prolific lectures delivered by the editor and articles likes of Debi Prasad Bagrodia, Dr. should be sent to : Nagen Saikia, Dr. Nirmal Sahewala, The Eastern ToKishore Kumar Jain and Monohor day Verma kept the audience spell-bound.

Chowkidingee, Kudos to the 'Marowari Sammelon' Dibrugarh. we look forward to witness- Near Sankardeva ing some more scintillating programme Hospital Mancotta in near future.

Road, Dibrugarh786003 (Assam) Ph: 0373-2328944 Yours etc.

Web : Ashok Bordoloi Dibrugarh editor.easterntoday@gmail.com

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Racist, objectifies women: why I think Bollywood represents all that's wrong with society Given cinema's extent of of expression; and two influence in our society, it I stand as a representamight be safe to assume tive of the intellectual that there should be some community and intellecmoral responsibility of tual opinions are exmovie makers towards changed without emothe society (beyond the tional prejudice or judgefrequently flashing ment (okay, exaggeration 'smoking is injurious' ev- intended‌ we'll be talkery time a character on ing about Bollywood afthe screen is puffing his ter all) stress out). And I don't A comparison in the educajust mean Sidhartha Kumar Mohanty t i o n syst h e message they deliver to tem of East and the West the audience (if there is would reveal that westone), but what they, as an ern education has largely industry, represent. And focused on cultivating of course, 'cinema repre- creativity. Compare sents society' and 'soci- South Korea and Finland, ety apes cinema' is the the countries considered philosophical dilemma to ace the list of the best that has arguments in education systems in the favour of both its constitu- globe presently. They ent opinions in India (quite have a significant differthe 'egg came first or the ence in their approach to chicken' dilemma ain't teaching. One focuses on it?). But all said and done, creativity and another on Bollywood represents cramming (you can guess everything that has been which would be what). blamed to be fundamen- Now we have all had tally wrong with the In- enough experience of the dian society - starting Indian education system with the name itself! to summarize the motto three words: For all the overflowing in sentiments for being and Memorise, reproduce, representing 'desi', the and forget. Same is with hypocritical criticisms for Bollywood. Many of our aping the west and our movie makers have displeasure at Indian cin- shamelessly copied not ema being over-looked at only plot elements and the academy awards reproduced visual effects (sure Salman can say, (and failed miserably at it) even remade "Audiences' reaction is but more important than be- Hollywoodmovies withing selected for Os- out official consent and cars"‌ ahem), claimed it to be original!

Bollywood finds its ety- Yeah, so there are some mological roots in Holly- who would jump into the wood. So much for being argument and cite exoriginal, eh? Given the amples where Hollywood depth of our emotional draws inspiration from attachment to Bollywood, Bollywood too, but I have I might generate some observed it to be rare and anguish in you, but I'll gracefully done after givtake my chances - one, ing due credits and makfor the sake of freedom ing it an 'official' remake

(example - 'A Common Man' (2013) starring Ben Kingsley is an official remake of Neeraj Pandey's 'A Wednesday!') R. N. Sippy's 'Satte Pe Satta' (1982) to David Dhawan's 'Partner' (2007) (and many more) are movies revered by Indians without the knowledge that their admirations for these 'masterpieces' were being bestowed on people who are not the intellectual source of the artistic product in the first place.

Then, Bollywood doesn't represent India, ever. At best it's representative of North-India. How many movies do you know have the protagonists from non-Hindi speaking states (apart from Maharashtra because it's got Bombay)? Or from the North-East? Or from the East? (There are other states apart from West Bengal on the eastern shores of this nation). To those unwilling to accept this fact, well cheers!

Bollywood never much bothered with factual accuracy as such. Why should hard-core fans be any different? And those who would accept the fact (appreciation expressed) but would put forward the 'Hindi-isour-national-language' argument for justification, I've two things to say first - the argument is inaccurate. As per our constitution (Article 343), India's official languages shall be Hindi and English.

However, each state is allowed to have its own official language based on its own linguistic demographics. So, we end up having a total of 23 offi-

Image for representational purpose (Photo: cdn.youthkiawaaz) cial languages today but no single national language. I do however agree that Hindi is the language we'll have to use to reach majority of audience, but then why can't the central character in the movies belong to Assam, or Arunachal Pradesh, or Orissa?

(Okay, so I'm from Orissa. If you are a Bollywood fan and if you are not from Orissa, your anguish must be building up to erupt in the form of some stereotypical verbal abuse that you could try your best to come across as intelligent sarcasm, but because you are not from Orissa and have never been to Orissa, you don't have any clue what that stereotypical outfit would be that you can desperately fit me in. Because you just don't have enough information about a state in your very own country to even stereotype it! Ha ha!).

Which brings us to racism and stereotyping.

Bollywood has always

been racist. From the Krishnan Iyer 'Yem Yey' in 'Agneepath', the lungiwearing nariyal-cutting, and "aiyooji" speaking Tamil character to Ra.One's SRK, the overly, typically, unrealistically Tamil with his abnormally long name - saying "aiyyo" in every second sentence, eating with his hands and mixing curd in his noodles. And the north-Indian characters that SRK plays are always 'soooo cooool' - remember Raj? Ironically, Mr. Khan has had particularly horrible experiences at American airports and has expressed his discontent at the stereotyping, but this stereotyping of his own countrymen was apparently all right.

While we are on the subject, for all the furore around the 'skin whitening creams' in India in recent times, Bollywood has made its contribution to eradicate this social stigma from our society‌yeah right, like

they would ever do that!

The film industry contributes to the fascination with fair skin and most leading Bollywood stars are pale-complexioned.

Following is an excerpt from The Guardian quoting actress Nandita Das - "Whenever they put on makeup, they try to whiten my skin," says actor Nandita Das with a laugh. She switched to independent films because they are less obsessed with stereotypes.

"If you work in Bollywood with a dusky skin you're doomed only to do parts like peasants or slum-dwellers," she adds. "Successful city characters must have fair skin."

Not only the are the characters on the celluloid actively promoting white skin to a nation of brown people, but so are the people playing them.

Many Indian film stars have appeared in adverts for whitening creams including Katrina Kaif, Deepika Padukone,

Sonam Kapoor and Preity Zinta. Being palecomplexioned actually seems to be one of the prime requirements for an actor to play 'hero' in India, sculpted physique and face being the remaining two. It's a bonus if he can act, though it's not mandatory. And it's even worse in case of the actresses.

Bollywood has always objectified women. How many movies have you seen from the Yash Raj banner or the Rajshri Productions (two of the most revered production houses in Indian cinema) which have had a female protagonist and no male co-star to play the hero?

Hell, why is it that actors have always outlived the actresses on the silver screen here? Why can Salman still play Prem in 2015 while actresses are replaced when they age?

Have you ever noticed how the Khans manage to stay in vogue for decades but the most talked about actress is always a young beautiful woman who seems to have her 'youth and beauty' as the only credentials to stay in demand? And the rising culture of item numbers is simply demeaning.

Finally, Bollywood upholds lineage more than, well, let's not make it political. I find it oddly intriguing how Bollywood actors are living testimonies to the Darwinian theory of evolution. 'Best genetic fitness for the environment will produce offspring that can more successfully compete in that environment' (minus the successful part). We should have a

medical research to unravel the mystery of how Bollywood stars can genetically pass their acting skills and stardom to their next generation. If only it could be replicated elsewhere (We could have IITians reproducing better IITians, scientists' off-springs could head ISRO and DRDO, and army men could produce the next generation of elite soldiers, sounds like we could have a production line for specific skills!).

The only credential Abhishek Bachchan held after 14 flops (without a break) was his surname.

Ranbir Kapoor, Kareena Kapoor, Deols, Uday Chopra and a lot more.

Their credentials are (though debatable) not the matter of discussion here, but the fact that the present generation of Bollywood stars got opportunities because of their lineage is undeniable. Sure, every now and then comes an actor who's not a star kid, but I can safely bet Shah Rukh Khan's son is going to be an actor eventually (irrespective of his acting skills).

So, like I had said, Bollywood represents everything that is wrong in our society. It's racist, plagued with plagiarism, it demeans and objectifies women, relies more on the packaging than the product and is constantly reminding the population to rely on white skin and a connected family, in the absence of which, success is that bleak light existent in the Neverland.

Courtesy:youthkiawaaz

India desperately needs a clean energy mission. Odd-even is back, and Delhi CM Kejriwal is "seriously considering" making it monthly!

If you still want reasons, here are 5 "How can we speak to several issues that India 13 of the world's 20 most those who live in villages can address by adopting polluted cities are in India and in slums about keep- renewable energy. Some and with the increasing ing the oceans, the rivers, of the pressing reasons for urbanisation, same trends and the air clean when India to ditch fossil fuels can be seen in semi-urban their own lives are con- are concerned with the regions of the country as tamip r o - well. Pollution at such nated Krishna Kala Baskaran tection alarming levels is caused at the its vul- prominently by fossil fuel source?" asked Indira nerable communities. usage in vehicles and Gandhiin her address in Hence here are 5 such power plants. The inthe UN conference on reasons for India to adopt creasing health hazards Human Environment in a Swachh Energy mission. also take a toll on the Stockholm, Sweden in 1. With increasing pol- health expenditure which 1972. The powerful state- lution, there is increase could further denigrate the ment formed the basis of in health issues growth rate. arguments of developing A study in 2015 showed 2. Untapped coal recountries which tread a fine line between poverty alleviation and environmental concerns. The industrialized countries cannot thrust strict environmental regulations upon the developing countries as it would prevent all measures that address social problems in the country.

The consensus among developing countries around the Paris agreement shows a change in the scenario. Developing countries like India have a Image for representational purpose. (Photo: lot more at stake due to china-mike) climate change and it is reflected in urgency for that there was a 30% in- serves are under some such an agreement. India, crease in cases of acute of the densest forests China and most of the de- respiratory infection in the A study shows that majorveloping nations are large country since 2010. The ity of the untapped coal pollutants. For any mea- high levels of pollution in reserves are in the Central sure to keep global tem- Delhi caused a nation- Indian Landscape. The perature below limits, it is wide furore owing to the landscape is home to some important for these coun- imminent health effects. of the densest forests in tries to switch from fossil Reports suggested that the country and houses fuels to renewables. In ad- about 2 million children in about 30 % of the world dition to the international the capital would never tiger population. India curcommitments, there are attain full lung capacity. rently uses open cast min-

ing to extract coal which is the least expensive and requires low-level technology. Destruction of such forests comes with costs of destruction of forest cover, mass migration of people dependent on the forests and subsequent poverty and unemployment and increase in human-animal conflict.

3. Natural disasters could be worse; especially in the urban setting There is ample scientific evidence to show that natural disasters have increased in frequency and intensity due to human activities. The imminent effects of climate change are being felt every day in cities like Chennai that saw unprecedented rains that crippled the city and killed hundreds, in Hyderabad where heat wave claims lives every year and Delhi where the cold winters kill several on the streets. The urban governments in general lag behind in providing required infrastructure for the low-income groups of the city which makes them more vulnerable to such incidents. Corruption, Flouting of norms and Regularisation puts thousands at risk since the population density is high.

4. Haphazard rainfall patterns deter food security About 50% of the country's workforce is

dependent on Agriculture and agriculture is largely dependent on rainfall. Uncertainty in rainfall can impoverish thousands across the country. Moreover, failed rainfalls have been associated with an increase in farmer suicides and drop in food production. One failed monsoon in 2009has led to a drop in rice production by 15 million tons. India cannot achieve food security nor realise its demographic potential if half of the workforce is put out of work for a year. In the contrary, unexpected rains in the harvest season can destroy crops.

5. Environment-induced migrations and displacement exemplify all the problems Migration to urban areas is on the rise over the years and the issues discussed previously is poised to displace more people. A Greenpeace study in 2009 showed a possible increase in migrations due to sea level rise along the Indian coast.

This further increases the load on resources especially in urban areas which has been witnessing high population density. Any increase beyond the carrying capacity of the supporting ecosystem would lead to severe scarcity of essential resources like water which is being seen in cities like Bangalore.

Courtesy:youthkiawaaz

The second phase of the much-hyped odd-even scheme started from April 15 and continue for a fortnight, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced on Thursday, 11th February.

The date has been chosen keeping in mind the board exams, which will mostly get over by April 12, he added.

The government is "seriously considering" making odd-even mandatory for 15 days every month,

reinstated. According to Kejriwal, 81 percent of respondents were in the favour of the scheme.

"We sought people's opinions through websites, public meetings, missed calls, emails etc," the CM said, adding that when the scheme was followed previously, traffic congestion and pollution levels in the city had reduced.

Of the total responses on the government website, 63 percent said the

ernment will not implement the odd-even scheme permanently and include two-wheelers till the city has a sound public transport system, Kejriwal said.

"Public transport means availability of all categories of buses, including premium and economy. The government of Delhi is procuring buses and we hope that by May, we will have 1,000 buses, another 1,000 by August and by the year end Delhi has

The second phase of the much-hyped odd-even scheme will start from April 15 as announced by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. (Photo: cdn.youthkiawaaz) but a decision on the same will be taken only after the second phase gets over, Kejriwal added.

The Delhi government, which had implemented the pilot phase of the scheme in January, had sought public feedback on whether it should be

scheme should be implemented permanently while 26 percent were in the favour of it being a 15-day event every month. Interestingly, 92 percent of people said they would not buy another car if the scheme were implemented permanently.

However, the Delhi gov-

3000 buses."

The government will continue buying more buses even after December, the chief minister said. Besides procuring more buses, an elevated bus rapid transit corridor is being deliberated to strengthen public transport system in the city.

Courtesy: youthkiawaaz

DIBRUGARH, SATURDAY, APRIL 16

BUSINESS

India's traffic may be eased by Lithuanian start-up Chennai, Apr 15: Lithuanian start-up TRAFI, which offers a public transport app to help people plan their journey, is entering the Indian market. The firm said it aims to ease India's traffic woes by using real time data, scientific algorithms and machine learning, which gives computers the ability to learn without being explicitly programmed. It has already launched the app in Mumbai and Bengaluru.

"All over India, improving public transport is a hot topic. It is central to the smart cities agenda of

100 MW solar plant order bagged by Finnish Bengaluru, Apr 15: Finnish firm Fortum has won a 100 megawatt (MW) order for a solar plant to be built in Pavagada Solar Park in Tumkur district of Karnataka, with a fixed tariff of Rs.4.79 (per unit) for 25 years, according to a statement from the company. This makes Fortum the only foreign player to bag the tender in the 500 MW solar park, as the auction was dominated by Indian players, who outbid their global counterparts.

Yellow Infrastructure, promoted by Rattan Power, won an order for 50 MW with the lowest bid of Rs. 4.78 per unit, while Adani Power, Acme Solar and Tata Power bagged orders for 100 MW of the solar unit (two power units of 50 MW each), at a bid price of Rs. 4.79 per unit. Sumant Sinhaled ReNew power bagged 50 MW at a bid price of Rs. 4.80 per unit, according to the statement. The reverse auction process was conducted by the National Thermal Power Corporation Limited on Tuesday for selecting 500 MW grid-connected solar projects under phase-II of the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission. "We are excited to become a successful bidder in the reverse auction process," said Sanjay Aggarwal, managing director, Fortum India. "The country provides a good platform for Fortum to further develop its business in solar also elsewhere," Aggarwal said.

Fortum seeks to allocate its planned growth capital in the range of EUR 200 - 400 million in solar projects in India. The firm currently has 15 MW of solar capacity in India. In January 2016, Fortum won a reverse auction for a 70 MW project with a fixed tariff for 25 years. (Agencies)

SEBI, brokers to talk about retail participation Mumbai, Apr 15: The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) wants to increase retail participation in the capital market and boost the penetration level of the equity market across the country. To achieve this, the capital market watchdog has called for a meeting with top office-bearers of broker bodies to discuss strategies. According to sources privy to the development, the meeting will be attended by representatives of the BSE Brokers' Forum and the Association of National Exchanges Members (ANMI) - the two leading bodies representing the top brokerages of the country. SEBI chairman U K Sinha will also be present. "The meeting has been fixed for April 21.

The agenda includes discussing ways to increase retail participation and spreading the equity investment culture across the country," said a top official of one of the broker bodies, on condition of anonymity. All individuals need a demat account to trade in the capital market. (Agencies)

the government," according to a statement from Martynas Gudonavicius, Cofounder and Chief Executive, TRAFI. He said TRAFI will spend over $1 million (Rs 6.6 crore) this year to deliver better information about public transport in all major cities of India. A former head of sales at mobile advertising network, InMobi, Mr. Gudonavicius founded TRAFI in 2013 along with Vilnius University alumni Jurgis Pasukonis, Mantas Vizbaras and Algimantas Krasauskas.

The firm combines algo-

TRAFI STRATEGIES Lithuanian start-up TRAFI, which offers a public transport app to help people plan their journey, is entering the Indian market.

The firm said it aims to ease India's traffic woes by using real time data, scientific algorithms and machine learning. rithms, real time processing of traffic situations and crowdsourced reports. This allows the firm to pre-

The start-up is developing tools specific for India which can help various agencies to form a common format for public transportation schedules and associated geographic information It has already launched the app in Mumbai and Bengaluru. dict journey duration and arrival time more accurately. TRAFI said it will also provide its technology products and ser-

vices to transport companies and authorities in the country which would improve visibility of their fleet. It will also increase the effectiveness of public transport. Rajarshi Rakesh Sahai, Country Head, TRAFI said that he met various officials, including those from Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation and Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority, to showcase the innovation. "We don't follow a strategy of carpet bombing every country in the world," said Mr.Sahai who, in his previous role, worked as a

consultant on smart cities for Infosys. "We are deep in our focus rather than doing launches for the heck of it. I want to do Mumbai and Bengaluru properly and then launch in other cities," said Mr.Sahai. He said unlike developed countries, the major challenge in India is the availability of the traffic data.

The start-up is developing tools specific for India which can help various agencies to form a common format for public transportation schedules and associated geographic information, Mr. Sahai said. (Agencies)

India's most popular mountain biking race back in Himalayas ANI New Delhi, Apr 15: A total of 105 riders, including veterans and amateurs from across India, representing 17 cities and the Armed Forcesare set to compete with each other at the 5th edition of Hero MTB Shimla, one of India's most popular mountain bike races that flags off today. Hero Cycles and Himalayan Adventure Sports & Tourism Promotion (HASTPA) today unveiled the 2-day cross country marathon type MTB race which covers a whopping 120 km and a total elevation gain of 3,500m. The race takes the riders through some of the most pristine parts of the Shivalik Mountains, also known as the lesser Himalayas, as they travel around 120

Image for representational purpose only (Photo: aninews )

kilometers in 2 days.

There are a total of 9 teams that will enter the City Championship. For a city to qualify for the championship a minimum of 3 riders must be representing that city.

"Mountain biking as a sport is gaining rapid popularity in India and events such as Hero MTB Shimla have played a vital role in popularizing this sport. It is one of the toughest

sports in terms of the need for endurance and skill, and requires a lot of mental and physical strength as well as training. Hero Cycles' association with mountain biking sport is not limited to events such as MTB Shimla or MTB Himalayas", said Mr. Pankaj Munjal, Chairman and Managing Director, Hero Cycles Pvt Ltd. The event will be flagged off by Brigadier

S K Lama, Brigadier General Staff, HQ Army Training Command. For the first time in the event it won't just be riders that will be competing with each other but also cities. HASTPA has introduced the "Champion City" format for the first time. Riders will be representing their cities and will be collectively competing on behalf of their respective cities. No MTB competition has observed this kind of concept before, making MTB Shimla 2016 a really unique venture in itself. This year's participants include bike racing veterans such as Devender Thakur, the 2nd runner up of the MTB National Championship, member of Hero Action Team and winner of the last 2 editions of Hero MTB Shimla;

Shiven Sharma, the current under- 19 national champion and member of the Hero Action Team. Among the international names at the race are Johan Bentick, a Dutch riding veteran who is participating for the 5th time in the Hero MTB Himalaya Races; Sarah Appelt from Germany who will be representing Manali/Kullu in this year's race. Among the participating teams in the Hero MTB Shimla 2016 are the BSF team, the SSB Team, the Indian Navy Team and independent groups from various cities like Chandigarh, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Gurgaon, and Mumbai, among others. Hero Action team, India's first ever professional mountain biking team, is also participating in full strength.

World output faces threat of 3.9 % decline by 2021 New Delhi, Apr 15: The decline in oil prices has helped countries such as India improve their external positions, but low commodity prices have kept risks elevated in emerging market economies, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said in its latest Global Financial Stability Report.

The spill-over effects of the growing uncertainty about China's economy and setbacks to growth and confidence in advanced economies are other factors undermining global financial stability, according to the report. "These developments tightened financial conditions, reduced risk appetite, raised credit risks and stymied balance sheet repair," the

IMF said in the report.

The report warns that global output could decline 3.9 per cent by 2021 if action isn't taken to address the risks faced by the financial system.

"The main message of this report is that additional measures are needed to deliver a more balanced and potent policy mix for improving the growth and inflation outlook and securing financial stability. In the absence of such measures, market turmoil may recur," it said. However, if timely measures are taken, world output could expand by 1.7 percent, relative to the baseline, by 2018, the report said. The financial stability report assesses the risks faced by the glo-

Image for representational purpose only (Photo: ecglobalsolution)

bal financial system and the current edition surveys the issues that surfaced since October 2015. The report identifies a window of opportunity in the current economic recovery to deal with what it calls a "triad of global challenges," namely, the legacy issues in advanced economies, vulnerabilities in emerging markets and greater systemic market liquidity

risks. Jose Vinals, IMF Financial Counselor, said at the release of the report that equity market fluctuations that occurred earlier this year could return. "Market turmoil may recur and intensify, and could create a pernicious feedback loop of fragile confidence, weaker growth, tighter financial conditions, and rising debt burdens‌That could tip the global

economy into economic and financial stagnation."

IMF suggests that in advanced economies, banks must deal with bad assets and other legacy issues.

The report observed that in the U.S. mortgage markets continue to benefit from significant government support and the measures must be taken to reduce the dominance of institutions such as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Given the increasing role of China in the global financial system, "clear and timely communication of its policy decisions and transparency about its policy goals and strategies consistent with their achievement will be ever more important," the IMF said. (Agencies)

Kerry Logistics raises stake in Indev Mumbai, Apr15: Kerry Logistics Network Ltd., a logistics service provider in Asia, has increased its stake to 50 per cent for an undisclosed sum in Chennaibased Indev Logistics Pvt. Ltd., a top official said. Indev will be renamed Kerry Indev Logistics Pvt. Ltd. Kerry Logistics held 30 per cent in Indev, is investing Rs.1,000 crore to build an information technology backbone, a chain

of warehouses and cold storage facilities over the next two years, Indev Logistics Chairman S. Xavier Britto told. "For the last 32 years, Indev has been providing end-to-end shipping related services to its customers. We have taken this platform as we wanted to get into cold storage and 4PL (fourth party logistics).

It needs huge investment. Kerry is a bigger player in Asia," Mr.

Britto said. "We were not willing to give a majority stake." Kerry Logistics India Pvt. Ltd., an international freight forwarding and supply chain management company and part of the global Kerry Network, will be merged with Kerry Indev in the next three to five months. The increase in stake would take the total warehousing capacity to five million sq.ft., Mr. Britto said.

George Yeo, Chairman of

Kerry Logistics, said in a statement: "Kerry logistics' strength in providing customised supply chain solutions to different industries and Indev's strong presence and network in India make Kerry-Indev a strong pan-Indian combination which, we hope, can make a contribution to the country's growth and development." The company is currently building a 1,00,000 sq.ft. warehousing unit on a five-

acre plot in Free Trade and Warehousing Zone, Mundra with a provision to expand it to 3,00,000 sq.ft. Currently, it has a 1.25 lakh sq.ft. warehouse on a four-acre plot in Bengaluru and plans are on to bring Kerry's express delivery (B2C) facility that e x i s t s i n Ta i w a n , China and Bangkok. A pilot project will be unveiled in Bengaluru soon, Mr. Britto said.

(Agencies)

PAGE 10

Contentmart.com ties up with Paytm for wallet payments

Image for representational purpose only (Photo: i0.wp ) ANI New Delhi, Apr 15: Contentmart.com, India's first online content marketplace portal, specially designed to provide a connecting platform to its clients and freelance writers. The interface is one of a kind and solely focused on connecting thousands of content writers with content buyers in need of quality content. In order to provide hassle free payment options to the clients, Contentmart has recently joined hands with Paytm and now offering its clients an option to refill Contentmart's wallet through their Paytm wallet. Using this payment option, users can now avail the benefits of special offers like several cash backs or discounts, which they get from

making transactions through Paytm for the payment of their wallet recharge on Contentmart.com as well. Vikas Trivedi, Cofounder and Business Head, Contentmart.com said, "We are committed to offer the best user experience, robust and secured platform to both the parties i.e. clients and writers, having said that we have partnered with Paytm as an additional payment mode for wallet recharge on Contentmart.com." In addition to Paytm, Contentmart also offer some more easy payment options like net banking, direct money transfer or payment through debit/ credit cards in order to provide its customers a quick hassle-free experience while making payments on Contentmart.

Indian business recover faster with Maggi's return Mumbai, Apr 15: With Maggi back on shelves, Swiss FMCG major Nestle said its India business is "recovering faster than anticipated" although the performance will continue to impact the company's showing in Asia, Oceania and subSaharan Africa (AOA) zone. "India is recovering faster than anticipated, although it still weighed on the Zone's overall performance...," Nestle SA said in its first quarter results statement. India comes under the Asia, Oceania and sub--Saharan Africa (AOA) of the company. It further said: "In India, the Maggi noodles business gained back its market share but the business results were still affected by the u n f a v o u r a b l e comparatives." Nestle India had relaunched the Maggi instant noodles in November last year after it went off the market for five months following a ban by central food safety regulator FSSAI over alleged presence of lead beyond permissible limits. The company had challenged the ban in Bombay High Court, which overturned the ban while ordering fresh test in accredited labs. In a latest development, the Central Food Technological Research

Institute (CFTRI) had cleared the Maggi instant noodles. Nestle reported sales of 20,934 million Swiss Franc in the first quarter of 2016 as against 20,918 million Swiss Franc in the same period last year. Commenting on the results, Nestle CEO Paul Bulcke said: . "As anticipated, the first quarter continued the positive momentum in real internal growth, with softer pricing. We gained market share in the majority of our categories and businesses." "The strongest performances were in Europe, in South East Asia and in Africa as well as for Nescaf Nespresso and petcare," he said. In AOA zone, Nestle had a sales of 3,554 million Swiss Franc in January-March quarter of 2016. India is an important market in the AOA zone, which also includes China, Indonesia, Malaysia and Philippines.

While in China, Nestle got good contributions from Nescafe soluble and ready-to-drink coffee, confectionery and culinary.

South East Asia delivered high single-digit growth and markets as Vietnam and Indonesia performed well. Japan and- Oceania had a solid start to the year with a strong performance of Nescafe in Japan, it added. (Agencies)

RECOVERING BUSINESS With Maggi back on shelves, Swiss FMCG major Nestle said its India business is recovering faster than anticipated.

In India, the Maggi noodles business gained back its market share.

As anticipated, the first quarter continued the positive momentum in real internal growth The company gained market share in the majority of our categories and businesses."

DIBRUGARH, SATURDAY, APRIL 16

Features

PAGE 11

WOMEN’S Tricks to save every last drop of your beauty products!

There's nothing that excites a girl more than owning a large variety of beauty products. But don't you just hate it when you reach the bottom of the tub of your most favourite and priciest products? Before you toss them out, we suggest you give our list of hacks a shot! These hacks will not only save every last drop of your beauty products, but will also allow you to use them for a longer period. Read on to find out how to use these hacks to your benefit and to save money!

Hack 1: Get A Tinted Moisturizer Using A Face Lotion!

If your favourite liquid foundation just has a couple of drops left, don't throw it away! Instead, pour a bit of face lotion into the bottle or tube, and shake well. Once that's done, you're going to have a new beauty product altogether! A tinted face moisturizer works as a perfect base and moisturizes your skin at the same time. Plus, it doesn't make you look made-up!

Hack 2: Revive The Mascara Using Saline Solution!

Of late, does your mascara feel dry and clumpy?

Are you tempted to toss it away? Well, DON'T!

You can revive it by simply adding a couple of drops of saline solution to the mascara. Give it a good shake and you will instantly see the difference. Good as new!

Hack 3: Make The Most Of Your Lipgloss Using Hot Water Doesn't it annoy you when you see the product stuck to the corners of your lipgloss tube or bottle? Well, now you can do something about it!

Boil some water and pour it into a bowl. Gently place the lip gloss tube/ bottle into the hot water.

The heat will melt the product and you'll have more lip gloss to use, and

getting it out of the tube will be way easier! #BigWin. Hack 4: Always Use A Brush To Apply Your Lipstick This is a hack that you will thank us for! Although using a lipstick directly seems more comfortable, there's a big chance that this way, you'll be wasting more of the product. Hence, we advise you to use a flat brush to apply your lipstick. Two things happen here - one is that it enables you to apply it with precision, and second is that it allows you to use just about the right amount of the product.

Hack 5: Protect Your False Lashes With A Spoolie Brush False lashes are delicate, and most of the time, they only last for a day or two after use. Before you chuck them out, use a spoolie brush from any mascara product! Dip the spoolie into rubbing alcohol and gently brush your false lashes with it. Doing this will keep the lashes in shape and will remove old glue. It'll make those lashes feel like new!

Hack 6: Use A Lighter To Fix a Broken Lipstick Don't we all hate it when our expensive lipstick breaks? Before you carry it to the bin, make sure

that you reach for a match box first! Light a match and hold the flame close to the broken edges of the lipstick. Once it melts, immediately press both the pieces together for a minute or so, and your lipstick will be fixed. This hack works like a dream!

Hack 7: Mix Petroleum Jelly With Eyeshadow To Make A Lip Colour There's no need to throw the broken shards of a pretty eyeshadow when you have petroleum jelly at your disposal. Mix the two together with a spoon and store it in a container. You now have your own lip colour - created by you. Go on and rock your new custom-made shade!

Beauty tricks (Photo: popxo)

Skincare problems every girl Reasons to not wash your hair so often! faces and their solutions!!

The typical 20-something schedule is pretty hectic - from confusing career decisions to late nights to spending loads of time in the sun, you can't blame your skin for being as confused as you!

It's also the time in your life where your skin is the most resilient and supple; the key is to keep it like that well into your 30s and beyond. If your complexion looks anything short of fabulous right now, it could be because of these skin care dilemmas that are common in your 20s. We tell you how to deal with them so you can have the best skin yet for the best years of your life!

Problem #1 - Adult Acne Those annoying zits still posing an issue well into your post-teenage years?

Adult acne is very common; in fact, some women experience a bigger pimple problem in their 20s than they did in their actual teens. It's mainly caused because of hormone-related inflammation of hair follicles and sebaceous glands.

Over-the-counter benzoyl peroxide ointments are the easiest way to treat acne. Also, cut back on spicy foods, sugar and dairy. If it's a persistent problem, though, you will need to see a dermatologist who will prescribe stronger medica-

tion to keep hormonal acne in check.

Problem #2 - Enlarged Pores Embarrassingly large and visible pores are one of the most stubborn skin care woes. Your pores can enlarge when too much oil is being produced and that oil mixed with skin cells can clog the pore and force it to enlarge. Be sure to stay

portant to deal with greasiness and large pores.

Problem #3 - Dark Circles Puffiness and dark circles are a very real problem that every girl faces at some point in time thanks to late nights and stress.

Try an egg white mask in the area to tighten the skin and combat puffiness. Make a conscious

Annoying zits in post-teenage (Photo: cos.h-cdn) far away from thick, greasy and emollient products as well as irritating and drying ingredients (like a fragranced cream for example). Try a non-irritating clay mask weekly to absorb excess oil and use gentle, watersoluble products. An exfoliator containing salicylic acid is also im-

effort to stop rubbing your eyes, which causes friction and darkening. A cold ice compress on your eyes gives instant freshness and also massaging your eye area with almond oil regularly really will go a long way.

Problem #4 - Dehydration It can occur seasonally or

be more of a constant problem based on your skin type. Dehydration is extreme dryness when your skin feels uncomfortably tight. Use a foaming cleanser that works for your skin type and be sure to moisturize at least twice daily without fail. A homemade concoction of milk and honey can also work wonders for providing extra moisturizing. Oh, and we don't need to tell you twice that your skin is demanding more water intake every day.

Problem #5 - Dull Skin You're at the age when your skin should be at its prime, but how come it looks dull and tired instead? What you eat really does affect your skin, so switch sugar and carbs for foods that are rich in antioxidants, like sprouts, nuts and berries.

Iron and zinc also contribute to a better complexion; taking supplements may be a good idea. Cleansing, especially before bed, is nonnegotiable, so is moisturizing your skin daily to keep it supple and young.

Try a turmeric (haldi) pack that will really brighten your face and give you that much sought-after glow. We hope we don't need to remind you about the importance of sun protection for the health of your skin.

Do you want to know the secret to healthier hair?

Not washing it too often!

It may sound weird or even gross, but shampooing your hair everyday or too often is actually damaging it. Whether you're dealing with oily hair or you just feel dirty, you definitely need to cut down on your 'poo habits for the sake of your strands. We give you the real reasons why you shouldn't wash your hair too often. Try it for shinier, stronger locks and even to cut down the frizz!

1. Your Hair Will Get Back Its Lustre Natural oils give your hair a glossy coat, and every time you shampoo them away, you could be causing dullness. Your scalp's natural oils need to be allowed to build up to give your hair that shine.

2. And Have More Body Those natural oils also keep the hair full of life and thickness. Waiting between hair washes will bring more texture to your strands and give them more volume.

3. Your Braids and Styles Will Look Amazing Just-washed hair are too soft and do not hold any style very well, which is why most brides are also advised to have second-day hair to help style them well. Second or third-day hair have a lot more texture to it

and stay in place much better when you style them. This is why curls and braids look more amazing on unwashed hair.

4. Your Hair Colour Will Fade Faster Shampooing opens up the cuticles of your hair, which basically flushes out the colour from them. And this doesn't just apply to people who have dyed their hair, but also if you want to maintain the natural

shiny, and smooth. Cutting down on washing your hair therefore cuts down on those frizz problems.

6. You Won't Do As Much Heat Damage Heat damage really does add up over time, and so do hot showers.

By cutting down on your hair wash, you're cutting down on the need to heat-style your hair as often and prolonging its look. Which in turn, is one of the nic-

Your hair will get back its lustre (Photo: content14) colour of your locks, without them looking dull.

5. You Will Notice Less Frizz Because shampooing often is very drying, it strips away natural oils from your hair, and we all know that dry hair is way more prone to frizz.

These natural oils are responsible for keeping your strands strong,

est things you can do for your mane.

7. It Will Grow Longer Because you hair won't be as dry since you've cut down on shampooing, your locks will be healthier and stronger, which is ideal for growth. This is mainly why so many girls who don't wash their hair more than a couple times a week feel like

their hair grows faster.

8. It Saves You Time and Money Aside from healthier, shinier strands, you'll also be saving money on shampoos and conditioners, as you'll be going through bottles at a slower rate. Plus, face it, we all have those days when we just can't muster the energy to wash and style our locks. So lazy girls rejoice! For skipping those washes is actually doing more good to your hair, and getting ready also won't take as much time.

When Should You Wash Your Hair?

Of course, we're not asking you to cut down on washing your hair altogether - that would be really gross! But simply, cutting down your hair wash to twice or thrice (max!) a week is what is healthiest for your strands. Dry shampoo really is a boon for absorbing greasiness, adding texture and for helping you feel fresher. Definitely give cutting down on your washes a try and you will notice that your hair is stronger and healthier after a few weeks. Oh, and you will love how awesome braiding and styling your hair will be.

You can also try washing your hair with apple cider vinegar in between if you really find it difficult to go a few days without shampooing your hair.

7 Men's products that are good for you

Men's deodorants smell better for longer (Photo: static-secure) Did you know that some men's beauty products are way cheaper than women's? Even if they're

from the same brand!

That's because women are prepared to spend way more on looking good

than guys are. But it is not just about pricing - a lot of men's products can actually give you better re-

sults. They may not smell as flowery or come in pretty packaging like women's, but can take their beauty game to a whole new level. We bring you our top picks too from trusted brands that really will add oomph to your beauty routine!

1. Deodorant Girls, don't you just love most deos and scents for men? Well, why not give them a try! Men's deodorants come with similar antiperspirant ingredients as women's but are stronger, which means that you'll smell better for longer.

Plus, most men's deos

have extra zing when compared to women's - so don't be afraid to try it out.

2. Face Scrub (But On Your Body) Try his face scrub on your body. We all know exfoliation is super important for soft, smooth skin - so switch your regular body polish and give your man's a try. Face scrubs for guys are grainier and can be very moisturizing.

So if you're dealing with dry skin on your elbows or anywhere else, then you should definitely try it.

3. Eye Cream You may not know many

dudes who use eye creams but there are plenty available for them.

Guy-friendly eye creams can be extra effective in treating under-eye puffiness and dark circles. Eye creams for women are quite expensive, so it can be a pretty smart idea to test out one meant for men to see if it works for you.

4. Moisturizer Because men's skin is tougher, their moisturizers are designed to be extra-hydrating and fortifying, albeit with similar ingredients as women's. So if you would prefer some

extra hydration and nourishment for your skin, then don't be afraid to dabble with the men's section of your beauty store.

Just make sure to do a patch test on your skin with the product you pick.

Just to be safe.

5. Razors You see ads on TV for men's razors ALL the time but you've never once dreamt of actually using one yourself, right? Well, maybe it's time you should! Men's razors actually give a much closer shave than women's, thus giving you smoother legs.

Try them for an effective

shave.

6. Aftershave You can use one that smells amazing or one with a barely-there scent.

They're great for soothing a just-shaved areas like your armpits, and will work better than moisturizing post-shave.

7. Hair Wax Trying a teeny bit of men's styling wax or pomade is a super hack for taming annoying flyaways. Just rub a drop between your hands and swipe it over your hair to tame the frizz. They also are great for adding texture.

cmyk

cmyk

DIBRUGARH, SATURDAY, APRIL 16

PAGE 12

India thrash Malaysia 6-1 to reach Tinkonia Boys’ Club & Dibrugarh Cricket Sultan Azlan Shah Cup finals Coaching Centre win

ANI Ipoh (Malaysia), Apr.15 : The Indian men's hockey team produced a remarkable performance as they booked their place in the finals of the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup after thrashing hosts Malaysia 6-1 in Ipoh on Friday.

India remained dominated throughout the match, with Nikkin Thimmaiah and Harjeet Singh scoring a goal each within a gap of four minutes in the first quarter.

In the 25th minute, Ramandeep Singh struck third goal for India through a penalty corner followed by Danish Mujtaba's goal just two

Indian men's hockey team minutes later.

Ramandeep netted his second goal for India in the 39th minute before Talwinder Singh sneaked a shot away to take the

visitors to an even wider lead.

Malaysia displayed some fight back in the final quarter, but that was not enough to stop India

from reaching the finals of the tournament.

With the win, India have now set up final showdown against unbeaten Australia on Saturday.

Sports Reporter Dibrugarh, Apr 15: Tinkonia Boys’ Club beat Young Star boys’ Club by three wickets in the third Dembi Bori and Kusum Bori T20 cricket tournament organised by Dibrugarh District Sports Association at DDSA stadium here today.

Put into bat, Young Star Boys’ Club piled up 90runs on board for loss of seven wickets in 17 overs. Akash Ghosh scored 33 0ff 35 balls, laced with two bound-

aries and one six, while Avhit Ghosh contributed 14 off 20 balls.

For Tinkonia Boys’ Club, Rajiv Rahman and Sahir Ahmed scalped two wickets a piece by giving away 8 and 17 runs respectively.

In their chase, Tinkonia Boys’ Club were scored 91 in 16.4 overs by losing seven wickets.

Dipankar Sonowal remained unbeaten on 24 off 14 balls, with two boundaries and one six.

Ali Ahmed scored 12 off 17 balls.

Subhajit Paul and Abhijit Nandi took three wickets conceding 16 and 11 runs for Young Star Boys’ Club.

In another match, Dibrugarh Cricket Coaching Centre defeated Dynamic Club by seven wickets.

Electing to bat, Dynamic Club were all out for 72 in 17.4 overs. Sabri Khan scored run a ball 19, hitting four boundaries, while Akthar Ahmed contributed 11 off 18 balls with two

boundaries.

Dipen Gogoi and Sunil Lachit shared two wickets by giving away 12 and 3 runs for Dibrugarh Cricket Coaching Centre.

In reply, DCCC eased past the target in 11.2 overs by scoring 77 for three.

Debanjan Tinsina scored 21 off 16 balls, hitting three fours, while Ripunjoy Dutta unbeaten on 18 off 19 balls.

For Dynamic, Mousin Ahmed took two wickets for 14 in 2 overs.

Spieth's caddie urges fans not to Wenger insists Arsenal still Waqar backs Inzamam as Pak's feel sorry for Masters runner-up remain PL title contenders chief selector

Inzamam-ul-Haq ANI Karachi, Apr.15 : Former Pakistan head coach Waqar Younis has thrown his support behind the appointment of former Test skipper Inzamam-ul-Haq as the national chief selector.

Waqar's comments came in the wake of reports that the Pakistan Cricket Board is likely to appoint Inzamam as the next chief selector,the Express Tribune.

Lavishing praise over the PCB's decision to implement one of his suggestions that he gave after 2015 World Cup, Waqar wrote on Tw i t t e r, " H e a r i n g Inzamam coming as chief selector. Very good news. Glad PCB now listening to my 2015 recommendations."

Last week, Haroon

Rasheed was sacked from the post of chief selector after the special committee asked the PCB to bring change in the selection committee.

Meanwhile, Waqar, in his report submitted after the World T20, had also slammed Rasheed for making too many changes in the team rather than sticking to his decision for some time in a bid to develop the team.

Just days after submitting the report, former pace spearhead Waqar announced his resignation from his post, saying that the PCB's failure to implement his recommendations after the 2015 World Cup and leak of his confidential report played a major role behind his resignation three months before his contract expires.

ANI Johannesburg, Apr 15 : Jordan Spieth's caddie, Michael Greller, has requested fans not to feel sorry for the American golfer, insisting that his boss will bounce back from the Augusta Masters finalround meltdown.

Defending champion Spieth looked set to win the Masters for a second consecutive time before squandering a five-stroke lead by making bogeys at 10 and 11 and a quadruple bogey at the par-three 12th to hand over the Green Jacket to Englishman Danny Willett, Sport24 reported.

"The 2016 Masters stung We have received an outpouring of support and

Jordan Spieth thoughtful messages. But don't feel sorry or sad for us. We won't get stuck in this moment, nor should you. We will work harder, fight harder and be better for it. We will bounce back as we have done many times," Greller wrote on

Facebook.

"A wise coach reminded me recently, winning shows your character and losing shows ALL your character.

Jordan continues to model grace and humility through wins and especially losses," he added.

ANI London. Apr.15 : Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has insisted that his side still remain genuine title contenders, calling on the Emirates Stadium club to fight till the end in order to claim this year's Premier League title.

Arsenal are currently trailing by 13 points from surprise leaders Leicester City, but Wenger believes that things could still turn around for his side as there were many more games to come.

The Frenchman, however, admitted that there was an immediate need for his side to score more goals at home and for that Arsenal had to start putting more pressure on their

all IPL matches out of d r o u g h t - h i t Maharashtra after April 30.

"We sat with IPL officials and discuss all the pros and cons. Four venues - Raipur, Vi s a k h a p a t n a m , Kanpur and Jaipur were proposed to the franchises board.

Mumbai Indians will respond day after tomorrow. But Pune Supergiants have given their preference; they want to play their remaining matches in Vishakhapatnam. So, this is what we have

opponents, the Mirror reported.

Wenger further stressed that his side had to keep winning the upcoming games in order to keep their title hopes alive, including this week's clash against Crystal Palace.

Describing Palace as a team with a good `offensive potential', the manager said his side had to be strong defensively in order to beat them.

Arsenal are currently standing third in league table, having 17 wins from 32 games they have played.

Kohli brands De Villiers as `best Murray sets up semi-final showdown batsman of this generation`

Indian batting star Virat Kohli ANI Johannesburg, Apr 15 : Indian batting star Virat Kohli has heaped praise on AB de Villiers, describing his Royal Challengers Ban-

galore teammate as 'the best batsman of this generation'.

Kohli struck a magnificent 157-run partnership for the opening wicket in just 14.3 overs as the Royal Challeng-

ers started their Indian Premier League campaign on a winning note after beating Sunrisers Hyderabad by 45 runs on Tuesday.

South African swashbuckling batsman De Villiers smashed 82 off just 42 balls, while Kohli stroked 75 as the team scored in excess of 200.

Reflecting on his scintillating stand with the South African, Kohli insisted that De Villiers reasserted his status as the best batsman of this generation as he eased pressure on his side by striking the ball in his own way, Sport24 reported.

Bangalore will next play against the Delhi Daredevils at home on Sunday.

with Nadal at Monte Carlo

Andy Murray ANI Monte Carlo, Apr.15 : World number two Andy Murray pro-

Visakhapatnam likely to host IPL matches for Rising Pune ANI New Delhi, Apr.15 : After a meeting with representatives of the two affected Indian Premier League franchises, league's chairman Rajeev Shukla on Friday said Rising Pune Supergiants have selected Visakhapatnam as their alternative home venue.

Shukla, however, said defending champions Mumbai Indians would divulge their decision on Sunday.

The development came in the wake of the High Court's decision to shift

Arsene Wenger

Rajeev Shukla proposed to the governing council," the BCCI

functionary told the media here.

Shukla also said Bangalore would be the likely venue for the final and Qualifier 1, while the Qualifier 2 and the Eliminator might be played in Kolkata.

"As far as play-off matches are concerned.

We are proposing to the governing council that first qualifier and final match should be played in Bangalore, while second Qualifier and eliminator should be played in Kolkata," he added.

Shukla reiterated that the board would also

file an appeal before the high court, seeking approval for holding the May 1 match in Maharashtra, as it would be impossible for Rising Pune to shift to a different venue within 24 hours as they host the Gujarat Lions on April 29.

The court's decision came on a PIL filed

by NGO 'Loksatta Movement' against hosting of the IPL matches in Maharashtra, which is facing severe water crisis.

duced an imperious form as he crushed Milos Raonic of Canada in straight sets in the

men's singles event to storm into the semi-finals of the Monte Carlo Masters on Friday.

Scottish professional Murray took one hour and six minutes to brush aside his Canadian opponent 6-2, 6-0 in the onesided quarter-final match.

With the win, Murray has set up a semi-final clash against fifth-seed Rafael Nadal, who has also made it to the next round after easing past his Swiss opponent Stan Wawrinka 6-1, 6-4.

Meanwhile, world number three Roger Federer knocked out of the tournament after suffering 6-3,2-6,5-7 defeat at the hands of France's Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.

Real to face City, Bayern to meet Atletico in CL semis ANI Johannesburg, Apr.15 : Real Madrid have been drawn against Manchester City, while Bayern Munich will face Atletico Madrid in the semifinals of the Champions League.

City will host 10-time winners Real in the first leg on 26th April at the Etihad Stadium with the return leg on 3rd May at the Santiago Bernanbeu, Sport24 reported.

Bayern was paired with Atletico for 27th April

Champions League first-leg clash with the return leg on 4th May. Meanwhile, the final is scheduled for May 28 at the San Siro in Milan.

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