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ASSENG/2015/64205
PAGE 12
Vol. II
1ST TEST, DAY 3: INDIA PUSH WILTING WEST INDIES TO VERGE OF HEAVY DEFEAT
Issue 37
Dibrugarh, Monday, July 25, 2016
Price -
5.00
PAGE 5
Pages- 12
TROPICAL CYCLONES ON TRACK TO GROW MORE INTENSE AS TEMPERATURES RISE
NC SEEKS SUSTAINED DIALOGUE WITH PAK, SEPARATISTS ON KASHMIR
Page - 11
Page - 6
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Flood situation continues to be grim in Assam and Arunachal
Flood situation in Arunachal Pradesh deteriorates PTI Itanagar, Jul 24
ET CAPSULES Python Recovered
People in Udaipur village and Dharmapur village had to break several of their dwelling houses with the increasing danger level of rivers. to take stock of the flood situation in their respective districts. Mein is in constant touch
Dharmapur and Mpen village in Miao Circle crying for immediate Govt attention ET Correspondent Diyun, July 24
Pic - Dharani Gogoi
Dikom, July 24 : A Six feet long Python was recovered by the Police from Phukonar Khat, Chetiapar in Rohmoria in Dibrugarh Distict today. The Python was later handed over to the Forest Department.(A Correspondent)
Effigies burnt Golaghat, July 24: Protest against price hike and auction of oilfields still continues across the state . Today members of Unemployed Union of Furkating in Golaghat protested against these two issues and criticised the BJP led central and state government . The protesters burnt effigies of Assam CM Sarbananda Sonowal and central petroleum minister Dharmendra Pradhan at Furkating and demanded to control price rise of essential commodities and to stop auctioning and privatisation of oilfields of Assam . Classifieds at Rs. 10/- per word
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with the legislators of the affected areas and has asked them to expedite and oversee the relief works.
Dharmapur which comprises of 3 villages with a population of 10260 (1789 families) under Miao Circle faces drastic flood situation every year but goes unaware from the eyes of the outside world as nothing is publish in any sorts of media about their flood menace. The villages
which are surrounded by two mighty rivers, Noa Dihing and Buri Dihing had to counter the fury of both the rivers which erode the place from both sides. The people estimated that nearly 40% of their lands were eroded completely by the both river ever since they have settled in 1964. Contd. on Page 3
He appealed to the people to remain calm, careful and vigilant and assured them that the government would provide all
NH52 submerged under water, plying of all types of vehicle is prohibited ET Bureau Namsai, July 24
Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein along with MLA Namsai Chow Zingnu Namchoom, DC R.K.Sharma, panchayat leaders and officers on Sunday visited the flood affected Dirak Miri, Rajabeel , Silatoo, Eraloni and Mahadevpur IV and interacted with the people to know their grievances. He appreciated and lauded the efforts of Distt administration and all functionaries of disaster management, NDRF, panchayat leaders NGOs etc for their service to bring succor to flood affected people in the time of distress. Later on, DCM convene meeting with DC and concerned offic-
ers and directed them to continue relief operations till water recedes. Also, he insisted for regular potable water supply, medical aid and veterinary assistance in affected area. He also directed to start plugging of breached portion of Noa Dehing River. It was reported that there was again continuous rise of water in the evening and has submerged NH52 and District administration has been directed to stop plying of all types of vehicle. Earlier in the morning, MLA Chow Zingnu Namchoom visited Deobil with panchayat members to see the flood situation. The DCM will also take a tour of Diyun tomorrow to see the flood situation in that area.
Congress to attack govt. over floods, law and order etc Assam Governor expresses A Staff Reporter Guwahati, July 24
The Assam Congress is planning to take the BJP led Assam government heads on the issues of security, flood and law and order, and in this regard a meeting of several Congress MLAs were held at Guwahati to take on the government in this budget session. According to a senior Congress MLAs, the party MLAs has been asked to be very attentive in the budget presentation, and to identify the anti poor announcements, and also to check deviations from the elections promises of the BJP. According to sources, tomorrow evening there is a meeting of all the Congress
MLAs to discuss floor coordination strategies, regarding steps to take on the government immediately after the presentation of the budget by the Assam finance minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. Meanwhile, in an attempt to keep its vote bank and strong holds intact, all the Congress MLAs has been instructed to make regular visit to the flood affected areas in their constituencies and to raise the issue at their own level with the present government, both at the state and the centre. Meanwhile taking a cue from the Congress, the AIUDF has also asked all its MLAs to spring into action, and to be on their toes throughout the budget session.
Tiger carcass recovered from Orang ET Correspondent Mangaldai July 24 The carcass of a four year old female Royal Bengal Tiger has been recovered from Singbheti forest camp area in Orang National Park. After post mortem today it was confirmed that the tigress died due to some disease informed media by ACF of Mangaldai Wildlife Division Naba Bordoloi.
concern for the people reeling under flood A Staff Reporter Guwahati, July 24
Governor of Assam, Hon’ble P.B. Acharya while surveying the flood affected areas by helicopter has expressed great concern for the prevailing flood situation in the state and expressed deep compassion with the people reeling under flood. In a statement here on Sunday, Acharya said, “I am concerned that the current spell of flood is causing sufferings to the people in affected districts. I express my empathy with the core of my heart and assure all that the state government with
all its manpower and materials are up there to help the people in distress.” Acharya also asked the government functionaries to reach out to the flood affected people and help them whole heartedly with relief materials. Acharya stated that all efforts should be directed towards relief and rehabilitation works to help the flood affected people including the livestock. The Governor also asked the Government to take all necessary steps to help evacuate the marooned people and shift them to safer places.
A view of flood affected Muluk gaon under Chabua revenue circle. Pic - Sidharth Singh A Staff Reporter Guwahati, July 24
Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal has asked all Deputy Commissioners to visit the flood hit areas in Assam and to provide the affected people with necessary things such as drinking water and milk for children. He asked the officials to provide medicines in all of these areas and instructed the officials to provide food packets to the people taking shelter at camps or in neighbouring houses. The flood situation in Assam worsened on Saturday. Two persons drowned and over five lakh people were affected in 13 districts of the state. The swollen Brahmaputra
and its tributaries have overflown their banks in Lakhimpur, Golaghat, Morigaon, Jorhat, Dhemaji, Sivasagar, Dibrugarh, Nagaon, Chirang, Kokrajhar, Barpeta, Bongaigaon, Nagaon and Dhubri districts. However, people who are still marooned alleged that sufficient relief materials from the government and district administration have not reached them. Former Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi had declared creation of 24 new Sub-divisions in state without the Cabinet's nod. The flood situation in the parts of Assam remained grim as the water level of major rivers and their tributaries was increasing rapidly, thereby badly affecting the normal life.
The flood also affected Kaziranga National Park and Pobitora wildlife sanctuary along with Dibru-Saikhowa National Park. Large areas of the Kaziranga National park and DibruSaikhowa wildlife sanctuary have been flooded forcing animals to take refuge in platforms built for their succour, forest department officials said. Meanwhile in a major embarrassment for the Congress, the BJP led Assam government has said that the Congress government in Assam had announced formation of sub-divisions in the state without taking any cabinet approval. It may be mentioned here that a youth, Himangshu Tamuli died in firing by security forces during an agitation for Sub-Division in Tihu.
Bomb recovered at New Tinsukia railway station, one suspected ulfa cadre arrested Rishu Kalantri Tinsukia, July 24
A powerful IED bomb was recovered from New Tinsukia Railway Station on Sunday evening hours before important trains like Kamrup Express and Rajdhani Express were scheduled to arrive from Dibrugarh. The recovery, just 3 days before banned outfit ulfa's martyr day amidst regular intelligence input of ulfa plans to trigger blast at Tinsukia, has triggered panic in and around Tinsukia. The recovery of the bomb comes from a mini drain beside the last end of platform number 1. As such it is not apparently clear whether the bomb was planted or hidden there to carry sabotage when important trains would arrive. In the meantime, security forces has nabbed one suspected ulfa cadre believed to be the person who planted the bomb. The arrested youth
Security forces manning the railway station and (inset) arrested Ulfa cadre Anupam Chetia. Pic - Sidharth & Arjun has been identified as Anupam Chetia alias Susan Axom, a resident of Kakopathar belt. Talking to ET, Superintendent of Tinsukia police Mugdha Jyoti Mahanta said, the recovered bomb is a programmed time device that can be activated by a mobile. The snipper dog of army has
confirmed the object to be be a bomb after which bomb disposal squad has be called in, he added. Mahanta said, we have arrested one ulfa cadre who has admitted his hand behind the bomb recovery. Contd. on Page 4
Cancer detecting van lying idle in Sivasagar Sorif Mohommod Sivasagar, July 24
When at present Assam's Health Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma is announcing the government’s initiative to check cancer in the state, one Mobile Cancer Detection Van in Sivasagar, is gathering dust as it is lying idle. The van was donated by
ONGC Assam Asset to Joint Director of Health Services, Sivasagar at a cost of Rs 50 lakhs. The van, which is now unusable, was meant to help medical personnel to tour the villages and create awareness and diagnose cancer. The mobile clinic van, without reaching the out to cancer patients is lying idle outside the residence of Joint
Director of Health Services located at the bank of Borpukhuri for many years.
Cancer detecting van lying idle in Sivasagar.
The van which was purchased to detect cancer at the cost of Rs 50 lakhs by ONGC, was proposed to hand over to a NGO named Bordoichila to operate. But due to unknown reasons, it could not be happened till today.
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With no improvement in weather condition, the flood situation in several districts of Arunachal Pradesh deteriorated as new areas were inundated and over 100 families rendered homeless. Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein who air-dashed to the state capital on Saturday from New Delhi on the directive of Chief Minister Pema Khandu, visited the flood-affected districts of Lohit, Namsai, East Siang, Lower Dibang Valley and Changlang to take stock of the situation. The Chief Minister asked Mein to evaluate the scenario and instill confidence among the locals, an official report said. Khandu, who is personally monitoring the situation, had earlier deputed MLAs Mohesh Chai, Chow Zingnu Namchoom and Laisam Simai
assistance in carrying out relief and restoration work in the flood-hit districts. The Noa-Dehing River has flooded the entire Lekang circle while the entire Namsai Township and its adjoining villages, mostly under Piyong circle are badly affected. The water level of NoaDehing and Jengthu rivers are flowing above the danger mark, a report from Namsai said. The flood situation under Chongkham circle also remains grim as the water level of the Lohit, Kamlang, Berreng, Tengapani rivers and its tributaries are rapidly increasing. The worst affected areas are Gunanagar, Alubari, Injo, Insa, Pangkhao and Kherem. The floods have also caused massive erosion of the river banks and damaged the cultivated lands, paddy fields, tea gardens, horticultural fields, livestocks.
Assam CM directs all DCs to visit flood hit areas as flood situation continues to be grim in Assam
DIBRUGARH, MONDAY, JULY 25
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ASTRO FOR YOU Aries You will be indecisive today, which is not usually the case with you. This could lead you to indulge in speculation, which is not so bad unless you risk all your money in it. Besides, when it comes to matters of the heart, you must exercise a great deal of caution. Taurus Impulsive action kicks in as you work and interact today. Do not let the pressure and strain cloud your thoughts, and instead focus on acting on the things at hand. If you find things spiralling out of control, take a break and listen to some music that soothes your heart. Gemini Today, you will decide to become a bit more conscious about your health. You may or may not join a gym or measure your calories, but you will definitely sit up and take notice of your lifestyle and unhealthy food habits. A new job is also likely, which will open a completely new chapter in your life. Cancer Today, you will put your heart and soul into whatever task you take up. And, that's a great thing to do. Don't lose heart though, if despite the best efforts, the results of your efforts are not too forthcoming. Feeling dejected is only going to hamper your progress. Remember that you'll receive your due sooner or later. Spend some time with your loved ones to revive yourself. Alternatively, a quiet evening tucked in the bed with a nice book is also a great idea. Leo If one were to put an earnest spirit and a frank attitude together, the result would be a Leo; it's like your hallmark. And with qualities like these in your kitty, don't be surprised if you happen to reach a milestone or two today. Will it be marital bliss or career success? No matter what the area is, be assured that your societal standing shall get a heady boost today. Just don't let the success go to your head. Virgo The booster rockets of your ambitions and spirit to work will kick in at the maximum today. Seek recreation after a hard day's work and look to relax at private parties, socialdos and even weddings. Libra "Every man has specific natural abilities", said Aristotle. This seems to be true for you today. Your natural talents will be acknowledged and documented at work. This might prompt your equals to hold you up above the rest, and for your seniors to positively encourage you to scale greater heights. But as always, be careful to make sure that success does not make you heady with arrogance. Keep yourself firmly grounded, and remember that, 'pride cometh before the fall'.
Clay modeling and wood crafting workshop concludes ET Correspondent Tezpur, July 24: The five day long Clay modeling and wood crafting workshop organized by Tezpur Asomyia Club concluded today at closing ceremony at the meeting Hall of the oldest sociocultural organization of the town located near ASTC bus stand here. One of the executives of the TAC and also a noted social worker, Hemanta Lahkar said that as part of it’s socio-cultural developmental works like in the past many years this year too it has organized altogether five special events including poetry recitation among the upcoming poets and the
litterateurs, a weight lifting competition monitored by national coach Anup Kwnor, a wrestling competition at Bihaguri near here besides the mentioned five day two special events. However, the Clay modeling and wood crafting workshop concluded today were simultaneously held at Kamalaprashad Memorial School and Lutheran High School premises. Briefing the programme he also said that in clay modeling workshop altogether 30 children from various schools took part. Noted artist awarded with a number of national awards, Saleha Ahmed was present in this event
as chief resource person, while in the wood-craft chapter renowned artist with national and international repute, Sopun Neog was present to impart training to altogether 27 children. Highlighting the mission and vision of organizing such events Lahkar further revealed before this correspondent that the Tezpur Asomiya Club has been targeting the children of the marginalized section of the society to make them skilled to earn their livelihood for living an honest life in the society. “During this five day long workshop we have noticed that children from the disadvantaged section
ET Correspondent Golaghat, July 24: Under the banner of Maheswari Yuva Sangathan a three days workshop - Boredom Buster Camp has been organised in Maheswari Bhawan premises from Saturday. In the camp Craft work, Photography, Poem composition, Mike Handling, Drawing and Mental Mathematics classes have been arranged. In the inauguration ceremony Julie Kakoty and Arindam Bharadwaj were felici-
Sagittarius Today, your superiors at work are going to trust you with many complicated assignments. But, after exerting yourself, you are sure to come out with flying colors and have your work appreciated. Do not be surprised if cash incentives come your way. Such may indeed be your fortune. Capricorn You will be a live wire, today. With amazing exuberance you have completed mammoth tasks and have spread the energy around. It will give you tremendous job-satisfaction. Everything seems well and good the personal front, too. Spending some quality time your spouse will relax your mind and keep you in an upbeat mood.
Pisces You are fond of traveling and are always looking for an excuse to set off. Hence it comes as no surprise if you pack your bags and decide to embark upon a journey on a whim today. It is a much needed break too, from the daily stresses of earning a livelihood. While you are seeking solitude, you will take your friends and relatives along with you on the trip.
PRASAR BHARATI (India's Public Service Broadcaster) ALL INDIA RADIO : DIBRUGARH (M.W.529.1m/KHz567 F.M. 101.30 MHz)
ET Correspondent Lakhimpur; July 24: Indo-Global Social Service Society (IGSSS), a noted NGO that works for the betterment of the backwards and down-troddens, on Friday distributed water filters among the flood affected people of Nowboicha. IGSSS, Lakhimpur solemnized this venture among the flood victims residing at three villages, viz. Gelahati, Goshanibari and Khundu Miri under Madhya Nowboicha Gaon
Panchayat of Nowboicha Revenue Circle. A total of 128 water filters were distributed among same number of households at the presence of village headmen, beneficiaries and media persons. Rajen Saikia, the project Officer of the NGO inaugurated the program. The beneficiaries were overwhelmed having received the items and appreciated the solemn venture of the NGO. They expressed that no flood relief had been supplied to them by any
Maheswari Mahila Sanghathan organises Sawan Mela
Phone No.-03732325456 E-mail -dibrugarh@air.org.in Facebook Page-All India Radio Dibrugarh Programme Highlights 25-7-16 (MONDAY) 5-35 A.M-Bhaktigeeti (Devotional Songs) 6-10 A.M-Swasthya Charcha (Health Programme) 6-30 A.M-Bidyarthir Anusthan 7-15 A.M-Aajir Dinto (Morning Information Service) 7-30 A.M-Geetanjali (Assamese Modern Songs) 8-35 A.M-Surar Panchoi (Composite Programme of Assamese Film Songs) 9-05 A.M- Antara (Composite Programme of Hindi Film Songs) 2-00 P.M-Sponsored Programme-"Jaagaa Grahak Jaagaa" 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 Anushthan 7-15 P.M-Yuvavani 7-45 P.M-Aadhunik Geet 8-00 P.M-Drama-Khirikiyedi,Written by Ali Haidar 8-30 P.M-Talk -"Bharotiyo Arthanitit Pratyaksha Boideshik Biniyog" by Dr Debo Kr. Chakravarty 10-00 P.M-Question Hour in Parliament Sd-/H.O.P
In her inaugural speech, the deputy commissioner appreciated the TAC for organizing such a praiseworthy programme. Emphasizing the importance of the art and craft and culture for society’s good she assured to extend her every possible help and urged the organizers to take forward the disadvantaged section of the society establishing them in the national platform. Besides other dignitaries the august event was attended by the parents of the participants and members and office bearers of the Tezpur Asomiya Club. At the end the participants were given away with the certificates.
IGSSS distributes Water Filter among Workshop by Maheswari flood victims in Nowboicha Yuva Sangathan
Scorpio You will find yourself thinking with your heart rather than your head today. You may not be able to repress your feelings, and you should not even try. But you should be careful about how you express them, particularly in public as people may judge you wrongly on the basis of it.
Aquarius For a moment, it seems that you're swamped with problems. But you are brave enough to deal with any ugly issue that crops up suddenly. A romantic evening, which may just be time together in a jacuzzi, or simply preparing a meal together. Pure ecstasy!
like thela and rikshaw pullers, daily wage earners etc. too can do something extraordinary things as they too have unimaginable talents, but they need an exposure which society we live in often fail to provide in the real sense. So it is our minimum effort to boost up these talents who might reflect the society’s status if they be given the right platform.” He felt. Meanwhile, it needs mention here that the closing ceremony of the two events held under the presidentship of the TAC, Jatindranath Koch was formally inaugurated by the deputy commissioner, Sonitpur, Laya Madduri.
ET Correspondent Golaghat, July 24: Golaghat Maheswri Mahila Sangathan organized Sawan Mela at Maheswri Bhawan premises . On the occasion, Deputy Commandant of CRPF 142 battalion Achala Ram Lighted the lamp and inaugurated the Exhibition. Sri Achla Ram encouraged women organizing such events and proving that the Indian women are not behind any longer. The stalls came from Kolkata, Jorhat, Bokakhat, Tinsukia, Guwahati, Golaghat and other places . Women and local people enjoyed the event. On the occasion of the Games were
conducted by Maheswari Yuva Sangathan . In Rakhi Making Kiran Taparia was winner . Komal Taparia was winner in the nail art. In Bander Wall competition winner was Neelam Sarda. In the lucky draw, Seema Todi , Sri Ramji Karwa and Roohi Modi were winners . On the occasion Durga Malpani , Radha Binnani Sarika Chandak, Bimla Kabra, Ahilya Mall, Kusum Bajaj, Lalita Chandak, Sharda Mall, Saroj Kothari, Sarla Kothari gave commendable contribution. President Mina Nagori and Secretary Ranjana Binnani gave vote of thanks .
government agencies till the date though flood caused by river Shingara has perpetually affected the area. Only the NGO had brought a glimpse of hope today among the flood victims during their miserable conditions. It is to be noted that The office staff of IGSSS, Hungma Basumatary, Bikash Surin, Mantu Saikia, Homen Doley and Suren Chelleng were present in the program from the NGO.
tated. Craft classes are been taken by Julie Kakoty, Photography classes by Arindam Bharadwaj, Poem Composition by Vishal Binnani . The motive behind the event is to help the kids enjoy and utilise their holidays. A free demo class on mike handling was taken by Amit Nagori. Komal Taparia, Swati Baheti, Payal Binnani, Bindiya Maheswari, Prateek Binnani and Ramesh Jaju assisted in the program.
Deer rescued in Tezpur town ET Correspondent Tezpur, July 24 : Suffering from acute fodder problem following flood in most of the wildlife habitats in and around Tezpur including Bhumuraguri and Burha Chapori forest here the wild life particularly wild elephant and the deer are seen taking shelter in the human habitats creating an awkward situation
among the forest department and the common people here. Coincidentally a fateful deer wounded on it’s rear left foot was rescued by a pujari of hanuman mandir near Bishnurabha crematorium on the bank of the river Brahmaputra this morning. After possible treatment to the deer it was handed over to the Tezpur forest office.
Five poachers held, rhino horn recovered PTI Tezpur (Assam), Jul 24 : Five poachers were arrested from Biswanath district today and a rhino horn was recovered from them. Biswanath Superintendent of Police Ankur Jain said four rhino poachers arrested this morning from Gohpur along with a 650 gm horn. At the time of arrest, the four poachers were finalising a deal worth Rs
50 lakh for the horn, the price of which in the international market is over Rs 1.5 crore. Jain said another poacher was arrested from a remote area under Sootea police station. Police had launched an operation to nab these poachers two days ago after receiving inputs. Jain said police recovered one .303 rifle with 17 ammunition, one modified carbine, 9 mm
ammunition, one modified silencer and one 9 mm carbine with magazine. Due to flood, animals have come out of the Kaziranga National Park and poachers are taking advantage of this. In an anti-poaching drive carried out by Biswanath police over the past two months, around 25 poachers have been arrested from different places of the district.
Thousands from 10 villages in Teok hit by floods
Contributed for flood victims
Nitya Manjuri organised under the banner of NATARAJ KALA KHATRA at Sivasagar Natya Mandir today. Pic - Firuz Ahmed
ET Correspondent Golaghat, July 24: Maheswari Mahila Sangathan Golaghat donated important day to day commodities including clothes and sum of rupees five thousand for the flood victims of Golaghat to Golaghat BJP members. On the
very occasion Kusum Bajaj, Bimla Chandak, Mina Nagori ,Ranjana Binnani, Radha Binnani, Durga Malpani were present. It is to be known that Golaghat BJP has taken the lead to provide the essential commodities to the needful.
ET Correspondent Teok, July 24: A large area of Teok revenue circle under Jorhat district was severely affected by the latest wave of floods caused due to the rising waters of the Brahmaputra. A total number of 10 villages and thousands of people from
these vilages were affected due to the floods. According to the sources, the flood affected areas were Sagunpara gaon, Hatisal gaon, Bormothauri gaon, Mithai chapori gaon, Mukaloni Mising gaon including a greater area of Jhanjimukh. This was the
fourth time flood has inundated the Jhanjimukh area during the current year. A large area of agricultural land and a large numbers of domestic animals were affected due to the floods. The local govt authority has taken all necessary steps to help the flood victims.
DIBRUGARH, MONDAY, JULY 25
PAGE 3
DFP play vital role to publicize the centrally sponsored schemes in rural eastern most part of India: Dr. Chai ET Bureau Tezu, July 24: Our Honorable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has started many flagship schemes during last two years for the rural and poor people as well as for unemployed youths and DFP played significant role to publicize the schemes in very rural eastern most part of India, said Dr. Mohesh Chai, MLA, TezuSunpura. He was speaking as chief guest during a "Special Outreach Programme" organized by Directorate of Field Publicity (DFP), Govt. of India, Ministry of I & B, Tezu unit at Yealiang village about 40 Kms. away from district HQ, Tezu of Lohit District of Arunachal Pradesh yesterday. The main objective of the programme was to inform and educate the rural mass about the flagship schemes launched by the present NDA govt. during last two years. The MLA acknowledged the Hon'ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi' slogan "Sab Ka Saath Sab Ka Vikas" said that the PM has started many social security schemes like PMJDY, PMJSY, PMJJBY, APY, MUDRA Yojana etc. for rural and poor people. He requested to the Bank authority that if any uneducated/unknown rural people
reached at bank before you to open the account under social security schemes then you have to kindly cooperate politely and exercise their all works in day itself. The MLA DR. Chai appealed to the people that if any bank does not cooperate then you should directly complain to me, I will take action against that bank because you the people are elected me for your development and help as well as to achieve the 100% target of execute the schemes. He however explains one by one all social security schemes during the programme and requested to the bank authority to open a bank branch at Sunpura and should reach time to time at the rural area to open account un-
der social security schemes where no any bank in long distance. Speaking about Beti Bachao Beti Padhao scheme, Dr. Chai categorically said that it's our honor that in our society particular in Arunachal Pradesh there are no such case to see about the female foeticide and infanticide but we have to honour, educate and protect the every girl for betterment of society and country as a hole. He also requested to the officers from Medical, Agriculture, ICDS and other implementing agencies of various flagship schemes that when anyone comes before you to know about the scheme you have to politely elaborate and educate that they may easily get benefit from the
Poglek river causes havoc; road, water supply snapped
scheme. Sideline of the programme, the MLA Dr. Chai pointed out that the developmental meeting will start from September next, he also disclosed that an x-ray machine provided to the CHC Sunpura. The MLA further announced that construction of boundary wall around Community hall Yealiang, renovation of Kebang hall Sunpura, Construction of a Badminton Indoor-Stadium etc. at Sunpura during the SOP. The MLA appreciated the DFP, Tezu unit for organising such programme at remote area and requested to organize more such programmes at other villages too. Earlier, Dr. W. Anand Singh, SMO, CHC Sunpura briefed the
Dharmapur and Mpen village in Miao Circle crying for immediate Govt attention Contd. from Page 1
Spl Correspondent Pasighat, July 24 : Due to incessant rain from last so many days, the Poglek River in Takilalung village has washed away the Pasighat-Ledum-Tene Road and drinking water pipeline of Takilalung and Runne village while submerging several acres of agricultural land today. While appealing the state government, Alen Taning, Anchal Samiti Chairperson, Bosing Anchal Block said that, if preventive measures are not taken,
the entire agricultural lands of Takilalung and Runne village will be silted by the next 5-6 years and people will starve. Taning has also appealed local MLA Kaling Moyong to look into the matter urgently and do needful to restore the snapped road and pipelines. While briefing the ordeals of the flood damages at his area, Taning told this reporter that, Takilalung and Runne village has been under constant threat from Poglek
River which needs a strong flood control measures. Taning has also urged the new Chief Minister Pema Khandu led state government to look into the ordeal of the villages. Takilalung village has been adopted by local Member of Parliament Ninong Ering under Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojana and Runne village is birth place of late Daying Ering, pioneer of modern Arunachal and father of MP Ninong Ering.
gathering about Mission Indradhanush, JSSK and JSY, Shri P. K Sharma and Shri O. P. Gupta, Field Officer, SBI Tezu and Shri C. K. Das, S/A, APEX Bank, Tezu educated the gathering about social security schemes, Shri C.C. Doley, ADO Sunpura spoke about Fasal Bima Yojana and PM krishi Sinchai Yojana, Shri M. Lego, H e a d M a s t e r, G o v t . Middle School, Sunpura expressed their view about Beti Bachao Beti Padhao scheme. Shri Vikhelum Bellai, Circle Officer, Supura, Shri Bikaso Tega, ZPM, Sunpura, Smti. Khimiliang Talumpai, ASM, Yealiang-1, Shri Mihir Kumar Jha, FPO, Tezu and Shri S. K. deori, FPO, Nampong also spoke during the programme. About 500 people including, HGB, GB, PRI members, Public leaders, Officers, Youths, ASHAs, Aanganwari Workers, Villagers etc. from Yealiang-1, Yealiang-2, Old Sunpura, Jeko, Hatiduba, Chialiang and other nearby villages were participated in the programme. Quiz competition, Photo Exhibition are the other activities to mark the daylong event.
Due to the incessant rains in the last few days, just like many other parts of the state, Dharmapur villages are also submerged under water. And in the last two days, Buri Dihing River has opened a tributary marching towards the middle of the villages and joining the Noa-Dihing River at the other side. The new channel has eroded lots of paddy plantations in its way and several dwelling houses are on the verge of complete erosion. On Wednesday, students going to school in Newton village have lost 5 bi-cycles when the Boat ferrying them met with an accident while crossing the Buri Dihing River. Since the villages have no Higher Secondary school, students either take admission in Miao town or in Newton
village which lies across the Buri Dihing. The same fate is with the M-pen village which is also in Miao Circle. The Village Headman of M-Pen has informed that they are not receiving even a slightest help from the administration. “if the rains continue to pour at the same rate till Monday, M-pen Part I village which consists of 250 families (600 population) will be totally washed away” informed the village headman adding them they need to be rescued and given reliefs. He said that since morning the villagers are trying to call help from the administration but couldn’t contact anyone. Circle Officer, Ms. Namrata Bhatt is out of station in Tinuskia and EAC Ms. Lui Siba has recently transferred to Tezu. ADC phone is not reachable and CO Lungphi phone is switched off, informed the villagers.
Members of Zubeen Garg Friend Club cleaning the bank of Historic Joysagar Tank on July 24. Pic - Neelam Kakoty
Flood situation improves in Tinsukia district as water recedes
Men and animal submerged due to massive flood at Natingaon in the Guihan area in Tinsukia district this morning. Pic - Sidharth Singh.
Spl Correspondent Tinsukia, July 24 : Flood situation in the entire district on Sunday has slightly improved after water level has started receding. This respite comes after there was no
On the other hand district administration has pressed army into relief and rescue services. Rescue teams are travelling on boats to provide relief distribution material to flood affected persons.
Union had gathered huge quantity of relief material and later distributed it among flood affected people.
rainfall recorded in last 24 hours.
Although there are allegations that relief materials has not reached to several families who are battling flood waters at their level.
water level is receding images of devastation are coming up. Parts of several important roads, particularly, at bordering areas with Arunachal has been washed away and communications disrupted.
However, almost 20 villages are still marooned under flood water and people are being forced to take shelters at highlands and relief camps.
Back here in Town, All Assam Hindu Students
Amidst the relief and rescue operations, as the
Ninth Naba Ita Pulu Memorial Football tournament 2016 started with Indian Mongolians in NE meet held a bang on Tuesday with about 20 teams participating
ET Correspondent Roing, July 24 : The tournament was kicked off by deputy commissioner Rabi Dhawan at general ground. While declaring the tournament 'open', Dhawan urged the
players to play in the tournament with the spirit of sportsmanship. He also hoped that Arunachal would become a powerhouse of football in days to come. 'Ireland with a mere
population of about 3 lakhs created ripple in UEFA Euro Cup 2016. IRRn the same way we hope players from the state would do the same for the country. India with a billion plus population
still has not been able to produce a soccer team'. According to organizers the winner of tournament will walk away with a cash prize of Rs. 70000 and Rs. 50000 for runner up along with trophies.
Tournament is being organized district Olympic Association and department of sports and youth affairs with support from district administration. In the first match of the tournament, IER FC and
Abali FC took to the ground. Defending champion IER FC trounced its rival with one goal. Fight for the match was fought tooth and nail with defending champion pinning down the rival.
Sushanta Roy Diphu July 24: The North East Indigenous Indian Mongolian People's Cultural Organization (NEIIMPCO), Dima Hasao part organized a assembly at Halflong, headquarter town of Dima Hasao district on Friday last. The participants chiefly conferred about diverse subject and tribulations the Indian Mongolians living in North east India face. The convention was chaired by SC Longmailai, retired IAS officer who is also the convener of NEIIMPCO, Dima Hasao unit. Representatives from maximum hills tribe’s organizations and individuals domiciled in Dima Hasao region participated in the discussion and deliberation. "The discussion mainly dealt on
prevention of ethnic violence among different tribes as experienced in the past. The members emphasized upon the necessity of prevention of mistrust and understanding among the tribes, without which development cannot take place and peace will not prevail, "said Longmailai during his deliberation. Speakers stressed on the necessity of affective implementation of various provisions of the Sixth schedule of the Constitution of India to benefit the Sixth Schedule population who are facing social and economic incursion. The conference was attended by JI Kathar another retired IAS officer belonging to Karbi tribe and chief co-coordinator of NEIIMPCO.
DIBRUGARH, MONDAY, JULY 25
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Flood again wreaks havoc at Telahi, Nowboicha in Lakhimpur; one die in boat capsize ET Correspondent Lakhimpur, July 24: Due to incessant rain, flood has again wreaked havoc in Lakhimpur district. Amidst a miserable condition, One person was reported to have died in growing flash flood of rver Subansiri due to boat capsize that took place yesterday. The person was Dulal Gogoi (26), a permanent inhabitant of Karsan Majorkuri Village under North Lakhimpur Police Station. As per information received, Gogoi went by a wooden boat to reap grass for cattle in the afternoon. Since then he was untraced up to 9pm. At last his body with the capsized boat was recovered around 9.30 pm. He was survived by his wife and two daughters. His funeral was done today after the Post Mortem had been
performed. On the other hand, flash flood caused by river Subansiri inundated a plenty of villages under Lakhimpur, Telahi and
Nowboicha Mouza. Besides the overflowing water of river Shingara submerged at least twelve villages in Nowboicha. The overall situation has
turned to be grim as the flood level is growing. Flood affected more than hundred of villages and thousands of family under Ghunasuti, Pub Telahi,
Panigaon, Luhit Khabalu, Pachim Telahi GP and Nowboicha area. Residence of twelve families had been eroded away at Ghagar in Lakhimpur GP. Erosion has turned to be devastating at Ghagar, Acherakata, Na-Ali, Daphalakata, No. 1 Naharani etc. District Administration has provided no relief to the flood and erosion affected people apart from one time relief given to Luhit Khabalu area and that is why the victimized people expressed grievances against this negligence. Dilip Pegu, the Vice President of Takam Miching Porin Kebang (TMPK) strongly reacted over the issue. He has threatened to initiate agitation against the Administration.
Lt. Col. SBSN Upadhaya of 63 Field Regiment handing over the prize of best competitor in ‘C’ Group of the 22nd Summer Children Camp to Hiya Baruah. The weeklong camp organised by Pathikrit Gosthi, Sonari concluded today. ET Photo
Bomb recovered at New Tinsukia railway Cleanness Drive by police No clue of missing IAF plane, station, one suspected ulfa cadre arrested administration at Nazira satellite imagery sought Contd. from Page 1
ET Correspondent Nazira, July 24: Under the leadership of Mr.Rajendra Oja, SubDivisional Police officer of Nazira the police administration of Nazira took part in a Cleanness Drive in Nazira College Tiniali, SDO (O) office campus and in the bank of historic Borbaruah Tank etc. on 24th July .Local peoples are appreciated this constructive effort of the police administration .
CLG meeting held at Margherita police station
ET Correspondent Margherita, July 24: A CLG meeting was today held at Margherita Police
Station where Nagarik Samity was formed today. Margherita Circle Officer Pranab Kumar Bora was
selected as Chairperson, Margherita Police Station officer in Charge Debojit Mahanta selected as Ex oficio Secretary, President Ananda Gogoi, Vice President Anita Das Mahanta and Pradip Konwar, Assistant Secretary Bhadra Saikia and Probin Neog along with 18 members.The main aims and objectives of Nagarik Samity is to assist police in sensitive situation and also to stop Drugs Abuse, Child labour, Domestic Violence etc and also to help public in serious situation like natural calamities.
Flood water of River Jiabharali inundated many crop fields
ET Correspondent Tezpur, July 24 : The flood water of tributaries of mighty Brahmaputra including River Jiabharali, Gabharu, Belsiri Panchnoi etc. have submerged many areas in Sonitpur District. According to the information available here due to the flood water of River Jiabharali, Bhumuraguri, Kacharipam and Rajgar villages and it’s paddy fields have been submerged. Moreover, due to the gradual raising of the
water of river Jiabharali the people of villages including Bihiagaon and Tengabasti are at present at stake as hectares of their agricultural fields are under water. Besides flood the people of these villages under Bhumuraguri and Rajgar panchayats are suffering from sever erosion problem of both river Brahmaputra and Jiabharali for which they have been shifting to safe places. More importantly
following the flood fury bighas of vegetable fields are damaged taking advantage of which the vegetable vendors are hiking price of vegetables in the local market here. Likewise, according to the water resource department here the river Dipota is also causing serious flood and erosion problems in many areas. Moreover, the river Panchnoi, Belsiri and Gabharau have also been causing flood and erosion problem in many areas.
PTI C h e n n a i / Vi s h a k h a p a tnam, Jul 24 : As the arduous operation to trace the IAF's missing AN32 aircraft with 29 people on board stretched into the third day today, the search and rescue team is now seeking satellite imagery to find any clue of the plane that lost contact over the Bay of Bengal. "There is no sign of the plane as yet," a senior defence official said. At least 18 navy and coast guard ships including a submarine, and eight aircraft like P 81, C 130 and Dorniers are involved in the round the clock operation to search for the Port Blairbound transport plane which went missing after it took off from the Tambaram air base near Chennai at 8.30 AM on July 22. Inclement weather was posing a major challenge in the operation. The authorities are now seeking satellite imagery of the area. "The search operation is continuing on a 24-hour basis and all resources at disposal are being used. "We have also sought satellite information," Eastern Naval Command chief Vice
Admiral HCS Bisht said in Vishakhapatnam. "The depth of water there is about 3,500 metres and in some place it is even more. As the depth increases, challenges also increase," he said, adding that the weather was rough and it was raining. He said the family members are being updated on a regular basis. Meanwhile, airforce authorities have lodged a formal complaint with Tamil Nadu police over the missing AN-32 aircraft. "We have received a complaint that Air Force's AN32 transport aircraft has gone missing," a senior police official said today. "The complaint was lodged last night with Selaiyur police," he said. "The complaint says that 29 personnel on board AN-32 and the aircraft have gone missing. Among the missing personnel is one person from Tamil Nadu," the official told PTI. The complaint has been lodged for legal purposes. A similar complaint was filed when Coast Guard's Dornier aircraft went missing last year. The wreckage of the
According to sources, passengers at New Tinsukia Railway Station saw one youth hiding something and accordingly he was caught at platform number 1 on suspicion. Police was immediately informed. Earlier, immediately after information of recovery of bomb just beside platform number 1, various security agencies including troops from 15 Kumaon regiment of Indian army and officials of various intelligence agencies rushed to the CG Dornier aircraft and bodies of its crew were later found off Cuddalore in Tamil Nadu. The Russian-made workhorse made the last radio contact at 0846 hours, 16 minutes after take off, on Friday.
tee , Badan Saikia , veteran academician and retired principal of Sipajhar B.Ed college, state level award recipient retired teacher Kiron Saikia Bora and other distinguished guests offered felicitation to the students on behalf of the organizers with gamosa, citation and a bundle of books. Besides this felicitation four among them who reportedly belongs to very poor family background were also provided a financial aid of Rs 3,000 each under an educational trust introduced for the first time by one of the member of the Sanggha namely Surendra Nath Deka .Speaking on the occasion the dignitaries present expressed concern about the
According to sources, during interrogation Anupam Chetia has told security forces that he entered Tinsukia district with a bomb on instruction of senior Ulfa leader Arunoday Dahotia. He has informed that they were 4 cadres from different groups and were tasked to carry out blast at different places in Upper Assam. It is learnt that he has admitted that he joined the banned outfit in 2016 which once again confirms that ulfa has been continuously recruiting new youths.
Trade body contributes for flood victims
Worries mounted for the authorities as time was running out and no positive signals emerged from the operations Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar yesterday undertook an aerial survey to personally monitor the search and rescue operations.
Darrang Sankar Sanggha felicitated meritorious students ET Correspondent Mangaldai, July 24: The Darrang district unit of the Srimanta Sankardev Sanggha today felicitated as many 77 meritorious students of the district including twelve first class holders in Post Graduation and Graduation and another 65 securing star marks in HS and HSLC final examinations respectively. In this connection a public function was organized at the Kendriya Naam Ghar premises of Sanggha's district committee here on Sunday where President (Padadhikar) of the Srimanta Sankardev Sanggha Bhabendra Nath Deka , Gurujyoti Das , MLA , Mangaldai , Biren Saharia , President Darrang District commit-
station. The area where the bomb was found was cordoned off and bomb was covered with a bomb blanket as standard operation procedure. Movement on that stretch of platform number 1 was restricted and trains were diverted to platform number 2 and 3. Later, at around 7.15 pm Dinjan army headquarters based bomb disposal squad destroyed the bomb through a controlled blast. The bomb was took away to an open space nearby before being destroyed.
degradation of moral values among the students community on whom the destiny of the future society is heavily depended. They appealed to the students to inculcate human values like love , respect , honesty etc among themselves and also acquire general knowledge right from the school level along with bookies knowledge to recognize himself as good and successful human being in this present era of ambition and knowledge explosion. Earlier all the guests were felicitated by Sankar Saikia , Zonal Coordinator of Sanggha's Kendriya Seva Bahini and Bijay Kr Deka , President of district Seva Committee on behalf of the organizers.
ET Correspondent Golaghat, July 24: Assam Chambers of Commerce Golaghat unit donated important day to day commodities for the flood victims of Golaghat in Khumtai region to Golaghat B.J.P Members.
On the very occassion Shyamal Das, Achyut Dutta, Manoj Jain and Manish Randhar were present. It is to be known that Golaghat B.J.P has taken the lead to provide the essential commodities to the needful.
Workshop on Film Making Starts in Golaghat ET Correspondent Golaghat, July 24: A seven days workshop on Film Making started from today at Vivekananda Kendra Vidyalaya in Golaghat . The workshop is organised by Film Fraternity of Assam Golaghat District Unit. Today the programme was started with lightning of lamp by the President of FFA and renowned film maker Munin Baruah . The workshop was inaugurated by film producer and director Dinesh Gogoi . In this week long workshop train-
ing will be given on various aspects of Film Making like acting , script writing , editing, cinematography, VFX, choreography by noted personalities of Assamese film industry . In the inaugural ceremony held today noted cinematographer Sumon Dowerah, NSD Graduate and actor Pabitra Rabha, Choreographer Mrinal Dawlaguphu and several others were present as distinguished guests . More than fifty participants have taken part in the workshop.
ET Correspondent Golaghat, July 24 : Harry Kaur daughter of Mukhtar Singh and Rajwant kaur of Subhash Colony , Golaghat Passed out her M.Sc in Life Sciences (Biochemistry specialisation) with grade point 8.52 this year and her performance remained excellent . She got first position in Dibrugarh University and brought laurel to Golaghat . She has been a brilliant student since childhood .
Harry Kaur
Will Demand Special Package from the Centre for Flood Affected Farmers : Atul Bora Achievement for Golaghat Girl ET Correspondent Golaghat , July 24: The recent floods in Assam have severely damaged crops causing great loss to the farmers . The agriculture department of the state government has taken some initiatives to compensate the flood hit farmers . The Agricultural Minister of Assam Atul Bora today told the media that he will approach the
central government for a special package to help the farmers in the state affected by floods . Atul Bora attending a prize distribution ceremony of Inter District Taekwandoo Competition in Golaghat told the media that his department has taken some initiatives to compensate the loss of farmers and provided help for cultivation of Rabi
crops . But this time the crop loss due to floods is very high and so he will seek special package from the centre to get some relief to the farmers . The minister also told the media that he has discussed the matter of providing new breed of rice for cultivation with the help of Rice Research Institute in Titabor.
REGION
DIBRUGARH, MONDAY, JULY 25
PAGE 5
India, Bangladesh Defunct bamboo chip unit to be utilized by government border forces discuss
Shillong, July 24: Chief Minister Mukul Sangma visited the Meghalaya Bamboo Chip Ltd (MBCL), a bamboo chipping unit at Nongchram in East Garo Hills, which has been abandoned for years after being declared a sick unit, to explore the possibilities of utilizing the infrastructure for various activities of the bamboo growing farmers of the region. The step is being taken in view of the State Government's initiative of Green Economy under which bamboo and agar plantation programmmes
Call for more women in police Shillong, July 24: Calls for more women in the police force have been ringing around the corridors of power for a long time. A similar recommendation was made during a consultation program me between Meghalaya police and citizens held in the city on Saturday. In the programme tiled "Building Bridges", recommendations were also made to make police stations more clean and welcoming as it would encourage public to approach police seeking help. Speaking on the occasion, Home Minister Roshan Warjri asserted that the Government was doing its best to take care of the needs and requirements of the department. She also said that inculcation of positive values by the department should be encouraged through counseling and training, adding that the Government is taking steps to improve living condition of the police personnel. On the other hand, Meghalaya DGP SK Jain said that police department is in its evolving role through the years and how it has been transformed from an organization of force into the one that is focused on service. The programme was attended by school students, police officers, NGOs, teachers, lawyers and citizens. The deliberations sought to bring an improvement in policepeople relationships. (Agencies)
have been initiated across the State since last year. On his arrival at the unit premises, the Chief Minister was received by the Deputy Commissioner in charge of East Garo Hills, P.M.Sangma and officials of MIDC and Commerce & Industries department including the General Manager incharge MBCL, R. Kharbuli, who briefed him about the problems and position of the unit. It may be mentioned that MBCL was incorporated in September 1979 with an authorized share capi-
tal of Rs. 10 lakh and a term loan of Rs. 9 lakh availed from MIDC, the holding company to set
up a 100 ton per day bamboo chipping plant on a land measuring 25 acre donated by Nokma
power supply that became erratic over the years. Despite efforts to revive the unit through upgradation and diversification, the company ran at a huge loss. Having no alternative, it was decided that the company be liquidated and VRS be granted to its 15 employees. During his visit, the Chief Minister also interacted with the villagers of the area and directed the official concerned to plan a scheme for utilizing the unit for training the local farmers, among other things. (Agencies)
She is running the organisation against all odds Shillong, July 24: Amily Changmai, a native from Jorhat in neighboring Assam, is silently doing social work for the last forty five years in Laitkroh, a quiet hamlet on the way to Cherrapunjee (Sohra). One of the most backward regions of Meghalaya it is indeed inconceivable when young Amily at the age of 16 joined Kasturba Gram Seva Centre (KGSC) in 1971 and dedicated herself for the rural populace here. It was established in 1953 during the days of undivided Assam under Kasturba Gandhi National Memorial Trust (KGNMT), which has affiliated centres all over the country. Amily informed that Amal Prabha Das was the founder of this centre under the direct instruction of Mahatma Gandhi. "She was an MSc and spent good time of her life under the tutelage of Gandhiji," Amily recalled. The 3acre campus replete with dense trees, with the trademark weather of Sohra, is lying in a state of utter negligence. The centre runs important social welfare work in the field of education, health services, women empowerment, training and weaving on Gandhi's ideals. Amily recollected that she was inspired by an individual from her village whom she saw was actively involved in the activities of KGNMT. Inclined to take a plunge into humanitarian works, she faced initial obstacles from her parents who wanted her to com-
Flood creates havoc at police battalion camp in Delhi Shillong, July 24: With the arrival of monsoon season, the personnel from 6th Battalion of Meghalaya camping in New Delhi are finding it difficult to cope up with the flood. Photographs were provided to media persons on Saturday which revealed the hardships being faced by the police personnel. The 6th Battalion's camp is completely inundated bringing misery to the personnel whose quarters made up of tent are filled with water and mud. When contacted, Commandant, 6th MLP Battalion, FG Kharshiing said that he is aware of the problems and he had al-
Chief Minister Mukul Sangma
of Nongchram village. The objective was to meet the demand for bamboo chips at paper factories like Ashok Paper Mills, Titaghar Paper Mills and Bengal Paper Mills in Assam and to uplift the economically backward people of the area, by utilizing the surplus electricity that was available then. However as the years went by, the location of the factory proved to be a drawback for various reasons, including its remoteness, insurgency problems, floods that inundated the factory and
ready written to the Delhi police and even the police headquarters in Shillong for a temporary change of the base besides setting up of the portable cabins for the personnel. "Battalions from other states of the North East have already got portable cabins." Kharsiing said. According to Kharshiing, Meghalaya Government has also written about the plight of the personnel to the Ministry of Home Affairs and the matter is pending with the Ministry. It is learnt that there are 30-40 personnel from the battalion in the camp in New Delhi. (Agencies)
plete studies other than going to a region in those days when it was all dense jungle. However, a determined Amily headed to these hills after undergoing four months of training at the KGNMT in Kasturbagram, Indore in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. This Trust was formed with the participation of anonymous masses from all walks of life who mobilized their resources led by Mahatma Gandhi to address the issues of women in rural India set against the backdrop of the history of India's freedom movement in 1945. She had also undergone training at Sevagram Medical College, Maharashtra in midwifery and auxiliary nurse, such as, saline, injection, delivery and had even worked in a camp for four months at Goalpara during the Bangladesh Liberation War where seventy thousand displaced refugees were lodged. KGSC - managed by a managing committee consists of the local dorbar and village elders and runs a free crèche for 25 underprivileged children with a weaving unit. Under Amily's supervision, the centre is also attending maternity cases besides other healthcare issues. Her service is also often sought by the villagers of Laitkroh during medical and pregnancy cases. There are two more KGNMT affiliated centres, one each at Magupara, Dalu in Garo Hills and Tuber, Janitia Hills. However, due to acute
fund constraint the KGSC could not develop and flourish beyond its old Assam type structure. An incomplete RCC guesthouse was made possible with the generous aid of a villager and an individual from Shillong. Amily showed the rooms of the guesthouse and said that due to lack of funds she could not paint the building and complete the other side. KGNMT provides the centre a meager affiliation fund. The state government is only providing stipend for Rs 500 to each of the four students enrolled in its weaving unit. Some of its produce is kept for sale at the guesthouse. Amily showed a bunch of petitions and documents seeking help from the state government but received nothing in return. The crèche is managed by a teacher and helper who are paid Rs 1000 each. "They (teacher and helper) often tell me that they will leave because it is very hard to sustain with this income. I have somehow asked them to continue but don't know for how long," she said in a tone of despair adding that a monthly amount of Rs 1200- is provided to the twenty five students of the crèche. The Social Welfare Department of Government of Meghalaya had assured to raise the teacher's salary to Rs 3000- and the helper to Rs 1500, which has only remained an unfulfilled promise. The department provides a yearly scant fund to the centre. It is learnt that the managing committee members too is not doing
anything for the centre which is catering to the local children. As a result of gross negligence by the state authorities, the 1953 structure is in shambles. Amily showed the ceilings of the dilapidated structure which leaks from several places and have fitted plastic spreadsheets with wooden frames to prevent leakage of rain water to the rooms. The roof exterior is no more. "After getting no response from the state government, we are somehow maintaining it with these plastics. But when it rains heavily the plastic cannot hold rainwater," she said. The worst is the crèche where the poor children have to be more alert about the inclement Sohra weather since they have to leave their classroom when it starts raining heavily. Many top officials and bureaucrats from the state government had visited the centre and talked big but remained limited in delivering services. Amily, showed a visitor's register, where the then Director & Joint Secretary, Community & Rural Development, Government of Meghalaya, BDR Tiwari wrote an assured note about sanctioning Rs 33.41 lakh, but later denied it on a ridiculous ground. "When we pursued further on this, we were told that since the KGSC was formed during the time of undivided Assam, grant cannot be sanctioned," said Amily. Tiwari was not available for comments. There are no infrastruc-
ture facilities at the centre and moreover, there is no playground or other recreational activities for the children. The entrance, which used to be bog earlier, was later filled with earth sourced from a neighbour, at a cost, who was carrying some construction work. "The local MLA assured us that he will make the entrance road but later detracted," said Amily. When contacted, the mobile phone of the local MLA, Kennedy Khyriem was found switched off. Interestingly during his visit to the centre on July, 2012 Kennedy wrote in the visitor's register that he will "… remember for the rest of his life that in this world of war and violence, world of selfish people, still exist a place and people like you who sacrifice yourself for nothing but society of Laitkroh people …" The state government also assured them to make the crèche building but that too remained an assurance sans any ground work. Amily said that she has to pay a monthly electricity bill of Rs 500- and sources their ration from Shillong's traditional market, Iewduh. "We have three cows and also cultivate vegetables. This is how we are sustaining," she said adding that RGIIM Associate Professor, Sanjeeb Kakoty helps her with a monthly monetary assistance. She retired from KGNMT two years ago but Kakoty wants her to continue as he could gauge how much the centre needs her.(Agencies)
Donkupar foresees UDP, NPP govt in 2018 Shillong, July 24: The UDP chief Donkupar Roy has predicted a UDP-led coalition government in 2018 with his party and NPP jointly securing 32 seats in the 60member Assembly. Speaking to The Shillong Times on Saturday, Roy reiterated UDP's decision to go for pre-poll alliance with likeminded parties including NPP. "If there is a pre-poll alliance I am sure that UDP and NPP will easily get more than 32 seats, and we will form the next government", Roy said. Asked about BJP, the UDP leader said that BJP too is preparing for the 2018 Assembly elections. "While BJP is targeting to throw out Congress from Meghalaya, our aim is to win the elections to secure maximum seats to from the next government", Roy
said. The UDP president said that currently, the party was trying to strengthen its base aimed at spreading the activities of the party all over the state. "We feel that the party is getting rejuvenated. There is enthusiasm among the party workers. Our current priority is to strengthen and expand the party and the issue of alliance will be firmed up after 2016", Roy said. According to Roy, the party was hoping to do better this time and even wanted to take inspiration from 1998 when the party had secured 20 seats in the polls. "We hope to do better compared to previous elections. We are trying to revamp the party all over the state, and the Congress which used to dominate the state poli-
tics, will be on the wane after the 2018 polls", he said. Asked how sure is UDP to form the next government with likeminded parties, Roy said, "I am 100 percent sure that a non- Congress government will be formed after the next Assembly polls and our party men are active to ensure the victory. In many places, several people are joining the party and those who had left us are also coming back to us", he said The UDP leader further pointed out that there are persons from other political parties who are keen to join the party. Post poll deal, an alliance of opportunists Asked about HSPDP which is planning to go it alone in 2018 Assembly polls aiming at a post poll alliance, the UDP leader said that he wishes
to have the pre-poll alliance of all like-minded political parties though he is not against post poll alliances. "However, I feel that any post poll alliance will be very loose one, and I will call it as an alliance of opportunists. I have seen in the past that such alliances do not last long. In this context, I feel that we must have a pre poll alliance, and in this regard, we already have an understanding with NPP", Roy said.' The UDP leader also made it clear that the newly launched North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) is aimed at securing the common interests of the people of Northeast especially to focus on development of the region instead of fighting elections under its banner. (Agencies)
issues in Tripura
India, Bangladesh border forces discuss issues in Tripura Agartala, July 24: A four-day long Inspector General level meeting between the Border Security Force (BSF) and Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB) began in Agartala on Sunday to discuss and resolve border issues between the two neighbouring countries. A 21-member delegation of BGB led by its Chittagong sector Regional Director Brigadier General Mohammad Habibul Karim arrived here for the meeting with BSF led by Tripura frontier Inspector General J.B. Sangwan. "Currently relation between the two border guards is excellent. We are cooperating with each other to deal with any border related issues. Except some minor issues, no major problems exists along the India-
Bangladesh borders now," Karim told the media at the Akhaura checkpost. "Border crimes, smuggling, erection of fencing at zero point in certain places along the border, cross-border movement of inimical elements would be discussed in the meeting," a BSF official said. "Such meetings to resolve pending border issues happen routinely both in India and Bangladesh after a regular interval," the official added. Four northeastern states of India -- Tripura (856 km), Assam (263 km), Meghalaya (443 km), Mizoram (318 km) -share a 1,880-km border with Bangladesh.Of the 856 km India-Bangladesh border in Tripura, a little over 85 per cent is fenced so far.(Agencies)
"Border crimes, smuggling, erection of fencing at zero point in certain places along the border, cross-border movement of inimical elements would be discussed in the meeting," a BSF official said. "Such meetings to resolve pending border issues happen routinely both in India and Bangladesh after a regular interval,"
BSF reveals modus operandi of cattle smugglers Shillong, July 24: The BSF in its anti-smuggling drive on the International Border, seized 28 cattle at BOP Tuka, Lyngkhat and Pyrdiwah, West Jaintia Hills on Saturday and exposed the widening network of cattle smugglers. The BSF has been continuously effecting seizures in the area of Lyngkhat. With the recent slump in the smuggling and resultant demand-supply gap, the beef price has skyrocketed in Bangladesh, making trafficking riskier but much lucrative, a statement issued by BSF
said. The BSF is increasingly being attacked by the persons involved in this activity. The cowtraffickers have also developed a well-oiled counter-intelligence network, the statement added. "There are 'linemen' whose task is to keep tabs on BSF movement. Then there are 'transporters' who ensure the cattle go across the border, and there are 'stoners' who rain stones on BSF troops to scatter', the BSF said All the seized cattle were handed over to concerned department for further legal action.(Agencies)
Missing health dept files: No breakthrough yet Shillong, July 24: Police are yet to make any breakthrough in the case related to the missing file of health department.The missing file is related to an alleged scam in purchasing medicines by the health department in 2003. It was in June that the Director of Health Services (MI), Dr. Rankio Wankhar had filed an FIR with the police to trace out the missing file and also to find out the manner in which the file was lost. An official with the health department said on Saturday that it was after the political department in-
quired about the missing files that the health department had filed the FIR. "We are yet to receive any report from the police", the official added The FIR had said that the file appears to have been misplaced while shifting the health office from Nokrek Building, Lower Lachumiere to the permanent health complex at Red Hills Road, Laitumkh rah.Sources said that the scam was earlier probed by the Anti Corruption Branch of the Meghalaya police. (Agencies)
NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL
DIBRUGARH, MONDAY, JULY 25
Curfew continues in five districts of Kashmir
Curfew continues in five districts of Kashmir Srinagar, July 24: Curfew remained in force in five districts of Kashmir and some parts of the summer capital as a precautionary measure as an uneasy calm prevailed in the Valley where normal life was paralysed for the 16th consecutive day today. "Curfew is in force in four South Kashmir districts -- Anantnag, Kulgam, Kupwara, Pulwama and Shopian and eight police station areas of Srinagar city as a precautionary measure," a police official said. He said while curfew has already been lifted from four districts -Bandipora, Baramulla, Budgam and Ganderbal, restrictions continue in these areas on the assembly of four or more persons. The situation across the Valley is peaceful so far, he said. Life in Kashmir has been
paralysed since July 9, a day after Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani was killed in an encounter with security forces. Separatist camp has been spearheading an agitation over the civilian killings and have called for a march to Anantnag town tomorrow. The security grid has geared itself to ensure that the march does not take place, the police official said. He said police and CRPF personnel, who have already been deployed in strength at vulnerable spots across the Valley, have been directed to implement the curfew and restriction in letter and spirit. As many as 45 persons have been killed and over 3400 others injured in the violent clashes between protestors and security forces following Wani's killing.(PTI)
AAP has close links with radicals: Sukhbir Singh Badal
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NC seeks sustained dialogue with Pak, separatists on Kashmir Srinagar, Jul 24: Main opposition National Conference today asked the Centre to initiate a sustained dialogue with Pakistan as well as separatists groups in Jammu and Kashmir for evolving a consensus for a mutually acceptable solution to the political issue. The party also said it would be a travesty to treat the current unrest in the Valley as a mere law and order problem. This was conveyed to Home Minister Rajnath Singh, who is here since yesterday to review the
situation, by a delegation of National Conference (NC), led by former Chief Minister and its working President Omar Abdullah. In a memorandum to the Home Minister, the NC expressed deep disappointment at the Centre's failure to recognise the problem in Kashmir "as a political problem which requires political engagement both internally and externally." While it was "palpable and shocking" to see the continued failure of the state government in dealing with the situation, "it
President Omar Abdullah would be a travesty to simplify the current unrest in the Valley as a pure law and order issue," the
party said. It said the tried and tested formulations of New Delhi in dealing with political sentiment in
Engg colleges to impart skill training to 10L in 3 yrs New Delhi, July 24: The faculty of engineering colleges will provide training to unemployed youth, including school dropouts, as the government kicks off an ambitious plan that aims at imparting skills to over 10 lakh people to make them employable in the next three years. The scheme- 'PMKVY by Technical Institutions', comes under the larger umbrella of the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana, officials in the HRD ministry told. A key aspect of the programme is that there is no age bar for candidates who will not only be trained but also provided placement assistance and counselling. Beginning from the academic year 2016-17, the scheme aims to rope in 2,500 colleges initially to provide skills training to 100 people each. The number of colleges would be raised to 3,000 in the next academic year and to 5,000 in 2018-19.
Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana At least 10,12,500 youth should acquire the skills and training which will help them gain employment, officials said. The technical institutions have to utilize their infrastructure for offering various kinds of courses during the off-college hours so that the unemployed youth enrolled shall acquire adequate skills for certification under the National Skill Qualification Framework (NSQF) and find placement or self employment, an official said. Officials said under this
initiative, funds would be released covering the cost of teaching learning activities directly to the institutions by the Centre. The scheme envisages colleges and polytechnics which come under the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) to be utilised for its implementation. The AICTE has come up with the guidelines for the scheme and many institutions have applied for it. A national-level committee headed by Secretary Higher Education V S Oberoi in the HRD ministry will supervise the
implementation of the scheme. In addition, there will be state committees. The infrastructure and lab facilities of the existing institutions will be utilised for implementation of the scheme. The institutions can take the help of either their own faculty for the programme or call those from outside. The AICTE will provide grants under set terms to institutions which participate in the programme, officials said. According to the guidelines, admission may be done round the year, depending on the duration of the programmes, to facilitate a steady stream of learners joining the college and moving out as trained workforce. On successful completion of training for 250 hours, the certificate for skilling component would be awarded by the Board of Technical Education or Technical University of the respective state where the institute is located. (PTI)
Boeing to deliver 2 Dreamliners to Air India this year Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal
Amritsar, July 24: Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal on Sunday alleged that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has "very close links" with radical organisations and also termed the recent incident of party MP Bhagwant Mann uploading Parliament's security set up on social media as a "very serious lapse". "I think it is a very serious (security) lapse, what Bhagwant Mann has done. I openly say that AAP has very close links with radical organisations," Sukhbir Singh Badal, who is also Punjab's Home Minister, told media after offering prayers at the Golden Temple, here on Sunday along with his wife and Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal. Mann on Thursday shot a video clip of his journey from home to Parliament House, including movement past various security check points, and posted it on social media, drawing flak from various quarters for putting Parliament complex security in danger. Cornered by leaders of almost all parties in both the Houses, Mann apologised to Lok Sabha Speaker, Sumitra Mahajan and also removed the video from
Facebook. "Radical organisation, people who participated in the 'Sarbat Khalsa' (grand assembly of Sikhs), they are all linked to AAP," Sukhbir said. Last November, radical Sikh organisations and others held the congregation of radicals near Amritsar. Badal also said the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) was not threatened by the emergence of AAP on Punjab's political scene. "The more the opponents, better for the Akali Dal. The public will control them. People will reject them. No one is now bothered about them," he said. Badal, the president of the Akali Dal in alliance with the BJP, refused to comment on cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu and his wife Navjot Kaur Sidhu. "I don't want to comment on them (Sidhu couple)," Badal said. Navjot Singh Sidhu had recently quit Rajya Sabha, where he was nominated by the BJP-led government earlier this year. His wife is the sitting BJP legislator from the Amritsar-east assembly seat and is also a Chief Parliamentary Secretary (just below a minister) in the state government. (Agencies)
New Delhi, Jul 24: US aircraft maker Boeing will deliver two Dreamliners to Air India this year and four more next year to complete the airline's order of 27 of these aircraft, even as the national carrier grapples with glitches in its fleet of 787-800 planes. Once described as a "game-changer," Air India was one of the launch customers of the Boeing 787800s and had started inducting them in its fleet about four years ago. Since then, the airline has been facing a series of technical glitches and other malfunction issues with regard to the Dreamliner fleet. Boeing's Senior Vice President Sales (Asia Pacific and India) Dinesh Keskar said two Dreamliners would be delivered this year. "The delivery of Dreamliners start in November this year ... It (delivery) is on schedule. First
plane in November and the next in December. Four more in 2017," he told PTI in an interview. Air India currently has 21 Boeing 787-800s in the fleet. It has not taken delivery of these planes since May 2015. In January 2006, it had placed orders for 68 Boeing aircraft, including 27 Dreamliners and 41 B777s and B-737-800s. Occasional glitches have forced Air India to ground these planes multiple times, causing long flight delays and significant loss of revenue. Playing down instances of operational woes faced by some planes, Keskar asserted there was no delay in the delivery schedule for Air India. "You don't hear about it. So they have been taken care of. The aeroplane (Dreamliner) has stabilised. That is the thing now," Keskar said. On whether Boeing was
Boeing to deliver 2 Dreamliners to Air India this year in discussions with nofrills airline SpiceJet for plane orders, Keskar indicated they were in talks. "The answer is very simple. They have already ordered Boeing 737 MAX planes. They have been operating Boeing planes from day one. All they are looking at now is what kind of price Boeing will offer or what benefits Airbus will
offer. When the time is right, they will make their decision," he said. B-737 MAX is a narrowbody, single-aisle jetliner series being developed by Boeing as a successor to the B-737 Next Generation series. It is scheduled for first delivery in 2017. Air India, Jet Airways and SpiceJet have Boeing planes in their fleet. (PTI)
Dikshit takes break from UP campaign for throat infection New Delhi, July 24: Congress party's chief ministerial candidate for Uttar Pradesh Sheila Dikshit returned to the capital on Saturday after a few hours of the campaign in the state owing to throat infection. Dikshit said that she would resume her campaign on Sunday.
The Congress on Saturday morning launched its c a m p a i g n "27SaalUPBehal Yatra" for the upcoming Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh with a three-day bus yatra. "Enthusiastic response to the #27SaalUPBehal Yatra. Owing to a throat infection, I have taken a break.
Will resume tomorrow," Dikshit tweeted. The bus yatra was flagged off from the Congress headquarters in the capital by party President Sonia Gandhi and VicePresident Rahul Gandhi on Saturday morning. Earlier in the day, Dikshit tweeted: "As we start our #27SaalUPBehal Yatra, I
seek your support and blessings." This was her first ever tweet ever since she joined Twitter three years back. The others in the yatra, Congress general secretary in-charge of UP Ghulam Nabi Azad and UP Congress chief Raj Babbar, are continuing with the yatra. (Agencies)
Kashmir "operatively and militarily", rather than "thinking out of the box", has further exasperated the situation and created an unprecedented sense of disaffection and cynicism especially among the youth that could have adverse long-term implications. The delegation hoped that the Centre would consider the consequences of refusing to acknowledge the political sentiment in Kashmir and take immediate steps to initiate a sustained political dialogue with Pakistan and
internal dialogue with stakeholders and a crosssection of leadership in the Valley. "A continued failure to address growing political alienation in Kashmir goes against the interests of the people of India," they said. Registering its anguish, grief and sorrow over the painful loss of lives in the Valley in the current unrest, the NC condemned the PDP-BJP's state Government's "evident insensitivity and blatant inefficiency in dealing with this heart-rending situation. (PTI)
Govt making efforts to ensure passage of GST Bill: Ananth
Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Ananth Kumar New Delhi, July 24: Government is engaging with various parties to ensure the passage of GST Bill during the ongoing Monsoon session of Parliament, Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Ananth Kumar said on Saturday. He said there is "widespread" demand for early introduction of he GST bill in Rajya Sabha, where it is pending for a long time, and government will make "best possible" efforts to make this key tax reform legislation sees the light of the day. "There is a widespread demand for early introduction of GST from almost all the political parties, state governments, trade and industrial bodies and even general public. Government is engaged in talks with political parties to ensure passage of the Bill during the current Monsoon session. "The government on its part would make the best possible effort to ensure that this long pending legislation sees the light of the day during this session. I appeal to all parties to sense the mood of the nation and cooperate in this regard," he said. Kumar said the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) of Rajya Sabha has already allocated five hours for discussing this Bill and termed it as an important development. The Minister said bills relating to afforestation fund, prevention of corruption, benami transactions and whistle blowers protection are on the agenda during the second week of the session. After a productive first week of the Monsoon session that saw passage of five bills out of 16 proposed by the government, he said five bills have been lined up for consideration and passage in the coming week. These include the Benami Transactions (Prevention) Amendment Bill, 2015 and the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 in Lok Sabha and the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Bill, 2013 and Whistle Blowers Protection (Amendment) Bill, 2015 in Rajya Sabha. Kumar said other bills on the agenda of Rajya Sabha during the second week beginning July 25 include the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Bill, 2015, the Indian Medical Council Bill, 2016, the Dentists (Amendment) Bill, 2016 and the National Institutes
of Technology, Science Education and Research Bill, 2016, all already passed by Lok Sabha. Other Bills proposed to be taken up in Lok Sabha include the Institution of Technology (Amendment) Bill, 2016, the High Courts (Alteration of Names) Bill, 2016 and the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2012. He said the first two of these Bills would go to Rajya Sabha after being passed by the Lower House while the Child Labour Bill has been passed by the Upper House last week. The Minister said Lok Sabha is likely to take up a Calling Attention Motion moved by Bhartruhari Mahtab (BJD) on the 'Undertaking of a barrage project over river Mahanadi by Chattisgarh Government there by severely impacting flow of water into Hirakud dam in Odisha', during the coming week. The government also proposed for consideration in both the Houses a resolution seeking to approve the recommendation of the Railway Convention Committee to revise rate of dividend payable by Railways to general revenues and other related ancillary matters as contained in the Committee's report of December, 2015, he said. During the first week of this Monsoon session, Lok Sabha cleared four Bills during the five sittings - the Indian Medical Council Bill, 2016, the Dentists (Amendment) Bill, 2016 and the National Institutes of Technology, Science Education and Research Bill (Amendment) Bill, 2016. He said these were among the six Bills introduced in the House last week. Besides, the lower house also considered and accepted an amendment to the Indian Trustees (Amendment) Bill, 2015 as passed by the Upper House in earlier session. During the last week Rajya Sabha passed two Bills viz., the Regional Centre for Biotechnology Bill, 2016, earlier passed by the Lok Sabha and the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Bill, 2012. While both the Houses discussed the Kashmir events during last week, Rajya Sabha in addition took up the incidents of attacks on Dalits and a Calling Attention Motion on floods in the country, with specific reference to Odisha. (Agencies)
DIBRUGARH, MONDAY, JULY 25
China confirms first Rift Valley Fever case Beijing, July 24 : The first imported case of the deadly Rift Valley Fever has been confirmed in China in a middle-aged man who had returned from Angola, officials said today. The 45-yearold man surnamed Tang from Henan Province got fever and headache and suffered pain in his joints and muscles on July 14 in Angola, the National Health and Family Planning Commission (NHFPC) said. On July 21, he returned Beijing by plane and was admitted to a local hospital for quarantine and treatment and was tested positive for Rift Valley Fever (RVF) late yesterday. The patient is currently in critical condition and is receiving treatment, state-run Xinhua news agency reported. RVF is an acute, fevercausing viral disease most commonly observed in domesticated animals (such as cattle, buffalo, sheep, goats, and camels), with the ability to infect and cause illness in humans. The disease spreads by either touching infected animal blood, breathing in the air around an infected animal being butchered, drinking raw milk from an infected animal or the bite of infected mosquitoes. The virus was first identified in 1931 during an investigation into an epidemic among sheep on a farm in the Rift Valley of Kenya. Since then, outbreaks have been reported in sub-Saharan and North Africa. According to WHO, RVF cases were confirmed in Saudi Arabia and Yemen, marking the first reported occurrence of the disease outside the African continent and raising concerns that it could extend to other parts of Asia and Europe.(PTI)
NEIGHBOURS
225 killed or missing in China rains; 2.5 lakh people trapped Beijing, July 24: As many as 225 people have been killed or missing in heavy torrential rains and floods that have wreaked havoc in China with about 2.5 lakh people still trapped in the central Hubei Province. More than 6.80 lakh people were affected and 10 townships swamped following continuous heavy rainfall from July 18 to 20, Tianmen city government in the Hubei Province said. Over 500 soldiers, 1,000 people and 62 speedboats have been sent for rescue work while more than 10,000 people have been sent to ensure the safety of river banks, as reported. At least 114 people have been killed and 111 others missing in Hubei province. Local authorities have evacuated nearly 3.10 lakh people. Flooding and rain-trig-
225 killed or missing in China rains gered landslides have caused the collapse of 52,900 houses and damage to 155,000. Over 700,000 hectares of crops have also been destroyed, leading to direct economic losses of over 16 billion yuan (USD 2.4 billion). The worst-hit Daxian Village of Xingtai City was almost empty after a flash flood swamped it early Wednesday. At least 8 villagers were
killed and one missing. "I heard people yelling 'flood' at about 2:30 AM. I woke up my wife and children and rushed out of door immediately. In no time the water level was above my waist," said Zhang Erqiang, a local villager. "My wife and I panicked and we climbed to a tree, and stayed there for several hours until rescuers arrived in the morning," Zhang said. "But our
daughter and son were washed away and their bodies were just found," he said. Only a dozen villagers stayed to watch over the village, while the rest of the residents had left to take shelter with their relatives elsewhere. The news of heavy casualties in Xingtai, just 400km south of Beijing, only began emerging over the past 24 hours when thousands of local residents took to the street to protest against the alleged belated disaster warning and ineffective rescue efforts, the Hong-Kong based South China Morning Post reported. Flood waters burst river
banks and submerged at least 12 villages. Daxian village is one of the worsthit, where at least nine people, including five school kids, are dead or missing, media reports said. Jingxing County, located in the west of the province, saw an average precipitation of 545.4 mm in the 19 hours between 1 PM Tuesday and 8 AM on Wednesday, surpassing the amount received by the county in the whole of 2015. There have been power outages, disruptions to communication and other infrastructure and road closures across Jingxing.(PTI)
"At least 114 people have been killed and 111 others missing in Hubei province. Local authorities have evacuated nearly 3.10 lakh people."
UN chief condemns 'despicable' Afghan attack Afghan, July 24: UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon led the world body's strong condemnation of the terror attack on a peaceful demonstration in Afghanistan, describing it as a "despicable crime" while calling for bringing to justice the perpetrators of the assault. At least 80 people were killed and 231 wounded in twin explosions that ripped through crowds of Shiite Hazaras in Kabul, an attack claimed by the Islamic State terror group. According to a statement issued by his office, Ban called for those responsible for the attack to be brought to justice. "The Secretary-General condemns...terrorist at-
Nepal PM appears set to lose no-confidence vote as allies depart
Nepal PM appears set to lose no-confidence vote as allies depart Kathmandu, July 24: Two political parties left Nepal's ruling coalition on Sunday, deserting the fractious alliance ahead of a vote of no-confidence that Prime Minister K.P. Oli looks likely to lose. The no-confidence motion, lodged by former Maoist rebels who installed Oli in October but fell out with him after accusing him of failing to honour a power-sharing deal, is due to be put to a vote in the 595member parliament later on Sunday. Nepal has been plagued by turmoil for years and the latest uncertainty over Oli's fate risks the further sapping of business confidence. "We were left with no alternative because of the arrogance of the prime minister and his party," Kiran Giri, a senior official of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) told Reuters, referring to party's decision to abandon Oli's coalition. The Madhesi Janadhikar Forum Nepal (Democratic) is the other party that said it was leaving the alliance. Both parties said they would join the
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opposition in Sunday's vote aimed at toppling the Himalayan country's 23rd government since multi-party democracy was introduced in 1990 after bloody protests. Oli was not available for comment but aides said he would respond to opposition accusations in parliament. Nepal's neighbours, China and India, jostle for influence over the volatile young republic and are concerned that prolonged political paralysis could turn one of the world's poorest countries into a haven for criminal gangs and militants. Nepal has been flirting with crisis since September when it adopted its first republican constitution. The ethnic Madhesi minority in the south of the country rejected the constitution, saying new federal states marginalized them by splitting their homeland. The Maoists called off a bid to oust Oli two months ago after he said he would address the Madhesi concerns and rebuild homes destroyed in earthquakes last year. But Oli's critics said he did not do as he promised.(Agencies)
tack in Kabul. This despicable crime targeted citizens peacefully exercising their fundamental human rights," the statement said. The powerful UN Security Council also issued a statement, condemning "in the strongest terms" the "heinous and cowardly" terror attack yesterday. Two explosions occurred at Dehmazang square targeting a peaceful demonstration. "The members of the Security Council reiterated their serious concern at the threats posed by the Taliban, al-Qaeda, Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), illegal and armed groups to the local population, National Defence and Secu-
rity Forces and international presence in Afghanistan," the statement said. The 15-nation Council underlined the need to bring perpetrators, organisers, financiers and sponsors of these "reprehensible" acts of terrorism to justice and urged all UN member nations to cooperate actively with the Afghan authorities in this regard. "The members of the Security Council stressed the need to take measures to prevent and suppress the financing of terrorism, terrorist organisations and individual terrorists," in accordance with UN resolutions. Asserting that
terrorism in all its forms and manifestations is criminal, the Council said terrorism should not be associated with any religion, nationality, civilisation or ethnic group. The Council reiterated that "no violent or terrorist acts" can reverse the Afghan-led process along the path towards peace, democracy and stability in Afghanistan, which is supported by the people and the Afghan government and by the international community. Head of the UN Assistance Mission for Afghanistan Tadamichi Yamamoto called the attack "an outrage that cannot be justified and stressed
that the perpetrators of the attack must be held accountable." "An attack deliberately targeting a large, concentrated group of civilians amounts to a war crime," he said in the statement, which was issued by UNAMA. "This attack is particularly heinous because it targeted civilians as they exercised their rights to freedom of assembly and freedom of expression," Yamamoto said. UN General Assembly President Mogens Lykketoft expressed his deepest sorrow and anger over the terrible terror attacks and "mass murders" taking place around the world.(PTI)
California wildfire spreads to over 11,000 acres
California wildfire spreads to over 11,000 acres Los Angeles, July 24: Wildfire fuelled by high heat has so far spread across at least 11,000 acres in California`s Santa Clarita Valley area, fire officials said. A brush fire broke out along the northbound Antelope Valley around 2 p.m. on Friday, near Sand Canyon Road in Santa Clarita. The blaze was contained only about 10 per cent on Saturday, the Los Angeles County Fire Department said. Hot and dry temperatures, together with gusts of up to 65 km per hour helped the fire burned more than 2,000 acres, as reported. Residents reported of smoke-filled air and falling ash in many parts of the greater Los Angeles area, and at least one building was believed to have been damaged or destroyed. No injuries were reported as a result of the blaze, the department confirmed. Fewer than 100 people were evacuated from the area of Capra Road off
Soledad Canyon road because of the flames, county fire officials said. About 300 firefighters were battling the flames from the ground and air. The Los Angeles Fire Department sent a waterdropping helicopter to join the county fire department. Eight fixedwing firefighting aircraft were also called in to attack the blaze. A smoke advisory was issued on Saturday night for the San Fernando, San Gabriel and Santa Clarita valleys, the San Gabriel Mountains, the Pomona/Walnut Valley, and the central Los Angeles area, as smoke from the fire drifted southeast toward Los Angeles. The South Coast Air Quality Management District said those areas were susceptible to direct smoke impact and unhealthy air quality, and recommended that people stay indoors and avoid using swamp coolers and wood-burning appliances.(Agencies)
IS attack on Kabul protestors kills at least 80, hurts 231
In House, MPs trade charges Kathmandu ,Jul 24 : The second day of discussion on no-confidence motion against Prime Minister KP Shrama Oli saw sharp criticism of the PM not only by the opposition but even some senior leaders of the ruling CPN-UML who made critical references to Oli's leadership style. The most pointed criticism of PM Oli and his supporters came from Nepali Congress leader Pradip Giri, who challenged arguments of lawyers close to the UML that there is no provision in the constitution for forming a new government. Giri's ire was aimed at former Speaker and UML leader Subas Nembang, who on Friday had said that there was no constitutional provision to install a new government. "It is patently wrong to argue that the constitution could do everything else except elect a new prime minister," Giri said. He cautioned that it was misinterpretation of one article, such as Article 298, which gives rise to a Hitler. "Why was the former
Speaker silent when the constitution was being promulgated if indeed there was a flaw?" he challenged. Nearly three dozen lawmakers spoke both for and against the motion on Saturday. Voting is scheduled to take place on Sunday. MPs from the ruling alliance claimed that the CPN (Maoist Centre) tabled the no-trust motion in haste even as the UML was ready to hand over the leadership in near future. Had the Maoists waited for a few more weeks, they claimed, there would have been no need for such a measure to claim the government's leadership. UML Vice-chairman Bam Dev Gautam acknowledged a "gentlemen's agreement" between the UML and the Maoists to hand over the government leadership and that he was committed to implementing it. Claiming to be among the few people to take initiatives for bringing then-rebel Maoists into the peace process 11 years ago, Gautam said
he had never betrayed the Maoists, nor would he deceive them in the future. "The gentlemen's agreement would have been implemented sooner or later," he said. Gautam said the Oli government's failure was the failure of the Maoists too as the party led eight crucial ministries. Addressing Parliament, former PM and UML leader Madhav Kumar Nepal pointed to the "selfcentric politics that is prevalent in the UML" and how it had been ruining the country-a remark perceived to be aimed at Oli. Indicating that Prime Minister Oli moved unilaterally while running the party and the government, he demanded a change in the practice of bypassing others. Nepal said he was sad to see political parties engage in forming and toppling governments so frequently. "The Maoists might have problems but the way they presented themselves in Parliament is not right," he
said. Maoist lawmakers claimed that they were forced to quit the coalition as Oli failed to respect their concerns. They said their party had submitted written demands to the PM several times but he never made any attempt to address them. Responding to the comments from the UML leaders, Maoist lawmaker Haribol Gajurel said Oli was so defiant that he even interfered in the ministries led by Maoist Centre members. "It's wrong to say that we broke the alliance in haste. We never wished to take this step but the PM's selfcentred approach compelled us to," he said. NC leader Ramesh Lekhak accused UML leaders of trying to create confusion over constitutional provisions so that they could cling on to power. Meanwhile, lawmakers affiliated to the Madhesi Morcha, who had long been obstructing the House meeting, took part in the deliberation where they criticised Oli's "reluctance to address our demands".(Agencies)
Kabul, July 24: Islamic State group jihadists claimed responsibility for twin explosions on Saturday that ripped through crowds of Shiite Hazaras in Kabul, killing at least 80 people and wounding 231 others in their first major attack in the Afghan capital. The bombings, apparently aimed at sowing sectarian discord in a country well known for ShiaSunni harmony, came as thousands of Hazaras gathered to protest over a multi-million-dollar power line. Charred bodies and dismembered limbs littered the scene of the attack, with ambulances struggling to reach the site as authorities had overnight blocked key intersections with stacked shipping containers to control movement of the protesters. "As a result of the attack 80 people were martyred and 231 others were wounded," the interior ministry said in a statement. "Based on initial information, the attack was carried out by three suicide bombers‌ The third attacker was gunned down by security forces." The wounded overwhelmed city hospitals, officials said, with re-
ports emerging of blood shortages and urgent appeals for donors circulating on social media. The Taliban, who are in the middle of their annual summer offensive and are more powerful than IS, strongly denied any involvement in the attack. IS claimed the bombings in a statement carried by its affiliated Amaq news agency, calling it an attack on Shiites. "Two fighters of the Islamic State detonated their explosive belts in a gathering of Shiites in‌ Kabul," Amaq said. The attack represents a major escalation for the IS group, which so has largely been confined to the eastern province of Nangarhar. The National Directorate of Security, Afghanistan's main intelligence agency, said the attack was masterminded by Abu Ali, an IS commander in Nangarhar's volatile Achin district. The attack came as thousands of demonstrators gathered to demand that a multi-million-dollar power line pass through their electricity-starved province of Bamiyan, one of the most deprived areas of Afghanistan with a large Hazara population. (Agencies)
DIBRUGARH, MONDAY, JULY 25
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East Asia's State-Led Search for Energy Security Instead of collective efforts, states are increasingly taking unilateral steps to secure access to energy.
Women Empowerment Indian women have come a long way
(Photo: rajivutakarsha)
Women empowerment is a debatable subject. After then, independence of India, the constitutional makers and national leaders strongly demand equal social position of women with men. Today we have seen
the women occupied the respectable positions in all walks of the fields. Yet, they have not absolutely freedom, with some discrimination and harassment of the society. A few numbers of women have been able to establish their potentialities. Therefore, each and everyone should be careful to promote the women status. Women constitute almost 50% of the world's population but India has shown disproportionate sex ratio whereby female's population has been comparatively lower than males. As far as their social status is concerned, they are not treated as equal to men in all the places. In the Western societies, the women have got equal right and status with men in all walks of life. But gender disabilities and discriminations are found in India even today. The paradoxical situation has such that she was sometimes concerned as Goddess and at other times merely as slave. Now the women in India enjoy a unique status of equality with the men as per constitutional and legal provision. But the Indian women have come a long way to achieve the present positions. The concept of empowerment flows from the power. It is vesting where it does not exist or exist inadequately. Empowerment of women would mean equipping women to be economically independent, self-reliant, have positive esteem to enable them to face any difficult situation and they should be able to participate in development activities. The empowered women should be able to participate in the process of decision making. It is a matter of pride that over 3,500 women officers are serving the armed forces at present. The Indian army has 1,514 women officers, the navy has 439, and the air force has 1,584 women officers. The number totals up to 3,537. These numbers exclude the medical and dental branches. Barring the IAF which recently inducted three women fighter pilots, women are not in combat roles in the Indian armed forces. While the exact strength of Indian forces are not revealed due to strategic reasons, it is said to be around 1.3 million active personnel. The number of officers is, however, far less. The authorised strength of officers in the army is 48,000, for the navy it is 9,000 and for the air force it is 12,000. The information furnished by the minister said between 2013-15, 303 women officers were inducted in the army, while in 2016 so far, 67 women officers have been taken in. The navy inducted 142 women officers between 2013-15, and the IAF inducted 522. In 2016, the navy has inducted 20 women officers so far and the IAF 85 till the beginning of July. Women empowering in such large numbers is really a good sign for all of us.
India's food inflation Resulted in a growing concern for the common man Food inflation has become increasingly persistent in recent years implying any shock will have a much longer impact on inflation. Furthermore, a wide range of products have contributed to food inflation at different points in time, reflecting the diverse nature of drivers of food inflation. These have ranged from high international prices, surge in demand for high value products due to rising income and diversification of diet, high minimum support prices and increase in prices of key inputs. The per-hectare agricultural yield in India is half that of China. This again points of inefficiency and the failure to help the farmers adopt latest technology in order to increase the crop output. These things have not been taken care of in the past and even when discussed nothing substantial has been done in order to overcome these challenges. Steps are to be taken in the near future to ensure minimal food wastage, high crop productivity and increase in irrigated land. Indian food and fuel inflation has remained high for several years has been a cause for concern. Cost of food in India increased 4.80 percent in May of 2015 over the same month in the previous year. Food Inflation in India averaged 9.54 percent from 2012 until 2015, reaching an all time high of 14.72 percent in November of 2013 and a record low of 3.14 percent in November of 2014. With 22% of the population living below the poverty line, the persistence of food inflation at high levels is extremely undesirable. This section already spends a significant proportion of their income on food and is unable to divert additional expenditure to food to neutralise the effect of food inflation. Thus, high food inflation aggravates nutrition deficiency, which is already at a very high level in India. Several factors like droughtinduced shortages in food supply, rising International prices, various tiers in the value-chain are deemed to be the major reasons for food inflation in India. Greater government spending leading to increased money supply, structural changes in demand patterns, etc. are being cited as some other major reasons behind this high food inflation. Since November 2009, inflation has been moving northwards on the back of surging prices of fuel, commodity, fruits and vegetables. This consistently rising inflation has resulted in a growing concern among policy makers, industry captains, bankers as well as the common man.
After two decades of rapid Asia was once a net ex- ing to an atmosphere of industrialization and un- porter, but that historical tension and energy insecuprecedented population pattern is changing fast. rity among East Asia's imgrowth, the demand for Since peaking in the mid- porting states. energy in East Asia is soar- 1990s at around 3 million In order to reduce depening. This has resulted in barrels per day, regional dence on politically unthe emergence of the no- oil output has been falling, stable countries, states are tion of energy security, with the International En- beginning to look closer to marked by states across ergy Agency predicting home for new reserves the region stepping up that production will drop particularly in offshore their efforts to secure the to just 1.4 million barrels zones in the South China energy supplies needed to per day by 2030. East Asia Sea, where there are presustain their is now a net dicted to be up to 213 bilrapidly exMichael Hart oil importer, lion barrels of oil accordpanding depending on ing to some estimates, economies and burgeon- supplies from unstable re- along with extensive natuing populations. Despite gions such as the Middle ral gas reserves. China has fears of energy shortages East and sub-Saharan Af- suggested joint developacross the Asia-Pacific, rica. ment of energy reserves in states appear to have re- Another primary concern the South China Sea; other jected a collective effort to is the security of sea lanes, states have been wary as a satisfy regional energy re- which are vital in trans- result of the unresolved quirements, instead opting porting energy supplies territorial disputes, fearful to pursue individual state- from other areas of the of China furthering its ecocentered, nationalistic ap- world such as the Middle nomic leverage to proaches. East, Africa and Latin strengthen their claims. In particular, energy de- America. The South China The disputes ( involving mand has been driven up Sea - a source of recent China, Vietnam, the Philby population and GDP tensions amidst unre- ippines, Taiwan, Malaysia growth. In 2007, China's solved territorial disputes and Brunei) consist of population was 1.31 bil- - is an essential transit area multiple, complex, and lion, and is expected to for the oil and gas, with the overlapping claims based reach up to 1.45 billion by majority of imported sup- on historical rights and in2020. Aside from China, plies passing through just ternational law. The conthe population in South- four narrow chokepoints tentious nature of the diseast Asia has also ex- including the Malacca putes has been a key stickpanded rapidly, growing at Strait, Sunda Strait, Phil- ing point in the search for a rate of 1.5 percent annu- ippine Sea, and Lombok a collective solution to the ally over the last 25 years Strait. As a result of its region's energy security and now totaling over 620 geographical location, re- problems, resulting in a million people - more than liance on imports and the distinct lack of trust and rethe entire population of the current tensions in the gional consensus. European Union. This re- South China Sea, the Despite these divisions, markable growth has been region's collective energy there have been significant accompanied by rapid ur- security is looking increas- attempts to regionalize rebanization and industrial- ingly vulnerable. When source cooperation in orization, with energy con- considering that 70 per- der to achieve mutual bensumption being fueled by cent of China's oil imports efits for the Asia-Pacific as the expanding residential, come from the Middle a whole. During the last commercial, and transpor- East and Africa, and thus decade, various intergovtation sectors. The trans- have to pass through East ernmental bodies such as port sector is an especially Asia's narrow sea corri- ASEAN, ASEAN+3, and important source of de- dors in order to reach des- the East Asia Summit have mand: the number of veAmidst the drive to maintain hicles in China has risen from 2 million in 1980 to economic growth, energy security 150 million in 2014, and concerns are spiraling. There is is expected to come close to 300 million by 2020. now an increasing gap between As a result of these develsupply and demand: East Asia opments and trends, enwas once a net exporter, but that ergy demand in East Asia is expected to increase by historical pattern is changing fast. an average of 2.5 percent each year between now Since peaking in the mid-1990s at around 3 million barrels per day, and 2030. The region is thought to be especially regional oil output has been fallpoorly-adapted to the shift to renewables, which are ing, with the International Energy deemed largely unsuitable Agency predicting that production to maintain current levels will drop to just 1.4 million barof economic growth, rels per day by 2030. East Asia is meaning that fossil fuels such as oil and gas are now a net oil importer, depending likely to remain the domi- on supplies from unstable regions nant energy sources in such as the Middle East and subEast Asia for decades to come. By 2035, oil is exSaharan Africa. pected to still account for around 26 percent of tination ports on the main- launched energy cooperaChina's energy consump- land, it becomes clear that tion initiatives aimed at tion, and 31 percent in the even a temporary disrup- further integration of nation could cause a sharp tional resource markets, wider region. Amidst the drive to main- rise in oil prices and se- with differing degrees of tain economic growth, en- verely restrict economic success. In general, these ergy security concerns are growth. Piracy, terrorism, attempts have been sucspiraling. There is now an and climate change are cessful in improving diaincreasing gap between other sources of concern to logue and information supply and demand: East shipping companies, add- sharing, but have not re-
Image for representational purpose (Photo: earthtechling) sulted in any substantial changes. Governments have generally taken a more inward-looking approach, remaining highly conscious of protecting their sovereignty over decision making and wary of liberalization initiatives. Some of the notable successes include the 2002 Trans-ASEAN gas pipeline, and the 2008 launch of an "Oil Stockpiling Roadmap" in order to improve the region's capacity to respond to an oil supply crisis. There have also been strong rhetorical commitments such as the 2007 Cebu Declaration on Energy Security. These plans seemed promising at the outset; however, overall they constitute more informal agreements rather than binding mechanisms for cooperation, with states maintaining only a weak commitment to these statements of collectivism. The primary reason for this has been the maintenance of nationalist resource policies from domestic governments, which often exercise tight control over resource markets and national economies. This desire has the knock on effect of constraining attempts at closer cooperation on a regional scale, as political leaders attempt to find solutions to the pressures of energy security at a national level. The regional institutional landscape in East Asia needs further work if it is to achieve greater success in advancing the collective energy security needs of the region's population. At present, it appears complex and overlapping with no overall strategy, whilst agreements are often voluntary or nonbinding in nature. East Asia's largest nation, China, is a particularly strong example of a country which has opted for the continuation of a
state-centered approach over a regional one. China's approach largely relies on bilateral diplomacy to build relationships with far flung resource-producing nations, along with the use of state-owned enterprises to invest in overseas energy infrastructure. The Chinese leadership conceive of energy security as too strategically important to be left to market forces alone, seeing it as a key issue of national security which must be handled almost exclusively by the government. In addition to being of strategic importance, the securitization of oil and gas reserves is also seen as being crucial to economic development, social stability, and regime legitimacy. China's search for energy security has been distinctly global in scope, especially since it became a net importer of petroleum in 1993 and more recently the second largest oil-consuming country behind the United States. In an effort to match the growing demand, China reorganized its energy ministry into three state-owned corporations, including the China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), and the China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC). In the 1990s, these companies internationalized their operations, developing key links with oil-producing nations such as Iran, Sudan, and Venezuela in an attempt to diversify supplies and minimize the risk from political instability in some parts of the world. This strategy has operated successfully over the past two decades, with China having invested heavily in a collection of oil-rich African states including Algeria, Nigeria, and Angola. It its more immediate neighborhood, China has fostered mutually beneficial energy partnerships with Laos, Myanmar, and Kazakhstan, financing large-scale infrastructure
Of Land-Slides
Sir, The disaster that has struck Guwahati resulting into the death of several persons Vis-Ă -vis landslides is a foregone conclusion. During Tarun Gogoi, the erstwhile Chief-minister's tenure it was free for all that is to say officials acted with Zero accountability. Comparatively, the forest department enjoyed more freedom and the hills around Guwahati started getting depleted. We can hardly imagine a forest bereft of trees, it happened in Guwahati. It is a classic instance of what happens if nature is exploited beyond its endurance. Each year, monsoons come and go, but leaving Guwahati bereft of some citizens. Some people in Guwahati are destined to die due to devastation caused by landslides, courtesy-forest department. People did much damage to nature and nature simply reciprocates. As far as flood in Guwahati is concerned, we donot believe, the city can get rid of it. Intensity of flood could be lessened. The tragedy of land-slides involving death of people will again be there, unless the people are taken to a safer zone. Yours etc. Ashok Bordoloi Dibrugarh Image for representational purpose (Photo: .odt.co.nz)
Derogatory Comment
Sir, Some politicians go by the maxim, everything is fair in love and politics. We find manifestation of this saying in ample measure. the Politicians uttering derogatory comments against their rival have to pay a heavy price. Nilamani Sen Deka, a cabinet minister (Subsequently removed) of the erstwhile regime passes a derogatory comment against the Prime-minister and the then H.R.D. minister smrity Irani while campaigning in the last assembly elections of Assam. subsequently, what action had been initiated by his party or BJP is not known, a case might be subjudice. In his constituency, he was rejected by the people, already cut to size, this corrupt ex-minister is a non-entity now. Now comes the case of Daya Shankar Singh the BJP Vice-president of U.P while addressing party workers in Maui this leader passed such a derogatory comment on Ms. Mayawati, the B.S.P. supremo and ex. Chiefminister of U.P that it rocked the entire country ultimately, the BJP was prompted to strip this leader of all his posts. Salman khan, the Bollywood star also passed an insulting comment on the women and is already in trouble incurring wrath of the National women commission. It reeks of their shallow knowledge and a narrow mindset. Yours etc. Ashok Bordoloi Dibrugarh
projects such as the construction of pipelines and dams. China has also stepped up exploration for new reserves in the South China Sea, stoking tensions with surrounding nations. One prominent example came in May 2014, when anti-China street protests erupted in Vietnam after China moved an oil rig into contested waters which Vietnam considers its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). Overall, China has unilaterally pursued an assertive strategy of "energy diplomacy" in order to secure supplies for its own population. This approach is indicative of the wider regional trend: governments are taking unilateral responsibility to acquire the resources needed to ensure continued economic growth and prosperity. Despite concerted attempts to push countries toward viewing energy security as a collective and regional issue, state-based resource policies have continued to dominate East Asia's energy landscape. States have largely rejected collective solutions, and have continued to closely link resource security to the traditional idea of national security. At present, the largest barrier to greater energy cooperation comes in the form of the on-going territorial disputes in the South China Sea, which have made joint exploration extremely difficult and have discouraged international companies from becoming involved in projects in disputed waters. However, cooperation could still be possible in the longterm: if the South China Sea disputes can be resolved peacefully and mutual trust restored, then it may be realistic to envisage a future multilateral drive toward achieving regional energy security in East Asia. Courtesy: The diplomat
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DIBRUGARH, MONDAY, JULY 25
Yes, I am a MEM!! Scene 1: I am born per- mother enmeshed men, it fect! I am smart since is describing a man who childhood! Everyone is emotionally entangled loves me, adores me and to their mother and for look upto me! I have a the mother enmeshed face that can be com- man it is a feeling of havpared with the Bollywood ing no sense of self; heroines of yesteryears. other than an identity that I was a great gardener at is based on being atone point of time, a great tached to their mother. In cook at one point of a functional relationship time, mastered tailoring, with boundaries, the and was an emotional artist at one Binita Baruah connection point of time will be ("one point of time")! In choice and what one has short, I am super-effi- chosen. When it comes cient and a great achiever to an enmeshed relationin every field of life: In ship, it doesn't feel that and Out! There would be one has a choice and that few or maybe rare of a they are enslaved to the species with such effi- mother. ciency in every field. I In a functional upbringam the best example of ing, a child would be rec"Being Perfect"! ognized as a separate inScene 2: I am born per- dividual; with their own fect! I was smart ….. needs, wants and preferScene 3: I am born per- ences. However in an fect! I was…. enmeshed relation, the Unremitting for the last child has no boundaries 40 years or even more. I of being a separate indihave a fixed set of dia- vidual and it will be more logues, fixed set of sto- of less impossible to treat ries and I repetitively nar- the child as a separate berate them, not once, ing. And the mother betwice but infinite times, ing needy and emotionnot perturbed if people ally undeveloped, the finds it annoying. And child will be used for this when I speak, others are purpose. quiet, not because they So what this leads to is lend their ears, but I give the roles being reversed. nobody a chance to talk- Instead of the mother It is only I, Me and My- taking care of the Child's self! This is my life and development, the child it has been very easy: I ends up taking care of simply LIE - "at one the mother's unmet point of time"!! needs. The process of Almighty graced me as a separating then doesn't Woman, a good marriage happen and instead of and blessed with 3 sib- boundaries being formed, lings - 2 handsome sons enmeshment is what reand a beautiful daughter. mains. Part of the reason Although I experienced for this process is often the joy of being a Woman down to having a father and a Mother, I chose not that is either physically to play any of the role, or emotionally absent". but decided to be a I raised my children unMEM! A MEM??? Well, der "Helicopter Medical Science has not Parenting" (a kind of elaborated the disorder in parenting where parents, their manuals, nor have especially mothers who discovered a cure for are traditionally in the such a deadly syndrome, primary caregiver role, but researchers have pos- are too interferingly intulated many theories volved in the child's and the tragic conse- growth and such a child quences of such a pitiful reports low level of selfsyndrome- "Mother en- efficacy, or the ability to meshes Men" in short handle tougher life tasks MEM. and decisions and beOne of the study quotes: comes an enmeshed man "When it comes to in future). As time
passed, my children embraced adulthood in appearance but no individuality! They were trained to accept helplessly to what I say- correct or incorrect. In due course of time, I enslaved all the members of the house, each story of greatness revolves around me, I sing the tales of my life and simply demand everybody to oblige for the same. I clogged my husband's voice, henpecked him, I dictate, they bow and I rule. Yes, I am a MEM, I am "The MEM"! The eldest one, settled abroad, my daughter graduated and the youngest one: a spoiled lad - always looking for shortcuts in life. I played the main part and took no opportunity left to interfere in every aspect of their lives - and in their married lives too! I commanded the eldest one to get married irrespective of a compatible partner or time. The marriage materialized because I found the time right. Post marriage, I would often visit my eldest son. In a technologically correct place abroad, I found no peace. My mind did not meander into the scenic beauties or the sky touching buildings or the taste of great food of the foreign land, rather I would indulge in interference, throw tantrums and make everyone's life difficult. Everything had to revolve around me or my life. Interference took such a deadly turn that finally my son had to bag-pack me back home promising not to invite me ever. Did it matter?? It did not!! Today, I very articulately lie to everyone and boast about the great time spent abroad and reason out an incompetent daughter-in-law for no further visits. I planted the seed of detachment between my son and his wife and today my son cries of a miserable life and bad marriage and wants to disappear from life but
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TRUTHOSOPHY
Image for representation purpose (Photo: signtorch.com) the agony and pain has not been able to touch even the outermost chord of my heart- he is deaf, dumb and blind to my demands even today. Helpless, he feigns his frustrations in front of the extended family, outsiders and to the whole world, but performs incredibly the gesture of touching my feet on every occasion acting to play the good son's role. After all, I am the MEM!! My daughter has been the finest thing ever happened to my life. Like me, she too seems to be perfect and I left no stone unturned to take good care of her: After all, she is my daughter, the rest two are just "Daughterin-Laws"! I gifted her with all the materialistic belongings one could crave for, a luxurious car, gold, diamonds and an apartment near my vicinity. Within a month of their marriage, my daughter and son-in-law shifted to the new house distancing themselves from her "In laws" and my son-in-law had no qualms of leaving his parents. After all money talks!! I do not want to justify the systemic inequation when I criticise both my daughter-inlaw's visiting their parents to the act played by my very own daughter of isolating my son-inlaw from his parents. Unmet demands were made and desires fulfilled! This kept going on and on. Last but not the least on the demand list was to see my youngest son as a groom. Hence, I arranged the marriage
of my youngest son very wittingly although he does not qualify the aspects of shouldering responsibility of another person, he himself is immature and irresponsible! Every aspect of his shortcuts was discussed with a family, but with lot of hidden facts and cover. The trick worked and the marriage was fixed and even held. When reality shot back, the bond of trust of the sacred relation between the newlyweds was torn, but it did not matter to me??? She is not my daughter, she is someone else's! My goal was to see my son tie the knot and I did! Emotions did not drained down my heart if someone's life has been played with and now separated. I convinced everyone and covered the crime as I have vehemently mastered the art of dishonesty, cooking stories and putting all the blame again on the daughter-inlaw, which I am very apt in. Amusingly, my son is still a slave of my unmet needs and completely helpless!! Ah, I read the Bhagwat Gita (a sacred Hindu text) day in and day out - but all that is said in Gita not to practice, I practice!! Facts are known to everyone, but no one dares to question me, after all I am the MEM! I never allowed my husband to play the Man's role in the house and all these years, he is completely biased to every unfairness done by me. I have put across a strong message that it is I who will provide him spoonful of holy water while nearing death
and since then he has been mute spectator. And while alive for an uncertain selfish desire, he is powerless and failed to play the role of a Man, a Husband, a Father and a Father-in-law. Alas!! But yet again, it is not a matter to ponder! I did not accept anyone with an open heart in my entire life. My entire life has been devoted in looking for shortfalls of others (ignoring mine) and complain about them. I am the one who is always right and others are always wrong, always incompetent. In the ladder of life, I won dictatorship, but alas, I could not win anybody's heart! I won possessions but I failed to win trust, grace and good company on either side of the family- mine or my in-laws! But it never mattered to me - I had the company of four whom I subjugated to slavery and convinced about my greatness without any effort. After all, I am the MEM!! This is my life. I have demanded for all the materialist desires of the world and it has been at my footsteps, I have everything one can name it- so much so, that my house is either called a Dungeon or a Museum but not a Home. Honestly, I never put any effort to build a Home. A home is built by a Mother, and to play the role, I was never interested. Finally, with so much valour and vigour, as I lie down for a deep slumber, I find no peace. While the rest of the Woman or the so called Mother's close their eyes with contentment after a
My heart goes out for eties has deep root in unsufferings of the flood equal distribution and acand disasters hit people cess to economic reof Diyun Circle, all over sources, superficial and the states and around the illogical classification and world. division, non-inclusive poAlso, I emphatise with litical transaction, and inthe sorrows of grief doctrination of skewed stricken families of moral and spiritual shooting, bombing, violent knowledge. incidents at France, Ger- Force and armed conmany, Turkey, United frontation has proven itStates, Pakistan, Iraq, self to be the most disasSyria, other trous mode Gulf Coun- Tagam Mibang of dealing tries, Afrowith disAsian Countries, Latin cord in human society American Countries and whether local or national other parts of the world. or global. 5000 wars and In all kinds of disharmo- two World Wars that took nious events leading to around billion lives in the human sufferings, the human history is the teshuman himself is the lone timony to failure of architect of myriad prob- power confrontation and lems and evadable victim intervention through use as well, and the provi- of force, and the world is dence has none to blame. burning all around even Natural disasters, though today. part of natural processes are aggravated by human The World has tremenactivities to make it de- dous possibilities to mitistructive. Certain views gate and wipe out all being hold that reckless major problems confrontexploitation of Mother ing it, and the key lies in Nature through un- opening up the mindset checked industria lisation of 7.4 billions infinite is best and lone way of minds towards new progress of humanity, and ways of rational and crethat the supernatural pro- ative thinking to discover cesses of the Planet can hidden innumerable solube ever tamed by the hu- tions. man are perfectly The distance between flawed. Rather, going by sufferings and harmony the proven detrimental of the world, all it takes, path, there is going to be is a little time to change such larger problems and mindset and followed by graver sufferings for hu- harmonious activities. manity. God bless them all! Violence in human soci- God bless humanity! day's noble work, I struggle - my mind is restless and keeps strategizing. In this battle of Win and only Win, I lost to inner peace and happiness. Defeated, I finally surrender to an outer aid for sleep- the sleeping tablets! I gulp not one but two every night and in my entire life, if I am ever grateful to, it is the outer aids: The sleeping tablets!! Peace, love, grace and tranquility cannot be bought by money, demand or slavery, it develops within. And I devel-
oped none as I chose to be a MEM!! Life is not qualified by unlimited materialistic possessions, it is measured by the number of faces who smile when they hear one's name. The day, I realise the purpose and beauty of a life and how to live it gracefully, it will be too late: I will be gone!! And as I will close my eyes and walk the final journey of life- lesser people will grieve and more people will sigh relief!! The writer can be reached at: binita_b2002 @yahoo.co.in
Parents, Your Expectations Might Be Crushing In Memory Of The 'Richest Poor A 'Million Dreams And A Billion Lives' Man' Of Pakistan: Abdul Sattar Edhi Abdul Sattar Edhi, the Angel of Mercy, as titled by the masses, one of the most prominent humanitarians and philanthropists of Pakistan, passed away on July 8, 2016, due to kidney failure in a hospital in Karachi. Born in Bantva, Gujarat in 1928, he migrated to Pakistan in 1947. He proved to be a boon to Pakistan, uplifting its status by being the home to such a noble soul. He was the epitome of service to humanity in Pakistan and around the world as well. When Edhi was 11, his mother got paralysed from a stroke. Having a deep affection for her, Edhi nursed her day and night which probably made him realise the importance of serving the helpless. It seems that his mother was an important influence in turning him to such a noble soul as she sowed the seeds of this serenity during his childhood. She used to give him two paisas every day - one for himself and the other for charity. However, his mother passed away when he was 19. Starting his career as a street hawker, selling pencils and matchboxes on the streets of Karachi, Edhi further saw the harsh reality of the mundane life full of pain, poverty and hunger. This gave him the motivation to start his non-pecuniary career in the service of others. Determined to serve the helpless, he opened a dispensary in a tiny room eight feet by eight feet in size in Karachi's poor neighbourhood of Mithadar where the priority was to provide the help to the poor and needy. The journey he started alone in 1951 has now proliferated into a large family connected with the thread of love, humanity and compassion. His marriage to Bilquis Bano
Edhi in the year 1966 who was serving his foundation as a nurse, added greatly to his humanitarian work. "The richest poor man" as called by the people, Edhi was honoured with several awards during his lifetime like the Lenin Peace Prize (1988), Wolf of the Bhogio Peace Award (Italy, 2005), and the Gandhi Peace Award (2007) to name a few. He has, with the support of volunteers of Edhi Foundation, rescued20,000 abandoned infants, 50,000 orphans and 40,000 nurses currently serve in his organisation which runs the world's largest free ambulance service with nearly 1500 ambulances at their disposal. In fact, at many places in Pakistan, his ambulance service was the first to reach and provide aid to victims. It is plain to see with the outcome of his efforts how diligent he had been and how devoted he was to serve humans and animals as well. Currently, there are 250 Edhi Centres at the national level in Pakistan run by thousands of volunteers. The Edhi Foundation deals with emergency relief in natural disasters like fires, epidemics, floods, earthquake etc. He is known to have personally delivered the medicines to refugees in countries like Bosnia, Ethiopia and Afghanistan as well. He said that he never wanted any help from the government and proved it when, in 1980, he refused to accept a cheque of Rs. 5,00,000 from then Prime Minister of Pakistan Zia-UlHaq. Another incident which proved his determination further was his refusal of a million dollar donation from the Italian government. Yet, what is jaw-
Ashu Arora
dropping is that his foundation had a budget of nearly 10 million dollars, almost all of it through private funding. He believed that the world is still full of good people and he could get help whenever he wanted. He once shared an incident that happened to prove this. He said,"One time there was a student at Punjab University in Lahore who came down with cancer and his friend came to me for help. I stood outside on the street in Lahore and asked the people in that city for help. Within four or five hours, I received more than 40 million rupees [more than US $670,000]." He was honoured with Nishane-Khidmat Award in 1980 by the government of Pakistan. His wife Mrs. Bilquis Edhi shared equal responsibility with him in this campaign of service. She, once in an interview with Pakistan's TV anchor Moin Akhtar, was asked how she felt about being the life partner of such a great man. To this, she replied that it was an honour being the wife of such a person whose only business is to serve others. Edhi, together with his wife, was awarded the Ramon Magsaysay Award for Public Service in 1986. In 2006, for the work that he did, the Institute of Business Administration, Pakistan conferred on him an honoris causa degree of Doctor of Social Science Management. His work led him to earn myriad honours like the Khidmat Award by Pakistan Academy of Medical Science and the Human Rights Award by the Pakistan Human Rights Society. Many other international prizes include the UNESCO Madanjeet Peace Prize in 2009, and the Ahmadiyya Muslim Peace Prize in 2010. In the same year, i.e., in 2010, the University of Bedfordshire honoured
him with a Doctorate. He was also made a Paul Harris Fellow by the Rotatory International Foundation. Edhi is also known to have donated $100,000 to Pakistanis who lost their job in New York after 9/11. Many of the incidents unknown to common people and the problems he faced in his long journey were penned down by the Pakistan's renowned author and activist Tehmina Durrani in her book titled "Edhi: A Mirror To The Blind". In the year 2013, his kidneys failed and he was on dialysis since then until his death. It was his selfless love and affection for all which led him to earn the sobriquet 'Father of Orphans'. And as already mentioned, the world bid farewell to him on July 8, 2016. Highly influenced by Mother Teresa and Mohammed Ali Jinnah, he, instead of running after ephemeral pleasures, chose to lead a simple, austere life. His compassion to serve humanity is shown in his last wish whereby he wished to donate his all his organs. However, only his eyes could be donated as his other organs were not in a good condition due to his long illness. He was buried in the grave dug by him several years back in the Edhi Village. The Pakistan Army gave a 19-gun salute to honour him. "Take care of the poor of my country," were his last words which leave us to question ourselves. What force was it that drove him throughout his life to engaged himself in these great deeds? Will Pakistan be able to prove itself worthy as the home of such a beautiful soul given the ordeal its people are going through? Courtesy: Youthkiawaaz
"You're a disappointment," his father said. He had promised to study well and score better than before but he failed. He was good at basketball and felt elated playing it but his dad said, "You're not pursuing this game, there is no future in India." Little did he know he'd have to lie to go play matches when kids at his age lied about bunking and drugs. He became the sports captain in his school but was again discouraged as he realised that an such an achievement would also be debated at home. He wanted to take up arts in high school but he couldn't because his mother said, "Science it is for you. You'll do engineering." He wanted to live his own way but was told to live a certain way and whenever he let his parents down, he thought of himself as no more than a failure. Parents said, "Do this," and like an ideal child, he did. Still, little did he know that at the end of the day he'd hear the golden words, "You're a disappointment."Burdened by expectations that he never wanted to fulfil, he was neither allowed to live his life his way nor was he allowed to become what he may have become. He couldn't think straight, he couldn't figure out his life. He didn't know why he kept failing even when he was trying. It wasn't something he was interested in, it wasn't even something he thought he could do. He was just told to live someone else's life. He was a mere puppet. The family he longed to see after being in college was not pleasing him anymore now. He did call me when all this happened and I remember what he said, "Why don't they let me live, what is so wrong that I'm doing? I feel like a drum that everyone keeps beating." Those were the last words I heard and then his phone switched off after that always.
It is so sad that our whole life is spent not running after our dreams but living a lie. We are told that we come into this world alone and we go back from this world alone. Then why can't we live the way we want to live. If such is the course of life then let it flow. Let us swim with the current than drown fighting against it. Why don't parents understand that it is not the era they witnessed anymore? There is not just the engineer, doctor, teacher and government employee anymore. There is more to life and our fingers can't count the number of career paths we have now. In a crime show on television called "Crime Patrol", I once saw the story of a boy who was good at acting. His confidence lit up the stage every time he stepped on it. He enjoyed the attention he got. The limelight became his favourite spot. His parents saw money coming in easy through his acts, so they made him do plenty of shows. Now, every time he made a mistake, he was scolded, whereas earlier he used to be praised always for good performances. His interest in acting slowly declined because it wasn't just about fun and fame but had become a family business game. The whole house became dependent on what he earned; factories, properties were now their goals. He lost his childhood slowly, they didn't realise. And one fine day, they lost him. Two different stories but both resulted in the kids being moulded into the expectations of the parents. An age where they should be left to make mistakes and learn, enjoy and follow their desires and dreams, they are, alas, held by their necks and told to succumb. If such remains the condition in India, the vicious circle of expectations and the obsolete ideas behind education would continue crushing a million dreams and a billion lives for
Suhani Rampal
sure. Some yield to these forced paths that they are told to follow just like a horse who is bound to see only forward. Some get crushed beneath the lies that their lives become. Quoting the suicide note of Kriti Tripathi, a 17-year-old girl who wrote it before jumping to her death from a five-storey building: "It's not because of bad scores in JEE Mains. I was expecting worse. It's because I've started hating myself to the extent that I want to kill myself… You manipulated me as a kid to like science… I took science to make you happy, I had interest in astrophysics and quantum physics and would have done a B. Sc… I still love writing, English, history (sic)… and they are capable of exciting me in the darkest times." She requested her parents to not force the same on her younger sister and let her take the subjects she is interested in and is capable of completing. Ending the suicide note, she requested the HRD Ministry and other authorities to shut down the coaching centres in Kota as they"suck"! It is true that one suicide note cannot and will not prove the fact that such coaching centres should be shut down. But it definitely rings resonates with all those who are unable to cope and quit. 19 deaths were reported last year and five were reported in just one month in Kota. And these are just the figures from one single place. There would be a hundred more. Is it the pressure of the coaching centres or is it the competition or is it the expectations that cause many to fall into the trap of depression? Some commit suicide and some deal with acute depression and need proper treatment to recover. Though it is a fact that many clear the examination with flying colours, and while some are pursuing their dream, many of them are living a lie.
Have you seen "3 Idiots" or "Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara" or "Wake Up Sid"? Did you just watch them to kill time? I bet you did. Because if the messages delivered by such movies were implemented correctly, I bet the lives of many could have changed. 'Seize the day', 'Follow your heart and your dreams', 'Don't run after success, work hard and success shall follow', 'Don't fear what you do, wearing rings on the fingers will not help you reap what you sow', 'Who knows if you're going to live another day, live in the moment..', and there were many more. But all these just remain quotes which rather than being adopted in life merely hang on the walls in our rooms. Who are you trying to fool? What are you trying to become? Accept what and who you are and make the most of it. The ultimate goal in life must not be to have a salary with a lot of zeroes but to be happy. How can you be happy if you're not you? Well, for many, the strings in their heart might resonate and the nerves in the brain might squeeze to think, ponder and introspect but for others (which includes the majority), it would be just another philosophical article. It's never too late. Your life can turn however you want it to. All you need to do is to just listen to the voice from within. Wishing for a private jet, a private island, a desirable salary package, a lifestyle that you can enjoy is what everyone does. But does any one of them do the right thing to do in order to get what they wish? By following the crowd, can you be extraordinary? You can only be extraordinary if you do what you're good at and if you still don't know what you're good at, alas, you're probably already a victim of the vicious circle. Courtesy: Youthkiawaaz
DIBRUGARH, MONDAY, JULY 25
BUSINESS
3.4% dip in Vodafone's June income, service revenue growth improves Mumbai, Jul 24: Vodafone India has reported a 3.4 per cent dip in revenue to 1.57 billion pounds (around Rs 13,900 crore) for the three months to Junedespite an over 22 per cent rise in data incomebogged down by fall in rupee and income due to regulations. However, service revenue growth improved to 6.4 per cent as against 5.3 per cent in the previous quarter as voice revenue returned to growth and regulatory impacts came down, the London-based company said in a statement. Data browsing revenue growth of 22.3 per cent is lower from the pace of prior quarters, reflecting lower customer growth, which it attributed mainly to the reversal of leap-year ef-
fect and lower intra-circle roaming revenues. The UPS & DOWN company also said the preparations for its Vodafone India has remuch-delayed initial pub- ported a 3.4 per cent lic offer is still underway dip in revenue to 1.57 but did not offer a time- billion pounds (around frame. Excluding regula- Rs 13,900 crore) for tory drags, including the three months to MTR cuts, roaming price June- despite an over caps and an increase in 22 per cent rise in data service tax, service rev- income- bogged down enue grew 7.7 per cent by fall in rupee and incompared to 10.2 per come due to regulacent in the fourth quarter tions. of the prior fiscal year, However, service revthe company said. With enue growth improved effect from April 1, the to 6.4 per cent as company changed the against 5.3 per cent in reporting of certain the previous quarter dealer commissions in the as voice revenue recountry as a result or- turned to growth and ganic service revenue regulatory impacts growth for June quarter came down. for the group and India have been amended to ex- fect on earnings or cash clude the impact of this flows, the company said. Its change, which had no ef- active data customer base
Scorpio with 'Intelli-Hybrid' tech launched
Image for representational purpose. (Photo: blog.troopel) Mumbai, Jul 24: As reported earlier, Mahindra has upgraded its 'MicroHybrid' technology to 'Intelli-Hybrid' and has employed it in the Scorpio. This has resulted in the Scorpio (with 'IntelliHybrid') now being priced at Rs 9.74 lakh (ex-showroom, Navi Mumbai). Apart from the change in the nomenclature, the new system also reduces fuel consumption by assisting the engine with electric power during acceleration. This is done by reusing the recovered brake-force energy. Apart from this, the system also performs the idle start/stop function, which was present in the older tech. The 'IntelliHybrid' tech is available on the entire 2.2-litre mHAWK MT range of the SUV. The starter motor doubles up as an alternator and provides a mild electric push to the
engine during pickups. Also, coupled with the automatic start/stop, Mahindra claims that this system will provide up to 7 per cent fuel economy boost to the SUV. As of now, only the Scorpio in Mahindra's line-up is equipped with this tech. Even in the Scorpio lineup, only the 2.2-litre engine with the manual transmission gets the upgrade -- the 2.5-litre and the 1.99-litre iterations do not. We hope this tech makes its way into the 1.99-litre engine too, since only this variant is sold in Delhi. Also, since the tech is likely to qualify as a hybrid system, Scorpio could face a drop of up to Rs 70,000 and also be exempted from the odd-even scheme. This could really boost the sales of this Mahindra in the SUVdeprived national capital. (Agencies)
Gold price increased on global cues; silver tops Rs. 46,000 mark Chennai, Jul 24: Gold prices surged by Rs. 120 to Rs. 30,770 per 10 grams at the bullion market on Friday, tracking a firm trend overseas amid fresh buying by jewellers at domestic spot market. Silver also reclaimed the crucial Rs. 46,000 mark by recovering Rs. 500 to Rs. 46,200 per kg on increased offtake by industrial units and coin makers. Traders said a firm trend overseas where it rebounded from a threeweek low after the European Central Bank said it will consider adding stimulus as needed, boosting demand for the precious metal, mainly led to rise in gold prices. Moreover, pick-up in buying by jewellers at the domestic markets to meet retailers' de-
mand also influenced sentiment, they said. Globally, gold rose 1.17 per cent to $1,330.70 an ounce and silver by 1.88 per cent to $19.74 an ounce in New York in yesterday's trade. In the national capital, gold of 99.9 per cent and 99.5 per cent purity surged by Rs. 120 each to Rs. 30,770 and Rs. 30,620 per ten grams, respectively. Sovereign, however, held steady at Rs. 23,400 per piece of eight grams in scattered deals. In line with gold, silver ready rebounded by Rs. 500 to Rs. 46,200 per kg and weekly-based delivery by Rs. 715 to Rs. 46,460 per kg. Silver coins, however, remained flat at Rs. 73,000 for buying and Rs. 74,000 for selling of 100 pieces. (Agencies)
Data browsing revenue growth of 22.3 per cent is lower from the pace of prior quarters, reflecting lower customer growth, which it attributed mainly to the reversal of leap-year effect and lower intra-circle roaming revenues.
Excluding regulatory drags, including MTR cuts, roaming price caps and an increase in service tax, service revenue grew 7.7 per cent compared to 10.2 per cent in the fourth quarter of the prior fiscal year.
Its active data customer base increased to 69.7 million from 66.8 million a year ago and 3G/4G customer base grew to 32.3 million, up 46 per cent, and smartphone penetration in its four biggest urban circles touched 54 per cent.
Voice revenue returned to growth as competition eased, despite lower average minutes of use per customer. Total mobile customers rose 1.4 million giving a closing customer base of 199.4 million as of end June.
increased to 69.7 million from 66.8 million a year ago and 3G/4G customer
base grew to 32.3 million, up 46 per cent, and smartphone penetration in
its four biggest urban circles touched 54 per cent. Voice revenue returned to growth as competition eased, despite lower average minutes of use per customer. Total mobile customers rose 1.4 million giving a closing customer base of 199.4 million as of end June. During the quarter, the company added 3,300 3G sites, taking the total to 59,000 and the population coverage to 96 per cent of target urban areas. Currently, Vodafone has 9,700 4G sites with coverage of 45 per cent of its data revenue across five key circles and the company said it expects 4G coverage to increase to over 60 per cent of data revenues by the end of the year, well ahead of the upcoming spectrum auction. (Agencies)
Net profit of Biocon climbs 17 per cent Bengaluru, Jul 24: Biocon Ltd., India's biggest biotech company, reported a 17 per cent increase in first-quarter profit, helped by healthy demand for its biosimilar drugs. Consolidated net profit for the April-June period rose to Rs.147 crore from Rs.126 crore a year-earlier. The Bengaluru-based firm said the consolidated total revenue increased by 11 per cent year-on-year to Rs.952 crore for the first quarter from Rs.857 crore. "Our strong performance this quarter has been driven by an allround growth of our business across small molecules, biologics, branded formulations and research services," said Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, chairperson and manag-
Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, chairperson and managing director at Biocon. (Photo: wikimedia)
ing director at Biocon. The small molecules contributed Rs.357 crore and its research unit Syngene added Rs.263 crore to the total sales for the quarter. Branded formulations contributed Rs.159 crore and biologics added
Rs.107 crore. The biologics business delivered a growth of 53 per cent driven by sales of biosimilars, which are less costly versions of original drugs made by a different company. They are used to treat diseases
such as diabetes and cancer. Biologic drugs are created using living cells and they treat diseases mainly by genetically modifying the cells. Biocon said that it did the regulatory filing of its first biosimilar Pegfilgrastim in the European Union and also introduced insulin Glargine in Japan. The company also received regulatory approvals from Ministry of Health in Malaysia, for rh-Insulin and Glargine which will enable commercialization of these products. "We are on track for filing some of our biosimilars and generic formulations in the developed markets later this year," said Ms.Shaw. Biocon spent Rs.92 crore on R&D last quarter. (Agencies)
Exports to be the main focus of Ashok Leyland
Chief Financial Officer of Ashok Leyland, Gopal Mahadevan. (Photo: thehindubusinessline)
Chennai, Jul 24: Commercial vehicle-maker Ashok Leyland Ltd. has drawn up plans to increase its share of revenue from exports almost fivefold in five years, said Chief Financial Officer Gopal Mahadevan. He said the company plans to increase the share of ex-
port revenue from the present seven per cent reported in the first quarter of 2016-17 to between 30 per cent and 35 per cent in five years. To meet this goal, it had laid out plans to enter overseas markets and introduce new products resulting in improved margins. "In
Kenya, we are setting up an assembly line for bus and trucks to produce 3,000 to 5,000 units per annum. The investment will be $5 million and the plant will be ready in 8-12 months," he said. The company plans to ship kits from India to assemble there. The plant expects to attract tax incentives, freight benefits, along with the advantage of localisation, he said. Besides, Ashok Leyland will also enter Bangladesh with the help of a strategic partner for manufacturing trucks. The plant would be ready in 4-5 months. Ashok Leyland also proposes to expand its capacity at the Ras Al Khaimah unit in the U.A.E. from 4,000 to 6,000 units. "The Kenya unit will give us access to
East Africa, West Africa and adjacent markets. With this, we can expect the demand for our products to go up to 12,000 units," according to him. For the first quarter ended June 2016, the company posted a 10 per cent rise in revenues at Rs.4,259 crore against Rs.3,883 crore in the year-earlier period. Profit after tax grew 101 per cent to Rs.291 crore. Its debt came down to Rs.1,600 crore (Rs.3,600 crore). "Our domestic volume growth was 18.5 per cent against industry growth of 14.5 per cent." This is the ninth straight quarter in which we have grown higher than industry growth, he said. (Agencies)
Hyundai Elite i20 automatic to be unveiled in India soon Pune, Jul 24: Looks like Hyundai has listened to the pleas of the car-buying junta after all. Reports suggest that the Korean automaker will be launching an automatic variant of its popular Elite i20 hatchback. The launch is expected any time in the next couple of months, with deliveries beginning around the festive season. The automatic transmission is likely to be a fourspeed unit, paired with a 1.2-litre petrol motor, that develops 83PS of power. The same engine-gearbox
combo can be found in the Grand i10 as well. Notably, European markets get a 1.4-litre 100PS engine with the autobox, possibilities of which cannot be ruled out here either. Also, whether this transmission is carried over to the i20 Active as well, remains to be seen. Sources suggest that Hyundai is mulling launching the automatic in at least two variants. While we are certain that the automatic transmission will be available in the 'Magna' trim, the other may either be the 'Sportz' or the
'Asta'. Hyundai is looking at pricing the automatic aggressively and might skip some features to make the price lucrative. Speaking of which, expect the automatic to be priced at a premium compared to its manual counterpart. Prices are likely to start around the Rs 6.5 lakh mark. If there was one chink in the car's armour, it'd have to be the lack of an automatic variant. All its direct competitors -such as the Volkswagen Polo, Maruti Suzuki Baleno and the Honda
Jazz -- feature two-pedal technology, which made the cars click with urban commuters. Like we mentioned, the Elite i20's own little sibling, the Grand i10 gets an automatic as well. It was about time, really. All said and done, what the segment really needs is a diesel automatic. There's clearly a gap in the market that Hyundai can plug. While nothing seems concrete as of now, the diesel automatic will be a worthy addition to the i20 line-up. (Agencies)
PAGE 10
$5.34 billion FDI received by India in April-May
Minister of State for Finance, Arjun Meghwal. (Photo: southeast-1.amazonaws) New Delhi, Jul 24: India received $ 5.34 billion foreign direct investment in the first two months of the current financial year, Parliament was informed. During April-May the country attracted $ 4.76 billion FDI under automatic route, while USD 582 million came through the approval route, Minister of State for Finance Arjun Meghwal said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha. He said the government has made changes in the FDI policy in several sectors "to ensure that India remains increasingly attractive and investor friendly investment destination". The government has relaxed FDI Policy in sec-
tors like defence, pharmaceuticals, aviation, food retailing and broadcast. During the two months, defence received no FDI, while pharmaceuticals attracted $ 452.86 million foreign inflows. The other sectors include air transport (USD 5.65 million), information and broadcasting (USD 39.2 million) and retail trading (USD 7.94 million). Replying to a separate question, Meghwal said in the first quarter, April-June, of 2016-17 Foreign Portfolio Investors pumped in Rs 10,4561 crore. "To attract global investors, a number of reforms were taken in the FDI policy and FPI policy," he added. (Agencies)
$33m raised by Rocket's GFG amid Jabong sale talks
Oliver Samwer, CEO of Rocket Internet. (Photo: d152j5tfobgaot.cloudfront) Bengaluru, Jul 24: Global Fashion Group (GFG), which houses six international fashion e-tailers including India's Jabong, has raised an additional $33 million, topping up its April round this year when it raised nearly $331 million at a sharp 68% drop in valuation to $1.1 billion. Existing investors Kinnevik, Rocket Internet and Rocket Internet Capital Partners have participated in this round, the company said in a statement. The development comes at a time when GFG is actively talking to suitors to sell Jabong. It has held talks with multiple online and offline retailers here, such as Aditya Birla Group, Flipkart, Snapdeal and Future Group, among others. As a possible sale is on the cards, Jabong CEO Sanjeev Mohanty is believed to be on his way out to join Levi's as its managing director. According to Kinnevik, it has infused $178 million in the
round and holds 35% stake while Rocket Internet has pumped in $75 million and holds 20% stake in GFG. Oliver Samwer, CEO of Rocket Internet, said, "The recent funding round provides GFG with the necessary capital. We are looking forward to continuing to work with the GFG team as well as Kinnevik and the other GFG shareholders." Started in 2014, GFG has five regional online fashion businesses apart from Jabong Dafiti in Latin America, Lamoda in Russia and CIS, Namshi in the Middle East, The Iconic in Australia and Zalora in South-East Asia. Berlin-based Rocket Internet, known for having a copycat model, has been struggling with many of its startups being unprofitable in emerging markets. In April, the German internet group slashed the estimated value of GFG from about $3 billion to approximately $1 billion. (Agencies)
Q1 net falls of Axis Bank by 21% on NPAs Mumbai, Jul 24: A sharp rise in provisions for bad loans took a toll on the earnings of Axis Bank for the first quarter of FY17. The bank's net profit fell 21% to Rs 1,555 crore from Rs 1,978 crore in the corresponding quarter last year. The private bank increased its provisions for bad loans by 88.7% to Rs 2,117 crore. Gross non-performing assets rose to 2.54% from 1.67% in the same period last year. Net NPAs rose from 0.7% to 1.08%. While Axis Bank's asset quality is far better than the loan book of public sector banks and the banking industry, the private lender has a relatively larger exposure to infrastructure and other projects compared to
peers such as HDFC Bank and Kotak Bank. Announcing its results, the bank said that some stressed loans that had been kept under a 'watch list' in the previous quarter have now slipped into the default category. As a result, the watch list shrunk by 10% from Rs 22,600 crore in the previous quarter to Rs 20,295 crore. The bank's loan book grew 21% Rs 3,44,925 crore as on June 30. This was driven by a growth in home loans and other retail advances which grew 24% to Rs 1,43,159 crore and accounted for 41% of all loans. Corporate loans, which grew 21% stood at Rs 1,58,155 crore and accounted for 46% of the bank's advances. (Agencies)
DIBRUGARH, MONDAY, JULY 25
Features
PAGE 11
ENVIRONMENT Tropical cyclones on track to grow more intense as temperatures rise Powerful tropical cyclones like the super typhoon that lashed Taiwan with 150-mile-per-hour winds last week and then flooded parts of China are expected to become even stronger as the planet warms. That trend hasn't become evident yet, but it will, scientists say. So far, the warming effects of greenhouse gases on tropical cyclones have been masked, in part by air pollution. Over the past century, tiny airborne particles called aerosols, which cool the climate by absorbing and reflecting sunlight, largely cancelled out the effects of planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions when it came to tropical storm intensity, according to a new scientific review paper published this week in the journal Science. That might sound like a good thing, but many of those particles came from the burning of fossil fuels and wood, and contributed to acid rain, smog and lung damage. As vehicles and power plants added filters and scrub-
bers to reduce their impact on human health, levels of human-made aerosols in the atmosphere began to decline. At the same time, greenhouse gas concentrations continued to rise. That compensating effect won't continue if greenhouse gas warming keeps increasing, the scientists write. Using model simulations, they provide new calculations of the cancelling effects of aerosols and greenhouse gases on tropical cyclones worldwide. They also take a closer look at the stilldeveloping understanding of how climate change will affect tropical cyclones, also known regionally as typhoons or hurricanes. "The fact that global warming's fingerprints don't yet jump out at us when we look at hurricanes isn't surprising -it's what current science tells us we should expect," said lead author Adam Sobel, a professor at Columbia University's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory and School of Engineering. "The same science tells us that those fingerprints will
show up eventually in more ultra-powerful storms." Increasing potential intensity The scientists examined a wide range of published analyses of tropical cyclone data and computer modeling, looking specifically at potential intensity, which predicts the maximum intensity that tropical cyclones could reach in a given environment. Their new global calculations of the cancelling effect follow a 2015 study led by Lamont's Mingfang Ting, with Suzana Camargo, also a coauthor on the new paper, that showed similar effects over the North Atlantic, where hurricanes that make landfall in the United States form. Many factors contribute to a tropical cyclone's intensity. At the most basic, the storm's convective strength -- the boiling motion of air rising from the ocean surface to the atmosphere -- depends on the temperature difference between the surface ocean and the upper atmosphere. Computer models that
simulate the physics of tropical cyclones suggest that this difference should increase as the climate and sea surface temperatures warm, and that tropical storm strength should increase with it. Less well understood is how climate change should influence the number of tropical cyclones that form each year. Computer models indicate that while the total number of cyclones should decline in a warming climate, more intense, highly destructive storms like Super Typhoon Nepartak are likely to become more common. We have seen harbingers of that change in recent years: Typhoon Haiyan, also known as Yolanda, killed more than 6,300 people as it devastated parts of the Philippines as a Category 5 storm in 2013. Last year, Hurricane Patricia became the second most-intense tropical cyclone on record when its sustained winds reached 215 mph before weakening to hit Mexico with winds still powerful at
150 mph. The scientists' review finds that the largest increases in tropical cyclone potential intensity are expected to be at the margins of the tropics, particularly in the Atlantic and Pacific. The amount of rain that tropical storms bring is also expected to increase as the planet warms, due to increasing water vapor; and coastal flooding from storm surges that accompany tropical storms are expected to become more of a problem as sea levels rise. The scientists also describe a shift in tropical cyclone tracks toward the margins of the tropics, noting that it is unclear if the shift is a response to warming. Simulations for the western North Pacific suggest that it is, at least in part. Detecting the influence of climate change Two factors make it difficult to detect greenhouse gas-related trends in tropical cyclone intensity, as the authors explain. One is the influence of aerosols. Model calcula-
What would a global warming increase of 1.5C be like? The Paris climate conference set the ambitious goal of finding ways to limit global warming to 1.5C, rather than the previous threshold of 2C. But what would be the difference? And how realistic is such a target? Environment 360 reports How ambitious is the world? The Paris climate conference last December astounded many by pledging not just to keep warming "well below two degrees celsius," but also to "pursue efforts" to limit
on the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) to report on the implications of a 1.5C target. They want the job done by 2018, in time to inform renewed talks on toughening emissions targets beyond those agreed upon in Paris. But the truth is that scientists are only now getting out of the blocks to address what a 1.5C world would look like, because until recently it sounded like a political and technological impossibility.
made in the coming decade." And they are on the case, with their own dedicated website and a major conference planned at Oxford in the fall. So what is at stake? There are two issues to address. First, what would be gained by going the extra mile for 1.5? And second, what would it take to deliver? First, the gains. According to available research, says the Oxford group, the biggest boost will not be measured in average tempera-
Representational image (Photo: yale) warming to 1.5C. That raised a hugely important question: What's the difference between a twodegree world and a 1.5degree world? Given we are already at one degree above pre-industrial levels, halting at 1.5C would look to be at least twice as hard as the two-degree option. So would it be worth it? And is it even remotely achievable? In Paris, delegates called
As a commentary published online in Nature Climate Change last week warned, there is "a paucity of scientific analysis" about the consequences of pursuing a 1.5C target. To remedy this, the paper's researchers, led by Daniel Mitchell and others at Oxford University, called for a dedicated program of research to help inform what they described as "arguably one of the most momentous [decisions] to be
tures. On its own, the difference between 1.5C and 2C is marginal. But it would have a much greater effect on the probability of extreme and destructive weather events like floods, droughts, storms, and heatwaves. We know extreme weather is happening more often. A study last year by Erich Fischer of the Institute for Atmospheric and Climate Science in Zurich found that the risk of what was
"once in a 1,000 days" hot weather has already increased fivefold. His modelling suggests that it will double again at 1.5C and double once more as we go from 1.5 to 2C. The probability of even more extreme events increases even faster. The same will be true for droughts, says CarlFriedrich Schleussner of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research in Germany. Last year, he reported that the extra half-degree would produce dramatic increases in the likely length of dry spells over wide areas of the globe, including the Mediterranean, Central America, the Amazon basin, and southern Africa, with resulting declines in river flows from a third to a half. Schleussner concluded that going from 1.5 to 2C "marks the difference between events at the upper limit of present-day natural variability and a new climate regime, particularly in tropical regions." A few studies have tried to drill down to what the difference means for dayto-day lives. And the consequences for many will be stark. At two degrees, parts of southwest Asia, including well-populated regions of the Persian Gulf and Yemen,may become literally uninhabitable without permanent air conditioning. Some researchers predict a massive decline in the viability of food crops critical for human survival. The extra half-degree could cut corn yields in parts of Africa by half, says Bruce Campbell of the International Center for Tropical Agriculture. Schleussner found that even in the prairies of the US, the risk of poor corn yields would double. Two degrees, says Johan RockstrĂśm, director of the Stockholm Resilience Center, "contains signifi-
cant risks for societies everywhere; 1.5 looks much more scientifically justifiable." Ecosystems would feel the difference too. Take tropical coral reefs, which already regularly come under stress because of high ocean temperatures, suffering "bleaching" especially during El NiĂąo events - as happened on the Great Barrier Reef in Australia this year. Most can now recover when the waters cool again, but today's exceptional temperature may soon become the new normal. "Virtually all tropical coral reefs are projected to be at risk of severe degradation due to temperatureinduced bleaching from 2050 onwards," as warming slips past 1.5C , reports Schleussner. By some estimates, curbing warming at 1.5C could be sufficient to prevent the formation of an ice-free Arctic in summer, to save the Amazon rainforest, and to prevent the Siberian tundra from melting and releasing planetwarming methane from its frozen depths. It could also save many coastal regions and islands from permanent inundation by rising sea levels, particularly in the longer run. In 2100, the difference in sea level rise between 1.5C and 2C would be relatively small: 40cm versus 50cm. But centuries later, as the impact of warmer air temperatures on the long-term stability of the great ice sheets of Greenland and Antarctica takes hold, it would be far greater. Michiel Schaeffer of Climate Analytics, a Berlin-based think tank, calculates that by 2300, two degrees would deliver sea level rise of 2.7 meters, while 1.5 degrees would limit the rise to 1.5 meters. Courtesy: theguardian
Representational image (Photo: phys) tions indicate that aerosols have about twice the effect of greenhouse gases on a tropical cyclone's potential intensity. So while greenhouse gas levels have been greater than aerosol levels for many decades in terms of absolute magnitude -- which is why the planet has warmed by about 1.5?F since the Industrial Revolution -- they have only recently surpassed the cooling effect of aerosols in terms of their influence on tropical cyclone intensity. The other challenge is natural variability. Tropical cyclones are relatively rare -- the world averages
around 90 per year -- and that number fluctuates from year to year and decade to decade, due in large part to natural causes. It is statistically difficult to detect longterm trends within that large natural variability, Sobel said. Satellite records that can monitor tropical storms worldwide also only go back to the 1970s. Scientists at Lamont, including Sobel, Camargo and coauthors Allison Wing and Chia-Ying Lee, are using both observations and computer models to expand understanding of how tropical cyclone behavior has changed and the physical
mechanisms by which climate affects extreme weather. Among other projects, they are developing a tropical cyclone risk model that can be used in urban planning that incorporates climate factors in determining the probability of a tropical cyclone making landfall at a given location. The other coauthors of the paper are Michael Tippett of Columbia's School of Engineering, and Timothy Hall of NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies. Funding for the research was provided by the National Science Foundation and the Office of Naval Research. Courtesy: sciencedaily
'Environment degradation enhancing poverty in northeast' Environmental degradation is a major factor in perpetuating poverty, particularly among the rural poor in the bio-rich northeastern region of the country, experts have pointed out. Experts on matters relating to the environment and ecology point out that environmental degradation has adverse effects on soil fertility, quality and quality of water, forests, wildlife and fisheries and makes air all the more impure. "The dependence of rural poor, particularly the tribal societies, on natural resources is self-evident. Women, being directly involved in collecting items of food from nature, are more vulnerable to the adverse impacts of degradation of natural resources," says a research scholar associated with studying the relationship between the environment and people in general. In fact, of the two biodiversity 'hotspots' in India, the Eastern Himalayas, comprising the northeast is in greater danger than the Western Ghats, experts have long cautioned. "Northeast India is the bio-geographical gateway to India's richest biodiversity zone and is unique for its genetic resources. However, the rapid growth in population is creating a number of environmental problems because of uncontrolled urbanization, industrialization and massive intensification of agriculture and destruction of forests," an environment observer underscores. "Major environmental issues are degradation of forests, decline in forest cover and degradation of agricultural land, resource
depletion (water, mineral, forest, sand, rocks etc), loss of biodiversity and resilience in ecosystems thereby creating livelihood insecurity for the poor," he says. The official estimates say, the country's population will increase to about 1.26 billion by the year 2016. The projected population
lamities, including deforestation, habitat destruction and loss of biodiversity. Changing consumption pattern has led to rising demand for energy," the experts emphasize. The final outcomes of this are air pollution, global warming, climate change, water scarcity
Northeast India is the bio-geographical gateway to India's richest biodiversity zone and is unique for its genetic resources (Photo: blogspot.)
indicates that India will be the first most populous country in the world followed by China in 2050. Experts point out that India having 18 per cent of the world's population and covering 2.4 per cent of the world's total area is leaving a negative impact on its natural resources. Water shortage, soil exhaustion and erosion, deforestation, air and water pollution afflict many areas. One of the primary causes of environmental degradation is attributed to rapid growth of population, which affects the environment and its natural resources. Experts say the existence or absence of favorable natural resources can facilitate or retard the process of socio-economic development. "Population growth and economic development are contributing to many serious environmental ca-
and rise in the level of toxicity of water. Forest cover is declining because of harvesting for fuel wood and the expansion of agricultural land. These trends, combined with increasing industrial and motor vehicle pollution output, have led to temperature increases, shifting precipitation patterns, and declining intervals of drought recurrence in many areas. Civil conflicts involving natural resources - most notably forests and arable land - have occurred in eastern and northeastern states. Research on population genetics and phylogenetics (study of evolutionary relation among groups of organisms) should be given priority and concerted efforts launched to protect the prime habitats of endemic and endangered primate species, the experts opine. Courtesy: timesofindia
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DIBRUGARH, MONDAY, JULY 25
PAGE 12 Gael Monfils to face Ivo Karlovic in Washington Open final
Gael Monfils AFP District of Columbia, July 24 : France`s Gael Monfils, seeking his first ATP crown outside Europe, and Ivo Karlovic, nearing titles in consecutive weeks at age 37, advanced to the ATP and WTA Washington Open final in sweltering conditions Saturday. The 29-year-old Frenchman, whose most recent of five career titles came in 2014 at Montpellier, ripped ill German teen Alexander Zverev 6-4, 6-0 in one hour. "It was difficult conditions," Monfils said. "It was very warm. It was very difficult to keep the ball in. I changed up the pace a little bit and it was tougher for him to handle it." Croatia`s 35th-ranked Karlovic fired 14 aces to defeat US fifth seed Steve Johnson 6-4, 6-4 in a match where temperatures on the court reached 140 degrees Fahrenheit (60 Celsius). "There was this moment when I just wanted to lay down on the court. But I kept going," Karlovic said. "It was difficult." Monfils has split four career ATP matches against Karlovic, winning their most recent meeting at Madrid in 2011 but losing their only prior hardcourt matchup in 2009 at Cincinnati. "There`s only one Ivo," Monfils said. "Sometimes you only have one opportunity so you have to make the passing shot and then stick with the serve." Karlovic, averaging 20 aces a match, has not surrendered a service break this week. "This is my game. This is my strength," Karlovic said. "It is really working this week." Zverev, ranked a careerbest 27th but sick with food poisoning, warned Monfils could test Karlovic with quick returns. "He`s the quickest player
on tour," Zverev said of Monfils. "He will get a lot of returns back." Monfils, who seeks his first outdoor crown since Sopot in 2005, is 5-19 in ATP finals, including a 2011 loss at Washington to Radek Stepanek. Karlovic, 7-8 in ATP finals, won his seventh career title last week on Newport grass to become the oldest tour singles champion since 1979. "I`m confident from winning last week," Karlovic said. "In my old age, it`s good when you can meet your goals still." Zverev, 19, smacked a forehand long to surrender the first set in 24 minutes and Monfils rolled from there. "I wasn`t feeling well. I was throwing up all night, dehydrated -- in these conditions I was dead out there after three games," Zverev said. "It`s a semi-final. I`m not pulling out of that. It`s not like I didn`t try."Belgian seventh seed Yanina Wickmayer, a 2009 US Open semi-finalist, battled through the heat to oust Kazakh sixth seed Yulia Putintseva 6-4, 6-2. "It was very tough conditions out there," said Wickmayer, who seeks her fifth WTA title Sunday against America`s 122ndranked Lauren Davis, a 62, 6-3 winner over 173rdrated American Jessica Pegula. Karlovic broke in the third game of the match and took the first set in 38 minutes, ending it like the second with back-to-back aces. In the third game of the second set, Karlovic rocketed a service return forehand winner past Johnson and then dropped a slice backhand winner on the line to break for a 2-1 lead. "I tried to be as aggressive as I could and it paid off," Karlovic said. "In all the crucial moments I was able to make a good shot."
Narsingh fails dope test, Rio participation doubtful PTI New Delhi, Jul 24 : India's Olympic buildup suffered a colossal jolt today as wrestler Narsingh Yadav, who was picked ahead of the celebrated Sushil Kumar, failed a dope test conducted by NADA, virtually ruling him out of the Rio Games next month. National Anti-Doping Director General Navin Agarwal confirmed that Narsingh's 'B' sample also tested positive for a banned substance and he appeared before a NADA disciplinary panel yesterday. Sources that he had returned positive for methandienone -- a
AFP North Sound, July 24 : West Indies were facing the prospect of another huge series-opening defeat at 21 for one in their second innings at stumps, a deficit of 302 runs, after being forced to follow-on on the third day of the first Test against India on Saturday. Fast-medium bowlers Umesh Yadav and Mohammed Shami took four wickets each to wreck the home side`s first innings, dismissing them for 243 in the final session of the day with half-centuries by opener Kraigg Brathwaite and wicketkeeper-batsman Shane Dowrich representing the only meaningful resistance. Brathwaite, who defied India`s array of pace and spin for almost five hours in getting to 74, could not
early to comment in that regard. We will try to complete the whole thing quickly. I cannot speculate on that." However, sources close to Narsingh and in the Wres-
tling Federation of India have cried foul, claiming that the entire episode seems to be a conspiracy. "It is a sabotage, foul play. Narsingh has a very clean history. it is clearly a con-
lengthy legal battle with Sushil to get the chance to compete for India at the Olympics. The Sports Ministry also issued a statement to confirm a failed dope test by a wrestler but desisted from giving out Narsingh's name. "One wrestler has been detected by National AntiDoping Agency (NADA) as dope positive. An AntiDoping Disciplinary Panel(ADDP) has been constituted by NADA under its rules for hearing the case. Its first hearing was held yesterday in which the wrestler was given an opportunity to defend himself," the Ministry said. .
survive the first over of the second turn at the crease, being trapped palpably leg-before by Ishant Sharma. Rajendra Chandrika and Darren Bravo survived to the close and will resume on the fourth day hoping to put up a much more concerted effort than in the first innings. In their previous three Test series, the West Indies lost the opening matches at home to Australia by nine wickets a year ago and then by an innings in Sri Lanka and Australia at the end of 2015. India`s bowlers made a mockery of all the lamentations of a placid, lifeless pitch over the first two days with an impressive, purposeful effort throughout the day. They were held up though at the start of play as
Virat Kohli and Umesh Yadav Braithwaite and nightwatchman Devendra Bishoo frustrated Virat Kohli and his men for 75 minutes until leg-spinner Amit Mishra had Bishoo stumped by wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha. It was second of six dis-
missals for Saha in the innings, putting him alongside Syed Kirmani and Mahendra Singh Dhoni for the most dismissals by an Indian wicketkeeper in a Test innings. From that point on it became a virtual procession
of West Indies batsmen to and from the wicket with Shami outstanding either side of the lunch interval when he disposed of Bravo, Marlon Samuels and Jermaine Blackwood to add to his dismissal of Chandrika late on the sec-
ond evening. Debutant Roston Chase displayed a measure of grit in a 47-run stand for the sixth wicket with Brathwaite, but the reintroduction of Yadav for another spell in mid-afternoon proved telling. Chase miscued an attempted pull to give Kohli a simple catch at short midwicket and Brathwaite could not get out of the way of a sharp lifter to give a catch behind. Dowrich counter-attacked superbly in getting to an unbeaten 57 with ten fours by the time the innings folded, Yadav dispensing with Jason Holder and Carlos Brathwaite off successive balls before Mishra completed the job by bowling a heaving Shannon Gabriel.
Aim is to finish high in 200m freestyle at Rio: Shivani PTI Bengaluru, Jul 24 : Shivani Kataria, only the third Indian woman swimmer to qualify for the Olympics, aspires to finish high in 200m freestyle at the Rio Games, starting next month. "I have been selected for Rio, and my aim is to finish high in 200m freestyle," she told PTI in a telephonic interview. Shivani hopes that her participation at Rio would inspire other girls to take up the sport and pursue it professionally. "I realised I was the first female swimmer since 2004 to
Ajit Agarkar
occasion however, Ajit Agarkar delivered the perfect last over against the mighty Aussies. The Mumbai pacer gave away just two runs and scalped four wickets
Narsingh Yadav
spiracy against him. Decision on the representation in 74kg is to be taken later but in all likelihood there would be no Indian representation in 74kg in Rio. Narsingh has been handed provisional suspension as of now," WFI sources said. Narsingh, who won the 74kg Olympic quota berth with a World Championships bronze last year, was selected for Rio in controversial circumstances after double Olympic-medallist Sushil Kumar's demands for a trial were rejected both by the WFI and the Delhi High Court. Narsingh had to fight a
1st Test, Day 3: India push wilting West Indies to verge of heavy defeat
WATCH: 4 wickets in 6 balls - When Ajit Agarkar bowled devastating last over against Australia
PTI New Delhi, July 24 : Bowling at the death in limited-overs cricket has often been a major worry for Indian cricket teams over the years. On one
banned anabolic steroid. "Yes, he (Narsingh) tested positive for a banned steroid. His B sample was also found to be positive. Narsingh was personally present when his B sample was opened," the NADA DG told PTI. "He appeared before a disciplinary panel yesterday. The panel sought for more reports regarding the matter. We will proceed further and I am hoping that the panel will proceed quickly. Till then we will have to wait," he added. Asked if Narsingh will miss the Rio Olympics, Agarwal said, "It is too
(one run-out) in the final over of the innings. The Australians had already put up a formidable total, but Agarkar made sure there were no fireworks towards the end.
represent India at the Olympics. I want to use this opportunity to motivate and encourage more girls to take up the sport and pursue it professionally. "India has a lot of talent and I believe that any female swimmer's success would motivate other girls who might be afraid to try swimming," she said. On her training stint in Phuket, Shivani said she learnt a number of new techniques and trained alongside swimmers from around the world. "I trained real hard in Phuket,
Shivani Kataria
used to swim triple sessions some times. I had dropped out of school just to focus on
the Olympics. I also learnt many new techniques and got to train with so many swimmers from around the world, which was an amazing experience," she said. On how the Olympic qualification has changed her as a student of the game to a competitor, Shivani said, "Being only the third swimmer in history to represent India at the Olympics carries its own expectations, and I want to grow as a swimmer." Shivani said her long-term goal is to qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Games and win a medal there.
"The long-term goal is to qualify for Tokyo 2020 and go one step further and win an Olympic medal there. My short term goals are to get good results in all my upcoming tournaments including the Nationals and World Championships. I am also looking forward to qualifying for the 2018 Commonwealth and Asian Games." Shivani said she faced no difficulty in choosing swimming as a career as her parents supported her. "I was just a normal kid before I started swimming. There was no difficulty in
becoming a swimmer as my parents supported me in every way. When I was six years old, I use to go for summer camp in Baba Gang Nath Swimming Centre near my house and slowly my interest in swimming increased," she said. Shivani said she was looking forward to watching her idol Katie Ledecky live in action at Rio. "Now since I am going to Rio, I am going to get the chance to see my idol Katie Ledecky live in action which is a dream come true," she added.
A 555-strong US Rio squad includes 292 women AFP Los Angeles, July 24 : The US Olympic Committee announced a 555strong team for the Rio de Janeiro Games that includes 292 women, the most women to represent any country at the Games. With 263 men on the squad, it's just the second time that the United States will send more women than men to the Olympics after fielding a team of 269 women and 261 men in London four years ago. The team includes 68 gold medalists among 191 returning Olympians. The US will compete in 27 sports and 244 of the 306 medal events that will be contested in Rio.
The team was announced in a ceremony on Venice Beach in Los Angeles. Among the 191 returning Olympians there are three six-time Olympians, seven five-time Olympians, 19 four-time Olympians, 50 threetime Olympians and 112 two-time Olympians. Of the 68 who have won Olympic gold, 53 are looking to defend their titles from London, including 19 in individual events. Topping the list of most decorated male and female competitors to make the team are swimming great Michael Phelps, whose 22 medals include 18 gold, and track and field athlete Allyson Felix, whose six medals include four
gold. Joining Felix as fourtime Olympic champions are sisters Serena and Venus Williams, who will look to match the Olympic record for overall medals in tennis of five.
The USA will also seek to continue its success in team sports, with the women's basketball team chasing a record sixth straight gold and the men's basketball team aiming to win a third straight gold and
15th title overall. The women footballers will try to become the first World Cup champions to win the following year's Olympic title while the US women's rowing eight hasn't lost an Olympic or world title since 2006. US women will look to repeat as Olympic champions in artistic gymnastics, having won the last four Olympic and world titles from 2011-15. And with historic Copacabana Beach serving as the backdrop, Team USA also will look to continue its storybook history in beach volleyball with Americans having reached the top of the podium at every Olympic Games since the sport was added in 1996.
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