2nd sept 2015, wednesday by THE EASTERN TODAY

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Vol. 1

Issue 91

Price -

Dibrugarh, Wednesday, September 2, 2015

5.00

Every Thursday & Sunday

Pages- 12

Public vent ire against alleged administrative failure Artificial flood in Dibrugarh in providing relief to flood-hit people in Dibrugarh Charity begins at home ○

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ET CAPSULES

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Dibrugarh unit BSS distributes relief to flood victims

dia, the industrial nerve centre of eastern India plunges into darkness with inundated roads becoming eerily quiet leaving only a few of the denizens of this otherwise vibrant city wading through the main thoroughfares, giving it the look, believe it or not, of a ghost town! Yes, it’s the story from Dibrugarh for the last two days at a stretch. Unprecedented! This is the voice, which is echoed by the senior citizens, Contd. on Page 4

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A Staff Reporter Dibrugarh, Sep 1

Dibrugarh, Sep 1: Bharat Sevashram Sangha (BSS) Dibrugarh unit has distributed relief materials to thousands of flood victims in Dibrugarh. They distributed 200 kgs of chira, dry food, 50 kgs of Gur and five cartoons of biscuits in the makeshift camps at Green wood Tea estate, Kacheria Gaon, Ockland Tea estate, Maijan Tea estate, Nagadhuli Ghat in Dibrugarh district under the leadership of Mithun Das, Assistant Secretary of Dibrugarh Hindu Milan Mandir and Pranabendu Ghosh, Hindu Rakshineeta of Dibrugarh Hindu Milan Mandir. “Dibrugarh Hindu Milan Mandir has formed a relief team of fifteen volunteers which has been providing relief materials, making shelter arrangement for flood affected people,’’ said Pranabendu Ghosh, Rakshineeta of Dibrugarh Hindu Milan Mandir. (Staff Reporter)

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For the fourth consecutive day, Dibrugarh remains waterlogged. The State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and civil defence personnel have also been deployed for relief and rescue. At Marwari Patty, people came out from their houses to protest against the

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Nabajyoti Borkakoty

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Floods creating havoc in Tinsukia district, 2 dead, 1 missing is Kalia Bhumij of Makum. Another youth was swept by the flooded waters of the Dibru River in Philobari in the district. Most of the rivers of the district are flowing their danger levels inundating new areas of the district. Thousands of villagers from 21 villages in Barekuri area have come under the impact of the floods.

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ET Correspondent Tinsukia, Sept 1

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Police resorted to lathi charge on a mob who tried to create law and order problem by blocking the busiest Thanachariali in waterlogged Dibrugarh, seeking relief from water logging. Pic - UB

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failure of District administration to flush out the rain water from the town. All the business establishments remained closed for the last four days due to the rain water entering their shops. Elsewhere, all the schools and colleges remained closed for the second consecutive day. “We have not seen such heavy flood in Dibrugarh for the past 50 years, Thanacharali the busy area of Dibrugarh came to a standstill and the traffic has been affected while the people from all walks of life came to Thanacharali to see the flooding water,’’

BAYM burns Dr. Nazrul Islam's effigy at Demow

Come evening and Dibrugarh, the tea city of In-

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Police cane protestors

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With almost the entire state, the latest wave of floods is creating havoc in upper Assam's Tinsukia district as well with the administration death of 2 persons while 1 have gone missing. Of the two one has been identified as Swapan Dutta of Sripuria Congress Colony and the second person ○

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Contd. on Page 4 ○

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A new Beginning; People of Over flowing Nao Dihing pose Diyun Bordumsa should rejoice threat to life and property in Diyun ○

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Demow, Sep 1: Bihotor Asomiya Yova Mansha (BAYM) burned Dr. Nazrul Islam's effigy at NH 37 at Demow today in protest against hike of prices of various essential commodities in Assam. They shouted slogans like "Assam government murdabad", "Nazrul Islam murdabad", "Tarun Gogoi murdabad", etc. Jadov Gogoi Hassiv Sifts Sivasagar District (BAYM), Durbajoti Boruah, secretary of Athabari committee (BAYM) were present at the programme. Jadov Gogoi said if Assam government don't take any action on price rise then they would initiate more programmes against the government.(Correspondent)

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ET Correspondent Diyun, Sep 1

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ET Correspondent Diyun, Sep 1

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The water level of Nao Dihing river in Diyun Circle till today doesn’t show a slightest sign of decline even when the flood inundated portion of Dumpani village and Jyotipur village while dismantling cultivable land destructing paddy field and bettle nut gardens. Reports had also poured in of the Noa Dihing River flowing over danger level at Maitripur, Gautampur, Santipur villages under Diyun circle in Changlang district.

Arunachal Pradesh parliamentary secretary for social justice & empowerment, tribal affairs and women and child development Shri Nikh Kamin today assumed his office in Itanagar. The Honourable Parliamentary Secretary expresses happiness and gratitude to God and to the

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Student groups take out protest rally in connection with girl rape-murder case

Nearly 30 rivers and rivulets pass through the district which changes the topography of the district every year. Every year flood occurs on the onset of monsoon season but this year it occurred during the latter part impacting nearly 3 lakh population and

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Take responsibilities in carrying forward the rich cultural heritage: Arunachal Governor

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Dibrugarh, Sep 1: Flood water inundated several villages in Dibrugarh district. 31 Nonkhat Panchyat under Dibrugarh district has been affected due to flood. The most affected areas are Majuli Missing gaon, Romai Lachon gaon, Kalita gaon and Bharalibari Kalita gaon which have been submerged by flood water. The people alleged that no representatives from Missing Autonomous Council (MAC) have come to see their plight till now. “No official from the government came to us to ask about how we are living and no relief has been sent to us till now,’’ a villager of Bharalibari Kalita gaon said. The Buridehing river water has been overflowing over the Jokai Bridge. (Staff Reporter)

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Vinod Singh Silapathar, Sep 1

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Contd. on Page 3 ○

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Flood – the yearly curse of Dhemaji District

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Devastating flood in Dibrugarh

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ET Bureau Itanagar, Sep 1

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and Naranyanpur RC in North Lakhimpur Sub Division. Scarcity of food, drinking water, shelter has subjected the affected people to great suffering. Although the water level of Subansiri receded during the morning, it began to increase again in the afternoon and hence the hundreds of hectares of paddy fields and thousands of residential houses have remained inundated.

Margherita today witnessed a major protest programme by Margherita College Students, National Students' Union of India (NSUI), Chaatra Mukti Sangram Samity, All Asam Hindu Students' Union and the family members of the deceased girl who was brutally raped and murdered by some culprits. The agitated students also burnt tyres at NH 38 Margherita. The protest was organised as on 29th August, 2015 on the day of Raksha Bandhan, Margherita College BCom 1st semester student Miss Thuking Tikhak was inhumanely raped and murdered. Again on 31st August Margherita Police and Ledo Police nabbed three youths from Ledo area who were allegedly behind this brutal gang rape and murder. The three were identified as Faizur Rehman,

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Flood situation grim in Lakhimpur, boat capsizes in Ranganadi Ranjit Kakoty Lakhimpur, Sep 1

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The Governor of Arunachal Pradesh Shri JP Rajkhowa graced the Solung Festival celebration of the Adi Community in Itanagar today. Speaking on the occasion, the Governor called upon the youth of the community to take responsibilities in carrying forward the rich cultural heritage of their tribe. Pointing at the participation of the young girls and women in large number, but few boys during the celebration, he advised all,

Dhemaji district, the hub of river and rivulets coming down from the hilly terrain and which join the mighty Brahmaputra bring with them massive silt raising the bed of rivers during the rainy season.

ET Correspondent Margherita, Sep 1

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Contd. on Page 3

Flood situation has remained unchanged in Lakhimpur District. The impact of flood has paralyzed the normal life of affected people while livestock continue to suffer due to lack of food. The recent flood has inundated more than 150 villages under North Lakhimpur Revenue Circle (RC), Kadam RC, Nowboicha RC, Bihpuria RC

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Ilam tea farmers hurt by fall in output, low prices

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) declared State Bank of India and ICICI Bank as Domestic Systemically Important Banks (D-SIBs). The RBI had

Rashtriya Janta Dal(RJD) leader Manoj Jha today said Bihar is not a monarchy, but

Local tea farmers are concerned by the low productivity despite the favorable climatic conditions found in the area. They are surprised by

India's relationship with the Seychelles, a small Indian Ocean island state northeast of Mada-

BUSINESS

REGION

NEIGHBOURS

EDITORIAL

issued the framework for dealing with Domestic Systemically Important Banks (D-SIBs) on July 22, 2014. The D-SIB framework requires the RBI to disclose the names of banks designated as D-SIBs every year in August starting from August 2015, said RBI in a press release.

promoting cooperative federalism. "Eighty six percent of the package is already approved expenditure. So, I think he (Prime Minister Modi) has simply lost the plot. He is calling it 'Dilli ka Khazana'

unusual behavior in the tea plants like the bud not growing at the usual pace after the tea leaves have been harvested once.Farmers in the district produce orthodox tea worth Rs3.5 million during the rainy season.

gascar with a population of around 90,000, is expanding. President James Michel of Seychelles was in India for a three day state visit last week that highlighted the growing links between New Delhi and Victoria. Michel last visited New Delhi on state visits in 2010 and 2005.

India and Seychelles Strengthen Ties Around Maritime Security, Economic Cooperation

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15 Cong MLAs likely to join BJP

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ET Correspondent Guwahati, Sep 1

In a major setback for the Congress government in Assam, which is likely to change the course of Assam politics, at least 15 Congress MLAs are likely to join the BJP in the next couple of

days. This is after a strategy adopted by the APCC in consultation with several senior national congress leaders backfired, to take stern steps against the rebel congress MLAs and leaders backfired, and made more congress MLAs declare a open war against the Congress. Contd. on Page 4

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People of Meghalaya-Assam border in fear of militants Dmuising Khongjirem Shillong Sep 1

People of Raid Nongtung bordering with Assam under Ri-Bhoi district of Meghalaya are living under threat of militant outfit - Karbi People Liberation Tigers (KPLT) which uses to serve demand notes to number of villages. Addressing at the press conference here on Tuesday at Shillong Press

Club in presence of tradional head from Raid Nongtung and other villages, President of KSU Raid Nongtung circle James Masharing alleges that the KPLT outfit used to serve demant notes to two villagesUmtyrshing and Umser last month asking them to pay one thousand each household to the outfit or face consequences. Contd. on Page 4

cmyk

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Bihar promoting cooperative federalism, not monarchy, says Rashtriya Janta Dal

RBI declares SBI, ICICI Bank D-SIBs

cmyk

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DIBRUGARH, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2

E-Auction of FM Radio BJP doing 'great injustice' to people of Assam, says Tarun Gogoi completes 104 rounds people of Assam. "Yes, I am meeting with him. He is meeting with other leader as well and he is having a discussion on different issues and not only on one issue," Gogoi told the media before meeting Rahul. "Bjp is doing great injustice to the people of

ANI New Delhi, Sep 1: Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi who is meeting Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday along with other leaders, said that the Bharatiya Janata was committing grave injustice against the

A bat feeding upon a guava in Sivasagar. Pic - Firuz Ahmed

Thota Narasimham, Member of Parliament, to inaugurate World Coconut Day 2015 ET Correspondent Guwahati, Sep.1: Shri Thota Narasimham, Hon’ble Member of Parliament & Member, CDB is set to inaugurate World Coconut Day 2015, organized by Coconut Development Board, in association with the Department of Horticulture, Andhra Pradesh, at Swarna Vedika hall in MG Road, Vijayawada on 2nd September 2015. The themeof this year’s World Coconut Day is “Coconut for Family Nutrition, Health & Wellness”. Shri. Koneru Sreedhar, Worshipful Mayor, Vijayawada Municipal Corporation, Andhra Pradesh would be the guest of honour. September 2nd has been designated Coconut Day by the Asian and Pacific Coconut Community (APCC) headquartered at Jakarta, Indonesia. APCC's foundation day also falls on September 2nd. APCC is an intergovernmental organisation of 18 member countries mandated to promote, coordinate and harmonize coconut developmental activities of the Asian Pacific region to achieve maximum economic development. All major coconut-growing countries including India are members of APCC. Around 500 farmers from all coconut growing states are expected to attend the function and out of which 75 per cent farmers are from Andhra Pradesh. An exhibition has also been ar-

ranged at the venue showcasing latest technologies in coconut sector and various value added coconut products including Neera and its value-added products. Shri. T. K. Jose IAS, Chairman, Coconut Development Board, would deliver the keynote address. Shri.ThotaNarasimham would release the Telugu version of Coconut Journal and Shri. T. Vijaya Kumar IAS, Special Chief Secretary to Govt. of Andhra Pradesh would release booklets on Neera. Dr. B.M.C. Reddy, Vice Chancellor, Dr. Y.S.R. Horticultural University, West Godavari Dist, Andhra Pradesh; Shri. Babu A. IAS, District Collector & Magistrate, Krishna Dist., Vijayawada; Shri.Chiranjiv Chaudhary IFS, Commissioner of Horticulture, Hyderabad; Shri. Johar Khan, Member, CDB; Shri.Kesineni Sreenivas, Hon’ble Member of Parliament; Shri. C. SrivenkateswaraRao, Additional Director of Horticulture, Department of Horticulture, Andhra Pradesh; would also be present at the inaugural session. The inaugural session will be followed by a technical session, which will be chaired by Dr. G. Ramanandam, Principal Scientist & Head, Horticulture Research Station, Ambajipeta, Andhra Pradesh; and co-chaired by Dr. A.K Nandi, Secretary, CDB.

List Of Phone Numbers Of Nursing Homes Tinsukia City Hospital & Research Centre Category: General Hospital Hospital Address: Gnb Road Near Bujhuri-786125, Assam Pin Code :786125 Phone Number :0374-2333349 Fax :0374-2350026/2339974

ANI New Delhi, Sep1: On the 26th day of the e-auction of the third phase of FM Radio, 94 channels spread over 56 cities, provisionally won their respective biddings on Monday. The auction fetched a cumulative price of around 1,151

crore rupees against the aggregate reserve price of about 459 crore rupees. So far, 104 rounds of bidding are over. It has re-started on Tuesday at 9.30 a.m. The first batch auction for 135 FM Channels in 69 existing cities of Phase II began on 27th of July this year.

ASTRO FOR YOU Some decisions are hard to take, but a firm resolve will help you stay committed. Sentimentality may shake your purpose, but once decided, you must stick to it. Also, learn to take heartbreak in your stride.

Dr.Bawaris Nursing Home Jeevan Jyoti Nursing Home

You may find yourself compromising against your will today. Stand strong despite things going awry instead of feeling disillusioned due to poor results. Ongoing negotiations might come to a logical end and a few important decisions are likely to be delayed due to lack of proper information.

Category: General Hospital Category: General Hospital Hospital Address: Parvathiya Road Hospital Address: Parbatia,Opp Hindi Girls High School-786125, Assam Tinsukia-786125, Assam Pin Code :786125 Pin Code :786125 Phone Number :(0374)2339756 Phone Number :0374-2336319 Fax :0374-2335334 Fax :0374-2350131

A crucial social event at home is on the anvil, and it will demand most of your attention. Intense business negotiations, which were going on for a long time, will come to a logical conclusion. The results are likely to be stacked in your favour. This, coupled with after-office parties, will ease out the stress. You are likely to remain buoyant and energetic.

Pinewood Hospital Category: General Hospital Hospital Address: Subothoni Road Moniam Dewan Nagra-786125 Pin Code :786125 Phone Number :0374-2300730 Fax :0374-2339730

Help-Line APST BUS SERVICE Ph: 0360-2212338, 0360-2351490 NIGHT SERVICES Name of Routes Departure Distance(km) Bus Fare 1) Itanagar- Shillong ( Daily service) 5:00 pm 510 460/2) Itanagar-Nyapin(Mon, Thu, Sat) 2:00 pm 325 400/3) Itanagar- Aalo (Daily service) 2:30 pm 325 350/4) Itanagar-Daporijo (Daily service from Nlg)12:00 noon 432 470/5) Itanagar - Yingkiong (Alternate day) 01.00 pm 436 550/6) Itanagar - Seppa (Alternate day) 12:00 noon 385 420/7) Itanagar - Khonsa (Sun, mon, wed, thur) 1:00 pm 677 620/8) Itanagar - Namsai (Daily service) 1:00 pm 655 580/9) Itanagar - Koloriang (Alternate day) 2.30 pm 334 400/DAY SERVICE 10) Itanagar - Guwahati (Daily service) 6.00 am 395 350/11) Itanagar - Pasighat (Daily service) 6.00 am 270 250/12) Itanagar - Tirbin (Mon, thu & sat) 5.30 am 328 330/13) Itanagar - Bomdila (Daily except Fri) 6.00 am 346 320/14) Itanagar - Aalo (Daily service) 5.30 am 325 350/15) Itanagar - Sagalee (Sun, Tues & Thur ) 7.30 am 121 135/16) Itanagar - Pakke Kessang (Mon, Wed & Fri)7.00 am 160 200/17) Itanagar-Mengio (sun, tue &Thur) 6.00 am 198 230/18)Itanagar-Kimin/ H-Camp (Daily except Sat)12.00 noon 94 80/19) Itanagar-Gerukhamukh (Daily except Fri)12.00 noon 134 120/20) Itanagar- Balijan (Daily except Sun) 12.30 pm 105 105/21) Itanagar - Sonajuly (Daily except Sun) 01.00 pm 70 80/22) Itanagar - Jote (Daily except Sun) 07.00 am & 01.00 pm 22 30/23) Itanagar- Lakhimpur (Daily Service) 3.30 pm 64 70/-

List of hospitals in Dibrugarh with contact details & phone numbers, Assam Bordoloi Avenue, Paltan Bazar, Dibrugarh - 786005 Phone Numbers: 0373 - 2302219, 2302225

G M Hospital

Shrishti Hospital & Research Centre Paltan Bazar, Dibrugarh - 786 005 Phone: 0373 - 2300024, 2302099

AMC Road, Jalan Nagar Dibrugarh - 786 005

Archana Trauma & Orthopaedics Hospital

Brahmaputra Diagnostics & Hospital

Paltan Bazar, Dibrugarh - 786 005 Phone: 0373 - 2302100, 2302099

Near Indian AirLines City Office Paltan Bazar Dibrugarh - 786 005 Phone Numbers: 0373 - 2303476

Assam Medical College

Marwari Arogya Bhawan Hospital Paltan Bazar, Dibrugarh Phone: 0373 - 2302872, 2302051

Graham Bazar, A.T. Road Dibrugarh Phone: 0373 - 2322547

Jalan Nagar, Dibrugarh - 786 002 List of Phones numbers: Emergency Room : 0373 - 2300627 Labour Room: 0373 - 2300022 Drug Deaddiction Centre: 0373 - 2302952 Community Medicine: 0373 - 2302994 RIA Centre: 0373 - 2302093

Sanjivani Diagnostic & Hospital

Dr. Pawan Bajaj's Skin Clinic

Aastha Hospital

Paltan Bazar, Dibrugarh Phone: 0373 - 2303448, 2303458, 2301904

Sankardev Hospital Mancotta Road, Chowkidinghee Dibrugarh Phone: 0373 - 2327717, 2327715, 2326960

Nothing will overshadow your love for your kids today, and they will be the number one priority for you. It seems like a good day to take time out and monitor their progress in school; so, do not skip that PTA meeting. Remember, there are various ways to teach children, so consider taking them out on a small picnic or a field trip to help educate them better. Since it’s all about children today, you may also end up pampering them with goodies of their choice. It is more than likely that you will reap financial profits from foreign contacts. You will excel in all the activities that you undertake today. Your dream of establishing a mammoth business enterprise in a foreign country will take flight today. Lady Luck smiles on you today. With all the good fortune on your side, it’s assured to be a day when financial gains come your way, especially if you are in the banking business. Agreed everything is going your way today, but be careful not to let your emotions cloud your reasoning and slow you down. Don your rational hat and lower your expectations a little. Keep your guards up and be wary today. A heat seeker meant for someone else may hit you in mid-flight. But all that watchfulness will save you from embarrassment. Like those old fables, these experiences have a lesson in them. You will find yourself rubbing shoulders will Lady Luck today. Sharpen your multi-tasking skills as you will keep busy and have only occasional moments of respite. Good will and green print, you might find them both with ease and in abundance. Success never comes easy, but in your case, it will make an exception. You will meet with success in social as well as professional life, and this will also make heavy your treasure box. At work, prepare to get loaded with new assignments and simultaneously deal with existing work pressure. But it won’t be as fatiguing as it sounds; evening recreations will charge you up for the next day. Get ready for a gala evening as you will party at the smallest excuse! You may toast a friend’s success, or may be ecstatic about finding your lost pet. Otherwise it’s the usual. You plan a bit and march ahead successfully in your business or profession.

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

Saikia suggested that the MLA should rather show concern for the remotes area and help the villagers with bridge and good roads at the LAC-124 remote area.

Aditya Diagnostics & Hospitals

Today, you are likely to achieve something that you have badly wanted for a long time. It is very likely that you will get very emotional in the moment of victory today. Your arrogance and overconfidence can throw you off track. You had better keep your emotional balance once you are through the victory lap.

The focus will be on children today. While they will be the cause of an unfair share of your headache, you will be surprised at their ability to step up to the occasion, with just a little amount of coaching.

Reckless road reconstruction at Margherita town telling on denizens ET Correspondent Margherita, Sep 1: Margherita veteran BJP leader Shri Krishna Kumar Saikia held the local MLA Pradyut Bordoloi responsible for reckless reconstruction of roads. He said, "With the blessings of our honorable MLA Shri Pradyut Bordoloi we the public of Margherita town are facing the problems of water logging, broken road due to reckless reconstruction of road; the public who use the road connecting Ketetong, Dibong and also the link road of Pengree are faced with the same problems, that is the Veneer Mill Bazar Road." He also said that without any DPR (Detailed Project Report) and proper Civil Engineering, the MLA started the work of reconstructing the road and also without considering the concerns of the local people. Also according to him, the road was in very good condition earlier; some parts of that road in front of the Public High Secondary School Margherita, the road needed a proper drainage system. Also, he said that the MLA is often seen much concerned about the Veneer Mill Bazaar Road and Block Area Road which is the link road of MakumKilla area, and every year he sanctions money for reconstruction of those roads all of which is just for show. Mr.

Assam. What about the Gujarat model? The condition is deteriorating. Human development is much below than other states, there is acute unemployment problem. Such is the state of the Gujarat model," the Chief Minister added.

Paltan Bazar, Opposite Aditya Hospital Dibrugarh

Dr Damani's Nursing Home Near Circuit House, Dibrugarh Phone: 0373 - 2300928, 2302873

Phone No.-03732325456 E-mail -dibrugarh@air.org.in Facebook Page-All India Radio Dibrugarh Programme Highlights 2-9-15 (WEDNESDAY)

5-35 A.M-Bhaktigeeti(Devotional Songs) 6-10 A.M-Swasthya Charcha (Health Programme) 6-15 A.M-Hindi Language Lesson 6-30 A.M-Bidyarthir Anusthan 7-15 A.M-Aajir Dinto (Morning Information Service) 7-30 A.M-Geetanjali(Assamese Modern Song) 8-35 A.M-Surar Panchoi(Composite Programme of Assamese Film Songs) 9-05 A.M- Antara(Composite Programme of Hindi Film Songs) 12-05 P.M-Surar Satsori 2-30 P.M-Western Music Programme 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 7-15 P.M-Karpumpuli 7-35 P.M-Ujjwal Bhabishyat 8-00 P.M-Parikrama 9-30 P.M-KRAMASHA: (Serial Novel Reading)-Novel-"Bahire Rong Chong Bhitore Koowa-Bhaturi",Written by Hem Chandra Baruah (Episode-4) Sd-/H.O.P

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DIBRUGARH, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2

Eight months we have been Arunachal Bharatiya Janata Mahila working without salary: DRDA Morcha conducts PMBSY programme ET Correspondent Itanagar, Sep 1: Around 583 employees working in the District Rural Development Agency (DRDA) in Arunachal Pradesh have complained that it has been more than six months since the Govt. has not paid their salary. However, it is not for the first time that they have complained. Yesterday, all of them have decided to voice against this injustice by launching a five-day pen down and tool down strike. While speaking to the media persons yesterday, general secretary of the All India DRDA Staff Welfare Association, Arunachal Pradesh State Unit, Tapa Mosu said that the main demands in this five-day protest are: (i) absorption of DRDA employees into State Govt. and (ii) payment of gratuity and leave encashment benefit to DRDA employees. He also shared his official

documents to confirm that the first demand has been fulfilled by other State Govts in the country. Noting that DRDA is just an implementing agency of various departments, the secretary said the State Govt. is not obliged to adjust these 583 employees in the regular line dept. which include, rural development dept., power dept., etc. According to official papers that stood as evidence, a letter from the ministry of rural development ministry chaired by then Minister Jairam Ramesh was sent to the State Govt. here in 2012, requesting to absorb these employees into the line dept. Many letters raised over the same matter was repeatedly sent through central govt. secretaries in the 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011. Mosu had also clarified that DRDA is not a scheme but a notified central agency whereby funding is

done through central/state sharing, 90/10 %. “When almost every State including Assam have absorbed DRDA employees and adjusted them in line dept. and in other Govt. working agencies, why can’t Arunachal Pradesh Govt.? Besides, there is an ongoing recruitment drive by this agency. The Chief Secretary has given a letter that no more new recruitment can be carried in DRDA. We know for sure that the central has released the share amount in full and on time but the State Govt. is not ready to release the same,” the association general secretary said. Over the same matter the DRDA staff welfare association here had submitted a memorandum that contained all the grievances and clarification, to the Chief Minister Nabam Tuki on 10th of this month. But according to the secretary no response from the

Govt. has been received so far. He also revealed that he had sought appointments to meet the CM many times but was declined. The same form of protest had been organized in 17 districts where DRDA employees are presently on duty. The secretary revealed that phase-wise agitation will be held if at all the State Govt. is adamant to response to their cry. Adding from West Kameng district, “the West Kameng unit DRDA employees have joined the 5-days Pen and Tool down strike beginning from yesterday with the rest of the colleagues state-wide. Absorption of the DRDA employees into state government, payment of gratuity and leave encashment and immediate release of the pending eight months' salary are the major issues attributed for the five-day long strike,” as per sources.

Solung celebrated with pomp and gaiety in Pasighat Pasighat, Sep 1: Solung Festival was celebrated with great pomp and gaiety at the Solung Ground here today and people from all walks of life participated to make the festival a grand success. Greeting the people on the auspicious occasion, Nari-Koyu MLA Kento Rina said, “Solung” is one of the most colourful and socioreligious festivals of Adi community, observed throughout the State with age-old culture and traditional value and enthusiasm. Such festivals bring all the sections of society together irrespective of caste, creed and religion and promote peace and harmony. He appreciated Er. Aken Jongkey and Nyobo Talom CSFCC’15 President and Secretary respectively and their associate committee members too for their tireless efforts in passing good message to the society about the festival in true spirit with sacred feelings. He prayed the Solung goddess for bumper harvest, peace, prosperity and good health on the occasion. Describing the importance of celebration for identity, he exhorted the younger generation to carry forward this legacy by actively involving themselves in such celebrations so that they can learn and keep the tradition alive. He fervently appealed to the people to extend cooperation in upholding the sanctity of the festival stating that apart from merrymaking, Solung is

Rich cultural extravaganza steals the show on day 1 of Solung celebrations

an occasion to share love, joy, peace and brotherhood. He urged the people to maintain cordial relationship with other communities to uphold the feelings of unity and integrity stating that culture cannot create boundary. MLA Rina while congratulating the people for granting of “Smart City” stated responsibilities are more now and we have to take decision and plans judiciously to transform Pasighat into a real Smart City. Giving a simple vision of a smart city, he said it is one which was a step or two ahead of people’s aspirations. Rina released an Adi modern song Audio Album titled “GOKYING” produced by Mijina Pertin and

gave away prizes and certificates to the achievers on the occasion. Earlier, the noted writer and national award recipient Girin Tamuli gracing the occasion as Guest of Honour said ‘Central Solung Festival Celebration Committee’ is a big platform to promote Adis’ tradition and culture besides Adi literary, games and sports and handicrafts. Tabung Ering, ABK Secretary (HQ) attending the celebration as Special Guest urged the East Arunachal Loksabha MP Ninong Ering to sanction 01 Cr from his MPLAD and Rs. 10 lakhs by all the MLAs of East Siang District and also Adi MLAs of other districts to too share

equally for construction of a Cultural Hall at Pasighat. He proposed for constitution of a standing committee to look after the activities of Solung related issues throughout the year. Ering extended his thanks and gratitude to the DC, MEO and PMC as a whole, MP, MLA and state and union governments for considering Pasighat to be developed as Smart City. Other highlight of the day was cultural presentation by various groups. Loksabha MP Ninong Ering, MLA Kaling Moyong, Advisor to CM Bosiram Siram, DC Isha Khosla, ADC Deepak Shinde, many retired IAS and APCS officers and leaders were present on the occasion. (DIPRO)

Solung celebrated at Naharlagun Naharlagun, Sep 1: Solung festival of the Adi communities was celebrated today at Naharlagun along with the rest of the state with traditional fervour and gaiety at the festival ground in the premises of Art and Culture Directorate office. Mrs Nanni Dai, wife of late Lummer Dai, and Dr Asham Borang, Senior Scientist, attended as chief guest and guest of honour respectively. Dr Borang while speaking on the occasion in traditional Kongki Bote or Aabey mode of speech, called upon the community members to uphold their traditional cultural heritage and endeavour to promote their social and cultural values for posterity. To the

ET Bureau Itanagar, Sep 1: The Bharatiya Janata Mahila Morcha, Arunachal Pradesh conducted a Pradhan Mantri Bima Suraksha Yojna (PMBSY) programme at Akashdweep, Itanagar under the Presidentship of Smti. Padmeswari Jamoh, along with other Office Bearers including Smt. Bengia Yayang, General Secretary BJMM, Shri Tayek Goi, State Vice President, BJP, Shri Techi Necha, State Vice President cum Party Spokesperson, Shri Hinium Tachu, State Secretary, BJP and Shri Boken Kino, Vice President, BJYM. The programme was supervised by Smti. Shobha Upadhyay, National Executive Member, Bharatiya Janata Mahila Morcha and State Prabhari for Arunachal Pradesh. As many as more than 200 hundred people were subscribed to the Pradhan Mantri Bima Suraksha Yojna.

applause of the gathering that consisted of people from all sections and members of cultural troupes, the guest of honour, who possesses enough knowledge about Adi culture and tradition, urged the people especially the younger generation to dedicate themselves for acquirement of knowledge and skill to make progress in their life besides trying to know their rig traditional heritage. Associate Professor of Rajiv Gandhi University, Ani Taggu, who was honoured with ‘Best Social Worker’ award along with three other members, narrated his experience of living in western countries with an identity none recognised because of his

being an Arunachali tribal, said that it is essential to maintain and know one’s roots in any situation; ‘Rootlessness’ makes people less confident and disturbed and therefore we must put in efforts to maintain our trading and culture even as we acquire modern education. Angkom Paron, President of Naharlagun Solung Celebration Committee, greeted the people on the auspicious occasion while Tapir Tamut, General Secretary, acknowledged the support and co-operation of all and called upon them to co-operate in making the celebration a success. He further appreciated the enthusiasm of Shri Pambo Lego, the Solung Miri from Mebo village who has arrived despite

massive communication disruption to participate in the celebration. Earlier, Shri Aying Perme, a renowned expert of Adi myth and culture narrated the mythology of Solung. He said that Solung comprises of three main chapters of creation, called Limir Libom or Sopi Yekpi, Binnyat or cultivation of crops by men and Ekop Taktor that deals with establishment of social life by Tani, the first man. He called upon the young generation to learn the mythologyy of Solung for knowing Adi culture. The celebration was highlighted by presentation of mega dance by all cultural troupes, students, and other cultural troupes besides community feast. (DIPRO)

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Indrajit Tingwa Miao, Sep 1: The Arunachal Pradesh Women Welfare Society (APWWS), Namphai-II Sub-Unit under Miao Sub-Division Unit was held a meeting today at the residence of GB Namphai Singpho village to discuss and chalk out ways to contain the growing menace of drug addiction in the area. Namphai-II is an area comprising a dozen villages located near Miao. The alarming rate at which the banned drugs, viz. Brown sugar and opium are spreading its deadly tentacles have of late become a matter of serious concern. Besides, shops and other unauthorised outlets selling illegal liquor is also creating tension in the area. GBs, PRI members and public leaders apart from women from member villages attended the meeting and deliberated on the issue. Sri Jowkhong Singpho, ZPM Miao and a local resident chaired the meeting. Smti. Pinna Kitnal Singpho and Smti.Nangpa Mossang, Advisor and President of the APWWS Miao Unit were also present. After a long deliberation on the issue and with views and suggestions from the speakers, resolutions were passed. As per the resolutions, the APWWS have resolved to act tough on the offenders, those who indulge either on consumption or peddling with fine and handing over the person involved to the police for legal action. The meeting also resolved to strongly demand for denial of bail to anyone arrested in connection with contraband drugs. The people present also felt the need of a De-Addiction Centre at Miao. Smti. Yaper Taidong was unanimously appointed as the President of the SubUnit as the previous incumbent had vacated the post by resigning. The meeting concluded with a resolve to effectively fight the drugs menace with participation from all stakeholders.

Aalo, Sep 1: The day one of the Solung festival was marked by fierce cultural competitions on folk, traditional and modern dance among the Adi communities at Gumin kiin on 31st night. The Cultural completion night was inaugurated by Er. Tamoli Tako, superintending Engineer Itanagar. Extending his Mopin Greetings on the occasion, Er. Takoh stressed on preservation of age old culture and tradi-

tion that gives distinct identity to the Adis. Effort

should be made to involve younger generation of the

community to take keen participation and pride in our culture for its preservation and promotion. The General Secretary of the Solung Gidi Celebration, Shri Tapun Taki said that the competition on the eve of Solung celebration is intended to showcase our rich folklores, attires, music and other insights into our culture and extended his gratitude to one and all for keen participation. (DIPRO)

Over flowing Nao Dihing pose threat... Contd. from Page 1 The EAC, D Gadi have surveyed the areas and took first hand report of the calamites and alerted all the departments of the circle to render assistance in any way possible. The local MLA, Shri Nikh Kamin has directed the district administrations to

keep in stock enough ration items and medicines besides keeping men and machinery ready to tackle any eventuality. The few metres built embankment in Dumpani village have so far prevented the flood water from entering Diyun township like last year, but the ever swelling river has triggered fears among the villagers that if the river contin-

ued to be in spate or proper preventive measures are not taken up immediately villages such as Jyotipur, Dumpani and Dumpather would be no more. Meanwhile, Nirakka River which originates in the mountain ranges of Manabum, caused havoc in Manabhum and Oil campus. Three families were affected and shifted.

The repeated flood situation every year have shaken peace and shattered settled land and properties of many since years. Many a time people left out with no houses to live as there was no compensation for land for soil. The communities in the area are praying for measures from the govt. to tackle the situation urgently.

Take responsibilities in carrying forward the rich... Contd. from Page 1 particularly young boys to take active part in the celebration to preserve their cultural identity, customs and traditions. The Governor also advised the people converse in their indigenous language and put on indigenous attires and take pride on it. He said that people should modernise but should not lose touch with their roots. Citing that there is no detail records of all the 26 major and 110 sub-tribes of the State, the Governor advised the people on documentation of the language, customs and traditions, so that age-old heritage which had been handed over from generation to generation is not lost. The Governor said that tribal festivals are based on realization of gift of nature and it is an expression of their appreciation. It helps in preservation of nature’s gifts such as the prized flora and fauna. He called upon the people of the State for a united approach for preservation of the nature. Taking opportunity of the huge gathering during the celebration, the Governor called upon people to put in a united effort in eradication of drugs and opium addiction in the State. Conveying his appreciation to those organisation who are working toward drug eradication, he said that people of the State have to stand together

against this menace while State Government explore alternate source of livelihood to the effected people. Gracing as one of the Guests of Honour of the celebration, Shri Gabriel D Wangsu, MLA, Kanubari stressed that parents should instil basic social values of the community in their children for preserving their indigenous knowledge, language and identity. The Kanubari MLA said that Adi Community has been one of the leaders of the State and experiments and experience of the community has always enriched others. He urged upon the members of the community to take initiative in safe-guarding the age-old cultural heritage and traditions of the State. In his address, Shri Lombo Tayeng, MLA Mebo, one of the Guests of Honour emphasised that there must be no comprise with originality of Solung festival celebration with modernization. He also suggested that Itanagar Festival Committee with its large number of senior citizens of the community must take initiative in conducting a conference on preservation and revival of indigenous language. Attending as Special Guest, Shri Tajom Taloh, Commissioner, Govt. of Arunachal Pradesh said that the festival helps the community to keep it culture and tradition alive. It is associated with traditional attires,

A new Beginning; People... Contd. from Page 1 CM for allotting the particular portfolio which was indispensable for an area like Diyun and Bordumsa. The constituency has several areas of growth and Nikh

Kamin strongly feels that as a Parliamentary Secretary he would be able to do justice in his constituency in terms of human empowerment and resources mobilisation for the growth and development of his constituency and Arunachal at large.

which in turn promote tribal handloom and textiles and handicrafts industries. In his welcome address, President of Itanagar Solung Celebration Committee Shri Rajeev Takuk said that Solung is the embodiment of Adi way of life. It encompasses the entire gamut of Adi socio-cultural and religious life. He appealed to all the Adi brethren to work constantly to find better and healthier paths of development not only for the community but for the entire State. Secretary of the Festival Celebration Commitee Shri Nima Tondrang also spoke on the occasion. Earlier, initiating the celebration, the Governor took part in the Taku Taabat ceremony at the festival altar and participated in Ponung Dance. The Governor felicitated the elders of the

Adi community of Itanagar who has contributed towards the society on the occasion. He also gave away the prizes to winners of games and sports competitions. The Governor released the Solung souvenir, ‘Diigok Roli’ on the occasion, while Guests of Honour, MLA Kanubari and MLA Mebo released Adi Audio Albums ‘Yitge Do Yayi Nom’ and ‘Gogying’ respectively. A number of colourful cultural items, showcasing the rich cultural heritage of Adi Tribe were presented during the celebration. A mega dance based on Adi mythology choreographed by Smt Olen Megu Damin and folk dances by various Ponung troupes and students of Donyi Polo Vidhya Bhawan were presented.

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DIBRUGARH, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2

Exceptional dharna held in Demow ET Correspondent Demow, Sep 1: An exceptional dharna was held in Demow yesterday in front of Demow circle office by Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti of Demow committee alleging inaction against various illegal work that all government departments in Demow areas engage in. In the dharna programme more then 500 people including aged men, women, boys, girls, tea garden labour, farmers, etc. took part. Their various demands included restoration of historical Demow tank, supply of free electricity to all BPL families, etc. They also shouted slogans against the central and the state governments. They submitted a memorandum to Assam Government through the circle officer demanding resolution of their issues within one month.

Students and locals protest highlighting bad road condition ET Correspondent Golaghat, Sep 1: Students of three schools along with the local people today came forward to protest against the MLA and govt officials at Sarupathar, Golaghat highlighting the bad condition of the road from Soriakhat to Abhayjan. The local people

have been appealing their elected representative and other govt agencies to repair the road. But no one has taken any step to do the needful. The dilapidated road connecting Soriakhat with Abhayjan under Sarupathar constituency clearly exposes the so called all round development of the

Assam Cong looks for ways to retain MLAs within the party in the state ET Correspondent Guwahati, Sep 1: The ruling Congress in Assam is working out ways to curb its erosion in the state and stop MLAs from migrating to the BJP, and in this regard Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi also meet Congress Vice president Rahul Gandhi at New Delhi and discussed with him a wide range of issues. "Yes, I am meeting with him. He is meeting with other leader as well and he is having a discussion on different issues and not only on one issue," said Gogoi on meeting Gandhi. Gogoi also launched a attack on the saffron party and said that the Bharatiya Janata was committing grave injustice against the people of Assam. "The BJP is doing great injustice to the people of Assam. What about

the Gujarat model? The condition is deteriorating. Human development is much below than other states, there is acute unemployment problem. Such is the state of the Gujarat model," Gogoi added. The Assam congress which is jittery after influential Congressmen and once Gogoi’s man Friday, Himanta Biswa Sarma joined the BJP and said that the Congress will be wiped out from the state in the next assembly election. Sarma has already stated that he has submitted a list of 40 Congress MLAs (out of the total 78 Congress legislators) who are willing to shift allegiance to the BJP following in his footsteps. A number of senior BJP Lok Sabha MP Bijoy Chakraborty have said that at least 15 Congress MLAs are set to join the party in a fortnight.

Political turmoil in Jonai LAC due to expulsion of Pradan Baruah from Cong ET Correspondent Silapathar, Sep 1: Strong resentment is prevailing among the followers of Pradan Brauah due to his expulsion from the Congress party. Pradan Baruah faction of the Congress yesterday removed the symbol of Congress party from the Rajiv Bhawan party office at Silapathar town and renamed the office as MLA local area development office. 300 PCC portfolios, 33

Mondal and 2 Block level committees of Jonai and Sissiborgaon resigned from Congress. Gen. Secretary Sissiborgaon Block Congress Ranjit Pegu told this correspondent that the supporters of Baruah have resigned following his expulsion; when asked which party they are likely to join, he said the party which Baruah formally joins they would follow suit.

15 Cong MLAs ... Contd. from Page 1 On August 30 after coming under much pressure from the AICC to curb rebel MLAs in Assam, APCC president Anjan Dutta took a tough stand and expelled 4 Congress MLAs— Raha MLA Pijush Hazarika, Nalbari MLA Jayanta Malla Buzarbaruah, Behali MLA Pallab Lochan Das, and Jonai MLA Pradan Baruah, little realizing that it will backfire soon and might also result in collapsing of the Congress government in Assam. Five other MLAs – Bolin Chetia, Abu Taher Bepari, Kripanath Mallah, Binanda Saikia and Rajen Borthakur have also been showcaused. Now 2 days after this strong stand by the APCC, over 15 Congress MLAs are ready to cross the line to the BJP, and this could lead to the collapse of the Tarun Gogoi government in Assam. “We have seen that some of the Congress MLAs

have been continuously harassed despite not doing anything wrong, and we have been continuously targeted. 4 of our colleagues have been expelled just for some indifference with the state leadership and this shows how unsecured our position is in the party,” said a Congress MLA who has also been showcaused by the APCC leadership. According to BJP sources, the Congress MLAs are negotiating with the BJP leadership regarding their position in the party and whether they will be provided with party tickets to contest the 2016 Assam assembly election slated to be held early next year. “Once we have the numbers we will call for a no confidence motion and we will ask the government to prove its majority on the floor. If the Tarun Gogoi led government is not able to prove its majority then it will be a big boost to the BJP in Assam,” said a senior BJP leader.

Student groups take... Contd. from Page 1 Nuruddin Laskar and Nasiruddin Laskar who all three hail from Nagaon and were engaged as daily wage labourers at Margherita. Today at 11.30 am more than 2500 students of Margherita College took out the protest rally from Margherita College and gathered in front of the gate of Margherita Sub Divisional Judicial Court. The students shouted many slogans such as

"We want Justice", "Hang the culprit without any delay", etc. Thereafter they moved towards the of gate of Margherita Sub divisional Office (Civil) as they shouted slogans. Meanwhile, Margherita Sub Divisional Officer Inamuddin Ahmed and Margherita Police Station Inspector Mr Hiranya Kumar Borah pacified the protest and also assured the agitated students that strict punishment shall be meted out to the accused.

Tarun Gogoi led state govt. Today students of three schools of the area namely Borgaon Ajoy School, Jyoti LP School and Ajoy Chah Janajati High School boycotted classes and came forward along with the local people and raised slogans against Sarupathr MLA Akliyas Tirki, DRDA officials

and the concerned authorities. Locals alleged that around 25 lac rupees had been sanctioned by the DRDA to repair the Soriakhat-Abhayjan road. In this connection, a demand for an inquiry into the matter and to repair the road immediately has been placed.

AICCTU (Hills Committee) and HSDP come in support of nationwide strike Sushanta Roy Diphu, Sep 1: The AICCTU (Hills Committee) and Hills State Democratic Council (HSDC) have extended full support to the conglomeration of labour and trade unions' conveyed nationwide strike in support of their 18 point demand. Both the organizations have appealed to the people in general to observe strike in the Karbi Anglong district of Assam. The local organizations while extending

solidarity with national labour and trade unions' demands have demanded employment of the local tribal youths who have migrated to other parts of the nation for employment. They have also demanded regularization of the casually employed employees in various public sector functioning under Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council along with other demands of AICCTU.

People of Meghalaya-Assam... Contd. from Page 1 “Last month the KPLT had served notice demanding money from each household of these villages with an ultimatum to do so within three month to pay the money”, said KSU President adding that, if they don’t do, they have to face the consequences”. Fearing the threat, the KSU along with traditional heads of the Raid Nongtung urge the Meghalaya government to immediately send police force to provide protection to the people. Meanwhile, headman of Umtlieh village Precious Masharing told that last year in March, an Area commander of the KPLT Dhonsing had met him and asking him to tell the residents of the village to pay money to the outfit as demanded. “The KPLT prepared a list of different charges for people based on their in-

come. Those who have vehicle have to pay Rs. 5000, those who have power tillers have to pay Rs. 10,000, and Rs. 2000 each households”, Masharing said. He said, “I have voiced disagreement with the demand of the outfit, and as such I was threatened to kill for which I have to flee from the village”. According to him, he along with other headman of the area had informed the Meghalaya Government about the incident and request to set up Police Outpost in the area but till now in futile. “We implore the Meghalaya Government to immediately set up Police Outpost at Umlaper and Umtlieh to ensure sercurity and peace of the people and the area”, he said. According to them, the KPLT frequently used to demand money from the villagers by taking advantage of the backwardness of the area in all angle.

Flood situation grim... Contd. from Page 1 At present mighty Brahmaputra at Jamuguri 23 km, Subansiri at Dhalghat, Ghancharai, and Silikhaguri, Singora, Pabho Boginodi, Dikrong are overflowing in these respective areas. On the other hand, people in Dhakuakhana Sub-Division have faced a similar situation in flood affected areas. In this Sub-Division 10 villages in Dhakuakhana RC and 30 villages in Subansiri RC have been under flood and almost 10,000 people, 10903 livestock, 5720 hectares of paddy fields have been affected by recent flood. Ironically, the Administration has allotted only 93qt of rice as relief for three days to the flood victims. No fodder has yet been supplied to the livestock. It is known that the sub-divisional authority is still unable to ascertain the real figure of the affected people and villages. The affected people have decried of the attempts of Lakhimpur DC Debeswar Malakar as he has not visited the flood affected areas in the Sub-Division.

They have made similar complaint against the MP cum Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal. Howeover, local MLA Naba Doley visited the sites. On the other hand, amidst the flood havoc in Lakhimpur District, a terrible boat accident took place in Ranganadi at 9.30 am today at Kadamial Ghat. Ten passengers of the boat barely managed to escape from tragic death in the accident. According to sources, the boat which was being rowed from Kadamial to Putabil Ghat while carrying ten passengers who were all teachers of different schools suddenly began to drown due to the surge of overflowing water of River Ranganadi. The ten passengers were washed away by the river. They were Gilap Konch, Gagan Dutta, Ruhini Dutta, Pradip Deka, Bhuban Saikia, Minu Bhuyan, Anju Saikia, Mamoni Borah, Bidyawati Gogoi, Rita Deka. However they were rescued by eyewitness and admitted to Lakhimpur Civil Hospital. Now the women are undergoing medical treatment at NLCH.

Flood in Namsai District ET Correspondent Namsai, Sep 1 Due to incessant rain since the last couple of days in the district, the water level in Noa Dehing, Lohit and Jengthu Rivers are in spate and flowing above the danger level. The flood water has breached dyke in New Silatoo in Lekang Circle and Jenglai villages in Piyong Circle resulting in the villagers being shifted to relief camps. The district administration has set up 2 relief camps where more than 500 villagers are said to have taken shelter. The district administration is also monitoring the situation and is trying to provide all possible help and relief to flood affected victims. The flood has damaged large areas under cultivation and has submerged entire agricultural fields completely. Due to water logging in most areas of the district, many dwelling houses of the people have been affected and most houses are reported to be submerged. Control room in DDMO office is made functional and strict watch and vigil is being kept to monitor the flood situation in the district.

Heavy erosion along Noa Dehing River have damaged many flood protection structures. Road communication is disrupted in many villages in Namsai District. The road communication to Tezu and Anjaw is also completely snapped making the situation worse. The Lohit River has submerged the low lying areas of Alubari, Napotia, Morapat, Mazgaon, Mabira, Momong, Nalung, Kherem, Gunannagar, 7th Kilo camp, 6th Kilo camp under Chongkham Circle and it is reported that this places are badly affected by the flood. The villages like Tissue Khamti and Pankhao under Chongkham circle are also affected by the Kamalng River. If rain continuous for some more days than there are chances that the Berreng River would cross its danger level mark thereby badly affecting the low lying areas of Chakma-I,II, III, Gunanagar and Chongkham HQ areas. The increase in water level in Tengapani River due to continuous downpour has caused excessive soil erosion on both banks at Kongmu kham, Lathao,

Chilibam, Dhobi ghat, Sapori ghat, Jona kachari, Jona-IV, Shyamsuk and has bought this areas under threat of soil erosion. Due to over flooding of Jengthu river, the cultivation area of Mukron village, Wagon-I, II, Lekang Khamti, Phenneng, Kaisu, Manmow, Samguri-II, Dhonekhona, Bhogamur and Mengkengmiri are badly affected. Similarly, at Wagon-II about 48 m embankment constructed under MLALADS (during Feb/ 2015) has been breached and flood water has entered towards Wagon-I & II, Jenglai, Chesing Wingko, Wingseng Nongtaw–II and Wingko where flood water has damaged paddy fields. Due to overflowing of the Dirak River, the flood water has entered the low lying areas and submerged the villages of Miripathar, Kumari Khamti, Sigibeel Kathalguri and Podumoni. The major cause of concern is the Noa-Dihing river in the district and it is reported that at Silatoo the course of breaching point has expanded to about 400m and flood water is flowing through the middle of culti-

vation land forming huge passage in the middle of Silatoo village. The flood water has also endangered the adjoining areas of Kakoni, Mahadevpur-IV, Lower Philobari etc. under the Mahadevpur Circle HQ. About 276 people of 46 families of these areas have been shifted to a relief camp at upper Silatoo Middle school. The revetment works constructed under FMP have also been badly damaged by the flood water. At Dharampur two bamboo spurs have been washed out which were constructed under MLALADS fund. Many villages have also been affected by the overflow of flood water that has entered low lying areas and cultivation land at Kakoni, New Silatoo, Woisali, Mahadevpur-I, Krishnapur, Mahaloni and Ekaroni in left and right banks of Phenneng; Sambang, Nampoong, Philobari, Silatoo Kachari, upper Deobeel, lower Deobeel, Kherbari, Murthy camp, Satghoria, Dharampur, Lekang Gohain, Dirakmiri, Rajabeel and Mengkengmiri are also affected by the flood.

KA receives 101% NRC application form submission Sushanta Roy Diphu, Sep 1: Karbi Anglong district administration has claimed to have achieved 101% success in NRC application form submission including online upload with a total receipt of 182122 forms till date. ”We collected the forms through 56 centres which were later

branched out; before the final closing 99 centres spread across the remotest areas collected forms; Thong Teron data operator working at Langsoliate centre uploaded 321 forms working nonstop for 18 hours which is probably a record”, Mukul Gogoi Deputy Commissioner of Karbi Anglong told

the media persons at his chamber today. Gogoi mentioned that nearly 26693 applications which arrived late have been kept pending, awaiting upload. While mentioning that the verification and scrutinizing process will be the cardinal part of the whole NRC exercise he sought cooperation from all

quarters to ensure the authenticity of NRC. During the course of discussion Gogoi mentioned that a few bordering villages contagious to Meghalaya border declined to enrol while a large number of Naga people living in Assam-Nagaland border have submitted NRC application.

Public vent ire against alleged... Contd. from Page 1 said Bhupen Gogoi, a senior citizen of Dibrugarh. He added that three pumps have been used in the Phoolbagan area to flush out the water from the town, but till now there is no improvement. Meanwhile, people gathered at the Thanacharali and shouted slogans against the failure of the district administration in controlling the flood situation of Dibrugarh and the police had to use lathi charge to disperse the mob from the area. Road communication has been disrupted at many areas of the town due to waterlogging. On the other hand, Atuwa Munda, Forest Minister of Assam today visited Dibrugarh to take stock of the

flood situation. He visited Maijan, Kalibari area and spoke with some of the flood victims. A disaster management official here said that an estimated 70, 818 people and 101 villages have been affected. About 3178.44 hectares of area has gone under the flood water. “Near about 24,485 flood affected people have been taking shelter in 56 different camps in the district. Army has been deployed in Naharkotiya area for rescue operations. As relief measures, ration items like rice, dal, salt and candle have been distributed to the affected people,’’ said Deepjyoti Hatikakoty, the project manager of the district’s Disaster management cell. He said in the town areas, the roads have been

damaged. Due to flood water entering the town, traffic has been disrupted for the last few days. AT Road, HS Road, Phoolbagan Mancotta road has been blocked due to water logging. The vehicles which are coming from the Tinsukia side have been entering from the Convey Road. The entire traffic system of Dibrugarh has been paralysed due to water logging. The passengers are having a tough time in Dibrugarh because of flood. “Due to waterlogging in the main streets of Dibrugarh town, I’ve had to change my route and drive my car from the Convey road area to go to AMCH,’’ said Sudip Bhattacharjee, an employee of AMCH. Flood situation has been grim in the Tinsukia District as well. Dibru Saikhowa

National Park has been submerged in the flood water, 71 per cent of the park has come under flood water. “The animals of the park have been shifted in the highland areas of the park and till now no casualty has been reported,’’ said Joynal Abedin, Secretary of Dibru Saikhowa wildlife Conservation society. Barekuri and Guijan area has mostly been affected due to the flood and so far 30 relief camps have been set up. Ten villages have come under water. “The entire Assam is now under flood water, people are crying for food and shelter, many people have died, animals washed away and the victims want help from public leaders,’’ said Binod Kedia, Chief Advisor of Flood Erosion Resistance Struggle Forum.

Charity begins at home Contd. from Page 1 who can remember flood in Dibrugarh even from the preindependence days. With virtually no signs for any respite in the existing situation for at least another day now, and that too if Varun Devta doesn’t call for yet another spell of heavy downpours during the night, citizens here are without any newspaper, and the much needed milk and bread in the morning hours, are simply cursing the govt. departments of town planning, embankment and drainage and also the almost one and a half century old Dibrugarh Municipal Board.

It is said and also taught (spoon fed?) to the school children that charity begins at home. However, given this unprecedented flash flood in this historic city of Dibrugarh, we the Dibrugarhians seem to have have collectively proved beyond doubt that we are simply not the takers of this universal truth. All the drains in the city have now been discovered to have been clogged with garbage of all sort ranging from disposable tea cups, water bottles to worn out sandals and most dangerously thermocol sheets. Let’s all Dibrugarhians therefore be in the introspective mode now and take a pledge that each one of us shall educate ourselves about our civic re-

sponsibilities and carry out the same in letter and spirit throughout the coming year. As for the concerned government departments, it’s now time to show their credibility and acumen by devising an effective and foolproof flood water drainage plan and submit to the government. The government too need to be generous enough to providing sufficient funds for executing the plans. Negative as well as dirty politics and ‘percentage’ corruption should be stopped at all levels. The district administration of Dibrugarh too is expected to be prudent enough to evict out all encroachments over the drains, particularly the city’s main drain and also the drains in-

side the new market area. A sizeable number of shops in the new market area have encroached over the drains making it impossible for the Dibrugarh Municipal Board cleaning persons to clean the same. At the same time, a growing number of road-vendors has started thronging the roads inside the new market creating all sort of trouble to the citizens and also contributing to the already clogged drains with litter. Dedicated and strict measures from the Dibrugarh district administration and also the concerned government departments and also the Dibrugarh Municipal Board will surely lessen the sufferings of the citizens here in the event of a similar kind of flood in the coming years.

Floods creating havoc in Tinsukia district, 2 dead, 1 missing Contd. from Page 1 Meanwhile, there are complaints of lack of co-ordination by the Tinsukia district administration in carrying out relief and rescue operations. The local scribes too are an-

gry that the government District Information and Public Relations Office (DIPR) had failed to disseminate minimum level of information to the media. The All Assam Moran Students Union today distributed relief materials among the flood affected vic-

tims of the Barekuri area. Led by Arun Jyoti Moran, the President of the union the team distributed chira, biscuits, drinking water bottles, mosquito nets etc to the flood victims. Moran demanded that the government must immediately send special teams

to carry out rescue operations in the area. "People are starving for the minimum requirements. The government and all the political parties must stop politics over the floods and focus upon providing relief to the affected people", the President said.

Flood – the yearly curse of Dhemaji District Contd. from Page 1 thousands of livestock and affecting nearly 70% of cultivable land. Last year flood claimed the lives of 5 persons while this year it took the lives of 2 persons. District administration has opened 7 relief camps where 10000 people are taking shelter. The torrential rain for the last 4 days stopped last night which afforded the flood affected

people a sigh of relief. Though the rain stopped, the people could not move into their houses due to waterlogging. This year flood caused by Simen River washed away Ujjwalpur village under Simenmukh panchayat where 40 families have been left homeless and are taking shelter in temples and namghars. District Administration started distributing relief materials only after 2 days

in the camp and village areas. The affected people said that they are facing problems of unavailability of drinking water, electricity, insufficient supply of relief materials, massive erosion caused by the Brahmaputra in Somkong where the river entered nearly 2 km inside the human population habitation posing a threat to even Somkong police out-post under Simen-Chapori po-

lice station. Villagers alleged that every year Govt. schemes for protection work is executed but it proves useless; they demanded a permanent solution to the erosion population. Last year, Sarbananda Sonwal MP and Union Minister assured the people for a permanent solution to the erosion problem but till now the area is not safeguarded from massive erosion.

DIBRUGARH, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2

PAGE 5

REGION

Bihar promoting cooperative federalism, Manipur violence, why is the state burning? not monarchy, says Rashtriya Janta Dal Patna, Sep 1:Rashtriya Janta Dal(RJD) leader Manoj Jha today said Bihar is not a monarchy, but promoting cooperative federalism. "Eighty six percent of the package is already approved expenditure. So, I think he (Prime Minister Modi) has simply lost the plot. He is calling it 'Dilli ka Khazana', We are not

living in a monarchy. We are living in a cooperative federalism," Jha told media."I saw a possible sign of defeat on his face. It's a good sign for us, but, it is certainly not a good sign for the star campaigner of the BJP. He (Modi) is playing with numbers, whereas he does not know the direction of the numbers,

Bihar to get extra 3.74 lakh crores in next five years: PM Modi Bhagalpur, Sep.1 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said that Bihar will be getting an extra package of 3, 74,000 crores from the Finance Commission in the next five years."Paanch saal mein Finance Commission se 3 lakh 74,000 crore ka package Bihar ko milega, ye mere pehle package se alag hai. (In the next five years, Bihar will get an extra package of three lakhs 74,000 crores apart from the special package that I had announced)The Prime Minister also used the stage of his final Parivartan rally in Bhagalpur to target Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, saying that the latter is giving account of only 2.7 lakh crores out the total amount that was allocated."Now Nitish Ji is only giving using Rs 2.7 lakh crore. So where is the Rs 1.6 lakh crore going. Will this go for 'chaara'," he said.Ahead of PM Modi's addressal , Nitish launched a fresh salvo against him, asking to 'show moral courage and

accept insufficiencies in delivering on old promises. Modiji, stop the rhetoric's, chest thumping & everyday new promises. Show moral courage. Respect the sentiments of people of Bihar who have been troubled by your unkept promises & unsavoury comments," Nitish said in a series of tweets directed towards the Prime Minister."Show moral courage. Deliver your promise of Special Status to Bihar. Don't mislead with so-called package where 86 percent is repackaged old schemes. No new promises please. Outline a credible action plan to deliver on the promises you have made to the people till date," he said. (ANI)

because the numbers more often go against what he says. He does not know macro-economy and micro-economy but the kind of comment he made is not expected from a Prime Minister," he added.With PM Modi asking for accountability from the leaders who ruled Bihar for 25 years, he said, "PM Modi does

not know about the 25 years rule. We ruled for 15 years and went to the people and gave an accountability of what we did. He even does not have the right memory that out of 25 years, eight years BJP was in power. I think he should have some sense of history, and that will help the nation." (ANI)

Tura, Sep 1: The opposition to the inclusion of nontribals in the electoral process for the upcoming GHADC polls grew louder with several NGOs from Garo Hills holding demonstrations across the region to "send a clear message that the people of Garo Hills would not allow the participation of non-tribals in the Council polls slated for October 12."In Resubelpara, the members of the NGOs of North Garo Hills burnt the effigy of West Garo Hills Deputy Commissioner

Pravin Bakshi for his statement that non-tribals can take part in the GHADC polls. The protest which was led by GSU Northern Zone, FAF, FKGJP and Mothers' Union among others saw over 5000 youths gathered at Dekachang playground. Later, an effigy of the WGH DC was burnt in the road near the Office of the Deputy Commissioner, North Garo Hills. In Tura, a public meeting was held at Chandmari playground followed by a rally to protest the participation

Patna, Sep. 1: Responding to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bhagalpur address, JD (U) Spokesperson Ajay Alok on Tuesday said that once again he had given out wrong facts in his speech and Prime Minister always does his homework wrong. "Once again he gave the

wrong facts. He raised questions on Bihar's health service. Does he even know about the development that has happened in Bhagalpur, the very land he stood on?" Alok told media. "As usual the Prime Minister did his homework wrong. It's sad that his team is not giving him

The Mizoram government told the HC that 287 tribal families evicted from Dampa in 1989 were not provided relief and rehabilitation because they did not have rights to the land families evicted in 1989 and 227 families evicted in 2010 when the reserve was enlarged. The latter batch of 227 families was paid a compensation of Rs 10 lakhs each," said the lawyer, who asked not to be named.The lawyer concurred with the petitioner's lawyer and said the next hearing is likely to be the "final hearing" in the case.According to estimates by the National Tiger Conservation Authority, Dampa hosts no more than half a

dozen tigers, with the latest assessment (in 2015) estimating the presence of three tigers. This was through DNA tests of recovered scats.Senior forest officials in the state and conservationists who have worked there admit there have been no tiger sightings in Dampa for decades, and no tiger has been caught by numerous camera traps although a large assortment of other wildlife - including smaller wild cats has been.(Agencies)

Shocked about Sheena's murder, says Indrani's first husband Siddharth Das Kolkata, Sept 1: After days of speculation, Indrani Mukerjea's first husband, Siddharth Das was traced to Kolkata today and he claimed that he came to know of Sheena Bora's murder case

throught the newspapers and television channels. Speaking to reporters, Das said that he wanted death penalty for those who were behind Sheena's murder. "I want death penalty for the people who did it," he said

of non-tribals in the GHADC polls.Around 1000 people took part in the public meeting which was held amidst tight security and observation by officials of the district administration. The meeting was organised by the interim body of the GSU, ASWA, GHSMC and TGCSU among others.Speaking at the public meeting, president of Garo Students Union (interim body), Zicko Balgra said that the participation of non-tribals in the GHADC election pro-

cess would not be allowed at any cost as the Council is meant for the indigenous people to protect their welfare and interest.The NGO leaders who spoke during the meeting were unanimous in blaming the Congress-led government in the State for failing to enact a law which would have prohibited nontribals from voting or contesting in the Council polls in Garo Hills."In Khasi and Jaintia Hills district autonomous councils, the nontribals are not allowed to contest or vote. The blame

Das further said that what he came to know through news is something which Indrani could do for money. "I was shocked to learn about Sheena's murder," Siddhath Das said.Siddharth also said

that 'Indrani was ambitious and money minded.' He also added that Sheena and Mikhail were his children and that he was not married to Indrani but was in a live-in relationship with her. (Agencies)

right facts. That's why he always gets tangled in his own words," Alok added. The JD(U) spokesperson further said that Prime Minister will get his response soon, referring to the press conference underway by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar where he is

countering every question put to him by the Prime Minister in his address.Prime Minister Modi delivered his fourth and final Parivartan rally speech here earlier today where he launched a scathing attack on the Nitish-led Bihar Government and demanded that the

dian of the parks. "The unique part in this solar lighting system is that it is battery-less and connected with the power grid. An automatic control system has been put in place and the lights will be switched on automatically after evening and switched off in the morning," renewable energy expert S P Gon Chowdhury, who has devised the technology told media. The lights will also dim automatically af-

falls on Chief Minister Mukul Sangma and the government for failing to enact a law for the GHADC despite earlier protests," they said.Following the meeting a rally was also taken out from the venue through Ringrey Market and Babupara finally culminating at the Deputy Commissioner's Office.Meanwhile, the combined NGOs of Williamnagar in East Garo Hills also organized a rally in the town to protest on the same issue. (Agencies)

ter midnight when requirement is low. KMC's Member Mayor-in-Council (Parks and Squares) Debasish Kumar said the project, funded by the WestBengal government, should be ready in less than a year's time. Explaining the concept of carbon-neutrality manager, thus named by Chowdhury, the expert said that the system would push solar energy generated during daytime back

into the main electricity grid with the aid of a micro-converter. "No battery is therefore needed. The amount of solar electricity produced through the solar panels is recorded on an electric metre. It is carbon-neutral because it produces as much electricity as it consumes," the solar expert said, claiming that the carbon neutrality manager, developed by him, is a first in the world.(Agencies)

united opposition of Janata Pariwar should give an account of its 'work' done in Bihar over the last 25 years."Those who have ruled the state for 25 years, they must give an account of the work done by them but they are questioning me," the Prime Minister said. (ANI)

New Bill to replace Ordinance Shillong, Sep 1: Giving in to pressure from several quarters, the State government has decided to come up with an alternative draft Bill in place of the Ordinance to empower the tribal chiefs and traditional institutions whose powers were clipped by a High Court ruling last year.The decision to this effect was taken by the State Cabinet .Informing this, Chief Minister Mukul Sangma said, "We have directed the department concerned to prepare an alternative draft Bill."The government will deliberate on the draft Bill with leaders of various political parties on September 8. The meeting with political parties proposed to be held on next Tuesday will also discuss on issues related to whether to allow

the ordinance to have its natural death and look for other Bills which has been passed by the respective Autonomous District Councils (ADCs) pending the State Governor's assent.The Meghalaya Local Administration (Empowerment of Traditional Institutions, Traditional Bodies, Headmen in Governance and Public Delivery System) Ordinance, 2015 was approved by the cabinet in May to put an end to the current stalemate arising out of the last year's High Court ruling. Admitting flaws in the Ordinance, the Chief Minister said, "The overall stand of the government is that we feel that the Ordinance in its present form do have certain provisions which give scope for dif-

ferent interpretation and therefore can be exploited which can go against its actual objective."The state government also took cognizance that the Village Administration Bills passed by the KHADC and JHADC were pending for assent of the Governor and therefore had not become an Act, he said. "Therefore, in absence of any such law whether it is appropriate for the government to have any legislative mandate to empower and involve traditional bodies. These we would like to discuss before we decide to bring for the consideration of the legislative Assembly in the forthcoming session next month," he said. (Agencies)

Two arrested for trying to smuggle cobra venom in West Bengal Jalpaiguri (West Bengal), Sep. 1: Forest officials arrested two men trying to smuggle snake venom in West Bengal.The officials made the arrest after they were alerted. They ambushed the accused at Buniadpur, near the Bangladesh border and made the arrest.The

seized king cobra venom was worth Rs. 50 crore."We chased down two vehicles in Buniadpur and arrested two men. We recovered three jars with snake venom from them with labels that say 'Made in France'," said Sanjoy Dutta, a Forest Ranger in Belakoba Forest, Jalpaiguri. Five

Kolkata parks to have India's first carbon-neutral lighting Kolkata,Sep 1:The City of Joy is poised to become the first city in the country to have its public parks illuminated by an automated carbon-neutral solar lighting system, reducing the carbon footprint and electricity bills. The new automated solar lighting system, first installed at Deshapriya Park on a trial basis, would now be extended to 28 other parks by the Kolkata Municipal Corporation, the custo-

tribals, Kukis and Nagas as they would end up losing land. The bill aims at setting 1951 as a base year to identify non-indegenous people. These people are considered to be outsiders by the protestors. As per the amendment passed in the Manipur assembly yesterday, those who have settled in Manipur prior to 1951 can have property rights. The protestors say that many do not have exact

PM Modi never does his homework, always gets his facts wrong: JD (U)

Decision on Dampa Tiger Reserve by September end for tribals. The HC had summoned Chief Secretary Lalmalsawma to appear before it in person after the state did not put forward a response to the petition through four hearings, resulting in several adjournments.According to Lalramtiama - lawyer for Aizawl-based NGO PRISM which filed the petition Chief Justice Sreedhar Rao told the Chief Secretary on Tuesday to make sure officials are more prompt in responding to court orders.A lawyer who appeared before the court on the government's behalf said the Chief Secretary filed an affidavit in the case yesterday."The affidavit basically says that the present petition most likely arose from envy between the 287

the same in the assembly yesterday. The bone of contention was the Manipur Land Revenue & Land Reform Act (7th amendment bill of 2015). The contention is that the bill will only ensure that the tribals will lose their lands. The protestors say that the tribal areas are now off limits for the non-tribals. The bill will now make the tribal areas accessible to all. The ones to suffer would be the

Garo Hills NGOs up the ante

Opposition to non-tribals' participation in GHADC polls: Rallies, protests held across region Aizawl, Sep 1:The Gauhati High Court will most likely decide on the fate of the Dampa Tiger Reserve in western Mizoram by the end of this month, according to the lawyers for both sides in a petition demanding the dismantling of the 500 sq km reserve (with a 488 sq km buffer) and compensation for more than 500 families evicted from it in the past three decades.The case was heard today, and further hearing was scheduled for September 28.The Mizoram government told the HC that 287 tribal families evicted from Dampa in 1989 were not provided relief and rehabilitation because they did not have rights to the land. It added that they were, however, given Rs 11,000 each under a development fund

Imphal, Sept 1: Manipur's Churachandpur town was burnt last night after violent protestors set ablaze houses of law makers opposing three bills that were passed in the assembly. The bone of contention is the bill that seeks to regulate the entry of outsiders in the state through a permit. The police say that the bill was passed in the assembly and the protestors were upset that none of the legislators opposed

sample packets with the name 'Red Dragon' and 'Made in France' were also seized from their possession, along with a revolver.Snake venom is used to treat snake bites. Reports say some compounds of the expensive venom are used in anti-cancer treatment. (ANI)

records of when they settled in these areas. This would ideally mean that they will have to give up their land and leave. The protestors were also questioning the bill which allows entry of non-tribals or outsiders. The protestors say that this will only lead to snatching away of land. The protestors say that the Nagaland model should be in force where the entry of outsiders is restricted or regulated. (Agencies)

Nitish Kumar attacks PM Modi, asks him to show 'moral courage' Patna, Sep 1: Bihar CM Nitish Kumar today asked PM Narendra Modi to "stop chest thumping and show some moral courage to accept his insufficiencies in delivering on old promises".In a series of six tweets, Nitish Kumar attacked PM Modi for his DNA remarks and calling Bihar a Bimaru state.The Bihar CM also asked the PM to deliver on his promise of granting special status to Bihar."Live up to your 2014 election promise of decriminalization and announce no ticket to candidates with criminal background," the Bihar CM said in another tweet.Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address his fourth "Parivartan Rally" at Bhagalpur on toay in an attempt to boost the Bharatiya Janata Party's chances in the upcoming Bihar polls.Modiji, stop the rhetorics, chest thumping & everyday new promises. Show moral courage. Accept insufficiencies in delivering on old promises. (Agencies)

Rally to protest rape Kohima, Sep 1: A large number of people today took part in a rally here to protest against the alleged rape of a 61-yearold woman last month. The protest rally was organized by the Kohima Village Council (KVC) and Kohima Village Youth Organisation (KVYO). Despite heavy rains, the rallyists went through the town and submitted a memorandum to Chief Minister TR Zeliang at his residential office in Ministers' Hill. Though there was no call for bandh, business establishment and educational institutions remained closed and vehicles stayed off the road. The woman was raped on August 22 when she was working in the field. She is now under treatment and the accused, who was arrested two days later, is in police custody. The KVC and KVYO demanded installation of CCTV in all strategic locations of Kohima town and establishment of a forensic laboratory in Nagaland at the earliest. (Agencies)

CPI calls for proper coordination between Manipur and Centre New Delhi, Sep.1: Communist Party of India (CPI) leader D Raja today called for improved coordination between the Government and the Centre, as the border state is both strategic and sensitive."There should be a proper coordination between State the state government and union government," he said."A proper exchange of intelligence inputs is important to ensure the stability of Manipur." Raja

said."The people of Manipur are agitating over the inner line permit issue, which is why the situation should have been monitored by both the state and union governments .They should co ordinate to decide whether it is the right time to go for such legislations or not.""The opinion of the people, the ongoing agitation and the nature of an issue, should have been taken into consideration." Raja said. (ANI)

PAGE 6

NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL

DIBRUGARH, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2

Nitish asks PM Modi to 'show moral courage', stop 'chest thumping' ANI New Delhi, Sep 1: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Tuesday launched a fresh salvo against Prime Minister Narendra Modi by asking him to 'show moral courage and accept insufficiencies in delivering on old promises. "Modiji, stop the rhetoric's, chest thumping & everyday new promises. Show moral courage. Respect the sentiments of people of Bihar

who have been troubled by your unkept promises & unsavoury comments," Nitish said in a series of tweets directed towards the Prime Minister. He also demanded that the Prime Minister takes back his 'derogatory' words on questioning the DNA of Bihar, calling the state 'Bimaru' and the people 'unfortunate'. Nitish added that he wanted the Prime Minister to deliver his promise of Special Sta-

Three new 'bone chilling' promos of 'New American Horror Story' hits social media

Military needs to be ready for short wars, says Army Chief

ANI Washington. D.C. Sept 1: Ryan Murphy, who is known for creating television series 'Popular', has released three new promos of the upcoming 'American Horror Story: Hotel Promos' on social media and was successful in creating a horror ambience. The first promo of the series, shared on Twitter, was a creepy although not a night-mare-inducing one, and the second promo showed ghosts of little blonde children. The final teaser depicted a horrific scene of being sown into a mattress, something that no one thought could be done but has become the most feared thing of all. The upcoming American Horror Story season stars Angela Bassett, Kathy Bates, Wes Bentley, Cheyenne Jackson, Sarah Paulson, Evan Peters, Max Greenfield, Finn Wittrock, Bomer among others and will premiere on October 7, 2015.

ANI New Delhi, Sep 1: Speaking at a Tri Service Seminar on the 1965 Indo-Pak War, Chief of Army Staff Dalbir Singh on Tuesday said the military needs to be ready for short wars, as the borders are live with frequent ceasefire violations and infiltration bids by Pakistan. "We are acutely aware that the swift short nature of future wars is likely to offer limited warning time. This calls for maintaining a very high level of operational preparedness at all times. It's something that has now be-

"Show moral courage. Respect the sentiments of people of Bihar who have been troubled by your unkept promises & unsavoury comments"

tus to Bihar. "Show moral courage. Deliver your promise of Special Status to Bihar. Don't mislead with

come important in our strategy," General Dalbir Singh said here. He also said that the Indian Army has become more alert with the rise in the number of

ceasefire violations by Pakistan. "Our threats and challenges have become more complex. The Indian Army has increased in intensity in the past years. With frequent ceasefire violation and infiltrations by our west neighbour, the border remains live and active. New methods are continued to be employed to create unrest in J-K. The recent incidents of terrorist violence are clear points to extend violence to other areas," General Singh said. Speaking about the 1965 war, Singh paid homage to the brave martyrs who had

live up to your 2014 election promise of decriminalization & announce no ticket to candidates with criminal background," Nitish added. Earlier, in a befitting reply to Prime Minister Modi's DNA jibe,

sacrificed their lives to save the contours of India. "1965 war is saga of raw courage, extraordinary greatness and dogged determination of the Indian military. Most prominently, the Indian Army delivered a blow to Pakistan across the entire western front. The war settled many negative myths, restored confidence and laid the ground work for the spectacular victory in 1971 six years later," he said. General Singh also praised the contribution of the civil population during the war and how the public support was highly impor-

tant to the troops. "There was overwhelming support from the civil population. Breaking caste and communal barriers, people, plunged into civil defence work. Cheering crowds saw marching troops to the fronts as patriotism swept across the country. This immense public support was highly important to the troops, as it strengthened the bond between civil society and the army," General Singh said. The Chief of Army Staff also saluted the brave veterans, saying their invaluable contribution and guidance has been a source of strength to the organisation.

Madras HC orders Centre to give finality to crop insurance scheme ANI Chennai, Sep 1: The Madras High Court has directed the Centre to file an affidavit stating as to when the proposed new crop insurance scheme for farmers will be finalised. A bench, comprising Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice TS Sivagnanam, directed Assistant Solicitor General

Srinivasan to file an affidavit stating when the government expects the consultative process to be finalised, as it is going on for the last three years. The bench was hearing a PIL that sought a direction to the authorities to make the crop insurance scheme available to all farmers in Tamil Nadu. As per the existing scheme,

Rajnath Singh reviews status of CAPFIMS ANI New Delhi, Sept 01: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh has reviewed the status of the establishment of the Central Armed Police Forces Institute of Medical Sciences (CAPFIMS) in New Delhi. An official release said that the layout plan of the institute was approved by the Ministry of Home Affairs in Janu-

so-called package where 86% is repackaged old schemes. No new promises please. Outline a credible action plan to deliver on the promises you have made to the people till date," he said. "Show moral courage to

Nitish Kumar said that the people of his state will be sending samples of their hair and nails to the Prime Minister's Office for a DNA analysis. Prime Minister Modi addressed his fourth Parivartan rally at Bhagalpur today and attacked the Nitish Kumar-led state government for the 'deteriorating' conditions in Bihar.

ary 2015. It said, a No Objection Certificate of local authorities has also been obtained, except from the Ministry of Environment and Forests. The ministry said that as per the Forest Department, out of 54 acres land allotted to the CAPFIMS, 16 acres falls under the geo-morphological ridge area, where construction is prohibited. Hence, the

layout plan is being revised. In October, 2013, the government had approved the establishment of the CAPFIMS comprising of a 500-bed General Hospital, a 300-bed Super Specialty Hospital, a Nursing College and a School of Paramedics at an estimated cost of over 1368 crore rupees in the Maidangarhi area of New Delhi.

UN confirms ISIS destroyed ancient temple of Bel in Palmyra

farmers in notified areas alone, that too those who cultivate the notified crops, are eligible to become beneficiaries in case of loss. Fifty per cent of insurance premium is paid by farmers, while the rest is given by the government. In case of compensation for losses, it is shared equally by state and central governments.

We will see whose record is broken at Bhagalpur, says Congress

ANI New Delhi, Sep1: Congress leader Ashok Chowdhary on Tuesday said that till now the party has broken records with the number of people attending their rallies, and now, they will see whose record is broken at the Bhagalpur rally being addressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday. "We will see whose record will be broken. Till now, we have broken everyone's record, and now, we will see whose record is broken in Bhagalpur," Chowdhary told. "We will soon talk about seat sharing. We have personally thanked Madam

sets need to be deployed in an offensive role across the spectrum of operations to the enemy since they are intended to go in harm's way," Admiral Dhowan said. "This was the second war after independence and the first one in which the three armed forces were deployed. In the march to victory, there needs to be total synergy and jointness between the armed

forces. No single service can hope and fight and win a war on its own," he added. "We need a multi-dimensional and a balanced naval force to protect our vast maritime interests," he asserted. The India-Pakistan War of 1965 was a culmination of skirmishes that took place between April and September 1965 between Pakistan and India.

(Sonia Gandhi) for attending the rally. Our opposition always used to say that Sonia won't come and she won't share the dais with Lalu ji. A grand alliance has been further consolidated in Bihar. We are in a position to fight the election," he added. Prime Minister Modi addressed his fourth 'Parivartan Rally' in Bhagalpur today in an attempt to boost the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) chances in the upcoming Bihar polls.

JD (U) says BJP feeling the heat of Swabhiman Rally's success ANI New Delhi, Sept 1: The Janata Dal United JD (U) on Tuesday said that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Prime Minister Narendra Modi are feeling the heat of the success of Sunday's Swabhiman Rally. "They are disturbed, they are feeling the threat. The Swabhiman Rally has created a frustration in the BJP," JD (U) leader Ali Anwar told. Anwar also said that Prime Minister Modi forgets the boundaries of state and people are brought from Gujarat to attend his rallies. "This rally will have Swamsevaks from the neighbouring states. About

10,000 RSS workers will also be present in Bihar," Anwar said. "This is not new. He either goes for a foreign visit, or else he comes to Bihar," he added

Govt's resolution towards 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas' commendable: Hamid Ansari

India needs multi-dimensional, balanced naval force to protect vast maritime interests: Naval Chief ANI New Delhi, Sep1: Speaking at a Tri Service Seminar on the Indo-Pak War 1965, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Robin K. Dhowan on Tuesday said that India needs a multi-dimensional and a balanced naval force to protect its vast maritime interests. "One of the major takeaways from the war (1965) was that warships and naval as-

"We will see whose record will be broken. Till now, we have broken everyone's record, and now, we will see whose record is broken in Bhagalpur,"Says Ashok Chowdhary

ANI New Delhi, Sep1: Vice president Hamid Ansari on Monday described the Government's resolution towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi's idea of `Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas` as commendable, saying that the 'essential pre-requisite for this is an affirmative action to ensure that everyone moves forward together.' Delivering his inaugural address at the "Golden Jubilee Session of All India Muslim Majlis-e- Mushawarat", Ansari said "Muslims were

an integral part of the freedom struggle against the British rule. They are dispersed all over the country, are not homogenous in linguistic and socio-economic terms and reflect in good measure the diversities that characterise the people of India as a whole". "Mushawarat was formed in response to a perceived need to defend and protect the identity and dignity of the Muslim community in India in terms of the rights bestowed by the Constitution of India on the citizens of this land. This objective remains relevant though some of its ingredients may stand amplified or modified," Ansari added. Ansari further said that it was a privilege to be invited to address the 50th anniversary session of the All India Majlis-e-Mushawarat, as it was formed in response to a perceived need to defend and protect the identity and dignity of the Muslim community in India in terms of the rights bestowed by the Constitution of India on the citizens of this land.

126 Maoists surrender before Malkangiri Police

ANI London, Sep1: The United Nations has said that the satellite images show that the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) has destroyed the ancient temple of Bel in the Syrian city of Palmyra. ISIS militants are

believed to have targeted the temple of Bel on Sunday with a powerful blast. However, the extent of the damage is at the Romanera structure was not immediately clear. The UN training and research agency said that they could con-

firm destruction of the main building of the Temple of Bel along with rows of columns in its immediate vicinity. It was the second ancient temple that ISIS militants attacked this month after the ancient Baal Shamin temple.

ANI Malkangiri, Sept 1: Maoist Mesha Muschhaki, who carried a one lakh rupee reward on his head and was allegedly involved in many crimes, surrendered before Malkangiri District Police on Tuesday. Malkangiri Superintendent of Police, Mitra Bhanu Mohapatra told media here that apart from Mesha, 125 members

of the Jan Militia from the village of Silakota had surrendered with the objective of rejoining the mainstream. Muschhaki said the Maoists are deviating from their ideology and were involved in harassing poor tribals. The villagers also took a pledge that they will stop supporting Maoists henceforth and work for the development of their area.

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DIBRUGARH, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2

Honour killing There is nothing honourable in honour killing Recently, there has been a spate of honour killings in our country and this has led the government to decide what laws should be put in place to stop this heinous crime. What is the definition of honour killing and what leads families to commit this heinous crime so that they can protect their family honour? Is this practice prevalent only in India or is it prevalent in other parts of the world also? What are the misconceptions regarding honour killing and what are the solutions to stop this crime from spreading? Honour killings have been reported in northern regions of India, mainly in the Indian states of Punjab, Rajasthan, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, as a result of people marrying without their family's acceptance, and sometimes for marrying outside their caste or religion. In contrast, honour killings are rare to non-existent in South India and the western Indian states of Maharashtra and Gujarat. The Indian state of Punjab has a large number of honour killings. According to data compiled by the Punjab Police, 34 honour killings were reported in the state between 2008 and 2010: 10 in 2008, 20 in 2009, and four in 2010. Haryana is also notorious for incidents of honour killing, mainly in the upper caste of society, among raj puts and jaats. Bhagalpur in the eastern Indian state of Bihar has also been notorious for honour killings. Recent cases include a 16-year-old girl, Imrana, from Bhojpur who was set on fire inside her house in a case of what the police called 'moral vigilantism'. The victim had screamed for help for about 20 minutes before neighbours arrived, only to find her smouldering body. She was admitted to a local hospital, where she later died from her injuries. In 1990 the National Commission for Women set up a statutory body in order to address the issues of honour killings among some ethnic groups in North India. This body reviewed constitutional, legal and other provisions as well as challenges women face. The NCW's activism has contributed significantly towards the reduction of honour killings in rural areas of North India. In a landmark judgment, in March 2010, the Karnal District Court ordered the execution of the five perpetrators in an 'honour killing' case of Manoj & Babli, while giving a life sentence to the khap (local caste-based council) head who ordered the killings of Manoj Banwala (23) and Babli (19), two members of the same clan who eloped and married in June 2007 and later their mutilated bodies were found a week later from an irrigation canal. In her verdict, district judge Vani Gopal Sharma stated, "This court has gone through sleepless nights and tried to put itself in the shoes of the offenders .Khap panchayats have functioned contrary to the constitution, ridiculed it and have become a law unto themselves". The case was both the first court judgement convicting khap panchayats and the first capital punishment verdict in an honour killing case in India. The Indian media and legal experts hailed it as a "landmark judgement. Honour killings, for whatever reason, come within the category of rarest of rare cases deserving death punishment. It is time to stamp out these barbaric, feudal practices which are a slur on our nation. This is necessary as a deterrent for such outrageous, uncivilized behavior. All persons who are planning to perpetrate 'honour' killings should know that the gallows await them. Humans do not have the right to write down death sentences of innocent fellow humans.

Flood situation in Assam Dibrugarh too remains waterlogged The flood situation in Assam worsened with three more persons losing their lives and over 7.3 lakh people being affected in nearly 1,600 villages due to incessant rains across the state. According to the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), the situation was serious in Dhemaji, Dibrugarh and Tinsukia districts in eastern Assam, where more than 700 villages remained submerged for the last two days. Most areas in Tinsukia and Dibrugarh towns also remained submerged due to flash floods since Sunday. Whereas a total of 662 villages are submerged in Dhemaji district. Around one lakh hectares of crop land are under water, ASDMA officials said, adding that relief and rescue operations had been stepped up in all the affected areas. While the Brahmaputra is flowing above the danger level in Dibrugarh, Jorhat and Dhubri, the Ranganodi river has breached the danger mark in parts of Lakhimpur district. Similarly, the Jia Bharali is flowing above the danger level at Sonitpur. The ASDMA report further reported that roads and bridges had also been damaged in Dhemaji, Lakhimpur, Tinsukia and Cachar and one person died in Sonai revenue circle in Cachar district during the last 24 hours. Other rivers which have risen menacingly include Puthimari and Beki in lower Assam and the Kushiara in Karimganj district. Authorities in Tinsukia, Dhemaji, Lakhimpur and Dibrugarh have shut down educational institutions. Whereas in Dibrugarh, the city's entire area, including roads and lanes, remained submerged for the third day. The nearby areas of the National Highway 37 and all roads leading to the Assam Medical College and Hospital within the municipality area have been flooded and thus disrupting the communication. Rainwater has also spilled into the municipal, judicial, SP and DC offices, making a mockery of the administrative system of Dibrugarh. With this, the current deluge has claimed 18 lives in the current wave of floods while the toll in this year's two waves of flood rose to 23 in the state. A mother and her minor son were washed away by Sessa river which was in spate at Thakuthan on the outskirts of Dibrugarh town when they were going to a relief camp as per the district administration officials. In all, 1,031 villages and localities in 14 of the state's 32 districts have been affected and so far have opened 59 relief camps in seven districts where 18,739 people have taken shelter. And Tarun Gogoi-led Congress Government in the state has sought Rs 500 crore from the Centre for relief and rehabilitation of the flood-hit and repair of the roads and the bridges. Besides, the Burhidehing river at Khowang in Dibrugarh, the Dhansiri river at Numaligarh in Golaghat, the Puthimari at NH Road crossing in Kamrup, the Pagladiya at NH Road crossing in Nalbari, the Beki at Road Bridge in Barpeta, the Sankosh at Golokganj in Dhubri and the Kushiyara at Karimganj town have been also flowing above the danger marks. So far in the last 24 hours, the flood waters have damaged at least 13 roads in Darrang, Baksa and Nalbari Districts. If the situation continues to remain worsen in this manner, than that time is not far away when these districts will be completely submerged under water.

India and Seychelles Strengthen Ties Around Maritime Security, Economic Cooperation India and Seychelles continue to develop the foundations for an enduring partnership in the Indian Ocean. ?...........Ankit Panda India's relationship with the Seychelles, a small Indian Ocean island state northeast of Madagascar with a population of around 90,000, is expanding. President James Michel of Seychelles was in India for a three day state visit last week that highlighted the growing links between New Delhi and Victoria. Michel last visited New Delhi on state visits in 2010 and 2005. Michel's visit to New Delhi comes five months after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Seychelles on a broader tour of the Indian Ocean region-Modi also visited Sri Lanka and Mauritius. Amid growing perceptions in India that China is laying down a strategic framework around the Indian Ocean, New Delhi is making a new push to seal in its partnerships around the region. One of the notable outcomes of Michel's visit to New Delhi was the conclusion of an information exchange pact, aimed at curbing tax evasion and promoting cooperation between Indian and

Seychellois authorities. The India-Seychelles pact resembles similar agreements between New Delhi and other states known for their attractiveness as offshore tax havens. Michel's time in New Delhi also resulted in the conclusion of important agreements on defense and security. New Delhi gifted an interceptor coastguard boat and a Dornier surveillance aircraft during

Michel's visit. In 2011, the Indian Navy stationed one Dornier in Seychelles, in addition to a warship and a survey vessel, per a government-to-government agreement, for "exclusive economic zone surveillance and anti-piracy patrols." The Dornier gift to Seychelles comes after Modi oversaw the launch of the MCGS Barracuda, the first India-manufactured warship built for ex-

port, in Mauritius back in March. "We are honored to be a partner in providing aircraft, naval vessels and coastal radar systems for strengthening surveillance capacities. Our cooperation in hydrography surveys is extensive and growing," Modi said. In March, during his visit to Victoria, Modi oversaw the launch of the first of several planned Indian Ocean

coastal surveillance radar sites in Seychelles. Beyond the aircraft transfer, New Delhi and Victoria will also finalized an air services agreement, and will cooperate in space, maritime resource management, weather forecasting, and disaster management. In strategic terms, Michel was happy to signal that Seychelles would welcome sustained Indian leadership in the Indian Ocean region. A leading national Indian daily reported that Michael, speaking in New Delhi around the theme of "Maritime Security for Blue Economy," noted that his country was ready to join an India-led security framework for the Indian Ocean: "Seychelles is actively considering invitation by the Indian government to join the tripartite maritime security framework which encompasses India, Sri Lanka and Maldives." "We cannot leave it to others to secure our maritime space. The need is more relevant than ever. Today we have with India an exemplary partnership in defence and security

sectors. India's determined and proactive action in fight against piracy is highly commendable," Michel continued. "Blue economy" is a term used by Indian Ocean states to refer to a range of ocean resource management and development programs. It is also the name of Seychelles' sustainable development model. In addition to India, Seychelles has bilateral "blue economy" partnerships with both Australia and Mauritius. Michel's visit emphasizes Seychelles' close ties to India, but that doesn't mean that the island will be exempt from the brewing strategic rivalry in the Indian Ocean between Beijing and New Delhi. China may be interested in developing "dual-use" supply ports on Seychellois soil to support its growing anti-piracy missions in the Gulf of Aden. However, between Modi's visit earlier this year and Michel's last week, New Delhi currently has the strategic advantage-it doesn't appear that Seychelles will leave India's orbit anytime soon.

Did the United States Ever Really Have a China Strategy? Instead of engaging China, the United States could (with great cost) have isolated it. ? ........Robert Farley Former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger accepted some responsibility for bringing China into the international system. Instead of engaging China, the United States could (with great cost) have isolated it. Was there an alternative to engagement, a way to avoid the growth of great power rival? First, to call long-term engagement a "strategy" might go a step too far. The United States clearly facilitated the growth of Chinese power after Sino-U.S. rapprochement in the early 1970s. This included improved terms of trade, diplomatic support in international venues, and on some occasions direct military assistance. The U.S. supported China because it saw Beijing as a useful counterweight to Moscow and (to a lesser extent) New Dehli. After 1989, the United States no longer saw an increase in Chinese economic and military power as a useful end in and of itself. Rather, Washington preferred to believe that Chinese economic growth (supported by trade and investment from the United States) would inevitably

produce regime liberalization, and potentially the collapse of the CCP. At the very least, integration into the liberal international economic order would "tame" China, and make it a positive contributor within that system. Whether this amounted to a China "strategy," or merely a way to rationalize the preferences of American firms which wanted access to China's markets and labor pools, the engagement of China brought much heavier trade, investment, and integration between the U.S. and Chinese economies. The United States eschewed the tools that states often use to keep potential competitors down, preferring to believe in the possibility of positive sum outcomes. Moreover, apart from a few China alarmists and protectionists on either side of the political divide, this approach earned bipartisan support within the United States. None of the Bush, Clinton, Bush, or Obama administrations have acted very strongly (or really at all) to slow the integration of the U.S. and Chinese economies. It helped, surely, that Deng Xiaoping deliberately avoided inter-

national confrontation, or a military buildup, during his tenure. It also certainly helped that the United States distracted itself from China during the 2000s, by becoming embroiled in Iraq. Has Chinese behavior in the East and South China Seas (ESCS), combined with China's military growth, demonstrated that this approach is fatally flawed? May be. The CCP has stubbornly refused to collapse, and China's military and economic growth have continued apace (albeit with some recent bumps). And over the past three years, China's behavior in the ESCS has demonstrated, to many, that Beijing holds fundamentally revisionist views. I have my doubts, at least regarding how conclusive the evidence is. With respect to China's military growth, there was no universe in which China was going to begin to act like Japan, with 1 percent of GDP dedicated to defense and an isolationist foreign policy. Thus, an increase in China's military capabilities was the inevitable consequence of the growth of the Chinese economy.

Moreover, China's relative military weakness in the 1990s stemmed directly from a policy decision to delay defense modernization in preference for economic growth. And while China's neighbors are surely correct to worry about the its forays into the ESCS, thus far the "hard power turn" taken by Beijing has proven, by historical standards, remarkably mild. China is attempting to take the South China Sea by

creating and leveraging fait accompli. That's worrisome, but as great power intimidation of the neighborhood goes, it's small potatoes. Beijing has assertively pushed and bent the rules, but it hasn't yet stepped outside of them, and it's not obvious that it intends to. The biggest problem is this; too many defense and foreign policy analysts in the United States proceed from the deeply unrealistic baseline that the United

States can, or could have, maintained the global military dominance that it achieved in the early 1990s. This dominance was an artifact of the collapse of the Soviet Union, and the slow growth of other competitors. It was not sustainable over the long term. States which appreciate that U.S. dominance was unsustainable, and that choose to act accordingly, are not being revisionist and aggressive; they're being realistic.

Smart Cities…will they be a reality Sir, Our PM had announced his vision to set up 100 smart cities across the country soon after his government was sworn into power mid last year. Since then a race has been on among cities to land on the list that the ministry of urban development is compiling. The 100 smart cities mission intends to promote adoption of smart solutions for efficient use of available assets, resources and infrastructure. The cities with ongoing or proposed smart cities include Kochi in Kerala, Ahmedabad in Gujarat, Aurangabad in Maharashtra, Manesar in Delhi NCR, Khushkera in Rajasthan, Krishnapatnam in Andhra Pradesh, Ponneri in Tamil Nadu and Tumkur in Karnataka. Many of these cities will include special investment regions or special economic zones with modified regulations and tax structures to make it attractive for foreign investment. This is essential because much of the funding for these projects will have to come from private developers and from abroad. The concept is not without challenges, especially in India. For instance, the success of such a city depends on residents, entrepreneurs and visitors becoming actively involved in energy saving and implementation of new technologies. There are many ways to make residential,

commercial and public spaces sustainable by ways of technology, but a high percentage of the total energy use is still in the hands of end users and their behaviour. Also, there is the time factor - such cities can potentially take anything between 20 and 30 years to build. Yours etc Sneha Purohit Duliajan

Best Letter The best letter of the month in the Letter to the Editor section will be awarded an amount of Rs 200. So please keep writing. Letters to the editor and articles should be sent to : The Eastern Today Chowkidingee, Near Sankardeva Hospital Mancotta Road, Dibrugarh-786003 (Assam) Ph: 0373-2328944 Web : editor.easterntoday@gmail.com

DIBRUGARH, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2

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NEIGHBOURS

India keeps out of Nepal's Ilam tea farmers hurt by internal matters: Official fall in output, low prices Kathmandu, Sep 1: In the midst of political and social sensitivities in Nepal, "India refrains from commenting on Nepal's internal matters knowingly or unknowingly", a senior South Block official said. Indian officials were aware of what is happening in Nepal, said the official. "India is also informed about the efforts being made at consensus while Nepal reaches the last leg of bringing out a new constitution and completing the peace process."He tried to clarify India's position on Nepal's political and constitutional matters at a time when the neighbor's interests in Nepal's affairs vacillate between being controversial and cooperative.The official, who is in charge of Nepal affairs at South Block in the Indian capital but is

not authorized to speak to the media, told the Post that India wants to see a constitution resulting from maximum and broader consensus. "We hope there will be a new constitution by midSeptember as per the present understanding."He clarified that India does not prescribe any form of federalism and religion. The recent visits of two former prime ministers Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Sher Bahadur Deuba had sent positive messages across to Nepal, the official said."We have heard that CPN-UML Chairman KP Oli has barred party leaders from visiting India. No UML leader has expressed interest to visit New Delhi," said the official. He added that leaders of Madhesi parties had never sought to visit India

as reported in some Nepali media.The official, however, refused to comment on Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh's statement concerning Nepal .Blaming local media for "unnecessary hype", he said they were trying to render NepalIndia relations "abstract and meaningless". The official said concerned entities from both the sides should step up vigil against such reports. Meanwhile, the official said that the Ministry of External Affairs of India has no concerns over the activities of Nepali Congress law-

South Block official says that India hopes there will be a new constitution in Nepal by midSeptember

maker Amresh Kumar Singh, who claims to have good rapport with Indian leaders and cordial relations with the Indian establishment. Some days ago, when there was opposition against him in the Madhes, he was trying to sneak into the Consular General's Office of India in Birgunj but he was denied entry, said the official. The official, who keeps tabs on the developments in Nepal, said there was no need for India to extend relations with Singh. He also denied New Delhi's role in Sadbhawana Party's quitting the Constituent Assembly. The official said some major agreements reached with Nepal particularly in hydropower development should be considered as achievements in bilateral ties.(Agencies)

Report on Sri Lanka's missing 'almost ready' Colombo, Sep 1:The Presidential Commission on Missing Persons has almost completed its task, according to Justice Maxwell Parakrama Paranagama, chairman of the panel.In a chat with the media , Justice Paranagama said the Commission had virtually finalized its findings. However, he refused to say when he would submit the final report to President Maithripala Sirisena. "The President is busy these days," he said. Constituted in August 2013, the Commission has looked into complaints about the disappearance of thousands of people in the Northern and Eastern Provinces during June 1990 to May 2009. In early April, the Commission submitted its preliminary report to the President. Asked about the procedure of making the reports public, the chairman said that once the reports were submitted, it would be left to the discretion of the President to take any action.According to the panel's website, as many as 17,329 complaints from the residents in the two prov-

a double whammy of a drop in both the production and the price of tea," complained farmer Dambar Katuwal from Kanyam. The farmers in this eastern village development committee in the district, where large tea estates are operating, have been disappointed by the production and the price.Due to lower production, the tea factories operating in the district are also getting little tea for processing. Ilam Tea Factory based at Aaitabare, Suryodaya Municipality

has observed a decline in the inflow of tea leaves by half compared to last year during the same season. Factories have been forced to operate below capacity. Tanka Dahal, proprietor of Green Hill Orthodox Tea Processing Factory based in Sankhejung, said that they had been receiving 500 kg of tea leaves daily this season compared to 900 kg during the last season. The processing capacity of his factory is 1,500 kg per day.Along with the decline in green tea leaf

US asks China to rethink about restrictions on Tibet inces and 5,000 complaints from families of security forces were received as on August 20.Meanwhile, women staged demonstrations in Mannar and Talaimannar of the Northern Province on Sunday, demanding the authorities to ensure the return of their relatives who went missing, according to sections of the

Tamil press.The Sri Lanka Army (SLA) will continue to focus on the "well being of people in the North and the East," Lt. Gen. A.W. J. Chrishanthe De Silva, SLA C o m m a n d e r , claims.Terming this "our primary objective," Lt. Gen. Silva, who took charge in February after Maithripala Sirisena became President

in January, told media that "we will ensure that everyone, who requires assistance, will be provided with such assistance."He was responding to a question whether any time frame has been set to return private lands in the two provinces to original landowners."We are looking at all options," he added. (Agencies)

APR Energy Myanmar Project Receives Top Plants Award from POWER Magazine Yangon, Sept 1: APR Energy plc (LSE: APR), a global leader in fast-track power solutions, is pleased to announce that its 102MW project in Myanmar has been named a recipient of POWER magazine's Top Plants Award 2015 in the gas-fired category.APR Energy's 102MW Kyaukse power plant is located south of Mandalay, the second-largest city in a country where nearly 42 million people are without access to electricity. The turnkey plant was installed in just 90 days and is one of the largest

Kathmandu, Sep 1: Local tea farmers are concerned by the low productivity despite the favorable climatic conditions found in the area. They are surprised by unusual behavior in the tea plants like the bud not growing at the usual pace after the tea leaves have been harvested once.Farmers in the district produce orthodox tea worth Rs3.5 million during the rainy season. The production of tea has dropped sharply to 15-20 kg per day this season from 5060 kg," said Samir Rai, a farmer from Sankhejung. The rainy season that lasts from mid-June to mid-September is the time when farmers harvest tea leaves multiple times, and the buds bloom faster once they are harvested. Farmers usually pluck the green tea leaves once a week during this season. But what has surprised the farmers most is that they have to wait for at least two weeks after the leaves have been plucked.Though it is necessary to collect the green tea leaves once a week this season, farmers have been complaining about having to wait for more than two weeks to do this. Once the leaves have been plucked, the buds take time to grow. Farmers said that they had not seen such unusual behavior in the tea plants."We have been hit by

thermal plants in the country, providing enough power to serve more than six million people. Fueled by Myanmar's indigenous natural gas resources, the plant features the newest generation Cat速 low-emission mobile gas power modules and offers one of the cleanest power generation solutions in Myanmar."We are extremely honored to be named a Top Plants Award winner by POWER magazine. Myanmar is a fastgrowing economy with tremendous potential," said Clive Turton, managing di-

rector of APR Energy's Asia Pacific region. "Our plant in Kyaukse provides the country access to reliable electricity, helping to fill a critical power gap where three-quarters of the population lack access to reliable electricity.""The plant's success reflects the tremendous effort by our employees and contractors - most of whom are local residents - to install and operate this facility in just 90 days after contract signature, and the outstanding commitment and cooperation shown by the government of Myanmar. It dem-

onstrates the immediate benefits that fast-track power solutions such as ours can provide in helping developing nations grow their economies and enhance the quality of life for their people," Turton added.The contract for the plant, which was signed in February 2014, was the first agreement between a U.S.-based company and the government of Myanmar for power generation since the lifting of sanctions. APR Energy was awarded the contract due to its ability to deliver within a challenging timeframe and the efficiency of its power generation technology. After initially commissioning 82MW of generating capacity in April 2014, APR Energy installed an additional 20MW during the first quarter of 2015 to help offset the reduction of hydropower during the annual dry season in spring. Click here to view a short video about the project.APR Energy is the world's leading provider of fast-track mobile turbine power. Our fast, flexible and full-service power solutions provide customers with rapid access to reliable electricity when and where they need it, for as long as they need it. Combining state-of-the-art, fuel-efficient technology with industry-leading expertise, our scalable turnkey plants help run cities, countries and industries around the world, in both developed and developing markets. (Agencies)

Beijing, Sep 1: The US has asked China to reassess its policies which impose restrictions on religious freedom in Tibet, days after a top American diplomat concluded his visit to the Communist nation and discussed issues of human rights' violations and religious freedom with the Chinese officials.Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom David Saperstein was on an 8-day visit, starting from August 20 to China. Saperstein raised a number of ongoing concerns of the US regarding the Chinese government's human rights violations pertaining to religious freedom during his visits to Beijing, Shijiazhuang, Shanghai, Hangzhou, and Hong Kong, a statement said. He called for an end in the ongoing campaign church demolitions in Zhejiang province and harassment of members from unregistered religious groups."He urged Chinese authorities to reassess coun-

terproductive policies, including restrictions on the religious practise of Tibetan Buddhists and Uighur Muslims," a statement said, adding that Saperstein also conveyed the US government's deep concern over the recent detentions of many human rights defenders and religious leaders .In meetings

with government officials, Saperstein noted positive developments, including the growth of religious communities in China. He also recognized the significant increase in the contributions of faithbased organizations to Chinese society, especially in the provision of social services, the statement said. (ANI)

Police obstruct protest march to ministry Dhaka, Sep 1: Police barred the leaders and activists of the Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB), and Bangladeshi Samajtantrik Dal (BSD) from laying siege to the power, energy and mineral resources ministry to protest the government's decision to hike gas and power tariff. While the leaders and activists were going towards the ministry, the law enforcers blocked their way near gate no-5 of Bangladesh Secretariat in the capital. The protesters, numbering around 150, then sat on the road there and held a protest rally. They criticized the government for its decision to hike gas and power tariff and urged it to reduce the existing price. Speakers said the companies generating power and distributing gas are already making profit. Ruhin Hossain Prince, presidium member of the Communist Party of Bangladesh, said, "With the price hike money will pour into the companies from

pockets of the common people."The parties threatened to go for tougher programmes if the government does not meet their demand within eight days. khalequzzaman, general secretary of bsd, said increase of the price of power and gas is illogical and it is a move against the people."history shows that no one retained power for long by going against the people," he said, and suggested the government learn

from the past. syed abu jafar ahmed, general secretary of cpb, said if their demand was not met, they would observe a sit-in on september 8.retail customers will have to spend, on average, 2.93 percent more on electricity and tk 200 more on gas stoves from today. industries that use gas to produce electricity through generators will see gas tariff double -tk 8.36 from tk 4.18 per cubic metre. (agencies)

production, the market for processed tea has gone down since the devastating earthquake of April 25 and subsequent political turmoil in the country. Govinda Dahal, president of the Central Tea Cooperative Association, said that political disturbances and riots across the country had affected the tea supply in the market. (Agencies) Tea plants showing unusual behavior like bud not growing at the usual pace

UN chief monitoring Indo-Pak border situation Karachi, Sep.1 : United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has urged restraint on the part of the Governments of India and Pakistan with regard to the situation the border dividing the two nations, and added that he is keeping a close watch on the situation at the border after the recent upsurge in violence.According to the Media, UN spokesman Stefane Djuarric said they continue to monitor the situation, as there were reports of escalating violence along the Line of Control between India and Pakistan.Earlier, Ban urged the governments of both countries to exercise maximum restraint and take all feasible steps to ensure civilian safety.Tensions have increased between India and Pakistan after the NSA-level talks were called off last month. (ANI)

Suicide bomber kills six in NW Pakistan Islamabad, Sep 1: A suicide bomber struck outside a local government office in a northwestern Pakistani tribal area today, killing at least six people and wounding 31 others, officials said. The bombing took place in the town of Jamrud, in lawless Khyber tribal district bordering Afghanistan, where the military has been battling Taliban and Islamist groups."At least six people were killed and 31 others were wounded after a suicide bomber detonated him at the entrance of office," top Khyber tribal administration official Shahab Ali Shah told media. There were four tribal policemen among the dead and more than 15 personnel were wounded, four of them critically, Shah said. Nek Mohammad, another tribal administration official confirmed the attack. Nobody immediately claimed responsibility for the bombing, but Taliban and Islamist groups have carried out several attacks against local government and police .Pakistan`s seven semi-autonomous tribal districts near the Afghan border have long been rife with Taliban and AlQaeda militants .Pakistan has been waging a major offensive against insurgent hideouts in the tribal northwest for over a year in a bid to quell an Islamist insurgency that has raged for more than a decade. (Agencies)

DIBRUGARH, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2

Tiger Population In 2 States Stands To Get Harmed By This National Highway Expansion

Oishimaya Sen Nag A shocking news grasped the wildlife conservationists of India when the Indian Government cleared a NHAI (National Highway Authority of India) project to expand the NH7 (National Highway 7) running through the Kanha-Pench tiger corridor, one of the most significant wildlife corridors in India. By definition, wildlife corridors are routes which connect fragmented wildlife habitats together. Movement of species across these corridors is essential for maintaining healthy and sustainable populations of species, and introducing genetic variability. Species move across these corridors in search of new territories, mating and for adapting to seasonal variations of food and water resources. The Kanha-Pench tiger corridor connects the small tiger populations in the Pench Tiger Reserve, Maharashtra with the larger populations in the Kanha Tiger Reserve, Madhya Pradesh. The safe movement of tigers across this corridor is absolutely necessary to maintain a healthy gene pool and sustainable population of tigers. On 18th August, the NBWL (National Board of Wildlife), headed by our Environment Minister, Prakash Javadekar, gave the green signal to the reportedly 'anti-green' project of a four lane widening of the NH7, tearing apart hopes of revival and habitat of the wildlife of this region. After a session of tug-of-war between proponents and opponents of the project, the Environment Ministry finally cleared the project after promising the implementation of mitigation measures

to control loss of wildlife. Opposition from WII (Wildlife Institute of India), NGT (National Green Tribunal) along with signature campaigns and protests by wildlife lovers across the country were unable to withstand the 'vote-bank' pressures of developing India. However, there is one hopeful side to this project- the mitigation measures promised in this project is based on a concept that is completely new in India. In many countries like Canada, USA and Sweden, wildlife road deaths are prevented by construction of 'wildlife crossings'. The wildlife crossings are overpasses or underpasses that are constructed at critical points along a highway or a road that allows safe and free movement of wildlife from its habitat on one side of the road or highway to the other. The rest of the boundaries of wildlife habitat are fenced to avoid wildlife road kills. The crossings have natural vegetation of wild habitats and wildlife uses these routes as wildlife corridors. For example, the Banff National Park of Canada has 44 wildlife crossing structures (38 underpasses and 6 overpasses) and 82 km of highway fencing on the Trans Canada Highway passing through the National Park. With years of rigorous monitoring and scientific research, the Banff National Park has been able to acclaim a massive success in saving wildlife corridors and curbing wildlife road kills with the help of wildlife crossing structures and fencing on the Trans Canada Highway. A plan similar to the 'wildlife crossing' constructions on the Trans Canadian High-

way, has been devised to solve the issue of the NH7 widening in the KanhaPench corridor. For the first time in India, 4 major and 14 minor eco-ducts and 3 underpasses will be constructed on the NH7 to allow safe passage of wildlife across the highway. Now that the Government has given its clearance to the project, only future holds answer to the following questions: " In a country that is riddled with corruption, will the mitigation measures promised by the NHAI be actually executed? " Even if they are executed, will the mitigation measures be enough to ensure ecological disturbances do not accompany the project? " Will the Government be ready to shell out the extra cost required to conduct extensive scientific research and monitoring necessary for the success of such projects? " Will the Indian wildlife adapt itself to the new underpasses and overpasses created for its movement? Will it be possible to prevent wildlife road-kills on this extended highway? " Will the Indian public consciously take up the responsibility of pressurizing the authorities to ensure the mitigation measures are honestly undertaken and followed up in the long-term? The fate of our wildlife will depend on answers to these questions. Only time and intentions will tell whether India's ambition will exterminate her wildlife or India will accommodate her wild species into her developmental scenario.

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Talking heads The hit movie Bajrangi Bhaijaan has an interesting character called Chand Nawab, a small time television reporter in Pakistan, who is not taken seriously by channel editors. But how members of the fourth estate are portrayed in Bollywood in general? Shoma A. Chatterji takes a look. In Bajrangi Bhaijaan for TV journalist Chand Nawab's the big story becomes a mission instead to help restore a little girl to her home by the hero overriding his personal dream of 'breaking news' and catch the attention of the important people who ignore him. However, in most Bollywood films, journalists as a collective group are displayed in rather poor light. They rush in with their mikes and cameras to take a byte from everyone and anyone at the drop of a hat. It makes for a poor and derogatory representation of journalists on celluloid. The portrayal of the print media is confined to close-ups of sensational newspaper headlines and the bylines do not matter. But if you wonder why members of the fourth estate do not protest collectively and straighten things out, there might be a grain of truth in some of the portrayals. Take Peepli Live (2010), for example, where the media tries to sensationalise common men's plight for the sake of the 'first to break the news'. The subject deals with the prospective suicide of a young farmer whose family is so bur-

dened by debts that only if one of the two brothers dies can the family be saved from collective death because the family will then get the one lakh rupee dole the government has promised. It is one of the most scathing critiques of journalism in contemporary India presented with an intelligent combination of sharp wit and crackling satire. Peepli Live unmasks the underside of contemporary journalism in India, most of which is not pleasing to the eye. It focuses on a rather unsavoury aspect of the go-getters in the business who often sully the image of the media. One of the best and rare satires from the Bollywood factory, Kundan Shah's Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron (1983), portrays the media and journalists in a grey light too. Shobha (Bhakti Barve) is a double-dealing lady editor of newspaper Khabardar which can mean either in Hindi, 'danger' or "do not dare." She is ready to do anything to get a story that will raise the circulation of her paper including fake stories. Through hilarious situations, Shah weaves into the narrative a comment on the media, which often acts as holierthan- thou. That the film still catches eyeballs of the Y-generation who more busy with the internet, You-tube and blogs, is a proof of the many home truths about corruption in high places, including the media's manipulations. Then there are critically acclaimed films like New

Delhi Times made in the 80s (directed by Romesh Sharma and written by Gulzar) where Shashi Kapoor plays a serious journalist who falls prey to a corrupt system and the nexus between politicians and media barons. The film had ran into trouble for its content though it went on to win National Awards later. Later a Jeetendra starrer film titled New Delhi was also quite popular where the former Bollywood megastar plays a Delhi based journalist who was tortured and put in a mental asylum after exposing politicians shown as rapists. In Tinnu Anand's Main Azaad Hoon (1989), Shabana Azmi plays a journalist who begins to write a column about a fictitious do-gooder she names "Azaad" because she anticipates getting fired by the new editor. The column becomes famous and the circulation

jumps so readers want to see Azaad in flesh-andblood. She then must find a man who would fit into the image of Azaad. She chances upon a tramp from nowhere and coerces him into role-playing. The film offers an unusual take on journalism. The columnist Suhasini has no clue that the editor (Manohar Singh) is using her and Azaad to become the dictatorial PM one day. Madhur Bhandarkar's Page 3 (2005) is an excellent example of this scenario - the good, bad and the ugly. One reason could be that from a print media which dominated the scene till well into the late 1980s, the journalist in Bollywood is today largely a TV talking head. With mushrooming channels (many reportedly suffering huge losses) the competition to get there first often means throwing ethical standards to the wind. Although there are many current issues affecting the industry, such as the struggle between print and online media, few films have shed realistic light on journalists and the profession. Madras CafĂŠ (2013) directed by Shoojit Sircar is a more realistic portrayal of the profession. It is perhaps the only film in recent times to feature a war correspondent. The film is set in the late 1980s and early '90s, during the Indian intervention in the Sri Lankan civil war followed by the assassination of then-PM, Rajiv Gandhi. Major Vikram Singh (John Abraham) is an Indian Army Special Officer appointed by RAW to head covert operations in Jaffna shortly following the In-

dian peace-keeping force's forced withdrawal from the city. During his investigation, he meets Jaya Sahni (Nargis Fakhri), a London-based British war correspondent, who wants to investigate the truth about the civil war. The two uncover a conspiracy to assassinate 'a former Indian prime minister'. Jaya is a no-nonsense, committed war correspondent assigned to cover the Sri Lankan civil disturbances. As she joins in the investigation where Vikram has disguised himself as a journalist, there is a sharing of views but no romance, thankfully, rather admiration between two professionals for each other. No One Killed Jessica (2011) adapted from the true story of the brutal murder of Jessica Lal in a Delhi bar demonstrates the brassy reality of a television anchor played with hard-hitting sharpness by Rani Mukherjee. One can observe that in recent years on celluloid stories from Bollywood at least, the poorly paid, illdressed, paan-chewing jholawalla hack has morphed into a slick, loudmouthed, man or woman, some of them even belonging to the 'system' , in keeping with the changing morals of real life ideology. The media plays an important role of functioning as a communication line with the masses. The ideas presented in journalism films reach a mass audience and can influence viewers' perception of the media to some degree. The media is constantly evolving, and as the industry continues to change, so too will perhaps the image of journalists in film. (Trans World Feature)

What 'Manjhi' And 'Kaun Kitney Paani Mein' Tell Us About Bollywood's Conscience Rajat Ghai Every Friday, the release of any new Bollywood film gives lots of goosebumps to its producers, financiers and distributors about its success, due to lots of money spent on its making. In addition to all ingredients of good story, script, star cast, director, good production values and music, they use every possible method for its success, right from the launch of the trailer, music launch, reportage of controversies during its making, publicity on social media and websites. And finally, when the film gets ready for release, its promotion is done through print media, on radio, TV channels (both Hindi and English) and through posters. If the film is a success, we hear about the lots of moolah the film has raked in and the crores club league that it has entered into as a successful commercial film. And those not doing well are given other taglineswashout, moderate or recovered cost. On the other side, realistically-made contemporary films are also picking up in the present era of multi-

plexes. With less budgets and all the tricks used for its success as done by commercial films stated above, realistic contemporary films have catapulted into the same bracket as commercial films. Good production values, decent star cast, intelligent directors add to their success. Though not entering 100 crore clubs, many films have done well in the recent past. 'Vicky Donor', 'Kahani', 'Lunch Box', 'Piku' are some of them. All of them have conveyed their message very ably and succinctly. Multiplex audiences have good appetite for decent films and that is why contemporary film makers are coming out with realistic films. In the end of August, 2015, two new Hindi films were released. On the surface, they seem to be entirely dissimilar. But peer a little closer and you will find that both movies have an uncanny similarity. Both have serious national topics of concern as their central themes. Both are concerned with the past, present as well as future of India's populace, especially the rural one. 'Manjhi-The Mountain

Man', released on August 21, is a biopic of an extraordinary individual, Dasrath Manjhi (1934-2007), a poor Dalit man who lived in a remote village Gehlaur in Bihar's Gaya district. Gehlaur was separated from the nearest town by a forbidding hill. The film talks about Manjhi (played by Nawazuddin Siddiqui) and his life in the village where he lives as a landless labourer, works in the brick kilns of the local landlord. He and his wife, Phaguniya (played by Radhika Apte),

have a son and are expecting their second child. But one day, tragedy strikes as a heavily-pregnant Phaguniya trips down the hill while climbing it and gets seriously injured. Since his village does not have a hospital, Manjhi treks over the hill with his injured wife to the nearest town, Wazirgunj. However, she breathes her last at the hospital, with doctors able to save the child, a daughter. An enraged and bereaved Manjhi now has only one mission in life-to carve out

a path from the mountain, a shortcut, which could have saved his beloved wife and with which others, may benefit. He sets out to do this, armed with only a sledgehammer and a chisel. The other, 'Kaun Kitney Paani Mein', released on August 28, is a satire on society as a whole. Like Manjhi, 'Kaun Kitney Paani Mein' too is set in rural India, this time in Odisha. The story is told through two villages, split long ago based on caste and money but never through water.

The subject of the film is on water scarcity but rather than a preachy drama, it has tackled the issue in a satirical manner. It has Radhika Apte, Kunal Kapoor, Saurabh Shukla and Gulshan Grover in lead roles. This is the first time a love story (between Kunal and Radhika), is based on need of water. The director of the film, Nila Madhab Panda made his debut with the critically acclaimed 'I Am Kalam'. The film shows that through reversals of fortune, the old world order is broken and water becomes the biggest game changer. It has a domino effect on everything from social order to economics, even love and marriage. The film takes a satirical look at respect for resources, caste divides, and rural life against the backdrop of a traditional love story but all set in a realm where water is the new currency. Both 'Manjhi' and 'Kaun Kitney Paani Mein' delve into issues which have tremendous social relevance in today's India: road connectivity and water conservation. Both try to tell their story in all earnestness. But

their treatment of the subject matter is different. While 'Manjhi' succeeds in convincingly showing the determination of Dashrath Manjhi in cutting his way through the hillock despite a host of obstacles like drought, famine, snakebite, corruption and the general apathy of those around him, 'Kaun Kitney Paani Mein' is more of a satire and the water issue gets overshadowed by caste conflict in the film. Can We Learn From The Films? India inherited a poor road network at the time of independence. National Highways Authority of India was established in 1988. But the actual road development started happening in India only after 1995. Today, we have national highways, state highways, expressways and rural and urban roads. But these are not enough. India has a poor record of paved and unpaved roads, as compared USA and France which have predominantly paved roads of high quality. But the most pitiable state of affairs is of rural roads. And the situation has not improved much despite the

government pumping in money through schemes such as the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana. And Manjhi has rightly conveyed the message of having good roads in rural areas as well so that no other Phaguniya dies at the time of childbirth. Providing good healthcare in remote areas is the other message conveyed. Like road connectivity, water too is a very important issue facing India. Although India has made improvements over the past decades to both the availability and quality of municipal drinking water systems, its large population does not have robustly planned water resources. Water scarcity in India is expected to worsen as the overall population is expected to increase to 1.6 billion by the year 2050. Nevertheless, the very fact that Bollywood is doing such conscientious films is cause enough for celebration. We do need more of these types of movies which give a message of development of infrastructure by keeping a perfect environment balance.

DIBRUGARH, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2

BUSINESS

RBI declares SBI, ICICI Bank D-SIBs

New Delhi, Sep 1: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) declared State Bank of India and ICICI Bank as Domestic Systemically Important Banks (D-SIBs). The RBI had issued the framework for dealing with Domestic Systemically Important Banks (D-SIBs) on July 22, 2014. The D-SIB framework requires the RBI to disclose the names of banks designated as DSIBs every year in August starting from August 2015, said RBI in a press release. "The framework also requires that D-SIBs may be placed in four buckets depending upon their Systemic Importance Scores (SISs). Based on the bucket

in which a D-SIB is placed, an additional common equity requirement has to be applied to it, as mentioned in the D-SIB framework," it added. The D-SIB framework specifies a two-step process of identification of D-SIBs. In the first step, the sample of banks to be assessed for systemic importance has to be decided. The additional Common Equity Tier-1 (CET1) requirements applicable to D-SIBs will be applicable from April 1, 2016 in a phased manner and would become fully effective from April 1, 2019. The additional CET1 requirement will be in addition to the capital conservation buffer,

said RBI. RBI also said that in case a foreign bank having branch presence in India is a Global Systemically Important Bank (G-SIB), it has to maintain additional CET1 capital surcharge in India as applicable to it as a G-SIB, proportionate to its risk weighted assets (RWAs) in India. "RBI has named State Bank of India as Domestic Systemically Important Bank as expected. However, the additional capital requirement of Tier-I capital has been lowered by 20 basis points as compared to draft guidelines. SBI currently has a much higher level of Tier-I at 9.62 per cent as opposed to 7 per cent required under the current guidelines," said Arundhati Bhattacharya, Chairman, SBI. "Given our size and significant presence across the financial sector, it was expected that ICICI Bank would be classified as systemically important, said Chanda Kochhar, MD and CEO, ICICI Bank. According to Ms. Kochhar, the bank's capital adequacy is well in excess of regulatory requirements. (Agencies)

Banks adopting Basel-III norms in a phased manner: Gopinath

Kolkata, Sep 1: Shyamala Gopinath, former Deputy Governor, Reserve Bank of India (RBI) recently said that Indian banks are already adopting Basel-III norms in a phased manner and are steadily progressing towards this global standard. While talking at an Assocham event here, Ms. Gopinath said that a higher ratio under Basel II and III were not strictly

comparable. In addition to the minimum capital ratio of 8 per cent, Basel-II stipulates capital buffers to be maintained by banks towards capital conservation (2.5 per cent), counter cyclicality (upto 2.5 per cent) and systematic importance (global upto 2.5 per cent domestic up to 1 per cent). "Another challenge facing the banks is that since pre-Basel-III in-

struments do not have loss absorbency features, the bank are required to ensure that the derecognised portion of existing additional Tier I and II capital is replaced with Basel III complaint capital to even maintain status quo. No doubt the balance sheet is not static and therefore the step up in capital will need to address this too", said Ms. Gopinath. She also highlighted that RBI had already considered that banks can reckon government securities (G-Secs) to the extent permitted under the marginal standing facility (MSF) as level 1 high quality liquid assets (HQLA). Ms. Gopinath said, "RBI has been progressively reducing the SLR requirements, which stands now at 21.5 per cent. "The suggestion to reduce further in view of new liquidity standards has some merit." (Agencies)

Shrink in petrol, diesel prices New Delhi, Sep 1: The price of petrol has been cut by Rs.2 per lire and of diesel by 50 paise per litre, effective midnight on Monday, according to Indian Oil Corporation. A litre of petrol in Delhi will now cost Rs. 61.20 (existing price Rs.63.20), while a litre of diesel will cost Rs 44.45 (Rs.44.95). The previous price cuts - Rs. 1.27 per lire in petrol and Rs. 1.17 per litre in diesel - came into effect on August 15. Before that, prices were cut on August 1, petrol by Rs. 2.43 per litre and diesel by Rs. 3.60 per litre. In total, petrol prices have been cut by Rs

5.7 per litre and diesel prices by Rs 5.27 per litre in August. "Since the last price change, there has been a decrease in international prices of both petrol and diesel. However, Rupee-U.S. Dollar exchange rate has depreci-

DECREASING PRICE The price of petrol has been cut by Rs.2 per lire and of diesel by 50 paise per litre. A litre of petrol in Delhi will now cost Rs. 61.20 (existing price Rs.63.20), while a litre of diesel will cost Rs 44.45 (Rs.44.95). The previous price cuts - Rs. 1.27 per lire in petrol and Rs. 1.17 per litre in diesel - came into effect on August 15. Before that, prices were cut on August 1, petrol by Rs. 2.43 per litre and diesel by Rs. 3.60 per litre. In total, petrol prices have been cut by Rs 5.7 per litre and diesel prices by Rs 5.27 per litre in August.

ated during this period. The impact of both these factors warrants a downward revision in prices, the impact of which is being passed on to the consumers with this price decrease," IOC said in a statement. The price of the Indian basket of crude oil has fallen by Rs.366 per barrel in August, but the full benefit of this fall in global oil prices has not been transferred to the Indian consumers. "The movement of prices in the international market and INR-USD exchange rate shall be monitored closely and developing trends of the market will be reflected in future price changes," it added. (Agencies)

Economic growth slows to 7% in April-June quarter Mumbai, Sep 1: Reflecting a muted performance, the GDP growth slowed to 7 per cent in the April-June quarter, from 7.5 per cent in the previous quarter, amid deceleration in farm, services and manufacturing sectors. A slower GDP growth, along with slower pace of industrial production expansion, however bolsters the case for a rate cut by the Reserve Bank.

competitive solutions and improved account penetration. For its part, Sify seeks to expand outside of India by collaborating with Fujitsu to pursue opportunities with large and mid-size businesses in global markets. The two companies will also discuss collaboration on the latest technologies for service platforms, including data centres, cloud computing and software-defined networks, the release added. Hiroyuki Sakai, Executive Vice-President and Head of Global Mar-

The Gross Value Added (GVA), a new concept introduced by CSO to measure the economic activity, also slipped during the first quarter to 7.1 per cent, from 7.4 per cent a year ago. The GDP grew at 7.5 per cent in the JanuaryMarch quarter while it was 6.7 per cent in the AprilJune quarter last year, according to data from the Central Statistics Office

(CSO). The nominal GDP and GVA at current market price showed a steep decline in the quarter under review. The nominal GDP slipped to 8.8 per cent in Q1 from 13.4 per cent a year ago while the GVA growth rate nearly halved to 7.1 per cent from 14 per cent a year ago. The government towards the beginning of the fiscal has projected a growth rate of 8.1-

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cent in the April-June quarter as against 8.4 per cent in the year-ago period. 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567890123456789012123456789012345678901234567890121234567 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567890123456789012123456789012345678901234567890121234567 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567890123456789012123456789012345678901234567890121234567 Similarly, the growth in the output of electricity, gas, water supply and other utility 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567890123456789012123456789012345678901234567890121234567 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567890123456789012123456789012345678901234567890121234567 services decelerated sharply to 3.2 per cent as against 10.1 per cent a year earlier. 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567890123456789012123456789012345678901234567890121234567 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567890123456789012123456789012345678901234567890121234567 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8.5 per cent in the current fiscal, which may be difficult to achieve. RBI, which has cut interest rate by 0.75 per cent in three tranches since January, is scheduled to announce the next bimonthly policy on September 29. The data showed that the manufacturing sector GVA at constant prices (2011-12) rose 7.2 per cent in the April-June quarter as against 8.4 per cent in the year-ago period. Similarly, the growth in the output of electricity, gas, water supply and other utility services decelerated sharply to

Online course started by UpGrad Bengaluru, Sep 1: With start-ups gaining ground in India and rising number of people opting to turn entrepreneurs, UpGrad, an online education venture for working professionals, on Monday launched its application process for its entrepreneurship programme. The company, co-founded by Ronnie Screwvala, Mayank Kumar, Ravijot Chugh and Phalgun Kompalli, has launched a 15-week intensive online programme called 'StartUp with UpGrad' for aspiring entrepreneurs. The course is designed to provide insights from India's leading entrepreneurs and frameworks from leading faculty members. "As an aspiring entrepreneur there are 100s of things that one needs to keep in mind", said Mayank Kumar, Cofounder and Managing Director. "We have designed

our entrepreneurship programme to provide a clear roadmap to aspiring entrepreneurs on things to focus on while starting a new business. As part of the programme, students will

learn from the experiences of more than 30 leading entrepreneurs, understand frameworks from top faculty members and apply these learnings to their own venture idea," Mr. Kumar

said. The 15-week online programme will provide young Indian professionals the clarity of thought for their entrepreneurial journey through live lectures, case studies, group assignments and real-life application, UpGrad said. The course will include learnings from some of India's known entrepreneurs such as Bhavish Aggarwal, of Ola Cabs; Radhika Aggarwal of ShopClues; VSS Mani of JustDial; Rishi Malhotra of Saavn; Pankaj Chaddah of Zomato to name a few, along with globally known faculty members. UpGrad has made a provision of three months of free trial for interested candidates and the course would cost Rs.50,000 plus taxes. The course is aimed at providing insights into real-life successes and mistakes from the founders of established start-ups. (Agencies)

3.2 per cent as against 10.1 per cent a year earlier. The farm and allied sectors grew at 1.9 per cent, down from 2.6 per cent in the previous year. The output of mining and quarrying sector too slipped marginally to 4 per cent, from 4.3 per cent a year ago. Financial, real estate and professional services growth shrank to 8.9 per cent as against 9.3 per cent a year earlier. However, the construction activity registered an increase of 6.9 per cent, up from 6.5 per cent in the previous year. (Agencies)

Nikkei slouces Taiwan, Sep 1: Japanese stocks skidded recently, hurt by soft domestic industrial output data and concerns the U.S. Federal Reserve might yet raise interest rates next month even as anxiety over a China-led global economic slowdown persists. The Nikkei fell 1.5 percent to 18,859.02 in midmorning trade, snapping a three-day winning streak. For the month, the benchmark has dropped 8.2 percent so far and is poised for its biggest monthly decline since Jan. 2014. Investors are keenly awaiting the Caixin/ Markit China Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) and U.S. manufacturing data due out on Tuesday. This will be followed by Friday's crucial U.S. jobs data. (Agencies)

Social media targeted by car companies to push sales Chennai, Sep 1: It's the new frontier for car marketers. With successful model launches becoming critical to ensure sales growth in a sluggish market, car marketers are cranking out aggressive social media strategies to complement their traditional media initiatives. Successful launches like the Hyundai Creta and Honda Jazz and the soon to-roll-out Mahindra TUV300, for instance, are driving in completely separate and aggressive social media strategies to create curiosity and excitement before the product launch and online enquiries now comprise anywhere be-

tween 10-25% of all customer enquiries after a big volume car roll-out. Take the Hyundai Creta, one of the most successful launches so far this year. The company used a stepby-step approach of "informed revelation to maximize the strength and reach of social media," said Rakesh Srivastava, senior VP, sales and marketing, Hyundai Motor India. This means is a series of 'social media only" initiatives, starting with the announcement of the name of the product in May. "We came out with an image rendering of the product on digital media and then released

the actual images of the product," he said. After the preview, the trim levels were also released and that was followed by the teasers on YouTube, backed by details of the product on Facebook. "We used YouTube, Twitter and Facebook to reveal details of the product and glimpses of it so that the customer became a brand ambassador for Creta and the product benefited from word-ofmouth references," said Srivastava. Result: Out of the 1.5 lakh enquiries that poured in for Creta, 10% was through social/digital media. Creta isn't the only product that has used social

ALL EYES ON SOCIAL MEDIA ¢ YouTube, Twitter and Facebook are used to reveal details of the product and glimpses of it so that the customer became a brand ambassador for Creta and the product benefited from word-of-mouth references. ¢ And the result was that out of the 1.5 lakh enquiries that poured in for Creta, 10% was through social/digital media. ¢ Before the launch of new Jazz, the company's surveys showed that the primary target audience is the 25-35 year demographic, whose media consumption is quite varied with a generous online and social component. ¢ And thus Honda decided to kick off its launch activities with an anonymous Twitter campaign. ¢ Others like M&M are using social media for "listening and to build direct consumer connect. ¢ Social Media forms a key component of our marketing mix. The medium has always played a key role in product launches and is helping companies to generate tremendous buzz for the soon to be launched TUV300. ¢ Honda also shot three international films - in the US, Australia and Singapore - for its social media campaign.

Fujitsu & Sify signs strategic partnership deal Tokyo, Sep 1: Fujitsu Ltd. and Sify Technologies Ltd, recently, announced that they had signed a strategic partnership deal to provide global ICT solutions. The two companies will engage in go-to-market collaboration to support global customers, initially starting with the North American market, according to a press release. Fujitsu aims to complement its own capabilities in ICT solutions with Sify's strengths in application integration and systems integration, providing cost-

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keting, Fujitsu, said: "This is an important strategic initiative for Fujitsu, aimed at developing new customers and new solutions." Raju Vegesna, Chairman and Managing Director, Sify Technologies, said: "It is a matter of great pride that a company of Fujitsu's stature has chosen Sify as a strategic partner. For Sify, this is an important step in growing beyond our current Indian market base, and I can't imagine a better global partner than Fujitsu." (Agencies)

media effectively as launch marketing strategy this year. As competition gets more nosebleed, car launches are targetting more specific audience segments. Said Jnaneswar Sen, senior VP-sales and marketing, Honda Cars India, "Before the launch of new Jazz, our surveys showed that the primary target audience is the 2535 year demographic, whose media consumption is quite varied with a generous online and social component." That's why, Honda decided to kick off its launch activities with an anonymous Twitter campaign. "It did very well, generated a lot of curiosity," said Sen. "Next we created a film teaser which was uploaded exclusively on social media." Others like M&M are using social media for "listening and to

build direct consumer connect". Said Pravin Shah, president & chief executive (automotive), Mahindra & Mahindra: "We successfully leverage social media for wider outreach and are able to engage the youth who are today's influencer and buyers of tomorrow. Social Media forms a key component of our marketing mix. The medium has always played a key role in all our product launches and is helping us generate tremendous buzz for the soon to be launched TUV300!" With social media strategies getting aggressive, marketers are now no longer penny pinching while planning for this format. For instance Honda shot three international films - in the US, Australia and Singapore - for its social media campaign. (Agencies)

$136m loan on Indian-led co Dubai, Sep 1: A Dubai-based gold and jewellery retailer has defaulted on loans worth about 500 million dirhams ($136.2 million), with banks considering options including legal action to retrieve the money , four banking and trade sources said. The non-payment by Atlas Jewellery, which has more than 50 branches across the Gulf and in India, affects at least 15 banks, the sources said on condition of anonymity because the information isn't public. It was not clear

why Atlas Jewellery had failed to honour its debts. Company officials declined to comment and the company's owner, M M Ramachandran, was not reachable. Dubai police said the Indian national and his daughter had been arrested in cases relating to suspected bounced cheques. Dubai has in recent years joined the likes of London, New York and Hong Kong as a major gold trading centre thanks to its proximity to the world's largest gold consumer, India,

and an aggressive drive to become a commodities hub. This is the second scandal involving Dubai jewellery businesses since the city's rise to prominence as a significant gold trading centre. In March 2010 the Dubai Financial Services Authority sanctioned three brothers behind Damas International over unauthorised withdrawals from the company of 1.94 kg of gold and cash worth about 365 million dirhams. (Agencies)

"The struggle for freedom has been the common thread between our countries. Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela liberated our nations with non-violence and non-co-operation as their weapons which have inspired the world, to adopt and achieve their goals in a peaceful manner. We dedicate this trophy to Mahatma and Madiba, the guiding souls of our nations."

DIBRUGARH, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2

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Jagmohan Dalmiya

Morgan, Moeen help England edge past Australia

England held their nerve to beat Australia by five runs in a thrilling finish to a one-off Twenty20 international on Monday. Captain Eoin Morgan smashed a superb 74 off 39 deliveries to lift the home team to 182 for five and despite a brilliant 90 by Australia skipper Steve Smith, the touring side fell just short of their target. "It was brilliant, a great game of cricket to win," Morgan said after the match. "You can learn a lot from playing in close games against top opposition." He shared a thirdwicket stand of 135 with Moeen Ali after Smith had won the toss and England openers Alex Hales and Jason Roy fell cheaply. Morgan struck seven sixes and three fours and Moeen hit three sixes and six fours to put England on course for a total in excess of 200. But quick bowlers Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc slowed down the run-rate in the closing overs to keep Australia in the game. Australia openers David Warner and Shane Watson then failed but Smith and Glenn Maxwell put together a fluent partnership. Maxwell was brilliantly caught by Ben

Stokes off man-of-the-match Moeen for 44, the all-rounder running round from long-on to end a third-wicket stand of 112. "Ben Stokes' catch changed the momentum of the game because the wicket meant it was difficult for a new batsman to come in and score quickly," Morgan said. Smith made his 90 off 53 balls, including four sixes, but he was caught by Sam Billings off David Willey in the 19th over and Stokes conceded just six runs off the last six balls to leave Australia stranded on 177 for eight. "It was impressive the way Ben Stokes bowled that final over and delivered his skills after just finishing a five-game test series," Morgan said. "He stuck his chest out and bowled very well." Smith was left to rue his team's inconsistent bowling. "It was one of those games," he said. "Similar innings from both teams. At the end England were able to hit a few more boundaries which made the difference. We were hot and cold with the ball but credit to Eoin and Moeen." The teams start a five-match one-day international series in Southampton on Thursday. (Agencies)

India-SA to play for Freedom Trophy in Gandhi-Mandela bilateral series Mumbai: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and Cricket South Africa (CSA) have announced that all future bilateral series between the two nations will be named 'The Mahatma GandhiNelson Mandela Series '. Going forward, the Test series between the respective countries will be played for the 'Freedom Trophy' which is dedicated to Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela. BCCI president, Jagmohan Dalmiya, said: "The struggle for freedom has been the common thread between our countries. Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela liberated our nations with non-violence and non-co-operation as their weapons which

have inspired the world, to adopt and achieve their goals in a peaceful manner. We dedicate this trophy to Mahatma and Madiba, the guiding souls of our nations." CSA president, Chris Nenzani, said "The revered names of Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela leave us with a huge responsibility to live up to the legacies they have left us. Above all else they stood for doing the right thing and persevered at great personal cost to achieve freedom for their country regardless of how long it took them." The tour includes three Twenty20 Internationals, five One-day Internationals and four Test matches. (Agencies)

India win Test series in Sri Lanka after 22 years Colombo: India beat Sri Lanka by 117 runs in the third and final Test in Colombo on Tuesday and registered their first series triumph in the island nation in 22 years. Chasing a daunting target of 386, the hosts collapsed after skipper Angelo Mathews was out for 110, his seventh Test century and were dismissed for 268. The 2-1 victory gave Virat Kohli his first series win since taking over the captaincy from Mahendra Singh Dhoni last year, and India their first overseas series triumph since June 2011 when they defeated the West Indies. Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, who was later named Man of the Series for his tally of 21 wickets in the series, was the pick of the Indian bowlers, claiming four wickets for 69 runs, while pacer Ishant Sharma scalped three for 32 and Umesh Yadav two for 65. Cheteshwar Pujara, who

scored an unbeaten 145 in India's first innings, was declared man of the match. India last won a Test series in Sri Lanka under Mohammad Azharuddin's

captaincy in 1993. On an absorbing final day's play, the visitors took two quick wickets in the morning session before Mathews and debutant Kusal Perera

scripted a spirited fightback with a resolute 135-run partnership for the sixth wicket, the second-highest stand in the fourth innings in Sri Lanka's Test history.

The final day's action was, however, not without drama as Kusal Perera was involved in a heated exchange with Indian players. Mishra took the last wicket, that of Nuwan Pradep, triggering scenes of wild celebration in the dressing room even as the players hugged each other and picked up the stumps for mementos. Ashwin provided the vital breakthrough with Perera's scalp. The second new ball, taken after tea break, then turned the tide India's way as Ishant got rid of Mathews in the first over. Earlier, with the pitch easing out and India rotating their bowlers in short spells, Mathews and Perera made merry at the crease. In the first hour after lunch, they added 39 runs in 13 overs with the match hanging in balance. The 200-mark came up in the 68th over. On their part, the Indian bowlers did not lose control of their line and length. But

the partnership increased as time passed and Mathews-Perera put on 100 runs off 186 balls. Perera scored his second half-century of the match, reaching there off 89 balls. It was Mathews who was the star of the day, though, reaching his second consecutive hundred in the series off 217 balls. He should have been out leg before at 93 but umpire Nigel Llong denied Mishra in the 70th over on account of an inside edge which wasn't there. It almost looked as if India would go wicket-less in the session, but Ashwin returned one last time before the tea break to remove Perera. The batsman threw his hard work away, going for a reverse sweep and hitting straight to Rohit Sharma at point, four overs before tea. Lanka won the first Test in Galle by 63 runs, while India came back with a 278-run win at the P Sara Oval in the second. (Agencies)

Williams scripts ruthless win; Djokovic, Nadal advance New York: Serena Williams began her final push towards a calendar year Grand Slam in devastating fashion on Monday by pounding Vitalia Diatchenko 6-0, 2-0 before the overwhelmed Russian waved the white flag and retired. Following a Broadway style opening ceremony complete with orchestra and choir, Williams stepped onto centre court under a spotlight to loud applause from the New York crowd just seven matches from her goal. The six-time US Open champ exited Arthur Ashe Stadium just 30 minutes later to more applause and with her target reduced to six more wins to join the exclusive club of calendar Grand Slam winners Maureen Connolly, Margaret Court and Steffi Graf. "It's great to be here in Arthur Ashe Stadium, to be American, just to be on this journey in my life," Williams, who already has the Wimbledon and Australian and French Open titles in the bag, said. Standing across from the

world number one for the first time, Diatchenko appeared frozen in fear as Williams won 32 points to just five by the Russian. In just seven minutes, the 21times grand slam singles champion and defending U.S. Open title holder was 3-0 up against her 86th ranked opponent. A shaken Diatchenko called for the trainer to look at her left foot after going 5-0 down in the first set, and after Williams wrapped it up the Russian left the court for more treatment. With Williams taking a 2-0 lead in the second, Diatchenko signalled she had suffered enough and after a brief chat with the chair umpire walked over to shake her opponent's hand. "It was definitely different and bizarre but at the same time I was still focused," said Williams, who has only lost two matches this season. "I kept thinking, just stay focused; don't lose it. You never know what can happen." The victory stretched Williams's grand slam winning streak to 29 matches. She is now un-

beaten at the U.S. Open in 22 matches going back to a loss to Sam Stosur in 2011. However elder sister and Two-time winner Venus Williams was tested by unseeded Puerto Rican Monica Puig but prevailed in three sets to give the Williams family a positive start on opening day at the US Open. Williams, seeded 23rd, battled to a 64 6-7(7) 6-3 victory over her gritty 21-year-old opponent in a two-hour 40minute contest at Arthur Ashe Stadium. Venus

squandered three match points in the second-set tiebreaker as 85th-ranked Puig rallied from 6-3 down to win six of the last seven points to level the match at one set apiece. Venus, at 35 the oldest player in the women's draw, also failed to close the deal when serving for the match at 53 in the second set. It was a gutsy performance by Puig on the US Tennis Center's main stage, especially considering the gap in their experience. Venus carried in a 64-13 US

Open record into the match, with career earnings of over $31 million, while Puig was 1-2 in her previous two appearances in the main draw at Flushing Meadows with career earnings of just over $1 million. In the mens' section, top-seeded world number one Novak Djokovic raced into the second round of the US Open with a 6-1, 6-1, 6-1 demolition of Joao Souza of Brazil. Djokovic had to wait in the wings for Venus Williams to complete a two-hour, 40minute win at Ashe, but once the Serb hit the court he played as if he had a taxi meter running outside the National Tennis Center. Ones were wild for Djokovic, who won each set 6-1 in a one hour 11 minute romp to victory for the reigning Australian and Wimbledon champion. Rafael Nadal showed flashes of his top form under the lights to beat young Croat Borna Coric 6-3, 6-2, 4-6, 6-4. The first two sets brought a vintage performance on

a sultry night from Nadal, who has dropped to world number eight in what has been a lackluster 2015 campaign for the Spaniard. Given his last chance to keep alive a 10-year streak of winning at least one grand slam title, 14times major winner Nadal schooled the 18-year-old Coric over the first two sets. But Coric responded with his best tennis and broke the Spaniard in the 10th game of the third set to send the match to a hard-fought fourth set. The Spaniard finally prevailed thanks to a service break on a forehand service return winner in the seventh game. Defending champion Marin Cilic made a strong start in defense of his U.S. Open title by powering past Argentine qualifier Guido Pella 6-3, 7-6(3), 7-6(3). The ninth-seeded Cilic registered 13 aces and seven service winners in dismissing 94th-ranked Pella, who fought gamely and was broken only twice in the two-hour match.

Song returns to West Ham on loan from Barca London: Barcelona midfielder Alex Song has rejoined West Ham United on a season-long loan, the Premier League club's chairman said on his official Twitter account. The 27-year-old Cameroonian spent last season on loan at the Hammers as well, after failing to nail down a regular starting spot with the Spanish champions, who he joined from Arsenal for a reported 15 million pounds ($23 million) in 2012. He made 31 appearances for the Hammers last season and scored thrice in the league. "It has just been confirmed. Alex Song has signed a season long loan deal to join West Ham. Welcome back

Defender Mori joins Everton on five-year deal London: Everton have signed defender Ramiro Mori from River Plate on a five-year deal for a fee of 9.5 million pounds ($14.6 million), according to a statement on the Premier League club's website. The 24-year-old, who was part of the team that won the Copa Libertadores earlier this year, becomes only the second Argentine to represent the Toffees after

Denis Stracqualursi. He has scored 10 goals in 108 appearances for River Plate. Mori's signing follows the arrivals of Tom Cleverly, Gerard Deulofeu, David Henen, Mason Holgate and Leandro Rodriguez at Everton. The left-footed centre-half made his international deb u t w i t h A rg e n t i n a i n March. (Agencies)

Alex," Hammers' chairman David Gold said on Twitter. The signing was confirmed soon after by a statement on the club's website (www.whufc.co.uk). Song became the Hammers' eighth signing of the summer, following the arrivals of Darren Randolph, Pedro Obiang, Dimitri Payet, Angelo Ogbonna, Carl Jenkinson, Manuel Lanzini, George Dobson and Stephen Hendrie. "I am very happy. For me it was very important

to come back because when I was here I had a great rapport with the fans and the club," Song said. "When I left I didn't know I would come back here. It was not easy but at the end of the day, the most important thing is I'm here now and I'm very happy." Song, who has 47 caps for Cameroon, announced his retirement from international football in January, citing his wish to focus on his club career. (Agencies)

Man City defender Jason Denayer joins Galatasaray on loan Manchester: Manchester City centre back Jason Denayer has joined Turkish club Galatasaray on a season-long loan, according to a statement on the Premier League club's website. The 20-year-old Belgian international spent last season on loan at Celtic, where he made 29 league starts and won the Scottish Premier League Young Player of the Year award. His exit follows the arrival of Argentina international centre back Nicolas Otamendi

from Valencia for a fee reported to be in the region of 45 million euros ($50.7 million). Galatasaray are in Champions League Group C this season along with Benfica, Atletico Madrid and Astana. City have also sold 19-year-old forward Jose Pozo to Spanish second division side Union Deportiva Almeria. The youngster joined the Sky Blues from Real Madrid in 2012 and has played four senior games for the club. (Agencies)

The Oil India FC team which clinched the title of Umesh Gogoi Memorial Football Tournament 2015 held at Lahowal on August 30 ; (above) the Duliajan Football Academy which finished as Runnerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s up of the tournament. Pic - Rafique uddin Ahmed

DIBRUGARH, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2

Features

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HORTICULTURE Black Pepper- An important spice and its cultivation requisites

Black pepper is a flowering vine in the family Piperaceae, cultivated for its fruit, which is usually dried and used as a spice and seasoning. When dried, the fruit is known as a peppercorn. When fresh and fully mature, it is approximately 5 millimetres (0.20 in) in diameter, dark red, and, like all drupes, contains a single seed. Peppercorns, and the ground pepper derived from them, may be described simply as pepper, or more precisely as black pepper (cooked and dried unripe fruit), green pepper (dried unripe fruit) and white pepper (ripe fruit seeds). Climate and soil Black pepper is a plant of humid tropics requiring high rainfall and humidity. The hot and humid climate of sub mountainous tracts of Western Ghats is ideal for its cultivation. It grows successfully between 20° North and South latitude, and from sea level up to 1500 m above sea level. The crop tolerates tempera-

tures between 10° and 40°C. The ideal temperature is 23 - 32°C with an average of 28°C. Optimum soil temperature for root growth is 26 - 28°C. A well distributed annual rainfall of 125-200 cm is considered ideal for black pepper. Black pepper can be grown in a wide range of soils with a pH of 5.5 to 6.5, though in its natural habitat it thrives well in red laterite soils. The black pepper growing tracts in the West Coast of India include (1) coastal areas where black pepper is grown in homesteads (2) midlands and where black pepper is extensively cultivated on a plantation scale and (3) hills at an elevation of 8001500 m above sea level, where the crop is mostly grown on shade trees in coffee, cardamom and tea plantations. Propagation Black pepper vines produce three types of shoot, namely (1) Primary climbing shoot with long internodes having adventitious roots at

nodes which cling to the supports/ standards; (2) Runner shoots which originate from the base of the vine and creep on the ground, have long internodes which strike roots at each node and (3) fruit bearing lateral shoots. Cuttings are raised mainly from runner shoots, though terminal shoots can also be used. Cuttings from lateral branches develop a bushy habit. Rooted lateral branches are used for raising bush pepper. Though seeds (berries) are fully viable, they are not generally used for raising plantations as seedlings will not be genetically uniform. Selection of site When black pepper is grown in slopes, the slopes facing south should be avoided and the lower half of northern and north eastern slopes are preferred for planting. This will prevent vines from to the scorching effect of sun rays from southern direction during summer. Preparation of land and

planting standards With the receipt of the first rain in May-June, primary stem cuttings of shade trees Erythrina sp or Garuga pinnata or Grevillea robusta (silver oak) or seedlings of Alianthus malabarica (Matti) are planted in pits of 50 cm × 50 cm × 50 cm size filled with cow dung and top soil. The planting is done at a spacing of 3 m × 3 m which would accommodate about 1110 standards per hectare. The black pepper vines can be trailed on the standards after three years when they attain sufficient height. Whenever E. indica is used as standards, application of phorate 10 G at 30 g may be done twice a year (May/ June and September/October) to control nematodes and stem and root borer. When E. indica and G. pinnata are used, the primary stems are cut in March/April and stacked in shade till the stacked stems start sprouting in May. The stems are planted in the edge of the pits dug for planting black pepper vines. Planting Pits of 50 cubic centimeters at a distance of 30 cm away from the base, on the northern side of supporting tree are taken with the onset of monsoon. The pits are filled with a mixture of top soil, farmyard manure at 5 kg/pit and 150 g rock phosphate. Neem cake at 1 kg, Trichoderma harzianum at 50 g also may also be mixed with the mixture at the time of planting. With the onset of monsoon, 2-3 rooted cuttings of black pepper are planted individually in the pits on the northern side of each standard. At least one node of

the cutting should be buried in to the soil for better anchorage. Cultural practices As the plants grow, shoots are tied to the standard as often as required. The young vines should be protected from hot sun during summer by providing artificial shade. Regulation of shade by lopping the branches of standards is necessary not only for providing optimum light to the vines but also for enabling the standards to grow straight. Adequate mulch with green leaf or organic matter should be applied towards the end of north east monsoon. The base of the vines should not be disturbed so as to avoid root damage. During the second year, the same cultural practices are repeated. However, lopping of standards should be done carefully from the fourth year onwards, not only to regulate height of the standards, but also to shade the black pepper vines optimally. Lopping may be done twice (during June and September) in a year. Excessive shading during flowering and fruiting encourages pest infestations. From the fourth year, two diggings are usually given, one during May-June, and the other towards the end of south-west monsoon in October-November. Growing cover crops like Calapogonium mucunoides and Mimosa invisa are also recommended under West Coast conditions as an effective soil cover to prevent soil erosion during rainy season. During summer the cover crops dry up leaving thick organic mulch. Manuring and fertilizer

application Manuring and fertilizer application for pepper vines is to be done for proper establishment and growth of plants. Application of lime or dolomite at 500 g/vine in April-May during alternate years is recommended under highly acid soil conditions. Organic manures in the form of cattle manure or compost can be given at 10 kg/vine during May. Neem cake at 1 kg/vine can also be applied. Organic production Conversion plan For certified organic production of black pepper, at least 18 months the crop should be under organic management i.e. in the new plantations the first crop of pepper can be sold as organic, as the yielding starts from third year. To convert an existing plantation to organic, a conversion pe-

riod of 36 months is set for the perennial crops. The conversion period may be relaxed if the organic farm is being established on a land where chemicals were not previously used, provided sufficient proof of history of the area is available. It is desirable that organic method of production is followed in the entire farm; but in the case of large extent of area, the transition can be done in a phased manner for which a conversion plan has to be prepared. The entire pepper holding can be converted to organic production when pepper is grown as sole crop. When grown in a mixed cultivation system, it is essential that all the crops in the field are also subjected to organic methods of production. Black pepper as a best component crop in agri-horti and silvi-horti systems, recy-

cling of farm waste can be effectively done when grown with coconut, arecanut, coffee, rubber etc. As a mixed crop it can also be intercropped with green manure/ legumes crops enabling effective nutrient built up. In order to avoid contamination of organically cultivated plots from neighboring non-organic farms, a suitable buffer zone with definite border is to be maintained. In smallholder groups, where the pepper holdings are contiguous, the isolation belt is needed at the outer periphery of the entire group of holdings. Pepper grown on this isolation belt cannot be treated as organic. In sloppy lands adequate precaution should be taken to avoid the entry of runoff water and chemical drift from the neighbouring farms.

Health Benefits of Black Pepper

Good for the Stomach Pepper increases the hydrochloric acid secretion in the stomach, thereby facilitating digestion. Proper digestion is essential to avoid diarrhea, constipation and colic. Pepper also helps to prevent the formation of intestinal gas, and when added to a person's diet, it can promote sweating and urination, which remove toxins from the body. Sweating removes toxins and cleans out the pores of any foreign bodies that may have lodged there, and it can also remove excess water or accumulation, also known as edema. In terms of urination, you can remove uric acid, urea, excess water, and fat, since 4% of urine is made of fat. For digestion, inducing digestion can help you lose

weight and increase the overall functioning of your body and prevent various gastrointestinal conditions and colorectal cancer. Its ability to expel gas is because black pepper is a carminative, which forces gas out of the body in a healthy, downward motion, rather than pressing upwards in a dangerous way and straining the upper chest cavity and vital organs. It also inhibits more gas from forming in the body. Weight Loss The outer layer of peppercorn assists in the breakdown of fat cells. Therefore, peppery foods are a good way to help you shed weight naturally. When fat cells are broken down into their component parts, they are easily processed by the body and applied to other,

more healthy processes and enzymatic reactions, rather than simply sitting on your body and making you look overweight. Skin Health Pepper helps to cure Vitiligo, which is a skin disease that causes some areas of skin to lose its normal pigmentation and turn white. According to researchers in London, the piperine content of pepper can stimulate the skin to produce pigment. Topical treatment of piperine combined with ultra violet light therapy is much better than the other harsher, more chemicallybased treatments for vitiligo. It also reduces the chances of skin cancer due to excessive ultraviolet radiation. Respiratory Relief In Ayurvedic practices,

pepper is added to tonics for colds and coughs. Pepper also provides relief from sinusitis and nasal congestion. It has an expectorant property that helps to break up the mucus and phlegm depositions in the respiratory tract, and its natural irritant quality helps you to expel these loosened material through the act of sneezing or coughing, which eliminates the material from the body and helps you to heal from whatever infection or illness caused the deposition in the first place. Antibacterial Quality The antibacterial property of black pepper helps to fight against infections and insect bites. Pepper added to the diet helps to keep your arteries clean by acting in a similar way to fiber and scraping excess cholesterol from the walls, thereby helping to reduce atherosclerosis, the condition highly responsible for heart attacks and strokes. Antioxidant Potential An antioxidant like pepper can prevent or repair the damage caused by the free radicals and thus help to prevent cancer, cardiovascular diseases and liver problems. Free radicals are the byproducts of cellular metabolism that attack healthy cells and cause their DNA to mutate into cancerous cells. Antioxidants like black pepper

neutralize these harmful compounds and protect your system from many conditions, even premature aging symptoms like wrinkles, age spots, macular degeneration, and memory loss. Enhances Bioavailability Black pepper helps in transporting the benefits of other herbs to different parts of body, maximizing the efficiency of the other health foods that we con-

sume. That is why adding it to foods not only makes them taste delicious, but also helps make those nutrients more available and accessible to our system. Cognitive Impairment and Neurological Health Piperine, one of the key components of black pepper, has been shown in numerous studies to reduce memory impairment and cognitive malfunction. Chemical pathways in the

brain appear to be stimulated by this organic compound, so early research demonstrates the possibility for pepper to benefit Alzheimer's patients and those that are suffering from dementia and other age-related or free radicalrelated malfunctions in cognition. Peptic Ulcers A number of studies have shown that black pepper may have beneficial effects

on gastric mucosal damage and peptic ulcers, due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. More research is still being done on this aspect of black pepper health effects. Asthma and Whooping Cough Pepper is a good treatment for respiratory conditions like due to its properties as an expectorant, as well as its strong anti-inflammatory properties.

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