31 July, 2016, Sunday

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PAGE 11

Vol. II

Issue 43

WEST INDIES VS INDIA 2016: 2ND TEST, KINGSTON - PREVIEW

Dibrugarh, Sunday, July 31, 2016

Price -

5.00

PAGE 6

Pages- 12

ONE KILLED IN PAKISTAN BOMB ATTACK

CURFEW REMAINS IN FORCE IN SOME PARTS OF KASHMIR VALLEY

Page - 5

Page - 6

Page - 12

Assam floods CM Pema Khandu conducts aerial survey in Namsai, Lohit and Changlang districts Rajnath Singh conducts

aerial survey at Assam

ET Bureau Itanagar, July 30

Chief Minister Pema Khandu today accompanied by Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju and Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein made an aerial survey of flood-affected areas in eastern districts of Lohit, Namsai and Changlang.

Legislators from affected areas that included Chowkham MLA C T Mein, Bordumsa MLA Nikh Kamin, Namsai MLA Zingnu Namchoom and Nampong MLA Laisam Simai also accompanied the Chief Minister who was briefed about the flood situation during the aerial survey.

More than 3 lakh people have been affected by flood in the eastern districts.

In a flood review meeting held at Namsai, Khandu informed that funds for immediate flood relief through National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) has been placed with the department of disaster management from where it is being disbursed to the affected districts.

Accordingly,

he

gave

ET CAPSULES

Relief items distributed Golaghat, July 30: Golaghat Marwari Samellan contributed relief materials to flood victims of Khumtai Circle. The organization donated milk cartoon, biscuits, candles, match box, soaps and packaged drinking water in huge quantity. (Correspondent)

Duo arrested Dibrugarh, July 30: Dibrugarh police arrested last night two person namely Sabri Khan, President of Muslim Yuva Parishad (Progotisil) and another Abhez Ahmed in connection with a case filed

by Dibrugarh Traveller Association regarding parking of vehicles at India Club stand.

Sources said that they manhandled with a driver of a traveller who parked his vehicle near India Club. Later, they were released on bail.

(Staff Reporter) Classifieds at Rs. 10/- per word

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IANS Guwahati, July 30

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday undertook an aerial survey of flood ravaged state of Assam along with Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and assured the state government all possible help to deal with the situation.

CM Pema Khandu with Kiren Rijiju during his aerial visit in eastern districts of Arunachal Pradesh necessary instructions to Chief Secretary Shakuntala Gamlin, who had accompanied him for closely monitoring the immediate relief and restoration activities. Also the CM instructed Namsai Deputy Commissioner RK Sharma to keep adequate provisions to meet any ration shortages for people camped in relief camps in the affected areas.

Khandu informed that he has been monitoring the flood situation personally and had earlier requested the Deputy Chief Minister and all local legislators from affected areas to take stock of the flood situation in their respective

districts.

He requested the people to cooperate fully with the interministerial team from the centre who would be visiting the affected areas soon – to help them prepare an "in-depth assessment" and submit its report to the Union Home Ministry "expeditiously."

Also briefing about the actions being taken by the centre and the state on the flood situation, Union Minister Rijiju informed that Arunachal’s quota for floodrelief funds will be disbursed soon. He said that upon survey now that the flood situation has

been assessed, Rijiju promised to render all possible help through the centre.

Tezu MLA Dr Mohesh Chai who joined the visiting team at Namsai handed out the flood report of Lohit district to the Chief Minister and urged for precautionary and preparatory measures to be taken as another wave of flood could likely occur in September.

C M Sharma, Under Secretary (DM), Vikash Anand, PS to MoS (Home), Hage Kojeen, Commissioner (health) and Modak Ngomdir, Chief Engineer (WRD) were also part of the Chief Minister’s aerial survey.

AAPSU appreciates state govt. for taking prompt action in providing necessary relief to the flood victims ET Bureau Itanagar July 30

All Arunachal Pradesh Students’ union (AAPSU), All Namsai District Students’ Union (ANDSU), All Tai Khampti Singpho Students’ Union (ATKSSU) and Team CLLANDT (Changlang, Lohit, Longding, Anjaw, Namsai, Dibang & Tirap) appreciated the State Govt for taking prompt action against the appeal made by AAPSU in providing necessary relief and rehabilitation to the flood victims of Namsai District and other adjoining areas, informed AAPSU president Kamta Lapung in a press release.

The release also added that the union is overwhelmed to learn that the young Chief Minister Pema Khandu along with senior political figure cum

DCM Chowna mein, Khiren Rijiju, Union MOS, Home and team of local legislators had conducted aerial survey to take stock of the flood hit areas.

AAPSU appealed all section of the societies including NGO’s, Political Parties; Community based organizations etc. to come out unitedly in such time of crisis.

Further, the union also requested Khiren Rijiju, Hon’ble MOS, Home to use his good office in getting central relief package sanctioned for the flood and other calamities hit areas in the state.

In continuation to voluntary donation drive initiated by the union at Namsai and other areas, the AAPSU also welcomed the voluntary initiative taken by students of RGU, Doimukh who under the

banner of TCLNSU-RGU shall be setting up donation camps in various parts of capital complex including RGU campus on 1st August 2016.

Further, the union also expressed its delightment at the news of two local construction firms from the state viz., M/s T.K Engineering and Puna Hinda being awarded with best performing agencies award by the National Highway & Infrastructural Development Corporation Ltd (NHIDCL), which is a subsidiary of Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Govt. Of India.

At the same time, the union also appeals to all the other firms (both local & non-local) to take cue from these two firms and maintain quality and timely completion of the projects undertaken by it.

1 sulfa Administrative Officers of DC in Office, HODs Donate Half Months arrested Tinsukia Salary for Aalo Bam Road ET Bureau Aalo, July 30

Bagra village amid applause on 29th July last.

The DC, ADC, EACs, COs of DC Office including HODs like PD, DRDA, DFCSO, DLRSO and Superintendent Tax & Excise have donated their half months salary amounting to Rs. 3,90,000/for maintenance of Aalo-Bam Road. The amount was formally handed over to Shri BPS Negi, M/S T.K.

The DC, Shri Pige Ligu disclosed that though the amount is negligible for undertaking big repairing works but it just a gesture and encouragement to gear up repairing works to be started at various vulnerable points.

Engineering Construction Ltd at a small function held at

Contd. on Page 3

Spl Correspondent Tinsukia, July 30

Police has arrested another sulfa for demanding money in the name of ULFA on Saturday. The arrested person has been identified as Upokul Moran alias Dhon Asom. The arrest of sulfa has come from Rupai Kakopather Road in Tinsukia district.

Earlier also army and police had arrested a group of youths for demanding money in the name of ULFA. The arrested youths included sulfa's.

“Home Minister accompanied by CM Assam Sarbananda Sonwal and Jitendra Singh (DONER minister) conducting aerial survey of flood hit areas (in Assam),” the Home Minister's office (HMO) tweeted.

Singh reached Guwahati on Saturday morning and took stock of the devastation caused by heavy rains and floods that has left thousands of people displaced. He visited Nagaon, Morigaon and Kaziranga and, assuring the state of all possible help, asked the state government to prepare an effective action plan to deal with the grave situation.

"I have visited some of the flood-hit areas of Morigaon, Nagaon and Kaziranga national park to review the situation. I felt that the situation is really serious,” Singh said.

Singh also visited the Bhatgaon relief camp in Morigaon district and met people affected by the floods there.

“I have requested Assam

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh with CM Sonowal during aerial survey at Assam

“

Central government will extend all possible help to the state government to deal with the situation” Rajnath Singh

Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal to help the flood-hit people in the best possible way and the Central government will extend all possible help to the state government to deal with the situation," Singh said to reporters before leaving for

New Delhi.

“A total of 26 people have died due to floods within one week,” he said, adding that about 36 lakh people in 28 districts of the state have been affected by the current wave of floods.

Singh then said, “The Chief Minister has submitted a memorandum to me and on my return to New Delhi, we are going to consider all the demands included in the memorandum”.

The Union government will give more funds to the state government after the Central team visits the state and assess the overall flood damage, he said.

Contd. on Page 4

Rajnath Singh announces Rs 4 lakh compensation for Assam flood victims ET Bureau Guwahati, July 30

Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday conducted aerial survey of the floodaffected state of Assam to take stock of the situation.

Addressing a press conference after the survey, the minister announced a compensation of Rs 4 lakh to the victims of the flood.

Contd. on Page 4

Governor visits flood State govt. suspends SDO (Civil) of Kaliabor subdivision affected areas of for irresponsibility Barkshetri revenue circle A Staff Reporter Guwahati, July 30

Acting tough, the Assam government today suspended SDO (Civil) Kaliabor subdivision for irresponsibility.

ET Correspondent Nalbari, July 30

Governor of Assam Padmanav Balakrishna Acharya today visited the char areas of Barkshetri revenue circle in Nalbari district to take the stock of flood devastation caused by Brahmaputra River. The Governor visited the Bhelakhati Char where more than five hundred people are taking shelter as the swollen Brahmaputra submerged their dwelling houses. He interacted with the relief camp inmates about their problems that has caused due to the devastating flood.

The governor was accompanied by his wife Kabita Acharya, local MLA Narayan Deka and the deputy commissioner of Nalbari, Anantalal Gyani. The Governor distributed food, baby foods, mosquito nets and sari to 10 pregnant women and many other relief materials.

While talking to the correspondent the Governor Acharya said that the state Government should adopt scientific and longtime scheme

to bring solution to the flood problems in the state. The Governor said that he will suggest the state Government about the solution to the flood problems. It may be mentioned here that a total of 70,000 people have been badly affected in Barkshetri revenue circle in the district.

Earlier, the Governor addressed the closing ceremony of the three day meeting of Bharat Sikshan Mandal at Nalbari Natya Mandir.

Addressing the meeting the Governor said that the combined efforts in industry, trade and education could easily change the scenario of the state. He urged upon the Universities under his jurisdiction to impart education on patriotism besides the normal education.

According to him the north east state has no lack of merits but woman trafficking has become a serious problems in this region. In the meeting three Sanskrit scholars Ram Gopal Dev Sarma, Niranjan Bhattacharya and Achyut Ch Misra were felicitated by the Governor.

In the Interim Report of Flood 2016 submitted to the Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, a photograph of a deer being rescued by a boy was included. This photograph was sent to the official whatsapp group by SDO (Civil) Kaliabor subdivision under whose jurisdiction a part of Kaziranga falls.

It has now being brought to the notice of the State Government that this

photograph does not belong to the current Kaziranga floods.

The Government has taken this act of SDO (Civil) Kaliabor subdivision Madhumita Bhagawati very seriously.

This has caused enormous embarrassment to the State Government. The Government has, therefore, placed the officer under suspension with immediate effect.

The State Government believes that DCs and SDOs are its eyes and ears in the field.

The Government desires to make it clear that any irresponsible act of any Government official will not be tolerated and strict action will be taken against anybody resorting to such irresponsible acts.

Assam Chief Secretary with government officials to contribute week’s salary for CM Relief Fund A Staff Reporter Guwahati, July 30

Assam Chief Secretary VK Pipersenia, DGP, Mukesh Sahay and Principal Chief Conservator of Forest, Darash Mathur will contribute a week’s salary towards the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund for the flood hit people.

Chief Secretary Pipersenia also appealed to officers and employees of all the depart-

ments to contribute generously towards the flood affected people of the State.

Meanwhile, officers from the rank of Commissioners and Secretaries will also donate one-week’s salary for the flood affected.

Assam has been severely reeling under floods with 22 districts affected. Nearly 19 lakh people have been hit with over 2.15 lakh hectare crop area affected.

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The high level team had a look at the flood condition in areas of Wakro, Namsai, Mahadevpur, Lekang, Jairampur, Miao and Chowkham.

Singh assures adequate central assistance to flood-hit victims

DIBRUGARH, SUNDAY, JULY 31

PAGE 2

ASTRO FOR YOU Aries You will be indecisive today, which is not usually the case with you. This could lead you to indulge in speculation, which is not so bad unless you risk all your money in it. Besides, when it comes to matters of the heart, you must exercise a great deal of caution.

Taurus Impulsive action kicks in as you work and interact today. Do not let the pressure and strain cloud your thoughts, and instead focus on acting on the things at hand. If you find things spiralling out of control, take a break and listen to some music that soothes your heart.

Gemini Today, you will decide to become a bit more conscious about your health. You may or may not join a gym or measure your calories, but you will definitely sit up and take notice of your lifestyle and unhealthy food habits. A new job is also likely, which will open a completely new chapter in your life.

Cancer Today, you will put your heart and soul into whatever task you take up. And, that's a great thing to do. Don't lose heart though, if despite the best efforts, the results of your efforts are not too forthcoming. Feeling dejected is only going to hamper your progress. Remember that you'll receive your due sooner or later. Spend some time with your loved ones to revive yourself. Alternatively, a quiet evening tucked in the bed with a nice book is also a great idea.

Leo If one were to put an earnest spirit and a frank attitude together, the result would be a Leo; it's like your hallmark. And with qualities like these in your kitty, don't be surprised if you happen to reach a milestone or two today. Will it be marital bliss or career success? No matter what the area is, be assured that your societal standing shall get a heady boost today.

Just don't let the success go to your head.

Virgo The booster rockets of your ambitions and spirit to work will kick in at the maximum today. Seek recreation after a hard day's work and look to relax at private parties, socialdos and even weddings.

Libra "Every man has specific natural abilities", said Aristotle. This seems to be true for you today. Your natural talents will be acknowledged and documented at work. This might prompt your equals to hold you up above the rest, and for your seniors to positively encourage you to scale greater heights. But as always, be careful to make sure that success does not make you heady with arrogance. Keep yourself firmly grounded, and remember that, 'pride cometh before the fall'.

Scorpio You will find yourself thinking with your heart rather than your head today. You may not be able to repress your feelings, and you should not even try. But you should be careful about how you express them, particularly in public as people may judge you wrongly on the basis of it.

Sagittarius Today, your superiors at work are going to trust you with many complicated assignments.

But, after exerting yourself, you are sure to come out with flying colors and have your work appreciated. Do not be surprised if cash incentives come your way. Such may indeed be your fortune.

Capricorn You will be a live wire, today. With amazing exuberance you have completed mammoth tasks and have spread the energy around. It will give you tremendous job-satisfaction.

Everything seems well and good the personal front, too. Spending some quality time your spouse will relax your mind and keep you in an upbeat mood.

Aquarius For a moment, it seems that you're swamped with problems. But you are brave enough to deal with any ugly issue that crops up suddenly. A romantic evening, which may just be time together in a jacuzzi, or simply preparing a meal together. Pure ecstasy!

Pisces You are fond of traveling and are always looking for an excuse to set off. Hence it comes as no surprise if you pack your bags and decide to embark upon a journey on a whim today.

It is a much needed break too, from the daily stresses of earning a livelihood. While you are seeking solitude, you will take your friends and relatives along with you on the trip.

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

CM Sonowal directs Chief Secretary to constitute Embankment Protection Committee A Staff Reporter Guwahati, July 30: Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal directed Chief Secretary VK Pipersenia to constitute Embankment Protection Committee to avert breaches in any embankment.

At a high level meeting at his office conference room here yesterday evening, Chief Minister Sonowal said the Embankment Protection

Officials of Labour and Employment Department appointed as Inspectors ET Bureau Guwahati, July 30: The Government of Assam has appointed officials of Labour and Employment Department as Inspectors under the Working Journalists and other Newspapers Employees (Conditions of Service) and Miscellaneous Provision Act 1955. The appointed officers are to exercise the power to implement the provisions of the above mentioned act and to implement the recommendations in force from time to time within their allotted jurisdiction, informed Janasanyog in a press release.

According to the official order issued by the Labour & Employment Department, Government of Assam, Additional Labour Commissioners, Assam at Headquarter, Guwahati and all Deputy Labour Commissioners, at Head Quarter, Guwahati are to look after the whole state of Assam.

All Assistant Labour Commissioners, all Labour Officers and all Labour Inspectors will inspect within their own jurisdiction.

(Janasanyog)

Committee to be constituted comprising engineers, experts, youth organisations, NGOs, clubs and socio-cultural organisations which will help to avert breaches in embankment with timely intervention.

Sonowal asked the Water Resources Department to go in for thorough and indepth inspection of the condition of around 1200 embankments covering a stretch of 500 km so that

strengthening and repairing of the old embankments could be carried out.

The Chief Minister directed the officials of the Water Resources Department to conduct proper inspection of the embankments across the State and submit project estimates within August next so that revetment of the embankments can start from September onwards. He instructed them to hold re-

31-7-16 (SUNDAY) 5-35 A.M-Bhaktigeeti (Devotional Songs) 6-10 A.M-Swasthya Charcha (Health Programme) 6-30 A.M-Bidyarthir Anusthan 7-15 A.M-Aajir Dinto (Morning Information Service) 7-30 A.M-Geetanjali (Assamese Modern Songs) 8-35 A.M-Surar Panchoi (Composite Programme of Assamese Film Songs) 9-05 A.M- Antara (Composite Programme of Hindi Film Songs) 12-30 P.M-Hindi Film Songs 1-50 P.M-Adhunik Geet 2-30 P.M-Western Music 3-45 P.M-Programme in Miju Mishmi 4-05 P.M-Programme in Khamti 4-25 P.M-Programme in Wancho 4-45 P.M-News for Arunachal Pradesh 5-00 P.M-Programme in Idu 5-20 P.M-Programme in Tangsa 5-40 P.M-Programme in Nocte 6-15 P.M-Ganya Raijor Anusthan (Rural Programme) 7-15 P.M-Yuvavani (Youth Programme) 7-45 P.M-Daakpakhili 8-00 P.M-Ekalabya (Sponsored Programme of K.K Handique State Open University) 9-30P.M-Radio Serial in Hindi-"Marudhar Ke Phool"

ET Correspondent Diphu, July 30: The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) president, Living Timung and general secretary, Jiten Beyon, Friday through a press statement in support of Chief Executive Member of Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council, Tuliram Ronghang, who is currently facing allegations of involvement in a sex scandal

ET Correspondent Diphu, July 30: The Karbi Students Union (KSU) and Assam University’s Diphu Campus Students Union has welcomed the decision of the Chief Executive Member, Tuliram Ronghang to provide two buses for the Assam University at Diphu campus to help the students commute between Diphu town and University campus.

The decision was an-

nounced by CEM when a team of the Karbi Students’ Union led by its President, George Timung, along with Pro-Vice Chancellor met him to discuss about the issue of seat reservation for ST (H) students of Karbi Anglong.

The CEM immediately instructed the Principal Secretary to send the proposal to the Ministry of Human Resource Development and to the Vice Chancellor of Assam University, Silchar.

Atul Bora visits Sivasagar ET Correspondent Sivasagar, July 30: State agriculture minister Atul Bora today visited floodaffected areas at Rupahimukh.

Bora earlier participated in a meeting with top government officials, in presence of Sivasagar DC Narayan Konwer and all Circle Officers and MLAs of the district, to

review the flood situation in the Circuit House.

Officials of agriculture, veterinary, food and civil supplies, public health, health, water resources, irrigation, departments participated in the review meeting. Bora directed all officials to submit detailed report to Deputy Commissioner accordingly.

expressed difference with other organizations such as KNCA, KSA, AISA, AIPWA, NSUI etc. The ABVP has termed their protest politically motivated.

“Everything should be proved before bringing any allegation against any person and particularly against a person who is holding a prestigious public post like CEM of KAAC. The afore-

said organizations namely KNCA, KSA, AISA, AIPWA, NSUI, etc. should not be politically motivated but should go for proper evidence and follow proper process” said ABVP in a press statement.

The right wing of students’ body further stated that the original video clipping of Jessica Tokbipi’s statement is baseless and cannot be accepted as a core evidence.

KMB launches SLRM project at Kokrajhar

Kokrajhar police arrests 3 NSLA kidnappers

Ajijul was kidnapped on

June 30 last from his Choutaki resident under Salkati outpost in Kokrajhar and since then kidnappers demanded 20 lakhs for the release of Ajijul.

Police conducted intensified search operation to rescue kidnapped man and hence able to arrest cadres of NSLA in the district.

They were identified as Rajib Baskey (30), Sunil

Kisku, (25) and Philip Soren (40). They were arrested under FIR lodged registered case no.387/16, u/s 365 IPC. They were arrested red handed while coming to receive the demanded 20 lakh money at Kachuagaon in Kokrajhar district late last night.

Lahit Murmu, who was main accused still absconding.

ET Correspondent Namrup, July 30: Expressing concern over the current bidding procedure of 52% privatization of BVFCL, Namrup and the future management of Namrup 2 plant, the Namrup Anchalik Chatra Santha (NACS) submitted a memorandum to the CMD, BVFCL Namrup on 28th of July.

The memo has laid more stress on the profitable companies along with PSU’s

like OIL, ONGC to take maximum of ownership of BVFCL 4th plant instead of the private sector enterprises. NACS again has expressed concern over the non-running of the BVFCLs 2nd plant owing to the non –availability of NG & demanded to resolve the issue at earliest for the survival of the said plant. NACS further has requested the BVFCL management to arrange a brief talk with NACS.

Industries and Commerce bids farewell to Swapnanil Baruah, Dr K.K. Dwivedi joins as new Commissioner ET Bureau Bamunimaidam, July 30: The Commissionerate of Industries and Commerce (CI&C) gave a warm farewell to the outgoing Commissioner Swapnanil Baruah at its office in Bamunimaidam, Guwahati today.

In his farewell address, Swapnanil Baruah said, “The bond of friendship developed will not end, but will continue to attain stronger ties in the coming years.

The 20 months spent here, were amongst the most enjoyable events of my career.

I look forward to continuing our close cooperation in the near future.”

Swapnanil Baruah thanked the faithful services of each and every member of the Commissionerate in all areas which enabled Industries and Commerce to accomplish many milestones.

He lauded the experience, initiative and ownership of the offices and staff that they possess towards CI&C. Swapnanil Baruah thanked all for their heartfelt wishes and called upon the people to create a conducive industrial environment to surge the state ahead.

Additional Director Manjula Saikia Bhuyan who presided over the meeting said that the rich experience

and knowledge gathered from Swapnanil Baruah will help CI&C to attain newer heights. She felicitated Swapnanil Baruah and presented him with a memento.

All the officers in unison recalled the sweet reminiscences with Swapnanil Baruah and praised him as a versatile personality in the field of art, culture and literature, especially his love towards Assam, its people and language. They thanked Swapnanil Baruah for his guidance and wished him good health and all success in his future accomplishments.

Meanwhile, Dr K.K. Dwivedi took charge as the new Commissioner of Industries and Commerce.

Dwivedi recalled his association with Swapnanil Baruah when the former started his career as SDO (C), Pathsala and the latter being DC, Barpeta then.

‘Today, after 16 years, I feel proud and privileged to receive the baton from him,’ Dr Dwivedi said.

“I wish Swapnanil Baruah a healthy life ahead and a culturally fulfilling future,” added Dr Dwivedi. Finally he called upon the members of CI&C to build a strong support system and a dedicated team to deliver the best for Industries and Commerce.

Rangia 3 Notorious car lifter held Bolero seized from Nagaland ET Correspondent Rangia July 30: Kamalpur Police headed by Pranab Kumar Pegu SDPO Rangia arrested 3 notorious car lifter on Friday night. A Bolero pick up van Bearing no. AS 25 AC 7112 was also seized from their possession. According to the SDPO Rangia Kamalpur police arrested the accused

Sd-/H.O.P

ET Correspondent Kokrajhar, July 30: Salakati police apprehended three cadres of National Santhali Liberation Army (NSLA), Adivasi militant organization from Kachuabil area in Kokrajhar district late last night, who were involved in kidnapping Ajijul Haque alias Afjal, 23 of Choutaki village.

Sonowal also advocated for display of all relevant

data of embankments for information of the general public.

The Chief Minister asked the Chief Secretary to engage employees of other departments apart from the line departments to ensure relief operation round the clock.

Sonowal asked DGP Mukesh Sahay to ensure police patrolling round the clock in the flood affected areas so that anti-social elements cannot take advantage of the situation.

CEM orders bus NACS submits memo on service to university BVFCL bidding issue

Everything should be proved before bringing any allegation: ABVP

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

view meetings regularly near the site of the embankments.

The Chief Minister directed the Water Resources Department to initiate steps to constitute Embankment Monitoring Committee at local level to keep a close eye on the embankments, particularly in susceptible and vulnerable areas to avert any disaster.

from Nagaland acting on a tip off.

The accused are Chand Mahmood Ali of Khepkuchi, Bipin konwar of Shilputa and Ranjit singh of Amguri. A case has been registered in Kamalpur police station. Interrogation of the accused is on at Kamalpur police station for further information

Rangia Teer Booky held ET Correspondent Kokrajhar, July 30: Kokrajhar Municipality Board (KMB) launched its Solid & Liquid Resources Management Project (SLRM) under Swachch Kokrajhar Mission to make green and clean Kokrajhar in the district on Saturday.

the project in the presence of huge public and officials from BTC administration and district administration.

BTC executive member Doneswar Goyary launched

“It will create hygienic moment among citizens in the

Goyary lauded the initiative taken from municipality board to accord green and clean Kokrajhar in the region.

region”, said Goyary.

Bishnu Narzary, chairman of KMB told that the municipality board was trying to create hygienic situation in the board area so that citizens can meet healthy living. This mission will highlighted the necessary measurement while making green and clean situation in the region, Narzary added.

ET Correspondent Rangia July 30: One Sajal Sen Teer trader of Rangia Murara was arrested by Rangia police on Saturday.

A sum of Rs 6 thousand and Teer tickets and other documents were seized from his possession.

According to Local public they caught the trader red handed when he was selling teer tickets in Rangia police

handed over him to the SDPO Rangia.

A case has been registered against him. It may mention that the Teer bookies are selling Teer tickets in every nook and corner of Rangia sub division including surrounding areas as result students, Rickshaw pullers, Thela pullars addicted to this gambling and lost their money.

DIBRUGARH, SUNDAY, JULY 31

PAGE 3

CM Khandu lauds boys’ for rescuing passengers from a drowning country boat ET Bureau Itanagar, July 30: Chief Minister Pema Khandu lauded the boys’ of Nature Unlimited Team namely, Bomin Tayeng, Nongki Perme, Asang Modi, Ram Sharma and Kaling Lego for displaying an extraordi-

nary act of bravery by rescuing passengers from a drowning country boat at Dibang river on July 28 last.

It was reported that a country boat carrying around 20 passengers while crossing the Dibang River in be-

tween Bizari to Jia on July 28 developed mechanical failure which was swept away by the river water and got stranded in the midst of the river. On receiving the information, these five young boys acted swiftly by putting their lives at risk and

safely rescued and evacuated all the passengers from the boat which was in danger of drowning.

In his message, Chief Minister has commended the exceptional bravery displayed by the youths.

Rains lash north, east India;flood toll 31, lightning kills 27 help of NDRF personnel.

According to the MeT office, Patna received 18.3 mm rainfall since yesterday, while Purnea witnessed 28.9 mm rains during the same period.

In Delhi, the ripple effect of the massive gridlock in Gurgaon due to flooding of streets continued to be felt with several areas witnessing crawling traffic which received highest rainfall in 10 years.

New Delhi, Jul 30 (PTI) Rains lashed northern and eastern parts of the country aggravating the flood situation in Assam, Meghalaya, Bihar and West Bengal, where 31 people have died, and crippling normal life in Delhi and Gurgaon, while lightning strikes in Odisha claimed 27 lives.

Floods in Assam have killed 26 people and affected nearly 37 lakh people across more than 3,300 villages in 28 districts of the state, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said.

According to official reports, flood waters have risen following heavy rainfall in the upper catchment areas of Arunachal Pradesh and Bhutan as well as in the state.

rainfall.

In Meghalaya, at least three people were killed and two went missing as flood waters submerged the West Garo Hills district today, an official said.

Two more districts of East Champaran and Muzaffarpur were declared today as flood-hit.

Even as the back flow of Brahmaputra and Jinjiram rivers has gone down marginally, many villages were inundated due to incessant

In Bihar, many rivers are flowing above danger level, as flood continued to wreak havoc, affecting 26.19 lakh people.

Two minor girls were swept away by waters of Burhidangi river in Bihar's Kishanganj district following incessant rains, an official said, adding their bodies were fished out with the

Palam observatory recorded 144 mm rainfall in a span of 24 hours from 5.30 PM yesterday out of which 80 mm of rains were recorded in a span of mere three hours from 5:30 AM to 8.30 AM today. Prior to this, the record stood at 126 mm of rain on July 28, 2009.

The chock-a-block situation in Gurgaon eased today but overnight rains contributed to slow traffic movement, an official said.

In Odisha, eight deaths were reported from Bhadrak district, while there were seven casualties in Balasore district, five in Khurda, three in Mayurbhanj and one each in Kendrapara, Jajpur, Keonjhar and Nayagarh, police said.

Parrikar meets missing AN32 crew member's family Pune, Jul 30 (PTI) Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar today met the family of Flight Lieutenant Kunal Barpatte, who was the navigator on board the AN-32 aircraft which went missing on July 22 off Chennai, and said he was personally monitoring the situation.

"I am shocked. This was one of the IAF's safest, sturdiest and oldest aircraft. How can it go down? I am personally monitoring the situation," he told Kunal's father Rajendra Barpatte here.

Rajendra requested the minister to replace such planes with better ones and ensure safety of IAF personnel.

Parrikar asked the IAF officials who were present during the meeting, to keep the families of the crew members informed about the search operation.

He said he has appointed an official each for the family of every crew member as a contact person for information.

Parrikar later said he felt it was his responsibility to

2 Pak sisters shot dead in 'honour killing' Lahore, Jul 30 (PTI) Two young sisters were gunned down today by their brother in a case of 'honour killing', a day before their wedding in Pakistan's Punjab province, police said.

"Rasm-e-Hina function of Kosar and Gulzar, aged between 20 and 25, was underway yesterday evening when their brother Nasir Hussain opened fire on them, killing them on the spot and fled," station house officer Mehr Riaz told PTI. He said a murder case has been registered against Hussain on the complaint of their father Atta Muhammad.

The incident has taken place in Sargana village in Vehari district, 300 kilometres from Lahore.

The police officer further said there had been a clash among the family members over marrying off the girls outside the family's caste.

"The sisters' brothers were

against marrying them off in Khan clan of Faisalabad.

The girls who belonged to Rajput clan developed linking for the men of Khan clan in a marriage ceremony.

They later sent their marriage proposal which Muhammad accepted but the brothers were not happy," Riaz said.

He said police are conducting raids to arrest Hussain while they had taken his two brothers into custody for interrogation.

The murders took place in south Punjab where two weeks ago social media star Qandeel Baloch was strangled to death by her brother for "disgracing" her family.

Last week a British Pakistani woman, Samia, 28, was also allegedly killed by her parents for marrying a man of her choice in Jehlum district of Punjab.

Last year, nearly 1,100 women were killed in the name of honour in Pakistan.

meet the family.

Earlier in the day, the Defence Minister told reporters here that the government was making all possible efforts to trace the aircraft and he was monitoring the situation personally.

"We are taking the help of the US to check if their satellites captured any signal from missing AN-32 plane," he said, adding that due to cloudy sky, the search operation was facing hurdles.

Kunal's uncle Dinesh Patil

said when he learnt that Parrikar was to visit Pune, he tweeted to the Defence Minister and had sought a meeting.

Kunal's parents had earlier complained they did not receive any information from IAF immediately after the news of aircraft going missing came. A tweet sent by one of the relatives to Parrikar led to the officials contacting the family some 30 hours after the news broke, the family said.

IT-enabled Survey Management System goes online ET Bureau Itanagar, July 30: Chief Minister Pema Khandu launched the online Survey Management System at Chief Minister’s Office in presence of Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein today to enable people’s participation in governance.

While launching the system, Chief Minister lauded the innovative idea and expressed happiness. He exuded hope that the people will actively participate in the survey in large numbers.

Deputy Chief Minister opined that the people’s participation in this online survey management system would keep the govt alert.

Chief Minister Khandu from the day one was advocating for an IT-driven system of governance. Taking forward his commitment to the people of Arunachal Pradesh, the Govt. of Arunachal Pradesh is introducing a survey management system which will allow people to participate in online survey on various

developmental issues of the State.

The first survey deals with 3 main issues faced by the citizens of ItanagarNaharlagun, viz. Traffic problems, Garbage Disposal and Road Conditions.

Framing 11 questions within a light web-frame, this poll is the first step of the Chief Minister’s IT-

driven governance which offers the citizens of Arunachal to take part in the governing process. Since the system is a web based tool and responsive for multiple device compatibility, the system can be accessed via a link through any mobile device or computer having an internet connection.

This system is completely anonymous and secure. To participate in the survey, citizens can log into - http:/ /arunachalopinionpoll.in.

The survey will remain open for one week.

Among others, MLAs Takam Pario and Bamang Felix were present on the occasion.

'Social strife' can Married woman molested deflect developmental agenda: Jaitley New Delhi, Jul 30 (PTI) Calling India a "haven of safety and security" despite past problems in Punjab and Kashmir, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley today cautioned that any 'social strife' in the name of caste and religion can stir emotions and deflect the country from its developmental agenda.

"We saw insurgency in Punjab, in Kashmir and North-East, but fortunately if we see rest of the world, we are still haven of safety and security," he said.

Delivering the first Dr A P J Abdul Kalam Memorial Lecture at India Islamic Cultural Centre here, Jaitley also said the resources need to be spent on poverty elimination and infrastructure development to become a developed society, rather than "lopsided expenditure only on the security".

"The faster we become a safer... insurgency-free society, the better it is for us. Any form of social strife, I think in a race to become a developed society, we have to avoid...," he said.

Terming these as policy di-

versions, Jaitley said "caste, language, religion, water, these are capable of throwing up emotions, which can actually deflect from a developmental agenda and strife can create, can prove very costly for society". "... our ability and maturity to distance ourselves from these issues, put a closure to these issues and therefore get rid of these kinds of diversions, will also reflect on the kind of maturity our society itself have," the minister added.

The statement comes against the backdrop of incidents of attacks on dalits in different parts of the country and recent incidents of violence in Kashmir.

He also stressed that India also needs credible politics so that "we can have credible policy".

"And for the purposes of credible politics, we have to realise the strength of democracy, where the power of democracy, Parliament, governments, political party is huge.

Therefore, the best in the system needs to get into that activity," he said.

ET Correspondent Golaghat, July 30: Sensation prevailed today in Golaghat when a case of molestation of a married woman came to light. According to the reports, a married woman from Bengenakhowa area in Golaghat had been taking traditional treatment for de-

sire of child but the person named Akon Ali who was giving the treatment allegedly tried to molest the lady.

Later the family members of the lady rescued her and admitted her in the hospital.

The so called traditional treatment provider is absconding and police is on for search.

Haryana CM Khattar blames unplanned construction for Gurgaon's traffic havoc, removes city police chief Gurgaon, July 30: Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar broke his silence on the traffic situation that has been ailing Gurgaon for the past few days and said that he will personally visit the affected areas to take stock of the situation.

Discussing the cause of severe water-logging over the past two days, Khattar said, "Traffic congestion in Gurugram happened mostly because Badshahpur drain has overflown and also because of the construction taking place near Huda Chowk."

CM Khattar had on Friday held an emergency meeting in Chandigarh to review the situation in Gurgaon.

The Haryana chief minister and his government have received severe criticism since thousands of commuters were stranded and authorities were forced to clamp prohibitory orders in Gurgaon to manage traffic.

Haryana's main opposition party INLD has blamed the Manohar Lal Khattar government for chock-ablock situation witnessed in the city after heavy rains, saying BJP only believes in 'hollow slogans' without taking any concrete steps

to tackle basic things.

"They change Gurgaon's name to Gurugram. The tall claims about the development undertaken in the millennium city get exposed in just one hour of heavy rains. Vehicles got stuck in massive traffic jams trapping young, old, women, children, sick and ailing for up to 16 hours.

"The government is to be blamed for the mess witnessed in Gurgaon and not anyone else...it has little concern about people's problems," INLD senior leader Abhay Singh Chautala told reporters here.

The prohibitory orders were lifted on Friday night after the situation on the roads normalised but overnight rains contributed to slow traffic movement causing trouble to commuters.

While the NCR city is now limping back to normalcy fast, the price for the chaos has been paid by city Police Commissioner Navdeep Singh Virk. Orders were issued by the state government of Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar to transfer Virk to Rohtak, reports claimed on Saturday.

Clashes in Kashmir, cur- Administrative Officers of DC Office, HODs Donate Half Months Salary for Aalo Bam Road few lifted in many areas Srinagar, Jul 30 (PTI) Fresh clashes broke out between protesters and security forces today in several parts of Kashmir as authorities lifted curfew in the Valley, except parts of Srinagar city and towns of Anatnag and Pampore.

Nearly a dozen persons were injured in the violence, a police official said.

A group of protesters started a march from Shopian town at around 5 PM and as they reached near a police camp, some miscreants started pelting stones on the police installation, the official said.

Three persons including a woman were injured in retaliatory action by the

police. All the injured were referred to hospitals here for treatment.

There were reports of clashes at several places in the Valley during the day but the situation remained by and large under control, the official said.

Nine persons were injured in the clashes, the official said, adding the condition of all the injured was stated to be stable.

48 people have died while more than 5,600 have been injured in the clashes between protesters and security forces since July 8 when Hizbul Mujahideen Commander Burhan Wani was killed in an encounter.

A police official said curfew was lifted from most parts of the Valley today but restrictions on assembly of four or more persons continued in entire Kashmir.

"Curfew is in place only in five police station areas of Srinagar city -Nowhatta, Khanyar, Rainawari, Safakadal and Maharajgunj, Anantnag town and Pampore town," he said.

Authorities had yesterday imposed curfew and restrictions across Kashmir to thwart a call by separatist camp for march to historic Jamia Masjid. More than 100 persons including 46 security personnel were injured in the clashes reported from at least 70 places across the Valley. .

Contd. from Page 1

T.K. Engineering is not officially been handed over the official works and administration cannot pressurize the company to start the work at desired pace and he appealed the Pusi Bango People to keep in touch and cooperate with the construction agency.

The Anchal Samiti Chairperson, M. Bagra, Dagli Doje ASM Doji, ASMs Takpu Bagra and Angu village, Shri Kirnya Bagra rtd. and GBs of Angu and Bagra village disclosed that Aalo-Bam road is in a horrible condition for the last many years and constant source of problem. The villagers have been mobilized to allow construction of the

road even without receiving the compensation from the Govt. on repeated appeal by the District Administration but repairing works and road cutting is not going at a desired pace and pleaded the district administration to see that company to takes up the works true to its commitments.

Shri Takam Titus, DLRSO disclosed the compensation for the people of Pushi Bango for said stretch of land will be distributed in the COâ•™s office after finalization and people should not make hue and cry on the issue and go to court to linger the construction process.

He suggested the school authority to

demarcate the school boundary and obtain LPC instead of allotment order as school may not be in a position to pay revenue regularly.

The Circle Officer Bagra Shri Jumkar Karbi extended his thanks to DC and HODs for visiting the circle and schools of the area.The DC also visited the Doke Primary School and Angu Upper Primary School.

On closure of Doke Primary School on the day of visit, the DC expressed his anguish and asked the two teachers to shift themselves in their quarters immediately within seven days time then to attend school from Basar and Sodo Doke.

DIBRUGARH, SUNDAY, JULY 31

PAGE 4

RMSA to train up 300 teachers on ITE use ET Correspondent Nalbari, July 30: The mission director of Rashtriya Madhyamik Siksha Abhijan (RMSA), Ramesh Chand Jain said that the state has a total of 4,200 high school, higher secondary and junior college and 3,200 of them are facilitated with computer education.

However the lack of initiatives by a section of teachers, the approach to technology in education is failed to get the desired result. Addressing as chief guest in the ITE exhibition cum closing ceremony to the summer camps of the students from three lower Assam districts, Jain alleged that the entire computer education in schools is left for a contractual instructor and the teacher has no interest to learn and apply the technology in education.

He stated that the RMSA has decided to train up 300 secondary teachers by the

experts of IIT, Mumbai that the teacher can teach all subjects using technology.

Besides the Guwahati IIT also imparting training on technology to science teachers of the secondary level.

in Nalbari district from July 11 in four batches. In the summer camp a total of 108 students from 90 schools under Nalbari, Baksa and Kamrup rural districts were participated.

The ITE exhibition cum closing ceremony of the summer camp was organised by Grammy Vikash Mancha (GVM) in financial support of Tata Trust and RMSA at Barbari

The participants were imparted training on the uses of technologies in education. The exhibition on the basis of integrated approach to technology in education was inaugurated by

Jyotshna Rani Barman, inspector of schools, Baksa.

It may be mentioned here the Grammya Vikash Mancha in the initiative of Tata Trust and Rashtriya Madhyamik Siksha Abhijan implementing a project integrated approach to technology in education (ITE) in 50 secondary,25 upper primary and 15 model schools in three lower Assam districts.

Villagers constructs bamboo bundh in Kokrajhar against flood erosion ET Correspondent Kokrajhar, July 30: Losing patience on public representatives in the region villagers from greater Paroura village under Bilasipara east LAC (No.27) in Kokrajhar district, constructed bamboo bundh along Gaurang River to protect erosion and flood which was washed away recent floods in the area.

Villagers slammed the state government and BTC administration for not taking measures to protect flood waters of which why citizens have been facing hardships with uncountable situations. They also alleged that no any MLA, MP, local member from BTAD rushed the spot to take stock till today about flood affected and erosion of bundhs in the area.

“Leader and parties come only during elections, but later they forget all promises and commitment after they are elected”, alleged villagers.

Villagers today came out

with bamboo and some other materials to protect the river with constructing of bamboo bundh so that they can protect erosion of agricultural lands along the Gaurang River in Kokrajhar district.

Sahir Ali, Bishacharan Daimary, Jaikul Islam, villagers told that government never thought towards citi-

zens of Paroura area, for which the citizens are facing flood hardships since long years.

“We have been observing that Paroura area have been facing flood eroding since 1983, yet to get little sand, boulders to protect flood erosion”, villagers said.

“Yes, we have MLA, MP, local NTAD member, but nobody rush here to see the miserable condition of the affected areas. We have lost our faith on public representatives because they never thought about the peoples’ welfare. Leaders come only during elections time to beg votes, but later they forget all”, villagers added

Kokrajhar police 11 illegal vehicles with minor AKRSU resolves to hold intensiarrests 3 NSLA minerals apprehended by fied mass agitation for ST status Digboi forest department kidnappers

ET Correspondent Kokrajhar, July 30: Salakati police apprehended three cadres of National Santhali Liberation Army (NSLA), Adivasi militant organization from Kachuabil area in Kokrajhar district late last night, who were involved in kidnapping Ajijul Haque alias Afjal, 23 of Choutaki village.

Ajijul was kidnapped on June 30 last from his Choutaki resident under Salkati outpost in Kokrajhar and since then kidnappers demanded 20 lakhs for the release of Ajijul.

ET Correspondent Digboi, July 30: A team of Digboi Forest under Digboi Forest Division led by ACF NN Deka apprehended 11 different types of vehicles laden with forest minor minerals including sand and stone dust from various locations of the division here this morning during the operation intensified following the recent media reports unearthing the unabated illegal trading of the said minerals by the Police conducted intensi- miscreants. fied search operation to rescue kidnapped man and hence able to arrest cadres of NSLA in the district.

They were identified as Rajib Baskey (30), Sunil Kisku, (25) and Philip Soren (40). They were arrested under FIR lodged registered case no.387/16, u/s 365 IPC. They were arrested red handed while coming to receive the demanded 20 lakh money at Kachuagaon in Kokrajhar district late last night. Lahit Murmu, who was main accused still absconding.

According to formal sources, the seized vehicles includes 8 trucks, 1 dumper and 2 max pick up van all laden with forest products excluding the two trucks being loaded at much disputed Nagirating ghat formally identified as DIG 12.

Meanwhile some of the vehicles were apprehended on the NH-38 while most of the err-

ing vehicles were seized from the said ghat during a sudden operation conducted by the forests team comprising the two ACFs, forest battalion and forest staffs.

The seized vehicles were brought under the forest custody and identification of the owner and the illegal traders would be carried out the next day.

Meanwhile, according to the ACF NN Deka, the illegal act of the miscreants would be prosecuted as per the governing forest laws and existing provisions. According to him, the trucks laden with minor minerals would be imposed with a minimum fine amounting to thirteen thousand and five hundreds only while the empty trucks siezed from the river beds might have to pay minimum amounting to ten thousand and five hundreds only.

ET Correspondent Kokrajhar, July 30: The All Koch Rajbongsi Students Union (AKRSU) has resolved to intensified vigorous mass movement with slogan of ‘Do or Die’ to seek Scheduled Tribe (ST) status and reconstruction of Kamatapur separate state within Indian constitution.

The students union observed its 26th foundation day with two-day long programme scheduled at Kalipukhuri ground in Kokrajhar district on Friday and Saturday. In the observation, students union resolved to intensify vigorous mass movement alleging that state and centre government have been tactically delayed the issues of ST status granting and reconstruction of Kamatapur state in the region.

Hiteswar Barman, president of AKRSU announce his betrayal on government said

here stressing on the bridging the gap among the common masses and the system of law further stated that the primary aim of executing the body “Legal Services Authority” across the country is to provide legal services to the needy and disadvantaged section of the society. He also stated that “Legal services lawyers’ duty is to provide legal services to the marginalized section of the society. There are so many projects related with the law services lying unimplemented due to the lack of awareness among the people so awareness among the people regarding the law is an another important aspect for the law professionals.” He said adding there is a deficiency in the system and understanding it under the initiative of legal services authority a programme christened “Khohari” (reach out and respond) has been launched

already through which it has already identified altogether twenty five thousand people who are requiring prosthetic assistance. Referring to the tragic story of one homeless widow with two small kids Ilashi Basumatary whose cry went unheard the celebrated lawyer stated that she was provided every possible assistance under the venture of Legal Services authority for restarting her life. “There are so many stories in the society similar to Ilashi Basumatary and we as law professionals will have to go deep into it for bringing a change to this unwanted scenes.” He maintained. On the otherhand, giving reference to the activities of national level organizations like “Mahavir Vikalanga Sangstha” and Jaipur Food People” he also urged the lawyers to take the legal services near the common people.

Taking part in the programme, VC, Tezpur University Prof. Mihir Kanti Chowdhury said that the number of pending cases is high in India and that is only because of fewer number of lawyers, courts and benches of judges and to mitigate this problem and disposing all the pending cases number of lawyers and courts is to be increased thereby reaching out the common people. Appreciating the organizer for holding the event Deputy Commissioner, Sonitpur, Laya Madduri said that it was a very welcome step as people belonging to the vulnerable and marginalized section always feel that because of the poor economic condition they are unable to gain the adequate justice from the court. Stressing ensuring of justice to all section of the society she urged the district legal ser-

“We have lost patience of govt, so we have decided to go mass agitation on the issues within short period of days with slogan of ‘Do or

Die’ for demands of the community issues”, said Barman.

“BJP led state govt has tactically delayed issue of ST granting. Students union resolves to go mass movement with slogans of Do or Die for community issues within short period of days, no compromise with ST status”, Barman added.

An open session was also organized on the day with Hiteswar Barman, president of AKRSU in the chair. BJP MLA for Galakganj LAC Ashini Sarkar Roy graced as chief guest, former BTC executive member Derhasat Basumatary, leaders from AASAA, Motok Chatra Parishad were present on the occasion.

ABSU observes anti-terrorism day at Kokrajhar ET Correspondent Kokrajhar, July 30: The influential All Bodo Students Union (ABSU) observed antiterrorism day today at Goybari, Basugaon in Chirang district

Judge, Gwuahati High Court Hrishikesh Roy urged the lawyers to be dedicated and sincere in carrying law services for the greater interest of the common people Shambhu Boro Tezpur, July 30 : Urging the law professionals to be sincere and dedicated in carrying out their services for the greater interest of the common people of the society Judge of Gwuahati High Court Hrishikesh Roy said that until and unless law reaches the common people of the society it cannot be ascertained that legal services towards the society is complete. Roy who was addressing a mammoth gathering in the inaugural session of the two day long Training Programme for Legal Services Lawyers of Zone-II District comprising five districts including Sonitpur, Udalguri, Dhemaji, Lakhimpur and Darrang organized by Sonitpur District Legal Services Authority under the aegis of Assam State Legal Services Authority held from today at the Council Hall of Tezpur University

that the students union will now decides to go strong mass movement for the issues ST status to the Koch Rajbongsi community, Kamatapur issues which have been politically delayed by govt.

vices authority to deal with the issue sincerely. On the otherhand, president, Tezpur Bar association, Jamini Baisya addressing the occasion lauded the role of the women in the society either in the administrative field or in the field of law profession. Prier to it the district and session judge, Sonitpur, AK Borah in his welcome address said that money doesn’t play any role in seeking justice and it is an obligatory for one and all including downtrodden and disadvantaged section of the society.

The session ended with vote of thanks by one of the senior members of the Tezpur bar Association. The inaugural session was followed by the business session which was participated by senior advocates of Guwhati High Court, respectively Achinta Malla Buzrbaruah, Debajyoti Talukdar and Sanjay Medhi

with day long programme.

The day coincides the 30th death anniversary of Jwhwlao Swmbla Basumatary, former president of the students union, who was killed by militants in 1996 on this day.

As part of the programme scheduled, ABSU president Promod Boro half hoisted the union flag as a mark of respect followed by floral tributes.

A signature campaign against

terrorism was also carried out where people from various part of life participated.

right path and to take larger steps to build up a clean society”, Boro said.

ABSU president Boro said that the students union has been observing anti-terrorism day on this day to protest any kind of terrorism. He said the union is against any kind of anti-social activities and does not support anti-social activities as it destroys the society as a whole instead of good.

“It’s a high time to differentiate the wrong path from the

He urged the organizations and groups involved to shun the path of violence and help in creating a healthy environment. Bhanumati Basumatary, widow of late Basumatary, BTC member Rwngwra Narzary, former Rajya Sabha MP Urkhao Gwra Brahma were also present during the occasion and paid floral tribute to Basumatary.

Rajnath Singh conducts aerial survey at Assam Singh appreciated the role of people’s representatives and agencies like the National Disaster Rescue Force (NDRF), the State Disaster Rescue Force (SDRF) and the Army in the state.

government has been contemplating some long-term measures to find a lasting solution to the flood problem in Assam. However, the embankments of the rivers in the state needs to be strengthened and repaired as a short-term measure to stop floods, he added.

He said that the Central

On asked about declaring

Contd. from Page 1

Assam's flood as a national problem, he said by declaring flood as a national problem will not solve the matter. "We must find out the cause of the flood and how to mitigate t h e p r o b l e m . We h a v e already asked the state government to prepare an action plan in this regard," he said.

Rajnath Singh announces Rs 4 lakh compensation for Assam flood victims Contd. from Page 1 "The state government has announced a compensation of Rs 4 lakh for victims of the flood," he said.

Briefing media about the situation, Rajnath said that NDRF and SDFR teams are on

the job and around 60 boats have been deployed for rescue operations.

Describing the situation in the state as 'grim', he also appealed country's NGOs to come forward and help the victims.

Applauding the efforts of

Sonowal government in Assam, Rajnath said, "It is heartwarming to see the government and other political representatives helping the rescue and relief operations in Assam. The CM and his team are doing well in managing the situation."

REGION

DIBRUGARH, SUNDAY, JULY 31

3 Manipur jail mates die after scuffle

3 Manipur jail mates die after scuffle Imphal, July 30: Three inmates of the Manipur Central Jail, Sajiwa, died on Saturday after a scuffle.The three deceased were identified as Yusuf, Abdus Salam and Thangmilian Zou @ Bobon. Both Yusuf and Abdus were from Saudi Arabia whereas Thangmilian Zou was from Churachandpur district.

According to sources, the incident happened around 1 am in section four of the jail when Thangmilian was beaten to death by the two Saudi Arabian nationals.

Later, after finding out that Thangmilian was dead, the two Saudi nationals were also thrashed to death by the other inmates.

Bodo militant arrested, handed over to Assam Police

PAGE 5

Shortage of essential items, fuel cripples life in Tripura Agartala, July 30: The supply of essentials and fuel continues to be hit badly in Tripura for about two months now even as the state government has repeatedly sought the central government's intervention to restore its lifeline - National Highway-8 - which has been badly damaged in adjacent Assam.

Due to heavy rains and poor maintenance, the NH-8, has turned into a muddy field with knee-deep mud at Lowerpoah in southern Assam's Karimganj district adjoining northern Tripura, thus almost cutting off Tripura by surface communication.

Opposition political parties and affected people have been organising road blockade and protests regularly to demand normal supply of fuel. Some protestors have also been burning vehicle tyres.

People were also facing severe scarcity of cooking gas due to a major shortfall in the supply.

On Friday, 25 Trinmool Congress picketers were arrested by the police when they tried to enter the civil

secretariat forcibly.

Tripura's PWD Minister Badal Choudhury, Transport Minister Manik Dey and Food and Civil Supplies Minister Bhanulal Saha on Friday jointly addressed the media to explain the situation.

Choudhury later accused opposition parties of "exploiting" the situation arising due to the fuel crisis to "create violence and disturb peace in the state".

At the press conference, he, releasing copies of all the state government's letters to the central and Assam governments, said that the central government has not being showing its due responsibility toward the people of Tripura.

"Central government can deploy military engineering service or Border Road Organisation or any of its agencies to urgently repair the damaged portion of the roads," he said, adding that for the repair of only a 300 metre portion of the highway, they had been appealing to both Assam and central governments almost every week.

Saha said that some trucks

and fuel tankers passed through the damaged areas but this was nothing. "The state government has suggested that essential items including fuels be transported to Tripura through Bangladesh."

Saha, had earlier this week, said that the Food Corporation of India and the Indian Oil Corporation had assured them that they have taken steps to transport food grains, petrol and diesel through Bangladesh, using the Guwahati-DawkiDharmanagar route and Bangladesh's Ashuganj river port.

"If the central and Assam governments would have taken steps earlier to repair NH-8, then Tripura would not have suffered in such a magnitude. The centre should be much more responsible for easing the sufferings of the northeastern states which are affected due to lack of proper surface connectivity," he said.

Choudhury said he also spoke with his Assam counterpart Parimal Suklabaidya and Tripura Chief Secretary Yashpal Singh talked to his Assam counterpart and sought their intervention to

overcome the crisis.

Several hundred goodsladen trucks and oil tankers carrying fuel from Guwahati are stuck in Assam's Karimganj, while the situation worsened as the train services between Tripura, Mizoram, Manipur and southern Assam and the rest of India became irregular for more then two months due to damage to the railway tracks in Assam's Dima Hasao district.

Following the shortage caused by the disruption of both rail and road traffic, prices of fuel and essential commodities have increased to a large extent in Tripura. Taking a cue from the Delhi government, Tripura had introduced the "odd-even" system from Thursday in a bid to ration petrol and diesel.

Imphal, July 30: The Joint Committee on Inner Line Permit System (JCILPS) on Friday announced imposition of a 24-hours public curfew in the state from midnight.

"The odd-even vehicle registration number system was introduced to distribute petrol and diesel to all vehicles including two-wheelers," Saha said adding that on an average one third of daily requirement of 200 kilolitres of petrol are being available among the 62 petrol pumps. (Agencies)

Interacting with the media, Convener (in-charge) S K Moirangcha said the Committee was forced to take up the step after the police foiled a sit-in protest and arrangement for public meeting to discuss the government's attitude towards implementation of ILP in the state as well as

'It will not be cakewalk in 2018' Bodo militant arrested, handed over to Assam Police

Palakkad , July 30: A 28-year-old militant, said to be the 'Area Commander' of the National Democratic Front of Bodoland who was taken into custody from Kanjikode here, was on Friday formally arrested and remanded to judicial custody.

Kormeswar Basumithri, hailing from Sonitpur district of Assam, was taken into custody by Kerala police on July 26 and was being questioned. He was on Friday produced before a court here and

remanded to judicial custody and soon would be taken to Assam, police said.

Basumithri was working at a unit in Kanjikode in Palakkad district since the last three months, po- A section of the state Congress legislators and leadlice said. ers are unhappy with chief Police had received intel- minister Mukul Sangma. ligence inputs from their The dissident group feels counterparts in Assam that since Sangma is facabout the youth after it ing an anti-incumbency was found that there challenge the central leadwere regular telephone ership should initiate calls from Palakkad to changes- a cabinet reAssam during the past couple of months.(PTI)

Tripura Governor, Chief Minister condole Mahasweta Devi's death Agartala, July 30: Tripura Governor Tathagata Roy and Chief Minister Manik Sarkar on Thursday condoled the passing away of distinguished writer and social activist Mahasweta Devi, who died in a Kolkata nursing home. Roy in his condolence message said Mahasweta Devi's death is an irreparable loss of the country's literary world.

Shillong, July 30: With the State Assembly elections just one and half year away, several leaders of the ruling Congress feel that it will not be easy this time and the party will have to toil hard to retain its position as the single largest party.

she fought for justice and equality for the oppressed and backward people.

"Mahasweta Devi had been worked for the welfare of the hapless people and she would be remembered for a long time for her creation and works," Sarkar said.

shuffle, for instance-before assembly elections in 2018.

They liken the situation to that of Assam, where former chief minister Tarun Gogoi, facing a three-term anti-incumbency led the Congress to assembly elections this year and the party was trounced by the Bharatiya Janata Party. Now question is will the Congress party, after being in power for nearly seven years, be able to surmount anti-incumbency in the 2018 polls?

That the Congress is on a bad wicket is fairly obvious. Some State Congress leaders on the request of anonymity said that any party which has been in power for so many years has to face strong incumbency.

"The party now seriously needs to revive itself otherwise it will be too late," they feel.

According to them, nonCongress parties would pose a big challenge before the Congress in 2018 polls. Besides dissidence and incumbency, the ban on coal mining in

Meghalaya and restriction on setting up of liquor shops in the state might work against Congress' prospects, they said.

It is learnt that some Congress leaders are in double mind - whether to contest on Congress ticket or contest from other political party. Even the BJP state president Shibun Lyngdoh recently asserted that several Congress leaders had sent feelers to join the saffron party with a condition that they should be given tickets to contest the 2018 elections.(Agencies)

Tripura govt flays Centre for not repairing Highway

Agartala, July 30: Tripura Government on Friday criticised the central government for its alleged apathy in repairing a stretch of the AssamAgartala National Highway in Karimganj district of Assam, which has disrupted the supply of essentials and fuel in the state.

"Despite repeated requests to the central government from all corners of the administration for repair of the NH-8, the central government did not pay any attention to our demands.

The state is facing unprecedented crisis for fuel and essential commodities for the last four months," state PWD Minister Badal Chowdhury told a press conference.

Tripura Information and Cultural Affairs Minister Bhanulal Saha said Mahasweta Devi thought for those people for Sarkar said her writings whom many others do not echoed the life of the have any concern.

He said, "The state Govmost downtrodden and (Agencies)

Chief Minister Manik Sarkar and PWD minister himself repeatedly requested central ministers and sent SOS several times, but the central government did not pay any heed to our problems". A stretch of about 20 km on the National Highway became muddy and unfit for traffic flow due to heavy rain and waterlogging on the roads.

The PWD minister said he spoke to his Assam counterpart Parimal Shukla Baidya for immediate repair of the highway as the central government had given responsibility to them for its repair, but nothing was done. He said Union minister for Road Transport, Highways and Shipping, Nitin Gadkari had been requested sev-

ernor Tathagata Roy,

eral times to take immediate action, but again no action was taken.

Chowdhury, to a question, said if the central government wanted to deploy personnel from the Army's engineering wing, they were free to do it, as the repair of the highway required work on war footing.

Meanwhile, Trinamool Congress supporters led

by Youth leader Sushanta Chowdhury tried to block the entry of the ministers in the civil secretariat here on the plea that they failed to supply fuel and essential commodities to the people of the state.

However, due to intervention of the police no untoward situation took place.

The Trinamool leader told

reporters that they tried to block the entry of the ministers into the secretariat, because when the people of the state were facing severe crisis of fuel, the ministers had no right to move in vehicles.

A total of 25 Trinmool Congress picketers were arrested, a police official said. Other people also tried to block roads and in one place burnt a tyre, but police managed to douse the flames. State Food Minister Bhhanu Lal Saha said "the odd-even vehicle registration number system like that of Delhi was introduced here to distribute petrol and diesel to all vehicles including two-wheelers since Wednesday last and a rationing of fuel was imposed to control the situation."(PTI)

Cops dismantle camp of hunger strikers, scuffle breaks out wit JCILPS Imphal,July 30: A major scuffle broke out between police and supporters of JCILPS when police dismantled the camp of hunger strikers and tent camp set up for a public meeting by JCILPS at Singjamei Thongkhong today.

JCILPS secretary Subhaschandra said that a public meeting was scheduled to be held from 10 am to 1 pm at United Youth Organisation Ground. A written application was submitted regarding the meeting to the DC concerned.

However, JCILPS decided to hold the meeting at Singjamei Thongkhong waiting shed where supporters of JCILPS have been on a hunger strike.

"This morning, police came and said the meeting cannot be conducted in a public place and demanded that the area be cleared within 10 minutes.

Right after 10 minutes had passed, a large number of police personnel started dismantling the tent camp. Clothes and mattresses of hunger strikers and other items were also

thrown into the Imphal river following which a major scuffle broke out between the JCILPS supporters and police."

During the incident, some students fainted and were rushed to JNIMS. Linthoi Ningthoujam, student of Lamlong Higher Secondary School said that police grabbed the hunger strikers by their necks and drove them out of the camp.

"It was a very disturbing scene.

Attempts to foil our movement will not deter us from continuing to organise meetings and launch hunger strikes," Linthoi Ningthoujam said.

Since prohibitory order under section 144 CrPC is still in force, police warned them to leave the place in 5 minutes.

While JCILPS supporters left the place and proceeded towards Khongman Mangjil, police barricaded the areas near Singjamei Thong. Police also dispersed the supporters who were gathering in and

around Singjamei Kshetri Leikai and Singjamei Bamon Leikai.

48 others handed over to police : Altogether 48 non-local labourers who came to the State in inter-State passenger vehicles long Imphal-Dimapur highway were pulled down from the vehicles and handed over to police today in the course of the ongoing drive carried out by volunteers of the Advanced Women Society Awang Sekmai and the Awang sekmai Protection Committee.

24-hrs public curfew in Manipur from midnight

The two civil organisations based at Awang Sekmai launched the verification drive since July 21 in solidarity with the popular demand for enactment of a Constitutional safeguard for protection of indigenous people of the land. The 48 non-local labourers handed over to police today included a woman and they belong to Assam, West Bengal and Bihar.

JCILPS volunteers too joined the verification drive.(Agencies)

24-hrs public curfew in Manipur from midnight for the removal of the 'Wanted' tag against former Convener Ratan.

Residents including school students had converged at Singjamei Bridge in Imphal West district to conduct the sit-in and the public meeting on Friday morning.

The police dismantled the makeshift site for the sit-in, resulting in a minor tussle between the students and the police.

JCILPS said media, medical and religious activities would be out of the purview of the public curfew. (Agencies)

CEM for beefing up security Shillong, July 30: Thursday's incident at the KHADC office has triggered a sense of insecurity among the MDCs as well as the staff with the Chief Executive Member (CEM) PN Syiem deciding to write to the state government for beefing up security on the Council premises.

Indicating this, Syiem on Friday said that he would write to the State Government in this regard "Otherwise such things will keep on happening." The office of the KHADC witnessed chaos and drama on Thursday with some members of KSU storming the building to "meet" Syiem to discuss the issue of granting of NOC for the Nongstoin-

Wahkaji road project which the Union is opposing.

Amid protests outside the KHADC building by members of KSU, things took an ugly turn when "unidentified miscreants" vandalized the CEM's office and even manhandled the staff and allegedly pulled the hair of a female employee. Police is yet to arrest those involved in the incident.

East Khasi Hills district police chief M Kharkrang on Thursday said that action would be taken against the miscreants who ransacked the office. He said that police is trying to find out those involved in the ransacking of the office.(Agencies)

Tribal students assaulted for refusing to take part in pro-ILPS protest Condemnations pour in from ATSUM, TSA Imphal, July 30: The All Tribal Students' Union Manipur (ATSUM) and Thadou Students' Association (TSA), Imphal have strongly condemned the alleged illtreatment meted out to a Class XI tribal student of TG Higher Secondary School by some students and teachers over not participating in a pro-ILPS agitation.

In a statement, ATSUM said that they are deeply saddened and irked by the 'hostile' incident of July 25 wherein one Class XI tribal student of the school was allegedly verbally abused and beaten up by some girl students when she refused to join a pro-ILPS agitation.

The students' body further alleged that the Principal of the school warned two other tribal girls who went to stop the girls who were verbally abusing and assaulting the innocent tribal girl.

Further, it is very unfortunate to learn that the Principal and teachers of the school verbally abused the representatives of Joint Tribal Students' Union, Imphal (tribal students of five Government Higher Secondary Schools of Imphal) when they met the teachers and Principal yesterday.

The tribal students of the school were even told not to attend classes anymore, ATSUM alleged. Considering the current impasse which results in huge socio-economic losses of the State, every right thinking citizen of the State must understand that this is a crucial time to end/resolve the unrest through consensual approach from different stakeholders of the hills and valley.

However, such precious time of reconciliation would be

wasted/exhausted in no time without serving any purpose if such incidents of discriminating tribal people especially in educational institutions continue, ATSUM observed.

ATSUM is in favour of protecting the indigenous people of the State, but not at the expense of the tribals. ATSUM said, "The interest of the tribal people has to be respected as we also respect the interest of our valley brethren".

As such, ATSUM feels that if such a discriminating campaign is followed by the majority community in its process towards enacting a new Bill, it would end in nothing tangible but failure and ultimately enhance further rift between the hills and valley.

Meanwhile, Thadou Students' Association (TSA), Imphal said that they have been observing the incident calmly and carefully.

In a statement, TSA-Imphal said that JCILPS Students' Wing had violated and denied the rights of those students who refused to participate in the agitation. It added that the incident had greatly hurt the sentiments of the tribal people as the tribal student was allegedly verbally abused and physically assaulted.

TSA-Imphal questioned why the teachers of TG Higher Secondary School allegedly ordered her not to come to the school yesterday. Urging the school authority to look into the problems and inconveniences faced by the tribal students in the school seriously, TSA-Imphal demanded action against all those 'communal' students and teachers at the earliest.(Agencies)

NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL

DIBRUGARH, SUNDAY, JULY 31

Curfew remains in force in some parts of Kashmir Valley Srinagar, July 30 : Barring parts of Srinagar city, Anantnag and Pampore towns, curfew was today lifted from Kashmir even as normal life remained disrupted due to the strike called by separatists. A police official said curfew was lifted from most parts of the Valley but restrictions on assembly of four or more people continued in entire Kashmir.

"Curfew is in place only in five police station areas of Srinagar city -- Nowhatta, Khanyar, Rainawari, Safakadal and Maharajgunj, Anantnag town and Pampore town," he said.

Authorities had yesterday imposed curfew and restrictions across Kashmir to thwart a call by separatist camp for march to historic Jamia Masjid.

More than 100 persons including 46 security personnel were injured in the clashes reported from at least 70 places across the Valley. Meanwhile, a motorcyclist died in an accident last night.

Abdul Ahad Ganai, who was travelling on motorcycle with his son at

Encroachments of drains to be removed on a war footing' New Delhi, July 30: In the wake of severe waterlogging due to heavy showers that affected thousands of commuters in major metros of the country, Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu on Saturday said encroachments of drains, canals and lakes need to be removed on a war footing in every city.

Curfew remains in force in some parts of Kashmir Valley

Hardapunzu in Beerwah area of Budgam district, hit a wire laid on the road for blocking traffic. Both the father-son duo were injured in the accident but Ganai later succumbed to injuries, a police spokesman said. He said the barricades were erected by miscreants.

Protests broke out across Kashmir Valley on July 9, a day after Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani was killed in an encounter with security forces. Mobile Internet services continued to remain snapped in the entire Valley where the postpaid mobile telephony services have been restored across all networks.

The incoming facility on prepaid connections has also been restored, but the outgoing calls are barred on such numbers. Meanwhile, normal life remained paralysed elsewhere in the Valley for the 22nd consecutive day today in view of the strike call given by the separatist camp.

Schools, colleges and business establishments remained closed due to the strike while public transport remained off roads. Attendance in government offices was very thin, the official said. The separatist camp has extended the shutdown call in Kashmir till July 31.

Incessant rain lashes Mumbai; heavy showers predicted Ratnagiri 31.2 mm, Mahabaleshwar 21.9 mm and Parbhani 84.0 mm rainfall," said a weather official.

The department has also warned of heavy rainfall in the next 24 hours especially in North Konkan region including Palghar, Thane and Raigad districts. Meanwhile, as per civic officials, heavy and long rain spells have resulted in satisfactory water stock in reservoirs.

Incessant rains continued to lash Mumbai city and neighbouring districts today, throwing normal life out of gear

Mumbai, Jul 30 : Incessant rains continued to lash Mumbai city and neighbouring districts on saturday, throwing normal life out of gear even as weathermen predicted heavy showers across the state for tomorrow. Local trains were running late on the Central Railway this morning, inconveniencing daily commuters. However, vehicular traffic remained undisrupted and no water logging incidents were re-

PAGE 6

ported, disaster management officials said.

According to data by the Meteorology department here, Mumbai city recorded 10.42 mm of rainfall, while eastern and western suburbs of the metropolis recorded 4.88 mm and 12.29 mm rainfall overnight. Other parts of Maharashtra also received moderate to heavy downpour in the last 24 hours with Alibaug recording 186.7 mm rainfall,

Deputy Municipal Commissioner (General administration) Sudhir Naik yesterday told reporters that the water stock in reservoirs crossed the nine lakh million litre mark on July 29, reducing daily supply woes.

Last week, the civic body had revoked 20 per cent water cut in the city.

In a rain related incident, a security guard was injured this morning when a tree branch fell on him near the Income tax office at Churchgate following which he was rushed to a civic hospital.(PTI)

In a series of tweets, the Urban Development, Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation Minister said encroachments will have to be removed on a war footing in every city. "Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Gurgaon open up your eyes.

Cities and Towns must awake. Let's crackdown against encroachers of drains, canals, lakes. Relocate and rehabilitate poor people. Accountability to be fixed for encroachments and to be removed on a war footing in every city," Naidu

reach to safety.

The situation in Gurugram was particularly bad as jams, that egan on Thursday evening lasted for over 20 hours.

Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu said.

he added.

"People, planners, administrators, political leaders to be alive to the reality to fulfil their responsibility.

Unplannd (unplanned) urbanstn (urbanisation), lack of timely actn (action) angst (against) encroachments, politicking at lower lvls (levels) has led 2 dis (this) situation. Let all of us share d (the) blame & act,"

Heavy downpour hit thousands of office-goers in Gurugram, Bengaluru and Delhi on Thursday and Friday as roads remained inundated resulting in long traffic snarls. Serpentine queues of vehicles were seen on the roads and many commuters were forced to abandon their cars and wade through knee deep water to

As a result, a war of words ensued between the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Delhi and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ruled Haryana with chief ministers of both the states blaming each other for the mess. A similar blame game erupted in Delhi as well between the AAP and the BJP governed municipal corporations.

However, Naidu warned against being in "denial mode" and blaming each other and urged everyone to fulfil their responsibilities.

"Let's not be in denial mode.

Let's not join the blame game. Let everyone of us fulfil the responsibility," he said.(Agencies)

Odisha to showcase rice varieties in Thailand Bhubaneswar , July 30: Odisha is likely to put up a stall at the international meet on rice at Thailand next year to provide world wide exposure to rice varieties, particularly the local aromatic varieties as there is a huge export potential, said Dr Samarendra Mohanty, head of social science division, IRRI, Philippines.

Talking to reporters on the sidelines of a India Rice Conclave organized by the Indian Chamber of Commerce here recently, Dr Mohanty said there were several areas where he was working with the Odisha government, Orissa University of Agriculture Technology (OUAT) and others.

Odisha is likely to put up a stall at the international meet on rice at Thailand next year

"We are working on multiresistant varieties which would withstand both drought and floods," he said. Satellite based real time tracking of crops so that loss can be assessed and insurance for crop loss gets paid within a fortnights time is another area , he informed.

information on fertilizer use, market rates etc. "Some of these proposals will be initiated in six districts on a pilot basis," he said. He pointed out that the focus has now turned to reducing production risks like crop insurance, crop diversification, risk reducing technology, creating opportunities for non- farm income , land consolidation etc.

He also spoke of steps to encourage use of mobile phones by farmers to get

"Acknowledging that paddy cultivation is considered as a sustenance level crop and

not a income generating one," he said. "One way to enhance the income of the farmer is to reduce the production risks and with improved varieties which are short duration and high yield ones, the farmer can grow other crops like pulses after harvesting paddy," he added.

Other experts including the vice chancellor of OUAT Surendranath Pasupalak pointed out that in Odisha there is very little scope of

reducing the area under paddy cultivation as the low lying land has no choice but to grow paddy and over 90 per cent of the medium land also grows paddy. He noted that there is no rain gauge system in place at the panchayat level. The Indian chamber of commerce (ICC) will prepare a vision document for paddy in Odisha. It will contain all challenges of state's farmer, rice mills and exporters are facing now-adays.(Agencies)

The ruling BJD activists had cornered the ration cards, a mayor of Cuttack Municipal Corporation had to resign from the post after her name figured in the list of beneficiaries while there were other in-

away from its culture'

Kolkata, July 30: At a time when the state Congress as well as Congress Legislature Party (CLP) is embroiled in a controversy over the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chairman's post, both the bodies are loathed to turn to their focus on the plight of many party activists who have been driven out of their homes together with the cases with which a former PCC chief is being tried to be framed with,

stances of BJD activists and elected PRI members cornering the ration cards, charged the BJP. Government officials had conducted survey and enrolled the beneficiaries.

Thereafter they had issued ration cards cross checking data and local inquiry.

How can they now hold people responsible and lodge FIR's against them, asked the BJP. A report from Dhenkanal district said Odapada

block officers has recovered fine worth Rs 24.10 lakhs from ineligible 556 ration card holders who have also returned their cards.

Most of them had got rice and other foodgrains since last December. According to Dhenkanal Municipality executive officer P Nayak, as many as 495 ineligible ration card holders have returned cards and deposited fine worth Rs.16.69 lakhs as on date.

BJP workers led by former

Rajya Sabha member Rudra Narayan Pany, district BJP president Bibhuti Bhusan Pradhan, former MLA Krushna Chandra Patra have taken rallies and staged demostration at Dhenkanal collectorate, Hindol and Kamakshyanagar headquarters protesting against return of ration cards and demanding action against erring govt officials involved in survey and assessment before implementation of NFSA.(Agencies)

Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje Jaipur, Jul 29: Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje on saturday said her government will not spare anyone involved in corruption while retorting to Congress's attack on the state's governance condition.

Speaking at a programme in Sirohi, she said, "Our vision is to do work and Congress has a vision to disseminate disinformation among public. Congress made records in corruption and now its leaders are pointing fingers at our governance which has no blot."

"The government has been following a zero-tolerance policy towards corruption and the result is that public is experiencing corruptionfree governance," she said.

Raje said the government has launched Bhamashah scheme and other programmes for the welfare of public.(Agencies)

Pilgrim dies en route Vaishno Devi shrine

BJP holds statewide protest 'Congress has moved Bhubaneswar , July 30: The BJP held state wide demonstrations in front of block offices on Friday against the "terror" unleashed by the state on the ration card issue after having bungled the entire exercise under the National Food Security Act. The BJP activists alleged that first the government officers messed up the list of beneficiaries and now they are threatening people dubbed as "ineligble" with arrest of heavy fine. This has resulted in violence in different parts of the state like the one in Gajapati district yesterday, they charged.

If anyone has to be arrested or penalized first it has to be the officers, the food and supply minister Sanjay Das Burma, not the common man, charged the BJP.

'Zero-tolerance policy towards corruption'

PAC chairman Manas Bhunia said at a Press conference on Friday.

"It seems the present state leadership has moved away from the culture of respect and affection which marked out their predecessors like Anandagopal Mukherjee, Gopaldas Nag, ABA Barkat Ghani Khan Chowdhury, Pranab Mukherjee and Somen Mitra", Dr Bhunia, a former PCC chief who is facing a murder charge, said

outside the gates of the state Assembly.

"It seems that the essence of respect and affection which once nurtured the state unit have been replaced by seeds of hatred which has been sown with ways being devised to drive me out of the party", the PAC chairman felt. Dr Bhunia's ouburst comes at a time when AICC vice-president, Rahul Gandhi has asked him to sit in a meeting at the Capital.

(Agencies)

Rain plays havoc with New Delhi-Chennai flights New Delhi, July 30: Heavy rain severely affected flights on the New Delhi-Chennai route on Saturday, airport officials confirmed. "As many as eight flights belonging to various airlines that were supposed to depart for New Delhi and those aircraft scheduled to arrive were affected by delays due to heavy rainfall there," they said.

Heavy rains have been lashing the capital since Friday

and several roads were water-logged, causing hardships to thousands of office goers and other commuters throughout the day. And

there will be no respite on Saturday as the MET department has predicted more rainfall for the next 24 hours at least.(Agencies)

Jammu, Jul 30 : A 50year-old pilgrim today died on his way to the cave shrine of Mata Vaishno Devi in Jammu and Kashmir's Reasi district, police said. Jagdish Chand, a resident of Madhya Pradesh's Ujjain, was heading for the shrine to pay obeisance when he collapsed at Bhawan belt in Katra, the base camp of the shrine, they said.

He was rushed to a nearby hospital where doctors declared him brought dead, police said, adding that the body will be handed over to his family after completing legal formalities.(PTI)

Army foils infiltration bid, 2 militants& soldiers killed Srinagar, July 30 : Army on saturday foiled an infiltration bid along the Line of Control in Naugam sector of Kashmir's Kupwara district, killing two militants in the operation that also left two soldiers dead.

Troops noticed suspicious movement along the LoC in Naugam sector during the intervening night and challenged the intruders, who opened fire, an army official said.

The soldier returned fire leading to the gunbattle in which two militants were killed, the official said.

He said two soldiers were also killed while another was injured in the operation which was going on till last reports came in.

"Two AK rifles, one UBGL and other war-like stores were recovered from the scene of the gunbattle," the official said.

This is second major infiltration bid foiled by the army in Naugam sector this week. Four militants were killed and one was apprehended alive in a failed infiltration bid on July 26.(Agencies)

DIBRUGARH, SUNDAY, JULY 31

Lula to stand trial for obstruction of justice

NEIGHBOURS

UN seeks control of Russia escape corridors Aleppo , July 30: The UN on Friday asked Russia to give it control of humanitarian passages out of Aleppo in northern Syria where besieged residents cowered indoors afraid to use what some called "death corridors". Syrian regime ally Russia has announced the opening of three humanitarian passages for civilians wanting to flee rebel-held eastern districts of the city and for fighters to surrender.

Former Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva Brasilia, July 30: Former Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva will stand trial on charges that he attempted to obstruct a giant corruption probe at Petrobras oil company, officials said on Friday. "The charge is obstruction of justice" linked to the Petrobras oil company embezzlement probe, named Operation Car Wash, a spokesman for the justice ministry said.

Lula was formally charged along with six others, including former senator Delcidio do Amaral, a former ally in Lula's leftist Workers' Party who is accused of Petrobras-related corruption and has turned state's witness. Lula, as he is universally known in Brazil, was president from 2003-2010 and left office with massive popularity for social programs that lifted tens of millions of Brazilians from poverty.

However, his legacy has been badly tainted by the emergence of the Petrobras scandal in which dozens of politicians and executives are accused of having embezzled from the huge state oil company in a bribes-forcontracts network that lasted much of his presidency.

Lula is alleged to have been at the center of the scheme.

However, the charges on which he will stand trial are limited to allegedly attempting to obstruct the enquiry.

Lula's spokesman issued a statement saying that the charges were flimsy.

"The defense argues that the charges are based uniquely on (evidence from) a plea bargain" with Delcidio, the statement said. "Lula has never opposed the investigations," the statement said.

The development comes a week before the opening of the Rio Olympics which Lula was instrumental in winning for the city in 2009 while he was still president.

His handpicked successor Dilma Rousseff faces her own problems, with an impeachment trial set to culminate in late August, days after the Olympics end.

If the Senate votes by a two thirds majority she will be removed from office and her bitter political enemy Michel Temer, who is currently serving as interim president, will take over.

Rousseff is accused of breaking government budgeting rules, but has denounced the impeachment process as a coup in disguise aimed at putting Temer's center-right administration in power and destroying the Workers' Party.(Agencies)

But only a handful of Aleppo residents trickled out through one passage on Friday, while others wanting to flee were turned back by rebels, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

"Around 12 people managed to use the Bustan alQasr corridor before rebel groups reinforced security measures and prevented families from approaching the corridors," said the monitoring group's head, Rami Abdel Rahman.

An AFP correspondent in east Aleppo said streets

UN seeks control of Russia escape corridors were empty in the morning with residents holed up indoors and shops shuttered.

Ahmad Ramadan from the opposition Syrian National Coalition accused Russia and the regime of forcing civilians to flee through continued bombing raids.

"Aleppo residents are calling the corridors that Russia is talking about 'death corridors'," he said.

The Observatory said regime aircraft bombed eastern areas of Aleppo overnight.

Swaraj chairs meeting on vexed fishermen issue with SL Sri Lanka , July 30: In an effort to find a permanent solution to the vexed fishermen issue with Sri Lanka, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Friday held a highlevel meeting with various stakeholders and deliberated on its different aspects. The meeting was attended by representatives of Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Odisha and 13 representatives from the Fishermen Association of Tamil Nadu. It was also attended by officials of Prime Minister's Office, Coast Guard, ministries of Agriculture, Home, Defence, External Affairs and the Indian Navy.

The 9th India-Sri Lanka Joint Commission Meeting on February 5 had agreed on the need to work out a permanent solution to the fishermen issue.

"External Affairs Minister chaired a meeting of internal stakeholders earlier today afternoon to discuss the way forward towards a permanent solution to the fishermen issue between India and Sri Lanka," MEA Spokesperson Vikas Swarup said. He said release

of 77 Indian fishermen by Sri Lanka on July 25-26 and their repatriation to India set the immediate backdrop to the meeting.

"The discussions between stakeholders on the Indian side focussed on different aspects requiring attention, including the livelihood concerns of Indian fishermen and introduction of sustainable fishing practices," said Swarup. He said all stakeholders agreed with Swaraj that it was important to resolve the issues quickly. "It was agreed that Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare/ Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries would take action on specific measures suggested to meet livelihood concerns of Indian fishermen.

"There was agreement amongst all stakeholders that practical and pragmatic solutions needed to be pursued so that fishermen on both sides can pursue their livelihood in a safe, secure and sustainable manner," said the MEA spokesperson. (Agencies)

Missing Baloch social worker was 'picked up' on Karachi Superhighway Karachi, July 30: The whereabouts of social worker and publisher Abdul Wahid Baloch, a resident of Chakiwara in Lyari, are still unknown after he went 'missing' on July 26, while his family alleges that he was picked up by law enforcement agencies.

A telephone operator at the Civil Hospital in Karachi, Abdul Wahid was a book lover, and helped Baloch authors publish their works and activists print posters.

According to Ghulam Mohammad, a close friend and neighbour of his, he was known for participating in events, protest rallies and hunger strikes held by Baloch activists and fishermen for the missing persons. "He was referred to as comrade and used to be a constant fixture at the

Karachi Press Club."

Speaking to Dawn, Baloch's eldest daughter, 20-year-old Hani, said her father and his friend Sabir Ali Sabir, and his two children, were coming back from an event in Digri on Tuesday afternoon when two men in civilian clothes, "one in black and the other in white, came towards the van as it stopped at the Superhighway toll plaza and asked my father's friend to show his identity card."

Hani was given details of the incident by her father's friend. "One of the men dressed in black coloured shalwar kameez - similar to how the Levies dress in Balochistan - then turned towards my father and asked him to show his identity card.

Upon looking at his ID,

PAGE 7

the man took out his phone and checked something. He then asked my father to step out with his bags. As he did so, the men asked the driver to leave immediately."

Civil Hospital administration to the Gadap police station, acknowledging Abdul Wahid as an employee working with the hospital for the past 25 years.

Vice chairperson of the HRCP, Sindh, Asad Iqbal Butt said that Abdul Wahid's family approached him on Wednesday and submitted an application.

"What bothers me is the fact that there's a police station and a Pakistan Rangers checkpost situated right next to the toll plaza and yet a man was whisked away so easily," he said.

Asad Butt added that they have asked the family to push the Gadap Town police to register an FIR which would "strengthen their case," in case they eventually want to move a Another application petition in the court. was submitted by the (Agencies) According to Hani, the two men were standing near a blue-coloured Vigo in which her father was taken away. The family, along with a few friends, approached the Gadap Town police station, located right next to the toll plaza. "The police refused to register an FIR and asked us to wait for three days, as he might return. We then approached the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), where we submitted an application along with his details," Hani added.

UN Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura said Russia should let the United Nations take charge of the corridors as a reassurance to the beleaguered population.

"Our suggestion is to Russia to actually leave the corridors being established at their initiative to us," he said.

"How can you expect people to want to walk through a corridor, thousands of them, while there is shelling, bombing, fighting?"

The UN says around

250,000 people have been trapped in Aleppo's eastern districts since July 17 when pro-regime forces surrounded the area. Residents have reported food shortages and spiralling prices in rebel districts since regime forces cut off the opposition's main supply route into the northern city.

Aid agencies and analysts said the humanitarian corridors must be exploited to send desperately needed supplies to the besieged areas which has not received any medical aid since July 7.

"Those who decide, for whatever reason, to stay in eastern Aleppo must be protected, and all sides must allow humanitarian agencies to reach and assess their well-being and needs," said the International Committee of the Red Cross. The USbased International Rescue Committee warned that those left behind in east Aleppo risked starvation and called for a pause in fighting.(Agencies)

One killed in Pakistan bomb attack

A Pakistan Rangers officer was killed and at least 14 others injured on Saturday Islamabad, July 30: A Pakistan Rangers officer was killed and at least 14 others injured on Saturday in two explosions near a Rangers checkpost, a security official said. The bombs had been tied to a bicycle parked outside the Rangers headquarters on Miro Khan Road.

The injured included five Rangers personnel and nine civilians while one Rangers official succumbed to his injuries. Another Rangers official was said to be in a critical condition, as reported.

A heavy contingent of police cordoned off the area after the blasts and started a search operation. Police sources told the media that two suspects were arrested and shifted to an undisclosed location for interrogation.

The Rangers have been targeted four times in March through grenade attacks in Karachi, leaving injuring at least three Rangers. The newly elected Chief Minister of Sindh Syed Murad Ali Shah condemned the attack.

(Agencies)

Obama Foundation announces library's Chicago site Chicago, Jul 30 : The Obama Foundation has formally announced that Chicago's Jackson Park will be home to Barack Obama's presidential library.

"Michelle and I are thrilled that the Obama Presidential Center will be developed in the heart of Chicago's South Side, a community we call home and that means the world to us," the president said in a statement yesterday. "With a center in Jackson Park, not only will we be able to affect local

change, but we can attract the world to this historic neighborhood, whose rich cultural heritage dates back to the 1893 World's Fair."

The location, near the Museum of Science and Industry, beat an alternative site about a mile west in Washington Park. It's also about 2 miles from the Obamas' residence in the Hyde Park neighborhood.

Both park locations, which were designed by noted landscape architect

Frederick Law Olmsted, were chosen as finalists last year over bids by Columbia University in New York City, the University of Hawaii and the University of Illinois at Chicago. The foundation said Obama believed Jackson Park would have the greatest long-term impact.

The announcement confirmed the location that was revealed earlier this week to The Associated Press by a person familiar with the selection process who spoke on condition of anonymity

because the individual wasn't authorized to discuss the choice. The Obamas announced last month that the library would be designed by Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects, a New York architectural firm that designed the David Logan Center for the Arts at the University of Chicago.

The complex in Jackson Park, which will contain the 44th president's library, archives and foundation headquarters, is expected to be completed by 2021.(Agencies)

'Obama Admn's Af-Pak policy has been terrible Philadelphia, Jul 30 : The Obama Administration's Af-Pak policy is "terrible" and the idea to pull out American troops from Afghanistan is "one of the stupidest things", said a former Mayor of New York City during 9/11 attacks.

"I think their policy there (in Afghanistan and Pakistan) has been terrible," Rudy Giuliani, the Mayor of New York City during 9/11 attacks, told PTI on the sidelines of the Democratic National Convention here.

"He (Obama) has not consistently perused the tracking down and removing the Taliban, which still remains and remnants of AlQaeda," he said in response to a question on the Af-Pak policy of the Obama Administration.

'Obama Admn's Af-Pak policy has been terrible

"Of course, we are tied up now with the Islamic State, but al-Qaeda is still there, Taliban is still there.

I am not a big believer in pulling our troops out. I thought the whole idea of pulling our troops out was one of the stupidest thing that I ever heard," Giuliani said. "I have never heard of a war fought on a timetable," he said.

Giuliani said the policy of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, if he comes to power, should be to ensure that there is enough American troops in Afghanistan so that "we can interfere and eventually eliminate people" who are planning to come to the US and the west to kill people.

"Our goal should be unconditional victory against Islamic extremist terrorists who are planning to kill priest, to kill people in Germany, to kill people in France, to kill people in Brussels, to kill people in the US and who knows where they are going to go next," he said. "You are going to see more of that because the Islamic terrorist groups have taken the measure of Barack Obama, and Hillary Clinton and what they see, we think, have backed down.

"As a leader, you draw a line in the sand and you say, if you cross that line, I am going to take serious military action against you. The minute you do not take serious military action when that person crosses that line, they have figured out that you are weak," he added.

Mansour's death has exacerbated fighting in Afghanistan Afganistan, July 30: Taliban leader Mullah Mansour's death has exacerbated fighting in Afghanistan and left the future of the Afghan peace process uncertain, warned an official US report released on Fri-

day.

In its quarterly report to Congress, the US Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (Sigar) observed that in the second quarter of this year, the Taliban gained new ter-

ritory and now control 19 of the country's approximately 400 governing districts.

"Mullah Mansour's death shuffled Taliban leadership, exacerbated fighting, and left the future of the peace

process uncertain," the report said.

Mullah Mansour was killed in a US drone strike in Balochistan on May 21, while returning from Iran.(Agencies)

PAGE 8

DIBRUGARH, SUNDAY, JULY 31

NGO Registrations 10,000 cancelled, foreign aid set to drop As per a report Foreign funding for Indian nong o v e r n m e n t a l organisations (NGOs) doubled in 2014-15 over the previous year, but with 10,000 NGO registrations cancelled in 2015, foreign contributions are likely to drop, according the latest data on foreign contributions. Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh (unified), Karnataka and Kerala together got 65 per cent of foreign aid coming to India, the data, tabled in the Lok Sabha on July 26, 2016, revealed. Of Rs 45,300 crore ($7 billion) in foreign funding to Indian NGOs over four years 2011-12 to 2014-15 - Rs 29,000 crore($ 4.5 billion) was received by organisations in the national capital and these four (five after Telangana) states, an IndiaSpend analysis reveals.

Among the reasons for cancellation: Not filing returns, misutilisation of funds and accepting funds for "prohibited activities", which include funding legal costs of bail, writ petitions of Indian NGOs and their activists, and undisclosed payment of salaries by foreign NGOs to foreign activists.

Organisations in Delhi received Rs 10,500 crore ($ 1.6 billion), while each of the five states received close to Rs 5,000 crore ($770 million) over the past four years. There are 33,091 NGOs registered to receive foreign funds-under the Foreign Contributions (Regulation) Act (FCRA) - after the registrations of 10,000 NGOs were cancelled by the Ministry of Home Affairs in 2015. Foreign funding

doubled in 2014-15 to Rs 22,137 crore ($ 3.4 billion) compared to Rs 12,000 crore ($ 1.8 billion) in 2013-14. Foreign funds to Indian NGOs from 165 countries, most for social sector India receives foreign contributions from 165 countries, of roughly 200 countries identified by the World Bank. Health, education and child-welfare together received Rs 4,500 crore ($ 690 million) of the Rs 12,000 crore received in 2011-12, according to our analysis of the 2011-12 annual report of the Foreign Contributions (Regulation) Act, the latest available. While NGOs associated with religious activities collected Rs 870 crore, NGOs with research activities got Rs 539 crore in 2011-12. International NGOs free to fund in India but only to govt. As many as 109 international organisations, including various branches of the United Nations, World Bank, World Health Organisation, International Monetary Fund, World Trade Organisation and Asian Development Bank, are not treated as a foreign source while funding projects in India. But according to Prof. Trilochan Sastry of Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), an advocacy , 'the World Bank funding in 2013-14 was $5.2 billion (Rs 33000 crore).This funding goes to the government and not to any NGO'. And as result a writ petition has been filed in the Delhi High Court by ADR to constitute an independent body to administer enforcement of Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010. The case is currently being heard.

India's New Education Policy: What Are The Priorities?

A quick glance at the areas of concern being addressed Padmapriya Govindarajan According to the Ministry of Human Resource Development's (MHRD's) Input report, the draft of the New Education Policy (which is in the pipeline) will aim to address seven key areas of concern with respect to the Indian education sector - access and participation, quality, equity, system efficiency, governance and management, research and development and financial commitment to education development.

These will be addressed through policy interventions broadly into preschool and adolescent education, curriculum development and examination reform, teacher and faculty training, lifelong literacy, higher education and long distance learning.

Here is a quick glance at the direction of reform in some of the identified areas of concern: Access, Participation and Equity The main issue in this realm can be characterized as very slow progress in reducing the number of nonliterate people and a need to expand access to more early childhood education. States will be encouraged to ensure that the Right to Education Act is extended well enough to cover secondary education. Beyond this, expansion of open schooling facilities has been suggested in order to help drop-outs and working children who cannot find the space to attend formal schooling.

A National Fellowship Fund to support fees, material and living expenses for

1,000,000 students will be created to cater to economically weaker sections, with separate national talent scholarships in all subject areas for meritorious students. Linkages and mentorship systems between schools are also being developed. Further, an autonomous body to oversee Open and Distance Learning (ODL) as well as Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) will be set up to boost better access and participation and also be in charge of maintaining quality standards in this realm.

Under the aim of equity, curriculum reform is being undertaken with broad goals of 'social cohesion, religious amity and national' integration and will include teaching students their fundamental rights and duties in order to be responsible citizens. The curriculum will specifically cover issues of social justice (like gender, social, cultural and regional disparities) and their means of redressal but with an express emphasis also on 'unity in diversity.'

The input draft also opens up the possibility of 'alternate' schools which offer interventions for particularly deprived children, like those migrating or under difficult circumstances.

Multilingual education will be offered at several levels to aid tribal students who lack familiarity in the regional language/language instruction. Current central funding will be augmented to identify and support stu-

Image for representational purpose (Photo: media2.intoday) dents with special learning needs. This will be supported by dedicated research and development to strengthen disability studies in higher education and social and research audits of disability access.

Quality and System Efficiency The aim here is to ensure that learning levels match expected learning levels and tackle deficiencies of educators, curriculum and pedagogy. At the preschool level this will involve priority programs for children in the age group of four to five years alongside the Ministry of Women and Child Development and training of cadres of pre-primary teachers at the State Government level. While a common national curriculum will be developed in science, mathematics and English, in other subjects there will be a partially

common curriculum with the rest developed by individual states. More emphasis will be placed on practical components within science subjects from grade six upwards.

Concentrated efforts are being suggested to make Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) an important part of the education cycle - from teaching methods, to record maintenance to monitoring and review mechanisms geared towards both teachers and students.

Teachers at all levels of school education will be given a thorough module covering child rights and the stipulations in place as well as what constitutes a violation as part of their training programs. This will be supplemented by self-learning online programs for students and parents on similar themes. Uniform norms

for better learning outcomes will be applied to private and government schools alike. Beyond the upper primary stage, the current policy of 'no-detention' (not detaining students in a grade if they have not acquired adequate marks to advance) will be removed and instead be replaced with a policy of identifying weaker students and providing remedial instructions.

Academic aptitude tests and helplines with professional counselors have been floated with the idea of targeting students with special needs but also the larger student body in order to help identify areas of interest and potential. Procedural blocks that stand in the way of students migrating from one school to another will be done away with to ease mobility between schools.

The entire 43-page report

has been made available for public comments until the end of the month. A separate section has been allocated to the issue of 'Language and Culture in Education' in addition to the identified areas of concern.

This includes placing emphasis on both regional language as well as English, no matter what the school's medium of instruction is. In addition to this however special importance has been accorded to the teaching of Sanskrit in schools and expansion of facilities for the same. Culture education now includes 'ethics education' - broadly centered around lessons of equality, equity, liberty, justice and national integration.

The complete policy along with a framework for implementation is expected in the upcoming months.

Although an input draft cannot be expected to fully explain how each intervention will be implemented, several points that seem to call for greater efforts or more extensive research do not actually tell the reader what these efforts may be or to what extent they are determined by the government at center or at the state level cases in point would be the inputs concerning gender discrimination and better support for students with disabilities.

While the input draft is extensive in the areas it addresses, it does not go into specifics in a lot of them leaving the public to wait for the complete policy in order to know what forms many of the relatively more vague interventions will take. Courtesy: The diplomat

Mahasweta Devi Profile of a tea woman: Behind the cup that cheers A loss for Indian readers Writer Mahasweta Devi, best known for works such as Hajar Churashir Ma(Mother of 1084), Rudali (which was made into a wellknown movie by Kalpana Lajmi), and Chotti Munda Evam Tar Tir (Chotti Munda and His Arrow), died in Kolkata at the age of 90. With more than a hundred novels and 20 short-stories under her name, she made a space for herself in literature. She would often take these everyday stories to a mythical level, thus giving the work a universal relevance. In her writing she would include dialects from all strata of the society. Along with the writing career, Devi played an active role as a social activist for the country. Coming strong against the tribal exploitation, she gave numerous years of her life working in the field to make the marginalized communities of West Bengal aware of their rights and identity. In her work also she often depicted the oppression of the tribals and untouchables by the upper caste and authorities. In literary world, she is more renowned for her work related to the study of the Lodhas and Shabars (tribal communities of Bengal), women and dalits. In her last years, she vehemently opposed the former Left Front government's controversial land acquisition policies in Singur and Nandigram in West Bengal. She also supported Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress

(TMC) party in the election that would topple the Left rule in Bengal after three decades. However, she later became disillusioned with the TMC as well and distanced herself from it. In her long career as a writer, Mahasweta Devi had received several awards.

The list includes the Jnanpith in 1995 (India's highest literary award), the Ramon Magsaysay award in 1996 (considered the Asian Nobel), the Sahitya Akademi Award for the novel 'Aranyer Adhikar' in 1979, Padma Vibhushan (2006) and Padma Shri (1986) among several other distinctions. Her most remarkable speech was delivered at the inaugural of the Frankfurt Book Fair, 2006, where India was the first nation to be the second time guest country. Titled 'The republic of my dreams', she talked about her take on India and how to define it in a satisfactory manner.

India has seen several authors who wrote about the downtrodden, the poor, and the untouchables. Devi was one of them, but she stood apart from the crowd with her brusque and more honest style of story-telling.

Her characters would never seek pity, but demand attention.

Through her curt storytelling and fierce activism, Mahasweta Devi has left a mark behind.

Let us not forget her as just another writer who someday wrote about something we no longer care for

Kanakeswar Sensowa A Hindu married lady, as per Indian culture does not utter the name of her husband. This rule is also followed by the tea garden married women too. Whenever she has to refer to her husband she would refer to him as Raghu's father. On a very Sunday , as there was no other work to do she asked Budhna to collect two pieces of full length bamboo from Bolin's house on deferred payment. To put a boundary carved out of bamboo would require two bamboos to complete the work if they are mixed with the existing trips for weaving. If done properly it would take care against trespassing of cattle for at least one year.

Mangri remembered the days when Balin and she

Raghu playing with his sister. She asked them to go to the study table and do their home work. She wanted them to memorise the tables as they are essential for doing arithmetical calculations. She then brought her husband's shirt where two buttons were missing. She retrieved two black buttons which she kept carefully for probable requirement.

happened to study in the same Lower Primary school and in the same class. After completion of the study in the Lower Primary school Bolin had admitted himself in the High School but Mangri left school as her mother wanted her to help her in different household work .+ In fact Mangi's maiden name was Phulmoni but after marriage when her name was to be registered in the kamjari Book the concerning Mohorer had written her name as Mungri rhyming with the name of her husband . She did not object to this change rather she liked the idea to be in unison with her husband .

Budhna was initially vacillating to go for the bamboo but Mungri virtually snubbed ---" if you do

Image for representational purpose (Photo: farm3.static.flickr) not do the work today you will never get such a clear weather and free time ." she further advised --" the bamboo should be long enough, mature and of good size. The top portion must not be left behind as it would make good fire for cooking." She told him to

quote her name if necessary so that Bolin could be assured of payment on the payment day. Budhna found no reason to defy his wife's persuasion and reluctantly trudged ahead .

Mangri stepping back towards the quarter saw

The buttons did not match the existing ones, but rather than having the shirt open at two places fixing of two odd coloured button would be a much better idea. She took the needle passed the thread through its hole and fixed the buttons. Thereafter she took the Chutki's frock and stitched the torn lower end. It was late evening. She decided to go to the kitchen to cook the evening meal or the children

Murky Forest Department

(Photo: orig01.deviantart)

Sir, If one asks any conscious citizen of Assam, which one among all the departments of Assam is the enemy no.

1 of the people, the answer, unambiguously, would be the forest department, which is more a liability than an asset. All the ministers of the Forest department during the 15 year term of Tarun Gogoi are to blame for the sordid state of affairs in the department.

But the present incumbent deserves Kudos for the initiatives she has been undertaking to set things right. It transpires from the reports of the media (electronic or press) that most of the officers (one DFO caught and another already under surveillance) from the department itself in liaison with the forest mafia tacitly destroy the forests including the killing of the rhinos. The forest guards caught in abetting the poachers may make startling revelation if questioned toughly. The most

sensational point is, of the 1338 rhinos that died a natural death, there is no postmortem report available with the forest department and of the 1800 rhino-horns preserved in different treasuries of the state 200 are missing. The forest ministry is skeptical about the authenticity of the remaining 1600 rhino-horns put in the treasury during the congress regime. The forests kept getting depleted while the properties of the forest officers kept multiplying. We hope, all the culprits will be caught before long. One most pat the erstwhile ministers for their patronage, first you ensure deforestation on and in a show plant myriad saplings for forestation publicly.

Yours etc.

Ashok Bordoloi Dibrugarh

will go to bed without food.

Meanwhile Budhna dumped two bamboos having collected in two sorties.

Mangri checked the bamboos and was satisfied that they were good as she expected. She thought -"after all Bolin is her class mate, he can't cheat her".

She with a tone administered with love said to Budhna -"you can now do the jeura repairing work at your convenient time , preferably after coming from garden. But the work is of top priority otherwise the vegetables I have planted, would be destroyed by strayed cattle and all my efforts will go in vain."

Budhna agreed to her advise. To be contd The writer can be reached a t : kanakeswarsensowa@gmail.com.Phone

no: 9435033019

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, Dibrugarh786001 (Assam) Ph: 0373-2328944 Email : editor.easterntoday@gmail.com

JOBS & career

DIBRUGARH, SUNDAY, JUNE 31

IIT Guwahati recruits Part-Time Sports Trainer(s) July 2016 Part-Time Sports Trainer(s) purely on temporary basis (Ad-hoc) Qualification: Degree in Physical Education/ Diploma in Sports/ Specialists in the field with proficiency and ability to communicate in English/ Hindi.

Basketball /02Posts Football /01 Post Lawn Tennis/ 01 Post Squash/ 01Post Table Tennis /01 Post Volleyball /02 Posts Weight Lifting /01 Post Remuneration: Negotiable (Up to Rs.200/- per hour, maximum 4 hours per day).

How to apply Candidates may apply by filling application form on the spot. Candidates should carry their original certificates and one set of photocopy of all the documents.

The verification of original documents, no objection certificate (in case of Govt. / PSU employee) and practical test and interview will be held on 25th July 2016 at the Sports Complex from 9:00 am onwards.

Page 9

North Eastern Regional Institute of Science & Technology (NERIST) recruits Professors, Associate Professors and Assistant Professors July 2016 North Eastern Regional Institute of Science & Technology (NERIST) (Deemed University) (Under Ministry of HRD, Government of India) Nirjuli (Itanagar) : Arunachal Pradesh : 791109 The Director, NERIST hereby invites applications from the citizens of India and from such other persons declared eligible by MHA, Govt. of India, for the following Teaching posts: 1.

Professor : 24 posts, Pay Scale : Rs.37400-67000/- AGP Rs. 10000/2.

Associate Professor : 29 posts, Pay Scale : Rs.37400-67000/- AGP Rs. 9000/3.

Assistant Professor : 13 posts, Pay Scale : Rs.15600-39100/- AGP Rs. 6000/How to Apply : The completed application in the prescribed format should be send by e-mail to recruitment2016@nerist.ac.in on or before 02/08/2016 only.

For more information and application format, kindly visit https://nerist.ac.in/ link/jobs/

Rajya Sabha Secretariat, Recruitment Cell recruits Junior Parliamentary Interpreter (Assamese), Translators and Proof Readers July 2016 Parliament of India (Sansad) Rajya Sabha Secretariat, RecruitmentCell, New Delhi - 110001 Applications are invited for following posts in Rajya Sabha Secretariat in Parliament of India : 1. Junior Parliamentary Interpreter(English / Hindi) : 01 post Rs. 15600-39100 Grade Pay: Rs. 5400 2. Junior Parliamentary Interpreter (Assamese) : 01 post Rs. 15600-39100 Grade Pay: Rs. 5400 3. Junior Parliamentary Interpreter (Marathi) : 01 post Rs. 15600-39100 Grade Pay: Rs. 5400 4. Junior Parliamentary Interpreter (Urdu) : 01 post Rs. 15600-39100 Grade Pay: Rs. 5400 5. Junior Parliamentary Reporter (Hindi) : 04 posts Rs. 15600-39100 Grade Pay: Rs. 5400 6. Junior Parliamentary Reporter (English) : 04 posts Rs. 15600-39100 Grade Pay: Rs. 5400 7. Senior Executive/Legislative/Committee/ Protocol Assistant : 23 posts, PayScale : Rs. 9300 - 34800 Grade Pay: Rs. 4800 8. Research Assistant : 08 posts, Pay Scale : Rs. 9300 - 34800 Grade Pay: Rs. 4800 9. Stenographer (English) : 06 posts, Pay Scale : Rs. 9300 - 34800 Grade Pay: Rs. 4200 10. Security Assistant Gr. II : 16 posts, Pay Scale : Rs. 9300 - 34800 Grade Pay: Rs. 4200 11. Junior Library Assistant : 02 posts, Pay Scale : Rs. 9300 - 34800 Grade Pay: Rs. 4200 12. Junior Clerk (English) : 30 posts, Pay Scale : Rs. 5200 - 20200 Grade Pay: Rs. 2400 13. Junior Clerk (Hindi) : 02 posts, Pay Scale : Rs. 5200 - 20200 Grade Pay: Rs. 2400 14. Junior Clerk (Urdu) : 01 post, Pay Scale : Rs. 5200 - 20200 Grade Pay: Rs. 2400 15.Translator : 28 posts, Pay Scale : Rs. 9300 - 34800 Grade Pay: Rs. 4800 16. Junior Proof Reader : 13 posts, Pay Scale : Rs. 9300 - 34800 Grade Pay: Rs. 4200 17.

Staff Car Driver (Ordinary grade) : 02 posts, Pay Scale : Rs. 5200 - 20200 Grade Pay: Rs. 2400 Application Fee : Rs. 100/- plus Rs.60/- as bank charges to be paid through fee payment challan. SC, ST, Female and Ex-Serviceman candidates are not required to pay the above fee.

How to Apply : Apply Online at Rajya Sabha Website from 18/07/2016 to 29/08/2016 only.

Please visit Notice Board section at Rajya Sabha Website http://rajyasabha.nic.in to view details andonline submission of application.

Oil India Ltd. recruits Graduate Engineer in Guwahati July 2016 Rig Engineer Job Position in Oil India Ltd on Contract Basis Qualification : Graduate Engineer in Mechanical Engineering of minimum 4 years duration from a recognized University.Minimum 03 years of working experience as in maintenance of Engines.

Rig Pumps, Centrifugal Pumps. High Pressure Mud Lines, Screw Compressors/ Reciprocating Compressors. Hydraulic Systems.

No. of Vacancy : 05(UR-02, SC-02, OBC (NCL)-01) Honorarium : Rs.50,000 per month How to apply Walk-in-interview will be held on 12/08/ 2016, 8.30 AM to 9.30 A.M at Centre of Excellence for Energy Studies, INTEGRA, Rukminigaon, GS-Road, Guwahati, Assam781022

Grade-IV positions recruitment in Gauhati High Court (24 vacancies) July 2016 Eligibility : 10th Std. (HSLC) Location : Guwahati Last Date : 22 Jul 2016 Hiring Process : Written-test Job Details Grade-IV job positions in Gauhati High Court Court Attendant Lawn Attendant Darwan Farash Qualification : (a)Candidate must possess the minimum educational qualification of Class-VIII standard.

Those who have passed HSSLC or above shall be ineligible to apply for the said posts. Candidates possessing special skills may be given preference on need basis. (b) Candidate must be a permanent resident of the state of Assam and has to submit document in proof, in the event of selection.

No. of Vacancy : 24 Pay Scale : Rs.4560-15000 Age : 18-38 Yrs Fee : Candidates Can Pay The Fee of Rs. 360 For General/OBC Candidates and Rs. 180 For SC/ST/ PWD. Important Dates : Starting Date For Apply Online : 12/07/2016.

Closing Date For Apply Online : 22/07/2016 up to 05.00 P.M. Closing Date for Payment of : 26/07/2016.

North Eastern Hill University recruits Guest Lecturer (Architecture) in Shillong July 2016 Eligibility : M.Arch, B.Arch Location : Shillong Last Date : 25 Jul 2016 Hiring Process : Face to Face Interview Job Details Guest Lecturer in North Eastern Hill University Qualification : Candidates should posses Master Degree in Architecture/ Master Degree in Planning or equivalent from a recognized University (having passed B.Arch in the U.G Level) and 55% marks in the Master level.

Department : Architecture How to apply Eligible candidates may send their applications along with relevant documents to the Office of Head of Department ,Department of Architecture, School Of Technology, North-Eastern Hill University, Mawlai Umshing, Shillong 793 022 or email their applications to barchnehu@gmail.com on or before25-07-2016 till 04:00 PM. The candidates are requested to bring their original documents during the time of the interview at the stipulated date which will be notified accordingly.

Careers as social researchers So you want to work in social research? General advice: get some form of research methods training or qualification; decide which sector you are interested in; and scan the SRA Job Board, the online job pages of The Guardian, the Times Higher, and the ESRC; and it is also worth checking the more general job sites (google 'job websites' for a list). There is some useful guidance to becoming a researcher on the AGCAS website.

Funding for training The National Centre for Research Methods (NCRM) offers training bursaries of up to £1,000. UK-based social researchers who are undertaking research, teaching research methods or supervising research are all eligible to apply, as well as contract researchers working in higher education institutes.

Research agencies " Many of the larger research agencies have specialist social research departments and some offer graduate traineeships as well as roles for more experienced social researchers.

Examples include Ipsos MORI, TNS-BMRB and GfK. For general advice on working in research agencies, have a look at the Market Research Society careers page. " There are many small businesses specialising in social and market research. In general these are less likely to advertise formally for new staff. Networking opportunities such as research events or training courses

are a good way to connect.

You can find some smaller organisations listed in our members Directory. " Many charities and independent organizations, trade unions, pressure and lobby and similar groups employ permanant research staff. They may also employ researchers on a short-term basis to carry out a single study or evaluation. These groups tend to advertise for researchers on the SRA website and other sites; and circulating a CV to larger charities may be worthwhile. The NCVO (National Council for Voluntary Organisations) and the Third Sector Research Centre provide a useful starting point. " The best-known and largest independent research institute is NatCen Social Research which employs upwards of 100 research staff in London and Edinburgh.

Academic research There are two types of social research settings in academia: large research centres, and adjuncts to teaching departments.

Research centres usually employ both permanent research staff (on career grades linked to those of academic lecturers) as well as those on two- or threeyear research contracts. The centre may have endowment or charitable funding, or ESRC-designated status.

Their research clients may range from central and local government to charities, and they may also undertake consultancy work as well as their own research programmes. Examples include the Institute for So-

cial and Economic Research at Essex University, and the Social Policy Research Unit at York University.

Adjuncts to a higher education teaching department are mainly recruited on fixed term contracts, for the duration of a particular project.

Central government All the main government departments employ social researchers to some degree.

A useful starting point is the Government Social Research website, and their social researchcareers pages. These resources provide career information, vacancies, news, training, events and the latest methodological developments for all government social researchers.

External candidates are recruited to two main grades: Research Officers (ROs) and Senior Research Officers (SROs).

Basic requirements for ROs are a good first degree and some postgraduate experience such as a masters. At interview you're likely to be asked about your knowledge and understanding of social research, and the main issues of the department you're applying to.

Having some research experience is always an advantage.

SROs need at least 3 to 4 years professional research experience, usually in an area of relevance to that particular department.

The Office for National Statistics employs a large number of social researchers.

Social Researcher Job Description " Advice external organizations on matters concerned with social

policy " Search Prepare and present proposals for research projects " Use an appropriate and creative methodology to design and manage research projects " Offer advice based on the findings of research " Disseminate and present electronic databases for data " Develop and test theories " Apply a variety of research techniques to gather relevant information, including document analysis, surveys, case studies and interviews " Liaise with and direct field interviewers The role of research in social work Due to the complexity of social work practice, both on an individual and societal basis, social workers are often encouraged to further develop theories and hypotheses regarding the root causes of the problems faced by their clients. Students who are earning their master of social work (MSW) degree may find that this is best accomplished through established professional development programs, or as a continuing personal project that can benefit their daily practice.

What does a social researcher do?

Social researchers undertake research projects to investigate a number of social issues and then report their findings. A social researcher will use a variety of methods to gather their information; this can include questionnaires, focus groups

and interviews. Their survey's findings can be used to change social policies or to test the effectiveness of a current one.

Key responsibilities of the jobs include: " preparing tenders for research contracts " receiving instructions and project briefs from clients " outlining objectives " directing/undertaking pilot studies and fieldwork " collecting, analysing and interpreting qualitative and/or quantitative data " writing reports " identifying and advising about possible strategies " controlling budgets " managing staff " Local, national and occasionally international travel may be required. " Typical employers of social researchers " Local authorities " Central government " Higher education establishments " Health authorities " Commercial market research organisations " Independent research institutes Jobs are advertised online, in national newspapers and on the Social Research Associations' website. The social sciences section of Current Research in Britain, and its online equivalent, provides information about higher education/independent research projects.

Qualifications and training

required A good degree in any subject is acceptable for entry into the profession, although employers often require relevant qualifications in social research, business studies, mathematics or statistics. A postgraduate qualification and/or specialist knowledge may also be necessary for some positions. Relevant practical experience, particularly research experience, is advantageous. " Key skills for social researchers " E x c e l l e n t organisational skills " Presentation skills " Communication skills " Numerical skills " IT skills " Analytical techniques Unsurprisingly, a social researcher's job revolves around research. Yes, you've guessed it, that research is usually into social areas, such as education, health care, population structure, social care, unemployment, gender, and the environment.

Social researchers design and set up programmes of investigation. They conduct research though various means, such as focus groups, surveys and interviews, and record and analyse the results using statistical techniques and packages.

They might then be required to prepare written summaries, contribute to research publications and put together oral or poster presentations.

Social researchers might

A day of a social researcher Photo: conservationgateway.

work for academic institutions, independent research institutes, local authorities, the government, health authorities or market research organisations.

Salary The starting salaries for social researchers aren't the highest around, checking in at around £16,000 to £24,000 a year. After five years, social researchers could be earning as much as £35,000+.

Those working at a senior level might earn up to £75,000, but social researchers working in higher education (and who aren't in a permanent academic post) probably won't earn more than £33,000.

Obviously salary levels will vary with employers, and there is a notable difference in income between those working in the private and public sector.

Working hours Working hours are pretty regular, although social researchers might find themselves putting in some extra hours at certain parts of a project, particularly near the project deadline.

This is a graduate-level job, so pretty much all social researchers will have degrees.

Quite a few employers will specify a particular social science discipline required

for a post, otherwise degrees in subjects such as sociology, politics, social policy, psychology, economics, mathematics and statistics are common.

A taught Master's degree in social research or a postgraduate research degree might be a bonus. However, employers not in the HE sector might prefer an MSc to a PhD. Work experience and practical experience using research will be advantageous.

Otherwise, if you want to become a social researcher you'll likely need to be organised, have excellent communication skills and an eagle's eye for detail, as well as being very numerate and comfortable using statistical techniques.

Training Most social researchers learn on the job, but they might attend short courses on specific techniques. The Social Research Association (SRA) also runs various courses for social researchers looking to hone their skills. Career development varies depending on the type of employer and on the sector.

Courtesy: allaboutcareers Caption: A day of a social researcher P h o t o : conservationgateway.

DIBRUGARH, SUNDAY, JULY 31

Additional 2,850 jobs to be cut from smartphone sector

by Microsoft

Indian-born Microsoft CEO, Satya Nadella. (Photo: oneworldnews) New York, Jul 30: Hurt by a failed $7.6 billion Nokia experiment amid growing losses in the smartphone hardware business segment, Microsoft has announced to lay off an additional 2,850 workers to the previously 1,850 jobs it said it would cut. In a regulatory filing, the tech giant said it will cut 4,700 jobs globally by the end of fiscal year 2017, PC World reported.

Last June, Microsoft had announced it will cut 7,400 jobs from the smartphone business unit. Earlier in May, signalling the end of its Nokia experiment, Microsoft announced it was cutting 1,850 jobs and writing off $950 million of which $200 million will be used for severance payments. "We are focusing our phone efforts where we have differentiation - with enterprises that value security, manageability and our Continuum capability, and consumers who value the same," Indian-born Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said in a statement.

6% rise in Eicher Motors' shares on stellar Q1 profit Pune, Jul 30: The shares of Eicher Motors rose over 6% in early trade after the company posted a 59% jump in its April-June quarter net profit. Eicher Motors reported a consolidated net profit of Rs 376.29 crore, up 58.61% from Rs 237.23 crore posted in the same period last year.

Eicher Motors' shares hit an intraday high of Rs 22,382.15, up 6.3% from Thursday's close of Rs 21,075.2. However, by 1021 hours, the stock came down from the day's high and was trading at Rs 21,829.50, up Rs 754.30 or 3.58% from previous day's close. "Our immediate business outlook remains strong and Royal Enfield continues to grow consistently, competitively and profitably towards leading and expanding the midsized motorcycle segment globally," Eicher Motors' CEO Siddhartha Lal said, according to a report. Riding on robust sales across segments, the company's today income from operations grew to 1,555.69 crore for the April-June quarter of 201617 as against Rs 1,095.89 crore in the year-ago period.

(Agencies)

"We will continue to innovate across devices and on our cloud services across all mobile platforms," Nadella added. According to a report in The Verge, the latest job cuts mean that the majority of former Nokia employees will no longer be working at Microsoft. Almost a year ago, Mr. Nadella had announced a "more effective and focused phone portfolio" with business, value phones and flagships gaining prominence. "We're scaling back, but we're not out!" said Terry Myerson, Microsoft's head of Windows and devices. "Phone success has been limited to companies valuing our commitment to security, manageability, and continuum, and with consumers who value the same," Nadella observed.

Microsoft's Lumia and Windows Phone strategy has failed as both sales and Windows Phone market share have declined since the tech giant's mobile restructuring last year.

(Agencies)

BUSINESS

Idea Couture ac- Maruti to transport quired by Cognizant vehicles on water Washington, Jul 30: U.S.-based IT services major Cognizant announced the acquisition of Toronto-based digital innovation and design company, Idea Couture. This acquisition will help the New Jersey-headquartered Cognizant in its digital business and also enable its client to succeed in the digital economy, according to a company statement. Cognizant which employs its significant workforce in India, said that the rapid rise of a new generation of digital technologies, including artificial intelligence, mobility, business analytics, cloud services, and the Internet of Things, is disrupting every industry. "The Idea Couture team's capabilities accelerate our ability to help clients transform

counts Samsung, PepsiCo, Cox, Citi Ventures and Kroger among others as its clients has offices in the U.S., Europe, and Latin America. The company also employs more than 170 social scientists, strategists, anthropologists, user experience experts, designers, and connected product developers serving leading companies across multiple industries.

"Building on our recently Gajen Kandiah, Executive announced partnership Vice President, Cognizant with ReD Associates, this Digital Works. (Photo: acquisition further addigitally.cognizant) vances our strategy to bring together world-class their customer experi- capabilities in behavioural ences, core business pro- insight, strategy, design, cesses, partner relation- and technology to deliver ships, and supporting sys- innovative and impactful tems," said Gajen Kandiah, solutions for our clients in Executive Vice President, banking, insurance, life sciCognizant Digital Works. ences, and other key indusIdea Couture, which tries," he said. (Agencies)

Gurgaon, Jul 30: After Hyundai opened up car transport through coastal waterways earlier this year, India's largest car manufacturer Maruti Suzuki India Limited, is now planning to execute India's pilot project for vehicle transport using inland waterways. "A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed between Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) and Maruti Suzuki India Ltd for transportation of cars through inland vessels," Minister of State for Shipping P Radhakrishnan said in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha. IWAI has deployed one vessel at Varanasi for this purpose and has planned the transportation of cars from Varanasi to Kolkata through National Waterway-1 on the river Ganga, he added. Studies suggest that water transportation cost in India

approximates to 50 paise a km and is half of the railway transportation cost.

It is in fact a third of what it costs by road. Inland waterways comprising of rivers, lakes, canals, creeks, backwaters, etc. extend to about 14,500km in the country. Of this, 5,200km of the rivers and 4,000km of canals can be used by mechanised craft. Yet, due to lack of infrastructure, almost all of domestic freight transport takes place on land. In other Asian countries, including China and Korea, waterways contribute to more than 40 per cent of transportation while European nations also employ this means of carriage for a major chunk of its freight. Despite vast potential, India's utilisation of its waterways is restricted to around five per cent. Indicating a paradigm shift in terms of water-

Minister of State for Shipping, P Radhakrishnan. (Photo: thehindu) way transport though, India's lawmakers had recently passed a bill to convert more than a 100 rivers across the country into National Waterways. Maruti using inland waterways would not only be a first for the Indian automobile industry, but would also set an example for the times to come. (Agencies)

Tatas' UK assets allowed Sunil Munjal resigns to be seize by DoCoMo as Hero joint MD Mumbai, Jul 30: NTT DoCoMo has obtained an ex parte order from the Commercial Court in London for permission to enforce the $1.17-billion arbitral award it won against Tata Sons. The order allows the Japanese telecom giant to seize Tata Sons' assets in the UK, including its prized Jaguar Land Rover. DoCoMo has been taking all legal steps in the UK and in India to protect the compensation for its 26.5% stake in the telecom joint venture with Tata Sons. The latest development follows Tata Sons on Tuesday voluntarily

agreeing to deposit the entire amount of the arbitral award with the Delhi high court. Tata Sons expects to deposit the amount today (Friday). An ex parte order means emergency requests granted to one party by the court, without hearing the other side. Tata Sons said that the London Commercial court has granted the company time till August 23 to apply to set aside the ex parte order. "The arbitral award cannot be enforced until the end of that period, or until any application made by the company has been finally decided upon,"

said Tata Sons in a statement.

The holding company of the $100-billion group added that the UK assets, Tata Steel UK and Jaguar Land Rover, are not owned by Tata Sons.

These are subsidiaries of Indian public listed companies Tata Steel and Tata Motors, of which Tata Sons is a promoter with a minority shareholding of not more than 30% to 35%. "These companies are not party to the arbitration proceedings, A file photo of the Munjal family. (Photo: dumkhum) and no award has been issued against them. It follows that the award cannot be New Delhi, Jul 30: In a sur- Munjal family, announced a closure, it will be disclosed enforced against those com- prise move, Hero MotoCorp realignment of ownership to a competent authority at said its joint managing di- within their businesses, to an appropriate time." "As panies." (Agencies) rector Sunil Kant Munjal, achieve consolidation of part of the realignment, he who is part of the promoter existing businesses, invest- will focus on some of the group, has "expressed his ment in new ventures and other group businesses indesire" to step down from diversification," the state- cluding Hero Corporate Serthe board to focus on his ment said, adding that this vice and its allied companies independent and core busi- was in continuation of the as the Chairman, while he nesses apart from pursing restructuring process also pursues new business new business interests. started by the late interests," the statement Sunil, who is also the chair- Brijmohan Lall, the Hero said. man of Hero Corporate Ser- Group founder, in May 2010. vice, will step down when Sunil and Pawan Munjal Hero Moto is controlled by his term ends in mid-Au- denied that there were any the Munjals and the family's results, Alphabet said gust. "The realignment will "differences in the family" hold was strengthened afGoogle was categorised as not impact the overall pro- and that the move was been ter the exit of erstwhile parta single segment while the moter shareholding, strate- finalized in complete har- ner Honda which was effective April 2011. While Sunil rest of its businesses were gic direction or operational mony. clubbed together as "other management of the com- "In our family, we have al- was elevated as Joint MD bets". Google's revenue pany," HeroMoto Corp said ways done transition qui- in August 2011 from being grew from $17,653 million in a statement to the stock etly, peacefully and in a a director in the board (his friendly way," Sunil said five-year term ends in Au(nearly Rs 1.17 lakh crore) exchanges. during a call, where Pawan gust this year), Pawan was in the June-end quarter A separate statment said was also present. Sunil said appointed vice-chairman last year, to $21,315 million (nearly Rs 1.42 lakh crore) Sunil Munjal has also re- the decision was "com- (from MD & CEO) in August the April-June quarter, the aligned "his business/part- pletely discussed in the fam- 2014. Pawan took over as company said. Google's nership stake in the Hero ily, and as a family". Asked the Chairman of Hero Moto advertising business, its Group". The country's top whether he will now dilute in June last year in the presbiggest contributor to the two-wheleer maker Hero his holding in entities that ence of patriarch and father, revenues, grew 19% in the MotoCorp is run by Pawan control Hero MotoCorp, he the late Brijmohan Lall quarter to $19,143 million Munjal, Sunil's elder said, "I cannot comment Munjal, who died in No(nearly Rs 1.27 lakh crore) brother. "Hero Group enti- anything on this. If there is vember at the age of 92. from the $16,023 million ties, promoted by the a requirement for any dis- (Agencies) (nearly Rs 1.07 lakh crore) posted in the same period last year. Google websites revenue grew 24% to $15,400 million (nearly Rs network.

1.02 lakh crore). All of Kolkata, Jul 30: Jet Airways tinations across India, Eu- tic Alphabet's "other bets" announced special offers rope, North America, Asia or "#GrabYourFreedom camaccounted for $185 million and discounts for customers the Gulf. Those booking paign is part of our earnest (nearly Rs 1230.75 crore) as part of its Independence tickets on jetairways.com or efforts to offer guests an in revenues, up from $74 day. #GrabYourFreedom , through the airline's mobile opportunity to explore million (nearly Rs 492.30 the three-day offer, will allow app will be automatically en- new destinations and excrore) posted in the same customers to avail dis- listed for an hourly contest perience varied cultures. period last year. (Agen- counted fares to the tune of with the possibility of win- This Independence Day, up to 30%. The offer will be ning prizes. Lucky custom- Jet Airways wishes to give cies) applicable on tickets booked ers can win free upgrades to wings to the aspirations of between July 27 to 29, 2016 the premiere class of Jet Air- the increasingly and for travel starting Au- ways. Similarly, they can also globalised Indian, " gust 15, 2016 onwards. Cus- secure a discount of 25-50% Gaurang Shetty, Wholetomers will be able to book on their next flight ticket time Director, Jet Airways, their flight tickets to 68 des- booking on airline's domes- said. (Agencies)

Rs 32,000 crore net profit posted by Google's parent; shares touch all-time high

Eicher Motors' CEO, Siddhartha Lal. (Photo: img.etimg) New York, Jul 30: Google's parent Alphabet posted a net profit of $4.8 billion or approximately Rs 31,933.2 crore in the quarter ended June 30 beating street expectations and up from the $3.9 billion (nearly Rs 25,945.7 crore) posted in the same period last year. After the quarter results, the Internet giant's shares rose 5% to touch an all-new high

of $810. Alphabet's revenue was at $21,500 million (nearly Rs 1.43 lakh crore), up 21% from the $17,727 million (nearly Rs 1.18 lakh crore) posted in the same period last year. In constant currency terms, the company's revenue was up 25%. On a sequential basis, the company's revenue was up 6%. "Our terrific second quarter results, with 21%

revenue growth year on year, and 25% on a constant currency basis reflect the successful investments we've made over many years in rapidly expanding areas such as mobile and video.

We continue to invest responsibly in support of our many compelling opportunities," said Ruth Porat, CFO of Alphabet. While reporting the second quarter

Discounts and offers announced by Jet Airways as part of Independence Day sale

Sluggish global economy continue to bring turmoil to Coca-Cola Taiwan, Jul 30: The sluggish global economy, more and healthier competition, and currency market turbulence again dragged on Coca-Cola Co's earnings in the second quarter, the company said. Net earnings rose 10.9 per cent and core earnings per share beat expectations by two cents at 60 cents. But net revenues slid in every region but North America, for a 5.1 per cent fall overall in net sales from a year ago

PAGE 10

to USD 11.5 billion. Sales of concentrate and cases were flat in volume terms, with the company saying slowdowns in emerging markets like China and Argentina offset gains in the United States, Mexico and Japan. Volume sales of soda drinks fell slightly in the quarter, but that was compensated for by gains in sales of bottled water and juices, the company said. But Atlanta-based Coke said its bottom line

was hit significantly by the strong dollar's impact on earnings from countries with weak currencies, and would continue to be a headwind for the rest of the year. For the second quarter, the global soft drinks king reported that lower taxes and lower extra costs helped bolster the bottom line. Net income was USD 3.45 billion, compared to USD 3.11 billion in the yearago quarter. Chairman and chief executive Muhtar

Kent said in a statement that the company faced challenges mostly in emerging markets where Coca-Cola owns its own bottling businesses.

"In these international operations where external headwinds have proven to be more severe than originally forecast, we are taking action by reassessing local market initiatives where needed and continuing our efforts in driv-

ing productivity," he said in a statement. The company said that organic revenues should grow about three percent this year but would be buffeted by the costs of acquisitions, divestments and structural adjustments, and currency challenges. Comparable earnings per share, it said, would likely fall 4 to 7 per cent, though a continuing share repurchase program could ease that impact on shareholders. (Agencies)

Quarterly profit of Facebook surges 186% to US$ 2 billion Mumbai, Jul 30: Facebook said its profit leapt 186% from a year ago to US $2 billion, as the world's biggest social network blasted past most analyst forecasts for the second quarter. With its global base of monthly active users growing to 1.71 billion, Facebook saw a 59% jump in total revenues to US $6.4 billion, mostly from online advertising.

Facebook shares jumped seven percent in after-

hours trade on the strongerthan-expected results. "Our community and business had another good quarter," said Facebook founder and chief executive Mark Zuckerberg. "We're particularly pleased with our progress in video as we move towards a world where video is at the heart of all our services." Facebook has been dominating the social media space as well as related online advertising

as it seeks to diversify into areas such as messaging, virtual reality and other fields. The research firm eMarketer estimates that Facebook is taking in twothirds of social media ad revenues, dominating rivals such as Twitter, which this week reported disappointing results. The number of monthly active users, a key metric for social networks, grew 15 % from a year ago, Facebook said. (Agencies)

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DIBRUGARH, SUNDAY, JULY 31

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FC Gara XI, Mugaphi Vijaynaga win ET Correspondent Miao, July 30: FC Gara XI and Mugaphi Vijaynaga registered victory in the respective matches of the Independence Cup Football Touranment, 2016 organized by Miao Sub-division Youth Organisation (MSYO) at Miao general ground here today.Both the teams of interior Vijaynagar circle participated in the tournament. Quite a number of spectators turned up to witness the matches. The first match was played between FC Gara XI and

Vijaynagar Gorkha. FC Gara XI defeated Vijaynagar Gorkha 3-1. FC Gara XI scored their first goal within three minutes of start of the game while Vijaynagar Gorkha could net their lone goal only in the later part of the second half of the match. FC Gara XI scored all their three goals in the first half.

In another match, Mugaphi Vijaynagar humbled New Khamlang 5-1. Mugaphi Vijaynagar dominated in both the proceedings and

neither gave any chances to the opponent s to score against them. In the first half, Mugaphi Vijaynagar scored three goals while New Khamlang FC scored a lone salvo . In the second half Mugaphi Vijaynagar added two more goals to their tally to make it five.

Tomorrow Songking A will take on Nongtham FC while UMFC will play Tikhak FC in the second match.

Barpeta District Arms Sports Association hosts intra district 'Panja' competition A Correspondent Bajali, July 30: Barpeta District Arms Sports Association, affiliated to All Assam Arms Sports Association hosted the intra district 'Panja' competition in both male and female category at Pathsala of Bajali Subdivision recently.

The 2nd Intra District

Panja Competition was held at Azad Bhawan under three category for male, female and masters. In men's 60 kg the 1st, 2nd and 3rd were respectively Hirakjyoti Das, Dhrubajyoti Choudhury and Akhim Boro.

In 63-86 kg category the

1st position was secured

by Bhrigu Das, 2nd by Ajit Kumar Das and the 3rd by Dimbeswar Das. The last category of men's competition was 86+ kg where the winners were Sanjiv Choudhury, Jitu Sarma and Amit Kumar Das securing 1st, 2nd and 3rd position respectively.

Barcelona star Neymar to lead Brazil in Rio Games?

The 24-year-old has led Brazil's senior national team for the past two years

West Indies vs India 2016: 2nd Test, Kingston - Preview West Indies' last Test in Kingston was against Australia in the summer of 2015 Kingston, July 30: Bolstered by the comprehensive win in the series opener, an upbeat India will look to assert their supremacy over an inexperienced West Indies with yet another commanding show in the second cricket Test, starting here on Saturday.

Joseph made an impression in the Under-19 World Cup in Bangladesh, helping the West Indies lift the crown with a 13wicket haul in that tournament, while Cummins is known to work up good pace. Both the bowlers will play an ideal foil to Shannon Gabriel with the new ball.

The 'Men In Blue' made a confident start to the 2016-17 season, recording India's biggest win outside the sub-continent when they thrashed the hosts by an innings and 92 runs in the opening cricket Test.

India will look to continue in the same vein in the tour, which is Anil Kumble's debut series as chief coach of the team.

If West Indies are tempted to play both the newcomers, it might weaken the batting, given that skipper Holder had stacked his playing eleven up to No.9 in the first Test.

That conservative ploy didn't work out too well against the discipline of India's fivepronged attack in Antigua.

But it would be easier said than done as a green pitch awaits the visitors at Sabina Parka, a stark contrast to the conditions on offer in Antigua, where the visitors had won the match in four days.

Going by past records, it was way back in 2008 when a Test lasted five days at Sabina Park which Australia won by 98 runs. Since then, five Tests have taken place here and all of them have finished within four days, including India's 63run win in 2011.

such thoughts, as will the fact that there are still three more Tests to go on this tour and their job has only just begun.

West Indies' last Test here was against Australia in the summer of 2015, and that match finished past lunch on the fourth day.

The opener has been missing action since being hit on his thumb by Shannon Gabriel on the first morning of the series, and didn't field for a single minute in the West Indies' two innings last week.

Given the very evident gulf between the two teams at present, the grassy wicket should expedite matters in this forthcoming match as well.

While it is tough to say which team will be happier to see the green pitch, the hosts will surely feel that the equation will perhaps be more balanced.

The big win in Antigua doesn't mean India will be complacent going into the second Test. The big difference in conditions on offer will obviously hinder any

While India will find comfort in a settled line-up, there are some obvious points to ponder over like fitness of opener Murali Vijay.

Uncertainty lies over Vijay's availability in the second Test as still there is no confirmation on where he is fit enough to play or not.

In the lead-up to the upcoming Test, Vijay batted a bit in the nets on Wednesday but skipped the optional practice session yesterday. But the question remains, whether the team management would be willing to risk playing Vijay when they have another opener available in KL Rahul, who scored runs in the practice games ahead of the Test series.

The other issue is about the team combination, and

whether skipper Virat Kohli will opt for a five bowler attack once again.

During the home series against South Africa last year, he had moved away from this strategy when faced with difficult wickets. At the same time, on a greenish wicket in the third Test against Sri Lanka previously, he had opted for Stuart Binny.

If West Indies do pick another pacer, or even two more, an additional full-time batsman would mark a conservative selection on Kohli's part, especially since India's three frontline batsmen - Vijay, Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane - contributed only 45 out of 566 runs in Antigua.

At the same time, Kohli also has to think about his bowlers' workload in what will prove to be a long season. Playing a full-time batsman will mean added overs for his three pacers and one less bowler to choose from.

And so it could tempt him to go in with Binny instead, who provides him a medium-pace option as well as adds to the lower middle-order.

IOC boss Thomas Bach's accommodation at Rio Olympics 2016 will surprise you luxury.

Gioania, July 30: Barcelona forward Neymar will captain Brazil at the Rio 2016 Olympic football tournament, the team's head coach said on Friday.

The 24-year-old has led Brazil's senior national team for the past two years but there was speculation he might be stripped of the skipper's armband in Rio. Brazil coach Rogerio Micale said Neymar had "exceeded his expectations" after meeting him for the first time this week, Xinhua news agency reported.

"In relation to the captain, it's going to be Neymar,"

Micale told a press conference here on Friday.

"He has exceeded my expectations in relation to his quality. He changes direction so quickly. In one-onone he is in a different world. Within the group he is loved by everybody. A good guy, with a big heart in relation to his teammates, especially the younger ones."

Neymar has been widely lambasted in Brazil for regularly posting images of himself partying and posing with other celebrities on social media.

His recent performances

The conferences and meetings are held at luxurious properties and the big bosses of the sporting world opt for nothing but the best when in comes to accommodation at events.

for Brazil have also been questioned, having received five red cards for illdiscipline in the past 18 months.

Neymar is one of three players over the age of 23 in Brazil's squad, as per International Olympic Committee rules. The others are Beijing Guoan midfielder Renato Augusto and Palmeiras goalkeeper Fernando Prass.

Brazil, who are bidding for their first Olympic football gold medal, will fine-tune their tournament preparations with a friendly against Japan in Goiania on Saturday.(IANS)

New Delhi, July 30: The Olympic Games are widely regarded as the biggest sporting spectacle in world sport.

Responsible for hosting the Games, International Olympic Committee (IOC) naturally is one of the most important orga-

nizations in the world.

Hence its boss Thomas Bach is considered one of the most powerful sports administrators across the globe.

Be it at FIFA or BCCI, modern day sports administrators tend to conduct business in the lap of

Interestingly, Bach's hotel room at the Olympic Village in Rio de Janeiro is rather modest.

Though it has a lovely view, the German's room isn't half as grand as some of his counterparts.

In true spirit of the Olympic Games, it is indeed wonderful to see Bach stay in the Olympic Village along with athletes and officials from all the participating countries.

Either way, Amit Mishra is expected to sit out in Jamaica as his spin partner Ravichandran Ashwin's shone bright in the first Test with his all-round performance.

Ashwin followed up his 113run knock in India's only batting effort in Antigua with a match-winning 7 for 83-run spell in West Indies second innings to set up the huge win.

On a green pitch, the visitors' three pacers - Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav and Mohammed Shami - will once again prove to be more than a handful for West Indies batsmen, who have failed on both occasions in Antigua.

On the bowling front, a green wicket gives West Indies bowlers more penetration, and thus a good chance against the strong Indian batting line-up.

The Caribbeans will be thinking about boosting their bowling attack and the inclusion of rookie pacer Alzarri Joseph comes as a welcome move.

19-year-old Joseph could be in line to make his Test debut as will be 25-year-old Miguel Cummins, who was ignored for the Antigua match.

Among the West Indies batsmen, Marlon Samuels will be in the spotlight as since the end of the first Test, rumour has been swirling about his future with some suggesting that the 35-year-old could be playing his last Test series.

All eyes in Kingston will be on Samuels as it remains to be seen whether he can follow up his half-century in the second innings in Antigua and make a bigger impact here on his home ground.

Teams (from): India: Virat Kohli (C), Murali Vijay, Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma, Wriddhiman Saha (wk), R Ashwin, Amit Mishra, Ravindra Jadeja, Stuart Binny, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohd.

Shami, Shardul Thakur, Umesh Yadav, Ishant Sharma.

West Indies: Jason Holder (C), Kraigg Brathwaite, Rajendra Chandrika, Darren Bravo, Marlon Samuels, Jermaine Blackwood, Roston Chase, Leon Johnson, Shane Dowrich (wk), Devendra Bishoo, Carlos Brathwaite, Shannon Gabriel, Miguel Cummins, Alzarri Joseph.

Romai win

Sports Reporter Dibrugarh, July 30: Romai tea estate football club defeated Tengakhat Sports Association by a solitary goal in the league encounter of the ongoing first Monuj Patra and Boga Das

senior division football tournament organized by Dibrugarh District Sports Association at the DDSA stadium here today. Bishal Karmakar of Romai scored the lone salvo for his team in the 66th minute.

Former player dies Sports Reporter Dibrugarh, July 30: Former Assam state football player Sailendra Dasgupta today breathed his last at his residence at Tinkonia in Dibrugarh. He died at the age 89 years. Before, the play started the members of Dibrugarh District Sports Association keep one minute silent for the departed soul of former Assam

player.

He was suffering for age old alignment. He was a goalkeeper in Assam state football team and represented in Santosh trophy as a goalkeeper. He also played for East Bengal club.

Dasgupta also played Ranjitrophy for Assam. The entire sports fraternity of Assam mourns the death of Dasgupta.

Novak Djokovic edges Tomas Berdych to reach Toronto semis But it was not all one-way traffic for Djokovic, who struggled to close out a testing tiebreaker.

The top seed with three Canadian titles was tested in a 71-minute opening set but survived before motoring to victory over a top 10 rival he has now beaten in 25 of

27 meetings.

Djokovic needed two hours to reach the final four, winning his 12th straight match against Berdych. The Czech has now lost 17 straight matches against top five opponents.

But it was not all one-way traffic for Djokovic, who struggled to close out a testing tiebreaker.

Berdych showed his desire

by winning five consecutive points from 1-3 down in the first-set decider, only to miss on three set points as he finally handed over the set to his opponent.

Djokovic earned a secondset break for 2-1 and rode the margin to his eventual victory in a match which was well below his best level.

"I don`t know how I got out of that tiebreak," Djokovic

said. "I guess I was just able to focus on the next point.

Monfils, winner of last week`s Washington title.

"Tomas had a double-fault (on set point) and some errors. I was very fortunate to win that first set.

Second seed Stan Wawrinka stormed into his first semifinal here, thrashing South Africa`s Kevin Anderson 61, 6-3.

The Swiss second seed will next face Japanese third seed Kei Nishikori, who beat former top-10 player Grigor Dimitrov 6-3, 3-6, 62 with four breaks of the Bulgarian`s serve.

"I really had some relief going into the second."

Djokovic will line up Saturday night against either Canadian fourth-seeded home favourite Milos Raonic or Frenchman Gael

Although he`s still recovering from the rib problems which forced him out of the fourth round of Wimbledon, Asia`s top player won his 39th match of 2016, fighting back in the third set after losing the second and lifting his record over Dimitrov to 3-0.

Wawrinka was in full flow against Anderson as he swept the opening set in a master-class display.

Anderson, ranked 34th, has yet to reach the final four at the Masters 1000 level, losing in all seven of his attempts.

Wawrinka needed just 73 minutes to dispatch Anderson, who was limited to six aces and dropped his serve four times.

"It was a really good match, I started really well the first game,"

Wawrinka said.

"It`s one of the best matches of the year I`ve played. It showed me that I was ready, aggressive, moving really well. I was calm, served very good and mixed up my game."

Two-time Grand Slam winner Wawrinka, the world number five, is chasing his fourth title of the season after success at Chennai, Dubai. (AFP)

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Ontario, July 30: Novak Djokovic said he needed some luck to escape on Friday with a 7-6 (8/6), 6-4 victory over Tomas Berdych for a place in the semi-finals of the ATP Toronto Masters.

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DIBRUGARH, SUNDAY, JULY 31

PAGE 12 Service charges for cinema halls proposed to bereduced by Assam Govt

In a bid to give fillip to the local film industry, Assam government recently proposed to reduce the service charge for cinema halls in the state. At the same time it proposed to raise the entertainment tax on cinema tickets by up to 10 percentage points which may make a dent on cinema goers' pockets. Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma introduced The Assam Amusements and Betting Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2016 on the first day of the Budget Session. The new Bill proposed to fix the service charge at maximum of Rs 12 per ticket, which is Rs 40 at present. The government proposed to make service charge Rs 8 per ticket for the halls without air conditioning and Rs 12 for halls with air conditioning and back-up generator. However, there will be no service charge at all if the payment for admission is Rs 5 or less and no entertainment tax either. The Bill also said the entertainment tax will be 30 per cent compared to 20 per cent now in case the admission charge is more than Rs

30. The Bill also raised the government tax to 30 per cent on service charge from the existing 20 per cent and proposed to increase the entertainment tax to 20 per cent from 15 per cent for entry charges between Rs 5 and Rs 20 per ticket. Besides, a cess at Re 1 will be levied on each ticket for creating a welfare fund for film and theatre sectors named 'Silpee Aru Kalakushali Kalyan Nidhi'. The government plans to mop up Rs 22.5 crore every year for the welfare fund. Later addressing a press conference at the central hall of the Assembly, Sarma said the government has accepted the recommendation by the expert committee of film makers on service charge. "We are also thinking to make it mandatory for cinema halls to run a minimum number of shows for Assamese films. However, we will have to be cautious about the quality of the films. "So we are thinking to set up a committee to evaluate films - if they are good and have a minimum standard," he added.

'Purab Ki Awaz' and 'Epaah Kat... a Phulil Epaah Soril' to hit dancing star the theatres on August 5 His ability to balance art and entertainment is exactly the quality that has made him a popular director in the State. From his debut with the 1994 release 'Agnigarh' to 'Bakor Putek' in 2012, his movies have done reasonably well even when others have struggled at the boxoffice with disastrous consequences. Despite the prevailing conditions, producers still feel confident enough to invest in films helmed by him. He has not garnered that many awards, but with 11 films to his name, the indefatigably prolific Chandra Mudoi has always been ahead of the curve, and he shows no signs of slowing down as yet. Mudoi has been looking forward to a project, an ambitious one, that he has been nurturing for years now - a film on legendary freedom fighter Birangana Kanaklata. He was determined to leave a footprint with an unusual and compassionate take on the subject. Despite boldly facing the bullets of the police force during the freedom struggle of India in 1942 and laying down her life for the country, Kanaklata is largely a little-known figure to the audiences in other

Dramatist Hemanta Dutta honoured with 'Natyasindhu' title

State's distinguished dramatist, director, actor, lyricist Hemanta Dutta was conferred with the title of 'Natyasindhu'. (Photo: kothasobi) The state's distinguished dramatist, director, actor, lyricist Hemanta Dutta was conferred with the title of 'Natyasindhu' in a function held at Chopai in Mangaldoi recently. The programme, jointly organised by Chopai Yuva Kalyan Kendra, Chopai Sahitya Sabha, Chopai Padumpahi Moina Parijat, Chopai Theatre Directing Committee, Chopai Regional Rongali Bihu Sanmilan and Chopai Sarbajanin Saradiya Shri Shri Durga Puja Udjapan Committee took place at the auditorium of Chopai Yuva Kalyan Kendra, attended by people from all walks of life. The veteran artiste was presented with a phulam gamocha, a sarai, memento, a japi, a citation, and a bundle carrying books among other gifts

by Mahendra Deka,

Ramesh Saharia, Lakshmikanta Sarma and Hasinur Hussain, on behalf of the presiding committee. On the occasion, Dutta was also warmly felicitated by several other organizations. The sombre, yet lively function supervised by Ramani Mohan Sarma and hosted by senior journalist Ganesh Dutta commenced with the performance of a melodious Borgeet under the direction of artiste Rijumani Deka. Despite a long and prolific career, during which time he was conferred with various accolades by associations from various parts of the state and even outside, Hemanta Dutta never felt more thrilled and gratified than being honoured at his own homeland. He has set a new benchmark as a commercial theatre play-

wright with plays like the Mahabharat (Kahinoor Theatre), the Ramayan (Kahinoor), Madbhagawat (Awahan Theatre), Nabin Mastor (Debadasi Theatre), Laaz (Sankardev Theatre), Raj Sanyashi (Sankardev), Daag (Kahinoor), Hiyar Epahi Gulap (Kahinoor), Hendur (Kahinoor), Jui (Kahinoor), Paap (Kahinoor), Mukti (Kahinoor), Titanic (Kahinoor), etc. 'Titanic', based on the Hollywood blockbuster, took the mobile theatre world by storm, becoming one of the most successful plays ever. He has written plays for various theatre troupes, but Dutta feels happy working with Kahinoor Theatre, which has been like a home to him as an actor, a director and a dramatist since the late Seventies, and the association still endures.

Assamese movie lovers are sure to get enthralled after the release of the two cinemas. (Photo: kothasobi) parts of the country.

Mudoi's intention is not just to honour a brave soul but also to draw the attention of audiences across the country and abroad with his new bilingual in Assamese and

Hindi. A 16 year old girl's deep love and pride for her country is rare. She not only fought for the country's independence but also became a martyr. "It's our privilege to salute and cel-

ebrate her spirit on celluloid. Its a film that needs to seen by everyone", said Mudoi. A number of freedom fighters have lost their lives during the Quit India Movement, but Kanaklata occupies a special pride of place in everyone's hearts.

In Mudoi's own words, apart from being a woman, Kanaklata was a 'minor' at the time of her tragic death.

"We couldn't think of any woman who became a martyr at such a young age in the country", said Mudoi.

Most people in Assam are only aware of the story of how this heroic woman was slained by the police while she was trying to hoist the national flag at the local police station.

But Kanaklata was a rebel ever since she was a child, and was not afraid to raise her voice against any unjust acts. Her grit and determination is equalled to none.

She concerned herself with the suffering of those who turned to her for help. The moment she was stirred by patriotism and nationalistic pride, she plunged deep into the freedom movement, becoming a vocal advocacy of freedom, in the process, sacrificing her own childhood years.

Hrithik keen to lend his voice in Bollywood Superstar Hrithik Roshan, who we heard singing in one of his earlier films, Zindagi Na Milegi Dobaara wants to resume learning music at some point in the future. We all know of music being in his blood with his paternal grandfather, Roshan being such a legendary music director/composer giving such iconic songs to the industry and now his uncle Rajesh Roshan too creating such phenomenal music for his films. Currently the actor is working twice as hard for the shoot of one of his upcoming films, Rakesh Roshan's Kaabil and also simultaneously promoting his upcoming release with Ashutosh Gowariker. But Hrithik would love to take some time out post finishing shoot for the film and training for music too. Hearing him sing Senorita in ZNMD was such a treat for

Katrina is one such Bollywood actress who have worked almost with all the super male stars of BTown. (Photo:dnaindia) The recently released Kala Chasma, sees her grooving with Sidharth Malhotra in a super sexy avatar, which just validates the fact that she is unbeatable when it comes to dancing. All the songs she has danced on have been instant chart-busters on release.

Her first item song being 'Ishq Shava' showed her voluptuous body dancing in a way that will shame the best dancers too! How can we forget 'Zara Zara Touch Me' that song was played umpteen number of times and was a rage back then! Katrina has time and again proved that she is unsurpassable when it comes to grooving to songs! It's like any song that she dances on, becomes a super duper hit! Mashallah from Ek Tha Tiger had sensuous moves popping our

eyes out! Chikini Chameli, was our desi number! There's energy, craziness, sexiness and the lady has got swag!

She is seen in her slimmest every avatar and if anybody could kill with looks, its gotta be Katrina Kaif. Her abs has had the social media going nuts, with everybody going gaga over her sultry avatar. Kala chashma has already become the most heard and viewed party number!

Fans have gone crazy, they have been love struck! The duo has slayed it in this party starter of the year. Yes, Sid and Kat's groove in this Punjabi number is a refreshing one. Produced by Excel Entertainment and Dharma Productions, directed by Nitya Mehra, Baar Baar Dekho will hit theatres on 9th September.

Rajkumar Hirani's PK hit theatres in Japan

Hritik Roshan has indeed so beautifully sung the 'Senorita' in ZNMD and is also very interested to sing more songs in future. (Photo: wikimedia)

all his fans and they would love to hear him again.

Hrithik Roshan shares, "Music is in my blood and I would love to resume my

music lessons after completing shoot for Kaabil. Learning should be a constant in life and since it is music, it will be rejuvenating too."

After creating history in Bollywood with PK collecting record breaking numbers, the film is all set to release in Japan now. The film collected 342 cr in India. And ace director Rajkumar Hirani has already headed to the country for the release of his film. This is the first time Hirani would be visiting the Land of the rising Sun. The Japanese market is not very big with Indian films usually and so there are only a handful of films that have been released there. Only the big ticket and super successful films like Dhoom 3, Bhaag Milkha Bhaag etc have released in the Japanese market. Rajkumar Hirani's last film, 3 idiots had also released in Japan. It not just released there, but also did fantastic business. The director received a lot of

praise and appreciation from the audiences there and the film also gave Rajkumar Hirani added fan following.

Rajkumar Hirani shares, "After the overwhelming response that 3 Idiots received in Japan, I am even more excited to take PK there.

I am looking forward to the audience's reactions to the film and hope they love this one too." On being asked if he is looking at any collaboration, he adds `I'm going to meet some contemporary film makers and actors from Japan and am looking forward to it. Have no plans of collaborations yet.` Now his fans there cannot wait for the release of his next release after all these years. There is a lot of anticipation and excitement among all his fans and cine goers there.

Assamese film 'Marksheet' gets an online release Assamese film 'Marksheet' finally gets a new lease of life after it was released on cinemasofassam.com on June 28, thus becoming the first Assamese movie to be released on a digital platform. Film enthusiasts and fans from all over the globe can access this subtitled offering through this website by furnishing a minimum fee. No one knows how much of a viable business model its going to be in the end, but this tactic could well benefit cash-strapped small-time producers who couldn't afford to release their films themselves in theatres. The lack of distri-

bution for many Assamese films has been a major cause of concern. There are quite a few films that deserve to be more widely seen but neither film distributors nor exhibitors are showing any interest in Assamese films at the moment. Its not a bad idea, given the dwindling fortunes of Assamese cinema, the digital platform is an option, albeit an alternative one, that can't be ruled out. It may not replicate the pleasure of theatreviewing experience, but then they come cheap, are easy and convenient, and not governed by any boxoffice ramifications. The

consequence of this move, if it catches on, could open up new possibilities and usher in a notable change in the industry.

A good number of movies in Assam are being made by first-time directors, telling personal or autobiographical stories, that somewhat reflect their upbringing and curiosities.

'Marksheet' is Ratan Sil Sarma's debut venture as a filmmaker. With a vast experience of more than 14 years in the entertainment industry, Sarma has been associated with various national and international media houses as

well as notable advertising agencies. The film, told in a simple and direct way, is produced by Himjyoti Talukdar, Dikhit Das and Ratan Sil Sarma under the banner of Enajori Talkies and HDR Creations.

The film's story-screenplay and dialogues have been penned by Himjyoti Talukdar. The key roles in the film are played by Aditya Malla Buzarbaruah, Abhijit Chowdhury, Pranami Bora, Jintu Kalita and Dibyajyoti Saikia. Music has been scored by Tarali Sarma. The film's title track has been composed

and rendered by Joi Barua.

Cinematography is done

by Dikhit Das. The film is edited by the director Ratan Sil Sarma himself.

The film's production controller is Gopal Mandal.

Costume and makeup are

by Gautam Choudhury and Priyanka Dihingia.

'Marksheet' was selected in six different categories in the Prag Cine Awards 2016 and received three awards - 'Best Debut Direction' for Ratan Sil Sarma, 'Best Playback Singer Male' for Mrinal Baishnav and 'Jury Special Mention' for Aditya Malla Buzarbaruah and Abhijit Chowdhury.

Tele : Dibrugarh, 0373-2328944, for circulation contact: 8471896580, Telephone & Fax: 0373-2328944.

Editorial Adviser: Subir Bhaumik

Editor: Ripunjoy Das

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