5th may 2016

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ASSENG/2015/64205

PAGE 11

Vol. 1

Issue 326

Dibrugarh, Thursday, May 5, 2016

Price -

5.00

Pages- 12

PAGE 4

Candle light march for Fake medical institute Tawang victims by AAPSU racket burst, fir lodged A Staff Reporter Itanagar, May 4

Supported strongly by the Capital Complex Buddhist cultural Society and various other district based students’ organisation, the participants marched along the highway stretch amidst chants of traditional Buddhist prayers.

Following up on their announcement, the All Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union (AAPSU) organised a candle light march from Akashdeep Market Complex to Tennis Court at Indira Gandhi Park as a mark of solidarity and tribute to the victims of Tawang firing incident.

Later, having culminated at Tennis Court IG Park, the participants observed two minutes silence for the victims of the

Candle light march for Tawang victims by AAPSU firing incident of Tawang and also for prevalence of general peace and tranquility of the re-

gion.

Meanwhile, speaking on the occasion, AAPSU General

Secretary, Biru Nasi reiterated the apex students’ body’s earlier demand for handing the

Also, reiterating AAPSU’s demand for meeting the demand within a week’s time, Nasi added that the failure to meet the same will be followed up with more rigorous democratic agitations. He also accordingly, urged on the people to stand united.

Sharing his thoughts, the general secretary of CCBCS, Dorjee W Thungon also emphasised on handing the matters to the CBI for thorough investigation. He also expressed his gratitude to the AAPSU team and the participants for showing their solidarity to the victims of Tawang.

CM Kalikho Pul calls on PM Narendra Modi and HM Rajnath Singh ET Bureau New Delhi, May 4 Chief Minister Kalikho Pul today met Prime Minister Narendra Modi to follow up on the report of the central team that had visited Arunachal recently at the behest of the PMO. The PM assured his continued support and said that the government of India would stand by the people of Arunachal in this difficult time.

The CM also met with union minister of Home Rajnath Singh to discuss the law and order situation in the state and also to seek support of the home minister in deployment of forces as well as initiating welfare measures for the police personnel. Both the Prime Minister and Home Minister have requested for detailed proposals on the issues raised, to which the CM assured of early submission.

ET CAPSULES

Three apprehended for Gambling Dibrugarh, May 4: Three people were arrested by Dibrugarh police from Amlopatty area for allegedly involved in double guti business. Police said that after getting information they conducted an raid and found three person conducting double guti(Gambling).

They were identified asJiban Chetry(37), Sajid Ahmed(37) and Mohammad Ainul Khan(38). Police recoved Rs 5680.00 from their possession and a case has been registered in Dibrugarh police station. Police said they have nab three other and other fled from the area. (Staff Reporter)

Surrender ULFA

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Tinsukia, May 04: The ULFA surrendered before Tinsukia police two days back has been identified as Jadab Asom and Aranyo Asom, duo of the urban guerila of ULFA under Dristi Rajkhowa. However, police is yet to make it official. The Eastern Today had already published ULFA surrender report in its May 3 issue.

According to sources, duo has been sent to Assam police HQ at Guwahati. Both the ULFA cadres were on bail and had re-joined ULFA outfit after they came out of jail. (Correspondent)

A fake medical institute at Jorhat known to be Central Institute of Para Medical Technology affiliated to National Council for Vocational Training under Ministry of Labour and Employment, Government of India with registration no.

41817008 at the New Medical Store building second floor, AT

Road Jorhat-1 Assam with its Managing Director to be Ranjit Barua, the institute principal Dr. Indeswar Duara.

The fake racket was burst by its students after the institute was brought to light that it was a fake, as students were denied to take practical classes at Government hospitals due to its fake affiliation with a fake university namely Biswakarma Open university for Self Em-

ployment, India, who does not have a permanent campus or office, it jumps from Delhi to Bombay, Bombay to Pune and from Pune to Lucknow, Lucknow to Patna etc, informed Monikanchan Phukan, a victim from the institute. The institute charged Rs 5000 during admission and as fee Rs 1000 per month.

Contd. on Page 4

Evidences of the murdered astrologer Acherjee at Digboi surfaced, missing scooty and a sharp knife recovered

Discuss the law and order situation in the state and also to seek support of the home minister in deployment of forces as well as initiating welfare measures for the police personnel

PM assured his continued support and said that the government of India would stand by the people of Arunachal in this difficult time

ET Correspondent Jorhat, May 4

Culprits close to cop's grip ET Correspondent Digboi May 4

CM Pul with PM Narendra Modi and HM Rajnath Singh

ATWS demands capital punishment for murderers A Staff Reporter Itanagar, May 4

closed and disposed off at the earliest.

society.

Aggrieved at the murder of one of its clan-brothers, The All Tallang Welfare Society (ATWS) today in a press conference sought immediate action against the murderers of late Radhi Tallang and demanded for the accused to be convicted and the case to be

Demanding capital punishment of the three accused, namely Riya Chabuk, Hilang Talo and Bengia Taluk, the ATWS said that if the state authorities fail to deliver exemplary punishment to the perpetrators, it would resort to customary laws to attain justice for the deceased’s family and the

The ATWS also appealed to the Bengia, HIllang and Riya intellectuals and societies to not interfere or apply pressure in the judicial proceedings of the murder so that investigations could be held without any hindrances. The society also said that any interference from any individual or group would be compelled to take action

SSA teachers respond to CM A Staff Reporter Itanagar, May 4

that the rally was not in any measures political in nature.

ond phase of protest scheduled for May 28 next.

Responding to Chief Minister Kalikho Pul’s remark that the peaceful protest rally of the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan teachers on April 28 last was politically motivated, the Central Executive Committee, All Arunachal Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan Teachers’ Association (CEC, AASSATA) today called a press conference to clarify

On the chief minister cautioning that SSA teachers who would resort to dharna or agitation of any form would be immediately suspended/terminated, the association members said that such words from the executive head of the state had deeply hurt their sentiments as they are fighting for their legitimate rights, and reiterated that it would continue its sec-

The association also claimed that on March 18 last, it had submitted a memorandum to the Education Minister asking for immediate consideration and action one its three-point memorandum, which includes one-go regulasitation, implementation of the Right To Education, Contd. on Page 3

against the individual as well as the murderers according to prevailing customary laws.

Maintaining that the ATWS is against revenge killing, the society requested everyone to refrain from and discourage such heinous actions. It also requested civil societies and NGOs to stand by the ATWS during this difficult time and condemn such anti-social acts.

Dead body found at Dehing River ET Correspondent Margherita, May 4

Tension Prevails today at Margherita when a dead body of a girl who was missing for seven days was found today at Dehing river, Lama gaon by Margherita Police.

The dead body was of Champa Chetry who was missing on 28 May and this connection two youths has been arrested. The two youths have been identified as Biswajit Chetry and Moinul Ali of Ledo region.

Contd. on Page 4

While Digboi police has been carrying investigation to nab the murderer of late Deepak Acherjee (57) an astrologer at Digboi Topla Basti committed on 30th last, the relatives of the deceased noticed a sharp blood stain lying along the roadside from near the place where the corpse of the victim was found lying amidst the grass beside a va-

cant quarter 1656-A in CMH Area. According to the investigating officer, the relatives of the deceased informed the police this morning about the knife seen during lightening of candles in the said location for the peace of the victim's soul in eternity. When asked about the development to this effect, Mr Milli, the OC of Digboi Police Station told that interrogation with the family members and relatives was being carried out and police is not too far from the criminals and

those accomplices involved in committing the heinous act.

Meanwhile, the police told the Sentinel that the missing scooty too was recovered from Margherita Police from Segunbari at Margherita which was found abandoned with number plate on the said two wheeler being missing.

'Though no arrest to this effect has been made as yet,

Contd. on Page 4

Rally against rampant selling of drugs in Dibrugarh A Staff Reporter Dibrugarh, May 4

Krishak Mukti Sangram Samity(KMSS) today criticized the police administration for failing to stop the drug racket in Dibrugarh. In a press conference, the organization told the media person that on Thursday KMSS and Chatra Mukti Sangram Samity(CMSS) with the conglomeration of other 25 organization would organise a protest rally against the rampant selling of drugs in Dibrugarh.

“From Amolapatty Natya Mandir our procession will start and pass through the main streets of Dibrugarh town and we will submit a memorandum to Dibrugarh Deputy Commissioner to take action the drug mafia and root out the whole business from Dibrugarh,’’ Pradip Haloi, President of KMSS, Dibrugarh district.

He said, “It is a threat to the new generation because if anyone will involve in this it will ruined their career and the family have to suffer the most,’’ he added. He said we urge the district administration to take immediate step to bust out the drug racket in Dibrugarh.

However, on May 16, 2012 notorious drug kingpin Elahi Sheikh was arrested from his residence in the Chandmari area of the town along with 1 kg of brown sugar from his possession.

Today, Dibrugarh police have apprehended one drug peddlers from Marwari patty area of Dibrugarh town. They were identified as- Raju Ahmed alias Abdul Kadir resident of Panchali. Police said that 20 grams of brown sugar was recovered him.

Bir Bikram Gogoi, SP

Dibrugarh told the correspondent that they have arrested two drug peddlers from Dibrugarh and trying their best to bust out the drug racket.

“Drugs racket is not new one in Dibrugarh many people may involve in this racket. We have been taking the matter seriously and doing everything possible to break the shackle of drugs in Dibrugarh,’’ he said.

“Easy availability of drugs has been a concern in Dibrugarh and many youths have ruined their career till now. It is like a cancer in the society which will ruin society if steps not taken,’’ Shibdas Bhattacharjee, a school teacher in Dibrugarh.

Sources said that drug kingpin Elahi Sheikh was in bail and again he has started the business. The areas like Kalibari, chanmarighat, Grambazar, Railway station etc were drugs can be easily found.

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Supported strongly by the Capital Complex Buddhist cultural Society (CCBCS) and various other district based students’ organisation, the participants marched along the highway stretch amidst chants of traditional Buddhist prayers.

investigation related matters to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) while asserting that, “We cannot at this juncture, trust any state agencies for free and impartial investigation.”

DIBRUGARH, THURSDAY, MAY 5

PAGE 2 ASTRO FOR YOU Aries Today you will go overboard trying to spruce up your looks. You attempt to imbibe new looks. A very desirable date will raise high expectations in you and will keep you on the edge of your seat.

Taurus You will discover answers to the finer aspects of your love life. Overall, you will have a refreshingly creative outlook all through the day. It is a favourable day for those who cherish unrequited love.

Gemini An extremely profitable and progressive day awaits you. You may come into a handsome inheritance. Your responsibilities will increase along with a possible promotion at work. However, do not let your success go to your head.

Cancer You will try to improve ties with beloved ones. Your devotion and dedication will reap benefits for the future. You will have physical and mental happiness. You will keep your future in mind. This will boost your self-confidence.

Leo You will be confused with issues relating to the work-place today. You need to accept your present circumstances for what they are, and work towards resolving your immediate concerns to find your way ahead in life. This period of doubt will pass very soon.

Virgo Your beloved will not only give you a surprise today but also demand one. There may be some good news on the business front. There is no need to shy from taking the advise of a loved one, as it will only benefit you, and later in the day, you may spend some good time together.

Libra You will be slightly possessive about some costly item that you own. There will be small concerns during the day about different matters, which will give you mental stress. On the whole the day will pass by nicely.

Scorpio You may bump into people with different tastes and temperaments. Some may surprise you, while some may just shock you. Sometimes, it is difficult to understand when people react indifferently to your success. Handle it with smartness and diplomacy.

Sagittarius Settling for a new, better employment will help you fast-track your career growth. A telephonic interview might ring in a new offer. A lucrative deal with an MNC would serve well. Your dedication and devotion to work will also peak today Capricorn Mounting pressure of work and responsibilities during the day may drain your energy, but not your enthusiasm. The second half of the day will be tiring, as you will be fighting a tough battle with your competitors. You’ll come out triumphant from the fight as you perform smartly and get your acts right.

Aquarius You speed up your pace and try to do everything in order to complete your targets, but you won’t be able to complete the tasks on time. Don’t lose hope as tomorrow will be a different day. Give yourself some time to relax and unwind.

Pisces You need to concentrate more on your personal life, and seriously think about the changes you need to make. You are guided more by your heart in these matters. However, there is nothing to worry about, as this is a golden period for you.

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

Condemnation of the incident AJYCP Silchar ET Correspondent.

Golaghat, May 4: Assam University in Silchar, Assam on students Jatiyabadi young student of the phenomenon of police torture have been condemned by the Council. At a press conference held today in Golaghat Biraj Talukder, chairman of the organization's Central Committee in Silchar, Assam University students outraged and criticized the state government and police authorities as well as an investigation of the case and the conviction of police officers involved in the case demanded.

Talukder also said that now it is seen that Krmi forest that is also involved in poaching is a major concern .He said that now seemed so full of politicians in the case,

Activists of Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuva Chatra Parishad (AJYCP), Jorhat staged demonstration in support of their various demands in Jorhat. Pic - UB Photos

one officer and predators why not with the murder of balls is increasing.

The CBI is going to help

tally attacked by the police was criticized for the government and the police.

Post Graduate classes in English in DHSK College A stuff reporter Dibrugarh, May 4 : Post Graduate classes in English is going to be started by historic Dibrugarh Hanumanbax Surajmall Kanoi College (DHSK College), Dibrugarh from the session 2016-17. The college was established in 1945 and it was a long journey of 70 years for it. The college which was initiated by renown scholars like the then founder Principal Dr. Jogiraj Basu, Principal Dr. Lakhi Pd. Dutta, Professor Birendra Nath Bhattacharjee, Dr.

Mohendra Nath Bora, former Professor Pune University Mr. Sudhakar Pandey, Aswini Charan Choudhury and Mr. Anirudha Gohain former Principal of Rohini Kanta Baruah Law College and many other educationist.

The college had many ups & down and reached present stage and now has been able to distinguish itself as one of the premier institution of Higher Education of Post-Independence of Assam as well as entire north-east. It's worth mentioning that this was the

NDFB(S) cadre held

Phone No.-03732325456 E-mail -dibrugarh@air.org.in Facebook Page-All India Radio Dibrugarh Programme Highlights 5-5-16 (THURSDAY) 5-35 A.M-Bhaktigeeti (Devotional Songs) 6-10 A.M-Swasthya Charcha (Health Programme) 6-15 A.M-Classical Music 7-15 A.M-Aajir Dinto (Morning Information Service) 7-30 A.M-Geetanjali (Assamese Modern Song) 8-35 A.M-Surar Panchoi (Composite Programme of Assamese Film Songs) 9-05 A.M- Antara (Composite Programme of Hindi Film Songs) 12-30 P.M-Ghar-Jeuti (Women's Programme)-Live Phone In Programme "Rongali Bihur Rong Aaru Lokachar", Expert-Dr. Anil Shaikia 1-10 P.M-Asha (Sponsored Programme) 2-30 P.M-Western Music Programme 3-45 P.M-Programme in Miju Mishmi 4-05 P.M-Programme in Khamti 4-25 P.M-Programme in Wancho 5-00 P.M-Programme in Idu 5-20 P.M-Programme in Tangsa 5-40 P.M-Programme in Nocte 6-15 P.M-Ganya Raijor Anushthan 7-15 P.M-Yuvavani 7-45 P.M-Aadhunik Geet 8-00 P.M-Gyanmalini 9-30 P.M- National Programme of Folk and Light Music

all the people in this regard. In the event of the anti-dam protesters Biraj Talukder Tawang bru-

NDFB(S) cadre held at Kokrajhar

ET Correspondent Kokrajhar, May 4: A cadre of NDFB (Songbijit faction) was apprehended by security forces belonging to police and army from Gossaigaon Tinali yesterday night in a joint search operation in Kokrajhar district. He was identified as Swrang

Narzary of Kathalguri Bishmuri, was involved with various cases of extortion, kidnapping and providing logistic supports to the militant outfit organisation.

A pistol, two round live bullets were recovered from him.

third college established in Assam before independence and first college of undivided Lakhimpur district. A festive mood has prevail entire college after news of permission by Dibrugarh University to start up PG classes has spread. Speaking on this occasion the principal Dr. Sashikanta Saikia of this premier institution express his joyous feeling and reiterated that his commitment for the developments of this premier institute of repute. Saying that it will be his earnest endeavour to improve the aca-

demic and granting PG status the Dibrugarh University feather on the cap of this college. He promised to raise the quality of this institution and effort to make this institution to be number one in the entire states. He said that it is his dream to gain Centre of Excellence & Autonomous status under UGC. It is very proud for Dibrugarh that the DHSK College is the creator of present Dibrugarh University which was established in 1965 by the effort of Dr. Jogiraj Basu and Dr. Lakhi Pd. Dutta.

Assam loses senior journalist Naba Sarma A stuff reporter, Guwahati, May 4: Senior journalist of northeast India and a member of Guwahati Press Club, Naba Sarma (79) passed away on 3 May 2016.

Sarma, who worked both in regional and national media outlets, breathed his last at Gauhati Medical College Hospital on Tuesday morning after a massive heart attack.

He left behind his wife Anima Sarma, only daughter Karishma Sarma and a granddaughter. A resident of Guwahati, Sarma hailed from Dibrugarh of eastern Assam.

He started his journalistic career from Dainik Asom of Assam Tribune group of publications and later worked with the Janambhomi group, Economic Times, Hindu Business Line with few others. He was also involved with All India Radio as a news reader theatre artiste in radio dramas. Soon after his demise, Sarma was taken to his residence for necessary rituals. His body was also taken to All India Radio Guwahati, The Assam Tribune and Guwahati Press Club, where his former colleagues, fellow journalists and Assam students' union leaders paid last tributes before his cremation in the city. Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi also expressed his profound grief at Sarma's sudden demise.

Lightening claims 1 in Nalbari ET Correspondent, Nalbari, May 4: In a tragic incident a man was killed by lightening at Balitara village in Nalbari district at around 12 today. The man has been identified as Kulen Kalita (35) of the village who was a thela puller in profession.

The man went to the nearby gazing field to see his cow when he was struck by the lightning came with rain and strom.He leaves behind his wife a son and a daughter.

Medical books released at press club A Staff Reporter Guwahati, May 4: Four books related to healthcare initiatives, published by the city based down town hospital, were released at Guwahati Press Club on 4 May 2016. All the books, written by medical consultants of the pioneer private hospital in northeast India, were officially released by Kanaksen Deka, former president of Asom Sahitya Sabha and Dr Ramesh Deka, vice-chancellor of Assam down town University, Panikhaiti (also former director of All India Institute of Medical Sciences). The writers of the book namely Dr. N. N. Dutta (Soru Soru Kothar Sophura), Dr. Rupam Das (DiabetesProtirodh Kenekoi), Dr. Ramen

Baishya (Aponar Brikkadway Surakhit Kori Rakhok), Dr. Dhruba Jyoti Dutta (Handbook on medical & surgical emergencysecond edition) etc. were also present on the occasion. "We (down town hospital) have taken this initiative to officially release the books with the objective to create health awareness

among the general public and to build a healthy educational environment," said Dr. N. N. Dutta, the chairman & managing director of down town hospital.

The function was also addressed by Dr Udayan Barua, medical superintendant of down town hospital, journalist Nava Thakuria and Mayuri Borah.

Severe blow to AANLA: army nabs six cadres including chairman

Sd-/H.O.P

10 traders and police injured in clash

Carcass of the leopard killed by people at Dhelaghat in Tinsukia. Pic - UB Photos

ET Correspondent Dhubri, May 4: Subinspector, Sahadat Ali and 11 persons were injured in clash between security forces and trading community at Jordanga Bazar under Mancachar police station of South Salmara-Mancachar police station yesterday. Police resorted to lathi charge on the trader who allegedly put up their shops there

despite relocation of market elsewhere. In retaliation, traders too hurled stone at the security forces in which one sub-inspector; Sahadat Ali sustained serious head injuries.

He was immediately taken to the nearby health centre but later in view of deteriorating condition shifted to Gauhati Medical College and Hospital, a police source said.

Six hardcore-armed All Adivasi National Liberation Army (AANLA) cadres apprehended in East Karbi Anglong. Pic - UB Photos ET Correspondent Rangia, May 4: Based on specific information, Army successfully apprehended six hardcore-armed All Adivasi National Liberation Army cadres including Anand Nayak @ Dilip Nayak, SS Chairman of the group, in East Karbi Anglong (EKA). This sur-

gical operation was launched on accurate information of Army Intelligence. These cadres had recently entered EKA to carry out a weapons deal close to the Nagaland border and were nabbed from one of their transit location in Village Jilangso under PS Bakuliya. Details of the cad-

res apprehended are Anand Nayak @ Dilip Nayak (SS Chairman), Sumon Gaur (SS District Cdr), Mandeep Gour, Kanak Ram, Uttam Munda and Riten Munda.

Six factory made Pistols with ammunition (Two 9mm and Four 7.65) and two Hand Grenades were recovered from them.

DIBRUGARH, THURSDAY, MAY 5

PAGE 3

Governor compliments the JJT University, suggests for students and faculty exchange programmes A Staff Reporter Itanagar, May 4: The Governor of Arunachal Pradesh Shri JP Rajkhowa has been conferred the Doctorate of Literature in the special convocation of Shri Jagdishprasad Jhabarmal Tibrewala University, Jhunjhunu at Mumbai on 4th May 2016.

Speaking on the occasion, the Governor complimented the JJT University for establishing the University into a centre for excellence. He expressed hope that JJT University will make the transition towards being known not only for their quality graduates, but as new knowledge creators and technology developers in the manner of the great research universities around the world.

Commending the University fraternity, the Governor urged upon them to join hands with people of Arunachal Pradesh in spreading the light of education-in the field of higher education in particular, in Science, management, engi-

Governor condoles, announces relief amount A Staff Reporter Itanagar, May 4: The Governor of Arunachal Pradesh Shri JP Rajkhowa and First Lady Smt Rita Rajkhowa have deeply mourned the loss of lives due to natural calamities in different parts of the State. The First Couple grieved the demise of Shri Chow ko Mili of Philobari Village under Lekang Circle in Namsai District and young student, Master Rahul Chakma of Dharmapur-1 Village under Miao Circle in Changlang District, who died due to lighting strikes, as reported in the Media.

Conveying heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families to bear the irreparable loss, the Governor announced an Ex-grata of Rs. 1 (One) Lakh to each of the two victims' nearest kin from Governor's Relief Fund subjected to detail reports from concerned Deputy Commissioners.

and fauna.

Along with the Governor of Arunachal Pradesh, the Governor of Haryana Shri Kaptan Singh Solanki, the Governor of Mizoram, Lt. Gen. Nirbhay Sharma, the Governor of Tripura, Shri Tathagata Roy, former Governor of Bihar, Dr. D. Y. Patil and Padmashree Awardee and Flautist Pt. Hariprasad Chaurasia also received the doctorate of literature degree.

JP Rajkhowa conferred the Doctorate of Literature in the special convocation of Shri Jagdishprasad Jhabarmal Tibrewala University, Jhunjhunu at Mumbai neering and technology. Informing that the State Government is going to set up institutions of higher and technical education under the PPP mode. He suggested for students and faculty exchange programmes and other inter university activities, which he opined that such initiative will definitely help the students in learning about their peers in

Act as per revised norms for teachers and enhancement of salaries with their disbursement on a monthly basis. On March 29 last, the same memorandum was submitted as a reminder to the Education Minister, but the association claimed that it had not received any response. On April 7 last, the CEC,AASSATA said that it served an ultimatum to the Education Minister demanding deliberation and action on its three-point demands within a set time frame, failing which it would proceed for a democratic movement.

Accordingly, the association said that it set out with the peaceful protest rally on April 28 last from Akashdeep to Indira Gandhi Park with 3789 SSA teachers in attendance to show their solidarity.

“We were expecting that the legislators would visit us and address our issues, but we were disappointed that none of them turned up”, said CEC,AASSATA president Tagru Kasha.

Regarding SSA teachers

The Governor said that unity of the Nation should

not only from Kashmir to Kanyakumari but also from Arunachal Pradesh to Gujarat. The people of mainland India should welcome the people of North East region as their own.

The Governor also highlighted on the developmental progress of Arunachal Pradesh, with special focus on connectivity, tourism, hydropower and its flora

East Kameng DC Deepak Shinde flagged off Sanitation Vehicle Seppa, May 4: Yet again, as a shot in the arm to the most successful social endeavor towards complete facial changeover of the Seppa Township, today DC Deepak Shinde has flagged off a sanitation tipper truck in the Office Compound of UD & Housing, Seppa Division. Shri T. Tachang, DD, UD & Housing, Smti Moromi Sonam, DDMO,

Shri T. Perme, DPO, UPO, AUPO and other officials were present and witnessed the much delighted ceremony. DD, UD & Housing has informed that with the addition of this vehicle now garbage collection and disposal from all the sectors under Seppa Township can be attended daily.

The tipper truck was pro-

cured after the approval from the District Development Committee under Swachch Bharat Mission (SBM). It will cater to the needs of much needed garbage collection work in the Township. It will add as a supplement to the already existing though insufficient inventory of machinery for cleanliness works.

(DIPRO)

DDMA Seppa held meeting to preparein-advance for upcoming monsoon

Mallya's resignation accepted man from the U.K. in a bid to avoid expulsion, saying he did not want his name and reputation to be further dragged in mud.

New Delhi, May 4 (ANI): Rajya Sabha Chairman Mohd Hamid Ansari has accepted MP Vijay Mallya's resignation with effect from May 4, 2016, Deputy Chairman P.J. Kurien informed the House on Wednesday.

Earlier, Ansari had turned down liquor baron Mallya's resignation on procedural grounds.

The Ethics Committee had to take a decision on Tuesday on recommending his expulsion, an issue which was unanimously decided in the panel's last meeting on April 25.

Rajya Sabha Secretary General has written to Mallya that the Chairman had not accepted his resignation letter as "it does not conform to prescribed procedures and does not bear signature in original".

According to reports, the Committee that met on Tuesday also pointed to the wrong procedure, while rejecting the resignation. The panel members also expressed dissatisfaction with his reply about his loan default.

Quoting from the Secretary General's letter, Ansari's OSD Gurdeep Singh Sappal posted on

SSA teachers respond to CM Contd. from Page 1

your University and vice versa. It will help students of this part of our great Nation to know about North East region and also help my Arunachal children to know your culture, traditions and practices thereby strengthening the spirit of brotherhood and unity.

Head of Sanyas Ashram, Mahamandaleshwar Swami Vishweshwaranand Giriji Maharaj, Dr. Rajendra Prasad Guruji Maharaj, Amritwani, Gen. JJ Singh, former Governor of Arunachal Pradesh, former Vice Chancellor of SNDT University Dr. Rupa Shah were also felicitated on the occasion.

Shri Vinod Tibrewala, Chairman, Shri Jagdishprasad Jhabarmal Tibrewala University and Dr. D.K. Kaushik, Vice Chancellor and other senior Officers of the University were present on the occasion.

East Kameng DC flagged off Sanitation Vehicle

working on contractual basis, Kasha clarified that they were contractual appointees before the RTE Act, 2009, but after it was incorporated in the Constitution of India in the 86th Amendment, the RTE Act, 2009 became a framed SSA-RTE norm as instructed by the Ministry of Human Resource Development. It however maintained that Arunachal Pradesh SSA teachers still count as contractual.

Reiterating that it would continue its second phase of protest come May, the association said that the protests are the last alternatives to show the agony of their demands not being met with.

On May 1 last, the chief minister had lambasted some unions, including the CEC AASSATA for their protests and cited that the SSA teachers by virtue of being contractual government servants have “No rights whatsoever to dictate the government and also seek for regularisation,” which he added is the government’s prerogative.

Accordingly, CM Pul also went on to warn that, “One more protest rally from any government servant would invite suspension/termination from the job.”

MP Vijay Mallya Twitter that as per procedures the resignation must be voluntary and genuine. According to rules, a member, who intends to resign his seat in the House, has to intimate this in writing under his hand addressed to the Chairman, his inten-

tion to resign his seat in the Council.

Mallya, who is facing a case of loan default of over Rs 9,400 crore, had sent a scanned copy of the resignation letter to the Rajya Sabha Chair-

Mallya's term in the Rajya Sabha was to come to an end on July 1 this year.

AH & Vety Conducts Workshop on Capacity Building

DDMA Seppa held meeting to prepare-in-advance for upcoming monsoon ET Bureau Seppa, May 4: District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) of East Kameng District has convened a meeting today to take stock of the preparedness and readiness of different aspects in order to tackle unforeseen natural eventualities occurred due to upcoming monsoon season. Smti Moromi Sonam, DDMO cum Convenor, DDMA has apprised the house about the damage report of 2015-16 caused due to flood and landslide in the district. She informed in detail about various damage reports put forth by different departments. She informed that the reports on last year damages put forth by the departments have been forwarded already to the higher authority. She apprised the members about the details of expenditure incurred and fund disbursed to various departments as relief package during last year. She informed that all the works have been completed as on now. She urged the HoDs to prepare their action plan for evacuation and make awareness among the staffs and direct them to aware others. In such a way a fission-chain of information will be created and many will be informed. She informed that a circular regarding preparation of damage report has been forwarded to all HoDs and requested them to

submit the report after proper assessment. She informed that a group has been created in the social media for fast dissemination of information in case of any eventualities. Taking the cue from the last year landslide incident near Type III colony at Seppa, DDSE Kata Rangmo has suggested for procurement of adequate inventories and safety kits for contingency labours of district administration who can be engaged in rescue operation.

Terming social media, internet and telecommunication are the fastest mode of transmission of information, East Kameng DC, Shri Deepak Shinde has directed the members of DDMA and HoDs to keep their mobile phones in switch-on mode. He directed the DDMO to get the contact number and email id of all HoDs and the public leaders. He suggested deploying PA system laden vehicle for rigorous announcement for creating awareness among the masses. He enquired about the buffer and reserve stocks of rations and medicine. He directed to ensure adequate stock of rations and medicines. Mobile health units should be functional and adequate medical personnel shall be present in the posting place. Acknowledging road is very important for transportation, he directed all the construction agency and department concerned to keep

all road open by engaging necessary machinery and deploying manpower. He directed the engineering departments to prepare a plan in advance and submit an action plan. He directed the Gammon India company to complete the brige over Pachi river latest by the 31st May, 2016. He directed the UD and PWD and other departments concerned to keep the drainage clean by ensuring regular clearing of blockages. he directed the UD department to ensure regular collection and disposal of garbage, supervision of cleanliness of township. He directed the PHED to ensure uninterrupted drinking water supply.

He directed the Power department to clear the jungle along the HT Lines regularly from Khuppi to Seppa He enquired about control room, rapid response team, availability of inventories, machineries, rescue and relief team, evacuation and relief centre, notified relief shelters, vulnerable areas, incident response team and others. He suggested the HoDs to go through the Disaster Management Manual and organise as many awareness programmes as possible. He directed the DSP to prepare and submit the requirement of tools and equipments required for rescue operation. He directed to procure adequate number of tools, inventories and equipments.

SC favours 2005 Jharkhand for floor test in U''khand

AH & Vety Conducts Workshop on Capacity Building Aalo May 4: The Animal Husbandry & veterinary department organized oneday Workshop for farmer and youth in building and skill development programme on scientific and commercial rearing of livestock and poultry at Gumin Kiin today.

Nyiken Lollen ADC Kamba

graced the occasion has Chief Guest advised progressive farmers and youth to take up Animal harvesting in Scientific and commercial manner for high income generation. DAH&VO, Dr. Mrs Pagi Kamki Basar, Sri Gomar Angu DDI, Jumdo Diyum DPO and Henbom

Dirchi i/c DHO gave valuable advice to the farmers and youths. Resource Persons, Dr. T. Kamchi, Dr Yike Angu , Dr Kejom Pal and Dr Sidik Raksap dwelt at length on scientific and commercial rearing of livestocks for the general interest of farmers and youth.

New Delhi, May 4 (PTI): The Supreme Court today suggested that it may order a 'composite floor test' for Uttarakhand Assembly as was directed by the apex court in 2005 in Jharkhand when BJP leader Arjun Munda had challenged the government formation by JMM supremo Shibu Soren.

"The floor test (in Uttarakhand Assembly) can be on Jharkhand Model," a bench comprising Justices Dipak Misra and Shiva Kirti Singh.

While senior advocate Kapil Sibal and Abhishekh Manu Singhvi, appearing for sacked Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat, was advocating that the floor test in the assembly would be like a vote of confidence for him, Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi was toeing the bench's suggestion and submitted that it can be decided after a debate when the matter is taken again on Friday.

The apex court on March 9, 2005 had passed the order for Jharkhand Assembly on the line of its earlier order for a composite floor test in Uttar Pradesh in 1998.

It had directed the Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police to "see that all elected MLAs attended the proceedings of the Assembly freely, safely and securely without any interference by anybody".

In the Jharkhand matter, Rohatgi had then appeared for Munda as a senior advocate and Singhvi had represented the then state government which was formed after the then Governor Syed Sibtey Razi had invited Soren to form the government despite the claim of the NDA to have majority support.

The order, in which the apex court had also directed videorecording of the proceedings of the floor test, had evoked mixed reaction from the legal experts as some had favoured

the recording while others had raised eyebrows saying that it amounts to judicial over-reach and encroaching the domain of the Speaker or the pro-tem Speaker.

The apex court in the Jharkhand case had also advanced the date of floor test to March 11 from March 15 to determine who - UPA nominee Shibu Soren or NDA's Arjun Munda - commands majority in the House.

The top court had also stayed any move to nominate a representative of the Anglo-Indian Community as a Member of the House by saying this could wait till a "legitimate" government took over after the floor test on March 11.

The court had advanced the floor test date to March 11 wondering as to why the Governor had given five days more to the Soren government to prove its majority even though the MLAs were to take oath on March 10, 2005.

DIBRUGARH, THURSDAY, MAY 5

PAGE 4

UPA violates norms, created 'single-vendor Youth round table on human rights situation' to benefit from Agusta deal: Parrikar New Delhi, May 4 (ANI): Alleging that the procurement process in the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper deal was violated, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar today said that the former UPA regime had created 'single-vendor situation' to benefit from the same.

"Italian court has proof that there was 'malafide intent' and there was corruption in matter is brought out in extensive details in judgements of a Milan court. The country wants to know who benefitted from the deal," Parrikar asked to the Congress.

"The Italian court has said there are omissions at many stages and the deal was cancelled by the government after the CAG advice," he said in the Rajya Sabha.

"Why field evaluation trials were conducted outside India. Field trial in India was

ment.

"We blacklisted six companies in one go. This sent out a message that we do not tolerate corruption," he said.

Congress leader Ahmed Patel earlier dared the government to investigate the matter and come up with truth.

"If you find an iota of truth in these claims, I will quit politics and my public life," he said.

extremely important because topographical conditions here (in India) differ from that of in the U.S. and the U.K.," he added.

cluded his speech, leader of opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad said the Defence Minister's speech is full of allegations.

Parrikar further said the UPA regime tried to take the longer route of writing to the embassy and the court etc. instead of taking action against the company.

As soon as Parrikar con-

Countering BJP MP Subramanian Swamy, former defence minister A.K. Antony earlier said take action if you have evidence, but don't threaten and blackmail us.

Emerging out of Parliament, leader of opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad said all allegations levelled against our friends are baseless.

"Two years on, they could not get a CBI inquiry finished neither they want it to finish. That is why we have demanded a Supreme Court-monitored CBI inquiry, which should be concluded in three months," he told reporters waiting outside Parliament.

"This should have been done by the government, but people who are being alleged are saying this. It means that the government doesn't want to finish the matter and wants to continue with it. Their agenda is to defame the Congress and its leader-

years, and nothing is happening, but the country wants to know the truth.

Challenging the BJP-led NDA Government to mark a SC-monitored CBI inquiry, Azad said, "The government should inform the House in the July-August session of Parliament that who had received how much bribe.

And if they don't have any proof, they should stop defaming the Congress and apologise to the nation for their inability to nab people who had received bribes."

Toeing the same line, former defence minister and Congress leader A.K. Antony told reporters, "Ultimately, we demanded a Supreme Court-monitored CBI inquiry, but the government did not agree to it."

Saying that they ask for three things, Antony said: "First, take action against the giver as well as taker; second, the Italian court judgment is that there is corruption, so blacklist the company at the earliest; and third, remove the company from 'Make in India' project."

Meanwhile, Congress leader Ahmed Patel told reporters, "How we would ask a question to him when we didn't know what he was reading? Generally, ministers reply after hearing all members, but he (Parrikar) had come with written reply even before listening to the members. Even then, his reply was not satisfactory.

He should have at least circulated the statement."

When asked Parliamentary Affairs Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu said when you were the ruling party you had asked for a CBI inquiry and now when the BJP is in power you are asking for a SCmonitored CBI probe, Antony shot back because they are in power for two

Alleging that the procurement process in the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper deal was violated, Parrikar today said that the former UPA regime had created "single-vendor situation" to benefit from the same.

"Don't try to politicise this issue. You will have to repent later. After the first report in media on alleged scam in helicopter deal, we acted immediately," Antony said.

Antony said the decision to change the height of choppers was taken by then PMO and the NDA govern-

"The judgment described 'AP' as the political secretary. Don't we know who that is?" he asked.

The Agusta deal was signed in 2010 and was cancelled in 2014, after the allegations of corruption surfaced.

Dead body found at Dehing River

Govt tenders apology in LS over absence of Ministers

"Italian court has proof that there was 'malafide intent' and there was corruption in matter is brought out in extensive details in judgements of a Milan court. The country wants to know who benefitted from the deal," Parrikar asked to the Congress.

"The Italian court has said there are omissions at many stages and the deal was cancelled by the government after the CAG advice," he said in the Rajya Sabha.

"Why field evaluation trials were conducted outside India. Field trial in India was extremely important because topographical conditions here (in India) differ from that of in the U.S. and the U.K.," he added.

Parrikar further said the UPA regime tried to take the longer route of writing to the embassy and the court etc. instead of taking action against the company.

As soon as Parrikar concluded his speech, Azad said the Defence Minister's speech is full of allegations.

A case has been registered at Margherita Police Station case Number 94/16 U/S 366,376,342/ 34 IPC against the youths. Meanwhile today the irate mob blocked the NH 38 road at Baragolai for more than two hours demanding strict punishment against the arrested youths. After that Additional SP Margherita Sub Divisional Police Officer, Tinsukia District Additional Deputy Commissioner and Margherita Police Station officer went there and assured the irate mob that strict punishment shall be given to the arrested youths. All Adivashi Student Association of Assam Margherita Regional Committee President Ramanus Lakra Condemned the heinous incident and demand Strict Punishment. Noted Communist Thinker of Margherita Comrade Bikash Dasgupta also condemned the incident and appealed to all families to fight against Uncultured and Uncivilized problems of our Society.

'Sarbjit' is one of Aishwarya's best performances: Ankur produced by filmmaker Mira Nair.

Mumbai, May 4 (PTI): Actor Ankur Bhatia says he was in awe of actress Aishwarya Rai Bachchan while shooting for "Sarbjit", and feels she has given one of her career's best performances in the upcoming biopic.

Directed by Omung Kumar, the movie is based on Sarabjit Singh, an Indian national, who died following an assault by fellow prisoners at a Pakistani jail.

The film stars Randeep Hooda in the titular role and Aishwarya as Sarabjit's sister Dalbir Kaur.

Ankur,

who

plays

He then went on to work in a negative role in Apurva Lakhia's "Zanjeer", which also starred Sanjay Dutt and Priyanka Chopra.

For his role in "Sarbjit", the actor had to undergo several rounds of audition and grow his beard to look like a sardar.

Actress Aishwarya Rai Aishwarya's husband in the film, is all praise for the 42year-old "Jazbaa" actress. "'Sarbjit' is one of her best films and performances.

I was completely in awe of her. She is a huge star, but at the same time very jolly,

nice and humble. She used to talk about her baby and made sure everybody was comfortable on the sets," the actor told PTI. Ankur, who resides in New York, began his career in 2010 in Payal Sethi's "Grant St Shaving Co", which was

Baruah has mentioned about Universal Declaration of Human Rights and some of the Constitutional Rights in the country. Nion Mushahary mentioned that community must be sensitized to stop killing people in the name of witch hunting. Participants have felt that human rights commission must take action as killing people in the name of witch hunting is prominent in the area. Killers and culprits engaged in killing innocent by blaming them as practicing of which must be punished. Participant also mentioned that innocent people are harassed as the area is affected by conflict and there was also discussion on act like Armed Forces Special Power Act. NEYF has been organising awareness programme amongst youth and would conduct awareness programme in near future related to human rights, Nion Mushahary, secretary, Kokrajhar district ABSU said.

He further sought to know as to why the UPA had the field testing done by other helicopter.

Contd. from Page 1

ship as they had done during the Bofors, added Azad.

Asking former prime minister Dr. Manmohan Singh to clarify as to whose orders did he follow, Swamy said, "There were businessmen, politicians and bureaucrats involved. Italian records have mentioned full name."

Participants have mentioned that there are instances but many are not reported.

Swamy earlier said the people, who lowered the specifications of height of choppers were not from the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), adding the Italian High Court's judgement clearly mentions the role of Congress leaders.

AgustaWestland: Dissatisfied Congress walks out of RS, seeks SC-monitored CBI probe New Delhi, May 4 (ANI): Congress leaders staged a walkout from the Rajya Sabha after being dissatisfied with Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar's statement on the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper deal on Wednesday evening.

Swamy, who was speaking in the Rajya Sabha, said the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has full right to interrogate the 'driving force' behind the VVIP chopper deal as mentioned in accused Michel's letter.

ET Correspondent Kokrajhar, May 4: The North East Youth Foundation (NEYF) in association with Kokrajhar district committee of All Bodo Students Union (ABSU) organized a round table discussion on human rights at Bishmuri anchalik ABSU office on Wednesday in Kokrajhar to finding out youth perspectives on human rights and how they see among their life. The aim of the round table was to find out youth perspectives on human rights and making awareness about youth as well society, was supported

by North East Dialogue Forum.

"I had actually auditioned for a film called 'Mehrunnisa' which was being directed by Sudhir Mishra. That film never got made. Later, I was asked to record some scenes of 'Sarbjit' and send it to the casting directors before I finally went to Omung Kumar's office and gave the

audition."

Ankur says the role was "demanding" as he had to portray the conflict of a character, whose age group he did not identify with.

"Baldev is a man who loves his wife very much, but also feels he doesn't get that much of attention as his wife is constantly into the mission of rescuing her brother.

It was very necessary for the conflict to come out...," he said.

"At times it was challenging because the character starts out as young and transitions into old. I did not belong to the age group, but had to keep myself in the zone of an uptight man which I am not in real life," the actor said.

"There was a clear effort to eliminate all other companies so that only Agusta would fit the required criteria," he alleged.

New Delhi, Apr 4 (PTI): Government was today forced to tender an apology in Lok Sabha as Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu and his junior Manoj Sinha were absent when the House took up a question relating to their Ministry and the Speaker issuing a stricture that such instances should not recur.

The discussion was chaired

by Nion Mushahary, secretary of Kokrajhar district committee ABSU and moderated by Ranjan Kumar Baruah from NEYF. Participants have raised different issues related to human rights starting from educational many rights of students, health rights, etc. the main issue of discussion was related to witch hunting in the locality. A college going student was killed on April 22 on suspect of witch practices.

the first time that a Minister was absent when matters related to their Ministries were taken up.

the question relating to their Ministry was listed for business in the House.

The incident happened during Question Hour when Speaker Sumitra Mahajan took up the issue of 'Go-India Smart Card', an initiative of the Railway Ministry, for discussion.

The Speaker initially said the Minister (Sinha) should be called as this was not fair and he should not leave the House when there is a question listed against his name.

As neither Prabhu, nor Sinha were present in the House, Congress members led by Mallikarjun Kharge strongly protested and wanted to know why the Ministers were absent when

As Congress members continued to protest, Mahajan said that she had limited options. "What should I do?

Should I hang him? I said it should not have happened," she said.

Kharge said this was not for

"You were here day before yesterday. When there is a discussion, Cabinet Minister should be present. That day also the Minister was not present, but we kept mum. Because they requested that such things will not happen again.

"To run the House, the Ministers do not come but you keep telling us that we should follow the rules. But they do not go by the rules.

There is a question but the Cabinet Minister is not present, the MoS is also not present. Its repercussion, reflection will be on you (Speaker) and us (opposition) but not on them (treasury)," Kharge said.

Fake medical institute racket burst, fir lodged Contd. from Page 1

It was established in the year 2010 in aim to impart teaching and training for various job oriented technical course especially in the field of medical science for proper diagnosis and treatment. The courses being offered by the institute are- laboratory technician, midwifery assistant, dresser, basic of anatomy and physiology, pharmacy assistant, health care multipurpose worker, nursing aids, dental clinic technicians, laboratory assistant, radiology assistant and dental clinic assistant.

After three batches of three different courses when came to know about the reality of the institute started enquiring its registration and affiliation

when came to know that the institute is really a fake institute as no government hospitals or private hospitals recruiting any of its product due to fake university certificate that the passing out student are carrying. A section of students from the institute when tried to contact Director Health at Hengarabari, Dispur was denied and paid no heed or took interest about the visiting students from this institute so called the Central Institute of Para Medical Technology and they have to return back without and solution which forced a section of students today to marched to the Jorhat Sadar Police station and lodge a FIR against the MD Ranjit Baruah and Principal Dr. Indeswar Duara for cheating and looting over

lakh and lakh of rupees from innocent students from Arunachal, Upper Assam, Karbi Anglong, Lakhimpur, Dhemaji, Sivasagar and even from the districts from Northern Nagaland too.

Over hundreds of students from the institute today throng into the premises of the Jorhat Police Station pressurize the police to go for the strict enquiry into the fake institute who have been playing with the life of over several hundreds of innocent youths basically from Assam, Arunachal and Nagaland only. Now the question is who will bell the cat at a time when the state of Assam is reeling under serious scams basically under the department of health is a big question mark.

Evidences of the murdered astrologer Acherjee at Digboi surfaced, missing scooty and a sharp knife recovered Contd. from Page 1

the criminals who are trying to misled the police are not too far and all those involved in the act would be booked soon', added the investigating officer. It may be recalled here that Deepak Acharjee a resident of Topla Basti in Digboi under Digboi Police station in Tinsukia District was hacked to death

by unidentified miscreants here on 30tth last. The dead body was found lying in the AOD residential area beside a vacant quarter 1656-A in CMH Area very close to their residence. According to the relatives of the deceased including the grief stricken wife, Mr Acharjee leaving behind his mobile phone at home had gone to drop her relatives in Durgabari at around 7.30 on his purple colored Scooty (Activa, AS 23L 7065) and the incident

occurred while returning after leaving Durgabari at 9.15 pm passing through the said residential area which did not have sufficient lights and residents too were thinly concentrated.

However, the family members and the people of Digboi have been demanding of the police to come out with the desired output in this regard and assert the exact nature, purpose and criminals involved in the commission of the crime.

REGION

DIBRUGARH, THURSDAY, MAY 5

Top leader, 5 others of Adivasi militant group held

The 'commander-in-chief' and five other cadres of the All Adivasi National Liberation Army (AANLA) were arrested

Diphu, May 4: The 'commander-in-chief' and five other cadres of the All Adivasi National Liberation Army (AANLA) were arrested with arms in Karbi Anglong district, a senior police officer said on Wednesday. Acting on a tip off, a joint team of police and army launched an operation at Jilangso under Bokolia police station and arrested the six last night, Superintendent of Police Debojit Deuri said.

Two 9 mm pistols with magazines, four 7.65 mm pistols with as many magazines, two hand grenades, eight rounds of 9 mm ammunition and 28 rounds of 7.65 mm ammunition were seized,

Deuri said.

The apprehended insurgents include AANLA 'commander-in-chief' Dilip Nayak alias Anand Nayak. The other five arrested cadres are Mahadev Gour, Somon Gour alias Rahul Gour, Kanakeram Gour, Uttam Munda and Riten Munda, the SP said.

Formed in 2006, the AANLA is active in Golaghat and Karbi Anglong districts.

Claiming to be fighting to safeguard the tribal culture of the plantation workers whose ancestors were brought from northern India by British colonialists, the outfit demands ST status for the Adivasi community.

(Agencies)

Sipahijala Zoo achieves new feat, set to get new members

A python has laid eggs and a slow loris has given birth to a baby in captivity for the first time in Sipahijala Zoo Agartala, May 4: A py- times a day with tank thon has laid eggs and a water," Chakraborty slow loris has given birth said. to a baby in captivity for There are four domestithe first time in cated elephants in the Sipahijala Zoo, about 22 sanctuary which are bekm from here, zoo offi- ing trained for rides for cials said on Wednesday. the visitors.

"This is for the first time "We water the floors of a python has laid eggs in the enclosures of leopthe zoo captivity and a ards, monkeys, cats etc slow loris also gave birth but do not sprinkle wato a baby about ten days ter on them as they do not ago. We are continuously like," he said. observing the develop- Animals like black bucks ments and trying to give from Rajasthan or lions our best support to those from Gir do not need any animals," Zoo Director artificial cooling as they Pallav Chakraborty said. were brought from warm Slow lorises are a group and temperate areas. of several species of noc- "We regularly pour waturnal strepsirrhine pri- ter on floors of the cages mates which make up the of Himalayan bear and genus Nycticebus, found also hang gunny bags in India's north east, West around their enclosures.

Bengal, neighboring We keep them wet and Bangladesh and also in have also covered their some other places in roofs with materials southeast Asia. which are non-conduc"When the slow loris was tors of heat," pregnant we felt that Chakraborty said. some insects rich with Veterinary doctor of the protein should be sup- zoo, Keshab Debnath plied to the animal. Then said beside keeping the we laid light trap to catch enclosures cool it was the insects and supplied also necessary to give them in live condition oral hydration to the anibecause slow loris would mals. "We are giving not consume if those in- ORS round the clock to sects were dead," the zoo the animals and have also director said. With the changed their diet to prosoaring heat the zoo au- tect them from dehydrathority has also taken an tion," the doctor said. initiative to keep enclo- Sepahijala Sanctuary is sures cool so that the ani- also the only national mals could live comfort- breeding center for ably.

Clouded Leopard, an en"For animals like el- dangered animal and ephants, we take them to spectacle monkey, found the small Bijoy river mostly in Tripura. Slow flowing through the loris may look harmless Sipahijala sanctuary for but it is one of the only bathing. Otherwise we poisonous mammals in shower them two-three the world.(Agencies)

PAGE 5

Onaatah receives National Film Award Shillong, May 4: The 63rd National Film Awards ceremony held on Tuesday witnessed the Directorate of Film Festivals of India presenting its annual National Film Awards to honour the best films of 2015 in the Indian cinema.

Representing Meghalaya once again, the National Film Award presented in the form of Rajat Kamal Silver Lotus Award for the Khasi film Onaatah was received by Pomu Das, veteran producer, and one of the key figures responsible for revival of commercial film making through his film Ka Mon Bajwat, and proud father of Pradip Kurbah who is the director of the film which drew applause under the

category 'Best Feature Film in Each of the Language Other Than Those Specified in the Schedule VIII of the Constitution'.

President Pranab Mukherjee handed over the award to Mr Das at the 63rd National Film Awards 2015 function in New Delhi. Declaring the list of winners earlier, Ramesh Sippy, Chairperson of jury for Feature category of NFA had commented, "I must say that all of us were very taken up with this film (Onaatah). It's a very admirable effort, and the way it has been dealt with, very sensitively and very nicely. It is indeed one of the nicest films I have seen."

It may be mentioned that individuals delving extensively into film mak-

President Pranab Mukherjee handed over the award to Mr Das at the 63rd National Film Awards

ing have portrayed great appreciation for the film.

Cherry Kordor, Head of Department, Media Department at St. Anthony's

College was ecstatic to have been able to showcase the film in the college for school and college students recently.

"Onaatah has taken film making in Meghalaya to a different level altogether. We can now proudly say that this is the kind of quality production one can hope for from the State of Meghalaya," she said.

Yet another film critic, Rangdajied Blah opined, "I have never seen such an honest film, a film that you will feel bad when it ends. It is not a sitcom or a romcom masquerading as one, or yet another meaningless Khasi or Jaintia film. It's a film that is intensely local and gloriously global, with a terrific control of the art

by Pradip Kurbah; a film that truly deserves more than a National award for best Khasi film.

People in Delhi should try not to miss this gem

Tura by-poll: 410 booths declared as hyper sensitive Shillong, May 4: With the state is preparing to hold a peaceful by-poll on May 16 for the Tura Lok Sabha seat, out of 410 hyper sensitive polling stations in the five districts of Garo Hills, more than half of them are vulnerable due to militancy related incidents.

However, amid the militancy scenario, the election machinery has initiated steps to woo the voters with catch line like "Your vote is a great power and with it comes greater responsibility" .

The election department said that out of 410 hyper sensitive polling booths as many as 288 are in that category due to militancy. The remaining polling stations are hyper sensitive due to other reasons.

The most vulnerable polling booths in the entire Garo Hills are in East and South Garo Hills districts due to spurt in activities of militants.

The Chief Electoral Officer Frederick Kharkongor said that there are as many as 126 polling stations which are sensitive due to the possibility of group clashes and political rivalries. The remaining 409 polling stations have been categorized as normal.

There are a total of 945 polling stations all over Garo Hills.Kharkongor said that there are certain constituencies which are vulnerable due to elephant depredation for which assistance of forest department was sought so that the forest personnel can keep vigil

during the poll.

Dual voters To prevent dual voting in areas bordering Assam during the by poll, the election department has taken several steps including sharing the electoral rolls to the officials of Assam districts which share border with Garo Hills so that they can provide inputs on dual voters . Kharkongor said that there are as many as 67 polling stations scattered in North Garo Hills, South West Garo Hills, and West Garo Hills which are sharing border with Assam districts.

Moreover, there are 46 polling stations especially in South Garo Hills, West Garo Hills and South West Garo Hills which are adjacent to Bangladesh border.

"We have already sought the assistance of BSF to enhance security in the international border ahead of the polls", Kharkongor said. Power of voters "With great power comes greater responsibility " was one of the talked about lines from the movie Spider Man and now the Election Machinery in Tura Parliamentary constituency has decided to inspire people in the constituency with the same tag line of' vote with responsibility'.

Returning Officer for Tura Pravin Bakshi said that he is urging the voters to vote with the tagline, "Your vote is a great power. It comes with great responsibility". He said that the biggest power of people in India is voting and therefore people

should vote responsibly without thinking on the lines of community, religion and others. The district administration is also publicizing the same line in the pamphlets and hoardings to woo the voters. Bakshi, also said that the all efforts have been made to ensure that voting for May 16 takes place in a transparent manner.

Reacting to a query about the use of money power, Bakshi said that there is a video surveillance team with a sector magistrate and a police official deputed in all the 24 legislative Assembly constituencies and an elaborative monitoring cell has been setup under the leadership of expenditure observer to ensure that there is no use of money power in the elections.

(Agencies)

Rail projects: Wansuk slams Centre for neglecting NE New Delhi, May 4: Rajya Sabha MP from Meghalaya, Wansuk Syiem, has slammed the Centre for its alleged step motherly attitude towards the Hill State which only had a "symbolic rail line". Initiating the discussion on Railway Budget in the Upper House on Monday, Syiem came down heavily on the Centre stating that the Railway Ministry has not taken up any major project in the North East including Meghalaya.

"The government suddenly woke up to rail projects in Assam just before the Assembly polls were announced.

Rajya Sabha MP from Meghalaya, Wansuk Syiem, has slammed the Centre for its alleged step motherly attitude towards the Hill State Similarly, only in Arunachal Pradesh, Naharlagun was connected by rail network," Syiem said making an

oblique reference to the dismissal of Congress government by the NDA in Arunachal. "In case of Meghalaya, its industrial

hub, Byrnihat should be linked with rail line from Guwahati," she demanded.

She also called for speeding up of railway work between New Jalpaiguri and New Bongaigoan to ensure faster movement of trains besides demanding for additional trains for the region during summer vacation and festivals like Christmas.

In his reply, Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu said that in the coming years, entire rail network in North East will be shifted to broad gauge.

"Railways is expected to provide services like concessional travel, meet social objectives like a

government enterprise and perform like a commercial company," Prabhu said adding that Railways, is trying to meet these diverse expectations even as he mentioned seven missions including the 'mission to have zero accidents', 'mission on Speed' and 'mission on accounting reform' etc.

He was replying to a debate on the Railways Appropriation Bill which was later approved by the Upper House. Meanwhile, Syiem also accused the NDA Government of abandoning most of the major rail projects proposed during the UPA regime. (Agencies)

from the state, that I can proudly say that it's our very own film from the land of clouds," While the film would be a first National Award winning one for lead actress Sweety Jane Pala, Onaatah is the second such experience for lead actor Merlvin Jude Mukhim who had also played the leading role in Ri. Onaatah is scheduled to be screened at the Habitat Film Festival, New Delhi and also as the opening film at upcoming Kharam Loya Film Festival 2016, Manipur before traveling for festivals scheduled at Hong Kong, Egypt and Poland. The film is releasing in Shillong theatres on May 13. (Agencies)

Central forces to arrive shortly Shillong, May 4: Meghalaya DGP Rajiv Mehta has said that the State has made elaborative security arrangements for smooth conduct of by-poll to Tura parliamentary seat slated for May 16. He said that 33 companies of central para military forces,which the state had sought for the bypoll, will arrive shortly.

"We are hopeful that the centre will respond to our requirements at the earliest," the DGP said.

Currently there are 19 companies of central para- military forces deployed in Garo Hills which are mainly used for anti-insurgency operations.

Meanwhile, the State Government has asked the Central Government to sanction 15 more companies of central para military forces for the state especially for the militancy- ravaged Garo Hills.

The request was made by the State Government during a meeting with the Joint Secretary of Home Ministry S Garg here on Monday.

During the meeting, the State Government asked the Joint Secretary to sanction atleast 15 companies of central armed forces. The meeting was attended

by Home Minister Roshan Warjri, Chief Secretary KS Kropha, Spl. DGP (SB/CID) SK jain among others.(Agencies)

Rape bid on Manipur woman cab driver arrested hours after incident comes to light Imphal, May 4: A cab driver who tried to rape a 25-year-old woman in Kathriguppe on April 23 has been arrested after chilling CCTV footage emerged of his daring bid.

Police announced late on Monday night that they had arrested the accused, Akshay, a 24year-old resident of Kanakapura Road. The police said that the cab driver did not know the woman but decided to pick her up when he saw her standing out-

side the building.

In the CCTV footage, the accused can be seen carrying off the woman from outside her house.

The accused simply lifted her and later took her to an under-construction site nearby.

According to the woman, she was dropped off by a friend barely 10 metres from her PG. She was walking to her accommodation when she stopped to take a call from a friend. The CCTV footage showed the woman, dressed in casuals, car-

rying a backpack and talking on the phone on the road in front of her PG, near Maramma temple.

The woman was seen flailing her arms and screaming when the accused carried her off. A woman walking by did nothing to help the victim. The miscreant took her to an under-construction site. More witnesses came by, but stood mutely and watched her struggle.

The woman told police that the pervert tried to

sexually abuse her and he was not interested in her bag or phone. "I was continuously screaming and even bit his hand," she said. As people gathered, he fled. The woman, who was also injured during the scuffle, rushed back to the PG and narrated the incident to the PG owner and other inmates. The local police were alerted, and a patrolling vehicle visited the spot. The woman alleged that the owner of the PG dissuaded her from filing the com-

plaint, while the owner, instead, alleged that the woman and her boyfriend decided against doing so.

Earlier in the day, the woman accused the police of adopting a casual attitude. "I want the accused to be punished. I can identify him if I see him," she said.

DCP (south) BS Lokesh Kumar called an emergency meeting with the sub-division ACP, police Inspector and other members of staff when

the police came under fire for not acting despite the bone-chilling bid. He said, "Due to some reasons, she did not file a complaint. If we find that policemen were negligent or did not follow the standard procedure, we will take action against them."

Police Commissioner NS Megharikh said there were no lapses by his men, adding that the police had taken the complaint from Manjunath, the owner of the PG. (Agencies)

NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL

DIBRUGARH, THURSDAY, MAY 5

PAGE 6

JNU VC terms hunger strike by students 'unlawful', calls for discussion New Delhi, May 4: Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) ViceChancellor M. Jagadesh Kumar on Wednesday dubbed the hunger strike by the students as 'unlawful' and called for a discussion, urging them to immediately call off the strike. In a statement, the vice-chancellor stated that the college administration was greatly concerned over the worsening health condition of the students who are on hunger strike.

It appealed to the students to be mindful of their health in view of the

extreme heat conditions in the national capital.

The administration further urged the students to use constitutional means to put forth their demands, if any, as it believed in dialogue and discussion to resolve any issue affecting functioning of the university.

Terming the JNU administration as 'highly insensitive', the Jawaharlal Nehru Students' Union (JNUSU) earlier today issued a statement saying that its president Kanhaiya Kumar's health condition was getting worse and he was getting

PM Modi congratulates Indian scientists among recipients of Special Breakthrough Prize

Prime Minister Narendra Modi New Delhi, May. 4: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday congratulated the Indian scientists who are among the recipients of the Special Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics.

"Congratulations to the Indian scientists who are among the recipients of the Special Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics. These scientists have been awarded for detection of gravitational waves, an exceptional scientific accomplishment", the Prime Minister tweeted. The February observation of ripples in the fabric of spacetime, first postulated by Albert Einstein a century ago, has landed the researchers

$3m in the shape of a prize backed by Silicon Valley entrepreneurs.

The Special Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics will be shared among the founders of the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) group, Kip Thorne, Rainer Weiss, and Ronald Drever, and scores of physicists and engineers on the team. The three founders will divide $1m between them, with the remaining $2m shared equally among the 1,012 other researchers and engineers on the LIGO team, each of whom receives about $2000. The prizes will be awarded at a formal ceremony later this year. (ANI)

Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) Vice-Chancellor M. Jagadesh Kumar on Wednesday dubbed the hunger strike by the students as 'unlawful' and called for a discussion

unconscious at times.

The statement further stated that Kanhaiya had already lost 6 kgs and his

blood pressure was critically low and other health parameters were also not normal.

against erring Members to uphold the dignity and prestige of this great institution," the report said.

The Upper House will now take a call on the recommendation made by the ethics panel in the report "on the non-disclosure of liabilities such as the loans taken from different banks in his Assets and Liabilities Returns by Dr Vijay Mallya, Member, Rajya Sabha."

Mallya, in his letter in response to the panel's offer to explain his position, "has raised some legal and constitutional issues which are not tenable, because the Supreme Court has clearly upheld the power of the Rajya Sabha to expel its members for gross misconduct unbecoming of a Member of the House," the report said.

The panel also said "it is a matter of regret that Dr Mallya has thought it fit to impugn the (Supreme Court) judgment and impartiality of the Committee on Ethics as well as the entire House.(PTI)

RS Ethics Committee recommends expulsion of Mallya

Bhattacharya were arrested in a sedition case in connection with the event.

They are out on bail now.

While Kanhaiya has been slapped with a penalty of Rs. 10,000 on grounds of 'indiscipline and misconduct', Umar, Anirban and Kashmiri student Mujeeb Gatoo have been rusticated for varying durations.

Financial penalty has been imposed on 14 students.

Hostel facilities of two students have been withdrawn and the university has declared the campus out of bounds for two former students. (ANI)

U'khand crisis: Centre gets two days to come up with decision on floor test New Delhi, May. 4: The Centre on Wednesday told the Supreme Court that it was seriously considering its suggestion to hold a floor test in Uttarakhand, which is currently under President's rule. Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi told the apex court that the government has not been able to form an opinion on the subject and asked for two more days to come up with a decision.

However, the apex court clarified that it would hold a final hearing to dispose of this matter quickly if the Centre says no to the floor test suggestion. Rohatgi told the media later the Supreme Court has made it clear that even if the floor test is to take place, it will not mean the restoration of status quo ante.

"Which means the posi-

tion at the time when the President's rule was imposed won't be restored.

Namely of a chief minister and a government, so that position is out," he said. "The actual modalities will be decided by the court, even in relation to the nine disqualified persons because their petition is pending," he added.

The hearing in the matter has been adjourned till May 6. An apex court bench headed by Justice Dipak Misra had on April 27 directed the continuation of President's rule in Uttarakhand.

Posting the matter for further hearing on Tuesday, the apex court had extended the stay on the Uttarakhand High Court's order quashing the central rule in the hill state. The two-judge division bench, comprising of Justices Dipak Mishra and Shiva

Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi Kirti Singh, had also asked several questions to the Centre asking it to justify the imposition of President's rule.

The apex court sought to know if the Governor could have sent a message in the present manner under Article175 (2) to conduct a floor test and if delay in the floor test can be a ground for the proclamation of President's rule in the state.

The apex court asked if disqualification of MLAs by the Uttarakhand Speaker is a relevant issue for the purpose of imposing President's rule under Article 356 and proceedings in the Uttarakhand Assembly can be taken note of by the President for imposing his rule. The Centre had imposed President's rule in the state on March 27. (ANI)

Implement larger pictorial warning on tobacco products New Delhi, May 4: The Supreme Court on Wednesday asked the tobacco companies to immediately implement larger pictorial warning on tobacco products. The apex court lifted the stay on the Centre's order for 85 percent warning granted by the Dharwad Bench of the Karnataka High Court.

The Supreme Court also transferred all cases challenging the tobacco product warning rule to the Karnataka High Court.

The apex court directed the Karnataka High Court to decide the case in eight weeks.

The Supreme Court stated that no order is valid until the matter is fully disposed by theKarnataka High Court. Karnataka Health Minister U.T. Khader had earlier in his letter to Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda appreciated the Union Government for the steps it has taken to battle the tobacco

menace, but demanded that the government should not step back on its decision on the pictorial warnings displayed on the cigarette packs and other tobacco products.

Earlier, the Centre had ordered that tobacco products would carry 85 percent pictorial warnings. The Health Ministry's notification of September 24, 2015, for implementation of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Packaging and Labelling) Amendment Rules, 2014, came into force from April 1 onwards. These prescribed larger pictorial warnings on tobacco products.

Earlier, the Health Ministry had made a commitment to the Rajasthan High Court on March 28 this year that all tobacco products manufactured from April1onwards would carry larger pictorial health warnings.

(ANI)

Uttarakhand High Court CJ transferred to Andhra Pradesh

Law student rape: Police baton-charge protesting LDYF activists

RS Ethics Committee recommends expulsion of Mallya New Delhi, May 4 : The Ethics Committee of Rajya Sabha on Wednesday recommended the expulsion of beleaguered businessman Vijay Mallya.

"The committee was of the firm view that taking into consideration the gravity of the misconduct, a sanction not less than termination of membership from the House is warranted under the circumstances," the Committee on Ethics said in its 10th report tabled in the Upper House by its Chairman Karan Singh on Wednesday.

"Having considered the whole matter, including Dr Mallya's letter, the Committee on Ethics unanimously decided at its meeting on May 3 to recommend to the House that Dr Vijay Mallya be expelled with immediate effect," it said.

"The Committee hopes that by taking such stern action, a message would reach the general publilc that Parliament is committed to take such steps as are necessary

"Already three students had to discontinue the strike. The other students on strike are also extremely unwell. We are worried for all of them," it stated. Two groups of students are sitting on indefinite hunger strike since April 27, in protest against the punishment announced by the university against various students in connection with the controversial event on campus during which 'anti-national' slogans were allegedly raised.

JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar, Umar Khalid and Anirban

Implement larger pictorial warning on tobacco products: SC

The Left Democratic Youth Federation (LDYF) activists were baton-charged by the police outside the Kerala Secretariat on Wednesday

Perumbavoor (Kerala), May 4: The Left Democratic Youth Federation (LDYF) activists were batoncharged by the police outside the Kerala Secretariat on Wednesday during their protest over the brutal rape and murder of a Dalit law student in Ernakulam district.

"Every Malayalee feels that they are living under humiliating conditions under the Oommen Chandy Government. So many untoward incidents have been occurring against women. Our police have failed to provide justice on so many counts.

Women are being targeted, killed and humili-

ated," said one of the protestors. Meanwhile, the Kerala Government has decided to give Rs. 10 lakh as compensation to the kin of the deceased girl.

Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, who met the family members of the victim earlier today, said that his government would do the 'necessary' towards the demands of the victim's family, who have asked for a job for the victim's sister. Chandy, who described the crime as 'shocking', asserted that swift action would be taken against the perpetrators of the rape and murder of the law student.

The police have taken two persons into custody who were questioned by a police team headed by

Ernakulam Range Inspector General Mahipal Yadav. The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) yesterday took suo motu cognizance of yet another 'Nirbhaya' like rape and murder of a Dalit law student, whose body was found by her mother on April 29 evening.

According to reports, the 29-year-old woman was murdered after rape inside her home, near an isolated stretch, at Vattolippidi Canal Bund near Perumbavoor in Ernakulam district.

Her body had at least 30 injuries, including on the private parts. Reportedly, the assault on her stomach was such that the small intestine had spilled out. (ANI)

Normal rainfall predicted this year: Govt New Delhi, May 4 : Monsoon is expected to hit Kerala by May-end or early June, with various forecasting agencies predicting normal or above normal rainfall this year, Science and Technology Minister Harsh Vardhan said on wednesday.

"During the current year (2016), normal or above normal rainfall has been predicted by many forecasting agencies, including India Meteorological Department. No

forecast assessment for pre-monsoon season is issued by any agencies," he said in Lok Sabha during Question Hour.

As per IMD's operational Long Range Forecast (LRF), quantitatively, the monsoon seasonal rainfall is likely to be 106 per cent of the Long Period Average (LPA) with a model error of plus-minus 5 per cent. The LPA of seasonal rainfall over the country as a whole for the period 1951-2000 is

89 CM. "Climatologically, monsoon is expected to reach South Kerala either end of May or early days of June (by May 31, plus-minus 4 days) and forecast for which will be issued on May 15," he said. Vardhan said the forecast for monsoon onset over Kerala has been correct and within the forecast limits during all the 10 years from 2005 till 2014.

IMD introduced the

present LRF models during 2007 following review of the old forecasting system. IMD's LRF since 2007 has been more skillful than the forecast before 2007. This effort has led to appreciable improvements in the efficiency of models in making better and better forecasts. Skill of IMD's present seasonal forecasting system for India as a whole is better than other countries in the world, he said.(PTI)

Uttarakhand High Court CJ transferred to Andhra Pradesh D e h r a d u n (Uttarakhand), May.4: The Chief Justice of the Uttarakhand High Court, K M Joseph, who was recently in the news for quashing President's Rule in Uttarakhand, has beentransferred to the Andhra Pradesh High Court in Hyderabad.

Justice Joseph, who assumed charge as the Chief Justice of Uttarakhand in July 2014, is an alumnus of the Government Law College in Ernakulam.

Meanwhile, acting Chief Justice of the Hyderabad

High Court Dilip B Bhosale has been posted as the Chief Justice of the Madhya Pradesh High Court.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court on Wednesday adjourned the hearing till May 6 on the Centre's plea against the Uttarakhand High Court's order revoking President's rule in the hill state. Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi told the apex court that the Centre is seriously considering its suggestion to hold floor test in Uttarakhand. (ANI)

UP STF, CBI nab key Vyapam accused in Kanpur Kanpur, May 4: The Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested Ramesh Shivhare, one of the key accused in the Vyapam scam, in a joint operation here on Wednesday.

"He was arrested from 3, Avas Vikas Parishad in Kalyanpur Police Station of Kanpur district in Uttar Pradesh. The STF was following him from many days. He was arrested following a tip off," said STF Superintendent of Police Dr. Arvind Chaturvedi.

Shivhare has been accused

of acting as a middleman and arranging for impostors and dummy candidates to appear in the examination carried out by the Madhya Pradesh Professional Examination Board commonly known as Vyapam for an undisclosed amount.

His application for anticipatory bail was also turned down by the Madhya Pradesh High Court in 2014.

The CBI will produce him in the district court today and request for his transit remand. He will be later taken to Bhopal for further interrogation.(ANI)

DIBRUGARH, THURSDAY, MAY 5

PAGE 7

NEIGHBOURS

Pakistan opposed to taking military action against Taliban on its soil Kabul, May 4: Days after Afghan President Ashraf Ghani called on Islamabad to take action against the Taliban leadership based in Peshawar and Quetta, authorities in Pakistan have said that they are opposed to taking military action against the latter on the nation's soil.

The country's foreign affairs adviser Sartaj Aziz said that such policy has not yielded results for 14 long years. "Afghanistan has been insisting that if

5 blasphemy accused get bail in Pakistan Islamabad, May 4: A Pakistani court has granted bail to the five accused who were arrested on blasphemy charges on the complaint of a Sikh youth for publicly disgracing his turban. Mahinder Pall Singh said six attackers publicly disgraced his turban and humiliated him for complaining about a bus that broke down while he was travelling from Faisalabad to Multan city in Punjab province.

Investigation Officer Abdul Sattar on Tuesday said bail was granted to Baqir Ali, Rashid Gujjar, Faiz Alam, Shakeel and Sodagar who were arrested on April 30, as reported.

According to Singh, the accused were booked under the sections dealing with bailable offences and "desecration of a worship place".

"I am not a worship place but a citizen of Pakistan having Sikh faith and attackers have disgraced one of my religious symbols. Police should have added 295/ A which deals with nonbailable offence with maximum penalty of 10 year imprisonment," Singh said. (Agencies)

Pak. Army chief approves death sentences of 11 terrorists Rawalpindi, May 4: Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif has approved the death sentences of 11 convicts after completion of their trials by military tribunals. According to an Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) statement, the eleven hardcore terrorists were involved in committing heinous offences related to terrorism, reports the.

The offences include killing and kidnapping civilians, attacks on the armed forces and Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs) and destruction of schools and communication infrastructure.

The convicts have been identified as Muhammad Umar, Hameedullah, Rehmatullah, Muhammad Nabi, Moulvi Dilbar Khan, Rizwan Ullah, Gul Rehman, Muhammad Ibrahim, Sardar Ali, Sher Muhammad Khan and Muhammad Jawad.

All of them were the leaders and members of the outlawed Tehreek-eTaliban Pakistan and were arrested from different areas. After the terrorist attack on an army school in December 2014, army courts were set up for the speedy trial of the terrorism-related attacks.

(ANI)

the peace negotiations do not start, then other option should be tried.

But that option has been used for 14 years but it has not produced any result," Khaama Press quoted him as saying.

Following the deadly attack in capital Kabul which killed at least 64 people and 347 others wounded, President Ghani ordered the Afghan security institutions to start crackdown against the Taliban groups pursuing violence. He even asked

Afghan President in his remarks also announced government's stance towards peace efforts and fight against terrorism and said that Kabul expects Pakistan to bring the Taliban to the negotiation table. To which Aziz replied, "Results cannot be achieved in

Pakistan opposed to taking military action against Taliban on its soil Islamabad to take ac- aries of the groups in its tions against the sanctu- soil.

weeks but it takes time.

I do not see any other option to bring peace to Afghanistan." The insurgent group had rejected the proposed direct peace talks with Afghan government last month and instead announced their spring offensive.(ANI)

"Afghanistan has been insisting that if the peace negotiations do not start, then other option should be tried. But that option has been used for 14 years but it has not produced any result," Five militants killed in gun battle with Afghan Army

India to hold festival in Egypt to mark Tagore's birth anniversary Cairo, May 4: India will organise a cultural festival in Egypt next week to mark the 155th birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore in an bid to build connections between the people of the two countries who share strong cultural bonds.

The Embassy of India in Cairo and Maulana Azad Centre for Indian Culture will host the Tagore Festival from May 8-12, India's Ambassador to Egypt Sanjay Bhattacharyya said. "In our efforts to build connections between India and Egypt, we find that there is a strong bond particularly in the field of culture and there is a strong affection between the people of the two c o u n t r i e s , "

Bhattacharyya said.

"The works of Tagore are very popular here in Egypt. And I understand there are about a dozen translations of the Gitanjali itself. And of course there are many other books that have been translated into Arabic," he said. Tagore, who won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1913 for 'Gitanjali', is not unknown to Egypt; he visited Egypt as an adolescent in 1878 and later as a famous poet-philosopher in 1926, when he met King Fouad and interacted with scholars in Alexandria and Cairo.

His friendship with Egyptian poet Ahmed Shawqy is well known and he wrote a moving eulogy on his friend's death in 1932.

Tagore wrote about the

beautiful relationship between the Nile river and the flourishing civilisation of Egyptians.

Tagore and Egyptian writers and intellectuals have had a long association and "we are having a painting exhibition in cooperation with the Egyptian Caricature Society which brings up new aspects of looking at Tagore. It's certainly a way in which we strengthen our culture connections," Bhattacharyya said.

The Egyptian Caricature Society has curated an excellent collection of portraits from across the globe on Tagore. These caricatures will be exhibited at a Painting Exhibition from May 8 until the festival ends.

Egyptian scholars have

Rabindranath Tagore translated many of Tagore's works into Arabic and have written books on him. These books are available at the National Library of Egypt, which is collaborating with the Indian embassy in organising an exhibition of the books at their

premises from May 9.

Bhattacharyya said there are plans to start more collaboration in the field of translated works, both from Indian texts in different languages into Arabic as well as Arabic books into Indian languages.(Agencies)

Canadian asked to leave Nepal over controversial social media posts Kathmandu, May 4: Nepal's has revoked the visa of Robert Penner, a Canadiancitizen, and ordered him to leave the country within the next 48 hours for criticizing the government on social media.

The order was issued by the Department of Immigration under the Ministry of Home Affairs yesterday, reports the Himalayan Times. The Metropolitan Police Range of

Lalitpur district arrested Penner, who has been living in Nepal for two years now, on charges of trying to undermine the sovereignty and integrity of the country and jeopardizing social harmony through provocative messages, views and comments on social networking sites, especially Twitter.

He had obtained work visa as an employee at Lalitpur-based Cloud

Factory, an outsourcing company. His visa was to expire in December. Police arrested him at the request of the Department of Immigration and handed him over to the immigration authority for legal action under the Immigration Procedures, 2008.

Bishwa Prakash Nepuane, director and information officer at the Department of Immigra-

tion said that Penner was guilty of indulging in anti-Nepal activities and was ordered to quit Nepal within two days.

"As per the DoI decision, Penner should fly back home no later than Thursday or else the government will initiate further action against him.

We handed him over to the Consulate of Canada in Kathmandu, giving him two days for ticketing and other prepara-

tions," the Himalayan times quoted him as saying.

"The government may consider granting him visa on the basis of his activity and attitude toward Nepal after 2016," he added. Penner was critical of the Nepal government, internal affairs of the country and Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli, which have angered the authority to take action against him. (ANI)

8 Bangladeshis detained in Singapore for plotting attacks back home Dhaka, May 4: The Singapore Ministry of Home Affairs on Tuesday announced that eight Bangladeshi men working in Singapore, planning to stage terror attacks back home, have been detained.

Aged between 26 and 34, the men reportedly called their group the Islamic State in Bangladesh (ISB).

"The ISB members had intended to join the terrorist group Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) as foreign fighters," the Daily Star quoted Singapore's Home Ministry statement as saying.

"However, as they felt that it would be difficult for them to make their way to Syria, they focused their plans instead on returning to Bangladesh to overthrow the democraticallyelected government through the use of force, establish an Islamic state in Bangladesh and bring it under ISIS' self-declared caliphate," the statement added.

Revealing that the the arrest took place on April 26, Bangladesh High Commissioner to Singapore Mahbub Uz Zaman today said that the authorities of both Bangladesh and

8 Bangladesh is detained in Singapore for plotting attacks back home Singapore were working closely to curb the militancy. "Investigation is going on. We are closely working with the Singaporean authorities as our government has taken the security issue seriously," the envoy said.

Zaman added that the detained Bangladeshis were being quizzed by the Singaporean authorities.

The ministry said that its investigations found that the men had identified possible targets for attack back home at the time of their arrest. The detainees also had documents on weapons and bomb making, and raised funds to buy firearms to carry out

the attacks in Bangladesh.

Undisclosed amount of money was also seized from the group. According to the report, group's ringleader, Rahman Mizanur, 31, was an S-Pass holder in construction who set up ISB as a clandestine group in March this year.

He had recruited seven others, all Work Permit holders employed in the local construction and marine industries.

The arrested Bangladeshi's have been identified as Mamun Leakot Ali, 29; Sohag Ibrahim, 27; Miah Rubel, 26; Zzaman Daulat, 34; Islam Shariful, 27; Md Jabath Kysar Haje Norul

Five militants killed in gun battle with Afghan Army

Islam Sowdagar, 30; and Sohel Hawlader Ismail Hawlader, 29. Singapore Ministry of Home Affairs on the detentions said that ISB poses a security concern to Singapore because of its support for ISIS and its readiness to resort to the use of violence overseas.

"The detained ISB members are still under investigation for their activities in Singapore.

Rahman Mizanur has said he would carry out an attack anywhere if he was instructed by ISIS to do so, though there are no specific indications that Singapore had as yet been selected as a target," the ministry said.

The ministry said that those detained may be liable for prosecution for terrorism financing.

The arrests come at a time of mounting concern that ISIS is winning recruits from Bangladesh, which has recently seen radicals carrying out deadly attacks on minorities. The ministry said a document titled 'We Need For Jihad Fight' was recovered from Rahman Mizanur, which contained a list of Bangladeshi government

and military officials who could be targeted. It included "media peoples" and "disbelievers" as well.

Meanwhile, Dhaka police have arrested five Bangladeshi nationals, who were repatriated from Singapore after the authorities found that they "possessed or proliferated jihadi-related materials, or supported the use of armed violence in pursuit of a religious cause".

Monirul Islam, additional commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, said that the Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crimes unit of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) arrested them from Banasree area near Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport around 11:30am on Wednesday.

They have been Mizanur Rahman, Rana, Alamgir, Tanjimul Islam and Santu Khan. Primary interrogation revealed that the five went to Singapore between 2007 and 2011 and got involved in terrorist activities. Monirul added that they will be produced before the court with 10-day remand prayer. (ANI)

Kabul, May 4: At least five militants were killed and 11 others injured during a fierce gun battlewith the Afghan National Army (ANA) forces in Afghanistan's central Maidan Wardak province. The Ministry of Defense (MoD) said the clash between the two erupted during a clearance operation in Chak district, reports Khaama Press.

The operations were conducted as part of Badr Operation of 203rd Corps of the Afghan National Army, said a statement issued by the Ministry of Defense. In addition, four motorcycles used by the insurgent group members were also destroyed during the operation.

Meanwhile, the anti-government armed militant groups, including the Taliban insurgents, have not yet commented regarding the report. The Ministry of Defense said that a Taliban insurgent, who was wounded during an airstrike by coalition forces in Hesarak district of Nangarhar province, was arrested by the Afghan Army .

A child was injured after a mortar round fired by the militants landed on a residential house in Geyan district of Paktika, the statement added. In the meantime, the Afghan Armed forces also discovered eight Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) during separate operations conducted in Khost, Paktika, Logar and Maidan Wardak provinces. (ANI)

Want UNSC reform to reflect 'aspirations of all': Pakistan

Pakistan envoy to United Nations Maleeha Lodhi Lahore, May. 4: Pakistan envoy to United Nations Maleeha Lodhi said that reform of the 15-member UN Security Council should only be based on democratic principles underscoring the objective of expansion should be to respond to concerns and "aspirations of all, not just a few".

Speaking at an inter-government negotiations Lodhi took a shot at India's logic and its allies saying that the G4 formula of adding more permanent seats reflected the 'self-serving' national ambition of certain nations.

"To propose allocation of 4-6 seats permanently to that many countries, while handing over only 4-5 seats to the rest of the

membership is not only poor mathematics but also poor logic, and even poorer rationale for a just and meaningful reform," she said.

Expressing stern opposition to the proposal that sought expansion in permanent membership, Lodhi argued that this ran contrary to principles that all member states agree "to make the council more representative, democratic, accountable, transparent and effective".

Lodhi also said that the principle of sovereign equality of states demands equal opportunity for all states to seek membership of the council and argued that the concept of "representation" would be hollow without accountability to those who were being represented. (ANI)

Teacher arrested on 'sexual harassment' charges in Dhaka Dhaka, May 4: Dhaka police have arrested Mahfuzur Rashid Ferdous , a teacher of the Ahsanullah University of Science and Technology, in connection with a sexual harassment case, days after a protest took place on the campus.

Ferdous was arrested last night from Eskaton said Mohammad Iqbal, officer-in-charge of the police station, reports.

Iqbal added that Ferdous

will be produced before a court on Wednesday. Following demonstrations by Ahsanullah University students over the harassment, Ferdous was suspended by the university authorities last Saturday.

The case against him was filed in this regard last night. Students allege that Ferdous, a teacher of electrical engineering has a long record of sexually harassing female students. (ANI)

PAGE 8

DIBRUGARH, THURSDAY, MAY 5

India: Storming the Temple of Saturn Forest Fire Remains a huge problem Over 4,500 hectares have been affected in Himachal Pradesh, some 40% more than the 3,185 hectares in Uttarakhand.

The latter state has seen 1,470 incidents of fire so far - 803 (affecting 1,413.58 ha) of which were in the Garhwal region, 463 (1,076.21 ha) in (Photo: cliparts) Kumaon, and 204 (695.65 ha) in wildlife zones. With 10,000 personnel and two IAF choppers fighting the blaze, however, only 40 fires were active but so far the situation had been brought under control. In Himachal Pradesh, 578 incidents of fire have been reported so far, affecting six districts: Shimla, Solan, Una, Bilaspur, Kangra, Hamirpur and Sirmaur. Most of the Himachal fires are ground fires. Barring the Taradevi forests and a dozen places in Bilaspur and Una, they had been brought under control. The reasons, as claimed by many on social media, range from being a calculated ploy of the timber mafia, that will stand to benefit the most if trees get burnt, to environmentalists saying that lack of rain during winter would have led to reduced moisture in the soil making forests susceptible to excessive heat. The hand of the timber mafia is attributed to an alleged nexus with the Forest Development Corporation which has the authority to sell the trees via auction, which are dead or dried. Thousands of trees have so far got burnt. Selling them would give a huge revenue to the corporation and also benefit the timber mafia that would buy them The land thus cleared can also be sold in land transfer cases, which suits the builder lobby too. As the forests of Uttarakhand continue to burn, 3 persons were arrested and 46 cases were filed under the Forest Act today. Of the 3 men arrested, one was from Pithoragarh and two from Nainital. Search is on for six others. A constable of the state's Forest Guards, meanwhile, died during firefighting operations in Chamoli district after a rock fell on him from above.

Wildfires are an annual occurrence in Uttarakhand, though they have been bigger and more widespread this year. The fire season usually begins from midFebruary and lasts until mid-June, when the rains arrive. This year, the fires started early - the first incident was reported on February 2. In Himachal, the first fire was reported on April 7. Their frequency and intensity increased after April 25, the day the state saw 80 incidents of fire. With most of these fires raging in remote areas, accessibility also remains a huge problem. However, questions continue to be raised over the administration's preparedness and also the need for long-term solutions for an old problem.

Tawang violence Disrespecting people's beliefs People of the state have reacted with shock and disbelief at the May 2 killings in Tawang. It was a despicable propaganda, which was sponsored by the politicians; desperate to have hydro power projects, which the police and the administration lapped up, leading to loss of two precious lives.

Instead of defusing the tension following the arrest of Lama Lobsang Gyatso, an anti hydro power crusader in Tawang who has gone to the National Green Tribunal, leading to suspension of the Environmental Clearance (EC) of 780 MW Nyamjang Chhu Project in Zemithang. While it is totally understandable that religious sentiments were hurt because of the comments made by Lama Lobsang, it is beyond comprehension that civil and police administration, instead of taking appropriate decision to calm the situation, played along, much to the happiness of their political masters by arresting the strongest voice against questionable hydro power development in Mon region. Lama Lobsang was first arrested on April 26 for disruption of peace for leading a villager, opposing the questionable construction of a small project, based on an FIR by the personal security officer of MLA Pema Khandu. He was let off, only to be arrested two days later for defaming Abbot of Tawang Monastery.

Shocks, dismay, condemnation, condolences and prayers have started pouring in after the tragic incident of Tawang by the residents who had witnessed something shocking for the first time. The town continues to be tensed despite police claiming that situation was under control. There is a need for the peace process to be activated not just at the place of incidence, but also across Tawang and adjacent districts as the issue is a highly emotive one and needs to be handled very compassionately.

The government is yet to say a word on police atrocity. There are lots of unanswered questions. Altogether, a total of 37 dams have been planned for construction in the two districts which make up the Mon region. The largest of these are Tawang-I (600MW) and Tawang-II (800MW) on the Tawang Chu river and Nyamjang Chhu (780MW) in Tawang district. Clearance for the Nyamjang Chhu project was suspended by the National Green Tribunal last month. This is the first ever recorded incident of Tawang which according to many is like "heaven on earth" for the scenic beauty which surrounds this region of Northeast.

Forced to abandon its tradition, a famous Indian temple opened its gates to women.

Shani is a god that Hin- in without shirts (for exdus fear, not love. Usu- ample in Gokarn in ally depicted as black- Karnataka). The Hindu skinned and riding a holy places would also crow, Shani is associated traditionally not allow with the inauspicious women to enter during planet Saturn. Not one of their menses, when the the main personae of the fairer sex is considered diverse Hindu pantheon, to be temporarily imShani is not so often pure. In some cases, reworshipped but is the gional myths can also god to explain w h i c h Krzysztof Iwanek why it is m a n y the men, Hindus turn when deal- rather than women, who ing with great misfor- cannot enter places of tunes. Shani might also worship of certain godbe considered fairly con- desses. That is the case servative, as one of his Kamakhya temple in famous temples, the Vishakhapatnam, where Shani Shinghnapur in a the goddess is depicted rural area of the and worshipped in her Maharashtra state, until menstruating form. recently did not accept As for the Shani women in its sanctum Shinghnapur temple, the sanctorum. reported explanation is The various entry re- that Shani's power strictions that had been (and sometimes still are) in force in various sacred places of India tell a lot about social hierarchies and divides.

Women are still not admitted to a few Hindu temples, and to a number of Muslim holy places. Many Hindu temples would not let inside any non-Hindu and the Dalits (untouchables), the pariahs of Hindu societies. (Even some Christian churches did not admit lowercaste Christians to parts of the premises.) Such strict rules, based on the assumption that non- would adversely influHindus and untouch- ence women should they ables are impure, were come near the main allargely discontinued in tar. This power somethe 20th century in wake how does not affect men. of Gandhian campaigns During the recent conand government orders troversy about women and pressures. trying to enter this holy There are also bans place, one important linked more to particular Hindu religious leader, customs and beliefs. S w a r o o p a n a n d Some Hindu temples do Saraswati even tried to not accept women clad base this belief on the in Western attire, but current concerns with there are also a few ones crimes, claiming that althat force men to come lowing the fairer sex in-

side the temple would lead to a rising number of rapes (as a realization of Shani's powers). Not surprisingly, his remark drew heavy criticism.

It is also interesting to note who started the struggle. It was not some Leftist or outspokenly atheist organization that called on the temple to open its doors, using rhetoric couched in secular terms. Rather, the body that started the movement in 2015 is called Bhumata Ranragini Brigade. This is the women's wing of Bhumata Brigade, an organization that deals with various social vices, especially those concerning women. The leader of the wing is Trupti Desai, who pro-

The various entry restrictions that had been (and sometimes still are) in force in various sacred places of India tell a lot about social hierarchies and divides.

Women are still not admitted to a few Hindu temples, and to a number of Muslim holy places. voked controversy by trying to enter the temple premises twice in 2015, with a number of Brigade members. She was stopped on both occasions, but attracted the media attention she sought. Desai makes no secret of the fact that she is a believing Hindu and that she was striving to achieve her goals, not against religion but because of it. "Women of every religion should be

Shani Shingnapur temple. The temple in Maharashtra's Ahmednagar district has traditionally banned women from entering the shrine's sacred platform.(Photo: media2.intoday)

allowed to go to religious places of their respective faiths. People who consider women as impure should realize that they have come into existence only because of women. Even the milk that is poured [as offering] on the shrines inside temples is from cows and buffalos, which are also female," she said.

Cases such as this are always interesting, as they point out that within a religious tradition there may be a group somehow castigated or stigmatized, and yet, while some members of this group may turn away from this religion, others may still strive to follow it. Christian homosexual organizations may be another example of this process. The Shani temple's story also shows that within Hindu traditions there is a place for both people such as Trupti Desai and the likes of Swaroopanand Saraswati.

Desai's position of a woman devotee made it more difficult for temple authorities and other, less conservative Hindu

organizations to oppose her. The Organiser, the mouthpiece of the RSS, a Hindu nationalist organization linked to the present Indian government (both the central one and the one in the state of Maharashtra, where the temple is placed), reacted to the Shani temple controversy in a rather mild manner, opposing the Brigade's methods rather than its claims. Indicating that it may be open to a change in rules, theOrganiser expressed an opinion that any such debate should be solved through a debate within a religious tradition, rather than by force or government interference.

But the latter could have been looming large as well and the brigade knew that the law was on their side. The Indian constitution on the one hand promises that the state will not interfere in religious affairs, but on the other it guarantees equal treatment for all of its citizens, including the equal right to worship.

Since, as mentioned at the beginning of this text,

the traditional rights of worship are uneven, these two basic rules of the secular Indian state often cannot be reconciled. For example, the Untouchability (Offenses) Act that had been voted into law back in 1955 forces all Hindu temples to open their doors to untouchables.

The result was that some small religious communities preferred to be recognized as different from Hindus rather than change their orthodox ways. Similarly, the courts have usually spoken in support of women's access to temples.

Eventually, on April 8 this year, the Shani Shinghnapur temple authorities gave in to the pressure and decided to begin accepting women in the inner sanctum.

The successful brigade may now set its sight on other temples that bar the fairer sex, such as the temple of goddess Lakshmi in Nasik or the Triambakeshwar temple near the same city.

Courtesy: The Diplomat

Ocean economy set to double in size by 2030 With more sustainable development, the economy can touch over US $ 3.2 trillion by 2030, according to an OECD report The world's oceans must be managed well to ensure the potential of an "ocean economy" that was worth US $ 1.5 trillion in 2010. With more sustainable development, it can more than double in size to touch over US $ 3.2 trillion by 2030, according to a new Organisation for

Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) report.

The Ocean Economy in 2030 report values economic output from the oceans at 2.5 per cent of the world gross value added.

Off-shore oil and gas made up a third of the total, followed by tourism, maritime equipment and ports. The ocean economy provided 31 million jobs in 2010, mostly in industrial capture fisheries (a

third of the total), coastal and maritime tourism (a quarter of the total), industrial fish processing, maritime equipment and marine aquaculture.

The rapid expansion of traditional and emerging ocean-based industries as demand rises for marine sources of food, energy, minerals and leisure pursuits means that oceans should boost employment and drive economic growth.

Areas such as marine

aquaculture, off-shore wind farms, fish processing and ports are set to create millions of jobs in future. Oceans also hold great potential for meeting the need for new sources of food, renewable energy and environmentally-friendly trade transport.

The bad news is that oceans are already suffering from over-exploitation, declining biodiversity, acidification and pollution.

Growth in industries

such as seabed mining and off-shore wind and marine biotechnology will put even more pressure on ocean resources and space.

Using primary data sources on ocean activities, the report finds that the ocean economy will stand at more than US $ 3.2 trillion in 2030 under a more sustainable scenario, at US $ 3 trillion under a business-asusual scenario and US $ 2.8 billion under an unsustainable scenario.

Good will Ambassador

Salman Khan to be India's goodwill ambassador at Rio Olympics (Photo: hindustantimes)

Sir, One need to exercise utmost caution in finalizing any sensitive decision, particularly when it relates to an international event. A controversy has surfaced centering round the appointment of Salman Khan as the good will ambassador for the forthcoming Rio Olympic. In such sensitive post, there should always be a consensus. It seems the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) took the decision in a hurry. We simply opine that Salman Khan, by virtue of being a reputed actor deserves the post. Milkha Singh, the flying Sikh and yogeswar Dutta, the Wrestler ventilated their dissatisfaction at the appointment, while many like Sourav Gangly, Sania Nehwal and Mary Kom welcome it.

Perhaps, the IOA could realize that something went wrong and shooter Abhinav Bindra has been appointed as a good will ambassador along with Salman Khan. Another report published in a section of the Press tran-

The difference between the scenarios would grow over time.

The world's ocean and seas hold the promise of immense resource wealth. Moreover, they are increasingly being recognised as indispensable for addressing many global challenges facing the planet in the decades to come-from world food security and climate change to the provision of energy, natural resources and improved medical care.

Courtesy: downtoearth

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.

spires that in the shooting of the Salman acted film 'Sultan', to picturise certain wrestling scene, the venue of Delhi's Jawahar Lal Nehru stadium is used and four Rio Olympic bound Indian Wrestlers are unable to continue their practice. With less than 100 days for the commencement of Rio Olympic, our four wrestlers have to sit idle for want Letters to the of venue to practice. This is indeed a sorry state of affairs and Salman Khan editor and articles as a good will ambassador should pave should be sent to : the way for these wrestlers. Winning a The Eastern Tomedal in the Olympic should be our day top-priority at the moment and our good Chowkidingee, will ambassador should not stand in the Near Sankardeva way.

Yours etc.

Ashok Bordoloi Dibrugarh

Hospital Mancotta Road, Dibrugarh786003 (Assam) Ph: 0373-2328944 Web : editor.easterntoday@gmail.com

JOBS & career

DIBRUGARH, THURSDAY, MAY 5

Various Jobs in NEIGRIHMS, Shillong Last Date: 23/05/2016.

Applications are invited from eligible candidates for filling up the following posts for recruitment in North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health & Medical Sciences [NEIGRIHMS] : 1. Staff Nurse : 20 posts (UR-10, OBC-6, SC-2, ST-1) 2. Estate Manager : 01 post (UR) 3. Junior Perfusionist : 01 post (UR) 4. Health Inspector : 01 post (UR) 5. Health Educator : 02 posts (UR) 6. Senior Stenographer : 01 post (UR) 7. Radiographer : 06 posts (UR-5, OBC-1) How to Apply : Complete applications may be sent in the prescribed proforma to the Recruitment Cell, Establishment Section-III, North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health & Medical Sciences, P.O Mawdiangdiang, Shillong-793018 superscribing "Application for the post of .........." within 30 days of publication of the advertisement in the Employment News (published on 23/04/2016) i.e. last date of receipt of applications is 23/05/2016.

Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat Last Date: 31/05/2016.

Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat is going to fill up the following posts under respective projects/schemes of AICRP presently functioning in different stations including Jorhat campus of Assam Agricultural University.

1. Junior Administrative Assistant Pay: Rs 5200-Rs 20200, GP= Rs 3300 Educational Qualification: Graduate in Arts/Science/Commerce 2. Junior Laboratory Assistant Pay: Rs 5200-Rs 20200, GP= Rs 3300 Educational Qualification: Graduate in Science/ Home Science 3. Computer Programmer Pay: Rs 8000- Rs 35000, GP= Rs 4900 Educational Qualification: Master Degree in Computer Application 4. Typist Pay: Rs 5200 - Rs 20200, GP = Rs 2500 Educational Qualification: Passed HSSLC Examination 5. Sr. Mechanic Pay: Rs 8000- Rs 35000, GP= Rs 4300 Educational Qualification: Passed HSLC Examination+ ITI Trade certificate in Motor Mechanic 6. Driver Pay: Rs 5200-Rs 20200, GP= Rs 2500 Educational Qualification: HSLC Passed + Valid Driving License for Heavy & Light vehicles.

7. Technician Pay: Rs 5200 - Rs 20200, GP = Rs 2500 Educational Qualification: Passed HSLC Examination+ ITI Trade certificate in Tractor Mechanic 8. Tractor Operator cum Mechanic Pay: Rs 5200 - Rs 20200, GP = Rs 2500 Educational Qualification: HSLC Examination passed+ certificate in Tractor Mechanic+ valid tractor driving license Application Fee: Application fee is Rs 300/ for general candidates and Rs 150/ for SC/ST Candidates.

How to apply: Application form can be downloaded from university website.

Application along with fees should be sent Director of Research [Agri], Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat within 31.05.2016.

Page 9

Arunachal Pradesh Police Constable (Driver) Recruitment Arunachal Pradesh Police.

Last Date: 19/05/2016.

Office of the Director General of Police, Government of Arunachal Pradesh has invited applications for the recruitment of 108 Constable (Driver) vacancies in Arunachal Pradesh (Civil Police/ IRBN).

Name of the Post: Constable (Driver) Civil Police: 05 Posts 1. APST: 04 Posts 2. General: 01 Post IRBN: 103 Posts 1. APST: 74 Posts 2. APST EX-SM: 08 Posts 3. General: 21 Posts Age: Candidates age should be between 18-28 years as on 01-01-2016. Age relaxation is applicable as per rules.

Educational Qualification: Candidates should possess Class-VIII for APST and Class-X passed for Other candidates with valid driving license for LMV/ MMV/ HMV. Selection Process: Candidates will be selected based on physical standard test, physical endurancy/ efficiency test, written test, Medical Exam, trade test & interview. How to Apply: Eligible candidates may submit their application in the prescribed format along with attested copies of qualification, proof of age, caste, permanent residential certificate, valid driving license of LMV, experience, 4 recent passport size colour photographs, self addressed envelope, treasury Challan by post or hand to Asst Inspector of Police (E), PHQ Itanagar-791113, Arunachal Pradesh from 25-04-2016 to 19-05-2016 up to 16:00 hrs.

UPSC Indian Forest Service Examination Last Date: 27/05/2016.

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) will hold preliminary screening test for the Indian Forest Service (IFS) Examination 2016 for recruitment to the Indian Forest Service Officers commencing from 07/08/2016.

The pattern of the Indian Forest Service Examination 2015 has been changed and candidates for IFS Examination 2016 needs to appear in the Indian Civil Service Examination (Preliminary) 2016 for the same. Therefore candidates needs to apply for Indian Civil Service Examination 2016 to appear in Indian Forest Service Examination 2016.

Name of Examination: Indian Forest Service Examination 2016 No of Posts : 110 approx.

Age : Not less than 21 years and not more than 32 years as on 1st August 2016.

The upper age is relaxable for SC/ST/OBC and certain other categories of candidates to the extent specified in the Notice.

Educational Qualification: Bachelor's degree of any recognized university with at least one of the subjects namely Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science, Botany, Chemistry, Geology, Mathematics, Physics, Statistics and Zoology or a Bachelor's degree in Agriculture, Forestry or in Engineering or an equivalent qualification.

Physical Standards: Candidates must be physically fit according to the Regulations given in notice.

Number of attempts: The maximum number of attempts permissible to different categories of aspirants, who are otherwise eligible, will be as (i) General Category - 6 attempts, (ii) OBC - 9 attempts (iii) SC/ST - No limit Application Fee: Candidates applying (excepting Female/SC/ST/PH candidates who are exempted from payment of fee) for Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination are required to pay a fee of Rs.100/- either by depositing the money in any Branch of SBI by cash, or by using net banking facility of SBI, State Bank of Bikaner & Jaipur/ State Bank of Hyderabad/State Bank of Mysore/State Bank of Patiala/ State Bank of Travancore or by using Visa/ Master Credit/ Debit card.

How To Apply: All applications must apply Online from 28/04/2015 to 27/05/ 2016 only upto 11.59 PM. at http://upsconline.nic.in/mainmenu2.php. Details of the examination and instructions are available at UPSC Online website.

IT professional Jobs in IDS Guwahati IDS- an IT service provider company Last Date: N/A. IDS- an IT service provider company is looking for an IT professional with working experience in VB.NET& SQL Server 2005/2008 at Guwahati.

Name of post : Executive IT No of post :One(1) Pay : Negotiable /based on present CTC. Educational Qualification: Degree/Diploma in computer science Key Responsibilities: Installing, configuring, and managing SQL Server 2005/2008.

SQL Server backup, restoration, patching and upgrades of databases.

Performing replication, clustering, performance tuning and optimization Transaction Log shipping and SQL mirroring.

Also s/he will have to visit many different departments and varied clientele & provide on-spottechnical support.

Technical skills : SQL Server Support and Maintenance User Support and interface maintenance Performance Monitoring and Tuning Troubleshooting and debugging Production implementation Process monitoring Upgrades General Application Support How to apply: Please mail your CV to idsrecruitment2016@gmail.com

Airport Authority of India Junior Executive Recruitment Airport Authority of India (AAI) Last Date: 17/05/2016.

Applications from eligible candidates are invited for following posts of Junior Executive in various discipline in Airport Authority of India (AAI) : 1. Junior Executive (Engineering Civil) : 50 posts (UR-21, OBC13, SC-13, ST-3) 2. Junior Executive (Engineering Electrical) : 50 posts (UR-21, OBC-13, SC-13, ST-3) 3. Junior Executive (Information Technology) : 50 posts (UR21, OBC-13, SC-13, ST-3) 4. Junior Executive (Airport Operations) : 50 posts (UR-21, OBC-13, SC-13, ST-3) Age : 27 years for General and 32 years for SC and 30 years for OBC. Pay : Rs. 16400 - 40500 How To Apply : Apply Online at Career -> Online Recruitment at AAI website on from 18/04/2016 to 17/05/2016 only.

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

1). Which of the following bank has become the first to launch m-Visa, a card-less and device-less solution to make the payments? a) HDFC Bank b) ICICI Bank c) SBI d) Axis Bank Answer: b 2). Which country has been ranked number one in the ICC women's team ranking? a) India b) England c) New Zealand Answer: d d) Australia63). Who has been honored by UK city of Coventry for his contributions to the west midlands region of central England? a) Ratan Tata b) Anil Ambani c) Lakshmi Mittal d) Narayana Moorty Answer: a 4). Who has been appointed as Director General of the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA)? a) Narendra sisodia b) Arvind Gupta c) Uday Bhaskar d) Jayant Prasad Answer: d 5). Theme "Creating Heart -healthy environments" belongs to which of the following day observed on 29-SEP2015? a) World Vegetarian day b) World Heart day c) World Habitat day d) World Food day Answer: b 6). Which of the following countries has signed loan agreement with India for Green Energy Project of Euro 125 Million? a) Russia b) US

c) China d) Germany Answer: d 7). Who has won world cup chess championship 2015 held at Baku, Azerbaijan by defeating Peter Svilder? a) Vishvanathan Anand b) Veselin Topalov c) Sergey Karjakin d) Wesley So Answer: c 8). Who was the author of the Book "The God of small Thing"? a) Daman Singh b) JhumpaLahiri c) Kiran Desai d) Arundhati Roy Answer: d 9). Which former Prime minister of India has been awarded Bangladesh Liberation War Honor? a) Manmohan singh b) P. V Narasimha Rao c) I.K.Gujral d) Atal Bihari Vajpayee Answer: d 70). In which year first Indo-UK Air Exercise Indradhanush was conducted? a) 2008 b) 2007 c) 2005 d) 2006 Answer: b 11). Name the first sportsperson to make an honorary group captain in the Indian Air Force 83rd anniversary celebration? a) Virat Kholi b) Sachin Tendulkar c) Sunil gavaskar d) Mahindra Singh Dhoni Answer: b 12). Nualgi, an Indian Company has won popular Choice Award at Climate coLab of Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge. This company belongs to which field.

a) Biotechnology b) Chemical Science c) Nano technology d) Medical Science Answer: c 13). Who has been appointed as the head of Intergovernmental panel for Climate change? a) Hoesung Lee b) Thelma Krug c) P R Shukla d) Ko Barrett Answer: a 14). Which of the following schemes is related to Neeranchal for watershed project? a) Pradhan mantri Krishi Sinchayi Yojana b) Pradhan mantri Adarsh Gram Yojana c) Pradhan mantri Awas Yojana d) Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana Answer: a 15). With whom India's Aditya Birla group have agreed to invest jointly to build new solar power plants in India? a) HBG Holdings b) Abiraaj Group c) UAE Exchange d) Mawarid Finance Answer: b 16). Who becomes the 14th woman to win Nobel Prize in the field of literature since it was awarded in 1901? a) Alice Munro b) Doris Lessing c) Herta Muller d) Svetlana Alaxievich Answer: d 17). Recently, Ahmed Mansoor has won the Martin Ennals award 2015 for Human rights Defenders. He belongs to which of the following country? a) India b) UAE

c) China d) US Answer: b

c) Spain d) Switzerland Answer: a

18). Which of the following state was not approved by union cabinet for constructing All India Institutes of Medical Science? a) Maharashtra b) Andhra Pradesh c) West Bengal d) Jammu and Kashmir Answer: d 19). In which state NGT charge environmental tax in addition to toll tax? a) Gujarat b) Delhi c) Kerala d) Andhra Pradesh Answer: b 20). According to the report released by the Economic Intelligence unit, how much percentage India spends on palliative care a) Less than 10 % b) Less than 1 % c) Less than 11 % d) Less than 21 % Answer: a 21).Who ranks at the top of Forbes list on Asia's Richest Family? a) Henderson Land Development b) Ambani c) Lee family d) Birla Answer: c 22) Philately day of National Postal week celebrated in India on _______ a) 10-Oct-15 b) 13-Oct-15 c) 14-Oct-15 d) 15-Oct-15 Answer: b 23) Which country has appointed AR Rahman as cultural ambassador to enhance its country's art and culture? a) Seychelles b) Uruguay

24) Who among the following has won Best opposite spiker award in women's Volleyball championship 2015? a) Tatiana Kosheleva b) Maja Ognjenovic c) Anna Malova d) Lonneke Sloetjes Answer: d 25) Which Telecom company has introduced Nirvoy life insurance scheme in Bangladesh? a) Bharti Airtel b) BSNL c) Telenor d) MTNL Answer: c 26) How many organization of National Dialogue Quartet, the Tunisian civil society has won 2015 Nobel Peace Prize? a) 3 b) 5 c) 4 d) 6 Answer: c 27) What does the letter 'T' denotes in the term UNCTAD? a) Trade b) Telecom c) Transfer d) Tax Answer: a 28) China has recently launched a __________ satellite called 'The Jilin-1'. a) Communication satellite b) Navigation satellite c) Reconnaissance satellite d) Remote sensing satellite Answer: d 29) Which of the following mobile service provider launched its Wi-Fi app recently? a) Vodaphone

b) Airtel c) BSNL d) Docomo Answer: b 30) President Pranab Mukherjee is on six days visit to three nations, which of these is NOT one of them? a) Egypt b) Jordan c) Palestine d) Israel Answer: a 31). Which country will host 8th BRICS Summit on 2016? a) Brazil b) Russia c) India d) South Africa Answer: c 32). Who is the winner of 1st Hridaynath Mangeshkar award? a) Asha Bhosle b) Lata Mangeshkar c) Amitabh Bachchan d) AR Rahman Answer: b 33). Who is Ravindra jain? a) Famous Dancer b) Hindi Poet c) Bollywood Actor d) Music Director Answer: d 34). Who has been appointed as Secretary and Chairman of Atomic Energy commission? a) RK Singh b) Sekhar Basu c) Arun Srivastava d) Pranay Verma Answer: b 35). Among the following which country will not be a part of V20 group? a) Ghana b) Tuvalu c) India d) Kenya Answer: c 36). Which state in India to set up first Dolphin Community Reserve to protect Gangetic river

Image for representational purpose (Photo: flckr)

Dolphins? a) West Bengal b) Assam c) Odisha d) Jharkhand Answer: a 37). Operation Valsalya, which was launched by government of Kerala, is related to which of the following sector? a) Training program for ICDS workers b) To rescue and reunite the missed children with their family c) Accidental Insurance with a premium of Rs.12 per year d) Tackle malnutrition and health problems in children Answer: b 38). In the term JETCO, "E" stands for_________. a) Economic b) Ecology c) Environment d) Emission Answer: a 39). Name the Indian Boxer who won his first professional boxing fight? a) Arjun Thapa b) Mary Kom c) Vijender Singh d) Sushil Kumar Answer: c 40). Which of the follow-

ing has recently launched operation Five Minute? a) HDFC b) SBI c) Indian Postal Department d) Indian Railways Answer: d 41).As per Savills World Research, which is the World's Cheapest Metropolitan City? a) Tokyo b) Shangai c) Mumbai d) New York Answer: c 42).Name the Indian Lightweight Boxer who won Silver Medal in the World Military Games which was held in Mungyeong, South Korea? a) Shiva Thapa b) Pinki Jangra c) L Devendro Singh d) Dheeraj Rangi Answer: d 43).Who has been appointed as the New Zealand Tourism Ambassador? a) Siddharth Malhotra b) Arun Kumar Singh c) Naresh Chandra d) Abid Hussian Answer: a

DIBRUGARH, THURSDAY, MAY 5

BUSINESS

Toyota Innova Crysta launched in India ANI New Delhi, May 4: The Toyota Innova Crysta was launched across India, with a starting ex-showroom price of Rs.13.84 lakh (Mumbai). The car is available in both petrol and diesel engine versions. The Innova Crysta has highest ex-showroom price (Mumbai) of up to Rs.20.78 lakh. It will be available in four grades with manual transmission (Zx, Vx, Gx & G) and in two grades with an automatic transmission (Zx & Gx). Deliveries will begin from May 13, 2016.

Toyota's famed MPV, which first arrived in India in 2005 as replacement for the Qualis, has received a new generation model after over a decade.

Though a handful of competent MPVs/ MUVs have entered the market since

the fact, the mighty Toyota Innova has continued to be the segment best-seller.

The Innova Crysta borrows design elements from the Toyota Corolla Altis and Camry with major changes received mostly at the front. The MPV sports a larger nose, a frameless front grille with two chrome slats, projector head-lamps with LED daytime running lamps, all-new fog lamps, and a new bumper. In our Toyota Innova Crysta review, we had mentioned that the MPV does receive a handful of changes on the side and rear profile though the new model largely retains its predecessor's silhouette.

Inside, it gets a 4.2-inch TFT Multi Information Display, 7-inch touchscreen system with DVD player, dedicated AC

Expedia to hire 200 employees from India

Travellers can now save with BookMyForex's ZERO Margin Campaign

Waterloo, May 4: Global online travel agency Expedia plans to hire 200 employees by the end of this year in India. The country is among its top three markets in terms of size and growth in Asia, says Expedia. "We are very bullish on India and have extensive growth plans. In a little over four years, we have grown to over 800 employees and are poised to reach the 1000-employee mark across Gurgaon, Mumbai and Bangalore by the end of this year,"said Jonathon Sinclair Neal, Chief Executive Officer at AirAsia Expedia (AAE) Travel. Mr. Neal recently took charge as the CEO of the joint venture between Expedia and AirAsia, in which NASDAQ-listed Expedia holds majority 75 per cent stake. Talking about the travel market in the country, Mr. Neal said the Indian travel market has a lot going for it.

"Steady macro-economic conditions and the recently-announced tourism centric initiatives by the government such as expanding electronic visa to 150 countries, have brought optimism back to the industry. (Agencies)

40% jump in HDFC's net profit New Delhi, May 4: Housing Development Finance Corporation (HDFC) on Monday reported a 40 per cent increase in its net profit at Rs.2,607 crore for the quarter ended March 31, 2016. This, against the Rs.1,862 crore registered during the same period in the previous year. The boost in profit is due to the nine per cent sale of its stake in HDFC Life to Standard Life. Profit on sale of investments during the quarter was Rs.1,519 crore to the profits (Rs 225 crore). "I want to emphasise that the profit on sale of investment is on a pre-tax basis and not on a post-tax basis.

So, the sale of HDFC Life shares to Standard Life which fetched us Rs.1,500 crore also required a Rs.300 crore tax provisioning," said Keki Mistry, Vice-Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, HDFC. The bank made a provisioning of Rs.545 crore in the fourth quarter compared to Rs.68 crore during the same period of last year. (Agencies)

ANI New Delhi, May 4: In a game-changing move, BookMyForex, one of the world's largest marketplace for retail foreign exchange and private remittances has launched the ZERO Margin Campaign.

With this initiative, the company is enabling customers to buy forex at exact Interbank rates with zero exchange margin.

This is the world's first such campaign where retail consumers can buy foreign exchange at rates at which banks deal with each other when making transactions of USD one million or more. This revolutionary campaign includes several incredible features which will help in the evolution of the current market scenario.

Apart from providing perfect Interbank or MidMarket rates with zeroexchange margin added, customers can also enjoy the benefit of other features that are a hallmark of BookMyForex. The website offers forex pricing in real time, round-theclock. This is a dramatic departure from current practice where banks and

AWESOME FEATURES The Toyota Innova Crysta was launched across India, with a starting ex-showroom price of Rs.13.84 lakh (Mumbai). The car is available in both petrol and diesel engine versions.

The Innova Crysta has highest ex-showroom price (Mumbai) of up to Rs.20.78 lakh. It will be available in four grades with manual transmission (Zx, Vx, Gx & G) and in two grades with an automatic transmission (Zx & Gx). Deliveries will begin from May 13, 2016. vents for the second and third row, and 20 bottle holders, etc. For safety,

The Innova Crysta borrows design elements from the Toyota Corolla Altis and Camry with major changes received mostly at the front. The MPV sports a larger nose, a frameless front grille with two chrome slats, projector headlamps with LED daytime running lamps, all-new fog lamps, and a new bumper.

Interestingly, the topend variant gets 7 airbags: driver, front passenger, driver knee, front side and curtain shield airbags.

The new Toyota Innova is based on an all-new platform, Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA), that, according to the Japanese carmaker, is lighter and yet stiffer as compared to the one that underpinned the exiting model. It is offered with a choice of two diesel engines: the 2.4-litre and the 2.8-litre diesel engines.

Toyota Innova Crysta gets three airbags (front driver, front passenger, and

driver knee) and ABS with EBD as a standard provision across all trims. In-

Sudarshan Motwani, founder and CEO of BookMyForex.

(Photo: media.licdn)

exchange companies display fixed buy and sell rates that rarely change during the day despite the fact that forex rates, just like stock exchange rates, alter every second.

BookMyForex also offers same-day delivery and pick-up options in over 560 cities across India.

Users receive regular status update notifications on their forex purchases and the site also tracks customer orders until transactions are completed to ensure complete customer satisfaction. In addition, BookMyForex also offers

While the former puts out 147bhp and 343Nm of maximum torque and comes mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox, the bigger motor promises 171bhp along with a peak torque of 360Nm and gets a 6-speed automatic transmission.

customers the option to set automatic rate alerts, freeze rate options until the third working day and gives many more flexibilities and conveniences that customers buying, selling or remitting foreign exchange have never had so far. Speaking on the campaign launch, Sudarshan Motwani, founder and CEO of BookMyForex said: "Banks and Money Changers load exchange margins ranging from 2 to 5 percent at their city offices to as high as 10 - 12 percent at their airport

counters. They also often charge various fees and commissions over and above heavily loaded forex rates." "Through our unique arrangements with several Banks and exchange companies that offer us volume (wholesale) rates and high service standards that we track all the time, we have been able to offer zero commission on sale of foreign currency notes, travel cards and traveller's cheques. Our propriety application compares forex rates and service track record of all our channel partners and shows up the most suited bank or exchange company branch that offers the best rates in real-time.

The campaign delivers further on our commitment to create widespread tech disruption in the forex industry for the benefit of consumers," Motwani added. Through the ZERO Margin Campaign that is currently available for forex travel cards, customers can enjoy the benefits easily on foreign currency notes as well. They are eligible for a unique offer of three free ATM

terestingly, the top-end variant gets 7 airbags: driver, front passenger, driver knee, front side and curtain shield airbags. The new Toyota Innova is based on an all-new platform, Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA), that, according to the Japanese carmaker, is lighter and yet stiffer as compared to the one that underpinned the exiting model. It is offered with a choice of two diesel engines: the 2.4-litre and the 2.8-litre diesel engines. While the former puts out 147bhp and 343Nm of maximum torque and comes mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox, the bigger motor promises 171bhp along with a peak torque of 360Nm and gets a 6speed automatic transmission.

withdrawals every month.

One can withdraw foreign currency notes from any ATM overseas and save up to 10 percent in the summer months when foreign currencies are in acute shortage. BookMyForex is changing the face of foreign exchange business in India and is facilitating serious savings for travellers. It is helping them save a substantial amount of money, hitherto being spent on commissions, which they can now spend on buying more foreign currency to use overseas.

They can also save precious time they currently spend in trying to find places that could offer them the best value for their money.

BookMyForex offers a full suite of forex products including currency bank notes, forex travel cards, traveller's cheques and overseas remittance products such as foreign currency demand drafts and wire transfers. All products are delivered by either RBI authorized money changers or banks that have signed up with the platform or from their own stores.

Gold price rises; highest in over two years Singapore, May 4: Gold rose, in another attempt to cross the key USD 1,300an-ounce level, as the US dollar extended losses and as assets of the top bullion fund rose to their highest in over two years.

Gold has rallied sharply since late last week after the dollar slumped on the Federal Reserve`s cautious stance towards higher US rates and as the yen soared after the Bank of Japan stood pat on policy last week. The metal rose to USD 1,303.60 an ounce on Monday, its strongest since January 2015, but ended the day lower on profit-taking. Spot gold had climbed 0.2 percent to USD 1,293.31 an ounce by 0315 GMT, after earlier hitting a session-high of USD 1,296.81. "I think

gold can reach USD 1,300-USD 1,400 in the second quarter. Investors are following the yen-dollar movement and central bank decisions, and the ETF inflows are a very good sign," said Mark To, head of research at Wing Fung Financial Group.

The dollar set a fresh 18month low versus the yen on Tuesday. The dollar index hit its lowest since January 2015. The dollar weakness and strength in the gold price rally have triggered a sharp increase in money flowing into the SPDR Gold Trust, the world`s top gold-backed exchange-traded fund.

Assets of the fund rose 2.59 percent, or 20.8 tonnes, to 824.94 tonnes on Monday in its biggest increase since Feb 22.

Holdings are at their high-

Image for representational purpose. (Photo: timesofindia.indiatimes) est since December 2013.

Gold may consolidate in a range of USD 1,289-USD 1,304 for a day before rising again, Reuters technical analyst Wang Tao said.

Investors will be eyeing US data this week to gauge the strength of the economy

and its impact on the Fed`s monetary policy. Bullion is sensitive to rising interest rates, which lift the opportunity cost of holding nonyielding bullion, while boosting the dollar. The key data will be US nonfarm payrolls due on Friday. The

US economy is expected to have added 200,000 jobs in April, slightly lower than March. "The nonfarm payroll report this week may have a neutral effect on gold given that investors are confident that even if the figures are good, there would not be any move by the Fed (to hike rates) until the second half of this year," Wing Fung`s To said. Among other precious metals, silver was also near a 15month high of USD 18.006 reached on Monday. It edged up 0.5 percent to USD 17.617 on Tuesday. Platinum firmed to USD 1,077.01 an ounce after climbing to a 10month high of USD 1,085.40 in the previous session. Palladium advanced 0.7 percent to USD 622. (Agencies)

PMI of manufacturers slows to 4-month low

Image for representational purpose. (Photo: previews.123rf) Mumbai, May 4: Indian manufacturers saw new

orders slowing precipitously in April, after a

strong showing in March, due to a contraction in demand, according to a private survey. The Nikkei Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) slowed to 50.5 in April from 52.4 in March. This places April's manufacturing activity very near the 50 mark, a reading below which marks a contraction. "PMI data indicated that Indian manufacturers raised output at a slower pace in April as new business inflows were broadly unchanged during the

month," according to a statement from Nikkei."The upturn in new export orders was sustained, although growth was at a six-month low."

"The new orders index fell to 50.1 in April, just above the expansion threshold, from 53.9 in March," Nomura research analysts Sonal Varma and Neha Saraf wrote in a report.

"Given that March data was at an eight-month high, some consolidation was expected, but the April data suggest a

sharper-than-expected moderation in domestic demand." "The inventory data indicate that, despite slowing new orders, production should continue to expand at a moderate pace in coming months," they wrote. "In spite of the stagnation in new work, goods production increased in April," according to the Nikkei statement. "The rate of expansion was only slight and softened since March, however."

(Agencies)

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VERO MODA launches new deep desert collection

Image for representational purpose. (Photo: freepressjournal) ANI New Delhi, May 4: This summer, VERO MODA's #TRENDYVEROMODA campaign brings you fast fashion, straight from the international runways. Basis this campaign, the brand highlights one key summer trend inspired by international fashion every single week! And this upcoming week, is all about the Deep Desert Collection! Create a high fashion nomadic gypsy look from VERO MODA's Deep Desert collection.

Macrame, fringes and tassels detailing on tops and dresses are a must have this season. Macrame, a form of textile-making using knotting was a

popular trend from the 70's and now is back with a bang this season along with Fringes. Tops, dresses, skirts and bags embellished with long tassles lend a boho chic feel to the entire look. The Deep Desert collection will be highlighted in stores from 2nd May to 9th May 2016.

BESTSELLER India currently has 173 exclusive brand outlets and is present in over 379 shop-in-shops in external multi-brand stores throughout India.

BESTSELLER India markets and sells the three BESTSELLER brands JACK & JONES, VERO MODA and ONLY.

Output of core sector accelerates to 16month high of 6.4 % Nagpur, May 4: India's infrastructure sectors clocked their highest growth in 16 months in March 2016, with the index for core industries climbing 6.4 per cent, buoyed by a sharp uptick in the output of cement, electricity, fertilisers and refinery products. The advance in the index in March followed a growth of 5.7 per cent in February, leading economists to cautiously consider it a sign of likely recovery in the economy.

"One should wait for a couple of months to see if this is a sustained trend," said D.K. Srivastava, Chief Policy Advisor at EY. "This is clearly a sign of recovery setting in the economy. The reforms that took place in both coal and power sectors will start to bear fruit now," he added. The fertiliser sector grew at 23 per cent in March 2016, up from 16.3 per cent in February. The cement sector saw a growth of 11.9 per cent in March 2016, slower than the 13.5 per cent it saw in February.

The electricity sector grew at 11.3 per cent in March 2016, significantly faster than the 9.2 per cent seen in February. "The pickup in the cement and refinery products sectors implies demand is picking up," Mr. Srivastava said. "This is possibly (due to the) infrastructure demand being pushed by the Central government. This shows that the government's support for developing infrastructure is finally kicking in."

Others, however, were not so optimistic, pointing to the poor performance of the Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) in April as being inconsistent with the seemingly sustained growth in the core sectors. "It is unusual that the core sector numbers are

up, but PMI in manufacturing has gone down," Rajiv Kumar, Senior Fellow at the Centre for Policy Research said. "The data is most unreliable, there is no consistency." "Even this growth, of 6.4 per cent, is not very strong, historically. The growth should be in the double digits. But it is showing a pickup, and this is good news," he added.

Growth in the coal sector slowed to 1.7 per cent in March compared to 3.8 per cent in February, while the crude oil sector contracted sharply by 5.1 per cent in March compared to a growth of 0.8 per cent in February. "These numbers are throwing up results that are not in tune with what is happening in the economy," K Ravichandran, Senior Vice President and Co-Head, Corporate Sector Rating at ICRA said. "So, one can't say conclusively that the economy is on the mend.

Investment is happening, activity is happening on government-led capital expenditure (capex) in road, rail and defence. But private capex is not really happening." Another reason why the jubilation over a recovery might be premature is that the strong growth in March 2016 could likely be a result of a base effect brought on by the contraction seen in the index in March 2015. The index of eight core industries contracted 0.7 per cent in March 2015. "This data needs to be seen keeping the base effect in sight," Mr. Kumar said. "To get a more accurate picture, we need to compare March 2016 with March 2014." This comparison shows that the index grew 5.6 per cent in March 2016 over its level two years previously. (Agencies)

RECORD BREAKING OUTPUT India's infrastructure sectors clocked their highest growth in 16 months in March 2016, with the index for core industries climbing 6.4 per cent, buoyed by a sharp uptick in the output of cement, electricity, fertilisers and refinery products.

The fertiliser sector grew at 23 per cent in March 2016, up from 16.3 per cent in February. The cement sector saw a growth of 11.9 per cent in March 2016, slower than the 13.5 per cent it saw in February. The electricity sector grew at 11.3 per cent in March 2016, significantly faster than the 9.2 per cent seen in February.

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DIBRUGARH, THURSDAY, MAY 5

PAGE 11

India dethroned as top T20 side in latest rankings Hindusthani Vidyalaya in Semis the 1992 World Cup winners out of the top eight.

Other sides to gain following the annual update include sixth-ranked England (103, up two), seventhranked Bangladesh (98, up one), eighth-ranked West Indies (88, up two), 10thranked Afghanistan (51, up four) and 11th-ranked Zimbabwe (47, up two).

A significant date on the ICC events calendar is 30 September 2017, which is the rankings cut-off date for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019. The host, England, and the seven next highestranked sides on the ICC ODI Team Rankings on 30 September 2017 will qualify directly for cricket's biggest event, while the bottom four ODI ranked sides will join the top sides from the ICC World Cricket League in the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier 2018 to

Indian cricket team fight for the two remaining positions.

Although there will be another ODI team rankings annual update prior to this cut-off date, it is significant that from now on the

Ganguly congratulates Tendulkar for being chosen as India's Rio brand ambassador ANI Kolkata, May 4 : Former Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly has wished cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar luck after he accepted the Indian Olympic Association's (IOA) invitation to be one of the goodwill ambassadors for the Indian contingent for this year's Rio Olympics.

The 43-year-old said that Tendulkar had tremendously contributed for India and, therefore, the IOA had decided to choose him as the brand ambassador.

"I wish him all the best.

There is Abhinav Bhindra as well, who has done wonders for India. Sachin Tendulkar has also done wonders for India. And that is the way Indian Olympic Association (IOA) had thought," Ganguly told the media here.

Sourav Ganguly The IOA's decision to invite Tendulkar and Bindra as goodwill ambassadors came after Bollywood actor Salman Khan's appointment left the sporting fraternity divided, with London Olympics bronze-medallist Yogeshwar Dutt and legendary sprinter Milkha Singh

questioning the move.

Meanwhile, those in support of Salman believe that his selection would give a glamour quotient to the Indian team's presence at the Olympics and would also help in drawing maximum attention from the masses for the Games.

results of all ODIs that will affect qualification will be weighted at 100 per cent whereas matches played between May 2014 and April 2016 will by then be weighted at only 50 per

cent.

All the teams bunched together in the middle of the table will have to win as many matches as possible in the forthcoming season, knowing it will help ensure

Delhi Daredevils skipper Zaheer Khan

ANI Rajkot, May 4 : Delhi Daredevils skipper Zaheer Khan has heaped praise on India's Under19 batsman Rishabh Pant after he stole the limelight by hitting a brilliant knock of 69 during the side's eight-wicket win over Gujarat Lions in their Indian Premier League ( IPL) clash at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium here last evening.

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Pant smashed nine boundaries and two sixes in his 40-ball knock and also shared a huge 115run partnership with Quinton de Kock (46) for the opening wicket as Delhi Daredevils chased

down the modest target of 150 runs with 16 balls to spare.

Describing Pant's performance as `amazing`, Zaheer said batting with an experienced player like De Kock really helped the 18-year-old perform better in the game.

"I think his ( Rishabh Pant) performance was amazing. I am sure batting with someone like De Kock has really helped him. You have seen the way Quinton has been going in this tournament. He is a pure match-winner.

And this kind of energy rubs on other people.

Rishabh has taken a leaf out of Quinny's book," Zaheer said after the win.

The 37-year-old skipper,

Sports Reporter Dibrugarh, May 4: Hindusthani Vidyalaya defeated Kendriya Vidyalaya by five wickets in the quarter final match of the Kamal Hazarika inter school cricket tournament organised by Tinsukia District Sports Association at TDAS stadium in Tinsukia today.

Opting to bat, KV were bowled out for 97 in 18 overs. Shahnawaj Hussain scored 22 off 25 balls, with two boundaries and two sixes, while Kunal Singh contributed 15 off 15 balls, hitting two boundaries.

For Hindusthani Vidyalaya,

Suraj Kumar Rai claimed five for 24 in 4 overs and Rakesh Patel took four 15 in 4 overs.

In reply, Hindusthani Vidyalaya scored 100 by losing five in 15.3 overs.

Rakeah Patel scored 42 off 46 balls, hitting four boundaries and two sixes. Rahul Prasad contributed 18 off 18 balls, with three boundaries.

For KV, Rahul Sharma bagged three for 29 in 4 overs and Piyush Ranjan took two for 10 in 4 overs.

Tomorrow, Guru Teg Bahadur Academy will lock horn with Vivekananda Kendra Vidyalaya.

Pietersen `gutted` over Bhupathi-Martin make winning Shehzad's omission for start at Madrid Masters England tour ANI ANI Karachi, May 4 : England batsman Kevin Pietersen has offered his support to his Quetta Gladiators' teammate Ahmed Shehzad after the Pakistan opener was dropped from the national squad for the upcoming tour of England.

Describing Shehzad as a `standout batter`, the 35year-old England player took to micro blogging website Twitter to express his disappointment over his exclusion.

"Gutted for,

"Honour for me that the player like u is worried about my future!!," Shehzad wrote on Twitter.

Earlier, Shehzad, along with Umar Akmal, were axed from the squad over the disciplinary issues by the newly elected national selection committee led by former Pakistan skipper Inzamam-ul-Haq. "Wherever there will be a disciplinary problem, we will take a step. And you should expect this selection committee to be a little stern on discipline," Inzmam said referring to

Madrid, May 4 : Indian tennis ace Mahesh Bhupathi along with his French partner Fabrice Martin produced a resilient performance as the duo have progressed through to the second round of the men's doubles event at the Madrid Masters.

After losing the first set by a whisker, the wildcard Indo-French pair rebounded strongly to secure a 6-7 (3-7), 75, 10-7 victory over Argentine-French pair of Guido Pella and Gilles Simon in the opening round contest that lasted

Mahesh Bhupathi

one hour and 43 minutes.

It is Bhupathi's first appearance since the Delhi Open in February, where he partnered with Yuki Bhambri to clinch his first doubles title in three

years.

Bhupathi and Martin will next lock horns with seventh-seed Alexander Peya and Nenad Zimonjic for a place in the quarter-finals.

Stuart Law frontrunner for Pak's head coach role

Zaheer Khan hails Pant's `amazing` knock against Gujarat Lions who bagged only a wicket in his allotted four overs, also applauded his players for their great energy on the field.

"Trying to keep up with the young energy on the field. The effort on the field is to be applauded.

It was a big field and the way guys ran in to save runs has to be applauded. Giving everyone freedom to express themselves on the cricket field. It's really important to play their own brand of cricket.

We go in each and every game with a specific plan and so far guys have been very supportive of that. They understand exactly what the whole group is trying to achieve together and that is what you need," he added.

Pant was also declared `Man of the Match` for his match-winning contribution.

With this win, the Delhi Daredevils have climbed up to the second spot in the points table, having five wins from seven games they have played so far.

They will next lock horns with Rising Pune Supergiants at Delhi's Feroz Shah Kotla on Thursday.

direct qualification for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019, which will be staged from 30 May to 15 July in the United Kingdom.

In the T20I update, ICC World Twenty20 2016 semi-finalist New Zealand has stormed up the chart to claim number-one position for the first time.

Kane Williamson's side has gained 12 points following the annual update and has consequently vaulted two places to join India on 132 points. However, when the ratings are calculated beyond the decimal point, then New Zealand is ahead of Dhoni's side by +0.21.

ICC World Twenty20 2016 champion West Indies has slipped to third after conceding three points. The West Indies now leads fourth-ranked South Africa by three points, which has broken away from England.

Kevin Pietersen @iamAhmadshahzad!

Playing the PSL, he was a standout batter & fun lad! How he doesn't get selected is beyond me! #PickTheBest," Pietersen tweeted.

his decision.

The 35-man training camp for the England tour will begin on May 14 and conclude on June 4 ahead of the tour which starts in July.

Reacting to the tweet, Shehzad said it was an honour for him to receive support from the player like Pietersen.

Pakistan are scheduled to play four Tests, five ODIs and one T20 international against England from July to September.

Stuart Law ANI Karachi, May 4 : Former Australian player Stuart Law has reportedly emerged as the frontrunner to fill the vacant position of Pakistan head coach left by Waqar Younis following the team's disastrous groupstage exit from the World T20.

Earlier, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), which held the Board of Governors (BoG) meeting at the NCA to discuss the candidate, had confirmed that they shortlisted a couple of names for the head coach's post, but they refused to announce the names keeping in mind the candidates'

final consent.

Meanwhile, PCB chairman Shaharyar said that the new head coach would also coach the Pakistan 'A' team.

According to the Dawn, Law is among the favourites to succeed Waqar as the head coach while Andrew Moles, who is currently working with the Afghanistan national team, was kept as the backup.

The 47-year-old, who played one Test and 54 ODIs for Australia, is expected to be the PCB's favourite due to his reputation for being a disciplined cricketer and hardworking person.

Law has recently also signed a contract with Cricket Australia as the team's batting coach for the upcoming tour of Sri Lanka, starting from July.

Pellegrini backs Aguero to fire Man City into CL finals ANI London, May 4 : Ahead of his side's second leg of the Champions League semi-final clash against Real Madrid, Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini has called on star striker Sergio Aguero to outshine Cristiano Ronaldo and power them to the finals of the tournament.

Aguero has managed to score only two goals in this season's Champi-

ons League so far in contrast to Ronaldo's 16 goals.

Despite Aguero's mediocre performance this season, Pellegrini backed the Argentina international to put his best foot forward against Zinedine Zidane's side, the Daily Express reported.

Labeling Aguero as 'one Manuel Pellegrini of the best technical players', the Chilean his side to the title glory lenging Ronaldo and manager insisted that in order to brighten his Lionel Messi's mothe forward has to lead own chances of chal- nopoly of the FIFA

Ballon d'Or. Pellegrini, however, warned his players not to stick their focus on stopping Ronaldo, adding that they must concentrate on attacking and defending as a team against entire Real Madrid.

City, who settled with a goalless draw in their first leg against Real Madrid, will now aim for the final berth when they take on Zidane's side at home ground on Thursday.

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ANI Dubai, May.4 : The Indian cricket team on Wednesday dropped to fourth in the latest ICC ODI team rankings and was also dethroned as the top Twenty20 side following the annual update.

Results from 2012-13 have been dropped, while results from 2014-15 have been reduced to a weighting of 50 per cent.

Meanwhile, the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 finalists Australia and New Zealand have retained the top two positions on the ICC ODI team rankings.

Australia, which won its fifth World Cup title in Melbourne last year, is now sitting on 124 points after dropping two points to lead New Zealand by 11 points.

South Africa has swapped places with India to move into third position, while the West Indies has exchanged places with Pakistan to push

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DIBRUGARH, THURSDAY, MAY 5

Page 12

FASCINATING FACTS

Beauty and the Beast Once upon a time there lived a wealthy merchant and his three daughters.

One day, the father was to go to a far-off place and he asked his daughters what they wanted on his return. The first and the second daughter asked for lovely dresses. But the third daughter, whose name was Beauty, said, "Father, I only need a rose plucked by your hand." The merchant, on his way back, had to cross through the deep forest. It was dark and the merchant tried to find a place to sleep. He suddenly found a huge castle and went inside to find nobody.

There was a huge table with delicious food and he ate it all. Then the merchant went into the bedroom and slept on a soft and fluffy bed. The next day, too, the merchant did not find anyone in the castle. He saw a beautiful rose bush growing in the lawn and remembered Beauty's gift. He plucked a red rose from the bush.

Suddenly, a ferocious looking beast sprang out of the bush.

He was wearing fine silk clothes and roared, "I gave you food and a bed to sleep in! And now, you are stealing my roses!" The merchant was frightened and told the Beast about Beauty's gift. The Beast

Beauty cried and said, "Please don't die, Beast! I will live with you forever!" (Photo: pmcdeadline2.files) decided to let him go only if he promised to send Beauty to this castle. The merchant agreed and ran back home. He cried and told his daughters about the Beast. But Beauty loved her father a lot and agreed to go stay with the Beast.

The Beast treated Beauty with a lot of kindness. He was never rude to her. He let her stay in the biggest room and let her roam in the beautiful garden.

Beauty would sit near the fireplace and sew while the Beast kept her company. At first, Beauty was afraid of the Beast but slowly, she began to like

him.

One day, the Beast asked Beauty to marry him, but she refused. She was still afraid of his fearful-looking face. The Beast still treated her kindly and with a lot of love. Beauty missed her father a lot. The Beast gave her a magic mirror and said, "Look at the mirror and you can see your family.

Now you won't feel lonely anymore.

One day, Beauty looked in the mirror and saw that father was very ill and dying. She went to the Beast and pleaded and cried, "Please let me go home!

I only want to see my father

before he dies!" But the Beast roared, "No! You promised you would never leave this castle!"

Saying this, he stormed out of the room. But after some time, he came to Beauty and said, "You may go to stay with your father for seven days. But you must promise to return after that." Beauty was very happy and agreed. Then she left and went to stay with her father.

Her father, on seeing Beauty, felt very happy and soon recovered. Beauty stayed with her family for seven days and more. She forgot the Beast and his castle. But one night, she had a terrible nightmare in which she saw the Beast was very ill and about to die. He was crying, "Beauty, please come back!"

Beauty woke up and went back to the castle because she did not mean to hurt the Beast.

She cried and said, "Please don't die, Beast! I will live with you forever!" The Beast miraculously changed into a handsome prince. He said, "I was under a curse all these years and could only be relieved when someone fell in love with me. I am now cured of the curse because you truly love me." And then, Beauty and the Beast were married and together they lived happily ever after.

1.

Sea otters hold hands when they sleep to keep from drifting apart.

2. Squirrels plant thousands of new trees each year simply by forgetting where they put their acorns.

3. When playing with female puppies, male puppies will often let them win, even if they have a physical advantage.

4. Turtles can breathe through their butts.

5. Cows have best friends.

6. Gentoo penguins propose to their lifemates with a pebble.

7. Macaques in Japan use coins to buy vending machine snacks.

8. Norway knighted a penguin.

9. In China, killing a Panda is punishable by death.

10. Rats laugh when tickled.

CRAFTY CRAFTS Paper Plate Masterpiece What You Need: o Paper plate o Crayons o Paint o Paint brush o Markers o Glitter glue Instructions: 1.

Take your paper plate and paint it, color it, glue glitter to it, whatever you want! You could try to paint a portrait of your mom or anything of your choice.

Be creative and when you're done, you can give your mini-masterpiece to your mom along with breakfast in bed on Mother's Day.

Paper Plate Masterpiece (Photo: 4.bp.blogspot)

LITTLE SCIENTIST Oil Blob Dance

What You Need: o Clear drinking glass or plastic cup o 1/2 cup water o 1/2 cup rubbing alcohol o Cooking oil o Eyedropper o Food coloring (optional) Instructions: Watch an oil blob dance between two other liquids! Here's what to do: 1.

Pour the water into the glass.

2.

Add a drop or two of food coloring to the water so you can tell which liquid is the water. (optional) 3.

Tilt the glass slightly and slowly pour in the rubbing alcohol. Don't shake the glass, or the two liquids will mix. This is the clear liquid on top of the colored water.

4.

Fill the eyedropper with the cooking oil and lower the tip into the layer of rubbing alcohol, but not into the water.

5.

Squeeze out a couple of drops of the oil.

6.

The oil is lighter than the water and heavier than the rubbing alcohol, so the oil blobs float between the two liquids.

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