September 28, 2016, Wednesday

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ASSENG/2015/64205

Vol. II

Issue 75

Dibrugarh, Wednesday, September 28, 2016

5.00

Pages- 12

Kashyap reaches main draw of Korea Open

HOW TO WRITE A BUSINESS PROFILE

PREVENTING DEATH IN CUSTODY

Page - 12

Page - 6

Page - 9

ET CAPSULES Mother of two, wife of a scientist in Jorhat flee with a Facebook’s friend Bijoy Shankar Handique Jorhat, Sept 27: Wife of a scientist working in the Northeast Institute of Science and Technology, Jorhat has left her family including her two grown up kids with allegedly a friend from a social media site, Facebook. Her husband is a cancer patient and needed her at this time of his recovery. The news which spread like a wildfire has already created sensation in Jorhat. Putul Dutta, a social activist cum AJYCP Central Committee Advisor has informed that a case has been registered at Pulibor Police Station and the police has started an investigation.

The wife of the NEIST scientist, Runa Das Bora is an alumnus of Assam Engineering College and is from Guwahati. Reportedly she was an obedient housewife untill she met her new Facebook friend.

Her elder son is doing a BE degree outside the state while her daughter will sit for Class X pre-board exam next month.

The AJYCP unit of Jorhat district demand for speedy investigation so that the family of the scientist could be restored again, said Ritul Pathak, secretary of AJYCP, Jorhat district unit.

Poacher arrested at Tinsukia

Arrested poacher Koliya Barua.

Tinsukia, Sept 27: In a joint operation conducted by Para military force and Lekhapani police, a poacher was arrested at Jagun in Tinsukia district of Assam.

The apprehended poacher has been identified as Koliya Barua.

Based on the apprehended poacher's revelations, one handmade pistol,other arms and ammunitions, mobile phone and animal skin were recovered from his residence at Phanegaon. The arrested poacher was involved in a number of poaching cases.

Meanwhile, police have launched a manhunt to nab Barua's son-in-law, Mridupawan Sonowal, his accomplice, who is on the run. (Sidharth Singh)

HM approves state’s proposal to hand over Border fencing to Army A Staff Reporter Guwahati, Sept 27

Reiterating the state government's commitment to completely seal the IndoBangla border, the Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal who has called on the Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh today requested him to hand over the border fencing construction to Indian Army as was done in the case of IndoPak border in Jammu & Kashmir. Sonowal informed the Union Home Minister that he had personally visited the Indo-Bangla border areas in Dhubri sector in South Salmara Division. The total length of the Indo-Bangla border is 280 kms in Assam, out of which a 71 km portion is unfenced in patches. A 60 km border area within this unfenced portion is riverine which requires specialized technology to completely seal the border, Sonowal informed.

The Army's help would also be taken in supervising the plugging of innumerable holes and strengthening the fence

NEED FOR ARMY EXPERTISE

The Army's A 60-km border help would also area within this be taken in unfenced portion is supervising the riverine which plugging of requires specialized innumerable technology to holes and completely seal the strengthening border and this is the fence that where the Army's were first laid expertise would be out in 1984. called for. that were first laid out in 1984.

Sonowal, after his meeting home minister Rajnath Singh in New Delhi on Tuesday, said, "The home minister told me that the ministry has approved our proposal for completing the sealing of the Indo-Bangladesh border under the supervision of the army like is has been done in Jammu& Kashmir and all necessary work in this regard has already been initiated,"

Assam CM requests Union Home Ministry to extend term of foreigners tribunals A Staff Reporter Guwahati, Sept 27

Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal has called on Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh today and has requested for immediate extension of the term of the Foreigners Tribunal for 5 more years. The Chief Minister said that at present 100 Foreigners Tribunals are functioning in Assam out of which 64 Tribunals were created in 2014 in compliance with the Supreme Court directions for a period of two years. As validity of these Tribunals has expired on 9th February, 2016, the Chief Minister requested the Union Home Minister to extend the Tribunal’s validity for smooth settlement of foreigners’ issue.

The total length of the IndoBangla border is 280 km in Assam, out of which a 71 km portion is unfenced in patches.

Foreigners tribunals in Assam were set up under the Foreigner (Tribunal) Order of 1964 to determine the status of citizens whose Indian nationality are doubtful.

Terming NRC updation in Assam as a historic process, Contd. on Page 3

Sonowal said. The border is manned by BSF and Sonowal has also asked the border force to make use of 'smart technological solutions' like laser walls and surveillance gadgets to keep tight vigil at the frontiers at all times.

The Chief Minister has also requested the Union Home Minister for additional companies of paramilitary

ET Bureau Itanagar, Sept 27

Sunjoy Sur, State Head, Reliance Jio along with R K Sharma (State SCO), Jibesh Biswas (Jio Centre Manager) and Adam Maro (Project Manager) today called on Chief Minister PemaKhanduat his offices here and gave details of Jio 4G services and the company’s plan for its expansion across Arunachal Pradesh.

Khandu appreciated Reliance Jio for launching its operations in the state and said that going by the revolution in ‘digitalization’ brought about by its services that offer free voice calls, sms services and

roaming besides excellent data speed is a boon for Arunachal Pradesh. He requested the network provider to expand its services to rural areas too.

ET Bureau Namsai, Sept 27

dreams for making the nation open defecation free by 2nd October 2019.

Launching the Swachh Bharat Week at Namsai today, Parliamentary Secretary for Planning Chow Zingnu Namchoom who is also the local legislator called upon the people to join the India’s biggest ever cleanliness drive initiatives and make the district Open-Defecation Free (ODF).

Stressing towards maintaining cleanliness in every colonies of Namsai Township, Namchoom emphasized for conducting social services once in a week in the market areas, colonies and in all rural areas by the market committee in coordination with local administration and panchayat leaders.

The Swachh Bharat Week which is being declared by Ministry of Drinking Water & Sanitation, GoI is being observed from September 25 to October 2 in the district to mark the 2nd anniversary of Swachh Bharat Mission which was launched under the ambitious initiative of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 2nd October 2014 which envisages

On behalf the state government, Khandu welcomed the launching of Jio services and assured logistical support and cooperation.

visit Arunachal ET Bureau Itanagar, Sept 27

The Chief Minister asked the state Information Technology Secretary,

In the wake of reports doing the rounds about Chinese troops’ incursion in Arunachal Pradesh and subsequent denial

by Chinese authorities, junior defence and home ministers, Subhash Bhamre and Kiren Rijiju, visited the 4 Corps headquarters in Assam’s Tezpur where they held closed door meetings with senior Army and Air Force officers.

Contd. on Page 3

The duo, who arrived at the Corps headquarters on Monday evening, left for an undisclosed

“This is another important step towards ‘Digital India’ goal of the Prime Minister of India,” he observed.

forces to maintain law & order in the state in the coming months. The Chief Minister also discussed about the possibility of raising Indian Reserved Battalion in the state with the Union Home Minister.

The Union Minister asked the state Government to place a proposal for the same and assured that the initial fund for raising the force will be provided by the central government.

PS, Zingnu called upon people to make Namsai an OpenDefecation Free District

Reliance Jio to provide wi-fi, TV Post-'incursion' by and landline service in Arunachal Chinese troops, Rijiju

cmyk

Price -

forward post in western Arunachal by road on Tuesday morning as their chopper could not take off due to inclement weather.

The Indian Army and the Chinese People’s Liberation Army will sit together on October 2 during the “border personnel meet” (BPM) inside Chinese territory near Tawang.

The two Union Ministers’ visit is perceived to be in connection with the formulation of strategies before the BPM.

Contd. on Page 3

He reiterated that the effort of the people from different sections of the society can only make the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan a huge success in the State.

Contd. on Page 3

3 Elephants die in the state today ET Bureau Guwahati, Sept 27

Rajdhani Express kills 2 while another died by electrocution in Digboi

A 8 year’s old male elephant died after being electrocuted at Digboi Forest range in Digboi on Tuesday morning.

The elephant died after coming in contact with a live wire, officials informed.

Forest official said, the elephant was electrocuted after an electric pole collapsed bringing down the wire, just as a herd of about 10 -12 elephants were passing through the jungle.

Meanhile, in a corridor designated for the animal near Dimapur, Nagaland’s commercial hub, New DelhiDiburgarh Rajdhani Express ran into a herd of elephants and killed two.

Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) officials said the incident happened about 12.25am and the two female elephants of the herd were about five years old and the other 15.

“A four-member enquiry team comprising railway and forest officials has been constituted to probe how the elephants got killed midway between Dimapur and Khatkhati railway stations,” NFR spokesperson Pranav Jyoti Sharma told media.

Khatkhati, in Assam’s

8 years old Elephant died in Digboi on Tuesday Golaghat district, is about 270 km east of Guwahati.

It took several hours for the elephants’ bodies to be taken off the tracks, blocking the train, thus delaying several other trains, Sharma added.

Forest officials said the spot where train rammed into the two elephants is a designated elephant corridor, warranting movement of trains at reduced speed, preferably at 20 kph. “ We have asked the district officials to ensure elephants can use their traditional corridors without any harm. We will take up the train speed aspect with the railway authorities,” forest minister Pramila Rani Brahma said.

But NFR officials said they have not received any official request from the forest department to cut down speed on the Dimapur-Khatkhati section. “This has been the usual procedure wherever we have reduced speed on tracks through animal corridors or close to wildlife preserves,” a senior NFR officer said.

Until last week, the Dimapur-Khatkhati section was a low-speed zone owing to ‘bad bank’, a railway term for soft ground requiring slow movement of trains.

Several elephants get hit by trains in Assam. In February 2014, a passenger train had mowed down three elephants in eastern Assam’s Jorhat district.

Increasing numbers of beggars, a concern for Pasighat Staff Reporter Pasighat, Sept 27

Of late, Pasighat has become a short of dumping ground for beggars and mentally disorder persons. The situation has become quite alarming as their numbers are increasing day by day. Even some of them lingering and reaching out to far of villages in the district.

The district administration and police need to regulate the growing graph and deport them back to either Jonai or other places from where most of them have come to Pasighat.

Many commoners have also questioned the coming of beggars and other mentally disorder persons into Pasighat as there has two check gates, one at Ruksin and another at 2 Mile to check illegal entry. If

Many commoners have questioned the coming of beggars and other mentally disorder persons into Pasighat increasing number of this situation is not checked, the other anti social and anti national elements may also

take the guise of these beggars and mentally disorder persons and may cause damages to the people, state and the nation.

Govt proposes to revise minimum wages for domestic help PTI Guwahati, Sept 27

The Assam government today said it has proposed to revise the minimum wages payable to workers engaged as domestic help.

"The state government after consultation with the State Minimum Wages Advisory Board for the employment of domestic workers has recently made a draft proposal for revising the minimum rates of wages," an official release said.

As per the draft, the minimum wage is proposed at Rs 30 per hour for part-time employment for sweeping, swabbing, dusting (housekeeping), washing utensils and washing clothes.

Contd. on Page 3

Rs 30 minimum wages per hour for part-time employment for sweeping, swabbing, dusting (housekeeping), washing utensils and washing clothes

Rs. 35 for

cooking, baby THE DRAFT PROPOSAL care or old age MINIMUM WAGES care, the minimum wage for every hour

Rs 7,200 per month for full-time domestic works irrespective of their work (8 hours)

Rs 8,400 per month for baby care or old age care cmyk

PAGE 10

This is to inform all stakeholders, partners, advertisers, e m p l o y e e s , investors, reporters and journalists associated with the Eastern Today that Shri Ripunjoy Das, former editor of the Eastern Today have resigned from the English Daily, The Eastern Today on 3rd September 2016 and therefore have no further association of any kinds with this newspaper.

CITY

DIBRUGARH, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 28

PAGE 2

Dibrugarh, Tinsukia

BCPL organizes free health check- at Lezai

GODDESS DURGA IN THE MAKING

A Staff Reporter Dibrugarh, Sept 27: Brahmaputra Cracker and Polymer Limited (BCPL), the prestigious and largest Petrochemical Complex of Assam is presently under operation and in advanced stage of stabilization. Allout efforts are on to stabilise the units and resolve various issues at the earliest for full capacity operations of the complex. BCPL products are being sold in Assam and the entire North-East Region and also creating a market for the products in markets beyond the NorthEast. Representatives of many National & International Agencies, Vendors etc. are visiting BCPL for various mutual business needs, which is directly/indirectly helping local economy. Sustained operation of BCPL and its growth will further enhance the prosperity of the region.

An artist giving shape to an Idol of Goddess Durga in Dibrugarh on Tuesday. Pic - Manoj Pandey

HOROSCOPE Aries

Taurus

Gemini

Cancer

Too much hard work and stress could be taking a physical toll on you today, Aries. But it isn't likely to stop you from working intently and energetically on a project that fascinates you. This enterprise could be personal or job related, but whatever it is, the turn it takes is apt to surprise you. It might not be anything like what you'd planned! Go to it!

Leo

Virgo

Libra

Scorpio

Sagittarius

Capricorn

Aquarius

Pisces

Expect your romantic relationship to be better than ever today, Leo. You're communicating well and in touch with one another's feelings. How wonderful to be able to maintain an inspiring, rewarding bond with someone who loves you. There is much to be grateful for. This could be a good time to take your relationship to the next level. Your partner won't mind discussing this.

This could be a banner day, Virgo. Your spiritual and career goals come together so both are enhanced and neither is compromised. It's a neat trick. You can expect the opportunity to practice what you preach to come to you through a friend or colleague. Don't discount any ideas presented to you, as one will contain the key to meshing two of the most important parts of your life.

Be your most charming self tonight, Libra. You're likely to meet someone who can help your career.

Your intuition is strong, so you may know who this person is the minute you shake hands. If the chemistry is good, too, so much the better! Whether this person impacts your life in a romantic or business capacity, you'll remember this night as when your life changed for the better!

You have an introspective nature, Scorpio. For the last few weeks you've been reflecting on and assessing what does and doesn't work in your life. It's likely that you're ready for some kind of major change. Either your relationship is in a rut or you need a complete career overhaul. Follow your instincts as you plan how to develop and grow from here. You are your own best guide.

You're ready for something new and different, Sagittarius. What better time than during the current transits to put into practice what has only been a dream?

You may decide to work for yourself or ditch one relationship in favor of another. You want the changes you implement to be brash and far-reaching! If not, you may have to wait a long time to feel this energetic and optimistic again.

You'll do some serious soul searching today. Which goals have you achieved and which ones have gone unattained? Be honest as you reflect on past months.

Could you have done things differently? Would you like to do things differently in the future?

You'd be well advised to write down your successes and regrets. Use the list to keep you on track. It's bound to be a great help to you.

Today you'll realize that a clean slate brings with it the chance for a new beginning. You feel excited and optimistic about the future. Your goals are clear and your mind is sharp.

How can you not succeed? Take care not to let your fantasies run away with you. Keep your eyes on your attainable goals rather than waste time and energy chasing pipe dreams.

You may be ready for some major career changes, Pisces. You could be fed up with the stress and long hours of the corporate environment. Surely in this age of technology there's a way to spend more time at home without sacrificing the quality of your work.

Think about it for a few days. If you propose a feasible alternative to your boss, the positive response may surprise you.

The second free health check up camp was organised at Lezai Higher Secondary School on 26th September 2016. Specialists from Assam Medical College as well as private practitioner in the areas of Medicine, Ophthalmology, Dermatology, Paediatrics, ENT & Orthopaedics from Dibrugarh provided medical consultation to the villagers and free medicines were also distributed to the patients having various ail-

ments. More than 400 villagers from nearby areas like Lezai , Baruagaon,Panigaon, Lalmati, etc turned out and took advantage of the health check-up camp. The initiative was a great success as most of the people living in this interior villages have no access to medical facilities.

Continuing this campaign BCPL is organising the next Health Check-up Camp at Garudharia.

Amit Nagori Golaghat, Sept 27: Members of the All Assam Minor Student Union staged a protest here on Tuesday against the attack on the Indian Army camp in Uri. An accident took place between a truck and an i2o car near Agriculture marketing gate at Makum today. A person named Ansari was severely injured in the accident and has been admitted in the Tinsukia Civil Hospital. Pic - Sidharth Singh

Have you been considering working at home, Gemini? If so, today you might decide to do just that. An opportunity could pave the way for new jobs you could do at home, in your own space, among your own belongings. This could add to your sense of security. The only downside could be if you don't make the effort, you might never leave the house. Join a health club!

This is a good day to consider an alternate life path. Although there's nothing wrong with the one you're on, it's always good to consider other roads.

this initiative is to facilitate the villagers with general and preventive health care.

The programme has been organized in three phases with a motive to extend medical services of specialists to address health related problems of people residing in the vicinity of BCPL. As part of this programme, the first free health check-up was organized at Kalakhowa M.V. School on 20 September 2016.

Protest against URI attack by AAMSU

If you're single, Taurus, today you could fall in love at first sight. A friend could introduce you to someone new and exciting who shares your interests and with whom you'll talk for hours. This could make you feel happy. You'll certainly enjoy your day. If you want to stay in touch, don't be afraid to exchange contact information. Otherwise, you might lose track of your new friend.

Expect to get some useful financial information today, Cancer. You may learn about a new investment, or perhaps you'll get wind of a job opening that's right up your alley.

In its continuous endeavour to ensure a healthy environment and care for health of people of the surrounding areas of BCPL plant, BCPL is organizing Health Checkup camps in the nearby villages. The main objective of

BCPL organizing Health camp at Lezai. Pic - Manoj Pandey

National award to senior citizen of Dibrugarh resident A Staff Reporter Dibrugarh, Sept 27: Narul Huda(96) will honoured with National award of senior citizen on October 1, 2016 in New Delhi. He is the first person from Dibrugarh to honoured with such feet.

He is associated with many social works in Dibrugarh. He took part in India’s freedom struggle as a student. He was felicitated with many awards.

Talking to reporters he said the is happy to receive such prestigious award.

The protesters burnt a Pakistan flag and shouted slogans against the neighbouring country, which they said, had orchestrated the attack only to provoke the peace-loving citizens of India.

They sought military action against Pakistan and urge the United Nations to declare it as a terrorist state.

They also urged the Union government to cut off all diplomatic ties and trade links with it.

AAMSU protest against URI attack.

Special immunization drive in Dibrugarh A Staff Reporter Dibrugarh, Sept 27: The Government of Assam will launched Special Immunization Drive(SID) in September 29 to October 1in the first phase to intensified effort to vaccinate all unvaccinated and partically Vaccinated children under UIP. The drive focuses on intervention to improve full immunization coverage in Assam to at least 90 % of full immunization rate by December 2016. The drive will be held up to December month.

The Government of Assam is committed to reducing child mortality and morbidity in the state by improving full immunization coverage through universal immunization progarmme(UIP). As per NFHS 4 2015-16 report the full immunization coverage was least in Dhubri (20. 1 %) and best in Sivasagar(73%).

Dibrugarh district is third position with 71.1 % whereas state percentage is 47 %.

Galleria Cinema Dibrugarh Junction Mall Screen-1

days and regular RI days). Target beneficiaries for this drive would include all children under two years of age and pregnant women. However, children above two years of age seeking vaccination will not be denied due vaccines,’’ said Joint Director of Health.

Deputy Commissioner of Dibrugarh Laya Madduri speaking at a press conference on Special immunization drive on Tuesday. Pic: Manoj Pandey Joint Director of Health Services, Dibrugarh informed that for the purpose of this special immunization drive, three colours of stickers would be used to identify household with fully immunized beneficiaries, left out beneficiaries and drop out beneficiaries. He said red sticker for left out,

yellow sticker for drop out and green sticker for fully immunized.

“A total of three/four rounds will be conducted under the drive as per government of India guidelines. Each round will be conducted for five working days(other than Sunday, holi-

“The special immunization drive will cover all the blocks of the district for strengthening routine immunization along with special focus on identified poor performing sub centers across the district,’’ Baruah said.

Dibrugarh Deputy Commissioner, Laya Madduri said the aim of the special immunization drive is to reach the unreached, to strengthen routine immunization programme and health system, generating high demand for immunization services by addressing communication challenges and ensuring that the partially immu-

nized and unimmunized children are fully immunized as per national immunization schedule. “We have to raise the immunization drive in Dibrugarh up to 90 % from 70 per cent. Therefore, we appeal all the people to come in large numbers to protect children from various diseases,’’ DC said.

Hemanta Kumar Das, Development Commissioner, Dibrugarh, Dr Sunity Gogoi, District immunization officer, Dr Nabanita Nirmolia, State observer, SID, Dr Rashmi Ahmed, State observer, SID, Dr Bhabajyoti Bora, SMO, NPSP, WHO, Dibrugarh, Dr Tulika Goswami Mahanta, Associate Prof(Community Medicine), AMCH, Monikha Buragohain, District programme Manager, NHM, Dibrugarh were present in the press conference at Dibrugarh Deputy commissioner conference hall.

Hospital staff held with drugs at Tinsukia

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ET Correspondent Tinsukia, Sept 27: Sensation has prevailed after Tinsukia police found 9 packets of drugs from Niru Gohain, a lady staff, working under O.P.D department of a civil hospital of Tinsukia.

The police seized the drugs and investigating the matter thoroughly.

House catches fire due to short circuit A staff Reporter Dibrugarh, Sept 27: A house caught fire due to short circuit inTengakhat today. Goods worth more than ten lakhs were burnt in the fire.

According to the information available, on Tuesday night, Sajar Khan home caught fire and soon the fire was spread all over the house. It took hours by the fire department to douse the fire. Sajar said that probable cause of fire is short circuit.

LOST I, Supriya Sinha Debnath W/O Bapi Debnath resident of Ananda Para Margherita have lost my original documents of Krishna Kanta Handiqui State Open University BPP Registration card No 12000105162 with mark sheet and Admit card. B.A Registration card No 13027744, Original Mark sheets and Admit cards of B.A 1st Semester,B.A 2nd Semester,B.A 3rd Semester, B.A 4th Semester and B.A 5th Semester Mark sheet.

DIBRUGARH, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 28

AROUND THE

STATE HTC renews sponsor deal with NorthEast United FC

PTI Guwahati, Sep 27: Taiwanese handset maker HTC today said it has renewed its agreement with Indian Super League team NorthEast United FC (NEUFC) and will be the principal sponsor of the football franchise for the third straight year.

In an official release, the company announced renewal of its association

for the third consecutive year as principal sponsor with ISL football franchise NEUFC for 2016 season.

Commenting on the development, NEUFC Owner and Bollywood Actor John Abraham said: "I feel a strong connect with the brand's (HTC) focus on substance, style and innovation, which has enabled it to grow its

connect with the youth and I hope we can have a long term association to bring about a resurgence in Indian football."

HTC President (South Asia) Faisal Siddiqui said, "The ISL has been successful in capturing the mind-share of the masses in India's cricketdominated sports milieu.

We are proud to be a part of this initiative to

revolutionise Indian football. Our best wishes are with the team as they play at the inaugural match on their home ground Guwahati on October 1."

The championship, which is entering its third year, will kick off on October 1 and will culminate on December 18.

NEUFC has steady

progress in the last few editions of the tournament and the team is looking forward to an exciting season with players like Marquee Didier Zokora who has played three World Cups, Lallianzuala Chhangte who is the second youngest goal-scorer for India in his debut game and goalkeeper Subrata Paul who is a recipient of Arjuna Award.

Kaziranga national Petroleum companies asked park set to open for to provide uninterrupted gas tourists on Oct 1 supply to all tea gardens

IANS Guwahati, Sep 27: The Assam government is going to open the Kaziranga national park for tourists from October 1 this year instead of November 1, it was announced on Monday.

Assam Forest Minister Pramila Rani Brahma is expected to open the gates of the park for tourists on October 1, a park official said on Monday.

The date for opening of the national park, famous for its one-horned rhino population, was advanced this year following the instruction from Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal in August.

Park authorities in Kaziranga national park are now working hard to make all the arrangements for opening the park for the tourists from October 1.

Normally the park used to be opened for tourists on November 1 and it gets closed on April 30 every year.

"On October 1, we are going to open only Western range, Bagori range, Central range

and Kohora range for the tourists. We are working on to repair the roads inside the park.

Once all the works are completed, the other ranges would also be opened for tourists," said a senior officer of the park on Monday.

He said that the elephant rides as well as the jeep rides would be made available for tourists in the aforesaid ranges from October 1. "However, the total distance of the Jeep Safari circuit would be reduced due to ongoing repair works inside the park," he said.

The park had witnessed severe floods in last two months, which have submerged more than 80 percent of the park.

The devastating floods have washed away some small bridges inside the park and damaged the roads inside to a large extent.

Although the main attraction of the park is the one-horned rhino population, tourists also frequent the park for tigers, elephants, water buffaloes, hog deer, bear and other wildlife species including reptiles and winged species.

Assam Industries & Commerce department calls upon GMs to focus on promotion of industry among youth ET Bureau Guwahati, Sept 27: A daylong conference of the General Managers (GM)s of District Industries and Commerce Centres (DI&CC)s was held at NEDFi House on Tuesday.

The conference was conducted by the Assam Industries and Commerce Department.

Commissioner of Industries and Commerce, KK Dwivedi called upon the GMs to conduct workshops and campaigns in colleges, universities, research and technical institutions to encourage young minds to nurture ideas and flourish them into big dreams.

In a one-to-one interaction, Dwivedi further asked the GMs to find suitable land for development of ‘land bank’ to attract investments and facilitate all industries registered

under DICC to avail subsidies and incentives.

Addressing the officials present, Ravi Capoor, Principal Secretary of Industries and Commerce Department said that small tea growers contribute 30% of the state’s tea production. General Managers are the driving force for mobilising the formation of Self Help Groups to benefit the small tea growers.

Earlier, Anurag Goel, Commissioner of Taxes, gave a presentation on the upcoming Goods and Services Tax (GST) and its effect on industries, business and commerce in Assam.

There were also presentations on Standup India, Startup India, MSME Databank and Tea Cess Policy in the conference.

(With inputs from Agencies)

Railway passenger suffers as PRS at Lower Haflong remain closed

A Staff Reporter Guwahati, 27 Sept: Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal has urged all petroleum companies to ensure uninterrupted gas supply to the tea gardens of the state. Stating that tea production in the state has been severely hit by shortage of gas, the Chief Minister said that ONGC, OIL and GAIL must take immediate steps for adequate supply of gas to the tea gardens.

Reiterating the Navaratna and Maharatna Companies’ role in maintaining gas production in the state, Chief Minister Sonowal said that

Though this PRS is closed for several days, the authority concerned is yet to in-

form or notify the cause of closure of this only PRS of Haflong to the public. One on duty RPSF man after being asked, informed that the PRS is closed for last four days probably due to fault in the system.

The people requested the Railway authority to establish a PRS or an extended ticket counter at Haflong town itself so that public could access the facility in true means.

supply chain and take steps for optimum utilization of the same. He said that gas based industries of Assam like BCPL will hugely be benefitted by this and it will further help in the growth of ancillary industries.

The high level meeting was attended by Assam Industry Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary, MP Kamakhya Prasad Tasa, MP Rameswar Telli, MLAs from Sadia, Lahowal, Tingkhong and Margherita apart from Additional Secretary of Petroleum Ministry, Govt. of India and other top officials of ONGC, OIL and GAIL.

Govt proposes to revise minimum wages for domestic help Contd. from Page 1

For cooking, baby care or old age care, the minimum wage for every hour has been proposed at Rs 35.

"Likewise, for fulltime domestic works irrespective of their work (8 hours) and baby care or old age care, the rate of minimum wages has been proposed at Rs 7,200 and Rs 8,400 per month respectively," the statement said.

In addition to the revised rates, the workers

will be entitled to Variable Dearness Allowance (VDA) 100 per cent over the rise and fall of index point in the All-India Consumer Price Index (CPI) for Industrial Workers.

Rates of VDA will be revised every six months on the basis of change in CPI number during the intervening period.

"The rates will be fixed after consideration of the objections or suggestions received from any individual or organisation before the given date," according to the release.

Any objections or suggestions will be placed before the State Minimum Wages Advisory Board for consideration on expiry of two months, it said.

"All objections or suggestions filed with regard to the draft proposal should be addressed to the Government of Assam, Labour and Employment Department, Dispur, Guwahati-6 within a period of two months (60 days) from the date of publication of the draft proposal," the release said.

Post-'incursion' by Chinese troops, Rijiju visit Arunachal Contd. from Page 1

The Indian Army is likely to raise all outstanding issues with its Chinese counterpart in the meeting.

Meanwhile, defence establishments refused to share any details on the purpose of the Minister’s visit and their itinerary.

“What I know is that this is a normal routine visit,” defence sources

ET Correspondent Haflong Sept 27: Railway passengers of Dima Hasao in general and of Haflong in particular have been suffering a lot as the Passenger Reservation System (PRS) at Lower Haflong is closed for last four days, alleged the conscious citizens of Haflong.

around 10 lakh populations spreading across 1.5 lakh big and small tea gardens are dependent on the tea industry. As the present period is the peak season for tea production in Assam, continued shortage in supply of gas will adversely affect the state economy as well, he said.

The Chief Minister also urged all the petroleum companies to raise their production and sought their full cooperation for augmenting tea and other industries in Assam. He requested the companies to find out the causes of leakages in gas

told media.

Asked about the Chinese troops’ purported incursion in Anjaw district of Arunachal on September 9, he said the personnel might have mistaken the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and slightly stepped into the Indian side.

The Anjaw district police told media that the Chinese troops were seen “patrolling” very close to the LAC.

Earlier, a section of the media reported that the Chinese troopers had intruded 45km inside India and put up a temporary camp.

The visit of Bhamre and Rijiju to the 4 corps headquarters came close on the heels of the visit of Army chief General Dalbir Singh. During his visit in the first week of this month, the General had reviewed the defence preparedness of the corps which is deployed on the LAC. (With inputs from Agencies)

PS, Zingnu called upon people to make Namsai an Open-Defecation Free District Contd. from Page 1

People should come forward and join the mass movement of cleanliness and spread the message of ‘Cleanliness is next to Godliness’, he added.

He said that the under

young and dynamic leadership of Chief Minister Pema Khandu, various activities under the Swachh Bharat Mission would be implemented vigorously and successfully in every districts.

EE PHED cum Member Secretary District Swachh Bharat

Mission Namsai also spoke on the occasion.

To mark the celebration, mass rally was also organized which was actively participated by students (NSS) of various schools, officers, panchayat and public leaders, market secretaries and PHED staffs.

PAGE 3

Mock fire drill in Debraj Roy Mahavidyalaya school at Golaghat Amit Nagori Golaghat, Sept 27: A mock fire and evacuation drill involving students and fire fighters was conducted at the Debraj Roy Mahavidalaya School at Golaghat on Tuesday to create awareness among the student community of fire fighting techniques and the ways to respond swiftly in times of such emergency situation.

Prior to the commencement of the exercise, the students and teachers were split into various teams including fire alarm, search and rescue, evacuation, site safety, transportation and media management teams to carry out the mock drill.

Debraj Roy Mahavidyalaya school during the practice.

A group of fire fighters of Fire and Emergency Service of Golaghat District were armed with necessary paraphernalia required for fire fighting and rescue operations positioned themselves at vantage points to guide and assist the students in the mock fire and evacuation drill.

The “evacuation” operation began moments after the fire alarm team alerted the students about “fire” in the building. The students were immediately evacuated from their classrooms and asked to gather at the assembly area. Using the fire extinguishers, fire was imme-

Educationist cum social worker of Jorhat passes away BIJOY SHANKAR HANDIQUE Jorhat, Sept 27: Bongkhidhar Saikia a prominent educationist, social worker cum political worker passes away due to heart failure in a private nursing home in Jorhat here today. He was 78. He left behind his wife and two daughters.

and train young educators to attract more students towards the field of education.

He was also associated with several clubs and namghars, associations and had played a very active role with late Dulal Baruah when Baruah was the Janata Party leader and Minister of PWD in late 70s Late Bongkhidhar and 80s.

Saikia was retired from Today after his sudden Rebakanta Higher Sec- demise his body was ondary School as head- taken to several institumaster and was the tions, Colleges and founder member of clubs as his last rites Central College Jorhat, were performed in his associated with several residential premises in educational institutes Dhenususa , Sueniali, and he tried to build up Jorhat.

diately put out.

The fire fighters explained and demonstrated different improvised methods being followed by them to rescue and evacuate people caught in such emergency situation besides explaining the ways to operate the fire extinguishers safely.

CM inaugurates Health program in Delhi A Satff Reporter Dibrugarh, Sept 27: Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal inaugurated a day long Health Awareness and Check up Programme organized by All Assamese Students Association, New Delhi with support from TIPKAI and Care Luit at Assam Bhawan today. The programme was organised by the Association in view of high number of mosquito related diseases in New Delhi.

Doctors who took part in the programme included Dr. Pranjal Protim Gogoi, Dr. Subhrat Bhushan Sharma, Dr. Chandan Kr. Deka and Dr. Susil Jain. The inaugural programme was also attended by Rwitticka Kalita, Resident Commissioner, Assam Bhawan. Many students from the state and other parts of northeast studying in Delhi attended the Programme.

Assam CM requests Union Home Ministry to extend term of foreigners tribunals Contd. from Page 1

the Chief Minister requested the Home Minister for early release of fund for speedy implementation of NRC updation. Chief Minister Sonowal said that the state government has already

submitted a revised proposal of Rs. 882 crore to Union Government considering the huge scope of NRC works. He also said that the State Government had earlier submitted a proposal for Rs. 489 crore to the Union Government for NRC updation against which Rs.

288 crore was released.

Informing the Union Minister about the progress of NRC updation process, the Chief Minister said that a total 68.21 lakh families have applied for inclusion in the updated NRC and a total of 6.67 crore documents are being verified.

Reliance Jio to provide wi-fi, TV and landline service in Arunachal Contd. from Page 1

who was also present during the call-on, to coordinate and extend support wherever needed.

State Head Sunjoy Sur informed the Chief Minister that at present Jio has established its centres at Itanagar and Pasighat while plans are afoot to launch Jio services at all district headquarters soon. He said survey have been

already done to study feasibility of offering services at places like Tawang too.

Sur offered to ‘join hands’ with the state government for ‘digital empowerment’ of the state. He explained that Jio is ready to cooperate with the state in offering wi-fi services in government establishments like schools, colleges, offices and institutes besides creating wi-fi hotspots in places most

frequented by people.

T h e J i o o ff i c i a l further informed that through its ‘fibre to home’ connectivity three services – wi-fi, TV and landline – will be made available to subscribers in the coming days.

Meanwhile, the Reliance team formally handed over a letter from Reliance head MukeshAmbani to the Chief Minister.

DIBRUGARH, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 28

REST OF

ARUNACHAL

Government sanctions Rs. 30 lakhs for Mechuka Flood ET Bureau Itanagar, Sept 27: Chief Minister Pema Khandu has expressed concern over the reported flash flood in Mechuka valley in West Siang district and extended solidarity with the affected people.

As per reports heavy downpour on Sunday triggered heavy flood in Tamdeling River which flows through

middle of Mechuka town.

The floodwater inundated half of the town, damaged several houses and badly affecting roads and water supply.

Taking cognizance of the situation, Khandu had an urgent discussion with Disaster Management Minister Takam Pario, who this evening sanctioned Rs 30 lakhs for immediate relief

of the affected people and restoration of damages.

Khandu, in a message, appealed people staying in vulnerable places like river banks and landslide prone areas to maintain extreme caution during this season of unpredictable weather.

“We cannot predict nor prevent elements of nature.

The most we can do is re-

main cautious and lessen our loses. The government is with the affected families and assure all possible support during hard times,” he said.

The Chief Minister meanwhile directed the concerned department and the local administration to assess the loses and submit the report to the government.

“The government will always stand by you but you have to stand up for yourself first during such times,” he added.

Maksam Tayeng PASIGHAT, Sept 27: As a part of untiring effort from Adi-Mising Baane Kebang to bring better unity and communal harmony between Adis of Siang and Dibang Valley, Arunachal Pradesh and Misings of Brahmaputra valley and flood plains of Assam, along Assam-Arunachal boundary, the ‘Solung Giidii’ of Adis is going to be celebrated at Jonai, Assam on 28th September.

It may be pertinent to add here that 90 per cent of the Mising dialect is similar to Adi. Food habits, lifestyle, costumes and attire of Misings are also similar to those of Adis.

There are also some groups

Citing instances and stressing on emulating the feats where tourism successfully flourishes, the DC hinted on regulating basic amenities in sumo counters, home stays, hotels and tariffs.

Saying that hospitality is the key to flow of foreign and domestic tourists, he asked the DTO to prepare a calendar of events, routes, contact numbers and destinations for the benefit of tourists.

DFO Nyali Ete, who was also resource person on the day, suggested that in the absence of open spaces and recreational places at district headquarter Aalo, civil amenities could be opened up at Bahadur Hill and in-

formed that a germplasm garden has been tried initially, and sought the cooperation of all to open up any amenities in future.

ADTH Teresa Padu emphasized on promotion of traditional handicrafts and weaves through tourism.

District Tourism Officer, Rita Yorung spelt out tourism prospects and activities in the district and stressed on promoting universal accessibility and health and hygiene to promote tourism.

ZPM Tumpe Ete, Director RCCN Liduk Ete, representatives of Sumo services and hotel owners also forwarded useful tips for promotion of tourism in the district.

Second phase of Mission Cleanliness with Green Dustbin held at Daporijo of people having similar names of Adis along with similar cultural traits settled in the plains of Assam and foothill areas of AssamArunachal Pradesh. The Adi-Misings live close to one another in the hills and they have close ethnic, linguistic and cultural relationships. In the greater inter-

est of Adi-Misings, a new committee of Adi-Misings living in Assam and Arunachal Pradesh namely, Adi-Mising Baane Kebang was formed with Raju Medok as President and Okom Yosung as Secretary General. To this regard, several meetings have been already held to at Namsing,

Oyan in Arunachal and Jonai in Assam to strengthen the Adi-Mising brotherhood.

While speaking from the festival ground, Jonai, Assam over telephone this evening, Okom Yosung, General Secretary, AMBK, said that, efforts are being

initiated from both Adis and Misings for greater unification. “We jointly celebrates ‘Ali-Aye Ligang’ of Misings in Arunachal and ‘Solung of Adis’ in Assam as a part of cultural exchanges”, added Yosung who have been playing a pivotal role in this regard.

,today, at NBF, Hall, Khonsa as Special Revision in the Electoral Roll for all the Constituencies which will start from 1st October

to 31st October, 2016. The Training Programme was attended by DC, Tirap District, ERO, Khonsa, CO, Headquarter, CO, Dadam

Block and BLOs from different polling stations.

T. Aran, EAC -cum - ERO, Tirap proposed the welcome address and Brief out the Aims and objectives of the Special Summary Revision of Electoral Rolls 2017 w.e.f 1st of October.

Ravi Jha,Deputy Commissioner, Tirap District presided the Training Programme and congratulates all the BLO's for the good job done during NERP programme .He also urged the BLO's that elec-

tions duties are part of our duty and it is not additional work. He also interacted with the BLOs and motivated them.

After the formal programme A. K. Yadav, District Training Organizer, Khonsa was the Master Trainer and have started the training. He explained about the Form -6, 7, 8, 8 (A) and all the related topics concerning the upcoming Special Summary Revision. He also responded to the BLOs queries.

District level farmers’ training in Pasighat to boost oil palm cultivation ET Bureau Pasighat, Sept 27 : To boost and promote commercial Oil Palm Cultivation in East Siang district, a two- day district level training programme was conducted for oil palm growers by the Department of Agriculture, on “Transfer of Technology of Oil Palm Cultivation at Samiti Hall, GTC, Pasighat.

Close to 50 farmers from Mebo, Pasighat, Sille, Oyan, Bilat and Ruksin blocks participated in the training, where resource persons from the Agriculture department and officers from the Oil Palm Developer, M/s Ruchi Soya’s officers imparted training on various know-how and methods of palm oil cultivation.

District Nodal Officer Opang Moyong informed that Arunachal Pradesh’s high suitability for oil palm cultivation, with very conducive climatic, like good

ET Bureau Aalo, Sept 27 : West Siang Deputy commissioner Gamli Padu called for identifying important tourist destinations of the district while addressing officers, PRIs, transporters, hotel owners and market committees on the occasion of World Tourism Day at the DC’s office today.

Addressing the house, he stressed that since tourism is emerging as one of the fastest growing industries and source of sustenance to many countries and states and it is important locate important tourist destinations of the district with proper route, calendar, transportations, home stay and hospitality to attract more tourists.

Training on Special Summary Revision held in Khonsa

ET Bureau Borduria, Sept 27: A very fruitful "Special Summary Revision "Training programme was organised

Tourism is emerging as big Industry for sustenance: DC

He also commended the Mechuka administration and the citizens for voluntarily contributing and joining the social service to construct the embankment along the river at vulnerable places.

Adi-Mising joint celebration of ‘Solung Giidii’ at Jonai

Adis and Misings have the same origin, migration and settlement, speak the same language, possess same antique ornaments and metals, practise and preach the same religion, i.e., Donyi-Poloism and similar rituals. AdiMisings belong to the family of the Indo-Chinese group of Mongoloid stock.

PAGE 4

annual rain fall, soil suitability, relative humidity.

He also gave the excellent growth example of oil palm demo garden at CAU, Pasighat.

During the technical session, Moyong covered the entire packages of practices to be followed through his vast experience of oil palm training and field visits in India and Malaysia. He asked the farmers to make arrangements for irrigation during the upcoming winter season by utilizing water

harvesting structure subsidy from the government.

Moyong also informed of the measurements and construction procedure of water harvesting structure to obtain the subsidies.

Deputy Director Y J Lego in her deliberation informed that East Siang district would further be provided around 800 Ha seedlings from January 2017 for continuous plantation. She also advised the farmers to adopt the right techniques to get desirable yield and

profits, as oil palm gives sustainable yields for 25 to 30 years.

Bilat ADO Aloko Siram took up the Oil Palm Plantation Management, where he explained the suitability of lands, layout, pre and post planting techniques.

He also explained that oil palm gives two harvests per month, which in turn gives phenomenal income to the farmers.

ADO N Nonang explained about inter-crop cultivation

in oil palm fields, like pineapple, maize, and especially leguminous crops for three years to get income and fixation of atmospheric nitrogen.

He further explained the production of Vermi-compost, application and pest and diseases management in oil palm fields.

Nonang explained about the total scheme of the state and working guidelines for implementation and clarified the doubts of farmers in all aspects.

M/s Ruchi Soya Manager Muthuselvan explained the present status of oil palm, where excellent growth has been observed in all 120 Ha planted in the district.

He also shared his experience of oil palm cultivation in the state and South Indian states, and opined that Arunachal Pradesh would make history and enhance the financial status of farmers with good yields.

ET Correspondent Daporijo, Sept 27: The second phase of ‘Mission Cleanliness with Green Dustbin’ kicked-off today

by Tape Jeram, DDSE, Daporijo.

Pojam Mothu, DPC along with team of Sigin-l

Panchayat lead by ZPM Rocky Mothu had organized awareness camp cum plantation programme on “Clean Dapo, Green Dapo” with Green Dustbin at Rijo Sec School, Daporijo.

The first phase of program

was executed at Government civil Hospital in the beginning of this month, added the source.

Thousands of school children and teaching staffs of different schools and colleges of Daporijo took part during the programme.

Workshop on Mother & Child Health at Itanagar ET Bureau Itanagar, Sept 27: The need of creating awareness on mother and child health through adequate awareness generation activities throughout the state has been stressed in a ‘Workshop on Mother & Child Health’ organized by Directorate of Field Publicity for the District Field Publicity officials here today.

The Directorate of Field Publicity under Ministry of Information & Broadcasting has evolved a media plan for awareness campaign for the Ministry of Health & family Welfare for the current year on mother & child health in order to educate the masses through adequate programme literacy through its contact programmes both among beneficiaries and other stakeholders who play significant role in implementing the schemes at the micro level, informed DFP Director Dr. H.R Keshavamurthy, while addressing the officers. He said that the objective of the campaign which is proposed to be launched for

nine months during 201617 with 900 awareness programmes to be organized in village clusters across the country is to increase awareness regarding the specific themes.

Mission Director, NHM P.N Thungon, while highlighting on various health programmes of the government, spoke at large on various initiatives taken under the Mission towards strengthening the health care system in the state. He emphasized on the need to create awareness and educate the health workers for successful implementation of the programmes. Advocating for adolescent health care as this being the crucial age group, Thungon called for educating adolescent boys and girls on quality health care covering all health components including health, hygiene and vitamin supplements etc. He further emphasized on convergence of all line departments to collectively work out to have maximum outreach of the awareness campaigns.

WCD Joint Director in her address spoke on the relevant schemes of the department for the welfare of women and children like ‘Beti bachao, Beti padhao’, Kishori shakti’ etc targeting the uplift and educating the adolescent girl child. She also stressed on the need to have collective effort through convergence of all stakeholders for successful implementation of the programme.

Dr Tana Natung, Nodal officer, Maternal & Child health through his power point presentation highlighted in details on the importance of ante-natal care and post natal care for the expecting mothers which is necessary to reduce maternal death and infant mortality rate. He also called upon the Field Publicity Officers to take up the matter in a holistic way and create awareness among the people at grass root.

District Field Publicity Officers from various districts, besides Director IPR Obang Tayeng attended the one day orientation workshop.

DIBRUGARH,WEDNESDAY,SEPTEMBER28

BUSINESS

Sensex momentum slows, still up 37 points Mumbai, Sep 27: A spell of volatility set in as key benchmark indices trimmed their initial gains -- still up by 37 points -- led by short covering in technology, IT and pharma.

Telecom, capital goods, oil and gas and FMCG showed some weakness.

The market breadth, a gauge of overall health of the market, remained strong. The BSE mid-cap and small-cap indices moved up 0.30 per cent and 0.59 per cent, respectively.

The 30-share index resumed higher and was quoting at 28,330.89 at 1100 hrs, showing a rise of 36.61 points, or 0.13 per cent, from its last close.

The NSE 50-share Nifty was also trading higher by 16.10 points, or 0.18 per cent, at 8,739.15.

Major gainers were TCS

A file photo.

1.41 per cent, Power Grid 1.31 per cent, Sun Pharma 1.26 per cent and Asian Paints 1.12 per cent.

However, Bharti Airtel fell 1.08 per cent, ICICI Bank 1.04 per cent and ONGC 1 per cent.

Closer home, foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) sold shares worth a net Rs 206.40 crore yesterday, as per provisional data.

In overseas stock markets, Asian stocks were mixed amid the first US presidential debate between Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump.

US stocks extended losses yesterday as worries about Germany's Deutsche Bank weighed on the financial sector and investors waited for the US presidential debate outcome. (PTI)

Drugmaker Pfizer decides not to break up business New York, Sept 27: Drug giant Pfizer says it won't split into two publicly traded companies, despite pressure from investors frustrated by its lagging stock price, ending years of Wall Street speculation over its strategy and future.

The biggest US-based drug maker said Monday it believes it is best positioned to maximize shareholder value in its current form, but it reserves the right to split in the future if the situation changes.

For several years, the maker of Viagra and the pain treatment Lyrica has been under growing pressure from analysts and investors who argued that by splitting up, the resulting two companies might grow faster than one.

Pfizer has said it spent $600 million on preparations for such a split.

As a result, Pfizer has been reporting detailed financial results for each of its business segments, information that would be required by regulators for a split. Earlier this year, Pfizer promised a decision by the end of the year, but then it reorganized and renamed those segments - a sign a breakup was less likely.

Chances of the breakup began to fade even more over the summer, due in part to increasing sales for

key new drugs from Pfizer and rising prospects for its drugs under development.

Pfizer chief executive Ian Read told analysts last month that the prospect of a split was not a ''makeor-break decision'' for the company. The company recently said it had spent $600 million on preparations for such a split. ''Given that Pfizer has been talking down expectations for a separation in recent months, we think the stock will only be down modestly on this news,'' Jeffries analyst Jeffrey Holford wrote to investors.

Shares of Pfizer Inc. fell 1.8 2 percent Monday, closing at $33.64.

Pfizer said Monday that a split would not help the competitive positioning of its businesses, and such a move would create disruptions and increased costs.

The drug maker's most likely path forward involves hunting for more acquisition targets, according to Bernstein analyst Dr. Tim Anderson, who had pressed Pfizer repeatedly on its quarterly results conference calls to break up.

Pfizer has been buying several companies and products to help make up for a wave of sales losses to cheaper, generic competition, most notably for the cholesterol pill Lipitor.

It also attempted and failed at two mega-acquisitions, of Britain's AstraZeneca PLC in 2014 and this year of Ireland's Allergan PLC. Both those deals had been structured as tax inversions, meant to allow Pfizer to move its headquarters from New York - but just on paper - to a country with lower tax rates to reduce its US tax bill. AstraZeneca rebuffed Pfizer, and the US Treasury Department set up new rules that effectively blocked the Allergan acquisition.

Last month, Pfizer said it would spend about $14 billion to buy cancer drug developer Medivation, and it is buying rights to AstraZeneca's portfolio of approved and experimental antibiotic and antifungal pills. In June, Pfizer completed a $5.2 billion acquisition of Anacor Pharmaceuticals Inc., which could get a new eczema drug, crisaborole, approved by January. ''A critic could argue that Pfizer is back to being the same old Pfizer as before, relying on (mergers and acquisitions) to grow and to refill its pipeline, but at the expense of growing larger in the process depending on the size of deals it chases,'' Anderson said in a research note.(Agencies)

Oil prices rally before Algiers meeting London, Sept 27: Oil prices jumped around 3.0 per cent in value today as the dollar weakened before a meeting of crude producing nations in Algeria to discuss a stubborn supply glut.

Against a backdrop of depressed prices despite today's rally, members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries are meeting this week with key non-OPEC producer Russia on the sidelines of the International Energy Forum in Algiers.

Pre-forum talks last week between OPEC kingpin Saudi Arabia and fellow member Iran resulted in neither willing to commit to trimming overproduction, sending prices plunging more than 3.0 per cent on Friday.

Around 16.15 GMT today, Brent North Sea crude for delivery in November was up USD 1.47 at USD 47.36 a barrel.

US benchmark West Texas Intermediate for

November rallied USD 1.37 to USD 45.85 compared with Friday's close.

Oil prices have been hammered by a lingering supply glut since late 2014, sending them to near 13year lows below USD 30 in January.

While the market has recovered, crude futures are still weak, the head of Gulf giant Saudi Aramco said today, warning that market volatility could persist in the near future.

"While the oil market has recovered from its most severe period, it's still weak," Aramco chief executive officer Amin Nasser said at an energy conference in Dubai.

Algeria's energy minister yesterday said "the best solution" in Algiers would be for an agreement on maintaining current output levels.

OPEC "agrees on the need to stabilise prices, it just remains for us to find a format that pleases everyone", Noureddine Boutarfa said, of the cartel's 14

members that include the north African nation.

"Crude prices rose on Monday following comments from Boutarfa...

That OPEC members would not leave their informal meeting in Algiers on Wednesday emptyhanded," said analyst Bill Hodder at British-based consultancy Love Energy.

"A weak US dollar lent further support to prices," he added.

A weaker greenback makes dollar-priced oil cheaper for buyers using other currencies, stimulating demand.

Previous attempts in April to reach a deal on oversupplies were scuppered

by Iran, which had just emerged from years of Western-imposed nuclearlinked sanctions.

"While several OPEC members have made positive noises in the lead up to talks, there are still questions over how effective any informal agreement might be," cautioned Hodder.(Agencies)

PAGE 5

YES Bank to raise Rs 330 crore via green infra bond New Delhi, Sept 27: Private lender YES BankBSE 0.78 % today said it will raise about Rs 330 crore ($50 million) by issuing a 7-year term green infrastructure bond to FMO, the Dutch Development Bank, on a private placement basis.

"FMO will be investing in YES Bank's bonds through FMO's own sustainable bonds. The definitive agreement was signed today at the fourth edition of FMO's Future of Finance conference being held in Katwijk, the Netherlands," YES Bank said in a release here.

This is FMO's first investment in a green bond issued by a bank in India.

YES Bank said it will raise the amount to finance green

infrastructure, including solar and wind projects.

This issuance will be externally assured. An external annual review and monitoring will be undertaken on the use of proceeds in line with the Green Bond Principles 2016, the bank added.

This is YES Bank's third such green bond issuance in the last 18 months after its successful maiden issuance of Rs 1,000 crore ($160 million) in February 2015 followed by the Rs 315 crore private placement to International Finance Corporation (IFC) in Washington in August 2015.

"This first-ever investment

by FMO, the Netherlands, in a green bond in our country following IFC... YES

Rupee gains 11 paise to 66.50 against dollar in early trade

Pic for Representationb.

Mumbai, Sept 27: The rupee firmed up by 11 paise to 66.50 against the dollar in early trade today, maintaining its upward trend for the fourth straight day on sustained selling of the US currency by exporters and banks amid a higher opening in the domestic equity market.

Forex dealers said weakness in the dollar against other curren-

cies overseas supported the rupee. A higher opening in the domestic equity market gave the uptrend some momentum, they added.

Yesterday, the domestic unit ended higher by 4 paise against the dollar at 66.61.

Meanwhile, the benchmark BSE Sensex rose 138.46 points, or 0.48 per cent, to 28,432.74 in early session today. (PTI)

Pic for Representation.

Bank has been assiduously working to evolve even more innovative and effective financing structures for acceleration of sustainable energy financing in India,"

said YES Bank MD and CEO Rana Kapoor.

Linda Broekhuizen, CIO of FMO, said: "FMO is committed to making a positive impact on green financial

development. Through the bonds, we aim to contribute towards a more sustainable fu ture, creating opportunities for durable activities that follow the goals set during COP21 in Paris last year."

On the occasion of COP21, YES Bank had committed to mobilising USD 5 billion from 2015 to 2020 for climate action through lending, investing and raising capital towards mitigation, adaptation and resilience.

This commitment was strengthened by indicating an action plan to target funding of 5,000 mw of clean energy, gradually increasing the percentage of renewable energy in the power portfolio. (PTI)

Oil dips in Asia as Algiers meeting looms Singapore, Sept 27: Oil prices edged down in Asia today amid continued speculation over whether producers will agree to limit output at talks in Algeria this week, analysts said.

Members of the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries will meet Wednesday with key non-OPEC producer Russia on the sidelines of the International Energy Forum in Algiers.

They are expected to discuss ways to stabilise prices that have been depressed since 2014 amid a stubborn supply glut, with hopes producers might agree a production cap.

But while most oil producer states have been supportive of a cap, pre-forum talks between OPEC kingpin Saudi Arabia and Iran have been less productive, with neither side willing to give in.

The UAE has meanwhile

said it supports a deal to freeze output if other nations agree but that production cuts are not up for discussion, according to Bloomberg News, which also reported that Nigeria backs reaching deal.

At about 0330 GMT, US benchmark West Texas Intermediate for November delivery was down nine cents to $45.84 while Brent crude was down 19 cents to $47.16. Prices had jumped around 3.0 per cent yesterday.

"The markets are waiting for more news out of Algeria. Trading has been thin so what we're seeing is mostly early-morning profit taking in Asia," OANDA senior market analyst Jeffrey Halley told AFP. A previous attempt in April to reach a production cap was scuppered by Iran, which refused to take part in talks after it had just come out after years of Western-

imposed nuclear-linked sanctions.

"Trading has been volatile and sentiment seemingly entirely driven by speculat ion on the outcome of a deal," Alex Furber, a senior client executive at CMC Markets said in an email commentary.

"The last meeting in Doha in April was a complete non-event and key figures have down-played the chances of the (Algeria) meeting procuring a clear outcome," he added.

Crude prices have been battered since late 2014 by supply that has far outweighed demand, with prices hitting 13-year lows earlier this year.

Traders will also be watching for crude stockpile data from industry group the American Petroleum Institute due Wednesday, which will offer an indication of official US stockpile data.

(PTI)

Twitter stock rises IDS counters to remain open till after report Disney mid-night on September 30 considering bid New York, Sept 27: Walt Disney is said to be working with an adviser on a potential Twitterbid, according to a Bloomberg report on Monday, and the speculation sent the social network's shares on an intra-day run.

In recent months, speculation that Twitter will be sold has gathered steam. Last week, sources told CNBC that several technology and media companies had expressed interest in acquiring Twitter, includingGoogle and Salesforce.com

Earlier in the day, Twitter's stock was down 4 percent but turned positive after the news, with trading almost double its 30-day average volume. Meanwhile, Disney's shares were down more than 1 percent after the news.

"As a matter of policy, we don't comment on rumors or speculation," Twitter said in a statement.

Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey is a board member at Disney, according to the entertainment giant's website. (Agencies)

Gold futures fall Rs 148 on weak global cues Amid a weakening global trend, gold futures today traded lower by Rs 148 at Rs 31,180 per 10 gram as speculators trimmed their positions.

Amid a weakening global trend, gold futures today traded lower by Rs 148 at Rs 31,180 per 10 gram as speculators trimmed their positions.

New Delhi, Sept 27: Gold for delivery in October dropped Rs 148 or 0.47 per cent to Rs 31,180 per 10 gram in a business turnover of 1,034 lots at the Multi Commodity Exchange.

Similarly, the metal for delivery in far-month December was trading down Rs 141, or 0.45 per cent, to Rs 31,310 per 10 gram in 176 lots.

The fall in gold futures was

mostly in step with a weak trend overseas after its biggest weekly advance in two months, as the dollar erased losses, dimming the metal's appeal as an alternative investment, analysts said.

Meanwhile, gold prices fell 0.21 per cent, to USD 1,334.70 an ounce in Singapore today after a 2.1 per cent gain last week, the most since the period to July 29. (PTI)

New Delhi, Sept 27: CBDT has asked its principal IT commissioners to keep counters open for receiving physical declarations under the black money compliance window till mid-night on September 30.

The four-month window for disclosure of unaccounted wealth ends this month.

People with undisclosed assets can escape prosecution by coming clean under the Income Disclosure Scheme (IDS).

Declarations can be made online as well in printed copies of the prescribed form right up to mid-ni ght on September, 30, 2016.

In order to help declarants who would like to file the declaration in the paper form, CBDT has issued in-

The four-month window for disclosure of unaccounted wealth ends this month. People with undisclosed assets can escape prosecution by coming clean under the IDS.

structions to all principal chief commissioners across India to ensure arrangements are made for receiving such declarations till mid-night of September 30, it said in a statement.

"Accordingly, the

counters for receiving declarations under the Income Declaration Scheme - 2016 shall be functional till 12 midnight on September 30, 2016," the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) said. (PTI)

Data delight: Vodafone offers 3G/4G data at Rs 25/GB on new 4G handsets New Delhi, Sept 27: Vodafone slashed data prices for new 4G and 3G users to as low as Rs 25 per GB, bringing it down to nearly half of Reliance Jio's highly-touted Rs 50 per GB announcement.

The offer by Vodafone, open to only those who buy a new 4G handset, couples 9 GB free data for every 1 GB purchased at Rs 250. Open for the next three months, it is valid in only 16 circles where the company offers highspeed data connectivity.

And while the free data can be used anytime in Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata, the usage needs to be done in between 12 AM and 6 am in the other circles which are UP (West), UP (East), Haryana, Karnataka, Gujarat, West Bengal, Kerala, Tamil

Nadu, Maharashtra & Goa, Assam, North East states and Rajasthan.

Vodafone's offering further intensifies competition in the telecom market which has been fuelled by Jio's offer of lifetime free calling and unlimited zero-tariff data download till the end of the year.

Airtel has already slashed data prices for certain packs and BSNL, the state-owned telco which commands a sizeable share across some key states, has also made announcement of offering free voice from next year.

Vodafone's move is aimed at ring-fencing those customers who are moving over to new 4G devices and could have ended up in shifting to Jio's network.

"At Vodafone, we have always believed in providing the best value to our custom-

ers while surprising them with delightful offers. With the festive season approaching, we are giving a greater reason to customers to upgrade to 4G handsets," said Sandeep Kataria, Director - Commercial at Vodafone India.

A senior official at Vodafone said that a customer can recharge "as many times as possible" during the threemonth period, and thus "there is no cap".

Vodafone also offered free subscription to TV, movies and music on the 'Vodafone Play' service. "The offer is valid till December 31.

Vodafone customers can use this opportunity to download and enjoy the vast entertainment options provided on Vodafone Play," the company said (Agencies)

EDITORIAL

DIBRUGARH, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 28

Today's quote "The Muslims are the flesh of our “flesh and blood of our blood"–Pandit DeenDayal Upadhyaya

Joining the climate high table The Centre's decision to ratify the Paris Agreement on climate change on October 2 is a welcome affirmation of India's commitment to join the global community in reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. As an emerging nation with a large number of people living without access to electricity, India's predicament of having to generate more energy for poverty eradication while simultaneously curbing GHGs is universally acknowledged. But there is no denying that the country has adopted an approach that is predicated on a much-toohigh use of fossil fuel-based technologies. This needs to be addressed as all nations look towards the next phase, when the climate agreement comes into force. There is near certainty that the decision made in Paris will become operational before the deadline for signatures set for April 2017: 61 country-parties responsible for 47.79 per cent of emissions have ratified it so far. What remains is for individual countries in Europe, and the European Union, to review their commitments after Brexit, and sign up to reach the target of 55 per cent of total GHG emissions. India's decision to join, overcoming a reticence that was apparently linked to the failure to enter the Nuclear Suppliers Group, is commendable. It would, in any case, have come under pressure to do so since the Paris process is sure to move ahead with Europe's entry.

With climate commitments becoming almost inevitable, a national consultative process on low carbon strategies cannot be delayed. In order to comply with the Paris process, every aspect of energy use would need precise measurement in the years ahead, which several sectors of the economy are ill-equipped to do at present.

Upgrading the electricity grid to take in higher volumes of renewable power is an urgent necessity if India is to realise the national goal submitted to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change to install 100 gigawatts of solar power capacity by 2022.

A bold new policy on urban design to curb emissions from buildings and transport has to be written into all relevant legislation. Such far-reaching steps can be taken only with the active participation of State governments, many of which remain on the periphery of the discussion. That needs to change, and a blueprint for action has to be drawn up, if a convincing case is to be made for assistance from the $100 billion a year that the rich countries are to put together by 2020. Fundamentally, national policy should mandate even higher levels of taxes on fossil fuels and transfer the benefits to ecofriendly options, be it solar panels, efficient light bulbs, bicycles, green buses/trains, and greening initiatives.

Mystic Mantra: Remembering our ancestors Shraadh, also known as pitr paksh, is a 16-day period dedicated to the ancestors. It is a period wherein the Hindus remember and pay homage to the departed souls of family members through some rituals prescribed in the scriptures. The entire concept of Shraadh revolves around sending good vibes, positive feelings, good wishes and joy to the departed souls, wherever they might be. It is believed that Lord Yama, the god of death, had offered a boon to mankind which states that the offerings done during this period would immediately reach the departed souls, wherever they are, whether in form or formless state, whether in human birth or not.

In this period, elaborate food preparations are made consisting of sweets, savouries and all those items which the departed souls liked. It is believed that the joy we get by preparing and eating these particular food items directly reaches the soul. Prayers, pujas, homas, yagnas are performed by the pundits along with mantra chanting in the name of the departed ancestors. These too help us to remember our ancestors and pray for their well being and happiness. The special food prepared during the occasion is then first offered to the Brahmins. Brahmins are considered to be the rightful entities to consume this special food.

It is believed that the essence of this food, through these Brahmins, reaches the ancestors giving them peace, happiness and satisfaction.

Departed ancestors could be either in any one of these seven lokas - bhur loka, buva loka, swar loka, maha loka, jnana loka, tapa loka or satya loka in appropriate bodies or they may be in the space in astral body waiting to enter another physical body. In whichever body they are and in whichever condition they are they would receive the benefit of prayers on earth.

The benefit could reach the ancestors by way of divine sound heard by them or sweet nectar taste or a peace giving vision or beautiful smell or a feeling of motherly lovable touch. There are chances that the ancestors, for whom the various rituals are performed during this period, have been reborn in our world and are around us. In their new form we cannot recognise them but after the shraadh ritual the vibrations would spread in the whole universe and they would search the ancestral soul wherever they are and in whichever form they are and give them the benefit of rituals.

PAGE 6

Preventing death in custody While the liberty of a person in custody can be curtailed according to 'procedures established by law', it cannot be stretched to extinguish life.

Seven weeks after a 25year-old inmate allegedly hanged himself in the Puzhal Central Prison in Chennai, P. Ramkumar, the sole accused in the murder of Infosys techie Swathi, also allegedly committed suicide in the same prison by "pulling and biting into a live electric wire".

The Puzhal prison complex was inaugurated in 2006 by the then Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, M. Karunanidhi, with the promise of making it a model for reform. It has become notorious, however, for being a den of drugs and a place where mobile phones are frequently seized.

The Puzhal prison isn't alone.

From 1995 to 2014, 999 suicides were reported inside Indian prisons. Tamil Nadu alone has seen 141 of them. The State houses less than 4 per cent of the country's prisoners, yet it accounts for 14 per cent of suicides inside prisons.

With such a poor track record, the State machinery should at least deliberate possible solutions.

Is Tamil Nadu the bad apple or is the entire orchard rotten? Data show that in the last 20 years, three inmates on average have been found dead daily in Indian prisons.

In 2014, there were five deaths every day, so 35 deaths in a typical week.

Two of these deaths were suicides. In the same period, the death rate inside prisons rose by 42 per cent. Ninety per cent of these deaths

would increase under vigilance.

However, Ramkumar's death remains a mystery despite the Puzhal prison installing CCTV cameras.

This is because the alleged suicide occurred near a water pot in the dispensary block where no cameras were placed. So, while the court's order was a step in the right direction, it fell short by not formulating guidelines for implementation.

were recorded as 'natural', but what constitutes 'natural' in a custodial set-up is questionable.

Violation of rights The numbers show that the prison department is illequipped to protect the health and safety of inmates.

Little public scrutiny in jails provides the possibility of violation of basic rights. It is only when violations result in deaths that questions are raised, and even then only cursorily.

This perfunctory attention to prisons helps overlook the fact that deaths are the consequence of the everyday reality of prison life.

Inmates live in despair of little or no contact with the outside world, are denied the basic desires to eat or wear clothes of their choice, to forge relationships. They wait for basic medical needs, their movements are restricted, and they are frus-

trated as they know nothing about their cases. As they are not taken to court often, they miss the chance of meeting a judge, their lawyers, and families. There is also lack of a mechanism to hear their complaints.

And this is just the tip of the iceberg. As an undercover operation in Uttar Pradesh's Kasna Jail showed recently, abuse takes place in prisons. Extortions, corruption, and torture are common.

The only way to thwart what goes on in these institutions is to make them accountable. Prison monitors are mandated to regularly visit jails, listen to prisoners' grievances, identify areas of concern, and seek resolution. These visitors include magistrates and judges, State human rights institutions, and non-official visitors drawn from society.

However, an upcoming Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative study

(CHRI), 'Looking into the haze - a study on prison monitoring in India', shows that not even 1 per cent of Indian jails are monitored.

In Tamil Nadu, according to recent media reports, most prisons await appointment of non-official visitors. As per National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) figures for 2014, just 500 inspections were made across the 136 jails in Tamil Nadu, perhaps by the official visitors. This means that there were less than four inspections per jail in an entire year.

Surveillance The Supreme Court last year ordered the Centre and the States to install CCTV cameras in all the prisons in the country. CCTV cameras serve two purposes: they bring on record incidents that could otherwise be suppressed, and play a preventive role in violation of rights, as the fear of facing consequences for the same

Suicide is a critical problem in prison complexes in the last 20 years, the suicide rate (suicides per lakh population) in prisons is recorded at 15.4. A person is 1.5 times more likely to kill himself or herself inside jail than outside it. In Tamil Nadu prisons, the suicide rate is higher than 40.

Providing counselling to inmates is crucial for them to deal with the ordeal they undergo in custody. But are prisons prepared for this?

Tamil Nadu prisons have only sanctioned 105 correctional staff. Less than half the positions are filled. Out of the 13 psychologists sanctioned, only eight have been hired. With around 16,000 prisoners, this translates to one psychologist for every 2,000 inmates.

After Ramkumar's death, the DG (Prisons) announced that a magisterial inquiry will be ordered. But does that mean anything?

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has expressed concern in the past about post-mortem re-

ports "appearing to be doctored due to influence".

There is no information in the public domain about the details of these reports, whether the magistrate visited the death scene, what evidence was gathered, the time taken for the inquiry, the outcome, and whether prison officials were charged or found guilty.

Saving lives The prison department is mandated to report all cases of custodial death to the NHRC within 24 hours of their occurrence. But the prison department data collated by the NCRB and the NHRC data don't match.

Also, almost half of the unnatural deaths in prisons are reported as 'others' by the NCRB. It is important that these 'others' be demystified.

While the liberty of a person inside custody can be curtailed according to "procedures established by law", it cannot be stretched to extinguish life itself. The NHRC has repeatedly issued guidelines to prevent and respond to custodial deaths. It is time for the State governments to start taking these guidelines seriously. If the state works to promote communication between the inmate and his family and lawyer, increase conjugal visits, ensure adequate trained prison staff, and open up the prison to civil society, we might be able to save some lives. If not, we know who is responsible for the next suicide inside our jails.

Shed blinkers on Pak 'revenge' plan proffered.

Shankar Roychowdhury The CRPF havildar on unbroken picket duty for almost three months in Habba Kadal or Jama Masjid in central Srinagar, grimly watching hate-filled, "azadi" mobs darting in and out of the warren of alleyways and bylanes, targeting him with stones and the occasional petrol bomb, who couldn't respond due to compulsions of "minimum force", might be forgiven if thoughts similar to that of the US soldier in Vietnam in 1965 crossed his mind as well. A stint on urban pacification duty in Srinagar's alleys during the "Burhan Wani riots" can be tedious, boring, tense and deadly. Also, the ongoing separatist agitations in south Kashmir and on Srinagar's streets must be understood for what they actually signify - a strategic variation of pace by Pakistan in its proxy long war with India.

This is also accompanied by

a switchback to the tactics of violent civil disobedience of yesteryears, of the street-fuelled Moi-e-Muqaddas riots of 1963, and the smokescreen of the 1965 Hazratbal agitations to cover the stealthy concentration of fidayeen infiltrated into Srinagar as part of Pakistan's "Operation Gibraltar". The Burhan Wani riots in Srinagar can be the preliminary stages of a rerun of the same playbook, to combine the lessons of the Palestinian intifada with the Pakistan Army operational philosophy of "jihad-fi sabilillah" (jihad in the cause of Allah). The mass demonstrations in the Valley against the Indian Army's presence in Kashmir is a reconfirmation that other than a few pandits remaining in the Valley, the "hearts and minds" of Generation X in Kashmir are defiantly separatist. It rejects the "idea of India" no matter how often the olive branch is

People in our Lives I sat reflecting on the past year when my friend Charley came into the room. Charley took one look at my face and she could tell I was off in another world.

"Well Charley", I replied, "I was listening to a song on the radio that asked what have you done over the last year. I was thinking about the last year.

When I reflect on the year, I have had suchgood fortune, with a few bumps along the way. Charley, at the beginning of the year my life was in such turmoil, challenges with my work, challenges financially, major decisions that I had to make and now here we are at the end of the year and so much has happened".

Charley immediately focused my thoughts and asked, "Tell me about the three things that impacted you the most during this year"?

Only Three Things I sat thinking if I had to pick only three things that impacted me what would they be? After a few minutes, I looked Charley straight in the eye and said,

The recent fidayeen attack on the Army base near Uri near the Line of Control, which caused several casualties among the small detachment of troops deployed there, has come as a morale booster to separatists. The late Burhan Wani has reportedly been replaced by either Sabzar Ahmad Bhat or Mehmood Ghaznavi as the Kashmiri jihad's operational leader. The new leader is a relatively lesser-known personality, but has issued his first "operational" fatwa with a dire warning of consequences for any Kashmiri found cooperating with the authorities. India's democratic culture is conditioned to interact with the political Opposition and resolve all outstanding issues by debate and discussion. But the Indian State is also clear that if externally sponsored "manufactured rage" on Srinagar's streets - that seeks to swallow the democratic process itself and exploit the constitutional right of dissent to launch a violently sepa-

"Okay here are the three things that impacted me the most: 1. My family.

I realized they are the most important part of my life.

Throughout the year I had many challenges, but my family were always there offering support and encouragement. My husband. He understands a n d supports

me even when I perhaps don't deserve such support. I have great children who make me proud. My parents, mysister and brothers are always there for me no matter what is happening in my life.

2. My friends. Over the years I have shared my dreams and my goals with my friends. Some goals I have realized and other goals I have not. But friends like you Charley always supported and encouraged me. It really has made a difference. As you know,

ratist, anti-national agenda - it will be stopped in its tracks, by force if need be.

Many people in India are also outraged by the Supreme Court's recent direction that even those who publicly affirm separation from India and raise the Pakistani flag on the streets of Srinagar can't be referred to as terrorists. The more cynical among the aam aadmi can well yawn, stretch, and ask: "So what else is new in Kashmir?"

In a sense, they would be correct as there is nothing really new in Kashmir that the Indian Army has not encountered and successfully coped with earlier, right from 1947. However, intensified trans-border firings

by Pakistani Rangers in the Jammu-Pathankot area, and fidayeen raids into India across the international border at Kaluchak, Samba, Pathankot, and Gurdaspur, to name a few, have infused a new sense of volatility generally associated with the Line of Control into the settled international boundary between India and Pakistan in the Jammu-Punjab region.

Periodically, Pakistan reiter-

I am going to make some major changes in my life in the coming year realizing a goal that is about 5 years behind but is finally coming to realization. A goal that will take me many miles away from my dear friends like you Charley but you still supported and encouraged me.

3. My colleagues. I have worked with some amazing people over the last year. People of whom I had a different perception. But, once I worked with them I realized how wrong my perception was. Sometimes, we past judgment on people and we really don't realize what they are all about. This year, I had many of my perceptions change. I have been very, very fortunate to have the opportunity to work with some excellent people over the last year.

Also Charley, the people who I have met through my website.

People like M. K; Claire; Jackie; Josh; and others who have contributed to my website. They have truly had an impact on my life. They have shared their talents and contributed to my site not expecting anything in return only to help make a positive contribution to other peoples lives."

ates that this was a "working boundary", whose ultimate alignment was yet to be agreed upon.

Perceptions on the situation in the Kashmir Valley depend on the eye of the beholder.

There are Kashmiri-speaking Sunnis, once liberal and Sufi, but are radicalised Wahabis now and pro-Pakistan. We have Gujjars and Bakarwals.

The Sunni Pahari-speaking people are a tough, hardy, but impoverished breed from the mountains on the periphery, with little or no political clout.

They provide the majority intake into the Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry of the Army.

The Shias who speak Kashmiri are comparative lightweights in the political circuit. And then we have the Kashmiri pandits, the only pro-India constituency, who are Kashmiri-speaking, rooted in the Valley, but are now evacuees in their own homeland. All these people see Kashmir and the Valley through the prisms shaped by their own experiences. The September 13 "Cur-

few Id" was a phenomenon that was unheard of. But with the long war in Kashmir in its 79th year and counting, it was perhaps inevitable.

The incomprehension and sheer ignorance of India's political class, specially liberal "soft-liners", about the situation in the Valley and the true nature of the enemy was visible during the after-visit conclave of the all-party delegation. During their reachout tour they had consciously attempted to mingle with "Kashmiris" of the Valley, but mostly with its least responsive elements like Syed Ali Shah Geelani and other hardcore Hurriyat figures. Doors were slammed in their faces, but they persisted with their doorto-door attempts at "chai pe charcha". India's opium-like addiction to "reconciliation" is one-way and unrequited. The problem in Kashmir is Pakistan, working to a well-defined gameplan which is often forgotten by India - which is revenge for Bangladesh through jihad in Kashmir. Do our "pacifists" not comprehend this?

"Made in China" Sir, After Pakistan sponsored terrorists' attack that killed 19 unarmed Jawans in Uri of Kashmir. India, too, is up and doing to isolate Pakistan diplomatically. If Pakistan can wreak havoc in India by Shedding bloods so India, too, can by reviewing the 'Sindhu-Water Treaty". Once India controls flow of water to Pakistan, the latter will be much affected in agriculture and power sector. The nation (Pakistan) that is obsessed with causing harm to its neighboring country (India) must be taught a lesson. One wonders China is now trying to fish in troubled water by a show of strength in the shape of assemblage of myriad of soldiers well within Arunachal Pradesh towards Tezu. If situation so demands, India must catch the bull by the horns. If China is underestimating India, it is simply living in a fool's paradise. India should maintain a tough stand in banning Chinese goods particularly before Durga Puja and Diwali. It is usually observed that Indian markets are fraught with Chinese goods; our indigenous companies manufacturing such goods are facing tough time. India would, do well in banning all the 'china-made' items and officials found to have abetted in smuggling such goods should be handed out an exemplary punishment. Chinese goods, if allowed to float in Indian's market, Our Prime-Minister's mission of 'Make in India' will remain a distant dream.

Yours etc.

Ashok Bordoloi Dibrugarh

DIBRUGARH, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 28

REST OF

Magisterial inquiry instituted into court rampaging incident PTI Aizawl, Sep 27: Mizoram Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla on Monday instituted a magisterial inquiry into the court rampage incident in south Mizoram's Lunglei on September 22.

He, along with state home minster R Lalzirliana, also recommended suspension of Lunglei district deputy commissioner Abhijit Vijay Choudhuri to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs.

An official statement said the meeting appointed Aizawl District Magistrate Kanan Gopinathan to conduct the magisterial inquiry into the incident of hooliganism at the district courts, offices and residential quarters by an unruly mob in Lunglei.

Gopinathan was tasked to complete his inquiry within seven working days and submit the report to the government.

It was decided that security arrangements would be reviewed at the Lunglei district courts and it would be strengthened if necessary and personal security officer (PSO) to each of the three judges of Lunglei district would be attached, the release said.

The meeting was attended by state Chief Secretary Lalmalsawma, Director

Mizoram Chief minister Lal Thanhawla General of Police Thianghlima Pachuau, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Lalram Thanga, Principal Secretary for Home Renu Sharma, Law Secretary Marli Vankung and Additional Secretary for Home Lalbiakzama.

An unruly mob from the Zohnuai locality of Lunglei attacked the district court buildings with stones and bricks and also ransacked the official residence of the Civil Judge on Thursday last.

The crowd had gathered in front of the district court demanding the presence of Stephen Lalchawiliana, who was to be produced before the court for allegedly killing C Lalsawmliana (33) of Zohnuai locality of

Lunglei on the night August 27.

The crown turned violent after learning that the accused was already remanded to judicial custody by holding a camp court inside the District Jail.

The incident resulted in Gauhati High Court withdrawing all three judges from Aizawl including the District and Sessions Judge R Thanga.

The High Court also directed the judicial officer of neighbouring Lawngtlai district who used to hold circuit court in Lunglei district, not to continue holding circuit court in Lunglei district until further orders.

Gauhati High Court Chief Justice Ajit Singh had also sent a letter to Lal Thanhawla condemning the incident.

Stop border fencing survey, says traditional heads, NGOs to govt Agencies Shillong, Sep 27: A conglomeration of traditional heads, landowners and NGOs has asked the State government to put on hold the ongoing survey for the proposed fencing along the Indo-Bangla border.

The group, under the banner Coordination Committee on International Border (CCIB), has also taken up the issue of imposition of Section 186 of the IPC, which prohibits anyone from obstructing a public servant in discharging his duties, in the border areas.

Speaking to media persons here on Monday, CCIB spokesperson G.H Kharshanlor said the group demanded revoking of Section 186, which was imposed by West Jaintia Hills DC Arunkumar Kembhavi.

Kharshanlor said the survey started on September 14 after restrictions were imposed and would con-

tinue till September 30.

The committee would continue to protest till the State government settled the issue, he added.

Stating that Section 186 came as a surprise to the group members, Kharshanlor said, “We have never created ruckus when government officials come and survey the area. But it is the right of the landowners and headmen to express their displeasure because realignment of the boundary line with Bangladesh is yet to be properly identified.”

A CCIB delegation will meet the governor and the chief minister in this regard and the body will hold a general meeting at Dawki on October 1.

CCIB secretary Kmen Myrchiang condemned the Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council (JHADC) for granting no objection certificate (NOC) for the survey

without the consent of the traditional heads.

While asking both the Centre and the State governments to honour the 1958 agreement between India and erstwhile East Pakistan, now Bangladesh, he said the State should not stand to lose acres of land to the other side.

Meanwhile, KSU president Daniel Khyriem also reiterated CCIB’s demand and said the survey should be immediately stopped “as it is being conducted without the presence of landowners and a proper survey should be conducted taking the affected landowners into confidence”.

Those living along the Indo-Bangla border in the State have opposed the survey saying if fencing from 150 yard is allowed, Dawki and Muktapur would go to Bangladesh.

PAGE 7

NORTHEAST Civilian Aircraft Can Use Air Force Airfields In Northeast: Defence Ministry IANS Agartala, Sep 27: In a bid to boost connectivity in the northeastern region, the airstrips, airfields and Advance Landing Grounds (ALGs) of the Indian Air Force (IAF) can now use by civilians commercial aircraft, an officer said on Tuesday.

"The airstrips, airfields and ALGs of the IAF in northeastern region can be used by the civil and commercial aircraft to facilitate connectivity in the mountainous region," Shillong based Defence Ministry Spokesperson Group Captain Amit Mahajan told IANS on the phone.

"In the northeastern region, IAF airfields at Bagdogra (West Bengal), Tezpur, Jorhat and Kumbhirgram (all in

Assam) are already supporting commercial connectivity.

At Kumbhirgram, facilities like runway, airfield lighting and all critical navigation aids such as ILS, VOR and DME, are controlled by Airport Authority of India (AAI)," he added.

"The IAF is always willing to accommodate civil operations, even beyond its routine watch hours," Mr Mahajan said.

He said that many ALGs are either being revived or extended by the IAF in Arunachal Pradesh, which shares a 1,080 km border with China.

"ALGs at Zero, Pasighat, Along and Mechuka in Arunachal Pradesh are ready for operations by

Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh Agencies Imphal, Sep 27: Expressing confidence that the people of Manipur had welcomed the development programmes taken up by Congress in the past 15 years, chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh said he would comfortably retain power for the fourth consecutive term in the coming assembly election.

Political parties have already begun work for polls to the 60-member assembly to be held early next year.

The key fight will be between the ruling Congress and opposition BJP and both parties have started rallying workers and wooing voters. On September 14, BJP president Amit Shah had addressed a mammoth booth-level workers meeting in Imphal.

"What has BJP done for the betterment of Manipur despite its two and a half years at the Centre?" the CM thundered during a highlevel Mahila Congress campaign committee confer-

"We thought BJP would do something for the state but we have seen nothing. BJP leaders think people are fools," he said, adding that the Congress government would use the little resources given to them by the Centre with 'utmost care' for the welfare of the people.

With the recent entry of four Trinamool Congress legislators into Congress, the latter has a whopping 51 MLAs in the assembly. BJP has two legislators and Nationalist Congress Party and Lok Janshakti Party have one each. Five seats are currently vacant after the speaker accepted the resignation of four MLAs from Naga People's Front and one (Yumkham Erabot) from Congress. Erabot, an old rival of Ibobi Singh, joined BJP.

IAF and civilian operators."

According to Mr Mahajan, the stumbling block for civilian air operations has been the lack of passenger handling infrastructure which needs to be created by the concerned state government or AAI, and

clearances from Ministry of Civil Aviation, AAI and Director General of Civil Aviation.

Meanwhile, as part of Air Force Day celebrations, Eastern Air Command headquarters at Upper Shillong in Meghalaya has decided to hold a three-

There will also be a demonstration of Garud commandos slithering down ropes from helicopters.

Aeromodelling, static display of aircraft and performance by an IAF band will be the other highlights of the festival.

Tripura man Agartala-Kolkata direct train arrested for services before Durga Puja killing wife Agencies Agartala, Sep 27: A naik subedar ofTripura State Rifles (TSR) and a woman from Dharmanagar were arrested by Tripura Police's CID sleuths on Sunday for killing the man's wife last year.

SP (CID) Sanjoy Roy said the accused, Ranbir Das, had strangled his wife Chayanika Banik (24) to death in October last year. He had then dumped the body in the septic tank of his house at Kumarghat. It had been a month since Ranbir and Chayanika had married.

After marriage,

Chayanika had been sent to her in-laws' house so she could continue her studies. During this time, Ranbir got involved with another woman. "When Chayanika learnt of her husband's illicit relations, she returned home. That night, Ranbir and the woman, identified as Archana Malakar (35) killed her and dumped the body," Roy said. A missing diary was registered but police could not retrieve any clues.

The case was then referred to the CID for investigation early this year. The CID looked into Ranbir's relations with Archana.

Most expensive Durga idol commissioned in Agartala is worth Rs 4 crore

Cong will retain power in Manipur, says chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh ence held here on Monday.

"BJP leaders have only announced welfare programmes for the region.

Many Union ministers have come to Manipur and we, adhering to protocol, have welcomed them as state guests," he said.

Image for representational purpose

day 'AIR FEST 2016' from September 30.

"The festival would showcase the 'Spirit of Adventure' which epitomizes the IAF," he added.

The festival would include an air display with a flypast by Sukhoi SU-30 combat jets and Mi-17 helicopters followed by a breathtaking display of the IAF's 'Air Devils' team which has carried out sky-diving and free-fall para jumps all over the world.

Most expensive Durga idol commissioned in Agartala is worth Rs 4 crore Agencies Agartala, Sep 27: Durga Puja is one of the most joyous and colourful festivals in India and it’s a big deal especially in West Bengal where people will go to any length to make the most of the celebrations, as pandal hopping is a favourite activity during the festive season for Bengalis.

But it seems people elsewhere are giving Bengalis a run for their money when it comes to enthusiasm about Durga Puja, as the most expensive Durga idol will be adorning a pandal in the state capital Agartala.

The idol does have a Bengali connection as it has been sculpted by artist Indrajit Poddar from

North 24 Pargana in West Bengal. It will also be studded with American diamonds and will be installed at the city’s Chatra Bandhu club.

The gold sculpture will be made at a cost of Rs 4 crore, and will be around 10.5 feet high, as idols of Laxmi, Saraswati, Ganesh and Kartik adorned with gold will also be placed alongside it.

Security is also a key concern since the idol is expensive, as police officials are keeping a strict vigil outside the artist’s house and CCTV cameras have also been installed.

Poddar previously made an idol studded with pearls in 2014 for the Ujjayanta palace in Agartala.

PTI Agartala, Sep 27: Direct train service between Agartala and Kolkata will be launched before the Durga puja, a top official of the NF Railway said on Tuesday. “A direct train service between Agartala and Kolkata would be started any time before the Durga puja,” Chief Engineer of NF Railway, Harpal Singh told reporters. Tripura entered the broad gauge railway map of the country on July 31 with Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu flagging off the Agartala-New Delhi ‘Tripura Sundari Express’.

He also laid the foundation stone for the 15-km-long railway track to link Agartala to Akhaura in Bangladesh, jointly with his Bangladeshi counterpart Md Mujibul Haque.

Prabhu said a regular train

service between Agartala and Kolkata would also be started. Singh said, the work for the AgartalaAkhaura rail project would be started this year and Rs 100 crore was already handed over to the Tripura government for acquiring land for laying the tracks.

Meanwhile, the Railway Safety Commissioner of the Indian Railway, Sailesh Kumar Pathak inspected the 45-km-long Agartala-

Udaipur rail track and announced that it was ready for rail connectivity. The Udaipur railway station was built on a lake and the Carbon Wrap method was applied for construction of the station. “The CarbonWrap method was applied first in construction of the Santa Cruz airport of Mumbai and for the second time in the construction of Udaipur station,” Pathak said.

State govt. assures Meghalaya HC to have proper Directorate of Prosecution at the earliest Agencies Shillong, Sep 27: The State government has assured the High Court of Meghalaya that it will make efforts to have a proper Directorate of Prosecution at the earliest.

This assurance was made

by P. Niroop, additional advocate general, before the Court during the hearing on the pending PIL on the matter on Monday.

The addl. advocate general submitted that all the requisite tasks are being attended with all seriousness and “the government is committed to ensuring that a proper Directorate of Prosecution is in place and all the infrastructure requirements of the judiciary are met at the earliest”.

The Court, while taking

note of the submissions made, deferred the matter for further hearing on November 8 expecting that further affidavits on progress should be filed before that.

The Court acknowledged that on September 23, the Joint Secretary, Home (Police), filed a statement pertaining to the status regarding setting up of the Directorate of Prosecution.

cerned in the government seem to have now started attending at the requirements for establishment of Directorate of Prosecution, and also in providing proper infrastructure in the districts where separation of judiciary from the executive has taken place and effective separation of judiciary in the remaining districts,” the Court said.

Another detailed affidavit has been filed by the Secretary, Law Department, on September 7 stating the steps taken on the matter related to complete separation of judiciary and the initiatives to provide infrastructure facilities.

“Prima facie, we are satisfied that all the con-

However, the Court pointed out that from the affidavits, it was also clear that the task is required to be attended at with seriousness by departments and individuals concerned so as to ensure substantial progress and concrete results within the time frame indicated in the affidavits.

Tripura unanimously ratifies GST Bill IANS Agartala, Sep 27: The Tripura Assembly on Monday unanimously ratified the Constitutional Amendment Bill on Goods and Services Tax (GST).

State Finance and Information Minister Bhanulal Saha moved a resolution to ratify the Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty Second Amendment) Bill, 2014 on the last day of the three-day assembly session.

Members of the opposition Congress and Trinamool Congress did not raise any queries on the issue, nor did members from the ruling Left Front make any point on any possible impact of GST in the Northeastern state.

President Pranab Mukherjee on September 8 gave assent to the Constitution Amendment Bill on GST after it passed by the both houses of Parliament

and was ratified by the legislative assemblies of at least 50 per cent of the states.

The Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty Second Amendment) Bill, 2014, popularly known as the GST bill, after passed by the both houses of Parliament, circulated to the state governments for ratification.

The GST, which seen as a significant step to reform indirect taxation in the country, is a single indirect tax, which will subsume most of the central and state taxes such as the Value Added Tax, excise duty, service tax, central sales tax, additional customs duty and special additional duty of customs.

INTERNATIONAL

DIBRUGARH, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 28

PAGE 8

Pakistan using international aid 5th India-US cyber dialogue to be held in New Delhi to finance terrorism: India Upping the ante against Pakistan, India has said it is a "terrorist state" which for years with complete impunity has been using billions of dollars from international aid to train, finance and support terror groups as militant proxies.

Geneva, Sept 27: Describing Pakistan as the "true epicentre" of global terror, India also said Islamabad's trust in the methods of terror are so "deep" that it does not hesitate in using them on its own people in Balochistan, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the tribal areas.

In its Right of Reply in response to a statement by Pakistan at the 33rd session of the Human Rights Council, India said, "the latest terrorist attack in Uri, where 18 Indian soldiers lost their life and over 20 injured, only underlines that the infrastructure of terrorism in Pakistan remains active."

"The recovery of GPS, grenades with Pakistani markings, communication matrix sheets and equipments and

Soldier, civilian killed in Mali's Timbuktu Mali, Sept 27: One soldier and a civilian were killed in Mali's ancient city of Timbuktu in a suspected jihadist attack, military sources told AFP Monday.

The killers arrived in the town in a vehicle and lay in wait for the victims outside their house before gunning them down with an automatic weapon, a Malian army officer told AFP. Over the course of the last few months, three people, including an army officer accused of sharing the movements of jihadist groups in the Timbuktu region with Mali's army and its allies, have been killed.

Northern Mali has seen repeated violence since it fell under the control of Tuareg-led rebels who allied with jihadist groups linked to AlQaeda in 2012.

Attacks are now becoming more frequent further south, in the country's centre, close to its borders with Burkina Faso and Niger.

Ongoing international military intervention since January 2013 has driven Islamist fighters away from major urban centres which they had briefly controlled.

But despite a peace accord last year, large tracts of Mali are still not controlled by domestic or foreign troops, and jihadist groups have over the past year carried out attacks in central Mali as well as back in the longtroubled north. (PTI)

A file photo. other stores made in Pakistan, and patterns of infiltration and attacks, is clear evidence of involvement of terror organisations based in Pakistan or territory under its control," it said yesterday.

India also asserted that it

awaits "credible action" by Pakistan to bring all those involved in the 2008 Mumbai attack and the Pathankot attack to justice.

India stated that in Pakistan, the region is dealing with a "terrorist state", which has for years with "complete

The accident took place at Lapang Phedi village, 120 kilometers west of capital Kathmandu, when the ill-fated passenger bus was on its way to Marpak from the district headquarters, Dhadingbeshi, police

nating from Pakistan, that has turned out to be the most acute violator of human rights, is the only way to address the risk to peace and stability of the region," it said.

"Internationally proscribed terrorist entities and their leaders continue to roam the streets of Pakistan freely and operate with state support; even raising funds openly in flagrant violation of Pakistan's international obligations," India said.

It called upon the Council to urge Pakistan to engage in "honest introspection" and focus its energies on acting against perpetrators of terrorist attacks on neighbours from its own territory.

"Countering terrorism ema-

India strongly demanded that Pakistan must live upto its public commitment to refrain from supporting and sponsoring terrorism against it.

It reiterated that India is not the only victim of Pakistan's preaching, practicing, encouraging and nurturing terrorism and the "deleterious" impact of Pakistan's "irresponsible and shortsighted" approach of terrorism as state policy has started showing in other countries of South Asia and beyond.(PTI)

Taiwan shuts down as Typhoon Megi strikes Taipei, Sept 27: Taiwan went into shutdown Tuesday as the island faces its third typhoon in two weeks, with thousands evacuated, schools and offices closed across the island and hundreds of flights disrupted.

Typhoon Megi is expected to make landfall in eastern Taiwan later Tuesday but is already bringing widespread violent winds and torrential rain as it nears the island.

According to government figures, 20 injuries have been reported so far.

More than 5,000 people have been evacuated from their homes and around 2,000 are in shelters, according to the Central Emergency Operation Centre. More than 650,000 households have lost power due to the typhoon so far.

A total of 575 international and domestic flights were cancelled as of Tuesday morning, and 109 delayed. Most trains were also halted.

Billboards and scaffolding have been torn down by the power-

It is moving at 14 kilometres (8.7 miles) an hour.

Taiwan's weather bureau now forecasts landfall between 0600 GMT and 0700 GMT near Hualien city.

Hualien and Taitung, which are also popular with visitors for their coastlines and landscapes, will be in the firing line.

Those areas are still trying to recover from damage brought

by Super Typhoon Meranti earlier this month -- the strongest storm for 21 years to hit Taiwan.

A fireman inspects a stage tent damaged by strong winds and heavy rains as typhoon Megi hits Hualien county, eastern Taiwan, 27 September 2016. Typhoon Megi hit Taiwan with heavy winds, causing coastal high waves and flooding rains, according to media reports. ful winds, and television footage showed waves surging past breakwaters in northeastern Yilan county and outlying Orchid Island.

Ahead of the storm, more than 3,700 tourists had already been evacuated at the weekend from

Orchid Island and Green Island -- both popular with visitors.

At 0415 GMT, Megi was 90 kilometres (56 miles) eastsoutheast of the eastern county of Hualien, packing gusts of up to 198 kilometres (123 miles) per hour.

Meranti, which left one dead in Taiwan before killing another 28 as it moved to eastern China, was followed closely by the smaller Typhoon Malakas.

Mountainous regions in eastern Taiwan could see a total of up to 900 millimetres (35 inches) of rain through Wednesday, increasing the risk of landslides.

More than 35,000 soldiers are on standby to help with disaster relief.(PTI)

WH petition on Pakistan crosses 100K signatures An online White House petition asking for Pakistan to be declared as a state sponsor of terrorism has crossed 100,000 signatures thus qualifying to get a response from the Obama administration.

Washington, Sept 27: The online petition launched by Indian Americans last week has become the third most popular petition on the White House website with nearly 110,000 people signing the petition.

The Obama administration is expected to respond to it within 60 days.

The online petition was created on September 21. Congressman Ted Poe, Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Terrorism, along with Congressman Dana Rohrabacher, introduced the Pakistan State Sponsor of Terrorism Designation Act in the House of Representatives.

"This petition is important to the people of United States of America, India and many other countries which are continuously affected by Pakistan sponsored terrorism," the petition said.

An initiative of the US President Barack Obama, "We the People" online petition at the White House website provides a window to American citizens to campaign before the administration on a particular issue.

Currently on top of the list is the petition seeking to stop construction of "Dakota Access Pipeline" which has more than 210,000 signatures, followed by another petition seeking not to make "Kratom a schedule I substance" which has 137,000 signatures.

Meanwhile the White House said that it is currently focused on enhancing its counter-terrorism capabilities with Pakistan.

"That (designating state sponsor of terrorism) is a very specific process and determination that involves a legal process and assessment," White House

Road accident in Nepal kills 18 people PTI Kathmandu, Sep 27 : At least 18 people, including four women, were killed and about a dozen others injured today when an overcrowded bus veered off a mountain road in Nepal's Dhading district.

impunity channelised billions of dollars from international aid, to training, financing and supporting terrorist groups as militant proxies against it neighbours".

said.

A total of 18 bodies including 4 women have been retrieved from the accident site, a senior police official said, adding that bus fell some 300 metres down the road.

About 15 people were rescued from the accident site.

Six of the injured are said to be critical and they have been airlifted to the capital for treatment, he said.

Though the exact reason for the accident has not been ascertained, police

have suspected that it could be the result of overloading and a steep road.

The other injured passengers have been rushed to nearby hospitals, police said.

Most of the passengers were reportedly Nepal earthquake survivors who had come to Dhadingbesi to collect the relief money.

Road accidents are very common in Nepal and occur mainly due to poorly maintained roads and vehicles.

Deputy spokesperson Mark Toner said.

"Our focus with Pakistan is to enhance their capability and to deal with terrorist threats on their soil. They are fighting a serious and sustained campaign against violent extremism," he said.

"We do believe that they are making progress and taking steps to counter terrorist violence, but at the same time we have been very clear that they need to target all militant groups, including those that target Pakistan's neighbours, and close all safe havens," Toner said.

Toner reiterated that it is the longstanding American position that the US believes India and Pakistan really stand to benefit from the normalisation of relations.

"We encourage both India and

Pakistan to pursue and engage in direct dialogue that is aimed at reducing tensions," he said.

"We have long said that with regard to Pakistan, with regard to India, with regard to the region, there is no zero-sum game here. We are pursuing very close relations with India," the deputy spokesperson said.

"We have a deep and broad bilateral relationship and multilateral relationship, or work our multilateral issues with India.

They are the world's largest democracy and we share a very similar vision of the world. And we obviously have very close trade and economic ties with India, and also that extends to security cooperation," he said.

"Similarly, we want to see Pakistan better able to respond to the threat that terrorism poses and terrorist groups that seek refuge in its territory," Toner added. (PTI)

This is part of an effort to build strong regional partnerships with key stakeholders working on a range of cyber issues

Washington, Sept 27: A US delegation will participate in the fifth India-US cyberdialogue in New Delhi this week and interact with industry representatives to build strong regional partnerships with key stakeholders working on a range ofcyber issues.

The US delegation is being led by Christopher Painter,US Department of State Coordinator for cyber issues, who along with the National Security Council Staff, will lead the American engagement on the broad set of cyberpolicy issues.

The fifth US-India Cyber Dialogue is part of an effort to build strong regional partnerships with key stakeholders working on a range of cyber issues, focusing on promoting an open, interoperable, reliable, and secure internet that benefits all users.

Daniel Sepulveda, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State

Pic for Representation. and US Coordinator for International Communications and Information Policy, will lead the US-India Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Working Group which includes industry and government participation from both countries.

They will attend public events to engage with civil society and Indian youth on Internet and digital economy issues, a media

release said.

At the ICT Working Group, it will be discussed how the US and India can work together to help expand the benefits of the digital economy to both of the countries and increase internet connectivity through programs like the Global Connect Initiative, which has a goal of bringing 1.5 billion new internet users online by 2020.(PTI)

Chinese company charged with evading N Korean sanctions New York, Sept 27:The U.S. Department of Justice indicted a prominent Chinese businesswoman and Communist Party member on charges that she and her trading company helped blacklisted North Korean companies to evade U.S. sanctions and procure raw materials, potentially for use in Pyongyang's nuclear-weapons program.

The indictment, unsealed on Monday, alleges that Ma Xiaohong and her company, Dandong Hongxiang Industrial Development Co., served as financial fronts for North Korean companies sanctioned by the U.S. for their alleged role in developing Pyongyang's nuclear and ballistic-missile capabilities.

The Justice Department said Ms. Ma and her company and associates masked hundreds of millions of dollars of transactions on behalf of North Korean firms, which used the U.S. banking system.

The indictment specifically alleges that Ms. Ma and Hongxiang Industrial conducted U.S. dollar transactions on behalf of North Korea's Korea Kwangson Banking Corp., which the U.S. sanctioned in 2009 for its alleged role in financing Pyongyang's weapons programs.

The U.S. Treasury Department also announced sanctions against Ms. Ma, her trading company and three of her business associates at Hongxiang Industrial.

"The charges and forfeiture action announced today allege the defendants in China established and used shell companies around the world, surreptitiously moved money through the United States and violated the sanctions imposed on North Korea in response to, among other things, its nuclearweapons program," Assistant Attorney General Leslie Caldwell said in a statement.

Efforts to reach Ms. Ma over the past week have been unsuccessful. Yao Jizhou, a

Hongxiang Industrial official and assistant to Ms. Ma, has repeatedly declined to comment on the allegations against the businesswoman and her company.

The Wall Street Journal reported earlier this month that Ms. Ma and Hongxiang Industrial were under scrutiny by U.S. and Chinese officials for their activities in North Korea.

The Justice Department also is seeking, through a separate civil complaint, to freeze funds tied to Ms. Ma and to Hongxiang Industrial held in 25 Chinese bank accounts. U.S. officials said these funds were illegally transited through the U.S. financial system on behalf of Korea Kwangson Banking Corp.

The indictment said the North Korean bank was a primary financier of two sanctioned firms the U.S. has long believed are central players in North Korea's nuclear and missile programs. These are Tanchon Commercial Bank and Korea Hyoskin Trading Corp.

The Justice Department charged in the civil complaint that Ms. Ma and Hongxiang Industrial masked four banking transactions on behalf of Korean Kwangson Banking Corp. from 2009 through 2013. This included a sugar commodity transaction and three contracts involving the purchase of urea fertilizer.

"It appears that the majority of [Hongxiang Industrial's] businesses and assets are derived from evading sanctions and the overall money laundering scheme," the Justice Department said.

According to a Chinese government-run corporate registry, Hongxiang Industrial and Kwangson had collaborated on a joint-venture focused on warehousing services from 2010 to 2015.

Hongxiang Industrial owned 51% of the joint venture, which was set up in the Chinese border city of Dandong with ini-

tial registered capital of 20 million yuan ($3 million).

Kwangson held the remaining 49% of the warehousing firm.

It wasn't clear why the jointventure was terminated.

The Obama administration has vowed to significantly increase financial pressure on North Korea and its young leader, Kim Jong Un, following its fifth nuclear weapons test on Sept. 9.

The U.S. Congress passed legislation this year requiring the White House to sanction Chinese firms conducting trade with North Korea's regime.

Roughly 90% of Pyongyang's international trade goes through China.

The Justice Department has been closely monitoring the activities of Ms. Ma and her company for much of this year, according to U.S. officials, due to the belief they were helping North Korea evade sanctions.

The department sent U.S. prosecutors to China twice last month to detail the evidence the Obama administration had amassed against the businesswoman and her company, according to these officials.

Police in China's Liaoning province, which borders North Korea, announced earlier this month that they recently started investigating Hongxiang Industrial for "serious economic crimes" conducted during its trading activities. Ms. Ma was later named a suspect in that police probe in a corporate disclosure from a separate company in which she is a major shareholder.

U.S. officials have stressed in recent days that while they shared information with Chinese authorities, they didn't consider the actions against Ms. Ma to be coordinated.

They said Washington was still seeking documents from China detailing exactly what charges have been made against Ms. Ma and her company in that country.(Agencies)

US asks Pakistan to close all terrorist safe havens Washington, Sept 27: The US has asked Pakistan to close all terrorist safe havens and target all militant groups, including those that target neighboring countries, after India made a strong pitch at the UN for isolating nations who nurture, paddle and export terror.

"Our focus with Pakistan is to enhance their capability and to deal with terrorist threats on their soil. They are fighting a serious and sustained campaign against violent extremism," White House Deputy Spokesperson Mark Toner said. "We do believe that they are making progress and taking steps to counter terrorist violence, but at the same time we have been very clear that they need to target all militant groups, including those that target Pakistan's neighbours, and

close all safe havens," he said.

Diplomatic tensions between India and Pakistan have been rising since the September 18 attack on an army base in Uri in Jammu and Kashmir that killed 18 Indian soldiers. Pakistan has rejected allegations of its involvement in the assault with both countries hitting out at each other including at the UN General Assembly.

Toner reiterated that it is the longstanding American position that the US believes India and Pakistan really stand to benefit from the normalisation of relations.

"We encourage both India and Pakistan to pursue and engage in direct dialogue that is aimed at reducing tensions," he said.

"We have long said that with regard to Pakistan, with

Deputy Spokesperson of US State Department, Mark C Toner regard to India, with regard to the region, there is no zero-sum game here. We are pursuing very close relations with India," the deputy spokesperson said.

"We have a deep and broad

bilateral relationship and multilateral relationship, or work our multilateral issues with India. They are the world's largest democracy and we share a very similar vision of the world. And we

obviously have very close trade and economic ties with India, and also that extends to security cooperation," he said.

"Similarly, we want to see Pakistan better able to respond to the threat that terrorism poses and terrorist groups that seek refuge in its territory," Toner added.

Swaraj in her address at the UN Monday said there are nations "in our midst" where UN designated terrorists roam freely and deliver "their poisonous sermons of hate with impunity", an apparent reference to Mumbai attack mastermind and Jamaat-udDawa chief Hafiz Saeed.

She also made a strong pitch for isolating such nations who speak the language of terrorism and for whom sheltering terrorists has become "their calling card". (PTI)

EDUCATION

DIBRUGARH, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 28

PAGE 9

How to Choose the Right Career tion you will have as you enter a career

Choosing the right career can be difficult, but having a defined career direction will help you with getting a job. But with a little hard work, some planning, and some serious self-reflection, you can set yourself on a path towards a fruitful, fulfilling career that can provide for you and your family.

Consider Your Interests Consider your dream career There is an old saying that if you’re trying to choose a career, you should think about what you would do if you didn’t have to work. If you had a million dollars and you could do anything, what would you do? Your answer to that question, while maybe not literally the best career choice for you, may give you insight into what you should do.

· If you liked English class, consider becoming an editor or a copywriter. · If you enjoyed math, consider becoming an actuary or an accountant.

Consider Your Skills Think about what you are or were good at in school Think about the subjects you excelled in in school.

Though it may not be your favorite thing to do, choosing a career based on something you are skilled at can help you excel and provide yourself a secure future. · Look at the examples from the previous step if you need ideas.

ily members, friends, or teachers what they think you’d be good at. Their ideas might surprise you!

Consider Your Current State Explore yourself Figuring out what you should do with your life may sometimes require you to get to know yourself better.

If you want a career that will really make you happy, you have to have a very good understanding of what you want and what you enjoy.

For some people, this means taking some time off

It is important to consider what education you already have or will have as you begin pursuing a career. If finances may bar you from pursuing more schooling, you may need to consider what you already have. It may also be necessary to stick with your existing high school or college degree if there are time limitations or other restrictions. If you find that you are limited to jobs relating to the degree you already have, consult with a career counselor to find out what options are available to you.

Think about returning to school If restrictions do not bar you from pursuing more schooling, you may want to consider this option. Not everybody excels in school or needs a traditional college education, but most career paths have associated training which you can do and will help you advance more quickly. q Technical colleges, for example, may be a good option for those who would prefer not to pursue a traditional education.

One of the most important things to consider is if the career path you’re choosing will provide you with an acceptable level of financial security. In other words, will you be able to make enough money to support yourself and your family? q Remember, this doesn’t have to be a lot of money or enough money by somebody else’s standards. All that matters is that it’s enough for you and what you want for your life.

Consider your future job stability It is also important to consider a future career’s stability. Job markets fluctuate as society needs different things at different times.

Certain jobs are also always in demand or frequently unstable. You will need to consider if the career you choose is stable enough for you and your desires for the future. q For example, many people recently went into law school and racked up often in excess of $100,000 in school debt because they thought they’d be making a very high wage in the future.

However, law positions are not in demand as much the

It is very easy to turn your hobbies or something you love doing into a future career. Many hobbies correspond to real world needs and positions. Consider what you like to do and how that might fit into a career. v For example, if you like playing video games, consider becoming a video game designer, programmer, or QA specialist. vIf you like drawing or art, consider becoming a graphic designer. vIf you like sports, consider going into teaching and getting certified as a coach.

Consider what you enjoy or enjoyed in school Academic subjects translate well into future careers but may require more schooling than other types of careers. Your favorite class in high school could very well launch you into your future career but you have to be willing to work for it. v For example, if you loved chemistry, you could look forward to a future career as a lab technician or a pharmacist.

Getting Down Company Information Put your basic information first

·For example, your header could be: XYZ Semantics, LLC Marketing Consultants | Est. 1975 in Las Vegas, NV 55 Corporation Drive, Las Vegas NV 56556 | ph.

(555)555-5555, fax: (555)555-5556 E m a i l : xyzsemantics@email.com www.xyzsemanticsllc.com

m If you want to be an actor, consider going into media broadcasting. You can get a degree in communications or work your way up the chain of command in a local news or other television studio.

Consider your hobbies

A business profile is like a résumé for your company.

It lists basic company details and gives you a chance to highlight your strengths.

Just like a résumé, you should write each business profile with a purpose in mind. Use it as an opportunity to briefly state why potential clients should work with you, but give thorough and precise details.

Readers need to know who they’re looking at before you get into the specifics. It will also demonstrate how organized and efficient you are. Make sure to give the company name, the year established, what your company does, who the principle is, all your contact info, and your website. If there are additional basic details relevant to your business, give them here.

mIf you want to be a music star, consider going into audio engineering or music composition. These careers are easier to pursue and you will be much more likely to succeed and provide for yourself in the future.

m If you want to travel the world, consider becoming an airline steward or stewardess. This is a great way to make a living and pursue your dream of traveling the globe.

How to Write a Business Profile

Talk about company’s ideas

Consider what skills you excel in If you are particularly good at certain skills, such as fixing things or making things, this can provide you with a great future career.

Schooling may or may not be necessary, but skilled labor is often in demand and you will find it fairly easy to find work. q For example, carpentry, auto repair, construction, and electrical work all benefit from people who are good at fixing things or working with their hands.

These also tend to be stable, well-paying jobs. q Other skills, such as a skill for cooking, can also be easily turned into a career.

Consider your interpersonal skills If your skills lie more in helping and communicating with other people, there are jobs for you as well. People who communicate and interact with others well can easily get careers as social workers or in marketing and similar business positions. q If you’re more the type to take care of others, consider nursing or work as an administrative assistant or office manager.

Ask someone if you don't know Sometimes it’s hard for us to see the areas in life where we excel. If you don’t think you’re good at anything, ask your parents, other fam-

to decide what’s important to them. q There is nothing wrong with this, so don’t feel bad.

It’s more important that you figure your life out as early as possible, rather than getting knee deep in a career which makes you hate your life.

Consider your financial situation Your ability to pursue or change careers may hinge on your financial situation.

Some career paths require special schooling and this is sometimes expensive.

However, you should not feel that being poor bars you from getting the education you want. There are lots of government programs to help you pay for schools, as well as scholarships, grants, and apprenticeship programs.

Do more research If you're still confused, consider doing more research on this topic. You can find more helpful information here or consult with your adviser or college of choice.

Consider Your Future Consider the careers you have easy access to Consider what career options are available for you to easily move into. These would be careers in which you have both the necessary skills and an “in”. Examples would be working for the same company as one of your parents, working for a family business, or working for a friend. If your options are limited, choosing a career in which you can quickly enter may be your best option.

Consider your future financial security Think about the educa-

last few years and now those people have huge debts and no way to pay them. q Another example is working as a writer or any career based on freelance work. You may sometimes have plenty of work but there may be years when you have almost nothing.

Working in this way requires a certain level of determination and discipline and is not for everybody.

Look at the Occupational Outlook Handbook One way for you to gauge if a career option is a good idea is to look it up in the Occupational Outlook Handbook. This is a guide, compiled by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which looks at what kind of education is required for different jobs, how much people in those careers make on average, and how much the demand for that job is likely to increase or decrease.

your

If you have a mission statement, put it here. Otherwise, write out your company vision, guiding ethos, and a little about your history. Telling who you are and what drives you gives your company a human element.

It also gives you a chance to do some subtle advertising early on.

ØThis is a place you can

afford to be a little vague.

Mission statements are legally necessary for some businesses, and may need to be specific. For everyone else, try to state what you do without limiting yourself.

You don’t want to scare away potential business that thinks you wouldn’t consider expanding into adjacent industries. But it is easy to overdo vague language.

ØA bad example: "XYZ Semantics is a company driven by the pursuit of its dreams. We want to bring you with us on this journey.

Our dedication to solutions and innovation make us the leading marketing consultants west of the Mississippi." ØA good example: "XYZ Semantics is seasoned and talented team of marketing consultants. Since 1975 we have helped our clients grow their business and profits.

Though our methods are complex, our goal is simple: we want to help you sell your product to more customers."

Find out more specific details Check with your secretarial or human resource staff to find out up-to-date details in several areas. You may not need to use all these, but having them on hand will make it easier when you sit down to craft the profile. Set up a way to streamline this process in the future, as you will want to update this informa-

tion in your profile regularly.

are not your only accounts!

ØNumber of employees

Avoid overly specific jargon as well as general statements

Ø Turnover. Low turnover can indicate stability, but either way it’s a good statistic to have on-hand. ØList of all business activities. What are all the areas you work in? ØUnique equipment or specialties. If you are the only company that produces, say, a rare machine part, you need to mention that. ØCertifications

You will inevitably use terms that people in your industry understand, but a fourth grader might not.

However, don’t let the profile become an advertisement for your vocabulary. At the same time, avoid meaningless, vague statements. Experts in your industry will know fluff when they see it.

Ø Here are examples of poor wording:

ØYour methodology and/or what software you use.

Ø “Simulated annealing and RPCs have the necessary infrastructure to interface with our overseas servers.”

ØVolume of output you can handle. Prospective clients need to know if you are prepared to meet their needs.

Ø “Our company optimizes synergy, productivity, and innovation while diminishing losses.”

ØDelivery stats. How many units do you ship in a given period?

ØHere is an example of a targeted statement:

ØMajor accounts or clients.

Ø“We store data safely in our servers at home and in our international offices.”

Ø Imports/exports

This is a way to show prospective clients whether or not you are used to doing business with companies like theirs. It’s also another chance for subtle advertising.

Sift through all this information Since you want to keep the profile short, you can’t include every possible detail. Also, not all of them might be strengths.

Pick out what might be relevant to include in your profile in various contexts. Keep the other information on hand for future reference, but put the important stuff in one place for easy access.

Dressing up a Business Profile Study other business profiles Look first at competitors and other companies in the same type of business. Note the style and tone of the ones that stand out. If you have a business you really look up to, such as a leading national corporation, look at their profile. What do they do that stands out to you? Incorporate this style into your own.

Use accurate, up-to-date details Before you sit down to write the profile, make sure you have the most recent numbers you can find. Prospective clients aren’t interested in your performance from five years ago.

They want to know how you will deliver now. Get your staff to update you on these details regularly so you have to do less leg work when it comes time to write a new profile.

Keep it short Most times, you want people to read your profile as potential customers. Make sure they read all the way through by keeping it short and engaging. Show you respect their time and you don’t want to waste it. Short business profiles also indicate that you don’t need a lot of flowery language and decorations to show you are the best. Let the numbers speak for themselves.

ØFor example, don't list every client you've had in the last 15 years. Keep the list short by including only the top 10 or so with high profiles. But make sure the language indicates they

Use clean formatting Some companies and individuals let their creativity get away from them by going for excessively showy visual appeal. This doesn’t change the information presented, though. Pick a format that has lines and standard fonts to visually organize your profile. This is another way to ensure that the profile is easy to read.

Mention why your company is best This is a kind of advertisement for your business, so don’t be afraid to talk about your strengths. Although, they should never worry about the accuracy of your business profile. Mention specific numbers or awards to quantify your performance. · Make it creative but don’t exaggerate. Find a nice middle ground between good writing that makes you stand out and showy prose. Write something that sounds nice in two paragraphs, and then edit it down to one.

Ø For example, don't write: "We are marketing consultants based in Las Vegas, NV. We help businesses in the region sell their products and services. If you sign with us, we will be contractually obligated to advise you ways to increase your business." Ø But also don't write: "Semantics, LLC started in 1975, became the uncontested leader in marketing consultation in the United States by 1980. Our unrelenting and fervent attention to detail makes us the only good option for businesses hoping to increase sales. If you work with us, your profits will increase threefold in the first year." ØOpt instead for: "XYZ Semantics was named in Style & Marketing Magazine's 'Top 5 Marketing Consultants of the Southwest' list every year since 2005. Our team was selected from a variety of backgrounds to promote a creative environment.

Choosing our services will not be the last good decision you make."

NATION

DIBRUGARH, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 28

PAGE 10

India to review Most Favoured Nation status given to Man beaten to death for harassing women in Raj village Pakistan, PM Modi to chair meeting on Thursday New Delhi, Sept 27: A day after reviewing the Indus Waters Treaty, India has now decided to review the 'Most Favoured Nation' Status given unilaterally to Pakistan.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will chair a review meeting on September 29.

Officials from external affairs ministry and commerce ministry will attend the meeting.

The move follows the Modi government's decision to look for options beyond diplomatic pressure after the terror attack on an Army camp at Uri along the line of control that killed 18 soldiers.

The MFN status was accorded in 1996 under WTO's General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT). Both India and

Blood and water cannot flow simultaneously,": Prime Minister Narendra Modi Pakistan are signatories to this which means they have to treat each other and rest of WTO member countries as favoured trading partners.

According to Assocham, out of India's total merchandise trade of $641 billion in 2015-16, Pakistan accounted for a meagre

$2.67 billion.

India's exports to the neighbouring country worked out to $2.17 billion, or 0.83 per cent, of the total Indian outward shipments while imports were less than $500 million, or 0.13 per cent, of the total inward shipments.

Prime Minister Modi had on Monday chaired a meeting to review the 58year-old Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan under which both countries share water of 6 rivers.

Taking the offensive right into the heart of Pakistan, India decided on Monday to suspend the meeting of the Indus Water Commission and explore ways to use its share of water of rivers flowing into Pakistan, besides hinting that it could revive construction of the Tulbul project in Jammu & Kashmir.

"Blood and water cannot flow simultaneously," Prime Minister Narendra Modi told a meeting where the decisions designed to make Pakistan pay for the terrorist attack on the Uri Army camp was taken,

HIGHLIGHTS India has decided to review the 'Most Favoured Nation' Status given unilaterally to Pakistan Prime Minister Narendra Modi will chair a review meeting on September 29 Officials from external affair extending the retaliation against the strike beyond efforts to isolate Pakistan diplomatically.

In fact, sources said, India could even consider walking out of the Indus Water Treaty (IWT) if Pakistan does not rein in terrorists, adding that the water-sharing pact is not sacrosanct.(Agencies)

Kota, Sep 27: A 25-yearold man from the tribal Bhil community was beaten to death by villagers in neighbouring Baran district after he allegedly harassed some women of a hamlet in an inebriated condition.

Shyamlal Bheel was rushed to Chipabarode government hospital in a critical condition following the incident in at Saitkolhau village yesterday. He succumbed to injuries during treatment.

Police have booked seven persons, including a woman, under various sections of IPC including Section 302 (murder).

However, none of the accused have been arrested so far.

The man's body was handed over to his family yesterday evening after a postmortem, said Brij

Pic for Representation.

Prakesh Nama, SHO of Chipabarode police station.

The deceased youth was a habitual drinker and yesterday too he had been heavily drunk since morn-

ing, the SHO said, adding that he had been creating disturbance in the village and harassing the local women for the past few days. (PTI)

Two priests hacked to death On bail in graft case, former Corporate Affairs DG BK Katju's vitriolics on Bihar inside temple in Gujarat Two 'mahants' of Siddhnath Mahadev Temple in Saij village of adjoining Gandhinagar district were allegedly hacked to death by unidentified persons, police said today.

Ahmedabad, Sept 27: Though the police have lodged a case of loot with murder, as the assailants had decamped with some cash after the double murder late last night, police is not ruling out the angle of old rivalry or grudge.

The temple-cum-ashram is situated in Saij village of Kalol taluka in Gandhinagar. The deceased have been identified as the main priest (mahant) Dilipgiri Maharaj and his associate Ishwarvan Maharaj, both in the age group of 52-55 years.

According to Kalol police inspector R R Chaudhary,

both of them were killed using an axe when they were asleep inside the temple.

"Both mahants were hacked to death using an axe during late last night.

Since the assailants have scattered their belongings, we believe that murders were committed to conduct loot," said Chaudhary.

Primary investigation has revealed that attackers have stolen some cash kept inside a safe after killing priests.

However, many gold and silver articles were found to be intact, which has

prompted police to look into the angle of rivalry or old grudge.

According to Gandhinagar District SP Virendrasinh Yadav, both 'mahants' were killed when they were fast asleep, which hints at the possibility of an insider's job.

"This does not look like a clear case of loot with murder. We believe that the attackers might know the victims, as there was no sign of forceful entry or resistance. In addition, many valuables were found to be intact. Thus, we are investigating the case from other angles too," said Yadav.(PTI)

IDS counters to remain open till mid-night on Sep 30 New Delhi, Sept 27: CBDT has asked its principal IT commissioners to keep counters open for receiving physical declarations under the black money compliance window till mid-night on September 30.

The four-month window for disclosure of unaccounted wealth ends this month. People with undisclosed assets can escape prosecution by coming clean under the Income Disclosure Scheme

(IDS).

Declarations can be made online as well in printed copies of the prescribed form right up to mid-night on September, 30, 2016.

In order to help declarants who would like to file the declaration in the paper form, CBDT has issued instructions to all principal chief commissioners acrossIndia to ensure arrangements are made for receiving such declarations till mid-night of September 30, it said in a state-

ment.

"Accordingly, the counters for receiving declarations under the Income Declaration Scheme - 2016 shall be functional till 12 midnight on September 30, 2016," the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) said.

Those disclosing assets under the IDS will have to pay 45 per cent tax plus penalty. Also, the payments can be made in three instalments till September 2017.(PTI)

Bansal commits suicide

New Delhi, Sept 27: Former Director General Corporate Affairs B K Bansal, who was facing a CBI probe in a corruption case, allegedly committed suicide along with his son at their residence in East Delhi.

The development comes nearly two months after his wife and daughter committed suicide by hanging themselves from the ceiling fans at their residence in Nilkanth Apartments. The two had left separate suicide notes, saying the "CBI raid" caused "great humiliation" and they did not want to live after that They, however, held nobody responsible for their death. Bansal and his son were found dead today in their apartment, sources said. Bansal, an additional

secretary-rank officer in the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, was arrested by CBI on July 16 for allegedly accepting bribe from a prominent pharmaceutical company.

CBI had carried out searches at eight locations in connection with the case during which the agency had claimed to have made cash recoveries. He was later arrested but released on bail.

Police said B K Bansal and his son allegedly hanged themselves and their bodies were discovered today around 9 AM by the maid.

They have left two separate suicide notes and police is investigating the matter. Bansal's wife Satyabala (57) and daughter Neha (27) had committed suicide in July. (PTI)

AAP Minister Satyendra Jain summoned by IT dept

Satyendra Jain.

2 Naxals killed in gunbattle in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district

A muzzle loading gun and one 315 bore gun were recovered from the spot.

Raipur, Sept 27: Two Naxals killed in a gunbattle with security forces on Tuesday in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district. "The encounter took place early this morning in the dense forest of Fulbadgi Police Station area while a joint team of security forces was out on an anti-Maoist

operation," Sukma Superintendent of Police Indira Kalyan Elesela said.

Composite squad of District Reserve Group (DRG), Chhattisgarh Armed Force (CAF) and local police had launched the operation in the interiors of Fulbagdi, located around 450 kms away

from here, based on specific inputs, he said. About 8 kms away from the police station, an exchange of fire broke out between both the sides after ultras opened fire on security forces, the SP said, adding, rebels soon managed to flee the spot taking the cover of dense forest.

"During search of the area, bodies of two male Maoists, beside a muzzle loading gun and one 315 bore gun were recovered from the spot," he added.

The identity of the ultras will be ascertained once the patrol party will return to its camp, the SP said.

Yesterday, three Naxals, including two hardcore commander rank cadres, were gunned down by security forces at separate places in Bastar division.

With today's encounter, the number of Maoists having been killed in separate encounters in Bastar this year has reached to 99.(Agencies)

New Delhi, Sept 27 : The Income Tax department has issued summons to Delhi Health Minister Satyendra Jain, asking him to appear before it in connection with its tax evasion probe against certain Kolkatabased firms.

Officials said Jain has been asked to appear before the Investigating Officer of the case in Delhi on 4 October and has also been directed to furnish personal financial details and ITRs for the last four years during his appearance.

They said the department received records of certain financial transactions connected to Jain after their counterparts in Kolkata recently searched a firm in connection with a tax evasion and alleged illegal financial remittances case.

They said the department reportedly recovered documents relating to some transactions being made by at least three firms and had a link to Jain.

"The summons are issued as part of inquiry into the case which the I-T department has been probing for some time now. Jain will be

confronted with documents seized during searches at Kolkata," sources in the department said.

Reacting to the summons, Jain said he has been summoned as a witness only.

The minister said that he has done nothing wrong and he will appear before the Income Tax department on 4 October.

"As an investor, I had made investment in these companies four year back, but I have nothing to do with these companies since 2013. I have done nothing wrong. I have only been summoned as a witness. It is just reassessment not investigation," Jain told reporters.

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal claimed Jain was being "framed", saying if Jain was "guilty", he would have thrown him out.

The Chief Minister said he stands by Jain. "I summoned Satinder this morning. Saw all papers. He innocent, being framed. If he ws guilty, we wud have thrown him out.We stand by him," Kejriwal said in a tweet.(Agencies)

invites Nitish's wrath

Former Supreme Court judge Markanday Katju's comment of offering Kashmir to Pakistan on condition that it should take Bihar too drew sharp criticism here with Chief Minister Nitish Kumar ridiculing him for trying to become 'Mai-Baap' (guardian) of the state.

Markanday Katju.

Patna, Sept 27: Katju's post on Facebook clubbing Bihar with Jammu and Kashmir triggered sharp reaction with some leaders demanding that he should be tried under sedition law.

"We offer you Kashmir but you should take Bihar also," Katju had said in one of his Facebook post.

"I have just received authoritative information from the Govt. of Pakistan. They have point blank refused the offer of taking Kashmir along with Bihar, and they have profusely apologised for ever asking for Kashmir at all and have promised never to ask for it again. Evidently the idea of getting Bihar too has horrified them out of their wits," he

wrote.

Katju further commented, "Once Firaq Gorakhpuri, my English teacher in Allahabad University, said to me 'hindustan ko khatra Pakistan se nahin hai, Bihar se hai'."

Without naming Katju, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar made a strong remark on him.

"Ghar baithe 'mai-baap' ban rahe hai Bihar kaa...(trying to become guardian of Bihar while sitting at home),"Kumar said in his speech here after launching two of his seven resolves of providing drinking water and toilet to every household.

"A few people are gripped with disease of getting printed in newspapers," he said in an apparent retort

on Katju.

The CM spoke in detail about the glorious history of Bihar which is land of Lord Buddha, Lord Mahavira, Chanakya and Aryabhatt who invented 'Zero' among others.

"Patliputra, the ancient name of present Patna used to be capital of the Magadh empire whose territory extended to the entire country," he said.

Deputy Chief Minister Tejaswi Yadav also took strong exception to Katju's comment saying, Bihar may be lacking in resources but it did not give Katju a free hand to humiliate the state. "Bihar has always shown the way to the country in good and bad times," said the son of RJD chief Lalu Prasad.

JD(U) General Secretary K C Tyagi and senior party leader Shyam Rajak sought trial of Katju under sedition law.

Madhepura MP and Janadhikar Party leader Pappu Yadav also condemned Katju's comments and sought public apology from him.

Faced with barrage of protests, Katju sought to backtrack and wrote on Facebook "I was only joking about Bihar."(Agencies)

Indo-US military exercise Yudh Abhyas a great success, say both sides The exercise was the 12th in the Yudh Abhyas series, which started under US Army Pacific partnership programme New Delhi Sept 27: A twoweek long joint Indo-US military exercise, focusing on counter insurgency and anti-terror operations, in Uttarakhand's Chaubattia forest has been very successful, the Army said on Tuesday.

The exercise 'Yudh Abhyas - 2016', which concluded today, was carried out as part of efforts by both the strategic partners to enhance overall defence cooperation.

The exercise included a company group from an Infantry Battalion of Indian Army and fifth Battalion of 20th Infantry Regiment of the US Army.

In his remarks at the end of the exercise, Major General Thomas James of US Army said army to army relationship between India and the US has never been so stronger and that the exercise provided a great way to enhance interoperability.

The combined exercise was "undoubtedly, an unprecedented success", the Army said.

The exercise was the 12th

Indian and US soldiers in action at a mock CI village during the Indo-US joint exercise Yudh Abhyas 2016 at Chaubattia, Ranikhet in Uttrakhand. in the Yudh Abhyas series, which started in the year 2004 under US Army Pacific partnership programme. It had participation of about 225 personnel of the US Army and similar strength of Indian Army.

Over the years the two countries have decided to progressively increase the scope and content of the combined exercise.

The exercise provided an ideal platform for the personnel of the two countries

to share their experiences on counter insurgency and counter terrorist operations, especially in the mountainous terrain, the Army said.

Major General RK Raina, in his address, said both countries are faced with similar challenges from the "divisive" forces of extremism and international terrorism and that the synergy achieved would enable both sides to operate together, if the need arises.

DIBRUGARH, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 28

TECHNOLOGY

PAGE 11

Xiaomi launched Mi 5S Plus smartphone to contest with Apple Beijing: Xiaomi Corp. took the wraps off its strongest contender yet to the iPhone, a $390 plus-sized device with dual cameras and a pressure-sensitive screen that's less than half the price of Apple Inc.'s top-of-theline model.

With the 5.7-inch Mi 5S Plus, Xiaomi, once known as a purveyor of inexpensive but innovative phones, is taking aim at fans of premium devices. It's the Chinese startup's most powerful device, sporting one of Qualcomm Inc.'s speediest processors as well as 6 gigabytes of memory. With a screen that detects varying degrees of pressure much like Apple's 3D Touch - and 13-megapixel cameras, it stacks up well against the iPhone in the specifications department.

Xiaomi needs a hit. It's slipped behind Huawei Technologies Co. and Oppo in a home market it once dominated, while efforts to

make headway in Latin America and India have stalled. Samsung Electronics Co.'s global recall of the Note 7 opens a window of opportunity not just for Apple, but also for Xiaomi to try and wrest market share away from the global leader.

"We were aiming to challenge Samsung and Apple in camera capability. With the Mi 5S, I believe we beat both of them," co-founder and chief executive Lei Jun said at a launch event in Beijing at which it also introduced a 65-inch, 4K smart television.

Apple is counting on the latest iteration of its flagship product to regain the top spot in China, its largest overseas market. But unlike in years past, the iPhone 7 offers little that resonates with Chinese consumers: no affordable models such as the SE or 5C, a radical redesign, or features that truly push the technological en-

velope. Investors speculate iPhone 7 sales may even lag last year's, depressing its stock.

The new iPhone does fea-

ture a water-resistant design, upgraded camera and faster processor. The larger Plus model sports a backfacing dual camera that al-

lows for crisper images, particularly in low light. It also comes with a pressuresensitive Home button that provides a vibrating sensation instead of a click. The bigger version goes for more than ÂĽ6,000 in China.

Xiaomi is following Huawei and Oppo into the higher end of an intensely crowded Chinese smartphone market, encroaching on Apple's traditional sweet spot. That will be key to shoring up margins as Xiaomi - which missed its 2015 sales target - continues to develop and put out products like TVs and robot vacuums in a gradually easing economy.

The Mi 5S Plus and the smaller, ÂĽ1,999 Mi 5S go on sale 29 September, though not in the US. The company, whose plethora of products include rice-cookers, is preparing to enter the American market by employing the same online sales and social media marketing that helped the six-year-old company become China's

Google brings Wi-fi station, YouTube Go and offline feature for Chrome to India New Delhi: Tech giant Google on Tuesday announced a bouquet of new products for the Indian market that are suited to work with low Internet speeds.

These include a new Wi-Fi platform called Google Station, a video app called "YouTube Go" and an offline feature for Chrome browser and faster loading in Google Play on 2G network.

Outlining the three key areas of focus-access, products and platforms-Google vice-president Caesar Sengupta said that the USbased company is working to provide a better and more inclusive online experience for users in India. "Our goal has not just been to help more Indians get online, but also to help Indians create the online experience they want. So, we have been thinking about how to build products and services for this wave of new users products that work for any level of connectivity, in local Indian languages, and across the devices that are most frequently used in India," he added.

Following its partnership

with RailTel and Indian Railways to provide Wi-Fi at Indian railway stations, Google has now launched a new platform called Google Station. The new platform will

work with partners like system integrators (SIs) and venue owners to roll out Wi-Fi hotspots, Sengupta said. He added that this will provide more people in India and around the world fast, reliable, and secure Wi-Fi in places like malls, transit stations, and cafes. Besides, users on a low-bandwidth connection will now be able to choose and install an app through their mobile network or install it when the phone next connects to Wi-Fi. Google is also focusing on the "next million users" who will come online in the coming years in regional lan-

guages other than English.

Its new messaging app "Allo" will introduce support in Hindi for its Google Assistant later this year, Amit Fulay, group product manager at Google, said.

Google has also announced a group of tailored features for Chrome, like automatic optimising of pages when 2G-like networks are detected. These simplified pages load up to 2X faster, saving more than 90% of data usage. This data saver feature will now support videos as well, helping users save up to 67% data. Rajan Anandan, vice-president of India and South East Asia, Google said that the company's vision is to make India a global hub of innovation and produce high quality mobile developers who will build not just for India but for the world.

India is one of the fastest growing markets for Internet usage. The user base, driven primarily by booming smartphone adoption, is pegged to grow from 350 million to 650 million by 2020. The smartphone base in the same period is poised to grow to 500 million from 300 million in 2016.

'Facebook to become world's biggest virtual graveyard by 2098' IANS London: If you are bogged down by notifications sent by the known but deceased people in your timeline on Facebook, do not get surprised by this news.

According to researchers, the social networking giant will become the world's biggest virtual graveyard by the end of this century as there will be more profiles of dead people than of living users.

"Social media website Facebook, which currently has 1.5 billion users worldwide, will turn into the world's biggest virtual graveyard by 2098," Dailymail.co.uk quoted statistician Hachem Sadikki from University of Massachusetts as saying.

This will happen because the

website refuses to delete dead users and instead turns the account into a "memorialized" version.

"Facebook's refusal to automatically delete dead users and the plateauing membership of the site means that the living will be outnumbered sooner than you might think," the report said.

Sadikki, PhD candidate in statistics at University of Massachusetts, said he worked out the figure by assuming that Facebook's growth will begin to slow soon.

A blogging company Digital Beyond has claimed that nearly 9,70,000 Facebook users will die this year alone across the world which is far more as compared to 3,85,968 in 2010 and 5,80,000 in 2012.

Sadikki also assumed that the social media website will retain its existing policy on how to handle dead users.

The website's policy has attracted criticism from users in the past as it showed the photos of dead ones in its "year in review" videos (till 2015.)

Facebookers have also complained about receiving the birthday alerts of dead users.

Facebook has tried to solve this problem by asking users to appoint a "Legacy Contact" before they die. The "Legacy Contact" is able to administer the page after a user passes away by writing one last post and even approving new friend requests. The contact can even update cover and profile photo.

According to the report, Facebook declined to comment.

largest privately funded startup.

While it hasn't specified when it will move into the US, the smartphone vendor is in a better position these days to launch an incursion onto Apple's turf. In June, the Beijing-based company announced the acquisition of nearly 1,500 technology patents from Microsoft Corp. - a deal that may smooth potential legal tangles over intellectual property as it pushes abroad.

Back home, Xiaomi's taking another page from the US company. It aims to open hundreds of stores in coming years, adopting an approach that's helped not just Apple but also local rivals like Oppo.

"Xiaomi already has a strong online sales channel, but we are also trying hard to build our offline sales network so more customers can try out our products in real life," Lei said.

Facebook can't use WhatsApp user data, says German watchdog Berlin: Facebook Inc., already under scrutiny in the US and the European Union (EU) for revisions to privacy policies for its WhatsApp messaging service, was ordered by Hamburg's privacy watchdog to stop processing data of German users of the chat service.

The social network also must delete any data it already has, Johannes Caspar, the Hamburg Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information, said on Tuesday in a statement. There's no legal basis for Facebook to use information of WhatsApp customers, he said.

"This order protects the data of about 35 million WhatsApp users in Germany," Caspar said. "It has to be their decision as to whether they want to connect their account with Facebook. Therefore, Facebook has to ask for

their permission in advance. This has not happened."

Facebook's German press office didn't immediately reply to an e-mail seeking comment.

Facebook said in August it would start using data from the messaging app to allow advertisers to better target those users on Facebook and Instagram, in addition to permitting businesses to send messages to WhatsApp users directly. The policy shift may help WhatsApp generate revenue, but also could irk users drawn to its strong stance on privacy.

The US Federal Trade Commission is reviewing a joint complaint from two consumer privacy groups filed in August claiming that Facebook's move violates US federal law banning unfair and deceptive practices.

Access driving licence on your mobile

New Delhi: The DigiLocker platform, launched on July 1, 2015, by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has 2.1 million registered users and 2.4 million documents have been uploaded. The government on Wednesday announced the integration ofDigiLocker with driving licences and vehicle RCs. With the integration, around 190 million RCs and 90 million driving licences will be available in the platform.

The digital version of your important documents can

now be stored in a cloudbased platform, DigiLocker, which can be accessed through your mobile phone.

DigiLocker can be used for on-the-spot verification by law enforcement authorities such as the traffic police.

Besides being convenient for citizens, this will also ensure authenticity of documents.

Road Transport & Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari said on Wednesday the integration would mean less hassle for people, as they won't have

to worry about forgetting their driving at home. It would also make some people unhappy, he said, in an apparent jibe at policemen taking bribes from those not carrying documents while driving.

"This integration has been envisaged to bring a paradigm shift in the vision of paperless governance. The main objectives are to bring agility and efficiency to the entire process of issuance of driving licences and vehicle registration certificates process through IT enablement," Gadkari added.

People will also be able to share authentic digital certificates instead of paper copies of documents for identity and address proof.

The digital locker can be accessed via the DigiLocker

mobile app. DigiLocker is a platform for issuance and verification of documents and certificates digitally.

When a person signs up, he gets access to a dedicated cloud storage space for his important documents. The ministry of road transport and highways is digitising driving licences and RCs and pushing for maintaining a National Register System.

With Wednesday's launch, this has got integrated with DigiLocker. Once data from all regional transport offices is updated in the National Register System, the digital copies of the driving licences and vehicle RCs would also be available via DigiLocker.

These digitally signed documents will be treated at par with physical documents,

according to the Information Technology (IT) Act, 2000.

The electronics and IT ministry has already notified rules for the creation of a digital locker authority. By the end of the current financial year, it will also empanel private players to offer digital locker services.

Ajay Kumar, additional secretary, ministry of electronics and information technology, said the ministry of road transport & highways has become the 17th issuer to issue its documents to DigiLocker.

Abhay Damle, joint secretary, ministry of road transport & highways, said the ministry was also working towards integrating vehicle insurance and fitness certificates to DigiLocker.

Review

P

Videocon Cube 3

riced at Rs8, 490, the Videocon Cube 3 is unlikely to ruffle feathers but can be a wellgrounded option for users looking for a small screen phone. What gives it an edge over many of the Chinese players is that it will be available in offline retail stores, unlike phones likes Redmi 3s Prime (Rs8,999) which is available only on e-commerce stores.

Design Gold plated frame along the spine and shiny check box pattern on the back panel gives it a flashy look. However, the glossy back is not good news for users with sweaty hands. It tends to smudge a lot and also feels a little slippery at times.

Overall, it would fit into small hands comfortably while one can access all the keys with the same hand that is holding the device. The back panel is removable, the micro USB is placed at the base and the speaker at the back.

Display The 5-inch IPS display has a screen resolution of 1280x720p. The display holds well when viewed from wide angles. Also, using it in sunlight doesn't render the text illegible. The phone also has a layer of Asahi Dragon Trail Glass X for minimizing scratches on the screen. The screen smudges a lot, though.

Software

Performance

Camera

The phone runs Android 6.0 (Marshmallow) with a near stock version of Android, similar to that seen on Nexus and Motorola smartphones. Though the phone comes pre-loaded with a few third party apps and games such as Eros Now, Opera Mini Asphalt Nitro, Swift key, State Bank Buddy, one can uninstall them at any time. One of the key apps on the phone is the SoS-Be Safe app which sends out SMS or call alerts to family and friends when a user is in some distress and needs help.

In spite of the fact that the Cube 3 runs a modest MediaTek' 64-bit MT6735 quad-core processor, used mostly in budget smartphone, it works without any major stutter. It has 32GB of internal storage which is impressive and at par with the likes of Redmi 3s Prime.

It can accommodate another 64GB via microSD cards. It is a 4G device and supports VoLTE calling. The 3,000mAh battery can last a whole day on a single charge when used as primary phone.

The 13-megapixel camera works best in daylight.

Colours look rich and accurate, however, the lack of sharpness is visible when you zoom in on an image or look at it on big screen.

Close-up shots taken in daytime look well.

The camera app is basic and doesn't have any fun filters or handy modes on it. The 5-megapixel camera on the front is wide enough to accommodate five people in a shot while the picture quality is clear enough for social media posts.

Verdict Videocon Cube 3 is a very reliable budget smartphone which works very well. If you are looking for a simple budget smartphone which can handle stress well and is also readily available, you can go for it. However, if you are looking for something more powerful and can wait up, the Redmi 3s Prime is a much better alternative. It runs Android 6.0 with a funky UI, has a more premium metal design, a bigger 4,000mAh battery, carries a finger print sensor and is powered by a more powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 octa-core processor.

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DIBRUGARH, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 28

PAGE 12

2nd Thansen Wangchadong Memorial Football Tournament 2016, Tirap

Chinkoi FC in Final in the 13th minute collecting a pass from the right flank.

In the second half, Chinkoi FC boys came strongly in the field and scored their second salvo through D. Lowang in the 63rd minute.

Khunnu FC got their second goal through a penalty from Naka Anyiam in the 70th minute. Naka Anyiam of Khunnu FC scored the third goal in the extra time of 95th Domnan Lowang of Chinkoi FC scored the third goal in an extra time of 96th minute.

An action moment of the match.

Pic - Dr. Chanwang Mongchan

ET Correspondent Khonsa, Sept 27: Chinkoi Football Club defeated Khunnu FC 10-9 via penalty shoot out in the second semifinal of the second Thansen Wangchandong memorial Football tournament organized by W. Lowangdong and family in collaboration with Tirap district admin-

istration at Nehru Stadium in Khonsa here today. The regulation time was ended in 3-3 draw.

Khunnu FC strikes the first blood in the 11th minute, when Luwang Huttu sneaked through the defense to drive a grounded for the lead.

Chinkoi FC equalized the score through D. Lowang

Dated : 30-09-2016

FINAL TIME : 02:3O PM

DEOMALI FC

V/S CHINKOI FC The match was attended by special guest Shri Thajam Aboh, ex MLA, DC Tirap.

Wangnian Hakam of Chinkoi FC and M. Retok of Khunnu FC booked with yellow card in the 34 and 58th minute respectively.

Dinitaries and guests enjoying the match. Pic - Dr. Chanwang Mongchan

BCCI chief slams Sandip Patil for spilling beans about Sachin PTI New Delhi, Sep 27 : BCCI boss Anurag Thakur today slammed former selection commmittee chief Sandeep Patil, saying it was "unethical" on his part to reveal certain confidential details about Sachin Tendulkar, M S Dhoni and others after his tenure ended earlier this month.

Thakur stopped short of saying that action will be taken against Patil but said "right people in the BCCI" will speak to him soon over the issue which has created a major controversy.

Patil, a former international cricketer, recently disclosed that the selection panel would have dropped Sachin Tendulkar before he eventually quit international cricket and that it had also considered removing M S Dhoni from ODI captaincy ahead of the 2015

Anurag Thakur World Cup. "Let me make it very clear. Sandeep being a former chairman should not have made these comments. When he was the chairman, he replied differently to the same questions. But after that (his tenure), it was different.

It was totally unethical of him to do that," Thakur told PTI. "One should refrain from making such unethical and unwanted comments in this area (selection matters). It is because he has been trusted to become the chairman, because he

has played enough cricket. There were four more selectors with him, they did not say anything. He (Patil) should have avoided that," the BCCI president said.

Asked whether any action was being contemplated by the Cricket Board against Patil over the breach of confidentiality, he said, "Right people in the BCCI will speak to him soon."

Thakur went to the extent of saying such breach of confidentiality would make it difficult for any of future employers of Patil to trust him.

"Any organisation, if they hire him (Patil), will think 10 times that after leaving the organisation, he will speak about the organisation," he asid.

Patil's three-year tenure ended when the panel announced the 15-man squad for the ongoing Test series against New Zealand.

Viswanathan Anand Draws With Siddhi stuns seniors to grab IOA chief overruled secretary Giri in Tal Memorial Opener lead in Hero Women's Golf on observer for boxing elections PTI

File photo of Viswanathan Anand PTI Moscow, Sept 27: Five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand played out an easy draw as black against Anish Giri of Holland in the first round of the 10th edition of Tal Memorial Chess tournament here on Tuesday.

Playing with the slightly less favourable colour in the game, Anand chose the Queen's gambit declined, an opening that worked as his trusted aid a few times before in important clashes.

Giri held a miniscule advantage that could have been neutralised by Anand easily. However, the Indian ace erred a little and missed out on an intermezzo that gave

Giri a chance to play on for a long time.

Anand had to find accurate counter play to keep white pieces in check and he achieved the draw in 56 moves.

Ian Nepomniachtchi of Russia was the lone winner in the first round of the super tournament that carries a total prize fund of USD 200000. Nepomniachtchi defeated compatriot Evgeny Tomashevsky in a beautiful miniature lasting a mere 23 moves out of a Scotch opening.

Nepomniachtchi became the early leader on one point with eight rounds still remaining in the tournament.

Earlier in the day, the players paid homage to Mark Dvoretsky the legendry Russian trainer who breathed his last on Sunday.

The best game of the day was another all-Russian duel between Peter Svidler and Vladimir Kramnik.

Svidler, who beat Kramnik in the blitz tournament earlier, nearly made it 2-0 in as many days against the second highest rated player in the world.

Kramnik survived thanks to some extra vigil on his king side and once he was back in the game, it was Svidler's turn to look for a safe shelter for his own king. The position looked lost but Svidler hung in there and got rewarded when his two rooks proved enough against Kramnik's queen and bishop.

In other games of the day, Levon Aronian of Armenia was pretty displeased with himself for not making a game of it against Boris Gelfand of Israel. It became a tame draw pretty early from the middle game and neither player could do anything.

Shakhriyar Mamedyarov of Azerbaijan also could not find much with his white pieces against Li Chao of China and had to settle for the half point.

Image for representation .

PTI New Delhi, Sep 27: On a day when seasoned professionals struggled with a narrow and tricky course, rookie Siddhi Kapoor showed glimpses of her immense talent and carded an impressive two-under 70 to grab the lead in the first round of the 14th Leg of the Hero Women's Professional Golf Tour here today.

Following her in joint second position are Gursimar Badwal and amateur Shreya Ghei at two-over 74 at the Delhi Golf Club. The Rs 7,00,000 event will culminate on Thursday.

Kolkata's Siddhi had an indifferent start and carded a bogey on the very first hole. She added two more bogeys on the 3rd and 5th holes in her front nine.

However, she turned things around in remarkable fashion

and fired six birdies on the 6th, 7th, 9th, 12th, 14th and 17th while dropping a lone shot on the 18th to take the pole position for the first time in her professional career.

Kapurthala's Gursimar and Shreya are tied for the second position with identical scores of two-over 74.

Kolkata's Neha Tripathi and Panchkula's Amandeep Drall finished the round in tied fourth position with identical scores of three-over 75.

Delhi's Vani Kapoor, Chandigarh's Saaniya Sharma and Pune's Shweta Galande are all tied for the sixth position with identical scores of fourover 76.

Delhi's Mehar Atwal and Noida's Vaishavi Sinha are tied for the ninth position at fiveover 77, followed by Ankita Tiwana (78).

Mumbai, Sep 27 : Differences of opinion within the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) over sending an observer for the elections of the newly formed Boxing Federation of India on September 25 resulted in none present at the Sachin Tendulkar Gymkhana in Kandivli here, the venue of the elections and AGM. It was learnt by PTI through copies of official communication between IOA secretary general Rajeev Mehta and president N Ramachandran that while the former wanted to send an observer he was vetoed by the latter.

Ramachandran sent a mail to Mehta on September 24 saying there was no need to send an observer and the reason he gave was that the IOA needed to "respect the decision taken by the members at the IOA AGM." Mehta had earlier pointed out to Ramachandran that boxing "is a priority sport and is in limelight for nonexistence of a recognised federation for quite some time now."

Mehta had also mentioned

Pic for representational purpose in his mail that the IOA was working with an ad hoc body (approved by world boxing body AIBA) and salaries of all officials, expenses and office space was being provided to the ad hoc body by IOA and not to any elected body.

Mehta had also said that the entry of the boxing team at the August Rio Olympics "was finalised and sent to IOA by the ad hoc body."

"Moreover, IOA has also received instructions from IOC to support the International Boxing Federation (AIBA) to send an observer from IOA for the election meeting being

held on 25th September, 2016 in Mumbai," Mehta wrote in his mail to Ramachandran.

"Government of India has also recognised the ad hoc body recognised by AIBA and also sent their observer for the election meeting.

"As you may recall that IOA didn't approve the affiliation of Boxing India because the International Federation didn't invite IOA observer for the meeting. Now the International Federation (AIBA) as well as IOC has requested IOA to send their observer," Mehta wrote to Ramachandran.

ries like the WBBL and the way they work on their fielding are areas I am interested in. It will be exciting to live in a different city and meet new people as well as travel around Australia again."

Heat coach Andy Richards said Mandhana was high on their wish list following recommendation from a numSmriti Mandhana ber of Australia women players, who featured in "Things like fitness and the ODI in Hobart earhow they train for a se- lier this year where

Mandhana struck her maiden international century.

She followed that up with scores of 55, 55 and 46 in her next three ODIs. Mandhana came to international limelight in 2014 when she made a half-century in India's historic Test win over England in Wormsley.

She also played a key role in India's maiden T20I series triumph against Australia earlier this year, when she struck 29 and 22 not out.

Kashyap reaches main draw of Korea Open Indian batswoman Mandhana signed by BBL franchise

PTI Seoul (Korea), Sep 27: Commonwealth Games champion Parupalli Kashyap notched up consecutive victories in the qualifiers to reach the main draw of the USD 600,000 Korea Super Series here today.

At the Seong-nam Indoor Stadium here, Kashyap played two gruelling contests and came out with flying colours in both occasion to set up a fight against Chinese fourth seed Tian Houwei in the opening round of men's singles tomorrow.

The Indian first eked out a 1521 23-21 21-19 victory over local shuttler Ko Gyung Bo in an hour contest, before edging out Thailand's Pannawit Thongnuam 15-21 21-16 21-15 in the second match of the day that lasted 55 minutes.

The 30-year-old from Hyderabad, who is making his

Parupalli Kashyap way back into the international circuit after a long injury layoff, has played twice against Tian and had beaten the Chinese in his last encounter at 2014 French Open.

K Srikanth, Ajay Jayaram, H S Prannoy and B Sai Praneeth will start their campaign in men's singles, while Tanvi Lad will be the only competitor in women's singles.

PTI New Delhi, Sept 27 : Indian women cricket team batswoman Smriti Mandhana has signed a one-year deal with Brisbane Heats for the second edition of the Women's Big Bash League, the franchise announced on Tuesday.

Mandhana, thus, became the second India women's player to sign for the BBL after Harmanpreet Kaur signed a contract with the defending champions Sydney Thunder.

"I am looking forward very much to working with the Australian girls in the Heat squad after playing against them last season," Mandhana told Cricket Australia.

"That was a good series, and I noticed there was a definite difference between their preparation and our preparation so I am keen to learn from the differences."

Mandhana, whose signing was confirmed following a no-objection certificate from BCCI, will

join Deandra Dottin, the West Indies vice-captain, as Heat's second international recruit for the season.

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Editor: Prahlad Hammey

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