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ASSENG/2015/64205

PAGE 10

Vol. II

Issue 121

Dibrugarh, Thursday, November 17, 2016

Blockade disrupts railway services in Northeast

CHANGES IN THE MARRIAGE SYSTEM OF HINDUS IN MODERN INDIA

P7

New Delhi : Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said that it will take twothree weeks to recalibrate the ATMs across the country for the new notes. "It will be a slow process. Such a big cash replacement cannot happen in a mechanical way overnight," he said.

Mr Jaitley was addressing the media after an emergency meet with bank heads in New Delhi.

P8

In AIIMS due to kidney failure, undergoing tests for transplant, tweets Sushma New Delhi: External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj is on dialysis and likely to undergo a kidney transplant at Delhi's All India Institute of Medical Sciences, the leader said on Wednesday morning.

The 64-year-old suffers from Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) and has been hospitalized a few times in the past two months because of her kidney condition.

P8

Tripura CM gives innovative suggestion in letter to prime minister, Modi Agartala : Amidst the cacophony of opposition protests over the demonetisation issue , Tripura chief minister Manik Sarkar has quietly provided a very innovative and positive suggestion to the beleaguered prime minister Narendra Modi in a letter yesterday to ease the burden of common people.

P5

cmyk

On the Opposition table for Day 1 of the month-long session were a range of options — a march to Rashtrapati Bhavan to seek the President’s intervention, building consensus for a probe by a joint parliamentary committee (JPC), or simply cornering the government in the House over its decision.

PAGE 12

NASA RENEWED ITS SEARCH FOR ANTARCTIC METEORITES TO LEARN ABOUT PRIMITIVE BUILDING BLOCKS OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM

P10

P5

Suspected militant attack on a currency van left 1 dead, 3 injured in Pengaree Laxman Sharma Digboi, Nov 16

In what appears to be a ripple effect of Modi’s demonetisation move, one civilian died while two other have been critically injured including a CISF personnel when suspected militants attacked a commercial van bound to fetch currency notes from Doomdama for payment of wages to the tea garden workers. The wages of thousands of tea garden workers have been put on hold as the tea estate owners ran out of cash following the scrapping of 500 and 1000 notes.

The ill-fated commercial vehicle (AS23 BC-5601) belonging to Pengaree TE was heading towards Digboi when it came under indiscriminate firing from suspected militants.

Clearly the motive was to loot the bounty. The deceased was identified as Abhijit Paul (60) an Idol maker residing at RG Road Digboi who was returning from Pengaree on the ill-fated vehicle while Niten Chandra Singh an CISF personnel on garden duty and the driver Willson Bagey sustained bullet injury on their chest. Another CISF battalion Khairul Alam Laskar (35) bore bullet injury on his wrist and Gopal Sarkar the vehicle staff bore bruise on his hands and legs.

Laskar while talking to the Eastern Today at the AOD Hospital in a candid talk said that the incident occurred

Opposition sees red in black & white As his government braced for a stormy start Wednesday to the winter session of Parliament over its demonetisation decision, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Tuesday urged all parties to work together to change the negative perception of people about politicians. But the Opposition, despite differences in the ranks, put up a united front, calling the demonetization of higher denomination notes a “currency scam” that needed to be probed.

Pages- 12

Demonetization backfired?

Winter session of Parliament : First Day

ET Bureau/Agencies New Delhi, Nov 16

5.00

Ally Shiv Sena also dealt the ruling BJP a blow when it announced it would join the march to Rashtrapati Bhavan, to be led by West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC leader Mamata Banerjee, because the hardship caused to the public by “demonetisation is not a party matter… the country is in a state of financial anarchy”.

Aware of the build-up in the Opposition camps, Prime Minister Modi, who has already said he intends to push ahead with his drive to weed out black money, told floor leaders of parties in Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha: “Parliament is the right forum to send out a positive message about politicians by addressing issues appropriately.

Politicians are accused of several things and it is time we send out a positive message to the people.”

Contd. on Page 2

Chief Minister directs DG of Assam Police to launch operation to nab the perpetrators

HOW THE INCIDENT UNFOLDS On Wednesday, when a team of four CISF personnel along with a tea garden staff of Pengaree T.E were heading to Doomdoma police Station to fetch currency notes and when the van drove around 3 kms away from Pengaree Police Station amidst the impregnable reserve forest, they were attacked with lethal automatic gun that showered bullets indiscriminately killing a civilian killing him on the spot while the driver and another CISF personnel on the cabin were hit on their chest.

A Staff Reporter Guwahati, Nov 16

The driver kept on driving the vehicle despite being hit as he kept on driving for 3 kms towards Digboi thus averting further loss of lives.

Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal has strongly condemned the firing and in a quick response, he also directed Director General of Assam Police to launch a combating operation to nab the culprits indulged in the incident.

The currency van was not cash-laden as the van was Doomdooma bound to fetch currency notes to pay the wages of thousands of tea garden workers Chief Minister, Sarbananda Sonowal directed Director General of Assam Police to launch a combing operation to nab the culprits indulged in the incident.

when a team of four CISF personnel along with a tea garden staff of Pengaree T.E were heading to Doomdoma police Station to fetch currency notes and when the van drove around 3 kms away from Pengaree Police Station amidst the impregnable reserve forest, they were attacked with lethal automatic gun that showered bullets indiscriminately killing a civilian killing him on the spot while the driver and another CISF personnel on the cabin were hit on their chest.

The casualties would have been far more disastrous had the driven been not brave.

According to Laskar, the driver kept on driving the vehicle despite being hit as he kept on driving for 3 kms towards

Digboi thus averting further loss of lives.“The attack seemed a pre-meditated one and there was an element of surprise as militant taking advantage of elevation showered bullets, ambushing them taking the on-board CISF personnel off guard. The CISF personnel failed to retaliate amidst heavy indiscriminate firing,” remarked Gopal Sarkar.

A businessman at Pengaree terming it a as ‘an impact of Modi’s demonetization affecting various militant organization’ as many of these banned outfits are cash starved said that many of these outfits are in dire need of cash for their for their day- to- day survival and the attack might have

carried out in order to loot the bounty. Fortunately the currency van was not cashladen as the van was Doomdooma bound to fetch currency notes. “Clearly it appears that the suspected militants would have got wrong communication, perhaps, an intelligence failure on the part of the suspected militants as the suspected militants might have thought that the cash was being transported in the said vehicle,” he added.

However, a section of bewildered people opined that the act was carried out to loot the cash and simultaneously to exhibit the embittered repercussion of demonetization policy of the

government thus causing law and order situation to draw the attention of the BJP government.

Meanwhile, talking to the Eastern Today, MJ Mahanta, the SP Tinsukia told that the entire vulnerable belt was cordoned off and the hunt for the militants is on. “Since responsibility remains unclaimed as yet, the process of identification too was going on at the same time”, Mr Mahanata added. Investigation was carried out till the filling of this report. In the meantime, the two critically bullet hit victims were rushed to Dibrugarh for advanced treatment after rendering them preliminary treatment at the AOD Hospital.

China discriminates Arunachal sports official A Staff Reporter Itanagar, 16 Nov

Arunachal Pradesh State Badminton Association secretary Bamang Tago, who has also been nominated as manager of the Indian Badminton team for the Thaihot China Open-2016 in Fuzhou, has reportedly not received a visa from the Chinese Embassy on alleged grounds of being an Arunachal domicile.

Tago informed that he was to lead an Indian team of 14, including players and officials on the invitation of Fuzhou Municipal Sports Bureau to participate in the Thaihot China Open-2016 in Fuzhou, Cangshan district in Fujian province, slated to be held from November 15 to 20 next.

This is among the super series premier calendar event of Badminton World Federation (BWF).

He further said that the office of the Badminton Association of India (BAI) had submitted all required documents of the Indian contingents at Chinese Embassy New Delhi several weeks earlier to obtain visas.

Reportedly, all 13 members received their visas without any problem and they left for Fuzhou on November 12, but without their manager.

Tago’s visa has been allegedly

CHINA DUAL VISA POLICY Arunachal Pradesh State Badminton Association secretary Bamang Tago denied a visa from the Chinese Embassy on alleged grounds of being an Arunachal domicile.

Bamang Tago was to lead an Indian team of 14, including players and officials on the invitation of Fuzhou Municipal Sports Bureau to participate in the Thaihot China Open-2016 in Fuzhou Reportedly, all 13 members received their visas without any problem and they left for Fuzhou on November 12, but without their manager.

withheld on the ground of his being a domicile of Arunachal Pradesh, which Tago cited was total discrimination by China.

When an enquiry was made by the applicant, along with BAI official Anand Kare on November 14 on the delay at the Embassy office, the response was “It Needs Approval from China”.

Tago also called upon Union MoS Home Kiren Rijuju at North Block room today seeking his intervention and urged him to take up the matter with the Government of India and the Peoples’ Republic of China through Ministry of Foreign Affairs to find out a mechanism for sportsperson(s).

“China has now become an

NOT THE FIRST TIME In 2011, a five-member karate team on its way to Quanzhou in Fujian province to take part in the Asian Karate-do championship was prevented by Indian immigration officials at IGI airport New Delhi for possessing stapled visa issued by the Chinese Embassy.

In Jan 2012, a team of Arunachal weightlifters were prevented to board their flight for possessing stapled visas In October 2013, two young archers from Arunachal Pradesh could not participate in the Youth World Archery Championship in Wuxi in China as Indian immigration officials prevented them to board their flight for the same reason.

important location for international sports events and will continue to host more in the future. In such a scenario, sportspersons from Arunachal Pradesh will be deprived in days to come for no fault of theirs”, Tago reasoned.

“If India is serious about the stapled visa issue why don’t all Indians stop applying for Chinese visas until they issue regular visas to Arunachalees?

Or allow Arunachalees to visit the country with stapled visas.

There are no reasons for Arunachalees to become scapegoats in this tussle between the two Asia giants”, he added.

In 2011, a five-member karate team on its way to Quanzhou

in Fujian province to take part in the Asian Karate-do championship was prevented

by Indian immigration officials at IGI airport New Delhi for possessing stapled visa issued by the Chinese Embassy. In Jan 2012, a team of Arunachal weightlifters were prevented to board their flight for possessing stapled visas, while in October 2013, two young archers from Arunachal Pradesh could not participate in the Youth World Archery Championship in Wuxi in China as Indian immigration officials prevented them to board their flight for the same reason.

Contd. on Page 2

In a statement today Chief Minister Sonowal said, “It was an act of cowardice perpetrated on innocent people who were going to withdraw cash for the tea garden workers. This type of highhandedness cannot be tolerated in a civilized society and I assure everybody that the perpetrators won’t be scotfree and stringent action will be taken against them. I also express my condolences to the family of Abhijit Paul died in the firing and pray to the almighty for the fast recovery of those injured in the incident”. Chief Minister Sonowal also announced an ex-gratia

CM Sarbananda Sonowal

payment of Rs. 5 lakh to the next of the kin of the deceased.

He moreover, directed Tinsukia district administration and Assam Medical College Authority to provide all necessary medical facilities for the treatment of the injured.

Moreover, in line with the direction of the Chief Minister, Transport Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary along with the MLAs of Digboi and Margherita Suren Phukan and Bhaskar Sharma rushed to Pengiri to take stock of the situation.

After demonetisation

State farmers don't have money to buy seeds or employ labour ANI Guwahati, Nov 16

Demonetisation of high denomination currency notes has badly hit agricultural activities across Assam, as cash-starved farmers are finding it hard to pay agricultural labourers, demanding wages in advance, that too in Rs 100 denomination.

After the announcement of the demonetisation of currency

by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, chaos has gripped the nation.

Such is the case of Sonapur Village in Assam, where farmers found it difficult to carry on with their their daily activities due to a shortage of money.

“It is difficult to harvest as the exchange of currency takes a very long time. No money for seeds or to employ. I they don't have money to buy seeds or employ labour,” said Vishnu Varta, a farmer.

“No new seed available and we are also out of cash.

Harvesting requires money and

we have scarce resources. So how will I pay my labourers?

That is why I have to harvest my own yield,” said Apoorva Bhramha.

“We request government to provide some additional service to farmers like provision to withdraw Rs. 20,000 . We also serve the country like soldiers,” he added.

One farmer from the district is facing a tough time convincing labourers to work in his field. Due to this problem, he could not even complete his harvesting. He had gone to a nearby market to withdraw money from an ATM, but it was not functioning.

There is a widespread panic among farmers, who had recently harvested their paddy crop, and were preparing for the next Rabi season. They fear that in the absence of new currency notes, they will miss out on the crucial sowing time.

This is the most crucial time for a farmer when he not only sells his paddy crop, but also makes purchases for seeds, fertiliser and diesel for the next seasonal crop.

cmyk

Recalibration of ATMs Will Be Completed Within 2 Weeks: Arun Jaitley

Price -

DIBRUGARH, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17

P2 64th Annual Bodo Sahitya Sabha celebration concludes in Margherita ET Correspondent Margherita, Nov 16 : The 64th Annual Bodo Sahitya Sabha celebration was today celebrated at 2 Number Bhittor Powai Moharam Bodo LP School Playground Makumkilla Margherita which was organised by Bodo Sahitya Sabha Tinsukia District Committee and with the Cooperation of Margherita People.The programme begin with the Hoisting of Flag by Chandra Khaklary President of Bodo Sahitya Sabha Tinsukia District Committee.

ing in Tinsukia District with low population have organised the Birth Anniversary of Bodo Sahitya Sabha which is a great honour for all out Bodo People. Rihon Daimary said he is very sad about the pathetic condition of tribal areas road.

“At Margherita there is Water tanks but there is no safe drinking water facilities, only tubewells are there and I will talk with Public Health Engineering department officials to check the safety of the drinking”, he said.

Smriti Tarpan done by Robin Bodo Social Worker of 2 Number Bhittor powai which was followed by Bodo language translation into Assamese language Competition.

Tinsukia District Deputy Commissioner and other officials to take stake of Pathetic Condition road of Makumkilla area and provide all those facilities which were being taken under Government scheme to the rural areas of Margherita region said Rihon Daimary. He also appealled people to learn Bodo language through Bodo Sahitya Sabha and Bodo literary body.The programme concluded with Cultural programme in the evening.

Rihon Daimary Assam Government Minister of Public Health Engineering Department and Food & Civil Supply Department was present as the Chief guest.In his Speech Rihon Daimary expressed gratitude that Bodo people liv-

Golf: IndianOil Servo Masters

Marwari Yuva Manch donates Kapil Kumar carried the maiden free water-kiosk for community day honours at IndianOil Servo use in Doomdooma Masters in Digboi golfhighlight Links. of Baisoya’s round was the drive on

ET Correspondent Digboi, Nov 16: Twentyfour-year-old Kapil Kumar of Delhi shot a brilliant six-under-66 at the historic Digboi Golf Links to take the opening round honors at the IndianOil Servo Masters Golf 2016 here at the Historic Golflinks in Digboi in Tinsukia DisHe said he will talk with the trict of Upper Assam.

The 17th edition of the tournament was inaugurated here this morning

still in the process of recovering from a serious wrist injury, displayed some excellent ball-striking on Wednesday to consistently land it within five feet of the pin and as a result put together seven birdies against a lone bogey. One of the highlights of his round was the drive to the green on the par-4 third.

Kapil, the son of current professional Gast Ram,

the par-4 14th that almost resulted in a holein-one. His drive lipped out before he tapped-in for eagle.

“I feel I have the momentum from last week.

It’s now about carrying it forward. I was in trouble on a couple of occasions early in the round but I managed some good recoveries.

I’m the highest-ranked Manoj Kumar Ojha MYM Doomdooma branch player here this week, so Doomdooma, Nov 16: In a President Mahavir Agrwal , it’s a good opportunity good gesture, the Bhawani Mandhania , and Doomdooma branch of Marwari Yuva Munch (MYM) inaugurated a water kiosk at the crematorium located at Kaliapani Bridge beside Dibru River in Doomdooma. On the occasion, the president of Purvotar Pradeshia MYM Ritesh Khater, Vice-President Sandip Agarwal ,

HOROSCOPE Aries

Taurus

Gemini

Cancer

Leo

Virgo

Libra

Scorpio

Sagittarius

Capricorn

If you're feeling irritable and wrung out today, Gemini, it may be a result of putting far too much pressure on yourself. It might be wise to take a look at the expectations you have of yourself. Consider if you would you place the same demands on those closest to you. If the answer is no, it's time to revamp your life to suit the one you're closest to you.

Consider whether or not you're spending enough time with everyone who's special to you, Cancer. If more hours are going to work colleagues, friends, or partner, there might be an imbalance that you need to look at. Sit down and create a chart of where your time has gone lately. If one portion is considerably larger than the others, make a point of spending some time with the people represented by the smaller portions.

If your partner acts quickly on his or her passions today, Leo, you will probably want to slow things down a bit. "Nice and easy" is the phrase of the day for you, so create an environment that will allow for more time in such circumstances.

Let your partner know how you feel and what you'd like to see happen. No one is a mind reader.

There's far less chance of any misunderstanding when there is open communication.

Consider planning a romantic interlude, Virgo. With the influence from today's planetary aspects, it will be easy to connect with that special someone. Go out for dinner with your spouse or partner or make a date with someone new who's caught your eye. Don't let shyness or insecurity stand in your way. If you're single, consider loving the most important person in your life - you - by doing something special.

If someone takes too long to do something today, Libra, your temper may flare up. Patience isn't always your strong suit, and you may believe in the "if you want it done right, do it yourself" philosophy. This isn't always fair. Others need to do things at their own pace, and in some cases, it's essential that you give them the room to do so. Take a deep breath if you have to, and be patient.

You might find it rather tough to take criticism today, Scorpio. This is something that's hard for many to hear, but it truly depends on your perspective.

Rather than view it as a personal attack, try to see the value in the criticism.

If you're honest with yourself and recognize that you could learn and grow from critique, seize it as an opportunity. If you find that it's out in left field, then leave it there.

Be careful not to fall prey to your own idealism today, Sagittarius. While this is one of your most admirable qualities, as it contributes to your romantic, creative nature, too much of anything can be harmful. It's important to see things as they are, despite how much you may wish them to be different. The real world doesn't always go hand in hand with your ideal place. If something feels off, it probably is. Trust your instincts.

Don't be surprised if you feel a real need for some breathing room today, Capricorn. As much as you enjoy the company of others, you need to have time to yourself as well. See if you can work in a private space or simply shut your door.

If you need to move in order to be alone, hop in the car and go. Irritability is a good indicator of when you need to get away from the crowd.

Aquarius

Pisces

If things haven't been going too well with those you spend most of your time with, Aquarius, it might be time to consider your expectations of them. Ask what kinds of demands you place on others and if they're fair. Is it possible that you expect the same from others that you give, but perhaps they aren't able to match your level of performance? Consider talking with the people involved to find out how they feel.

A little romantic time with your special someone may be in order today, Pisces. With the dayto-day chaos of working and living, it can be tough to get some quality time alone. If you don't make specific plans, it can be months before this happens. Take the situation in hand and make those plans. If you're single, consider making arrangements for a date or spending time with a friend.

Ritesh Khater and the donor Mahavir Agrwal jointly donated the water-booth namely Amrit- Dhara .

Amrit-Dhara was built in the memory of the parents of Mahavir Agarwala namely late Kalawati Devi

China discriminates Arunachal sports official

Take it slow and easy today, Aries. With the energy from the day's aspects, rushing around isn't likely to get you too far. In fact, you're more apt to make mistakes or leave a bunch of things unfinished.

Make your to-do list and go about each thing one at a time at an even pace. Even if you don't finish everything, what you accomplish will be done well.

It may be time to look at where you are in life, Taurus. Are you where you thought you'd be?

If so, congratulations. This is a real accomplishment. If not, take heart. Many people discover that they aren't anywhere close. The key is to write down solid goals and the steps needed to reach them. It's your life after all.

Mapping out your route is up to you.

Secretary Bishal Patwary were present.

and Chittarmal Agarwal. In a meeting organized on the occasion , Ritesh Khater stated that a Yuva Bhawan is being constructed which is likely to be completed in November next year .Besides a mobile bus on creating awareness about cancer will be on a visit of the Northeast under a cancer awareness mission in which various information would be available about cancer.

Contd. from Page 1

Mr. H S Dutta, General Manager (TS&HSE), AOD, hits the inaugural tee off shot

amidst much fanfare by Mr. H S Dutta, General Manager (TS&HSE), AOD and Mr. Dipankar Ray, Executive Director, IndianOil AOD. Mr. Dutta and Mr. Ray’s ceremonial tee-off was followed by the release of balloons.

Mr. Dutta and Mr. Ray also planted trees on the course during the inauguration ceremony to mark the event.

Meanwhile, Kapil’s cousin Honey Baisoya of Delhi, the winner of last week’s event in Shillong, Bengaluru’s Udayan Mane, Gurgaon-based Manu Gandas, Chandigarh’s Feroz Singh Garewal and Noida’s Amardip Sinh Malik were among the five golfers bunched together in second place at five-under-67.

However, the 24-yearold Kapil Kumar, who is

said, “I’ve had some issues with my wrist injury due to which I had to miss three events earlier this year. But my game is now getting better with each event. “The Digboi Golf Links is playing better than ever before.

The greens are in great shape. I set up many birdie opportunities for myself today with some accurate hitting, added Mr Kapil.

“I’m in 27th place in the Rolex Ranking at the moment and would ideally like to get into the top-20 after a good week here, ‘expressed Mr Kapil with a tone of confidence. While, Honey Baisoya, the winner from last week, continued his rich vein of form. Honey, who had posted a four-under on the final day to win last week’s event in Shillong, came up with a five-under in Digboi on Wednesday. The

to rise up further in the rankings with a good finish,” said Baisoya, currently placed fifth in the Rolex Ranking.

However, Manu Gandas also fired a 67 thanks to some long birdie conversions through the day.

He made a good come back after a bogey and a double-bogey on his first four holes.

Meanwhile, Udayan Mane, Amardip Sinh Malik and Feroz Singh Garewal also posted scores of 67 to take a share of second place while Lucknow’s Sanjay Kumar, Noida’s Vikrant Chopra and Shamim Khan of Delhi were in joint seventh place at four-under-68. Meanwhile, defending champion Shankar Das of Kolkata carded a 73 to be tied 28th and Deven Bhumij returned a 74 to be the highest-placed local professional in tied 35th.

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Similar incidents have occurred with former Arunachal Pradesh Assembly Speaker T L Rajkumar in 1981, senior IAS officer Gonesh Koyu, Lohit legislator C P Namchoom, IAS officers Tajom Taloh and Tape Bagra and an officer Tasso Butung.

Last year Union Minister Kiren Rijiju was reportedly told not to attend the banquet hosted by the Prime Minister in honour of the visiting Chinese President.

Rijiju was once denied a visa by China some nine years back. He, however, visited Beijing in 2008 as part of Indian Olympic delegation with a regular visa.

Denying of visa by China

and the restrictions on stapled visas by Indian Immigration authorities to the residents of Arunachal is a violation of Article 13 sub clause (2) of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, (1948) and the article 12 sub clause (2) of International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1966) adopted by UN General Assembly to which both India and China are also state parties.

Winter session of Parliament : First Day

Opposition sees red in black & white Contd. from Page 1 Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi set the tone for his party when he told reporters in Mumbai: “This move by the Modi government will turn out to be a big scam. BJP workers were seen holding bundles of new Rs 2,000 notes, as seen from images on the Internet, before Modi announced this decision.”

Claiming “I don’t think even Finance Minister knew about the demonetisation announcement”, Rahul said: “The Prime Minister took the decision without thinking. We don’t want to reverse it, but at least resolve the difficulties people are facing.”

Earlier in the day, top Congress leaders met at Sonia Gandhi’s 10, Janpath residence to chalk out the party’s strategy in Parliament.

Leaders of 12 Opposition parties, who attended a meeting convened by Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad, were agreeable to the idea of a JPC probe but decided to first raise the demonetisation issue in Parliament.

Congress leaders had proposed the idea of a JPC at the meeting of Opposition parties on Monday as well, but there were not many takers.

Azad broached the matter again Tuesday and leaders like Sharad Yadav seemed open to the idea.

“We don’t want to let the issue die down that easily. If the government agrees to a debate, then we cannot just discuss and forget. We have to have a Plan B. We haven’t taken a decision but we are agreeable to the JPC idea,” a senior Opposition leader told The Indian Express.

The meeting was attended

by Congress leaders Ahmed Patel, Mallikarjun Kharge and Anand Sharma, JD(U)’s Sharad Yadav, CPM’s Sitaram

Modi today reached out to the Opposition in the Lok Sabha on the first day of Winter session.

"The government is ready to debate every issue," PM Modi said.

Lok Sabha has been adjourned for a day after obituary references.

Yechury, Mohammed Salim and P Karunakaran, NCP’s Tariq Anwar, RJD’s Prem Chand Gupta and Jay Prakash Narayan Yadav, CPI’s D Raja, TMC’s Nadimul Haque, SP’s DharmendraYadav, BSP’s Satish Chandra Misra, DMK’s Kanimozhi, JMM’s Sanjeev Kumar and RSP’s N K Premachandran.

The TMC informed the Opposition leaders about Mamata Banerjee’s plan to meet President Pranab Mukherjee on Wednesday, but the others said while they were not opposed to the idea, they would like to raise the issue first in Parliament.

Sources said the Prime Minister, while speaking at the all-party meeting, indicated that the government may agree to a discussion.

A statement from the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs quoted the Prime Minister saying it is time the issues of state funding of elections and holding simultaneous elections in the country are discussed. “Since all parties are concerned about the consequences of unaccounted money on the economy, let this issue be discussed in detail along with other issues of concern…,” he said.

The BJP was jolted when Shiv Sena said it would join the TMC march Wednesday.

Speaking to The Indian

Express, Sanjay Raut, Shiv Sena parliamentary party leader, said: “Our members of Parliament will join the march.

Uddhavji (party president Uddhav Thackeray) stated at a meeting of party MPs and senior leaders today that demonetisation is not a party matter. Nor is it a governmentversus-opposition issue. The country is in a state of financial anarchy.”

Raut quoted Uddhav saying “we want an end to the hardship being faced by people and we will meet the President separately also to apprise him on the issue”. The Sena has also sought an appointment with the Prime Minister.

“We fully support Modiji’s surgical strike against black money, but we are against the method employed by him… the system is flawed and, if not checked, the country could soon witness a law-and-order problem,” Raut quoted Uddhav.

The Sena chief told his party colleagues that they might be asked why an NDA partner was aligning itself with Mamata Banerjee, an Opposition leader. “If Modiji can sit with Sharad Pawar (NCP president), then we can also go with Mamata,” Uddhav was quoted saying.

NC leader Omar Abdullah is also expected to join the march. But AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal, who too was expected to join Banerjee’s march, seemed to have dropped the idea because the party “cannot afford to be seen with Shiv Sena”.

TMC leader Derek O’Brien tried to rally the Opposition: “We appeal to all political parties to come and stand with the people… people are suffering. If things come to such a pass that if he comes, I won’t come… then it is a fight for egos, not a fight for the country.”

DIBRUGARH, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17

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AdiSU Delhi in a mission to bridge racial gap through love Maksam Tayeng Pasighat, Nov 16: In a very noble effort initiated by Adi Students’ Union, Delhi to bridge the gap between racial differences of NorthEast India and mainlanders, a winter giveaway drive was organized at New Delhi on Monday wee hours till morning where total of 32 volunteers reached out to more than 100 footpath dwellers and gave away warm clothes, blankets, toothpastes, toothbrush, soaps, sanitary pads, shoes etc.

Informing about their drive from New Delhi in a press statement, Kalen Pertin, President, AdiSU, Delhi said that, the motive of the programme was to raise awareness among the mainlanders about North-East Indians and to extend helping hand to the needy to bridge gap between the racial differences through love and friendship by giveaway drive. “We started off at the wee hours of mid night (12.00) with the hope to reach out to the ones who were in dire need of the basic items. We covered routes from Ashram Ring Road to Kashmeregate to Majnukatila to Lajpat Nagar and ended at AIIMS” added Pertin. He expressed his gratitude to all the

DC visits Liromoba offices, cautions absentees Aalo, Nov 16 : West Siang Deputy Commissioner Gamli Padu made series of visits to offices of the EAC, BDO, CDPO and other offices, to check their functioning at Liromoba.

Going through the attendance registers, the DC found that many government officials were out of town for long periods and some offices did not even maintain proper attendant registers.

He has given specific instructions to heads of offices to seek proper explanations from the absentees, and their pay and allowances be held up for all period of absences.

Expressing his anguish over such negligence and dereliction of duty, the DC gave specific directions to all officials to be in their places of posting.

“All government schemes directed towards welfare of the people should reach them and this is only possible if departments entrusted to carry forward the tasks come out with punctuality, commitment and zeal to work”, he said.

(DIPRO)

A Staff Reporter Itanagar, 16 Nov: The media fraternity in Arunachal Pradesh today joined its counterparts in the country in celebrating the the National Press Day with the theme 'Role of media in promoting Swachh Bharat Abhiyan'.

State Water Resources Development Minister Kamlung Mosang appreciated the state's media persons for their painstaking endeavours to serve the tribal society against all odds.

"As our society is passing through a critical juncture sandwiched between the modernity and age-old traditions, I would suggest the press to attach top priority to its social responsibility," he said.

The first newspaper - Echo of Arunachal - English weekly started on February 20, 1988 while the first broadsheet daily - The Arunachal Times - hit the newsstands on June 6, 1989.

"Though the press has expanded with about eight English dailies, a few magazines are being published now while local cables are reaching homes but the growth is much below the desired level.

Mossang said that the Rs two crore corpus fund instituted for the working journalist proved the government's commitment towards the Fourth Estate.

Earlier in his keynote address, Arunachal Press Club president Chopa Cheda said that the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan could be translated into reality only if all the stakeholders including the media join hands to carry forward the programme in a mission mode.

Arunachal Pradesh Union of W o r k i n g Journalists(APUWJ) general secretary Ranju Dodum said that the role of media is not

to praise the government but to highlight the loopholes in its policies and programmes for the common masses.

During the day-long celebration two unsung heroes were also felicitated for their outstanding contributions to the society.

While Renu Bengde from East Kameng district was felicitated for supporting 25 orphans through her Kampu Hollen Orphanage, Techi Karda Tara of Sagalee in Papum Pare district was honoured for his contribution in Swachh Bharat Abhiyan as he since last several months has been cleaning his area on regular basis.

The award in investigative journalism was shared by Appu Gapak from Arunachal Times and Jackson Tayeng from The Eastern Sentinel, Jun Taki (Eastern Sentinel) was the winner in the Human Interest category while Appu Gapak won the award in the political category.

Gamlin inaugurates District Level Arm Sports Championship people who encouraged and supported them by reaching out with bundles of happiness and love.

This noble effort of AdiSU Delhi is really

heart touching and such gestures from student communities need encouragements from all across.

Believed that, this effort, even if it may not bring

World Diabetes Day observed at 1st APP Bn Chimpu ET Bureau Yupia, Nov 16 : The district NCD cell, District Health Society, Yupia observed World Diabetes Day with the theme “Eyes on Diabetes” on Wednesday with a befitting outreach screening camp for diabetes and other NCDs at the 1st APP Bn Chimpu.

Dr Radhe Natung, Specialist, NCD clinic TRSH, gave an aware-

National Press Day observed in Arunachal

ness speech on the occasion.

DPO Dr R R Ronya thanked commandant T Karga, Assistant Commandant D K Thungon, Inspector L Brah, Police volunteers, all NPCDCS, IDSP and NTCP staffs and medical officers incharge of Doimukh, Chimpu and Chiputa for their cooperation and support to make the camp

successful.

Out of the 222 individuals screened, 10 were suspected to be suffering from diabetes, nine from diabetes with hypertension, 25 from hypertension, 26 from obesity and four were underweight, and 55 individuals were provided counseling.

The DMO, DRCHO, DANO also attended the camp.

much change in the mindset of those typical sections of mainlanders who are responsible for several time to time racial attacks upon North-East-

erners, many others who are in grave need at this hours on footpaths got the helping hands from its fellow North-Easterners who have bigger hearts.

National Lok Adalat disposes 15 cases Aalo, Nov 16 : As per schedule of the National Legal Service Authority, New Delhi National Lok Adalat was held under Chief Judicial Magistrate-cum-Civil Judge (Senior Division) Tage Halley, in the building of the District Court, Aalo on November 12 last.

Altogether, seven criminal compoundable and eight money suit cases, involving Rs 19, 58,786 approximately, out of 79 cases were disposed by

members of the District Legal Service Authority consisting of advocates Minrik Nochi, Todak Ado and Gorik Kamduk.

The remaining cases could not be disposed off due to absence of victim, complainant, respondent or unwillingness of the party to settle the case in the Lok Adalat, and these cases have been referred to the next Lok Adalat or regular court for necessary step as per law.

(DIPRO)

Aalo, Nov 16 : The two days 1st ever District Level Arm Sports Championship, organized by West Siang Arm Sports Association (WSASA) was inaugurated by MLA Jarkar Gamlin at Gumin Kiin on November 15 last.

Hoisting the ceremonial flag of the tournament, Gamlin appealed to youths of West Siang district to take keen interest in games and sports as it has become a career for many after enhancing reservation to 10 percent quota in government jobs.

He also appealed to the association to explore the rural talents in many far-flung areas so that they too get an opportunity to participate in such competitions.

Guest of Honour DASO Tumto Loyi said that the primary aim of this game is to bring out best sports talents of the district and give them exposure at the state, national and international level.

Pubu Yombu Anchal Chairperson, Kirli Loyi and Doli Lollen president West Siang Olympic Association, who attended the programme as special invitees also gave useful advices to the participants.

Bomi Bam, president of WSASA spelt out the aims and

objectives and background of organizing the arm sports championship and Tasen Ruti organizing secretary extended his gratitude to one and all for making the event successful.

In the Junior Boys 50-57 kg category, Damdo Yomcha, Limmar Jini and Litem Sora came first, second and third respectively, while in the Junior Boys 58-63 kg category, Marjum Bagra, Jobom Bagra and Rina Naso came first, second and third respectively.

Similarly, Ngami Gamlin, Rijum Lollen and Jumpe Nada came first, second and third in the Junior Boys 64-70 kg category, while in the 71-78 kg category, Kirba Lollen and Tomo Ete stood first and Second.

Moli Ngomdir and Kenli Riram were first and second in the Junior Boys 79 to 86 kg category.

In the Senior Men 50-57 kg category, Damdo Yomcha, Kenpe Nada and Litem Sora came first, second and third, while in the 58-63 kg category, Marjum Bagra, Jumpe Nada and Kesang Rina were first, second and third.

Dojum Jini, Ngami Gamlin and Marpe Lollen came first, second and third in the Senior Men 64-70 kgs category, while

Bomi Bam, Kirba Lollen and Tasen Ruti were first, second and third in the 71 to 78 kg category.

In Senior Men 79-90 kg category, Moli Ngomdir, Lijum Lollen and Tumpe Ingo came first, second and third respectively, while in Senior Men 91105 kg category, Dugel Nada came first.

There were also categories for females, wherein, Geyir Sora, Kajum Ango and Martina Ete came first, second and third in the Junior Girls 56-63 kg category. In the 56-63 kg category, Dayir Ango came in at first.

In the Senior Women 50-55 kg category, Kayi Yomcha, Geyir Sora and Martina Ete came in at first, second and third, while in the 56-63 kg category, Dayir Ango came first.

Dayir Ango emerged as the champion in the junior girls’ category, while Kayi Yomcha was the over-all winner in senior women category.

Kirba Lollen and Bomi Bam emerged as champions of the junior boys and senior men’s categories.

They will now participate in the state level championship.

(DIPRO)

Arunachal Journalists Hard Pressed: Govt Does Not Pay Dues, Owners Cut Salaries RANJU DODUM ITANAGAR: In September this year, when representatives of Arunachal Pradesh’s press bodies met chief minister Pema Khandu and placed their grievances over non-payment of government advertisements, there was a sense of déjà vu in the room.

Like in most other states of the region, in the absence of a thriving private sector newspapers in Arunachal Pradesh are dependent on government advertisements to run their daily finances including payment of employee salaries. However, fund-crunched as the states are, payments for state government-issued advertisements are hard to come by.

As per the memorandum submitted to the chief minister’s office in September by the Arunachal Press Club, as of February 2016 the state government owed close to Rs four crore to the seven English dailies of the state, which had accumulated over the years. This is despite the fact that

official gazette notifications issued in 1991 and 1999 clearly state that funds for government advertisements under all departments must be allocated to the Department of Information & Public Relations to centralize and streamline payments. However, certain departments have been known to overlook the notifications and directly approach newspapers to publish advertisements, adding to the confusion.

The Arunachal Press Club has said that due to non-payment of government advertisement bills, newspapers are unable to offer their employees better salaries and other benefits such as life and health insurances. This is aside from the cost of printing the actual newspapers themselves.

Apart from three newspapers- The Arunachal Times, Independent Review and Eastern Sentinel- the other broadsheet dailies do not have their own printing machines and have to pay an average of Rs six to print

their papers while selling them at a loss of Rs three.

Factor in the low readership in the state, papers are unable to make any substantial gain from the sale of newspapers itself.

The press club here has argued that the IPR department needs to pull its socks and questioned why it repeatedly seeks submission of bills even after newspapers submit their bills on a regular basis.

It also said that payments must be made on a quarterly basis, such as those of the Centre’s Directorate of Advertising and Visual Publicity (DAVP).

Currently there is no set timeline as to when payments are to be made and like most government payments, bills are paid towards the end of the financial year in March.

During that mad rush in March, funds often lapse to the next financial year.

This practice of disbursing payments by various government departments towards the end of the financial year instead of making regular payments has been criticised by

Comptroller and Auditor General Reports in the past.

Things came to such a head that in February, the newspapers here boycotted the Statehood Day celebrations to mark their protest- a move that was met with some amount of criticism by the state machinery and sections of the public.

The press bodies however argued that newspapers cannot function on goodwill alone and for any entity to survive, funds are a necessity.

But this was not the first time that such a step was taken in the Northeast.

Back in 2014, before Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Nagaland for the famous Hornbill Festival in December, newspapers in the state had threatened to not cover the visit if their pending bills were not cleared. Not surprisingly, the Nagaland government paid most of the amount rather hurriedly.

Similar other finance-related issues that plague newspapers in Arunachal

Pradesh also affect those in Nagaland.

An employee from the management of a Dimapur-based newspaper said that there is a system in place wherein government advertisements have to be routed through the IPR department but that is often not the case.

“Also, some departments issue their advertisements late and IPR shuts by so they give us directly and some just don’t want to route through the IPR,” the source in Nagaland said.

In Mizoram too there are similar problems in delays in payments of advertisements. Mizoram has 203 publications registered with the RNI, most of which are published in the Mizo script and on single sheet legal size papers.

An Imphal-based journalist said that the situation is even worse in Manipur.

“No amenities, no allowances, no holidays,” he said about the scenario in Manipur which is hard hit by insurgency. He

also said that newspaper owners are “squeezing journalists who are discharging their duties by risking their lives at trifling salaries”.

Due to the dependency on payment of delayed government advertisements, newspapers and magazines in the region are often under-staffed, with journalists having to follow leads and stories on various beats.

Unlike their counterparts in major publications outside, journalists here have to keep themselves abreast on beats ranging from sports to politics and everything in between. One would be hard-pressed to find a journalist who has dedicated herself on a single topic. There have also been instances in the past where journalists have been asked to stop pursuing leads by publishers themselves lest it incurs the wrath of the government.

While the Arunachal Pradesh government has often given assurances to clear bills, the reality is that the entire process gets derailed at the bureaucratic level.

Earlier last week, members of the Arunachal Press Club met with top officials of the department of IPR and chief minister Pema Khandu to address the issues that were placed. Although provisions were made to include a dedicated sum of money to be kept with the department of IPR for advertisement purposes, it is unlikely to bring any substantial changes on the ground.

The chief minister had insisted on having the pending bills cleared within a month’s time and the officials present agreed rather hesitantly to do so. However, off the record they said that the process of collection of bills alone from various departments and districts alone, places which are marred by communication bottlenecks, will take a good three months.

As if journalistic hurdles were not enough, this National Press Day press persons in the Northeast also have to worry about administrative challenges.

Published first in The Citizen.

DIBRUGARH, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17

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State Level Celebration of National Press Dayobserved in Guwahati ET Bureau Guwahati, November 16: Along with the rest of the country, Assam observed the State Level celebration of National Press Day-2016 in a befitting manner here in Guwahati today. The Information and Public Relations Department, Assam in association with Journalist Association of Assam organised the programme at Srimanta S a n k a r d e v KalakshetraAuditorium, Guwahati.

Delivering the keynote address on this year ’s theme, “Reporting from conflict area and challenges for Media”, noted journalist and Editor of Amar Asom Prasanta Rajgurudeliberated in depth on various factors responsible for creation of conflicts with special reference to the State and North-eastern region, the

and hurdles confronted by the journalists and is taking up measures to improve their situation. He added, “Along with the implementation of the ongoing schemes, theGovernment will shortly come up with more avenues for the welfare of the journalist of the State”.

Eminent journalist and former Editor of Dainik AsomDhirendra Nath Chakravartty attended the programme as the Guest of Honour and in his speech he elaborated at length on the history of journalism in Assam.

way they were reported in the media and the impacts thereon. Drawing references from the recent past, Rajguru dealt on length on the role and responsibility of journalists while reporting of conflicts. “Journalists should always be truthful, objective, sensible while reporting on a conflict area”, he further stated.

Rajguru added, “The journalist should always try to be vigilant and the probable impact of news should also be taken into account before reporting it. The importance of a news with respect to the greater public interest should be analysed”.

Attending the programme as the Chief Guest, Media Advisor to the Chief Minister of Assam H r i s h i k e s h Goswamistated that the Government is very much aware of the challenges

Media Advisor to the Chief Minister of Assam Hrishikesh Goswami while felicitating senior journalist

NATIONAL PRESS DAY CELEBRATE IN JORHAT

ET CORRESPONDENT JORHAT 16TH NOV: Jorhat Press Club along with District Information and Public Relations office Jorhat and All Assam Journalist Union celebrates press day in Jorhat Press Club on Wednesday. In the simple meeting that was held in Jorhat Press Club, renoun journalist Naba Thakuria as chief guest, former president of Jorhat Press Club Prafulla Rajguru, DIPRO of Jorhat Sameer Sandyalya, ADC of Jorhat Jayanta Goshwami , sports person Tapan Dutta, Rahul Bora all Assam secretary AAJU along with Diganta Buragohain President of Jorhat press club and Rajeev Bora were present.

The opening speech was

delivered by Rajeev Bora, secretary of Jorhat press club.

Delivering his speech on the topic conflict zone reporting and challenges reknown Journalist and chief guest Naba Thakuria said that It is quite risky and challenging to report in the conflict prone area" He also said "Nowdays Alternate media is much more powerful than electronic or print media" Sameer Sandalya, the district relationship officer in his speech said that one should have presence of mind and should be very careful while reporting from a conflict area. He also give the example of famous South African photographer Kevin Carter.

On the other hand the prize

were awarded to the winners of art competition which was organized by Jorhat press club, District information and public relationship office and All Assam Journalist Union Jorhat District Committee on Sunday.

In group A Rajdeep Das was awarded with first prize, Liyana Dutta second and Aditya Rajbansgi achieved the third prize. In group B Priyam Kishore Dutta awarded with first prize, Abhinash Phukan second prize and Bhaswsti Sharma was awarded with third prize, while in group C Akash Jyoti Saikia awarded the first prize , Sandeep Gogoi second and Trinayan Jyoti Hazarika awarded the third prize respectively.

National Press Day observed at Greater Digboi Press Club Laxman Sharma DIGBOI, Nov16: In tune with the nationwide celebration of the National Press Dayslated on November 16, the Press fraternity at the historic Oil Town Digboi also observed the day with a daylong agenda organized at the premises of the Greater Digboi Press club here at Digboi in Tinsukia District. The programme which was kicked off in the morning with the unfurling of the flag by Binanda Konwar the former President of Digboi Press Club. The significant event was attended by the press members belonging to Tinsukia District unit of Assam Press Correspondent Union.

Following the ceremonial lighting and offerings of floral tribute to all the former press members, Pallav Sharma the Central Executive member of the of the Union urged the brethren in his brief

Arunachal News

Nabam Akin Hina condemns the assault on an employee; demands immediate arrest of the culprits E T Bureau Itanagar, Nov 16: The All Arunachal Contractor’s Welfare Association (AACWA) General Secretary, Nabam Akin Hina vehemently condemned physical assault on Bengia Guma, an employee of

NHPC by some masked criminals youth of Roing.

“District administration should immediately hunt those criminal and arrest them and must be exemplary punishment as per laws. The culprits who were involved may be petty con-

tractors of Roing areas working at NHPC Project and they may be easily traced out by law enforcement authorities,” remarked Nabam Akin Hina. The General Secretary of All Arunachal Contractor’s Welfare Association

stressed that any official problems within themselves may be sorted out at office but the manner in which the assault took place at his residence during the night hours clearly shows murderous intentions of the attackers.

speech to maintain inhouse integrity, dignity, and serve the society in true spirit promoting a sense of fraternity and solidarity among all.

Mr Konwar who has been dedicating himself towards the selfless service as a senior most journalist of Digboi reminded the entire press members of the growing importance of the media house in the present day heterogeneous society and also highlighted the challenges posed by the media house in present context. He also threw an ample light to draw a line of difference between the press persons of those days with the present day journalism terming modern journalism as ‘means to exaggerate and make the mountain of mole hill in the hands of a few perverted or yellow journalists’. He urged upon the members present to stick to the vision of true journalism

Galo students' Union expresses assurances from Ministers ET Bureau Aalo, 16 Nov: Welcoming the assurances given by Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju and Parliamentary Secretary Education Bameng Felix of various development Programme for the area under 27th Liromoba ST Assembly Constituency the GSU expressed its deep displeasure over inauguration of defunct 2X1 MW Liromoba small Hydel on dated 15/11/ 2016 because, since its

It is alleged that since the very day of laying of foundation stone of the mega project by the state Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on November 6, some outsiders are disturbing the authority of the Patanjali unit and the local unemployed youths in carrying out the construction works and in supplying the required materials for the project.

The mega project which has

GSU believes that mere inauguration is of no use unless it comes fully under public utility. GSU has reiterated in its previous press about 7 ( seven)other small Hydel under 27thLiromoba ST Assembly Constitution which are laying defunct for many years and does not want to have another defunct Hydel be added.

Also, in continuation to its earlier press release about Primary Health Centre

{PHC) under Liromoba which is running with insufficient staffs and no Allopathic Doctor since 4-5 years even after repeated appeal made to the State Government, the GSU said the matter is very serious and held the Local MLA responsible for such dilapidated condition of the said PHC terming it as utter failure from his side and should take prompt step to address the problem.

Meanwhile, following a brief discussion among the members of the union, the morning agenda of the significant day concluded with ample lights thrown upon various media related topics.

However, later in the evening the members of the Press Club took part in illuminating the club lightening candles and earthen lamps to mark the day beside paying tributes to various former journalists of Digboi who had made significant contribution for the growth and development of the journalism shaping the branch of science to serve the popular cause in and around the historic Oil City of Digboi.

Owing to illness Journalist Prafulla Rajguru of Jorhat who was also to be felicitated, could not attend the programme.

Madhurima Baruah Sen, Secretary, Information and Public Relations Department; Additional Secretary RajibPrakash Baruah and a host of other dignitaries were also present on the occasion.

Two days media workshop on National press day in Haflong ET Correspondent, Haflong, November 16:- The national press day which is widely observed across the nation on this day with a particular theme set by the Press Council of India is being observed with great fervour in Haflong.

This year the press day is being observed for two days by the department of Information & Public Relations of Dima Hasao starting from today i.e on 16 and 17 of November, 2016. A two day workshop was organised for the media fraternity of the district, students of different schools and colleges.

Inaugural session of this two days workshop was done by

Kulendra Daulagupu, NCHAC Executive Member for Tourism. In his speech he lauded the efforts of the media people for their contribution towards the development of the society.

Veteran journalist Samudra Gupta Kashyap, who has won several prestigious awards for his contribution to journalism, was invited as one of the resource persons for the workshop. Renowned persons in the field like photo journalist Subhamoy Bhattacharya and camera person Pradipta Kumar Debsharma from Door Darshan Kendra Guwahati also is the resource person in these two days sessions.

Thelamara area tense after recovery of dead body a local youth ET Correspondent Tezpur, Nov 16: Thelamara area under Thelamara Police Station in Sonitpur District remained tense following an incident of murder of a local youth. According to sources one Sonu Anshari (23) of Bargaon Komarpathar went missing on November 14 night after going out for enjoying Rass held in the area. However, the body of the youth that was kept buried was recovered today in the evening from a nearby paddy field leading to tension in the area. Police are investigating into the case after getting a complaint of missing of the youth. However, the infuriated people today set

ablaze the house of Kartik Rajaria and Mainu Boro who were suspected to be involved in the murder case. People of the locality said that the youth maintained an immoral relationship with a woman of the village members of whom few days back threatened to eliminate the youth. Based on this people got infuriated and attacked the accused’s houses.

However, on receiving the information, police rushed to the spot and brought the situation under control. Socially aware people of the area urged all concerned to maintain peace among the people of the locality so that due to the incident no any communal incident takes place.

Deben Narjary alleges some unscrupulous elements on a mission to derail Patanjali’s Mega Herbal Food project Shambhu Boro Tezpur, Nov 16: At a time when thousands of unemployed youths are hoping for employment through the establishment of the Patanjali’s Mega Herbal Food Park at AIDC complex, (Ghoramari) near Balipara in Sonitpur District, some section of unscrupulous people are on a mission in derailing the entire project for their vested interest.

commission in the year 2008 it has been laying defunct with zero output and has never supplied electricity to the area. Moreover, the said Hydel is under CBI Scanner and arbitration is pending in the High Court of India. GSU said that it will keep close observation on operation of the said Hydel. In case of failure of the said Hydel the Local MLA and the Deptt. of Hydropower Development shall be held responsible as

and serve the society as instrumental in reforming the multifaceted evils of the society thus, playing a pivotal role in representing the public opinion for the greater cause.

Delivering the Welcome Speech, the Commissioner and Secretary, Information and Public Relations Department LS Changsan stressed on the scope of detailed deliberation and research on this year’s theme of National Press Day as the

issue encompasses greater relevace in present context.

It may be noted that six prominent journalists of the State, namely, Prafulla Rajguru of Jorhat, Jyotilal Choudhuryfrom Silchar, Dilip Chakrabarty of D h u b r i , HimenBhattacharya of Tinsukia, Manindra Das of Barpeta and Ron Duarah of Dibrugarh were felicitated in the programme.

set a deadline to start production within 100 days is facing a batlle against time due to alleged interference from politically motivated corrupt people.

It is to be mentioned here that the Industrial Growth Centre in the area covering around 1,450 bighas of land area was set up with an objective to convert it into a growth engine for generating employment during the first tenure of the AGP regime. Feeling the noble objective of the government, the people living near the project openly donated their land properties to the government. The donated wall remained in the confinement of boundary walls sans any conversion of the land into industrial sites.

On the same note, social worker of the area Deben Narjary informed that the local people of the area, particularly the Bodos, donated their land to the

then ruling dispensation with an expectation of employment generation among the local youths through industrial projects.

“Earlier many companies did try to establish their production units, but many backed out due to threats of insurgency largely spread by a section of negative minded people. The entire effort came did not materialise due to lack of proper policy of the department concerned. However, amidst these challenges, now internationally acclaimed companies like Dabur India Limited and Patanjali have come forward to start their plant in the industrial complex targeting a sizable amount of annual production besides absorption of local youths in all spheres of their project,” said Narzary. He also added that to enable execution of the big budget project the local people have been co-

operating the company from all sides so that unscrupulous people coming from outside cannot hinder the upcoming project. On that note, he said Ghoramari Unemployed Youth Association is going to extend all sorts of help to the project.

Sounding determined and optimistic, Narzary mentioned, “Only because of us Dabur India Limited has almost successfully completed their work and very shortly they will start their production. Likewise we are very sincerely cooperating Patanjali also, so that without disturbance from any end they can carry out their work and in this regard if any force tries to hamper the mega project, for the greater interest of the employment of local youths and socioeconomic and cultural development of the greater area every possible fight will be given to thwart the negative forces.”

DIBRUGARH, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17

NORTHEAST

Blockade disrupts railway services in Northeast Agartala, Nov 16 : A rail blockade called by tribal students hit railway services in parts of northeast India for the second day on Wednesday, snapping the crucial rail link of Tripura, Mizoram, Manipur and southern Assam with the rest of the country.

The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) cancelled several important trains passing through the LumdingBadarpur hill section due to the indefinite rail blockade agitation by the North Cachar Hill Indigenous Students Forum (NCHISF).

Hundreds of NCHISF members have blockaded rail tracks since Tuesday morning at Haflong, the district headquarters of Dima Hasao district, formerly known as North Cachar Hills District.

Saradindu Das appointed chief coconut development officer of CDB Agartala, Nov 16: Former director of Horticulture department of Tripura government, Saradindu Das has been appointed as Chief Coconut Development Officer (CCDO) and posted at the headquarters of Coconut Development Board (CDB) in Kochi, Kerala under Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.

Official sources said that Saradindu Das, a horticulture officer of Tripura government has been transferred on deputation to Kerala and this is perhaps for the first time any horticulture officer has been posted at the top position of any union government department. Mr Das joined as CCDO of Coconut Development Board on November 11, 2016 last and will continue his service for four years of deputation.

However, another horticulture officer D P Sarkar has been appointed as incumbent director of horticulture department of Tripura government. (Agencies)

porters.

The NCHISF has been demanding compensation to the affected families, whose land and homes were taken away by the NFR during conversion of metre-gauge railway line to broad gauge in 2014 and 2015.

Acting Deputy Commissioner of Dima Hasao district Sonaram Khanikar held an inconclusive meeting on Tuesday with the agitating students body and the railway officials at the district headquarters at Haflong, 279 km from Guwahati.

"The NFR official failed to give a written promise to release compensation within 15 days as demanded by the Forum. The railway authorities sought four months' time to sort out the matter," Khanikar told re-

NCHISF President David Kevom said a total 300 hectares of land belonging to 500 families was affected by the construction of the broad-gauge railway line in the hill district.

"The NFR authorities had promised compensation to the affected families, but nothing has been done yet," Kevom told reporters.

NFR officials, however, said that the railway authorities had given compensation of around Rs 55 crore to the affected families, but they are demanding Rs 3-5 crore more.

The NCHISF President said that unless senior and responsible officials of the railways come to the spot,

Acharya said wherever there is insurgency, development remains stalled and this is the wish of Prime Minister Modi to resolve the Naga political issue at the earliest and bring in rapid development in the region. The governor called upon the people of Kiphire district, which has people from various tribes, to be united and to live peacefully.

He said Kiphire district was not just rich in mineral resources, but could also become a tourism hotspot in the region.

Acharya also visited

A railway official, on condition of anonymity, said Divisional Railway Manager A.K. Jain is expected to visit Halflong.

In a statement, NFR's Chief Public Relations Officer Pranav Jyoti Sharma said four trains -- GuwahatiSilchar, Silchar-Guwahati train services, SealdahSilchar Kanchenjunga Express and Agartala-Sealdah Kanchenjunga Express -have been either cancelled or short-terminated.

Around 1,200 passengers were stranded at Haflong station due to the rail blockade. Some passengers were, however, trying to reach their destinations using

other modes of transport.

The railway line from Guwahati passes through Lumding (in Nagaon district of central Assam) and Halflong, connecting Agartala and parts of Manipur and Mizoram, besides southern Assam, with the rest of India.

The Guwahati-Silchar railway route is the lifeline for southern Assam, comprising Cachar, Karimganj, Hailakandi and Dima Hasao districts, and the mountainous states of Tripura, Manipur and Mizoram.

The region is dependent on this railway route for supply of food grain, fertiliser, petroleum products, construction materials and other consumer goods.

(Agencies)

Kilomi village, cleanest Tripura CM gives innovative village under Pughoboto suggestion in letter to prime Dimapur, Nov 16: Kilomi village was declared as the cleanest village for the year 2016 under Pughoboto subdivision and awarded rupees five lakhs under the LADF 2016-17 on the second day of Thuwu-ni 3rd edition. Guest of honour, CEO Entrepreneurs Associates Neichute Doulo gave away the certificate and cheque to the village council chairman in the presence of minister R&B Y.Vikheho Swu at the local ground on November 15.

According to DIPR report, minister who was also the convenor of the festival said this journey began in 2014 to re-discover, reclaim and revive our cultural heritage in the truest sense. It is to equip ourselves in order to cope with the demands of the times and to adapt ourselves with the fast changing world. He also apprised young educated Pughoboto entrepreneurs that there would be a need to balance between traditional practices of self-sufficiency to that of modern methods of surplus produce.

Keeping in mind the importance of organic system of farming, he urged them to adopt the same as our forefathers had practiced in the olden days. He also expressed his happiness as

the Nagaland Entrepreneurs' Association (NEA) was keen to work hand in hand with the people of Pughoboto. He proposed to intensify and take up new initiatives under Thuwu-ni Pughoboto in 2017. He also extended his thanks to Kavili Swu for introducing Nagaland Designers' Association to Pughoboto besides Gloria Tep, Ketholeno Kense, Guru Rewben Mashangva and other participants. Guest of honour, said that economy was selfsufficient in the past but unfortunately we are now living under subsistence agriculture. Therefore, he encouraged the people to change their mindset and urged them not to depend only on the government but to struggle and sweat themselves for better avenues.

He also assured to assist the people of Pughoboto.

Yanpvuo Kikon who introduced the cycle race to the people of Pughoboto appreciated the minister for taking initiative and organising such event. In race, Isamul from Shillong lifted the 1st prize with cups and a cash of Rs. 30000/-. Alemba, Kohima and Raj Kaushal from Himachal Pradesh awarded Rs. 20000/, and 10000/- as second and third respectively.(Agencies)

Governor lauds PM Modi for demonetisation Kohima, Nov 16: Nagaland Governor P.B. Acharya on Tuesday lauded the decision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to pull out Rs. 500 and Rs. 1,000 currency notes, saying it was an excellent step to washout black money from the country.

The demonetisation of Rs. 500 and 1000 notes would usher in changes at the same time keep check and minimize corruption, said Acharya this during his visit to Kiphire along with his wife Kavita Acharya on Tuesday.

they would not withdraw the indefinite rail blockade agitation.

Acharya, his wife Kavita and Kipili having MDM with the the school children

Kiphire Village Government Primary School and directed the school authorities to provide MidDay Meal regularly to the students. He later joined the students for lunch.

United Sangtam Students Conference (USSC) who met the Governor also submitted a memorandum citing three point-development programme that was needed-- Development of proposed Tizu inland waterway from Longmatra to Avankhu, establishment of Medical institute in Kiphire and Construction of Multi Community centre at

Kiphire. Later, Governor, accompanied by Power minister C. Kipili Sangtam visited District Hospital Kiphire, District Jail Kiphire and had a general meeting at Hopongkyu Memorial Hall, Kiphire.

At Hopongkyu, the programme was chaired

by DC Kiphire Sedevikho Khro. Short speeches were delivered by C. Kipili Sangtam, Hd. GB Kiphire town, Sepithong Sangtam and executive chairman Justin Khatomong T while vote of thanks was delivered

by USLP vice president K. Tsilise Sangtam.

(Agencies)

minister, Modi

Tripura chief minister Manik Sarkar Agartala, Nov 16 : Amidst the cacophony of opposition protests over the demonetisation issue , Tripura chief minister Manik Sarkar has quietly provided a very innovative and positive suggestion to the beleaguered prime minister Narendra Modi in a letter yesterday to ease the burden of common people. Expressing concern over the inconvenience caused to ordinary people by the note banning decision of Centre and RBI, Sarkar has requested the prime minister to extend the deadline for using banned notes as well as to allow government's own transactions with old notes during the ban period and its extension.

Ao Senden officials resign; interim team takes charge Dimapur, Nov 16: In an unprecedented move, office bearers of the Ao Sendenthe apex body of the Ao community- submitted their resignations at the Federal Assembly on November 14 and which was accepted by the house. The resignation letters of Imolemba Jamir who was the Senden president and also O.Shilu Jamir the vice president were accepted by the assembly.

The Federal Assembly nominated Ongpangkong Range president C.Angang Jamir as interim president and Langpangkong Range president L.Tally Jamir as interim general secretary of the Ao Senden till such time the new executive members assume office.

According to a delayed information received here, the Federal Assembly has also directed Naga Hoho president P.Chuba Ozukum, a representative of the Ao Senden, to relinquish the post of Naga Hoho president with immediate effect.

According to sources, the developments that unfolded at the Federal Assembly on November 14 were connected with the Rongmei recognition issue which the Senden had raised earlier.

Sources said the handing and taking over for the interim body will be completed within six to seven days.(Agencies)

'My belief is that the RBI and Centre had not properly pre-assessed the suffering that the note banning decision would entail for the common people; given this, Centre may allow payment of various government bills like electricity bills, Muncipal dues like house tax, water tax , road tax , motor vehicle registration fees, land registration fees and a host of other government dues with old notes till November 30' the chief minister said in his letter to the prime minister , Modi yesterday.

He also requested the prime minister to allow the state co-operative banks to exchange banned notes like the designated nationalised banks as well as urban cooperative banks because the state co-operative banks keep the flag of banking flying in rural areas.

'This will greatly ease the burden on rural masses being duped by the touts and unscrupulous elements' Sarkar added. While opposing the move , no other Indian chief minister has given this concrete and realistic suggestion to the Centre.

(Agencies)

Target is to exchange in foreign market, Bangladeshi buying demonetized notes Agartala, Nov 16: Bordering town Sonamura in Sipahijala district of Tripura is known for its smuggling activities ranging from gold to cattle head, sugar to different types of cloths and everything people need. Recently the list added a new item, Indian currency notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1000, thanks to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi's decision to demonetize the notes of these two denominations.

Normally the Indian currency fetches much more value while exchanged against the Bangladeshi currency in the unofficial market of the bordering areas. But after the demonetization the situation has reversed and the value of Indian currency of Rs500 and Rs 1000 has crushed fallen 20 to 25 per cent against its Bangladeshi counterpart and now being exchanged 100: 100 basis.

'Most interestingly the notes are no more a medium of exchange, rather the currency note itself has turned into a commodity', said a local trader. According to him large number of Indian black money holders is rushing to the bordering villages and selling their notes to Bangladeshis.

But the moot question is what the Bangladeshis will do with these demonetized notes? An eminent economist and lecturer of economics in the Tripura University Salim Saha crack the nut and said Bangladeshis are buying these notes with a long term plan. 'Notes were demonetized in India but not in the foreign countries. After the stipulated time is over the Indian government will look into the foreign countries. During this period there are enough scope to procure dollar in exchange of Indian currency from the registered currency exchangers and the Bangladeshis are taking this opportunity', he explained.

On the other hand the Indians who are procuring Bangladeshi notes will have enough scope to exchange it from local exchangers. So it is a win win situation for both the side. The entire transaction is going behind the screen and it is difficult for a common man to understand what is going on. He only can understand something unusual is going on seeing the new faces rushing and passing through the villages.

The matter came to notice first on Tuesday when the

Sonamura police recovered two lakhs of Bagladeshi Taka from a village. Police admitted the recovery but refused to make any comment about its source or possible destination before the investigation reaches into a conclusion. Though the police are extreme cautious considering the sensitivity of the matter another incident at Dharmanagar suggest its reality when Police detained two persons while entering to Tripura from Assam with demonetized notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 valued Rs eight lakh. The money was recovered when police were conducting search operation in Jharjeri area under Kadmtala police station. Police detained an Alto car on suspicion and recovered the money packed in a bag. Police detained the owner of the money Mokbul Hussain (50) and the driver of the car. Both are being interrogated. It is learnt that Mokbul is a resident of Anipur village of Ratabari area under Karimgunj district of Assam.

Police maintained silence about the purpose of carrying such a big amount of demonetized note but suspicion is increasing that he was looking for the money market. (Agencies)

Alarming shortfall in agricultural manpower, secondary and tertiary sector grow Agartala, Nov 16: Despite a series of plans implemented by the state government , agricutural production in Tripura is threatened by a massive desertion of people from this primary sector of economy. Lack of returns from agriculture , shrinkage of land and lure of easy money from MGNREGA and a host of other cash-yielding schemes implented by Centre and states, are held responsible for this .

According to the just-released returns of the state's Economic Census-2013, altogether 4.04,024 persons are employed in the state and , alarmingly, out of this a total of 3,76,159 or 93.10% of them are employed in

Bullying traders: CM vows stern action

People wait at the e-counter at SBI main branch on Tuesday as queues continue to increase outside ATMs in the city.

Shillong, Nov 16: Chief Minister Mukul Sangma has sent a strong message to traders in the city who are harassing buyers by denying change or forcing them into higher purchases.

Many shop owners in the city are asking customers, who are paying in the new Rs 2,000 note or the scrapped denominations, to purchase more in order to get change.

Addressing the media on Tuesday, Sangma said the government would take strict action against such traders who are taking the opportunity of people's plight.

"The government has received inputs in this regard and it will initiate necessary action after getting evidence against such elements. The chief secretary will review the situation regularly with banks and the Reserve Bank of India," the chief minister said and added that the North East region will receive the new Rs 500 notes by the end of

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November.

The State government will create a contingency fund pool for farmers, who are the worst victims of the Centre's demonetisation move, if they approach the distress cell, the chief minister said.

The administration in all districts has been asked to ensure that none of the poor is exploited and that banks furnish all information about depositing money. The administration should also be in the loop about transactions above Rs 2.5 lakh.

Denouncing the Centre's demonetisation decision, Sangma said it should have been prepared before making the announcement.

Reacting to a query about shops in Shillong not accepting Rs 10 coins, he said anybody who tries to take advantage of the situation will be taken to task as per the law. "A lot of sensitisation is needed to ensure that people are not exploited in this crisis," he added. (Agencies)

non-agricultural activities including small business, service , MGNREGA activities etc. The remaining 27,865 (6.90%) still remain in agricultural activities excluding crop planting and production.

The employment profile in the state proves that in the secondary sector-industry19.69% are employed while the tertiary or service sector has emerged very strongly providing employment to 73.14%. 'This is not a very bad statement on the state's economy as there was always surplus manpower in agriculture before the economic reforms was initiated in 1991 when 45% people had been employed in primary or agricultural

sector' said an eminent economist . He added that better planning of agriculture with more and more use of advanced seeds, fertilisers etc the production level can be sustained. He also suggested that the manpower in MGNREGA scheme need to be shifted to agriculture.

Growing labour shortage in different sectors of the economy due to MGNREGA scheme has created a host of problems .

The Tea Association of India (TAI) last year approached the state government to keep implementation of MGNREGA scheme in abeyance during the sowing and harvesting season of tea to preclude shifting of labour. (Agencies)

Rs 22 lakh missing from Tura ATMs Shillong, Nov 16: Two ATM custodians have been arrested for misappropriating over Rs 22 lakh that was meant to be deposited in various ATMs in Tura in West Garo Hills district.

One Debasish Mondal of SIS Cash Service Pvt. Ltd lodged a complaint with the police that on November, 8, 9 and 10, during an internal audit, Rs 22,06,800 was found short in various ATMs in Tura. These ATMs were entrusted to the custodians identified as Amit Dalu and Rupon Das from Garo Hills.

When contacted, an official of the SIS Cash Service Pvt. Ltd said the accused were arrested after the FIR was lodged on November 12 and that police are investigating the matter.

"They are in police custody for further interrogation, but the cash is yet to be recovered," the official said.

The official said usually two ATM custodians are given half password each and during the auditing, it was found that cash from the

ATMs under their custody were misappropriated and accordingly the FIR was filed which resulted in their arrest.

"We will take future action after the completion of the police investigation," the official added.

Shops closed: Several shops in Tura remained closed on Tuesday due to the shortage of Rs 100 notes. With sale being affected, traders met West Garo Hills Deputy Commissioner Pravin Bakshi and urged him to take up the issue with authorities concerned so that more currency notes of Rs 100 denominations are made available.

Those who have the new Rs 2,000 notes are not being able to get change from shops due to the shortage of smaller denomination notes, Bakshi said. "The traders informed that 70-80 per cent sales have been affected by the shortage of currency," the DC said and added that the matter was discussed with bank officials. (Agencies)

EDITORIAL

DIBRUGARH, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17

Today's quote

“

“You yourself as much as anybody in the entire universe deserve your love and affection.” –

Mahatma Gandhi

Searching for an equilibrium Questions recur about the rightful limits of judicial intervention in the matter of policy choices in the executive and legislative domains Ashwani Kumar

Back to the collegium There has been, in recent times, an unusually public conflict between the judiciary and the executive over the shortage of judges in various high courts.

Amidst the perception that the situation has reached crisis proportions and is threatening to cripple judicial functioning, it is somewhat disconcerting that as many as 43 names out of a list of 77 recommended for appointment have not found favour with the Centre. It has informed the Supreme Court that these names require reconsideration by the collegium. The Centre contends that it has cleared 34 appointments, and that there is no file pending with it. It appears to have taken the cue from the remarks of the Chief Justice of India, T.S. Thakur, that it is better to send back the names it is not happy with rather than keep the entire list pending. The collegium is now obliged to return to its recommendations and examine the government's specific objections about the suitability of each candidate. This may further delay the filling up of vacancies, which have been well above the 400mark at the high court level for some time now. The executive, of course, is bound to make the appointments if the collegium reiterates the recommendations, but it is quite unusual that such a large number of names should be returned. It raises the question whether larger differences between the judiciary and the executive are playing out in this form.

Chief Justice Thakur has been quite vocal and unsparing in his criticism of the delay on the part of the executive in filling up vacancies. In open court as well as in public forums, he has highlighted the grim situation as the judicial branch is grappling with an enormous work burden, on the one hand, and an exploding docket on the other. The executive feels it is being blamed for delays that are not entirely of its making, and contends that high courts have contributed to this situation by letting vacancies lie unattended.

Another possible undercurrent is that the Centre is unhappy over the Supreme Court collegium delaying its nod to the revised Memorandum of Procedure for judicial appointments sent on August 3. Despite the obvious difficulties in the task, the judiciary and the government should attempt to forge a quick consensus on the revised procedure and avert the crisis reaching a flashpoint. The Centre should not be seen as delaying appointments or seeking to dilute judicial primacy, while the judiciary should not be seen as stalling improvements in the appointment process. An agreement is vital to institutional reform.

Gathering Team Trump Even as protests continue to swirl across the U.S., the President-elect, Donald Trump, has embarked on the first and arguably most important project of transitioning to a new government: picking the White House team that will carry out his policy agenda. The exercise acquires added significance given the earthquake-like impact of his election victory on a variety of constituencies, including different segments of the American people, and the U.S. Congress. In an ideal world, the team that he picks to run the White House would have to be capable of helping him balance the deep anxieties of liberal America with the irresistible demand from his conservative backers and independent supporters that he deliver on the promises made during the campaign. His task is more straightforward with regard to Capitol Hill as both the Senate and the House of Representatives are now controlled by the Republican Party. However, Mr. Trump's messy rise through the primaries divided the party's leadership over their acceptance of him as their nominee, and thus this relationship is also in need of healing.

Mr. Trump's initial stab at West Wing appointments is off to a start that could be characterised as astute yet polarising. In picking Reince Priebus as his Chief of Staff, Mr. Trump has signalled to House Speaker Paul Ryan his desire to put the nastiness of the campaign behind them. Mr. Priebus and Mr. Ryan are Wisconsin politicians who go back two decades. As the longstanding head of the Republican National Committee, Mr. Priebus walked a tightrope over the fraying ties between Mr. Trump and party heavyweights during the darkest days of the campaign.

Having thus proved his organisational acumen and loyalty to Mr. Trump, it is fitting that Mr. Priebus will soon be tasked with negotiating with Congress, executive branch agencies, and external political groups to implement Mr. Trump's agenda.

The other high-profile choice will be harder to swallow for many: Steve Bannon, the CEO of the Trump campaign and the former CEO of the "altright" media house Breitbart News, as his Chief Strategist and Senior Counsellor. Under Mr. Bannon, Breitbart was accused of being racist, anti-Semitic, misogynist and prone to conspiracy theorising. Yet Mr. Trump has indicated Mr. Bannon and Mr. Priebus will be "equal partners to transform the federal government", a possible hint of a plan to create a multipolar power structure within the White House. Mr. Bannon's appointment, a likely nod to the far-right constituencies that were so strongly with him, has been balanced by a more practical-minded and mainstream-focussed Mr. Priebus. Other key appointments will.

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In the 67th year of the Republic and 70th year of freedom, we find ourselves engaged in a heightened debate on the imperatives of preserving the constitutionally ordained jurisdictional equilibrium between the legislative, executive and judicial branches of the Indian state even as we celebrate the expansion of constitutional freedoms and the resilience of our democracy. At the heart of this debate is the reach of judicial review power exercised by the Supreme Court. Given the tenuous relationship between the executive and judiciary, the subject is increasingly relevant to the functioning of our constitutional democracy. While the sterling contribution of the court in asserting the inviolability of and expounding the right to dignity as the core constitutional value has been universally acclaimed, questions recur about the rightful limits of judicial intervention in the matter of policy choices in the executive and legislative domains.

The foundational principles Some of the court's transformative judgments are recalled to indicate the evolution of our constitutional order, premised on protection against the arbitrary exercise of power, non-discrimination and "constitutionalisation of socio-economic rights". Establishing the procedural fairness and reasonableness test in Maneka Gandhi (1978) to determine the constitutionality of the exercise of executive power and declaring in M. Nagaraj (2006) that Articles 14 (right to equality), 19 (right to fundamental free-

doms) and 21 (right to life) "stand at the pinnacle of the hierarchy of constitutional values, the court recognised that human dignity, equality and freedom were "conjoined, reciprocal and covalent values" (Sandra Liebenberg, 2005).

While expanding human rights jurisprudence and recognising as fundamental the citizens' right to food, health, education and clean environment, etc., the court in an expansive interpretation in V. Markendeya (1989) recognised the Directive Principles of State Policy as "the conscience of the Constitution" which give shape and meaning to fundamental rights. Having thus established the foundational principles for the exercise of a wider judicial review jurisdiction traceable to Articles 13, 32, 136, 142, 147 and 226 of the Constitution, the court declared that judicial review was a "constituent power" and an integral component of the unalterable basic structure of the Constitution (Kesavananda Bharati, 1973).

Expanding review jurisdiction However, moving beyond the socio-economic rights, the court's review has been invoked in "public interest" to question major decisions of the government concerning policy choices, for instance in what are now known as 2G spectrum and coal mine allocations cases.

Challenge to proceedings of legislative assemblies and decisions of the Speaker have also been entertained by the court (Nabam Rebia, 2016).

Recent decisions of the court voiding a constitutional amendment approved by Parliament to alter the procedure for appointment of judges

(National Judicial Appointments Commission or NJAC judgment, 2016), exercising review powers in what is popularly known as the AFSPA - Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act - case to hold that the use of excessive force by the Manipur Police or the armed forces of the Union was not permissible, has extended the courts' review jurisdiction to domains hitherto regarded as the exclusive preserve of the executive and legislatures.

Protagonists of a wide judicial review jurisdiction argue that it subserves the rule of law (Dicey, 1956), advances the cause of justice, is consistent with democracy and rules out only those choices that are obviously unreasonable and inconsistent with democracy (Ronald Dworkin, 1986). Socrates's condemnation to death by Athenian democracy is recalled to argue that liberal democracy needs to protect itself against "the rule of the mob". James Madison had argued for "auxiliary protections" to secure the fundamental liberties of citizens (The Federalist Papers).

Limiting the ambit Even so, questions abound as to the rightful ambit of the court's judicial review jurisdiction within the framework of parliamentary democracy premised on the assumption that people exercise their sovereignty through elected representatives and not through the unelected judges.

"Judicial supremacy", "judicial excessivism" or "judicial despotism" are seen as antithetical to democracy and contrary to its first principles.

It is argued that representative democracy is as much a part of the basic structure of the Constitution and that judicial review, although con-

stitutionally sanctioned, cannot be exercised to negate or subordinate other fundamental features of its basic structure.

In some of its recent judgments, the Supreme Court has itself cautioned against ever increasing expectations from it. In a substantive judgment in Santosh Singh (2016), a Division Bench of the court declined to entertain a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking a mandamus for the inclusion of moral science as a compulsory subject in the syllabus of school education. In an eloquent exposition in the NJAC case, Justice J. Chelameswar in his minority judgment rejected a distrust of the legislators in securing the constitutional fundamental and argued: "To assume or assert that judiciary alone is concerned with the preservation of liberties and does that job well is an assumption that is dogmatic, bereft of evidentiary basis and historically disproved." In its opinion in a Presidential Reference, a Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court had earlier opined that "Parliament and the legislatures, composed as they are of the representatives of the people, are supposed to know and be aware of the needs of the people and what is good and bad for them. The Court cannot sit in judgment over their wisdom". In a recent order, the court declined to entertain a PIL seeking the court's directions to restrain the Union government from incurring security and other expenses in respect of certain individuals in the State of Jammu and Kashmir on the ground that these writs are "judicially unmanageable".

Looking for the middle Benjamin Cardozo, the celebrated American jurist, had cautioned years ago that

"there is no assurance that the rule of majority will be the expression of perfect reason when embodied in the Constitution or in statute. We ought not to expect more of it when embodied in the judgment of the Courts". Nor can we forget that "… the great tides and currents which engulf the rest of men do not turn aside in their course and pass the judges by" (The Nature Of The Judicial Process, 1921). Scholars supporting limited judicial review have argued that courts are at best 'platonic guardians' of democracy and that "it is entirely incompatible with democracy for courts to define their mission as one of correcting elected officials who have strayed too far either from what the judges think is right or from what they claim they know (and the legislators do not) that the people really think is right" (John Hart Ely, On Constitutional Ground, 1996).

The ongoing debate concerning the limits of judicial review in a parliamentary democracy is anchored in profound philosophical issues concerning the nature of representative democracy and the inalienable fundamental human freedoms that need to be insulated against the "impulses of transient majorities". In the light of our own experience of the political and judicial processes, it is legitimate to ask: o Can the original justification for the court's antimajoritarian role be used to equate constitutional supremacy and judicial independence with "judicial supremacy"? o How do we resolve disagreements over "constitutional-interpretative judgments" in the framework of a functioning democracy,

given the disclaimer of judicial infallibility by the court itself? o Assuming a decline in credibility of the political executive, can the judiciary act as "co-governor" of the nation? o Where do we locate the "equilibrium between the Scylla of insensitive detachment suggesting indifference and the Charybdis of unwarranted intrusion" to fix the frontiers of judicial power in a constitutional democracy without being on the wrong side of the "democratic faith"?

As we reflect on these questions, it seems self-evident that in the articulation of constitutional principles, Pascal's spirit of "self-search and self-reproach" reflected in recent judgments of the Supreme Court will best subserve to strengthen the institutions of India's liberal democracy and sustain over time the otherwise wide ambit of judicial review, so that the judiciary remains "a light unto the nations" without being a "sheriff unto the nations" (José A. Cabranes, 2015).

For the moment, we must accept that the weight of the court's authority and acceptance of the extensive reach of its judicial imprimatur is best explained in terms of popular trust in its moral and intellectual integrity rather than in a stretched philosophy of constitutionalism. The decline of Parliament as the highest forum of our democracy, the perceived insensitivity on the part of the bureaucracy to the pressing priorities of the people at large, a general distrust of executive power and loss of faith, generally speaking, in the moral and ideological integrity of the political class collectively account for an expanded remit of judicial review.

Artificially created distress To prevent further damage to the economy and to relieve distress, demonetisation should be revoked immediately Without adequate preparation or thought, the monetary authorities and the government have taken a drastic step declaring as worthless over 86 per cent by value of the currency notes in circulation with the public. A prior large increase of lower denomination notes should have been ensured through banks and ATMs, so that overall money supply did not reduce and a normal level of activity could be maintained. This was not done, so effectively a very severe monetary contraction has been imposed, the purchasing power of the population has been suddenly taken away, reducing the level of economic activity and causing distress to people, which is getting worse as time passes.

The denomination puzzle The government's rationale for the extreme measure of demonetisation is not clear.

There is talk of targeting black money, but the denomination of notes has nothing to do with the existence of black money,

which is not held in hoards of notes but is a circulation of unrecorded and undeclared incomes. Those larger-scale activities where income is declared produce white taxable money, while large incomes generated in legal or illegal activities where these incomes are not declared in order to evade tax constitute black money. There is a constant parallel flow of black money in the economy. Clearly the monetary authorities or the government itself do/does not naively believe that black money somehow is connected to Rs.500 and Rs.1,000 notes which they call 'high denomination' - if they did, they would not have chosen to issue a new note of Rs.2,000 which is of even higher denomination. So what is the point of the measure?

Investigation of and raids on suspected tax evaders do not require such an extreme step as almost complete demonetisation, which in present conditions of lack of preparedness, amounts to economically disenfranchising the entire population.

The three races In old times, fable retells the story of the young athletic boy hungry for success, for whom winning was everything and success was measured by such a result.

One day, the boy was preparing himself for a running competition in his small native village, himself and two other young boys to compete. A large crowd had congregated to witness the sporting spectacle and a wise old man, upon hearing

of the little boy, had travelled far to bear witness also.

The race commenced, looking like a level heat at the finishing line, but sure enough the boy dug deep and called on his determination, strength and power .. he took the winning line and was first. The crowd was ecstatic and cheered and waved at the boy. The wise man remained still and calm, expressing no sentiment. The little boy, how-

In villages the kharif harvest The adverse impact on the is not yet fully marketed in economy of sharp monetary many regions, but producers contraction (to the extent of are unable to sell their crops around Rs.14 lakh crore) is al- owing to the shortage of the ready evident, and the greatest new money. Many are being sufferers are the rural popula- offered drastically lower prices tion, and the urban poor and for their produce which runs middle class. The first impact the risk of damage in coming is on the supply chain of goods days. Farmers who have aland services which is dis- ready marketed their kharif rupted, and this crop and have is then feeding existing notes in Utsa Patnaik hand now canback to impact production. not buy seed and Traders and retailers have been fertilisers for sowing rabi since deprived overnight of the there is no lower denomination funds to carry on their busi- or substitute money available ness, and the former can nei- in their nearest banks. Delayed ther source goods after using rabi sowing is bound to affect up their existing stocks, nor future output. can they pay for the transport of the goods to the market.

The majority of farmers are Retailers cannot sell the goods net purchasers of food, and since customers do not have rural labourers and artisans are money to buy them, and they entirely dependent on purchase can provide goods on credit to from the market. They are in customers only up to a point the greatest distress since they since they need to pay their cannot purchase basic necessuppliers and cannot obtain sities for their families with enough new notes to do so. The their existing money, and their entire chain of supply and dis- attempts to change it for new tribution has been thoroughly money is fruitless since the latdisrupted. ter is simply not available to

ever. felt proud and important.

A second race was called, and two new young, fit, challengers came forward, to run with the little boy.

The race was started and sure enough the little boy came through and finished first once again. The crowd was ecstatic again and cheered and waved at the boy.

The wise man remained still and calm, again expressing no sentiment. The little boy, however, felt proud and important.

"Another race, another race!" pleaded the little boy.

The wise old man stepped forward and presented the little boy with two new challengers, an elderly frail lady and a blind man.

"What is this?", quizzed the little boy.

"This is no race" he exclaimed.

"Race!", said the wise man. The race was started and the boy was the only finisher, the other two challengers left standing at

the required extent in banks.

Even in a relatively organised sector like tea plantations, daily wages in the new money have not been paid to workers who are unable to meet their subsistence needs.

Hitting the most vulnerable The worsening situation in urban areas is well known - not only the wage-earning poor but the middle class too is adversely affected by the overnight artificial and extreme loss of purchasing power involved in the demonetisation exercise.

Millions of hours during working days are being wasted by people in standing in long queues at banks, and many are turned away eventually with the new cash running out. For the physically frail and senior citizens, it is a risky and indeed impossible exercise to obtain the new notes. A number of deaths have taken place already owing to the inability to purchase medicines or obtain timely medical care. The government has admitted that it will take many weeks to fill the

the starting line. The little boy was ecstatic, he raised his arms in delight. The crowd, however, was silent showing no sentiment toward the little boy.

"What has happened?

Why not do the people join in my success?" he asked the wise old man. "Race again", replied the wise man, "...this time, finish together, all three of you, finish together" continued the wise man. The little boy thought a little, stood in the middle of the blind man and the frail old lady, and then took the two challengers by the hand. The race began

gap in money supply.

With the severe loss of purchasing power, the country is being driven into an artificially created recession and the level of economic activity is declining. To prevent further damage to the economy and to relieve distress among the people, the measure of demonetisation should be revoked immediately. The government can replace existing currency notes with new notes, but in a more planned, orderly and phased manner and over a longer period, bearing in mind that the bulk of our population needs humble money to carry on myriad small daily transactions, and Rs.2,000 notes which cannot be changed are of no use to them. Citizens and leaders of all political parties, including the ruling party, should unite to demand immediate revocation of the demonetisation measure before the situation worsens any further. There is nothing to prevent the government from continuing to investigate or raid suspected tax evaders.

and the little boy walked slowly, ever so slowly, to the finishing line and crossed it. The crowd were ecstatic and cheered and waved at the boy. The wise man smiled, gently nodding his head.

The little boy felt proud and important.

"Old man, I understand not!

Who are the crowd cheering for?

Which one of us three?", asked the little boy. The wise old man looked into the little boy's eyes, placing his hands on the boy's shoulders, and replied softly ..

"Little boy, for this race you have won much more than in any race you have ever ran before, and for this race the crowd cheer not for any winner!"

DIBRUGARH, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17

LIFESTYLE

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Changes in the Marriage System of Hindus in Modern India Hindu marriage is an important institution and it is based on religion, religious rites and for the pursuit of religion. The practice of monogamy, absence of widow remarriage lack of facility for easy divorce and chastity are regarded as important ideals now we see that changes have occurred in the institution of Hindu marriage, because of several factors such as urbanization, industrialization, secularization, modern education impact of Western culture, and marriage legislations; changes are taking place in Hindu ideals, forms and values of marriage.

The changes in the marriage system of Hindus may be analyzed in following areas" 1. Changes in the Aims of Marriage: The main objective of Hindu marriage was Dharma Although Kama or sex was one of the aims of Hindu marriage, it was the least desirable aim. In recent years, the order of aims of marriage has undergone change Sex has become primary and Dharma has become least important aim to marriage.

In this manner the aims and the basis of marriage are undergoing changes.

2. Change in the process of Mate Selection: As far as the selection of the bride and bridegroom was concerned it was the prerogative of the parents or the guardians This tradition of selecting the marriage partner for sons and daughters continued till the end of 19th century when the ideas of liberalism and industrialism were incorporated into Indian society as a result of the impact of

Western culture.

As a result of this some cases of individual choice of mate was found. In the post independent India, the tendency of selecting one's own partner has remarkably increased. Now-adays the younger generation is not very much in favor of parental choice in matter of selection of marriage partners.

A new trend is emerging in the process of mate selection among the middle and upper class educated youth in urban areas. In some cases marriage partners are chosen by children. In most of the cases the parents allow their children to have a say in selection of partners.

3. Changes in the Rules of Endogamy and Exogamy: There have been some visible changes in the matter of rules of endogamy and exogamy. The rules of Varna, caste and sub-caste

has promoted inter-caste marriages. Inter-caste marriages, hitherto considered unthinkable, are now not only permitted but also encouraged. Besides the legislations, the freedom in mate selection has promoted inter-caste marriages.

endogamy, Gotra and Pravara exogamy have been banned by legislations.

Now we do not find restriction in cross-cousin marriages. Cross-cousin marriages were taking place but these were not very common. It appears that the attitude of people towards cross-cousin marriage is changing. The numbers of cross-cousin marriages are gradually increasing. Under certain circumstances these types

of marriages are found to be accepted by people.

As regards the rules of endogamy, remarkable changes have taken place.

The Hindu Marriage Disabilities Removal Act of 1946 allowed marriage between different subdivisions of the same caste.

The Special Marriage Act of 1954 and Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 have enabled marriages between persons of different castes and religions.

Arya Samaj Movement

4. The Age at Marriage: In course of time child marriage became the prevalent mode of marriage in India. Hence, child marriage was the practice to safeguard chastity and purity of females. The practice of child marriage was strong even in the 20th century. In the 20th century, the Child Marriage Restraint Act, popularly known as Sharada Act prescribed the minimum age of marriage at 14 years for girls and 18 years for boys.

Then, the Indian Parliament raised the age of marriage. For girls, the minimum age is 18 years and

for boys 21 years. Marriage of boys and girls below the prescribed age has been made a cognisable offence.

Various sociological studies conducted in the last few decades have revealed that the trend in age at marriage from 1930 onwards has shown a continuous change. Due to certain changed social conditions, people prefer marriage at a higher age nowa-days.

5. Changes in the Rites of Marriage: Traditionally, Hindu marriage is a religious sacrament and the Hindu marriage can take place only through the performance of certain rights and rituals. Some of the most important rites and rituals connected with Hindu marriage are Kanya Dana, Vivaha Home, Panigrahana, Agni Parinayana and Saptapadi etc. But today the situation

is that some changes have taken place regarding the rites and rituals of marriage.

On the one hand, we find that due to shortage of time the rites and rituals connected with Hindu marriage have been cut down.

Generally, it is observed that people sometimes ask the priest to hasten the ceremonies of the marriage.

On the other hand, some marriages are performed in civil courts. As a result of this, the sacred nature of rites and rituals has been diminished to a considerable extent. Apart from this, the Arya Samaj movement has also simplified the rites and rituals of marriage. Another factor responsible for the decline in the religionsity of marriage is that Indian society as a whole is moving from sacred to secular nature and as a result of this; the traditional values are undergoing vast changes.

6. Change in the Stability of Marriage: Traditionally, divorce was not easily granted and permitted in Hindu society.

The hindrance on divorce made the institution of family and marriage stable and enduring. Due to the enactment of marriage and family legislations and many other factors the divorce rate in India has been steadily increasing.

The incidence of divorce is a clear indication of the fact that the institution of marriage is undergoing changes. The stability of married life is gradually being affected. Marital instability is gradually increasing. There was a time when a wife could not think of divorce. But now women have started taking resort to dissolution of marital bond.

(Article Courtesy: YourArticleLibrary.com, Image Courtesy: Deep Das)

How to Take Care 5 Foreplay Tips to of a Drunk Person Please Your Woman Guys often write off foreplay as wasted time, but that is likely to lead to frustration for you AND her. In fact, foreplay is a crucial prerequisite for her to enjoy a mind-blowing orgasm.

Read on for 5 imaginative ways to make foreplay fun for both of you.

1. TRY THIS GREAT WARMUP The precoital massage: As a warmup to the main event, start by massaging the length of her legs, from her upper thighs down to her ankles.

Then focus on the feet, kneading her heels and all other points beneath. Then zero in on the toes and stretch them individually.

Of course, if her impeccable hygiene encourages you to suck her toes, you'll have her in ecstasy.

Every year in the India alone, numerous drunken students die or get car crashes as a result of alcohol. People assume that passing out, vomiting, and being really drunk will be slept off, resulting in a simple hangover next morning. Unfortunately, thinking this could endanger lives -both the drunk person's and others'. When someone at a party near you gets so drunk that he can't take care of himself, he's at risk of harming himself, and if he's drunk too much altogether, he may even have alcohol poisoning and need immediate attention. Being able to spot alcohol poisoning in a drunk person could mean that you save his or her life; knowing what to do to take care of a drunk person is therefore an essential skill for all party-lovers.

Helping a Drunk Person 1.Recognize someone who has had one too many.

There are a lot of things you can look for to tell whether someone has had more than enough to drink. Signs that a person has drunk too much include: ØSlurred speech Ø Inability to remain standing or sitting up straight ØA marked desire to lie down or roll over ØQuestionable walking technique or stumbling ØUnusual, loud, inappropriate, or embarrassing behavior ØViolent reactions ØBloodshot, glassy, or watery eyes ØTrouble remembering things ØExtreme and sudden changes in behavior or mood 2. Determine how much care the person needs. The amount of care your drunk friend or acquaintance will need will depend on how much he or she has had to drink. Each individual's situation will need to be

evaluated according to context and circumstances, but the main point is to be prepared to care for him until he's out of danger. " You should never leave someone who has been drinking heavily alone to "sleep it off." This could be extremely dangerous for the drunk person, who could injure himself or stop breathing.

3. Step in to discourage further drinking. Try distracting the intoxicated person from having any more alcohol.[4] Get him away from the alcohol - take him to the front yard for a breath of fresh air, suggest that it's time to call it a night and phone a taxi, or simply sit with him away from the drinking area and talk. Find somewhere quiet and not too bright. ØIf he wants drinks, take responsibility for delivering drinks that won't harm him.

Offer water or hand him a coke or fruit juice. If he's insistent on getting an alcoholic drink, you can claim that it contains vodka.

Chances are he won't even notice, especially if you're distracting him in other ways such as talking or watching TV together. ØDon't give the person coffee. Coffee can further dehydrate a person and irritate the stomach, which an already drunk person

doesn't need to deal with. Ø If someone tends to overdrink, but has not yet drunk too much, suggest weaker drinks such as beer, and drinks which may be less appealing to drink in large quantities, such as full-flavored (bitter) foreign beer, instead of mixed drinks and liquor. This can make the level of intoxication easier for the drinker and friends to monitor.

However, it is not a substitute for eventually stopping drinking.

4. Avoid saying anything that could provoke or anger the intoxicated person. Remain calm and reassuring at all times. The intoxicated person may be particularly moody or upset when he's drunk, so it's your job to keep a cool head.[5] Ø Try to avoid "you" statements, like "You've had too much to drink." Instead, try light-hearted statements that don't sound accusatory, like "You're looking a little green in the gills. Why don't we slow it down for a bit?"

5. Do your best to help the intoxicated person to avoid physical injury. Alcohol affects your judgment and balance, so the person may have trouble walking or moving properly.[6] Help the person to a safe seat or to the floor. If the intoxicated person begins to

heave, try to help him to an appropriate place to vomit. Ø If a person is lying down when he begins to heave or vomit, place him in the recovery position, on his side with the higher knee bent. This is to prevent choking. Put something behind his back to prevent him from rolling back onto his back or stomach; vomiting in either position can cause him to choke or drown. If he is lying on a couch, ensure that he is facing AWAY from the back of the couch so that any vomit does not pool around the person's face (especially on leather couches). ØIf the person has fallen down, or you find him on the floor and are unsure whether or not he fell down, you MUST take him to get medical attention. Head injuries can easily be incurred in falling down, and intoxication can hide the usual signs of concussion or more serious head injury. ØLack of coordination will make walking very difficult, so don't suggest this as a way of "sobering up". ØIf the intoxicated person needs to visit the bathroom, accompany him and wait in the bathroom. It's all too easy for an uncoordinated drunk person to slip and bang a head and get knocked out on the hard surfaces in bathrooms.

2. ASK WHAT TURNS HER ON Come right out and ask what she likes during sex.

"Most women appreciate men who want to make sure they're satisfied," says Barbara Bartlik, M.D., a professor of psychiatry at Cornell University. "If she notices you're working hard to please her, she'll be more likely to return the favor."

2. ASK WHAT TURNS HER ON Come right out and ask what she likes during sex.

"Most women appreciate men who want to make sure they're satisfied," says Barbara Bartlik, M.D., a professor of psychiatry at Cornell University. "If she notices you're working hard to please her, she'll be more likely to return the favor."

3. BOOST YOUR FOREPLAY QUOTIENT Improve the quality of foreplay and she'll never again bug you about the quantity.

"If you act as if you're just going through the motions to get to the sex, she's going to notice, and it will take

longer for her to get excited," says Michael Perry, Ph.D., a sex therapist in Encino, California. So do what you want to do. If you like how her calves feel, stroke them. If you like her butt, kiss it.

"When a man is loving what he's doing, it's going to show through and turn her on, too," says Perry.

4. GO EASY Yes, the clitoris is the obvious place to focus your attention. Still, many men do wrong by it.

"Direct stimulation of the clitoris can actually be painful," says Cathy Winks, author of The Good Vibrations Guide to the G-spot. "It's much better to rub the clitoral hood [where the tops of the labia meet] or to rub along the side of the clitoris than it is to go straight for the head of it."

When playing with the clitoris during oral sex, Birch's advice is to "focus on the clitoris, and then don't focus on the clitoris.

The clitoris reacts best to being teased, so you want to lick it and suck on it a little, build a little tension, then back off on it a bit before going at it again."

5. DRIVE HER WILD WITH THE 'FIGURE 8' TECHNIQUE The figure-8 tongue technique: When you're at her service down below, work the supersensitive area around her clitoris in a figure-8 pattern. Arouse her with gentle sucking until the little button swells, then carefully expose the area with your fingers.

Use the slippery underside of your tongue to circle it to the left and then to the right. With the rougher top side of the tongue, flick from right to left and then up and down.

Finally work up to figure 8s, alternating between your tongue's smooth underside and firmer tip.

Constantly vary the degrees of pressure you use.

5 Feng Shui Steps to Decorating Your Home Good Quality Air and Light Be sure you have good quality air and good quality light. These two elements are essential for good Chi, or good feng shui energy in your home, thus essential for good feng shui decorating. So, if you have done all the preliminary work - your house is clutter-free (or almost clutter-free), you have good quality air and good quality light, you are now ready to start decorating with feng shui!

Use Color for Good Feng Shui Understand how to use color for good feng shui.

Color is a very powerful way to shift the energy in your home and bring the desired results much quicker. As such, knowing how to use color skillfully is very important for good feng shui decorating. Is blue good feng shui for

Use Modern Decor as Feng Shui Cures Know how to position your decor items as powerful feng shui cures. So, you brought your fountain and you brought your crystals, now where and how do you position them for best feng shui in your home? Of course the first step is to consult the bagua of your home. The next step in good feng shui decorating is to place your cures according to your best or lucky directions.

Summary of Feng Shui Decorating bedroom? Is red OK in the main entry? Find out.

Define good feng shui products that your home needs.

You might have many of them already, or you might need a beautiful fountain and some great feng shui art, plus maybe a Buddha

image in your home office to go with your decor scheme. While good feng shui decorating sure does not mean a Zen looking space (or a Chinese looking establishment); it does mean you decorate with clear intent and use specific items as feng shui cures.

When decorating your home with feng shui, it is important to focus on the big picture (your whole house or apartment), as well as "zoom in" into each specific area of your home in order to create best feng shui energy in all your rooms.

DIBRUGARH, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17

Govt defence in RS: Demonetisation is in national interest New Delhi, Nov 16: Facing opposition onslaught, government today put up a strong defence in Rajya Sabha on demonetisation, saying the step was taken in national interest to end corruption and black money, which it is said is also used for terror activities in the country.

Power Minister Piyush Goyal, who spoke on behalf of the ruling side after Congress leader Anand Sharma slammed the government, rejected as baseless the opposition charge that there was "leakage" of the decision and said everyone was taken by surprise which is why there are "initial" problems.

"There is no politics in it. It is a step taken in national interest," he said, adding the step will help the country in the long run.

"If anyone has the strength

"Desh me imandaar ka samman hua hai aur beimaan ka nuksaan hua hai, (The honest have been honoured and the dishonest have faced losses)," he said.

Goyal said some pain and difficulty in the implementation of such a decision is inevitable but despite that the people have strongly supported the move. to take on black money and corruption, it is the BJP government and Narendra Modi," the minister said.

He claimed that common people are out in support of the government's move which is aimed against graft and terror and that the step will lead to curbing inflation and tax rate may come

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NATION

down.

Goyal claimed that the country has welcomed this initiative of the Modi government and it is natural that some people who have black money and are indulging in corruption and blackmoney are worried about it.

"I am confident that public is understanding the initial problems because the decision was kept a secret. No honest tax-payer will lose a single rupee. The loss will be of those who have amassed wealth through corruption and black money and the public should also support the government in the move," he said.

Goyal said some pain and difficulty in the implementation of such a decision is inevitable but despite that the people have strongly supported the move.

He urged all the parties to support the move so that the House gives a message to the country that all are against corruption and

black money.

In AIIMS due to kidney failure, undergoing tests for transplant, tweets Sushma

New Delhi, Nov 16: External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj is on dialysis and likely to undergo a kidney transplant at Delhi's All India Institute of Medical Sciences, the leader said on Wednesday morning.

The 64-year-old suffers from Chronic Kidney Taking a dig at the opposi- Disease (CKD) and has tion, he said, "We thought been hospitalized a few all political parties will sup- times in the past two port us in Parliament. But months because of her for some reasons they have kidney condition. opposed the move. It seems Swaraj is admitted to a they are worried due to the private ward in the large public favouring it and cardio-neurosciences supporting the government centre of AIIMS. She is despite the problems being undergoing a battery of faced by them." tests mandatory before a Goyal also said BJP has al- transplant surgery. ready put out its poll ex- The BJP leader has a penses on the website and long standing history of after this step all will think diabetes that has affected before indulging in corrup- her kidney function. tion and black marketing. . Some of Swaraj's tests (PTI) reports that HT accessed show her creatinine levels fluctuating between 5.1mg% and 4.7mg%.

The normal range is between 0.60mg% and 1.20mg%.

Elevated creatinine level signifies impaired kidney To Sharma's charge that those questioning the government are labelled as antinational, he said, "Understandably if someone opposes it (demonetisation), questions will be raised on whether they are against ending the menace of corruption and black money in the country."

Recalibration of ATMs Will Be Completed Within 2 Weeks: Arun Jaitley New Delhi, Nov 16: Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said that it will take twothree weeks to recalibrate the ATMs across the country for the new notes. "It will be a slow process. Such a big cash replacement cannot happen in a mechanical way overnight," he said. Mr Jaitley was addressing the media after an emergency meet with bank heads in New Delhi.

During the address, he said around Rs. 2 lakh crore has been deposited till 12.15 pm on Saturday in banks across the country, following the demonetisation of Rs.500 and Rs. 1,000 notes.

"The largest banker in the country State Bank of India (SBI) saw deposits of Rs. 47,868 crore till Saturday afternoon," Mr Jaitley said while briefing the media here.

He said SBI's deposits are around 20 per cent of the

On recalibration of ATMs, Arun Jaitley said "it will be a slow process."

He denied rumours about digital lockers, chips being fitted in new note.

He was addressing media after an emergency meet with bank heads in Delhi. total deposits in all the banks in the country.

Giving an indication of the process being long-drawn before things return to normal, he said: "It is a massive operation which has just started. How big will it become, it can be estimated only on basis of these illustrative figures."

He said that Rs. 14 lakh crore is in circulation in the economy in high denomination notes, though it remains to be seen how much of it comes back into the bank-

ing system.

The Finance Minister said that it was to maintain secrecy that the two lakh ATM machines of the country were not recalibrated in advance.

Mr Jaitley also said that despite allegations by opposition parties that there was a spike in bank deposits prior to the demonetisation announcement; no such spike has been seen in any month, except September 2016.

"That month the increase

was because of money released on account of the Seventh Pay Commission payments," he said, adding that therefore there was no substance in the allegations that information about demonetisation was leaked.

Thanking bank employees for not taking any days off, Mr Jaitley said the number of customers the banks are servicing can be estimated from the fact that SBI alone has done 2.28 crore transactions in less than three days.

"In total if you multiply it by four to five times, it can be estimated how many people banks are servicing," he said.

He reassured people that there is sufficient time till December 30 for people to deposit the demonetised notes.

"We are constantly monitor-

Media should exer- Bombay HC refuses cise self-restraint, to hear plea against avoid sensationalism demonetisation New Delhi, Nov 16 : The Centre is in favour of selfregulation and not thinking of imposing restrictions on the media, while news organisations should exercise "necessary self-restraint and avoid sensationalism", Union Information and Broadcasting Minister M Venkaiah Naidu said here today.

Speaking at an event organised by Press Council of India (PCI) on the occasion of National Press Day, he said freedom of press or freedom of expression is best utilised only when the "value of such freedom is fully appreciated".

"When freedom is not exercised judiciously, our existing laws provide for necessary intervention and course correction. The government is not thinking of any restriction on any medium, but it expects all the stakeholders to be responsible in using different platforms," Naidu said.

He said news and views "should not be mixed" and added that the media should be "nearer to the truth" and should avoid sensationalism.

"My advice applies more to the electronic media than the print media," the Union minister pointed out.

"Sensationalism, yellow

journalism, TRP-generating news versus factual news cannot earn the confidence of the consumer," Naidu added.

Speaking about self-regulation, he said, "It is the best for the media...government is not for imposing or curtailing the views of the people. But, the media needs to remember that if it fails to exercise self-restraint and regulate its conduct, then there has to be a mechanism."

With great power comes great responsibility, he said, adding that the media should exercise that responsibility.

Naidu pointed out that the media coverage of the 26/ 11 Mumbai attack had drawn criticism from the Supreme Court, adding that the coverage of the Pathankot airbase attack earlier in the year too had "highlighted the need for self-restraint".

The Union minister also said the "prevalence of paid news" was "bringing a bad name" to the media.

Naidu, however, mentioned that journalists from different generations had set a very high standard over the years. He also termed the Emergency imposed in the 70s as a "dark chapter in our democracy". (PTI)

Mumbai, Nov 16: The Bombay High Court today refused to hear a plea challenging the Union government's move of demonetising Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 currency notes, saying the Supreme Court is already hearing a petition on the issue.

cation in the Supreme Court," Justice Oka said.

The petition, filed by lawyers Jamshed Mistry and Jabbar Singh, urged the high court to take suo motu cognisance of the government's decision taken in "great haste" to scrap highvalue currency notes, contending it has caused inconvenience to the general public.

Mistry said that during the Emergency, the Ordinance followed by an Act called the High Denomination Bank Notes Act, 1978, was passed to bring demonetisation into effect.

A division bench headed by Justice A S Oka, however, said the Supreme Court is already hearing a petition pertaining to the same issue and has also passed certain directions to the Union government.

"The apex court has refused to stay the scheme. We cannot hear it now. If you (petitioners) want, file an appli-

Mistry and Singh, in their plea, said the law has already been laid down wherein the government needs to come out with an Ordinance first and then an Act.

"Therefore, the requirement is that the current demonetisation could have been done only through an Ordinance or amendment of the Act and not merely through a gazette notification," he said.

The lawyers argued that merely giving four hours notice is not a notice at all and that one's right to life and right to occupancy or to conduct business, as guaranteed under the Constitution, were severely affected.

(PTI)

ing the cash crunch prevailing. Finance Ministry is constantly in contact with the RBI over the issue. In the short run there may be some disruptions, but in the long run it is good for the economy," he said.

Mr Jaitley said that there will be no exemptions to any section of the society on the basis of pleas like large traders and wholesalers need huge amounts of cash for transactions.

"We will not tolerate any illegal cash or bullion transactions. There will be no exemptions to any section of the society. I get hundreds of requests everyday from various sectors for exemption, like from traders, NGOs, etc," he said.

He once again denied the rumours about digital lockers and chips being fitted in the new notes. (PTI)

External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj

function or kidney disease- higher the level, more severe is the damage to kidney.

"Chronic kidney disease has different stages and normally is categorised between 1 and 5. Five is when a person becomes a transplant candidate," said a doctor at AIIMS. "She is on dialysis currently, and though people can survive on dialysis for years, it is eventually a call that a patient has to take whether they want a transplant or not.

You prefer a transplant as your quality of life is getting compromised, which in her case is true as she is a highly active person."

Another doctor from AIIMS, who did not wish to be identified, said Swaraj was stable and her diabetes under control but several other parameters needed to be checked to ensure her fitness for surgery.

Swaraj was last admitted to AIIMS on October 25 to undergo a series of blood tests to assess her kidney function.

In April she was admitted for over two weeks, with symptoms of fever, congestion and features of pneumonia.

Her kidney condition had taken over other infections that she was being treated for.?She had developed chronic kidney disease and underwent dialysis.

"It started with chest congestion, which led to pneumonic changes in her lungs and later, her kidney function was also affected. One thing led to another and in her case, she also had a history of severe diabetes that complicates matters," said a doctor. (PTI)

Man wanted in Rohini robbery case arrested New Delhi, Nov 16 : A 23-year-old man, alleged to be a member of notorious Shakti gang and wanted in a number of sensational armed robberies including loot of Rs 8 lakh cash and 2.5 Kg gold from a jewellery shop in Rohini in July, has been arrested, police said today.

Karambeer, an active member of Shakti gang which operates from south-west Delhi, was arrested on a tip off from a wine shop at Shyam Vihar in Najafgarh on

November 11, Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime), Ravindra Yadav said.

The gang, including its leader Shakti, Karambeer and others, had looted 2.5 kg of gold, Rs 8 lakh in cash and a licenced revolver from a jewellery shop owner and his staff in Rohini after firing at them in July.

Karambeer was also involved in a case of carjacking, in which he along with other

gang members had robbed a car, mobile phone and purse containing cash and documents at gunpoint from a Gurgaon-resident Ved Prakash and his son Dayanand near Sultanpur lake in September.

Shakti and other gang members Kimmi, Deepak Pandya and Pradeep were arrested b y G u rg a o n p o l i c e , while Karambeer was absconding and Crime Branch was making efforts to nab him. (PTI)

Banks, POs to report cash deposits of over Rs 2.5 lakh to I-T New Delhi, Nov 16: The government has asked banks and post offices to report to the I-T Department all deposits above Rs 2.50 lakh in savings accounts, and more than Rs 12.50 lakh in current accounts, made during the 50-day window provided to tender the scrapped 500 and 1000 rupee notes.

As per a notification issued today, banks, co-operative banks and post offices will have to report to the tax department cash deposits exceeding Rs 50,000 in a single day or aggregating to more than Rs 2.5 lakh during the period November 9, to December 30, 2016.

These entities will also have to report cash deposits during the period aggregating to Rs 12.50 lakh or more, in one or more current account of a person.

The Finance Ministry has notified the amended Rule for filing of Annual Information Return (AIR) report by banking company, cooperative bank and post offices on account of aggregate cash deposits in one or more current account of a person.

Banks and post offices now have to file a statement of financial transaction in respect of these transactions on or before January 31, 2017, the notification said.

Earlier, they were required to report to the I-T Department only when cash depos-

its in an account exceeded Rs 10 lakh in one full year.

In view of apprehensions that large number of illegal or black money may sought to be converted into white during the window provided till December 30, the Revenue Departmenthas issued fresh set of instructions.

In a major assault on black money, counterfeit notes and terror financing, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had on November 8 announced demonetisation of high value currency notes of Rs 1000/500 and asked the public to deposit them in banks by December 30.

Since then, seemingly unending queues of people trying to deposit and exchange their scrapped currency notes are being witnesses at banks and post offices.

Tax department officers are of the view that the 50-day window provided to people to deposit or exchange notes should not be misused and hence the need to keep a tab on such high value deposits.

Those depositing large amounts of unaccounted money will have to face the consequences under tax laws, which provide for a 30 per cent tax, 12 per cent interest and a 200 per cent penalty.

"CBDT has brought twofold amendment casting a reporting responsibility on the taxpayer as well as the bank, thereby ensuring that

bank doesn't let go off the non-compliant taxpayers," Nangia & Co Managing Partner Rakesh Nangia said.

Tax officials said attempt will be made not to harass honest citizens who want to tender all of their legal, old high-denomination currency savings in bank accounts and get new ones, but those holding illegal money should not go scotfree.

Soon after the 50-day window to deposit and exchange notes is over, the IT Department will look into the data of huge cash deposits and match them with the tax returns filed by the person in the previous years.

In cases of unexplained high cash deposits, the tax department will slap a hefty 200 per cent penalty even before the person files this year's annual income tax returns so as to prevent them from converting black money into white.

The tax department lens is also on those people who are depositing cash up to Rs 2.50 lakh. "In case of any big mismatch we will also look into those accounts where deposits were up to Rs 2.50 lakh," an official said.

Besides, the tax department is also collating data on spurt in deposits in zero-balance Jan Dhan accounts and will slap a 200 per cent penalty on unexplained high value cashdeposits.

As per the data, cash balances have started popping up in millions of Jan Dhan accounts, opened under a government scheme for beneficiaries to get their entitlements like LPG subsidy.

"Tax Department is collating data on spurt in Jan Dhan accounts. It will analyse all data and impose tax plus a 200 per cent penalty in cases of unexplained high value deposits," the official said.

Under Section 12 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, tax department can ask for any information from any agency including the Reserve Bank of India and cooperative banks besides all scheduled banks.

Finance Ministry has brought out a series of newspaper advertisements assuring people that their hard earned money is safe and depositing junked Rs 500/ 1,000 notes of up to Rs 2.50 lakh in bank accounts will not be reported to the tax department.

It has also stated that farm income continues to remain tax free and can be easily deposited in bank.

Small businessmen, housewives, artisans, workers can also deposit cash in their accounts without any apprehensions, it has said.

On farm income, the official said the tax department will match the acre of land the person has and the deposits made in the bank account to identify any discrepancy.

(Agencies)

DIBRUGARH, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17

EDUCATION

ct e t ro m P o fro ases t w self ise o H our s D Y tiou c e f In Infectious diseases can be caused by bacteria, viruses, or other organisms that enter the body through a wide range of methods. Because these diseases are often easily passed from person to person, it is relatively easy to see a large outbreak of an illness in a single community. To protect yourself from infectious disease, the "ounce of prevention" adage does hold true. With just a few steps and some healthy habits, you can keep many germs and illnesses at bay.

Some pathogens can be transferred into your body via food (so called foodborne illnesses or pathogens). Once food is consumed and the pathogen gains access to your body, it can multiply and cause illness. Thus, it is vital you prepare and store all food appropriately.

Preventing Infectious Diseases

ØClean your work surfaces regularly and keep them clean and dry. Pathogens can thrive on wet environments.

Wash your hands Proper hand hygiene is vital when it comes to preventing the spread of infectious diseases.

Pathogens (such as viruses, bacteria and fungi) are easily transferred from contaminated surfaces to your skin and from there to your eyes and mouth where they can gain access to inside your body. Thus, washing your hands is one of the first steps to take to reduce the transfer of infectious agents. ØWash your hands every time after going to the bathroom, changing a diaper, sneezing or blowing your nose and when coming into contact with bodily fluids. ØWash your hands before and after working with food. ØWhen washing your hands, use soap and warm water to wet your hands up to your wrists and scrub the skin for at least 20 seconds or more.

ØPrepare your food responsibly by limiting cross contamination. Raw food should never be prepared on the same surface as ready-made food to prevent transferring pathogens.

ØWash your hands before and after handling food. You should also wash your hands when you are changing ingredients (eg, from raw food to fresh food). ØFood should be stored at safe temperatures (refrigerated if needed) and thrown out if you doubt their quality. Changes in color and texture and strange odors are signs that your food has spoiled. ØHot food should be eaten when it is prepared and, if it needs to be stored, kept either hot (as in buffets) or refrigerated as soon as possible to keep pathogens from multiplying.

Practice safe sex and do not share personal items

manage your risk factors. ØBacteria are the most common infectious agents. They can be transmitted via bodily fluids and food. They are single cell living microorganisms that use your body as a home base to replicate. ØViruses are pathogens that cannot live outside the host. When a virus enters your body, they hijack your body’s cells to multiply and spread to neighboring cells. Ø Fungi are simple, plant-like living organisms that may take up residence in your body. ØParasites are living organisms that hijack the host’s body and use their resources to thrive.

Treat bacterial infections with antibiotics Antibiotics are medications that fight off bacterial infections. They work by disabling or killing bacterial cells and thus, fastening the elimination of bacteria by your immune system. ØUse topical antibiotic ointments for small wounds that are infected. Signs of infection include redness, swelling, warmth and pain. Do not use antibiotic ointment for heavily bleeding wounds that are deep. Seek medical attention if you have a wound that does not stop bleeding. Ø For systemic bacterial infections, visit your healthcare provider and ask if you should be taking oral antibiotics. ØIt is important to understand that antibiotics cannot cure or treat viral infections, such as the cold or flu. Your doctor can diagnose bacterial versus viral infection and treat it appropriately. ØTake antibiotics only as directed. Taking antibiotics when you don’t need them (such as when you have a viral infection) increases bacterial resistance to antibiotics.

Treat viral infections Viral infections cannot be treated with antibiotics but there are some antiviral medications that can be used for certain viruses. Some viral infections are treated with at home remedies (such as rest and remaining hydrated). Ø Some drugs, known as antiviral or antiretroviral drugs, can fight off certain viruses by taking away their ability to reproduce their DNA inside your cells. ØSome viral infections, such as the common cold, only need to have their symptoms treated to make you more comfortable. Your immune system can fight off the virus as long as you are not immunocompromised and get enough rest and nutrients. ØMany viral illnesses can be prevented with vaccinations. Thus, you should keep your im-

ØIf water and soap is not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer and rub it from your fingertips to your wrists in order to eliminate pathogens Avoid touching your face, eyes, and nose People tend to touch their face several times throughout the day. This is when the infectious agents in your hands gain access to your body.

Where an intact skin does not allow transfer of pathogens into the body, the eyes and mucous membranes in the nose and mouth do allow this. ØBesides maintaining a proper hand hygiene, try to avoid touching your face, even with clean hands.

Keep all immunizations up to date Vaccines are a preventive measure that help prevent or lessen illness caused by infectious pathogens. They work by stimulating an immune response against a specific pathogenic agent and, if you are ever exposed to the pathogen, your immune system can fight it more effectively. ØGet all adult and childhood immunizations on time and keep an accurate vaccination record at home for every family member to ensure everyone remains up to date. ØBecause vaccines are designed to activate your immune system to recognize specific pathogens, some vaccines may cause minor symptoms, such as fever, fatigue and muscle aches, that last a day or two. ØSome vaccinations require booster shots (such as tetanus and polio) at certain intervals to maintain immunity.

Stay home When you are sick with infectious disease, it is important to limit exposing other people to the pathogen and spreading the illness. Although some infectious diseases do not spread easily from person-to-person contact, others do and thus, you should stay home when you are symptomatic. ØIf you are at public spaces, cover your mouth and nose with your elbow while coughing (and not with your hand) to avoid spreading pathogens airborne and transferring germs with your hands. ØWash your hands and clean shared surfaces often if you are sick in order to minimize transmission of germs.

Prepare and store food safely

This is particularly true of students that are looking to make the most of their study time and get better grades at school. That’s why we’ve put together a list of study tips to help you develop a learning strategy that will allow you to achieve your study goals in 2016.

1. Set Study Goals There is lots of credible research suggesting that goal setting can be used as part of a strategy to help people successfully effect positive changes in their lives, so never underestimate the power of identifying to yourself the things you want to achieve. Just make sure to ask yourself some key questions: Am I setting realistic goals? Will I need to work harder to achieve those goals? If you’re happy with the goals you’ve set then you should aim to develop your study plan for the year ahead with your goals in mind. Which, as it happens, leads us to Tip #2!

2. Make a Study Plan

ØAvoid direct contact between the palm of your hand and face and use a tissue when you cough or sneeze. ØIf a tissue is not available, cover your mouth or nose with your elbow. After using a tissue, discard it immediately into a proper waste receptacle and wash your hands

P9 10 Study Tips to Achieve your Goals in 2016

Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are spread when bodily secretions come into contact with your genitals, mouth, and eyes. Practice safe sex to limit your risk of catching an STD. ØAlways protect yourself by using a condom or dental dam during sexual activity, especially if you are not in a monogamous relationship. ØDo not engage in any sexual activity when you or your partner have a cold sore or genital wart breakout. This can lead to spreading incurable herpes. Ø Get tested for STDs before and after engaging in sexual activities with a new partner so that you are aware of your status.

Travel wisely Be aware of the risks of infection that increase when you travel. Some infections may be more common in places you are traveling versus where you live. ØTalk to your doctor about important vaccinations to get when you are traveling. This allows you to build up your immunity and be more prepared to the native pathogens present at the areas where you are travelling to. ØWash your hands frequently when you are traveling to avoid transferring germs to your body via your hands. ØProtect yourself against infections that are carrier by vectors such as mosquitos by taking precautions, such as sleeping in mosquito netting, using bug spray, and wearing long-sleeved clothing.

Understanding and Treating Infectious Diseases Understand different kinds of infectious diseases You should be aware of the different agents that can spread infection. This can help you

munizations up to date.

Know how to treat fungal infections Some fungal infections can be treated with medications that help eliminate the fungi and clear the infection. However, there are numerous pathogenic fungi that cause infections and only your doctor can diagnose and prescribe proper treatments. ØSome fungal infections may be treated with a topical ointment if the infected site is on your skin (such as foot fungus). ØVery serious and threatening fungal infections are treated with oral medications or injections. ØSome examples of pathogenic fungi include histoplasmosis, blastomycosis, coccidioidomycosis, and paracoccidioidomycosis, and these infections can be deadly.

Know how to treat parasitic infections As the name implies, parasites are organisms that "hijack" your body’s resources in order to live, grow and multiply inside you. Parasites refers to a wide array of pathogenic agents from worms to microscopic cells. ØMany parasites can be transferred into your body via contaminated food or water (such as hookworm), while others enter via broken/compromised skin (such as malaria via mosquito bite). ØYou should never drink unfiltered or nonpurified water from natural sources as the water may contain parasites. ØSome parasitic infections can be treated with oral or injected medications. ØYour doctor can diagnose a parasitic infection based on your symptoms and specific tests and then treat it appropriately. (Wikihow)

Time is precious. Nobody is more aware of this than the poor student who hasn’t studied a thing until the night before an exam. By then, of course, it’s too late.

The key to breaking the cycle of cramming for tests is to think ahead and create an effective study plan. Not only will this help you get organised and make the most of your time, it’ll also put your mind at ease and eliminate that nasty feeling you get when you walk into an exam knowing that you’re not at all prepared.

As the old saying goes, fail to prepare and be prepared to fail.

3. Take Regular Study Breaks None of us are superhuman, so it’s important to realise that you can’t maintain an optimum level of concentration without giving yourself some time to recover from the work you’ve put in.

This can take the form of a ten-minute walk, a trip to the gym, having a chat with a friend or simply fixing yourself a hot drink. If it feels like procrastination, then rest assured that it’s not: taking regular short breaks not only help improve your focus, they can boost your productivity too.

4. Embrace New Technologies Studying no longer means

jotting things down with a pen on a scrap of paper. The old handwritten method still has its place of course, it’s just that now there are more options for personalising study that ever before.

Whether it’s through online tools, social media, blogs, videos or mobile apps, learning has become more fluid and user-centred. If you want to try a new learning technology, GoConqr’s free platform is a great place to start, even if we do say so ourselves!

5. Test Yourself It’s a strange thing, but sometimes simply entering an exam environment is enough to make you forget some of the things you’ve learned. The solution is to mentally prepare for the pressure of having to remember key dates, facts, names, formulas and so on.

Testing yourself with regular quizzes is a great way of doing this. And don’t worry of you don’t perform brilliantly at first – the more you practice, the better you’ll become. Don’t believe us?

Then just take a peek at what the experts have to say.

6. Find a Healthy Balance Take this opportunity to evaluate yourself both physically and mentally. Is your engine running on low? Instead of complaining “I never get enough sleep” or “I’m eating too much convenience food” take control and do something about it! Make the change and see how it positively affects your attitude and study routine. This should motivate you to maintain a healthy balance in the future.

7. Be Positive Your attitude has a big impact on the level of study that you get done and the effectiveness of your learning process. If you keep saying that you can’t do it and won’t commit to the idea of learning, attempting to study is only likely to become more difficult. Instead, focus your mind on positive outcomes and on how you can use your own individual strengths to

achieve them. When you think positively, the reward centres in your brain show greater activity, thereby making you feel less anxious and more open to new ideas.

8. Collaborate with Study Partners At this stage of the school year, you should know your classmates pretty well. This is a good point in time to select a couple of study partners who you know you work well with and are motivated to achieve good grades also. Don’t worry if you can’t meet up too often, you can use online tools such as GoConqr’s Groupstool to communicate and share study notes with one another.

9. Turn lessons into stories Everybody likes to read or listen to a good story, and with good reason – not only do stories entertain us, they help us to understand and memorise key details too.

You can apply this to your studies by weaving important details or facts into a story – the more outlandish and ridiculous you can make it, the better (since you’ll be more likely to remember a particularly crazy story).

10. Establish a Study Routine Your study routine is comprised of more than planning what to learn and when. One of the main concerns is your study environment.

Find a place to study that is quiet and with few distractions. Alternatively, you could also try switching it up by sitting in a different place in your school library every day and seeing how this works for you.

There really aren’t any hard and fast rules to play by when it comes to best times for studying or how long you should work for. Everybody is different, so the best way to establish a routine is to try different things and see what works best for you, then modify your routine for maximum learning effectiveness.

DIBRUGARH, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17

INTERNATIONAL

P10

Pakistan orders over 100 Turkish teachers Afghan Officials: Suicide to leave the country within three days Bomber Kills 6 in Kabul The network of Pak-Turk schools and colleges was launched in 1995 under the international NGO registered with the Turkish government.

Lahore, Nov 16: Pakistan has ordered more than 100 Turkish teachers and their family members to leave the country by November 20, in a apparent move to 'please' Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan who starts his two-day visit to Islamabad on Wednesday.

According to the interior ministry, the teachers of Pak-Turk schools have been asked to leave the country along with their family members within three days.

Some 108 Turkish teachers have been serving in the Pak-Turk Schools in the country. They along with their family members have been denied extension to their visas on the request of the Erdogan administration as these schools were run by US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen whom Erdogan blamed for July's failed military coup.

The Pak-Turk Schools ad-

nounced that it has no connection with Gulen movement there has been no justification of this decision," an official of the Pak-Turk Schools told PTI.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan ministration has expressed shock over the government's decision which it believes has been taken under pressure.

"Pak-Turk International Schools and Colleges are extremely concerned over

the abrupt decision of the government," said PakTurk Education Foundation Board of Directors Chairman Alamgir Khan.

"Since we have removed all Turkish principals with the Pakistanis and publicly an-

He said now these schools have been operating under a local NGO registered with the Pakistani government.

"However, these schools will remain functional under the Pakistani administration," he said.

In August, Pakistan had promised Turkey's visiting Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu that it would investigate the network of schools Ankara wanted shut for its alleged links with Gulen.

"It is not secret that Gulen's organisation has institutions or their presence in Pakistan and in many other countries.

I am sure the necessary measures will be taken. We have to be very careful with such organisations and their causing risk and threat for

the security and stability of every country that they have presence," Cavusoglu had said.

The network of Pak-Turk schools and colleges was launched in 1995 under the international NGO registered with the Turkish government.

"Initially funding was made from Turkey to establish state of art campuses in Pakistan. But for the last 15 years or so it is generating its own funds here, offering free education and boarding facilities to 35 per cent of the students besides awarding foreign scholarships to them," the official said.

The chain of 28 schools and colleges is functioning in Lahore, Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Multan, Karachi, Hyderabad, Khairpur, Jamshoro and Quetta. Some 11,000 students from pre-school to 'A' levels are studying there.

(PTI)

Pakistan holds military Chinas most-wanted fugitive held after exercise close to Indian border returning from US KEY HIGHLIGHTS Beijing, Nov 16: A 70year-old woman who is among Chinas "mostwanted" fugitives for alleged corruption has been arrested after the former senior official returned from the US after 13 years, the latest success for Beijings anti-graft campaign.

Yang Xiuzhu, who was former deputy director of the construction bureau of east Chinas Zhejiang Province, was arrested after her return home, said the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC).

She fled China in April 2003 following an investigation into her alleged involvement in embezzlement was launched, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection of the CPC said.

She was number one on Chinas top 100 fugitives,

which were released in an Interpol "red notice", staterun Xinhua news agency reported.

Yang is the 37th Chinese to return so far.

China has stepped up efforts to bring back hundreds of fugitives who left the country with large amount of money to escape prosecution.

This was part of the antigraft campaign initiated by President Xi Jinping in which over a million officials have been punished.

Chinese police brought over 400 fugitives hiding abroad in countries in 61 countries in a campaign called "fox hunt".

Official estimates say that the corrupt officials fled abroad over the years with over USD 126 billion. (PTI)

Islamabad, Nov 16: Pakistan is conducting a military exercise in a strategically located area bordering India, with Prime Minster Nawaz Sharif and the army chief reviewing the readiness of the army and the air force to deal with any situation amid growing tension with India.

The manoeuvres are taking place near border close to Bahawalpur town in Punjab province.

Officials said that the Prime Minister is chief guest at the exercise.

Army chief General Raheel Sharif will also witness the exercise.

Helicopter gunships and ground troops will take part in the exercise, which comes just days after seven Pakistani soldiers were killed along the Line of Control(LoC).

Pakistan troops are conducting a military exercise close to Bahawalpur town in Punjab province.

PM Nawaz Sharif is chief guest Helicopter gunships and ground at the exercise. troops are taking part in the exercise.

The exercise shows the state of readiness of Pakistani military to deal with any situation arising out of recent tension with India, according to security officials.

Expressing grief over the death of the seven soldiers, Sharif had said deliberate escalation of tension along LoC by Indian forces is a threat to regional peace and security.

Prime Minister Sharif said on Tuesday that Pakistan cannot be bullied by Indian "tactics" and its restraint should not be "misunderstood" as weakness, warning that his country was fully capable of defending against "any belligerence".

"It is also a futile attempt of the Indian authorities to divert the world's attention from the worst kind of atrocities they are committing" in Kashmir, he had said. (Agencies)

NASA renewed its search for Antarctic meteorites to learn about primitive building blocks of the solar system

NASA renewed its search for Antarctic meteorites to learn about primitive building blocks of the solar system

Washington, Nov 16: NASA has renewed its search for Antarctic meteorites to help learn more about the primitive building blocks of the solar system and answer questions about Earth's neighbours like the Moon and Mars. NASA, the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Smithsonian Institution (SI) recently renewed their agreement to search for, collect and curate Antarctic meteorites in a partnership

known as Antarctic Search for Meteorites Programme (ANSMET).

The signing of this new joint agreement advances the programme for an additional decade, replacing an earlier agreement signed in 1980, NASA said.

"Antarctic meteorites are posing new questions about the formation and early history of our solar system. Some of these questions are spurring new exploration of the solar system by NASA

missions," Smithsonian meteorite scientist Tim McCoy said.

Since the US began searching for meteorites in Antarctica in 1976, the ANSMET programme has collected more than 23,000 specimens, dramatically increasing the number of samples available for study from the Moon, Mars and asteroids.

Among them are the first meteorites discovered to come from the Moon and Mars, and the well-

known ALH 84001 Martian meteorite, which helped renew interest in Mars exploration in the 1990s. Meteorites are natural objects that fall to Earth from space and survive intact so they can be collected on the ground, or - in this case - on ice.

Antarctica provides a unique environment for the collection of meteorites, because the cold desert climate preserves meteorites for long periods of time, NASA said.

Movements of the ice sheets can concentrate meteorites in certain locations, making them relatively easy for scientists to find.

To search for meteorites, ANSMET deploys small field parties during the Antarctic summer (winter in the northern hemisphere). Even in summer conditions are harsh, with temperatures dropping to well below minus 18 degrees Celsius.

The ANSMET teams are flown to remote areas, where they live in tents on the ice and search for meteorites using snowmobiles or on foot.

Meteorites come from a variety of places in the solar system. Most meteorites originated on asteroids, which are remnants of the materials from which the planets formed.

Impacts of asteroids on the ancient Earth and other bodies in the solar system also may have played a significant role in the delivery of volatiles (like water) and organic molecules (such as amino acids) to planetary bodies, which, in turn, could have been important to the development of life.

A few meteorites originated on the Moon and Mars - blasted off the surfaces by large asteroid impacts and later falling to Earth.

The lunar meteorites may come from parts of the Moon not visited by astronauts in the 20th century, and they extend our knowledge of Earth's companion and how it formed. Martian meteorites are humankind's only specimens of rocks known to be from another planet. (Agencies)

Kabul , Nov 16: A suicide bomber on a motorbike killed six people in Kabul on Wednesday in an attack targeting a minibus with security agents working for the government. The Islamic State affiliate in Afghanistan promptly claimed responsibility for the bombing.

Sediq Sediqqi, an Interior Ministry spokesman, said four civilians and two members of the agency were killed. The attack also left 13 people wounded, including five members of the security force.

The blast destroyed the minibus and another car, which were quickly towed away as security forces sealed off the site of the suicide attack on a wide Kabul

boulevard.

An Afghan security official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media, said the bomber intentionally targeted the minibus with the members of the agency that provides protection for high-ranking government officials - similar to the U.S. Secret Service.

The attack was the second this year against the agency.

In April, a coordinated Taliban assault using a suicide truck bomb and gunmen killed 64 people at the agency's main compound in Kabul.

The Afghan IS affiliate claimed responsibility for Wednesday's attack in a

posting on a website used by the militants, saying an IS bomber attacked intelligence service employees.

In other violence, a man was killed late Tuesday night when a sticky bomb attached to his car detonated in Kabul, the city's police said. The police said the vehicle belonged to a government ministry office in charge of rural development.

The Islamic State group emerged for the first time last year in Afghanistan as an offshoot of the militant group fighting in Iraq and Syria. Analysts believe the IS affiliate in the country is mostly made up of disenfranchised Taliban fighters.(PTI)

China wins supercomputer crown for eighth time Beijing, Nov 16: For the eight consecutive year, China has retained the top spot in the list of the world's fastest supercomputers for its 'Sunway TaihuLight' which can perform 93 million billion calculations per second, media report said on Wednesday.

TaihuLight, the massive supercomputer, built entirely using processors designed and made in China has been crowned as the world's fastest, state-run Xinhua news agency quoted the latest edition of the semiannual Top500 list of supercomputers released on Monday.

TaihuLight made its appearance in June, replacing the former champion, Tianhe-2, also a Chinese system but built based on Intel chips. TaihuLight is capable of performing 93 million billion calculations per second (petaflop/s).

That is almost three times as fast as Tianhe2, which had claimed No 1 spot in the Top500 list for the past three years.

That means a Chinese supercomputer has topped the rankings for eight times in a row, indicating the rise of China in the high performance computing (HPC) field, the report said.

In the previous list re-

leased in June, China overtook the US in the number of total supercomputers installed. That was the first time that the US has not dominated this category since the list was started 23 years ago.

This time, the number of systems installed in China increased to 171 from 168 on the last list.

"The 48th edition of the Top500 list saw China and the US pacing each other for supercomputing supremacy," Top500 editors said in a statement released at an HPC conference in Salt Lake City.

In addition, China and the US are "neck-andneck in the performance category" with the latter holding 33.9 per cent of the overall installed performance while the former is second with 33.3 per cent of the overall installed performance, said the statement.

In the latest rankings,

Titan and Sequoia, two systems from the US, remained No 3 and No 4 positions. The Cori supercomputer, a new system installed at the US Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, slipped into the fifth slot with a performance of 14.0 petaflop/s, the report said.

When it comes to companies making these systems, the Americabased Hewlett-Packard Enterprise has the lead with 112 supercomputers, which is followed by China's Lenovo with 92 systems.

There are three other Chinese companies in the vendor list: Sugon (No 4 with 47 systems), Inspur (No 8 with 18 systems) and Huawei (No 9 with 16 systems).

The Top500 list is considered one of the most authoritative rankings of the world's supercomputers. (Agencies)

Donald Trump dismisses reports of infighting among his advisers "Very organised process taking place as I decide on Cabinet and many other positions. I am the only one who knows who the finalists are!" Trump said in a tweet.

Washington, Nov 16: US President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday refuted reports of infighting among his advisers over key Cabinet appointments and a shakeup in his transition team, saying a very organised process is taking place to select the finalists.

"Very organised process taking place as I decide on Cabinet and many other positions. I am the only one who knows who the finalists are!" Trump said in a tweet. 70-year-old Trump's tweet came as media reported that differences have come up within his camp on finalising his Cabinet.

A week after he was elected in a historic election, the President-elect is yet to name a member of his Cabinet. So far he has named his Chief of Staff and Chief Strategist. The CNN reported that Trump's son-inlaw and close adviser Jared

Donald Trump Kushner is at the center of the "infighting" inside his transition team.

The Wall Street Journal reported the Vice Presidentelect Mike Pence on Tuesday ordered removal of all lobbyists from the transition team. Former Congressman Mike Rogers, who was considered for the post of CIA Director, was among those ousted from the presidential transition team's national security unit.

On Tuesday, Pence provided to the White House the necessary paper work that would facilitate smooth transition. The Trump transition team must now provide the Obama administration with the "names of individuals they have authorised to represent the transition effort across the government", Brandi Hoffine, a White House spokesperson said. (PTI)

DIBRUGARH, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17

Rishi Jaitly appointed CEO of Times Global Partners

Rishi Jaitly New Delhi, Nov 16: Times Internet, the digital venture of the Times of Indiagroup, today announced the appointment of former Twitter India head Rishi Jaitly as CEO of Times Global Partners.

the Indian market, immersing themselves in every segment of the country's business, media and digital landscapes," Times Internet Vice Chairman Satyan Gajwani said.

Rishi Jaitly said: "My mission has always been to harness the power of technology and media to ensure we fully realize the untapped potential of people, communities and markets. Joining Bennett Coleman as CEO of Times Global Partners advances my mission and the work of building bridges to and within India."

Times Global Partners is a platform which supports launch and expansion of emerging global digital companies in India.

Jaitly quit Twitter India on November 1 after spending four years at the popular microblogging website.

"We are thrilled to welcome Rishi to the Times Group. In the last decade, under Rishi's leadership, both Twitter and Google have successfully entered

He had played a key role in expanding the company's operations in India and expanded @TwitterMedia across Asia Pacific and Middle East.(Agencies)

Now, Google launches photo scanning app

P11

BUSINESS

Demonetisation effect: Goa govt Silver futures employees want salary in cash surge Rs 179 per

kg on global cues

Panaji, Nov 16: Goa government employees have demanded that their salary for the current month be paid in cash rather than be deposited in bank accounts, considering the difficulties faced to withdraw money.

Goa Government Employees Association (GGEA), in a written communication to Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar, said "to make the withdrawl of money hasslefree the salary of all the government employees should be paid in cash".

New Delhi, Nov 16: Silver prices were higher up by Rs 179 to Rs 42,215 per kg in futures trade today after participants raised their bets amid firming global trends.

Goa government employees have demanded that their salary for the current month be paid in cash rather than be deposited in bank accounts.

However, GGEA president John Nazareth welcomed the Centre's decision to demonetise Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes.

improving the economy of the country in longer run," he said.

"Despite the problems faced by government employees, GGEA welcomes the move and wishes government success in the same, as we feel that the step taken is progressive and constructive in

Nazareth said since Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has made it clear that it will take some time to streamline the situation, we request government to avoid the payment of salary through banks via ECS system and

instead pay the salary in cash for the month of November or until the process of withdrawal of money through ATMs become hassle-free.

banks to withdraw their salary in parts which ultimately amounts to spending the time they would use in their offices to serve the public," he said.

"The request is made for payment of salary in cash as many government employees have reported that they have to stand in queue in the

"The non-presence of government employees to serve the people may result in public outcry and criticism," GGEA added.(PTI)

The free standalone app detects edges, straightens the image, rotates it to the correct orientation and removes glare, Google said in a statement.

Scanned photos can be saved in one tap to Google Photos to be organised, searchable, shared and safely backed up at high quality, it added.

"We all have those old albums and boxes of photos

that are some of our most treasured memories. Such as photos of grandma when she was young, or of your childhood pet, and even that hairstyle you wish you could forget. But we just keep thinking about scanning the photos to preserve these moments, but never really get around to it. Well, here is an easy option," it said.

The app is available for both Android and iOS devices starting today.

Google is also adding editing tools to its Google Photos app. These will begin rolling out today across Android, iOS and the web as well. (PTI)

Demonetisation: No action against PM Modi's 'industrialist friends': Rahul Gandhi "Those who are real black marketeers, those who have Rs 10-20000 crore, those who go with Modi in planes, action should be taken against them.

No action is being taken," he said.

Mumbai, Nov 16: Sharpening his attack on Narendra Modi over demonetisation, Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday charged that no action was being taken against the "real black marketeers" and the "industrialist friends" of the Prime Minister. "Those who are real black marketeers, those who have Rs 1020000 crore, those who go with Modi in planes, action should be taken against them. No action is being taken," he said.

"There is no investigation or action taken against Modiji's industrialist friends," Rahul told reporters outside the Bhiwandi court in adjoining Thane district, after being granted bail in a defamation case.

You are being made to stand in queues. Your money will be given to those select 1520 industrialists. You all know their names. He (Modi) is running their government," the Congress leader alleged.

Earlier, addressing Con-

gress supporters who gathered outside the court, Rahul said long queues before banks and ATMs had caused problems for the common man.

"The masses are standing in a queue. Do you see any rich person, a big industrialist standing in queue," Rahul sought to know.

"Did you get Rs 4000 notes? Did you get indelible ink mark on your hands," he said. Maharashtra PCC president Ashok Chavan, in his address to the supporters, said people of Maharashtra are with Rahul and Sonia Gandhi in the struggle against BJP government's anti-people policies.

In a stinging attack on Modi on the demonetisation issue, Rahul had last night said the prime minister was "laughing" while people were dying in queues outside banks and ATMs to withdraw money and the move will turn out to be a "big scam".(PTI)

Analysts attributed the rise in silver prices at futures trade to a firming trend in the precious metals overseas as dollar fell for the first time since last week's US presidential election, boosting demand for the precious metals as a safe haven.

Globally, silver rose 0.47 per cent higher at USD 17.14 an ounce in Singapore.(PTI)

Rupee trims gains, still up 3 paise in late deals

Harish warns onion traders against creating artificial scarcity Irrigation Minister T. Harish Rao asks officials to procure onion directly from farmers at Rs. 8 per kg and make it available to consumers at Rs. 10 per kg

New Delhi, Nov 16: Tech giant Google has rolled out a new scanning app -Google PhotoScan -- that allows users to scan and digitise physical photographs.

At the Multi Commodity Exchange, silver for delivery in far-month March next year was trading notably higher by Rs 179 or 0.43 per cent to Rs 42,215 per kg in a business turnover of five lots.

Similarly, the white metal for delivery in December traded higher by Rs 163 or 0.39 per cent to Rs 41,570

per kg in a business volume of 243 lots.

Hyderabad, Nov 16: Minister for Marketing and Irrigation T. Harish Rao has warned traders against creating artificial scarcity of onion in the name of demonetisation of higher denomination currency notes and said that steps were being taken to ensure ample supply from within the State and nearby areas.

He said that onion would be directly purchased from farmers by the Marketing Department and made available to consumers across the State at Rs. 10 per kg. At a meeting held here on Tuesday to take stock of the situation arising out of marketing transactions coming to a standstill following demonetisation of Rs. 500

No business as usual:A trader busy talking on his phone with almost no customers at Rythu Bazaar in Hyderabad on Tuesday and Rs. 1,000 notes, he directed the Marketing Department officials to procure onion directly from farmers in Kollapur, Alampur and other areas and bring it to Malakper market and Rythu Bazaars.

Representatives of onion

traders explained to the Minister that they were incurring an expenditure of about Rs. 50,000 per lorry load of onions, including transportation and handling (hamali) charges from Maharashtra and other areas and it was not possible for

Cabinet may soon consider complete FDI ban in tobacco sector New Delhi, Nov 16: The Union Cabinet is likely to soon consider a proposal to completely ban foreign direct investment (FDI) in the tobacco sector. Government has been working on this proposal after tightening norms regarding pictorial warnings on cigarette packets. The Commerce and Industry Ministry has forwarded the final cabinet note for the Cabinet's consideration, sources told PTI. "Views of all the concerned ministries, including Health and Finance Ministry was included in the note," they said. Currently, FDI is permitted in technology collaboration in any form, in-

cluding licensing for franchise, trademark, brand name and management contracts in the tobacco sector.

However, it is prohibited in manufacturing of cigars, cigarettes of tobacco and tobacco substitutes. The proposal, if approved, may be a setback for domestic cigarette manufacturers. As per the proposal, the ministry has proposed to ban FDI in licensing for franchisee, trademark, brand name and management contracts in the sector, sources said. It would mean FDI would be totally banned in the tobacco segment in any form.

The ban would also eliminate the possibility of indi-

rect flow of overseas funds to the sector. The move also assumes significance as India is signatory o the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, under which the country has the responsibility of reducing consumption of tobacco products. Under new norms introduced by the government, tobacco products would have to carry larger pictorial warnings covering 85 percent of the packaging space. Cigarette manufacturers, including Godfrey Phillips, had raised serious concerns over this move.

FDI into the country grew by 29 percent to USD 40 billion in 2015-16. (PTI)

Sensex erases initial gains, still up 173 points New Delhi, Nov 16: After a strong opening, BSE benchmark Sensex trimmed initial gains but was still trading higher by 173 points in late morning trade, helped by fresh buying in IT, teck, auto, power and telecom sectors amid positive global cues.

However, sustained selling was seen in consumer durables, capital goods, metal and FMCG stocks.

The 30-share Sensex, resumed higher at 26,508.94 and hovered in a range of 26,621.40 and

26,326.89 before quoting 26,477.76 at 1100 hours, still showing a rise of 173.13 points or 0.66% from its last close.

The NSE 50-share Nifty was also trading up by 40.60 points or 0.50% to 8,149.05 at 1100 hours.

and GAIL 0.92%.

Major gainers were, Asian Paint 4.71%, TCS 3.91%, Maruti 2.70%, Infosys 2.41%, Tata Motors 2.02% and Bharti Airtel 2.00%.

However, Lupin fell by 1.91% followed by Dr Reddy 1.52%, ITC 1.14%, Axis Bank 0.94%

In overseas markets, Asian stocks edged higher tracking overnight gains in US markets.

US stocks registered modest gains yesterday, as energy shares climbed on the back of rising crude oil prices. (Agencies)

Meanwhile, foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) sold shares worth a net Rs 2353.82 crore on Wednesday, as per provisional data released by the stock exchanges.

them to make payment due to demonetisation of notes.

The Minister directed the officials to procure onion directly from farmers at Rs. 8 per kg by forming special teams and make it available to consumers at Rs. 10 per kg. Since Malakpet market was congested, he suggested the officials to bring the onion procured from farmers to the new market yard set up close to the outer ring road near Patancheru.

On bringing amendments to the Marketing Act, he decided to hold a meeting with the experts from NALSAR and ASCI within a week.

Further, he wanted the officials to inspect cotton ginning mills from Adilabad to Khammam. (Agencies)

Image for representation purpose.

Mumbai, Nov 16: The rupee trimmed its initial gains, but was trading still up by 3 paise to 67.71 against the US dollar on bouts of selling of greenback by banks and exporters in view of higher domestic equities.

The currency opened higher by 6 paise at 67.68 per dollar as against yesterday's level of 67.74 at the Inter-bank Foreign Exchange (Forex) market.

It hovered in the range of 67.7225 to 67.61 per dollar during the morning deals, before quoting 67.71 at 1025 hrs.

The dollar Index is trading down 0.14 per cent at 100

against a basket of six currencies.

Overseas, the dollar stood near an 11-mth high against a basket of currencies early today, after upbeat US data gave the greenback's weeklong rally fresh impetus.

The greenback got its latest boost from stronger-thanexpected US October retail sales data out yesterday, which lifted Treasury yields and reinforced the outlook for a Federal Reserve interest rate hike in December.

Meanwhile, the benchmark BSE Sensex was trading higher by 171.35 points or 0.65 per cent at 26,475.98 at 1030hrs. (PTI)

Ex-RBI Governor Duvvuri Subbarao hails government's decision on note ban Singapore, Nov 16: Hailing the Indian government's decision to ban Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes, former RBI Governor Duvvuri Subbarao has said it would be a positive move for investment and will result in disinflation.

"Given the scenario, my own view is that it is going to be good," Subbarao, said. It would be positive for investment and result in disinflation among other benefits, he said, while commenting on the government's decision to demonetise high value currencies on November 8. Importantly, it would be good for bankers to encourage people to move from hard cash to electronic transactions. It would move from a cashintensive economy to a less cash-intensive, he said, while speaking at MintAsia's Global Banking Conclave 2016 held in Singapore on Tuesday.

But Subbarao also stressed the importance of following up with tougher measures on currency management and not to allow the built up of "black money" again.

NRIs have also welcomed the government's decision on note ban. Dinesh Khara, managing director for associates and subsidiaries at the State Bank of India (SBI), the country'slargest financial institution said, "It is short-term pain but longterm benefit". Applauding the move dubbed

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's decision to demonetise high value currency notes, a step taken to curb black money.

"demonetisation", Khara said, "As a community of banks, we are all geared up to meet out and mitigate the current hardship." "We are trying to figure out ways and means through which we can do it. For us also it was as much a challenge," said Khara. Cash dispensing at the Automatic Teller Machines (ATMs) are being ramped up and debit card swipe for cash at point of sale machines are being increased, he said.

SBI is sending out more and more vans with debitcard swipe machines to increase cash flow. The inflow of deposits in banks would eventually benefit the people with softer interest rates on loans, he said responding to a question at the conclave. "Definitely, it sounds positive to me.

For the medium to longterm, looks like there is a possibility of a lot of

things becoming positive," added Bharat Padmanabhan, managing director and head of ASEAN and South Asia at the Standard Chartered Bank, one of the oldest foreign banks in the country.

Julian Van Kan, a managing director at BNP Paribas, added "I actually very much support what is going on," about the government's decision on the currency.

"India for us remains a very large market," he said.

The three banking executives and Subbarao discussed the Indian currency move dominated banking issues with an audience of some 250 financial sector delegates at the conclave.

Sharing their views, delegates spoke of positive developments for the economy and elimination of cash hoarding as the parallel economy or "black money" that has widely hurt the overall economy, created inflation and evaded taxes.(PTI)

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DIBRUGARH, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17

P12 Aussies have lost 'fear factor', says Brian Lara Sydney, Nov 16: Australia's cricketers have lost their "fear factor" and could be heading towards a West Indies-style decline, batting great Brian Lara has warned.

Lara, whose career began when the now struggling West Indies were in the ascendancy in the 1980s, sees some similarities in the trajectory of Steve Smith's Australia.

His comments come after Australia lost their fifth straight Test in an ignominious innings defeat to South Africa in Hobart on Tuesday's fourth day.

"The fear factor is no longer there and a similar thing happened to the West Indies 25 years ago," Lara told News Corp newspapers.

Mumbai City FC hasn’t been able to find a goal in the first half. (Source: twitter)

FC Goa and Mumbai City FC play out goalless draw ET Bureau Goa, 16 Nov: The game started off with FC Goa showcasing their constantly improving form and executing some brilliant attacking moves. Mumbai City Fc id well to hold them off and were looking dangerous themselves whenever they could break on the counter.

This quality was missing in the seconde half as bith sets of players started getting tired and frustrated. Thorughout the match, though, quality in the final third was missing. This, alongwith superb perfor-

mances from both goalkeepers meant that we have another goalless draw in this year’s ISL. Mumbai City FC will certainly be more happy than FC Goa as the latter’s semi final prospects have taken a serious hit with the two dropped points.

FC Goa’s first victory of the season came against the team that they are hosting today and their stunning victory against NorthEast United in their previous match means that Alexandre Guimaraes’ side face a pumped up unit.

“We are still in a good position but the defeat is a reminder for us that it will not be so easy to get into the semi-finals and that we will have to play well and fight very hard to get the points to get us there and I am pretty sure the players know the situation and try harder in the next game,” said Mumbai City coach Alexandre Guimaraes.

It is a bit of a stalemate at the end of the first half and the match has been typical of other matches we have seen in this year’s ISL. FC Goa have made good passes and have done well

to keep the ball moving in the midfield but they have been below par when it came to the final product.

Because of this Mumbai have not faced many uncomfortable situations but they have also been guilty of pulling the trigger too quickly instead of attempting to build up an attack.

The first is as much a story of missed opportunities as it is of good defending.

The two goalkeepers have been the standout performers in this match. Both sides lost their quality after 85 minutes as

tiredness set in but they also had fantastic chances to go in front.

Sunil Chettri will be disappointing about his missed chance when he could not convert a sitter after a mistake from Gregory allowed Forlan to get on the ball in the Goa box.

FC Goa probably had their best chance in the form of Julio Cesar well into stoppage time and Mumbai City goalkeeper Amrinder saved the day for his side with a fantastic save from almost pointblank range.

"When Australia beat us at home in 1995, no one feared us any more and that's going to be the situation with Australia.

Especially if they are not travelling well."

The once-proud West Indies

Brian Lara said he feared Australia risked going into a 'downward spiral' are a mere shadow of the team that won a then-record 11 straight Tests in the 1980s.

They now wallow at eighth on the world rankings, ahead of only Bangladesh and Zimbabwe.

Lara said he feared Australia also risked going into a "downward spiral", claiming their 30 Test series loss in Sri Lanka in July and August has given opponents a sense of their vulnerability.

However, he backed the embattled Smith and cautioned

selectors against making mass changes for next week's daynight third Test in Adelaide.

"The morale of the team was pretty low when we started to lose," said Lara, who is visiting Sydney.

"Everything must stay as harmonious as possible… You can dig a bigger hole for yourself if you are not unified and you start worrying about other things that may not even be happening. It could become a downward spiral."

(Agencies)

Parthiv Patel makes 139 as Gujarat secure three points Nagothane, Nov 16 : Parthiv Patel and Samit Gohel slammed centuries as Gujarat pocketed three points from their Ranji Trophy match against Madhya Pradesh on the fourth and final day here today.

Patel led from the front to score 139 while opener Gohel struck a fine 104 before Gujarat declared their second innings at 324 for six. Gujarat had resumed

their innings at 228 for two.

Set an improbable 375-run target, MP were off to a bad start losing four wickets for 36 runs.

Harpreet Singh and skipper Naman Ojha came to their team's rescue with a fighting 103 and 52 respectively.

Harpreet remained unbeaten till the end with MP reaching 176 for five at close of play. (PTI)

Brief scores Gujarat 302 and 324/6 in 92 overs (Parthiv 139, Gohel 104; Pandey 4/69).

MP 252 and 176/5 in 58 overs (Harpreet 103 not out, Rush Kalaria 3/ 38).

Russia beat Romania in New Zealand Draw on Brendon historic Chechnya friendly McCullum Heroics For Pakistan Clash New Zealand will play two Test matches against a visiting Pakistani side.

Christchurch, Nov 16: Pakistan and New Zealand both claimed the high ground on the eve of Thursday's first Test in Christchurch, with the Black Caps drawing inspiration from Brendon McCullum's classic farewell innings.

Just days after a 7.8-magnitude earthquake rattled the city and devastated parts of the South Island, Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq looked to cash in on a perceived lack of confidence in the New Zealand ranks after their disastrous tour of India, where they suffered a series whitewash.

But although Pakistan are on a high after crushing the West Indies last month, New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson claimed his side was rejuvenated by returning to home conditions and familiar seamer-friendly wickets.

After being flummoxed by Indian spin in all three Tests in October, Williamson said New Zealand's challenge was to pick themselves up.

"It's important when you come off the back of that India tour, which was extremely tough, that we still come back here and play with freedom, express our skills. When we do we play our best cricket," he said.

"There will be a little bit of movement for the seam bowlers but we've played in these conditions a lot and cer-

New Zealand will play two Tests against Pakistan The first Test will be played in Christchurch The first Test will start on Thursday

New Zealand will play a two-Test series against Pakistan starting Thursday tainly back ourselves to play positively."

When New Zealand last played at Hagley Oval, former skipper McCullum smashed a world record 54-ball century against Australia in a brutal onslaught that produced 145 runs off 79 deliveries.

Williamson scored seven off 69 in the same innings.

"Brendon was the complete opposite. It was a great example of someone playing with

freedom and I think that came come from the confidence of knowing your own conditions," he said.

Mind games New Zealand, who have not won a series against Pakistan since 1985, will delay finalising their side as late as possible although it has been confirmed opener Jeet Raval will make his debut.

One of four pace bowlers in the squad is likely to be omit-

ted to make room for leg-spinner Todd Astle.

Misbah said the Pakistan lineup was already confirmed but he was giving nothing away before the toss other than to say seamer-friendly conditions would not hinder them.

They played in similar conditions in their drawn series against England earlier this year. "That experience is really going to help us here, because of the kind of confidence we

gained from that," Misbah said.

Pakistan have their own motivation, having lost their top world ranking and Misbah said they were keen to get it back and despite New Zealand pitches not being renowned for taking turn, his ace remained spinner Yasir Shah.

Yasir, with 116 wickets at 27.04 from 19 Tests "can get something out of any conditions." Misbah said.

"It's all about building pressure, bowling in the right areas, playing with the mind of the batsman," he added.

"Regardless of the conditions, you can be effective and good bowlers always learn ways to get people and I believe he is that kind of bowler."

New Zealand struggled against spin in India where senior batsman Ross Taylor, with a career average of 46.24, could only average less than 15 in six innings.(Agencies)

Moscow, Nov 16: An injurytime goal by local hero Magomed Ozdoev gave 2018 World Cup hosts Russia a 1-0 win over Romania in a historic friendly in Chechen capital Grozny on Tuesday.

The volatile Caucasian region, where Moscow fought two brutal conflicts against separatists two decades ago, played host to the national team for the very first time at the modern Akhmat Arena home of PremierLeague side Terek Grozny.

end and it helped us to claim the win," Cherchesov said.

Alexander Samedov from opening the scoring.

It was Russia's second win in five matches since Stanislav Cherchesov took over as coach in August, the other coming against Ghana in September.

"I knew that the fierce crowd support would help us a great deal. We're all grateful to the Chechen people for the warm welcome."

Cherchesov was appointed after the country's disastrous Euro 2016 campaign and faces a daunting task of rejuvenating the team for the World Cup on home soil, where he has set his men a target of reaching the semi-finals.

He added: "We improved our performance in comaprison with our game in Qatar (where Russia lost 2-1 last Thursday). We played much more organised football today."

Dinamo Bucharest midfielder Dorin Rotariu missed a fine chance for Romania before Samedov, of Lokomotiv Moscow, saw a well-struck free-kick flash just past the right post with the final chance of the first half.

"Our winning goal wasn't accidental at all. The crowd spurred us on until the very

The crowd spurred us on until the very end and it helped us to claim the win," Cherchesov said.

In front of a capacity crowd of 30,000, the hosts started brightly and only a good save by Costel Pantilimon of Watford prevented

The game looked to be heading towards a goalless conclusion when substitute Ozdoev, the Terek captain, struck in injury time, spinning to convert from close range after a Dmitry Poloz shot was deflected into his path in the six-yard box. (Agencies)

Buffon reaches landmark as Germany hold Italy Milan, Nov 16: Gianluigi Buffon earned a European record-equalling 167th cap as Italy played out a goalless friendly draw with their Euro 2016 quarter-final tormentors Germanyin Milan on Tuesday.

The 38-year-old Buffon, who made his Italy debut in 1997, is now level with retired Spain legend and fellow goalkeeper Iker Casillas.

Although Buffon is now just 17 behind world record-holder

Ahmed Hassan of Egpyt (184), the appearance of AC Milan's Gianluigi Donnarumma for a more positive second half was a reminder that retirement may not be too far off.

Hosting Germany just four months after a dramatic penalty shoot-out defeat ended their Euro 2016 hopes in Bordeaux, Italy were looking to end their three-game winless streak against the world champions.

But the hosts failed to trans-

form a promising finish to the game into a win, Torino striker Andrea Belotti notably hitting the upright late on.

"We were facing the world champions and gave very little away," said Italy coach Giampiero Ventura. Apart from hitting the post, we had four or five situations that we could have done better with."

Like Ventura, Germany boss Joachim Loew has one eye on the future and made several

changes to his established starting line-up. By the end, he was largely happy with their performance.

"It was a good and important result for us, especially our young players," he said.

"We can be totally satisfied, even though we could have tightened up a little in defence."

Juventus midfielder Sami Khedira and Arsenal's Mesut Ozil were both rested, and regular

skipper and goalkeeper Manuel Neuer was out with a virus, handing Bernd Leno the gloves for the night.

Buffon had to be alert to thwart Thomas Mueller as he chased a ball over the top and the Juventus 'keeper was also grateful to Davide Zappacosta for producing a timely block after Leon Goretzka's flick sat up nicely for Mueller to unleash a first-time drive.

Donnarumma, just 17, replaced

Buffon to warm applause for the start of the second half, claiming only his second cap after making his debut against France in September.

Italy threatened when Belotti drilled a high shot wide of post and bar after finding space from 20 yards out. Belotti and Ciro Immobile, who combined have scored seven of Italy's last nine goals, were finally beginning to gel.

But the hosts saw claims for a

penalty waved away after Belotti squeezed between Shkodran Mustafi and Jonathan Tah before tumbling in the area.

Germany brought on Serge Gnabry, who hit a hat-trick on his debut in a 8-0 rout of San Marino last Friday, for Goretzka while Mueller made way for Kevin Volland.

And Volland had the ball in the net when he flicked Joshua Kimmich's drive across goal past Donnarumma, only to be ruled

offside.

Italy enjoyed a positive finish, but failed to breach the Germany goal. Substitute Federico Bernardeschi should have done better than shoot tamely at Leno and Lazio striker Immobile curled a shot wide after being set up by Belotti.

The Torino forward could have nicked the win late on, but he saw his low angled strike come off the base of the far upright with Leno beaten. (Agencies)

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