G Plus Vol 7 Issue 5

@guwahatiplus | /c/gplusguwahati www.guwahatiplus.com

Volume 07 | Issue 05 Nov 23 - Nov 29, 2019 Price `10

INSIDE

Assam politicos turn combative against former CJI; reject Assam Accord based NRC

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Why are the premier university campuses buzzing for all the wrong reasons?

‘Victimized’ IIT-G professor debarred from taking classes G Plus Exclusive

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G PLUS IMPACT

Jadav Payeng bats for the city’s ill-fated trees Vol 7 Issue 4 of G Plus dated 16th November, 2019 carried its lead story with the headline:

Guwahatians apprehensive about bridge that will cost Rs 1,925 Cr, over 250 trees The story had its impact to the extent that “Forest Man of India,” Jadav Payeng, paid a visit to the city to express his solidarity to the city’s trees and the environment conscious citizens who have taken it upon themselves to save the trees that are facing the axe literally to pave way for the construction of a bridge across the Brahmaputra River connecting its south and north banks right from the middle of the city. Read the imapct story in this issue on Page 2.

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Cover Story Snippets

Assam records highest among people missing during 2015-17

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ccording to a written reply given by Minister of State for Home Affairs, G Kishan Reddy as many as 28,000 people, including children and women, went missing from the eight north eastern states during 2015-17.

Of the total of 27,967 people reported missing, a highest of 19,344 we re from Assam, 4,455 from Tripura, 1,385 from Meghalaya, 999 from Manipur, 974 from Sikkim, 457 from Arunachal Pradesh, 343 from Nagaland and 10 from Mizoram.

In Assam, a total of 2,169 children, 2,613 women and 1,528 men were reported missing in 2015. In 2016, 2,413 children, 3,439 women and 2,130 men were reported missing while in 2017, 1,651 children, 2,453 women and 948 were reported missing.

However, a total of 5,130 children were traced during 201517, wherein 3,376 children were from Assam.

Details for the years 2018 and 2019 are not yet available.

Numaligarh Refinery not to be privatised, will remain under Govt

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he Indian government has decided not to disinvest the Numaligarh Refinery Ltd (NRL). The decision was taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday, November 20.

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman stated that the cabinet approved the strategic disinvestment of oil refiner and Bharat Petroleum Corporation (BPCL), but NRL will be carved out before the stake sale and it will not be disinvested.

In regard to the decision, chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal stated, “My heartfelt thanks to Prime Minister Narendra Modi Ji for once again keeping aspirations of Assam at the foremost.”

“Numaligarh Refinery is our pride and I also thank finance minister Niramala Sitharaman Ji, Dharmendra Pradhan Ji and the union cabinet for retaining it with the government,” he added.

G PLUS | Nov 23 - Nov 29, 2019

A voice for the voiceless trees of Guwahati

Jadav Payeng bats for the city’s ill-fated trees From Page 01 Atiqul Habib @guwahatiplus

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he question is of 250 trees and their lives which face the danger of the axe in favour of a man-made structure. G Plus last week gave a voice to the voiceless trees and detailed on how a planned Rs 1,925 crore bridge connecting the north and south banks of Guwahati puts in danger the continued existence of these trees.

Echoing similar sentiments, Jadav Payeng, famously known as the `Forest Man of India’ jumped into the ring to save these trees.

The Guwahati-North Guwahati bridge project across the Brahmaputra River which is planned for completion in the next four years aims to clear the mangrove from a stretch from Fancy Bazar to Kalipur area in Guwahati for the state-of-the-art extradosed bridge.

An extradosed bridge employs a structure that combines the main elements of both a prestressed box girder bridge and a cable-stayed bridge.

In the wake to protect the ageold trees, the citizens of Guwahati have formed a co-ordination committee – Citizens’ Coordination Committee - which is leading the way to save the age-old trees from getting killed.

After failing to get any positive response from the state government, the committee, on November 18, called in the ‘Forest Man of India’ to represent the trees which have been giving a breather to the city for decades.

Padma Shri Jadav Payeng visited the Shankardev Park in Guwahati on November 19 earlier in protest against the proposed idea of the state government of replacing these trees with concrete slabs and pillars.

“Who gave the government or anyone for that matter the idea to cut down these rare and age-old trees? The trees are also home to various bird species. If these trees are felled, where will the birds go? It will be another big blow towards maintaining a healthy and balanced ecology. Moreover, if the government moves ahead with its plan, in the next ten years, the city will be in the same situation as Delhi is in right now,” said Payeng.

Jadav Payeng poses with other protesters during his visit to Shankardev Park | G Plus photo He also said that deforestation, especially near the Brahmaputra would create more floods in the coming years and it was necessary to plant more trees near the Brahmaputra, also known as the red river.

Considered a treasure trove of information on nature, Jadav Payang, known as the Forest Man of India, talked exclusively to G Plus. Here are the excerpts from the conversation.

What do you have to say about government’s decision of cutting down 250 trees?

I will speak to the higher authorities and ask what kind of planning has been done. There have been many instances in India where people protested against cutting down trees. Hence now it should not be repeated in Assam. After analysing I wonder what is wrong in building the bridge on the sidelines of the river. Hence, if they can alter the plan it will be good for the present and the future generation of the people of Guwahati.

If the government does not agree with the proposal, what step are you going to take?

I will speak to the Prime Minister

of India, Narendra Modi, if required and also seek help from a technical committee for suggestion as in what can be done to tackle the issue. It’s not only Guwahati but also the entire India as previously the country has witnessed many sacrifices of trees on the way to civilization. Whatever the government declared in 2015 of cutting down trees has been done but now there should be an end to this as the technical/planning committee should come up with alternative plans of building or constructing without disturbing nature.

You said that the trees which are marked to cut down are all because of our education system?

What is the problem with the education system in India?

Recently I was in Mussoorie for an event wherein I interacted with many IAS officers and students and found out that there were only four from Assam. Sadly I did not find a single Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer from Assam in the 2019 batch.

Assam is known for its greenery but not a single person to know and understand it. Hence we should upgrade our education system so that our future generation can build interest about nature and Assam.

The students should be

nurtured about nature right from kindergarten section so that they can become as good as the scientists of yester years or the prophets of mankind. Currently it is only in Germany wherein children from kindergarten are taught about nature and how to take care of it.

So students protect the trees and no one can cut trees.

Once in Europe I met a few Indian students and congratulated them for getting a chance to study in such prestigious institutions.

However I requested them to come back to India and work together for the welfare and development of the nation.

The students should be given the choice to study only those subjects they love and must not be forced with some extra or additional baggage.

The forest created by Payeng (nick-named Molai) is known as Molai Kathoni by local residents.

Payeng, belonging to the Mising tribe of upper Assam, decided to leave his commune to live with nature when he was just 19. A vast expanse of barren land near Kokilamukh in Assam left behind by the Brahmaputra became his abode where he lives with his cattle.

It is to be mentioned that earlier, the famous Bogibeel road-cum-bridge project across the Brahmaputra saw many trees being felled in both the districts to clear ways for the project.

Lead Story

G PLUS | Nov 23 - Nov 29, 2019

Assam politicos turn combative against former CJI; reject Assam Accord based NRC G Plus News @guwahatiplus

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day after Chief Justice of India (now retired) Ranjan Gogoi who is being hailed in Assam by many as a “Jaitya Nayak” after he delivered the historic verdict on Ayodhya land title case, the BJP government’s move to declare the NRC which was carried out in Assam under his supervision as null and void is raising several uncomfortable questions.

The musical chair played by the BJP in Assam, specifically concerning the NRC, laid bare the political compulsions and also drove home the point that our policy makers can resort to any tactic even if that means undermining the highest judicial institution of the country – the Supreme Court - in order to suit their vote bank needs.

Otherwise what explains the rationale that Rs 1600 crore was spent in one of the biggest exercises undertaken by the apex court to update the citizenship in a state which, for decades, has been plagued by the issue of illegal infiltration?

Strangely, the same party which was trumpeting a few months ago about solving the decades-old issue suddenly turns its back on it.

Notably, the NRC updation process which is one of the clauses of the historic Assam Accord was hanging in balance after a tripartite agreement was signed between the influential All Assam Students’ Union (AASU), Assam government and the Centre during Rajiv Gandhi’s prime ministerial tenure in 1985.

Not an inch was moved since 1985 after Assam came out of that violent agitation that was primarily against the illegal migrants.

The Tarun Gogoi-led Congress government tried to move ahead with the updation process. But it had to stop following large scale violence by minority groups that claimed many lives.

Since then, NRC was always a political hot potato which was baked by political parties time and again for their own vested interests till the apex court intervened and set the ball rolling.

Now again, the BJP has proved that it has disowned its own son by questioning the Supreme Court’s stand on NRC based on the Assam Accord.

After the union home minister, Amit Shah, declared that the National Register of Citizens (NRC) exercise would be conducted across the country, he also mentioned another significant statement that in Assam, where the updated NRC was published on August 31, will also have another round of the exercise afresh.

News reports quoted Assam finance minister Himanta Biswa Sarma as saying that the Assam government has asked the Centre to reject the recently updated NRC. Therefore, Shah’s remarks on the floor of the Parliament must then be read as the Narendra Modi government’s approval to Assam’s request.

Leader of Opposition in Assam, Debabrata Saikia, talking to G Plus said, “The BJP keeps doing all these for their political interests. They know that in the scenario where the economy is moving slowly and people are not getting jobs, these stunts would gain them vote banks in the name of religion.”

Even some members of BJP are shocked by the BJP’s move of questioning the apex court’s judgement.

A state level executive member of the BJP talking to G Plus under condition of anonymity said, “I agree that the national NRC is important for the country to identify the genuine citizens but questioning the Supreme Court’s judgement is not correct.

Requesting the Centre to cancel the NRC is like questioning the apex court’s efficiency in monitoring the entire NRC process.”

Talking about legal grounds, it is not clear if the Centre has the power to conduct another round of NRC in Assam.

On August 13, the then Chief Justice of India, Ranjan Gogoi, said that that the update of the NRC in the state would depend on the decision of a constitution bench.

According to media reports the court had said that it makes clear that subject to orders as may be passed by the Constitution Bench in Writ Petition (C) No.562 of 2012 and Writ Petition (C) No.311 of 2015, National Register of Citizens (NRC) will be updated. The bench has still not been constituted.

There are many questions to be analysed by the bench and among the questions that the larger bench will have to decide is the validity of March 24, 1971 as the exclusive cut-off date in

Assam for citizenship.

If that bench, still not constituted, passes an order for or against Section 6A of the Citizenship Act, exclusive to Assam, the apex court has stated that the present NRC will be updated.

Meanwhile, it needs to be mentioned here that that a case is ongoing in the apex court since 2012 (case number 562/12) challenging the Assam Accord and the case was referred to the constitutional bench.

The petitioners of this case are challenging the Assam Accord by saying that 1951 should be the cut-off date for NRC and not 1971.

In 1979, the Assam Agitation and in 1985, the Assam Accord was signed. 855 people died and are today referred to as martyrs, lakhs of people had their careers spoiled, many people were disabled and even after 34 years of the accord people are still confused with what should be the cut-off year - 1951 or 1971. If the NRC is cancelled and a fresh NRC is conducted taking 1951 as the cut-off, the validity of Assam Accord comes under serious question.

Justice Ranjan Gogoi | File photo

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4 City

G PLUS | Nov 23 - Nov 29, 2019

Guwahati likely to get 5 new flyovers Nehal Jain @NehalJain96

Flyovers are likely to be constructed in these locations – Ganeshguri, Supermarket, Sarabbhati, Maligaon and Gauhati Club Ganeshguri flyover would be 476 metres long and 7.50 metres wide Supermarket flyover would be 1.7 kilometres long and 7.50 metres wide The approximate cost of the Supermarket flyover is Rs 126 crores Maligaon and Sarabbhati flyovers are currently in survey stage

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uwahati is undergoing an urban makeover of sorts with a number of flyovers coming up in different parts of the

city.

Work is currently on-going for the extension of the Ganeshguri flyover towards Hatigaon and construction of a new flyover on Guwahati-Shillong Road connecting Secretariat to Down Town police point. Additionally, survey process is on-going for

construction of two more flyovers – one at Sarabbhati and the other at Maligaon. And if talks are to be believed, an elevated 4-lane flyover will be constructed from Chandmari to Guwahati Club.

The Ganeshguri flyover project, taken up at an estimated cost of Rs 35 crores by Gautam Construction Private Limited, will be 476 metres long and 7.50 metres wide.

However, the combined length of the new and existing flyover would be 1.6 kms.

The flyover connecting Ganeshguri to Hatigaon will be two-lane and once construction ends, it will look similar to Six Mile flyover.

While the official time of construction as per tender is September 2021, it’s the vision of chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal to complete the work by Durga Puja 2020, that is, one year in advance.

“So far, work has been going on at great pace. If it continues the same way, we will be able to complete the flyover by September 2020,” a worker at the site told G Plus.

In the same vein, executive engineer of Public Works Department (PWD), Pallav Rabha said, “The foremost and most time consuming work of constructing a flyover is the piling process. We have already completed piling work for the Ganeshguri flyover using sophisticated machinery instead of doing it manually which would have been time consuming.”

It should be mentioned here that there has been no displacement caused due to the construction of the flyover. While some electricity lines had to be shifted, some water supply lines shall also be shifted very soon.

Flyover construction work un progress at Zoo Road | G Plus photo The state PWD has also prepared the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the Supermaket flyover that will start in front of the Janata Bhawan at Dispur and end at the Down Town police point. On the other hand, the right-side bifurcation will start from the Dispur Supermarket junction to terminate before the traffic roundabout (Golchakkar) at Last Gate.

The tendering process for the flyover is currently in process after which the date of commencement and completion of work shall be finalized.

Once completed, this flyover, worth over Rs 100 crores, will look similar to Bhangagarh

flyover. The proposed length of the flyover is 1.7 kms and width 7.5 metres.

While this flyover would have 2-way lanes on all sides, the public would only be allowed to take the flyover while traveling from Secretariat to Down Town, and the main road (existing road) shall be used while traveling the other way round.

Similarly, the flyover shall be used while traveling from Secretariat to Last Gate, but the existing route shall be used while traveling from Last Gate to Down Town.

As per the DPR, a part of the government land near Supermarket might be taken for

the construction of the flyover.

Other than that, there will be no displacement.

Apart from the Ganeshguri and Supermarket flyovers, there are talks of two more flyovers - one at Sarabbhati and one at Maligaon.

Both these flyovers are currently in survey stage. According to sources, the Maligaon flyover will start from Kamakhya Gate and extending 2 kms will stretch over the Maligaon junction.

Additionally, a few years ago, the government had proposed for a four-lane elevated flyover to be constructed on GNB Road.

But the plan has been facing a lot of hurdles and seems to have reached a stumbling block.

City’s traffic woes to be eased by the upcoming and faster flyovers: PWDLighter officials Guwahati has been witnessing massive traffic congestion in recent times. With the number of vehicles in the city on the rise, the lanes appear to be getting busier and more cramped for room than ever before.

Officials at the Public Works Department (PWD) suggest that the upcoming flyovers

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would bring some respite to the commuters traveling on roads.

The Ganeshguri junction is one of the prime locations in Guwahati and faces traffic related issues throughout the day.

“While the ongoing work at Ganeshguri is adding to the traffic woes, congestion would go down soon after the flyovers

start to function. We request all commuters to cooperate with the administration until then,” urged Pallav Rabha, executive engineer of PWD. To ensure uninterrupted traffic communication during the flyover-construction phase, the PWD has already carried out a survey and prepared a

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report, which it will share with the Guwahati traffic police department, he added.

He added that a plan is also being prepared to carry out the smooth construction of the flyover at Supermarket. This plan would include ways to manage traffic and marking the alternate routes for commuters.

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Given the terrible traffic scenario currently plaguing the city, it remains to be seen how much the upcoming flyovers would succeed in theeasing the congestion in the city and ensuring smoother traffic flow. given the fact that the constructions itself would prove to be a headache by itself.

In The News

G PLUS | Nov 23 - Nov 29, 2019

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‘Victimized’ IIT-G professor debarred from taking classes G Plus News @guwahatiplus

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r Brijesh Kumar Rai is a man who is in the eye of the storm currently.

He has reportedly opened up a can of worms with regard to the functioning and management of the prestigious IIT Guwahati (IIT-G). His action has virtually

turned the hallowed premises of the premier institution into a battlefield. Students have erupted in protests because of the action taken against Dr Rai by the IIT-G authorities.

Dr Rai spoke exclusively to G Plus and said unequivocally that he is being targeted for unearthing the corruption within the institute.

The story is that Dr Rai, Assistant Professor,

The show cause notice (above) and Dr Rai’s reply (below)                                                                                                          

Department of Electronics & Electrical Engineering, was suspended and is now expecting termination after he purportedly unearthed several cases of corruption in the institute that have snowballed into virtual “scams.”

“The management has given me a show cause notice and I have replied. They are also not allowing me to take classes.

A final decision was taken but I have not been informed officially,” Dr Rai said talking to G Plus . He is alleging that the management is indulging in large-scale corruption thereby compromising with the future of the students.

The institute, in its inquiry report, had given evidence that three out of Dr Rai’s four charges were of “embarrassing the institute,” “misconduct unbecoming of a government officer,” and “unbecoming of a faculty of IIT,” citing IIT Guwahati Conduct Rules and CCS Conduct Rules 1964.

“I have been here for nearly 8 years.

The earlier director was here for six years and enormous powers were given to him.

And most of the things I had observed during his tenure as also the present the director raise several questions.

The present director, after joining, has spent Rs 28 lakhs for renovation and 12 lakhs for furniture. We have asked for certain details through RTI such as why 15 people went to Japan to visit just one university.

Usually one person goes when a MoU is signed.

But in the RTI response they said that only nine people

had gone.

However, in one photograph, it clearly shows that 15 people were there.

They also said that records of expenditure on the trip were not available,” Dr Rai said.

“We are raising many issues just about the building campus; there is an illegal temple inside the IIT campus. I have been always supportive of students’ issues and that is why they are supporting me,” Dr Rai added.

Asst Professor Dr Brijesh Kumar Rai | G Plus photo Talking about his next move, to him and only after that he Dr Rai said that he is waiting will think of his future course for the result of the show of action. cause notice that was served

6 Crime

G PLUS | Nov 23 - Nov 29, 2019

Incidences of snatching, robbery on the rise in Guwahati T Nehal Jain @NehalJain96

Many cases of chain and bag snatching have been reported in Guwahati Bike-borne criminals operating in the city

Aged men and women are soft targets Most cases reported from outside banks and near ATMs Lack of manpower in police leading to more crimes Robbery shot up in Guwahati by 75% in two years

here has been a drastic rise in the number of bag snatching cases in Guwahati and the police are having a tough time tracking down the culprits and recovering the stolen property.

Some new gangs have become operative in Guwahati and robbery is what these gangs are resorting to. These bikeborne criminals not only snatch gold chains but also take away purses and bags containing cash and valuables. The police at this hour seem helpless to curb such incidents.

In a recent incident, two unidentified miscreants allegedly looted a bag containing cash amounting to Rs 2 lakhs from a woman in broad daylight.

The woman, identified as Bihula Brahma of Narengi area was looted on November 19, Tuesday.

According to Bihula Brahma, she had visited the Mathgharia branch of the State Bank of India to withdraw cash amounting to Rs 2 lakhs. But as she came out of the bank, two motorcycleborne miscreants snatched the

bag filled with cash from her and fled away.

A complaint has been registered against the unknown men, but so far, nobody has been detained, police informed media.

A majority of such incidents have taken place during afternoons and late evening hours when the streets are less populated and so it is difficult to identify these miscreants.

Earlier, in another incident of snatching, two motorcycle-borne miscreants snatched Rs 1 lakh from an elderly couple in Guwahati’s Bamunimaidan area on Wednesday, November 13.

The incident took place after the couple came out of the New Guwahati branch of the State Bank of India after withdrawing the amount. They then after registered a case as well.

“Almost every day we hear about a similar robbery or chain snatching case. It is no longer safe to walk on the roads alone,

especially if you’re carrying cash or any other valuables,” said a resident of Athgaon speaking to G Plus.

In the same vein, Navin Sarma, a resident of the city said, “Robbers and chainsnatchers seem to be having a field day in Guwahati with the roads turning into deserted

alleys during night hours.

Lack of streetlights and police patrolling are to be blamed for the massive increase in numbers.”

Similar instances have also been reported in other parts of the city including Athgaon, Rehabari, Uzan Bazar and Maligaon.

Similarly, police sources have blamed lack of manpower and updated technologies such as high quality CCTV cameras for the increased cases of robbery.

“With such less manpower,

it’s not possible to deploy men for 24 hours outside all banks.

Miscreants have been taking advantage and picking soft targets such as aged men and women,” the source added.

He added that the state

government must provide manpower to help police work better.

It should be noted here that over 50% cases remain unsolved in Guwahati owing to this lack of manpower.

Guwahati, in 2018, witnessed an overall increase in the number of cases registered pertaining to other crimes as well. The city police registered a total of 16,892 cases between January 1 and November 30 in the past year, an

increase of close to 1,000 reported crimes compared to the previous year.

The crimes registered in 2018 largely included theft, burglary and robbery, followed by crimes against women.

Representative Image

Less cops, more crimes There is a dearth of police personnel in the state, especially in the capital city of Guwahati, a senior police official informed G Plus.

In a statement issued by the state government in March

2019, a total of 11,046 posts in the Assam police remained vacant as on February 7.

Among them, 4,139 vacant posts are in the unarmed branch stream and 6,907 posts in the armed branch stream.

Robbery cases in Guwahati increase by 75 percent in two years Robbery attacks in the city have shot up by 75% in the last two years, indicate the latest statistics provided by the crime branch of Guwahati Police Commissionerate. Robbery cases have increased from 288 in 2016

to 406 in 2018 (data showcases the number of crimes reported from January 1 to November 30). This shows an increase of 218 robbery cases as against 2016. In 2017, a total of 335 cases of robbery were registered with the city police.

The data indicates that at least one case of robbery was recorded daily in 2018. However, police had been able to crack merely 205 cases of robbery until October 2018, some of which were registered in the previous years.

Weather report for the week Guwahati

SUN

MON

TUE

WED

THU

FRI

Partly Cloudy

Mostly Cloudy

Sunny

Sunny

Sunny

Sunny

27°19° C

27°18° C

28°18° C

29°18° C

28°18° C

28°17° C

SATURDAY Partly Cloudy

28°18° C

In The News

G PLUS | Nov 23 - Nov 29, 2019

7

50% of Indian students don’t have skills for jobs: UNICEF G Plus News @guwahatiplus

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espite government efforts to make education system in the country much more job oriented, more than 50% of Indian youth are not on track to have the education and skills necessary for employment by 2030, a survey report pointed out.

A report commissioned by UNICEF and compiled by Ernst & Young India outlined several challenges in equipping Indian youth with adequate skills.

These included issues like lack of quality trainers, proper timing of training programs and time-consuming certification

processes.

The report also pointed out that most institutions in India still follow outdated curricula.

In addition to this, inadequate infrastructure and quality of faculty make it difficult to provide students with relevant skills demanded by the labour market.

The lack of awareness among youth about the various government-run skill development programs is also a major challenge.

According to the data produced by the Global Business Coalition for Education (GBC-Education), the Education Commission, and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), approximately 54% of South Asian youth that leave

KMSS organises ‘Raj Bhawan Ghero’ programme against CAB

T

he Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS) launched a massive programme-’Raj Bhawan Gherao’ against the Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB).

According to reports, hundreds of people gathered at the Gauhati Club area from where the said programme started.

The farmers’ body leader Akhil Gogoi said that the body will not accept the bill at any cost and condemned the government for its intention to impose the same.

Speaking in the programme, Gogoi alleged that the enactment of the bill could open the gates to over 1.7 crore Bangladeshi nationals to enter the Indian union and claim citizenship.

“Whether Hindu, Muslim or Christian, we do not want any foreigners. We don’t want CAB,” said Akhil Gogoi.

Earlier, on November 21, the All Assam Students’ Union staged torchlight rallies to mark their opposition to the proposed Citizenship (Amendment) Bill.

school will lack the necessary skills to find a decent job by 2030.

“Every day, nearly 100,000 young South Asians – a large sports stadium of young people – enter the labour market, almost half of them not on track to find 21st century jobs,” Henrietta Fore, UNICEF Executive Director, was quoted as saying in a press release by UNICEF. “South Asia is at a critical juncture, with a limited window during which it can reap significant demographic dividends from its talented and capable youth. Get it right, and millions could be lifted out of poverty. Fail to do so, and economic growth will falter, youth despair will rise, and further talent will be lost to other

regions,” Fore added.

“This is a crisis,” said Justin Van Fleet, Executive Director of the Global Business Coalition for Education. “Addressing the youth skills gap in South Asia requires government investments, commitments from the business community, contributions from civil society, and the perspective of young people to best equip the next generation to successfully enter the rapidly changing job market.”

According to UNICEF, almost half of the population of 1.8 billion in South Asia is under the age of 24, providing the region with the largest youth labour force in the world until 2040, a portal reported.

UNICEF pointed out the

necessity for combining education with workforce readiness, soft skills, technical skills and entrepreneurship so that the youth can easily adapt to the work environment.

In order to increase women participation, the report also recommended providing subsidised childcare facilities and paid leaves.

Gender sensitization workshops will also help to increase awareness for the requirement of female workforce.

The report suggested that spending on secondary education with a focus on quality and relevance and the availability of teachers. Upgrading technology and supporting labour-intensive industries can also help in generating jobs.

8 Concern Snippets Students protest in Guwahati against fee hike in JNU

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he fire of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) over fees hike has now re ache d Guwahati as students from various organisation protested in front of Nehru Park in Guwahati against the hostel fee hike in the JNU hostel on November 21.

It is to be mentioned that the JNU students’ protest against the fee hike has entered close to two weeks after draft of hostel manual was issued that includes provisions including hostel fee hike, dress code and curfew timings.

According to reports, JNU had increased the double room rent from Rs. 10 to Rs. 300 per month, single room rent from Rs. 20 to Rs. 600 per month and the one-time refundable mess security deposit from Rs. 5,500 to Rs. 12,000.

Meanwhile, Nationalist Congress Party MP Vandana Chavan on November 21 gave Zero Hour Notice in Rajya Sabha on the issue of fee hike in JNU, reported news agency ANI. Students’ organisations like- SFI, AISF, SMSS and ACYS participated in the protest among others.

Fire engulfs bus in Khanapara

I

n an incident in Guwahati’s Khanapara area, a moving ‘Night Super’ bus caught fire on the night of November 21.

According to reports, the bus bearing Registration Number (AS 06 BC 3477) was travelling from Inter State Bus Terminus (ISBT) in Guwahati to Tinsukia. The incident occurred at around 10 PM. The driver and passengers in the bus managed to get out in time and escaped unhurt.

The fire brigade personnel rushed to the spot and were able to bring the blaze under control.

Howe ve r, the bus was e ntire ly burnt down.

The re ason be hind the fire breakout is said to be a short circuit inside the vehicle.

G PLUS | Nov 23 - Nov 29, 2019

Why are the premier university campuses buzzing for all the wrong reasons?

Starting from JNU, IIT-G to BHU students are in conflict with the management and have erupted in protests G Plus News @guwahatiplus

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remier university campuses across the country are buzzing for all the wrong reasons.

With JNU protests occupying the centre stage in New Delhi, far away from the power centre, students of IITGuwahati are up in arms against the university administration for alleged financial malpractices in running the prestigious institution.

The strong arm tactics of the Vice Chancellors’ office of the Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati (IIT-G) to douse the raging protest is further fuelling the fire and appears to heading towards a big tussle with students now threatening to go

In October, an FIR was lodged at North Guwahati police station against the director and deans of the Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati for allegedly misusing funds of the students. the court for reinstatement of one of their professors who has been allegedly terminated for “whistle blowing” corruption cases of the higher officials of the institution.

It may be a mere coincidence that two of India’s premier institutions have erupted in student protest for more or less the same reason which involves finance. Look at the contrast: on the one hand, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) students are protesting against a hike in their hostel fees and the university administration trying to put a lid on independent movement of students. On the other hand, in IIT-G students are raising their voices against alleged corruption and money swindling by the higher authorities.

File photo of the Nohkalikai Falls of Meghalaya Protests started in IIT Guwahati after the alleged termination of Associate Professor Dr. Brijesh Kumar Rai of the Department of Electronics & Electrical Engineering.

According to reports, Rai had alleged that the institution is practicing corruption consequent to which false charges were levelled against him. In a YouTube video uploaded by a research student at IIT-G, Rai alleged that there has been corruption in various cases and also in terms of staff selection.

“In one year, about 50 people were illegally employed,” he alleged in the video. The students also alleged that the Director of the institution, TG Sitharam, recently spent Rs 40 lakhs on his bungalow and office which includes exorbitantly expensive items such as Rs 1.8 lakhs for a table.

In October, an FIR was lodged at North Guwahati police station against the director and deans of the Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati for allegedly misusing funds of the students.

As per the FIR filed by research scholar Vikrant Singh, the director and deans of IITG had held a meeting at a five star hotel in August and allegedly paid the bills from college funds.

In midst of all this, another disturbing news poured in from the institution that a student from Japan was found dead inside a hostel room of the Indian Institute of TechnologyGuwahati (IIT-Guwahati) on Thursday evening.

According to reports, the Japanese national, identified as Kota Onoda, was a student of Gifu University in Japan, and was doing an internship at IITGuwahati.

He was found dead inside a room of his hostel. The Japanese student was doing an internship in the department of BioSciences and Bio-Engineering in IIT-Guwahati as part of a student exchange program. His internship was scheduled to end on November 30 this year.

Coming back to students protest, another institute of repute - Banaras Hindu University (BHU) - rocked with protests for nearly a week over the issue of the appointment of a Muslim professor in Banaras Hindu University’s Sanskrit department.

The issue became completely political with a number of senior politicians defending the university’s move. Sanskrit “has vastness,” Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said on Thursday.

“The Constitution of our

country has vastness. Any teacher can teach Sanskrit in a university,” she said. The protesters, on the other hand, say only a Hindu can do so.

So if we contextualize the whole scenario, it appears that India’s student fraternity is on a constant tussle with their mentors be it for political or financial reasons.

“So many instances of students’ protests across country do not augur well for the country. Restlessness of students in premier institutions and venting out their frustrations in the open are indications of deep rooted resentment which can take a dangerous shape anytime,” an educationist said.

The past few years have seen considerable turmoil in the life of some of the largest and most reputed universities in India. The policy makers’ constant pressure to tinker with the autonomy of a few of these universities is resulting in full blown conflict between the management and students.

And as it appears now, slowly but steadily, things are getting out of the university campus with alarming frequency and the political class is jumping into the ring only to complicate the already vexed problem even further.

Concern

G PLUS | Nov 23 - Nov 29, 2019

9

Police arrest former Axis Bank official for Rs 1 crore scam in Guwahati G Plus News @guwahatiplus

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runachal police has arrested former Axis Bank deputy manager, Luhit Parajuli, from Guwahati for allegedly misappropriating Rs 1 crore and getting away with Rs 25 lakhs from the office account.

At the time of the incident, Parajuli was posted as the deputy manager in the Axis Bank, Itanagar branch in Arunachal Pradesh.

Reportedly, the accused had attempted to intimidate the complainant (a bank employee)

to provide information of the bank customers on the pretext of a secret mission after demonetisation by claiming to be an IPS officer and an undercover agent of the CBI from Guwahati.

In the meanwhile, a complaint was lodged on 21st June at the Itanagar police station against Parajuli for misappropriating about Rs 25 lakhs from the office bank account of the Axis Bank.

Reportedly, due to prompt efforts of the manager and other staff of the bank, a sum of Rs 75 lakhs was reverted to the bank but Rs 25 lakhs was already siphoned off by Luhit Parajuli who left the job soon after committing the offence.

According to reports, the missing Rs 25 lakhs was later compensated by the office staff of the Itanagar Branch.

On receiving the complaint, sub inspector N Nishant took up the investigation under the close supervision of the SP and other senior officers.

During investigation, it was revealed that Parajuli had siphon off around Rs 1 crore from the Axis Bank’s office account and transferred it to different accounts.

The police informed that the accused had been absconding from Itanagar and had changed his address five times in the last four months causing hurdles for

ASTC MD Anand Prakash Tiwari

File photo of an Axis Bank branch | Internet photo the police team to trace him.

Later, the investigation officer started tracking him and finally arrested him from Guwahati, Assam, the SP said.

Guwahati’s drinking water fails purity test

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eware! The water you are drinking in Guwahati is not safe to drink. A test carried out by Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) taking samples from 10 places failed miserably in the test, hence opening up a can of worms about basic civic amenities provided by the state government.

According to a BIS study released on November 16, Guwahati failed in all ten parameters in the quality of water among capital cities in states where samples of tap water (drinking) were tested.

According to the study, 10 samples were collected from Guwahati in which it failed in all the BIS tests. Further, it failed in 5 individual parameters in the samples which were collected, thereby reaffirming that Guwahati has the poorest water quality.

Among other cities, Mumbai ranks the highest in the quality of water among capital cities in states where samples of tap water were tested. Second in the list was Hyderabad, where only one sample failed.

Previously, large amounts of arsenic has been found in water samples in Guwahati making it extremely unsafe for consumption Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan said that in the third phase, samples from capital cities of northeastern states and Smart Cities have been identified by Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs and are being tested.

The result of these is expected

by January 15, 2020.

The following methodology was followed for the study: > IS 10500:2012 prescribes 48 parameters including radioactive substance > Radioactive substance have been excluded from this exercise > Test reports of Virological and Biological parameters (three

parameters) have been received for Delhi only. All samples tested to conform to these three parameters. > Cities have been first categorized on the number of conforming samples out of those tested.

The BIS study was titled ‘Categorization of Cities on the basis of Reports of Samples of Drinking Water-Specification.

Representative Image

The arrested accused will be produced before the CJM Court for police remand and further investigation to ascertain for involvement of others in the case.

10 News This Week

G PLUS | Nov 23 - Nov 29, 2019

A quick round up of the news that mattered during the past week

1

Justice SA Bobde succeeds Ranjan Gogoi, sworn in as 47th CJI

Justice Sharad Arvind Bobde was sworn in as the 47th Chief Justice of India by President Ram Nath Kovind on November 18. Chief Justice SA Bobde succeeds Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and will hold the supreme leadership of the judiciary of India till April 23, 2021.

It is to be mentioned that Chief Justice Bobde was on the benches that decided the Ayodhya land dispute case in 2019 and clarified in 2015 that no Indian citizen without an Aadhaar card could be denied government services. In the meanwhile, Ranjan Gogoi is likely to move back to Guwahati on November 20 and settle down in retirement.

2

ISRO to launch Cartosat-3 in November

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is set to launch its earth imaging and mapping satellite Cartosat-3 on November 25. According to reports, Cartosat-3 will be launched along with other 13 commercial nano satellites from the USA. The launch is tentatively scheduled at 09:28 hrs IST from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota on November 25, subject to weather conditions, ISRO said speaking to media.

3

BJP MP Pragya Thakur nominated to parliamentary panel on defence

BJP Lok Sabha member Pragya Singh Thakur has been nominated to a 21-member Parliamentary Consultative Committee of the Ministry of Defence headed by Union Minister Rajnath Singh. Reacting to this, Congress on Twitter wrote, “Pragya Thakur, a terror accused & Godse fanatic has been nominated by the BJP govt. to be a member of the Parliamentary Panel on Defence. This move is an insult to our nation’s defence forces, to our nation’s esteemed parliamentarians & to every Indian.”

It is to be mentioned that the consultative committee is decided by the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs and not by parliament itself.

4

After Shah calls for panIndia NRC Mamata Banerjee says won’t allow in Bengal

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, on November 20, said that she would not allow the NRC exercise in her state. This statement came after union home minister Amit Shah said that National Register of Citizens (NRC) exercise will be held all over India along with a fresh NRC in Assam. Addressing a public meeting in Murshidabad district, Banerjee said that there are a few people who are trying to create disturbance in the state in the name of implementation of NRC. Further she added, NRC in Assam was part of the Assam Accord signed during the tenure of former PM Rajiv Gandhi, hence the exercise can never be implemented across India.

5

Anil Ambani resigns as Director of Reliance Communications

Chairman of the Reliance Communications, Anil Ambani has tendered his resignation as director of Reliance Communications. Anil D Ambani, Chhaya Virani, Manjari Kacker have tendered their resignations as directors of the company on November 15, while Ryna Karani has tendered her resignation as director on November 14. Suresh Rangachar had tendered resignation as director of company on November 13. The company’s Q2FY20 consolidated net loss include exceptional loss was of Rs 1,250 crores.

6

Vishal Dadlani terms Ranjan Gogoi’s legacy as ‘Disgraceful and Cowardly’

Music composer and Indian Idol 11 judge Vishal Dadlani has sparked controversy by terming former Chief Justice of India, Ranjan Gogoi’s legacy as “disgraceful and cowardly.” On November 18 Dadlani tweeted, “Goodbye, ex-CJI Gogoi, and I hope you can stomach the disgraceful and cowardly legacy you have left this august office.”

Gogoi retired on November 17 since his appointment as the CJI on October 3, 2018.

He gave judgements to some of the most iconic cases in India like the Ayodhya Land Dispute case, Sabrimala Temple and Rafale Deal.

7

China has encroached 50-60 km in Arunachal Pradesh: BJP MP Tapir Gao

BJP MP Tapir Gao, speaking in Lok Sabha during Zero Hour, said that China had “occupied 50-60 kilometres” of Indian territory on November 19. Gao also warned that if there will be a Doklam-like standoff with the neighbouring country, China, it will be in Arunachal Pradesh. He further added that China raised objections by conducting an official press conference when defence minister Rajnath Singh visited Tawang area of the state on November 14. Earlier, in September this year, the MP had claimed that the Chinese Army intruded into Arunachal Pradesh’s remote Anjaw district and constructed a bridge over a stream.

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Yogi Govt seeks to rename Agra to Agravan

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Indian Railways hike meal prices of Rajdhani, Shatabdi, Duronto Express

The Uttar Pradesh government led by chief minister Yogi Adityanath is planning to change the name of Agra to Agravan. According to reports, the UP government has asked the Ambedkar University in Agra to look into the historical aspect of the name. Sources say the government has moved to change Agra’s name to Agravan as it is believed by some that earlier the place was known as Agravan. However, historians have been asked to look into the circumstances and time when Agravan’s name was changed to Agra. Earlier, the UP govt had changed the name of Allahabad to Prayagraj and the historic Mughal Sarai railway station was renamed after Deendayal Upadhyay.

The Railway Board has decided to hike the price of meals on Rajdhani Express, Shatabdi Express and Duronto trains, which will result in a hike in their fares. “Ministry of Railways dated 14th November has revised the Menu and Tariff of Catering Services on Rajdhani/Shatabdi/Duronto and Standard Meals on Indian Railways,” a circular issued by the Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) said. As per the new charges, a cup of tea will now cost the passengers Rs 35 in AC first class of Rajdhani, Shatabdi and Duronto trains. The prices of the breakfast, lunch and dinner have also been hiked.

10

First ever day-night test match between IndiaBangladesh begins

Kolkata’s Eden Gardens stadium has added another important chapter in the history of Indian cricket by becoming the country’s first venue to host a day-night test match between India and Bangladesh. It is a historic moment as both the sides are playing their first ever daynight test with a pink ball. The test began on November 22.

Bangladesh won the toss and opted to bat first. However, it is to be mentioned that, India and Bangladesh along with Afghanistan and Ireland are the only teams to have not played a day-night Test yet. Since the 1st-ever day-night Test between Australia and New Zealand in 2015, 11 more have been played.

City

G PLUS | Nov 23 - Nov 29, 2019

11

The glory days of Guwahati’s Kelvin cinema In this new series, G Plus takes a nostalgic ride back to the days when iconic cinema halls of Guwahati were the only “go to” places of entertainment. The focus in this issue is on Kelvin Cinema that was located at Tokobari.

Mohua @guwahatiplus

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hen Jyoti Prasad completed the first Assamese film Joymoti in 1935, there were no regular cinema halls in the state. He had to screen the film in makeshift auditoriums, schools, godowns and theatre halls. The later stages saw quite a number of theatres coming up. In Guwahati, halls

Both halls, in Shillong and Guwahati, derived their names “Kelvin” from their movie projectors branded “Kelvin.” These were kerosene and petrolrun projector made in Germany which had been imported

by Unger. like the Choudhury Talkies and Rupasree on AT Road, Kelvin at Tokobari, Pragjyotish at Maligaon, Mayur Krishna at Fatasil Ambari, Urvasi and Bijuli at Fancy Bazar, had an immense capacity to pull movie buffs. But unfortunately, due to a few unavoidable reasons they could not continue to attract the same strong crowds as they had in the initial stages.

The story behind Kelvin cinema hall

Kelvin Cinema of Guwahati — the second cinema hall in the fledgling town — with an audience capacity of 302 persons who were to sit on chairs, benches and planks and enjoy the show, came into existence in 1935.

One hundred and twenty five years ago, a young man named Ganeshdas Goenka arrived in Assam all the way from Rajasthan by train, steamer and pony cart in search of a fortune. He chose to settle down in Shillong, the new administrative headquarters of Assam where no Marwari businessman had set foot till then.

Soon Ganeshdas started exporting potatoes and ginger from Shillong

to Calcutta. Business thrived and Ganeshdas got married in the process earning the distinction of being the first Marwari family in Shillong. He was blessed with two sons — Balchand and Jeevanram — who in course of time joined the family business. Jeevanram had many an innovative idea.

He wanted to diversify their family business and venture into something new in Assam. He decided to start a cinema hall in Shillong after landing a contract of electric wiring of the governor’s house. His idea metamorphosed into the Kelvin Cinema — the first full-fledged cinema hall in Assam.

In 1895, Ganeshdas had purchased a plot of land measuring 2.2 bighas at Fancy Bazar, Guwahati for Rs 500 only.

The plot had been lying vacant for nearly four decades. The successful run of the cinema hall in Shillong convinced Jeevanram into starting a similar venture in Guwahati. He and his new partner, Mr Unger, built a cinema hall on the vacant plot. And thus in 1935 came into existence Kelvin Cinema. Both halls, in Shillong and Guwahati, derived their names “Kelvin” from their movie projectors branded “Kelvin.”

These were kerosene and petrolrun projector made in Germany which had been imported by Unger.

Unfortunately, unlike in Shillong, the Goenkas failed to run the Guwahati theatre very successfully and within two years it was leased out to a Bihari gentleman named Biajnath Chowdhury. The latter ran the business successfully for nearly two decades. Later, in 1956, the possession of the hall again passed into the hands of the Goenkas through litigation.

By that time the next generation of the Goenkas had come into the picture. Shankar Goenka and Mahavir Goenka now took up the Kelvin business in Guwahati and this started a fresh chapter in the history of the hall.

Since the 1940s, huge money was being poured into the film industry. The American and Allied soldiers stationed in the town lavishly spent in watching movies. Business spiraled. In 1956, a new Philips projector was installed replacing the old Kelvin but the hall retained its name. The first documentary on Laksminanth Bezbaroa too was released in this hall by Sri Bishnu

Ram Medhi, ex chief minister of Assam.

Shankar Goenka, the sole proprietor of the house since 1982, recalls with pride some of the “firsts” that Kelvin Group of halls (which included Kelvin, Anjali and Bijou Talkies in Shillong and Kelvin Cinema of Guwahati) had achieved. They introduced the first cinemascope, the first “television”, first 70 mm screen in Assam. Matinee and noon shows first started at this very theatre. Shankar Goenka recollects, “Mughal-e-Azam was such a super-duper hit that we had to arrange an extra show to cope up with the rush.”

Kelvin also created some allAssam records.

This theatre has the unique distinction of screening the “single hall golden jubilee movie” among the cinema halls in Assam. Jai Santoshi Maa had a record 53 weeks uninterrupted run at this hall — the record remains unbroken in Assam till date. It was also the first theatre in town to screen an English movie.

Dramatist and litterateur, Late Lakhyadhar Chowdhury, had said in an interview a few days before his death that he was introduced to the best of English movies at Kelvin Cinema.

There are many interesting anecdotes about the hall. When Jai Santoshi Maa was screened, the operators named Khoka and Bhimlal Singh performed pujas everyday in front of the huge cutouts of Goddess Santoshi before starting the machine. The hall was also nicknamed “Silver Hall” in the film distribution circle as most of the movies released here from 1950s to 1970s celebrated silver jubilees — Aan, Kismat, Anarakali, Mughal-e-Azam —

the list seems endless.

One day when Nagin was being screened, two live snakes appeared in front of the screen.

The news spread like wildfire through the town and the movie too had a silver jubilee.

Kelvin is indeed a part of Assam’s cinematic heritage.

In recognition of his great contribution, Jeevanram Goenka

was honoured with the title of Rai Bahadur by the British government in 1934 — he brought cinema to Assam.

12 City

G PLUS | Nov 23 - Nov 29, 2019

2 day national conference of CAs in Guwahati inaugurated G Plus News @guwahatiplus

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he National Conference of Chartered Accountants was inaugurated on 22nd November at Pragjyoti ITA Centre, Machkhowa in Guwahati. CA Jay Chhaira, Chairman PDC of ICAI and Sri Sunil Kumar Tandon, CGM State Bank of India, LHO Guwahati inaugurated the mega conference with the galaxy of Central Council and Regional Council members and Managing Committee members of the organising Branch.

The Chairman of PDC of ICAI, CA Jay Chhaira presented his thoughts on the profession the opportunities that lies ahead of us and ever changing and dynamic business environment.

Hon’ble Minister of Finance of Govt of Assam Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma addressed the Chartered Accountants at the conference.

He appreciated the efforts of over 3,00,000 lakhs CA’s towards the nation during demonetisation, GST and Swacch Bharat Abhiyan.

He was happy to know about the process of Continuing Professional Education for the upgradation of the members in this changing environment for which conferences and seminars are organised on important topics and changes regularly.

He also spoke about the role of CAs towards making our country a Superpower, Developed and

a Five Trillion Economy. He thanked the organising team for such a wonderful and knowledge gaining symposium. He also launched a mobile application for the Chartered Accountants of North East India which is supposed to be a ready referencer for the CAs to be updated in this changing scenario.

The Chairman of the Guwahati Branch, CA. Dhiraj Kumar Jain also delivered a short and crisp address to all the dignitaries and the members present in the hall. He informed the house that the two day conference is themed on exploring the future of the profession keeping in mind the young and vibrant professionals at the centre of it and is titled “Utkarsh – In Pursuit of Excellence”. He quoted about creating the new thoughts and take the path of Utkarsh.

CA Debashis Mitra, Central Council Member quoted about the three pillars of the profession – Independence, Integrity and Excellence.

An elaborate technical session

by CA Kapil Goel from New Delhi focusing on the Assessment Issues and Issues on Operation Clean Money marked the First Technical Session along with CA. Sunil H Talati from Ahmedabad who presented a detailed insight on the E Assessment proceedings.

The Second Technical Session on Code of Ethics, Corporate Laws and Accounting Standards was dealt very well with respect to the recent changes. CA (Dr.) Debashis Mitra gave a good insight with

The attendance at the inaugural ceremony of the CAs national conference at Pragjyoti ITA, Machkhowa respect to the recent changes in Code of Ethics and changing scenario of Compliance under Corporate Law. CA Dhananjay Gokhale educated the audience with revised Reporting formats.

CA. Sharad Agarwalla, Vice Chairman of the Branch informed the members that the second day of the Conference would be equally vibrant as critical analysis on GST Law with respect to Search, Seizure and Arrest Provisions under GST Law and issues arising out of Claims and Discount under GST Laws. The topic is of huge

current importance and it is expected that it would gather a house full of delegates on the Saturday morning to discuss the integrities of the very famous GST law.

CA. Saurabh Choudhary and CA. (Dr.) Ayush Saraf, both Managing Committee members were overwhelmed to put up the gala cultural evening on Friday where euphoric performances were staged by the Chartered Accountants of this region who were delegates at the Conference.

The Registration Committee at the Conference informed

that around 900 Chartered Accountants, students and leaders of the Profession from all over the country attended this Conference.

CA. Himanshu Agarwal, Chairman of the Media & Publicity Committee for the Conference informed the press that this two day mega conference is a twelve hour Continuing Professional Education programme of the Institute, wherein the members sharpen their axe of professional skills and update themselves with the latest changes and amendments of recent times.

Entrepreneur Runa Rafique to be conferred women empowerment award G Plus News @guwahatiplus

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he “Trig Empowering Institute,” a leading training centre for aviation and hospitality based out of Guwahati, Assam, is celebrating its 2nd Foundation Day on 26th November, 2019 with an award ceremony among other activities.

The institute has trained more than 200 students and has successfully placed 80% of them in various positions

across industries pan India. Trig was founded with the vision to empower the youth of North East India and it takes utmost pride in the work it is doing. A few of its top placements were with Spicejet, Air Asia, Indigo, Novotel, Palacio and The Lodhi among others.

The institute was founded and led by Shyamanga Protim Kashyap who brings to the table more than 15 years of combined experience spanning Consulting, BPO, Business Development, Training and Project Management, Aviation etc. A

true visionary, Kashyap was recently invited and recognized as a Young Entrepreneur from the North-East and attended the Young Leaders Connect Conclave on October 30, 2019 in New Delhi, where the likes of personalities like Kiren Rijiju, Baichung Bhutia, MC Mary Kom and Conrad Sangma, to name a few, were among the dignitaries present. Trig stands for innovation in designing of its modules which encompass not only the professional aspect but also the human aspect and which makes it the most trainee-

friendly institute in Guwahati.

On the occasion of the successful completion of its second year on November 26, 2019, Trig Empowering Institute desires to present an Award under the theme of Women Empowerment. The award is called “Empowering Northeast Award 2019”. Towards this, a credible committee was formed with eminent persons who were entrusted with the duty of selecting the recipient of this prestigious award. The committee decided to bestow the Award to Smt. Runa Rafique in

appreciation of her commitment towards woman empowerment and she herself remains a shining example of an empowered woman doing wonders in the field of entrepreneurship breaking new grounds in path that is off the beaten track.

The function will be held on November 26, 2019 at Hotel Palacio and will start from 4.30 pm. The award will be bestowed on her by Smt Riniki Bhuyan Sarma, chairperson of Pride East Entertainment Pvt Ltd, who herself is a living example of an empowered woman.

Guest Column

G PLUS | Nov 23 - Nov 29, 2019

Siachen: Guns & Roses

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GUEST COLUMN

The battle field on the roof of the world

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iachen Glacier is named after the Pink Sia blossoms that bloom across Ladakh in the summer months. But ironically in Siachen no roses bloom. Displayed prominently at the Siachen Army Base Camp, “The land is so barren and passes are so high that only the fiercest of enemies and the best of friends wants to visit us.”

The author tries to put in perspective the strategic importance of the Siachen Glacier and why it is important for India to keep the location under its control vis-avis the belligerent dispositions of Pakistan and China.

Siachen is home to some of the world’s tallest mountains, snow cap tops giving way to rivers and many passes. It is a mesmerizing landscape of towering peaks, ridges, deep crevices and velvet folds, with ice walls that rise a mile high and hug the clouds. For a soldier however, Siachen is a place where hell freezes over. Now it has been many decades that both the N-Armed States (India & Pakistan)

are at war at those 18,000-21,000 feet plus altitudes.

The Siachen glacier is strategically located in the Eastern Karakoram Range of the Himalayas. It lies north of Point NJ9842, where the LoC ends.

Siachen “serves as a wedge” between Baltistan in Pakistanoccupied Kashmir (PoK) and the Shaksgam valley that Pakistan illegally ceded to its “big brother” China.

The root cause of the Siachen conflict lies in the vague text of the 1949 Karachi Agreement. The Agreement described the ceasefire line in Kashmir as running up to NJ9842, north to the glacier, but nothing was mentioned beyond the point of NJ9842. In the 1972 Shimla Agreement, the ceasefire line was converted into LoC but the confusion of the boundary beyond NJ9842 was not addressed. Siachen is so inhospitable in its terrain that both the countries initially failed to understand its strategic importance.

In the 1970’s India started waking up to the fact that Siachen Glacier was shown as part of PoK in many maps published by western countries. India also became aware of the fact that Pakistan was permitting western mountaineers access to the Siachen, to quietly establish its claim over the area. In the 1980’s India learned of Pakistan’s purchase of high-altitude fighting gear for its troops. Anticipating a Pakistani occupation of the Siachen, the Indian Army, in 1983,

made a pre-emptive move and occupied the Saltoro Ridge. In 1987, a misadventure was initiated

by Pakistan when it ordered its troops to set up a post within Indian territory and thereafter succeeded in its mission to set up Quaid post at 21,153 feet on a massive mass of ice known a Bila-Fondla. This was a challenge that the Indian Army couldn’t

in the glacier.

Since 1984 big guns were constantly being fired in the glacier till November 2003 when they fell silent as a ceasefire was agreed upon by both the sides.

However, soldiers are still dying on both sides, not of bullets but of harsh terrain and merciless weather. Oxygen is so rare at these heights that every breath is a

it plays a vital role in defending the country’s sovereignty. The Siachen plays a critical role in India’s “forward defense.” India’s

ignore. The Indian Army launched “Operation Meghdoot” and recovered the post and renamed it as Bana Post. Since then, the Indian Army is controlling all the high peaks of Siachen Glacier and has been in dominating position

painful battle for life.

No Alternatives There is no doubt that deployment (human & financial) is very costly in Siachen, but these costs seem justifiable at the present geo-political scenario, as

control of the glacier prevents China and Pakistan from militarily linking up in the region.

Saltoro and Siachen gives India the control over important mountain passes that are the “gateways” to Ladakh and Kashmir.

Many fear that some power hungry politicians and idealistic bureaucrats would let go the of the long term strategic advantage of holding

the Siachen for short term gains.

(The author is a graduate in Bachelor of Arts, Ramjas College, Delhi University)

Prabal Bharadwaj

Demilitarizing the Glacier

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henever tragedy strikes the glacier and soldiers get martyred, there are calls from various

sections to demilitarize the area and some often come up with some very idealistic ideas like declaring the region as “Zone of Peace” or establishing

a “Peace Park” in the glacier.

Such calls for demilitarization of Siachen evoke alarm in India’s military and intelligence establishments.

14 G Talk E

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G PLUS | Nov 23 - Nov 29, 2019 T

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The unwarranted IIT-G mess

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ndian Institute of Technology, Guwahati (or IIT-G) has always been regarded as an example to emulate by other state and national universities of the region.

Such has been its hallowed reputation as a centre of excellence that its deans and administrators have been part of the academic crème de la crème of Guwahatian society. Its former director, Gautam Baruah, remains one of the most respected educationists and education administrators of our times and even post his retirement, he is a much sought after person in the region’s science and technology seminars.

The change of guard, it seems, has brought along with it some unpalatable occurrences that have begun to tarnish the image and reputation of IIT-G. And these involve finances and their misappropriation thereof.

Corruption, to put it simply!

All of these currently are in the allegation stage and so, it would be improper for me to be explicitly critical any further. But I have always believed that there can’t be smoke without a fire.

However, what is certainly wrong and can be considered as a failure on the part of the institute’s management is the fact that its students (who are among the brightest and most intelligent in the nation)

are resorting to agitation thereby eroding the studious and academic atmosphere in this pristine institute.

When something like this happens where students become rebellious against the management, then it is very clear that the management is somewhere at fault and a very impartial enquiry needs to be undertaken. After all, pushing students into agitation for something as despicable as corruption in the institution (and thereby terminating the services of an able professor on the grounds of ‘whistle-blowing’ against the management) stems of rot that has been permeating for a while now and this certainly does not augur well for the sharpest brains in the country.

IIT-G needs to come clean on the issue even if it means that the central ministry has to step in. After all, we have had a really clean government at the Centre and such “allegations of corruption” need to be cleared upfront. However, the disturbing observation is that the institute’s management is using strong arm tactics on the students and attempting to sweep the dust under the carpet. There has not been a single statement in the media from the institute’s PRO and everyone is being evasive. Not done IIT-G! Swapnil Bharali (Editor) @swapnilbharali

India’s College Campus: Politics, Protests and Classrooms

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wo of India’s largest educational institutions have grabbed the headlines, as their campuses have become a hotbed for protests that stem from controversies of mismanagement and corruption.

The hike of fees at JNU and a professor’s allegations of corruption at IIT Guwahati have just reinforced the coffee table discussions, that ‘education is now a business’.

While subsidized education is crucial for the development of a country, for the longest time, education has had ‘leakages’. Subsidized education can be an effective tool to uplift the weaker sections of the society, but instead of being plugged, it has been plagued with loopholes.

Subsidized education is only effective if it reaches the intended target audience. But because of the failure to do better background checks and correct data, a lot of people who do not need these subsidies continue to avail them, at a cost, borne by taxpayers. But with taxpayers tapped to the max, the hike at JNU affects the economically backward students.

Students who come from good financial backgrounds do not need subsidies, but several of my acquaintances are beneficiaries at JNU, and therein lay the problem.

As far illegal appointments are concerned, most private and government institutions violate norms at various levels because transparency in the education system is still lacking. The lack of good teachers and security of jobs are equally responsible. As professors fail to complete the syllabus, teach from outdated texts, fix attendance problems with a “fee”, India’s education system is begging for a sincere overhaul.

While colleges could try and steer away from politics in campus, bring focus on fellowships and grants, research and foreign exchange programs, everyone thinks that that would silence the voice of the ‘young minds.’

Well, young minds are easily corruptible and aren’t we all trying to tackle that very problem?

Sidharth Bedi Varma @sid_bv

NE’s helping hand to the ageing Nippon

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apan, the land of the rising sun is ageing at an unprecedented pace and people aged 65 and older in Japan make up a quarter of its total population.

This number is estimated to reach one third of the nation’s total population by 2050. The number of elderly people had already surpassed the number of children there in the year 1997. To add to this predicament, Japan also has one of world’s lowest fertility rates combined

There is enough room for Indian talent to enter the Japanese job markets. Their growing economy also indicates a shrinking pool of workers which is inversely proportional to the rise in number of jobs. with the world’s highest life expectancy.

The Japanese government has drawn up an elaborate plan to attract global talent to work in Japan in order to meet its requirement of 8,45,000 workers by 2025 and the Japanese Centre of Excellence (JACEEX) in Guwahati is here to do just that.

This organization provides a window of opportunities for people to live, study, learn and earn in Japan. This organization does not simply teach the language and culture of Japan but also provides support for job hunting and employment in collaboration with institutions in Tokyo, Osaka and Fukuoka in Japan.

Here one can gain proficiency in Japanese language at various

levels right from beginner to advanced and expert levels learning by experienced teachers from around the globe using the most advanced teaching styles.

Apart from this, one can also learn to cultivate the language and culture into their lifestyle with a dedicated stand alone programme for the same.

The Japan Centre of Excellence (JACEEX) aims at empowerment of youth from across 8 states of the northeast. The organization was started with the objective of sensitizing the youth about the Japanese language, food habits, music, art, lifestyle and culture. The organization facilitates youngsters of the northeast region to pick from and make use of the myriad of opportunities that Japan has to offer amidst their productive work force crisis.

This gives northeasterners numerous options in terms of career choices along with promising income levels which are about 10 times higher than what may be offered to similar professionals here in India.

The organization also focuses on creating a highly skilled workforce having Japanese skill standards, work ethics, sincerity and integrity, dignity of labour and human equality.

India and Japan have both emerged as close strategic partners over the past few decades and have joined hands in cooperation for the economic development India’s northeast through connectivity building and infrastructure projects. The Act East Policy has been the driving force behind the flow of Japanese assistance in the region where even China is barred from stepping foot. In the way Japanese assistance is vital for the infrastructural development of our nation, Japan too is in need of more workers as the country’s labour shortage reaches its most extreme level today.

There is enough room for Indian talent to enter the Japanese job markets. Their growing economy also indicates

rDrones and national security

O pinion Rifa Deka

a shrinking pool of workers which is inversely proportional to the rise in number of jobs.

What better place than Japan for those settling for less than what they deserve in a saturated job market like ours?

“Japan needs people who can assimilate into their culture.

Although this centre is set up in Guwahati, its aim is to spread its tentacles across the most remote interiors of northeast and empower even those job seekers who lack basic employable skills. At JACEEX, they are taught both the skill of their choice and the tongue, giving a ray of hope to all those willing to work in Japan or in Japanese companies in India,” says Rajeev Gupta, founder of JACEEX who has rich experience as well as knowledge of working with Japanese companies in trade and commerce for over the past two decades as well of the northeast region.

The organization has embarked on this remarkable journey to make people aware of the different routes which can be adopted by them for an alternative career in Japan or Japanese companies in India.

“In a nutshell, if these youth ambassadors of northeast were to bring in funds from foreign shores, it would tremendously help speed up socio-economic development in this part of the country,” says AK Absar Hazarika, advisor of JACEEX and former commissioner and secretary, government of Assam.

Their enterprise does not only provide a vista of opportunities to the people of the region, but also trains people in multitude skill sets, lifestyle, Japanese language and culture in a manner that these job seekers can most easily assimilate into the ‘Nihon’ (Nippon) culture.

Letter to the Editor

I would like to draw attention to the current trend, ‘DRONE’ which has posed a national threat to our country.

Drones are witnessed to be used commercially as well as for defence purpose. But in a recent survey, it has come to be known that half the drones owned by individuals are unauthorised. This raises a question about the privacy and security of the residents of our country.

Last month a drone was spotted in Punjab border which was again an unidentified one. Though the investigation is under process, it is still a risk to our nation.

I believe Drones which are easily available in the market, is now a rising threat to humanity.

Through this letter I would request official to take note of this important issue and take some serious steps regarding the same.

Susmita Baruah Royal Global University, Guwahati

In Focus

G PLUS | Nov 23 - Nov 29, 2019

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Fresh NRC in Assam along with rest of India: Amit Shah in Parliament G Plus News @guwahatiplus

exercise in her state.

Addressing a public meeting in Murshidabad district, Banerjee said that there are a few people who are trying to create disturbance in the state in the name of implementation of NRC. Further, she said that NRC in Assam was part of the Assam Accord signed during

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nion Home Minister Amit Shah announced that the National Register of Citizens (NRC) will be part of a nationwide exercise and will be conducted afresh in Assam.

“The NRC exercise in Assam was conducted according to an act and also as per the direction of the Supreme Court of India.

The NRC exercise will happen in the entire nation and then a fresh exercise will be conducted in Assam too,” said Amit Shah.

“The process of National Register of Citizens (NRC) will be carried out across the country. No one, irrespective of religion, should be worried. It is just a process to get everyone under the NRC,” he added.

Meanwhile, Amit Shah’s announcement has been welcomed by the Assam government to update the NRC again.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee however, on November 20, said that she would not allow the NRC

the tenure of former PM Rajiv Gandhi. Hence the exercise can never be implemented across India.

Reacting to the news, Guwahatians gave a negative reaction and shared their views on the G Plus social media channels.

“The derailment of the entire process of NRC in Assam, only highlights that, when you hire a Cat as guard to protect Milk...the result will be obvious....,” wrote

Sanjay Singha.

Questioning the government, Rajid Choudhury wrote, “Why Again??? What about the

previous one?? What about 1600 CR spent on NRC and harassment which people had to face standing in long queues for hours?”

Taking a jibe at Amit Shah, another citizen wrote, “Has he gone insane? No, we don’t want to go through that again. And don’t even try to say idiotic things like ‘Desh ka bhala, etc.’ We all know why they want to do this.”

Some citizens mocked the decision. Abhijit Debnath wrote, “That’s a really great news...

Govt. has already spent crores

of money in the last NRC. For this fresh NRC, if more money is required we still have many PSU’s left to be sold!!!”

“I suggest let NRC be done every year. It will generate a lot of employment, much needed for the present government,” added another citizen.

Rupam B drew a comparison between IPL and NRC and wrote, “This will be like IPL playoffs. Most people looted money; even local people who were employed in the committee took bribes to bring name of citizens to the list.”

Students protest in Guwahati against fee hike in JNU The Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) fee hike embers reached Guwahati as students from various organisations protested in front of Nehru Park. G Plus followers commented on our digital channels.

Mohmeet Aslam

Many people remain indifferent to a problem thinking that it does not affect them. Sometimes their own individual problems like family tensions and job pressures keep them so engaged that they do not find time to be interested in what affects others. It is only when their own interests are involved that they become agitated and start taking an interest in the problem.

Arindam Baul

JNU has some great future of our country. Why not mould them to what they actually feel instead of diverting them to what they don’t even understand? This country already has so many enemies and threats from outside. Why create new ones from amongst us for political benefits? Think aloud the “people’s representatives/public servants.”

Deep Gogoi

Ganesh Khatiwara

JNU students going with iPhones in their hand and branded clothes and then protesting on this issue is something I just can’t digest. All of these they can manage, but they can’t afford to pay 300/- PM fee. And most importantly on an average these people are 30+. We are wasting our tax payers’ money by running so pathetically. Shut down JNU for 2 years. These students should get a good lesson. They are there to study and to follow leftist propaganda.

Prabal Ranjan Goswami

All of them who are laughing on the protest still haven’t got any idea what is happening. Fees hike will reach them soon. Sooner or later you’ll face it anyway. Keep laughing. It should have happened long time back but I’m glad it’s happening now. Education at most reasonable cost is our right. Rather than reacting with “haha” I think everyone should come forward.

It should be understood that the issue is not JNU. All public universities are directed to generate resources by the UGC. One of the ways to generate “resource” is through an increase in fees, charging applicants applying for jobs as teachers. Recently a public university didn’t go for short-listing candidates for the post of Asst. Professor but created a long list, charging huge amounts of money as fees. So those reacting with a “haha” will also suffer in one form or the other unless they don’t have any stake in higher education.

16 Buzz

G PLUS | Nov 23 - Nov 29, 2019

City school hosts third inter-school cricket tournament

US based NRA honoured with More Powerful Women award

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Digaru Food & Music Festival at Panacea - The Village set for the weekend

City school shines at Wild Wisdom Quiz 2019

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oyal Global School hosted the 3rd Little Masters’ Cup 2019, an inter-school cricket (U13) tournament, as part of its Inter-School Sports Meet recently. Up to 40 schools from across the region took part in the event that came to an end with a closing ceremony at the school premises in Guwahati, Assam on Sunday, Nov 17.

The trophy was eventually bagged by City Faculty School, Guwahati.

The inter-school sports meet was introduced by Royal Global School in 2013. The idea of the event was to develop sports among the region and also to give an exposure to the young talents of different schools.

anacea-the Village is hosting a two-day extravaganza, Digaru Food and Music Festival on 23rd and 24th of November, 2019.

This multifaceted festival will highlight a fusion of traditional and contemporary activities to enthral everyone over the weekend.

Talking to G Plus, owner of Panacea, Ashok Saikia stated, “The festival has been organised to promote eco tourism and it aims to highlight the work of local artisans. Our idea behind the event is to connect with the local artists and showcase their work on a larger platform.”

The event is divided into two halves with games, product stalls, buffet lunch/dinner and adventure sports. It is to be mentioned that Panacea is the only eco resort in Guwahati which provides adventure activities like Zip-lines, Sling Walk, Burma Bridge, Archery etc.

The biggest attraction of this event is undoubtedly the food that will be served at the stalls in the morning.

The variety of meats cooked

in their traditional manner is sure to draw in all the foodies of Guwahati who like to enrich their taste buds.

Tickets are available at selected outlets like Cafe Hendrix, 11th Avenue, Piazza, Baker’s Special etc.

S based Assamese woman, Mitra Kalita, has been honoured with the title of ‘More Powerful Women’ by a leading media company Cablefox.

Cablefox annually honours some of the top women in the media industry who had managed to raise the bar for themselves

elhi Public School Guwahati has emerged as one of the winners of Wild Wisdom Quiz (WWQ) 2019, which is Asia’s biggest and India’s only internationallevel wildlife quiz competition.

The competition was held in New Delhi on November 19 and 20.

Adhiraj Kar of Class VIII and Samarjit Das of Class VI represented the Indian team after winning the national championship of WWQ. The Indian team represented by the duo secured the fourth position, while Columbia (USA) was declared winner and the United Kingdom team bagged the second position.

Television artiste Cyrus Sahukar was the quiz master for both the national and international levels of the competition.

with their strong skills and bold leadership.

Kalita has been awarded in the ‘Digital’ category among the list of ‘More Powerful Women’ by Cablefox.

According to Cablefox, Kalita “leads the national news desk and efforts to share CNN’s storytelling across all platforms.”

This year over 1,30,000 students participated in the WWF Wild Wisdom Quiz- 2019.

The quiz was to celebrate the natural world and encourage children to learn more about planet Earth and its natural wonders through a fun-filled and participatory methodology.

Feature

G PLUS | Nov 23 - Nov 29, 2019

Tales from the Crypt O ne ought to travel to Mainland China once a year if in the vicinity. Chinese visa for Indians is hassle free.

Consequently, I had planned trips to Guangzhou, the world’s big bazaar, Shenzhen, the seedy border town, Xian, the heritage site, Shanghai, the fiscal capital, Beijing’s Great Wall and Changsha, the birthplace of Mao, not excluding Macau, the Asian Vegas. ‘Zhonguo’ or the middle kingdom will always remain a special destination because of its intriguing history. The mainland Chinese are sarcastically

Once I saw a lady strip down to her underwear to change into another outfit without anyone batting an eyelid.

This lack of selfconsciousness doesn’t stem from ignorance but an impulse not to be left behind in the milieu of masses. nicknamed ‘locusts’ for they come in droves and devour everything, while the Hong Kongers in turn, are derogatorily termed British sobs for carrying the torch of their colonial masters. Chinese tourists who travel in throngs are sought after worldwide because they bring in the big bucks. The flip side is they lack manners and are stingy with local help. Many guides I’ve spoken to, like them to the point they turn crafty and begin carting their own agents, depriving locals a pie of the profits.

The Chinese in the Mainland may be crass but they’re cordial given a chance and I’ve got attention of the agreeable sort there. However, I am aware of scams and frauds but have been lucky so far since I don’t stand out like other foreigners. Hence, a little guile offers ample amusing anecdotes. Many tourists are duped by young couples who pretend to strike a conversation to improve English over a cuppa and before you know it, you foot a large bill wherein the same cohort pretends not to understand a syllable uttered. Fortunately, my brother Aku and friends who had been there before alerted me of such schemes. Another trick is the tea party ceremony or traditional Chinese calligraphy lesson, where you’re compelled to buy merchandise that’s probably 1/10th the price you’ll reluctantly pay. I have seen and been in

queues, but the ones in China defy logic; people are willing to wait a quarter of their lives for stuff they can do without. Guangzhou Metro is an interesting place to people watch. Once I saw a lady strip down to her underwear to change into another outfit without anyone batting an eyelid.

This lack of self-consciousness doesn’t stem from ignorance but an impulse not to be left behind in the milieu of masses.

In 2014 I made 2 trips to China; first to Shanghai, the commercial capital and the second to Xian. I boarded the high-speed ‘Maglev’ from the centre to the airport and it wasn’t a waste of the 20 Renminbi (RMB) as I got there in 5 minutes flat on a train without wheels. I spent 5 days there: 3 in a tiny room on the Bund or the waterfront area of central Shanghai and 2 at my friend’s who had taken up residence there with her family. Needless to say the stay at their spacious flat felt like home. It was indeed a great pleasure to meet the attractive Rupa with a brilliant smile and brains to boot and Uzzal her successful husband, after decades. It was equally amazing to meet the smart teenage kids of the college sweethearts (we were teenagers ourselves when we first met in Cotton College). The family has toured their share of exotic Asian destinations and are currently in Philippines on a work visa. Shanghai felt like Hong Kong with its vibrant skyscrapers and chrome monstrosities. The serene classical ‘Yu’ garden beside the City God temple, in the middle of the megalopolis is a must do.

Shanghai has a flamboyance Beijing lacks, in its glamour and grandiosity.

Like me, you’ve probably watched the Hollywood blockbuster sequel ‘The Mummy’, starring Brendan Fraser and Jet Li. I watched it once more before I decided to visit Xian which housed the tomb of the dragon emperor. After being allowed entry into Central China in August by poker faced immigration officials I looked for a taxi to the city. I had with me a brown hat, a handbag and one suitcase, light traveller that I am.

After agreeing to pay 200 RMB I boarded an airport taxi as the driver nodded in the affirmative when I showed him the hotel address printout. Without a local SIM and minimum Mandarin I assumed I’d wing it as usual. 5 minutes later the taxi abruptly stopped near a gas station on the highway. My heart skipped a beat. Am I being kidnapped?

Then I was instructed to get into another small cab to which I conceded as I wasn’t prepared to do battle just then. What do I do now? The cabbie put the luggage into the economy alternative ride and drove me away. Am I safe?

After a few minutes the other

driver pulled us over to hand me the hat I’d left behind. It was this gesture that assured me I wasn’t in danger but must be prepared to pay more. The incident cracked me up, because unlike Indian cabbies who look like they would rob and rape you given a slip of a chance, that was a slick trick to make more money.

With a sigh of relief, I made out dusty but wide roads, much construction and chaotic traffic.

After 45 minutes we arrived at the city centre of Xian. To both our frustration it took some

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bothered or stared at during the 2 hour ride so I enjoyed the sights of the countryside. It was almost noon when the bus stopped at the popular site with scores of tourists: local and foreigners.

There were plenty of guides so I thought it better to get one for myself to get into the fast lane. After some bargaining I settled for the smart, pretty, bespectacled, decent Englishspeaking Mary who demanded 500 RMB for her services. In brief, the archaeological area consists of 4 burial pits and a palace

Xian has lots including a walled palace and Moslem market. Next day around 10 am after a quick brekky of flatbread and meatburger at the same fast food joint, I took a city bus to the walled city for a quick stroll then spent the evening at the popular market

housing arrays of armies of Qin, the first Emperor of China. Each cavernous pit holds innumerable terracotta statues of soldiers, horses and equipment for war in the celestial realm. The enormity of the incredible project of the ego-maniacal emperor is beyond any conceived. It is a structural masterpiece that has to be seen to be believed. Each soldier and chariot in ruins and many more that are still buried, had been sculpted with different hairstyles replete with accompanying armory. The only standing statue ‘Kneeling soldier’ (pic opposite) that stood the test of time is encased in a glass cubicle for modern man’s viewing pleasure.

When I asked my knowledgeable guide why everything wasn’t better maintained, she proudly retorted that it was a miracle such treasures made from perishable stone are still standing. I gaped in awe, clicked photos and felt ordinary in the presence of such splendid sculptures. Mary the professional hurried me through the smaller sites, around to the souvenir and snack shops, where we both had refreshments. The weather was hot and dry and the site was crowded but I didn’t mind. Placing a tip in my guide’s hands, I took the same route and public transport back to the hostel.

That night after a local lager I dreamt of handsome soldiers…

where I sampled delicious cuisine and ogled at handsome Chinese men. The men were of medium height, fair-complexioned with dark hair and oriental eyes but angular features. Each looked like Benedict Cumberbatch of Sherlock Holmes fame and I’m confident that ‘Cumberbitches’ agree on his drool worthiness!

They spoke a different dialect and wore mostly flowing traditional garments with white skullcaps.

It is astonishing to see the Hui ethnic minority live in content in a country that is communist to the core. The cul-de-sac was strewn with carts and vendors selling varied eatables and sweet sesame desserts. I milled about the busy market, snacked on street foods and enjoyed the hustle bustle of post Ramadan in the most unlikely place. On the last day of the trip I went to the museum to explore the treasures of China and get a quick glimpse of history. It was amusing to see the public cool themselves in the museum’s air-conditioned halls or take a quick nap in its galleries. I walked to the beautiful gardens and the temples surrounding it but very soon I longed for the cool of my room in the sweltering afternoon.

My departure from Xian was without incident though it is a city I will visit again. That reminds me it’s time to plan my next trip there soon.

Gayatri Das

Shanghai city | Internet photo ten minutes to locate the cheap accommodation I’d booked. The miffed driver then pocketed his cash and left me at a curb. It took me another fifteen minutes to finally figure out I was right in front and I took the lift into a dingy building where I’d be lodging for the next 5 days. The hostel was a large furnished bedroom with shared bathrooms and few basic amenities. The curious owners were an aged couple who educated their son in University by letting out most of the floor. Their son to whom I spoke over the phone confirmed my booking since his parents didn’t speak any English. I have to say that the whole situation from the taxi ride to checking into the cheap hostel was exasperating but the demeanour of the people weren’t outright malicious. For dinner I had the flavourful Xian cold noodles and meat pies at a Chinese fast food restaurant downstairs. There I met a few nursing students from HK who stayed in the same hostel on some voluntary service. Of course they spoke English and offered me valuable tips about Xian sites.

After a beer I settled into bed, chuckling at the day’s events.

The next morning I toured the Terracotta Necropolis UNESCO heritage site in Shanxi province.

A Volvo city bus took me to the busy bus station where I boarded a coach with locals. I wasn’t

18 Review

G PLUS | Nov 23 - Nov 29, 2019

Starring: Idina Menzel, Kristen Bell, Jonathan Groff, Josh Gad Director: Jennifer Lee, Chris Buck

Frozen 2 One rich prince.

One damsel in distress.

One evil monster.

And, happily ever after.

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he above contents are traditionally perfect for a Disney film. But Frozen 2 tries to grow beyond it.

There’s no prince, no evil monster and definitely no damsel in distress. Seven years after Frozen, Disney’s freshly brewed Frozen 2 has gotten more mature from its first installment. While the first one melted the audience’s heart with its innocence, the second one has grown more confident and nuanced.

Elsa has finally accepted her

status quo as the Queen and Arendelle is a safe loving place to be. Kristoff and Sven are trying hard to keep up with the royals and the funny snowman Olaf is living his life to the fullest under the sun. Anna too is the same, careless and gleeful, who wants to keep everybody close.

Everything is pretty much ‘happily ever after’ since Frozen until Elsa is summoned by a mysterious voice only she can hear. She tries to suppress it but ends up waking up the magical voices of the forest and digging up her family’s past. On their adventurous journey, Elsa and Anna would do anything to keep each other safe. But Elsa has bigger responsibilities to cater to.

She has to keep Arendelle safe.

The film is not a simple kids

tale, it has deeper and complex messages for everyone. For instance, when it is trying to highlight the importance of harmony between nature and humans, it also sheds light on political conflicts between nations that could harm generations.

The voice cast of Idina Menzel as Elsa, Kristen Bell as Anna, Jonathan Groff as Kristoff, and Josh Gad as Olaf have been retained from the first part and they easily manage to bring their characters to life again, adding more distinction and conviction.

Compared to Frozen, for the second part, Disney has upped its game in terms of animation and visuals effects.

Given the mega-success of Frozen, the budget of its sequel eventually got a hike and it is translated on the screen as well.

A particular scene in a film where Elsa fights with a water horse is so phenomenally executed that it can give many live-action films a run for their money.

The background score by Christophe Beck adds a cherry on top. The songs are good too.

Idina Menzel and Aurora’s Into the Unknown and Weezer’s Lost in the Woods can easily slide into your playlist, however, Frozen’s soundtrack has an upper hand.

Frozen 2 is spectacular to look at and the sharp witty characters easily manage to hook the audience. Even if you are not into fairy-tales, with its surprising plot it will give a good theatrical experience. It is better than the first part and is a fun entertainer to watch with family.

In case you have missed the first part, don’t worry, you have Olaf to narrate the entire story to you in less than 30 seconds in quite a fun way.

Cinepolis, Christian Basti 09435025808 Frozen 2 (English) 09:00 AM, 11:25 AM, 01:50 PM, 06:40 PM, 09:05 PM Frozen 2 (Hindi) 04:15 PM Pagalpanti 09:15 AM, 12:35 PM, 02:45 PM, 03:45 PM, 05:55 PM, 09:05 PM Bala 09:45 AM, 12:20 PM, 03:05 PM Marjaavaan 09:55 AM, 09:15 PM 21 Bridges (English) 12:25 PM, 06:55 PM Aamis (Assamese) 05:50 PM Ford v Ferrari (English) 08:15 PM

Anuradha Cineplex, Noonmati 0361 2656968 Frozen 2 (English) 09:45 AM Frozen 2 (Hindi) 04:00 PM Pagalpanti (UA) 11:30 AM, 05:45 PM Aamis (Assamese) 02:00 PM, 08:15 PM

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LG G8s

However, it’s impossible to use this phone without smudging it, and fingerprints are picked up instantly.

The new LG G8s ThinQ₹ 35,990 has arrived in the Indian market quite a bit later than we would have expected for a 2019 flagship device, and so it doesn’t win any firsts in terms of specifications. Is this phone good enough to win over buyers who are looking at the current “value flagships” from OnePlus, Xiaomi, and others, or even more premium models from Samsung and Apple? We’re about to find out.

The LG G8s ThinQ should not to be confused with the LG G8 ThinQ or the LG G8x ThinQ, which are all fairly similar in terms of specifications. Just like its exterior, this model has slightly dated components.

We start with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 SoC, which has recently been superseded by the slightly faster Snapdragon 855+. While not outdated by any stretch, you can currently do better in the sub-Rs. 40,000 space.

LG offers only one configuration of this phone in India, with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. It’s officially priced at Rs. 36,990, though it sells for slightly less online. You get a 6.2-inch full-HD+ G-OLED screen (1080x2248) with an always-on mode but no HDR. The battery capacity is 3550mAh, and Quick Charge 3.0 as well as wireless charging are supported.

Design LG isn’t breaking any new ground with the design of the G8s ThinQ. In fact, it could almost be considered dated, with relatively chunky screen borders and an enormous wide notch.

Most other manufacturers have already evolved to sleeker designs. One thing that jumps out immediately is the offcentre earpiece. This was probably necessary in order

Specifications

to accommodate a front camera as well as a Time-ofFlight 3D sensor and infrared illuminator, but it’s hardly an elegant solution.

This phone is available only in a Mirror Black finish in India, and LG wasn’t kidding when it chose the word ‘mirror’ to describe it.

Both the front and back are made of glass, and both are incredibly shiny and reflective.

The rear panel is effectively a mirror and it does look very slick and premium at first glance.

Frozen 2 (Hindi) 05:30 PM Bala 07:45 PM

PVR Cinemas, Dona Planet 08800900009 Pagalpanti 09:15 AM, 03:15 PM, 06:25 PM, 09:35 PM Frozen 2 (English) 10:45 AM, 01:05 PM, 03:25 PM, 05:45 PM, 08:05 PM Bala 12:25 PM

PVR Cinemas, CITY CENTRE 0124 470 8100 Frozen 2 (English) 09:00 AM, 11:30 AM, 02:00 PM, 04:30 PM, 07:00 PM, 09:30 PM Pagalpanti (UA) 09:00 AM, 10:00 AM, 12:10 PM, 06:30 PM, 09:40 PM 21 Bridges (English) 09:10 AM, 02:40 PM, 07:20 PM, 09:35 PM Bala 09:45 AM, 03:25 PM, 09:05 PM Ford v Ferrari (English) 11:25 AM Marjaavaan 12:35 PM, 06:15 PM Ratnakar (Assamese) 04:20 PM Aamis (Assamese) 04:55 PM, 06:55 PM Iewduh (Khasi) 09:20 PM

Unfortunately there’s a hybrid dual-SIM tray which forces you to choose between a second Nano-SIM and a microSD card.

The stereo speakers are tuned

by Meridian, and DTS:X 3D enhancement is available. Other standards worth noting are Bluetooth 5, Wi-Fi 802.11ac, NFC, wireless charging, and three location services.

Verdict

LG’s entire approach with the G8s ThinQ is woefully out of date. It isn’t a bad phone for its price, but there are far more polished options out there, including the OnePlus 7T and the lower-priced Asus 6Z (Review) or Xiaomi Redmi K20 Pro (Review).

The looks and hardware of the G8s ThinQ are somewhat out of date, and you don’t get things like very quick charging, an HDR or high-refresh-rate display, indisplay fingerprint sensor, or notchless design. Had this phone actually gone on sale closer to its February announcement at MWC, it would have had a much better chance.

(Review from NDTV Gadgets)

Trotter

G PLUS | Nov 23 - Nov 29, 2019

Company hiring people for $3,000 a month to smoke weed

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very now and then a viral ‘dream job’ pops up offering candidates the chance to travel the world, testing out private jets or something similar.

There was this one, where people had to house sit their way around the planet, this one, where someone was hiring a barefoot bookseller in the Maldives, or our personal favourite: an advert for someone to man a post office in Antarctica. If none of those tickled you, perhaps you would rather get paid to take smoke large amounts of weed. It differs from the usual format in that you won’t be sent anywhere far flung to enjoy your joints.

That will be done from your own home, presumably – and the company hiring specifies that the person they choose will

have to live somewhere where the drug is legal.

If you’re still keen, however, the advert from AmericanMarijuana.org says: “We’re looking for someone to review a wide variety of cannabis products to give our readers honest and reliable insights on various cannabis products. The applicant will have to write about their honest reviews and opinions of the product in the form of a blog.

Moreover, they must also be

comfortable in front of the camera since the job includes unboxing videos and explainer videos of how each cannabis product performs and differs from other, more notable products in the category.”

The job ad says that the successful applicant “needs to be physically fit and healthy in general to carry out cannabis product reviews regularly.” Whoever gets the gig will be paid up to $3,000 monthly or $36,000 yearly “depending on their experience and their capabilities.” In addition, they will get free cannabis products “sent on a monthly basis to your address for testing.” The samples will include everything ranging from weed strains, vapes and edibles to CBD oils.

(Source: metro.co.uk)

Petrol pump offers free fuel to people wearing bikinis

T

he offer of free fuel to customers wearing bikini by a petrol pump in Russia was nothing less than a bombshell, and many men took up the dare to benefit themselves.

While the owner of the Olvi petrol station in Samara must have had female customers in mind while making the offer for some publicity, many males turned up in skimpy bikinis to get free fuel.

Twitter had hashtag #BikiniDress on the issue. There

were witty remarks from the Twitter users. One said, “When you change your character’s gender in a game in the middle of a mission.” Another pointed out, “Some dudes even went the

extra mile with the heels.”

“As a male in California... it’s safe to say I’d strip for a free fill-up nowadays with the damn taxes.” A Twitter user said, “Me and the boys refuelling our government issued T-34s.” They had to come in a group, to get fuel for their tanks, with the Russian anthem playing in the backdrop. One was reminded of fire hazards by seeing pictures of men in bikinis and said, “Those hot bodies are a fire hazard.”

(Source: Hindustan times)

Teenager gives birth on nightclub dance floor, baby gets free club entry for life

A

teenager has given birth on a nightclub dance floor in France, prompting the owners to give the baby free club entry for life. The woman went into labour around 5.30 am just as the O’Club in Toulouse was closing, a French newspaper reported.

“There weren’t a lot of people left in the place and one of my members of staff came over to me and said, ‘It’s urgent,’” the club’s owner Marie-Helene told the newspaper. “I could see that the woman was about to give

birth. But we had to act quickly.

A member of staff called the emergency medical line who talked us through what we had to do.”

The 19-year-old girl was not

drinking but had been invited out by friends to take her mind off some “personal problems”, the newspaper reported. The baby, whose name and gender have not been revealed, was quite literally born on the dance floor - a memorable entry into the world. “It’s definitely one of the more bizarre closings we’ve had,” Marie-Helene said.

The memorable moment has earned the child a lifetime free membership to the club as soon as it reaches legal drinking age, of course.

(Source: 7news)

19

Pakistani bride sports jewellery made of tomatoes for wedding to call out skyrocketing prices

A

mid surging tomato prices, a bride in Pakistan found the perfect way to troll the state of the economy and draw attention to the issue. Ditching the traditional gold and diamond jewellery which is a staple at most weddings, the bride chose to sport a necklace, earrings other ornamental items made of tomatoes.

A video of the bride speaking to a local journalist was shared on Twitter by fellow journalist Naila Inayat. In the video, the bride announced that her family had given her three boxes full of the red, juicy, vitamin and mineral rich fruit cum vegetable.

“Gold is expensive, and now even tomatoes and pine nuts are expensive. That’s why I

am wearing tomatoes instead of jewellery,” the bride can be heard telling the reporter.

She added that parents who had given their daughters tomatoes for her wedding had “given her everything.”

Last week, tomato prices surged in Pakistan, crossing the Rs 300 mark per kilo. Prices of onion have also spiked and some retailers have started selling onion for Rs 90-100 per kilo. The steep rise in prices is the result of Pakistan banning tomato imports from Iran, Afghanistan and India.

(Source: ndtv)

Indore girl dances on the streets to spread traffic awareness

A

n MBA student in Indore has been managing the traffic on the roads with her innovative dance moves. Shubhi Jain, a student of Symbiosis Institute, Pune, has come up with a unique way to increase traffic awareness among people.

Speaking to ANI, Jain said, “I have been doing this voluntary activity for the traffic police for the last 15 days. When people turn back and smile at you, it automatically inspires you to do more. Nowadays, people come up to me and inform me that they are wearing seatbelts and helmets,” she added.

Jain further stated that despite suffering an ankle injury while playing a basketball match, she was undeterred to do something for the country.

Umakant Chaudhary, DSP, Indore Traffic, said, “We are running the Vision 2022 in Indore, in which we have taken the help of several volunteers from different schools and institutes and trained them for six months.”

Speaking on the innovative style of Jain, Chaudhary stated

that many people like this new style and it is also inspiring other volunteers to come up with new ways to spread awareness on road safety. The video went viral on social media. It garnered over 7,000 likes and has been viewed over 80,000 times since it was posted on Monday. Several people praised the girl for such an initiative. One user wrote, “Wonderful lady.

Another commented, “Have generally seen Indoris to be full of life, energetic and positive in their approach!”

A frequent traveller on the roads, Kunal Jawar, also came out in support of the move. “It is a very innovative way to get the attention of the people. I believe that if youngsters teach the elders about road safety, it is bound to have a bigger impact on the public,” Jawar said.

(Source: indiatoday)

20 Fun Jayashree Bose

24th and 27th November will be great days for you to connect with your boss and your business associates. Host a Sunday get together for your workmates and/or extended family, people will love it. 26th November avoid dealing with the opposite gender.

Be careful with your words and actions on 29th November, you could get into a confrontation.

23rd November be careful while dealing with the opposite gender. 26th November will be a slow day. 27th November someone from work or your extended family could betray you, also avoid trusting anyone with your secrets. 29th November you could have issues with your seniors or your extended family.

24th November will be a slow day for you.

23rd and 25th November will be ideal days for you to build your relationship with your seniors and share your ideas. Avoid hosting important meetings and presentations on 27th November. You could get into a disagreement with someone at work, probably your seniors. On 29th November you will be emotionally betrayed by a sibling or a colleague.

An eventful week for you. 23rd November will be a great day for you to connect with your boss and your business associates.

24th November you could have issues with your seniors and/or parents. 26th November you could be betrayed or emotionally by someone from work and/or extended family. 27th November be careful of your words and action as you will create your own problems.

Certified Feng Shui, Chinese astrology, date selection consultant & author, www.facebook.com/geoprinciples

24th and 29th November will be great days for you to connect with your boss and business associates. Host a Sunday get-together for your workmates and/ or extended family, it’s bound to be a hit. 25th November will be a slow day for you. 28th November you could feel your parents or your boss don’t appreciate your efforts at all.

You will have a good week ahead. 24th and 29th November are days when you should meet up with your colleagues or share your ideas with your seniors. 24thNovember host a get together for your workmates and/or extended family. 29th November you should host your important meetings. 25th November you will feel your seniors or colleagues don’t appreciate your efforts.

This week you will have a bad start but your luck will generally pick up by the end of the week. Avoid planning any event with your work buddies or seniors on 23rd and 24th November.

You might have disagreements with them.

On 26th and 29th November your boss will be more receptive to your ideas. Avoid making any plans for 28th November.

You will have a better week compared to last week. Use 23rd, 26th and 27th November to host all your important meetings or just connect with your business associates. You need to avoid all kinds of interaction with your seniors on 25th November. Avoid making any commitments on 28th November, you will feel it’s a good day but in the long run your efforts might not pay off.

24th and 27th November will be great days for you to build your relationship with your seniors and people at work. 24th is a perfect day for you to have a get together with your extended family or your workmates. Host all your meetings and presentations on 27th November.

26th November you could have a disagreement with your senior or work associate or parents.

You will have a good week ahead. Don’t make any promises on 24th and 27th November. You will have to live up to the promises you make, so be extremely cautious. Avoid getting into a confrontation. Share your ideas with your seniors or generally build a relationship with people at work on 25th, 26th and 29th November. Avoid scheduling important meetings on 27th November.

You have an amazing week ahead of you. 25th, 26th and 29th November are ideal days for you to mingle with your seniors and people at work and build your work network. Avoid everyone and anyone on 28th November, you are bound to get into a disagreement. Avoid hosting any meetings on the 28th, you will get into a confrontation.

. Doppleganger

curio-city

Dilbert By Scott Adams

1.

Dr. Soubhadra Chakrabarty This quiz has been brought to you by Brain Jam, a property of Priya Communications

adjective [nak-erd] noun [yoo-sij-as-ter]

Wiki

Name this cute mascot, released to commemorate the First Pink Ball Day Night Test Match of India, at the Eden Gardens.

usageaster knackered

2.

6.

medium

Across

Word Word of of the the week week

Dibrugarh, which is called Ti-Pao in Ahom language

Which legendary basketball player, nicknamed Mr Clutch, had his silhouette inspire the famous NBA logo?

82 59 41

http://www.dailysudoku.com/

3.

5.

52 87

75 21 49 35 16 82 23

Daily Sudoku: Fri 15-Nov-2019

Rent

Which rock musical based on La Boheme, released in the 90s, did more to raise awareness about AIDS than any other public campaign?

1 38

3 38 57 64 9 easy 5 1 7 9

4.

4.

7 7 2 8 8 1

Jerry West

Which famous city of Assam literally means “place of heaven” in Ahom Buranji language?

3 82 3 6 easy 9

6 5 4 9 67 93 2 1 76 19 3 5 24 46 6 4 93 68 4

5.

3.

7 9

last week solution

9 7 8 3 2 61 28 17 54 45 46 34 52 79 88 35 89 23 91 17 18 91 75 23 62 59 63 46 85 31 82 47 34 16 79 73 55 69 47 96 27 12 91 68 54 Daily Sudoku: Fri 22-Nov-2019 4 6 8 2 3

Pinku

What name is given to a knowledge based website on which users collaboratively modify content and structure directly from the web browser?

19 6 7

medium

6.

2.

1 3 8

http://www.dailysudoku.com/

curio-city German for “double-goer”, this word was first used in the novel Siebankas by Jean Paul. What is the word generally used with an evil meaning?

3 2 61 2 1 5 5 6 5 6 8 1 6 3 9 9 1 6 24 2 4 9 1 5 6 4 5 3 7 7 4 3 1 9 2 4 7 5 9 7 8 1 2 2 54 3 Daily Sudoku: Fri 22-Nov-2019 8 3 Daily Sudoku: Fri 15-Nov-2019

Avoid sharing your ideas with your seniors on 23rd November, you could get into a disagreement with them. 25th November will be a great day for you to share your ideas with your seniors or simply just connect with them. On 24th November you could be betrayed by someone at work and/or family. 29th November be careful of what you say, you could create problems for yourself.

1.

Sudoku

(c) Daily Sudoku Ltd 2019. All rights reserved. (c) Daily Sudoku Ltd 2019. All rights reserved.

These predictions are based on the month of birth, and are about an individual’s work environment, parents and extended family.

(c) Daily Sudoku Ltd 2019. All rights reserved. (c) Daily Sudoku Ltd 2019. All rights reserved.

Horoscope of the week

G PLUS | Nov 23 - Nov 29, 2019

British Slang.

exhausted; very a self-styled authority ontired language usage.

Crossword Down

1 Loosely woven cloth from

Scotland (6,5) 9 Impromptu (9) 10 Animal (with nine nine tails?)

(3) 11 Himalayan country (5) 13 Excellent — shining bright? (7) 14 On ship (6) 15 Purist (6) 18 Arctic deer — a Rio cub (anag) (7) 20 Best possible (5) 21 See 23 22 Fling (9) 24 Fifth book of the Bible

2 Fit (3) 3 Person whose speech is not well organised (7) 4 Married partner (6) 5 In which position? (5) 6 Acquit — clear (9) 7 Entertainment area with coin- operated machines (5,6) 8 Narrator (11) 12 TV show (9) 16 Issue (7) 17 Male domestic servant (6) 19 Bathroom basin (5) 23, 21 UK resident who the tax man accepts as having their "true" home elsewhere (abbr) (3-3)

Last week’s solution

Fiction

G PLUS | Nov 23 - Nov 29, 2019

21

The Murder in the Tea Section

I Ranjan Kumar Choudhury ranjanchou@hotmail.com

Fiction I was informed around 1 PM and the body was first sighted by the women about half an hour earlier and so the actual murder must have occurred around midnight. It was indeed very strange as to why and how Madan had come out so late at night so far from his home.

n our garden we had around 600 permanent workers including the staff, sub staff and the daily rated workers.

This figure jumped to around double during the main plucking months when a lot of local Adivasi villagers and the unemployed workers in the garden were engaged for about six months in the year. The tea garden works, though outwardly monotonous, actually needed daily monitoring to factor in all the invariables like weather, machinery breakdowns, medical emergencies, wild animal problems etc. It was never a dull moment and it was physically demanding especially in the main production months as all the green leaves had to be processed within 24 hours after being plucked from the tea bush, after which the made teas would not have the required quality. Most gardens planned their factory capacities to be capable of processing at least 0.75% to 1% of their annual crop on a single day but this estimate was based on ideal conditions which was never the case when it rained heavily resulting in dripping wet leaves coming into the factory. On one such day I was feeling very frustrated with the work when I received the news that a sirdar called Madan was found dead in one tea section. The women who were plucking in that section came across his lifeless body sprawled out on the ground.

They naturally got shocked and raised a huge hue and cry and the senior field staff quickly cordoned off the area and sent for me.

Madan was a middle aged person who was capable with the basic garden works like the pruning and plucking. However, he had a habit of picking up quarrels with the workers and used to shout and abuse them a lot for small things which he could have resolved more tactfully. He had a daughter who was in her late teens and all the young men had their eyes on her. As a father this enraged him especially on weekends when the men became more boisterous with the hariya drink they consumed excessively after receiving their weekly pay.

It was reported to me that with each passing year during the Holi festival (Faqua), Manboti had the maximum suitors for the jhoomar dances and the irate father used to be on his guard to see that no one ran off with his little girl. The clever young studs used to ply him with many bottles of liquor but Madan could hold his drink quite well, and till the last faqua festival he did manage to control his daughter to return home with the jhoomar groups. Anyway I arrived on the scene and on closer inspection it appeared that his throat had been slit and there were the tell tale signs of a scuffle by the victim before he was killed. The wet ground had a lot of impressions of some sort

of a struggle but the blood stains seemed to have got diluted in the rain. Our garden doctor who had also arrived on the scene told me that rigor mortis had set in for which he deduced the time of the murder to be around twelve hours earlier. I was informed around 1 PM and the body was first sighted by the women about half an hour earlier and so the actual murder must have occurred around midnight. It was indeed very strange as to why and how Madan had come out so late at night so far from his home.

We had also informed our local police outpost about the incident and the officer-in-charge with two other policemen arrived on the scene around 3 PM. Such homicides occurred quite seldom and mostly it was suicides or some bloody fights with a cut on the arm or body by a knife or a machete at the most. Extreme acts like murder were indeed rare, so this case got the required attention of the police and they started their investigations into the motive and the persons behind it. They checked out the crime scene and were joined by two other senior policemen from Gohpur who made a number of notations and checked the site carefully for any clues. Naturally the section where the crime had occurred could not be completely plucked that day as no amount of persuasion would have got the workers to go inside this section without doing a purification puja. The police finally left with the body for conducting a post mortem at Tezpur around 6 PM and before leaving they told me that they would come back the next morning to conduct an enquiry and asked that

the

family members of the victim remain in the garden. I also advised the senior staff about the puja to be done so as to normalise the working atmosphere in the garden. Rumours and false fears were the bane in such times when the simple workers could be swayed not to attend work and I had to ensure that this was not allowed. This incident had cast a pall of gloom in the entire garden and I went back to the factory to assure everyone that a sad incident had occurred but the police were on the job and the culprits would soon be apprehended. It was one of the worst days that I had experienced in the garden and the sight of

Madan’s gruesome murder troubled me a lot.

The next morning the police came around 8 in the morning and went off to question Madan’s family members at his house in the workers’ colony called No. 10 line. The family consisted of his second wife (his first wife, the mother of Manboti had died earlier) and a minor son and daughter, and Manboti of course.

They were all in a state of shock and the elder sibling, Manboti, had been crying the whole night as she was very close to her father.

Though her father had controlled her life she understood that he had done so for her own good. She had been to primary school and he had dreams of his daughter becoming a nurse after training in the designated St. Luke’s Hospital near Dibrughur. The Tea Board had a scheme whereby deserving tea garden community women had a chance to avail of a scholarship programme for this training free of all costs. During the interrogation she revealed the name of one Fagu Gorh, from our immediate neighbouring garden who had been pestering her marry him. But her father objected to his proposal as he was a wastrel and did not have any permanent job and the way he accosted him for his daughter’s hand offended him as the matter should have come from his family. The police wasted no time and went off to search for him at Bormahjan Tea Estate where he stayed

with his family.

Their suspicions rose when he was not traceable there and his family told them that he had not come home since the last two days.

The manager of that garden was also kept in the loop and asked to post lookouts and to let the police know when Fagu returned home.

In the meantime, the police had also informed all their local informers who were on their pay roll to look out for the suspect and to contact them if they have any news. Within two days Fagu was seen inside the Balijan town of Arunachal Pradesh bordering Assam which was hardly around seven kilometres away from the murder site in our garden. He was seen in a cycle repair shop trying to fix his bicycle’s broken spokes

and immediately the police came and with the help of their counterparts in Balijan arrested him before he could flee. He was overpowered and taken to the police station in Gohpur. There he broke down and confessed to his crime and gave the names of his two accomplices who had helped him to lure Madan away at night with some free drinks and then they had tied and gagged him so that he could not shout. The three of them put him on the bicycle and had carried Madan far away to the tea section where Fagu slit his throat and saw him bleed to death desperately struggling till the last. He further told the police that he felt that with Madan out of the way he would be able to convince his daughter to accept his overtures for marriage. But it was very surprising how he thought that he could get away with the murder as the body was bound to be found soon lying in the tea section. It was raining and he felt that all the traces of his crime would be washed clean and they would never be able to link him to the murder. Having acted more on the spur of the moment; only after committing the crime, the enormity of the situation struck him and he decided to run away. His accomplices were also rounded up in a short while and the case was solved and thus closed. Fagu and his partners in crime were all convicted and sent to prison in Tezpur to serve out their long terms of imprisonment.

Manboti and her step mother were actually on good terms and she was also quite a favourite of her younger step sister and step brother.

She managed to obtain the nurse training scholarship in a year’s time and went off to enrol for the course which was for a period of two years. After that she returned to our garden and joined as a trainee nurse for some years till she got married to a young man she had met at St. Lukes Hospital from a tea garden near Dibrughur. Madan’s case was the only incident of murder that I had experienced myself in our garden till I was there but now I have heard that two more such crimes have been committed, though one was in a nearby village involving a permanent worker of the garden.

Madan’s murder incident had indelibly scarred the peaceful nature of work in a tea garden and I realised then that human nature is indeed fraught with the same greed, anger, lust and depravity that can cloud our senses and turn us into animals at any time and in any work that we may be engaged in.

22 Lifestyle

G PLUS | Nov 23 - Nov 29, 2019

Certain taboos in Vaastu Hemanta Kumar Sarmah Engineer, Businessman, Advanced Pranic Healer and Su Jok Acupressure specialist.

T

here are some negative factors in Vaastu which should be remembered while going for construction of a house.

Correction should be done immediately if any of these Vaastu defects exist in a house or plot.

If the Brahmasthan or centre of the house is raised, it brings infertility. Raising the centre by constructing a structure like staircase or pillar may also give bad effects.

Trees producing latex or gum should not be planted in the compound. They are bad for the progeny.

If a house has five corners, it brings sufferings for the children and may even make them bankrupt.

Vaastu defects like an extension or a water body at northwest brings loan-related troubles, bad relations with neighbours and family members.

A depression in the southwest causes illness in the house and it drains finances. Such a property sometimes becomes hard to even sell off.

Vaastu effects on female members The north and the south directions have a lot of bearings

northern northwest is very bad for the ladies.

The east and the west directions are male directions.

The northeast and the southwest also have effects on male members. The north and the south have bearings on the female members.

Similarly, northwest and southeast also have effects on women.

Vaastu of a rented property The Vaastu of a rented house affects both the tenant and the

Main door in the southwest brings financial losses and worries for the owner.

Defect in the northeast like a toilet, cut or elevation causes bad health for the children and they face hindrances in life. Career and education are affected.

Defects in the southeast can affect the health of female members and relations in the family.

on the female members. The north must be low and open with a lot of vacant area compared to the south which provides all round prosperity to the ladies.

Similarly, the south must be high with less vacant space. Presence of any water body at south will affect the health of the ladies adversely. But a water body at north will augur well for women.

However, a well or depression at

Chicken Basil soup Shimu Dutta

Ingredients: Chicken: 1/2 kg Sunflower oil: 3 tbsp Salt to taste Garlic crushed: 3 Chopped onion: 1 Black pepper corn freshly crushed: 8/10 Flat noodles: 1 cup Basil: 1/2 cup ( keep some separately for garnishing) Bay leaves: 3

Arrival of Winter As winter arrives my eyes are half lit open into dreams as a wavering wind rustles leaves and my mind, winter is here to stay in those suns hidden inside mists overlooking trapping of hills; eyes are moist as winter’s dreams entangle you into mists of hope I measure reality in various ways one is hibernating in winter’s dreams images of unsettlement roguish ways will mend and winter will vaporise in thin strands of history

Water: 5 cups

Cheese cubes: 1

owner. If the owner is staying in the same building, Vaastu will be more applicable to the owner. But if the tenant is the sole occupant of the house, then if there are Vaastu defects in the house, he will mostly bear the brunt. Even then, some amount of negative Vaastu effect will be on the owner.

If both the owner and the tenant are living on the same floor, then the owner must occupy the southwest portion of the house. The southwest should never be let out others whatever attractive offer one may get.

If there are two or more floors in the building, then the owner must occupy the topmost floor.

The tenant should not be allowed to stay above the floor occupied by the owner.

When the chicken is fully cooked, cool it then take out the pieces and shred it.

Method:

Meanwhile, boil the noodles for 6 to 7 minutes until it is fully tendered.

Boil the chicken with salt, bay leaves and black pepper for around 5 minutes.

Now add crushed garlic, chopped onions in a pan and cook till the onions become slightly

brownish in colour.

Then strain the chicken stock and add basil leaves in the pan.

Simmer for at least 12 minutes.

Now add the chicken pieces and also when the noodles are tender add in the soup.

Serve in a soul bowl

by garnishing with grated cheese and few reserved fresh basil leaves.

(Shimu Dutta was born in Guwahati and currently based in Kolkata. She is a homechef, recipe developer and also takes interest in culinary history research.)

There it comes in the tangy breath of autumn and leaves spread like the wind in a whiff, I carry colours of different shapes the mangy dog shuffles across the road a bystander in muffler prays I look up to these hills to decipher if they have understood winter, its appearance, disappearance; its twist of timeephemera

Ananya S Guha

Entertainment

G PLUS | Nov 23 - Nov 29, 2019

Under the Sal Tree 2019 to start from December 15

A

ssam’s popular theatre group, Badungduppa Kalakendra, is going to hold its theatre festival Under the Sal Tree 2019 from December 15, 2019 to December 17, 2019.

The annual event of the theatre group is held in the sal forest of Rampur in Assam’s Goalpara district.

Apart from Badungduppa Kalakendra, other theatre groups like West Bengal’s Santipur Sanskritik, Bangladesh’s Sadhona, Odisha’s Taranga Theatre and Manipur’s Khoripabha Artists’ Association will also be showcasing their plays in the upcoming theatre festival.

Badungduppa Kalakendra was established by eminent drama personality, Late Sukracharya Rabha. The event carries a strong message of sustainability and cleanliness.

23

Ghy based dance duo wins India’s International Groovefest in Bangkok

G

uwahati based dancer and choreographer Bapon Singha along with his student Madhurjya Bikash Borah won the gold medal at India’s International Groovefest (IIG), held in Bangkok, Thailand.

IIG is an international competitive event that provides a global platform for dance enthusiasts across the world.

The competition was open to all categories, and anyone who is passionate about dance could audition for the competition.

Dibrugarh girl shines at Dazzle Miss & Mrs India World pageant

Assam’s Devoleena Bhattacharjee teaches Bihu to fellow Bigg Boss 13 contestants

D

S

ibrugarh’s Kankana Baruah won the second runners up title in Dazzle Miss and Mrs India World pageant held recently at Pushkar in Rajasthan.

She won the title among 22 contestants from all across the country.

She also received the subtitle “Assam India World.”

As per reports, after her feat, she also received an offer from a South Indian movie.

Baruah is also actively associated with a Jorhat based NGO named Rengoni, which works for cancer patients.

She currently resides in Hyderabad and in the future she wants to work for people suffering from cancer.

ivasagar’s Devoleena Bhattacharjee, who is a contestant of Bigg Boss 13, recently shared an unseen video of her teaching Bihu to her housemates.

She shared the video on her Instagram handle where she is seen teaching the dance form to Mahira Sharma,

Paras Chhabra, Asim Riaz and Khesari Lal Yadav.

Bhattacharjee is emerging to be one of the strongest contestants inside the Bigg Boss 13 house.

She is a trained Bharat Natyam dancer known for portraying Gopi Modi in the Star Plus drama series Saath Nibhaana Saathiya.

24 Catching Up

G PLUS | Nov 23 - Nov 29, 2019

PIC OF THE

Most shared story of the week

WEEK

#NEWS | The Assamese gamosa will now have a distinguished identity as it has been approved for the geographical identity tag.

5.2 K

730

@guwahatiplus @guwahatiplus

In love with Nature | Photo: Surajit Sharma

Ambikanath Borah Library/ Satyanath Borah Hall

L

ocated at Md. Tayabulla Road on the east bank of Dighalipukhuri, the Ambikanath Borah Library and Satyanath Borah Hall were built in the memories of the father and grand-father respectively. It was in 1999 that the library and the hall were founded by Bishwanath Borah and was inaugu-rated by Lakhyadhar Choudhury. The foundation stone was laid by a trust run by the family members known as BKJS Borah trust that is also responsible for the functioning of the library and the hall. The library has over 7000 books and is mainly focused on Assamese literature. It is open to one and all. The hall hosts meetings and exhibitions.

The library is maintained through the fund collected from the fess when the hall is rented out.

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