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81 YEARS OF SERVICE TO THE NATION PUBLISHED SIMULTANEOUSLY FROM GUWAHATI & DIBRUGARH RN-1127/57 TECH/GH – 103/2018-2020, VOL. 81, NO. 90, GUWAHATI, THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2019, Pages 16 + 8

NEWS

CAPSULE

IT detects hundreds of suspicious transactions in NE MONEY FLOW IN POLLS

NaMo TV notice NEW DELHI, April 3: The Election Commission has issued a notice seeking a report from the I&B Ministry on NaMo TV, after opposition parties asked the poll body to direct the ministry to suspend the channel as it was violative of the model code of conduct. – PTI

Navy choppers WASHINGTON, April 3: The US has approved the sale of 24 multi-role MH60R Seahawk maritime helicopters to India at a cost of USD 2.6 billion, the State Department has announced. – PTI The Assam Tribune on Internet http://www.assamtribune.com & http://epaper.assamtribune.com

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STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI, April 3: The Income Tax department has detected hundreds of suspicious transactions in banks, including rural and cooperative banks, in the past few days in the Northeast and investigation has been launched into some 200 cases so far. “The initial sample data received for a few days preced-

ing March 31 has confirmed the apprehension of our investigating officers that banks are being possibly used as safe conduits to hide and move suspicious cash. Investigation has been initiated in about 200 cases so far,” Northeast’s Principal Director of Income Tax (Investigation) Sanjay Bahadur said. The data so far procured is limited to about only ten days of transactions supplied by just five

major banks of the region. “Even from this small sample, hundreds of suspicious cash deposits/ withdrawals in banks for amounts more than Rs 10 lakh have been discovered and are under scanner,” Bahadur said. By collating and triangulating internal intelligence reports, the modus operandi seems to be that cash is deposited in banks and may move undetected through

banking channels or may stay dormant till required. At the appropriate moment, cash is withdrawn in installments and it evaporates in the system,” Bahadur said. The Income Tax official admitted that the magnitude and frequency of such transactions is a matter of grave concern and the investigation directorate is gearing up for a massive exercise of investigation in days

Rahul promises spl status to NE States, new industrial policy FLAYS MODI FOR FAVOURING RICH BUSINESSMEN

to come as data from over 100 banks across the region is expected to be received. Income Tax officials admitted that many suspicious transactions preceding the announcement of elections have gone below the radar of the routine process of election expenditure monitoring and ground level intelligence indicates that it is highly possible that substantial part of this cash (See page 7)

Inclusion of large number of names of foreigners’ likely STATE ELECTORAL ROLLS R DUTTA CHOUDHURY

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Rahul Gandhi addressing an election rally in Bokakhat, on Wednesday.– UB Photos STAFF CORRESPONDENT

JORHAT, April 3: Congress president Rahul Gandhi today took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for favouring unscrupulous businessmen and promised that if his party was voted to power the ‘chor’ businessmen would be taken to task. Addressing an election rally in Bokakhat subdivision of

Golaghat district, Gandhi said the Congress, if voted to power, guarantees to deposit Rs 72,000 annually to poor Indian families under the NYAY (Nyuntam Aay Yojana) scheme. The Bokakhat assembly seat is within the Kaliabor Lok Sabha constituency that has Gaurav Gogoi, son of former Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, as the incumbent MP. Gaurav is again the Congress candidate for the Kaliabor parliamentary seat, while the BJP-AGP alliance has fielded Mani Madhab Mahanta from the AGP in the seat, believed to be a Congress citadel with Tarun Gogoi and his younger brother Dip Gogoi representing the constituency several times. Mahanta, the brother of

AGP executive president and a cabinet minister in the Sarbananda Sonowal-led government in the State, Kesav Mahanta, recently quit the AASU to contest the polls. “The Prime Minister promised to deposit money in the accounts of people, but he has all along favoured the rich businessmen, most whom are chors (thieves)... The money (for NYAY scheme) will come from the pockets of ‘chor’, to whom ‘chowkidar’ Narendra Modi has given money during the last almost five years now,” Gandhi said. “Our government (if formed) will deposit it (the money) in the bank accounts of the poor, particularly women, irrespective of their caste, class or religion,” the Con-

gress president said. The party has promised to roll out the Nyuntam Aay Yojana (NYAY) scheme, under which Rs 72,000 would be deposited in bank accounts of the women belonging to poor families, annually. Gandhi stated that the wealthy people employ ‘chowkidars’ (watchmen), which the Prime Minister himself has been doing for them (rich class). Stating that the country was facing a severe unemployment crisis, the Congress president promised that his party, if voted to power, would ensure facilities for youths to start their own business. Gandhi also said the Congress, if voted to power, would (See page 7)

EC instructions not complied with in NE DEPOSITS, WITHDRAWALS ABOVE RS 10 LAKH STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI, April 3: A majority of the district election officers (DEOs) in the Northeast are not complying with Election Commission (EC) instructions to report information regarding cash deposits and withdrawals. Northeast’s Principal Director of Income Tax (Investigation) Sanjay Bahadur today said the EC has specifically instructed that cash deposits or withdrawals above Rs 10 lakh shall mandatorily be passed on to the Income Tax department for necessary action under Income Tax laws. While DEOs are not com-

plying, banks too have expressed ignorance of the ECI guidelines. “Since notification of the elections on March 10, only 14 out of the total 112 odd DEOs in the region have sent reports till March 31. When compared to our own intelligence reports from banks, even these reports have been substantially under reported,” Bahadur said, adding that the matter has been repeatedly flagged to the state chief electoral officers by the Income Tax nodal officer but the “response so far has been negligible”. The ECI has directed the Income Tax directorate to use all resources at their com-

mand to make expenditure monitoring effective. “Therefore, in absence of required inputs from designated authorities so far, several important steps have been taken independently by this directorate. Financial Intelligence Unit of India (FIU), RBI and major banks operating in the Northeast have been asked to supply digital data relating to cash deposits and withdrawals above Rs 10 lakh,” the IT official said. The data is being received in batches since the past one week and is being analysed. The Income Tax directorate has also requested for realtime reports for the election period for prompt action.

GUWAHATI, April 3: With the Lok Sabha elections round the corner, a number of foreign nationals may get an opportunity to cast votes as there is every possibility that the electoral rolls of Assam include names of a substantial number of illegal migrants. A large number of fake or forged voters ‘identity cards were detected during the process of verification of documents for inclusion of names in the National Register of Citizens (NRC), which proved beyond doubt that the electoral rolls contains names of illegal migrants. Highly placed official sourc-

es admitted before The Assam Tribune that as there is no mechanism to go for thorough check of the nationality of the persons before inclusion of their names in the electoral rolls, the possibility of inclusion of names of foreigners cannot be ruled out. Sources revealed that during the verification of the documents submitted by the applicants for inclusion of names in the NRC, it was found that more than 2,000 persons, who were declared as foreigners by the Tribunals set under the provisions of the Foreigners’ Tribunals, submitted voters’ identity cards for inclusion of names in the (See page 7)

EC to seek report on Queen Oja’s edu qualification GUWAHATI, April 3: The Election Commission (EC) will seek a report on Thursday from concerned authorities on BJP’s Gauhati candidate Queeen Oja allegedly giving “false information” about her educational qualification in the affidavit, an official said. A senior official of Election Commission told PTI on Wednesday that the Chief Electoral Officer has taken note of the reports of Oja allegedly giving “false information” in the affidavit, which was filed on Monday. “We have decided to seek a report tomorrow from the district election officer on the issue,” he added. Oja had submitted her highest educational qualification as “Higher Secondary from Krishna Kanta Handiqui State (See page 7)

JOCOSERIOUS

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2 THE ASSAM TRIBUNE, GUWAHATI

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THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2019

IGNOU likely to start new online courses NEW DELHI, April 3: IGNOU is likely to start four online courses from July even as the varsity has identified 85 online programmes. The varsity will start MA in Hindi and three certificate programmes after receiving approval from the University Grants Commission, Indira Gandhi National Open University’s (IGNOU) vicechancellor Professor Nagesh-war Rao said. The open university has submitted a proposal to the UGC and is awaiting their confirmation. Other universities have also submitted proposals to the UGC. The varsity has established a centre for online education and the centre has identified 85 online programmes, including 46 undergraduate/postgraduate certificate, 22 diploma/post graduate diploma, two undergraduate, six postgraduate and four awareness/refresher/appreciation programmes to be launched online. Measures for capacity building of faculty, conversion of regular to online mode and identification of ecounsellors and evaluators are being initiated accordingly. – PTI

15 injured in West Bengal KOLKATA, April 3: Around 15 persons, including eight policemen, were injured here on Tuesday in a clash between the police and agitating contractual teachers. The police carried out a lathicharge when the agitators tried to block the road in front of a placement agency’s office in Minto Park area demanding salary hike, police said. The agitators were computer teachers appointed in government schools and colleges across the state on contract through the placement agency. The entire area turned into a battlefield when the police resorted to lathicharge to disperse around 300 teachers who were forcibly trying to enter a building where the placement agency’s office was located. Six agitators were arrested in connection with the incident, a senior officer of Kolkata Police said. “The placement company was getting Rs 3.50 lakh per school annually from the government and was providing a monthly salary of Rs 4,500 to each teacher for the last 4-5 years. But the teachers demanded a hike,” the senior officer of Kolkata Police said. Around 300 private teachers, including 70 women, started demonstrating in front of the office building around 10.30 am. The effort of the police to pacify the agitators went in vain and they put up road blockade. Many of them tried to forcibly enter the office after assaulting policemen guarding the entrance of the building, the officer said. A clash ensued and in the melee, eight police personnel and seven agitators were injured, he said. – PTI

NATIONAL Mamata a roadblock to Bengal’s growth: Modi

SILIGURI, April 3 : Terming West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee a “speed-breaker” in the way of rapid development in the state, Prime Minister Narendra Modi here on Wednesday said she was not interested in eliminating poverty as her brand of politics would then come to an end. “I regret the speed with which we worked in other states, we could not achieve in Bengal,” Modi said while addressing a rally in support of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidates for the Lok Sabha elections. “In West Bengal, there is a speed-breaker in the way of your development. People here know this speed-breaker as Didi (as Banerjee is af-

fectionately called),” he said. Going all out against Banerjee, he said acting as a “speed-breaker”, she hindered a number of central welfare schemes in the state, like Ayushman Bharat, PMKISAN, and Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016. Alleging that Banerjee has no concern for the poor, Modi said she was proficient in playing the politics of the poor. “How can she work for ending poverty? If poverty is obliterated, Didi's politics will also come to an end,” Modi said. Attacking the Congress and the Communists, the Prime Minister said they share the same trait. “They need poverty. They need the poor. Their political gain is in keep-

ing the people in poverty. This is the reason they have put brakes on development.” Modi said these parties have hatched a conspiracy to prevent the poor from benefiting from development. Terming the Trinamool Congress, the Communist Party of India-Marxist and the Congress as “many sides of the same coin”, Modi said those parties should know that their fight was against an honest “chowkidar”. Visibly happy at the huge turnout, Modi said Banerjee's boat had sunk. “Had I not seen the sea of humanity here, I couldn’t have even fathomed that Didi’s boat has sunk. Your warnings have reached Didi’s ears. Your love and enthusiasm (for BJP) will give her

sleepless nights,” he said. “I salute Bengal by bowing my head for giving me so much love,” Modi said. The Prime Minister said the people of Bengal have lost their money in multiple chit fund scams and accused Trinamool MPs and ministers of looting the poor. “There have been chit fund scams in Bengal. Didi's ministers, MPs and aids looted the poor in the name of running chit fund and ran away.” He said despite stiff resistance from Banerjee, the Central Ggovernment was doing its best to spread development in the state, including education for tribal children, jobs for youth, toilets and LPG connections to every household. – IANS

Shah slams Congress silence on ‘Kashmir PM’ DEHRADUN, April 3: BJP President Amit Shah on Wednesday slammed the Congress for its silence on the National Conference chief Omar Abdullah’s demand of a separate Prime Minister for Jammu and Kashmir. “Omar Abdullah says there should be a separate Prime Minister in Kashmir. His associates are raising pro-Pakistan slogans. But Congress is silent. I want to ask Congress President Rahul Gandhi to clarify whether you are supporting

or opposing this demand,” Shah said at an election rally in Uttarkashi town in the Tehri constituency of Uttarakhand which is going to the polls on April 11. Shah, however, made it clear that the BJP would oppose the demand of a separate Prime Minister tooth and nail. “Till we are alive, we will never allow this demand to be fulfilled,” he said. In this context, he reminded the people of the “sacrifice” of the BJP leader Shyama Prasad Mukherjee

who strongly opposed Article 370 that gives autonomous status to Jammu and Kashmir state. “We are following the path of Shyma Prasad Mukherjee and we will not allow such thing to happen,” Shah said. Referring to the manifesto of the Congress, Shah attacked the opposition party for seeking the scrapping of the sedition law. “Who are you protecting? In JNU, they (students) called for dividing our country into thousand pieces. But you

stood silent outside. Do you want to protect all those who are facing sedition charges,” he asked. He also claimed that the Congress wanted to repeal all laws that provide security to the armed forces. “You cannot simply do it. We are standing like rock with the armed forces,” he said. Referring to the Pulwama terrorist attack in February, he said only Prime Minister Narendra Modi has the stamina to retaliate against terrorists. – IANS

Shatrughan fires fresh salvo at Modi PATNA, April 3: Actorturned-politician Shatrughan Sinha fired a fresh salvo at Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday, charging him with “wasting” money on hiring a “choreographed crowd” that chanted his name “before, during and after” speeches which lacked “content and depth”. In a series of stinging tweets, Sinha, who is all set to quit the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and seek reelection from Patna Sahib on a Congress ticket, also accused Modi of “arrogance” and “EVM misuse” and advised him to “go for a real press conference” and take

questions from journalists “who cannot be bought and can question you in the larger interest of the nation”. “Honourable outgoing Sirji. Why are you wasting so much money on different channels and on the paid and choreographed crowd who chant your name at any given time - during, before and after your speeches on the signal of the conductors. Your speeches lack content and depth these days and have gone to the extent of becoming highly repetitive and irritating,” Sinha tweeted. “Sirji, I still remain your well-wisher despite your EVM misuse and in spite of all your arrogance. My hum-

ble suggestion for you at this eleventh hour would be to become straight and go straight. Don’t hire or go for paid channels. Instead go for a real and genuine press conference with people…who cannot be bought, who can question you in the larger interest of the nation,” he said in another tweet. “Go for the press who are not sycophants and cannot be silenced by money and muscle power – instead of going for a conducted tour, well-rehearsed, well-practised, choreographed slogan chanting and with people of press of the choice of the one man show

and two man army,” Sinha said in yet another tweet. “Your addresses right from London were conducted and choreographed, where you abused doctors and had your own conducted questions put by your own paid anchor, well known till recently,” he said in his final tweet of the day, referring to a question-answer session at Westminster compered by Bollywood lyricist Prasoon Joshi – said to be a BJP supporter – wherein Modi’s comment about Indian doctors visiting abroad on tours sponsored by pharma companies had evoked strong condemnation from the medical fraternity back home. – PTI

THE ASSAM TRIBUNE, GUWAHATI 3

State BJP leaders garland Prime Minister Narendra Modi during an election rally in Kolkata, on Wednesday.-PTI

Sonia unhappy over Congress manifesto layout NEW DELHI, April 3: UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi was apparently unhappy over the layout of party manifesto released on Tuesday as she wanted a bigger picture of party President Rahul Gandhi on the cover, sources said on Wednesday. Sonia Gandhi, who did not look her usual self, conveyed her viewpoint to party leader Rajeev Gowda, the convener of the manifesto committee, before she went to the stage to release the manifesto. Sonia Gandhi was seen talking to Gowda, who also heads the party's research department. She apparently also wanted a bigger image of party's hand symbol as also a brighter layout. The manifesto -- "Congress will Deliver" -carries a large picture of a big gathering of people. At the bottom, it has a small picture of smiling Rahul Gandhi along with the party's hand symbol. There is also big picture of the party President sitting

Kaur sore over denial of ticket from Chandigarh CHANDIGARH, April 3: Upset over not getting a Congress ticket from this Lok Sabha seat, former legislator Navjot Kaur Sidhu on Wednesday said she would have loved if the party had respected a lady and that it is the people who are the actual judge of a candidate. “It’s okay. That is how the party works,” Sidhu, wife of Punjab Cabinet Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu, told reporters. Former Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal was re-nominated as the Congress candidate from Chandigarh, which has nearly 6.2 lakh electorates, who will decide its next MP on May 19.

Bansal is likely to be pitted against actorturned-politician and BJP’s outgoing MP Kirron Kher. Sidhu said she had been holding public meetings in Chandigarh for the past one and a half months. “I applied for the ticket myself and I was fighting my own case,” the former legislator from Amritsar said.Going one step ahead, she said: “If he (Bansal) needs me, I’ll support him. But I do not think he needs me.” She clarified that there was no competition because of his seniority. Earlier, she said she was a woman representative of the party and she had done a

SC to hear pleas on issuance of electoral bonds NEW DELHI, April 3: The Supreme Court on Wednesday said it will hear the pleas challenging the validity of the Centre’s decision on issuance of electoral bonds for political funding on April 5. A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi told advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for one of the petitioners, Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), an NGO, that the matter would be heard by an appropriate bench on April 5. ADR has recently filed an

among rural women on Page 9 of the manifesto. The slogan "Congress will deliver" is written in large font size, while the words "Manifesto - Lok Sabha elections 2019 Indian National Congress" are in smaller fonts at the bottom. Sonia Gandhi did not take any questions at the manifesto launch event on Tuesday and was seen intermittently talking to Rahul Gandhi sitting next to her. Rahul Gandhi had suggested that party spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala let the media ask questions to other senior leaders on the stage. Sonia Gandhi also did not deliver a speech like some other leaders present on the stage, including former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, former Finance Minister P Chidambaram and Gowda. Surjewala, however, said that the reports of Sonia Gandhi being upset were not correct. "It is not correct," he said. – IANS

application in the court seeking stay on the Electoral Bond Scheme, 2018, which was notified by the Centre in January last year. It has said that amendments carried out in the relevant Acts have “opened the floodgates to unlimited corporate donations to political parties and anonymous financing by Indian as well as foreign companies, which can have serious repercussions on the Indian democracy”. The application further said: “Electoral bonds are being made available for a large

number of days in the three months leading to the general election in the country...In April-May 2019 to constitute the 17th Lok Sabha.” The matter holds importance as the Centre and the Election Commission (EC) have taken a contrary stand with the former justifying the decision saying it would promote transparency in political funding while the later saying the changes made in the law would have “serious repercussions”. In its affidavit filed on one

of the petitions filed by the CPI(M) and its general secretary Sitaram Yechury, the Centre had defended its decision to issue electoral bonds, saying it aimed at ensuring “enhanced accountability” and pushing electoral reforms “to defeat the growing menace of black money”. The Centre had said the electoral bonds were introduced on January 2, 2018 to promote transparency in funding and donations received by political parties. These can be encashed by

an eligible political party only through their authorised bank accounts. “Keeping in view the emergent need to ensure that there is enhanced accountability and electoral reforms to defeat the growing menace of black money, especially when the country is moving towards a cashless-digital economy, the legislature has adopted a conscious legislative policy culminating in the introduction of the electronic reforms,” the Centre’s affidavit said. It added that electoral

bonds did not have the name of the donor or the receiving political party and only carried a unique hidden alphanumeric serial number as an in-built security feature. Only a political party registered under section 29A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 and which had secured not less than one per cent of the votes polled in the last election to the Lok Sabha or a legislative assembly, would be eligible to receive the bonds, the Centre had said. – PTI

lot of work in Chandigarh and had a clean image. Thanking supporters, Sidhu in a message posted on her WhatsApp group said: “All team members have been working exceptionally well for strengthening the party and reaching out to people with our vision for Chandigarh and the party’s vision for our country. Love, hard work, honesty and compassion and keeping selfless service is the mission of our team.” Another ticket aspirant from Chandigarh was former Union Minister Manish Tewari. Tewari has been a Lok Sabha MP from Ludhiana. – IANS

4 held for trying to rob ATM NEW DELHI, April 3: Four men were arrested for allegedly trying to rob ATM machines in Dwarka’s JP Kalan area in the night hours, police said. The accused were identified as Jaibir (23), Sagar (19), both residents of JP Kalan, Chirag (19), a resident of Najafgarh, and Arjun (20), a resident of Dhansa Village, they added. On March 19, the police had received information regarding damaging of ATM machines of Corporation Bank and Axis Bank near the Rawta More, a senior police officer said. The burglars fled the spot after taking the CCTV camera of Corporation Bank. During investigation, CCTV footage was taken from both the banks, in which two to three persons were seen, the police said. On Sunday evening, a police patrolling team apprehended three men from the JP Kalan area after noticing that they were riding a stolen bike, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Dwarka) Anto Alphonse said. The police also noticed that the features of one of the apprehended men – Jaibir – were similar to a person seen in the CCTV footage of ATM robberies. During interrogation, the three men confessed to their involvement in the incidents, along with one Arjun (20), the DCP said. – PTI

INTERNATIONAL

4 THE ASSAM TRIBUNE, GUWAHATI

Saudi Arabia denies role in Jeff Bezos’ affair leak WASHINGTON, April 3: Saudi Arabia has denied any involvement in the National Enquirer’s reporting of Amazon Founder and CEO Jeff Bezos’ extra-marital affair. A Saudi official told CNN late on Tuesday that the kingdom “categorically rejects all allegations that it is involved in any fashion in the apparent dispute” between Bezos and American Media Incorporated (AMI), which publishes the tabloid National Enquirer. The response came after a veteran security consultant at the tech giant wrote an op-ed over the weekend, claiming that the kingdom had access to the billionaire’s phone and had “gained private information”. The monarchy was “intent on harming Jeff Bezos” over The Washington Post (owned by Bezos) coverage of murdered journalist Jamal Khashoggi, wrote Gavin de Becker in a firstperson account published in The Daily Beast on March 30. “Our investigators and several experts concluded with high confidence that the Saudis had access to Bezos’ phone, and gained private information,” de Becker said. The private phone messages of Bezos sent to his lover, former TV anchor Lauren Sanchez, were published in The National Enquirer in October. “As of today, it is unclear to what degree, if any, AMI (the parent company of The National Enquirer) was aware of the details,” added de Becker. The Saudi official called the allegations “a transparent attempt to damage the kingdom’s image and the reputation of its leadership”, according to CNN. – IANS

THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2019

Algerians demand sweeping change as Bouteflika era ends ALGIERS, April 3: Flag-waving Algerians have celebrated the resignation of veteran President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, but vowed Wednesday to keep protesting to demand sweeping change to the country’s political system. The 82-year-old’s departure, announced on state media late on Tuesday, followed weeks of massive demonstrations that have shaken the North African nation. Car horns sounded on the streets before jubilant crowds converged in the centre of the capital Algiers to cheer his departure. Many Algerians have never known any president other than Bouteflika, who held power for two decades but

was rarely seen in public since suffering a stroke in 2013. Protesters in Algiers welcomed his departure but said they were determined to continue demonstrating, rejecting any transition that leaves power in the hands of the “system”. “I want my daughter to remember this historic day. Bouteflika’s gone, but it’s far from over,” said 35year-old Amal, who wore a T-shirt with the slogan “I am against the system” and vowed to march again on Friday. For 44-year-old engineer Hamid Boumaza, Bouteflika’s resignation was “too little, too late”. “Bouteflika’s departure is no

Abdelkader Bensalah, acts as interim leader for up to 90 days during which a presidential election must be organised. Algeria has largely-avoided the turmoil unleashed by the Arab Spring uprisings that brought down rulers in neighbouring Tunisia and Libya. But discontent, particularly among the young, turned to anger after Bouteflika announced in February that he would seek a fifth term in office in an election that had been scheduled for this month. He dropped his bid in the face of the mass protests but also postponed the vote, angering Algerians who saw the move as a ploy to stay in power. – AFP

longer enough. We want them all to go. We want full freedom and we will march for as long as necessary.” Others paid tribute to the longtime leader, but regretted that he had clung to power for so long. “Bouteflika worked. I voted for him at first, but he didn’t know how to leave with his head held high,” said Bilan Brahim, 40. Algeria’s Constitutional Council said on Wednesday it had accepted Bouteflika’s resignation and informed Parliament that his post was officially vacant. Algeria’s Constitution says that once the president officially resigns, the speaker of the Upper House of Parliament, currently 77-year-old

US warns Beijing against force Incursion by Chinese jets

A child pulls away from Pope Francis as he arrives for his weekly general audience, in St Peter’s Square, at the Vatican on Wednesday. – AP/PTI

Malaysian ex-PM Najib goes on trial over 1MDB mega-scandal KUALA LUMPUR, April 3: Malaysia’s disgraced ex-leader Najib Razak pleaded not guilty to all charges against him as he went on trial on Wednesday over a multi-billiondollar fraud, almost a year after his shock election loss. The 65-year-old faced the first of several trials over his alleged involvement in the looting of sovereign wealth fund 1MDB, a state investment vehicle established to develop the economy of the Southeast Asian nation. The former Premier and his cronies are accused of plundering billions of dollars from the fund and spending it on everything from high-end real estate to artworks and a luxury yacht. He had been tipped to win another term in office easily last year and extend his coalition’s six-decade stranglehold on power, only to be soundly defeated by his

former boss, Mahathir Mohamad, who rode a wave of public anger over 1MDB to the premiership. In the months that followed, once-dormant investigations into the controversy were relaunched and Najib was hit with dozens of corruption charges linked to the plundering of the fund. A small crowd of supporters was waiting for Najib as he arrived at the Kuala Lumpur court ahead of his trial, and he prayed with them for a few minutes before entering the building to shouts of “Long Live Najib”. Looking relaxed in the dock, he denied seven corruption-and money-laundering charges related to the alleged theft of 42 million ringgit (USD 10.3 million) from SRC International, a former 1MDB unit. It is just a fraction of the hundreds of millions of dollars that he allegedly stole. – AFP

WASHINGTON, April 3: The United States on Tuesday warned Beijing against the use of “force or coercion” on Taiwan after the self-ruling island said that two Chinese fighter jets crossed a traditionally respected maritime line dividing the two sides. “The United States opposes unilateral actions by any party that are aimed at altering the status quo, including anything related to force or coercion,” State Department spokesman Robert Palladino told reporters. “Beijing should stop its coercive efforts and resume dialogue with the democratically elected administration” in Taipei, he said. Beijing – which considers Taiwan part of its territory awaiting reunification – has stepped up its jet and warship crossings near the island since the 2016 election of Beijing-skeptic President Tsai Ing-wen. But going a step further, Taiwan’s defense ministry said that two Chinese J-11 fighter

jets took the highly unusual step on Sunday of crossing the median line in the Taiwan Strait that divides the mainland from the island. Taiwan scrambled its own aircraft and protested the “intentional, reckless and provocative action.” The United States, like the vast majority of countries, recognises only Beijing, but it maintains a close relationship with Taiwan. Under the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act passed by the US Congress, Washington is legally obliged to provide the island with the means to defend itself. National security adviser John Bolton stressed US commitment for the Taiwan Relations Act in a tweet on Monday amid events to mark the law’s 40th anniversary. “Chinese military provocations won’t win any hearts or minds in Taiwan, but they will strengthen the resolve of people everywhere who value democracy. The Taiwan Relations Act and our commitment are clear,” he wrote. – AFP

Another Indian sentenced by US court in call-centre scam WASHINGTON, April 3: An Indian national has been sentenced to 16 months in jail in the US for his involvement in a sophisticated call centre scheme that victimised over 340 people, resulting in over USD 200,000 in losses, in the latest crackdown on India-based call centre frauds in America. The Department of Justice said Mehboob Mansurali Charania took part in a sophisticated scheme organised in India, that included a network of call centres. Call centre operators called US residents over the telephone and misled the potential victims into sending money utilising a number of different confidence scams, court documents showed. Charania was convicted on January 17, after he pleaded guilty to engaging in an unlicensed

money transfer business. Charania, who moved to Tucker, Georgia in 2014, was sentenced to one year, four months in prison to be followed by three years supervised release, and ordered to pay a USD 100 special assessment, and pay restitution of USD 203,958.02 to victims of the scheme, the DoJ said in a press release. According to Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, J Russell George, since October 2013, more than 15,000 victims have suffered over USD 75 million in losses to the perpetrators of telephone scammers who impersonate Internal Revenue Service (IRS) employees. US investigation has identified 140 scammers who, have or are, facing federal criminal proceedings, the DoJ said. The scams included imper-

sonation scams, where the callers pretended to be IRS employees and demanded payment of taxes and fees. Other scams included grant scams, where callers directed victims to pay upfront fees for fictitious grants; student loan scams where callers threatened victims if they did not pay fictitious taxes and fees associated with student loans, and hacking scams, where callers would gain remote access to the victim’s computer, lock the victim out of the computer, and deny access to the computer until the victim provided payment. If the victims agreed to pay, the call centres would have the victims send the funds to the attention of fictitious names used by Charania through wire transfers, including through MoneyGram and Western Union. – PTI

The lead ship of the US Navy’s newest class of guided-missile destroyers, the USS Zumwalt (DDG-1000), is assisted by a tugboat at Joint Base Pearl Harbour-Hickam on Tuesday in Honolulu. The ship’s arrival marks the first time Zumwalt has visited Pearl Harbour. – AP/PTI

US okays sale of 24 MH-60R Seahawk copters to India WASHINGTON, April 3: The US has approved the sale of 24 multi-role MH-60R Seahawk maritime helicopters to India at an estimated cost of USD 2.6 billion, the State Department has announced, boosting the Indian Navy’s anti-surface and anti-submarine warfare operations as China expands its presence in the Indian Ocean. Designed for hunting submarines as well as knocking out ships and conducting searchand-rescue operations at sea, the Lockheed Martin-built helicopters, would replace India’s aging fleet of Britishmade Sea King helicopters.

The Trump Administration on Tuesday notified the Congress that it has approve sale of 24 MH60R multi-mission helicopters, which will provide the Indian defence forces the capability to perform anti-surface and antisubmarine warfare missions. The helicopters are designed to operate from frigates, destroyers, cruisers and aircraft carriers. In its notification, the State Department told the Congress that this proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security of the US by helping to strengthen the USIndian strategic relationship.

The sale, at an estimated cost of USD 2.6 billion, will improve the security of a major defensive partner which continues to be an important force for political stability, peace, and economic progress in the Indo-Pacific and South Asia region, it said. “The proposed sale will provide India the capability to perform anti-surface-and anti-submarine warfare missions along with the ability to perform secondary missions, including vertical replenishment, search and rescue, and communications relay,” said the Congressional notification. – PTI

GOVERNMENT OF ASSAM OFFICE OF THE RETURNING OFFICER H.P.-02-SILCHAR PARLIAMENTARY ELECTION, 2019 (OBSERVER CELL ::::CACHAR:::SILCHAR) No. COC.1/ELE/P.E./2019/102

Dated Silchar, the 02nd April, 2019

NOTICE It is for general information that Shri Sunil Kumar Yadav, IAS, General Election Observer appointed by the-Election Commission of India arrived at Silchar on 02nd April, 2019 and has been staying in room "Rukni". His Landline No.03842260060 and Cell Phone No. is 6002677495 and Fax No. 03842230239. Shri Ashish Gupta and Shri Sanjib Dey are performing as Liaison cum Protocol Officer and their Cell Phone Nos. are 9466239534 and 9401283072. Anybody willing to communicate may contact the above telephone Nos. Further, willing person may also visit to the General Election Observer at Circuit House, Silchar from 5-00 P.M. to 7-00 P.M. during his stay in Silchar. Sd/- Addl. Deputy Commissioner i/c, Observer Cell Parliamentary Election, 2019 Cachar, Silchar

CITY

THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2019

WEATHER

GUWAHATI LOCAL FORECAST:

Generally cloudy sky. Rain/thundershower is likely to occur. Maximum and Minimum temperatures are most likely to be 30°C & 19°C respectively on Thursday. TEMPERATURE: Max 28.0° C Min 18.4° C

Sweet-making unit sealed CITY CORRESPONDENT

GUWAHATI, April 3: The Food Safety department of Kamrup Metropolitan district today sealed a sweet-making factory in the Shantipur area of the city on the charge of violation of cleanliness rules. The department carried out an inspection based on a complaint filed by public, following which samples of sweets produced in the factory were sent to a laboratory for investigation.

THE ASSAM TRIBUNE, GUWAHATI 5

Train with Election Commission’s 700 differently-abled poll message flagged off voters in Kamrup Metro CITY CORRESPONDENT

GUWAHATI, April 3: Around 700 differently-abled voters will cast vote in the upcoming Lok Sabha election in Kamrup (Metro) election district. Sources in the district administration informed that a survey had been carried out by booth-level officers to detect differently-abled voters at every polling station in Guwahati in collaboration with various NGOs and the social welfare department. “We are ready to make this election accessible for all. For the differently-abled voters, the district administration communicated with the health and social welfare departments along with some NGOs to manage adequate numbers of wheelchairs,”

Deputy Commissioner and District Election Officer of Kamrup (Metro) Biswajit Pegu told The Assam Tribune. It is noteworthy that the Election Commission of India (ECI) has appointed accessibility observers for the upcoming election in every state. The observers will oversee the efficient and effective implementation of all instructions of the Commission related to accessible election at the field level. “For all purposes, they will act as the eyes and ears of the Commission during the period and provide inputs to the Commission from the field about the steps taken to make the election accessible,” a letter written by Secretary of ECI AK Pathak to all state-level chief electoral officers stated.

The letter also said that the State Disability Coordinator will be the nodal officer to ensure smooth flow of communication between the Chief Electoral Officer and the accessibility observers in this election. “The accessibility observer will visit as many polling station locations as early as possible to get themselves abreast of the ground situation, so that corrective measures may be taken in time and assess availability of accessible awareness material at ground level and accessibility of the polling stations for persons with disabilities and senior citizens,” the letter added. The ECI has also issued a charter of 27 points of requirements for making accessible polling stations.

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI, April 3: The Kamakhya-Gandhidham Express train, decorated with the message from the Election Commission of India (ECI) urging people to participate in the upcoming Lok Sabha Election, was flagged off by Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Assam Mukesh Sahu at the Kamakhya Railway Station today. The train will carry the message of Systematic Voters’ Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP) throughout its journey till the completion of the poll. Flagging off the train, Sahu spoke about the various initiatives undertaken at the State level to attract all sections of citizens to exercise their franchise. He also stated that various

AIUDF, UPPL reach LS poll ‘understanding’ for 3 seats

OBITUARY

Jogesh Goswami STAFF REPORTER

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI, April 3: Jogesh Goswami, the oldest citizen of Panjabari, passed away at his residence late last night. He was 94. Goswami, who retired as secretary of Mahkuma Parishad, Sivasagar several decades back, was a prolific writer and authored four books, besides contributing many articles to newspapers and journals. He was associated with various socio-cultural organisations. He leaves behind his wife, a daughter and a son. He was cremated at Navagraha today. His death has been widely mourned.

GUWAHATI, April 3: The All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) and the United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL) have entered into a ‘political understanding’ for the forthcoming Lok Sabha election with regard to three constituencies – Kokrajhar, Dhubri and Barpeta. Announcing this at a joint press conference here today, AIUDF general secretary Aminul Islam and UPPL vice president Rwngwra Narzary said that both parties have agreed to work on certain common issues like the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016, need for peace and security in the Bodoland Territorial Area Districts (BTAD) region as well as the areas on the north bank and lower Assam, rehabilitation of victims of ethnic conflicts in the BTAD region, to bring about confidence among people of diverse communities, besides against what they termed ‘corruption and misrule’ of the Bodoland People’s

Front (BPF) in the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC). As per the understanding between the two parties, AIUDF will support UPPL’s candidate in the Kokrajhar constituency and UPPL will extend support to AIUDF’s candidates in the Barpeta and Dhubri seats. However, the agreement does not cover the Mangaldoi constituency, where UPPL-supported candidate Pradip Daimary is in the fray. “For many years certain forces have tried their best to create fissures between the Bodos and the non-Bodos in BTAD. Some are doing politics in the name of Bodos and some are doing so in the name of the non-Bodos... AIUDF and UPPL jointly want to do politics of development and of peace and amity. We have resolved to jointly work for bringing back confidence and goodwill among all communities. We want peace and security for all in BTAD, in the north bank and in lower Assam. Besides, gen-

uine Indian citizens should not face harassment. Action should be taken against foreigners on the basis of the Assam Accord and other existing rules. We want compensation to families of victims of various killings. And we want rehabilitation of victims of ethnic conflicts,” said Islam. Speaking on the occasion, Narzary said that BTAD region has witnessed no development since formation of the BTC in 2003. “People of BTAD region are unhappy due to the lack of security and development and on account of the divisive politics prevalent now. The misrule of the BPF is responsible for the growth of mistrust among the non-Bodo communities. We (UPPL and AIUDF) have decided to work together to bring peace and amity and development and security to the BTAD region. Both our parties agree on certain common issues like the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill and rehabilitation of victims of ethnic conflicts,” the UPPL leader said.

Shankar Jiwal police observer for Guwahati LS seat CITY CORRESPONDENT

GUWAHATI, April 3: The Election Commission has appointed IPS officer Shankar Jiwal as police observer for Guwahati constituency during the upcoming Lok Sabha election. According to a statement issued by the Kamrup (Metro) district administration, Jiwal will be available at Guwahati Circuit House, Room No 23 from April 4 onwards till the election process is over. “During this period interested political parties, contesting candidates, common public may meet him with their queries, objections and complaints between 9 am and 10 am every day,” the statement added. Cuddly teddies: Two bear cubs that were born at the Assam State Zoo about a month ago were brought out of their cave for the first time by the Zoo keepers on Wednesday. – Photos: Rituraj Borthakur

Guwahati now a favourite healthcare destination for Myanmar patients CORRESPONDENT

JORABAT, April 3: Guwahati is fast turning into a favourite healthcare hub for patients from Myanmar. According to Dr Gitartha Roymedhi, a healthcare management specialist and chief operating officer at the North East Cancer Hospital and Research Institute (NECHRI), Jorabat, patients from Myanmar, particularly cancer patients, nowadays prefer the hospitals of Guwahati for quality healthcare. Dr Roymedhi informed that last month a number of cancer patients had travelled to the city from Mandalay, Myanmar searching for better and upgraded cancer care. Many other patients from the neighbouring country are trying to contact NECHRI through email and social media. Dr Roymedhi, who is working to promote medical tourism in the State, said that the Myanmarese

Gorkha community prefer North East India as their healthcare destination. They can easily travel to Moreh in Manipur. From Moreh they do not face any problem in reaching Guwahati. They can acquire the medical visa in a short time from the Indian Embassy in Mandalay after submitting all the required documents along with the invitation letter issued by the hospital. Dr Roymedhi further said that at least a weekly direct flight from Mandalay to Guwahati will bring the patients from Myanmar closer to their destinations in Guwahati or other parts of Assam. Many Myanmarese patients travel to countries like Malaysia and Singapore for better and quality treatment. But for the middleclass Myanmarese citizens Guwahati is turning into the best choice as they can have quality treatment and services at cheaper rates. At Jorabat, the Nepali language is

spoken by a large number of people. Since there are many Nepali employees at NECHRI, Myanmarese Gorkha patients and visitors find it convenient here during their stay as they can communicate in their mother tongue. They can speak a little bit of Hindi too. “One patient named Sha Si Dar has been successfully treated and another patient Khaka Bahar Du is undergoing treatment. Both the patients are happy and satisfied. They are accompanied by their relatives and friends. This is promoting the tourism of our State also,” Dr Roymedhi added. Myanmar has a large Gorkha population who have been living in that country for centuries. During the British rule in Myanmar (then Burma) and World War II, a large number of Gorkhas migrated to that country. Many of the Myanmarese Gorkhas serve in the Myanmar Army.

Singer quits Cong STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI, April 3: Singer Chinmoyee Bordoloi on Tuesday quit the Congress and joined the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). She said in a statement that she took the step as a mark of protest against the ‘betrayal’ of the national parties.

The Kamakhya-Gandhidham Express which was flagged off on Wednesday. – UB Photos SVEEP activities have been intensified in the low turnout urban areas to overcome the

urban apathy. “Media, social media, tabloids, NGOs, radio partners, icons as well as

SVEEP teams across the State are in the field to engage more voters,” he said.

Prafulla Mahanta for vote to candidates opposed to CAB STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI, April 3: Former chief minister and senior AGP leader Prafulla Kumar Mahanta, who has already come out openly against the decision of the party leadership to renew ties with the BJP, today called upon the people of Assam to support candidates who are against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016, (CAB) in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections. “People of the State will decide who to vote for. But we request people to vote for candidates who can forcefully raise issues affecting the State. We request people not to vote for candidates who stand in favour of the CAB,” said Mahanta. He was addressing a press conference here as convenor of the Asom Andolan Sangrami Mancha. Mahanta also called upon all the regional outfits to maintain distance from ‘pro-

CAB forces’ and to support candidates who oppose the Bill. He said the people of Assam strongly opposed the Centre’s attempt to introduce CAB and called upon Prime Minister Narendra Modi to consider that fact. “BJP president Amit Shah has stated that his party will reintroduce CAB. If the Bill is brought back it will be a threat to the language, culture and heritage of Assam and the State will suffer. As the Prime Minister of the country, Narendra Modi should take into account all these facts,” said the former chief minister. He added, “In recent days there have been reports in sections of the media that I have asked people to vote for the Congress party in the Lok Sabha polls. Such reports are totally false. I have asked the voters of Assam to exercise franchise according to their conscience. But I also request the people to support those candidates who have taken a

Rs 60,000 penalty realised for violation of excise rules CITY CORRESPONDENT

GUWAHATI, April 3: The district excise department of Kamrup (Metro) has collected more than Rs 60,000 as penalty for violation of rules after the Model Code of Conduct was imposed in the district. According to Superintendent of Excise Debajit Nath, after implementation of the Model Code of Conduct, sleuths of the department also seized 5,000 litres of foreign liquor and 3,000 litres of local liquor from various parts of the district till date. Altogether five persons have been arrested in connection with these seizures and sent to judicial custody. “We are working to implement the excise monitoring system in a proper manner in the district. Every day our staff have been analysing

sale and production data of every factory, warehouse and retail outlet by comparing it with the data of last year,” Nath said. According to him, Kamrup (Metro) district has altogether eight factories, 17 warehouses and 304 retail liquor shops. “The department has also directed all factories, warehouses and retailers to install close circuit cameras at proper places and we will monitor the footage on a daily basis. In case of factories we will connect all close circuit cameras with internet protocol and directly monitor them from our office premises,” Nath added. He further informed that in the daily monitoring of production and sale data, no anomalies have been detected so far.

firm stand against the Bill.” Mahanta said that many other political parties, besides the Congress, have also taken a stand against the Bill in Parliament. “There are many independent candidates. But ultimately it is the voters who will decide who they want to vote for,” he said. Mahanta reiterated his earlier decision not to participate in the campaign for the General Elections. He claimed that the present leadership of the AGP has violated the party’s constitution by unilaterally taking the decision to renew ties with the BJP without first seeking the consent of the party’s general body. When pointed out that Kumar Deepak Das, who is considered very close to Mahanta in party circles, is himself now contesting from the Barpeta constituency as the NDA candidate, the former chief minister said, “It is better to put this question to Deepak Das.”

‘Rongali’ festival from April 5 to 7 CITY CORRESPONDENT

GUWAHATI, April 3: The fifth edition of ‘Rongali’ festival, organised by a section of hoteliers and tour operators of the region and driven by Trend MMS, with the support from the State Tourism and Cultural Affairs department, is going to be held from April 5 to 7 here at Sonaram field. According to the organisers, 15 top teams from across the state will participate in the Bihu husori competition to be held during the festival. “Besides Assam, the festival will showcase the cultures of various tribes and communities of other northeastern states. Spectacular dance forms such as Cheraw dance of Mizoram, Thang Ta, Dhol Chalam of Manipur, Hozagiri of Tripura, Naga warrior dance from Nagaland, etc, will be presented,” a statement of the organisers said.

Papers filed GUWAHATI, April 3: Supreme Court advocate Upamanyu Hazarika and filmmaker cum advocate Junmoni Devi Khaund today filed their nominations as independent candidates at the office of the Returning Officer for Guwahati Lok Sabha constituency. – City Correspondent

Alumni meet GUWAHATI, April 3: An alumni meet is being organised on April 7 as part of the concluding ceremony of golden jubilee celebration of Gauhati Commerce College Boys’ Hostel. – City Correspondent

Illegal earth cutting along the Brahmaputra at Jongorabori in Pub Dharapur under Azara Police Station on Wednesday. – AT photo

6 THE ASSAM TRIBUNE, GUWAHATI MESSAGE FOR TODAY You miss 100 per cent of the shots you don’t take. – WAYNE GRETZKY

THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2019

NYAY and its affordability ■ Ajit Ranade

Congress manifesto Come elections and political parties of every hue will go overboard in promising the moon for the common man. With the Lok Sabha polls set to kick off in the State in about a week’s time, parties have intensified their campaigns and are reaching out to the masses with their respective manifestoes. The Congress which released its manifesto on Tuesday has promised a dozen-odd things for the Northeast where it has been pushed to the corner by a resurgent BJP in recent years. Indeed, the Congress is desperate to regain some semblance of a foothold in what had been their traditional stronghold for decades. Large-scale corruption and a growing disconnect with the masses stemming from its complacency, and the phenomenal rise of the BJP in the past few years have combined to give a huge jolt to the Congress. How it goes about the task of regrouping and gaining back public support will be tested in these polls. Among other things, the Congress has promised to withdraw the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill if voted to power – something that is likely to strike a happy chord with the indigenous people of the region. No doubt, the Congress stand is largely driven by political expediency and factored on the BJP’s opposite stand on the Bill, but even so, it deserves credit for ensuring that the Bill was defeated in the Rajya Sabha. The Congress manifesto which devotes one full chapter to the Northeast also promises to revive most of the schemes introduced during the erstwhile UPA regime. But more than schemes per se, it is their anomalous implementation where the problem lies. It is correct in its reasoning that the northeastern States form a unique region with its own peculiarities and persisting with a onemodel-fits-all approach would do no good. A region-specific developmental approach with emphasis on addressing its peculiar concerns is what the Northeast needs. Preservation of the region’s rich and diverse cultures, languages, traditions, and biodiversity has to be taken into account while formulating policies for the Northeast. The issue of illegal migration from Bangladesh and how best to tackle it in view of its growing complexities it has acquired due to the presence of a large number of illegal migrants in Assam is going to test any Government. The Congress has spoken about “engaging the neighbouring countries of Bangladesh and Myanmar” for resolving the issue of illegal immigration. Regrettably, no Government of India had ever taken up the issue of cross-border migration with Bangladesh and the common man will take this assurance with a large helping of salt. Economic development has been a crying need for the Northeast and in the long run, only an economically-empowered Northeast will be able to resolve many of its issues which are actually the fallouts of its prolonged underdevelopment. The Congress’ promise to restore the special category status to the northeastern States is welcome as is the pitch for a separate industrial policy for the region. Its assurance to get the draconian AFSPA suitably amended – if actually translated into reality — will also be appreciated by the common man.

FAO report In this so-called modern era of scientific and technological advancement, it might have been presumed that hunger and famine among humanity would long be over. However, the 2019 report of the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) paints a totally different picture! According to it, famine conditions had existed last year in a mindboggling 53 countries with Africa being the worst-hit region. Many of the conditions were man-made, the ravage of war being the primary cause for acute hunger in many parts of the globe. Among regions which severely suffered from food scarcity have been conflict hotspots such as Yemen, Syria and Afghanistan. Others have suffered from prolonged droughts, excessive rain or natural calamities like hurricanes which had destroyed standing crops, causing extreme food shortages. The report states that African nations were disproportionately affected as almost 72 million people on that continent, including severe sufferers such as the Republic of Congo, were confronted with acute hunger. Not surprisingly, in the countries listed as being on the verge of famine, up to 80% of the people subsist on agriculture for their livelihood. This entails that not only do they require food supplies as relief, but also material and technical help to regenerate their agricultural sector. However, in many cases, the ongoing conflict not only prevented food aid from getting to the needy, but also the support required for boosting agriculture. Large-scale displacement of population and increase in the number of migrants and refugees too had contributed to the harsh reality that over 113 million people globally suffered from malnutrition and acute hunger last year. Quite a few nations felt the pressure placed upon them by arrival of large number of refugees, which includes Bangladesh that had to bear the burden of sheltering hundreds of thousand Rohingyas displaced from Myanmar, and nations neighbouring war-torn Syria. The irony, that when a sizeable chunk of population in affluent nations have food surplus as well as unpardonable wastage, so many in other parts of the world face disease and death due to hunger, will not be lost on the knowledgeable. Moreover, FAO reports reflect only the short-term scenarios and do not go into predictions of the long-term picture, which is equally dire. In most parts of the less developed world the population growth is outpacing food production, thus increase in the food crisis has been predicted by experts. The sole salvation for mankind lies in further technological breakthroughs in food production. For instance, had it not been for the Green Revolution which proved to be a game-changer for India, our predicament today might have equalled Africa’s!

T

he Congress party announced that if elected to form the next government, it would implement a Nyuntam Aay Yojana (NYAY), which will transfer Rs 72,000 as cash income annually to the bottom fifth of the poorest families. The acronym NYAY means justice. The implication is that this ‘injustice’ called acute poverty will be tackled, possibly for the first time by promising a direct transfer of cash. It is true that direct benefit transfer (DBT) has been implemented for more than two dozen schemes in the past five years. This includes subsidy payment for cooking gas, pensions, scholarships and soon for fertilizers too. The idea of giving direct cash to the poor was mooted by the then Chief Economic Advisor Arvind Subramanian in 2017, and indeed a full chapter was devoted to Universal Basic Income (UBI) that was included in the Economic Survey. The philosophical foundation of UBI is the same as NYAY, and is also the same as that propounded by John Rawls in his classic treatise Theory of Justice. By a strange coincidence Rawls’ modern classic was published in 1971, the same year that Indira Gandhi launched Garibi Hatao as her election campaign. The Rawlsian theory of justice has two principles. The first principle states that each person must have equal right to the most extensive liberties compatible with a similar system of liberty for all. Thus, so long as my liberty does not infringe on yours, I should

are not independent or unconnected. The chances are, that in an economy where average incomes are rising, even the poorest of the poor do benefit. But a scheme like NYAY makes us focus directly on the least well off in society. There have already been much debate and discussion about NYAY. Two years ago the Prime Minister announced that his Government was committed to doubling farm-

out private investment? and (b) Is it implementable? How do we identify and authenticate the beneficihave unconditional maximum libaries? Is it not a moving target? erty. The second principle states Will it not lead to massive corrupthat if we are to have inequalities, tion, as people scramble for inthey must be such that they do not come certificates (much like the make the least well off person scramble for caste certificates)? worse off. In other words, if we Both these are legitimate concerns are to move away from equality, and should be discussed. we must make sure that the poor To the first objection of affordado not become poorer. bility, it is true that India’s comJohn Rawls was a professor of bined fiscal deficit is very Philosophy, and perhaps large. The debt to GDP too abstract to underratio should be falling but stand. An easier way to We have to remember that the is not. If you count the understand his principles fiscal deficit has two borrowing requirement was the way Mahatma of public sector, and add Gandhi articulated it 50 dimensions: expenditure and off-balance sheet obligayears prior to Rawls. revenue. Are we doing enough tions, the number looks Gandhi’s line appears in formidable. So, some many government docu- on the latter? India’s direct tax expenditure pruning is ments, political speeches to GDP ratio is among the essential. Firstly, there and indeed in the Economare many redundant or ic Survey. Gandhi’s quote lowest in the world. We can overlapping and dupliis a call for action to all widen the tax net without cate schemes which can future policymakers. He be rationalized. Secondsaid: “I will give you a tal- increasing rates. We can ly, the efficacy of current isman. Whenever you are spending can surely be in doubt, or when the self eliminate wasteful exemptions. improved. Thirdly, we becomes too much with ers’ income in the coming five have to remember that the fiscal you, apply the following test. Reyears. Perhaps as part of that stratdeficit has two dimensions: expendcall the face of the poorest and the egy, the PM KISAN scheme was iture and revenue. Are we doing weakest man whom you may have announced in this year’s Union enough on the latter? India’s direct seen, and ask yourself, if the step Budget. The scheme envisions a tax to GDP ratio is among the lowyou contemplate is going to be of direct cash transfer of Rs 6,000 per est in the world. We can widen the any use to him.” In other words, year to 120 million poor farmers. tax net without increasing rates. focus on the making the worst off NYAY takes this much further. Of We can eliminate wasteful exempperson better off. Focus on the last all the criticism against NYAY, tions. We can lower the GST rate, in the line. there are only two which are leand include the excluded sectors How is social well-being to be gitimate: (a) Is it affordable? i.e., like petro products, electricity and evaluated? We have two choices. will it not unleash a large fiscal real estate. Simplifying and rationEither we look at average welldeficit, raise interest rates and inalizing the tax system can make being (income, health, longevity) flation and endanger India’s sovrevenues buoyant. The other point or we focus on the lowest, the ‘last ereign rating, and spook away foris to acknowledge that the ‘giveaperson’. The latter is the Rawlsian eign investors? Will it not crowd ways’ to the corporate sector, or idea. Of course, the two measures

what are called ‘tax expenditures’, i.e., revenue foregone, is more than Rs 6 lakh crore. Surely some pruning is possible. As the third largest economy (in PPP terms), we can afford to spend 2% of GDP on direct transfers, albeit after expenditure and revenue rationalizations. We must also not forget that the most rapid and significant fall in poverty rates happened during the high growth phase. So, growth and job creation are the surest way to reduce poverty quickly. But NYAY is also about reducing inequality, and the Rawlsian principle. The second objection about implementability is also serious. In a country where 90% of the workforce is in the informal sector, we don’t have accurate and authentic data on people’s income. Also, people move in and out of poverty. Hence an untargeted, universal scheme makes sense, but may be more expensive. It is also true, that unlike the earlier failed attempts of poverty alleviation, we are now in the age of big data and data mining. Political parties are using micro-targeted strategies based on data culled from social media, and other digital trails. We may thus have more tools at our disposal to substantially reduce the problems of leakage to the non-poor. A better way for implementing NYAY would be to test out the idea in pilot projects and gradually phase it out across the country, with the assistance of local and State governments. Whatever the debate is on NYAY, the idea of direct cash transfer as an attack on poverty has entered the national discourse. It is about time. (The Billion Press)

Loudspeakers, noise pollution and elections ■ Rajib Prakash Baruah

W

ith the Lok Sabha election campaign gradually picking up, contesting parties and candidates are drawing up various strategies to woo the voters. They will use all kinds of tools to take their messages to the voters, and one of the oldest and most commonly used tools being the loudspeaker. While advancement of technology has brought to use various new kinds of tools, the humble loudspeaker has remained the most favourite tool of several generations of politicians and political parties because of its loud sound and ease of mobility. While a political party or a candidate can easily reach out to a large mass of people simultaneously in every nook and corner of a given area with the help of a loudspeaker mounted on a vehicle which has quick mobility, it has also emerged as a serious menace to the people and environment in terms of sound pollution. The use of loudspeakers definitely cause serious disturbance to various sections of the society, especially the sick, infirm, elderly, and of course students. According to scientists, use of loudspeakers also cause disturbance to household animals. But then, since the loudspeaker is unavoidable, the Election Commis-

Letters to the

EDITOR Sir, – Ever since China refused earlier in the month of March to sanction under the United Nation’s Resolution 1267 in the Security Council to declare the Jaish-eMohammad chief Masood Azhar as a global terrorist, the news has drawn sharp reactions in both the print and electronic media. China’s action stems from the fact that both China and the Islamic terror groups follow the same ideology – ‘dastardly act’ and ‘deception’ – as the state policy and proclivity to force religious dogmas on the society respectively. Remember the pro-democracy gathering at the Tiananmen Square in 1988 which was ruthlessly crushed by gunning down thousands of students and youths. The ongoing statesponsored abuse and atrocities on the Muslim minorities in China are a stark pointer to the worst kind of human rights violation. Similarly, the terror groups like the JeM, LeT, etc., have openly created regimented groups of militant outfits which are being trained in sophisticated arms in Pakistan for killing human beings in the name of

sion, with the intention of striking a balance between the right of political parties and candidates to use loudspeakers during the election campaign and the right of the citizens not to be disturbed by high decibel sound pollution, had in 1994 restricted the use of loudspeakers only from 8 am to 7 pm. While that was the first such order issued by the Election Commission, it also said that political parties and candidates would have to obtain permission from the appropriate authorities to use loudspeakers during the period from the announcement of election to the declaration of results. That Election Commission order however was soon challenged by the AIADMK during some bye-elections in Tamil Nadu, and the Madras High Court put a stay on it. The Election Commission soon approached the Supreme Court, which set aside the Madras High Court order and modified the Commission’s order by allowing use of loudspeakers between 6 am and 10 pm. Six years later, the Election Commission issued fresh consolidated orders superseding all earlier instructions. Accordingly, “a public address system or loudspeaker or any sound amplifier, whether fitted on vehicles of any kind whatsoever, or in static position, used for

public meeting for electioneering purposes, shall not be used at night between 10 pm and 6 am.” The Election Commission, by its order of December 26, 2000, also said that loudspeakers used beyond the prescribed hours would be confiscated along with all apparatus connected to it. Most importantly, according to Section 14.2 (iv) of the EC Model Code of Conduct, political parties, candidates and any other person using loudspeakers for election purposes also have to inform the authorities the registration number(s) of vehicles on which loudspeakers would be fitted while obtaining permission to use loudspeakers. Vehicles found using loudspeakers without permission would be confiscated forthwith along with loudspeaker and all apparatus used with it, the Model Code said. While Returning Officers are vested with power to grant permission for use of loudspeakers for election purposes, the police have been asked to strictly enforce that no loudspeaker is used by anyone in violation of the EC directives. The Election Commission also restricts use of loudspeakers by political parties and candidates during the 48 hours ending with conclusion of polling on voting day. The EC has in Section 14.2.2 of the Model Code of Conduct clearly said, “Use of loudspeakers is generally regarded as

source of public nuisance and can often give rise to tension in a politically surcharged atmosphere.” When it comes to the intensity or loudness of sound emanating from the loudspeaker, the Election Commission has, in Section 14.2.3 of its Model Code of Conduct said that authorities concerned of the state pollution control boards have to ensure that decibels of the sound generated did not exceed the ‘permissible limit as fixed under relevant law/guidelines’. It is very important to understand that restriction on the use of loudspeakers – whether during elections or on other occasions – are related to the right to life and personal liberty as defined under Article 21 of the Constitution. Article 21 of the Constitution of India provides that “no person shall be deprived of his life or personal liberty except according to procedure established by law”. According to Article 21, ‘life’ is not merely the physical act of breathing. It does not connote mere animal existence or continued drudgery through life. It has a much wider meaning which includes right to live with human dignity, right to livelihood, right to health, right to pollution-free environment, etc. Since loudspeakers cause noise pollution, it definitely adversely affects the right to life. Moreover, the Supreme Court in its order on the Sunil Batra

vs Delhi Administration case of 1979 had held that the right to life includes the right to live in peace, to sleep in peace and the right to repose and health. In February 2012, the Supreme Court said: “A citizen has a right to sound sleep because it is fundamental to life.” To disturb sleep, therefore, would amount to torture, which is now accepted as a violation of human right. It is also important to cite Rule 5 of the Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000 under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. It particularly deals with use of loudspeakers/PA system, and says that a loudspeaker or a public address system shall not be used except after obtaining written permission from the authority. Moreover, a loudspeaker or a PA system shall not be used at night (between 10 pm to 6 am) except in closed premises for communication within, like auditoria, conference rooms, community and banquet halls. While Rule 5(3) empowers State governments to permit use of loudspeakers or PA systems between 10 pm to 12 midnight on or during any cultural or religious occasion, subject to such terms and conditions as are necessary to reduce noise pollution, such permission cannot exceed a duration exceeding 15 days in all during a calendar year.

China and Islamic terror religion. Their terror network is spread world over. While the international opinion has been focused on fighting terrorism, China’s dilly-dallying with the issue is likely to weaken the fight against terrorism. Since India is badly affected by the scourge of cross-border terrorism being sponsored from neighbouring Pakistan, the former should build up a persistent campaign for abolition of veto power of the exclusive club of big five in the UNSC to prevent its misuse. Yours etc., PANNALAL DEY, Guwahati.

Undue delay Sir, – Through your esteemed daily, I would like to bring the attention of the authorities concerned to the fact that it has been almost a year since the Assam Petrochemicals Limited issued the advertisement regarding recruitment for graduate engineers for Chemical, Mechanical, Civil, Instrumentation and Electrical Engineering posts. The aspirants filled up the application forms by paying a fee of Rs 300 through demand draft. But the company seems to be hardly concerned for filling up the vacancies as no written

examination is conducted till date. Nowhere in the world does any department take such a long time to conduct an exam. Yours etc., AN ASPIRANT, Jorhat.

Poll time woes Sir, – I am a resident of Barkandaz Road, Fauzdaripatty, Nagaon. It was totally a coincidence that the roads around our area were starting to get repaired just before the elections. It was supposed to be like when the people will go to exercise their universal adult franchise in the upcoming elections on a beautifully paved road, they will surely keep in mind the Government’s empathy towards basic infrastructure. So hoping for better things, we dealt with all the inconveniences like not being able to take out our vehicles and instead started walking because the whole road was dug up and stone chips were laid. Everything was going fine. We didn’t mind the time it was taking to complete the whole process, slow or fast, we just wanted a finished road. Gradually, the final stage was reached, piles of blocks were brought and around 20% were laid. Then, suddenly, one fine day the whole process stopped and we don’t know why. We are scratching

our heads trying to figure out the reason. The piles of blocks are still lying there to be used in some other time, perhaps. Maybe we are supposed to lay the blocks on our own! Yours etc., DWEEPJYOTI DEKA, Nagaon.

TV talk shows

Sir, – The talk shows studded with controversies and unfruitful debates in vernacular media often remain incomplete and inconclusive. These kinds of discussions usually make commoners totally Election issue confused and left in complete Sir, – Not very long ago, Assam disarray. The intent of the particiwas overwhelmed by a fresh wave pants harbouring a particular of regionalism, seldom to be seen in ideology or view seems to be in recent times. It has been a lost dictating the gullible people instead opportunity for the regional political of making them votaries of a true parties and other indigenous democracy. This is not at all a good organizations for having failed to sign in a state where people’s conceive a unilateral front against governance is believed to be the major national parties in the playing a pivotal role. Rather than upcoming Lok Sabha election. The analysing the pros and cons of the fallacy of a particular regional party, matter debated, the participants playing with the sentiments of the either dictate the people to opt for a Assamese people, is also out in the particular political party or to shun open. That no political party wants it; they never talk about the an immediate end to the illegal conscience voting. The sole intent immigration problem in Assam is of the discussions should be to evident from a simple fact that the inspire and enlighten the audience contentious Citizenship (Amendso that they can gradually underment) Bill, 2016 is not even a poll stand the very essence of a vibrant issue in Assam. Surprisingly, parties democracy. Yours etc., Dr RAJIB love to talk about solving the BHATTACHARYYA, Rupnagar, Bangladeshi problem in Assam, but Guwahati. only in their poll manifestos. So, Articles (within 1000-1100 words) and what’s the poll issue for the 2019 Letters to the Editor for publication in election in Assam? Yours etc., the editorial page may be sent to the BANRAJ KALITA, Guwahati. email ID: [email protected].

THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2019

Ayursundra announces launch of health kiosks STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI, April 3 : Ayursundra Diagnostics on Wednesday announced the launch of its kiosks that would work as ‘health sentinels’ in reaching out to the last mile of the healthcare delivery chain. The event began at 11 am at the corporate office of Ayursundra Healthcare Pvt Ltd at Lachit Nagar here. According to Dr Abhijit Hazarika, co-founder and CEO of Ayursundra Healthcare, Ayursundra model is designed to reduce the gap between diagnosis and treatment while easing the patient’s anxiety and making treatment more cost effective for him. The inter-connectivity facilitates optimal utilisation of the available resources for patients to receive the appropriate medical attention. The unique approach of providing affordable and quality healthcare to the ‘last mile’ is based on the revolutionary ‘Hub and Spokes’ model. This ensures uniformity in deliverables and services. Patients will be able to access their reports at any of the centres regardless of where they are from. The kiosk support will act as the ‘sub-spoke’ in the ‘Hub and Spokes’ model that will supplement the spokes and hub by reaching out to the last mile and providing quality and affordable healthcare services at people’s doorstep. This will reduce the hassle for patients in the remotest areas by reducing their expenditure on travel and time. A kiosk is already running at Amingaon and another will be started from now at Kalgachia. Earlier, the opening address was given by guest of honour journalist Nava Thakuria, where he briefed the audience on the role of healthcare providers in society and how quality and affordable healthcare in the region is the need of the hour. After the event, the journalists present were given a free checkup in the premises. Blood samples were collected in order to check the level of uric acid as part of a Guwahati Press Club survey to determine how many scribes in the city are suffering from gout.

Inclusion of ... (Contd from page 1) NRC. The number may also increase as the final verification of the documents is now going on. Sources pointed out that names of more than 40 lakh applicants were not included in the draft of the NRC and names of majority of them, who attained 18 years of age, must have been included in the electoral rolls. “We cannot yet say that all the 40 lakh people whose names did not appear in the draft of the NRC, are foreign nationals. But the fact remains that they are suspected nationals and they will have an opportunity to cast votes in the ensuing polls,” sources admitted. Interestingly, more than five lakh of the people, whose names did not appear in the draft of the NRC, did not file claims for inclusion of their names and no one is sure names of how many of them feature in the electoral rolls. Moreover, during the verification process, a number of fake or forged voters’ identity cards were detected and in some instances, some people even had such identity cards in different names, which proved beyond any doubt that the voters’ lists are not correct, which will enable suspected foreigners to cast votes to elect representatives to the Parliament. Replying to a question as to how suspected foreigners managed to get names included in the electoral rolls, sources admitted that there is no foolproof mechanism to check the nationality of persons before inclusion of names in the voters’ lists. Sources said that during the revision of the electoral rolls every year, thorough checking of documents is not done as was done in case of the NRC, while, there is no provision for backend verification of the documents. Moreover, majority of the forgeries during the process of updating the NRC were detected during the family tree verification of the applicants, which is not done in case of preparation of the electoral rolls.

CITY Story of Young Turks combating crimes against children

THE ASSAM TRIBUNE, GUWAHATI 7

MANASH PRATIM DUTTA

GUWAHATI, April 3: Abhinandan Foundation India, a group of child activists, has been trying to curb child sexual abuse and child trafficking cases in the city. The group comprises 60 children, most of whom are below 16 years of age and all are slum dwellers. According to founder of the group Chiranjib Chakravarty, a Higher Secondary student of Gauhati Commerce College, Abhinandan Foundation India was formed in 2016 by reviving the Happy Children Club formed by the World Vision India among slum children. They are now concentrating on Uzanbazar, Noonmati and Bhaskar Nagar areas of the city to combat the crimes against children. “Our aim is to eliminate child sexual abuse, child marriage and child trafficking completely from our society. We have a lot of challenges before us, but we are confident about achieving our objectives,” Chiranjib, himself a slum dweller at Bhaskar Nagar, said while talking to The Assam Tribune. Narrating their journey so far, Chiranjib said, “Substance abuse and sex rackets are common in our slum area. We always get threats when we raise our voices against such social evils. The area has a mixed population, comprising both Hindus and Muslims, while the majority

is Bengali-speaking. The population is of over a thousand people and most of them are daily wagers. The situation is the same in every slum of the city.” “Child marriage has always been a major problem among these people. Most of these cases remain unreported because of various social issues. Moreover, slum children are not getting proper education due to lack of awareness on the part of the parents and teachers. In some cases, it has been found that even a Class V student is unable to read primary-level books,” he lamented. According to him, there is a need to make womenfolk more aware of the pertinent issues, as mere celebration of International Women’s Day is not enough to bring a discernible change in the picture. The Foundation had carried out a survey in 2016 and found 53 child labourers in and around Bhaskar Nagar. The survey report was submitted to the authority concerned, but no action has been taken yet, Chiranjib alleged, adding that some people even engage slum children in various misdeeds, stealing in particular. “Till today, we have rescued two child victims of sexual abuse and two of trafficking. One of the trafficking victims hailed from Bhutan. One of our members found him crying on the roadside. Then, we contacted the Childline and handed over the boy to them. After one

month, the victim called us and informed that he reached home safely.” “During an awareness camp on ‘Safe touch and bad touch’ at Uzanbazar, we were informed about a child sexual abuse case involving a girl. We were told that one person used to show her porn video forcefully before trying to assault her. Her parents’ condition is so poor that they did not want to take any legal step against the offender. But, we managed to convince them and later a complaint was filed at the Latasil Police Station. “Then, we spent three weeks tracing

the pervert and one day caught him red handed at the Uzanbazar fish market just when he was showing porn to the victim,” he said. Revealing about the third case, he said, “Last year, a man sexually assaulted a seven-year-old girl in the Bhaskar Nagar slum area. In this case, too, her parents did not move the police as they were extremely poor. Later, one of our members came to know about the incident and we tried to convince the parents. Ultimately, they filed a police complaint. The culprit, though, is still absconding.” “In another case, a girl from the

Bhaskar Nagar slum area fell in love with a boy from Mangaldai who had befriended her on Facebook. Later, she eloped with the boy. Unfortunately, after a few days into their ‘marriage’, the boy took her to Rajasthan and sold her off for Rs 25,000. One day, somehow the victim managed to call up her mother and narrated her ordeal. The victim’s mother then sought our help and we moved the Chandmari Police Station. “Unfortunately, the response of police was not forthcoming. Without losing heart, we contacted with Sunita Changkakoti, Chairman of the Assam State Commission for Protection of Child Rights. It was only after she rang up the officer in-charge of the police station that police took up the case and after three weeks, rescued the girl, too,” he disclosed. The group carries out awareness camps in various schools of the city, where, according to Chiranjib, all their activities are run with contributions from the members’ own pocket money. “Now we have 60 members. As a tool of creating mass awareness against child abuse, we have organised some rallies in our area, during which we shouted slogans in front of the houses of the culprits involved with the heinous crimes,” he said. The Foundation is now going to organise a campaign against eve-teasing in Guwahati.

Guwahati Rly Station first to get Conference on evolving sciences ISO 14001: 2015 certification at Cotton University in June STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI, April 3: Guwahati Railway Station has become the first station in India to obtain the ISO 14001: 2015 certification for implementation of environment management system by carrying out directives issued by the National Green Tribunal. An official statement said that the certification has

been issued for “providing passenger amenities in clean and green environment throughout the entire railway station premises with high class reserve (VIP) lounge, waiting rooms, AC and non-AC retiring rooms, refreshing area, food courts and sanitation.” It said that as per direction of the National Green Tribunal, NF Railway had given consultancy contract for environment management system to M/s Caliber Management Solutions in February this year. “M/s Caliber Management Solution is a consultancy firm based in Delhi and Guwahati which is the authorised associate of TNV Certification. TNV Certification

is the authorised certification body of the International Accreditation Services (IAS) of United States of America, which is a member of International Accreditation Forum (IAF). While ISO makes standard and policy, IAF regulates and authorises certification bodies to issue certificates after assessment to meet compliance as per related standard,” the statement said. M/s Caliber Management Solution had started auditing the facilities at Implementation of the Guwahati Railway environment Station on February 22 and completed the management work on March 22 system by March. The report and carrying out certification were redirectives issued ceived on March 26. ISO (International by the National Organisation for StandGreen Tribunal ardisation) is responsible for establishing standard in different areas of activities. There are many types of ISO certification and ISO-14001 is for environment management system as per international norms and was upgraded last in 2015. Hence the certificate is called ISO 14001:2015. “The certification will be reviewed in 2020 and so stricter environment norms regarding waste disposal, etc., have to be adhered to by NF Railway in the Guwahati station area. Provision of mechanised cleaning, antirodent treatment, use of standard cleaning chemicals, etc., which are already in place, will be monitored and audited by the certifying agencies,” the statement said.

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI, April 3: Cotton University is going to organise a national conference on green, sustainable and evolving sciences (GSES-2019) with a two-day programme from June 28. It will also host the 64th annual technical session of the Assam Science Society during the said period. According to a press release issued by the university, discus-

sions will be held on the recent advances in various specialised aspects of green, sustainable and evolving sciences such as life and environmental sciences, green and sustainable chemistry, materials science, mathematical, physical, climate and earth sciences, besides interdisciplinary sciences. Renowned scientists, faculty members and research students from different universities and research institutions of the country

Retired FCI employees’ meet tomorrow GUWAHATI, April 3: An urgent meeting of the retired employees of the Food Corporation of India of the North East zone will be held on April 5 at 10 am at the Swahid Nyas Bhawan near Guwahati Planetarium here to discuss the latest developments in the Employees Pension Scheme 1995, according to a press release issued here today.

IT detects hundreds...

Issues of Cachar Paper Mill being addressed, at the Guwahati Press Club on Wednesday. – UB Photos

EC to ... (Contd from page 1) Open University in the year 2011”. When contacted, KKHSOU Vice Chancellor Hitesh Deka said the varsity does not offer any higher secondary or 12th standard course. “We do not have any such course. No open university in the country offer higher secondary course,” Deka said. He, however, informed that Oja did a Bachelor Preparatory Programme (BPP) in 2011-12 and took admission in the degree course, but did not continue. While contesting the 2011 Assembly elections from the Gauhati East constituency as an Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) candidate, Oja

had mentioned her academic qualification as “matriculation in 1968” from Panbazar Girls High School. Oja, on the other hand, stood by all the information provided in her affidavit and smelled a conspiracy by Congress in this controversy. “I have not provided any false information. You will get to know all the truth on the day of scrutiny. Congress is losing in Gauhati and that is why spreading these rumours,” Oja told PTI. For the Gauhati seat, the Election Commission has fixed April 4 as the last date of filing nominations, April 5 for scrutiny, April 8 for last date of withdrawal and April 23 for the polling. – PTI

(Contd from page 1) flow is being misused for vitiating free and fair elections. This preliminary finding has been brought to the notice of the ECI. An interagency coordination meeting has been scheduled for tomorrow for better synergy and exchange of actionable intelligence in real time. As on April 2, the cash seizures by the Income Tax department in various interceptions in the region stands at Rs 1.96 crore. Since the date of notification of general elections, over 150 Income Tax officials have been deployed in seven control rooms and 41 surveillance teams across the region to monitor 112 districts and 12 airports.

Rahul promises ... (Contd from page 1) not allow the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 to be passed in Parliament. He added that the Congress will restore special status of northeastern states and introduce a new industrial policy to make the region a manufacturing hub. Gandhi also said that the Congress party was committed to ensuring minimum wages for tea garden workers that the Narendra Modi-led government failed to fulfil. North Lakhimpur Correspondent adds: Congress president Rahul Gandhi addressing a poll rally here reminded the voters about the false promise made by Prime Min-

ister Narendra Modi of crediting Rs 15 lakh to bank account of each citizen of the country. Gandhi also lambasted Modi for facilitating big corporate houses and assured that the public money looted by businessmen like Anil Ambani would be recovered if the Congress is voted to power. Earlier, the Congress president arrived at the venue of the poll rally in a helicopter after taking part in similar campaign rallies at Bokakhat and in Nagaland. Assam Pradesh Congress Committee president Ripun Bora, Lakhimpur district Congress president Dr Joy Prakash Das and party other leaders were present in the poll rally.

will take part in the conference to present their research findings. Willing participants may register for the conference and may send the abstract of the research paper for poster/oral presentations etc., by May 30 to the convenor Dr Manjit Kr Bhattacharyya by email ([email protected], phone number 94350-13331). For further details, they may visit the website of Cotton University (www.cottonuniversity.ac.in).

STATE

8 THE ASSAM TRIBUNE, GUWAHATI

THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2019

NPP to contest alone in LS poll in State PRANJAL BHUYAN

United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL) candidate Urkhao Gwra Brahma filing his nomination papers for the Kokrajhar LS seat, on Wednesday. – UB Photos

Direct contest likely between BJP, Cong in Lakhimpur HPC CORRESPONDENT

DOOMDOOMA, April 3: Lakhimpur Lok Sabha constituency in Assam will vote in the 2019 election to form the 17th Lok Sabha on April 11 along with four other constituencies out of 14 in the State. The HPC comprises nine Assembly constituencies, namely, Majuli, Naoboicha, Lakhimpur, Dhakuakhana, Dhemaji, Jonai, Chabua, Doomdooma and Sadiya and a total of 16,81,834 voters will exercise their franchise in the election. The LAC wise distribution of these voters are – Majuli-1,25,016, Naoboicha2,01,891, Lakhimpur-1,74,825, Dhakuakhona-1,94,043, Dhemaji-2,35,986, Jonai2,84,023, Chabua-1,49,319, Doomdooma1,41,520 and Sadiya-1,75,211. Lakhimpur HPC is said to be one of the most politically active and vibrant constituencies in the State. The population of the constituency is multi-cultural and multi-ethnic in nature. The HPC had been under the dominance of Congress most of the time since 1967. In that year Congress candidate Biswanarayan Shastri emerged as the first MP of the Lakhimpur seat. He won from the seat for the second term in 1971. In 1977 Lalit Kumar Doley of Congress, in 1985 Gakul Saikia of AGP, in 1991 Bolin Kuli of Congress, in 1996 Arun Kumar Sharma of AGP, in 1998 & 1999 Ranee Narah of Congress, in 2004 Arun Kumar Sharma of AGP and in 2009 Ranee Narah of Congress won from this seat. In the 2014 Lok Sabha election, Sarbananda Sonowal

of the BJP won the seat defeating Congress candidate Ranee Narah by 2,92,138 votes. The BJP retained the constituency in the bye-election in 2016 after Sarbananda Sonowal vacated the seat to take over as the Chief Minister of the State. Pradan Baruah of BJP defeated Hema Hari Prasanna Pegu of the Congress by almost two lakh votes to retain the seat for the BJP. In the ensuing election for the formation of the 17th Lok Sabha, a bilateral contest is expected in the HPC. Though the number of the candidates in fray in the election of the HPC is 11 with Anil Borgohain of INC, Anup Pratim Baruah of Nationalist Congress Party, Amiya Kumar Handique of Communist Party of India (Marxist), Arup Kalita of Communist Party of India, Pradan Baruah of BJP, Ubaidur Rahman of Asom Jana Mancha, Dilip Moran of Assam Dristi Party, Bhupen Narah of Voter’s Party International, Hem Kanta Miri of Socialist Unity Centre of India (Communist), and Independent candidates Ambaz Uddin and Prabhu Lal Vaisnava, the main contest will be between BJP and Congress. However, BJP candidate Pradan Baruah will face a tough challenge due to antiincumbency factors. Moreover, the issue of Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 may create a hazard for him in his next journey to Delhi. But , this time the ruling party is hoping to get total support from the Hindu Bengali voters on the plea of CAB. Moreover , the BJP should be able to penetrate the traditional Congress

vote banks in the tea gardens of the constituency through various schemes introduced by the State government to woo the tea labourers. On the other hand , BJP’s alliance partner Gana Shakti has a strong base in the constituency which may help the BJP candidate. But, it is still a big question whether the another alliance partner AGP supporters will cast their votes in favour of the BJP candidate or not as majority of AGP supporters are unhappy with the AGP-BJP reunion. Moreover, Assam Dristi Party candidate Dilip Moran may also create problem for the BJP candidate. Moran, a former BJP leader and MLA of Doomdooma LAC quit BJP and contested the bye-election in 2016 in this seat as an Independent candidate when the BJP refused to give him party ticket. In that bye-election Moran was able to get 42,667 votes. This time too, he is supposed to get good support from the people, specially in Doomdooma and Sadiya LACs. Similarly, a section of Congress workers is maintaining a neutral stand, being unsatisfied with the allotment of party ticket to established businessman Anil Borgohain who is not a widely known person across the constituency. On the other hand, Amiya Kumar Hundique of CPI (M) and Arup Kalita of CPI are expected to emerge as crucial factors in the election in the HPC. Still the Congress candidate is trying his best to woo the voters in favour of him.

Gohainbari TE initiative to help the needy lauded ANN SERVICE

SIVASAGAR, April 3: The LB Group under Gohainbari Tea Estate in Nitaipukhuri Mouza observed its golden jubilee celebration recently. Jorhat MP Kamakhya Prasad Tasa, Director Indira Borthakur and Chief Manager of Gohainbari Tea Estate Sanjeev Boruah lit ceremonial lamps in hallowed memory of the founders Lakhyeshar Borthakur and Birajabala Borthakur. Indira Borthakur urged the workers and employees to keep her directly posted about their grievances. Tasa lauded the role of the garden management in eradi-

cating illicit drugs and liquor from the tea estate. The garden management felicitated football teams from Gohainbari and Panidihing High School and headmasters Pradip Borgohain and Pranjal Phukan on the occasion. Further, the tea garden management presented cheques worth Rs 10,000 each to two meritorious students – Barasha Handique and Pallavi Baruah. Goat camp: Assam Hill Goat Development Board organised a goat camp at Dikhowmukh in Sivasagar on March 24 for treatment of goats and to sensitise local people about the huge financial gains a farmer can accrue

through scientific goat rearing. Dr David Bordoloi, veterinarian from Karbi Anglong spoke about different diseases affecting goats like PPR, goat pox, entertoscimia and the danger of interbreeding with unprotected bulls. The organisers also made the participants aware about commercial rearing of goats and on banking and insurance facilities that were available. The camp was also attended by Dr Akshayvat Keshry, Head of the Veterinary Department, Pradip Handique, Head of Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Dr Anupananda Goswami, Dr Divakar Baruah, Dr Siddhartha Dutta and Dr Devananda Seleng.

cVIGIL operational in Udalguri

GUWAHATI, April 3: National People’s Party (NPP) will contest the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls on its own in Assam and the Conrad Sangma-led outfit will go to the electorate with the agenda of federalism and provide a common platform to all the communities of the North East. NPP has already announced its candidates for seven constituencies of Assam – Silchar, Diphu, Kaliabor, Tezpur, Jorhat, Dibrugarh and Barpeta – and is also thinking of contesting from the Guwahati seat. “We have declared our candidates for seven constituencies. We have so far not finalized our nominee from Guwahati. In addition, we have decided to extend support to candidates of the United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL) in Mangaldoi and Kokrajhar seats. But we are not having alliance with any party,” Dilip Bora, convenor of NPP’s Assam unit told The Assam Tribune. Bora, who was recently appointed convenor of the State unit by Meghalaya Chief Minister and NPP president Sangma, claimed that the party has allotted tickets only to individuals who already have experience of working among the masses in their respective constituencies and have a public profile. “Our main agenda is federalism. We want a federal structure in the true sense of the term and we want control of the local people over their own resources. Our intention is to provide a common platform to all communities and ethnic groups of the North East. We want to create a platform where there will be representatives of different States of the re-

UDALGURI, April 3: Along with rest of the country, the easy to use cVIGIL mobile application is now operational in Udalguri district to prevent unlawful activities like violation of Model Code of Conduct (MCC) and Election Expenditure Monitoring (EEM) violations by contesting candidates, political parties or anyone related to the candidates contesting in the forthcoming general elections. The resultant cVIGIL mobile application shall connect the vigilant citizens with the District Control Room, Returning Officer or District Election Officer. The mobile application allows the vigilant citizens to give live reports on incidents of MCC or EEM violations within minutes of having witnessed them. The users don’t have to rush to the office of RO or DEO. The app is available in the Goggle Play Store or iOS store for download and the same can be used to click photos or capture videos that show the MCC/ EEM violations.

HAILAKANDI, April 3: In an effort to catch them young, the Hailakandi district administration in partnership with SVEEP Cell has come up with a unique idea to attract the first-time voters belonging to the new generation. Launching an appeal to the first-time voters and youth using social media here on Tuesday, District Election Officer cum Deputy Commissioner Keerthi Jalli urged them to come out and cast their vote as it has great power to change things for the better. She said the idea behind it all is to motivate and inspire the youth who

GUWAHATI, April 3: Manish Chandra Bhattacharjee, AFS (Retd), Director of Audit, Govt of Assam, passed away on March 29 last. He was 81. He leaves behind his wife, two daughters and a host of relatives and well-wishers. AGP Barpeta seat candidate Kumar Dipak Das seeking blessing from Burha Satradhikar His death has been widely Bashistha Dev Sarma of Barpeta Satra, at Barpeta on Wednesday. – UB Photos mourned.

2019 lamities among the issues affecting the entire region. “Efforts are needed to increase power generation, improve communication, open up the region to the ASEAN countries, turn Guwahati into an international hub, increase the pace of railway electrification and expansion of railway lines and doubling of rail tracks, tackling erosion and flood, solving inter-State disputes, as well as for proper use of water resources. We believe that if the NPP comes to

Unique idea to attract first-time voters in Hailakandi CORRESPONDENT

Manish Ch Bhattacharjee

LOK SABHA ELECTION

power in different States these issues can be resolved at the local level by means of discussion among the State governments,” said Bora. He said that the NPP is also committed to promote the local languages of the North East. “The Centre should be a unifying force and not unitary. India can become strong only if all its constituent States are strong. More power should be given to the States. All the north-eastern States are resource rich. Assam has oil, tea and forest products. Meghalaya has uranium, coal and limestone. States should be able to get maximum benefits out of these. Now we are only getting royalty. Why should States get only royalty? We should have control over resources and we can give a share of the revenue to the Centre,” said the NPP leader. Asked about the issue of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016, and about NPP being a part of the BJP-led North East Democratic Alliance, Bora said, “The Congress party dominated the political landscape of the North East for a long time and yet it was not able to accord due respect to the aspirations of the people of this region. For that reason we wanted a counter to the Congress. So in all States of the region there were attempts to form alliances to defeat the Congress. That was achieved and the NEDA was formed. But if any party, whether the Congress or the BJP or any other third force, try to bring back such a Bill in the future, then we will oppose it vehemently. Our first commitment is to the people of the North East,” said Bora.

Stickers with messages being pasted on LPG cylinders to generate voters’ participation in the ensuing LS polls, by the Cachar district administration at Silchar on Wednesday. – Photo: Silchar Staff Correspondent

CORRESPONDENT

OBITUARY

gion at the Centre who can raise the demands and share the grievances of the North East people in unison,” said Bora. He said that all the States of the North East face certain common problems and challenges which need urgent solution. Bora cited lack of industrialization, unemployment, poor infrastructure and other bottlenecks, as well as natural ca-

usually do not turn up for voting as they consider it as a fun-filled holiday. Using Bollywood memes to cut the ice between government and the Gennext and then seek their promise to vote by way of a selfie with a Facebook frame specially created for Hailakandi voters is a unique and attractive way to woo the young voters by the district administration and SVEEP Cell. Jalli is personally sending a message to all first-time voters of Hailakandi through an appeal to come and vote and, in return, is seeking their show of support through usage of the frame on their DPs of their social media accounts

for wide publicity. Making an impassioned plea to the young voters, Jalli said, “I write to you personally to seek your promise to go and vote on the April 18 in Hailakandi. If you agree to go and vote, you can use the frame ‘Hailakandivotes’ on Facebook and change your DP and send a snapshot to this number in return which will be highlighted on our ‘Voters of Hailakandi’ FB page. Looking forward to your changed filters towards democracy too.” The district administration has left no stone upturned to ensure cent per cent polling on election day with focus on youth and women.

Threat of CAB not yet over: Bhubaneswar ANN SERVICE

MIRZA, April 3: The Congress candidate for Mangaldoi Lok Sabha constituency Bhubaneswar Kalita has said that the threat of passage of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 is not yet over as the Bill might be tabled again in the Parliament if the BJP is voted to power and called upon the voters of Mangaldoi Lok Sabha constituency to cast their votes in favour of Congress candidate in order to prevent passing of the CAB at any cost, and thereby, protect the identity, language, heritage, art and culture of Assam. Addressing an election rally at Dimu and Kottakhat in Rangiya LAC of Kamrup district on April 1, Kalita said that BJP party has vowed to bring the CAB again if it is voted to power and added that the CAB would violate the clauses of the historic Assam Accord and distort

the identity, language and heritage of Assam. It will also incite violence in Assam. Launching a frontal attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Kalita said that the Indian Prime Minister has travelled 80 to 90 countries seeking investments in India but he has miserably failed to bring in foreign investment into India. Kalita also criticized the employment policies of the BJP-led Central government. “Prime Minister had assured the people of India to provide two crore jobs. Instead 72,000 jobs are being lost per day as per the report of National Sample Survey Organisation ( NSS ),” he said. Kalita threw light on several anti-Assam policies of the Narendra Modi-led Central government and said that the Congress-led UPA Government at the Centre had granted special category status to Assam and had given crores of rupees of funds to Assam for its speedy development. But the BJP Government

has snatched away the special category status, thereby deceiving the people of Assam. He said that if Congress is voted to power again, then the special category status for Assam would be restored. He assured the people of Mangaldoi HPC to implement several Central projects in Mangaldoi if voted to power. “We will upgrade Baihata Chariali-Mangaldoi national highway into a four-lane highway and extend the railway line from Guwahati to Mangaldoi in a bid to boost surface communication facilities in Mangaldoi HPC,” he said and added that the two MPs – Narayan Chandra Barkataky and Ramen Deka of the BJP – had failed to bring in a single Central project to Mangaldoi HPC. He said that the Congress party will work for the benefit of poor farmers, weavers and pump in more funds for the State.

STATE

THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2019

THE ASSAM TRIBUNE, GUWAHATI

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Triangular contest most likely in Dibrugarh BUREAU

NEDA chairman Himanta Biswa Sarma along with the AGP-BJP alliance candidate for Tezpur Pallab Lochan Das at a road show during election campaigning in Dhekiajuli, on Wednesday. – UB Photos

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DIBRUGARH, April 3: With the first phase polling day for the Lok Sabha elections nearing fast, candidates are accelerating their campaign momentum to the extent possible. For the Dibrugarh Lok Sabha seat too, a triangular contest is emerging, with Bhaben Baruah of the National People’s Party (NPP) literally nibbling at the heels of Paban Singh Ghatowar of the Congress and Rameswar Teli of the BJP. For the record, however, there are eight contestants in the fray here. But barring the trio mentioned above, electioneering by the others can be described as palliative, at best. Baruah, a former minister of state of the Assam Government, has been twice MLA from Chabua, once in 1985 and again in 1996. He joined the NPP on March 14 and the party offered him the Dibrugarh Lok Sabha ticket. The NPP, which is a nascent political party in Assam, is still functioning with an ad-hoc state committee, with retired IPS offic-

BJP working sincerely for tea garden people: Himanta CORRESPONDENT

TEZPUR, April 3: Health and Finance Minister and NEDA convenor Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma today took part in a number of massive election rallies and road shows at Dhekiajuli, Rangapara, Behali, Sotea and Tezpur to campaign for the BJP candidate of 9 No. Tezpur Parliamentary Constituency Pallab Lochan Das. Tezpur will go for polls on April 11 in the first phase. At first he arrived at the Dhekiajuli TE playground and addressed a mammoth gathering. Here he said that BJP has always addressed tea garden labourers’ issues. “During the Congress regime, tea garden people were simply used by the Congress as their vote bank. But today, the BJP

is very sincerely working for their all-round development as a result of which already a good deal of welfare schemes have been introduced in the tea garden areas,” he said. It was followed by a road show taken out throughout Dhekiajuli town. Besides other senior BJP activists, the NEDA convenor was escorted by the candidate Pallab Lochan Das. He then attended an election rally at Rangapara Railway field wherein he also addressed a huge gathering. He urged the people to make the nation’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi strong to make India one of the strongest countries in the world. Dr Sharma afterwards went to Behali to address another public meeting wherein he urged the people to come forward

er Dilip Borah as the convener. Baruah told The Assam Tribune that the NPP’s special appeal is that it is a regional political party with a spine. “Our leader Conrad Sangma (Chief Minister of Meghalaya) had the spine to tell Prime Minister Modi that the Citizenship Amendment Bill will not be in the interest of the northeast, and has to be repealed. Our country is a federal structure where strong chief ministers make the country greater,” he said. With the Citizenship Bill still a strong social issue in Assam, Baruah has latched on to it, and in the process is giving the Congress and BJP camps some electoral competition. His election campaign hinges around the permanent repeal of the Bill and sugarcoated by promises of several projects in the constituency, including an International Trading Centre along the Stilwell Road near Jagun, a mega statue of Lachit Borphukan near the Bogibeel bridge, a major rail museum in Dibrugarh, a tea museum at Chabua, etc.

Sonowal campaigns at Siripani CORRESPONDENT

velopment. He appealed to the khuakhana MLA and Minister public to vote in favour of BJP Naba Kumar Doley also delivSILAPATHAR, April 3: candidate Pradan Baruah. Dha- ered speeches in the meet. Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal today visited Siripani NOTIFICATION playground in Jonai LAC unIn continuation of this office earlier Notifications der 14 No. Lakhimpur Lok Sabha constituency. Sarbanan- vide letter Nos. TE (Ex) Admn-2/2019/157, dtd. da Sonowal visited Siripani for 15.02.2019 & TE (Ex) Admn-2/2019/159, dtd. BJP candidate Pradan Baruah. 15.02.2019 and published through leading Sonowal said that the Con- Newspapers vide Janasanjog/D/9497/18 & gress had failed to develop the Janasanjog/D/9484/18, dated 16/2/2019, it is nation in the last 55 years, but brought to the notice of all concerned that the date the BJP government has developed the country in the last five of Online Registration to appear in the Polytechnic years. The Modi Government Admission Test (PAT)-2019 for admission into Three has worked for the speedy de- years Diploma Courses in Modern Office

extending their helping hand towards making Modi’s hand stronger by casting their valuable votes to BJP on April 11. After that he addressed a public gathering at Sootea at New Ketla Field. Putting an end to the day-long election campaign programme lastly, he attended two different election rallies at Milanpur and Swahid Bakori in Tezpur wherein he urged the people to vote for the BJP to keep the nation and the region safe from various anti-national forces. Then he took part in a road show programme throughout the town. It needs mention here that in the morning, the State incharge for the ensuing Lok Sabha poll CORRESPONDENT Mahendra Singh addressed NORTH LAKHIMPUR, mediapersons here and said that he is confident of winning all the April 3: Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal addressed Lok sabha seats in Assam. a poll rally in Gojain-Monai Kshetra in Bogeendai under 112 Dhakuakhana LAC segment for the 14 Lakhimpur on March 31 in which more than HPC. He asked the voters to 60 teams participated from over support BJP’s Pradan Baruah 20 States. Team Tejas was the in the election and termed Confirst ever and only team from the gress as synonymous with disNorth East to have participated unity and bad governance. The in such an event in the country. Chief Minister also campaigned KU students Dhrubajyoti and for BJP’s Tezpur HPC candiHimangshu, won the first and date Pallab Lochan Das at Lasecond prize in the Talent Hunt khimpur 109 Bihpuria LAC round of ESVC respectively. segment on Tuesday afternoon.

‘Congress synonymous with bad governance’

KU students excel GUWAHATI, April 3: Team Tejas, the student team of Kaziranga University, Jorhat, which participated in the Electric Solar Vehicle Championship (ESVC) 2019 won the Team Spirit Award and ISIE Future Award of Rs 1,00,000 on March 31. Organised by the Imperial Society of Innovative Engineers (ISIE) and

Chandigarh University, the Electric Solar Vehicle Championship (ESVC 2019) in its sixth edition, is Asia’s first solar powered vehicle design and manufacturing event for engineering students, faculty and professionals, a press release stated. The five-day championship concluded at the Chandigarh University campus

BJP has no issues left: Kalita CORRESPONDENT

MANGALDAI, April 3: Bhubaneswar Kalita, the Congress candidate for 8 Mangaldoi Lok Sabha seat has claimed that the voters of the parliamentary constituency who voted for a BJP candidate for the last three consecutive terms have become sick of the hollow and false promises of the BJP MPs and its Prime Minister and this time they would vote Congress to power. “The scenario of election in 2014 and that of 2019 is completely different. Last time there was a wave in favour of the BJP. People voted the BJP to power with big expectations. But now they well understand that PM Modi and all parliamentarians of the saffron party made only hollow and false promises”, said Kalita. He was addressing the media at Mangal-

dai on Tuesday evening for the first time after being nominated as the Congress candidate for the Lok Sabha seat. “The BJP government at the Centre and the elected BJP parliamentarian from Mangaldai failed miserably in implementing the Central schemes in the constituency and the BJP and its allies this time have no election issue,” the veteran politician and the member of the Upper House asserted. Lashing out at Modi, Kalita reminded the media about the comment of Modi in an election campaign where he had declared that from May 16 next of that year all the illegal Bangladeshi foreigners will have to leave Assam bag and baggage. However, the BJP government is preparing to bring more Bangladeshis into the country with the help of CAB. The Congress candidate also charged the

Modi government for taking up antiindustry policies in the North East and scrapping of all central aids to Assam and the North East under the special category. In response to a question from media regarding the burning issues of Mangaldai in the election manifesto of the Assam Pradesh Congress, Kalita who heads the manifesto publishing committee claimed that several important issues have been included in the manifesto but he refused to name those issues before its release. However, in his reply to a question in terms of his significant contribution as a parliamentarian over the years, the four-time Rajya Sabha MP failed to mention any one such significant achievement. He simply said, “a Rajya Sabha MP has to distribute funds all over the State.”

Low-key electioneering in Goalpara district CORRESPONDENT

GOALPARA, April 3: With barely three weeks left for the third phase polling of the general elections scheduled on April 23, campaigning by various political parties has remained low key in the district. It may be mentioned that there are four Assembly constituencies in the district and 36 Dudhnoi (ST) falls in Gauhati Lok Sabha constituency while the other three namely 37 Goalpara (East), 38 Goalpara (West) and 39 Jaleswar fall in Dhubri constituency. No posters or banners have been found till now on the walls across the town. Campaigning by the candidates has yet to gather any steam as all the political parties have restricted their campaigns in the minority-dominated areas in the district and have only gradually started to reach out to voters of these areas. Many of the candidates in the fray are keeping their tour programmes secret

till the eleventh hour as a part of their political strategy. Meanwhile, talking to this correspondent the District Election Officer (DEO) and also the Deputy Commissioner Varnali Deka said that she is collecting feedback on poll-related violations from the ground level in a bid to ensure free and fair elections in the district. She also informed that the flying squads and static surveillance teams formed by the district administration for keeping strict vigil for adhering to the Model Code of Conduct and also necessary steps have been initiated by the law enforcement agencies to check the flow of cash. Deka further mentioned that wide publicity has been given so that all election laws are strictly adhered to with matters related to advertisements on the intermediaries/social media platforms and also scanning for any cases of paid news by the media certification & monitoring committee

Speaking to this newspaper, prominent Congress leader and candidate for the constituency, Paban Singh Ghatowar says the Citizenship Bill issue continues to remain a burning topic, and that the BJP’s views on it are against the will of the people of the State. He regretted that the BJP president Amit Shah continues to remain adamant on reintroducing the Bill and making it a law. Ghatowar said the people of Assam will not accept the Bill and that this will be reflected in this time’s election results. Ghatowar, who has already been Dibrugarh MP five times earlier, is in the election fray for a sixth term. Facing considerable flak and still remaining in the ring for a fight is Rameswar Teli of the BJP, who wants voters to vote for his second Lok Sabha term. He has been labelled a “silent MP” by many, as he has hardly spoken for the Dibrugarh constituency in the past five years. Despite the allegations of being incompetent, he puts up a brave face, hoping to ride piggyback on his party’s credentials.

formed at the district level for handling the violation of related cases. Moreover, Varnali Deka said that work for the elections are going as per schedule as three rounds of training programmes of all the polling personnel besides on EVMs and VVPATs have been already conducted and also a slew of activities undertaken including sensitisation and training of persons with disabilities (PWDs) under SVEEP to encourage all the citizens to participate and cast their votes in the ensuing general elections. Out of 946 polling stations, 63 have been identified as critical while three have been marked as vulnerable polling stations. There will be one all woman polling station with women polling officers and security personnel in each LAC. There will also be three model polling stations in each LAC. In addition, there will be one polling station for People With Disabilities (PWDs), Deka further added.

Management (MOM) course of PCPS Girls’ Polytechnic, Guwahati and Diploma Courses of the State Polytechnics of Assam/ Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Petroleum Technology, Sivasagar has been extended and will remain open till 12/04/2019. Candidates are to apply online by logging into www.dte.assam.gov.in and dteassamexam.in/ 19PAT. Janasanyog/D/18/19

Sd/- Director of Technical Education, Assam, Kahilipara, Guwahati-19.

PUBLIC NOTICE Shri Shankar Jiwal, IPS, Hon’ble Police Observer, No 7 Gauhati Lok-Sabha Constituency will be available at Guwahati Circuit House, Room No.23 (Sukla-Block) from 04/04/2019 onwards till the election process is over. During this period interested Political Parties/ Contesting Candidates / Common Public may meet him with their queries/ Objections Complains in between 9 AM to 10 AM every day. He may also be contact over mobile number +91-60026-84074 and Landline No. 0361-2730486. Published in the interest of general public of No. 7 Gauhati Lok-Sabha Constituency, Assam. Sd/- Nodal Officer Model Code of Conduct Kamrup (Metro) Election District Lok Sabha Election 2019 Janasanyog/DF/14/19 NOTICE Cotinuation to the earlier advertisement vide Janasanyog No. DF/1117/18 & DF/1261/18 and C/2771/18, the registered Dairy Cooperative Societies (DCS) who were approved by the District Level Committee (DLC) and subsequently validated and finalised by the State Level DCS Validation and Finalization Committee (SLDCSVFC) are hereby informed to contact the concerned District Dairy & Vety Officer for detail information for lifting the cattle from ALPCo Feed Mill premises, Sonapur. The approved Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) and the selected list of the DCS has already been sent to all District Dairy & Vety Officers of the respective district. The distribution will be done as first come first serve basis subject to availability of cattle at quarantine venue as received in transit from military farms. The DCSs are required to collect the movement advice from the Directorate of Dairy Development, Assam producing all relevant documents specified in the SOP before lifting the cattle from Sonapur. The cost of cattle transportation and other incidental expenses are to be borne initially by the DCSs themselves which would be reimbursed from Assam Milk, Meat and Egg Mission Society (AMMEMS) after observing all the formalities as described in the SOP. The exact date and time of the lifting of cattle shall be indicated by the key Nodal persons. The lifting of cattle/release of cattle to the Dairy Cooperative Societies shall commence from 5th of April, 2019. There shall be no distribution on Govt. holidays. The distribution shall continue only till availability of cattle as per actual numbers received from Military Farms. Key Nodal persons1. Sri Utpal Kr. Sharma, Dair y Dev, Assam (Phone: +917002414592) 2. Sri Ajit Kr. Sarma, CPS, Dairy Dev, Assam (Phone: +918876592906) 3. Dr. Pradip Gogoi, quarantine site at Sonapur, Nodal Person (Phone: +919435298832) 4. Sri Amarendra Deka, Dair y Dev,Assam (Phone: +918638062012) 5. Sri Jogen Ch. Thakuria, Dairy Dev,Assam (Phone: +919435409886) (Sd/- Managing Director), Assam Milk, Meat and Egg Mission (AMMEMS), OTI Building, Khanapara, Guwahati- 22 Janasanyog/DF/5/19

NORTH EAST

10 THE ASSAM TRIBUNE, GUWAHATI

THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2019

Brown sugar seized in Manipur CORRESPONDENT

WEATHER

NORTHEAST Forecast for North Eastern States: Rain/ thundershower is very likely to occur at many places over Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura, at a few places over Assam and Meghalaya and at isolated places over Arunachal Pradesh. Warning: Thunderstorm accompanied with gusty wind and lightning is likely to occur at isolated places over Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura. Temperatures: Max (°C) Min (°C) Dibrugarh Tezpur Silchar Dhubri Jorhat N Lakhimpur Shillong Cherrapunjee Aizawl Kohima Pasighat Itanagar Imphal Agartala

25.6 26.9 32.2 26.0 26.1 27.8 20.0 22.6 29.9 24.4 25.2 29.0 27.1 33.4

17.0 17.9 16.4 20.0 17.4 17.0 10.0 10.3 15.1 20.3 16.6 17.2 11.6 17.3

Prime Minister Narendra Modi waving to the people during an election rally at Pasighat in Arunachal Pradesh on Wednesday. – UB Photos

Rs 1.80 cr seized at Pasighat ahead of PM’s rally CORRESPONDENT

Arms deposit order SHILLONG, April 3: The District Magistrate, East Khasi Hills district of Meghalaya today directed all license holders to deposit their arms and weapons at the nearest police station, outpost or beat house. The order was passed in view of the Model Code of Conduct enforced for the ensuing Lok Sabha elections. “Non-compliance of the order will result in imposition of penalties and punishable with imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than one year but which may extend to three years and shall also be liable to fine,” the order said. – Staff Correspondent

Minor raped TURA, April 3: A sevenyear-old girl from West Garo Hills was raped after which the accused has absconded. The incident allegedly took place on April 1 and a case was registered yesterday at Tura Women Police Station. According to reports, the minor was forcefully taken to a nearby secluded area where she was sexually assaulted by the accused. He also threatened the girl against revealing the incident to anyone. Subsequently, the accused fled the village. “We are on the lookout for the absconding accused. The victim has also been medically examined,” said police. The All Meghalaya Minority Students Union (AMMSU) has condemned the incident. It has also decided to take out a rally to spread awareness on such crimes. – Correspondent

ITANAGAR, April 3: In the highest-ever cash seizure so far by the agencies appointed by Election Commission (EC), the Flying Squads have seized a whopping amount of Rs 1.80 crore at Pasighat on Tuesday night, just hours before Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s public rally there, according to State’s Additional Chief Electoral Officer Kanki Darang. Incidentally, Pasighat falls under Arunachal East Parliamentary constituency, which is being contested by State BJP president Tapir Gao. “The Rs 1.80 crore seized by the flying squad team at Pasighat has already been referred to the Income Tax department,” informed the Addl CEO Wednesday evening, while dodging the

Cong trains gun on BJP question whether any case was registered in this connection. He informed that till date, the total unaccounted cash seized in Arunachal Pradesh since model code of conduct (MCC) came into force has increased to Rs 5.50 crore. Giving details about the latest seizure, Darang informed that the Flying Squad stationed at Pasighat, acting on a tip-off, recovered the cash of Rs 1.80 crore from two parked vehicles – one, bearing registration number AR09B 3797 (Scorpio) and another white coloured Fortuner bearing number AR-01K 0009 – at the premises of Siang Guest House, Pasighat last night at about 9.30 pm. He said that as per information available with him, Rs

1 crore was found from the vehicle (AR-09B 3797) owned by BJP candidate from Mebo constituency Dangi Perme’s son Christopher Perme and the remaining amount of Rs 80 lakh from the Fortuner, which is registered under the Deputy Secretary, Transport, Govt of Arunachal Pradesh. The amount was claimed to be of ex-MLA Ralom Borang. Reportedly, the second vehicle (AR-01K 0009) was part of Chief Minister Pema Khandu’s convoy. Meanwhile, opposition Congress has alleged that a raid on the convoy of CM Khandu, Deputy CM Chowna Mein and BJP’s Arunachal president Tapir Gao has “found Rs 1.8 crore in cash that exposes the brazen cor-

‘Effort to divide Tripura on ethnic lines will never succeed’ CORRESPONDENT

AGARTALA, April 3: The dream of bringing about a division in Tripura on ethnic lines would succeed despite misguided efforts being made by Congress and regional forces, Chief Minister Bilab Kumar Deb has alleged. “A mischievous effort is on to misguide people on these sensitive issues in Northeastern States as well as in Tripura. The opposition forces are also trying to provoke ethnic violence in the State but their efforts will not succeed”, the Chief Minister said while addressing an election rally at Takarjala, a tribal belt in West

Tripura district on Tuesday. Deb said that the idea of National Register of Citizens (NRC) had been mooted by the country’s first Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru at the behest of Assam’s first Chief Minister Gopinath Bordoloi. “The law passed in Parliament had provided for preparation of NRC and it was done in 1951 but was never updated. It was only after a Supreme Court order in 2006 that the updating of NRC was taken up and such NRCs should be there for all States, he said. Deb asserted that BJP and its allies are determined to protect the vital interests of

the indigenous people of North East. “We assure you that BJP will work for your welfare by empowering the ADC and by ensuring your livelihood and prosperity; nothing will be done to even remotely damage your interest. You can rest assured of this”, he said. The rally was attended by a large number of people belonging to the indigenous communities of Takarjala and its outlying areas, a stronghold of IPFT supremo NC Debbarma. IPFT, which is a partner of the BJP-led coalition government in Tripura, has decided to contest the Parliamentary election alone.

NE Forum for Indigenous People formed CORRESPONDENT

IMPHAL, April 3: A forum called North East Forum for Indigenous People (NEFIP) was constituted at the end of the day-long North East People’s Conference here to address the common issues confronting the region. Announcing this at a hurriedly called press conference here, Ruatliana Fanai, who moderated the concluding session of the first-ever NE People’s Confrence, here today, informed that Ningthou-

ja Lancha of Manipur has been unanimously nominated as the convenor of the core committee of NEFIP. Ruatliana, a social activist from Mizoram said, “The Forum firmly resolved to stand unambiguously clear to oppose the impending threat that has come from the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill.” Regarding the functioning of the NEFIP, Ruatliana, who was accompanied by the leaders of various civil society organisations of NE States, said that every member State in

the region has to nominate three members each to the core committee of the Forum. He stated that the Forum shall have a State coordinating unit or State chapter which shall look after the activities with an objective to make the Forum democratic and inclusive. He added that the Forum also unanimously resolved to support the demands for the implementation of the ILP (Inner Line Permit) system, NRC (National Registration of Citizens) and other influx regulating legislations.

The next round of meeting of NEFIP is likely to be held in Shillong to deliberate on the future modalities and culmination of the conference as per the issues and concerns. On Tuesday, the first NE People’s Conference was held in Imphal to create a common political platform for the Northeastern region. The conference was jointly organised by the civil society organisations of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura.

ruption and poll violation as Prime Minister Narendra Modi holds a rally in Pasighat at 10 am today”. Demanding the resignation of Khandu and Gao, the Congress said the sensational ‘cash for votes’ scandal has exposed the BJP. “Was this cash reportedly transferred for PM Modi’s morning rally in Pasighat today? Is it not a clear case of ‘Chowkidar’ becoming ‘Chor’?” it asked. However, Chief Minister Pema Khandu has refuted the charges and claimed that ‘cash for votes’ is practiced by the Congress, not the BJP. While admitting that he got the information about cash seizure this morning only, Khandu said the matter is under the investigation of the Election Commission, adding that he has also urged the party president to look into it.

Cong demands sacking of Khandu

IMPHAL, April 3: Assam Rifles has arrested an alleged drug smuggler carrying brown sugar worth Rs 1,87,20,000 at Khudengthabi check post located along Imphal-Moreh Highway in Manipur, according to a press release. At around 12 noon yesterday, based on specific input from a reliable source, a joint team of Assam Rifles troops and Police Commandos stopped a Maruti Alto (MN 02 G 3132) travelling from Moreh to Imphal for checking, Assam Rifles PRO (South) said in a press release. While checking the vehicle, 70 packets of orange coloured powder suspected to be brown sugar was found hidden inside the body of the vehicle. The contraband items were being allegedly smuggled by one Haopu Haokip (33), a resident of Moreh. The smuggler along with the contraband was handed over to Moreh Police Station, the release said. In one of the biggest recoveries of contraband drugs this year, Assam Rifles had seized a huge quantity of ‘World Is Yours’ tablets worth approximately Rs 14.58 crore in Tengnoupal district bordering Myanmar on February 19 last.

Rahul promises to return everything Modi ‘stole’ from NE CORRESPONDENT

DIMAPUR, April 3: Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday promised to return everything Narendra Modi Government “stole” from the North East. Addressing a mammoth election rally for Congress candidate KL Chishi for the lone Lok Sabha seat in Nagaland at DDSC stadium here, Gandhi said the Modi Government has taken away special status granted to the North East, North East Industrial Policy, other special provisions and want to impose Citizenship (Amendment) Bill (CAB) on the region. “We understand you have unique challenges, unique problems and you require special status. We are committed to bring the special status back to the NE and the North East Industrial Policy,” he said. He assured not to allow passage of CAB in the Parliament in future. He said he listened to a large number of people from NE on the Bill and could feel their pain and

decided not to allow the Bill to pass in Rajya Sabha. According to Gandhi, the Congress does not see the NE as a region but as a potential bridge with South East Asia. He said the Look East Policy has the power to completely transform the NE which has huge natural resources. He accused the Modi Government of taking away money from NE and giving it to top industrialists of the country. Gandhi said Congress believed that every part of India has its own way of looking at the world while the Modi and RSS want to impose their ideology on India. He assured to protect the culture, history, identity and customs of Nagaland and the NE. He said when Nagas are not allowed to voice out, then it cannot be India. “Congress and I will not allow Nagas’ way of thinking and their way of life to be crushed,” he asserted. “We want to ensure that nobody can challenge the Nagas,” he stated. He also assured to defend the history, identity, proud heritage, culture, way of

life of the entire NE people. Gandhi reiterated the Congress will ensure that every household in India whose earning is less than Rs 12,000 a month get Rs 12,000 every month, if it comes to power at the Centre. The amount will be credited to their account every month, he assured. Calling the minimum income guarantee scheme “revolutionary”, he said India cannot afford to have poor people in 21st century. He said any entrepreneur who wants to start a business will not have to take permission from any government department and will be given loan. On the Naga issue, Gandhi said it is a complex issue which involves many stakeholders. He assured to listen to all the stakeholders and try to find a solution as soon as possible. “This is a clear commitment once again to you. I will not give you empty promises,” he said. Gandhi said the Congress does not believe in words but on deeds while Modi makes new commitment in his every speech.

SPL CORRESPONDENT

NEW DELHI, April 3: The Congress on Wednesday demanded that Chief Minister Pema Khandu and his deputy Chowna Mein should be immediately sacked. Addressing a press conference Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala also sought the termination of the candidature of Tapir Gao, the BJP’s Arunachal Pradesh president who has been fielded from the Arunachal East) Lok Sabha constituency. Alleging that a “cash-forvote” scam was busted in Arunachal Pradesh with the recovery of Rs 1.8 crore in cash from Chief Minister Pema Khandu’s convoy, he asked the poll panel to register a case against Prime Minister Narendra Modi as well. He accused the BJP of using “money power” to woo voters in the Northeast. The party also claimed the raid was conducted after Youth Congress workers complained to authorities in Pasighat. There was no immediate comment available from the BJP or the EC on recovery of the cash.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi in Naga traditional attire at an election rally in Dimapur on Wednesday. – Photo: Correspondent

IGNOU Imphal Centre convocation CORRESPONDENT

IMPHAL, April 3: The 32nd Convocation of Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), Regional Centre, Imphal was held here on Wednesday, according to an official report. Addressing the Convocation, Manipur Governor Dr Najma Heptulla said that the occasion is a golden opportunity to share

thoughts and views on higher education in a unique forum where almost all stakeholders are present – students, teachers, academicians, researchers, some policy makers both past and present and outstanding members of civil society. With the main objective to promote open and distance education system in the country, IGNOU was established by an Act of Parliament in 1985

and since then it has been constantly trying to bring about democratisation in higher education and provide quality education irrespective of age, religion, gender and region. The Governor also inaugurated an exhibition. Certificates to 1,694 PG Diploma, Diploma and Degree learners in different courses were also distributed during the Convocation ceremony.

No match for Sikkim’s victorious regional parties since 1979 GANGTOK, April 3: Sikkim is the only State to have elected regional parties to power in all the Assembly polls since 1979, and political leaders attribute it to the “strong” sentiment of people, who are “wary” of national parties. The regional parties have been dominant in Sikkim ever since it merged with India in 1975 because of the “trust” reposed in them by the indigenous people, for protecting their aspirations and interests, they said. Sikkim National People’s

Party (SNPP) president Delay Barfungpa said, “We can’t trust national parties to safeguard Article 371(F), which protects the special rights of the Sikkimese people.” Echoing similar views, spokesperson of the ruling SDF KT Gyaltsen said, “Regional parties, particularly the SDF, have been ruling Sikkim for a long time, as they have aligned their ideology and governance with the best interests of the Sikkimese people.” In the first Assembly polls

held in October 1979, the Sikkim Janata Parishad (SJP) led by Nar Bahadur Bhandhari had swept to power by a simple majority, winning 16 out of 31 seats which it had contested. Two other regional parties, the Sikkim Congress (Revolutionary) and the Sikkim Prajatantra Congress (SPC) had won 11 and four seats, respectively. The SJP subsequently merged with the Congress (INC), but Bhandari fell out with the grand old party and went on to form a new re-

gional party – the Sikkim Sangram Parishad (SSP). The SSP then swept the Assembly polls held in 1985, winning 30 out of the 32 seats. Bhandari also went on to win the Assembly polls in 1989, as the SSP bagged all 32 seats to become the Chief Minister for the third term. His popularity, however, waned in the early 1990s with his one-time protege Pawan Kumar Chamling revolting against Bhandari’s leadership and forming his own party, the Sikkim Democratic

Front (SDF). The voters continued to repose their trust in regional parties, with Chamling leading the SDF to victory in the 1994 Assembly polls by winning 19 seats. Bhandari’s SSP stood second with 10 seats. The 1999 Assembly polls were again dominated by the regional parties with the SDF retaining power for a second successive term with 24 seats, while the SSP maintained its status as the main opposition in the State Assembly. In the 2004 Assembly polls,

Chamling’s SDF steamrolled opposition parties by winning all the 32 seats. The SDF continued its victorious march in the 2009 Assembly polls as well, picking up all but one seat. Chamling led his party to a fifth consecutive term in power in the 2014 polls, claiming 22 seats. The 2014 Assembly polls witnessed the emergence of yet another regional party, the Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM), formed by Prem Singh Tamang, popularly known as PS Golay.

Despite being a political novice, the SKM won 10 seats in the 2014 Assembly polls. In 2019, simultaneous Assembly and Lok Sabha polls will be held in Sikkim on April 11. In the upcoming Assembly polls, the two sworn rivals are once again fighting each other, fielding candidates in all 32 Assembly seats. Other regional parties have also thrown their hat into the fray this time, prominent among them being iconic former India footballer Bhaichung Bhutia’s Ham-

ro Sikkim Party (HSP). Spokesperson of HSP Biraj Adhikari, who is contesting from Rhenock Assembly constituency and the lone Lok Sabha seat, said a “stong regional sentiment” runs in Sikkim, as the local people are “wary” of the national parties with regards to protection of their special rights under Article 371(F). “The Sikkimese people have never trusted the national parties to protect their interests, rights and aspirations and nor will they do so in the future,” he said. – PTI

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2019

THE ASSAM TRIBUNE, GUWAHATI 11

Govt, RBI will have to bring new rules: Kant MUMBAI, April 3: The government and the Reserve Bank will have to bring in a new set of regulations to ensure that borrowers repay their debt on time following the Supreme Court striking down an earlier rule of the monetary authority, NITI Aayog Chief Executive Amitabh Kant said today. Amidst a rash of announcements over income support schemes, the bureaucrat also stressed the need to ensure higher growth to fund such dole-outs. With the Supreme Court striking down (the February 12, 2018 RBI circular on NPAs) as ultra vires, the issue needs to be relooked at by both the RBI and government to arrive at a new regulation that will ensure that financial discipline from borrowers should continue, he told reporters. Speaking on the sidelines

Domestic demand to aid India’s growth: ADB NEW DELHI, April 3: Key policy measures by the government to improve the investment climate and boost private consumption and investment will help India lift its economic growth in the next two fiscal years, an Asian Development Bank (ADB) report said today. In its Asian Development Outlook (ADO) 2019, the ADB projects India’s gross domestic product (GDP) growth to rise to 7.2 per cent in 2019 and reach 7.3 per cent in fiscal 2020, reversing two years of declining growth as reforms to improve the business and investment climate take effect. “India will remain one of the fastest-growing major economies in the world this year given strong household spending and corporate fundamentals,” said ADB Chief Economist Yasuyuki Sawada. “India has a golden opportunity to cement recent economic gains by becoming more integrated in global value chains. The country’s young workforce, an improving business climate, and a renewed focus on export expansion all support this.” Besides, the report said, the income support to farmers, hikes in procurement prices for food grains, and tax relief to taxpayers earning less than Rs 500,000 ($7,212) will boost household income. – IANS

Bookings open for 2019 Honda Africa Twin BUSINESS REPORTER

GUWAHATI, April 3: Aiming to take the #TrueAdventure spirit to the next level, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India Pvt Ltd today announced opening of bookings for 2019 Africa Twin motorcycle in India. The ruggedly designed 2019 Africa Twin promises to ensure an unforgettable riding experience, regardless of the distance, terrain or weather, a company statement said here. Speaking on how the true adventurer will revolutionise off-roading in India, Yadvinder Singh Guleria, Sr Vice-President - Sales and Marketing, Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India Pvt Ltd, said, “Since its Indian debut in 2017, the mighty Africa Twin has always seen high demand. The adventure seekers in India experienced the revolutionary DCT for the first time and were highly impressed with its unmatched performance. The 2019 Africa Twin takes the ‘go anywhere’ spirit one step ahead with its fresh new appearance.” The 2019 version of Africa Twin is priced at Rs 13.5 lakh (ex-showroom, pan India), the statement said, adding, customers can contact Honda’s exclusive sales & service Wing World outlets across 22 cities.

of a conference of the World Federation of Exchanges here, Kant said such a move ensuring timely repayment and resolution of stressed assets is essential for longterm growth. Kant said a lot of work has been done by the government and the RBI to bring in financial discipline and good regulation to end crony capitalism. In what is being seen as a jolt to the bad assets resolution framework, the Supreme Court on Tuesday quashed the stringent RBI circular which mandated banks to recognise even one-day defaults and finding a resolution within 180 days failing which the account in question has to be sent to bankruptcy courts if it is Rs 2,000 crore and above. The ruling by a division bench of Justices Rohinton

Nariman and Vineet Saran has put a big question mark on the resolution of 70 large accounts which together owe the system over Rs 3.8 lakh crore. The ruling came on a petition filed by 34 power companies which alone owe Rs 2.3 lakh crore to banks. Legal and industry experts have voiced concern over the order, stating that there was a marked change in borrowers’ behaviour after the circular was issued which would now change for the worse. Meanwhile, on the rash of announcements on income support like the Congress promise of ensuring an annual income of Rs 72,000 each to poor families which account for 20 per cent of country’s population through the Nyay scheme, which would involve an outgo of Rs 3.6 lakh crore

SC order on NPA circular

per annum, Kant flagged the need to look at growth. You cannot have redistribution without growth. If you don’t grow higher you will not have surpluses to put into these schemes, he said, adding, the country needs to grow at 9-10 per cent as against the present 7 per cent, to generate such surpluses. While delivering his speech, he said radical reforms will be required to accelerate growth from the present levels. “We will have to focus more on manufacturing that will result in higher exports which deliver higher margins per unit of sale,” he said, adding, “such a move will also create jobs as we cannot grow without jobs.” Agriculture will also need to be focused on, Kant said, and called for scrapping the APMC and Essential Commodities Acts. – PTI

Govt may direct PSBs on bad loans resolution NEW DELHI, April 3: In order to prevent whittling down of insolvency laws post the Supreme Court’s quashing the RBI’s February 2018 debt resolution framework, the Finance Ministry may give directions to state-run banks to undertake sectorspecific resolution of their non-performing assets (NPAs or bad loans), a senior official source said today. “Yesterday (Tuesday) the Supreme Court said authorisation from the Central Government is necessary for RBI to direct the insolvency proc-

ess against stressed assets. “Directions which can be issued to banks can only be in respect of specific defaults by specific debtors. So in a way, it will be the government which will direct the banks on the NPA resolution mechanism and this could be the way forward,” the source said. Section 35AA of the Banking Regulation Act gives power to the Central Government to authorise the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to direct any bank to initiate insolvency proceedings

against a defaulter. RBI’s February 12, 2018, circular had said that the banks would have to seek resolution under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) if a borrower fails to pay the due amount within a period of 180 days of first default. The circular was applicable for loans of Rs 2,000 crore or more, and was a general circular. Several companies in the power, sugar, fertiliser and infrastructure sectors had objected to the circular’s “one size fits all” approach. – IANS

Bajaj Auto’s General Manager (Business) Rajeev Verma (L) and DGM (Business Planning) Prashant R Ahir (2nd R) at the launch of Bajaj Auto quadricycle ‘Qute’, in Lucknow on Wednesday. – PTI

DoT to seek EC nod on VRS for MTNL, BSNL staff NEW DELHI, April 3: The Telecom Ministry will seek approval from the Election Commission to move its Cabinet proposal to offer voluntary retirement scheme for MTNL and BSNL employees, a government official said today. The Department of Telecom (DoT) is preparing a Cabinet note recommending voluntary retirement scheme (VRS) for BSNL and MTNL employees above 50 years of age. “The DoT is preparing a Cabinet note for seeking its approval to grant VRS to BSNL and MTNL employees. The department is going to immediately approach Election Commission for its nod to approach the Cabinet,” the official, who did not wish to be identified, told reporters. The ministry has to seek approval from the EC since the Model Code of Conduct is in place for LS polls. – PTI

India made an offer to US to resolve trade issues: Prabhu NEW DELHI, April 3: The Commerce Ministry, after consulting various departments like IT and Agriculture, has made an offer to the US to resolve trade issues between the two countries, Union Minister Suresh Prabhu said today. The US is demanding greater market access for its agricultural, dairy products and medical devices. Besides, they are seeking reduction in import duties on certain IT products and increasing their exports to bridge trade deficit with India. Prabhu said that whatever the US is asking from India is concerned with different ministries, including IT and Agriculture. “We have consulted all the ministries and we have given them an offer,” the Commerce and Industry Minister told PTI when asked about the

Expect to come out of PCA Vistara starts operations in Dibrugarh in 2nd quarter: UBI MD KOLKATA, April 3: Citybased United Bank of India (UBI), which reported losses for the last seven quarters, is expecting to come out of the prompt and corrective action (PCA) list of the RBI in the second quarter of the current financial year, a top official of the bank said. “We should be coming out of PCA by the second quarter of 2019-20. Things are happening the way we have strategised,” Ashok Kr Pradhan, MD and CEO of UBI told PTI. Pradhan said that the bank is not growing due to lack of capital. “However, the government has given us capital support. Last year the bank got Rs 5,000 crore which will help us to meet the regulatory requirements,” Pradhan said.

He said that the bank is increasing the asset book by changing the risk-weighted asset portfolio. “The bank is increasing the advance book by managing the risk-weighted exposures. Earlier, the asset book was tilted towards risky assets. Now we are going for AA and AAA rated accounts”. He said that UBI had received around Rs 4,500 crore through NPA resolution during the last year. “Our GNPA should be in the range of 15 per cent to 16 per cent by March 2019, down from 21.27 per cent earlier.” Pradhan said, “This last quarter we expect to be in profits and continue for the rest of the period quarter-on-quarter.” RBI had imposed PCA on

the bank in December 2017 which had led to restrictions on lending, non-opening of new branches and non-recruitment of staff as the cost-to-income ration of the bank was adverse. The advance book of the bank increased by Rs 4,000 crore during the last financial year with advances presently touching Rs 73,000 crore. Pradhan said, “The target this year for advances should touch Rs 80,000 crore and deposits at Rs 1,35,000 crore.” He said that capital would be required for growth of the bank. “We will raise capital from the market, maybe in the third quarter.” “We will also raise Rs 100 crore from the employees through Employees Stock Purchase Scheme,” he said. – PTI

BUSINESS REPORTER

GUWAHATI, April 3: Full-service carrier Vistara, a joint venture of Tata Sons and Singapore Airlines, today launched its operations in Dibrugarh. Vistara now connects Dibrugarh to Delhi with daily direct same aircraft service through Bagdogra, and also offers the first direct flight option between Dibrugarh and Bagdogra, the carrier said in a statement here today. Customers from Dibrugarh can also take onward connections via Delhi to Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Chandigarh, Chennai, Hyderabad and Pune, the statement said, adding that customers travelling to and from international destinations via Delhi can also have seamless sameterminal international transfers at Delhi’s T3, from where Vistara operates. Commenting on the start of operations, Sanjiv Kapoor, Chief Strategy & Commercial Officer, Vistara, said: “We’re very pleased to start operations in Dibrugarh, the third city in North-east India. This service between Dibrugarh and Bagdogra for the first time connects the two major tea-growing regions of India. With Vistara’s presence, customers now have the option of a full-service airline between Delhi and Dibrugarh, providing them a chance to experience the service and product Vistara is famous for.”

Flipkart, Amazon, OYO top workplaces: Report NEW DELHI, April 3: Walmart-owned Flipkart is the most preferred workplace in India, followed by Amazon and OYO in the second and third places, respectively, according to a list compiled by professional social media network LinkedIn. Internet companies dominate the top 10 spots in LinkedIn’s fourth edition of the ‘2019 Top Companies’ list for India. IT giant Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) made its debut at the seventh place, new entrants and home-grown internet and consumer services companies Swiggy and Zomato were ranked sixth and eighth, respectively. Uber, another new entrant, took the fifth spot, while One97 Communications was at the fourth rank and oil and energy conglomerate Reliance Industries was at the 10th place. Others on the list include consulting firm Boston Consulting Group (BCG) at 13th, Yes Bank (14), IBM (15), Daimler AG (16), Freshworks (17), Accenture (18), Ola (19), ICICI Bank (20), PwC India (21), KPMG India (22), Larsen & Toubro (23),

Oracle (24), and Qualcomm (25). “This year, half the companies are new entrants on the list, including IT giants such as TCS and IBM that showcase the changing job and hiring landscape,” said LinkedIn India Managing Editor Adith Charlie. Charlie further said that “the presence of more blue chip Indian companies such as Larsen & Toubro and Reliance Industries, among others, emphasises the fact that these large firms are getting better at attracting millennial employees”. The report further noted that majority of companies on the list made maximum new hiring for engineering jobs followed by operations and business development. The list analysed billions of data points generated by LinkedIn’s over 610 million members around the world to come up with a blended score used to rank the winners in each geography. LinkedIn ranked the companies based on four criteria – interest in the company, engagement with employees, job demand and employee retention. – PTI

steps being taken to resolve trade issues with America. However, he did not disclose the details of the offer. Although officials of India and the US have been negotiating a trade package, America last month announced to withdraw benefits being provided by them to Indian exports under their Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) programme. The US has decided to go ahead with its decision to scrap the preferential trade benefit under GSP scheme after 60 days, which is expected to impact India’s exports to the US worth $5.6 billion under this programme. Prabhu said that in the last one year, the US exports to India have increased by about 48 per cent and it does not include defence purchases made. He also said that India

would like to buy about 1,000 aircraft from the world and the US could be one of the potential suppliers. Defence purchases and this kind of procurement is going to change the things dramatically with regard to trade balance, he added. India’s exports to the US in 2017-18 stood at $47.9 billion, while imports were $26.7 billion. The trade balance is in the favour of India. When asked about the government’s plan to send an official delegation to the US for holding consultations, the minister said: “We have not yet decided.” Trade experts have stated that trade dialogue will help in resolving the issues as the US is one of the largest trading partners of India. The US is one of the few countries with which India has a trade surplus. – PTI

CBIC asks GST officers to be cautious Processing of fresh registrations NEW DELHI, April 3: Cracking down on tax evaders, the CBIC has asked tax officers to be cautious while processing application for fresh GST registration by those businesses whose earlier registration has been cancelled due to non-compliance. The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) also directed tax officers to analyse the information by an applicant in the fresh registration form regarding details of proprietor, director/members of managing committee of associations/board of trustees, etc., vis-a-vis any cancelled registration having same details. Recently, a large number of registrations has been cancelled by tax officers on account of non-compliance. However, it has come to notice of taxmen that such businesses continue to oper-

ate without any registration and are not applying for revocation or cancellation of registration and are instead applying for fresh registration. Instead, many of them are applying for fresh registration, so as to evade taxes which were due under earlier registration. “It is instructed that the proper officer may exercise due caution while processing the application for registration submitted by taxpayers, where the taxpayer is seeking another registration within the State although he has an existing registration within the said State or his earlier registration has been cancelled,” the CBIC said in its communication to field offices. The goods and services tax (GST) law allows a person to take separate registration on same Permanent Account Number (PAN) in the same State. – PTI

VW Group to merge passenger car entities in India NEW DELHI, April 3: Škoda, Audi, Porsche and German auto major VolkswaLamborghini – will maintain gen today said it intends to their individual identities, merge all passenger car endealer network and customtities in India, which will now er experience initiatives. be led by group firm Skoda The brands will work unAuto as part of its new stratder the leadership of Guregy for the country. pratap Boparai, who is curThe boards of the ManSkoda Auto rently the three Indian aging Director subsidiaries – of VWIPL and to lead Volkswagen Inwith a operations SAIPL, dia Pvt Ltd common strate(VWIPL), Volkswagen gy for the Indian market. Group Sales India Pvt Ltd and “India is an important and Skoda Auto India Pvt Ltd an attractive growth market (SAIPL) – have approved the for the Volkswagen Group. proposal for their merger, With the proposed merger, we the Volkswagen (VW) Group intend to combine the technisaid in a statement. cal and managerial expertise The proposed merger is of the three companies to unnow subject to necessary lock the Volkswagen Group’s regulatory and statutory aptrue potential in India’s comprovals. It, however, said VW petitive automotive market,” Group brands – Volkswagen, Boparai said. – IANS

NATIONAL Monsoon likely to be ‘below normal’

12 THE ASSAM TRIBUNE, GUWAHATI

BJP fields former Congressman against Sonia NEW DELHI, April 3 : The BJP on Wednesday announced its candidates against UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi while dropping two sitting MPs, Kirit Somaiya from Mumbai North East and Ram Charitra Nishad from Machhlishahr in Uttar Pradesh. The party has pitted former Congress leader Dinesh Pratap Singh, who joined the BJP a year ago, against Sonia Gandhi in Rae Bareli and fielded Bhojpuri cine star and singer Dinesh Lal Yadav, popularly known as “Nirahua”, against former Uttar Pradesh

Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav from Azamgarh. The BJP fielded Prem Singh Shakya against Samajwadi Party (SP) patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav in Mainpuri and Chandra Sen Jadun against Akshay Pratap Yadav, son of SP leader Ram Gopal Yadav in Firozabad. The party has replaced Machhlishahr MP Ram Charitra Nishad with V.P. Saroj. Dropping Somaiya, the BJP has fielded Manoj Kotak from Mumbai North East. Somaiya’s candidature was strongly opposed by Shiv Sena, the BJP ally. – IANS

JK poll panel gets over 180 complaints JAMMU, April 3: The Jammu and Kashmir poll panel has received over 180 complaints of alleged violations of the model code of conduct, through the cVigil app and other modes, an official said Tuesday. The Election Commission had launched the cVigil application last month to facilitate a person send to the poll panel geo-tagged videos and photos of various electoral malpractice. Of the total complaints, 123 have been disposed of while the rest 59 are being looked into, State Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Shalinder Kumar said, adding over 20 employees were also suspended for violating the poll code. Out of 88 complaints received through C-Vigil and other online modes, 61 were

dropped, 22 disposed of and five are under examination, he added. The actions against electoral malpractice included registration of 6 FIRs, suspension of 24 state government employees, besides seizure of 36 illegal weapons and cash worth Rs 19.68, he said, adding a considerable quantity of liquor too has been seized. For free and fair conduct of the Lok Sabha elections in the state, the election department has also formed 1,500 mobile and static teams, besides deploying flying squads with video cameras to ensure strict adherence of the poll code. “We will not overlook a single complaint whether it is against a big leader or a junior one, no one will be spared,” said CEO Kumar. – PTI

India-Australia maritime exercise begins NEW DELHI, April 3: The third edition of AUSINDEX, a joint maritime exercise between India and Australia, began in Visakhapatnam on Tuesday, the Navy said. Australian Navy Ship (HMAS) Canberra, a landing helicopter dock, Newcastle and Paramatta, both frigates, a Durance-class multi-product replenishment oiler along with HMAS Collins, a conventional submarine, arrived in Visakhapatnam to participate in the third edition of AUSINDEX. The Indian Navy would be represented by INS Ranvijay, a multi-role destroyer, INS Sahyadri, a multi-role stealth frigate, INS Kora, a missile corvette, INS Kiltan and INS Sindhukirti, conventional submarines. In addition to embarked helicopters such as the Seaking Mk 42B and Chetak, the aviation component of the Indian Navy shall include Dornier maritime patrol aircraft, Hawk Advanced Jet Trainers and P8I aircraft.

The bilateral maritime exercise is aimed to strengthen mutual cooperation and enhance interoperability between the Royal Australia Navy (RAN) and Indian Navy by providing opportunities for interaction and exchange of professional views between the personnel of the two navies, the Navy said in a statement. “The third edition of AUSINDEX scheduled from April 2 to 14 would involve exercises in all three dimensions with focus on Anti Submarine Warfare (ASW) and shall be held in three phases,” the statement said. The harbour phase shall witness professional interaction in the form of Subject Matter Expert Exchange (SMEE) for sharing best practises, cross deck visits in addition to sporting, social and cultural engagement, it said. Operational planning conferences towards the smooth conduct of the sea phase shall also be held during this period, it added. – PTI

CPI announces candidates NEW DELHI, April 3: The Communist Party of India (CPI) on Wednesday announced its candidates for nine Lok Sabha seats from Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand and Bihar. The candidate list released by the party includes East Champaran in Bihar, Chatra seat in Jharkhand and Shahdol in Madhya Pradesh as well as six seats in Uttar Pradesh. The party has announced Prabhakar Jaiswal from the East Champaran seat, Arjun Kumar from Chatra and Keshkali Kol from Shahdol.

In Uttar Pradesh, the party has named Satish Kumar from the Bareilly seat, Chandra Koree from Shahjahanpur, Mahendra Pratap Verma from Banda, Ashish Singh from Gorakhpur, Triloki Nath from Lalganj and Santosh Pratap Singh from Balia. Till now, the CPI has announced 31 candidates, including former JNU student leader Kanhaiya Kumar from Begusarai seat in Bihar and senior party leader Atul Kumar Anjaan from Ghosi in Uttar Pradesh. – PTI

NEW DELHI, April 3: Monsoon this year is likely to be “below normal” at 93 per cent of the Long Period Average (LPA) owing to developing El Nino in the Pacific Ocean, which poses higher risk for the eastern parts and a major portion of central part of the country being rain deficient, private weather forecaster Skymet said on Wednesday. The average, or normal, rainfall in the country is defined between 96 and 104 per cent of a 50-year average for the entire four-month monsoon season, which is 887 mm. Skymet said monsoon is going to have “a very sluggish start” and deficit rains are likely to spill into July. However, the second half of the season would see better rainfall as August and September are expected to see normal rains, Skymet Managing Director Jatin

Singh told reporters here. “The Pacific Ocean has become strongly warmer than average. The model projections call for 80 per cent chance of El Nino (weatherproducing phenomena) during March-May, dropping to 60 per cent for June to August. This means, it is going to be a devolving El Nino year, though retaining threshold values all through the season. Thus, Monsoon 2019 is likely to be below normal,” he said. Once the El Nino tamps down, neutral conditions will set out, allowing improvement in rainfall, said Mahesh Palawat, Vice President (Meteorology and Climate Change) of Skymet. “The saviour factor could be IOD (Indian Ocean Dipole) which is likely to be in the neutral or positive phase during the Monsoon. Thus, it may be able to absorb some of the El Nino blues and pos-

THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2019

sibly would support rainfall during the second half of Monsoon,” he said. Among the areas that will be affected due to deficient rainfall are Karnataka, Vidarbha and Marathwada in Maharashtra, southwest Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand along with the north-eastern states. On the other hand, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, and coastal Andhra Pradesh will receive more rainfall, said GP Sharma, President (Meteorology and Climate Change) at Skymet. Onset of monsoon can not be predicted at this moment and it has no relation with the overall rainfall the country receives, he said. The rainfall in June will be 77 per cent (126 mm) of the LPA while it will be 91 per cent (263 mm) in July, 102 per cent (266 mm) in August and 99 per cent (171 mm) in September. – IANS

Notification It is for general information to all that as approved by Election Commission of India vide letter No. 64/ECl/LET/ TERR/NEII-AS/2017 dtd. 29/03/2019 and communicated by the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer, Assam vide letter No. ELE. 85/2015/342 dtd. 20/03/2019, the following polling stations have been shifted from existing location to new location in connection with the Parliamentary Election, 2019.

Union Minister and BJP candidate Nitin Gadkari during an election campaign in Nagpur, on Wednesday. – PTI

Sl. No. & Name of No. LAC

No. & Name of Polling Station

Change in Nomenclature

62

53-Gauhati East

148 - Gandhibasti Girls High School (R/W)

Gandhibasti High School (R/W)

63

53-Gauhati East

149 - Gandhibasti Girls High School (L/W)

Gandhibasti High School (L/W)

Sl. No. & Name of No. LAC

No. & Name of Polling Station

Shifted to 64

53-Gauhati East

162 - Puberun L P School

Gopinath Vidyapith

1.

51-Jalukbari

168 - Maharishi Vidya Mandir (R/W)

Jiban Ram Durga Sarobar LP School (R/W)

65

53-Gauhati East

177 - Rajgarh Girls High School (R/W)

Rajgarh High School (R/W)

2

51-Jalukbari

169 - Maharishi Vidya Mandir (L/W)

Jiban Ram Durga Sarobar LP School (L/W)

66

53-Gauhati East

178 - Rajgarh Girls High School (L/W)

Rajgarh High School (L/W)

67

53-Gauhati East

202 - Hatigarh LP School (R/W)

Geetanagar High School (R/ W)

68

53-Gauhati East

206 - Hatigarh LP School (L/W)

Geetanagar High School (L/W)

Sd/- District Election Officer, Kamrup Metropolitan Election District, Guwahati.

69

53-Gauhati East

208 - Hatigarh LP School (M/W)

Geetanagar High School (M/W)

Notification

70

53-Gauhati East

209 - Geeta Nagar ME School (R/W)

Geetanagar High School (N/W)

This is for general information to all that changes of nomenclature of the following polling stations of the 4 LACs falling under Kamrup Metropolitan Election District, Guwahati have been done in connection with the Parliamentary Election, 2019. But the electoral roll will be published in the existing names of the school and not according to the changes given below:

71

53-Gauhati East

210 - Geeta Nagar ME School (L/W)

Geetanagar High School (E/W)

72

53-Gauhati East

233 - Housing & Urban Development Corporation Ltd., Ganeshguri (R/W)

Assam State Housing Board (R/W)

Sl. No. & Name of No. LAC

No. & Name of Polling Station

73

53-Gauhati East

Assam State Housing Board (E/W)

1

51-Jalukbari

89-Amingaon Rly. LP School (R/W)

Railway DTP School, Amingaon (R/W)

234 - Housing & Urban Development Corporation Ltd., Ganeshguri (E/W)

2

51-Jalukbari

90-Amingaon Rly. LP School (L/W)

Railway DTP School, Amingaon (L/W)

74

53-Gauhati East

3

51-Jalukbari

123 - NP ME School (R/W)

NP ME High School (R/W)

Assam State Housing Board (L/W)

4

51-Jalukbari

124 - NP ME School (L/ W)

NP ME High School (L/W)

235 - Housing & Urban Development Corporation Ltd., Ganeshguri (L/W)

5

51-Jalukbari

131 - Adarsha Sishu Vidyalaya

Pandu Adarsha High School

75

54-Gauhati West

78 - Azara MV School (R/W)

Chandra Prava Bora Girls High School (R/W)

6

51-Jalukbari

179 - Dadara High School (R/W)

Dadara Higher Secondary School (R/W)

76

54-Gauhati West

79 - Azara MV School (L/W)

7

51-Jalukbari

180 - Dadara High School (L/W)

Dadara Higher Secondary School (L/W)

Chandra Prava Bora Girls High School (L/W)

8

52-Dispur

51- Bonda LP School (R/W)

Bonda Anchalik High School (W/W)

77

54-Gauhati West

80 - Azara MV School (M/W)

9

52-Dispur

54 - Bonda LP School (L/W)

Bonda Anchalik High School (N/W)

Chandra Prava Bora Girls High School (M/W)

78

54-Gauhati West

94 - Ram Charani Girls High School (R/W)

DharapurONS School (R/W)

79

54-Gauhati West

95 - RamCharani Girls High School (L/W)

Dharapur HS School (L/W)

80

54-Gauhati West

96 - Ram Charani Girls High School (M/W)

Dharapur HS School (M/W)

Change in Nomenclature

10

52-Dispur

55 - Bonda LP School (M/W)

Bonda Anchalik High School (S/W)

11

52-Dispur

56 - Bonda LP School (E/W)

Bonda, Anchalik High School (R/W-1)

12

52-Dispur

68 - Narengi ME School (R/W)

Narengi High School (M/W)

13

52-Dispur

71 - Narengi ME School (L/W)

Narengi High School (N/W)

14

52-Dispur

110 - Satgaon LP School (L/W)

Satgaon High School (E/W)

15

52-Dispur

111 - Satgaon LP School (R/W)

Satgaon High School (W/W)

16

52-Dispur

114 - Satgaon LP School (M/W)

Satgaon High School (N/W)

17

52-Dispur

145 - Maidam Bakrapara LP School (R/W)

Maidam Vidyapith ME School (R/W)

81 82

54-Gauhati West 54-Gauhati West

100 - Mainakhurung LP School (R/W) 101- Mainakhurung LP School (L/W)

Maina Khorong ME School (R/W) Maina Khorong ME School (L/W)

18

52-Dispur

155 - Maidam Bakrapara LP School (M/W)

MaidamVidyapith ME School (M/W)

83

54-Gauhati West

102 - Garoghuli Nayagaon LP School

600 No. Garoghuli LP School

19

52-Dispur

156 - Maidam Bakrapara LP School (L/W)

Maidam Vidyapith ME School (L/W)

84

54-Gauhati West

106 - 894 Balika Prathamic Vidyalaya

4 No. Barigaon Balak- LP School

85

54-Gauhati West

107 - Dehan Garigaon Balak Muktab (R/W)

Garigaon ME School (R/W)

86

54-Gailhati West

108 - Dehan Garigaon Balak Muktab (L/W)

Garigaon ME School (L/W)

87

54-Gauhati West

116 - Sundarbori LP School (R/W)

Sundarbori ME School (M/W)

88

54-Gauhati West

118 - Sundarbori LP School (L/W)

Sundarbori ME School (L/W)

89

54-Gauhati West

130 - Tarun Ram Phukan Hindi School (R/W)

Torun Ram Phukan Hindi High School (R/W)

90

54-Gauhati West

131 - Tarun Ram Phukan Hindi School (M/W)

Tarun Ram Phukan Hindi High School (M/W)

91

.54-Gauhati West

132 - Tarun Ram Phukan Hindi School (E/W)

Tarun Ram Phukan Hindi High School (E/W)

92

54-Gauhati West

133 - Tarun Ram Phukan Hindi School (L/W)

Torun Ram Phukan Hindi High School (L/W)

93

34-Gauhati West

135 - Adarsh Minor School (R/W)

Adarsha Vidyalay ME School (R/W)

94

54-Gauhati West

136 - Adarsh Minor School (M / W)

Adarsha Vidyalay ME School (M/W)

5

54-Gauhati West

137 - Adarsh Minor School (L/W)

Adarsha Vidyalay ME School (L/W)

96

54-Gauhati West

139 - Kamakhya Vidyapeeth (R/W)

Kamakhya Vidyalay High School (R/W)

97

54-Gauhati West

140 - Kamakhya Vidyapeeth (L/W)

Kamakhya Vidyalay High School (L/W)

98

54-Gauhati West

166 - Lokpriya Bordoloi Vidyalaya (R/W)

Lokapriya Bordoloi Vidyalay ME (R/W)

99

54-Gauhati West

167 - Lokpriya Bordoloi Vidyalaya (L/W)

Lokapriya Bordoloi Vidyalay ME (L/W)

100 54-Gauhati West

175 - Tetelia ME School (R/W)

Tetelia High School (R/W)

101 54-Gauhati West

176 - Tetelia ME School (L/ W)

Tetelia High School (L/W)

102 54-Gauhat West

248 - Sabitri Bharali ME School

Sabitri Bharali High School (N/W)

103 54-Gauhat- West

252 - Bibekananda LP School (R/W)

Bibekananda Vidyapith ME School (R/W)

104 54-Gauhat- West

253 - Bibekananda LP School (M/W)

Bibekananda Vidyapith ME School (M/W)

105 54-Gauhati West

254 - Bibekananda LP School (L/W)

Bibekananda Vidyapith ME School (L/W)

106 54-Gauhati West

255 - Bibekananda ME School

Bibekananda Vidyapith ME School (N/W)

107 54-Gauhati West

256 - Bibekananda LP School (E/W)

Bibekananda Vidyapith ME School (E/W) Sabitri Bharali High School (N/W)

20

52-Dispur

150 - Bakrapara ME School

Maidam Vidyapith ME School (E/W)

21

52-Dispur

151- Patarkuchi LP School (R/W)

Patarkuchi ME School (M/W)

22

52-Dispur

152 - Patarkuchi LP School (L/W)

Patarkuchi ME School (E/W)

23

52-Dispur

235 - Rajdhani LP School (R/W)

Rajdhani ME School (M/W)

24

52-Dispur

236 - Rajdhani LP School (L/W)

Rajdhani ME School (E/W)

25

52-Dispur

246 - Rajdhani LP School (E/W)

Rajdhani ME School (N/W)

26

52-Dispur

27

52-Dispur

28

52-Dispur

Chandrapur High School (N/W) Chandrapur High School (M/W) Chandrapur High School (S/W)

29

52-Dispur

30

52-Dispur

269 - Chandrapur Joygopal ME School (R/W) 271 - Chandrapur Joygopal ME School (M/W) 273 - Chandrapur Joygopal ME School (L/W) 274 - Chandrapur Joygopal ME School (E/W) 287 - Amching Jorabat Hindi LP School (R/W) 288 - Amching Jorabat Hindi LP School (M/W) 289 - Amching Jorabat Hindi LP School (L/W) 330 - Samatapathar ME School (R/W) 331 - Samatapathar ME School (M/W) 332 - Samatapathar ME School (E/W)

31

52-Dispur

32

52-Dispur

33

52-Dispur

34 35

52-Dispur 52-Dispur

Chandrapur High School (E/W) K.T.R. Memorial ME School (R/W) K.T.R. Memorial ME School (M/W) K.T.R. Memorial ME School (L/W) Chamata High School (R/W) Chamata High School (M/W Chamata High School (E/W)

36

52-Dispur

333 - Samatapathar ME School (L/W)

Chamata High School (L/W)

37

52-Dispur

338 - Barbila LP School (R/W)

Barbila ME School (R/W)

38

52-Dispur

339 - Barbila LP School (L/W)

Barbila ME School (L/W)

39

52-Dispur

349 - Bogibari LP School

Bogibari High School (L/W)

40

52-Dispur

353 - Teteliguri LP School (R/W)

Teteliguri ME School (R/W)

41

52-Dispur

354 - Teteliguri LP School (L/W)

Teteliguri ME School (L/W)

42

52-Dispur

393 - Durung Pahar LP School (R/W)

Durung LP School (R/W)

43

52-Dispur

394 - Durung Pahar LP School (L/W)

Durung LP School (L/W)

44

52-Dispur

395 - Durung Pahar LP School (M/W)

Durung LP School (M/W)

45

53-Gauhati East

13 - Udayachal LP School (R/W)

Dispur Udayachal High School (R/W)

46

53-Gauhati East

14 - Udayachal LP School (M/W)

Dispur Udayachal High School (M/W)

47

53-Gauhati East

15 - Udayachal LP School (L/W)

Dispur Udayachal High School (L/W)

48

53-Gauhati East

16 - Udayachal LP School (E/W)

Dispur Udayachal High School (E/W)

49

53-Gauhati East

17 - Udayachal ME School (R/W)

Dispur Udayachal High School (N/W)

108 54-Gauhati West

257 - Udalbakra LP School (R/W)

50

53-Gauhati East

18 - Udayachal ME School (L/W)

Dispur Udayachal High School (S/W)

109 54-Gauhati West

258 - Udalbakra LP School (E/W)

Sabitri Bharali High School (S/W)

51

53-Gauhati East

36 - Gaya Ram LP School (R/W)

Birubari Rupnagar Vidyalay (R/W)

110 54-Gauhati West

259 -Udalbakra LP School (L/W)

Sabitri Bharali High School (E/W)

52

53-Gauhati East

38 - Gaya Ram LP School (L/W)

Birubari Rupnagar Vidyalay (L/W)

111 54-Gauhati West

260 - Udalbakra LP School (M/W)

Sabitri Bharali High School (R/W-1)

53

53-Gauhati East

71 - Gurkha L.P. School (R/W)

Gorkha ME School (R/W)

112 14-Gauhati We st

54

53-Gauhati East

72 - Gurkha L.P. School (M/W)

Gorkha ME School (M/W)

283 - Machkhuwa Mazid LP School (R/W)

Machkhuwa Mazdia LP School (R/W)

55

53-Gauhati East

73 - Gurkha L.P. School (L/W)

Gorkha ME School-(L/W)

113 54-Gauhati West

56

53-Gauhati East

124 - Bengali Girls High School

Bengali High School

284 - Machkhuwa Mazid LP School (L/W)

Machkhuwa Mazdia LP School (L/W)

57

53-Gauhati East

131 - Uzan Bazar Ferry Ghat L.P School (R/W)

131 - Uzan Bazar Jahaj Ghat L.P School (R/W)

114 54-Gauhati, West

292 - Bishnupur Bidyaniketan ME School (R/W)

Bishnupur Bidyaniketan High School (N/W)

58

53-Gauhati East School (L/W)

132 - Uzan Bazar Ferry Ghat L.P L.P School (L/W)

132 - Uzan Bazar Jahaj Ghat L.P School (L/W)

115 54-Gauhati West

294 - Bishnupur Bidyaniketan ME School (L/ W)

Bishnupur Bidyaniketan High School (E/W)

59

53-Gauhati East

133 - Hapivilla LP School (R/W)

Uzanbazar Sishu Vidyalay (Hapivilla) (N/W)

120 54-Gauhati West

276 - Badrinath ME School (R/W)

Badri Das Hindi ME School (R/W)

121 54-Gauhati West

277 - Badrinath ME School (L/W)

Badri Das Hindi ME School (L/W)

60

53-Gauhati East

134 - Hapivilla LP School (L/W)

Uzanbazar Sishu Vidyalay (Hapivilla) (L/W)

61

53-Gauhati East

136 - Hapivilla LP School (M/W)

Uzanbazar Sishu Vidyalay (Hapivilla) (S/W)

Janasanyog/DF/7/19

Sd/- District Election Officer, Kamrup Metropolitan Election District Guwahati

13:00 14:00 17:00 17:30 19:00

20:30 21:30 22:00 23:00 23:30

12:30 14:00 16:00 19:00 21:00 22:00 23:00 23:30

Irrfan is back Feels grateful for love and support

T

he film fraternity welcomed Irrfan Khan back with open arms as the actor, who was lying low for months following neuroendocrine tumour diagnosis and treatment, took to social media to express gratitude to those who gave him love and support to help him get through his tough phase. Celebrities like Swara Bhasker, Hansal Mehta, Guneet Monga and Randeep Hooda among many others welcomed Irrfan. In an emotional note posted on his social media account on Wednesday, Irrfan shared his thoughts on the prayers, blessings and love he received while he was fighting the ailment in London. It was in March last year that the versatile actor had announced his diagnosis and said that he was going abroad for treatment. He returned to

India in February this year, and made a rare media appearance last month at Mumbai airport. But he seemed to be avoiding paparazzi as he chose to hide his face with a muffler. However, on Tuesday, the actor was devoid of any urge to hide away when he was seen at Mumbai airport again. The lower half of his face was first covered with a black mask, but he later removed it for the paparazzi, and continued to walk with the trademark lilt in his walk back in place. There has been a buzz that Irrfan will soon start shooting for the sequel to his 2017 film “Hindi Medium”, opposite Kareena Kapoor Khan in London. Here’s what celebrities tweeted: Hansal Mehta: We love you Irrfan! So happy to see you back. Guneet Monga: So excited to have you back sir !

Know your DAY

THE ASSAM TRIBUNE, GUWAHATI 13

LEISURE & LIFESTYLE

THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2019

12:00 13:00 14:00 14:42

See you soon Irrfan. Swara Bhasker: Welcome back Irrfan sir! Wish you health and happiness… you are our inspiration. Nimrat Kaur: To welcome you back would mean acknowledging your absence. Irrfan you have been more present than ever before. Awaiting your rekindled magic with baited breath. May your brightest ever chapter begin. Randeep Hooda: Welcome back brother. KayKay Menon: Welcome back brother! Irrfan. Vinay Pathak: This is the best news I’ve heard in ages! Supremely happy and thrilled! Welcome back Monsieur! Irrfan Khan. Atul Kasbekar: So delighted. Welcome back Irrfan Khan. Sayani Gupta: Welcome back Irrfan Khan my heart is smiling! Great luck and great health! Godspeed! (Source: IANS)

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Big Cats Extreme Fishing Factomania The Hunt Fierce Earth Secrets Of Everything Fishing Impossible Rick Stein's Far Eastern... Food Factory Food Detectives Deadly Dinosaurs Deadly 60 Extreme Fishing Life Story

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ZEE CINEMA 23:34 Zinda Hoon Mein

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CROSSWORD - 6556

By JACQUELINE BIGAR 6 HAPPY BIRTHDAY for Thursday, April 4, 2019: This year, you often come off far more assertive than you think you do. Take a risk. If you’ve weighed the pros and cons of a situation, you’ll make a good decision. If single, you draw many admirers. Others feel your magnetism and energy. You have your pick of your admirers. If you’re attached, you and your partner often disagree. Respect your differences, and agree to disagree. ARIES can be combative. The Stars Show the Kind of Day You’ll Have: 5-Dynamic; 4-Positive; 3-Average; 2-So-so; 1-Difficult.

9

12

THE PHANTOM

®

BLONDIE

By Lee Falk

Across 3 Steal; hit hard (5) 8 Post-op therapy (5) 1 0 Jewish scholar (5) 1 1 Past tense of do (3) 1 2 Entertainment unit the idiot box (2,3) 1 3 Competition (7) 1 5 Hamelin musician (5) 1 8 Roman seven (3) 1 9 Disappear (6) 2 1 Hot and irascible ? (7) 2 2 Burn slightly (4) 2 3 Physicist

Otto (4) 2 4 Romantic singer (7) 2 6 Meditative chant (6) 2 9 Blend, mingle (3) 3 1 Ottoman governor (5) 3 2 Deliberated (7) 3 4 Covered in creeper (5) 3 5 Joke (3) 3 6 In the past (5) 3 7 The keystone of an arch (5) 3 8 Organic compound (5) Down 1 Darken (5) 2 Corpse (7) 4 Undulating (4) 5 Give the

17 19 20 21 23 24 25 27

28 30

32 33

SOLUTION TO TRIBUNE CROSSWORD – 6556

HEALTH CAPSULES®

JUMBLED WORDS

by Bron Smith

Given below are four jumbled words. Solve the jumbles to make proper words and move them to the respective squares below. Select the letters in the shaded squares and jumble them to get the answer for the given quip.

HAGAR THE HORRIBLE

___ doesn’t change you. It reveals who you are when you no longer have to be nice. (5) SOLUTION

Health Capsules is not intended to be of a diagnostic nature.

Words: Hover, shunt, mauler, overly. Answer: Money doesn’t change you. It reveals who you are when you no longer have to be nice.

★★★ Thought for the day Fate pulls you in different directions. – CLINT EASTWOOD

14 16

Across: 3 Swipe, 8 Rehab, 10 Rabbi, 11 Did, 12 Tv set, 13 Rivalry, 15 Piper, 18 Vii, 19 Vanish, 21 Peppery, 22 Char, 23 Hahn, 24 Crooner, 26 Mantra, 29 Mix, 31 Pasha, 32 Debated, 34 Ivied, 35 Gag, 36 Agone, 37 Coign, 38 Ester. Down: 1 Bedim, 2 Cadaver, 4 Wavy, 5 Prepay, 6 Eatin, 7 Oboes, 9 HIV, 12 Tripura, 14 Lip, 16 Pilar, 17 Rhino, 19 Vroomed, 20 Scamp, 21 Pains, 23 Hexagon, 24 Craves, 25 Nib, 27 Aargh, 28 Thine, 30 Leggy, 32 Dele, 33 Tai.

ARIES (March 21-April 19) ★★★★★ You say what’s on your mind. Don’t push another person too far. You could be surprised by how he or she reacts. You could walk through this person’s reaction. You might find that this person is more easygoing than you anticipated. Tonight: Be spontaneous. TAURUS (April 20-May 20) ★★★ Gather more information. There’s a lot going on behind the scenes that you prefer to ignore. You could find that the cost of a project or daily activity might be escalating before your very eyes. Tonight: Keep a secret just that. GEMINI (May 21-June 20) ★★★★ You always exhibit energy and personality. At this point, you could be feistier than you have been in the recent past. Try not to fly off the handle. Use your insightful sarcasm effectively. Tonight: Choose your company and place. CANCER (June 21-July 22) ★★★★ Take your place in the limelight. Others seek you out and want your feedback. You might not realize how angry you are about a personal matter. Keep the restraint that you’ve had until now. Your anger could be more challenging than you initially thought. Tonight: To the wee hours. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) ★★★★★ You could be debating whether taking the lead on a matter that you feel strongly about is worthwhile. A friend cheers you on. Plunge in, knowing that this action works for you. Clear out a misunderstanding, but don’t lose sight of the big picture. Tonight: Where your friends are. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) ★★★ You could feel pressured by a boss or authority figure who wants what he or she wants. One-on-one relating proves more effective in clearing out a misunderstanding. Your sense of direction helps forge an agreement with a partner. Tonight: Be part of a team. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) ★★★★ Defer to an assertive associate or friend. This person has good ideas, but won’t tolerate others playing devil’s advocate. Try to grasp where others come from. You’ll have a way of understanding some of the hot ideas kicking around. Tonight: Meet a friend for dinner. SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) ★★★ Your effectiveness could be tested. You might not know which is the best way to proceed. You’re smart enough to be able to test out different theories or explanations. Direct your energy toward the person who can make a difference. Tonight: Share with a key loved one. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) ★★★★ Another person charges toward you and has an idea that works for them. Your way to get past a problem with this person will be to acknowledge how the approach works for the party in question; also, state your case. Tonight: Let the other party decide. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) ★★★★ You could decide to head in a new direction. You have all the energy that you need to pursue a goal. If anyone blocks you, you’re likely to lose your temper. Use care around your home, investments and a personal matter. Tonight: Indulge in a favorite game. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) ★★★★ You see a situation far differently from those around you. You’re willing to take a stand and manage a loved one or child with wit and emotion. Good feelings and caring flow back and forth. Your sense of caring and general friendship draws others. Tonight: At a favorite spot. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20) ★★★ Stay in touch with your spending. It easily can get out of hand. Financial isssues could cause a problem with a personal or domestic matter. Once you loosen the reins on your checkbook, you might go overboard. Tonight: Keep your budget.

7

money beforehand (6) Dine at home (5) Woodwind instruments (5) Virus that causes AIDS (3) One of the smaller states of North East India (7) Edge (3) Covered with hair (5) Zoo beast (5) Roared (7) Little rascal (5) Hurts (5) Six-sided figure (7) Yearns for (6) Pen point (3) Frustration exclamation (5) Old form of yours (5) Of plants, having tall spindly stems (5) Editor’s excision (4) ____ chi: Chinese exercises (3)

INTERNATIONAL

14 THE ASSAM TRIBUNE, GUWAHATI

THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2019

Brunei introduces stoning to death for gay sex, adultery Will complicate BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN (Brunei), April 3: Brunei on Wednesday introduced harsh new sharia laws, including death by stoning for adultery and gay sex, despite a storm of global criticism from politicians, celebrities and rights groups. The tough penal code in the tiny country on tropical Borneo island – ruled by the all-powerful Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah – fully came into force following years of delays. The laws, which also include amputation of hands and feet for

Restaurant blast in southern Philippines wounds 13 MANILA, April 3: A bomb blast outside a restaurant on Wednesday wounded at least 13 people, including children, in the insurgency-plagued southern Philippines, authorities said. The explosion shattered a window at the front of the eatery, striking family members gathered for an event in the town of Isulan on Mindanao island, Mayor Marites Pallasigue told AFP. The southern Philippines is plagued by multiple armed groups ranging from Communist insurgents to ISIS-aligned jihadists, which leave the area mired in poverty and violence. Police cordoned off the area outside the shattered facade of the restaurant as a probe began into who was responsible. “The bomb was placed at the back of the air conditioner,” said

Pallasigue, putting the number of wounded at 13. “Most the victims are related to each other,” she added. Police confirmed the explosion but said the number of wounded could be as high as 18. No deaths have been reported. On a neighbouring island to the south of Mindanao, an ISIS-claimed attack in January on a cathedral during Sunday mass killed 21 and wounded about a hundred others. The bombing cast a shadow over a vote less than a week earlier to give Muslims in the south of the Catholic majority Philippines greater resources and control over their affairs. The explosion on Wednesday in Isulan happened just a few metres from the site of a deadly blast which occurred last year and was believed to have been carried out by Islamist militants. – AFP

Trump says he called President Xi Jinping the ‘king’ of China

WASHINGTON, April 3: US President Donald Trump said he called his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping a “king” during his first state visit to Beijing in 2017 and that the top Communist Party leader appeared to appreciate the remark. Addressing the National Republican Congressional Committee spring dinner in Washington on Tuesday, Trump said Xi had denied he was a king. “He said, ‘But I am not king, I am President.’ I said ‘No, you’re President for life, and therefore you’re king’,” Trump told his audience, prompting laughter, CNN reported. “He said, huh. He liked that. I get along with him great,” it quoted the US President as saying. Trump, 72, visited Beijing in November 2017, just months before China’s rubberstamp legislature, the National People’s Congress, dropped the two-term limit on the Chinese presidency in March. The controversial move cleared the way for Xi, 65, to serve indefinitely as China’s head of state, strengthening his grip on power. China abolished monarchical rule in 1912 when the last emperor of the Qing dynasty, Pu Yi, was overthrown to establish the Republic of China. Xi is also serving as General Secretary of the ruling Communist Party and Chair-

man of the Central Military Commission. President Trump was accorded red-carpet treatment during his 2017 visit to Beijing, becoming the first foreign leader to dine in the Forbidden City since the founding of modern China. Speaking from the Great Hall of the People in Beijing before their bilateral meeting, Trump said, “My feeling toward you (President Xi) is an incredibly warm one. As we said, there’s great chemistry, and I think we’re going to do tremendous things for both China and for the United States. And it is a very, very great honour to be with you. Thank you very much.” After their meeting, Trump told Xi, “I want to thank you again – you’re a very special man – for your gracious hospitality.” Trump has also hosted Xi at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida in April 2017. Following Trump’s trip to China, the relationship between the two countries has grown rockier. Starting early in 2018, Trump began imposing tariffs on billions of dollars’ worth of Chinese exports to narrow the trade deficit, sparking a trade war. In his speech to the Republican committee, Trump said that had he not imposed the tariffs, the Chinese economy would have caught up with the United States within years. – PTI

thieves, make Brunei the first place in East or Southeast Asia to have a sharia penal code at the national level, joining several mostly Middle Eastern countries such as Saudi Arabia. Rape and robbery are also punishable by death under the code and many of the new laws, such as capital punishment for insulting the Prophet Mohammed, apply to non-Muslims as well as Muslims. The decision to push ahead with the punishments has sparked alarm around the world, with the United Nations label-

ling them “cruel and inhumane” and celebrities, led by actor George Clooney and pop star Elton John, calling for Bruneiowned hotels to be boycotted. In a public address to mark a special date in the Muslim calendar, the sultan called for stronger Islamic teachings but did not mention the new penal code. “I want to see Islamic teachings in this country grow stronger,” he said in the nationally televised speech at a convention centre near the capital Bandar Seri Begawan.

The sultan, who has been on the throne for over five decades, also insisted that Brunei was a “fair” country and the environment for visitors was “safe and harmonious”. Officials confirmed the laws had entered into force. Sharia laws have triggered worldwide condemnation, and Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch, described the code as “barbaric to BEIJING, April 3: China on the core, imposing archaic punWednesday hit out at the US ishments for acts that shouldn’t for threatening to use “all even be crimes”. – AFP available resources” to designate Pakistan-based JeM chief Masood Azhar as a ‘global terrorist’, saying Washington’s move is complicating the issue and not conducive to peace and stability in South Asia. After China put a hold on a French proposal to list Azhar under the 1267 Al Qaeda Sanctions Committee of the Council, the US on March 27 circulated a draft resolution to the powerful 15-nation Council to blacklist Azhar and subject him to a travel ban, an assets freeze and an arms embargo. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told a media briefing here that China is adopting constructive and reasonable stand on the issue to resolve it properly. He was responding to a question about State Department spokesman’s assertions that the US will use all “available resources” to blacklist Azhar. The US on Tuesday reportedly said it will “utilise all available resources” to ensure Chinese honour guards, left, receive caskets containing the remains of Chinese soldiers from South Korean honour guards Jaish-e-Mohammad founder during the handing-over ceremony at Incheon International Airport in Incheon, west of Seoul on Wednesday. The remains Azhar, was held accountable. of 10 Chinese soldiers killed during the 1950-53 Korean War will return home from South Korea for burial. – AP/PTI

Maduro loyalists strip Guaido of immunity CARACAS, April 3: Maduro loyalists stripped Venezuela’s Juan Guaidó of immunity on Tuesday, paving the way for the Opposition leader’s prosecution and potential arrest for supposedly violating the constitution when he declared himself interim President. But whether the government of President Nicolas Maduro will take action against the 35year-old lawmaker remains unclear. Guaidó has embarked on an international campaign to topple the President’s socialist administration amid deepening social unrest in the country plagued by nearly a month of power outages . He declared himself Venezuela’s interim President in January, and vowed to overthrow Maduro. So far, however, Maduro has avoided jailing the man that the administration of US President Donald Trump and roughly 50 other nations recognise as Venezuela’s legitimate leader. The Trump administration has threatened the Maduro government with a strong response if Guaido is harmed and Florida Senator Marco

Rubio – who has Trump’s ear on Venezuela policy – said before the vote that nations recognising Guaidó as his country’s legitimate leader should take any attempt by Maduro’s government to “abduct” him as a coup. “And anyone who cooperates with this should be treated as a coup plotter and dealt with accordingly,” Rubio said on Twitter. However, the vote against Guaido was unanimous, and Constituent Assembly president and socialist party boss Diosdado Cabello accused the Opposition of naively inviting a foreign invasion and of inciting a civil war. “They don’t care about the deaths,” Cabello said. “They don’t have the slightest idea ??what the consequences of war are for a country.” The Constituent Assembly, which is made up entirely of Maduro loyalists, met a day after Maduro ally and Venezuela Supreme Court of Justice Maikel Moreno ordered it to strip Guaidó’s immunity for violating an order banning him leaving the country. – AP

its resolution, says China

US move to take Azhar issue to UNSC The State Department was responding to China criticising the US, France and the United Kingdom for moving a draft resolution at the UNSC as “not a constructive move” and that it “set a bad example”. China, on Monday criticised the US for directly taking the issue of listing Azhar as global terrorists to UN Security Council after it had put a technical hold on the US, UK and French resolution earlier to declare him a global terrorist in the UN’s 1267 Sanctions Committee dealing with counter-terrorism issues. On Monday, Geng claimed “positive progress” has been made to resolve the vexed issue and accused the US of scuttling its efforts. China has so far blocked the move to designate Azhar as a ‘global terrorist’ four times in recent years. On Wednesday, the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said vast majority of the UNSC members believe that efforts should be made under the 1267 Sanctions Committee to solve this designation through dialogue and consultation instead of pushing the draft resolution at the UNSC. – PTI

US plays down NASA’s criticism of India over space debris WASHINGTON, April 3: The US has downplayed NASA’s criticism of India over space debris created by the country’s antisatellite missile test, saying the two nations would continue to pursue shared interests in space that includes collaboration on safety and security in space. State Department deputy spokesperson Robert Palladino’s remarks came a day after National Aeronautics and Space Administration termed as a “terrible thing” India’s shooting down of one of its satellites that has created about 400 pieces of orbital debris. “The issue of space debris, that is an important concern for the United States, and I would say that we took note of the Indian Government’s statements that the test was designed to address space debris issues,” Palladino said. “I think we spoke a little bit about this last week. But as we’ve said previously, we have

a strong strategic partnership with India, and we will continue to pursue shared interests in space, in scientific and technical cooperation with India, and that includes collaboration on safety and security in space,” he said. Last week, India carried out Mission Shakti, in which it successfully targeted a low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite. Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed its success as “an unprecedented achievement” that makes India “a space power.” NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine said about 60 pieces of debris have been tracked so far out of which 24 are going above the apogee of the ISS. “That is a terrible, terrible thing to create an event that sends debris and an apogee that goes above the International Space Station. That kind of activity is not compatible with the future of human spaceflight that we need to see have happen,” he said. – PTI

SPORTS

THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2019

Kohli acknowledges RCB still searching for right combination JAIPUR, April 3: Royal Challengers Bangalore skipper Virat Kohli has conceded that his struggling team is yet to get the right balance and will continue experimenting with its combinations in the ongoing IPL. RCB are winless in the ongoing edition. They went down to Rajasthan Royals by seven wickets, their fourth successive loss, on Tuesday night. “This is a month-and-a-half or a couple of months maximum. You have to think of the

best possible combination going forward. We will definitely sit down and consider talking about what we can do. What can we do to get the balance right,” Kohli said after the match. “Hopefully get some fresh guys in and they can make some cracking match-winning performances for us and get the team going. That’s an important factor: to think on our feet. Just focus on the best XI we can take on the park and be competitive every game,”

he added. Kohli said he is still hopeful of a turnaround. “We have 10 games to go. If we start turning things around pretty soon, then we can get on a roll as well. We have to keep believing as a side. Just four games in, we would have liked one result our way if not two. “The Mumbai game and this one, I thought we played well. We just didn’t grab on to our chances, we will like to im-

prove our performance and take a bit of confidence that we were a bit more competitive than the last game,” he said. Kohli said they needed a few more runs on the board against Rajasthan on Tuesday. “We were more competitive. But we were 15-20 short with the bat. I thought 160 was competitive, but with the dew factor, 15 runs more would’ve been more challenging,” he said. The RCB fielders dropped a number of catches and Kohli said they can’t afford to commit such mistakes if they want to finish on the winning side. Rajasthan skipper Ajinkya Rahane and Steve Smith were dropped and their contributions with the bat helped the hosts win. “It was not easy to get the boundaries in the second innings but if we make that many mistakes (dropped catches), then we will fall on the losing side. In a tournament like IPL, when you have no momentum, Virat Kohli looks dejected after dropping a catch during the IPL match against Rajasthan then these things can happen,” Royals in Jaipur. said Kohli. – PTI

Lower-order worry for Delhi against Sunrisers NEW DELHI, April 3: Skipper Shreyas Iyer would look to sort out his team’s lower-order woes and strive for consistency when Delhi Capitals face a rampaging Sunrisers Hyderabad in an IPL match here on Thursday. A dramatic lower-order collapse against Kings XI Punjab exposed Delhi’s batting frailties and Iyer would look to plug those holes to stand a chance of taming Sunrisers, who have been on a roll with back-to-back wins. A new look Delhi made a rampaging start to the season with a superb win over three-time former champions Mumbai Indians but since then they have struggled with their lower-order. Delhi are currently fifth in the eight team standings with two wins and as many loses after four games and consistency is something which

they would be looking for. Delhi had failed to score six runs from the last over against Kolkata Knight Riders, thus taking the match to Super Over and it was

only due to Kagiso Rabada’s superb yorkers, they had managed to scrape through in the end. However, Delhi’s lower-order came unstuck against Kings XI on Monday night when they inexplicably lost seven wickets for eight runs to lose the game by 14 runs. Delhi were 144 for three in the 17th over, chasing 167 before being bowled out for 152 in 19.2 overs. “I am really speechless. Re-

ally disappointing. It is a crucial match and losing such matches is not going to benefit us. Mentally we need to train ourselves – we are getting good starts, need to finish better,” Iyer had said. Rishabh Pant, who played a superb knock of 78 to pile up a mammoth 213 against Mumbai in the first match, has been the highest run-scorer for Delhi while the likes of Shikhar Dhawan, Prithvi Shaw, Iyer and Colin Ingram too have been among runs. The bowling department has been led by Rabada, while they also have Kiwi pacer Trent Boult and Ishant Sharma in their ranks. Young Nepalese leg-spinner Sandeep Lamichhane too has performed well so far for Delhi. – PTI MATCH STARTS AT 8 PM

THE ASSAM TRIBUNE, GUWAHATI 15

We showed we want to win this league, says Suarez after Barca comeback MADRID, April 3: Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez led Barcelona to a stunning comeback against Villarreal on Tuesday and may have ensured there will be no return for Atletico Madrid in La Liga’s title race. Atletico play Barca at the Camp Nou on Saturday and were given fresh hope of a resurgence when struggling Villarreal, inspired by the brilliant Santi Cazorla, led the Catalans 4-2 going into the final minute. But Messi, who had started on the bench, drove in a free-kick in the 90th and in the 93rd, Suarez fired in a devastating half-volley to earn Barca a 4-4 draw and an unlikely point. Combined with Atletico’s earlier 2-0 victory over Girona, the result means the gap at the top is reduced to eight points ahead of this weekend’s top of the table meeting but Ernesto Valverde’s side celebrated Suarez’s goal like it was a winner. “In the end it is only a point but there is a certain feeling after coming back from two goals down in the last minute,” Valverde said. Cazorla, meanwhile, sank to his knees, a chance spurned for Villarreal to pull four points clear of the relegation zone, with Celta Vigo, now only two behind, still to play Huesca on Wednesday. They had come from two down, as Samuel Chukwueze and Karl Toko Ekambi cancelled out early goals from Philippe Coutinho and Malcom. Vicente Iborra and Carlos Bacca looked to have sealed an incredible win, only for Messi and Suarez to intervene.

but these increased in intensity after the second goal. Kean celebrated with his hands outstretched in front of the Cagliari fans after scoring. But Bonucci claimed that Kean should not have provoked the home supporters and said his team-mate was partly to blame for the unsavoury scenes. “Kean knows that when he scores a goal, he should celebrate that with his team-mates. He knows he could have done something differently too,” Bonucci told Sky Sport Italia. “There were racist jeers after the goal, Blaise heard it and was angered. I think the blame is 50-50, because Moise shouldn’t have done that and the Curva (Cagliari fans) should not have reacted that way.

“We are professionals, we have to set the example and not provoke anyone.” Cagliari fans appeared to throw objects at Kean, and the match was momentarily stopped and an appeal made over the speakers, while Matuidi reacting furiously to the jeers at the same stadium where he was targeted last season. The abuse came on the day that UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin said he will ask referees to stop matches in the future when there is racist chanting. “As usual, there are some idiots, but also normal people,” said Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri. “We have cameras, we identify and ban them.” Cagliari president Tommaso Giulini,

The pair have now scored 51 goals between them in the league this season, just one shy of the total managed by Real Madrid. “The spirit we showed at the end, to refuse to give in, to come back in the last minute – we showed that we want to win this league,” said Suarez. Rested along with Gerard Pique and Ivan Rakitic, it seemed Barcelona would not need

KUALA LUMPUR, April 3: Top Indian shuttlers PV Sindhu and Kidambi Srikanth advanced to the second round of the Malaysian Open World Tour Super 750 tournament here on Wednesday. Olympic and world championship silver medallist Sindhu staved off a spirited challenge from World No. 20 Aya Ohori 2220, 21-12 to record her sixth win over the Japanese, while India Open finalist Srikanth beat Indonesia’s Ihsan Maulana Mustofa 21-18, 21-16 in 38 minutes. Fifth seed Sindhu will now look to avenge her All England loss against Korea’s Sung Ji Hyun, whom she faces next, while Srikanth will meet Thailand’s Khosit Phetpradab on Thursday. HS Prannoy, who had reached the quarterfinals last week at New Delhi, however, bowed out after losing 12-21, 21-16, 21-14 to Sitthikom Thammasin of Thailand following a hard-fought battle. With Sameer Verma too crashing out in the opening round, Srikanth is the only Indian in the fray in men’s singles. Men’s doubles pair of Manu Attri and B Sumeeth Reddy, who had entered the semifinals in India Open, also failed to cross the opening hurdle, going down 16-21, 6-21 to seventh seeds Han Chengkai and Zhou Haodong of China. In the women’s singles match, World No. 6 Sindhu fell back in the opening game after an initial 5-2 lead as Ohori jumped to a 12-7 advantage. – PTI

Bhabajyoti Goswami (2nd left) and Basanta Das (2nd right) addressing the media. SPORTS REPORTER

GUWAHATI, April 3: The stage is all set for the 30th Mr Saraighat RG Baruah Memorial All India Classic Bodybuilding Championship which is scheduled to be held on April 6 at the ITA Centre here. Saraighat Gym under the aegis of the Assam Body Builders and Fitness Association affiliated to Indian Body Builders Federation will hold the bodybuilding event where leading national and international bodybuilders of the country will contest for the crown, informed organising secretary Bhabajyoti Goswami and executive chairman Basanta Das in a press conference held here today. Mr Saraighat title winner will walk away with a cash award of Rs 1,50,000 while the second and third position holders will be-

Radial Club in semis SPORTS REPORTER

Moise Kean of Juventus vies for the ball with Fabio Pisacane and Luca Ceppitelli (R) of Cagliari during the Serie A match at the Sardegna Arena in Cagliari, Italy. however, blamed Kean for stir- had done what Kean did, the ring up tensions. reaction would have been the “If (Federico) Bernardeschi same,” said Giulini. – AFP

GUWAHATI, April 3: With back-to-back victories in the three-team group, Radial Club of Nagaon made it to the last-four stage of the Assam Cricket Association organised Assam Premier Club Championship. In their second match at the ACA Stadium in Barsapara here today, the Nagaon outfit humbled India Club of Silchar by a convincing margin of seven wickets. Deciding to bat, the Silchar team failed to withstand the sharp Radial bowling and were all out for a paltry 81 in 34.5 overs. Chasing the small target, the Nagaon side lost three wickets in gathering the required runs in 15.3 overs. Brief scores: India Club 81 (Raihan Jameel Mazumdar 27; Bichitra Baruah 5/ 16, Mrinmoy Dutta 2/11). Radial Club 83/ 3 (Debajit Baruah 29, Asif Wasim 23; Ikra-

United have no margin for error, admits Solskjaer

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer

Messi as Coutinho tapped in a pass by Malcom, who then headed in Arturo Vidal’s cross for a 2-0 lead after 16 minutes. But Villarreal sprung into life, revived by Chukwueze, who pulled one back seven minutes later. A sumptuous flick by Iborra launched the counter-attack and Cazorla sent the striker clear. Chukwueze’s shot struck the post but cannoned back to him and this time, he guided it into the far corner. – AFP

Sindhu, Srikanth enter 2nd Stage set for Mr Saraighat contest round of Malaysia Open

Kean on target for Juve despite racist abuse in Cagliari MILAN, April 3: Rising Italy star Moise Kean was targeted by racist abuse after he continued his goal-scoring spree to push Juventus closer to an eighth consecutive Serie A title on Tuesday with a 2-0 win over Cagliari. Kean, 19, slotted in his fourth goal in as many league games in the 85th minute after defender Leonardo Bonucci nodded in the opener on 22 minutes in Sardinia. The youngster’s celebration after scoring, however, infuriated the Sardinian crowd who had jeered the teenager throughout after he was booked for diving in the first half. During the match, Kean, along with his French teammate Blaise Matuidi and Brazilian Alex Sandro, had been targeted by monkey noises,

Luis Suarez of Barcelona celebrates after scoring the equaliser to make it 4-4 during the La Liga match against Villarreal in Villarreal, Spain.

WOLVERHAMPTON (UK), April 3: Ole Gunnar Solskjaer admitted Manchester United have no further margin for error in their bid to secure a top-four finish after a damaging 2-1 defeat against Wolves on Tuesday. Ashley Young’s needless dismissal and Chris Smalling’s farcical own goal were the low points of a disappointing evening for Solskjaer’s side at Molineux. United had been set a target of 15 points from their remaining seven games by the manager before their visit to Molineux. That total is now 15 points from six matches, with games to come against both Manchester City and Chelsea at Old Trafford, a target which Solskjaer admits leaves no room for mistakes. “I’m as confident as I was three hours ago,” joked Solskjaer after the defeat. “I said we need 15 points from our last seven games and now we need 15 from our last six. “It’s difficult but then again, we’re a

very good team and it’s going to be difficult for anybody who plays against us. “This was a tough game but a performance that deserved a win.” Scott McTominay’s first goal for United was equalised by Diogo Jota before the interval, but the game’s turning point proved to be a second yellow card collected by Young with just 57 minutes gone. Young was booked twice in the space of five minutes for fouls on Jota, the second a particularly unpleasant high challenge. “When you’re on a yellow you’re always in danger of it being a yellow card again,” said Solskjaer. “Probably it was a bad decision by Ashley but in the heat of the moment he reached for the ball and was a little bit too high, it made it more difficult. “We didn’t get the pressure built that we expected, so we kept possession well but then they scored with the first chance they put the ball in the box.” United finally caved to Wolves’ nu-

merical superiority 20 minutes later, when Raul Jimenez rose above Phil Jones and headed a Joao Moutinho cross goalwards. The awkward attempt saw Smalling and goalkeeper David de Gea become entangled, with the former making the final touch as the ball rolled over the line. McTominay’s memorable first ever goal in professional football had come after just 13 minutes. A patient left-wing build-up ended with Jesse Lingard playing the ball centrally to Fred, with the Brazilian quickly moving it sideways to Scotland international McTominay. The 22-year-old unleashed a brilliant, right-foot finish from 25 yards that beat the diving Rui Patricio and nestled in the far left-hand corner. It might have been an even healthier position with Romelu Lukaku having already headed a good chance directly at Patricio and Lingard doing likewise from Lukaku’s chip forward. – AFP

come richer by Rs 1,00,000 and Rs 80,000 respectively. Cash prizes will be offered to the top ten position holders. The State contest will be conducted for the Pratidin Mr Saraighat Assam title along with Mr Saraighat competition on the same stage where the champion will get Rs 30,000 and the second and third position winners will receive Rs 20,000 and Rs 15,000 respectively. Top five position holders will get cash awards in this contest. Assam Governor Prof Jagdish Mukhi will be the chief guest on the occasion. Assam team for Mr Saraighat: Khanjan Pratim Talukdar, Dipu Dutta, Subhadeep Baidya, Monjit Roy, Koshar Ali, Ashim Dihingia, Subhit Gogoi, Nayanmoni Neog, Mainul Islam. mul Ali 2/29). Today’s match: India Club vs Doomdooma CCC.

Shahil wins title in Sri Lanka GUWAHATI, April 3: Assam chess prodigy Shahil Dey emerged champion today in the U-12 category of the Asian Youth Rapid Chess Championship being held in Sri Lanka. He scored 6.5 points out of possible 7 points in 7 rounds played under rapid time control. Shahil is a member of the 20-member Indian contingent that is taking part in the Asian Youth Chess Championship (Rapid, Blitz and Classical events) that is underway at Sri Lanka and will conclude on April 9. Shahil, a trainee of Assam Chess Club is also participating in the classical event of the tournament and is seeded 3rd in the starting rank list.

SU DO KU

Solution of last problem Originating from Japan, ‘su do ku’ is a mind game and a puzzle that can be solved with proper reasoning and logic. Fill the grid with digits in such a manner that every row, every column and every 3 x3 box accommodates the digits 1 to 9 without repeating any.

16 THE ASSAM TRIBUNE, GUWAHATI

SPORTS

ICC to join hands with Interpol to fight corruption DUBAI, April 3: The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Wednesday said it has sought “closer working relations” with the Interpol, an organisation which facilitates worldwide police cooperation, to widen the scope of its fight against corruption in the sport. The cooperation was discussed during ICC Anti-Corruption Unit General Manger, Alex Marshall’s visit to the Interpol headquarters in Lyon, France. “The ICC and Interpol are keen on working together and our meetings in Lyon last week were productive. The ICC has an excellent relationship with law enforcement agencies in a number of countries but working with Interpol means we are connecting with their 194 members,”

Marshall said in a media release. Marshall said the idea is to ensure that players are better educated about the corruptors and Interpol’s vast network would be helpful in this. “Our focus is on education of players and prevention and disruption of corruptors. Where our enquiries reveal criminal offences have been committed, we will refer this to the relevant law enforcement organisations and this makes Interpol an important partner for us,” he added. Interpol’s Criminal Networks unit Assistant Director Jose de Gracia said the organisation will be glad to assist the ICC. “Sport brings people together, but criminals looking to make large profits

THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2019

Dismissing Kohli and AB best moment of my cricketing career: Shreyas Gopal

JAIPUR, April 3: Claiming the coveted wickets of Virat Kohli and South African run-machine AB de Villiers was the best moment of my cricketing career, says young Rajasthan Royals spinner can undermine its integrity. Our meet- Shreyas Gopal. ings and cooperation with partners such The leg-spinner took 3 wickets for 12 as the ICC help us shape a collaborative, runs in his magical four-over spell, which holistic response,” said de Gracia. helped Rajasthan Royals secure their Cricket has been fighting the menace of match-fixing for quite a few years. Some of the biggest names in the game have been accused and even found guilty of accepting bribes from bookmakers with the list including the likes of late South African captain Hansie Cronje, Herschelle Gibbs and former India captain Mohammad Azharuddin. The most recent case of proven corruption in international games came to light in 2010 when the Pakistani team was accused of spot-fixing during a Test match against England. – PTI

first win of the season, a seven-wicket victory over struggling Royal Challengers Bangalore on Tuesday night. “Getting Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers in same match is a dream for any youngster. It is the best moment of my cricketing career and definitely one of biggest moments of my IPL cricket,” Shreyas said at the post

match conference here. “Any wicket is a big wicket but obviously these two are big names so it feels that much more better. But I feel I shouldn’t be getting ahead of myself and stay calm,” he added. The 25-year-old said that it was hard to devise a plan against batsmen like Kohli and de Villiers’ stature. – PTI

India beat Indonesia 2-0 in Olympic qualifiers MANDALAY (Myanmar), April 3: Dangmei Grace scored a brace as the Indian women football team defeated Indonesia 2-0 in the AFC Olympic Qualifiers Round 2 match here on Wednesday. Grace (27th, 67th) scored once in each half as the team in blue took control of the proceedings right from the first whistle. Speaking later, head coach Maymol Rocky said: “We wanted to start our qualifying campaign on a winning note and we have done so. Indonesia proved to be tough opponents that committed bodies in defence but we found a way to gather three points. “It is important to keep the winning momentum alive... We are taking one match at a time and our focus shifts on our next opponents Nepal (on April 6),” she added. Keeping their winning momentum alive after the success of their 5th consecutive SAFF title win, the Indian women mounted pressure on the opponents from the opening minute. Some crafty work down the wings by Sanju and Ratanbala Devi caused havoc on the opposition defence that was unable to read the play of the Indian women. Sanju’s cross in the 24th minute caused chaos in the Indonesian defence, with one defender almost turning it into an own goal before clearing the lines. Sandhiya’s run in the 26th minute, after she was found by Sanju, caught the Indonesian defenders napping. – IANS

Printed and published by Ganesh Ch. Das on behalf of Assam Tribune Pvt. Ltd. at the Tribune Press, Tribune Buildings, P.O.- Assam Tribune, M.R.D. Road, Chandmari, Guwahati-781003. Tel. 0361-2660102 (EPABX), 0361-2661360, 0361-2668807 (News Desk), FAX 0361-2666396. E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected].

Editor: Prafulla Govinda Baruah

PLANET Y UNG

PAGE 8 THE ASSAM TRIBUNE, GUWAHATI, THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2019

^^

“

Live well, eat well, study well, love your culture, respect your parents.

Will robots with AI rule over the Earth in the future?

”

Technology is advancing so fast that we cannot predict what will come in the next few years. Robots are artificial agents acting in the real world environment. They have the advantage over humans by being able to live forever, and they can be made stronger and more resilient. They will also take over Deepak Mundhra, the jobs, daily tasks of humans. Class-IX, Brookfield School, North Lakhimpur. Robots are also getting smarter each day because of the input of information to them. We cannot be sure, but there is a probability that robots will rule over the Earth in the future.

Who was Ivan Pavlov? van Pavlov (1849-1936) was a Russian physiologist and Nobel laureate, best known for his studies of reflex behaviour. He was born in Ryazan, and educated at the University of Saint Petersburg and at the Military Medical Academy, Saint Petersburg; from 1884 to 1886, he studied in Breslau (now Wroclaw, Poland) and Leipzig, Germany. Before the Russian Revolution, he served as director of the department of Physiology at the Institute of Experimental Medicine (part of the present Academy of Medical Sciences), Saint Petersburg, and professor of Medicine at the Military Medical Academy. In spite of his opposition to Communism, Pavlov was allowed to continue his research in a laboratory built by the Soviet Government in 1935. Pavlov is noted for his pioneering work in the physiology of the heart, nervous system, and digestive system. His most famous experiments, begun in 1889, demonstrated the conditioned and unconditioned reflexes in dogs, and they had an influence on the development of physiologically-oriented behaviourist theories of psychology during the early years of the 20th century. His work on the physiology of the digestive glands won him the 1904 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. His major work is Conditioned Reflexes. Pavlov’s term “Conditional Reflex” was mistranslated from the Russian as “Conditioned Reflex”, and other scientists reading his work concluded that since such reflexes were conditioned, they must be produced by a process called conditioning. As Pavlov’s work became known in the West, the idea of “conditioning” as an automatic form of learning became a key concept in the developing specialism of Comparative Psychology, and the general approach to Psychology that underlay it, behaviourism. The British philosopher Bertrand Russell was an enthusiastic advocate of the importance of Pavlov’s work for philosophy of the mind.

I

@2002 Viacom International Inc.

Created by Arlene Klasky, Gabor Csupo, and Paul Germain.

Yes, robots with AI will rule over the future world. We can take the example of Sophia – the human robot, created by David Hanson. Sophia uses Artificial Intelligence, such as visual data processing and facial recognition. Robots are smarter, more versatile and autonomous. They can be way Himashri Nath, Class-VII, stronger and more resilient. They St. Vivekananda English are immune to diseases and can Academy, Guwahati. solve problems very quickly with the correct coding and software. But still, it will take ten to 20 years for robots to be part of the world and rule over us in the future. There are still a few tasks which robots cannot perform. With the development of technology and science, people are experimenting with everything in their lives. So, robots with Artificial Intelligence will not only be in our lives in the future, but might also rule over the Earth. Nowadays, we can see robots performing critical operations Khushboo Das, Class-VII, in hospitals which even the Maria’s Public School, best doctors find difficult to do, Guwahati. and robots are also getting citizenship! Sophia (the AI robot) is a role model and an inspiration for many, and scientists want to create more like her. But with rising technology, we should not forget our real worth as humans. Robots are a reality today and they would soon appear in public places in more complex shapes. Unlike humans, they are immune to diseases and can solve problems very quickly with correct coding and software. They have been taking away many human jobs. Yes, technology can pretty Tusna Basumatary, much control us. But, on the other Class-X, St. Vivekananda hand, we still need humans to do English Academy, many things, as robots cannot Guwahati. make their own decisions and think emotionally. Instead, they will remain sophisticated machines. Therefore, by 2050, they will be a big part of the world, but definitely will not rule over the Earth.

GUWAHATI, THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2019

Batman turns 80 etective Comics’ (DC) superhero Batman recently turned 80, after debuting on March 30, 1939, in the pages of Detective Comics No. 27. He was created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger. In order to celebrate the 80-year publishing history of this superhero, DC released two commemorative books in March – the collector’s issue of Detective Comics No. 1000 on March 27, and a special hardcover book titled Detective Comics: 80 Years of Batman – The Deluxe Edition, which released on March 12.

D

Pick the book Storybooks are more beneÞcial for you than e-books. esearchers have found that story-time with printed books are more helpful than e-books. When grown-ups are reading to toddlers, they have more meaningful conversations when the stories are in traditional printed books than when stories are in e-books. Results of the small experiment suggest storytime with tablets may not be as good for your development. “Parents and toddlers know how to engage over a book, but when adding a tablet into the mix, it deflects from some of the positive benefits of that shared reading experience,” said lead study author Dr. Tiffany Munzer of the University of Michigan’s C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital in Ann Arbor, U.S.A. “That isn’t to say there is no benefit to electronic books, just less than when you compare it with a print book.” For the study, Munzer’s team videotaped 37

R

om!” Priya hugged her mother, as she got down from the school bus. “So, tell me, how was your first day at school?” her mother asked. Priya, a nine-year-old, had been enrolled into a new school lately, and today was her first day at school. “Everything went fine. The teachers are very friendly and kind. I made two new friends already. And another girl had also come to befriend me. But, I told her clearly that we cannot be friends with her.”

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CONTRIBUTOR OF THE WEEK Ankita Bharadwaz, Karara.

parent-child pairs during reading sessions done in a lab. Parents read similar stories in three different formats: traditional printed books, e-books without any bells and whistles, and “enhanced” e-books with extra features like sound effects or animation. During each reading session, researchers observed how much interaction, conversation and collaboration happened between parents and kids. With printed books, parents talked to kids much more about the stories. The grownups paused to do things like ask kids if they remembered something they did that’s similar to what’s happening in the story, or asking kids what they think will happen next, the researchers report in Pediatrics. Toddlers also spoke up more to ask questions and share their own opinions and ideas about the stories when parents were reading from printed books. – Agencies

Tarali Sarma is a National Awardwinning singer and music director. The people who have influenced me the most... Have been my parents and Nature. The devotional songs of the satras have always mesmerised me. The turning point of my life... Was singing a Borgeet in the serial Sachipator Puthi – a serial telecast on TV. Then came my first album – Abhimaan. The happiest moments of my life... Winning the National Award, and the birth of my son Ray. A change I would like to see in the society. I want people to stop gossiping, and aspire for greatness. Message for today’s youth. Live well, eat well, study well, love your culture, respect your parents.

The colours of love Ankita Bharadwaz, H.S.L.C. Candidate, Sankardev Shishu Niketan, Karara.

“Why?” Priya’s mother asked. “Because she is dark-skinned!” Priya replied. “No, Priya, you should not judge people because of their skin colour,” Priya’s mother tried to explain. “But, they don’t look pretty to me,”

said Priya. Priya’s mother took her to their garden. “Look at the flowers in our garden. They are of different colours. But all of them are equally beautiful. Colours can make them look varied, but cannot reduce their beauty. People are also like flowers, and our Earth is like a garden. We may look different from each other, but real

POEM OF THE WEEK Pradnya Roy, Guwahati.

beauty comes from the colour of our hearts. All people are equally beautiful. Therefore, we shouldn’t hate anyone.” Priya’s mother looked at Priya after saying all this. “All the different coloured flowers in our garden make it beautiful. If there were only one-coloured flowers in this garden, it wouldn’t be so beautiful. Isn’t it?” Priya nodded. “You are right, Mom. I will befriend her tomorrow and will also apologise to her. I was wrong. From today, I will never hate anyone.” Priya’s mother beamed at her.

SKETCH OF THE WEEK Yashvi Khemani, Guwahati.

PAGE 2 THE ASSAM TRIBUNE, GUWAHATI, THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2019

PAGE 7 THE ASSAM TRIBUNE, GUWAHATI, THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2019

Kushmanda Deka, Class-VIII, St. Mary’s H.S. School, Guwahati.

“Oops! Today is my result day...”

NEXT WEEK’S PICTURE

birth, marriage, as well as death. Birth rites include naamkaran (namegiving ceremony), annaprasana (the first rice-eating ceremony), pre-puberty rites, and puberty rites. The kan-bindhoni, i.e., the ear-piercing ceremony, prevalent in some localities of the Barpeta district, may be termed a family festival as also a sacramental festival

Sacramental festivals Tribal communities of Assam have many sacred rituals linked to birth, marriage and death.

H

Dear Ishani Aunty, I have a dark complexion and this makes me very self-conscious. I use fairness creams, but nothing helps. What can I do? – Gargi Dear Gargi, If I were you, I would not be concerned at all. Be a beautiful person by being kind to others. Build up your career. Honour your parents. Fairness creams do more harm than good. Build up your confidence and focus on more worthwhile issues.

1. Which animal, among the following, does not belong to the cat family – a cheetah, a rottweiler, or a leopard? GO ON, DON·T BE SCARED. THE CAT WON·T RECOGNISE YOU IN THAT DISGUISE!

[Send your entries to [email protected]]

J 2

1

5

4

3 6

7

8

9 12

11

10

14

13 15

16

Calculate the clues and fill in the grids with the answers.

ACROSS ACROSS

DOWN DOWN

1. 51 – 9 2. 18 – 7 3. 78 – 15 4. 82 – 49 6. 42 + 22 7. 47 – 26 8. 4 + 21 9. 20 + 48 10. 71 + 15 11. 97 – 40 13. 33 + 3 14. 93 – 14 15. 38 + 39 16. 25 + 23

1. 30 + 13 2. 23 – 10 3. 86 – 20 4. 8 + 26 5. 78 + 13 6. 14 + 51 7. 70 – 42 8. 13 + 13 9. 30 + 37 10. 78 + 4 11. 11 + 45 12. 89 – 20 13. 93 – 56 14. 96 – 18

SOLUTION

Dear Ishani Aunty, My best friend comes from a modest background. I am having my birthday next week, but I don’t want her to buy me an expensive present. Any suggestions? – Aliya Dear Aliya, It’s simple. Ask all your guests not to bring gifts. Tell them you will not accept presents. That will be a big relief for your friend. I am happy you are so considerate.

Q Please collect your certificates from our office.

of the festivals associated with the rites of life-cycle is more or less the same among all sections of the non-tribal Hindus of Assam, though different tribal

3. Which sign of the zodiac has a sting in its tail – Sagittarius, Cancer, or Scorpio? WHAT IS YOUR ZODIAC SIGN?

communities Assam observe co omm mmun unit itie iess of Ass Assam am o obs bser erve ve tthe he same in their own ways. The Muslim communities also celebrate a few festivals associated with the life-cycle. The main life-cycle festivals are those of

Teacher: “What is the full form of GK?” Student: “God knows!”

([email protected])

Gaurab Bala, Class-X, South Point School, Guwahati.

Nancy: “How would you know if an elephant is hiding under your bed?” Joel: “My head would hit the ceiling!” Q: “Why did the fish swim in saltwater?” Ans: “Because pepper would make it sneeze!” Jim: “Can you name a tree that would fit in your hand?” Tim: “No. Which tree is it?” Jim: “A ‘palm’ tree!”

© Ken Egan - mm1156

2. According to folklore, does the sandman help children cross the road, build sandcastles, or fall asleep?

KES

‘Chucking a wobbly’ is Australian slang for throwing a tantrum. WHY ARE YOU THROWING JELLY?

ISN·T THAT WHAT YOU DO WHEN YOU CHUCK A WOBBLY?

since it is a kind of puberty rite. Ear-piercing si appears to be a rite that is performed by many ap tribes of India and elsewhere at the time when a tr bo boy or girl attains the age of puberty. Marriage rites also involve several rituals and playing of rit games between the bride and the bridegroom. ga Death is another important ritualistic affair. The Karbis celebrate the death rite with great festivity and it is known as Chomangkan. But the ceremony is generally limited to the

4

Name the only continent where butterflies don’t exist.

Bhabana Rabha, H.S.L.C. Candidate, St. Mary’s Sr. Sec. School, Maligaon, Guwahati.

1 2

What is the study of insects known as?

3

Name the only insect that can turn its head and look behind its shoulders.

Which insect is popularly known as the ‘goldbug’?

1. What is the next odd number after 31? *** 2. What is the opposite of down? *** 3. How many sides are there in a triangle? *** 4. What is half of 12? *** 5. What season comes after autumn? *** 6. How many legs does a spider have? *** 7. When your grandmother was young, were there mobile phones?

Michael Mouse went looking for some cheese and is now lost. Can you show him the way back to his mouse hole?

5

Which insects have ears on their legs?

6

Name the largest species of butterfly.

Who has the most dangerous job in Transylvania? Dracula’s dentist.

ANSWERS 1.Entomology, 2. Praying Mantis, 3. Golden Tortoise Beetle, 4. Antarctica, 5. Grasshoppers, crickets and locusts, 6. Queen Alexandra’s Birdwing.

Answers: 1. A rottweiler, 2. Fall asleep, 3. Scorpio (the scorpion).

JP158

rich and well-established people since it is an expensive affair. Certain ceremonial rites are so elaborate that it takes months to get them arranged. Like the Karbis, the Pati Rabhas also celebrate an elaborate death rite. This is termed as Pharkanti. The Pharkanti, in its true sense, is the combination of many festivals celebrated by singing songs and dances. On one hand, it is a death rite, and on the other, it is a peace festival. This rite is also based on a myth prevalent in the Rabha society. Karbis and Rabhas, both believe in rebirth after death. The hope of rebirth is one of the objectives of this festival. The Tai Ahoms also celebrate the death rite known as Medamme-phi. It is a ceremony in which oblations are offered to the dead and sacrifices to the gods. In the present-day society of the Tai Ahoms, the rite is observed publicly in the style of a festival.

ANSWERS 1. 33, 2. Up, 3. Three, 4. Six, 5. Winter, 6. Eight, 7. No.

Dear Ishani Aunty, My friends do group study and they say it’s great fun. But, my mother does not let me join in. How can I convince her? – Barun Dear Barun, Studies are serious business and the last thing you ought to want is having fun. Study on your own and stay ahead of the others.

uman life, in most cultures of the world, is a kind of social movement from one status and role to another. The occasion of passing from one such stage to another is marked by special ceremonies and festivals. The basic pattern

Copyright: Dave Allen 2007

How do young spooks like their eggs? Terri-fried

www.funny-business.com.au

What do Do you know ghosts love what happened to chew? to the Egyptian Boooble pharaoh who ate gum. crackers in bed? He became a crummy Mummy.

PLANET Y UNG

PAGE 6 THE ASSAM TRIBUNE, GUWAHATI, THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2019

The worth of self-love

PAGE 3 THE ASSAM TRIBUNE, GUWAHATI, THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2019

Antariksha Hazarika, Class-VIII, Little Flower School, Dibrugarh.

Pick the words closest in meaning.

2 3

4

Gaffe a) A one-line joke b) Blunder c) Chatter d) Elderly man

5

Marginal a) Soft b) Close to a lower limit c) Out of the question d) False

Fillip a) Stimulus b) Quote c) Young mare d) Witticism

Bugs! Bugs! Bugs! By Bob Barner

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retty ladybugs, fluttering butterflies, creepy daddy longlegs, and roly-poly bugs are some of the familiar creatures featured in this whimsically illustrated insect album. Complete with an “actual size” chart and bugo-meter, listing fun facts about each bug, Bugs! Bugs! Bugs! will inform and entertain curious little bug lovers everywhere.

Tasteless a) Insensitive b) Meaningless c) Not truthful d) Inappropriate 1. b) Blunder, 2. b) Close to a lower limit, 3. d) Robust, 4. a) Stimulus, 5. d) Inappropriate.

1

Earthy a) Warm b) Nurturing c) Heavy d) Robust

Answers:

Know your masterpieces

6 dn

Yangsook Choi

1 ac

3 dn

2 dn

9 dn 3

2

1 7 dn

5

4

7 ac 6

7

8

9

11

10

4 ac

10 ac

13

T

14

14 dn

12 ac 13 dn

11 dn (Wild –––)

SOLUTION

13 ac

Locomotive By Brian Floca

12

8ac

his writer and illustrator grew up in South Korea, and now shuttles between New York and Seoul. This multi-national life is reflected in her books. Her characters are interesting, complicated and really authentic. She illustrates her books with soft, dreamy colours and strong, graphic images. Her books include: The Name Jar. Peach Heaven.

T

5 dn

his picture book is for older readers. With longer text and historical detail, Locomotive explores the early days of the transcontinental railroad and it will fill you with nostalgia for the days when travelling by train was a grand adventure for those above the age of five. While the text may be geared toward the older crowd, the lyrical, rollicking rhythm and stunningly detailed illustrations will draw in readers of all ages.

“A

flower does not think of competing with the flower next to it, it just blooms.” Do you know what this means? It simply says, be the beautiful you. As most of us are students, in the past years of schooling, we have learnt a huge amount of new things. But none of us have learnt how to love ourselves. So many years of education, yet nobody has taught us why we should love ourselves. We have been told that we are unique, but we are never told to treasure it. This is something important that we do not know. I request parents to explain it to their kids at an age when they can understand it well, before it is too late. Because by loving ourselves we can boost our mental strength and self-esteem. If we are able to love ourselves for who we are, we have already achieved what so many people haven’t. Never blame students who have low self-esteem. I myself grew up in an environment like that. But, I knew that I wasn’t worthless, so I wasn’t discouraged. People fall into depres-

sion because of the negative radiations around them. I feel so bad when people hurt themselves on purpose. Do you ever care for your body? It loves you so much, it’s always trying to keep you alive, it’s making sure you breathe while you sleep, stopping cuts from bleeding, fixing broken bones, finding ways to beat the illness that might get you. It’s time you start loving it back. Every ounce of your physical form is perfect as it is. We were born to find the reason of our existence. As rapper RM once said, “Maybe I made a mistake yes-

TERM OF THE WEEK

Glass ceiling

G

lass ceiling is the invisible barrier erected by men to stop women from being promoted. The term the ‘glass ceiling’ first came into use in 1986 when two Wall Street Journal reporters coined the phrase to describe the invisible barrier that blocks women from the top jobs in corporate America. Since then the metaphor has also been applied to the barriers of minorities. The glass ceiling is the theory that women and minorities do not advance into senior management or executive positions within corporate America. It is a barrier that has been in place since women started redefining their roles in the family since World War II, when their husbands were forced to leave home and go fight in the War. At this time, the wife went to work to support the family. At the end of the War, this new trend did not cease. Women received this era as a time of choice. Although the majority of the women, at this time, chose not to continue working when the War ended, a percentage remained in the workforce. This change in the culture and structure was not accepted on a positive note. Women and minorities faced multiple barriers to promotions. (Michael R. Neal – September 28, 1999 – History of the Glass Ceiling.)

terday, but yesterday’s me is still me. Today, I am who I am with all my failures and mistakes. Tomorrow I could be a little wiser and that’ll be me, too. These failures and mistakes are what I am, forming the brightest stars in the constellation of my life.” This year, make an aim to start loving yourself. You have magic in your bones, gold in your soul, don’t let anyone treat you like you are ordinary. Love the choices you have made, all the ones that have split tears, raised laughter and sprouted anger. Love your spirit, soul, ego. Love the way your entire

PLANET Y UNG life has changed when you began to breathe, when your breath opened your heart, when you learned to love yourself. Self-love brings me every colour of joy, every sign of love, every voice of my childhood. Here’s a piece of advice, the moment you feel suffocated by negativity, express positive thoughts in any form you can. Write, draw, listen to music, whatever. If you feel better, keep doing it whenever you feel sad. It’s your loophole from the dark side. Some days when I’d like to talk about important topics, I run out of words to explain like thousands of stars bypassing a black hole. I find myself lost, unable to express myself. I see many people who can express themselves through music, painting, creation. It’s fine if you aren’t able to immediately because slowly you’ll learn. Loving yourself does not happen overnight. It’s a process, a journey and takes a long, long time, lots of people give up if it takes too long. Be patient. The wait is worth it. Trust me, the journey to self-love is simply amazing.

In time Dear Bhaity, Bhonti,

It’s a pleasure to receive your contributions for every occasion – be it Holi, Bihu, Independence Day, Durga Puja, Diwali, Christmas, etc. However, many of you send your contributions too late and hence, we cannot publish them. I request you to please send your poems, sketches, etc., at least two weeks before any occasion. That way, you won’t be disappointed. With love, as always,

Across: 1. Moped, 4. Drumsticks, 7. Sugar, 8. Hay, 10. Screw, 12. Nightingale, 13. Bookcase. Down: 2. Plug, 3. Desk, 5. Spacecraft, 6. Shark, 7. Sapphire, 9. Flower, 11. Window, 13. Boar, 14. Comb.

PAGE 5 THE ASSAM TRIBUNE, GUWAHATI, THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2019

PAGE 4 THE ASSAM TRIBUNE, GUWAHATI, THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2019

Sketch of the week Yashvi Khemani, Class-VIII, Holy Child School, Guwahati

Poem of the Week

Tension

Pradnya Roy, Class-VI, South Point School, Guwahati.

The moment you are in tension, You will lose all your attention. Then you are in total confusion, And you will feel irritation. You will spoil personal relations, Ultimately, you won’t get any co-operation. You will be in a state of complication, You may have to start meditation. Instead, Try to understand a situation, Think about the solution, This is meditation, Which will give you relaxation, And keep you free from tension. Solve your problems by discussion, This will be effective for your profession. Don’t thank me; it’s not a free suggestion, It’s only for your best. If you understand my intention, You will never be in tension. Tannistha Sharmah Bordoloi, Class-VII, Gurukul Grammar Sr. Sec. School, Guwahati.

Mother Earth Mother Earth, Mother Earth, She is the one who gives us birth. But, the trees, the mountains, and the hills, One-by-one, all are getting killed. She gives us air, and food, and home. “But, that’s not enough!” We humans scream; With greed, our hearts do beat, With evil hopes, our eyes do gleam. Mother Earth, Mother Earth, No one understands Her worth. People work with a lot of zeal, Only to make money for their meals. Oh! Please stop filling Mother Earth with dirt!

Abhigyan Dey, Class-I, Don Bosco School, Panbazar, Guwahati

We are destroying Her, No longer, can She take our so-called “love”; Now, we must flee like scattered doves! She’ll give us all, unto the end; Let’s save our dear Mother Earth.

Champak Thakuria, Class-XII, Jawaharlal Nehru College, Boko

Amazing Bali was here in Assam for my winter vacation when my grandmother decided to take me on my first trip to Bali for my birthday. It was the morning of January 5 and I woke up early, but found that my sisters had woken up even earlier. It was soon evening and it was time for us to go to the airport. My mom was in line to check-in and then we went through all the other checks. I did not even realise when we reached Kolkata. We waited at the Kolkata airport for a long time and then we changed planes to Kuala Lampur, and then again, for Bali. When we reached Bali, we went through Immigration. Our tour driver was waiting for us. We went to an Indian restaurant for lunch. After that, we went to a hotel and swam in the hotel’s private swimming pool. It was evening and we decided to have Indonesian food in the hotel itself. The next day was my birthday. I saw two cards kept for me on the side table and all my family members wished me. The hotel people also wished me and gave me a cake. After that we went around Bali. We went to a batik shop, the government emporium, a silver-making village, etc. Then we went to a mountain called Kintamani, where we saw three volcanoes. After that, we went to a paddy field. On our way, we saw many street shops. After that, we went to a place where we could buy and taste coffee. We were also shown how coffee is made. We also enjoyed a Balinese dance performance. The next day, we went to a turtle island in a glassbottom boat. We took some bread to feed the fish on the way. There were several varieties of fish, birds, snakes, besides giant turtles. Our hotel had lots of fun activities and we really enjoyed our stay. But then, our time in Bali was soon over and we had to come back home.

Rohit Gupta, Class-V, Miles Bronson Residential School, Guwahati

I

I am a star I am a star, As no one can be. My dresses are like sparkling diamonds, My hair is like a beautiful crown. I will be the bravest, As no one can be in the world. My books are stepping stones towards success. I am a star! Ashmita Borah, Class-IV, Don Bosco School, Baghchung. Aviskha Dey, Class-VIII, Don Bosco School, Panbazar, Guwahati Tisha Gaur, Class-II, Little Flower School, Katrain, Kullu, Himachal Pradesh

Liza Rahman, Class-VIII, St. Mary’s H.S. School, Guwahati

Eshanya Dutta, Maharishi Kids Home, Barsajai, Guwahati

Tanya Gaur, Class-II, Little Flower School, Katrain, Kullu, Himachal Pradesh

Sabeeha Ahmed, Class-IV, NPS International School, Guwahati

Doris Disha Mazumdar, Maria Montessori House of Children, Guwahati

Megha Gaur, Class-V, Little Flower School, Katrain, Kullu, Himachal Pradesh.

Shloka Shelar, Class-IV, NPS International School, Guwahati

Shreya Dutta, Class-IX, Kendriya Vidyalaya, Khanapara, Guwahati