GMDA development vision for 2025

The Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority has asked Ahmedabad-based Centre for Environmental Planning and Technology (CEPT) University to prepare a new masterplan to help give shape to the GMDA’s expansion plans.

A total of 13 firms had participated in the bidding process after which CEPT was awarded the work. The institute became a university under the Gujarat State Legislature Act, 2005, with effect from April 12, 2005.

The jurisdiction of GMDA extends originally over an area of 262 square km and the 2025 comprehensive masterplan had stated that the total area would be 328 square km, with the addition of three new towns. The city is likely to witness rapid population growth and reach 2.3 million by 2025.

Barsapara stadium ground inaugurated

It was indeed a historic day for Assam sports as the ground of Assam Cricket Association’s (ACA) newly built stadium at Barsasapa here was formally inaugurated by State PHE Minister Gautom Roy, who is also the president of ACA.

In a brief function prior to the Assam-Odisha East Zone Senior Women Inter State One-day Championship match, in presence of State Sports Minister Ajit Singh, ACA secretary Bikash Baruah along with a host of ACA officials and former players and former MLA Ramen Kalita, Roy inaugurated the ground. Monikha Das of Assam became the first bowler to bowl on the wicket in a official BCCI match.

Gautom Roy later said that the stadium will be inaugurated by Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi when it will be completed.

English translation of Bhupenda’s 21 songs

‘Let My Songs Be, The Door To a New Dawn’, is a book based on the compilation of 21 songs of Bhupen Hazarika translated in English by first-time author Pronami Bhattacharyya of Jorhat.

The book was released by Dr Amarjyoti Choudhury, pro-vice-chancellor of Tezpur University and former vice-chancellor Gauhati University at Guwahati Press Club today.

Eminent artist Sudakshina Sharma, former vice principal of Cotton College Deven Dutta, and senior journalist BN Goswami were present on the occasion.

Daughter of Barada Prosad Bhattacharyya and Rekha Bhattacharyya, Pronami completed M.A. in English from Gauhati University in the year 2010. Pronami is currently pursuing her PhD in English in the area of African-American Literature.

Trade body lambasts Govt over price rise

The Assam Chamber of Commerce (ACC) on Sunday held the Government responsible for the unprecedented prices of all essential items, including foodgrains in Assam and alleged that the Government’s lack of willingness to end the syndicate system was one of the major factors behind the soaring prices.

Addressing media persons here, chairman of ACC, Rupam Goswami said that price rise of the essential commodities has hit the common man hard.

“Though price rise is a national phenomena but in our State the increase is on the higher side,” said Goswami, pointing out that the syndicate system being operated by certain unscrupulous and greedy individuals/groups has contributed to the woes of the consumers. Goswami said that the syndicate system which is a bane of the society creating monopoly in trade should be ended immediately.

“The government has knowledge about those running the syndicate system. We have repeatedly requested the State Government to disband the syndicates, but nothing tangible has been done. We demand of the Government to act, otherwise ACC with the help of the general public will put an end to this trade malpractice,” warned Goswami.

7-lingo salute to Dr. Bhupen Hazarika

Artistes of seven indigenous communities of Assam will dress up in traditional attires and sing late Bhupen Hazarika’s timeless classic, Manuhe Manuhor Babey, in their mother tongues here on Monday, the first death anniversary of the maestro.

The programme, which is part of the anniversary celebration event — Sangeet Divas — organised by Sanskritik Mahasabha, Assam, will include a procession involving schoolchildren and general public accompanied by gayan bayan troupes and music bands that will start from Court Field in the morning and pass through the main thoroughfares of the town.

Speaking about the rendition of Hazarika’s classic in six languages apart from Assamese, the organising committee’s secretary, Kula Kamal Dutta, said, “We think our attempt is a small step towards living up to the spirit of the song penned by the legend, who always wanted people of various faiths and groups of Assam to come together and had also been able bridge divides in society.”

Dr Hazarika’s lyrics in digital archive

A digital archive of the lyrics of Dr Bhupen Hazarika stored in Unicode format along with the songs was formally inaugurated by Meghalaya Governor RS Mooshahary at the Dept of Information Technology, Gauhati University today.

The archive has the lyrics and songs in alphabetical order, and one can access those at the website www. bhupenhazarikadigitalarchives.org.

Addressing the function, Mooshahary said that there was an urgent need to expand and promote the timeless compositions of the legendary singer-musician, and that the digital archive would serve that purpose to a great extent.

Lauding the role of the IT dept of GU, Mooshahary said that storing the lyrics in Unicode format would facilitate flexibility and availability of the resources in a universal format so that those could be used, disseminated and analysed by anyone anywhere.