Students of Nabarup Jatiya Vidyapith in Nagaon take part in a celebration ahead of Bihu
GUWAHATI: Nearly one-fifth of the 30 Bihu committees in Guwahati have decided to call off their celebrations after most of the sponsors withdrew their agreements following the recent standard operating procedure (SOP) issued by the government for celebrating the festival.
“Organising a night function entails a huge cost. Lakhs of rupees have to be spent. The organisers are in a dilemma whether to go by the recent SOP and bear the expenses themselves.We have decided to call off the night function,” said an organiser.
The Shantipur Bihu committee in Bharalumukh in the city is one such committee, which is not organising a night function. “We cannot organize the function and follow the SOP at the same time. There are two options – either cancel the function or revoke/relax the SOP,” a committee member said.
Congress flag (Representative image)
GUWAHATI: The Congress-led grand alliance in Assam on Monday declared it was not only prepared to fend off horse-trading attempts, but also open to taking the support of five-six BJP candidates who had allegedly sent feelers about their plan of action once the poll results are declared.
Karim Uddin Barbhuiya, among the 18 candidates from Badruddin Ajmal s AIUDF whom Congress had reportedly packed off to Jaipur a few days ago, announced his return to Assam by saying the alliance was unbreakable . AIUDF candidates are not scared of horse-trading. We did go to Jaipur together and also visited Ajmer Sharif, but that was only to relax. Our candidates were suffering from fatigue after weeks of campaigning, Barbhuiya told TOI on Monday. My colleagues are still there in Jaipur on their own. Whether they wish to prolong their stay or return is up to them.
Picture used for representational purpose only
GUWAHATI: Local pharmacies in the city have reported a steep surge in the demand for masks, as the number of Covid cases continue to rise in the city and beyond.
Medicine outlets in the city TOI spoke to said the demand for masks and sanitisers started since the last week and has peaked in the last two days. However, most of them said there is no real shortage of masks in the city yet.
“We used to sell 20-25 masks a day. Now there has been a recent increase in demand. We are selling over 100 pieces a day in the past two days,” Naresh Agarwal, sales manager of Bohagi pharmacy in Ulubari area, told TOI.
Bihu dancers rehearse in Lakhimpur district on Sunday (UB photo)
GUWAHATI: The standard operating procedures (SOP) for the upcoming Bihu celebrations issued by the state health department has come as a dampener for both organisers and the people of the city.
The SOP with several strict guidelines triggered disappointment among Bihu organisers of the city. The umbrella committee of the 30 Bihu committees Greater Guwahati Bihu Organisers’ Coordination Committee (GGBOCC) has expressed their unwillingness to enforce the guidelines, saying it was the responsibility of the health department and the district administration.
“It is not feasible for organisers with limited manpower to carry on thermal scanning of thousands of visitors in an open ground. How will it be possible to make visitors use hand sanitizers at a ground where people come from all directions?” Kailash Sarma, advisor of the coordination committee, asked.
GUWAHATI: A freight train, which was allegedly travelling at a high speed, mowed down an elephant calf, at Gogamukh in upper Assam’s Lakhimpur district on Saturday night. The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) has started a departmental probe into the matter while the state department has launched a probe into the incident. The forest department has registered a case regarding the matter.
Chief public relations officer of NFR Subhanan Chanda told TOI that the incident took place on Saturday night when a herd of wild elephants was crossing the railway tracks between Baghjan and Sarkarijan. “The herd was moving from Dullung Reserve Forest under Pathalipam Forest Beat towards the hills of Arunachal Pradesh. They were moving within the elephant range and got hit by the train which was coming from Silapathar to Rangia. We have initiated investigation and a case has been registered,” Dibakar Dey, DFO Lakhimpur, told TOI.