Renowned filmmaker dies
Munin Barua, commercially the most successful of Assamese filmmakers, passed away at his Guwahati residence on Saturday. Lovingly called Bhaimon da, he was suffering from a prolonged illness. He was 72 and is survived by his wife, a son and a daughter.
His commercial film “Dinabandhoo” had won him the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Assamese in 2005. He directed a number of hit films, including “Pita Putro”, “Hiya Diya Niya”, “Pahari Kanya”, “Nayak”, “Bidhata”, “Raamdhenu”, “Kanyadaan”, “Rong”, “Priyar Priyo” etc. He also directed and wrote the scripts of dozens of plays. Barua is credited with rejuvenating the dying Assamese film industry. In 2000, his “Hiya Diya Niya” created history as a blockbuster. Governor Jagdish Mukhi and Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal mourned Barua’s demise.
City turns into a drug corridor
Guwahati has become a corridor for drugs smuggling. Drugs
smuggled from Myanmar, Nagaland and Manipur are taken to various parts of the country via Guwahati. The city is also used as a corridor for gold smuggling. The sale of drugs is rampant in various localities of
the city, but the police allegedly do not take any action. It is alleged that the smugglers operate in connivance with a section of the policemen. The locals say that due to the inaction of the cops, youngsters, particularly college students, are increasingly falling prey to drugs. They say the city has also turned into a hotbed for gambling, which is ruining families.
All is not well at Assam State Zoo
All is not well at the Assam State Zoo, popularly known as Guwahati Zoo. According to official figures, 306 birds and animals died at the zoo from 2011 until March this year. Replying to a query during the recently-held Budget Session of the Assembly, the state’s Forest Minister, Pramila Rani Brahma, said that the zoo had lost 34 birds and animals so far this year. Of them, only three had died of illness related to old age. To another query, she said that J5.3 crore had been allocated to the zoo between 2017 and March this year.
Civic body warns companies
The Gauhati Municipal Council (GMC) has warned companies cleaning drains in the city against laxity. It said FIRs would be lodged against companies found not sincere in their work. The threat was issued after an engineering company that was awarded the work was found to be doing the job at a snail’s pace. The GMC asked it to expedite the work or face the music. With the onset of summer, the GMC is worried about impending artificial floods. Blocked drains are often the reason for the floods, which confine the residents to their homes for days together. The state government has instructed the GMC to clean the drains on a war footing.
Prasanta Mazumdar
Our correspondent in Guwahati
prasantamazumdar@newindianexpress.com