Friday, March 29, 2024
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Local Self Government an imperative

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Editor,

As a follow up to my earlier letter relating to reforming the Dorbar Shnongs as Institutions oF Local Self Governments, I would like to re-emphasize that the definition of Democracy, that is, Government of the people, by the people, for the people will not be complete, if devolution of powers to the people to take part in the development programmes initiated by the Government is not put in place through the institutions of Local Self Governments.

Therefore, the Government’s role in putting in place by way of legislation, the institutions of Local Self Government should not be confined to the Dorbar Shnongs in Khasi & Jaintia Hills, but for the whole state of Meghalaya.

Yours etc.,

Michael N. Syiem

Via email

 

English, not laziness the problem    

Editor,
Once upon a time I too thought that we, the Garos, fail to perform well in the board exams due to laziness. But now, from my experience as a teacher and from my long association with students of various levels, I am convinced that it is not laziness alone. No society is immune to laziness. Some fraction of the population will always be lazy in any community.  My personal opinion is that it is not laziness alone which is the problem but our poor command over the English language which is responsible for poor performance.  Since the students have to read in English, understand and express in the exams in English, language plays a crucial role in teaching, learning and evaluation. Many a times, even if the students have understood the lesson they are unable to express it in writing even in simplest English. I see many students struggling and studying hard and yet failing. I empathise with them in the same manner that I would empathise with a lame person trying desperately to run a marathon. Something which other students can learn by just a single glance, a student who is weak in language might take a day or two to understand or may not  understand it at all and therefore just end up learning by rote.
There is no dearth of bright students in Garo Hills. I was fortunate to encounter many bright as well as hard working students. These bright students have always been good in English language. I fared well as a student, not because I was ‘less lazy’ but because I was able to understand something written in simple English and express my understanding with simplest, albeit not-so- perfect English. If I were to write my examination in Hindi (the language I can somehow speak and read and barely write), I would have failed miserably.
Amidst bandhs and uncertainties (throughout the year), students appeared for their board exams. Many students were displaced the night before the exam which fell on the bandh day. Two of my relatives, who have to travel one and a half hours by public transport to reach the exam hall, landed at my house for a night stay. Such was the ordeal for the students of Garo Hills. I congratulate all the students from Garo Hills who managed to pass the HSSLC, Examination 2015 by facing all the challenges. And yes, whatever may be our shortcomings, we can compensate it with hard work.
Yours etc.,

  1. S.C. Sangma
    Tura

 

Plant identification

Editor,

Apropos the article ‘April- the inauspicious month’ by H. H. Mohrmen (ST May 4, 2015), I would like to thank the author for voicing some of our common concerns. I agree with the author that the present system of education emphasizes more on rote learning than comprehension of the subject with very little room for self learning. This memorized stuff is forgotten just after the examination, thus students end up with a degree with no or little subject knowledge. This needs to change. A process of continuous assessment and incorporation of more project work, seminars, and field studies in the curriculum can improve the situation. However, regarding the authors statement ‘the inability of the scientific community of the state to come up with a study of wild edible fruits and vegetables’, I would like to inform that there are considerable number of literature on ethno-botany of different tribes of Meghalaya and many of them deal with study of wild edibles. Many of these literatures are available on the internet. It is worth mentioning here that Botanical survey of India, Eastern circle, situated at Shillong and Department of Botany, North Eastern Hill University, Shillong are two premiere institutes constantly engaged in the study of the plant wealth of Meghalaya, besides organizations like ICAR, NBPGR and state forest departments with numerous publications on plant wealth of Meghalaya. However, these are mainly scientific literature and audience mainly is the scientific community. This scientific knowledge is not properly disseminated to the common public. The need of the hour is to share scientific knowledge with the public by writing more popular scientific books and articles both in English and vernacular languages. It is also true that a lot of work is still left and areas yet to be explored and plants whose uses and properties yet to be documented. For example, Ormosia pinnata, the plant believed to be responsible for the tragic incident in Saipung, came to the limelight only after the unfortunate incident. This also justifies Mr. Mohrmen’s worry that it will be too late to document all these plants. So botanists, it is high time to act. For identification and naming of a plant, standard scientific procedure has to be followed. It involves study of the specimen in the field, collection of sample, description and comparison with standard literature, comparing with already preserved samples (called herbarium specimens) and finally identifying and ascertaining a name to the plant. Naming a plant specimen just by looking at the photograph may result in wrong identification of the plant. Also just having a botany background may not be sufficient for plant identification; there are specialized people called ‘taxonomist’ for identifying and naming plants. Botanical Survey of India, Eastern Circle, Shillong is fully equipped with all the facilities for plant identification and has been catering to all the north eastern states. One can approach BSI for correct and authentic identification of a plant specimen.

Your etc,

Devajyoti Bokolial

Department of Botany,

St. Anthony’s college, Shillong.

 

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