TURA: Chaotic scenes in Tura during curfew relaxation hours on Thursday morning appeared to have been due to lack of coordination and information flowing from the administration side, many feel.
Thousands of citizens were out on the streets of Tura rushing into markets for panic buying of essential items as they remained clueless when the next opening would be permitted.
“We were left completely unaware that the district administration had decided to allow shops to open from 7 AM in the morning. By the time we headed to the Tura bazaar we were all caught in a traffic jam that stretches for miles,” complained many who were stuck up for over an hour on a 3 km stretch.
There is palpable anger among many citizens who blame the deputy commissioner, Ram Singh, for the crisis that engulfed Tura.
“There was no announcement at all on public system the previous evening about the relaxation given for the next morning. Why were people kept in the dark?” questioned angry citizens.
However, deputy commissioner Ram Singh has denied the same and maintains that hourly information was being put out on the district administration’s social media account, particularly facebook.
“We have been giving regular alerts and information including orders and notices on social media,” justifies Ram Singh.
However, not everyone is buying his story.
“Not everyone has time or is on social media and facebook. People depend on simple and time tested government announcements. While Meghalaya government has announced its decision to open all grocery stores on Friday, the deputy commissioner has gone ahead and done the same a day earlier. It appears they are working at crossroads,” point out a
