Editor,
Whereas the Chief Minister and company, at huge cost to the public exchequer, had returned from their foreign trip to explore the ways and means to boost tourism industry in our State. And whereas many other such wasteful trips had been made earlier by our elected representatives, e.g. Late E K Mawlong (the then CM) went to Rome ostensibly to study flourishing bamboo cultivation and industry there for replicating it back home;, and Paul Lyngdoh and company, to the enchanting West claiming it was in order to implement the most modern and scientific method of mining in our mineral-rich State, which are just two instances of the many such wasteful trips for which the end results are already known before the trips commenced. And, whereas the current Chief Minister is undoubtedly, not only young, smart and dynamic (to me, the best in the State’s history) but also appears to be sincere and trust-worthy.
Now therefore, in exercise of the power constitutionally conferred on us the hoi polloi, we demand that, a monthly report card indicating the positive growth both in addition of modern infrastructure and more importantly, in actual tourist inflow, be published beginning from say, January 2012. If the additional spurt in tourist in-flow on a year-on-year basis is below 40%, the recent trip should also be classified alongside the earlier ones. In such an eventuality, heavy weights in the Assembly Secretariat may also fly West at Government’s cost on the pretext of consulting the best architects for construction of the new Assembly building (but not at Tara Ghar please). Long live Meghalaya!
Yours etc.
A G Syiemiong,
Via email
CM’s irresponsible statement!
Editor,
The news report “I-Day venue not my concern: CM” (ST Aug 12, 2011) is preposterous. It shows the disinterestedness of the Chief Minister about an important national day venue. Understandably it is the prerogative of the district administration to look into the selection of a venue for such an important and meaningful celebration in the country yet for our Chief Minister the distancing attitude is a bit unexpected. Can the Chief Minister wash his hands off such important issues? Does he really mean that his only concern is taking a salute irrespective of where the place may be? So let the celebration be at his backyard or the streets? One question Mr. Chief Minister, as the head of the State can you shirk the responsibility of a worthy venue for taking the salute? Certainly it is not about poking your nose into each and every matter but a display of sensitivity, responsibility and an anxious heart as the representative of the people and the leader and head of the state is called for!
Dilapidated MTC buses
Editor,
On 13th August , I was traveling on MTC day bus ML03 0139 from Williamnagar to Shillong. The bus was very old and dilapidated. Most of the seats have become loose and worn out. Unluckily I got a seat that was also very loose and I had struggle to hold myself and keep the seat in its original position. To add to my woes the conductor of the bus chewed betel nuts and spilt some spit on my clothes. The conductor was seated on an empty seat but when one of the passenger who was traveling without a seat asked for it he refused to yield the seat and told him to go to the back to where he boarded the bus form. I therefore appeal to the higher authorities in Meghalaya Transport Corporation to look into the matter. It takes a whole day to travel by bus from Garo Hills to Shillong. Such old and worn out buses should be repaired and used only for short distance journey like Nongpoh to Shillong. The MTC has no right to make passengers suffer by allotting such worn out buses to travel long distances from Williamnagar to Shillong and vice versa. Also the conductors should show some manners and respect while dealing with the passengers.
Yours etc,.
Tangsil Ch Marak
Williamnagar