Editor,
The use of plastics in the state has to be banned at the earliest. Plastics have polluted the rivers beyond repair, causing the rivers to clog thereby partially responsible for the floods as seen in Polo area recently. Plastic is not bio-degradable and this generation of citizens must be held accountable for the damage left behind on mother earth for future inhabitants of the state. No water-life is left in the streams and rivers around the town of Shillong not to speak of the filtering of this problem to other water bodies in and around Meghalaya. Other states and cities of India have gone on ahead to ban the use of plastics. Meghalaya too must join hands in the campaign against use and circulation of plastic bags.
Yours etc.,
J Lyngdoh,
Via email
Moral Police
Editor,
I was dismayed to see the news item in the ST yesterday that volunteers would be employed to keep a check on “indecent couples” who frequent Ward’s Lake and other parks. This same topic was the subject of a news item on PCN last week. There is definitely a need to maintain law and order and to preserve public decency. But other important issues which are related and relevant have not been addressed here.
The youth of our community need awareness and information about life skills and healthy and safe relationships. They need counselling and psychological support. They get very little help in these areas from parents, schools or the church. Perhaps professional organizations like San-ker and Bethany Society could be provided financial and community support to conduct life skills programs for our youth.
Meghalaya suffers from a high fertility rate, high maternal mortality, low contraceptive use and surely high levels of sexually transmitted diseases. Some of these indices are the worst in the country. All these problems are related to poor awareness, information and psychosocial support.
Constructive approaches are needed, not moral policing. That is the method of the Taliban and other fundamentalist groups.
Yours etc.,
Glenn C Kharkongor,
Via email
