Editor,
I fail to understand why our people are so narrow minded. Backed up by those so-called NGOs they are a bottleneck for developmental programs. Before it was a protest against the rail-head; now its roads. What will they protest against next? Why don’t these people protest over the use of computers, televisions, and mobile phones? Are all these helping their children since they speak of the future of their children. Your children will not die because of the roads or railways but because of mobiles, televisions etc. You are like dogs in the manger in Aesop’s fables. Wake up, speak of unemployment, corruption, poverty, developments etc. Stand for constructive purposes not destructive ones. So far I have never heard of the JAC or RBYF doing anything useful for the public; not even constructing a public toilet. Hence most people travelling the Ri Bhoi stretch have to ease themselves in public!
Yours etc.,
Alphius L Sutnga,
Via email
Spare the common man
Editor,
We the people of Meghalaya often become unwitting victims in the tussle between the government and NGOs. The latter use road blockades and bandhs to arm-twist the government. Now we are unduly harassed because of the stalemate over the Umsning Bye- pass. The Government at first proposed that the highway would pass through the Umsning Bye- pass and then took a U-turn after it found that huge tracts of agricultural land would be affected. The width of the existing national highway (PWD land) near the Umtrew bridge junction (the proposed point of diversion up to the point before reaching the Umsning-Jagi Road junction) might be enough for the four lane. The few hundred meters of spare land would be semi-congested for the school, market and playgrounds. Hence it is the duty of the Government to relocate to a more suitable area. The cost incurred will definitely be less in the long run as compared to the cost of the new alignment which proposes to pass through agricultural land. But even after the Government corrected its earlier error decision, following stiff opposition from Umsning people who were to be affected by the Bye-pass, I fail to understand why the NGOs of North Khasi/Ri Bhoi district ( ie KSU , FKGJP ,HYNF and other pro by-pass groups) still insist that the highway should go through Umsning Bye-pass. How can they part with agricultural land which is so valuable? People in other states are reluctant to give even an inch of agricultural land and are even ready to die for it.
I remember the Shillong bye pass alignment had to be changed to the existing one due to protest by the farmers’ forum and land owners as it was passing through cultivable land. But here it’s the reverse. Is this because we are too far sighted and too educated? I would like to put a few questions to the NGOs (pro-bye pass group).Does this petty issue warrant a road blockade which leads to price rice and in turn affects the common man, and the commuters? There are other forms of protests such as hunger strike or fasting by real leaders which puts pressure on Government but does not affect the non participants?
Yours etc.,
S Dkhar.,
Via email
Why the nepotism Dr Sangma?
Editor,
Apropos the news item out your paper (ST Oct 13, 2011) regarding the arbitrary transfers and postings of MCS/IAS officers in the state, we feel that nepotism and favouritism is playing a significant role in modern day democracy. We fully agree that transfer and posting of these officers is based on political decisions no matter how much the public are being victimised and made to suffer unnecessarily. Regarding the transfer of the Jaintia Hills Deputy Commissioner T Dkhar on several occasions, we would like to say that he was reinstated not only through the support of the coal and cement lobby but also by the ‘political lobby’ who prefers to cast a blind eye to the environmental destruction and the plight that awaits the people of the district. He may be the Deputy Commissioner but it would seem that some other force is pulling the strings. Jowai, the district headquarter is rotting and in a derelict condition with garbage accumulating everywhere, even within the DC’s residential complex. People would be amused to know that on a typical musiang, a thriving cattle trade goes on just outside the DC’s residence and the stench and litter is simply left behind. Many a times, mention has been made of the sordid affairs of Jaintia Hills in both the vernacular and English dailies during his tenure, but to no avail. One cannot help but wonder why the previous DC of this district Sanjay Goyal was removed within a very short span of time while such officers like our present deputy commissioner continues to rule like a monarch. The people of Jaintia Hills deserve an answer.
Yours etc;
P Shylla & L Bareh,
Via email