Editor,
The electricity disruption in Garo Hills is becoming a regularly affair. This years there have been several disruptions lasting several hours. It has affected students in the midst of their exams. We cannot think of any event without there being electricity disruption. Those dependent on computers for their livelihoods face the worst crisis due to power failure. During this season of Christmas the Christmas tree and the star are in darkness and even the music is disrupted. For the first time this year the light went off on Christmas Eve. It looks like the Power Department or the MeECL is challenging the great leaders of Meghalaya in Garo Hills, which has 24 MLAs including the Chief Minister and Power Minister and the former Lok Sabha Speaker and two Members of Parliament from Garo Hills. The great leaders and the people have to remain in the gloomy rooms of their homes on Christmas Eve, during the power cut. The irritation and annoyance is spreading from Tura to the four corners of Garo Hills and on behalf of the Senior Citizens Forum I am compelled to put out protest in writing. On the 23rd and 24th of December power went off several times. It seems like all hell is breaking loose and the devil is entering, into our homes through the weak links of the Power department of Meghalaya. We want to know the reason behind this repeated power failure. Is it because of the negligence of duty of the concerned officers? Or is it because officers appointed are technically deficient? Or is it because of the sub-standard materials that the department has been using? Does the department including the Minister not feel the importance of the great observance of the Christians? Is Garo Hills intentionally neglected to tarnish the image of the Garo Chief Minister and the great leaders of Garo Hills? The water level of Umiam lake is going down and it may be one of the reasons for the power cuts. But this is not a new thing. The Department should have planned well ahead and made some alternative arrangements to sustain the normal power supply during the Christmas season.
Ever since the Meghalaya Energy Corporation Limited (MeECL) took over Meghalaya State Electricity Board (MeSEB) the disruption in power supply has only increased. Will the Minister concerned and the CM look into this matter?
Yours etc.,
Winstone G. Momin
President, Achik Senior Citizens Forum,
Tura
Of legislative privileges
Editor,
I wish to congratulate Patricia Mukhim for her well written piece ‘Case of Legislative Overreach’ (ST December 23, 2011). The article clearly delineates the powers of the Chairman of the Committee on Privileges of the Legislative Assembly. May I, on behalf of all right thinking citizens, request someone to please send a copy of the write-up to Mr RV Lyngdoh so that he will know what he can and cannot do as chairman of this committee and prevent future abuse? The problem with governance in Meghalaya is that a fair number of the elected legislators have no idea – in fact, some are completely ignorant – about how to carry out their roles as effective public leaders as they have not taken the trouble to familiarise themselves with the rules and regulations pertaining to the positions they hold. If they do not have the time to read up then they can at least rely on experienced officers to advise and guide them but that, I suppose, is asking for too much from those who claim to know it all.
Yours etc.
DM Pariat,
Aberystwyth,
Wales.