Polo Market in the heart
of Polo is a burning
hell of Shillong with two-third of the shops in the Market being illicit liquor shops plus the wine shops in every roadside wherever one turns his/her eyes.
The illicit liquor is packed in un-hygienic plastic bags for discrete and hasty transaction and makes it easy for the consumer to pocket it.
Because of the easy availability of the illicit liquor in the Polo Market many youths from and around Polo areas (like Mawlai Mawroh, Lawmali, Forest Colony, Polo, Pynthor, Demseiniong, etc.) come to the market just for the sake of that liquor, making it difficult for the passers-by who live in constant fear and feel unsafe.
Consumption of liquor creates numerous problems in the society as a whole and most importantly consumes thousands of souls of the neighboring localities leaving many widowed and fatherless. Authorities have been publishing news after news and article after article announcing to dismantle the Polo Market and convert it into a super market but nothing has been forthcoming.
The latest news was published in October 2011 in local dailies wherein Urban Affairs Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh had assured that the dismantling of the Market will start by the first week of November 2011, but two months have since passed without any sign of any dismantling work.
Meanwhile, the State Government has made all preparations to beautify the Khyndai Lad of the city, but the question arises as to why only Khyndai Lad?
The government will not gain anything by beautifying only Khyndai Lad while the other parts of the city are lying in a dismal state with residents living in pathetic condition, a resident of Polo lamented.
“The government should not only beautify Police Bazar but also attend to other localities that urgently need a detailed facelift. This will not only beautify the area but most importantly will beautify the mind and soul of all the people and make the society full of responsible, respected and peace loving people,” the resident observed. (Contributed by a reader)