Sunday, October 6, 2024
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Shillong Jottings

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Hailstorm

On Sunday the Indian Air Force organized a para jumping exercise in the Headquarters Eastern Air Command sports field.

The most interested lot were the kids of air force personnel who clapped enthusiastically each time a para-jumper landed without falling on his face. But when a jumper lost his balance they laughed aloud. It’s a good way of infusing in children the love for adventure and of course to lure them back into the Force.

Unfortunately this unique experience could not be enjoyed by people of Shillong since the Air Force as is the Army are a gated community. No one can get in without the necessary credentials. Is this the reason why the civilian population are so averse to men in uniform?

Even at the Governor’s ‘At Home’ on Republic day and Independence Day there is a red carpet separating the uniformed lot from the non-uniformed commoner and no one ever consciously tries to bridge the divide.

Is this why there are so few people from Meghalaya in the Army and Air Force? Asked a young mother, “Why can’t the military establishments have a two-week internship for young students with the urge to join the forces, so they can see for themselves the challenge of being an insider?” Good question for the Air Officer Commanding in Chief of the Air Force and for the Army General here.

 Extended winter, why?

Those who have zipped up their warm clothes in air tight bags had to reopen them and pull out their woolies.

Its March but winter does not want to bid goodbye. The harsh winds only add to our woes. It’s bad news for MeECL as people continue to use hot air blowers, room heaters et al.

A knowledgeable person said the rainfall has dropped every year and the Umiam Lake has only 15 feet of water. Another self taught environmentalist says that at least 10 feet of the Umiam is a garbage pool. So in effect Umiam dam has only 5 ft of water. What happens if the turbines crash because they have to grind garbage instead of churning water?

Meanwhile the garment stores at Khyndailad continue to peddle their woolen fabrics and coats. For them its heads they win, tails also they win. But the serious part really is that Meghalaya might head for a major catastrophe with more load-shedding expected in the coming weeks since the normal spring showers are not are also giving the state a miss.

Climate change is upon us and we are not ready to face this “Inconvenient Truth”

 Iewduh: Syiem of Mylliem’s suzerainty minus responsibility

Anyone who decides to shop at the Iewduh especially on a weekend (Friday and Saturday) will either have their pockets picked or be jostled around and lose their balance. Porters hit people with their bags of potatoes hither and thither. The market is as congested as Chandni Chowk, in Old Delhi. The porters carry well beyond what they physically can, so they lose their balance and trample on peoples’ feet.

A frequent shopper said she has to keep her wits about her or be banged right and left. A person’s shirt was torn by a sharp object in the Paltan Bazar area. The person was ducking to avoid a moving vehicle carrying hardware materials with rods and other sharp objects jutting out. In the process his shirt was ripped by a porter carrying CGI sheets.

The porters have a unique way of clearing the uneven lanes inside the market. They whistle and make queer noises to shoo pedestrians off. But the worst thing happened on Saturday when a lady lost her footing and landed on her back because she was pushed by a porter carrying blood dripping meat carcasses to be sold in the meat market. The irate lady landed a tight slap on the porter. This is the daily story of Iewduh of which the Syiem of Mylliem is oblivious about but claims sovereignty over.

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