Editor,
In compliance with the instructions of the Election Commission of India, the Government of Meghalaya had set up special facilitation cells in all the districts of the State for enrollment of eligible voters who are genuine Indian citizens. This was followed by wide publicity in all the leading daily newspapers with the theme “Greater participation for stronger Democracy”. Recently my husband and I went to the office of the Deputy Commissioner, West Garo Hills, Tura to submit our applications for enrollment of our names in the electoral roll with all the relevant documents. But to our utter shock and dismay, the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) concerned who is a local Garo MCS officer flatly refused to allow us to be photographed for the Electronic Photo Identity Card (EPIC) despite the fact that we had furnished all the required documents to prove our identity and place of residence and also the Deputy Commissioner Office had cleared all formalities for the purpose. On asking the ERO concerned the reasons for refusal, he insisted that we produce copies of electricity bill and Bank Pass Books and also to prove our genuine identity and place of residence with copies of land patta issued by the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council, Tura and a residential Certificate issued by the concerned headman/Gaonbura.
I insisted that the above documents were not necessary and demanded my right for the EPIC. But the Officer rudely ordered me to leave his office chamber after which a heated argument ensued between him and me in the presence of many other applicants. The more I asserted my right to be enfranchised as an Indian citizen, the more arrogant and adamant the officer became to disenfranchise me. Finally I was forced to leave the office in disgust. In Garo Hills, it is an open secret that thousands of doubtful Indian citizens (illegal migrants) are allowed enrolment as voters without proper verification of their place of residence, nationality, antecedents etc. with the connivance of the election office staff and touts after their palms are greased. Sadly the general public remain a silent spectator due to ignorance and illiteracy or fear of reprisal by the officers. I feel it is high time for the NGOs of Garo Hills to take a cue from their counterparts in Khasi Hills and rise up in unison against this immoral and corrupt practices by the officers concerned and to fight tooth and nail to delete the names of non-genuine voters and fix responsibility on all such officials who are indulging in corrupt practices by receiving illegal gratification for their selfish personal gains. If such corrupt practices by high officials in Garo Hills are not nipped in the bud, time is not far off when Garo Hills will be another Tripura in the making.
Yours etc,
Cataline Sangma
Tura Town
Back to the dark ages
Editor,
We, the people of the Garo Hills are left high and dry too often, vis a vis the power situation .The power scenario here can be summed up in just one word ‘ Pathetic’ The irony is, we have had more Chief Ministers from Garo Hills than that from the Khasi Hills and yet we languish from a total apathy from the very people who are supposed to deliver us and take us into the 21st century. It now seems, we have missed that bus. Oddly enough, we also have the Power minister from Garo Hills and he too is simply clueless on finding a lasting solution to the power situation here. .Alas! where did we go wrong five years ago or even earlier? We, the people of Garo Hills have been promised that an alternative power source from Agia would be commissioned soon, but that “SOON” was told to us fifteen years ago and now we are well aware that the project has been entangled in a legal case. We all know how efficient and prompt the Indian legal system is. When are we actually going to catch up with the rest of the country? We have become laggards in terms of development and nobody in power is in a hurry to lift a finger to get us out of the dark ages that we find ourselves in.
It’s a real shame that the political leadership are indulging in everything else but in serving the electorate. The people of the Garo Hills can no longer be taken for another ride, for we are no longer babes in the woods. We demand that leaders truly become accountable to us. We have just a few months left before we go to the polls. We need to really make wise choices this time in order to lift ourselves up from the dumps where are today and take our rightful place in the nation, we call India.
Yours etc.,
Tyrone D’Brass,
Tura
Sudden hike in fares
Editor,
The recent news of sudden hike of night bus fares plying from Shillong to Tura from Rs 260 to Rs 350 has shocked the common travelers here. This is a matter of serious concern and Government should not allow such an unprecedented hike as it will affect ordinary commuters with meager incomes who are compelled to undertake such journeys. I request all the NGO’s and the public to come together and take up this issue with the concerned department.
Yours etc.,
J Sangma,
Tura
Generic drugs
Editor,
I fully agree to the proposal of Niloybrata Das on generic drugs. I had also watched the telecast of Satyameva Jayate (27th May) and I found the programme very useful and an eye opener for the society. It is true that generic drugs are much cheaper than branded drugs, and most people with small incomes and citizens living below poverty line can also avail the benefit of such life saving drugs, which at present are beyond the reach of the poor and daily wage earners. The idea of the generic drugs store has been tried and implemented in most cities in South India including Rajasthan, and Mumbai. Hence I fully support the idea of Mr Das and request the Government of Meghalaya to seriously consider setting up such generic drug stores in Meghalaya. This will be a boon to the lower income and rural population of our state.
Yours etc.,
Sandeep Bhattacharjee,
Via email